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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57271	Laying on of hands asserted: or, A plain discovery of the truth thereof under those several considerations, minded in the New Testament. 1. Upon persons for healing: with a brief discovery of that ordinance of Christ, (to wit) anointing with oile. 2. Upon persons to office. 3. Upon believers, baptized, as such: and that principle of Christs doctrine cleared, for their obedience: with objections answered to each particular. To which is annexed, a confutation of four chapters written by some person, or persons, in opposition to this principle of the doctrine of Christ, (to wit) laying on of hands upon believers baptized, as such; wherein the weakness of their reasons against the truth, is plainly discovered, and the truth further asserted, and vindicated. By VVilliam Rider, servant to the Church of Christ.	Rider, William, fl. 1656.	1656 (1656)	Wing R1444A; ESTC R217997	59,976	201

is discovered to pervert it or to turn you aside from following of it know this is but one of Satans old plots and deceitful workings and marvel not that he works in good men in our dayes for this is certain that if persons dissent from truth so far they serve for his design which is alwayes against the truth which is the Law of God that which God hath commanded thus he wrought in the Prophet of the Lord who told a lye in the Name of the Lord unto which the young Prophet yeilded contrary to what God had Commanded him 1 King 13. 18 and was destroyed of a Lyon know he many times makes use of good men to carry on his design therefore though you may judge they are good men that speak against a truth of the Lord let not that turn you aside knowing it is your duty to be a follower of him in what he hath spoken that doth relate to the worship of God or your duty in your conversation which doth concern you as you are believers and would be partakers of the promises especially those things that are principles of your faith and Religion yea principles of the worship and service of that God whom we profess to fear yea and to obey And take heed of those who teach you only to believe that unto which you ought to manifest your obedience to the great God Such persons who call that which Christ taught and whereunto believers were obedient a Doctrine but not a practise such words are corrupt but let us know this that so far as Christ hath taught us we ought to be obedient and therefore let your obedience be manifest to all men For the Lord is at hand to give recompence unto you and let not the opposition which truth meets withal be a stumbling-block unto you You may see how easily confusion and errour take place upon the hearts of men this day O let truth have place upon your Souls O it grieves my Soul to see how easily that which hath but a colour or shew of truth from the Scriptures takes place upon the hearts of men and many Professors this day and yet that which is real truth hath little entertainment in the World What 's the Reason was not this alwayes it 's too low it 's too mean it 's too plain it is indeed without the wisdome of man and therefore finds little entertainment amongst men Alas saith the Wiseman what 's a little water this is a poor thing others have as low an esteem of laying on of hands besides it 's a riddle unto them thus God makes foolishness the wisdome of this World But now some do say Did we see these Ordinances to continue we should willingly obey I Answer Do you think the Scribes and Pharisees would not have made as large a Profession as this when they rejected the Counsel of God against themselves being not Baptized Luke 7. 30. or do you not think that those who are short of any truth if they profess any thing but will as readily make this Objection as your selves yet will this excuse them or would the Iews ignorance of the Lord of life excuse their Crucifying the Lord of Glory 1 Cor. 2. 8. surely no Therefore know it 's your duty to seek after truth and to yeild obedience to it Christ requires it of you therefore come in unto him and be willing to take upon you his yoak and despised wayes and be sure you shall be no losers by it Now the Lord help you you that have put on Christ by Baptisme to read what I have written in this book without prejudice and with a heart lifted up to God for wisdome to direct to give you to see truth from errour And that this truth which I do principally mind and drive at to wit laying on of hands upon believers Baptized as such may have the Spirit of God making of it forth unto your Souls in the Reading and Consideration thereof that so you may be followers of God therein is the Prayer of him who is willing to serve you for truths sake WILLIAM RIDER ERRATA Page 1. line 8. for the Spirit read the Holy Spirit p. 42. l. 13. for excuse read enough p. 46. l. 11. for their read then p. 59. l. 3. for his read this p. 100. l. 5. for praise read prise p. 112. l. 7. for would read do p. 147. l. 8. for do affirm read we do affirm p. 152. l. 14. for was enjoyned read was there enjoyned p. 159. l. 17. for I read you A DISCOVERY Of Layings on of hands according to the wisdom of God given under the several considerations thereof minded in the New Testament THE Scripture of the New Testament speaks of laying on of hands upon three several accounts or ends First upon Baptized believers as such To the end they might receive the Spirit which is the promise of God unto them as Acts the 8. and Acts 19. 