minetur. The flesh is fhadowed by the laying on of the hand, that the Soul may be illuminated by the Spirit.

Cornelius Bishop of Rome, about the middle of the third Century, wrote the Epiftle, part of which is in the fixth book, ch. 43 of Eufebius his Ecclefiaftical Hiftory, In which Epiftle, concerning Novatus, who was Baptiz'd in his fickness, are these words. Ου μίω δὲ τῶν λοιπῶν ἔτυχε διαφυνῶν τὴν νόσον, ὧν χρὴ μεταλαμβάνειν κατὰ τὸν τῆς ἐκκλησίας κανόνα το τε σφραγισται ὑπὸ τὸ ἐπισκόπε τότε δὲ μὴ τοχῶν, πῶς ἂν το Αγίκ ΠνεύματΘ έτυχε; And truly after he ercaped the difeafe, he did not obtain that which remained for him to receive according to the Canon of the Church, the Sealing alfo by the Bishop: and having not obtained that, how did he obtain the Holy Ghost.

او

That

St. Cyprian, about the fame time, wrote in his Epiftle to Jubaian, Quod deerat, id a Petro & Johanne factum eft, ut oratione pro eis habita, & manu impofita, invocaretur & infunderetur fuper eos Spiritus Sanitus. Quod nunc quoque apud nos geritur, ut qui in Ecclefia Baptizantur, præpofitis Ecclefiæ offerantur, & per noftram orationem, ac manus impofitionem Spiritum Sanctum confequantur, & fignaculo Dominico confumentur. which was wanting was done by Peter and John, that by prayer for them, and laying on the hand, the Holy Ghoft might be called and pour'd upon them. Which thing is also now done among us, that they which are Baptiz'd in the Church, may be brought to the Governours of the Church, and by our prayer and laying on of the hand, obtain the Holy Ghoft, and be made perfect with the Seal of the Lord *.

The Council of Arles or Orleans about the Year 326, Canon 8, decreed concerning re-baptizing the Arians, thus, Si ad Ecclefiam aliqui de hac hærefi venerint, interrogent eos noftr fidei Sacerdotes Symbolum. Et fi perviderint in Patre, & Filio, & Spiritu Santo eos Baptizatos, manus eis tantum imponatur ut accipiant Spiritum San&tum. If any fhall come to the Church from this herefie, let the Priests ask them the Creed of our Faith. And if they fhall find them to be Baptiz'd in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, let only the hand be laid upon them, that they may receive the Holy Ghoft.

The Council of Laodicea in the Year 367, Canon 48, decreed thus, Δεν της φωτιζομένες μετὰ τὸ βάπτισμα χείες χείσματι ἐπερανίω, καὶ μετόχες είναι τῆς βασιλείας το Θ...

Eph, 1, 13. Ch. 4. 30.

The

The Baptized muft after Baptifm be Anointed with the heavenly Anointing, and be made partakers of the Kingdom of God. The words Anointed and Anointing are Scripture words to fignifie the Grace of Confirmation. 2 Cor. 1. 21. 1 John 2. 27

St. Ambrofe, who was Bishop of Millain in the Year 373, in his Comment on Heb. 6, writes, Impofitionis manuum, per quam Spiritus Sanctus accipi poffe creditur: quod poft Baptifmum, ad Confirmationem unitatis in Ecclefia, a Chrifti Pontificibus fieri folet. Of laying on of hands, by which it is believed the Holy Spirit may be received: which is wont to be done after Baptifm by Chrift's Bifhops, for the Confirmation of unity in the Church.

And in his third book of the Sacraments, ch. 2, Poft fontem fupereft ut perfectio fiat, quando ad invocationem Sacerdotis Spiritus Sanctus infunditur, Spiritus fapientiæ & intellectus, Spiritus confilii atque virtutis, Spiritus cognitionis ac pietatis, Spiritus. fancti timoris. After the font, it remains that perfection be. made, when at the prayer of the Prieft the Holy Spirit is pour'd in, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counfel and virtue, the Spirit of Knowledge and Godliness, the Spirit of holy fear.

By the Prieft he means the Bishop, as appears by his faying the fame is wont to be done by Chrift's Bishops: as in the Old Teftament 'the High Priest is call'd the Prieft.

