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upon nane of them: only they were Baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghoft. And Ch. 19. 5, 6. we are told that St. Paul (who receiv'd both his Apoftolick Commission, and his Instruction in the Gospel, not from the other Apostles, but immediately from Christ himself. Gal. 1. 11, 12, 16, 17) laid his hands on some Ephesians, whom he had before Baptized *; and that when he bad laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them. Of this, and of the like, he minds them, and the rest of the Ephesians, Eph. 1. 13; saying, In whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of Promise.

So this was the Ordinary settled way with all the Apostles. The Twelve were Confirm'd by the Coming down of the Holy Ghoft upon them on the Day of Pentecost. The first converts were Confirm'd by the Prayer of the Apostles, without Laying on of hands, themselves also praying with the Apostles. Alts 4. 31 †. And no doubt the persons Confirm'd always pray'd with those that Confirm'd them.

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The case of St. Paul, who seems to have receiv'd the Grace of Confirmation before he was Baptiz'd, only by Ananias his putting his hands on him, and telling him his message from Chrift; (Atts 9. 17) and the case of Cornelius and his company, who plainly receiv'd the fame Grace before Baptifm, (Ch. 10. 44) only by their Faith in the word spoken by St. Peter; (Ch. 15. 9) those were Extraordinary cases, and cannot concern us.

Of both extraordinary cases, and of the ordinary Confirmation of the Corinthians, the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 12, 13, (as shall more plainly appear Part 3, Ch. 1.) in these words, By one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one spirit. And of the same he speaks 2 Cor. 1. 21,

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Οἱ δὲ βεβαιῶν, Now be which confirmeth us with you in Chrift, and hath anointed us, is God: who bath alfo fealed us, and given the earnest of. the Spirit in our hearts.

We are, to follow the Ordinary settled way, by the Prayer, and Laying on of the hands of the Apostles, and those to whom the Apostles gave their Power to Confirm. If it be objected against this being the ordinary settled way, that it is not oftner spoken of in the Scriptures; that is no reason of doubt. For in three of the Gofpels there is no mention of Christ's Baptizing any: and it is but once spoken of by St. John. Yet there is no

* With the fame Baptifm in the Name of the Lord Jesus, with Ch. 2. 38. Ch. 8. 16. Ch. 10. 48. See Part 2. ch. 3. + Then was fulfill'd to them the Promise Ch. 2. 38, 39.

doubt that he caused his Disciples to Baptize all that came to him. So there is no doubt that the Laying on of hands now spoken of, was the Ordinary settled way of Confirmation.

And this was the Laying on of hands, Heb. 6. 2, which is one of the first * principles of the doctrine of Christ, and a part of the foundation, next to the doctrine of Baptisms, and cannot but be meant of Confirmation. For this was the great General part of the Foundation, next to Baptifm. And if you read the lix first verses, you may find the express Meaning of this Laying on of hands; that the Author of the Epistle refuses to lay again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith towards God, of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of refurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment: because it is impoffible for those who were once enlightned, (by receiving the Faith) and have rafted of the heavenly gift, (by Baptifm, John 4. 1, 10) and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, by laying on of hands) and have tasted the good Promises of the word of God, and the powers of the world to come, (by the hope of the Refurrection of the dead, and of eternal Judgment. Matth. 22. 29. Eph. 1. 18, 19, 20. Alts 24, 15) if they shall fail away, to renew them again unto repentance.

No other Laying on of hands can reasonably be thought to be there meant. That of Ordination was no part of the first principles to be taught to babes, Ch. 5. 12, 13; and was built upon the Foundation of Confirmation. Atts 6. 3. As for Laying on of hands in Absolution; altho' it was us'd in the Primitive Church; yet it is not certainly found (it is only by fome thought to be) in the New Testament. Lay hands juddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other mens fins, 1 Tim. 5. 22. after directions in the verses before, concerning elders that rule well, and an accusation against an elder, and them (particularly Elders) that fin notorioufly, ought in all reason to be understood of Ordination, well known by Laying on of hands, in both those Epistles; (1 Ep. Ch. 4. 2 Ep. Ch. 1) and not of Abfolution, which is no where known in the Scripture to be given with this Ceremony. Only it is very agreeable with the context for Absolution to be meant together with Ordination. So Heb. 6. 2, Laying on of hands, being one of the first Principles of the foundation, next to baptism, and the being made partakers of the Holy Ghost, being in the following verses reckon'd among the fame Principles, next to the heavenly gift by Baptism; this Laying on of hands ought in all reason to be understood of Confirmation, well known Atts 8, and 19, to be administred by Laying on of hands; and not of Absolution, no where known in the Scripture to be given thereby. Besides in Baptifm is the Absolution of the Foundation. The Absolution afterward is for healing Accidental breaches, or for the encouragement and fuller comfort of Extraordinary faith; (Matth. 9. 2, 6, 8 *) as the Lord's Supper is for preferving and strengthning the building, and is not reckon'd among the Principles of the Foundation. Other Laying on of hands need not here be mention'd.