2. On Ministers to the end they might be separated to the work of the Ministry Acts 6. 6 13 3. 1 Tim. 4. 14 5. 22 vers. 3. On the sick for healing to the end they might recover as Mark 16. 18. Acts 28. 8 vers. I shall as the Lord shall help me speak somthing to the two last briefly and then to the first I shall be more large it being the duty of all believers to submit unto and that which is chiefly in my eye in this discourse First of the laying on of hands for healing it was a particular gift of faith which the Lord Jesus did promise to give unto his people as is plain from Mark 16. 17 18 vers. These signes shall follow them that believe in my Name they shall cast out Devils they shall speak with new tongues they shall take up Serpents and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover in which enumeration of signs we find laying on of hands for healing which signs as the Spirit of the Lord teacheth us were given for those who believed not 1 Cor. 14. 22 vers. But this promise of healing by laying on of hands as we may observe the Lord made good upon many of his people as believers in the Church of Corinth who were partakers of this gift which they were to go forth in the practise thereof according as the Apostle Paul did Acts 28. 8 vers. yea as Christ himself Mark 6. 5 vers. Luk. 4. 40 vers. Object But now some may say Was this practise to continue amongst believers to which take this two-fold answer First If the gift be continued that is of healing then this practise for we cannot Act unless we have received 2. If any have or shall receive such a gift of faith they are to go forth in the practise thereof for gifts are given to profit withal that is for the good of others 1 Cor. 12. 7 vers. therefore if any one have received such

Layings on of Hands ASSERTED Or A plain discovery of the truth thereof under those several considerations minded in the New Testament 1. Vpon persons for healing with a Brief discovery of that Ordinance of Christ to wit anointing with Oile 2. Vpon persons to Office 3. Vpon Believers Baptized as such and that principle of Christs Doctrine cleared for their obedience With Objections Answered to each particular To which is annexed A Confutation of four Chapters written by some person or persons in opposition to this principle of the Doctrine of Christ to wit laying on of hands upon believers Baptized as such wherein the weakness of their Reasons against the truth is plainly discovered and the truth further asserted and vindicated By WILLIAM RIDER Servant to the Church of Christ Printed for the Author and are to be sold by R. Moon at the seven Stars in Pauls-Church-yard near the great North door 1656. To all those in this Nation or elsewhere who upon the Profession of their faith have been Baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus MY BRETHREN THough my Prayer unto God is that what I have written may tend to the establishing of those who have already been obedient yet unto you I do chiefly recommend this following discourse and my Reason is Because it doth more principally concern you it being a discovery of part of the minde of Christ yea part of the foundation of his service whereunto the greatest Number of you have not yet been obedient And now my Brethren you that by Baptisme have declared your selves to be followers of the Lord Iesus Christ I do Begg and intreat of you to Examine your principles and see whether or no you have obeyed Christ according to the Commission he gave to his Disciples Mat. 28. 20. Wherein you are injoyned the Observation of all things he commanded for your obedience according to his Teaching being forty dayes with his Apostles and Disciples after his Resurrection in which time he gave Commandments unto his Apostles whom he had chosen and was speaking unto them of the things pertaining to the Kingdome of God Acts 1. 2 3. vers. I beseech you consider have you obeyed the form of Doctrine Rom. 6. 18. which you shall finde laid down in Heb. 6. 1 2. See I pray you whether the beginning-Word of Christ is that you have received whether you stand upon that foundation the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles upon which the first Churches were built Ephes. 2. 20. Heb. 6. 1. Consider God in these last dayes hath spoken unto us by his Son Heb. 1. 2. the Lord Iesus Christ is our great Doctor the Prophet whom Moses spake of Acts 3. 21. therefore we must learn of him we must hear him in all things Therefore know it is your duty to be followers of God according to your Profession in Baptisme and to Act in no way but what Christ hath appointed for you Even that way whose foundation is upon the lips of Christ which he also hath appointed a foundation for us to build upon Wherefore examine if you have laid your foundation with this Corner-stone with Repentance from dead works faith towards God the Doctrine of Baptismes and laying on of hands the Resurrection of the dead and eternal Iudgement Whether these be the principles of your Religion Heb. 6. 