generally are to wait upon him for the reception thereof which way is the prayers of the Church performed by her Ministers with the laying on of hands and this as a principle of Christian Relâ—gion belonging to them in the minâ—rity of their Christian state For explication of some parts of this Proposition it is meet that we shew first what we mean by the holy Ghost sith some now as well as heretofore Acts 19. either by reason of ignorance or some worse cause seem not to know whether there be any holy Ghost As if they had forgotten unto what they were Baptized Matth. 28. 19. By the Holy Ghost then we do not mean the Spirit of man in its most reformed and elevated state imaginable neither any created Spirit whatsoever But by the Holy Ghost we mean that Spirit by whose operation the Creation of the world was brought forth and formed Gen. 1. 2. Job 26. 13. And which knoweth all things even the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2. 10. And which is present every where Psal 139. 7 8. 9. Which Spirit we therefore believe to be one with the Father in nature and essence and therefore rightly said to be God Acts 5. 3 4 9. Secondly when we speak of mens receiving this holy Spirit we do not mean that he dwels in them essentially and personally for so they cannot contain him But he dwels in them by manifestation and operation By gifts according to 1 Cor. 12. By fruits according to 1 Cor. 13. 4 5 6 7. Galath 5. 22 23. And seeing the ground of this so much neglected truth the fourth principle of Christs doctrine lieth much in that great promise of the Spirit of God as the right of all the Disciples of Christ It behoveth that we open the nature of that glorious promise that being affected with the excellency and made sensible of the necessitie thereof we may the more devoutly seek for it not only in our private devotion but also in that special and publick way assigned in the holy Scripture for the obtaining so great a benefit Let it therefore first be considered that to be under the common influence and operation of the Spirit in the Ministery of the Word in order to conversion is one thing and the reception of the Holy Ghost as a Seal and confirmation of the souls of Christians as it is the earnest of their inheritance is another It is certain a person may be eminently under the operation of the Spirit in the first consideration and yet be a stranger to the reception of the Spirit in the other as appeared first in the Apostles themselves who though they were the persons which received the first fruits of the promised Holy Spirit yet were they for some time in the profession of the Gospel before they received it For they did not receive the Spirit of promise till after the Ascention of our Lord Acts 1. 4 5. But wait for the promise of the father which saith he ye have heard of me fâ—r John truly baptized with water but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many dayes hence John 7. 39. The Spirit was not yet given because that Jesus was not yet glorified In like manner the Samaritans were converted from the errour of their way by the preaching of the word and became the Disciples of Christ and yet the Spirit of promise was faln on none of them Acts 8. 12 15 16. The Ephesians also believed in God after they heard the Gospel of their salvation But were not sealed with the holy Spirit of promise till afterward Eph. 1. 13 14. Agreeable hereunto is that question of the Apostle Acts 19. 2. Have ye received the Holy Ghost SINCE ye believed The persons to whom this question was put were believers in Christ yea Baptized believers Whence we are to note that Baptized Disciples have right to the promise of the Holy Ghost and indeed hence it was that Peter could so confidently and universally promise in the word of the Lord the gift of the Holy Ghost to every one that doth repent of their iniquities and are baptized in the name of the Lâ—rd Jesus Christ for the remission of their sins Acts 2. 38. It appeareth therefore that persons may be under the operation of the spirit of God in the Ministerie of the Word to their illumination and conversion so far as to be brought into a certain state of Christianity for those that may be called Disciples are called Christians Acts 11. 26. and yet be without the enjoyment of the sealing and confirming spirit of promise in themselves which is yet more evident from John 14. 16 17. I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter even the Spirit of TRUTH for he dwelleth WITH you and SHALL be IN you Note well this promise doth not respect the spirit as it worketh Miracles only but also and indeed much more the Spirit as it is a Leader into all Truuh called therefore the Spirit of Truth yea 't is the Spirit in such wise as shâ—uld â—bide with and in the Saints for ever yea it is the Comforter or Spirit of Comfort and is therefore that gift of the Spirit which pertaineth to Christians generally Secondly That this sealing and confirming Spirit of promise belongs to Christs Disciples generally whether male or female I conceive some necessity to demonstrate because the Searchers to the intent that at the least they may exclude â—omen from the benefit of prayer with the laying on of Hands will not have them included in the word THEM Acts 8. 17. but if we prove that women have right to the promise equally with men we shall not at all fear the trifling demands of the Searchers in their 29 Querie which only serves to shew the weakness of their cause for it seems if it be true that women as well as men had Hands imposed on them with Prayer by the Apostles for the Holy Spirit then their cavils against the universality of the practâ—ce of laying on oâ— Hands is at least the less considerable Now that the promise of the Spirit extends to Christian women as well as men appeareth from the Prophets foresight of the extent thereof Isa 44. 3. I will powr water upon him that is thirsty and flouds upon the dry ground I will powr my Spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon their off-spring Joel 2. And it shall come to pass afterward that I will powr out my Spirit upon all flesh and upon the servants and upon the Handmaid in those dayes will I powr out of my Spirit Which glorious promise was first fulfilled to the Christians soon after the Assention of our Lord Acts 2. And now is the time as well as then for Christians to reap the fruit of that promise Acts 5. 32. the holy Ghost which God hath gâ—ven to them that obey him Because ye are sons God hath sâ—nt forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts Gal. 4. 6.
