The Searchers for Schism Searched, Treatise · Answer 1 – Question 5
Anſwer.
Before we come to anſwer, it will be neceſſary that we obſerve ſome few things which lie hid in this Queſtion.
1. That the difference depending between you and us, is about laying on of hands on baptized Believers, as ſuch.
2. That you at the preſent are ignorant, and do not underſtand laying on of hands to be your duty, according to the will of God, to ſubmit to.
3. That if you did underſtand (as aforeſaid) laying on of hands to be according to the will of God your duty, you would do it.
4. And you being thus qualified, de…and whether you ought not to be eſteemed a… …urch of Chriſt?
Theſe things premiſed, we now anſwer.
1. How can you be ignorant that laying on of hands is your duty to do, when one of you, and one that is eſteemed eminent among you for parts and knowledge, yea, and one of the chief, if not the alone Author of your Search, did not very long ſince receive laying on of hands upon the ſame ground, and to the ſame end we practiſe it; giving of it firſt under his own hand, as is ſtill to be ſeen.
2. Can he then be ignorant that laying on of hands is his duty to do, according to the will of God, when he ſhall ſubmit to it as to one of the firſt Rudiments of Chriſtianity? Either he did ſubmit with underſtanding, or he offered the Sacrifice of Fools, which know not what they do; or did he deſign to deceive the Brethren that adminiſtred Prayer and laying on of hands upon him, that ſo he might be the better able, (being now admitted a Member of a Congregation under laying on of hands) and with the leſs ſuſpition, to undermine that part of the Foundation on which the Houſe was built? To ſay he did as Fools do, would be too ſaucy a reflection; to ſay he received laying on of hands deſignedly, would proclaim that action of his rather Jeſuitical than Chriſtian, and conclude him notorious for Hypocriſie.
3. How can it be thought he ſhould not underſtand prayer and laying on of hands to be a foundation-Principle of the Doctrine of Chriſt, when he hath more than once in the preſence of many people confeſs'd it ſo to be, and at length confeſt it under his hand, & ſubmited to the practiſe thereof, as one of the firſt Rudiments (to uſe his own terms) of Chriſtianity?
4. But ſuppoſe he nor you underſtand not laying on of hands to be your duty according to the will of God, will it follow that therefore you ought to be eſteemed a Church of Chriſt rightly and duely conſtituted? &c. We believe that there are many that ſprinkle their Children (whoſe Confeſſion of Sin, and Profeſſion of Faith in Chriſt, we and you can own) that you have ſo much Charity for, that did they believe it to be the duty of Believers only to be baptized, and not Children, they would ſubmit to Baptiſm themſelves, and never ſprinkle, no… own ſprinkling of Babes more: Will this give you ſufficient ground to eſteem them a Church of Chriſt? You will ſay, No: And why no▪ Becauſe they are not baptized according to the will of God, and Baptiſm is one Principle o… the Doctrine of Chriſt, Heb. 6.2. Even ſo ſay we, having ſo much Charity for ſome of you that did you underſtand laying on of hands to be your duty to ſubmit to, according to the will of God, you would do it: yet may you not be eſteemed a right conſtituted Church, though you have obeyed one Principle of the Doctrine of Chriſt more than they which ſprinkle their Babes, and are right in Faith and Repentance becauſe you are not under laying on of hands which alſo is one Principle of Chriſts Doctrine, Heb. 6.1, 2. Ignorance will be no excuſe, where Knowledge may be had; we may not own you a true conſtituted Church for your Ignorance.
5. If you be ignorant that laying on of hand… is your duty to ſubmit to, where is the fault? Not in God, He giveth liberally, and upbraidet… not, Jam. 1.5. nor in his VVord, that is able t… make a man wiſe to Salvation, through faith i… Chriſt Jeſus, 2 Tim. 3.15. Is it not written i… the Scriptures of Truth, and hath it not bee… aſſerted both by preaching and printing, as you your ſelves know and ſay. Inſomuch that the Light of this Truth (had you not rejected it) might have ſhined into your hearts, long ere this day, and you brought to the knowledge of the mind of Chriſt. If they have not enlightened you, who knows? ſince no anſwer hath been given by you to thoſe Books wherein Laying on of Hands hath been aſſerted; eſpecially *See Gods Oracle, and Christs Doctrine, p. 91.conſidering that you have been invited to anſwer them, with a promiſe, that the miſtake and error ſhould be acknowledged, when you ſhould prove laying on of hands to be no Principle of Chriſts Doctrine.
6. You do not onelyonly ſeem to plead ignorance, but you give us to underſtand that you are reſolved to believe, do, and ſuffer what from time to time ſhall be made known unto you, &c. further than your preſent attainments. The words are good words, it's true; but how can they agree with your practice? For from before the time we departed from you, down to this day, you have been conſtant and unwearied oppoſers of laying on of hands, ſpeaking evil of the way, diſputing publickly againſt it, and now laſtly make oppoſition in your Queſtions for Conſcience-ſake, as you pretend, with ſcurrilous and taunting expreſſions, as in ſeveral places doth appear, which makes it not eaſie to be believed, that if you are ignorant you deſire to underſtand, or underſtanding, reſolve to do as you ſay you will.
