tain, who it was they were
to obey in war. And in the consecration of the Levites (Numb. 8.10.) God
commanded that "the Children of Israel should Put their Hands upon the
Levites." And in the condemnation of him that had blasphemed the Lord
(Levit. 24.14.) God commanded that "all that heard him should Lay their
Hands on his head, and that all the Congregation should stone him." And
why should they only that heard him, Lay their Hands upon him, and not
rather a Priest, Levite, or other Minister of Justice, but that
none else were able to design, and demonstrate to the eyes of the
Congregation, who it was that had blasphemed, and ought to die? And
to design a man, or any other thing, by the Hand to the Eye is lesse
subject to mistake, than when it is done to the Eare by a Name.

And so much was this ceremony observed, that in blessing the whole
Congregation at once, which cannot be done by Laying on of Hands, yet
"Aaron (Levit. 9.22.) did lift up his Hand towards the people when he
blessed them." And we read also of the like ceremony of Consecration of
Temples amongst the Heathen, as that the Priest laid his Hands on
some post of the Temple, all the while he was uttering the words of
Consecration. So naturall it is to design any individuall thing, rather
by the Hand, to assure the Eyes, than by Words to inform the Eare in
matters of Gods Publique service.

This ceremony was not therefore new in our Saviours time. For Jairus
(Mark 5.23.) whose daughter was sick, besought our Saviour (not to heal
her, but) "to Lay his Hands upon her, that shee might bee healed." And
(Matth. 19.13.) "they brought unto him little children, that hee should
Put his Hands on them, and Pray."

According to this ancient Rite, the Apostles, and Presbyters, and the
Presbytery it self, Laid Hands on them whom they ordained Pastors, and
withall prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost; and that
not only once, but sometimes oftner, when a new occasion was presented:
but the end was still the same, namely a punctuall, and religious
designation of the person, ordained either to the Pastorall Charge
in general, or to a particular Mission: so (Act. 6.6.) "The Apostles
Prayed, and Laid their Hands" on the seven Deacons; which was done,
not to give them the Holy Ghost, (for they were full of the Holy Ghost
before thy were chosen, as appeareth immediately before, verse 3.) but
to design them to that Office. And after Philip the Deacon had conv