1 it, in all the New Teftament; there fore, no Ordinance of Ghrift, but will-worship and fuperftition... To which I anfwer, that practife which hath not one word of inftitution or command for it, in all the New Testament, (I do grant) is will-worship and Superftition. But that laying on of hands upon believers Baptized as fuch, is without inftitution or command from Chrift; this I do deny, the contrary being already made to appear, both in my answer to your book, and alfo before, in what I have written in my Book and therefore it is not your faying of what we do aleage, (wherein you minde Scriptures we minde not in this particular cafe,) that will prove there is not; there is not; Neither your fence and interpretations you put upon thofe Scriptures we do aleage.org : I wish you would confider, how you have wrefted thofe Scriptures, which which have been minded for the proof of this truth, (to wit, laying on of hands upon believers Baptized as fuch) and fo by your wiles, if poffible, the truth of God out of our hands. I wonder you Answer not the Arguments layd down by fome for the proof of this (to wit, that we have a command for laying on of hands) as for inftance: Doctor Chamberlain in his difpute with Mr. Kiffin, in the 16. page of his book, faith he, For a command, T we have it in Mat. 28. 20. For whatsoever is a Doctrine of the is the Command of impofition of hands of the Apostles. Apostles is a Doa But The minor is granted by you, in your first Affertion, where you fay, you grant it is a Doctrine or princi ple; but not to be practifed: and the Text doth alfo number it up amongst the Doctrines and principles. The The Major is the very words of the Text: Teaching them to obferve all things, whatfoever I have Commanded you; unlefs (faith he) you will deny that Doctrine is Teaching, or that the Apostles taught what they were not commanded, as fome have prefumptuously affirmed. This argument was indeavoured, (yet not in the least answered) by Mr. Perry, as you may fee in the 23 page of his Book of animadverfions. 2. You may also fee Mr. Griffiths Arguments one of which I fhall name, why this is so. Because, faith he, the Apostles did administer such a thing on dipped believers as fuch, Ads 8.17. and 19.6. Now faith he, either they did adminifter it upon the account of Chrifts Requirement, command or injunction, or upon an account of their own. But it was not upon an account of their their own; therefore it was upon the account of Chrifts Requirement, command or injunction. This he proves, as you may fee in the fixth 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 fix principles. Surely, you could not be ignorant of those Arguments; and therefore how you could retain this Objection, when it hath been by fuch Arguments refuted, and yet not take otice of thofe Arguments, fo as to anfwer them, I know not. 3. You may likewise fee what Mr illam writes, in the 10, 11, 12, 13. nd 14 page of his book, (it being n answer to Mr. Paul Holfon, and to his very Objection.) 4. Amongst the reft, for further itness herein, I fhall refer you to hat I have written in answer to his very Objection, laid down and an 4 anfwered in my book, which I defire the Lord may help you to weigh and confider 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 Chrift (as he fuddenly will come,) fhall finde you oppofing the reformation of his houfe. And further, I defire the Lord may keep you from this temptation, (which too many are fubject to run into) to wit, Now truth is difplayed, prefently to make war therewith, indeavouring the fuppreffing thereof. There being little in this fourth Chapter, then this bare Syllogifme more then frivolous difcourfe, with reflections, and unfavoury and hard fpeeches, which do difcover the bitterness of the minde from whence they proceeded; I fhall take as li tle notice as I can, (with wifdome) of them, and draw to a conclu fion of my answer to your book onl |