;^:'J*- 
 
 I aL 
 

 '''^'k 
 
 PRINCETON, N. J. 
 
 % 
 
 Presented by Mr Samuel Agnew of Philadelphia, Pa. 
 
 Agnczv Coll, on Baptism, No. 
 
 Id /- V / 
 
^Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2011 With funding from 
 
 Princeton Theological Seminary Library 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/laybaptisminvali1710 
 
Lay Baptifm Invalid: 
 
 An ESSAY 
 
 To prove that 
 
 Is Null and Void ; 
 When Admininifter'd in oppofition to 
 
 The Divine Right 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 Apoftolical Succejpon, 
 
 Occafioned chiefly by the Anti-Epifcopal llfurpaci' 
 ons of o\M'Engli^i DifTenting Teachers, 
 
 %Mz ^econn C^ottton Caarcctcti ann (Enlargco, mitft 
 an ^ppennir. 
 
 By a Lay Hand. 
 
 To. which is prefixed a Letter to the Author by the 
 Reverend Cto, Hlc\es^ D. Dx 
 
 »SV. John XX. 21,2^. Ai r.iy Father lath jent me^ ez'en fo 
 fcvd I yo7i, — Jf^jofe/oever Sins ye rcmiic^ they ate remiited 
 unto them. 
 
 Heb. V. 4. No Man taketh this Honom to himfelf^ hit hi that 
 is called of God^ as was Aaron. 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 Printed and Sold by JF. Taylor at the Ship in St. Paul's 
 
 Church- yard, 1710. 
 
ff- 
 
Ill 
 
 ' ■ I * ' - 
 
 '■'^ %«^ 
 
 Preliminary Difcourfe, 
 
 OF "^ 
 
 The various Opinions of the 
 Fathers concerning Rebapti- 
 zation and Invalid Baptifms, 
 with Remarks. 
 
 IN St. Cyprians Days, about the middle 
 of the third Century, arofe a great 
 Debate in the Church concerning the 
 Validity of Baptifm adminifterM by fuch 
 as were then either Hereticks or Schifma- 
 ticks 5 St. Cyprian with the reft of the Bi- 
 (hops of the African Churches, together 
 with many of the Eaftern Bifhops, main- 
 tain'd, ' That Catholick Bifhops were obliged 
 ' to Condemn all fuch Baptifms, and to hold 
 
 * them void and null, and by confequence 
 
 * not ftraight to Confirm^ but firft to Baptize 
 
 * all fuch, as havin<^ received no other than 
 
 * thofe Falfe Biptifms, in thofe Falfe, and 
 
 * Antichriftian Communions, left them and 
 
 * came over to the One, True, Catholick, 
 
 A 2 ' and 
 
IV A Preliminary Difeourfe of the 
 
 and only Salutary Communion : Stephen^ 
 Biftiopof iJ^^e, and his Party, maintain d. 
 That by the Evangelical Law, Catholick 
 Bifliops were bound to Ratify Heretical and 
 Schifmatical Baptifms, and to hold them 
 good and Valid ^ and to admit fuch as, 
 having been BaptizM by Hereticks, or 
 Schifmaticks, deferted them, and came over 
 to the True Catholick Communion, with- 
 out giving them Catholick Baptifm, or 
 ufing any other Rite at their Reception, 
 than that of Impofing the Hand for the 
 Collation of the Holy Ghoft. 
 *T HE Stephamans mufter'd up a great many 
 Arguments for the Validity of fuch Bap- 
 tifms^ They^ pleaded that Hereticks them- 
 felves were not fo nice, as to Baptize thofe 
 who came over from other Herefies to their 
 Communion : That all Catechumeni who 
 died Unbaptized, were not therefore Dam- 
 ned i much lefs thofe who had received 
 Baptifm, tbo' from Hereticks, or Schifma^' 
 ticks : That to Refufe thofe who were wil- 
 ling to forfakc Herefy or Schifm unlefs 
 they would Confent to be Re-baptized, 
 was to obftruft their coming over : That 
 thofe who had been Baptized by Philip in 
 Saf^aria^ were not Re-baptized by the Apo- 
 ftlcs when they came among them, J^s 8. 
 and that they received Impofition of Hands 
 qnly, for the Collation oi the Holy Ghoft : 
 
 • That 
 
various Opimons ef the Fathers^ Scc. V 
 
 That tho' fome in St. Paurs time Preached 
 Chrift out of Envy and Strife, x. e, from a 
 Contentious and Schifmatical Humour, yet 
 he was pleafed that Chrift was Preached : 
 Phil. I. 15. That fome Schifmaticks, parti- 
 cularly the Novatians^ obferved the due 
 Form, and proposM the due Interrogato- 
 ries in Baptifm ; That the Efficacy of the 
 Sacraments did not depend on the Ortho- 
 doxy, or the Charity of the Adminirrra- 
 tors 5 And that if Perfons were i aptized ^ 
 in the Name of Chrift, any manner of way, 
 it was no matter who Baptized them : but 
 the main Argument (as Sr. Aufthi afterwards 
 reckoned it) was that Stephen^ Bifhop of 
 Rome^ had had it handed down to him by 
 conftant Tradition from St. Peter and 
 St. Prf«/, Founders of the Church of IRome^ 
 that thofe who came over from Heretical or 
 Schifmatical Communions, to the Commu- 
 nion of the True Catholick Church fhould 
 not be Re-baptized, and thar all his Pre- 
 deceflbrs, Bilhops of Rome^ (luce the Days 
 of thofe Apoftles, had always conform'd 
 their Praftice to fuch unqueftionable Tra- 
 dition: They had always Ratified, never 
 Repudiated Heretical or Schifmatical Bap- 
 ' tifms. 
 
 * T H E Arguments of the Cypriamfls 
 ' againft the Validity of fuch Baptifms were 
 • briefly thefe. St. Cyprian rejefts the Bap- 
 ' tifms oi Novati^mts upon this very Score 
 
 that 
 
VI A Preliminary Difcourfe of the 
 
 that he was not a Bi(hop 5 Cornelius was the 
 only true Bifliop of Rome ^ no Valid Bap- 
 tifms could beperform'd in that Church but 
 by him, or in dependance on him : Nova- 
 tianus difown'd all Dependance on him, fe- 
 parated from him,and pretended to be Bifhop 
 of Rome in oppofition to him 5 his Bap- 
 tifms therefore could not be Valid 5 they 
 could not be true Chriftian Sacraments, 
 St. Cypri art's 6^. Epift. And in the 
 fame Epiftle thefc three [To fet up an Epif- 
 copal Chair] [To affume a Primacy] [and 
 to pretend to a Sovereign or Independent 
 Power of Baptizing and Offering 
 
 05 
 
 /. e. 
 
 Confecrating the Holy Eucharift] he plainly 
 makes Equivalent Phrafes, and by them ex- 
 preffes the one Crime of Novatianus in 
 ftanding upas an Anti-Bifhop to Cornelius. 
 That all his Miniftrations were of 
 the fame Kidney with thofe of Corah, Da- 
 than and Abiram, which were wicked, dam- 
 nable and naught, becaufe performed in 
 oppofition to the High Prieft Aaron. 
 That it was unaccountable in }3iQ)Op0 to 
 Ratify Heretical, or Schifmatical oaptifms 5 
 It was a Proftitution of the Honour both 
 of the Catholick Church and the (CpifCOpfll 
 ColtejXC: It tended to hinder People rrom 
 coming over from Hercfy or Schifm: It 
 encouragM them to think themfelves fafe 
 and fecure enough in either 3 for if there 
 
 : they 
 
various Opimons of the Fathers^ Sec. VII 
 
 they, had true Eaptifm 5 why not likewifea 
 true Church and trueRemiflioa of Sins? To 
 weaken the Authority of a pretended Cu- 
 ftom to the contrary, he lays it down for 
 an undoubted Truth, That we are not to 
 be determind by any CUftOWjSof that Na- 
 ture, but to examine whether they vvill bear 
 the Teft of Reafon. He aflembled at C^^r- 
 thage a Council of 71 Bifliops, who con- 
 firmed all that had been determin d a little 
 before in another Synod held in the fame 
 City, concerning the Baptifm of Hereticks, 
 viz. that it was null and void ^ and about 
 the fame time, immediately after this Coun- 
 cil he writ a long Letter to Juhaiamts^ a 
 Biftiop who had confulted him about this 
 Queftion, wherein he urges abundance of 
 Reafons and Texts of Scripture tofupport 
 his own Opinion,and anfwer'd theObjeftions 
 that were brought againft it. In another 
 Letter to Pompey Biftiop of Sabra, he op* 
 pofes the Cttttl^ of the Gofpel, and the 
 fitttCtaMtlOnjS of the Apoftles both to the 
 Cuftom and Tradition which Stephen had 
 alledg'd for himfelf. Firmlian^ Bifliopof 
 Cefaria in Cappadocia, in his Letter to St* 
 Cyprian^ openly condemns the Procedure of 
 St^phen^ Biftiop of Rome^ [who had an- 
 fwerM St. Cyprian very roughly] extols St. 
 Cyprians Conduft, declares himfelf entirely 
 H) favour of his Opinion,proves it by feveral 
 
 [ Reafons, 
 
VIII A Preliminary Difconrfe vf the 
 
 fons 5 and affures him it was the Ancient 
 Cuftom of the Afiatick Churches 5 and that 
 it had been regulated many Years before in 
 two Numerous Synods held at Synnada and 
 Iconium. The fame FirmiUan Anfwers 
 Stephen's Plea of the conftant Tradition he 
 had handed down to him from St. Peter 
 and St. Paul^ as before mention'd 5 That 
 his vi%. Stephcn*s Allegation was utterly 
 falfe 5 he could have no fuch Tradition 
 from thofe Apoftles 5 /. e. St. Peter and St. 
 Patil^ from whom he pretended to have it, 
 and that for this very good Reafon, that 
 in their Days there were no Heretical Com- 
 munions ^ J3y confequence no Heretical Bap- 
 tifms ^ no Baptifms out of the true Com- 
 munion of the Church Catholick, and 
 that therefore he flanderM them by father- 
 ing fuch a Tradition on them, feeing it 
 was cert'^inthat they taught the quite con- 
 tJrary in their Epiftles 5 that St. Paul (A&s 
 1 9.) Re-baptized thofe who had been Bap- 
 ttized by John the Baptijit^ ought not we 
 then (fays he) to Baptize thofe who come 
 from Herefy to the Church ? Will any Man 
 fay that the Biftiops now a-days are greater 
 than St. Paul was ? which they mufl needs 
 be if they are able to do that which he 
 could not if they by Tmpofition of Hands 
 only, can give the Holy Ghoft to Hefe- 
 ticks when they come to them. SuCjfria^ 
 
 ' in 
 
V. trio as Opi^io?2S of the Fathers^ 6cc. IX 
 
 in his Letter to Jnbajarms Reafons to this 
 purpofe againft the Validity of fuch Bap- 
 tifms : 'Tis evident where and by whom 
 the JRemtffi'Onof ^mg (which is given in 
 Baptifm) can be given 5 for our Lord gave 
 firft to Peter, &c. that Power, that What- 
 foever he (hould loofe in Earth (liould be 
 loofed in Heaven 5 then after his Pvefijrrec- 
 tionhegave it to all the Apoftles, when he 
 faid {John 20, 21, 22, 23.) As njy Father 
 hath fctit me^ &c. Whence we learn that 
 none have Authority to 55aptt?C and Kemtt 
 ^fn0 but the ^tQ)OpS, and thofe who are 
 founded in the Evangelical Law, and our 
 Lords Inftitution, and that nothing can be 
 bound or loofed out of the Churchy feeing 
 there is none there who has the Power of 
 binding and loofing Jefus ChriiV (fays 
 FortunatHs ; In the venerable Council of 
 Carthage^ Ajino 256) Our Lord and God, 
 the Son of God the Father and Creator, 
 built his Church upon a Rock, and not up- 
 on Herefy^ and he gave the Power of 
 Baptizing to 53ifi)0p^; and not toHeretick?. 
 Thofe therefore who are out of the Churchy 
 and ftand againft: Chrift, and fcatter his 
 Flock, cannot Baptize, being out of the 
 Church. 
 
 I T would be endlefs to mention a*ll the 
 Teftimonies, and Arguments, brought in that 
 Age as^ainH: the Validity of fuch Baotifms: 
 
 B ' I 
 
X A Prcli^/h/arj Dffcoitrfe of the 
 
 I Qiall therefore name but one more, which 
 feems to be of great moment for the Difco- 
 very of what was meant by Hereticks and 
 Schifmaticks in thofe days ; and that isFir/^iilian 
 who in one of his Letters fays, 'That he and 
 ' all the Bifnops who met with him in the 
 ' Synod of Icomim^ Decreed tha't all thofe 
 ' ihoiild be holdenasUnbaptized, who were 
 
 * Baptized by fuch as had once been Bifhops 
 ^ in the Carholick Church, if they were 
 ' Baptized by them after they had and the' 
 ' from the Church : By which, ftpatkatCD 
 other Monuments of that Age, it is evi- 
 derir, they held, that even Bifhops, and all 
 other Lawful Minifters loft their teif^ ^tUtJ^O* 
 ?lt^ to do any thing more in the Minifterial 
 Functions, when they either Schifmatically or 
 Hereticaliy feparated themfelves from the 
 Church of Chrifl: ; Hence doubtlefs it came 
 to pa fs that ^iXyprUn and his Colleagues 
 efceemM all their Ordinations null and void, 
 and confcqueinly that the fuppofed Sacra- 
 ments adminiirerM by them and thofe whom 
 tliey Ordai n'd, were no true Chriftian Sacra- 
 /nents, and therefore Invalid and InefFedual : 
 This, I fay, appears to me to be the true 
 foundation of that great Difpute concerning 
 the Validity of Heretical and Schifmatical 
 Baptiffns, and vv^hich ^ St. Cy^nan managed 
 
 * with fo much Chriftian Humility and Cha- 
 ^ rity, that, x\iO^ Stephen^ Bifliopof i?^/»e, was 
 ' fo far from agreeing to the Reafons of the 
 
 , Africans^ 
 
varioHs Op'wioris of the bather 5^ &C, XI 
 
 Africans, (whether becaiife he imagin'd 
 they had a defign to condemn the Romaa 
 Church, or becaufe he thought this Que- 
 ftion was of too great Confequence) that 
 he was enraged againfl: St. Cyprian and his 
 Colleagues, and usM their Deputies ill ; 
 Nay he prohibited all Chriflians belonging 
 to his Church to receive or lodge them, 
 deprivhig them, not only of Ecclefiaflical 
 Communion, but alfo refufing them the 
 common Civilities of Hofpitality ; vet he 
 \t, e. St. Cyprian] could not think of brealt- 
 ing Peace with them^ of giving up Com- 
 munion with them 5 of Abftaining or Ex- 
 communicating them 5 Notwithftanding 
 Stephen had taken upon him to Excommu- 
 nicate thofe v/ho oppos'd the Ratification 
 of Heretical and Schifmatical Paptifms. 
 Upon the whole, the Perfecutlon of the 
 Church by Valerian^ Anno 257. put an end 
 to this Controverfy. St. CypriafiXitSl^ZX al- 
 ter'd his Opinion 5 the Greek Churches 
 were for a long time after him divided up- 
 on this Queftion 5 the Council of Aries 
 firft decided it in the Weft^ St, ^;//?/;/ fol- 
 lowed its Decifion^ the Weftern Church 
 has embraced this Opinion, viz. That Bap- 
 tifm by Hereticks, in the Name of the 
 Trinity, is Valid ^ and tho^ the Eaftera 
 Churches have not agreed with her abfo- 
 folutely in this Point, yet they always 
 B 2 'made 
 
XfF A Preliminary Difcourfe of the 
 
 ^ made a Diftiiiftion between Fiereticks, and 
 ' differently receivM them. 
 
 * IN the 4th Century, St. Athanafius rejefts 
 
 * the Baptifm of Hereticks. PacianHs fays 
 
 * that Baptifm Purifies from Sins, andUnftion 
 
 * brings down the Holy Spirit, and both the 
 *' One dnd the Other are apply ed hy the Hand 
 ^ and the Month of the Btfiop- Optatus^ that 
 
 * the Donatijis f who by the way were Schif- 
 
 * maticksj committed a great Crime in rei- 
 
 * terating Baptifm, (where '*tis to he noted 
 that they Re-baptized the vety Catholicks 
 who came over to theni) that 'tis not he 
 ' who gives this Sacrament of Baptifm that 
 ^ confers the Graces , but the Faith of him 
 
 * that receives ix.^ and the Virtue of the 
 ^ Trinity. We ask (fays he) if it be Law- 
 ^ ful to repeat Baptifm given in the Name 
 ' of the Trinity ^ Ye maintain that it is Law« 
 ' fu! 5 We fay that it is forbidden : The Peo- 
 
 * pie are \\\ fufpcnce, Let us therefore fearch 
 
 * after the Will of our Father^ in the Gofpel^ 
 ^ whkh will inform us that he who has been 
 
 * once Waflied, needs not to be Walhed 
 ' again ^ wherefore (adds he) We do not Re- 
 ' baptize thofe who have been Baptized when 
 
 * they return again to us: He proves againft 
 ^ the Donat/Jis, that the Holinefs of the Mi- 
 
 * nifter does not contribute to the Validity of 
 ' the Sacrament of Baptifm, and that be- 
 ' caufe the effeft of the Sacrament is owing 
 
 * to 
 
various Opim€?is of the Fathers, 6<C. XIH 
 
 ' to God only, and in fhort, becaufe the S.i- 
 ' craments are Holy, and do Sanctify bv 
 ' themfelves : Yet he feems to think that we 
 ^ ought to Re-baptize thofe who were Bap- 
 ' tizedby Hereticks^ but does not vudXt the 
 ' fame determination concerning thofe who 
 ' were Baptized by Schifmaticks. 
 
 ' St. Bafil maintains that the Antients were 
 ■ perfwaded that the Baptifm of Herericks 
 ' was abfOlntCl^ void ; As for Schifmaticks 
 ' he likes well enough, St. Cyprian and ¥irmi- 
 ' lian% fubjefting them to the fatttElLato 5 
 ' becaufe being fepatattfom theChurch,thev^ 
 ' had not the HoJy Spirit, and fo could not 
 ' give it 5 but, fays he would not hinder 
 
 * the allowing of the Baptifms of Schifma- 
 ' ticks, fince the Bifliops of J/^had thought 
 
 * it convenient to admit them : But tho' 
 ' the fi;/rr^///e-f were Schifmaticks, he declares 
 ^ tha^t their Baptifm ought not to be approvV!, 
 ' and that thofe ought to be Re-bapti'zed Xk^ 
 
 * whom they had given Baptifm; becaufe 
 
 * they gave it with Precipitation^ on purpofc 
 ' to ]^tnI)Ct the receiving of it from the 
 ' Church 5 neverthelefs if the contrary Cu- 
 ' ftom were Eftablifhed he confeffes. it ought 
 ^ to be followed. 
 
 'THE Council of Eliheris^, Anvo :;c5v 
 Canon 38, declares. That a. Chriftiaw* 
 ' wlio is neither Peniitent, I c. not under 
 - Pennance, nor a. Bigamift, may Baptize in 
 
 'a 
 
XIV A Preliminary Difcourfe of the 
 
 "- a Cafe of jljeccffitp, thofe who are on a 
 ' Journey, being at a great diftance from a 
 
 * Church, upon Condition that he prefent 
 ' him to the BiHiop, if he furvive to be pct- 
 ' fCCtCD by Impofition of Hands, 
 
 'THE Coancil of Aries, called by the 
 
 * Emperour, A.mw 514, confifting of Thirty 
 '' Three Weftern Bifliops, Cannon 8. deter- 
 ' mines the famous j©uetttOn, about the Re- 
 ' baptization of Hereticks, and Ordains con- 
 ' cerning the Africans, who had altPS^SS Re- 
 ' baptizM them, that if any one leave a He- 
 ' refy and return to the Church, he (hall be 
 ' ask'd concerning the Creed, and if it be 
 ' known that he was Baptiz'd in the Name 
 
 * of the Father, of the Son, and of the 
 ' Holy Ghoft, Impofition of Hands only 
 
 * fhall be given him, that he may receive the 
 "^ Holy Spirit • but if he does not acknow- 
 
 * knowledge the Trinity,' I fuppofe *tis 
 meant if while a Heretick he did not acknow- 
 ledge the Trinity, or if the Heretick who 
 BaptizM him did not acknowledge the Tri- 
 nity, (the latter is the mofl: likely)' 'he (hall 
 " be Re-baptiz'd. 
 