7. Will reſolving to do the Will of God when known in a fundamental, give you the eſteem of a Church of Chriſt rightly Conſtituted? if you, then it will give others we hope in your eyes the like eſteem that are ſhort of you in one principle of Chriſts Doctrine, as you are of us in another; and if ſo, then ought you to eſteem thoſe in the Presbyterian and Independant way, eſpecially thoſe of them that believe Chriſt died for all, as you do, between whom there is no fundamental difference but in Baptiſm of Water, and that only too about the ſubject and manner of Baptizing; and no doubt but they are as ready to atteſt their reſolution to own and ſubmit to Baptiſm as Believers, or any other thing whatſoever, ſhall from time to time be made known to them, according to the will of God, as you are, or can be.
8. And whereas you ſay you are not only reſolved to believe, and do, but alſo to ſuffer, &c.
Your actions, ſome of you, and thoſe ſome, none of the meaneſt for place and parts, will rather ſpeak the contrary; witneſs their freeing of themſelves from the yoke of Suffering by ſinful ſwearing, out-living their Teſtimony for Chriſt, preferring the world and their intereſt therein above his righteous Cauſe.
9. We then have cauſe to doubt, whether you are ignorant as you inſinuate, and ſo reſolved as you ſay; but if you are, we thus anſwer your demand, That it is not any Peoples reſolving to believe, do, and ſuffer, what hereafter ſhall be made known to them, &c. but the knowing and doing what is according to the Will of God, that will make them a right conſtituted Church, and Members in particular, though you are, or may be eſteemed baptized Diſciples.
Queſt. 2.
Whether any other qualifications, &c. viz. then is ſet down in the firſt Queſtion, are required of God, as pre-requiſits to Church Communion, and Church Memberſhip; if ſo, ſhew us what thoſe things are, and where they are ſo required?
Anſwer.
1. If we ſhould grant, as we do not, that God requires no other qualification than what you mention, as pre-requiſits to Church Communion; yet have you not found the Schiſm, but muſt ſearch nearer home for it, if you intend to find it; becauſe you are not the men ſo qualified as you intimate you be, as may well be perceived without ſecret ſearch by any, let but thoſe qualifications you ſpeak of, be compared with the actions of thoſe, time after time, that are of higheſt eſteem amongſt you.
2. But if you were qualified, as you ſay you are, yet will not that prove you a Church whoſe Conſtitution is right; for God requires laying on of hands, which is one Principle of the Doctrine of Chriſt, and one of the firſt rudiments of Chriſtianity, as you have confeſſed, as pre-requiſits to Church Communion; But then you demand, where God requires it as a pre-requiſit to Church Communion: We then demand of you, where God requires Water Baptiſm as a pre-requiſite to Church Communion? If you ſhall ſay that Baptiſm is one Principle of Chriſts Doctrine; ſo is laying on of Hands, as well as Baptiſm, numbred among the principles of Chriſts Doctrine, Heb. 6.1, 2. But if you ſhall ſay, that there is more in the Scripture to be ſaid for Water Baptiſm, than there is for laying on of Hands; we ſay, if there be more ſaid for Baptiſm in the Scripture than is for laying on of Hands, all that is ſaid cannot make it more than a foundation principle, and ſo is laying on of hands.
3. What if there be more ſaid in the Scripture for Faith towards God, than is for Baptiſm of Water, as there is in many things agreeing to it, yet is it no more than a foundation principle of Chriſts Doctrine, and ſo is the Doctrine of Baptiſm, Heb. 6.2. And will it then follow, becauſe there is more ſaid in Scripture for Faith towards God, than is ſaid for the Baptiſm of Water, that therefore Baptiſm is not required of God as a pre-requiſite to Church Communion; even ſo, ſhould it be granted, that there is more ſaid for Baptiſm, in ſome one thing, or more, than is for laying on of Hands, it doth not follow but that laying on of Hands being numbred by the Apoſtle among the foundation principles of Chriſts Doctrine, as well as Baptiſm, Heb. 6.2. is required of God as a pre-requiſite to Church Communion, and Memberſhip, as well as Baptiſm.