such gifts of his Spirit in the way of Praier with laying on of Hands yet that such gifts was the only proper end of that service is confidently denied because as before it was impossible to know in any ordinarie way for whom to pray or on whom to impose Hands whether on men or women seeing neither sex is exempted from the extraor dinarie gifts of the Spirit It is certain that God gave the gift of Tongues c. in the Ministerie of the Word Acts 10. Yet it doth not follow thence that such gifts are the only proper end of preaching the Word but the undoubted end of the Lord in that Ordinance is that men believe and be saved though perhaps they never receive the gift of tongues prophesie c. and this is certainly that end which shall be attained by all that rightly accept that means of salvation John 20. 31. These things are written that ye might believe and in believing that ye may have life through his name Nor will Acts 19. 6. prove that there is or ever was any such thing as laying on of Hands for the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit only for still we must distinguish between an effect onely and that which is the undoubted end of any service The reasons even now urged do forbid us to say that tongues miracles c. was the undoubted or precise end of laying on of Hands Acts 19. because the service was universal but extraordinarie gifts are particular only And let it be seriously considered that if Paul had found twelve hundred men instead of twelve who had not receivâ—d the holy Ghâ—st since they believed ought he not to have done that to them all which he did to these Doubtless he ought yet who can imagine that such gifts as Tongues Miracles c. should be given to each individual This would be far from that order which God hath beautified his Church withall 1 Cor. 12. 29 30. And whereas Paul in this place and Peter and John in Acts 8. is conceived by some of our opposites to have imposed hands to work Miracles for confirmation of the Word this is a very great mistake for then there is no reason to imagine that the practice of laying on of hands should have been general as doubtless it was For seeing that the healing of one Cripple Acts 4. 16. was sufficient to convince open enemies that the power of God was with his Apostles Then surely it was not necessarie that all the Baptized should miraculously speak with tongues for to convince themselves or others that the Word which they had received was from heaven But alas men fall into thiâ— errour by their unwillingness to see the truth for signes are not for them that believe and Miracles had been wrought by Philip at Sâ—mâ—ria to confirm the word before Peter and John came there Acts 8. 6 7. and all that we read of Peter and John in respect of confirming the Word is only this that they testified and preached it and departed vers 25. Now that all the Disciples at Samaria had Hands imposed on them cannot without absurdity be denied for certainly they imposed hands on all in whâ—se hehalf they prayed but will anyman say that they prayed but for some of them only that they might receive the promise of the Father and that all the rest must be excluded both from the prayer and the gift prayed for Surely such a conceit would make Peter and John miserable comforters to those Disciples whom they should thus neglect in their prayers for the holy Spirit as all the women which were Baptized were so neglected in the opinion of the Searchers for they by their demands will needs suppose that the Apostles did not impose hands on women as if women had not as clear a right to the promised Spirit as men They might as well have doubted whether Peter and Iohn laid hands on men seeing the Text sayes nothing particularly of them any more than of the women But I say these imaginations are very irrational sith as before it was not known to Peter or John what persons by name should have extraordinary gifts whether the Servants or Handmaids of the Lord nor whether any of them should be Prophets or â—peakers with tongues But this they knew that the gift of the Holy Ghost belonged to them all for so they had preached to others Acts â— 38. and therefore certainly they prayed for all to whom the promise did belong and then doubtless for whom they prayed on them they laid their hands and so it is evident they laid their hands on all The same may be noted from Pauls question Acts 19. 2. Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed Where certainly he includeth the whole number of these certain Disciples who by their â—nswer to the question being all discovered â—o be wanting in respect of that great gift of God Paul must needs be very partial if he had not the same care for all that he had for some and if his care was equally for them all â—hen reason tels us he would not be wantâ—ng to any of them in his endeavours that they might receive that Spirit which as 〈◊〉 they had not received So that still we see laying on of Hands was practised as generally as Baptism or any other Ordinance where the practise of it is recorded and that is an evidence that the end of that service was that gift of the Holy Ghost which is general and consequently not for the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit otherwise then as they are included within the compass of that gracious promise That the laying on of Hands Acts 8. Acts 19. was not the laying on of Hands for extraordinarie gifts but for the general donation of the Spirit to Disciples indifferently is yet more manifest because upon this only ground could Paul ask the Disciples whether they had received the Holy Ghost since they believed and upon this only ground may the Ministers of Christ ask this question of the Disciples at this day I mean so to ask it as thereby implying that they ought to have it for so much Paul's question doth plainly imply as appears by his endeavours that they who had been so long without it might now be made partakers of it and that for them all indifferently And upon this ground only could Peter and Iohn use the means to obtain the Spirit for the Disciples at Samaria generally namely because the promise of the Spirit was universal Again from this consideration that that laying on of Hands Acts 8. Acts 19. was a general practise and the gift prayed for in that service a general gift it will follow that the Apostles performed this service of prayer with laying on of Hands by vertue of their Ministerial Authoritie and not by vertue of any particular power they had to give the Holy Ghost as some do vainly imagine otherwise it will follow that by their gift of miracles they were bound
determine positively concerning this principle what it is and let their diligence appear in teaching it together with the rest of the principles which yet to use their own dialect I despair ever to see them perform either the one or the other at least so long as they carry themselves towards those who shew them that which they so ignorantly pretend to own so much like the Athenians as to account of those to be setters forth of strange Principles as they accounted Paul a letter forth of strange gods And though you as they seem to be very desirous to hear what in this case we have to say yet when we have told you the truth then as they thought it a thing incredible that God should raise the dead so you think it incredible that we should receive any blessing in the way of prayer with the laying on of Hands as evidently appears by your demand in these words How doth your practise of laying on of hands agree with theirs meaning the Apostles Acts 8. Acts 19. having no such blessing to communicate as they had In which demand you seem to lye under two very great mistakes as first that the Apostles had the blessing of the gifts of the Spirit to communicate to others as if they could give the gift of prophesie tongues miracle c Secondly that on whomsoever they laid their hands the same received such a blessing to wit the miraculous gifts of the Spirit Which blinde conceits you never learned of Simon Peter for they are the errours of Simon Magus Acts 8. Whose blindness was rebuked by Peter affirming that that blessing was the gift of God Yea it is written and the Scripture cannot be broken that every-good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of Lights c. Yea the Spirit it self is free blowing where it listeth and is therefore not to be communicated by any man whatsoever We conclude therefore that the Apostles had no blessing to communicate to those on whom they laid their hands but could only beg it at the hands of God as the very words of the Text doth shew Acts 8. They prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost not that they might receive the gift of tongues miracles c. but only that they might receive the Holy Ghost From the Text thus considered I argue He did communicate the blessing only to whom the prayer was made for it But the prayer was only made to God therefore he only did communicate the blessing Again They that beg a blessing for themselves or for others do not communicate that blessing to themselves or to others But the Apostles did only beg the blessing of the Spirit c. therefore they did not communicate it c. Let it further be considered that if that which they ask be obtainable and obtained by those that now wait upon God in prayer with the laying on of Hands then our practise doth agree very well with theirs now what did they ask The gift of tongues c. No they only asked the Holy Ghost and surely the Holy Ghost is now attainable and attained even there where tongues are not attained Otherwise it will follow that the greater part of the Saints in the primitive times as well as the Saints in these dayes have not received the Holy Ghost which is not only foolish but very pernicious to imagine For Acts 13. 32. its said the Disciples were filled with â—oy and with the Holy Ghost and the Church is exhorted to be filled with the Spirit All which may be attained to now although the miraculous gifts of the Spirit be not attained nor indeed are they necessary in order thereunto as the places last quoted do shew Now that there is an agreement between the laying on of hands Acts 8. Acts 19. Heb. 6. 