Laying on of Hands Upon Baptized Believers, Treatise 1 · Chapter 8 – Chapter 9
CHAP. VIII.
Containing a few Motives or Arguments, provoking and encouraging to Obedience to the Holy Ordinance of Impoſition of Hands.
BEfore I conclude, I judg it neceſſary to offer two or three Motives, to ſtir up to Obedience ſuch as deſire to be found ſincere Followers of the Lord Jeſus, and of the primitive Saints, and to walk in all the Commandments of the Lord blameleſs; and to conſider, whether they do not lie ſhort of their Duty and Privilege, whilſt they omit or neglect this precious (tho deſpiſed) Ordinance of Impoſition of Hands.
Motive 1. Brethren, Conſider, you have the holy Pattern of the Saints of old to ſtir you up to a diligent ſearch in the Book of God's Law, to find out what his Mind and Will may be concerning you. How glad were the Children of Iſrael, when upon enquiry they found out that long-neglected Ordinance of ſitting in Booths in the Feaſt of Tabernacles? Neh. 8.14,—17. they did not then contend againſt it, or raiſe Objections, ſaying it has not been done for many years: Samuel, David, Hezekiah, and Joſiah did it not, who had glorious Light, and were great Reformers; and we have no immediate Viſion, or miraculous Appearance of God to revive this Inſtitution.
We find nothing of this nature ſtumbled them, but as they found it written, they ſet about the Work, and there was great Joy: They were not like many Souls in our days, who make Objections againſt Baptiſm and Laying on of hands; ſuch and ſuch eminent Men (ſay they) ſee it not, practiſe it not; 'tis not an Inſtitution of Chriſt; if it were, ſure Mr. ſuch a one (a learned Miniſter and Brother) would be for it; he is a Man of greater light and underſtanding than you, &c. 'Tis no marvel they are thus beclouded, whilſt their eyes are ſo fixt on Men; and inſtead of walking by the perfect Light of God's Word, walk by the Light of thoſe that are ſo imperfect.
Motive 2. Conſider that by a univerſal obedience to Chriſt, you will appear to be his Diſciples indeed, and of the Remnant of the Woman's Seed, Rev. 12.17. Yea you will enter into ſtrong bands of Alliance and Friendſtip with the Lord Jeſus: You are my Friends (ſaith he) if you do whatſoever I command you, Joh. 15.14. This alſo will add boldneſs to the Saints. Then ſhall I not be aſhamed (ſaith David) when I have reſpect to all thy Commandments.
Mot. 3. Let the Nature of the Ordinance move you to conſider your fault and neglect herein; and as you deſire that the Church you have given up your ſelves to walk in the order of the Goſpel with, being knit and fitly framed together, may grow into a Holy Temple in the Lord. Be ſure ſee there is no defect in the Foundation, take heed it wants not one principal Pillar; and let none ſpeak ſlightingly of this Inſtitution, leſt he provoke Jeſus Chriſt thereby. Did he command any thing in vain? And by the ſame Argument you adventure to caſt off this Principle, another may do ſo by Baptiſm, and conſequently all the reſt; and ſo in time God's Spiritual Houſe be like unto the literal Temple, viz. not have one Stone left upon another which will not be thrown down.
Motive 4. Conſider that thoſe bleſſed Promiſes God has made of giving the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, which the World cannot receive, are entailed to the obedient Soul; if we will have the Bleſſing, we muſt be found in our Duty. And how has God crowned this Service, as has been ſhewed, with wonderful manifeſtations thereof? Nay, conſider what meaſure ſoever God has given thee of his Spirit, by waiting upon him in other Ordinances; yet this of Impoſition of hands Chriſt has appointed as the Miniſtry thereof to baptized Believers as ſuch: to every particular Inſtitution there is ſome ſpecial and peculiar Bleſſing annexed; and 'tis ordained as God's ordinary way for the conveyance of it, as I might largely ſhew, in reſpect of Preaching the Word, Baptiſm, the Lord's Supper, Church-Cenſures, &c. and the like alſo in this of Laying on of hands: and tho God is not tied to this or that Ordinance, yet he hath tied us to the exact obſervation of them: He may anticipate his own Order, and give us the Mercy promiſed (in part) in ſome other way; yet we ought not to neglect our Duty.
