The Searchers for Schism Searched, Treatise · Question 23
Queſt. 23.
But if you ſhall ſay, Laying on of hands is reaſoned by the Scripture, Heb. 6. to be a Doctrine of Chriſt, and a Foundation-Doctrine, and therefore though ſome Opinions may be called Foundation-Doctrines, without warrant; yet that doth not hinder, but you may call a Doctrine ſo, when you have … Warrant, as you have for this; and therefore if … differ from you in denying a Fundamental Doctrine, you can have no communion with us:
We demand, How you can infallibly infer your …ractice from this Text, Heb. 6. if you do but con…der first, That there are many learned men of the Church of England, who though they practiſe lay… on of hands upon all their Members, as you do: … as you, ſo they uſe their endeavours to prove …h a practice from hence; yet Dr. Hamond, as …arned and Judicious as moſt of that Way, and as … read in the Cuſtoms of the Primitive Times, … us in his Annotations upon that place, that the laying on of hands there ſpoken of, is underſtood for a laying on of hands upon ſuch as had fallen after Baptiſm, which was done to ſignifie their Reſtoration to the Church. And this he further proves from Paul's advice to Timothy, 1 Tim. 5.22. where he is not ſpeaking of any other thing, but Church-Cenſures; as how that an Elder ſhould not be accuſed, but by two or three Witneſſes, verſ. 19. that thoſe that ſin ſhould be rebuked before all, ver. 20. and that he ſhould not in judging Offenders, … any thing by partiality, verſ. 21. neither lay o… hands too ſuddenly upon any that had been cenſure… by the Church, and had not truly repented of thei… ſins; leſt he thereby became partaker of the… ſins, &c.
We from hence demand, Which of all theſe laying on of hands is intended Heb. 6. and is th… which you call a Doctrine of Christ? And whether (if the laying on of hands ſpoken of Heb. 6. … a Doctrine of Chriſt) it is not more ſafe to underſtand it for that Doctrine which Chriſt preached … practiſed, and his Apoſtles afterwards practiſed … healing the Sick, than for thoſe other laying o… hands, which Chriſt never taught nor practiſed, … which the Apoſtles never practiſed in conformit… a Command, but by way of Accommodation to … laudable Cuſtoms of the Jews, as they did in di… other Caſes; and if they did practiſe that o… laying on of hands, Acts 8. & 19. in obedien… a Command, ſhew thoſe Commands; and alſo your practice of laying on of hands on all you baptiſe, both Men and Women, who have no ſuch Bleſſing to communicate as they had, doth agree with their practice, and we ſhall be ſatisfied.
And ſince we read of divers laying on of hands, and divers men are differently perſwaded concerning that in Heb. 16. yea, and ſuch men whoſe interest leads them to think of it as you do; and yet they cannot reaſonably ſo underſtand it; we demand, Whether this is not a ſufficient ground for us to doubt whether the laying on of hands practiſed by you, be inſtituted by God? Whether it can reaſonably and infallibly be inferred from this Text? And if not, whether it be not great preſumption for you to judge all incommunicable, that come not up to you in a matter that is ſo dubitable.