2. and that which we practise will further appear by this parallel The Apostles performed laying on of Hands with prayer to the Lord and so do we They performed this service on Disciples as such whether male or female and so do we It was practised by them in order to the receiving the Holy Ghost and so it is by us They placed laying on of Hands in the fourth place of Christian principles and so do we They asked not Tongues and Miraculous gifts no more do we The effects of that service depended not on them no more it doth on us But that was according to the will of the Father then and so it is to us Justly might we return our Brethrens demand upon themselves in their practises of prayer and preaching when we consider how God gave the Spirit in the likeness of fiery tongues to the hundred and twenty Disciples who prayed with one accord in one place The like to which effect never followed the most serious prayer that ever proceeded from our Brethren Must we then conclude that there is no agreement between their prayer and the prayer of the Church in those dayes This is the way to make void the the wayes of God unless he give us the like effect at all times which he ever gave to any at any time The like may be said of preaching For when Peter preached Acts 10. the Holy Ghost fell on all that heard the word so as that they spake with tongues Would it not be absurd now to say that Peter did communicate the blessing of tongues here And thence to conclude that none may preach unless they have the blessing of tongues to communicate to those to whom they preach Nor may we say that the like effect did alwayes follow the preaching of Peter himself no nor his laying on of Hands neither For there is no mention that those Disciples at Samaria received the gift of tongues but only that they reeeived the Holy Ghost For we have shewed that the Holy Ghost may be received so as that persons may be known and said by others to be full of the Holy Ghost and yet the miraculous gifts of the Spirit may be absent Nor is it to be doubted but that Simon Magus had hands imposed on him in common with the rest sith he was a Believer and Baptized and shewed as much zeal as the rest if not more for it s said he continued with Philip and wondered beholding the miracles which were done c. Nor was the deceit of his heart perceived till after the service of laying on of Hands was performed Acts 8. And yet certainly his receivings in respect of Spiritual blessings was not so great but that it may be safely presumed that many Christians in these dayes do receive the Holy Ghost as much as Simon Mâ—gus did And though Peter said to him thou hast no part or lot in this matter yet the words this matter cannot refer to Simons desire of subjection to laying on of Hands but to his ambitious and avaritious desire to be a Minister to dispence that ordinance to others for carnal
of its chief Patriot was certainly from a mind filled with perturbation and it s to be feared with no small emulation against some for no other cause then for their confidence and constancy in that which by the Vision of Truth is made known for the good of the Church For how is it credible that a pure fountain or mind filled with Love and Peace should ever send forth such dreadful streams of slanders against the Church of God as can hardly be paralelled in any Author As if the Congregations of Christians under imposition of hands were invaders and usurpers of the Lords peculiar Prerogative such as would irrevocably throw their fellow servants into Hell and death Such as lock heaven-gate against the strictest piety of a dissenting Brother and open it wide to those that are defective in Morals Such as heat the Furnace seven times for those which bow not to their dictates Such as make Conscience a make bate Such as kindle flames in Gods House by Fire taken from the Altar and bring the fattest Oblations to maintain that fire of Contention Such as will rather fire the house of God than dye without doing somewhat which may perpetuate their names yea such as are Sathans â—urveyers to bring prey to his den And to make the measure run over and over such as if they could execute all that they condemn few or none could be saved It is true after all this and much more of the same nature you stroke us on the head and tell us though you thus speak yet you are perswaded better things of â—he most of us a narrow Plaister for so great a wound being no more then must â—e said if Charity bear any sway of the manifold Sects which now profess Christianity among whom there are many â— who according to their Light are pious peaceable and serious But alas who will believe that many among us are good Christians if it be true that one part of our Churches consist of such as are notoriously known to be such as you have Characterized But what shall we say shall we render railing for railing God forbid for we are taught of God to overcome evil with good nor will we revenge our selves by recriminations And as we are confident that our innocency will in these things greatly plead against you so we trust there are no such impieties and execrable doers among you if this your Search have not tinctured you The Lord knoweth and Israel shall know that if we knew any such evil workers in our Congregations they should either reform or go to their place and if you know any such you might have done well to have singled them out that we might have known them by name and not have thus sold us into the hands of Scorners to be a derision to the foolish Prov. 12. 18. There is that speaketh like the piercings of a Sword but the tongue of the wise is health Nor do we doubt but that many of you are meerly ensnared in the publication of your Epistle and it is strange you should imply his pen in this matter whom you knew to be too much entangled in the folly of his own wayes at that time to be truly serviceable to God and his People whatever he hath been in time past What is here written now offers it self to your consideration as a thing compelled from us at this time by your high provocation well knowing it to be more suitable to the time and the state of the Church in general to be studying for terms of reconciliation then Arguments for Disputation and therefore we could wish that Christians would not thus put one another to business seeing they do bear and are like to bear in their body the Marks of the Lord Jesus according to that saying Gal. 6. 