Becauſe I have obtained Faith in ſome other than God's uſual way for the begetting it, ſhall I not hear the Word preached, for the further increaſing it in my Heart? Again, becauſe I have remiſſion of Sins, and other Bleſſings promiſed in Baptiſm before baptized, ſhall I reject that Ordinance? Sure Cornelius did not do ſo, Acts 10. 45, 47. And again, I feed by Faith on Jeſus Chriſt, and receive his Fleſh which is Meat indeed, and his Blood which is Drink indeed; ſhall I therefore refuſe the Ordinance of the Lord's Supper, which is appointed as the Miniſtry of his Body and Blood? God forbid. Even ſo, let none neglect this Appointment, nothwithſtanding any Gift, or Meaſure of the Holy Spirit they have received, ſince it has pleaſed God to direct to it, and left it in his Houſe as a perpetual Miniſtration; Deſtroy it not, for a Bleſſing that is in it, Iſa. 65.8.
Motive 5. Conſider the great need thou haſt of the Holy Spirit, yea and of a further increaſe thereof, tho I ſhould grant thou haſt received it already; for without it none can ſavingly believe, nor call Jeſus Lord. Yet there is a further Promiſe made to thee, as thou art a Believer in Jeſus Chriſt: and what can a poor Saint do without the Spirit? what Temptations doſt thou meet with, what Luſts and Corruptions ſtill haſt thou to mortify? and what outward Tribulations art thou (who profeſſeſt the Goſpel) expoſed to? O therefore uſe all means, and particularly this, which God injoins thee, that thou mayſt obtain a further meaſure and increaſe of the Spirit of God.
Motive 6. Laſtly, Conſider the excellent and unſpeakable worth and uſefulneſs of the Holy Spirit; O what ſpiritual Profit and Advantage do the Saints of God receive hereby!
1. 'Tis the Holy Spirit that enlightens the eyes of our Ʋnderſtandings, 1 Cor. 2. 10, 11, 12, 13. Eph. 1.17. we cannot ſee afar off, without our Eyes are anointed with this Eye-ſalve: And O what Beauty do we hereby behold in Jeſus Chriſt! how are our Souls taken with inviſible Objects! and what an empty and nothing-World is this, when we look through the Proſpect-glaſs of the Spirit of God upon it!
2. 'Tis the Holy Spirit that revives and quickens us, and makes us lively in the Paths of Righteouſneſs, Joh. 6.63. Col. 2.13.
3. 'Tis the Spirit that leads us in the way we ſhould walk, Rom. 8.14. yea and makes them Paths of peace and pleaſantneſs unto our Souls, Prov. 3.17. 'tis he that guides us into all Truth, and brings Chriſt's Words to our remembrance, Joh. 14.26.
4. 'Tis the Holy Spirit that comforts us when caſt down; 'tis from hence we receive all Heavenly Conſolation, Joh. 14. 16, 26.
5. 'Tis the Holy Spirit that makes us profit under the Word and means of Grace; 'tis that which maketh our Souls to grow and flouriſh in the Courts of the Lord's Houſe, Heb. 4.2. 1 Cor. 3.6.
6. 'Tis the Spirit that helps us to pray, helps our Infirmities, and teacheth us what to pray for, and gives us acceſs at the Throne of Grace; yea makes Interceſſion for us with groanings that cannot be uttered, Rom. 8.26.
7. 'Tis by the Spirit we cry Abba Father; 'tis that which bears witneſs with our Spirits, that we are the Children of God, Rom. 8. 13, 15, 16.
8. 'Tis by the Holy Spirit we mortify the Deeds of the body, Gal. 5.22. 'tis by that we live and ſtand, and are confirmed in Chriſt Jeſus, and ſanctified throughout.
9. 'Tis from the Holy Spirit that all heavenly Grace and ſpiritual Gifts flow; 'tis he that divides to every man ſeverally as he will, 1 Cor. 12. 5, 8, 9.
10. 'Tis the Holy Spirit which is the Earneſt of our Inheritance, and which gives an Aſſurance of the purchaſed Poſſeſſion unto our Souls, Eph. 1. 10, 14.
11. 'Tis the Holy Spirit by which we are ſealed to the day of Redemption, Eph. 1.13.
12. 'Tis by the Spirit we are made ſtrong, and enabled to overcome all Enemies, and helped to triumph over Death, 1 Cor. 15. 55, 57. 'tis by the Spirit we know that when our earthly Houſe is diſſolved we have a Building of God, a Houſe not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens, 2 Cor. 5.1. Theſe things conſidered, let none blame us that we ſo earneſtly contend for the Holy Ordinance of Prayer with Impoſition of Hands, in which God has promiſed, and ſo ſweetly communicated, as through a Conduit-Pipe, ſuch bleſſed Water of Life to our Souls. Shall it not trouble our Spirits, when Perſons labour to take away the Childrens Bread, or ſpill any of their ſweet and heavenly Milk upon the ground?
CHAP. IX.
