A confutation of the assertions of Mr. Samuel Oates, (in relation to his not practising the laying on of hands on all baptized believers) which are as followeth, viz. 1. That laying on of hands is not Gods ordinance, as it is practised on the aforesaid subjects, viz. on all baptized believers. 2. Neither as to the manner of performing the same, viz. 1. In that there is no injunction for more persons then one to lay on hands at once. 2. In that it is not restrained to the head. 3. In that there is no word of God to enjoyn the kneeling of the subject in the act of laying on of hands. 4. Neither to use words of expression when hands are on the subject. 3. Neither as to the end, as it is practised upon all baptized believers; for that the laying on of hands was, 1. To heal the sick. 2. For ordination of officers. 3. For giving miraculous gifts of the spirit, and not otherwise. 4. That no person ought to have the laying on of hands, that doth not believe that thereby he shall be healed of some disease, or receive some miraculous gift of the spirit. By John Spittlehouse, who doth contraryvvise affirm as followeth, ...

Abstract

Caption title. Imprint from colophon. Annotation on Thomason copy E.725[15]: "Jan. 2.d 1653"; annotation on Thomason copy E.699[12]: "June 11th 1653". Reproduction of the original in the British Library.