St. Jerom, who liv'd in the fame Age, in his Dialogue against the Luciferians, has thefe words.,

Luciferianus dicit, An nefcis etiam Ecclefiarum hunc esse morem, ut Baptizatis poftea manus imponantur, et ita invocetur Spiritus Sanctus? Exigis ubi fcriptum fit? in Actibus Apoftolorum. Etiamfi Scriptura auctoritas non fubeffet, totius orbis in banc par», tem confenfus inftar præcepti obtineret.

Orthodoxus dicit, Non quidem abnuo banc effe Ecclefiarum confuetudinem, ut at eos qui longe in minoribus urbibus per Presbyteros & Diacons Baptizati funt, Epifcopus, ad invocationem Sancti Spiritus, manum impofiturus excuriat.

Quod fi hoc loco quæris, quare in Ecclefia Baptizatus, nifi per manus Epifcopi, non accipiat Spiritum Sanctum; quem nos afferimus in vero Baptifmate tribui: difce banc obfervationem ex ea authoritate defcendere, quod poft Afcenfum Domini Spiritus Sanétus ad Apoftolos defcendit. Et multis in locis idem factitatum reperimus, ad honorem por Sacerdotii, quam ad legis neceffitatem. Alioqui, fi ad Epifcopi tantum imprecationem Spiritus Sanctus defluit, lugendi funt qui in vinculis, aut in caftellis, aut in remotioribus locis per Presbyteros & Diaconos Baptizati, ante dormierunt quam ab Epifcopis inviferentur. Ecclefiæ falus in fummi

Sacerdotis,

*

Sacerdotis dignitate pendet: cui fi non exors quædam, & ab omnibus eminens detur poteftas, tot in Ecclefiis efficientur fchifmata, quot Sacerdotes. Inde venit, ut fine thrifmate, & Episcopi juffione, neque Presbyter neque Diaconus jus habeat Baptizandi. Quod frequenter, fi tamen neceffitas cogit, fcimus etiam licere laicis. Ut enim accipit quis, ita & dare poteft: nifi forte eunuchus a Philippo Diacono Baptizatus, fine Spiritu Santo fuiffe credendus eft: de quo Scriptura ita loquitur, Et defcenderunt ambo in aquam, & Baptizavit eum Philippus. Et cum afcenderent ab aqua, Spiritus Sanctus venit in eunuchum.

The Luciferian fays, Doft thou not know that this is the manner of the Churches, that upon the Baptized, hands are afterwards laid, and fo the Holy Ghoft is called in? Doft thou demand where it is written? in the Acts of the Apostles. And if there were not authority of Scripture for it, the consent of the whole world in this matter would have the force of a Commandment.

The Orthodox fays. I do not indeed deny this to be the practice of the Churches, that to those who have been Baptiz'd far off in the leffer Cities by the Presbyters and Deacons, the Bishop goes forth to lay on his Hand, for the calling upon them the Holy Ghoft.

But if you ask in this matter, why he that is Baptiz'd in the Church does, not but by the hands of the Bishop, receive the Holy Ghoft ; whom we affirm to be given in true Baptifm: understand that this obfervation comes from this authority, that after the Afcenfion of our Lord, the Holy Ghoft came down upon the Apostles. And in many places we find the fame practis'd rather for the honour of the Priesthood, than for the neceffity of the Law. Otherwise if the Holy Ghoft floweth down only at the prayer of the Bishop, they are to be lamented, who being Baptiz'd by the Presbyters and Deacons in Bonds, or in Caftles, or in far diftant places, have flept before they could be vifited by the Bifhop. The good eftate of the Church depends upon the dignity of the high Prieft: to whom if there be not given by all a certain fingular and eminent power, there will be made as many fchifms in the Churches, as Priests. Thence it comes, that without the anointing and appointment of the Bishop, neither Presbyter nor Deacon has the right of Baptizing. Which, if fo be that neceffity compels, we know to be often allow'd even to lay men. For as any one receives,

fo he can also give: unlefs perhaps the Eunuch Baptized by Philip the Deacon, must be believ'd to be without the Holy Ghoft: of whom the Scripture thus fpeaks, And they went down both into the water, and Philip baptized him. And when they were coming up from the water, the Holy Ghoft came upon the

Eunuch.