 B Y the way, in this Canon there is not 
 one Word about H^aj )5aptifm : And as for 
 the Hereticks who then Baptiz'd, they had al- 
 ways, or at lead moft commonly, received 
 Ordination from the Hands of fome Cstl^^ 
 UcB l5iQ)0P or other 3 nay, generally the 
 
 Heretical 
 
various Opi?2tons of the Fathers, XV 
 
 J^erCtical ^(fl)0pj5 vvere Confecrated before 
 they fell into Herefy, by Catl^OllClijetl^Opg!, 
 
 or clfe afterwards by fome Trick or other, 
 got private Confecration from them, that fo 
 their Herelies might go down the better with 
 the People : And the fame we find concern- 
 ing Schifmatlcks in thofe Days. 
 
 THE Council of Neoccefarea, Amw 514, 
 Canon i. fays, ' That if a Prieft Marries 
 *• after he has been Ordain'd, he ought to be 
 
 * degraded'. How conformable this Canon 
 is to the Gofpel of Chrift, let all ferious 
 Chriftians Obferve andConfidcr^ I mention 
 it therefore only to fhew, that in thofe Days 
 Councils v/ere not Infallible in all their De- 
 crees. 
 
 THE Council of A^/Ve, Atino 325. confi- 
 fting of about 500 Biftiops, Canon 1 9, Or- 
 dains, ' That the PauUa/^iJis fhall be Re- bap* 
 
 * tiz'd who return to the Church^ Inthl^ 
 Council alfo a Canon was proposed for oblig- 
 ing Bifhops, Priefts, and Deacons to obferve 
 Celibacy. 
 
 THE Council of Laodicea between Jmjo 
 360 and 370, Canon 8, ' That they muft be 
 
 * wholly Baptized anew, who comiC from the 
 
 * Seft of the Montamjis, 
 
 THE third Council of Cofijlavti^wplc, 
 Amw 383, in the laft Canon, concerning the 
 manner of receiving Heretic ks, wlio offer 
 themfelves to return into the Bofom of the 
 
 Churchy 
 
XVI A Pretimbiiiry Difcourfe of the 
 
 Church, it is OrJain'd, 'Tliat the ArUm^ 
 Aidcedo?iia:?7s^ Sabbatiaris^ ISlovattans^ ^tar- 
 to decimani, Tetrdtites and ApoHtrfarifl^^ 
 Ihall be receivM, after they have made pro- 
 kiTion of their Faith, and anathematized 
 their Erroiirs ^ by theUnftion of the Holy 
 Spirit, and the Chrifm wherewith they fhall 
 be Anointed on the Forehead, the Eyes, 
 the Hands, the Moufh, the Ears, at the 
 pronouncing of thefe Words, This is the 
 Seal of the Holy Spirit : as to the Ennomi- 
 rf/7.r.. the .Mo/7ta^/ijif, the Sdhelliansy and 
 al! the other Hereticks, the Council Or- 
 dains that they fiiall be receivM like Pa- 
 g.^ns, ev. and at laft they faall be Bap- 
 tized. 
 
 'THE Council of Capua^ Anno 5^0 de- 
 clar'd that it was not Lawful to ufe Re- 
 haprization ISt^O^tlinatWn.and theCVStt- 
 
 Oatton of jstftop^. 
 
 • IN the Council of Carthage^ Anno 548, 
 before they proceeded to make Canons, the 
 Prefident advis'd thus, we muft have fuch 
 regard to this time of Peace, that we nei- 
 ther weaken the Obligation of the Laws, 
 nor vet Prejudice the prefent Unity by tOD 
 mUC!^ §^ei)ettt?. Then the firfl: Head pro- 
 px^s'd v/as about Re-baptization 5 he ask'd 
 whether that Man ought to be Re-baptiz'd 
 who at his Baptifra made profeilion of be- 
 lieving the Trinity. The ^tQ)OpSS an- 
 
 ' fwerM 
 
various pinions of the Fathers^ &c. XVII 
 
 ' fvvefd, God forbid 5 We declare that this 
 ' Re-baptizarion is Unlavvfu], contrary to the 
 
 * Orthodox Faith, and the Ecclefiaftical 
 ^ Difcipline. 
 
 THE fecond Council of Carthage, Am^o 
 990, in the fecond Canon renews the Law 
 Eftabliflied in the preceeding Council con- 
 cerning the Celibacy of Bifhops, Priefts and 
 Deacons. The 8th Canon declares, ' That if 
 a Prieft Excommunicated by his own BiiTiop 
 undertake to offer up the vSacrifices in Pri- 
 vate, and to fet up ^XtBX againfr 9litat, 
 thereby making a ^d^ifttl, he ought to be 
 anathematiz d -^ becaufe there is but J©nc 
 
 €\imt% ^nzfdxti^ md fiDne:Sapttfm:, 
 
 My Remark upon this Canon is, That this 
 €)tl0 55aptlfm cannot be fupposM to^be out 
 of this £)ne CJ^UtC^, and therefore is only 
 in it. 
 
 THE third Council of Carthage, Anno 
 998 Canon too fays, ' That a Woman ought 
 
 * not to take upon her to Baptize. 
 
 *THE Council of Carthage Anno 401, 
 ' fecond Seffion, orders Bifliops, Priefts, and 
 ' Deacons to have no more to do with their 
 
 * }t^it)CS!« Directly contrary to the Law of God. 
 
 In the 5th. Century flouri(Ii\i St. Aitgujiin^ 
 Bifhopof Hi}o in Africa-^ lie argued- vigfaf- 
 
 * roufly again ft thQ Donatijis \vhd- begra 
 ' their ^l^ifm by a feparation of ^fotfie 
 
 * African Bilhops, and proceeded fo fer as to 
 
 C 'reckon 
 
XVUl A Prdir.ijnnry Difconrfe of the 
 
 • reckon all other Churches as urxlean, and 
 ' indeed to be no Churches at all, and confe- 
 ' quently v/hen any Catholick came over to 
 ' their Parry, they would not admit him 
 ' without Re-baptizirion, making uTe of St. 
 GypridH and his Colegues Authority, who 
 taught, 'ThatBaprifmadrninirtcrM byHereticks 
 ' and Schilrnaticks could not be Valid becaufe 
 ' they were out of the Church, and xha Do- 
 '' aati^s efreem'd the Catholicks to be no 
 
 • better than fuch. 
 
 -' ^- ?it, Aiigiifrm in Oppofirion to them, nnder- 
 
 ■ take? to prove that tho' his Party were not 
 ^ the Church, yet the Donatijis were not to 
 
 ■ Baptize them a fecond time 5 he confefies 
 
 ■ that Baptifm performed without naming 
 ' the 'iEnnft? is Null^ but affirms, That if 
 *" it be adminiitred in the Name of the ICrt^ 
 '' mt^ it is Valid, tDl)OfOei)er he be that Ad^ 
 /' miniftcrsit, and ought not to be repeated;; 
 /.That neither rt:e Minifters jfattl^ as to Re- 
 ^ ligion, nor his Sanctity avail any thing to 
 " the Validity of Baptirm 5 That it is Cod 
 ' and not the Miniller v/ho gives the Holy 
 ' Spirit and worketh theRcmiiTion of Sins. 
 
 BCT" here before I proceed farthef, I 
 mnft obferve, that it does not hence follows 
 that becaufe the Faith or Sanftity of the 
 MiniOer avails nothing to the Validity of 
 Baptifm, therefore his^lSutijO^ltf by which 
 he Afts avails nothing thereto, tor $|Ut]^0?rtp 
 
 mav 
 
various Oph/io^/s of the Fathers^ &C. XIX 
 
 mavvery well be, and often is, l^idtttCt and 
 ^CpatatC from both thofe excellent Quali- 
 ties: And again every one will grant that it 
 is God and not the Mimjict^ who gives the 
 Holy Spirit, dv. What then, does' it thence 
 follow that any Perfon may Adminift-er ? 
 C:in it be reafonably expefted that Cod 
 iliould concur with 'the tWfUtpatlOnjS ' of 
 thofe who Aft herein without ]^t^ ComtWif^ 
 fiOn, nay and in OppOfittOtt thereto, [as is 
 the Cafe with us."] Certainlv no ^ it cannot: 
 For however he may Difpenfe with the 
 "e^WlA of a Sacrament, yet he has no vvhere 
 promised to give CffiicaC^ to thofe Admini- 
 ftrations which are in any refpeft Contrary 
 to his own Inftitutions ^ and to me it feems 
 a meer Fool-hardinefs and Prefumption to 
 expert it. 
 
 • But to procured : 
 
 vnifrimL/' T^ 
 St. Augnflh; in the 7th Book of Baptifm, 
 Cap« 55. fays thus, 'It is asked whether 
 ' that Baptifm is to be approved which is 
 ' Adminifter'd by anUnbaptized Perfon, who 
 ' ont of Curiofity has learned the way )f 
 ' Baptizing among Chriftians ? it is asked 
 • further, whether it be neceflary for the 
 *' Validitv of Baptifm, that he who ei her 
 ' Adminifters or P^eceives it be Sincere ^ 
 ■ And if thev fiiould be only in JePi, whe- 
 
 C 2 'ther 
 
XX ' A Prelimwary Difcourfe of the 
 
 ':^ther Baptjfm ought to be AdminifterM a^ 
 ', gain in t}|e ,Church;J^ Whether Baptifm 
 V Conferr\l in Derifion, as that would be 
 ^ which fliQuld, be Adminifter'd by a Come^ 
 ^clian, might be accounted Valid? Whe- 
 ' ther Bapdfni Adraiairtcr'd by an Aftor, 
 Y^y become Valid, when he that receives 
 ^^ it is well difpo^^d. 
 
 , H E Anfwers to thefe and fuch like Que- 
 ftioBS, "That the fecureft; way is to return 
 ^ no Anfvver to Qaeftions that never were 
 V-decided in any, Council General or Natio- 
 \^^l5 but he adds, fliould any Man meeting 
 t with me at fuch Council, ask my Advice* 
 * about thefe Queftions, and tliat it were my 
 Vturn to declare my Opinion, having not 
 ' ^heard other Mens Opinions, which I might 
 ' prefer before my own, &c. 1 fliouldwith- 
 ' out difficulty acknowledge, That they all 
 ' receive Baptifm truly, in any Place what- 
 ' foever, and by tol^OmfOCteif Adminifter'd, 
 '.if on their Part they receive it with Faith 
 1 and Sincerity. I am apt alfo to believd 
 V.tjhat fuch as receive Baptifm in the Chorch, 
 \ or.in whaf is fuppos'd., to bethe Ghnrch; 
 ■^ are truely BaptizM, as .to the Sacramental 
 ' part of the Aftion, whatfoever be their In- 
 ' tention; But as for Baptifm Adminifter'd 
 '' and received ent of the Churchy in Raillery, 
 ' Contempt, and to miake Sport, I could 
 
 not approve the fame without a Fvcvelatibn. 
 
 HE 
 
vdrioHs Opimons of the Fathers y'ilQ. XXl 
 
 H E endeavours to overthrow the Reafons 
 and Teftimonies of the Cypriamfts againft 
 the Validity of Heretical and Schifmatical 
 Baptifms by the Comparifon cf conceal d He- 
 rctickf and evil Mimfiers, vnth known Heri^ 
 ticks and Schifriatkks, for if the Paptifm 
 ' Adminiftred by the fOJUlCt Js Valid and not 
 ' to be renewed, why (hould not the fame 
 ' thing be faid of the Hatter, fince all the 
 ' Reafons that are alleag'd for the Nullity 
 ' of the Baptifm cf Hereticks, may alfo be- 
 
 * long to evil Mimjkrs ? It is (aid for Exam- 
 ' pie, That to give the Holy Ghoji one wnjl^ 
 ^ hdve it^ that Hereticks have it not 5 and 
 
 * cdnfequently that they can?wt give it : 
 ' Why may we not Rcafon after the fame 
 ' manner, concerning Baptifm conferred by 
 ' ConceaPd Hereticks or by Wicked Priefts? 
 ^ Have they the Holy Ghoft to give. Thus 
 \SKAugziftifr.y ^ 
 
 I cannot but take notice here, that tliis 
 Great Man does not appear (to me) to have. 
 made the Comparifon according to the de-' 
 fign of St. Cyprian, and his Colleagues^ for 
 bv^ the manner of handling this Difpute in 
 thofe Days, 'tis plain to me that the Here- 
 ticks and Schifmaticks were fupposM to be 
 CyCOmmtmiCate and confequently to have 
 loft all Valid Power and Authority for the 
 Adminiftratjon- of Chriftlan Sacraments be- 
 ing themfelves out of the Church 5 whereas the 
 
 ' COH'- 
 
XXI r A Prclif^wary Difconrfc of the 
 
 ConcedPd Hcretick and Evil Mwijhr not 
 having fcparated themlelvcs from, nor been 
 excluded oat of the Church, cannot, during 
 this their Secrecy, ]oofe that 5W'lfiblC ^Ut^O^ 
 ?(t^ vvherevviih they were at hrft invefted, 
 and wc have no Otl)Ct Authority to truft to, 
 exeepc we had the Gift of difcerning Spirits 5 
 fo that the Reafons againft the Vahdity of 
 Baptifm AdminifterM by JmOtOU Excom- 
 municated Hereticks, and Schifmaticks^ will 
 not equally hold good againfc the Validity of 
 Baptifm conferx-M by unfittOtPIl Hereticks and 
 Evil Priefrs, v/ho dill continue in Extcmat 
 CommnrnGn with tlie Cl^Ut^^, becaufe the 
 former have not, but the latter have that 
 mflWe aut^O?(tt and COmttriffiOn which 
 Chrilt gave them to Adminifter his Sacra- 
 ments^, as is plain from the Example of 
 jfi^^^j IfcAr'wt^ whom our Saviour vefted with 
 the Divine Commiflionj notvvithftanding his 
 great Wickednels, lel inr! .^ ■ 
 
 Leo^ Bifliop.of Rome^ in his iSth Anfvver 
 ro feveral Queftions put to him by Rufthijs^ 
 Biihop of Narho/z^e, Anno 442, fays, ' That 
 ' it is fufticient to lay hands upon, and call 
 ^ upon the Holy Spirit, over thofe that do 
 ' reniwrnber that they have been Baptiz'd, but 
 ' know not in what Sed, ::«lr;*?f^; i> 
 
 GdHnad'uis^ a Priefl: of Marfeille^ affirms^ 
 :That there is ®Ut fiDUe 55apttfm, and 
 ' that we muft not baptize them again, wha 
 
 ' have 
 
vdrioifsOpimons of the Fathers^ &C. XXffI 
 
 ' have been Baptized by Heretkks, wirh the 
 
 * Invocation of the Name of the Trinity^ 
 
 * but they who have not been BaptizVl in 
 
 * the Name of the Trinity, ought to be Re- 
 ^ baptized, becaufe fuch a L'aptifm is not 
 ' True. 
 
 THE id Council of Jrles, Canon 2, 
 fays, * That no Man may be made a Priefl 
 
 * who i^ Married, unlefs they will renounce 
 ' the ufe of Marriage, which they call by the 
 
 * Name of Converfion. 
 
 'Canon 17. The Bomfraci, who Baptize as 
 ^ as well as the Arh^is in the Name of the 
 ' Trinity z^ it is fufficient to admit them in- 
 ' to the Church, by Chrifm, and Impofition 
 ' of Hands. 
 
 St. Gregory about the latter end of the 
 6rh Century, fpeaking about the return of 
 feveral forts of Hcreticks into the Church, 
 fays, ' That they are Baptized when they tf* 
 ' tnitX into the Church, the Inaptifm which 
 " they have received not being true, fince it 
 
 * was nor given in the Name of the Trinity, 
 ' When it^s UnCCttStn whether a Perfonhas 
 ' b^en Baptized or Confirm'd, we muft Bap- 
 
 * tize or Confirm them rather than fufter 
 '• them to periHi in this Doubt. 
 
 Gregory II. a little after, Af2r?o jco, in his 
 Decretal Epiille, anfwering feveral Queftions 
 put to him by Romftcc., Article 8. ' forbids 
 '' to R e- ha pt izethofc vTio have been once 
 
 liap-' 
 
XX iV A Pretimrtary Difconrfe of the 
 
 ' Baptized in the Name of the Trinity, altho' 
 ^ it were by a wiched Pricft. 
 
 ' Gregory JII. Orders that they fhall be Bap- 
 *tized again in the Name of the Trinity, who 
 
 * have been Baptized by Heathens. And alfo 
 
 * that thofc Qiall be Re-baptizeJ, who have 
 ' been Baptized by a Frieft that hath Sacrificed 
 ''tojn'her, or eaten Meat offer'd to Idols. 
 Thus far I think may fuffice, to have Collec- 
 ted what has been faid about Re-baptizati- 
 on. '-Becaufe 
 
 I T is wet] known that the Church began 
 to be miferably over-run with (0¥tOlI1? and 
 ^Upcrftttion after the Year of Chrift 300, 
 and that many Decrees of Councils and Fa- 
 thers were from that time founded not upon 
 the ReveaPd Will of God in his Written 
 VVord, but upon pretended Traditw^s^ and 
 a Difpenfing Poiver affumM by fome of the 
 Gover;wurs of the Church, witnefs thofe 
 •Decrees which require Celibacy in the Clergy, 
 Cv. as you may fee in feveral of the above 
 tired Councils, for which Reafon I might 
 very well have fpared^my Labour of making 
 inany of thefe Colleftions, but becaufe I 
 have been told it becomes me to reft fatisfied 
 in the Deter/mz/atio^s of the Chriftian Church 
 about this matter, I thought it not amifs to 
 enquire into them thus far 5 to the intent 
 that I might fee v/hether I could procure 
 any tOel^^lPOUnDeO Satisfaftlon from their 
 
 Authority I 
 
varions Opinio?!! of the Fathers^ 8cc. XXV 
 
 Authority ^ and Indeed I mull: acknowledge 
 that if this had been a Thing Imlifercvt in 
 its own Nature and not OetCtntttVD by the 
 word of God, but left to the Wifdom and 
 Prudence of the Church to Decree as flic 
 fliould think convenient and neceffary, I 
 ought to have acquiefcM with fuch Deter mi- 
 fMtions^ but the Cafe ftands othervvife with 
 me, I efteem Baptifm in all its EiTential Parts 
 to be afuuBamcntal of Chriftianity, (as the 
 Apoftle himlelf has told us,) a Pofitive hfli* 
 tntion made by God himfelf^ and the Holv 
 Scriptures are dear etTOUg]^ for the Determi- 
 nation of all the Neceflaries thereof, as well 
 as of all other Fundamental Points of oiir Re- 
 h'gion, and therefore the Decrees of Fathers 
 and Councilshave no more weight with me in 
 this matter, than what they receive from their 
 Conformity tothofe DivineOracles, which are 
 the only Rule of our Faith and Praftice in Fun- 
 damentals, as all found Prctejiants have 
 Sffirmy. 
 
 BESIDES, the Councils of Ctirthage, ho- 
 nium and Synnada^ together with the Cu- 
 ifoms of the Afiatick and African Churches, 
 confirming St. Cyp-ians Doftrine, have as 
 much (if not m.ore) Authority to fway vciY 
 Judgment in this matter, as the Council of 
 Aries and the after Determinations of other 
 Councils and Fathers 5 for rhefe latter can 
 
 D pretend 
 
XXVI A Prdm/iiiary D'pfcGnrfe of the 
 
 pretend to no more Divine Authority than 
 the former. 
 
 I am very well fatisficd, that ther is but 
 
 igDnc true C^jiliian; 55ainifm which ought 
 
 not to be repeated upon tnofe who have re- 
 ceived it : I find my felf under an fmpoili- 
 bility to believe, that this ^XiZ 25aptifm is 
 any other, than wh3t Chrifthimfeli initituted 
 juft before his Afcenhon into Heaven 5 I 
 reckon an Eilential Fart of this hiftitution 
 (and I humbly hop^ in the lequel of this 
 Difcourfe to prove it) to hz the i^X\mt SlU^ 
 tl^Ojit^ of the ai5mtmiJmtD?,as well as the 
 Water, and the Form of Adminiliration. 
 
