A Soul-Searching Catechism, Catechism 1 · Part 2
Concerning Impoſition, or laying on of Hands.
Q. HOw many ſorts of laying on of hands do you finde in the New Teſtament?
A. Beſides occaſional laying on of hands, as on little children, Mat. 19.15. and miraculous, when the Apoſtles laid their hands on the ſick, and they recovered, Mark. 16.18. Acts 28.8. there ore two uſual laying on of hands.
Firſt, in ordination of Officers, which is the pointing out of the perſon choſe to an office in the Church, whom the Church commends to God in prayer. This is acknowledged by all.
Secondly, there is a laying on of hands after baptiſm, which is a praying for an increaſe of the Spirit on baptized perſons, 2 Tim. 1.6.
Q. Whether is laying on of hands after baptiſm, an ordinance of force, obliging Chriſtians in theſe times?
A. Reſerving others of Gods ſervants to their light who think otherwiſe, and acknowledging a dark revelation of this in compariſon of other Fundamentals, and profeſſing ingenuouſly I could not ſuffer ſo much in the witneſs of this point, as I could in plainer points and Articles, as of thoſe concerning the fall of man, redemption by Chriſt, the reſurrection, and the laſt judgement, &c. and declaring that though Teachers may not teach, nor people believe any thing which hath not ſome footing in the word of God, yet may they ſpeak of things which they know but weakly: Theſe things being premiſed, I ſhall acknowledge laying on of hands on baptized perſons after baptiſme, to be an Apoſtolical inſtitution, or an Ordinance of Jeſus Chriſt.
Q. What grounds have you to prove laying on of hands after Baptiſme, to be an Apoſtolical inſtitution?
A. Theſe: Firſt, becauſe the Apoſtle makes it one of the ſix principles, Heb. 6.1. or word of the beginning of Chriſt, as in the Greek; nay, he makes it a foundation-point as well as Repentance, Faith, Baptiſme, Reſurrection, and laſt Judgement. Now theſe being Fundamentals, wherein all converted perſons are to be practical in the belief, how can impoſition of hands be excluded from being ſo received? It is abſurd to think that one of theſe ſix principles ſhould ceaſe in a ſhort time, and the other five to remaine till the end of the world; and yet the Apoſtle calls them all by the name of a Foundation, and places it betwixt Faith and Repentance, the Reſurrection and the laſt Judgement, ſo that there is no coming to ſlight it, it being fenced on every ſide.
Q. But ſeeing we acknowledge a laying on of hands in Ordination, do we not acknowledge theſe ſix principles?
A. No reaſon can be brought why laying on of hands in ordination, ſhould be from this Text acknowledged, and the other after Baptiſme on baptized perſons, excluded. Nay, it ſeemeth, that laying on of hands on baptized perſons, ſhould be primarily meant, becauſe the Apoſtle ſeemeth to couple theſe foundation-Principles, ſo that as faith and Repentance go together, and the Reſurrection and laſt Judgement; ſo Baptiſm and Impoſition of go together.
Q. But whether is there my command for laying on of hands?
A. There is as much commandment for laying on of hands on baptized perſons after Baptiſme, as on perſons ordained to Office: for both of them we finde Apoſtolical practice.
Secondly, the Apoſtle calling it a foundation that was firſt laid, as appears in theſe words [Not laying again the Foundation] hath a virtual command in it.
Q. What other ground have you for laying on of hands?
A. We have the practice of the Apoſtles, Acts 8.14, 15, 16, 17. The Apoſtles Peter and John laid their hands on thoſe Samaritans whom Philip had baptized, as verſe 17. Then laid they their hands on them: The Antecedent to this Pronoune Relative Them, could be no other then the baptized Samaritans. See alſo Acts 19.6.
Obj. But in theſe examples there were viſible gifts given; but there is not ſo in yours in theſe times: therefore your laying on of hands is not the ſame with theirs.
