Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
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A94351
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The fourth principle of Christian religion: or, the foundation doctrine of laying on of hands. Asserted and vindicated by way of answer to such arguments as by Lieutenant Colonel Paul Hobson have been presented against this Gospel ordinance. Affectionately tendred to such enquiring souls as are desirous throughly to forsake Babylon notion an humane tradition, and by universall obedience to follow the lamb in all his righteous appointments. / By Tho. Tillam a minister of Jesus Christ.
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Tillam, Thomas.
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1655
(1655)
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Wing T1165; Thomason E850_9; ESTC R207403
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44,938
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67
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19. Answ 1. I know no power that was ever put forth in Laying on of hands more then there was in Preaching Act. 10.44 45. How dare he then imitate them in Preaching and want the power 2. I know no power any man hath to Preach Authoritatively Tit. 2.15 but the same person hath by the same Commission power to carry on all Ordinances that ever Christ commanded Paul and Apollo are equall in power 1 Cor. 3.5 6 7.8 Here Paul is the planter and Apollo the waterer In Act. 8. Philip is the planter and Peter with John the waterers Now by the Gent s arguing from Act. 8. Apollo beares the bell away from Paul in point of power But the Spirit of God saith they are equall One Ananias had power to Baptize Ananias had power to impose hands 3. Thrre were certain Conjurers cudgel'd by the Devill Act. 19. for calling on the name of Jesus whom they abhorred And a sort of Sorcerers whose serpents Moses's serpent devoured But were ever any Gospell Ministers in the least reproved for administring any of Christ Ordinances Why those Vagabond exorcists knew not believed not Jesus how then should they call on him * Rom. 10.14 1 Joh. 2.3 4. but we know him and obey him as we are able And hereby we know that we know him if we keep his Commandements He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandements is a lyar and the truth is not in him He will never charge us with sin for observing all things whatsoever he commanded his Apostles He never commanded his Apostles to teach his Churches that it was necessary to have such ministers as must either do miracles or else they must not administer all Ordinances to the end of the world But he layes down plain directions how Ministers must be qualifyed 1 Tim. 3. T it 1. not one syllable of miracles or tongues And yet they are bound to teach the same things 2 Tim. 2.2 that Paul and Timothy did amongst which I am sure Laying on of hands was one To conclude lest the Gents. bustle about imitation of Christ and his Apostles in carrying on Gospell Ordinances without power to confirme them ten thousand times over with new miracles I say lest this noise and dust should weaken the hands and blear the eyes of Christs enquiring ones so as to have a slight esteem of Christs commands since all Gospell Ordinances and Ministers have equall authority Let it be remembred that those Divine writings and Ordinances which our deceased husband left as Legacies for the tryall of our love to our first love in remembrance of his sad sufferings till his second coming were all confirmed once unto us by signes and wonders And being thus ratified under hand and seal by him whose Kingdomes Lawes are lesse mutable then the Laws of Medes and Persians it is not for us to question them but testifie our love Joh. 14.15 15.14 and friendship by observing them even all of them Remember the pattern of heavenly things I mean those Mosaicall administrations Heb. 10.1 which were a shadow and no more of what we now enjoy But whatsoever was written aforetime was written for our Learning And therefore at the giving and writing of the Law mighty signs and wonders were wrought in the sight of Israel and Egypt So at the giving and writing of the Gospel signs and wonders from heaven confirm'd it in the sight both of Christians and Heathens But at the Jews return from Babylon not one miracle wrought and yet the people observe all their ordinances yea some that were discontinued hundreds of years Neh. 8.16 17. We are now returning out of Babylon praised be God let us embrace all our ordinances with thankfulnesse without expecting new miracles to confirm them It 's true all our Ordinances have been discontinued many hundreds of years during the time of