 I cannot be flitisfied, that the i^^fon who 
 is faid to have Baptizd me ever had this Au- 
 thority, nay I know to the contrary, and 
 alfo that he v»/as actually m oppofiiion to it 5 
 andtho' his xntmrag were never fo good, yet 
 1 cannot think God concurred with fuch an 
 Uuirpation, when it was done without Any 
 ISlecejfify at till in a Cbrijlidn Coiwtry^ where 
 truly Anthoriz^d Islhnflers might have been 
 had With as miich^ if ?jGt greater eafe and 
 /peed than he ^ for which Pvcafons I find no 
 folid Foundation for believing that I have 
 received this )©UC 55aptlfm, efpecially fince 
 I my felf fhould with great Reafon have refus'd 
 that which he Adminiuer'd if I had been put to 
 my own free Choice, as it*s certain I could not 
 then^ being but an Infant. I doubt not but feme 
 
 will 
 
various Opir2io??s of the Fathers.^ See XXVII 
 
 will fay That 1 //ecd /;ot concern t»y felf fo 
 ffTUch ah out that which 1 had no hand i??^ and 
 pj herein I iv^s wholly Pa [five 5 if there rras any 
 iaidt in f nth my Bnpfifn/^ ^trpas no?2e of niine^ 
 but theirs v^ho had the Care of me ; To whom 
 I return tliis (liort Anfvver, That the Parents 
 or Godfather^s and Godmother's Aft and 
 Deed is interpret atively the Child's, and he 
 muft make it rccdlj his own when he comes 
 to Years, by taking it upon himfelf ^ fo that 
 if i\^Zn he owns their Sinful Aft (knowing 
 it to be fnch) he makes himfelf pattafiCC 
 with them in the Sin. 
 
 BUT to return to the Difpute in St. Cy- 
 prian*s time, and the Decrees then and fince 
 made about it :, I cannot Diffemble my 
 Thoughts, that the Arguments and Determi- 
 nations againft his Doftrine and Praftice, 
 have nothing of that Reafon and Solidity 
 which an hiquifitive Perfon might juftly ex- 
 peftinthem: And that on the contrary, St. 
 Cyprian and his Colleagues defend their Af- 
 fertion [that the Baptifms of Heretichs and 
 SchifmAticks are Invalid'] with fo much Judg- 
 ment and Cogency of Argument, that I 
 wonder how it could poffibly have come to 
 pafs, that their Doftrine fliould be afterwards 
 exploded, efpecially when I confider that 
 what, they taught and prafticM herein, was 
 confirmed 'by niimerDUa COUnCTl0 in thof^ 
 earlier Days, wherein Truth was more preva- 
 
 D 2 lent 
 
XXVni A PrelimHary Difiotirfe of the 
 
 '~~ 1 ■- — ' — "^ 
 
 lefit thrill afterwards^ ^xiiTertuUian long be- 
 fore affirmM the fame thing, ' That Baptifm 
 ' is referv\l to the Bifiop ; Hereticks are not 
 ' able to give it, becaufe they have it not, 
 V and therefore it is that v^e have a JSule to 
 'Re-baptize them. And to go ftill further 
 backward to the Days wherein fome of the 
 .Apoftles might be Itiil living^ St. 4^/<r//V/, a 
 Glorious Martyr, and Bifhop of Atitioch^ 
 Anno Uom. 71, In his Epiftle to the5;?/;r- 
 neafis, (ays, ' Let that ^aCVaitlCnt be judg'd 
 ' efcLfnd dncl firm, which is difpensM by 
 ' the 25t(l)0p, or him to whom the Bifhop 
 
 * has commuted it. It is not Xa^ful without 
 ' theBiihopeither to Baptize or Celebrate the 
 
 * Offices; Butwhat he approves of, according 
 ' to the good pleafure of God, that is ^intl 
 
 ^ and ^afc,andfowedoevery thing ^CCUtl?* 
 \ THIS is fo exaftly agreeable to St. Q^- 
 friart's Doctrine, that 'tis no wonder he ad- 
 hered to it all the Days of his Life :, and it 
 feems to me, that nothing could have given 
 Credit and Reputation to the contrary Opi- 
 nion, but the Kwnftrons t\\a^^{c of I^CtEfg 
 and ^C]^tftn afterwards, which brought in 
 eafaundance of Damnable Doctrines , and 
 Practices [^fome of which yon may fee in the 
 prcceedjng Collectior^s ] infomuch, that at Jaft 
 rher was but little of Solid and Subftantial 
 Religion to be found in the World. 
 
 AND 
 
various Opimo/^s of the Fathers ^ ScC XXIX 
 
 AND now, after all that has been faid, 
 I declare that it is not my Defign to meddle 
 with the Cy prianick Difpiite in this Difcourfe ; 
 my bufinefs js not to enquire whether thofe 
 who were o>?ce duly Auihoriz?d^ and after- 
 wards fall into ^cref^ or ^CJ^lfm, and 
 thereby fcparate thecnfelves, or are excluded 
 from the Church, can adminifter Valid Sa^ 
 craments and Ordinations during this their 
 Separation : no, Ifliall not fomuch as touch 
 upon this at all, becaufe I don't think my 
 Cafe afFefted by it ^ all that I need con- 
 cern my felf about, is, whether thofe who 
 aft in oppoftion to the acknowledgM and duty 
 Anthori^cl Minifters of Chrifr 5 and who 
 themfelves were never duly Authorized 
 can Adminifter truly Valid Baptifm to- 
 thofe who have no Faith in their Authority ;, 
 and whether fuch Receivers of thofe Baptijm 
 can fafel? reft: fatisiied with them. This is 
 my Cafe, and this is all th^t I concern my 
 felf about. 
 
 AND therefore I wrote the foil own- 
 ing ESSAY in a Matbcmatical Method 
 of Definition^ Axiom ^ and Y^ropoftion ^ 
 for the lnforrn|0tion of my own Jud^^ment, 
 in this great Affair : it was not at firft de- 
 fign'd for publick view, but finding o- 
 thers have been, and it may be ftill do La- 
 bour, under the fame Circumftances v>^ith my 
 felf, I thought it might not be unacceptable 
 to them ^ and if they fliall reap any benefit 
 
 thereby, 
 
XXX A Prdimmry Difconrfe of the 
 
 thereby, or if fome abler Pen wil! undertake 
 to mend my Faults, by letting the World 
 fee fomething more CorreS and exa^ for that 
 purpofe^ (The only Motive of my Writing^ 
 I fliall obtain my end, which Cod be prai- 
 fed is not mixt with any alloy of worldly 
 Gain, or defireof Humane Applaufe for this 
 Undertaking. 
 
 A S for Caurling and Difptting 'tis 
 not my defign to concern my felf (and 
 loofe my Precious time) in fuch endlefs 
 impertinencies : If any one will candidly 
 Ihew me my Errours , I fhall heartily 
 thank him for fo doing 5 but I declare be- 
 fore hand, that no lefs than fuch Dcmonjirafi- 
 on as the Nature of the Thing will bear, can 
 ever go down with me for Conviftion 3 I am 
 not to be put off with the Authority of any 
 great Names, Separate from Scripture andRea- 
 fon^ for this has caus'd too much Erroitr in 
 the World already, and 'tis high time now 
 to reform from it, 
 
 London^ Febrnary^ 28. 1 708, 
 
 Lay 
 
"- '1t^ 
 
 '^^% 
 
 Lay Baptifm Invalid. 
 
 THE 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Of the Nature and Obligation 
 of Divine Pofitive Inftitutions of 
 Religion. 
 
 Definition? 
 I. 
 
 A Divine Vojitive Injiitution of Religion^, 
 is, that which God himfelf requires 
 and commands to be done, and which 
 (haziirig no intrinfick or moral excellency in it's 
 yj//)withouthisCommand and Appointment we 
 could never have been bound to the Obfer- 
 vance of ; nor ever have conveyM to us by 
 the Obfervation thereof, any ^upcrnstUtaf 
 Benefit or Adv.mt.ige whatfoever. 
 
The hitrodn&ioft. 
 
 \h 
 
 THE Ejfcntidl Parts of a Divine Pofi- 
 tivc Inftitution, are thofe which we are o- 
 bligM condantly to obferve, as long as the 
 ntmoll Duration, of the Force and Obligation 
 of the Inftitnlionit felf. 
 
 HI. 
 
 I call an Aft Invalid for the purpofes of 
 fuch an Inftitiition, when we have tfo juji 
 Reafon to expeft, that God fliouid fo far 
 concur with that Aft, as to convey by means 
 thereof, thofe fnpematnral Advantages he has 
 anncxM to the Invitation. 
 
 IV, 
 
 BY tlie Supernatural Advantages Annex'd 
 to an Inftitution, I mean All thofe Spiritual 
 Priviledges and Benefits which by Nature we 
 cannot have, and which God has promisM to 
 beftow, upon Condition of our dtdy Perform- 
 ing that Inftitution, v/hich he has made to 
 be the Ordinary means of Conveying thofe 
 Benefits to us» 
 
The Introdn^io^i. 5 
 
 V. 
 
 B Y the Divine Authority of the Adrai- 
 niftrator, I mean that Commijjion which God 
 at firft gave to Men, and which they have 
 ever fince handed down to others, by his Or- 
 der and Appointment, to Adminifter in his 
 Holy Ordinances. 
 
 01 .f- 
 
 O R, 
 
 Undeniable Maxims^^l , 
 
 ;"j 
 
 ^ . W eiri 10 231b4 io Vu''- 
 
 I., v^. /^^ '^^^Ai ' 
 
 THE Epntidl Parts of any thing, are of 
 the fame Nature as the vph0h. 
 
 .GOD himfelf may difpenfe with any of 
 his own Pofitive Inftitutions, either in whole 
 or in Part ^ and beftow the Benefits annexed 
 to them, when, to whom, and how he 
 pleafes. 
 
 E III- 
 
The httrodiiSim, 
 
 m/ 
 
 Difpenfe with ^nv' BMne Pofftfve Infbitut?-'^ 
 oiv, either in whofe,'<M^Mn any Bflential Part^^*^ 
 fo-Tf>rrg- as it is-- bifrfi^ig'^'Mit-" obliging W^ 
 
 IV. 
 
 THE z?;//^ way to determine whether an 
 Aft is Valid or fijValCd, fortlje^p-uTpofea of a 
 Divine Pofitiv^e Inftitution, is, to know 
 whether that Aft b$. Lawful or V^/lav^fitl^ 
 Agreeable or Contrary to the Will of God, 
 xvhich is. to bp. found .;«r? "zpi^/:.;'^/ . but cither 
 in the Inftitntion^ ft' felf," or in fome other 
 Part or Parts of his Written JVord, reUtwg 
 to the fawe hffiitittioTf.^ • 
 
 io oiB^^nirl:: tos Io V^^^x l^*n\\5\3 3 tl T 
 
 N O Power or Authority on Earth, can by 
 
 any after Aft («^ iuppoirtted hy God for 
 
 thdt purpofe) make that 'which before was 
 
 Invalid, tb become as Valid as the Coflfornl- 
 
 ing to the Divine Itiftitution it felf wouldi^"^ 
 
 have made it* '-.:-" ' ^'-' 
 
 z:{ v/Gi! hiiv ,!norf - - aedv; ,tfi5ffj (^^ 
 
The IntrddKcfion* 
 
 VL 
 
 molt) jnjjjivo 'itiiil"! 
 
 \\% that iv/^^/" to do good, and does it 
 hot, to h\pn^ it is Sin^ and a ContmuancQ iti 
 Sin, can bring J/^ SuperndtHral Benefit or Ad- 
 vantage:;-'* ^^::^ /^;: 
 
 — ' — -m 
 
 Ep^OJ^ASiTION L 
 
 EVERT Ejjential Part of a Divine Pofi^ 
 tive Inftitution of Religion, is of Eqaaf 
 Obligation and Neceffity to us. 
 
 DEMONSTRATION. This is evident, 
 
 FIRST, from the very Nature of fuch 
 an Tnftitution, which fby Definition i.J 
 has no intrinfick excellency^ or moral Vir- 
 tue to oblige lis. to obferve it till the Di^ 
 vitf^ ^Sommanc!' la'ys that neceflity upon us ^ 
 fb that now wd": kfe obliged o?}ly by Virtue 
 iSf the- Afifhwit) CommAndingiy which being 
 bwt One^ i. e. Th^t of God,' mnit neceffari- 
 >y reach to euery Ejjential Part of the Infti- 
 tQfio'ft', and thereby make them ^W of equal 
 Authority and equally neceflary and obliging 
 to U^5 becaufe they are every on^oi the fame 
 
 E 2 Nature 
 
The Ifjtroclu&ion. 
 
 Nature as the Infritution it felf, (by Axiom 
 1.) And 
 
 Secondly this is further evident (from 
 Dcjimtion 2.) iince we are cor?jiant' 
 ly bound to obferve every fuch E^entid 
 Tart as long as the hiuitution it felf (hall 
 have any Force or Virtue. Therefore fincc 
 every one of thefe Parts have but o}7c Au- 
 thority without any hrherc^n Virtue feperate 
 therefrom 5 and are alfo binding as long as 
 the Inftitutionfliall laft:^ it raufl needs be cer- 
 tain that they are all of equal Obligation 
 and Neceffity to us. But this is fo very 
 plain at the firft Propofal to all Intelligent 
 Perfons, that it hardly deferves the Name of 
 a Propofition to be Demonftrated, and therc-> 
 fore I fhall not loofc more time about it. 
 
 i J. 
 
 CO 110 LA KT. ^^n!;^ 
 
 HENCE it follows, that as no Human 
 Authority can difpenfe with any Divine PoG- 
 tive Inftitutiou i^Axlom 3. J fo neither can 
 they give any Superiority of excellency or 
 neceffity to one Eflential Part thereof ip.ore 
 than to another,becaufe they are all equally nc- 
 ceiTary and obliging 5 and have their whole 
 Force and Energy merely froiB the Divine 
 Command. 
 
 P R O- 
 
The Introducfiojj, 
 
 PROPOSL II. 
 
 WHOSOEVER jaftly efteems an Aft 
 ((aid to he done if? pitrfnarjce of a. I^ivine Pvfi- 
 five hijiitiition) X.O h^ wholly Null and Inva- 
 lid for want of One EiTential Part of that 
 Infkkution, ought alfo to dckmwledge that 
 fuch an Aft is as r/juch Null and Void when it 
 wants but any other Om Ejferttial Part of the 
 fame Inftitution. 
 
 DEMO N. For he can reafonahly judge 
 that Aft to be Invalid, only becaufe it is un- 
 lawful, or contrary to the Inftitution (Axiof» 
 4 J So that, the watit of that EfTential Part 
 being unlawful, he thence concludes the In- 
 validity of the Aft : Now, forafmuch as all 
 theXffential Parts of the Inftitution are of 
 eqnal Authority and Neceffity to us {by the 
 foregoing Propofition) it muft necelTarily fol- 
 low, that the 0^?;ijJion of any one of them 
 will be equally Unlawful or Invalid 5 and 
 confequently fuch a Deficient Aft as wants 
 any one of thofe Eflcntial Parts, being by 
 him juftlyefteem'd Invalid, ought alfo for the 
 fame Reafon to be efteemed as much Invalid 
 when he knows it to want but any other one 
 Effential Part of the fame Inftitution^ which 
 was the thing to be prov'd, ,^.:jiu 
 
 E 3 CO RO- 
 
9 The Introduciion, 
 
 C ORO LAKT. 
 
 .HEN C E it unavoidably followis^ that 
 tlier can be mfiich tUng as a Partial Invati- 
 dity. through the Omiffion of any Effentiat 
 Pa.Pt of a DJvinePodtive Inftitution^ for if 
 t\^ Aft be vobolly Null for want of one fuch 
 l^aft it muft he alfo entirely void for the 
 yif^ilit of any other^ by Reafon of the eqaat 
 Authority and Necejfity of ©very Eflen^ial 
 Part. 
 
 ^:^ n\vj ori ic 
 
 «' Iw . ■ ' - .1 V .1?,' *■ 
 
 „/,, PROPOSLIII. ..0 
 
 i HE whQ fo^ws hirnfelf bound to Con- 
 ^mk ^^ ^ Qivin;^. Pofitive Inftitution in dl 
 it^s^Effenttal '^ant^Sy and isconvincM ^t he 
 feas not fo far confopm'd ^ can have no juft 
 ^fOUncJs t<^ Qxpcft the SHf€Tnat%tvd Benefits 
 ^nn^M tathat hiftitution," till he ba§ done 
 ^is utmoft Cor tbe (^mi^ing ol^ them.,. by ejoir 
 dieavouring an e;^z>^ Conformity to every' E6 
 %fciftl P^ft.^C the f^lBftifiitioii^^ 
 ....... c-/'^ . r*«\ ^?<<\ inr*-v o' ir wv/Mn>i ' i norf »* 
 
 x^ Z5£M>J/k This wants but little Prooi: for 
 thus ^tirely to obey Hm Inftkutioai^ cefSt»ioly 
 
 goods 
 
The Introduction, 
 
 good 5 and he who knows this and does it not, 
 to him it is Sin (Jxion/ 6.) which if hecxDn- 
 tinues in, no Supernatural Advantage can 
 accrue to him thereby {hy the fame Axiom) 
 much lefs thofe Benefits annexM to the ob- 
 fervaqce of the Inftitution 5 and confequentr 
 ]y he ought to do his utmoft for the obtain- 
 ing of them by endeavouring, &c» as was 
 to be Demonftrated. 
 
 An 
 
II 
 
 A N 
 
 ESSAY 
 
 To prove the 
 
 Invalidity of Lay Baptifm ; 
 
 Efpecially to thofe who know 
 that 'twas Adminifter'd to them, 
 
 By one in oppofition to 
 
 The Divine Right 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 Apoftolical Succejfwn. 
 
 CHRISTIAN Baptifm is, a Divine 
 Pofitive Inftitution of our moft Holy- 
 Religion, whereby 'tis appointed that 
 /AeSipoftleg andtheir^aCCeCTojtSf to ih^Evdof 
 the Worlds fliould \lj Virtue of a Particular 
 CemMtjJion which Chrijl gave them for this pur- 
 pofe'] either themfelvesin Perfon, or bytl^eit? 
 ^Ul)ttftUtC0, enter into Difciplefliip or into 
 tlie Church of Chrift,- All Nations, Baptiz- 
 ing them In the Na^e of the Father, and of 
 
 the 
 
12 Tks Invalidity 
 
 the Son, and of the Holy GhoH:, &c. The 
 Supernatural Priviledges and Benefits Annexed 
 to this Inftitution, are, The Pardon of Sins, 
 The Gift of the Holy Gjioft, and Eternal 
 Life after Death ^ or as the Church of E/^g- 
 la^fd words it, ' Beifig hy Nature horn in Sin 
 * and the Children of IVratk^ we , arc hereby 
 ^ wade the Children of Grace 5 Meat hers of 
 ' Chrifl 5 Children of God^ and Inheritors 
 ' (or Heirs) of the Kingdom of Heaven^ vvhicli 
 Vaft and unfpeakable Advantages none caa 
 ordinarily have any Right orTHre*-to, but 
 thofe who are didy admitted to them by thk 
 One True Chriflian Bapiifni: 
 
 THAT- it is a Vojitlik Inflituthn is cer- 
 tain from hence 5 that' Before tht Divine 
 Command enjoyn'd it we were never bound 
 to obferve it cither in whole of in part 5^ 
 wafhing us then with Water had no riitrifafick 
 or moral Virtue to give us any Spiritual Ad- 
 vantages , nor would it have had any 
 thing more of efficacy for that /)urpofe 
 if we hid been Wa(hM with Water^^ 
 and at the fame time ufed the Words Jn the 
 Name of the Fdther^ and of the So^ itndof 
 the Holy Gho(l ^ for thefe Words being pro- 
 nounced could then have had no more Vir- 
 tue than others : neither would it have fig- 
 nified any thing to us whether we had been 
 WaftiM either by oarfelves alone^ or by fome 
 0fker Perftm^ or whether that other Perfon 
 •••'' were 
 
of Lay Baptifw. 
 
 were a eommon Man, or one fet apart Isf 
 Confent of the Veople for that end. None 
 of thefe Things could by any excellency in 
 their own Nature have convey'd to us any 
 SpiritHot Benefits whatfoever, nor could we 
 have been obliged in a Religious Senfe to ob- 
 ferve ajiy ofie of them 5 becaufe the Di- 
 vine Command had not en;oyn*d 'em ^ this 
 I fuppofe all will acknowledge, and confe- 
 quentJy that our Obligation to receive Chrt- 
 jiian Baptifm^ and from the??/ by whom ir 
 is order'd to be Adminifter'd, is wholly, ioirn- 
 ded upon the Divine Con^mand on which 
 alo?ie depends the whole Force and Energy 
 of a Divine PofiUve fnftrtntion of Religion 
 ("according to Definition r.J and that there- 
 fore the Adminiftration of Chrijiian Baptifm 
 in all its Parts is nootherth^n a /nere Pofitive 
 InfiitHtion , exaftly agreeable to the (aid De- 
 finition. This being prcmis^J, I proceed' 
 .now to Demonftrate what ace the EffentiaJ. 
 Parts of this great Inftitutiorr of Chriftik- 
 nity, on the Part of the Admimfiration there- 
 
 ■ 1;: JR: O^ ]>;0'S1 I^t 0-N^;;jy J^JS 
 
 T-H : A X ci;fld>e* Profit ojt lAe Jdrmni/katiofi, 
 
 Tlf^J^^no/^ A}ji\imwy<^i ^^M^^ 
 tt\*rt The 
 
1 4 The Invalidftj 
 
 The matter [I Vater] and the Forf^ of Ad- 
 rniniftring, In the Name of the Father^ and 
 of the 6V;/, and of the Holy Ghofl^ are 
 every one of thetn Ejfe/^iial Parti of the Di- 
 vine Pofitive Inftitution of Chriftian Bap- 
 tifm. 
 