1 2. Consider wherein you are defective in these principles are you not in Repentance I wish I could not charge you herein yet I must tell you the Hire of the Harlot is found amongst you the burden of which your poor Brethren have long mourned under and suffered for I know it is not the practise of all of you yet those that do it were never to this day disowned by you O! that you would therefore try your selves have you turned your selves from the vain worships of the men of this World and from such who teach for Doctrines mens traditions are you according to your Profession of Christ in Baptism dead to the rudiments of this World Col. 2. 20. Why know it is your duty not only to cleanse your selves from Temporal but Spiritual delfiements 2 Cor. 7. 1. and as you are not to act any thing contrary to the Law of righteousness in your Conversation so to do nothing in the worship of God but by rule for that which hath proceeded from our Lord Iesus Christ is the rule for Saints to walk by Know this that all the misery and sin in the World came in at this door viz. by hearkning to Reason the wisdome of the flesh against that which God hath spoken it is mans deformity to walk according to his own invention and at last as experience doth teach will prove his own destruction Surely God will not indure to be prescribed by his Creatures no it hath been wickedness in those that have done it and God hath found it out but he takes pleasure in them that fear him and teaches them in his wayes Psa. 25. 12. but when men change his Laws and Ordinances although it proceeds from no wicked intent yet it provokes him to Iudgment as it did in Uzza 1 Chro. 15. therefore learn to know the voyce of Christ for his Sheep hear it and they follow him It hath been the work of Satan and his Instruments such who first did forsake the right way whom God gave up unto strong delusions to believe lyes because they received not the truth in the love thereof to corrupt the Word of God and to change his Laws and to set up their posts by the posts of God or rather in their stead and who knows not that knows Christ that now all his endeavours are to make voyd those truths and the right way of the Lord either in whole or in part if he cannot keep people wholly in blindness he will labour to insnare them through pretended wayes of light which is indeed darkness O! how doth he now perswade the poor soul that either the wayes of God are not now to be practised or else the practise of them is but an indifferent thing O! let 's beware of this deceit for he that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a lyer and the truth is not in him 1 John 2. 4. therefore I desire you to examine your selves and see wherein you are short of obeying the voice of Christ being careful of receiving any thing but what is recorded the Word of the Lord and be also as careful of rejecting any thing that is his will And wherein he speaks unto you as you are Baptized believers know it is your duty to be obedient to be followers of him to set shoulders to his work for unto that this day you are called that the foundation in Sion may again be laid the Walls of Jerusalem may be again repaired and then they that be of thee shall build the old waste places Isai. 58. 11. Let not the wisdome of man beguile you whereby he labours when any truth of God

laying on of hands in the Hebrews Samaria and Ephesia yea a fourth witness we have unto this truth which was Pauls laying on his hands upon Timothy as is before minded so that I say persons may as well object against other truths of Christ as against this But this we know In the mouth of two or three witnesses every Word of Christ shall be established therefore let us beware lest we as many do Kick against this truth of Christ and as many do and have done against Baptisme 6. Reason Because it is that which is milk for Babes a beginning-Word of Christ read Heb. 5. 12 13. You are saith the Apostle such as have need of milk and not of strong meat Now consider was it for Babes then and is it onely for strong men now as many persons who deny it to believers as believers yet will own it for setting persons apart for office O what deceit is wrapped up in this But surely this was for Babes and the Hebrews learnt it in that condition and this is certain that which was for Babes then is for Babes now and that which was for strong men then is for strong men now for so the Apostle reasoneth Heb. 5. 14. Strong meat belongeth unto strong men who by reason of use have their sences excercised to discern both good and evil Object But now some object that laying on of hands Heb. 6. 2. may be meant to heal the sick according to these Scriptures Mark 16. 18. and Acts 28. 8. or else for setting persons apart for office according to Acts 6. 6. or Acts 13. 3. Answ. To which I answer that it cannot be so meant for this reason Because in none of those Scriptures laying on of hands is laid down as a foundation-principle as we see here in Heb. 6. 2. laying on of hands is so laid down For consider those Scriptures Mark 16. 18. and Acts 28. 