Selected quad for the lemma: ground_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	believe_v	faith_n	sufficient_a	1,462	5	7.5981	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A42146	The searchers for schism search'd, or, Their pretended questions for conscience sake answered wherein is proved that those baptized congregations under laying on of hands are not guilty of schism in separating from them : shewing, in opposition to their threeforld hypothesis, that their church constitution is not true, separation from them proved lawful, the truth and authority of the doctrine about which they separate, vindicated / humbly presented to all concerned [by] J. Griffith ...	Griffith, John, 1622?-1700.	1669 (1669)	Wing G2003; ESTC R41670	59,153	128

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 onely 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

no other 9. But then you enquire Whether it be not more safe to understand it for that Doctrine which Christ preached and practised and his Apostles afterwards practised in healing the Sick than that Christ never taught nor practised nor his Apostles ●either in conformity to a Command but by way of accommodation to the laudable Custom of the ●ews as they did in divers other Cases We confess it is more safe of the two to understand it to be for healing the Sick than ●hat which Christ never taught nor practis'd ●or his Apostles neither in conformity to a Command if any such laying on of hands there is which if there be we know of none ●●cept it be that laying on of hands mentioned Luk. 21.12 which not they but the wicked practised But 't is observable how rarely well you beg ●●e Question when you conclude that the Apostles did in divers cases practise laying on of ●●nds by way of Accommodation to the laudable Custom of the Jews Pray where is that written There is not the least syllable in the Scripture that intimates such a thing much less that affirms it 10. And whereas you require us if they did practise that laying on of hands Act. 8.17 19. in obedience to a Command to shew it We say it hath been already shewed Let the Reader peruse Gods Oracle and Christs Doctrine from page 79. to page 84. And as for our practice of laying on of hands on all we baptise both Men and Women that hath been shewed and proved also Let the Reader see Gods Oracle and Christs Doctrine page 47 48 49. Read an● weigh well what is there said without partiality laying aside all prejudicate Opinions an● byassed Resolutions and he will be satisfied i● both 11. But you further say Since divers men an● differently perswaded concerning that in Heb. 6. y●● and such men whose interest leads them to think o● it as we do and yet they cannot reasonably so understand it you demand whether this is not a sufficient ground for you to doubt whether the layin● on of hands practised by us be institued 〈◊〉 God Truly we think it so far from being a sufficient ground for you to doubt because Dr. H●mond or any other learned judicious Doct●● doth that we think it is not any ground at 〈◊〉 for you to doubt also We have abler an● more approved Doctors for our practice tha● Dr. Hamond or Victor or Carthage's Councils And therefore we say it can be both reasonabl● and infallibly inferred and more than an inf●rence it is from Heb. 6. comparing this Te●● with some other that the laying on of hands 〈◊〉 practise is instituted by the Lord as a Found●tion-Principle of Christs Doctrine ans is 〈◊〉 presumption to judge you incommunicable that come not up to us in a matter not dubin●ble but clear and plain Quest 24. And whereas you say those Doctrines are call'd beginning Doctrines Heb. 6. and therefore laying ●n of hands must be so call'd We demand Why the Wonders which the Apostles did the Cures they wrought by laying on of hands upon such as they healed being that which Christ ●aught and himself and Apostles practised might not rather be esteemed a beginning of the Doctrine of Christ than that which you practise for which ●●u have at best but a doubtful example And ●hough this of healing was practicable upon none but ●pon the Sick yet was it teaching to all to see and ●ear the Sick were raised and cured as appears Luk. 13.47 Act. 28.8 9. and so it was a practice ●●at was introductive to the beginnings of Christianity in those times Answer 1. You demand Why the Wonders which the Apostles did and the Cures they wrought by laying on of hands upon such as they healed ●●ing that which Christ taught and himself and the Apostles practised might not rather be esteemed a beginning of the Doctrine of Christ ●●an that which we practise The laying on of hands to heal the Sick was ●ot preceptively taught by Christ but promis●●vely in the way of a Promise annexed and made to them that did believe These signs shall ●ollow them that believe Mark 16.17 They shall lay hands on the Sick and they shall recover vers● 18. By which signes the preceptive part of Christs Word and Doctrine was confirmed to be from Heaven and not of Men And they wen● forth and preached every where the Lord working with them confirming the Word with signs following Amen vers 20. Then laying on of hands to heal the Sick not being preceptively taught by Christ by way of command but promissively by way of Promise it cannot be esteemed that laying on of hands which is a Principle o● the Doctrine of Christ Heb. 6. now under debate but that by which that Principle of Christ● beginning Word or Doctrine was among the rest of them confirmed to be from Heaven and not of men 2. Again If laying on of hands to heal the Sick was preceptively taught by way of Command and so ought to be esteemed that part of the beginning Doctrine of Christ Heb. 6.2 Then is casting out Devils speaking with new Tongues taking up Serpents drinking any dead ● thing and not be hurt taught also by way o● Command and then every one of them is a well the beginning Doctrine of Christ Heb. 6● and your duty to do as to be baptised An ● why then should not casting out Devils and every one of the rest be esteemed a Principle i● Christs Doctrine and the first Rudiments o● Christianity We have then better Reason tha● ●ny you have to the contrary to esteem laying ●n of hands on baptised Believers as such pra●tised by the Apostles Act. 8.17 Act. 19.6 to ●●e one Principle of the beginning Doctrine of Christ rather than that to heal the Sick because it was promissively and not preceptively ●aught by Christ 3. But you say Rather to heal the Sick than ●hat we practise for which we have but a doubtful Example at the best How can you be so clouded as to say We ●ave for laying on of hands but a doubtful Example at the best What practice can have more clear and apparant example than we have for ●urs See Act 8.17 19.6 Moreover it 's one of the first Principles of the Oracles of God Heb. 5.12 One of the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ a Foundation-principle Heb. 6.1 2. Authority enough to all that have reason and will use it whose minds are not darkened 4. And as you say so we say This laying on ●f hands to heal the Sick was practicable to none out the Sick But how then could it be one of the first Rudiments of Christianity when no Christian Man or Woman could be built upon this Foundation except he or she were first sick and then you may esteem Sickness to be a foundation to this foundation and so rather a beginning of the Doctrine of Christ But you say It was teaching to all And