A. Thoſe viſible gifts given, were no parts of the Ordinance, much leſs eſſentialities, but onelyonly the crowns and ornaments of it; God hereby confirming the truth of that doctrine, and powerfulneſs of that perſon into whoſe name they were baptized.
Secondly, it is a miſtake to think that alwayes when the Apoſtles laid on hands, viſible gifts were given: for Paul laid his hands on Timothy, and God conveyed nothing therein, ſave inward gifts and graces, 2 Tim. 1.6. Stir up the gift which was given thee by the laying on of the hands of me. So in the Greek. If any man ſay theſe gifts were conveyed on Timothy by Paul in ordination, and not after Baptiſm, A. The contrary appears, becauſe the gift given Timothy in ordination, was by the hands of all the Elderſhip, 1 Tim. 14.14. but this gift was given in laying on of hands by Paul alone: Therefore the laying on of hands after Baptiſme is meant in this place.
Q. But if laying on of hands after Baptiſme be an ordinance of Chriſt, what is conveyed in it?
A. An increaſe of the Spirit, ſo that as the Spirit is conveyed in the uſe of prayer, and preaching, Luke 11.13. Acts 10.44. and Baptiſme, Gal. 3.28. and the Lords Supper, 1 Cor. 10.16. ſo alſo is an increaſe of the Spirit conveyed in laying no of hands, 2 Tim. 1.6. Stir up the gift which is in thee, which was given thee by the laying on of my hands. See, he had the gift or grace of God in him before, and now in laying on of Pauls hands, it was increaſed; yet is not laying on of hands the onelyonly or principal part of this Ordinance, but praiſe is the principal part; in the uſe whereof the other being adjoyned, theſe fore-named Gifts and Graces of the Spirit are conveyed. I take it to be vehiculum ſpiritus, or a channel to convey the increaſes of the ſpirit to believing hearts.
Q. But what promiſe is there that there ſhall be an increaſe of the Spirit given in laying on of hands?
A. 1. A Command is enough to receive an Ordinance, though there were no promiſe annexed concerning any benefit; and we have proved a virtual Command out of Heb. 6.2.
2. What promiſe there is of laying on of hands by the Elders, the ſame is here; yet is it acknowledged by all, that the Spirit is conveyed in the increaſes in the Elders laying on of hands.
3. Example of the conveyance of the Spirit into the Samaritans, and into Timothy his heart in the laying on of hands, is an encouraging ground for baptized perſons to ſubmit thereto, and expect the like benefit.
4. There is a promiſe of the increaſe of the Spirit to the prayer of Faith, whenever poured out, Luk. 11.13. and why not to the prayer of Faith, when now poured out? now the promiſe of the Holy Ghoſt being made to all baptized ones, Acts 2.38 39. ſuch may well pray in faith for the ſame.
Q. But whether are theſe promiſes bound to the laying on of hands, ſo that then when hands are laid on, and by that means, the Gifts and Graces of the Spirit are conveyed, when the Churches, Apoſtle, or Apoſtles lay on their hands: we muſt not invent a meanes through which promiſes muſt be applyed?
A. 1. The promiſe is bound to the prayer of faith.
2. That not onelyonly in, but by laying on of hands, the Spirit is conveyed, appears, 2 Tim. 1.6.
3. No man can ſay, that either Baptiſme, Supper, or impoſition of hands apply the promiſe; it is the Spirit and Faith alone that apply the promiſe; yet is laying on of hands ſuch a means as the Apoſtle calls a foundation, and a means through which both on Gods behalf and our behalf, the promiſe may be applyed, becauſe we read Believers to have received the promiſe herein; we ſay not of laying on of hands that, it is a means through which the promiſe muſt be, God being a free Agent) but a means through which the promiſe may be, and hath been conveyed into the ſoul, as in Timothy his caſe appears.