8. do hold forth no such thing as a foundation-principle but that particular men may receive such a particular gift of God as to heal the sick according as Christ promised Mark 16. 18. and Paul received Acts 28. 8. as also Philip Acts 8. and many others as many in the Church of Corinth which is no more a foundation-principle neither in the practise milk for Babes then laying on of hands which some make mention of in Luke 21. 12. So likewise those Scriptures Acts 6. 6. and 13. 3. hold forth no more a foundation-principle then the former and that Because laying on of hands here was upon particular men who were set apart for particular offices and that for the good of the Church of Christ this was not to Babes but strong men the Apostle reckons up the Hebrews Babes as Heb. 5. 12. but these were strong men who were fit to be imployed in the work of the Ministry such as the Apostle speaks of in Heb. 5. 14. Who by reason of use had their sences exercised to discern both good and evil Such who were gone beyond those spoken of in the 12. and 13. vers. being in a capacity of teaching others therefore laying on of hands in the fore-mentioned Scriptures upon persons for healing or for setting persons apart for office cannot be that meant in Heb. 6. 2. as the foundation or beginning-principle which is milk for Babes Heb. 5. 12. And therefore I do conclude that laying on of hands upon believers as believers is the foundation-principle the beginning-Word of Christ that which concerns every believing soul which is food to it and nourishment to it which is that they are capable of but not of the former they being not in the like capacity Therefore my Brethren as we find it written we should not take away the Childrens Bread and give it unto Dogs so let us not take away their milk but feed them with it c. 7. Reason Because it is part of the Word of the Lord that was confirmed unto us that it was the Word of Christ hath been plainly manifested it being that which he taught his Doctrine Heb. 6. 1. Also you may see the first reason for the proof of this Now that it was confirmed to us read Mark 16. 20. And they went forth and Preached everywhere the Lord working with them and confirmed the Word with signes following Now whereas some object that laying on of hands was for the confirmation of the Gospel they may now by what hath been said plainly see that it was part of the Word of the Lord or saying of Christ even his teaching unto which believers as such were obedient one part of his Doctrine which therefore was as the rest confirmed with signes miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit But for further answer to this objection we may consider that which confirmed the Word and the Word were different laying on of hands as you have heard was the Word of God the teaching of Christ but signes miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit were the confirmation thereof Mark 16. 20. they appeared whereby this word and way of God was and is confirmed unto us to be the stedfast Word of Christ Miracles are no foundation-principles they are not any part of the Word of the beginning of Christ but those things by which the Word of God was is confirmed unto us to be the stedfast Word of Christ the neglect of any part thereof God will punish for saith the Apostle Heb. 2. 2 3. If the Word spoken by Angels were stedfast and every transgression and disobedience deserved a just recompence of reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him Therefore my Brethren as the same Apostle saith Heb. 12. 25. so my exhortation is unto you See that you refuse not him that speaketh for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from Heaven Now truth being declared the Lord requires obedience and therefore it lies as a duty upon every believing Soul to consider his wayes and with the good man David to turn his feet into the wayes of God Psal. 119. 59. and to set shoulders to the work of the Lord that the breaches in Sion may be again repaired and the paths therein may be again restored according to the Word of the Lord Isai. 58. 12. vers. 61. 4. vers. and in so doing we shall be partakers of those promises which are annexed as the reward of such service In the next place I shall proceed to answer some objections which many persons make further against this truth and then shall lay down some Incouragements unto persons to the performance of this duty and in the last place shall lay down some grounds of our withdrawing from those that obey not Christ in his Ordinance answering some objections Object The first and greatest of them is this That

