Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	ancient_a	church_n	true_a	3,382	5	4.7270	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A47585	Laying on of hands upon baptized believers, as such, proved an ordinance of Christ in answer to Mr. Danvers's former book intituled, A treatise of laying on of hands : with a brief answer to a late book called, A treatise concerning laying on of hands, written by a nameless author / by B.K. ...	Keach, Benjamin, 1640-1704.	1698 (1698)	Wing K74; ESTC R8584	65,265	127

that this abundantly testifies that the Original of this Ceremony flowed from the Apostles Before I proceed I might cite a passage full to the same purpose as the Judgment of the Learned Assembly of Divines which take as follows out of their Annotations on Heb. 6.2 Laying on of hands say they is usually called Confirmation which stood first in examining those that had been baptized what progress they had made in Christianity Secondly In praying for them that God would continue them in the Faith and give them more Grace strengthning them by his Holy Spirit they laid their hands upon them whence the Apostolical Constitution was called Laying on of Hands Moreover What Mr. Baxter speaks upon this account I can't well omit Confirmat p. 124 125. If the Vniversal Church of Christ saith he have used Prayer and Laying on of hands as a practice received from the Apostles and no other beginning of it can be found then we have no reason to think this Ceremony ceased or to interpret the foresaid Scripture contrary to this practice of the Vniversal Church But the Antecedent is true ergo And if any say Anointing and Crossing were antient I answer saith he First That they were as antient in the Popish use as the matter of a Sacrament or necessary Signs is not true nor proved but frequently disproved by our Writers against Popish Confirmation Secondly Nor can it be proved that they were as antient as indifferent things Thirdly We prove the contrary because they were not in Scripture-times there being no mention of them Fourthly So that we bring Antiquity but to prove the continuance of a Scripture-practice and so to clear the practice of it But the Papists plead Fathers for that which the Scripture is a stranger unto I shall close this with Reverend Mr. Hooker The antient Custom of the Church saith he Eccles Polit. p. 351. was after they had baptized to add thereto Imposition of hands with effectual Prayer for the illumination of God's most Holy Spirit to confirm and perfect that which the Grace of the said Spirit had already begun in Baptism for the means to obtain the Graces which God doth bestow are our Prayers and our Prayers to that intent are available as well for others as for our selves But to pass by this I intreat the Reader to consider that tho we have urged the Testimony of several Authors who are one with us in the main concerning our Practice herein yet we build not upon Men or Tradition but on the Word of God neither do we suppose any necessity for us to take up new weapons to defend so plain a Truth since our Adversaries have been so sufficiently worsted and put to flight by the Sword of the Spirit as used by several eminent Saints in times past What we have mentioned of Authors we have been in part forced to by what Mr. Danvers and others have said of them And that leads me to what he speaks pag. 40. of the Scripture-grounds on which the Baptists have asserted this Rite as he calls it and founded this Practice of Laying on of hands upon baptized Believers as necessary to Church-Communion as before especially held forth Heb. 6.1 2. tho not affirmed with that sobriety and modesty as the other from Probability but rather Infallibility denying fellowship to any that do not receive it c. CHAP. V. Shewing how and upon what ground the Baptized Churches do assert Laying on of hands HOW those learned Persons he speaks of have writ and asserted Laying on of hands from that Text I shall leave to the judicious Reader by considering the Instances forecited and that they hold it also as necessary to Church-Communion might I presume be made manifest but that is not our present work but rather to make the thing it self appear to be an Ordinance of Jesus Christ and in order to this those two Particulars or Principles Mr. Danvers lays down we will consider viz. First That to every Ordinance of Christ there must be some plain positive word of Institution to confirm it and not only human Tradition or far-fetcht Consequences and Inferences such as the many Volumes written of Circumcision and federal Holiness to assert Infants Baptism to be an Ordinance of Christ which no ordinary Capacity can reach and only Men of Parts and Abilities can trace and follow in their Meanders Secondly That to practise any thing in the Worship of God for an Ordinance of his without an Institution is Will-worship and Superstition c. Answ The great Text urged for this Institution he says is Heb. 6.1 2. Therefore leaving the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ let us go on to perfection not laying again the foundation of Repentance from dead Works and of Faith towards God of the Doctrine of Baptisms Laying on of hands c. This is the Text affirmed saith he to be the great Charter of the Church for this point of Faith and Practice but how to find the least warrant for the same there he says we see not If it was indeed said let all baptized Believers have hands laid upon them with as much plainness as let all Believers be baptized Mat. 28.29 Acts 10.43 or let all baptized Believers eat the Lord's Supper 1 Cor. 11.24 Acts 2.41 it was something to the purpose Answ First we grant that to every Ordinance of Christ there must be some word of Institution and that such far-fetch Consequence as he minds will not do or be sufficient but that every Institution must be laid down in such plain positive Words as he seems to affirm viz. Let all baptized Believers have Hands laid upon them I deny it being none of our Principle I judg nor theirs neither since they practise such things as Institutions of Christ which are no where in so many plain positive words commanded as may hereafter be shewed But as to the other thing he minds we do agree with him in that matter and say Whatsoever is done in the Worship and Service of God without an Institution is Will-worship and you shall see that our Principles agree and comport with all those honest Protestant Principles concerning what we have to say further about Laying on of hands c. But to reply to what he says concerning Heb. 6. it matters not whether it be Heb. 5.12 or Heb. 6.1 2. or Acts 8.16 17. or Acts 19.6 or any other Scripture that is the chief Text urged to prove Laying on of hands an Ordinance and Institution of Jesus Christ provided that the Scripture urged on this account will prove it so to be But whereas he says he finds not the least warrant for the same I somewhat marvel at it considering what has been formerly written and proved from that Text by several worthy and able Men whose Books he nor none else have ever yet answered But it seems he would have it said in so many plain words Let all baptized Believers have hands laid upon them or else all