 DEMO N. That the Water, and the For/^ 
 of Adminiftration in the Nawe of the Tri- 
 nity are EfTcntial Parts of this Inftitution was 
 never Difputed by any but Hereticks, and 
 even thefe (except fnch as the Quakers) never 
 opposed againft the Waters being fo -^ but 
 only againft the Form of Adminiftration in 
 the Name of the Trinity : I (hall not niake 
 it my bufinefs to endeavour their Convifti- 
 on, who oppofethe plain and exprefs words 
 of the Inftitution, and from whence AllSomd 
 and Orthodox Chriftians have uuanimoufly 
 agreed, to pronounce Baptifm Null and Void, 
 when AdminifterM without expreffing the 
 Names of all the three Sacred Perfoz/f^ be- 
 caufe fuch Baptifms are directly againft the : 
 Inftitution it felf. v, 
 
 TAKING it therefore for granted by 
 all, who have any value for this Holy Ordi- 
 nance, that the Water and the Forw of Ad- 
 miniftration in the Name of the Trinity, are 
 Eflential Parts thereof^ I (hall fpend no fur- 
 ther time about the Proof of it ^ but pro- 
 ceed to Demonftrate that the Divim Autho- 
 rity 
 
of Lay Baptif/vf. 1 5 
 
 rity of the Adminijlrator is alfo an Effential 
 Part of the fame Inftitution ^ or ("which is 
 the fame thing) t\l^tthc Divide Authority of 
 the Admimlirator^ is to be conjiatitly obferv'd 
 by us as lovg as the utmofl Duration of the 
 Force and Obligation of the Divine Pofitive 
 Inftitution of Clrljlian Baptifm^ And, that 
 it is fo, will be evident, 
 
 I. From the General Confideration of 
 God's making the Divine Authority of the 
 Adminiftrator to be an Ejfe?2tial Part of his 
 own Pofitive Inftitutions under the Mofaic 
 Law, 
 
 a. By the Example of our Saviour's not 
 taking upon him to Minifter in fuch Holy 
 things, till he was particularly and exter?;ally 
 Commilfion'^d for that purpofe. 
 
 g. From the Words of Inftitution of Chri- 
 ftian Baptifm. 
 
 4. From the Dcfi^n and Benefits there- 
 of 
 
 5. From the conilant Practice of thofe 
 who truly are^ and of others who pretend 
 to be the LiUfpfnl Minivers of the Chriftian 
 Church. 
 
 6a From 
 
l6 Tfye Ifivalidity 
 
 16. from the DoSrh?e an:! PraSke of the 
 ChnrS of England in particular. 
 
 *Flrft, I fay "the General Confidefation of 
 God's making- the Divine Authority of the 
 Adminillrator^ to be an Efential Part of his 
 own Pofitive Infritutions under the Mofaic 
 Law, will go a great way towards the prov. 
 log the like under the Gorpel Difpenfation 5 
 tecaufe the things that were then writteiT, 
 were not written for their fakes on-^ 
 iy^ but alfD for our Example {ds the 
 Apoftfe has told us) and as hehasmoft ex- 
 cellently argued almofr throughout his whole 
 Epiftle to the /i>^rm'/^ wherein 1^ makes the 
 Comparifon between the Mofaic Lan\'\ind 
 theG^|//K'/, and gives a v^^ preference t6 the 
 Latter before the forriler.' 'Tis therefore 
 worthy our Coniideration that in the Law, 
 m»e could approach the Divine Pi^efeflce in 
 the Admimjlration of his Pofitive Inftititfes, 
 but thofe who were firft Authorized by />/>> 
 for that pirpofe ::, and therefore we find, that 
 when Cerah^ Ddthan^ and Abiram^ exceeded 
 their own bounds no farther, than the Offer- 
 ing of Incenfe, there was no lefs than a Mi- 
 racle wrought, the very Earth was made to 
 open its Mouth and fwallow them^ their 
 Wives and their Children, and all that they 
 had 5 and a Fire from the Lord confumM two 
 
 hundred 
 
of Liy- Baptifh, 
 
 hundre^P s^nd fifty Princes, Accoi^ices with 
 'eni in the' fame Crime, to mak-e them a ftand-- 
 iiig Example to fature Ages, that none niiglit 
 U far p; the Ainli6rity of Adminiftring in his 
 Pofitive Inftinitions without TiComwtiJion firft 
 receiv'd from him. Nay, fo Jealous was God 
 of thifHorrotnr^ that helliddenly ftruck ZJzsstf 
 dead^ -only for puttmg forth his Hand to 
 fare thfe 'Ark (as he thought) from falling 
 when It iwa^ (hook x, his Zeal was no defence 
 for hiin, God Would not pardon but punifh 
 him %i it, becaufe 'twas none of his Bufi- 
 nifs to meddle in fuch Holy things. So Sanl 
 notwirljftiinding his Plea of vecejjity frr want 
 of a Friep^ and the Danger of falling into 
 the Hands of his Eitemies before he had made. 
 his i e'a6e with God, had his Kingdom rent 
 from him for prefuming only to offer a Sa-^ 
 rrfice'himfelf, it being none but the Priefts 
 Office To -to do ; Mox^ Examples of this kind 
 might be brought, but thefe I think are fuffi- 
 cient tpfliew,that God fet fuch a mighty value 
 upon iht Comtmjfion he gave to for/^c Orders, 
 ef Me», that he would not accept of even his 
 oMrn Appointments when thev vjtXQprophancV 
 by mia^aUtJtD'D tmcCmmtfflDn'D Hands :{ 
 and wljat isthis but to make the Divine Co?yt- 
 ??Ajfitm to be an Ejjc7!tial Part of fuchPofi- 
 tive Inftitation^ '? infomuch that if any 
 (hou^dTi^e htowingly concurred with thofe. 
 who nfurfdif^ they would have madetliem- 
 
 jTelve^ 
 
The Invalidity 
 
 felves paVtaftCVd in the Sin, as well as the Pu- 
 niGimerit of theUfurpers^ as we fee was ex- 
 emplifyM in the Cafe of Corah and his Cora- 
 pany,for nolefs than fourteen thoufand feven 
 hundred of them were deftroyM by a Plague, 
 befides the great Number of thofe who were 
 before fwallowM alive into the Earth, and 
 burnt with Fire from the Lord : and if fo, 
 may we not Juftly infer that God is ftill as 
 Jealous of T-6/V H(?A/<?//r under the Gofpel, the 
 Minifters whereof being of fo much greater 
 Dignity, by how much the Gofpel is more 
 excellent than the Law of Mofes <? It is cer- 
 tain that even now in the Chrijlian Difpmfd- 
 tion^ No Man can take this Honour to hwifelf ^ 
 but I?e that is called of God^ as ivas Aaron 5 
 and Aaron ^ call was not by his great Gifts^ and 
 tthe inward Dilates ottliQ Spirit^ but by an 
 CytetWlCommiffiOnfirft given byGod:hira. 
 felt to Mofcs, and then by Mofis.^^t the; 
 Command of God to Aaron : But ; .^^ ^ hhit 
 
 ■ t6] i.yoD :)£rir.v/offto1 invi 5 
 Secondly, The Example -pf our Saviour's 
 
 •not taking upon him to Minifter in Holy , 
 things between God and Man till he was^ 
 purtia^larly and exter/?ally Ccn/wijjlan*d by 
 God for that purpofe^ is a further advance 
 towards proving that the Divine Authority 
 of the AdminiiWator of Baptifm is an EfTcn- 
 tial Part of this Inftitution. For, notwith- 
 ftandtng he was full of the Holy Ghoft^ 
 
 which 
 
of Ldji Bapt/f^/. 1 9 
 
 which was not given by Meafure but entire- 
 ly to him 5 notwithftanding his Manhood 
 was infeperably united to the Second Perfon 
 of the molt glorious Trinity, whereby he 
 was more than fufficiently, nay, infinitely 
 gifted for fucha purpofe^ and notwithftanding 
 the great Neceffities, and confequent Miferies 
 of all Mankind, which were continually want- 
 ing his Undertaking to Adminiftcr for them 
 in things pertaining to God^yet he kept him- 
 felf in his Private Station for about 50 Years 
 together, and never would take upon him- 
 felf fo High an Office^ till he receiv'd his 
 Commiffion and Inauguration thereinto, from 
 the Hands of a Prophet {John the Baptiji'] 
 who Baptized him, to fullfil this Part of 
 Righteoufnefs and Jujiicey viz. of not taking 
 upon himfelf to be a Minifter of the New 
 Covenant without a fpecial Warrant from 
 God by the Mediation of one who was by 
 him appointed to convey this Power and Au- 
 thority to him : And then we find that God 
 himfelf by the Defcent of the Holy Ghoft 
 upon him in a vifible Glory ^ and by an ait- 
 dihle Voice from Heaven, faying, This is my 
 Beloved Son in rvhom I am well pleas'* d^ con- 
 firmM his great Commiffion 5 and that from 
 thence forward, f and not before) he pro- 
 ceeded in the Execution of it : From that 
 time he preach'd and taught, gave his Apo- 
 ftles order to Baptize and Preach ^ wrought 
 
 F Miracles 
 
20 Tl6e Invalidity 
 
 Miracles himfelf, and gave others Power to 
 do fo likewife, for the Confirmation of his 
 Doftrine, &c. Now, what (honld be the 
 Reafon of our Saviour's thus long dQjiJiing 
 from the performance of fuch beneficial Offi- 
 ces ? Was he not fufficiently gifted r- Yes cer- 
 tainly he was : Did not the Extream Miferzes 
 of Man's Spiritual Bondage call loudly for 
 relief? beyond all doubt they did : Why 
 then did not even Cowpajjlon it felf, the 
 Bleffed Jefus, then perfonally among them, 
 undertake their fpeedy Refcue ? Was it be- 
 caufe his Hour was not yet come ? Doubt- 
 Jefs it was not come^ but why/? becaufe he 
 fiad not yet receivM his CommtffiOtl from his 
 Father. So that if our Lord^s Example may 
 be allowed in this Cafe to be Conclufive, it 
 is plain that not all the Gifts imaginable, not 
 all tliGpreJJing NeceJJities th^t may be pleaded, 
 can ever of themfelves give fufficient War- 
 rant to Minifter Anthorltatively, for Men, in 
 things pertaining to God, when thofe things 
 are of fnch a Nature, as that a Commifflon 
 from him mufl: be firft obtainM by the Perfon 
 who undertakes to Adminifter : And that 
 therefore fuch a Perfon ought to be duly 
 CommJPmPd for fuch Adminiftrations. Now 
 that Chriftian Baptifm is fuch an Inftitution 
 as mcejfarily requires, and conftantly ftippofes 
 the Divine Authority of the Adminiftrator^ 
 I fiiall endeavour to Demonftrate. 
 
 Thirdly, 
 
of Lay Baptip^. 2J 
 
 Thirdly, From the Words of Inftitution 5 
 and in order thereto 'twill be very well 
 worth while to obferve that our Saviour a lit- 
 tle before his Afcenfion into Heaven, appoin- 
 ted the (Cletcn apOftleS and tl^em Onlp 'nor- 
 withftanding the vaft numbers of otlicr Di- 
 ciples which he had at the fame time,) to go 
 to a particular Mountain in Galilee, which he 
 had told them of, (St. Ma^ 28. 16 ) Where 
 when they were aflembrd he came to them, 
 and firft afferted his oxen Power and Authority 
 wherewith he was Inverted, to Authorize and 
 Commiilion them for the Great Office lie was 
 then going to confer on them, faying, All 
 Power is given unto me in Heaven and in 
 Earthy ver. 18. Whereby he fufficiently afiii- 
 rM them, that they might reft fecure and 
 fatisfy*d, that The Commtjjion he was going to 
 give them was of full Force and Virtue, and 
 fufficiently Valid to empower them to Ad for 
 the future according to the Contents thereof : 
 and indeed the Great Things he was about ro 
 Authorize them to do, were of fo uncommon 
 a Nature, and of fuch vaft Confequence to 
 Mankind, that they might very well have 
 doubted even of xhQ fnfficiency of their Com- 
 miffion, if our Lord had not thus fix'd their 
 Faith in his P&wer and Authority to give it 
 them : when therfore he had thus preparM 
 their Minds, he then proceed? to give them 
 
 F 2 This 
 
22 The Invalidity 
 
 This Commijjion as the Qonfcquent of that 
 Voxoer which was siven him over all things 5 
 rayins!,(150¥et1^er{0?e. and Teach (or rather; 
 
 J^tfctpleau i^atfon5,55apti?mg t^em t« 
 Vdi j^amc of t^e father, ana of ti^c ^n, 
 
 anft of t]^e I^OlP ©l)08, teaclmig them to oh- 
 ferve all things whatfoever I have commanded you • 
 
 ana lo % am toiti^ ?ou altoar ,et3en unto ti^e 
 
 CnO of t^e tlBO?lD Thefe are the Words of In- 
 ftitutionof i^aptifm, wherein 'tis clear at firft 
 fight that the Eleven Apojiles were the peculiar 
 Verfons to whom the Authority of Baptizing 
 was committed {Go ye'^ and not only they,but 
 alfo all thofewho (liouldfucceed them, to the 
 end of the World ^ [Lo I am with you alway^ 
 even unto the end of the IVorld] for our Savi- 
 our's Promife to be with them fo long, can- 
 not poffibly be meant of their particular 
 Verfons which were not to live to the end of 
 the World, and therfore it muft fignify the 
 Jpojilef in another Senfe, viz. thofe whom 
 ti^Cf and tf^tiV ^ttCCeffO??f fliould Appoint 
 throughout all Ages. 
 
 S O that by the Words of Inftitution a- 
 bove recited, it plainly appears, that as long 
 as the World (liall laft The Apojiles and their 
 Succejfors are the Perfons CommijfiorPd to Di- 
 ciple the Nations Baptizing them 5 and here- 
 by 'tis necejfai'ily imply^d that as often as this 
 One Baptifm is performed fo often 'tis done by 
 Offe who has this Qommijpon given to him^ 
 
 otherwifc 
 
of Lay Baptifm, 1 5 
 
 otherwife the Promife of being with fuch 
 Commi\Jion''d Performs %o the end of the World, 
 would be of no mcejjity : And if it were not 
 defignd by the InftitLition, that Baptizing 
 fhould be performed to the end of the World 
 by a Succcffor of the Apoftles or his Suhjii'> 
 tnte 5 it might for the very fame Reafon be 
 faid that teaching was not defignM to be by 
 fuch a Succejfor to the end of the World, and 
 fo the whole Cowmijjlon would be but Tempo-' 
 rary and confequentl vthe ^inifttV$ of Chrift, 
 and)5aptt?tngandCeac]^mg vyould be but 
 Temporary 5 and Chrift's Promife of being 
 with his Apoftles in thefe their Miniftrations 
 to the end of the World would have been 
 made without any defign of fulfilling it, 
 which is a Contradi&ion 5 and therfore as 
 long as the World (hall laft, there muft be 
 Baptizing, and as long as there fhall be Bap- 
 tizing, there muft be fiich a One to perform 
 it, as Chrift has promisM to be with, viz. a 
 Sncceffor to the Apojllcs or his Suhjiitnti^ to 
 the utmoft bounds of that Duration. 
 
 THIS will further appear from the Na- 
 ture of a CommiJJion^ which is exclnpve of 
 all others, but thofe to whom it is given 5 
 for 'tis well known that when a Prince gives 
 a Commijjlon to any of his Subjefts for the 
 executing of fome great Office, it is vv^ith de* 
 fign to appropriate tliat Office to that particu- 
 lar Subjeft, that none may aft in it but he, 
 
 F ^ and 
 
The InvaHdity 
 
 and thofe whom he fhall Authorize : So here 
 The Co^imijjion of Baptizing, &c. given by 
 our Saviour to his Apojilcs and their ^itcceffors 
 to the end of the VVorld, is exclufve of all 
 others, and confequently none can aft there- 
 in but fuch as they ftiall Authorize for that 
 purpofe 5 and therfore it neceffarily follows 
 that I he Adwimjirator of Baptifm mufthave 
 the Divine Commijjlon or Authority, before 
 he prefume to Aft in this fo Appropriate an 
 Office and Miniftration. 
 
 BUT the Form of , Adminiftring Baptifm 
 (in the Name of the ^father ^ and of the Son, 
 and of the Holy Ghojl) being Effential, for 
 even the Validity thereof, is an Invincible Ar- 
 gument for the Divine Authority of the Ad- 
 fninijirator^ that it fliould be alfo an B-JJen- 
 tial Part of this Inftitution, becaufe, as of- 
 ten as any one Adminifters Baptifm truly and 
 really in the Name of the Trinity, fo often 
 he exprcjly affirms, and that truly too^ that 
 he does it by Virtue of that Power and Au- 
 tliority which he received frorn the Trinity 
 tor fo doing : Tliis will be evident beyond 
 Contradiftion, when we impartially Enquire 
 fiito tkcjuft Meaning and common Accepta- 
 tion of the Expreffion [/// the Nan^e of] when 
 us'ci by one who Afts for another 5 Vvdiich wc 
 tliall conftantly find iignifies, that he who 
 coiTies, and does any thing in aupthers Name, 
 dq'sut by his Povyier and Authority who fei>t 
 
 himc 
 
of Lay Baptifm. 
 
 him. ' Thus Blejfed he he that cometh in the 
 ' Ndme of the Lofd, (PfiL ii8. 26 J is the 
 fame cis BieiTed be he whom the Lord hath 
 Sent^ or who comes with the Authority and 
 Cof^imijfio?? wYvich xhQ Lord hath given hinr. 
 So * Vvhe^yD'^ylds y&ung Men cdme-t theyfpahe 
 ' to Nabal dccordbjg to all thofe words ^ in the 
 ' Name of David, (i Sam, 25. (^y\\s> no more 
 than it' it had been faid, they fpake to Is^abal 
 according to all thofe Words, and made ufe 
 of Davids Name to let l<iahal know that he 
 Sent them. Thus again, ' Haggai the Prophet^ 
 ' &C. , prophejicd unto the Jews, in the l^ame 
 ' of the God oflfrael, (^Ezra $. i.) What is 
 this but to fay that Haggai prophefied what 
 God had Sent and Ordered him to Prophefy 
 to 'em. When our Saviour fays, ' / ant come 
 
 * in my Fathers Name (John 5. 49.) He plain- 
 ly declares that he was Sent by his Father, or 
 came by his particular Appointment. And 
 Laftly, (To Name no more Texts to this 
 purpofe) when our Blefled Lord affirms, ^The 
 *" Works that I do in my Fathers Name they 
 
 * hear Witnefs of me (John 10. 25.) he in 
 plain Terms aflerts, that he did thofe Works 
 by Virtue of th^^t Power and Anthority wliich 
 he had receivM from his Father. So when a 
 Magiftrate declares that he Afts in the Name 
 of his Prince, every one immediately un- 
 derftands thereby that he Afts by the Autho- 
 rity vyfaich he receivM from liim^ but this is 
 
 F 4 too 
 
26 T-he Invalidity 
 
 too plain to want more Examples 5 and 
 therfore we may juftly conclude that every 
 time the Minifter fays, 7 Baptize thee in the 
 Nan^e of the Father^ and of the Son^ and of 
 the Holy Ghoji, it is the fame as to fay, I 
 Baptize thee by Virtue of that Authority and 
 Commijjion which I have received from the 
 Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoft, and 
 therefore when he Baptizes a Pcrfon, and 
 pronounces the Words, In the Name of the 
 Father^ &c, if he be one who is not vejied 
 with the Divine Authority, he cannot be 
 truly faid to Baptize in the Name of the 
 Trinity, for 'tis a perfcft Contradi&ion to fay 
 fuch a thing is truly done in the Name of 
 another^ when really it is not done in his 
 Name^ or by his Authority and Commi\Jion^ 
 which is the only intelligible way of doing 
 fomething in another's Name. 
 