17. Nor was it needful to set down your demands in this our Answer partly for that the substance may be understood by what we have said and partly for that you have made your Book so publick as that it is as it were in every Brothers hand who therefore when he sees this Answer may compare it with your Search for his own satisfaction Your Brother Tho. Grantham A Sigh for Peace OR The cause of Division discovered c. IT is certainly an easie thing though very pernicious to fill the Church of Christ with Questions and such too as may carry a shew of strength against the most important Articles of our Faith But it is not so easie for those who are sick of Questions or demands to receive satisfaction by any endeavour whatsoever And as in other points of faith the Questions of some have been endless even so now that humour hath been and is much at work against that solemn service of prayer with the imposition of hands for the promised Spirit of God as a gift pertaining to the members of the body of our Lord Jesus Christ As is too apparent by sundry papers extant and among the rest one entituled A Search for Schism containing no less than an hundred Demands though 40. only be the number set down by the Demandants which are the more prodigeous for that divers of them have been answered by divers hands and no reply made by the enquirers What the reason hereof should be is doubtful unless the opposers of this truth intend to state the Controversie anew for I was told that this Book of Demands is but a preparatory to a greater work and thereby become more effectually the disturbers and obstructers of that measure of unity remaining and peace pretended But as in this we shall be too solicitous so neither in our Answer shall we need to be ovluminous by tracing their demands one by one For though the number thereof be many yet they are reducible to three Heads touching which the truth being evinced the whole Body of their demands are answered Now the Heads to which their demands may be reduced are these The first concerns the constitution of those Congregations of Baptized Disciples who reject that solemn service of prayer with imposition of hands for the promised Spirit viz. Whether they be true Churches of Christ or not The second respecteth the matter of Communion between those Christians who religiously observe prayer with the imposition of hands as a principle of Christs Doctrine pertaining to the beginning of Christian men and these who reject and oppose it The third is touching the service it self in respect of its grounds and ends as also in respect of the persons concerned in the practice thereof at this day That I may with the more facility and clearness proceed in the consideration of these particulars I shall begin with the last first touching which particular I shall endeavour to make good this proposttion viz. That as God hath promised to give the Spirit of his Son or his holy Spirit to all that are the called of the Lord So he hath appointed a solemn way wherein his Servants and Handmaids
In Jesus Christ there is neither male nor female but if ye be Christs then are ye Abrahams seed and Heirs according to promise It is the Spirit of promise which doth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God And again He that stabiisheth us in Chrâ—st and hath anoâ—nted us is God who also hath seâ—led us and given the earnest of the Spirit in our Hearts Yea this even this Spirit is one of the great and precious promises by which Christians are made partakers of the Divine Nature according to 2 Pet. 1 3 4. Thus we see that the Scriptures do evince that the Handmaids as well as the servants of the Lord that the Children of God without exceptiâ—n that â—he Church of God without rejection of any true Member thereof have a clear indubitâ—te right to the gift of the hâ—ly Spirit And it is also evident that the promise of the Spirit consists not only no nor chiefly in those gifts which some say are now ceased to wit of Miracles Tongues c. though they have no Scripture for it But this promise chiefly consists in the sanctifying graces and soulest ablishing comforts thereof yea in that which sealeth a Christian to the day of redemption which tongues and miracles will fail to do and in the mean time is like water to him that iâ— thirsty as before we have seen 'T is that Vnction which the holy one which Teacheth Christians all things or Leads them into all truth Iâ— a word it is that reception of the Spiriâ— which is above all gifts of Tongues Prophesies c. called Charity and is branched into meekness temperance goodness and faith yea ' tiâ— that gift of the Spirit by which the Love of God is shed abroad in the hearts of Christians being the Spirit of Love power and a sound mind in the exercise whereof I mean this gift oâ— the Spirit a Christian is both accepted of God and approved of men So then we have the glorious promise of the Spirit remaining for and pertaining to the Handmaids and servants oâ— the Lord in the most excellent gifts thereoâ— as much as ever and consequently are as much concerned to seek for it as ever any was and this leads me to the second branch of my Proposition viz. The dutiful observance of that way which is allowed and confirmed from Heaven for obtaining that heavenly donation That God should by his Prophets foretell oâ— such grace and so often mention it as so greaâ— a promise the reception whereof is so necessary as without which