Popish Apostasie or else in an Antichristian garb have they been administred to false subjects Yet even in the darkest times of the Beasts rage did the Lord preserve himself a remnant that held fast his truth in some corners perhaps by fifties in a Cave for the woman had a being though in a wildernesse sackcloth condition Revel 12. all that 1260. years being nourished there with her own proper food the sincere milk of the Word the Scriptures of the old and new testaments which are none other then those two witnesses appointed of God to seed her * Joh. 5.39 Jer. 15.16 And at her approach into the open light and cheerfull day of liberty which shine most gloriously under this happy Government we now enjoy being by degrees freed from that imposing persecuting Babylonish thraldome she searcheth those divine records her own peculiar treasure and portion and like those Nehem. 8.14 what she findes written in that law she obeyes step by step as God discovers truth without expecting new miracles to confirm it and at length hath found out and laid this fourth Principle in its proper place Yet some have branded this pretious Ordinance in Print as A new Administration But really I stand amazed that their consciences did not give their pen a check since 't is so evident that Peter and John and Paul and Ananias and thousands more were found in this practise sixteen hundred years ago and did most faithfully teach the same doctrine as one of the six foundation Principles of Christian Religion as the proper food or milke for babes yong beginners in Christianity to whom the Epistle to the Hebrewes is chiefly written nay only written For although it is clear that those Hebrew or Judean Churches had officers setled amongst them whom they are exhorted to remember as those that had the rule over them c. Heb. 13.7 and to obey them and submit to them vers 17. Yet was not this Epistle written to those Officers or Rulers or Ministers or Angels like the 7. Epistles to the Asian Churches Rev. 2 3. but only to the members of those Churches as is most evident by the close of that Epistle where this exhortation or injunction is laid upon those babes Heb. 13.24 Salute all them that have the rule over you Had this been wisely considered the adversaries of this fourth Principle would not so much have betrayed their weaknesse and discovered their nakednesse as with such confidence to assert that the Doctrine of hands Heb. 6. belongs only to the Ministery The wiseman cryes out Eccl. 10.16 Woe to thee O Land when thy King is a child I may much more sadly apply it to Churches if our adversaries speak truth that the fourth Principle belongeth to Ministers Woe to thee O Church when thy Elders or Bishops are babes Yea such babes as are unskilfull in the word of righteousnesse Heb. 5.13 And yet it 's as clear as the Sun that this Principle among the rest is to be used by such babes as are unskilfull in the word of righteousnesse Wherefore let our adversaries
down a foundation Doctrine of Christ But let the true babes of Christ know to their comfort that the pwoer is not gone so long as this gift this best gift of the Spirit remains which is better then they all Wherefore get wisdome thou believing obedient soul Prov. 4.7 and with all thy getting get understanding forsake her not and she shall preserve thee love her and she shall keep thee exalt her and she shall promove thee she shall bring thee to honour when thou dost embrace her He that thus counsels thee hath richly experienced the truth of what he assures thee he asked wisdome and God gave him a large heart and was so well pleased with his choice 2 Chron. 1.10 11 12. and desire that he added to his request the greatest wealth honour and royalty that ever was given to mortall man This pretious gift shall conduct the true Christian to the Bridegrooms Chamber yea into his Masters joy Matth. 25. Dan. 12.3 where he shall shine as the brightnesse of the Firmament for he made wisdome his choice and used all means all the appointments of Christ to attain it and did not finde those pipes empty which others slighted and neglected but through those channels his vessell was filled wherefore he now lifts up his head with confidence Heb. 5.9 and Christ is become what he promised even the authour of eternall salvation to his obedient soul While those who lived in the profession of some it may be many truths are found with empty vessels void of this excellent gift of wisdome as refusing the channell through which it passeth so that now Psal 45. Mat. 25.10 11 12. when all too late they would run to buy the Bridegroom enters his royall chamber the Bride with the wise Virgins attend him and the door is shut eternally shut Lord Lord open to us is all too late Because I