The Searchers for Schism Searched, Treatise · Answer 28 – Question 29
Anſwer.
1. If laying on of hands (ſay you) upon all baptiſed Believers, be to be practiſed in our ſence, as an indiſpenſable Duty; then you demand, Why all the other Principles, Heb. 6. ſhould be expreſly commanded, believed, and practiſed in Chriſts time, and not this, as it is practiſed by us, if there be that weight in it as we lay upon it? We told you above, that it matters not when Chriſt taught laying on of hands, whether in the time of his Life, or not. And whereas you ſay, That Faith, and Repentance, the Baptiſm of Water, the Reſurrection of the Dead, and eternal Judgement, were in Chriſts time plainly taught: Pray where did Chriſt in the time of his Life, before his Aſcenſion, or after it either, ſo plainly command baptiſing with water? Though we do not deny but there was both Faith, Repentance, the Reſurrection, and eternal Judgement, plainly enough taught, according to that Diſpenſation; and ſo they were before Chriſts Incarnation, by the Prophets of old; nor do we deny, but grant, that there was Authority enough from Heaven for the Baptiſm of Water then practiſed; and that there was them that did fore-tell that the holy Spirit ſhould be afterwards given, and ſo it was by the Prophet Joel; all which were as preparatives to what afterward Chriſt ſhould command and teach, when he had ſuffered and was riſen, and all power in Heaven and Earth was given unto him, Mat. 28.18. So John was ſent to prepare the way, and he taught the Baptiſm of Repentance, ſaying, They ſhould believe on him that was to come; ſo that between both the Faith and the Baptiſm then, and that after Chriſt was come, had ſuffered, aſcended, and the holy Ghoſt was given, there muſt needs be a vaſt difference; therefore (as you affirm) Paul baptiſed the twelve Diſciples he found at Epheſus again, becauſe they were onelyonly baptiſed into John's Baptiſm; who, as was his Baptiſm, ſo was his Doctrine of Faith and Repentance: John verily baptiſed with the Baptiſm of Repentance, ſaying to the People, That they ſhould believe on him which ſhould come after him, that is, on Chriſt Jeſus, Act. 19.4. From whence, or from which Diſpenſation, we do not take the Authority of the Foundation-Doctrine of Chriſt, no, not of Repentance, Faith, Baptiſms, Laying on of hands, Reſurrection, and eternal Judgement; but from Chriſt dead, riſen, and aſcended to the Father, from whom he ſent his holy Spirit to confirm them all to be his Doctrine, on which he hath built his Church: Yet might theſe Principles be (nay doubtleſs were) left and commanded by Chriſt before his Aſcenſion, which they better underſtood and put in practice, when they were endowed with power from on high, Acts 2. by the Spirit of Truth, which Chriſt ſent to them, to guide them into all Truth, John 16.13. and of them whom Chriſt commanded by word of mouth to obſerve and teach theſe Principles, have we received them, as the Doctrine of the Lord Jeſus; of which Doctrine laying on of hands on baptiſed Believers, … ſuch, is one Principle, taught alſo by the Apoſtles, and by them practiſed, Acts 8.17. & 19.… And if we do not find it was practiſed in th… …ime of Chriſts life, that doth not make invalid what was taught and practiſed after his Aſcenſion; He had many things to ſay in the time of his life, his Diſciples could not then bear, John 16.12. which he promiſeth to inſtruct them in by his Spirit, verſ. 13, 14, 15.
2. It being then clear, that laying on of hands is a Principle of the Doctrine of Chriſt; it's not to the thing in hand where, when, or how Chriſt taught it; but that you will ſtudy doubts rather than obedience. And whereas you ſpeak of the Doctrine of the holy Spirit, if the Truth were known, you as little believe it, as you practiſe laying on of hands for the reception of it, as will appear hereafter. Concluding from what hath been ſaid, That laying on of hands is as clear a Principle of Chriſts Doctrine, as any of the other are, having the ſame Authority; we refuſe, and keep no communion with the Diſobedient.
Queſt. 29.
If you ſay, The practice of the Apoſtles, Act. 8.17. plainly ſhews that they had a Command for what they did; We thereupon demand, Though we read they baptiſed Men and Women promiſcouſly, yet where do you read they ever laid hands promiſcuouſly upon Men and Women? If you ſhall ſay, It is implied in the word THEM, which the Apoſtles laid their hands upon, which were the ſame THEM that Philip baptiſed; we demand, Whether it may not be as truly ſaid that Philip preache… to every Man and Woman in Samaria, becauſe it i… ſaid, He went to the City of Samaria, and preached Chriſt to them? verſ. 5. And whether i… may not be as well ſaid, That every Man and Woman in Samaria believed and were baptiſed, becauſe it is ſaid, That Samaria had received the Word of God, and was baptized; as you may ſay, That becauſe the Church of Jeruſalem ſent unto Them Peter and John, to lay hands on Them, that therefore it muſt be underſtood they laid hands on every baptiſed Man and Woman? &c.