Christians do want the lively evidence â—eaâ— confirmation that they are the Sons of God and heirs with Christ not assign some peculiar way and special means for all that are concern'd to make use of in order to their obtaining it seems not to be credible which yet he hath not done if prayer with imposition of Hands by the Church or her delegates be rejected if otherwise it were well if some body would assign us what peculiar way the word of God directs us to as being that which God hath ratified from heaven as a means peculiar for that end and purpose which if any assay to shew us Let them also consider why the Apostles took that way which is so much neglected by our Brethren if there were any other particular means and way to be used for the end aforesaid But if it be said that no special way or means is left us but the general Ordinance of prayer c. We must then say it is not like the dealings of God in other cases for ordinarily when it pleased God to promise or give some special favour or gift unto his Church he therewithall ordered some solemn or service to keep in memory that his favour and to be a means to partake of the fruit of his promise Thus the Covenant which God made with Abraham and his seed the deliverance which he wrought for them the great things which he promised them must be perpetuated and waited for in the use of such wayes as in the wisedome of God were thought fit for the memorial or reception of these favours respectively And so must the remission of our sins by the death of Christ be sought for and signified not only by the word and prayer in general but particularly in the Baptisme of of repentance for the remission of our sins also Nor must we only receive the flesh and blood of Christ by the word preached but particularly in the solemn use of the Table of the Lord also In like manner we are not only to seek to God for his Spirit in the constant and ordinary course of Prayer but also in a special and peculiar way of Prayer allowed and confirmed from Heaven for that very end and purpose which is the point to be demonstrated according to what the Scriptures in that behalf doth teach us And first from that place Acts 8. 14 15 16 17. Now when the Apâ—stles which were at Jerusaâ—em heard that Samaria had received the word of God they sent unto them Peter and John who when they were come down prayed for them that they might recâ—ive the holy Ghost then laid they their hands on them and they received the holy Gâ—ost For the better understanding of this place it is meet to consider that such as pray to God ought to know that the thing which they pray for is attainable and that they know it is the will of God that they should ask of him that very thing which they pray for especially when the prayer is made positively I mean withouâ— conditional expressions as in the case before us the prayer is such as indeed it ought to be without doubting when we ask of God those gifts which he hath promised James 1. 5 6 7. But if by the holy Ghost in this place be meant only the extraordinarie gifts thereof such as Tongues Mâ—racles c. Then certainly there was no ground from any promise of God to pray that all those persons which were Baptized in Samaria should so receive the Spirit No nor any ground from any promise of God to pray for so much as any one particular person among them â—lâ— sith the Promise of God in that case is not made to this or that man or woman by name and consequently here was no ground for the Apostles to pray absolutely and believingly but rather doubtingly for that very thing which they purposely prayed for Seeing it is evident that not all the members of a Church but rather very few and them also unknown by name to any man no not to the Apostles themselves 1 Cor. 12. 11 29. Acts 1. 24. are chosen to be Prophets workers of miracles c. And therefore it followeth that there could be no such laying on of hands at all practised here as some imagine namely a laying on of hands for the extraordinary gifts of the holy Ghost For though it is true that God did sometimes give
to work a miracle for every Disciple at Samaria and for every one of those certain disciples at Ephesus which is absurd to imagine or else that they did in this service more than they were bound to do either by vertue of gift or office which is as ridiculous on the other hand for though it is certain that they had no power to give the Spirit of God to any man yet certainly they had power or authoritie from God to pray with the laying on of their Hands for the members of the bodie that they might receive the Spirit of promise as appeared by those heavenly confirmations which ensued upon their performance insomuch as that it may be said this service of prayer with the laying on of hands is as much confirmed from heaven to be a thing well pleasing to him as any other ordinance whatsoever And forasmuch as the UNIVERSALITY of the practice of layng on of Hands with prayer for the Holy Spirit being evinced is a matter of that importance that even thence it will follow that it is no such thing as many imagine it to be viz. a temporary practice only fitted for the Apostles times that some few having practised or submitted to it It was to cease being only perfâ—rmed for the gift of tongues and miracles c. I will therefore proceed a little further to demonstrate this service to be very universal It may appear to all indifferent men that very many thousands were in the religious practise of this ministration in the first Churches And first from the state of the Church at Samaria in its plantation where the number of Disciples was very great in likelihood not less than an hunâ—red thousand as may be gathered from Acts 8. vers 14. It is said Samaria