 THUS we fee how our Lord has infeper- 
 ably United the Divine Authority of the Ad- 
 minifirator^ with the truth and reality of the 
 Form of Adminijlration^ infomuch, That the 
 Form it felf is no further true, as to the.de- 
 fign thereof, than as it is attended with the 
 Truth and Reality of the Divine Commiffion 
 given to him who Adminifters ; fo that 
 whenfoever this Form is truely asM according 
 to the Intent of this Inftitution, the Divine 
 Authority and Commiflion of him who Ad- 
 
 - minifters 
 
of Lay Baptifvj. 27 
 
 minifters, is necejfarily and conflantly im- 
 plied and fuppos'd. 
 
 AND really if we examine into all the 
 Divwc Pojftive htflitutions that ever were 
 made, we (hall find none of them fo indi- 
 fpenfibly require the Divwe Authority of the 
 Adminiftrator, nor attended with fuch a So- 
 hmn Form of Aflerting and Declaring his 
 Authority every time of Adminiftration, as 
 we find in the Divine Pofitive Inftitution of 
 ChriftianBaptifm 5 and confequently the Di- 
 vine Authority of the Adminiftrator of Bap- 
 tifm is an Epntial Part of that great Inftitu-. 
 tion. -[ 
 
 BUT here I expeft fome will tell me, 
 that I lay too much ftrefs upon the Form of 
 Adminiftring Baptifm, In the Name of the 
 Trinity 5 becaufe in the Greek it is faid, Go 
 ye^ &c. Baptizing them Into the Name (in- 
 ftead of In the Name) of the Father, &c. 
 and tho' In the Name fignifies by the Autho- 
 rity and Commijfion of the Trinity, yet Into 
 the Name do's not fignify So, but rather in- 
 to the Belief and Service of the Trinity 5 
 which do's not imply fo neceffarily the Di- 
 vine Authority of the Adminiftrator as ;, \ 
 plead for. ,- .-.■,, 
 
 TO whom I An^er, that^th^^ 
 do's fignifie Itito, the NamQ^ yet it do's not 
 therfore follow that this is .the. O/7/y Senfe 
 of the Word in the ' Original Language 
 ' wherein 
 
28 The Invalidity 
 
 wherein St Mathew wrote his Gofpe!, which 
 the bed: Criticks afErin was Hebrew, or 
 Syro-Chaldaick, the Language of the Jews 
 in our Saviour's time, vvhereof the Greek 
 is but a Tranflation. Tis certain that the 
 Univerfal Church of Chrift has in all Ages 
 retainM and conftantly praftis'd the Form In 
 the Name of the Trinity 5 and all Antient 
 and Modern Tranflations from the Greel it 
 it felf, have inferted in the Text of the Infti- 
 tution, In the Name,, rather than into the 
 Name 5 which plainly intimates that the For- 
 mer is the moft Genuin Senfe of St. Mathem^s 
 Original Word 5 and confequently, fufficient- 
 ]y Authorizes me to lay fo great a ftrefs up- 
 on the ufual Form of Adminiflring Baptifni 
 In the Name of the Trinity, which neceflari- 
 ]y fuppofes the Adminiftrator thereof to be 
 Vefted with the Divine Power and Commif- 
 fion. Dr. Hammond in his Praftical Catech. 
 Lib, 6. S. 2. mentions the Greek [into the 
 Nawe^ but then he applies it only to the Part 
 of the Perfon Baptized, and fays, that it 
 fignifies, *^ That he devotes and delivers him- 
 ' felf up to be ruled as an obedient Ser^ 
 * vant^ by the Dire&ions of this great Ma- 
 ' Jier^ a willing Difciple of this Blejjhd Tri* 
 \ nitj ; But this is nothing to our prefent 
 purpofe, which is only to enquire, what the 
 Form of Adminiftration fignifies on the Mi-, 
 nifters Part 5^ and this the feme Author; ^clls 
 
of Lay Baptifm. 29 
 
 US in the forecited place, viz. ' That the 
 ' Words \I Baptize thee in the Name of the 
 
 * Father^ and of the So??^ a?7d of the Holy 
 ' Ghofi'] being prefcriPd by Chrifl to his Di- 
 *" fciples Ci, e. Apojiles^ mtift itidifpenfibly be us^d 
 
 by all in the Adminiflration^ and the mean^ 
 in PI of them on the Minijiers Part^ is, that 
 
 * what he does^ he do's not of himfelf but Xti 
 
 * tl^C ^WffZpr Power of or by Commijjion from 
 ' the Blejfed Trinity. 
 
 NAY, tho'theMinifter in Baptizing fhould 
 fay, I Baptize thee into the Name of the Fa- 
 ther, &c. (which would be contrary to the 
 Univerfal Forra) yet even then he would 
 thereby affert the Divine Commiffion by 
 which he Afted 5 becaufe on his Part, Bap- 
 tizing the Perfon into the Name^ muft fignify 
 that by that Aftion he admits him into the 
 Service oi the BlefTed Trinity 5 which being a 
 Service of Infinite Benefit, and attended with 
 Ineftimable5;/;?er;/^/;/r^/ Rewards to the Perfon 
 admitted 5 muft neceffarily fuppofe the Per- 
 fon admitting to be Vefted with a particular 
 Power dLn&SupernaturalkxithQntY for fo great a 
 Purpofe. But this Truth will be further con- 
 firmM by the Arguments that may be drawn. 
 
 Fourthly, From the Deffgn and Benefits of 
 Chriftian Baptifm. For by the Words of 
 Inftitution 'tis plain that the Defign thereof 
 Kto DifdplezW Natioqp- (St. i%/. 28 )or 
 
 ii ^:.: :^anwK>rf ,v.^\3>;^n h ^v^'i^^^^"^ which 
 
go The Invalidity 
 
 which is the fame thing, to enter them into 
 the Church of Chrift, which in feveral Pla- 
 ces of Sacred Scripture is called the Kingdom 
 of God, and the Kingdom of Heaven : Now 
 ^tis evident to whom our Saviour gave the 
 Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, ^'/2s. to 
 his Apoftlcs, and in them to their Savcejfors^ 
 and confequently that he gave to them and 
 thofe whom they (hould Authorize the Pow- 
 er of admitting Perfons into the Church by 
 Baptifm, which is the only Pvite of Initiation 
 into this Sacred Society. 
 
 O N E of the great Priviledges of True 
 Chriflian Baptifm, is, that it is for the iv?r- 
 givenefs of Sins -^ and it may be juftly ask'd. 
 Who can forgive Snis but God only} and if 
 aione can, then certainly no Man mufl aflume 
 to himfclf the Power of Conveying this For- 
 givenefs of Sins to others by the Means of 
 Baptifra except he be endowM for that pur- 
 pofe with Power from on High, even from 
 God himfelf • but we know to whom our 
 Lord gave this Authority, when he faid, 
 Whofefoever Sins ye remit ^ they are re- 
 mitted unto them, and therefore they only^ 
 and fuch as they appoint, can Mediately re- 
 mit Sins by Chriftian Baptifm. 
 
 ANOTHER great Vriviledge of Bap- 
 tijm is, that thofe who receive it are thereby in- 
 tituVd to all the nnfpeakahle Advantages of 
 Free Denizens of Heaven^ notwithftanding 
 
 that 
 
of Lay Bap tiff?:. gi 
 
 that before they were Alicr:s and Stra?2gerf^ 
 and therefore had no Claim, nor any Right 
 or Title to this Freedom ; Now let any Man 
 but ferioufly refled how unreafonable 'twould 
 be for a Stranger and Foreigner in any State 
 or Kingdom, to imagine that every, even Na- 
 tural Siibjecl there, could have Authority to 
 grant him a Valid NaturdUzation, and there- 
 by endow him with all the Rights and /;»- 
 muniti^s which the Free Born Subjeds of that 
 State or Kingdom do enjoy 5 would it not be 
 Rediculousfor him to accept fknowingly) of 
 fuch a pretended Naturalization ? and if he 
 (hould 5 can it be thought rcafonable, that 
 he Ihould enjoy all the Advantages annex'd 
 to a True and Lawful Naturalization, to be 
 receiv'd from the Hands of thofe only who 
 are Authorized for that purpofc ? certainly 
 No 5 never a well Regulated State or King- 
 dom in the World that has Laws for Natura- 
 lizing Strangers would allow it 5 and (hall it 
 then be once thought, that every Subjecl^^ of 
 how mean a Station foever he be in this Spi- 
 ritual Kingdom of God can have Authori- 
 ty to Intitle Strangers to all the Sitper?2atu* 
 ral Advantages which are confequent to a 
 Legal and Valid Naturalization, 
 
 AND indeed all the Benefits and Privi- 
 ledges of True Chriftian Baptifm 2iXtfo great 
 and niany^ that it would be endlefs to re- 
 count them, let it fufficc to fay, that it is a, 
 
 Si.^n, 
 
2 The Invalidity 
 
 Sign, a Seal, a means of Conveyance, and a 
 Vledge to affr.rc us of thefe Supernatural Ad- 
 vantages, ^/2s. of being Incorporated into 
 the Houjhold^ and thereby made Members of 
 Chrift, Childrefz of God, and He/Vx of the 
 Kingdom of Heaven, and of all the the un- 
 fpeakable Happineffes thereof, which Eye 
 hath not feen, ror Ear heard, neither have 
 entered into the Heart of Man to Conceive. 
 
 N O W if any reafonable iinprejndic'd 
 Man will bat duly refieft on thefe fo incon- 
 ceiveable and inefiimable Priviledges, 'twill 
 be very difficult, nay, I may fay, i^;poffible 
 for him to believe that God, who is the God 
 of Order, and not of Conjufton, will beftovv 
 them by the Mcdi^jio?; of thofe to whom 
 he has given no Authority for that Purpofe : 
 Efpecially when he remembers that God has 
 fet apart a Peculiar Order of Men to be the 
 Stewards of his Aljifieries^ and to whom he 
 has giv'n the Power of the Kejs, whereby 
 to admit into and exclude out of his Spiri- 
 tual Kingdom as the Sacred Scripture do's 
 fufficiently inform us : Thefe Men he has 
 dignify'd with extraordinary marks and fignal 
 Charafters of Ho?7our, and feparated them 
 from the reft of Mankind:, that they might 
 reprcfent his Sacred Prefence among US, and 
 that we might have a Jirong Confidence and 
 well-grounded Affurance of their Divine 
 Mijfion^ and of our own Happinefs in being 
 
 admitted 
 
of Lay Baptiff^, 33 
 
 admitted through Baptifm into the Number 
 and Priviledges of his Children by their 
 Authorized Mimjiration 5 for which Reafons, 
 added to thofe others, I have brought under 
 this 4th Head, we may truly fay, That the 
 Divine Authority of him who Adminifters 
 Baptifm is an Effential part of that Holy In- 
 ftitution. But this is confirmM alfo 
 
 Fifthly, By the conftant Praftice of thofe 
 who truly are, and of others who pretend to 
 be the Lawful Minifters of the Chriftian 
 Church. 
 
 THE Lawful Minijlers in all Ages have 
 claim'd the Authority of Baptizing, even 
 from the time of our Saviours firft giving the 
 Commiffion to his Eleven Apoftles unto this 
 Day 5 and for this very Reafon^ becaufe they 
 Derived their Minifterial Power and Autho- 
 rity from Chrift 3 but if the Divine Au- 
 thority of the Adminiftrator of Baptifm 
 were not an Effential Part of that Inftituti- 
 on, their Claim would have been unjuft 
 when founded upon their Divwe Right, and 
 fo every Man would have had. as much Au- 
 thority to Baptize as they : but forafmuch as 
 they were never accus'd of Injuftice for mak- 
 ing this Claim, (except by fuch Wretches as 
 the Author of the Rights, &c, who would 
 confound all Order in the Chriftian Churchy) 
 and fince all Sober Chriftians v/ho knor^ 
 
 their 
 
54 T'/^e Invalidity 
 
 their Duty never laid Claim to this Authori- 
 ty ; it neceflkrily folJows that the Lawful 
 Minifterfl Claim is good, and confequently 
 that the Divine Authority of him who Ad- 
 minifters is an Eflential Part of Baptifm. 
 
 A S for thofe who pretend to be, but are 
 not the Lawful Minifters of Chrift, 'tis well 
 known that they plead for the Authority of 
 Baptizing upon this very fcore that they 
 ejieem their Miniftcrial Commiffion to be of 
 Divine Right ; and therefore will never fuffer 
 their Common People to Admioifter Baptifm; 
 from whence it follows that they al(b in prac- 
 tice confirm this Affertion of the Divine Au- 
 thority of the Adminiftrator of Baptifm; 
 otherwife their claiming the Power of Bap- 
 tizing, by Virtue of the fuppos^d Divine 
 Right of their Miffion would be a meer foo- 
 lery, and indeed a Contradiclion. 
 
 S O that the Lawful Minifter's claiming 
 the Authority of Baptizing, becaule his Mil- 
 fionis truly of Divine Right ; and thaunlaw- 
 ful Minifter's Claiming the fame Authority 
 becaufe he ejleems his MiflTion alfb to be of 
 Divine Right, do both confpire by their 
 Praftice to Confirm this Truth, that the Di- 
 vine Authority of the Adminiftrator of Bap- 
 tifm is an Eflential Part of that Holy Infti- 
 tuticn ; and this is not a little Coroborated. 
 
 Sixthly, 
 
of Lay Baptifm. 5 5 
 
 Sixthly and Laftly, From the Doftrine and 
 Praftice of the Church of E^gU^d. 
 
 For in her 25d Article of Religion, fhe 
 affirms That ' it is not Lawfnl for ar?y Maft 
 
 * to take upon him the Office of Mimfiri^g 
 *" the Sacrawe^fs, Sec. before he be Lawful ly 
 
 * caird and fent to execute the fame. Now 
 what can this Article mean by [jt is not Law- 
 ful f\ Certainly nothing elfe but that it is 
 Sinpl or Contrary to the Divine Law in the 
 Holy Scripture, for fhe is not treating of Ci- 
 'lil^ but Spiritual things: But againft what 
 Law in the Sacred Scriptures is this a Sin > 
 furely againft that Law which treats of thcfi 
 Sacraments^ and this Law is principally in the 
 Inftitution of them ^ fo that the plain mean- 
 ing of this Article muft be, that it is con^ 
 trary to the very Inftitution of the Sacraments 
 for any Man to take upon him the ' Office 
 ' of Adminiftring them, before he be Law- 
 
 * filly calPd andfcnt to exeoffe the fame. 
 
 AND in her Q6th z^rticle ftie teaches that 
 
 * the Adminiftrators of the Sacraments do 
 ^ not Minifter in their Ovvn Name but h\ 
 
 * Chrifts, and by his Commijjion and. Atttho- 
 ' rity. 
 
 AND leaft every One who has acquired 
 ftho' not iuftlyj the Reputation of being 
 fuch a Lawful Minifter, fliould fancy himfelf 
 to have Qhrijl's Qommupon -^ becaufe the 
 
 G People 
 
g6 The Invalidity 
 
 People made choice of him, and fome others 
 of higher Rank among them, took upon 
 them to Ordain him, Seperate from, and In- 
 dependent of the Biiliop, 
 
 In the Preface to her Form and Manner of 
 Making, Ordaining, and Confccrating of 
 Bifhops, Priefts, and Deacons, (he tells us 
 thus, ' It is evident unto all Men diligently 
 ' reading Holy Scripture^ and Antient Au- 
 '' thors, that fror,/ the Apojlles time ther have 
 ' been thefe Orders of Minifters in Chrift's 
 ' Church 5 Bijijopf, Priefts and Deacons , 
 ' which Offices were evermore had in fuch 
 ' Fveverend Eftimation, that no Man might 
 
 * prefume to execute any of them, except 
 
 ' he by Publick Prayer, with Impo- 
 
 ^ fition of Hands, were approved, and ad- 
 ' rairted thereunto by Laivpd Authority [And 
 what fhe means by this Lawful Authority is 
 plain by the words immediately following] 
 ' A.nd Therefore, &c. No Man fliall be ac- 
 ' counted, or taken to be a Lawful Bifhop, 
 ' Prieft, or Deacon, in the Church of Eng- 
 
 * hnd^ or fuffcrM to execute any of the 
 ' faid Funftions, except he be calPd, &c. 
 ' thereunto, according to the Form hereafter 
 
 ' following, cjljat^]^Dfo?m€rtr (CpffCO^ 
 ' palCcnfrcratwn,o?€>;&tnat(ons where- 
 by fte confines the Lawful Authority, fo evi- 
 deiitiy to Epifccpacy^ that a Man rauft be 
 Vv'ilfully blind \\\\o dares to deny it. 
 
 ALL 
 
of Lay Baptip^i. 57 
 
 ALL which put together, fufficiently prove 
 that by the Doftriae of this Church, theDi* 
 vine Authority of the Adminiftrator of 
 Chriftian Sacraments, is an Effential Part of 
 their Inftitution^ and confequently that tlie 
 Divine Authority of the Adminitlrator of 
 Baptifm f which is one of thofe Sacraments) 
 mud: be alfo an Eflential Part of that Holy 
 Inftitution. 
 
 S O likewife by her Praftice (he confirms 
 this Truth 5 for in her OSizq of Ordering of 
 Priefts, the Bilhop fays to the Prieft .• ' Re- 
 ' ceive the Holy Ghoft for the Office and 
 * Work of a Pn'efi in the Church of God 
 ' ^OTP committed u7ito thee by thelmpofition of 
 ' our Hands. Whofe Sins thoudoft Forgive, 
 ' they are Forgiven ^ and whofe Sins thou 
 ' doft retain, they are retained. And be 
 ' thou a faithful Difpenfer of the Word of 
 
 God, and of his Holy Sacramerits 5 fn ihQ 
 ' Name of the Father, and of the Son, and 
 ' of the Holy Ghoft, Awcr?, and delivering 
 to the Priefl kneeling, ihe Bible into his 
 Hand, the Billiop adds ' Tnh thm Authority 
 
 to Preach the Word of God and to Mifiifler 
 ' the Holy S ACT ame>3ts. By al! which 'tis plain 
 that (he reckons the Adminiftration of the 
 Sacraments to be Effential to the OSce of the 
 Prkfl^ and that he muft have Commijjhn 
 even from, the HoJy Trinity, by^he Media-' 
 tion of the Bilhop, convey^! to him^ fo 
 
 G 2 Qiah'fie 
 
38 The InvaUdlty 
 
 Qualifie and Authorize him to Adminifter 
 the fame. And in Conformity to this her 
 Rule of Praftice, when any Perfon, tho' 
 iormerly 2iTeAcher^ and one who has alTumM 
 to himielf before, the Power of Baptlzh/g 
 and Adminiftring the Lord's Supper, not- 
 withrtanding his having continu'd even in the 
 Tolerated Praftice of thefe Ufurpations for 
 many Years together, nay, tho' chosen there- 
 to by the Confent oi the People who fubmit- 
 ted to and acknowledged all fuch his Mini- 
 ftrations to be Falid a^/d Good^ when fuch 
 a Man I fay forfakes his Herefies, or Schifms^ 
 and returns, or defires to be United to her 
 Communion, and to be reckon d in the num- 
 ber, and to have Licenfe to aft as one of her 
 Lawful Mjj/ijiers, fiie will not allow him 
 fuch a Licenfe^ he muft be receivM only to 
 Lay Commumon^ if he was never before Di- 
 vinely AnthoriT^d. by Impoftion of Epifcopal 
 Ha^df, and now reiufes to accept fuch Cat/jo- 
 lick Ord'wation : She thereby declares that he 
 wants the Divbie Commljjio}? to aft in fuch 
 floly iVliniftrations, and that fhe will not 
 acquiefce with his former Ufurpations, he 
 niuft difcUim and retwnrtce them now, if in 
 Ivr Communion he would be allow'd to Ofti- 
 iiire in the Word and Sacraments, as the red 
 '>jf,jier Miijifkrsdo luit why all this, if his 
 IfpWer and Ai; Verity had been fiijjicknt be- 
 fbre^ ior the Purpofcs of the Holy Sacra- 
 ments >: 
 
of Lay Baptifm. ^(^ 
 
 merits? if his Commiffion was good then, 
 'tis fo now, and 'tis needlefs to Re-ordain 
 him ^ but if it was Irtvalid^ (he afts confi- 
 ftent with her felf in refufing to admit him 
 among her Minifters, to whom alone (he gives 
 Authority for thefe great purpofes. And real- 
 ly it ought not to be difTemblM, that if fuch 
 a Man's Admini(irations of the Sacraments 
 were before dgreeable to, and not breaches of 
 their Inftitution, His Miniflry before was al- 
 fo Falid^ and therefore 'twould be even ///?- 
 JHJi to require him to take up a miv Com- 
 mljjion^ and from a?wthcr fort of Authority 
 than what he had received it from at firft ^ 
 becaufe theDefign of handing down Chrift's 
 Commi(Iion to Minifters, in all Ages, is, 
 that there may be con(\antly fuch Perfons to 
 Adminifter the Holy Sacraments, as he in the 
 firft Inftitution of thofe Sacraments did re- 
 quire : but forafmuch as the Church ot E?7^' 
 land requires fuch Perfons, as above mentioned, 
 to receive the Dhwe Authority which (he 
 reckons they wanted before, to qualify them 
 for the Adminiftrarionof Sacraments,'tis plain 
 that this her Praftice difcourages us to hope, 
 that without the Divine Authority they are 
 qualify'd for fuch Miniftrations^ and confe- 
 quently confirms us in this, that the Dhrne 
 Commijlon of the Adniiniitrator is anEfleu- 
 tial Part of the Inftitution of a Sacramenr. 
 Nay, fo very Cautious is flie, not to allow 
 
 G :5 the 
 
^Q 7 he hivalidity 
 
 the ccfftrdry, that flie makes not fo much as 
 any exception for Cafes of Abfolute Ntrclfity, 
 r.o'not tho' an Unbaptiz'd Perfon were giv- 
 incr ^ip the Ghoft, The has not declar'd that 
 any one may BaptiTe him bat the Mih;ijier of 
 the PariJJj, or ill hi^ Abfcnce any other Law- 
 fid Ml;/fftcr that c<ir\ be prociirM • as in her 
 Office tor private B^pfi//^/, which is the only 
 Office the has provided for Cafes of Neceffi- 
 ty : and what (lie means in the Rubrick there- 
 of, by Lawpd M'nnfier^ is eafily deteminM by 
 "her 26th Article of Religion, viz. ' One who 
 ' Mi^^ijlers in ChriV s Name^ and by his Com- 
 * MiiJiQn ar^d Anihority. 
 
