The Searchers for Schism Searched, Treatise · Answer 40
Anſwer.
How can you be ſo daringly impudent as to forge ſuch an untruth, and ſay that we have both Preached, and Printed, that we cannot prove laying on of hands as we practiſe it, otherwiſe then by Inferences and Deductions? where is ſuch a thing Printed, or who ever Preached ſo, that hath not turned back to his vomit, in ſome degree, or hath not out-lived his love to thoſe Principles he had received, and was once built on? May you not be aſhamed of this, when we have again and again, by Printing, Preaching, and otherwiſe, proved laying on of hands, as practiſe it, to be a Foundation-Principle of Chriſts Doctrine, by plain and uninterpreted Scripture, and without Inferences and Deductions, as fully as any Duty that is practical, can be proved without them, and was never refuted by you yet; how then can you ſtand in the face of God and his Congregation when you dare do thus! Had there been upon you the feeling thoughts of thoſe Texts, Rev. 21.8. & 22.15. you would not have brought forth ſuch a Monſter into the world; it being therefore falſe what you ſay, we dare be ſo confident as to call laying on of hands as we practiſe it, one of the firſt Principles of the Oracles of God, and an eſſential of Religion (without ſaying with the Church of Rome, the Church cannot err) (we will leave that for you to ſay) and with as much manners and modeſty as the authority of ſo ſacred an Ordinance will permit.
Laying on of Hands then is a Truth, and ſuch a one as is by Chriſt and his Apoſtles (not by us) advanced (as you call it) into the number of thoſe expreſs Duties which are Eſſential to Church-Conſtitution and Church-Communion.
FINIS.