It was needful to tranfcribe fo much, that it may appear what St. Jerom means by, rather for the honour of the Priesthood, than for the neceffity of the Law. He cannot mean that Confirmation by the Bishop is not neceffary; which he affirms to be done by all the Churches in the world, and to come from the Authority of the Holy Ghoft's defcent upon the Apostles. And how from that Authority, but by the Comforter's coming to abide in the Church for ever, by the means of the Prayer and Laying on of the hands of the Apostles, and their Succeffors the Bishops. See ch. 3 of this Part.

But St. Jerom means, That in many places Chriftians believed, the power of laying on of hands in Confirmation to be given only to Bishops, and to no other Ministers, not abfolutely, but for the fupport of that their honour and dignity, on which the good eftate of the Church depends; And that he did not believe the neceffity of the Bishop's Laying on his hands was fuch, but that fick Chriftians in places far from him, and without hope of life till he could come to them, might receive by the ministry of a Presbyter, or a Deacon, fuch a Grace of the Holy Ghoft, as was given by the Laying on of the hands of the Bifhop: Like as the power of Baptizing is only in the Bishop, and by his authority in Presbyters and Deacons, for the fame honour and dignity of the Bishop: Yet St. Jerom knew that if ne ceffity compell'd, it was frequently allow'd even to Lay men. And fo far concerning Confirmation, there may be truth in his words spoken in anger in another place, (Ep. Evagr.) Quid facit, excepta Ordinatione, Epifcopus, quod Presbyter non facit? What does a Bifhop Bifhop except Ordination, which a Prefbyter does not?

As to the words, the Holy Ghoft came upon the eunuch: if they be the words of Scripture, it was an Extraordinary cafe. He was Confirm'd after his Baptifm by the immediate hand of God; as Cornelius and his company were before their Baptifm. That a Deacon had no power to confirm, appears by Philip's confirming none of the Samaritans that were Baptiz'd by him.

*Upon all in Confirmation, and upon some again in Ordination. See Part 1, ch. 5.

But

But without doubt God hears either Presbyter or Deacon, or when a Minifter cannot be had, any two or three met in Chrift's Name, praying for a good Chriftian, that could not be Confirm'd by the Bishop, in these words of the Church, The more the outward man decayeth, strengthen him, we beseech thee, Jo much the more continually with thy Grace and Holy Spirit in the inner man. But it would be better for him, if he could be Confirm'd by the Bifhop: As for one through neceffity Baptiz'd by a lay man, it would be better to be Baptiz'd by a law ful Minifter.

St. Chryfoftom, who was not long after St. Jerom, in his Comment on Heh. 6. 2, writes, Καὶ ἐπιθέσεως χειρῶν. Ούτω γ τὸ Πώμα ἐλάμβανον, ἐπιθέντΘ αυτις το Πάνλε τάς Xeeas. onoi. And of laying on of hands. For fo they receiv'd the Spirit*, when Paul had laid his hands on them, faith he.

St. Auguftine, who liv'd in the beginning of the fifth Century, in his third Book of Baptifm against the Donatifts, ch. 16, writes, Neque enim temporalibus & fenfibilibus miraculis atteftantibus, per manus impofitionem, modo datur Spiritus San&tus, ficut antea dabatur ad commendationem rudis fidei, & Ecclefiæ primordia dilatanda. Quis enim nunc hoc expectat, ut ii quibus manus ad accipiendum Spiritum San&tum imponitur, repente incipiant linguis loqui? Sed invifibiliter & latenter intelligitur, per vinculum pacis, eorum cordibus Divina charitas infpirari, ut poffint dicere. Quoniam charitas Dei diffufa eft in cordibus noftris, per Spiritum Sanctum qui datus eft nobis. For neither with temporal and fenfible miracles attefting it, is the Holy Ghost now given by the laying on of the hand, as he was given in former time, for the commendation of new Faith, and to enlarge the beginnings of the Church. For who doth now expect this, that those on whom the hand is laid for the receiving the Holy Ghoft, fhould presently begin to fpeak with tongues? But the Divine love is understood to be fecretly and invifibly infpir'd into their hearts, by the bond of peace, that they can fay, The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Ghoft which is given unto us.

For what is faid Part 1, Ch. 5, of Confirming again those who came unworthily to this holy Ordinance without any Benefit: St. Augustine in the aforefaid Chapter says, Manus autem impofitio non ficut Baptifmus repeti non poteft. Quid eft enim aliud nifi oratio fuper bominem? But Laying on of hands is not as Baptifm which cannot be repeated. For what else is it, but Prayer over a Person