Doctrine of Christ because we deny or rather doubt of laying on of hands on all Disciples Men and Women as you practise it Answer 1. To say the Truth is not to be uncharitable and when we say you oppose or deny laying on of hands as you have done more than twenty years is not to be we hope uncharitable For that laying on of hands we practise you do deny and oppose though you may colour your opposition under the pretence of doubts and questions and under the pretence of owning laying on of hands to heal the Sick or to set Men apart to Office in the Church though not on all baptised Men and Women that they might receive the Spirit Nor is your reason by which you would wipe off that blemish sufficient for we may not as well say that those people which believe not that Christ died for all do deny the Death of Christ because the● do believe he died and died for them and more too But you do not believe that layin● on of hands on baptised Believers as such t●● ●●ey might receive the Spirit is the duty of any 2. Neither can it be said that the Hebrew Church denied the Priestly Office of Christ because they were dull of hearing and could not receive those great Mysteries thereof that were hard to be uttered Heb. 5.11 And though you pretend you are ignorant yet we think you would not take it well should we set you down for such And as for what you may say say your pleasure and say if you will many of us if you say true deny Christ took flesh of the Virgin Mary We can say and say truth that many of you deny Christ and have not God because you deny him to be God of one Substance with the Father and say that he is a created being and took his beginning in the Womb of the Virgin besides your denying laying on of Hands on all Disciples Men and Women as we practise Quest 34. Did you ever come to us or send any to us to lay Hands upon us and we rejected you why then ●●ould you reject us Answer When we first received laying on of Hands we were with you and continued reasoning ●●d perswading you to receive the truth but 〈◊〉 then opposed us and it yea and at length ●e hardned and believed not but spake evil of the way and then we departed and separated from you and know no reason we have to come or send to you to lay Hands on you except you repent and receive the truth candidly in the love of it until then we have reason to reject you Quest 35. Do we not practise laying on of hands upon Officers and are not many willing to submit to it a Members for peace and accommodation sake and together with you wait upon God for further light in this matter why then should you impose believing of it on us as a Command upon all Disciples both Men and Women I and such a Command as is essential to Communion and Church-membership when you have no such Command nor Example in all the Scriptures either that it was practised upon Men and Women that were Baptized or that it was judged essential to Communion or that it was ever practised but on the account of the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit or that it was ever administred on any if they had received the gifts of the Spirit before Till these sober Scruples are removed and the Duty of Laying on of Hands proved essential to Communion what ground have you to refuse Communion with us Answer We know not whether you practise laying on of Hands upon Officers or no but if you do what Command have you for it Nor are those terms for peace and accommodation sake sufficient Christ hath no need to be beholding to you Where do you read that any were received to or practised any Gospel Ordinance upon those terms We must therefore if you receive it from us impose it upon you as a Command upon all Disciples both Men and Women because it is so as appears Acts 8. for the Apostles practised no more in Holy and Divine Adoration and Invocation than what they were taught and commanded by their Lord and Master Christ to do yea and such a Command or rather Duty it is that is essential to Communion and Church-membership we having both Command and Example in the Scripture as we have shewed and it would ●e but reiteration to shew it here again nor was it practised upon the account of the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit the Scripture no where assigning them as the end thereof 2. And if the Scripture be silent in the ●ase of Laying on of Hands on Cornelius and his House it doth not follow but that he did receive laying on of Hands after he had received the Spirit as well as his being Baptised ●n Water after he had received the Spirit ●here being the same weighty and pressing rea●ons for both viz. Christ's Doctrine and Command We do not know when you will say your sober Scruples are removed for Laying on of Hands is proved to be essential to Communion therefore we have ground to refuse Communion with you Quest 36. Are you not divided among your selves in this matter have not some of you said Laying on of Hands was for Confirmation Others that it was for the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit Others that it was for the Spirit in any measure Answer We know not any that saith That Laying on of Hands was for the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit but you and others of your mind and if some do say that Laying on of Hands is for the receiving the Spirit in any measure and others will say it was for Confirmation there is not much difference between them we say then we are not divided among our selves about laying on of Hands Quest 37. Have not others of you both Printed and Preached that Laying on of Hands is one of the sever Pillars that Wisdom builded her house upon Prov. 9.1 and may not the Church of Rome as wel● prove her seven Sacraments from hence as you prove Laying on of Hands Besides do you 〈◊〉 by thus expounding the Word of God create sever Principles instead of six you talk of and may y●● not as well say that because the New Jerusalem Wall had twelve Foundations that therefore the Church must have twelve Fundamentals without which she cannot be a Church communicable Is not this making the Word of God like the Lesbian Rule who having built crooked and irregular so as the Work was not conformable to the Rule went and made their Rule conformable to their Work Answer 1. What if some of us have from those Pillars Wisdom builded her house upon Prov. 9.1 alluded to the Foundation Doctrine of Christ Heb. 6.1 2. and of the Apostles Eph. 2.20 But if you shall say that Heb. 6.1 2. makes mention but of six Principles and Prov. 9.1 mentions seven Pillars we hope you