are good men that I have Communion with such among whom I have found much comfort therefore I cannot withdraw from them 1. We may take notice as this is an Objection made by some amongst the Baptized people so likewise by some that are Baptized who walk with the Independents so called O say they they are good men and we walk lovingly together therefore we cannot withdraw from them not considering that in this they have no rule of Christ and that God never gave unto persons such Liberty of loving each other as that thereby his wayes and truths should be rejected and neglected by them 2. To the Objection I answer that by this thou doest discover how little thy love is to the Lord Jesus Christ and his wayes and how low an esteem thou hast of them that thou preferrest thy love to the Creature before thy love to thy Creator It is true it is that which is thy duty to love those with whom thou hast Communion yea thy Enemies but in this thy loving of them thou must know that thou art to walk according to the Law or rule of Christ towards them for thy love towards them must be subordinate to thy love unto God and his truth and to this purpose Christ speaks Mat. 16. Luke 14. 26. that if any man loved Father or Mother more then him he is not worthy of him yea if a man doth not hate his own life if once it come in Competition with Christ or any one of his Laws that he can rather part with truth then deny his life he cannot be Christs Disciple Thou oughtest to praise thy duty in its place and to perform it but if once it come in Competition with Christ or his truth that thou must either suffer the truth of Christ to fall or else be accounted of by some that thou hast little love in thee towards them I say if thou preferrest thy love towards them before the truth that notwithstanding Christ calls upon thee to be a follower of him yet thou wilt not because it may make a breach in thy love towards them thou discoverst thy self to have little love in thee towards Christ and that thou art mistaken in thy right loving of them For thou canst not better love them then to be faithful unto God wherein thou wilt give them a good example for that which is thy duty in this particular ought also to be theirs if so convinced of the truth as thou art Especially in the consideration of this that there are several persons amongst them that have Apostatized from this truth and Doctrine of Christ that have declared for it and have been obedient unto Christ therein but now deny it and are great opposers of it which if thou hadst not ground from the Scripture to maintain separation from them upon any other account thou couldst not according to order Communicate with them Object But say some I dare not deny them to be a Church of Christ as they say you do and therefore they will charge me as they have done others that I do greatly sin in departing from them 1. I Answer do thou follow Christ in his Word according to the form and order appointed by him in his house and though they charge thee with departing from them God will Justifie thee for it is not their crying the Temple of Lord the Temple of the Lord that will excuse their disobedience Ier. 7. 4. for when truth is declared he commands all men to receive it and therefore when it once comes to thy Soul he requires thy obedience For to what end doth God manifest his truth by any poor Soul by any of his people but that others should be obedient consider was it not ever that which followed that old principle of confusion wherewith poor Souls were frighted by them if possible they could into that state wherein both matter and form subjects and order were all contrary to the minde of God Oh! what a noise and cry did they make after poor Souls who for conscience towards God did separate from them O say they they leave the Church and O! what a great evil would they make of this thereby possessing the people as if they had done very wickedly Not to go for further instance Was not this the practise of the Bishops and Prelates and after them the Presbyterians then the Independants and now it is come to be the practise of the Baptized people whereby it is manifest that this is but one of the last shifts of a confused principle When they cannot overturn the truth they will labour to lay stumbling blocks in the wayes of Gods people 2. I Answer though they look upon themselves to be a Church of Christ yet thou by the light of truth manifested to thy Soul doest see that they are short in a principle of the foundation thereof Is not the Church of Christ the house of God and is not Repentance faith Baptismes laying on of hands the Resurrection of the dead and eternal Judgement the foundation thereof see Heb. 6. 1 2. what will you say to make void this truth will you say as many do Christ is the foundation but is he any otherwise a foundation then in his Doctrine as he is declared and is not this his Doctrine or Teaching doth not the Apostle Heb. 6. 1. call it the Doctrine of Christ and is not his Doctrine one with himself Surely Christ his truth are one so far as a Soul knows Christ he will walk in obedience to him and doth not their disobedience to this way of the Lord discover the disorder they are in that indeed they build before the foundation is rightly layed denying a principle thereof 3. Whereas they say we deny them to be a Church it is not true For we desire not to enter Judgement in things that are too deep for us But this is that we have said and do still say let them prove themselves a Church of Christ which if they can so do we can prove them short in a foundation-principle of the service thereof and so disorderly For consider is it according to the rule of Christ to admit of persons though Baptized to Communion that shall say of a principle of the foundation of the service of God upon which he should stand to go on to perfection It is a lye that which Christ never taught though it be in so many words declared Surely such a practise God will never own neither dare we lest he disown us But here I shall take liberty to write Mr. Colliers own Argument for the discovering of a true Church of Christ in the first Page of his book of Right constitution saith he A true visible Church of Christ consisteth both of matter and form or of subjects and order for saith he it is Christs Kingdome and those subjects must be such visibly as Christ owns and that form and order according to Christs Rule or else saith he it cannot be