 AN D now to famm up all that has been 
 faid under thefc Six Heads, 
 
 FORASMUCH as God under the 
 Mofdic Difpenfatior?, which w^as but rhe^J^r^- 
 runncr of the Chrijiia^;^ made the Divine Au^ 
 rhortty of the Adminiftrator, an EflentiaJ Part 
 of his then Pofitive Inftitutiou'^, infomuch as 
 not to accept of the performance of the lat- 
 ter without th^for/^/er : Forafmuch as Chrift 
 "himfelf, notwithftanding his own Perfonal 
 Excellencies ond PerfeBions^ and the preffing 
 hiecejfitics of the whole World, which ftood 
 in need of bis Miniftrations, would not leave 
 his private Station to take upon him fo great 
 an Office till duly Authorized by the Divine 
 
 External 
 
of Lay Baptffm, 41 
 
 External Commijjion : Forafmuch as in the 
 Words of the Inftitution of Eaptifm, our 
 Lord Commiflion d no other than his Eleven 
 Apoftles and their Succeffors and Subftituteg 
 to Baptize to the End of the World : foraf- 
 much as their Commiffion fas all others are) 
 is Exclnfive of all, but thofe to whom 'twas 
 given 5 and the very Form of Adminiftration 
 of Baptifm, in the Nar^/e, or by the Aitthorl^ 
 ty of the Trinity requires, and neceilariiy 
 fuppofes and implies the Dhwe Authority of 
 him wJio Adminifters : forafmuch as the Pe- 
 nefirs of Baptifm are fo great and ^UpCVltS^ 
 tUtSi) that none can give or convey them by 
 Baptifm, but fuch as God has appointed : for- 
 afmuch 35 all who call themfelves the Di- 
 vinely Authorized Minifters of the Chriftian 
 Church, have in all Ages claimM the Power 
 of Baptizing upon the Account of their Di- 
 vim Commijfion : and laftly, Forafmuch as 
 the Church oi England by her D0ri//e and 
 Practice, gives fufficient ground to believe 
 that none can Adminifter Sacraments but 
 thofe who are Divinely Ah^ihoriz*d for that 
 purpofe, and that to pretend to do fo, is con- 
 trary even to the very Inftitution of the 
 Chriftian Sacraments ,• feeing all thefe premi- 
 fes are true, and not to be ccnyM, without 
 running into unavoidable inconilftencies and 
 Contradiftions, itmuft neceilariiy be granted 
 that {hQ Divine Anthority of the Adminiftra- 
 
 G 4 tor 
 
The hwdlidity 
 
 tor of BaptiTm is an Ejjcntial Part of that 
 Uo\\ Inftirution, to beobfervM as often and 
 as long as Baptifm fnall be neceflary to be 
 AdminiiterMfz>(?;/ to the End of the World. 
 
 PROPOSI. II. 
 
 THAT every EfTential Part of Chriftian 
 Baptifm^ (z//"z,- The Dlvim Authority of the 
 Adminiftraror, The Water and the Form of 
 Admimflration in the Name of the TrinityJ 
 is o( equal Obligation and Neceffity to us. 
 
 DEMON This will follow from the firft 
 Propofition of the Introdudion 5 which I 
 finl! apply to this Divine Pofitivelnftitution ^ 
 for the very Nature of this Inflitution is fuch 
 th It it had no Intrh?frck Excellency or Moral 
 Virtue, either in the Perfon Baptizing, or in 
 the Water, or in the Form of Words where- 
 with Baptifm is given, to bind or oblige us 
 to obferve the fame, till the Divine Com- 
 niind laid that Neceffity upon us, as indeed 
 we find it did ^ fo that now we areoblig'd to 
 obferve this Inftitution purely and only by 
 Virtue of this Divine Covrmand, which, for- 
 afmnch as it extends it felf to every one of 
 the fald Effcntial Parts therof (as has been 
 prov'd in the preceeding Propofition, where- 
 in 'tvvas Demonftrated, 1 hat the Divine Antho- 
 
 tifj 
 
of Laj Baptifri. 43 
 
 rity of the Admwijtrdtor of Baptlfm is an 
 EjfentJdl Part they of as well as the Water 
 and the Forr^i) will make them all of equal 
 Anthority, and confequently of equal Necef- 
 fity and Ohli(iation to US, becaufe the Divine 
 Authority of the Adminiftrator, the Water, 
 and the Form of Adminiftration are every 
 one of them diftincHy of the fame Nature 
 (/. e. but mecr Pofitive Inftitutes) as the whole 
 Inftitution it felf. And again, being all Ef- 
 fential Parts \or fuch as are cofifiantly to he 
 ohferv^d as long as the Ordinance of BaHifm 
 Jhall be obliging] 'tis evident that for the 
 fame Reafon as one part may be omitted, 
 another may be fo likewife, and confequent- 
 ly that every one of them is upon all Accounts 
 vphatfoever, of equal Obligation and Neceffi- 
 ty to us. cgL. E D. 
 
 CORO LART. 
 
 HENCE it follows that as no Humane 
 Authority can Difpenfe with the whole In- 
 ftitution of Baprifm, where ^tis binding and 
 obliging (^Axiom 5.) fo neither can they 
 Difpenfe with the OmHlion of either 
 Water, or the Form of Adminiftration, in 
 the Name of the Trinity, or the Divine Mif- 
 fion of him who Admiaifters : Nor can any 
 fuch Authority determine that one of thefc 
 
 ElTential 
 
44 The Invalidity 
 
 Effenrial Parts of the Adniiniftration of 
 Baptifm, is more excellent than another, be- 
 caufe they have every one diftinclly^the fame 
 Authority Commanding, from which alo7te 
 .they receive their whole Force and Efficacy, 
 and are only by Virtue of th^ft one Authority, 
 IBjdc equally neceffary and bidding to us. 
 
 PROPOSL I!L 
 
 WHOSOEVER affirms Baptifm to be 
 ivholly Null and hvdlid, by reafon of the 
 Of^ijjio7t either of Water, or of the Form of 
 Adminiftring in the Name of the Trinity : 
 Ought alfo for the fame. Reafon to acknow- 
 ledge that Baptifm is as much Null and In- 
 valid when it wants only the Divine Anthori" 
 ty or Cow/mjjion of the Adminiftrator. 
 
 DEMON.'^rius will %llow from the 
 fecond Propofition of the Introduftion, 
 
 FOR the only Reafon why the Omiffion 
 of either Water, or the Form, makes fuch a 
 Baptifm Void,rntrftbe bccaufe fuchOn^ifEon 
 hVnlaivfnl or Contrary to the Inftitution of 
 Baptifm (^Axiom 4.) So that he muft affirm 
 fuch Baptifm Null, becaufe 'tis Adminifter'd 
 either with fuch Matter or Form as the hifti- 
 tution has not appointed ^ or becaufe 'tis not 
 
 Ad- 
 
of Laj Baptjfri, 45 
 
 AdminifterM wirh fuch Matter or Form as 
 
 the Inftitution requires 5 Now forafmuch as 
 
 Chrift, who appointed the Water and the 
 
 Form, appointed alfo the Perfon who ihould 
 
 Adminifter both the one and the ether, and 
 
 lince the Divine Authority of this Admini- 
 
 ftrator is an Eflential Part, and as much 
 
 obliging and neceflary as thofe two other 
 
 ElTential Parts of the Inftitution (by the iji 
 
 affd id Propoftiofn) it muft neceffarily iol- 
 
 low that the want of Divine Authority in 
 
 him who Adminifters, is equally a Breach of, 
 
 or contrary to the faid Inftitution 5 and 
 
 therefore if the want of Water, or the Form, 
 
 makes any Baptifm to be wholly Null and 
 
 Void^ becaufe contrary to the Inftitution ^ 
 
 the want alfo of G77ly the Divine Commifli- 
 
 on in the Adminiftrator, muft for the fame 
 
 Reafon make that Baptifm fo Minifter'd to be 
 
 wholly Invalid and of no effcB^ being equally 
 
 contrary to the fame Inftitution : and con- 
 
 fequcntly whofoever affirms Baptifm to be 
 
 wholly Null and Invalid^ by reafon of the 
 
 OmijfioH either of Water or the Form, ought 
 
 alfo for the fame Reafon to acknowledge that 
 
 Baptifm is as much Null and Invalid when it 
 
 wants only the Divine Authority or Comm.if- 
 
 fion of the Adminiftrator, ^ E, D, 
 
 CORO^ 
 
46 The Invalidity 
 
 CORO LART. 
 
 FROM this Propofition it undoubtedly 
 follows that the Invalidity of fuch Baptifms 
 as arc AdminifterM by unauthorized Perfons, 
 cannot be partial^ but erftire 5 for if Baptifm 
 be wholly void for want of Water, or the 
 Form of Adminiftring in the Name of the 
 Trinity, as the whole Church of Chrift have 
 conftantly and with great Reafon affirmM ^ it 
 muft be alfo f by this laft Propofition) as 
 entirely f and confequently not partially) In- 
 valid, for want of o;dj the Divine Million of 
 the Adminiltrator 5 and all this by reafon of 
 the equal Authority and Necejjity of every one 
 of thefe Efiential Parts. 
 
 I mention this, [that there cannot be any 
 partial Invalidity^ but it muft be whole and 
 entire'] becaufe I have heard from fome^ that 
 the want of the Divine Miffion of the Ad- 
 miniftrator of Baptifm, makes fuch a Bap- 
 tifm but partially Invalid 5 and that provi- 
 ded the Perfon is Baptized by fuch a one, 
 with Water, and the pronouncing of [In the 
 Nante of the Father^ and of the Son^ and of 
 the Holy Gho/i(] Impofition of the Bifhop^s 
 Hand is fufficient to fupply the other defeft ^ 
 and confequently to make fuch Baptifm as 
 Valid, as it would have been, if Admini- 
 
 ftcrM 
 
of Lay Baptifm. 47 
 
 fter^d by one Divinely Authori%d , that is, 
 rvholly and entirely Valid ; but that this can- 
 not be, is evident by the above-mention'd 
 Corolary, wherein 'tis plainly Demonftrated 
 that if in this Cafe there be any Invalidity at 
 all, it cannot be partial but entire : and as 
 for the virtue of fuch Impofition of Hands, 
 'tis utterly contrary to Axiom the %t\ which 
 is a fitCtt principle, viz». That no Power or Au- 
 thority or Earth can by any after AS {not ap- 
 pointed by God for that pnrpofe) make thai, 
 which before was Invalid^ to become as Valid^ 
 as the Conforming to the Divine Injlitution it 
 felf would have made it : So that, if by Im- 
 pofition of Hands they would make fuch Im- 
 perfeft or Invalid Baptifms, to be as Valid as 
 the perfeft ones performed according to the 
 Inftitution ^ it lies upon them to Demon- 
 ftrate, that fuch Impofition of Hands was 
 appointed by God himfelf either in fome 
 Law, or by the Praftice of the Holy Apo- 
 ftles, for fuch a purpofe^ but this I Difpair 
 of ever feeing them do, becaufe the Sacred 
 Oracles give us not the leaft Encouragement^ 
 either in plain Words, or by good Inferen- 
 ces (to be drawn from fuch as are not fo 
 plain) to believe that this Rite of the Impo* 
 fition of Hands, with refpeft to Baptized 
 Perfons, was ever OrdainM, but to be per- 
 formed on thofe only, who were before truly 
 and Validly Baptized : Ther is not one Ex- 
 maple 
 
48 T/?<: hrvalidity 
 
 ample of the Apoftlesufing this Ceremony to 
 make up fuch deficis of i:aptirm 5 nor any 
 thing like it ^ and if in after k%t% fome csM 
 this Ordinance for that purpofe fas I find 
 they didj they feem thereby to have dif- 
 pens'd vvitli a Divine Pofitive Inftitution at 
 the fame time that it wasi///;//;;^ and obliging ^^ 
 which was taking to themfelves an Authori- 
 ty that did not at all belong to them (by Axi- 
 om 5.) I fay they difpens'd with a Divine 
 Pofirivc Inftitution when 'twas binding and 
 obh'ging, becaufe theyallowMof ih^OmijJlon 
 of the Divine Authority of the Adminiftra- 
 tor of Baptifm, which might have been had 
 fand was therefore binding and obligingj at 
 t\\(tfarn: time as they gave Im.pofition of 
 Hands to fuch imperfeftly Baptized Perfons, 
 who might Injlcad thereof, have been /i^^ 
 Baptiz'd by themfelves or their Subiiitutes, 
 who were vefted with the Divine Authority 
 for that purpofe .* 
 
 A S for the Church of 'Ejfgland fhe gives 
 us not the leafl Intimation of any Efficacy in 
 the Impofition of the BiQiop's Hand, to give 
 Validity to fuch Baptifms as are fuppos'd to 
 be partly Invalid before ^ for her Office of 
 Confirmation is made only forPerfons Falldly 
 Baptized'^ and it they are not fo, the ufe of 
 that Office upon thein Account, will be a per- 
 fect Contradidion :, becaufe the Prayer of 
 the Bifhop before he blefles by hnpofition ot 
 his Hand, aUcrts, ' That Gad h^s Rcgenera- 
 
 ' ted 
 
of Lay Baptifm, 49 
 
 ^ ted the F erf on by Water avd the • Hclj 
 ' GhoU '^ and has given ifnto hi m forgivenefs 
 ' of all his Sins^ which takes in the whole 
 Benefit of Valid Baptifm, and therfore can- 
 not be faid, with any Senfe, over a Perfon 
 v;hofe Baptifm is fuppos'd to be but partly 
 Valid, and confequently to convey but part 
 of the Benefits of True Baptifm. So little 
 has (lie provided for any Method of giving 
 Validity to partly Invalid Baptifms, as feme 
 before her have done. 
 
 THE Caufe why they would not in 
 thofe Days give fuch Perfons CathoUch Bap- 
 tifm at the Hands of thofe who are duly 
 Authorized by the Divine Commi\fion^ was, 
 that they reckoned any Baptifm with Water, 
 in the Name of the Trinity, by whomfGever 
 Adminifter'd, to be that One Baptifm which 
 ought not to be repeated 3 and yet at the 
 fame time they efteem'd fuch a Baptifm in fome 
 Meafure Invdid^ till it was perfeded or ei- 
 ther mended by Impofition of the Bifliops 
 Hands :, now who (that ferioufly confiders 
 thefe thingsj does not fee a great deal of 
 inconfifrency in this Matter .<^ for if therbe 
 B^lt one Baptifm,^ it muft certainly be that 
 which has no Invalidity^ being Adminifte.M 
 eoftly according to the Inftitution ^ 
 and therefore thofe ^//;er B/^p///^/ v;hich are 
 not fo Adminifter'd and are therefore con- 
 fefledly impcrfe^ and i^arily hz\i!id, muft be 
 
 ot 
 
50 The Invalidity 
 
 of another hind diftinft from that One True 
 Baptifni^ and this will introduce two Sorts of 
 Baptifms in the Chriftian Church ; which is 
 utterly contrary to their own AlTertion, as 
 well as that of the Holy Scripture, which 
 acknowledges no more than Om Baptifm for 
 the Rsntijjion of Sins : and confequently thefe 
 imperfeQ: Baptifms are no Baptifms at all, 
 and fo are entirely void and of no effeft^ 
 And indeed to allow the Contrary, is inefFeft 
 to deftroy the whole Miniflry of the Chrijlian 
 Priejihood ^ and to open a Door of Luenn- 
 oufnefs to all Intrudors into that Sacred 
 Office, and thereby put every Mm upon a 
 Level, infomuch that at laft all may fet up 
 for themfelves, and refufe to give any regard 
 or attention, any deference or refpeft to our 
 blefled Lord and Mafter, in the Perfon of 
 his AuthorizM Minifters 3 for where will the 
 Confufion end, if every Man may be fup- 
 pos'd capable of giving Valid Baptlfm} Will 
 they not argue. What need we attend upon 
 others for thefe Miniftrations, when we have 
 as much} alid Power therein as themfelves? 
 if our Baptifms are Valid, fo may our Ad- 
 miniftrations of the Lord's Supper, and much 
 more our Preaching to, and Teaching fuch 
 People, as we can gather to our felves: if 
 Validity maybeallow'd fo all thefe hy whom- 
 foever Adminifter'd, then Farewel all Rule 
 and Order in theChurch 3 and Chrift's fettinj^ 
 
 fonis 
 
of Lay Bapt2p?2, 5 % 
 
 fome therein, firft Apojlles-^ fecondariiy Pro- 
 phets, &c. for the perfefting of the Saints, 
 for the Work of the MiniAry^ and his pro- 
 mifins; to be with them to the end of 
 the World , was to no purpofe. AM 
 it will not ferve to fay, that fuch Men will 
 be guilty of Sin in thofe Ufarpations, ex- 
 cept we fay alfo, that their Afithoritatlve Ads 
 of Mwijirhg in the Holy Sacraments are Sins 
 too, and confequently, contrary to the Infti- 
 tution of thofe Sacram.ents, and therefore of 
 ?/o effect to convey the SHper?7atifrdl Graces 
 and Benefits annexM to them : for, if ever 
 Men can be once perfwaded, th3t a^/y nnan- 
 thori'L^d Perfon can by means of the mere 
 Opf^s Operdtum of Sacraments convey thofe 
 unfpeakable Advantages ^ it will be in vain 
 fO? ^mtXm^iWttp totell them of the5/^ 
 of Ufurping that Office, when you in effeft 
 affure them, that every Chriftian ciw Validlj 
 Exercife it 5 and as fruitlefs will it be, to 
 preach to them the Danger of Schifm or 
 caufelefs Separation from the Church, when 
 you, by allowing the Validity of their Un- 
 commiffiorPd Teachers Miniftrations of fup- 
 posM Sacraments, give them an Arguinent to 
 confound all that you fhall fay for thetf 
 Gonviftion, by yourafBrming that their Sacra^ 
 ments are as true^ and effectual as your ovvn § 
 and that, fince they thereby receive as much 
 Spiritual Benefit as others do by y(!K\xs,(hecaHfi 
 
 H God 
 
%2 The Invalidity 
 
 God as much concurs with fnch their SAcramcnts 
 US ivith yours') your charging them with 
 Schijmxw adhering to Mi/jtfhrs who have no 
 Divine Miijlon, is ridiculous and nonfcnfica]^ 
 beca Life they have all as Valid a Commijjian 
 as your own, which you your felves muft 
 needs grant, by allowing, the Validity oi 
 their fupposM Sacraments. Nay further, jf 
 it be allowed that fuch their Sacraments are 
 Valid, then any Excommunicated l?erfon (tho' 
 never Authoriz d by a Divine CommiffioiV) 
 if he can but gather a Congregation to him- 
 felf, may fet up for a VAlid Minijier ^ and 
 even they who hnovp this may receive , Valid 
 Sacramc7tts at his Hands, if the want of a Di- 
 vine Miffion in the Adminiflrator do*s not In^ 
 validate the Sacrame?!ts : Which is a Confe- 
 q.uence fo horrid^ and attended with fuch 
 infinite ConfujJons^ that it iliould make fober 
 Chriftians even tremble to think of it ; And 
 this brings me to my lafl: Propofition, viz, 3 
 
 PROPOSl. IV. ^ 
 
 .THAT he who knows himfelf to have 
 hem bi'Vcdldly Baptiz'd- by one who never 
 had the ^i\mZ ComiWiffiOn can have no jhJI 
 Grounds . to expeft the ^ufternatnral Gf^a^es^nd 
 Benefits annexM to the 0/is True Chniftim, 
 B0ifm'^ Xl^^^ hisutmo.fi fei^.A^ 
 
 '*;. ; obtain- 
 
of Lay Bciptiji^. 55 
 
 obtaining of them, by endeavocring to pro- 
 cure That One Baptif^/ from the Hands of d 
 Divinely Authorized Mimfier. 
 