had received the word and vers 8. There was great joy in that City Which expressions that they include each individual I will not affirm for if they import the generality of the inhabitants as that will appear it sufficeth for my purpose This is evident partly for that we hear not of so much as one person who opposed himself against Philip's preaching in that City No not so much as Simon the Sorcerer for he consented to Philip's doctrine And partly for that there is the same reason to believe that the whole City or the generality thereof was converted by Philip as that they had been generally deceived by Simon the Witch as that will not be denied for as it is said vers 9. He bewitched them to wit the people of Samaria which is interpreted of all or the generality Vers 11. To him they had regard from the least even to the greatest of them So on the other hand it is said vers 5. That Philip went down to Samaria and preached Christ to them i. e. all or the generality of them as it is rationally gathered from vers 6. Aâ—d the people WITH ONE ACCORD gave heed to those things which Philip spake heâ—ring and seeing the miracles which he did Hence we may perceive a very general if not an universal conversion of this City who Like as in times past they gave regard to the Sorcerer both the least and greatest of them But now with ONE ACCORD they gave heed to what Philip spake even so vers 12. it is said of the very same people without exception that when they beleeved Philip preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ they were baptized And that there might be no cause to doubt whether the account given be so general as the terms already noted may imply it is added by way of explication both Men and Women Yea further as the deceived City is now recorded to be converted so the very deceiver himself is brought in as believing and baptized vers 13. We have therefore not only a general or indefinite account of the Disciples at Samaria but what is generally or indefinitely delivered in the words Samaria received the Word c. is sufficiently defined to be meant of the people with one accord Of the Deceiver and them that had been deceived Of the people of both Sexes to wit both men and women And upon those very persons it is said without the least intimation of any exception of any person or persons whatsoever the Apostles laid their hands after they had prayed for them that they might receive the holy Ghost for as yet he was faln on none of them Note on none of them wherefore they prayed for them all Therefore they imposed Hands on them all Now suppose that the City of Samaria would afford but three hundred thousand inhabitants capable of instruction if then I do allow two parts out of three yet there remains 100000 Converts probably however infallibly a great multitude To whom we may well add as a people owning the doctrine of imposition of Hands the Church at Jerusalem which consisted of many thousands by whom Peter and John was sent to Samaria and it were impious to think that they would now innovate a service in the worship of God at Samaria which was not before received in the Church that sent them thither But this service is numbred among the principles of the Hebrew Church and found practised in the Church at Ephesus whence it appears this ministration was as universal as other Ordinances in the primitive Churches Ergo it was for the general gift of the Spirit Ergo not for the extraordinary gifts only Nor doth that Text Deut. 34. 9. alledged by the Searchers prove the contrary for it is not only said that Ioshua was full of the Spirit of wisedâ—me for Moses had laid his hands on him c. which seems to be no more then what Timothy received by the laying on of Pauâ—'s hands viz. the Spirit of a sound minde or judgement which may be received where the miraculous gifts of the Spirit are wanting Doubtless it may be said without boasting that some Christians in these days are so endewed with the Spirit of God at least in comparison of many of the Lords servants that they are full of the Spirit of wisedom yet the Searchers will not say they are full of the miraculous gifts of the Spirit seeing they have told us though very untruly that the end of laying on of Hands Acts 8. Acts 19. is ceased or not attainable which they conceive was only the miraculous gifts of the Spirit Which conceit of theirs is the more prodigious when we consider that some of them did lately submit to laying on of Hands with prayer to God But I marvail with what conscience if indeed he was of this minde that the end of that service was not attainable It is worthy consideration that there was a Church at Ephesus long before Paul laid hands on those certain Disciples which he found there at his second comming to that City Acts 18. 19 20 26 27. So that the word of God had been confirmed there for many years
Priscilla and Aquilla having been left there who taught such as were ignorant the way of the Lord more perfectly Apollos also mightily convinced the Jews by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ we cannot now reasonably think that Paul would settle those certain Disciples Acts 19. in a Church distinct from the Church at Ephesus already much less in a way or practise contradistinct from the Church and if not then it follows that the Church at Ephesus were also in the practise of prayer with the laying on of Hands as well as those certain Disciples who were now to be laid into the building with the rest which yet is the more considerable if we note that passage in Ephesians 1. 13. which was spoken of the whole Church at Ephesus and shews plainly that they had received the Holy Ghost or Spirit of Promise after they believed the Gospel of their salvation which fully agree with the order wherein the certain Disciples also received the Spirit And here let us not omit that passage Acts 22. 