Teachings them to observe all things whatsoever I have Commanded you unless saith he you will deny that Doctrine is Teaching or that the Apostles taught what they were not commanded as some have presumptuously affirmed This argument was indeavoured yet not in the least answered by Mr. Perry as you may see in the 23 page of his Book of animadversions 2. You may also see Mr. Griffiths Arguments one of which I shall name why this is so Because saith he the Apostles did administer such a thing on dipped believers as such Acts 8. 17. and 19. 6. Now saith he either they did administer it upon the account of Christs Requirement command or injunction or upon an account of their own But it was not upon an account of their own therefore it was upon the account of Christs Requirement command or injunction This he proves as you may see in the sixth page of his book in answer to Mr. Harrison this was never that I know of answered by any of you with many more he layes down in his book of the six principles Surely you could not be ignorant of those Arguments and therefore how you could retain this Objection when it hath been by such Arguments refuted and yet not take notice of those Arguments so as to answer them I know not 3. You may likewise see what Mr Tillam writes in the 10 11 12 13. and 14 page of his book it being an answer to Mr. Paul Hobson and to this very Objection 4. Amongst the rest for further witness herein I shall refer you to what I have written in answer to this very Objection laid down and answered in my book which I desire the Lord may help you to weigh and consider of that the truth of God may have place in your hearts For I must tell you it will be little comfort to you if Christ as he suddenly will come shall finde you opposing the reformation of his house And further I desire the Lord may keep you from this temptation which too many are subject to run into to wit Now truth is displayed presently to make war therewith indeavouring the suppressing thereof There being little in this fourth Chapter then this bare Syllogisme more then frivolous discourse with reflections and unsavoury and hard speeches which do discover the bitterness of the minde from whence they proceeded I shall take as little notice as I can with wisdome of them and draw to a conclusion of my answer to your book only shall observe some few things 1. You labour to darken the truth and that with your slighting of those things that have been written in the vindication thereof and those Scriptures which have been affirmed by those that have written thereby seeking to possess the minds of people with an understanding from several Scriptures as if they were ours but is indeed your own imagination that thereby you might hinder the proceeding of this truth amongst the people of God And therefore I do affirm that what hath been affirmed by any of us from those Scriptures doth still stand good to what they were intended and are true witnesses in this case for the proof of this truth And when by those persons that shall duly weight and consider the matter you have written with the answer thereunto without prejudice of Spirit but with love towards God to finde out his truth they will easily see your errour herein and that in this matter we have not as your selves have done handled the Word of God deceitfully 2 Cor. 2. 17. and 4. 2. 2. You say that we say you are Babes taking that as matter of great disdain but how like Children you do and have acted I do believe will be easily seen by those who have their eyes open 3. And whereas you say we are much at loss about the end of this Ordinance and so by this would cast dust into the eyes of persons to blind them the more I Answer that if there be any that doth affirm this or that or a third thing to be the end of this Ordinance yet I hope you will grant us the same liberty to come to the knowledge of this truth you your selves take to attain the highth of opposition against it is there not divisions among your selves in your opposing of us what 's the Reason that you affirm one thing Mr. Kiffin another and Mr. Harrison a third Mr. Harrison he saith it is laying on of hands for healing is the principle Heb. 6. 2. Mr. Kiffin he saith missing the end of that we practise that it was only dispensed for the confirmation of the Gospel I could tell you that others who do oppose it do say Not the practise of laying on of hands is the foundation-principle but the effects of laying on of hands which is as false and the words unsound and you after all affirm laying on of hands upon persons to office to be the foundation-principle Heb. 6. 