In anſwer to the Concluſion of Mr. Danvers's Book.
Mr. Danvers's Concluſion.
THus you have had a candid Account of the riſe, growth, and progreſs of this Rite of Confirmation, or Laying on of hands, from the beginning to this day, (amongſt all that have owned it) with the Authorities on which it hath been found, and impoſed; together with a genuine Examination of the Grounds and Reaſons each Party have given to juſtify the ſame: And may we not upon the whole, fairly come to the following Concluſions? viz.
1. That there doth not appear to be the leaſt Scripture - precept, or Practice for any ſuch Ordinance of Confirmation, or an impoſing of hands upon all the Baptized before they break bread, or are admitted into Church-communion.
2. That the Inſtances produced to prove it an Apoſtolical Tradition, are impious Lies and Forgeries.
3. That the Authorities by which it hath been heretofore enjoined, were nothing but Antichriſtian Can. & Decrees.
4. That the most eminent Witneſſes and Confeſſors that oppoſed the Antichriſtian Ʋſurpations and Innovations, have all along witneſſed againſt, and impugned this of Confirmation, viz. the Novations, Donatiſts, Waldenſes, Greek Churches, & Wickliſſians.
All which are worthy the ſerious conſideration of all ſober and judicious Chriſtians, and eſpecially recommended to them, who having rejected Infants, and imbraced Believers Baptiſm, do yet cleave to this Practice, with theſe following Obſervations, viz.
1. It is moſt manifeſt that thoſe Popes, Councils and Fathers, that have enjoined and impoſed Infants ſprinkling for a Sacrament, or an Ordinance of Christ, have enjoined this alſo as ſuch.
2. That the principal Arguments pretended for the one, have been urged and pleaded for the other alſo, viz. Apoſtolical Tradition, and pretended Inferences and Conſequences from Scripture.
3. That the famous Churches and Confeſſors, that have oppoſed Infants ſprinkling as ſuperſtitious, Popiſh and Antichriſtian, have upon the ſame account oppoſed this alſo.
4. That it doth not appear that any baptized Church or People, did ever in any Age or Country own ſuch a Principle, or Practice to this day, except ſome in this Nation in theſe late times.
CHAP. IX.
In anſwer to the Concluſion of Mr. Danvers's Book.
The Concluſion of this Treatiſe, in oppoſition to his.
REider, Thou haſt had a faithful, and impartial Account of the riſe, growth, and progreſs, of this holy, tho contemned Ordinance of Impoſition of hands, from the beginning of the Goſpel-Miniſtration to this day; and how aſſerted amongſt many Perſwaſions, with the Authorities on which it has been enjoined; together with the grounds given by Antient and Modern Writers to juſtify it: And from the whole we alſo may come to theſe following Concluſions; viz.
1. That there appears full and ample Precept and Practice from Scripture for this Ordinance of Impoſition of hands on all baptized Believers as ſuch, before admitted to the Lord's Table.
2. That the Inſtances to prove it an Apoſtolical Tradition or Inſtitution, are the pious Sayings, and written Verities of Chriſt's Diſciples.
3. That the Authorities by which it was at firſt enjoined, were none elſe ſave Great Jehovah, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
4. That many eminent Writers both antient and modern, have born witneſs for it.
All which is worthy to be minded, and commended to the conſideration of thoſe who having rejected Infants, and imbraced Believers Baptiſm, do oppoſe a Principle of the ſame nature, and annexed to it, with theſe following Obſervations.
1. It is moſt manifeſt that thoſe Popes, Councils, and Fathers, that have corrupted, polluted, and changed the holy Ordinance of Baptiſm, and the Lord's Supper, did alſo change, alter, and corrupt this of Impoſition of Hands.
2. That tho the principal Arguments the Church of Rome, and others who have drunk of the Whore's Cup, do bring to defend the Rite called Confirmation, is humane Tradition, and far-fetch'd Conſequences from Scripture, yet there is plain Scripture-proof for the holy Inſtitution of Impoſition of hands upon baptized Believers.
3. That many godly Perſons in ſeveral ages have oppoſed Popiſh laying on of hands, on the ſame account that we reject Popiſh Baptiſm, and not otherwiſe.
4. It appears not that any baptized Church in any Country, have denied Impoſition of hands upon Believers baptized, as ſuch, to be an Inſtitution of Jeſus Chriſt, nor ever writ againſt it, as ſome in this Nation have done; (no ways for their Credit, nor Honour of the Goſpel.)
Theſe things being ſo, it may be enquired what ground and reaſon our Brethren in this Nation had at firſt, or have now, to oppoſe this Divine Inſtitution of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.