Leſt any man think this a new Doctrine, let him conſult the Fathers, who oft mention laying on of hands after Baptiſme. Tertul. de Baptiſmo, Cap. 8. Cyprian. Epiſt. ad Inbaianum. Alſo his Epiſtle ad Stephanum. Tertul. lib. de reſurrect. Cap. 8. Aug. l. 3. Cont. Donatiſtas, & Cont. literas Petilliani. Melchiades ad Epiſc. Hiſpan. Fabianus Epiſt. 2. ad Epiſcop. Orientis. Ambroſ. de his qui Myſter. initiantur. cap. 7. & lib. 3. de ſacramento, cap. 2. Ʋrbanus 2 Epiſt. ad omnes Orthodox. Clemens, Conſtit. Apoſtol. l. 7. c. 16, 17. Euſeb. Hiſtor. l. 6. c. 35. with others: and Eſtius in Heb. 6.1. ſaith, that all antiquity teacheth laying on of hands after Baptiſme.
Q. But ſeeing the Apoſtles who laid on hands after Baptiſm, were ſuch Apoſtles as were immediately called of Chriſt, as Peter and John, Act. 8.17, and Paul, Act. 19.5, 6. how will it hold from them to the Apoſtles of the Churches?
A. Very well: For firſt, Apoſtles of the Churches, though they have not an immediate call from Chriſt perſonally on earth, yet they have a call from him vertually, in that ſince his aſcenſion into heaven, He gave ſome to be Apoſtles, Eph. 4.12. for the work of the Miniſtery, that is, to do what belonged to their office. What difference betwixt perſons called to an office by Chriſt immediately, as the eleven were, and perſons called by him mediately by the Church, when one and the ſame end is deſigned them, which is the work of the Miniſtery, the perfecting the Saints, the edifying of the body of Chriſt, and to witneſs Chriſt his reſurrection? Acts 1.22. Eph. 4.12, 13. I would be gladly informed (if any man could and would) whether there be any eſſential difference betwixt the twelve Apoſtles and the Apoſtles of the Churches, and wherein that difference doth conſiſt? If any man think it was becauſe the eleven were inſpired to be pen-men of Scripture, I anſwer, All of them were not, nor the Apoſtles onelyonly. If any man think the doing of miracles: I anſwer, They alone did not do them, but many believers, alſo, Mark 16.17.
2. Matthias, though choſen mediately of the Church, had the ſame power in diſpenſations that the eleven had.
3. If impoſition after Baptiſme were confined to Apoſtles onelyonly that were immediately called, it would have been in vain, for the Apoſtle to have called it a foundation, and to have conjoyn'd it with ſuch neceſſary truths, as Faith and the Reſurrection was, ſeeing the perſons that had the power of adminiſtring them, were all in a ſhort time to be dead.
4. Every Church of Chriſt have the ſame power that the firſt Church had, both for Officers and Ordinances, Mat. 18.17, 18, 19. the firſt Church therefore having Officers to diſpenſe any office; as Apoſtles, Acts 1.26. Prophets, Act. 15.27, 32. Evangeliſts, as Philip, Acts 6.5. other Churches may chuſe (having fitting perſons) the like Officers; and they being choſen, may execute acts that belong to the reſpective Offices: ſo that as the firſt Church continuing in the Apoſtles doctrine, Act. 2.42. (of which laying on of hands was part, Heb. 6.1.) did chuſe an Apoſtle, Acts 1.26. and the Church at Antioch ſent out Paul and Barnabas, who before the ſending, ſeem to have been of the number of the Prophets, Act. 13.1, 2, 3. ſo may other Churches ſend out gratious and able men; neither let any man ſay, the Prophets at Antioch ſent out Paul and Barnabas, for the whole Church faſted, and acted in the buſineſs.
Q. Who are this Church of Chriſt, and what is the eſſential note of them.
A. They are a company of Saints, 1 Cor. 1.2. 1 Cor. 14.33. Gal. 1.22. Rev. 1.20. into which ſocieties here on Earth though ſome Hypocrites creep, yet till God diſcover them they are looked upon as Saints; the Saintſhip of which company joyned together in bodies reſpectively (leaving others to their light) I take to be the eſſential note of the Church, becauſe holineſs is the moſt ſpecial difference of the Church from the world.