4. Again, where is the belief of the Reſurrection of the Dead required of God as pre-requiſite to Church Communion? yet is that a principle of Chriſts Doctrine Heb. 6.2. and ſuch a one, that if not owned and believed, you would not own ſuch a People ſhould be admitted to Church Communion and Church Memberſhip. If you ſhould ſay, that to deny the Reſurrection is an Errour which makes Faith vain, and concludes us yet in our ſins; we ſay that it is no more than a Principle of Chriſts Doctrine, and ſo is laying on of Hands, and yet you cannot ſhew where its required of God, viz. The belief of the Reſurrection of the Dead, as a pre-requiſite to Church Communion; it doth not therefore follow but that if you are ſo qualified as you ſay you are, ſhould you deny or not believe the Reſurrection of the Body, that you are a Church Communicable, or Church Members; therefore there is other qualifications than thoſe you ſpeak of pre-requiſite to Church Memberſhip and Communion.
Queſt. 3.
If it ſhall be ſaid, that Churches ought to be found in the knowledge and practice of all Chriſts Doctrines: We demand, whether the knowledge and practice of all truths be indiſpenſably neceſſary to the conſtituting of Churches and Church Members?
Anſwer.
1. We ſay that Churches ought to be found in the knowledge of all Chriſts Doctrine, (not Doctrines) and ſo we think will you ſay.
2. We do not ſay never the more for that, that the knowledge and practice of all truths is indiſpenſably neceſſary to the conſtituting of Churches and Church Members; for there are many truths, Churches rightly conſtituted, may be ignorant of; but the firſt Principles of the Doctrine of Chriſt, none ought to be ignorant of, or without the knowledge and practice, and be true conſtituted Churches and Church Members.
Queſt. 4.
If you ſay the knowledge and practice of all truths is not indiſpenſably neceſſary to the conſtituting of Churches and Church Members; then we demand, that you would define what truths the knowledge and practice whereof is ſo indiſpenſably neceſſary as aforeſaid? and what truths and practices the ignorance of, may be conſiſtant with a true Church and Church Memberſhip?
Anſwer.
1. What truths the knowledge and practice of are indiſpenſably neceſſary to the conſtituting of Churches and Church Members, we have given you the definition of in our Anſwer to your 3d Queſtion.
2. Thoſe truths of higheſt moment, the ignorance of, may be conſiſtent with a true Church and Church Members, are ſuch as belong to the perfecting and compleating the Church and Church Members in Chriſt, which a true Church may be ignorant of in her minority; as the Hebrew Church was about many things Paul had to ſay, hard to be uttered, becauſe they were dull of hearing, and were ſtill as Babes, who are unskilful in the Word of Righteouſneſs, Heb. 5.11, 12, 13.
3. Thoſe truths of leſs moment, conſiſtent with a true Church, are waſhing of Feet, ſaluting with a holy Kiſs, taking an Oath to end ſtrife, the matters of Apparel, and ſuch-like; and who pray makes theſe things the Eſſentials of Communion, though you falſly ſay they are ſo made; no Congregation in England as we know of.
4. Yet may the matter of Apparel give juſt cauſe of reproof when Church Members ſhall exceed the bounds of moderation, and ſobriety in their Apparel, to the grieving, wounding and offence of their fellow Brethren, and may amount to a ſin againſt Chriſt, when they ſhall ſtop their ear, and ſtiffen their necks againſt them that are ſo grieved and offended.
5. There may be many things done by Churches and Church Members, that are ſinful, which may juſtly deſerve reproof; and if not repented of, may merit the cenſure of the Church. The Angel of the Church of Pergamos was reproved for ſin, for having thoſe in the Church that held the Doctrine of Balaam, to eat meat ſacrificed to Idols, and to commit Fornication: which Fornication was mixt Marriages, as ſaith Joſephus, and we think his authority as good in this caſe, as you can think Dr. Hammond's is in laying on of Hands.
6. The Angel of the Church of Pergamos is by the Spirit commanded to repent of this evil, the command backed with a commination, which proves that ſuch muſt be put out of the Church that ſo hold, much more ſuch which ſo do.
7. But laying on of Hands we do indeed make Eſſential to Church Communion, becauſe it is a Principle of the Doctrine of Chriſt, as hath been proved now, and heretofore, and never was diſproved by you, except asking queſtions be refutation.
Queſt. 5.
We demand, whether there was not a Church of Chriſt in the world before his Aſcention? and whether any other qualification was then pre-requiſite to Church Memberſhip, than Confeſſion of Sins, and Faith in Christ for the remiſſion of them together with a being Baptized into his Name, and walking in a holy life and converſation? if you ſay any thing elſe was then required and practiſed, as Eſſential to Church Memberſhip, ſhew us what that was, and where it was ſo required and practiſed: And if you ſay nothing elſe was then required and practiſed, we demand, whether the Church of Chriſt was wanting of any thing then that was Eſſential to its being, whatever it might want as to its well-being? If you ſay it wanted nothing then that was Eſſential to its being, then we further demand how this People ſo continuing in Faith, Baptiſm and Holineſs of life, could ceaſe to be a Church of Christ after his Aſcention, though they might not come up to ſome of thoſe others Truths, that were afterward revealed when the Spirit was made manifeſt, &c.