What Confirmation was in the days of the Apostles. C 1 HAP. I. The Occafion of this Discourse. The Divifion of it. A brief Account of the Apoftolick Confirmation, and of its being Ordain'd of God. II. The Apoftolick Confirmation more Distinctly confider'd. The Form or Manner of it. III. The Grace given by the Apoftolick Confirmation. IV. The End for which the Grace of Confirmation was given. The Necessity of it. V. Who were to be Confirm'd. The want of Confirmation not supplied by the Lord's Supper. The Confirmation of Hypocrites and Ignorant perfons Null. VI. The Sum of the First Part. THE AAAAAA The Second PART. That the same Confirmation that was in the days of the Apostles, is Ordain'd of God to Continue to the End of the world. CHAP I. The Design and Need of Con firmation never Ceafes. II. Confirmation one of the First Fundamen tal Principles that continue for ever. III. The Grace of Confirmation Promis'd to all Christians to the End of the World; and declar'd in the Scripture to be Given (in the Ordinary way) only in Confirmation by Laying on of hands. IV. Confirmation Commanded. V. The Doctrine of the Primitive Church concerning Confirmation. A VI. The Sum of the Primitive Doctrine. concerning Confirmation. VIII. Calvin's Confession concerning Confir mation. IX. Confirmation no Sacrament. THE The Third PART. The Honour due to Confirmation. HAP. I. Confiderations to move us to give a due Honour to Confirmation. II. The Honour to be paid to Confirmation by those that Receive it; and First, in their Preparation of Knowledge and Practice. III. The Immediate Preparation. IV. The Behaviour of Persons Confirm'd in their Confirmation. V. The Diligent Care after. VI. The Honour due to Confirmation from those that are to Prepare for it the Souls committed to their Charge. And First, the Duty of Parents and Masters in Instruction. The Neceffity of the Strict Obfervation of the Lord's Day, and other Holy Days for the fame InstruEtion. The Duty of School-masters. VII. The Duty of Ministers in Instruction. The Neceffity of their Catechizing every Sunday and other Holy Day, and alfo Every day. VIII. The Duty of Godfathers and Godmothers in Instruction. Of the Means of bringing all to do their Duty therein. IX. The Honour due to Confirmation, in PreJenting to the Bishop those that are Prepar'd for it. None to be admitted to the Holy Communion, that refuse to be Confirm'd. X. The X. The Honour due to Confirmation from those that Adminifter it. The great Neceffity and Be- nefit of Yearly Perfonal Visitations, as in the Primitive Church. What is to be done to Dif- XI. What is to be done to Ideots, and to those XII. The great Inconveniences of the Neglect The First PART. What Confirmation was in the days of the Apostles. CHAP. Ι. The Occasion of this Discourse. The Division of it: A brief Account of the Apostolick Confirmation, and of its being Ordain'd of God. A Ltho' nothing is more Evident in the Holy Scriptures, than that Confirmation is the Ordinary Means, whereby God gives to all Christians to the End of the world, their Share of the Gift of the Holy Ghost, which was given to the Apostles on the Day of Pentecoft: Yet this the Means of so Inestimable a Grace, a Grace referv'd for the Honour of Chrift's Kingdom *, ever since the Fall of mankind, is lightly esteem'd; and either wholly neglected and despis'd, as an indifferent thing ordain'd only by man; or us'd in fuch manner, as rather Grieves the Holy Spirit, than obtains any Benefit from him. It shall therefore be the business of this Discourse, with God's assistance, to endeavour to vindicate the High and Holy Dignity of this Ordinance, from the mean opinion and contempt that are cast upon it; by shewing First, What it was in the days of the Apostles: Secondly, That the Same is Ordain'd of God to continue to the End of the world: and Thirdly, What is the Honour due to it. What it was in the time of the Apostles, is shew'd Ats 8. 14, &c. When the Apostles which were at Jerufalem, beard that Samaria bad received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John. Who when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost. (For as yet he was fallen * John 7. 39. Sse Ch. 4 of this Part. 2 |