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The Philadelphia Confession, 1742
We believe that laying on of hands, with prayer, upon baptised believers, as such, is an ordinance of Christ,1 and ought to be submitted unto by all such persons that are admitted to partake of the Lord's Supper, and that the end of this ordinance is not for the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, but for a farther reception of the Holy Spirit of promise,2 or for the addition of the graces of the Spirit, and the influences thereof; to confirm, strengthen, and comfort them in Christ Jesus, it being ratified and established by the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit in the primitive times,3 to abide in the church as meeting together on the first day of the week was,4 that being the day of worship, or christian sabbath, under the Gospel, and as preaching the word was,5 and as baptism was,6 and prayer was,7 and singing psalms, etc. was,8 so this laying on of hands was,9 for as the whole Gospel was confirmed by signs and wonders, and divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost in general,10 so was every ordinance in like manner confirmed in particular.
Footnotes:
1. Hebrews 5:12; Hebrews 6:1,2; Acts 8:17,18; Acts 19:6
2. Ephesians 1:13,14
3. Acts 18:7, 19:6
4. Acts 2:1
5. Acts 10:44
6. Matthew 3:16
7. Acts 4:31
8. Acts 16:25,26
9. Acts 8 & 19
10. Hebrews 2:3,4
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