 DEMON. For however God may di- 
 fpenfe with the tDant of this Sacrament to 
 thofe who know nothing of it 3 fuch as 
 Infants:^ or others who think they have re- 
 ceived it tho* they have not, and would re- 
 ceive it if they could be perfwaded that rhey 
 had not 5 or laftly, thofe who know that 
 they never receivM it, and are hearrilj defi- 
 rous of it, but cannot poflibly attain it: ye'-; 
 clS he who k?2orvs tc do good^ and do^s it not , to 
 hint it is Sin (^Axiom 6.J So he who feuOtdS 
 that he ought to be BaptizM bv a Niinifter 
 vefted with the 5©tt)inC 9iUt]^0?it^Mor that 
 purpofe, and llCglCCt2>tu be lo bapiizM, in- 
 curs the guilt of Sin, and confequently, 
 while he continues in that guilt, can fby 
 Axiom 6.) expeft none of the Supernatural 
 Benefits annex'd to the due performance of 
 his negle&ed Duty of receiving fuch Falid 
 Baptif/n, This is fo clear' and evident that 
 ther is no need to enlarge upon it: Only I 
 would further add, that ,if he knows him- 
 felf to be Invalidly Bapt'izM by one who 
 never had the Divine Commifnon, and who 
 notwithftanding prefiim'd to Baptize him in 
 Oppofition to and Rebellion againfr, thofe who 
 were truly Authoriz'd for that purpofe. his 
 H 2 acquiefciag 
 
54 The Invalidity 
 
 acquiefce with fucli a Baptifai will be an 
 Audition to his Sin, becaufe he thereby 
 mikes hinirdf a partner in the other's ISCfceV^ 
 lion, rind (Irengthens him and his Adherents 
 in their VVickedntfs of oppojwg Chrifts 
 I/uviul Minifters, concerning whom our 
 Bleried Lord has pofitively affirm'd, that, he 
 tvho ckfpifcs thcm^ defpifes hini^ atid he that 
 dcfpifes hi^/, defpifes him that fen t him 5 and 
 what greater Contempt can beoffer*d to them, 
 than to take part with fuch as oppofe them in 
 ViW the Miniftrations of that Sacred Office to 
 which our Savrour has appointed them <? This 
 fliouid make us exceeding careful not to con- 
 cur with fuch Men in their Uftrpations^ 
 cfpecially conlldering that by this our Con- 
 currence we involve our felves in the guilt 
 of Rehelliof!^ even againft God himfelf^ the 
 cont'cqucnce of which mufl: needs fall /;//?- 
 /;/7e/i' (hort of any the leafi: Advantage, and 
 on the contrary bring upon us the fevereft of 
 his Wrath, inftead of thof Snpeniahiral 
 Graces and Benefits which he has promisM to 
 thofc who duly obey his Holy Inftitutes. 
 
 A S for thofe who do not, but yet way 
 know whether the Baptifm they have receiv'd 
 be according to Clirift's Inflitution, or no, 
 and cf^nfequently Valid ox fwt Valid i^ k high- 
 ly concerns them to make ufe of thofe F'a- 
 cnftrcs wherewith God lias BlciTed them, that 
 t^h.ey may i:t)t be deceived in fo great an Affair 
 
 a«= 
 
of Lay Bapf/fi^, 55 
 
 as this is^ lor willful Ig?2or.2Mcc, r<nd carclef- 
 mfs ki Spiritual things, will never exnife 
 them at the Day of }udgriient, nor will it 
 then ferve their turns to plead, rh^t thev 
 follovv'd the Inflruclions and ilxamples of 
 their Teachers, for our Lord, who is Truth 
 it felf, has faithfully aflnrM us, xhn if the 
 Blhid lead the Blind ^ both fl^nll fall if? to the 
 Ditch A and the miprofitable Servant who 
 improvM not his Lord's Talent, bur hid it in 
 a Napkin, was for his Sloth and idlemfs 
 branded with the dreadful Name of IViched^ 
 and Gift into outer Darknefs, to teach us 
 Diligence in the moft important things of 
 another Life 5 and what can be of greater 
 Importance to us, than to know \vh - 
 ther we are truely Initiated into tJie 
 Chriftian Church, and thereby intiturd to 
 all Thofe infinite Benefits tind Privi leges ^ thofe 
 ineftimable Graces and Bleffings which every 
 Member of the Church has a Ri(yht and Title 
 to ? certainly, it highly concerns usro knovy 
 the Truth of our Clnin/ to fuch vaPt Benefits, 
 fince our Saviour has told us, That except a 
 Man he horn of Water, &:c. he cannot enter 
 into the Kingdom of God, he cannot be a 
 Member of that Kingdom here in the Church 
 Militant^ nor in Heaven hereafter, /;/ the 
 Church Triun/phanfj if thro' his carlefihefs 
 and negligence hehas not been righilj Initio- 
 
 H ^ ted 
 
§ 6 The Invdlidity 
 
 ted thereinto by that One Baptiff^ , which 
 Chrifk has Inftituted and Comrmljion'd his 
 Jpofilcs and them only^ with their Sttccejfors 
 4nd their Suhfiifutes, to Adminifler for that 
 purpofe, to the End of the World, 
 
 AND now having gone thro' all that I 
 defignM to fay about Invalid Baptifi^, I (hall 
 conclude with my Anfwers to fome few Ob- 
 jeftions that may probably t^ flarted againft 
 this Effay. 
 
 OBJECTIONS. 
 
 I QO ME may Objeft, That, tho' Chrift 
 Lj bid his Eleven Apofiles Difciple the 
 I^^ations Baptizing them^ &c. yet, he did not 
 not therfore confine Baptifm to their, and 
 their Succeflors Miaillration fo, as that 7tont 
 can Adminifter true Baptifm but they and fnch 
 only as they {hail Authorize 5 for if he had, 
 ht would in exprefs Words have told us, that 
 no others fiiould have Authority to Baptize 
 but they. 
 
 Anfwer, Tis tJniverfally granted that our 
 
 LordconfiaM the Matter of Baptifm to Wa- 
 
 Jer^ and the Form to. In the Name of the 
 
 Trinity ; merely by his faying thefe Words, 
 
 ^^pti::,ing them the Name of the Father ^ and of 
 
 ' *"'"' ' ' the-, 
 
of Lay Daptif/^/. ^7 
 
 the Son, a};d of the Holj Ghofi , So thit HvQ 
 other Matter ov Form can be introcliicM for 
 the Adminiftration of Falid Baptifm, tho' 
 Chrift has not in exprefs Words forbidden 
 us to Introduce them. Evenfo, tho' he has no 
 where faid in exprefs Words, That vone hut 
 his Apoflles^and their Succeffors^and fhch as they 
 fhonld appoint might have this Af/thorit), yet I 
 affirm, that he has confinM true Chriiiian 
 Baptifm to theif- Mimjlratt&n only -^ becaufe, 
 he has done as much as if he had faid fo in 
 exprefs and pofirive Words ^ for he gave that 
 Commi\Jion dXtVXlXdX\!^to them^ar^d^o no others'^ 
 and promised con\lantly to coneur i.vith, and fnp- 
 port them in theExercife therof, to the End of 
 the World 5 and he has made no fuch Pro- 
 mifetoLay Baptizers. Befides this Commif- 
 fionis of fuch great Moment, that the Apofdes 
 themfelves could never have laivfdL under- 
 taken to Minifter in it, if Chrift himfelf had 
 X\Ot particularly Anthoriz^d them fa to do^ be- 
 caufe Baptifm, is, by virtue only of Chrift's 
 Inftitution, made a Means of conveying 
 ^UpernatWal^enefitlSvvhichtheyhadno.ia*. 
 tUtal IStSi^t to conter on any Man h.y means 
 therof and they could acquire no^upCttiatU^ 
 tPal jflDnC to do fo, till Chrift gave them that 
 l^ower by a Particular Def/gnation^ as we find 
 he did, in the very Words of Inliicution x, and 
 therfore, fince the Apoftles themfelves could 
 never have prefum'd to aft in this great Mi- 
 ll 4 niftration. 
 
5 8 The hivalldity 
 
 niftration, without a Particular Camnnjjian^ 
 it being impoilible for even them to Admini- 
 fter Baptifm Valid, for Sitpernaturd Ends and 
 Pirrpofes^ Vv^ithout it; it muft needs follow 
 that no others can do fo, but by Virtue of 
 this^ or fome other new Commiffion^ and if they 
 have no 7jcw one^ they muft do it by virtue 
 of the Old, and confequently, he who Ad-, 
 minifters Bj^ptifm , valid for Supernatural 
 
 purpofe^ ano 'ttgnot Cl^jttftmnjSapttfm if ft 
 
 i)e]nOt t]^U051*al(D) mult neceliarily be vefted 
 with the Divine Lom/^iilfion given at firft to 
 the Eleven Apoftles, and by their Succeflbrs 
 conveyM down to him : And if fo, then all 
 others ci re excluded from any Valid Miniftra- 
 tion hereof, becaufe they are Deftitute of 
 this Divine Ccmmiilion which was never once 
 given to them for fuch a purpofe. 
 
 II. Others may probably Objed, That at 
 this Rate I confine the Efficacy of the Sacra- 
 ments, and particularly of Baptifm, rvholly 
 to the Divine Authority of the Adminiftra- 
 \gt ^ and fo, if the Perfon who Minifrers, has 
 not been Con^n^ijjion'd by Chrift, h.e Admini^ 
 Jier^no realSacran^ents at all. 
 ^''^JnC When the outward Elements of the 
 Chriftian Sacraments are rightly AdmiuifterM 
 according to all the Ejfential Parts of their 
 JnflltHtipn^ then, and then ouly^ they become 
 efficacious to the Vfe.rthy R.aeiver of them^ 
 
 and 
 
of Lay BaptJC^/, ^a 
 
 and this their Efficacy proceeds o^^lj from the 
 Promife of God, made to fuch due Admini- 
 ftration of them : So that in Chriftian Bap- 
 tifm, the Efficacy depends ^o more upon the 
 Divine Commiljion of him who Adminifters, 
 than upon the WaU)\ and the Form of Ad- 
 miniftration ^ but upon God's Promife to 
 befto^v the Sjfpematurd Graces thereof, by 
 the Mediation of his own Alinijier'^s apply.' 
 ing the Water in the Name of the Trinity : 
 And therfore, as the Church has conftantly 
 affirmed, that God do's not give Efficacy to 
 Water Adminifter'd even by his own Minijter^ 
 without the ufe of thefe Words [In the 
 Name of the Father^ and of the Son, and of 
 the Holy Gholr] becaufe an Ejjential Part of 
 the Inftitution is omitted ^ So, we have n$ 
 .Reafin from Divine Revelation (^which is 
 our onl^ (KuitlC in this Cafe J to believe, that 
 he will give Efficacy to Water Adminifter'd 
 with the pronouncing of the faid Form of 
 Words, when 'tis done by one who has not 
 the Divine Commijjion for fo doing, becaufe 
 this is alfo an Omiffion of another equally 
 Ejjential Part of the fame Inftitution, as I 
 humbly hope I have fufficiently provM. 
 
 AS to the latter part of this Objeftion, 
 viz. That if the Perfon who Minifters has 
 not been Commiflion'd by Chrift, he Ad- 
 minifters no re^l Sacraments at all 5 I readily 
 acknowledge that my Ddfcourfe do's imply 
 
 fo 
 
6o The Irtvalidity 
 
 fo much 5 and that the contrary ought upon 
 m Account whatfoever to be affirmed or believ'd 5 
 becaufe, the outward Elements are not Sacra- 
 ments by themfelves, nor made any ways 
 Efficacious for Supernatural purpofes , till 
 Adminifter'd as God has appointed in their 
 Inftitution^ and when they are fo Adrnwl- 
 flerd, then they become Sacraments^ and are 
 thereby made Means of conveying^ and alfo 
 Pledges to affure us of, the Supernatural Gra- 
 ces which God has annex'd to fuch their Ad- 
 miniftration ^ Now who do's not fee at firft 
 fight, that no^c can make any thing to be 
 the Means of conveying Supernatural Benefits 
 and Advantages-^ who have not the Power 
 and Authority of a Supernatural Commijion ? 
 TJiat no Perfon can make that, which before 
 had no fuch Excellent Quality, to become 
 a Pledge or An Earneji of Affurance, that 
 God will grant us fnch Ineftimable Graces, 
 and Priviledges fas Nature could never have 
 IntituPd us to) except he be firft fent^ and 
 therhj Authorized for that purpofe, by him 
 who is to acknowledge the Pledge as his own, 
 and for the fake therof, is to perform all 
 that was promis'd and imply'd by the giving 
 and receiving of it ? 
 
 As for inftance, 
 
 IN Chriftiaa Baptifni; Water, the.out- 
 .:\ ward 
 
of Lay Bapiifm, 6l 
 
 ward Element, is no Chriftian Sacrament till 
 apply'd as the Inftitution of Baptifm re- 
 quires, and then, and then only 'tis a Means 
 of conveying^ and a Pledge to ajfure hs oi the 
 Myfiical Wafhing away of Sin i^ and how fhall 
 we reft fatisty'd and affurM, that it is fuch a 
 Means and Pledge, if it is not applyM and 
 given to us by ®0& ^tlltfClf ?^ the Perfon of 
 his Reprefentative^ CommiffionM by him to 
 give us this Affurance ? 'tis certain, that if 
 Wafer be applyM never fo ferioufly, it can* ' 
 not be the Chrijlian Sacrament of Baptifm, 
 if it wants the true Form, \ in the Name of ^ 
 the Trinity,'] appointed in the Inftitution ^| 
 this every one will acknowledge ^ and why' 
 then fhould any one plead for its being a ' 
 Sacrament, when the very Truth of theForni 
 it felf is deftroyM by the Adminiftration of 
 an Un-CommifiionM Perfon, who cannot 
 really and truly fay, I Baptize thee in the 
 Name |^ or by the Authority and Commifji- 
 on^oi the Father and of the Son, and of 
 the Holy Ghoft :, this his Ufurpation is as 
 contrary to the Inftitution, as a truly Com- 
 miffion'd Perfon's leaving out the Form 
 wouM be 3 as I think I ^havi^ provM 5 and ' 
 therfore , if the one hinders the Water frorn.! ' 
 being a True Chriftian Sacrament, the other? 
 muft do fotoo, becaufe the Perfon to Admi-'^ 
 nifter is as much appointed^ as the Matter and 
 Form of A'dminiftration «• And this Perfon is 
 
 as 
 
The Invalidity 
 
 80 tUUCl) the Reprefcfftative of God, the giver , 
 as the matter is the Reprefentatlot? of the Gra- 
 ces given ^ infomuch, that we have at leaft as 
 much reafon to omit the SyrAGikal Elemef?t^ 
 as we have to leave out the Divine Authority 
 or Cowmijfion which reprefents no lefs than 
 God himfelf 3 and rherfore thofe Admini- 
 ftrations of thG former^ which are deftitutc 
 of the latter, are no Chriftian Sacraments or 
 f which is the fame) Meaf^s and Pledges of 
 Supernatural Graces, 
 
 III. But if this be fo f others will fay) you 
 have brought us to a fine pafs ^ for 'ris vvell 
 known that this Divine Authority i? very 
 much Controverted, and ^\L(:i^ to wji it, is 
 not yet determined ^ fo thar while we are in 
 this fufpenfe, we muft be always doubting 
 concerning the Validity of our Raptifm, and 
 therby you put this Divine Inftitution upon 
 a very precarious and uncertain Foundati- 
 on. 
 
 Anf. That the Divine Right of who fliall 
 Minifter in things pertaining to God, has 
 been, and ftill is, very much Difputed by 
 fome Ignorant and Foolifl) Men, and alfo by 
 others of corrupt Principles and wicked Dc- 
 figns^ we find to be too true, by woful Expe- 
 rience 5 but what then, do's that argue that 
 it is not to be determined who has this Divine 
 
 Right? certainly no 3 for tho^ through Be- 
 
 refy 
 
of Lay Bdftifw. 65 
 
 refy and Schifm the Minds of many Men are 
 fo dreadfully blinded that they do not dif- 
 cover this great Truth ^ yet, God be praised, 
 thofe who continue in the Communion of 
 the Truly Cat/joUck and Apofiolkk Church, and 
 are Diligent and Inquifetive to know God's 
 Will, and to live according to that know- 
 ledge, need never be put to fo great a plunge, 
 as to be in doubt and fufpenfe concerning 
 this Difpute or the Validity of their Bap- 
 tifm, which they have receiv'd from the 
 Lawfully ordain'd Minifters of Chrift^ be- 
 caufe fuch Minifters muft be vifihle and k?iown 
 as long as ther is any Truly Organized Church 
 of Chrift in the World 5 and that ther (hall 
 Be always fuch a Church is plain by our Sa- 
 viour's promife, That the Gates of HellJIjall 
 not prevail againjl it-^ and as for the true 
 Minifters therof, that they fliall alfo continue 
 is as certain, by his promifing thus to his 
 Apoftles, Lo I am with you alway even unto 
 the End of the Worlds and this is further 
 confirm'd by the Apoftle St. P^;//s affuring 
 lis, that when Chrift Afcended up on High, 
 he gave fome Apojlles^ and for/je Prophets^ and 
 fome Evangelifis^ and fowe Pafiors^ and Teach^ 
 
 ers, for the perfecting ^//A^^^/'^^J-, &c.~- 
 
 '//// we all come into the ®lU(t^ of the Faith^ 
 8cc. ~ unto a ^getfeCt ^atl. Now 'tis cer- 
 tain that this Perfection, and entire Unity 
 will not be compleated till the End of the 
 
 World, 
 
^4 The Ifivaiidity 
 
 World, and therfore thefe Officers appointed 
 to bring about thefe excellent Purpofes, muft 
 continue fo long and be vlfihle among us .- 
 And that this their continuance in the Church 
 is to be fo plain and perfpicnons^ as that it 
 (hall be eafie to difcover and diftinguifhthem 
 from fdlfe Teachers and new upjiarts^ is evi- 
 dent by another Defign, for which our Lord 
 appointed them, viz. That rve henceforth 
 Jhould be no more Children tofd to and fro^ 
 and carried ahottl with every Wind of Do&rine 
 by the Jli^ht of Men and cunning Craftinefs 
 rvherebj they lie in wait to deceive^ (F.ph. .|. 
 14. J For how can the Miniflers of Chriit de- 
 fend us againft every Wind of Do&rine, and 
 the Cunning Craftinefs of Deceivers^ if they 
 are not to be vifible and known to us ? So 
 that as fure as God is true, fo fure we are, 
 that his duly AuthorizM and rightly Com- 
 uiiflion'd Minifters, /. e, Apoflles and Pro- 
 phets^ &c. (hall conrinue, and be known by 
 the truly Sincere, to the Confummation of 
 all things ; and therfore we fhall never want 
 fnchto Adminifler his Holy Sacraments, and 
 confequenrly need never be in Sufpenfe ei- 
 ther about their Divine Authority^ or xh^Vali* 
 dity of our Biptifm AdminifterM by their 
 Hands ^ fo that my affirming Haptifm to be 
 Invalid for want' of f^ch Divine Auihority 
 or Commiffion in the Adminiftrator, do's not 
 
 put 
 
of Lay Baptifw, 6$ 
 
 put this Divine Inftitution upon an uncer- 
 tain, but a fare and lafthg Foundation. 
 