2. which is not so therefore consider w●o is more at loss then your selves Remember what is written and take good cognizance of your books you have written against us and the truth surely your opposition is much heighthened by the bitterness of your Spirit against us because we cannot deny this Word of the Lord we are conscious of Not because the Bishops did practise it as you say we do but because we finde it written as that which Christ and his Apostles taught and that unto which believers as such were obedient What though some among us though I know not of any should understand the Extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit to be the end of this Ordinance wherein they should be deceived with your selves doth this make voyd the truth of God God forbid We know that the Extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit did follow the Preaching of the VVord and so was a fruit of that Ordinance as well as laying on of hands but the proper end of neither of them Is there no gifts of the Spirit of God which believers then did and do now receive according to the promise of God but such as are given in an Extraordinary manner Surely you dare not say there is not But I shall leave this and take as little notice as possible of the frames of your Spirits which are as if you were bent and resolved to fight against truth and to tread under and render odious the maintainers thereof The ground whereof I conceive is because we cannot communicate with you who reject and deny this teaching of Christ and bring your own with the new-conceited opinion of Doctor Gouge and others in the room thereof and though you are pleased to say that our best Argument is the Common prayer book yet we would give you to know that we have a more sure VVord of Prophesie 2 Pet. 1. 19. our witness is in the word of truth and your Reasons with all the wisdome of those men you minded in this case will be found too light being weighed in the Balance of the truth that laying on of hands in Heb. 6. 2. is meant upon persons to office But wherefore are we branded with the names of censoriousness Rigid Hatred and such Judgments as if we had as you say received the Spirit of Satan in stead of the Spirit of God 1. Is it because some of us as you say forbid you their houses but I pray you in your writing of this did you carefully observe and remember the frames of your Spirit whatsoever your carriage was towards your Brethren of whom you thus speak I know not yet sure I am in this your writing you go beyond your bounds but what is this Spirit which is discovered to be in you but that old Maligne Spirit that seeks the destruction of the truth and way of God who alwayes reaps up the failings if there be any in any poor soul thereby to dishonour and cast dirt upon the face of truth or 2. Is it because as you say we deny you Communion why consider is it not upon the same ground that you your selves have denyed others and have not you dealt with some poor souls who have been convinced of this truth and for truths sake in duty towards God have been obedient thereunto Surely to withdraw from those who deny truth and turn their backs upon truth is from a better understanding and is more agreeable to the minde of God then to withdraw from poor souls who are followers of truth The first is ours the second your practise the Lord he is Judge and will certainly Judge between us and make his truth manifest for it is time for thee Lord to work when men make voyd thy Law Psalm 119. 126. vers. The End Post-script Reader I would have thee take notice that whereas I have made mention of the names of some particular persons in my book It is not from any Spirit of prejudice that I have toward them for the Lord he knows they are men I do love and esteem but my mentioning of them was for this end that believers might see the weakness of their Objections and the difference that is in their understandings about this truth of laying on of hands upon believers Baptized as such that so indeed the great Mountains that are raised up in the wayes of poor souls in their obedience unto Christ in this Ordinance may be removed and therefore I hope there i● none that will harbor such a conceit from what I have written as that I should have ever the l●ss esteem of them for the mentioning of their names in the cases I have minded neither that others should have ever the less esteem of them but that indeed so far as they follow truth they should be esteemed for the sake thereof and therefore I do desire that Satan may have no advantage by any thing I have written for I have indeavoured both in my book and in my Answering of these four Chapters to write without reflecting Language which as I know it would not profit my self nor the truth So likewise would but raise up the Spirits of those who are opposers thereof and therefore now that God may give thee a Spirit of Wisedome that thou maist know and understand what is written is the Prayer of him who is willing to serve thee wherein he may be instrumental for thy good and the blessing of God go along with this his weak indeavours Amen W. R. FINIS