10. 9. 17. Whence it is observable that Paul the elect vâ—ssel must be sent to Damaseus to be taught the principles or rudiments of Religion by Ananias and particularly in the Doctrine of Baptism and laying on of Hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost not only in repect of the miraculous gifts of Tongues c. For it is a doubt among Christians whether he spake with tongues by vertue of any proper gift or by means of his education But the spirit of love power and of a second mind which he affirms God had given him 2 Tim. 1. 7. And though it is true there was some variaiton in the order of things in Paul's case that is no prejudice to the truth in general there being an emergency which might occasion it and a special allowance from heaven for it at that time Nor may this variation be a president for us to vary in things of this nature having no such occasion for it any more than the Israelites eating the Passover without being cleansed according to the purification of the Sanctuary when an emergency called for it and the Lord allowed it gave them ground to do so again when there was neither the one nor the other nor is it material against ought that we have said that Ananias was no officer in the Church and therefore imposed Hands on Paul by vertue of his gift only For unless we imagine the Church to have greater power than God we cannot deny Ananias to have authority for all that he said and did to Saul Seeing he had immediate mission from heaven which is equivolent to the Churches mission at least Nor is it â—easonable to think that power to act in Gospel Ordinances is so tied to the Church as that God may not anticipate that Order when it pleaseth him And as this chosen vessel was taught the â—udiments of Christianity so he instructed others in the same as we have seen in part and may see yet further in his writing to â—imothy who being under some fears and â—emptations he labours to comfort him from the consideration of the Spirit which God had given him which was the Spirit of love power and of a sound mind which he reminds him of by mentioning the means used for obtaining it which was the putting on of Paul's hands See and consider 2 Tim. 1. 4 5 6 7 8. We are now come to the great Charter of the Church for this point of Faith I mean â—hat Epistle which Paul wrote unto the Hebrew Church who as he himself had learned and taught others concerning the laying on of Hands as we have seen before so he â—uts the first of Gospel Churches in mind of that which they who were to be as a standard to the rest had been taught in respect of their principles as Christians Heb. 5. â—2 and particularly concerning laying on of Hands Heb. 6. 2. Concerning which particular as I shall have too much occasion to note the differing opinions among the Baptized Congregations so I shall first set down those things wherein they do generally agree or rather that which is granted by the Searchers And first They grant that the doctrine of the Holy Ghost I suppose they mean the Promise of the Holy Ghost was frequently taught as a principle of the Christian faith and they give us no reason why it ought not with like frequency to be taught as a principle of the same Faith now Secondly they grant That that laying on of hands Heb. 6. 2. is a principle of the doctrine of Christ and a part of the foundation Now either they must grant that these two to wit the promise of the Spirit and laying on of Hands with prayer to obtain it makes but one principle of Christianity or else they fall into that which they condemn viz. the making seven principles But to say the truth they seem to make these two to be but one yet so as that they would destroy the practick part For they demand whether laying on of Hands Heb. 6. 2. may not be figuratively understood for the Holy Spirit which was given thereby But the Answer is easie and tells them plainly that â—his is the way to have such a figurative founâ—ation as Babes in Christ could never underâ—tand and then will come in a figurative Bapâ—ism only Yea a figurative Resurrection too â—ould creep into the Church at the heels of â—he other figures till at last the truth of all â—he principles would stand only for a Cyber But the instance which the Searchers bring â—o strengthen this their figurative interpretaâ—ion very providentially overthrows it For â—hough the Cup is taken for the Wine and the â—read and Wine for the Body and Blood of Christ â—et we know that the sign and thing signiâ—â—ed do both remain for the use and comâ—â—rt of the Church and why then should â—rayer with the laying on of Hands which 〈◊〉 the sign be made void by the promise of â—he Spirit which is the substance These â—hings premised the Searchers twenty fifth â—emand and the discourse thereon depending 〈◊〉 discerned to be frivolous Because whatsoâ—ver they are pleased to write it is certainly â—nown that their opinion is contrary to that wriâ—â—ng Otherwise it were easie to shew not only the Novelty of their conceit in the said Question but the vanity of such an interpretation of the word foundation as thâ—re they bring might be discovered For evident it is that the same which is called the first principles of the Oracles of God and milk for Babes vers 12. is called the principles of the doctrine of Christ which pertain to the beginning of Christian men which now the Author would intermit and the foundation which he would not lay again which foundation when he comes to set down in its parts which principles when he comes to enumerate are thus set forth of Repentance from dead works and of faith towards God Of the