Therefore the Laying on of hands, which is a part of the foundation, is without doubt Confirmation. And being a part of the foundation, it is certainly Ordain'd of God. And he alone gives the Graces of his Holy Spirit: He alone therefore ordain'd the Means whereby they are given; whereby also they were Visibly and Miraculously given. His giving by that Means Vifible and Miraculous Graces, was an abundant Declaration of his Will to have that Means us'd.

CHAP. II.

The Apostolick Confirmation more Distinctly confider'd. The Form or Manner of it.

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OR the more distinct understanding what this Ordinance of God was in the time of the Apostles, there is to be confider'd,

1, The Form or Manner of it:

2, The Grace given thereby :

3, The End for which the Grace was given; and

4, Who were to be Confirm'd.

The Form or Manner of it is in the forecited relation out of Alts 8. thus, The Apostles Peter and John prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost. Then laid they their hands on them.

The Apostles, or those to whom the Apostles gave their power, (Tit. 1. 5) prayed for them that were to be Confirm'd, that they might receive the Holy Ghost. Then they laid their hands on them. This was done to the Samaritans by two Apostles. And the same was done to the disciples at Ephesus by one Apostle. It is probable that Peter and John did not only Pray together

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* See the Lord's Supper, 22 Q.*.

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for the Congregation, but also jointly Laid their hands on every one, as most agreeable to Chrift's Promise, where two or three are gathered together in his Name, and to their own Zeal.

After they had prayed for the congregation, that they might receive the Holy Ghost, then laid they their hands on them. What is meant by their Laying their hands on them, is shew'd Matth. 19. 13, 15. There were brought unto him little children, that he hould put his hands on them and pray. And he laid his hands on them. Mark 10. 13, 16, it is, They brought young children to him, that he should touch them. He put his hands npon them, and blessed them. So by Chrift's touching the children, and by his Laying his hands on them, is meant his Bleffing them, or Praying for them. The fame therefore is meant by the Apostles Laying on their hands. After they had Prayed for the whole congregation together, then they Blessed or Pray'd for every one severally. The reason why Laying on of hands fignifies blessing or praying for, is because it was the accustomed natural ceremony, or rather natural motion of the body, in blessing or praying for particular persons: as Lifting up the hands was in blessing many together, (Luke 24. 50) and in 6ther prayer. I Tim. 2. 8.

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S to the Grace given by the Prayer and Blessing of the
Apostles, or of those to whom the Apostles gave power

to Confirm: It is faid of the Samaritans, And they received the Holy Ghost; and of the Ephefian disciples, The Holy Ghoft came on them, and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. They did not all speak with tongues, on whom the Apostles laid their hands. 1 Cor. 12. 10, 30. But that and divers other Gifts were seatter'd among them. Ver. 8. &c, To one is given by the Spirit, the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the fame Spirit; to another the gifts of healing, &c. But to every one that was a true believer, was given a Bounteous measure of the Grace promis'd by Christ to all. John 7. 37, 38, 39, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let bim come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this fpake be of the Spirit, which they that believe on him, should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified. This was the Gift which all receiv'd in Confirmation; and was a plentiful Increase of the Grace

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Grace before receiv'd in Baptifm. For Chap. 4 of the fame Gospel, when Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, (v. 1) he says v. 10, to a woman of Samaria, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that faith to thee, Give me to drinks thou would'st have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. So in Baptism he gave living water: In Confirmation, after he was Glorified, he gave more of the fame living water flowing into divers streams. And they were streams of water springing up into everlasting life, v. 14.

This increase of the Grace of Baptifm, of the water springing up into everlasting life, is intimated by the words of St. Paul Tit. 3. 5, 6, He saved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which be shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour. In these words is plainly meant the whole Grace of the Holy Ghost, both in Baptifm, (John 3. 5) and in Confirmation. Acts 2. 33. The renewing therefore in Confirmation was an Increase of that renewing in Baptifm, whereby they were saved. They were faved not only by the renewing in Baptism, but by the renewing alfo in Confirmation.

That there might be Knowledge sufficient for this Grace of Confirmation; John 14. 26, Christ says to his Disciples, But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will Send in my name, be shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have faid unto you. Thus he promis'd that the Holy Ghost to be given after his Afcenfion, should teach them and all Christians to Understand, and help them to Remember all things of his Word.

That their Belief of the same might be fully confirm'd; Alts 5. 30, 31, 32, St. Peter tells the Jews, that the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey bim, is a witness that God rais'd up Jesus, and hath exalted him with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Ifrael, and forgiveness of fins. And St. John, 1 Ep. 2. 20, says, Ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. And v. 27, The anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you: and ye need not that any man teach you. But as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is truth, and is no lie; and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. The unction or anointing was the Grace of the Holy Ghoft given in Confirmation. 2 Cor. 1. 21, 22. It cannot be meant that he taught them all things without the teaching of the Apostles, and other Ministers of Christ; but that he gave them infallible Assurance of the Truth of the whole Gospel preach'd by the Apoftles; fo that they needed not any further proof of it from man. And this

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