A commentary on the whole Epistle to the Hebrews. By M. John Calvin. Translated…A commentarie on the vvhole Epistle to the Hebrevves. By M. Iohn Caluin. Translated…

He joineth the laying on of hands with Baptism, because as there were two orders of those which were newly instructed, so was there also a double ceremony. For those who were strangers came not to Baptism, till they had made confession of their faith: therefore as touching these, the order of instruction and catechising went before Baptism. But the children of the faithful, in as much as they were adopted from their mothers womb, and appertained to the body of the Church, by the right of the promise, they were baptized from their infancy: and after they were grown to some discretion, and had been instructed in the faith, they also presented them to be publicly catechised. Thus it was done to these after Baptism: but then an other sign was added, to wit, the imposition of hands. This only place witnesseth sufficiently that the original of this ceremony came from the Apostles: which notwithstanding ⟨p. 112⟩hath since been turned to superstition: which the world hath almost always been accustomed to do with good and holy ordinances, erring and degenerating still to corruptions. For some have made us believe it is a Sacrament, whereby the spirit of regeneration is conferred. By which fancy they have dismembered Baptism: for they have transported that which is proper unto it, to the imposition of hands. Know we then that this ceremony was instituted by the first authors, to the end it might be a solemn manner of prayer, as S. Augustine calls it. True it is that by this sign they approved of the faith of those who were already out of the state of infancy: but they meant nothing less than thereby to rent and tear in pieces the virtue of Baptism. ¹Wherefore we are at this day to keep the pure institution, and to correct the superstition. Besides, this place serveth us to prove the Baptism of little children. For to what purpose should one selfsame doctrine be called, to some the doctrine of Baptisms, and to others the laying on of hands: unless that the latter sort were instructed in the faith, after they had already received Baptism, so as there remained no more unto them, but the imposition of hands?

He ioyneth the laying on of hands with Baptisme, because as there were two orders of those which were newly instructed, so was there also a double ceremonie. For those who were strangers came not to Baptisme, till they had made confession of their faith: therefore as touching these, the order of instruction and catechising went before Baptisme. But the children of the faithfull, in as much as they were adopted from their mothers wombe, and appertained to the bodie of the Church, by the right of the promise, they were baptized from their infancie: and after they were growne to some discretion, and had been instructed in the faith, they also presented them to be publikely catechised. Thus it was done to these after Baptisme: but then an other signe was added, to wit, the imposition of hands. This onely place witnesseth sufficiently that the originall of this ceremonie came from the Apostles: which notwithstanding