have called and ye refused O read and tremble Prov. 1.24 c. Hos 14. ult Who is wise and he shall understand these things prudent and he shall know them for the wayes of the Lord are right and the just shall walke in them but the transgressors shall fall therein By this time possibly some gratious soul will confesse that the best and most excellent gifts of the Spirit are not ceased But this powerfull yea most powerfull operation is continued in this principall gift of Wisdome and seeing the necessity of it may possibly cry out O help me to wisdome or else I die Which way is my beloved gone in what path doth this most excellent gift of wisdome passe Why thou poor enquiring soul it is the Prince of gifts thou enquirest after he is free and I dare not confine him to any particular passage he hath many walkes but I can point thee out which way he hath gone namely in yonder path which is one of his principall walks termed Laying on of hands 't is a path of his own preparing and indeed a foundation Doctrine of his own lips His servant Joshua found him in this very path and therein obtained this precious gift of wisdome which for the excellency of it beares his own name Deut. 34.9 And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the Spirit of wisdome for Moses had laid his hands upon him Was this transcendent gift of the Spirit conveyed through the Laying on of Moses hands Luk. 7.28 Why the least Gospell Minister is greater then Moses Object But Joshua was an Officer Answ He was a great Captain indeed and did conquer Canaan but there is not a Disciple of Christ but is a greater Captain even a King and a Priest and conquereth the world yea is more then a Conquerer through Christ Whatsoever priviledges the chiefest in Moses house enjoyed even the least member of Christs Kingdome is invested with that is to enter into the Sanctum Sanctorum or most holy place with boldnesse Heb. 10.19 which was the peculiar priviledge of their high Priests So that this way even through impositions of hands hath the blessed Spirit communicated wisdome his most excellent gift In the time of the Gospell we finde the great Apostle of the Gentiles rich in this gift A wise Master builder And St. Peter greatly admires this gift of Wisdome in him 2 Pet. 3.15 Even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the Wisdome given unto him Quest But when was this Wisdome given unto him Answ At the same time when the Holy Ghost first filled him that is when the first Messenger was sent for this as the chief end from the Lord Jesus to him Brother Saul said Ananias the Lord Jesus hath sent me that thou mightest receive thy sight and be filled with the Holy Ghost Act. 9.17 and accordingly the eyes of his mind as well as of his body were so enlightned with this choice gift of wisdome that he was able to preach Christ so that all which heard him were amazed he being so able presently to prove that he which bestowed this gift upon him is the very Christ So that here we have the precise time when this wisdome was given him Quest But how or by what means was this gift communicated Answ By that especiall Ordinance through which other gifts of the same Spirit were conveyed by Peter and John and Paul himself afterwards that is by imposition of hands Act. 9.17 And Ananias went his way and entered into the house and putting his hands on him said c. So that here in two lively examples the way and means of communicating this principall gift is discovered to thy inquiring soul I shall add no more at present concerning this gift which I would be found in at the sound of the great trumpet but to counsell thee in the words of my Redeemer in another case Go and do thou likewise Luk. 10.31 The second best gift which is also continued to and must be more and more encreased in the Saints as we may see this day is Knowledge Dan. 12.4 As this is honoured in the next place to Wisdome so are they both lock'd up together for the newborn babe in the richest Cabinet that heaven hath even in the heart of the Lords Christ and our Jesus Col. 2.3 in whom are hid all the treasures of Wisdome and knowledge This is one of those choice acquirements for the building up of the Saints which whosoever wants is blind 2 Pet. 1.5 8. and in a perishing condition My people are destroyed for want of knowledge is the great Gods patheticall expression Hos 4.6 Take heed therefore thou dost not reject it nor the means by and through which it is attained for as it is treasured up in the same magazin or storehouse so it runs in the same channel with wisdome that is communicated through the same Ordinance Then shall we know Hos 6.3 Hab. 2.14 if we follow on to know the Lord. Faith is the third continued gift running through severall channels