 BUT here I expedt that it will be ask'd 
 in whom do I fuppofe this Divim Authori- 
 ty to be fix'd .<? I anfwer, that I do vot only 
 fuppofe, but firmly and undoubtingly Believe^ 
 after a ftrift and impartial Enquiry which I 
 have deliberately made into this Matter 5 
 that 'twas fettled by Chrift himfelf at firfl:, 
 and continually convey'd down to this Day 
 in CpifCOpaCt Onl?, and of this I am as cer- 
 tain as that our firit Day of the Week was 
 appointed by Chrift and his Apoftles, to be 
 the Chrijlian Sabbath^ nay, tho' I am very 
 well fatisfy'd that this our Chriftian Sabbath 
 is of Divine Appointment 5 yet I can fafely 
 affirm, that the Arguments by which it is to 
 be provM, are not fo numerous as thofe for 
 the Divine Right of Epifcopacy ^ as may 
 eafily be demonftrated whenfoever it (hall be 
 put to the Trial 5 as for thofe who are of 
 another Opinion, I wifti they had either more 
 Knowledge, or more Humility 5 it is none of 
 my Bufinefs here, to endeavour their Con- 
 viftion : but if they would ufe their utmoft 
 Diligence to do the Will of God in all o- 
 ther Inftances of their Duty, and feek to 
 him for that Wifdom which is from above, 
 enquiring without Prejudice, by attentively 
 reading the Sacred Oracles 5 and comparing 
 therewith what has been faid by many excel- 
 lent 
 
66 The Invalidity 
 
 lent Authors upon this Subjed-;, I hope they 
 would then hiow of this DoSrim rvhether 
 it he of God 5 which that they may I hearti- 
 ly recommend thefe few Modern Books to 
 their ferious perufal, vi%. 
 
 A Modeji Proof of the Order artd Govern- 
 ment fettled by Chrijl and his Apojlles in the 
 Church. 
 
 A Difcoiwfe Jloemn^ who they are that att 
 vow qualify'd to Adnjinifxer Baptifm and the 
 hordes Suiyper. 
 
 Dr, Potter of Church Government, 
 
 Dr. HickesV two Treatifes, one of the Chrl- 
 flian Priefihood ^ the other of the Digm- 
 tj of the Epijcopal Order, 
 
 And a little Book, calPd, The Plain Man"^ 
 Guide to the True Church, 
 
 :t>'iV. But fome it's likely will Charge me, 
 with uncharitablenefs in denying the Validi- 
 ty of the Baptifms of Foreign Churches, 
 where there is no Epifcopal Ordination ^ and 
 of many Good and Pious Men who are with* 
 out fuch Ordination among our felves. 
 
 Anf. 
 
of Ldj Diiphfr/. 6y 
 
 Auf, The Main d rife of my Ell-iy is againft 
 the Validity of that Baptifoi which Men 
 know themielves to have receivM from Per- 
 fons who were never Divinely CommiiiionM, 
 and yet prcfume to ufurp this Authority in 
 Oppoftion to the Divine Right of Epifcopa- 
 cy .• Which being duly confider'd, frees me 
 from Anfwering to this Charge, vvith refpeft 
 to fuch Forreign Churches, who have toJd 
 you that they do not Aft in Oppoftion to 
 Epifcopacy ; and have pleaded that they lie 
 lindet a Neceffity not to have Bilhops among 
 them 5 but that they highly value and reve- 
 rence that Order in our E/!glifi Church* 
 Whether this Plea of Necefllty be good, or 
 whether it affefts them fo far as 
 to hinder their receiving Epifcopal Ordinati- 
 on from other Proteftant Churches, tho' tliey 
 cannot have Bifhops redding among them- 
 felves, is not my Bufinefs (herej to enquire 5 
 but this I'm fure of, that ther is not the 
 leaft Reafon ("nay, 'tis impious) to Com- 
 plement away the Great Truths of God, to 
 pleafe any, tho' never fo great a Party of 
 Men. 
 
 THE Divine Right of Epifcopacy is 
 plain froril Scripture, and was never calPd 
 in queftion by any confiderable Number of* 
 Men, till within thefe laft two hundred Yealrs^ 
 and muft we now lay it afide for fear of op- 
 pofing new upftart Notions and Opinions > 
 
 I Cod 
 
68 The JnvatidHj 
 
 God forbid ! mud: our holding faft the found 
 Doftrine of Chrifl: and bis Apoftles be caird 
 uncharitable and unkind? becaufe it do's 
 not fuit with the Temper and Difpofition of 
 oth;:?r People ? Cannot we frill keep our 
 Charity for them by Believing that God may 
 difpenfe with the v^xy want of the Chrifti* 
 an Sacraments, andbeftow even the Superna- 
 tural Graces of them, to thofewho labour ei- 
 ther 7ifidcr an Invincible IgnQrance^ or elfe an 
 iwpeffibility of receiving thofe Sacraments^ 
 when they do all that lies in their Power to 
 fulfill his Bleffed Will> certainly we may, 
 for God can difpenfe with his own Inftitutes, 
 and give the Spiritual Graces annexed to them, 
 to vvhom he pleafes f by Axiom 2.) 
 
 BUT as for fome of thofe among our felvesj 
 fear their Cafe is very dangerous, becaufe. 
 abundance of them feem to want fo fair an 
 Excufc, living under that Epifcopal Govern- 
 ment which they refufe to acknowledge and 
 fobmit to : but God only knows their feve- 
 ra1 Circumftances of Knowledge and Capa- 
 city, and the Strength of thofe Prejudices., 
 which fome of them may have contradied 
 bv their Education .• He vh Infinite Good- 
 nefs it felf, and will never punifh any for 
 what they never could help. Rut as for the.. 
 Slothful and Neglegent, the, Obftinate and* 
 Pcrverfe, we have no Authority from Divine 
 Revelation to hope any thing for their Ad 
 
 vantage 
 
of Lay Baptjfi^. 6^ 
 
 vantage. But to fum up my who^eAnfwer 
 to this Objeftion, in tJie Words of an excel- 
 lent Modern Author. 
 
 ' T HO S E who have been Baptized by Per- 
 ' fans not lawfully Ordain^d^ and co^?feqnently 
 ' they have received no Bapfjfn^, having recew'^d 
 ' it from thofe who had no Commijjion to Ad- 
 ' xninijier it, but who were guilty of the High^ 
 ' efl Sacrilege in Ufurping fuch a Sacred Com- 
 ' mijjion^ riot lawfully derived to the?:-? hy a Sttc* 
 ' cejjlve Ordination from the Jipo flies : [as is 
 the Cafe with us] ' But yet thro'* a general 
 ' Corruption of the Times, fuch Baptifms are 
 ' fiif^erd. to pafs^ whereby the Perfons fo Bap- 
 ' tiZi'd fwimming down the Stream^ do think 
 
 * their Baptifm to be Fnlid^ and therfore feek 
 ^ not for a Rebaptization.[[ had rather fay True 
 BaptifmJ ^ from thofe who an e^jpower^d to 
 .^ Adminiflcr it, I fay^ where no fuch Re bap- 
 - tization [or rather True Baptifm] is taught^ 
 
 and thereby the People know iiothing of it^ ^n 
 
 * fuch Cafe their Ignorance is in a manner In- 
 ^ vincible^ and their Sincerity and Devotion in 
 
 receivuTg no Sacraments^ yet thinking them 
 \^.' Trite Sacraments^ may be accepted bj Qod^ 
 
 and the Invor^d. Grace confer' d. But this 
 Cafe do's not reach thofe who do or may know 
 and aft better, and is the whole of my 
 Charity in this matter, and I think a faiEcient 
 Anfwer to the Obieftion. 
 
yo The InvalidUy 
 
 V. Another Objection in Defence of the 
 Validity of Baptifms AdminifterM by fuchas 
 have not the Divine CornniiiTion, is the Ex- 
 ample of Zipporah^ Mofes'^s Wife, who Cir- 
 cumcisM her Son, and therby fav'd her Hus- 
 band's Life 5 for God fought to kill Mofes^ 
 and when flae had Circnmcis'd her Son, he 
 let him go :, and therfore approvM of her 
 ACc in fo doing, tho' (lie had no right to do 
 fo by the Inftitutiop. 
 
 A/7f. VVhofoevet will but look into the firft 
 Infdtution of Circumcifion, will find. That 
 God did not fet apart a particular Order of 
 Men for this purpofe, but only required, 
 Ge;?. 17. 10. Every Man Child nniofig you 
 fjdll be Ch'ciivicis^d 5 8cc. to the i5rh Verfe, 
 Every Male muft be Clrcu^jcl/d ; but the Per- 
 fons v/ho iliould continually Adminifter jhis 
 Circuincihon, are nor NamM in the [nftitution. 
 Nay, tho' it fliould be granted that Circum- 
 cifion was to be perform'd by the Vlaftcr,as he 
 was the Priell: of his Family, yet it do's not 
 follow that Zipporah did any thing more than 
 what Qiehad a right to do, becaufe her Has- 
 ba^uPs Anthorrty was devolved upon her in 
 his Sicknefs, when he was unable to do it 
 himfelf : Efpeciaily confidering that 
 this Sicknefs was inflicted upon him, becaufe 
 his Son had not been Circumcls'd, and that 
 he mxight thirfore Order his Wife to do it in 
 his iWad, and confequently 'twas Interpre- 
 
 tativelj? 
 
of Lay Baptifm. Jj^ 
 
 tatively done by himfelf, becaufe by his Au- 
 thority 5 as we find in the IlTue by God's 
 fparing his Life when the Circumcifion was 
 perform'd^ and by ZipporaPs Words to Mo- 
 fes^ when (he had cut of the Fore Skin of 
 her Son, and caft it at his Feet, faying, A 
 Bloody Hnsbdtid thou art^ becaufe of the Cir- 
 cumcifion, Exod A, 25 2 6. J which plainly 
 implies,thatftie dicl it for his Sake and by his 
 Order. But what do's all this avail to thofe, 
 Avho knowingly receive, or acquiefce in Bap- 
 tifm received, from fuch as have no Divwe 
 Cowrmjflon ^ when they may be BaptizM by 
 Chrift's own Minifters, whom he has particu- 
 larly appointed exclufiveoi all others to Bap- 
 tize ? This is afting even contrary to the 
 Example here Objefted, becaufe by all that 
 can be feen in the Text, fhe afted by a 
 Divwe Com?}njfion^ even by Virtue oi an 
 Immediate Revelation to Mofes her Hus- 
 band, whom God doubtlefs acquainted with 
 the caufeof his Difpleafure,and the means of 
 appeafing his Anger by this Circumcifion of 
 his Son ; which was an extraordiriar) and 
 nniifitcd Cafe^ and not at all parallel to the 
 unauthorized Miniftrations of thofe, who ad 
 in oppofition to that Divine Comwijjion^ 
 which has been Succeffivelv handed down, 
 fromChrirt and his Apoftles in all Ages. 
 
 Vf. Another Objeftion is a Maxim, which 
 fome would ptrfwade us will hold good iu 
 
 I 3 Chri- 
 
72 ihe Invalidity 
 
 Chriftian Baptifm, and that is Fieri non debet i^ 
 faBum vdet. i. e. It is rot Lawful to he done^ 
 yet beif'g done^ "^tis VrJid, 
 
 Anf. Tho' this Maxim may hold good in 
 feme Secular Cafes , yet it do's not therfore 
 follow that it win fo in alL For Example, 
 'tis not Lawful for me to make a Man Free 
 of the City of London^ and though ( lliould 
 be never fo ferious and formal in pretending, 
 or fhoiild reallyfuppofemyfelf tohavefijffiGient 
 Authority to give fuch a Freedom, yet 'tis 
 certain that fuch a Freedom given by me, 
 would never be Valid, the Man mufl: receive 
 a^Legal Freedom, notwithftandinci; theCoun- 
 terfeif one he had of me .• the like may be 
 jaftly afftrmM of the Naturalization of For- 
 reigners- and many other great Concerns of 
 this WdJrId ^ and if this Maxim will not hold 
 •good in thefe, and abundance of other world- 
 ly t&ings 5 how much lefs in thofe of an in- 
 finifety higher Nature, in the Divine Pofitive 
 Inftitutions, which God has made to be the 
 Means and Pledges of ^iupernatural Beticfits^ 
 to be conferM on us by the Miniftration of 
 his (ypon Particuhrly Cov/^/ifJion'^d and An- 
 thorrzd Awkdjf^dors : Efpecially when we 
 remeoiber that this Maxim was never 
 dtppoifjted by him, to be our Rule and Guide 
 in any of our AflF^iirs, much lefs in thofe of 
 a Religious and vSpiritual Nature, as without 
 all doubt Chriftian Paptifm is. Fcfidcs the 
 
 Objeftion 
 
of Lay Baptifrt, 73 
 
 Objeftion acknowledges that it is not Lawfnl^ 
 therfore 'tis Sinful, and how a §JinfUl Aft 
 
 ihouid be^aaliD.for^upernatural purpofejr 
 
 is utterly inconceivable, nay, 'tis abominable 
 to affirm it. 
 
 Vfl. Another Objeftion which I have 
 heard of, is, That the Council of Eliberis^ 
 Anno 305, allowM of Lay Baptifm in a Cafe 
 of neceflity : that the Church of Rome do's 
 fo to this Day : and that the Church of 
 England did fo in the Reign of King Ed- 
 ward the Sixth 5 of Queen Elizabeth-^ and in 
 the beginning of King James the firft, as is 
 plain by thefeveral Common Prayer Books 
 inthofeDays^ particularly King £<^n?^r(^V, 
 Anno 1552, and King Jameses, 162 1, ftill to 
 be feen at Sion College Library in London. 
 
 Anf. I grant the Truth of thefe Matters of 
 Faft, but cannot agree that thofe Allowan- 
 ces were Confonant to, but rather direftly 
 againU:, the Divine Inftitution of this Sacra- 
 ment, for the feveral Reafons I have already 
 mentioned in this Effay. 
 
 As for the Council of Eliberh^ I have ci- 
 ted it Page t3, and 14, of The Preliminary 
 DifcoUrfe^ where 'tis required by the Canon, 
 That fuch a Perfoii as had received but Lay 
 Baptifm^ fnould, if he liv'd, be prefenied by 
 th^ Lay Man who Bapti/Al him, to the Bi- 
 fliop, to h'^ perfected by Impofitionof Hands; 
 intimating therby. That fuch Baptifm is noi 
 
 I 4 pev- 
 
74 r/>e hwalidity 
 
 perfect, without it. Now fuppofing fbut 
 not granting) that fuch Impofition of 
 Hands could perfecf fuch imperfeb Baptifms^ 
 our Lay Baptizcrs break the Canon of this 
 Council, becaufe they Baptize rcithont any 
 veceifity at all and being in oppoiition to their 
 Piiliop, refufeto prefent fuch Perfons to him 
 for the perfe&h/g of their Baprifms by Im- 
 pofition of his Hands, fo that this Canon 
 will ftand the Objedor in no ftead, till tis 
 obey'd in all its parts ^ and then 'twill have 
 no force againfc what I have faid, till it can 
 be prov'd that fuch Impofition of Hands is 
 fufficientto give Validity to Invalid Baptifms, 
 for all fuch fmperfeft Baptifms are no better, 
 if the Cfjrolary of the ^d PropoJitio>2 be true* 
 A S for the Church of Ror^e^ her Allow- 
 ances in this Cafe are no Rule to us Prote- 
 ftants, who have feperated from her for her 
 many Grofs Errours, both in Doftrine and 
 Praftjce 5 fiie began to Quarrel with St. Cyfri- 
 an^ and other Primitive Bifhops, and carried 
 it very unchriftianly againft them, for not 
 allowing any Validity in fuch Baptifms, and 
 has ever fince perfifted in this ill Humour, 
 fo far as at laft to condemn thofe who do 
 not believe the Validity of Baptifm Admi- 
 nifterM by Women , whofe Authorita- 
 tive Afts in the Church of God, are both 
 contrary to the Law of Nature, and alfo 
 fprbidden by the Holy Ghoft himfelf. ' Saint 
 
 ^ Baft 
 
of Lay Baplifm. 75 
 
 ' Bdfl in his loth Epiftle, ccmplains of the 
 ' Weftern Bifhops, and particularly the Ro- 
 ' man, S!jtod Veritatem iteqne Norjwt^ neqtte di- 
 
 ' fcerefufllncnt. Cur;; iis qui ijcrrtatem ip* 
 
 ^ (is aufiuncinnt coiitend&ntes^ h^rcfin autem per 
 ^ fe ipCosfldbHkfJtes : That they neither know the 
 ' Trnth^ nor cdre to learn it a ^nt they contend 
 ^ with them who tell them the Tnith^ and hy 
 * themfclves eflablijh Hcrejie 5 for which Reafon 
 their Authority ought not to be objeded in 
 this Matter by a Proteftant^ efpecially confi- 
 fidering that fuch an Objeflor will not 
 fubmit to their Decifions, even in things of 
 a much more Inferior Nature. 
 
 I confefs the praftice of the Church of 
 England, in this Cafe, would have been a 
 formidable Objeftion, if (he her felf had not 
 anfwerM it already by purging her 
 Liturgy of fo Inconfiftent a Rubrick .- I call 
 it Inconfiftent, becaufe, efpecially in King 
 Jawes the firft's Reign, (he had declarM in 
 her Articles of Religion, that it is tinlavpfnl^ 
 i. e. Sinful for any Man to Adminifter Sa- 
 craments untill he be Lavpfnlly caWd andfent 3 
 and at the fame time allow'd by her Ru- 
 brick to Private Baptifm, that any one there 
 prefent might Baptize the Infant (in a Cafe of 
 Necejjityy^ and yet upon the Prieft's Exami- 
 nation afterwards into the Lawfnlnefs of the 
 Childs Baptifm, it was required, that this 
 Queftion (hould be put to the Perfons who 
 
 brousht 
 
y6 The Invalidity 
 
 brought the Child to Church, vi%, ' Whether 
 
 * thej think the Child he Law fully and perfe&ly 
 
 * Baptized, which (confidering the preceediiig 
 Queftions, whether ^twas Baptized with Wa- 
 ter^ and in the Nante of the Trinity^ Scc. 
 feems to be needlefs and to no purpofe, ex- 
 cept by asking their Thoughts about the 
 Lawfulnefs and Perfeftion of fuch a Bap- 
 tifm, they meant to make it Lawful or Vh- 
 lawful^ as the Perfons they put fuch a Que- 
 ftion to, fhuold think it : Which is a very 
 ftrange, and indeed a precarious Foundation 
 for us to build the Validity of our Baptifm 
 upon, in fuch a Cafe of Neceffity. And 
 therfore 'tis no wonder that the Church of 
 Englandj upon a more exaft Review of her 
 Liturgy, expungM this Queflion out of the 
 Kubrick, and alfo for very weighty Reafons 
 took away the Liberty of Lay Baptizing^ in 
 her prefent Liturgy, by requiring, even in 
 Cafes of Neceflity, thjt Baptifm (hould be 
 Adminifter'd by The Minijier of the Pari/h^ 
 or any other Lawful Minijier that can he pro- 
 cured ^ which is a Subfirantial Anfwer to all 
 Objeftions that may be rais'd from her for- 
 mer Practice when fhe was but in the Infan- 
 cy of her Reformation, and not long 
 Emerged out of the thick Darknefs of Po^ 
 pifli Errour and Superftition. But if fuch 
 a Cuftom had beenftill continud, St. Cyprian 
 long fince layM it down for an Undoubted 
 
 Truth 
 
of Lay Bapfifi^» yj 
 
 Truth^ * That rve Are tiot to be determined by 
 
 * Any Cuffows of thnt Nature^ but to Examine 
 
 * whether they tpHI bear the fcjl' of Reafon. 
 And Bifhop Taylor fays, (fpeaking of Bap- 
 tifm hy MidwivcsJ ' This Cuflom came in at 
 ^ a vprono^ Door, it leand upon a falfe and Sn- 
 ' perflitioHs Opinion 5 and they thought it bet^ 
 ' ter to Invade the Prieji^s Office^ than to trtijl 
 
 * God with the Soids, irhich he made with his 
 ' own Hands ^ and Redeemed with his SorPs 
 ^ Bloody hit this Cufiom was not to be foU 
 
 * loiv^d^ if it had Jlill continit'd 3 for even 
 ^ then they confejs'd it was Sin^ Facfum valet ^ 
 
 * fieri non debuit 5 aftd Evil ought not to be 
 
 * done for a good end^ &C. This Cufiom ther- 
 
 * fore is of the Nature of thofe which are to be 
 ' laid afide. No Man Baptizes but he that is 
 ' in Holy Orders^ fa id Simeon of Thejfaloni- 
 ' ca ^ and I think he f aid truly. But above 
 ' all things^ Opinions are not to be taken up by 
 ' Cujiom^ and reduced to pra&ice : Not only 
 ' hecanfe Cufiom is no good warranty for Opini- 
 
 * ons^ &c But be fides this^ when an Opi- 
 ' nion is offer'' d only hy the hand of Cufiom^ 
 
 * // is commonly a Sign of a BadCaufe^ and 
 ' that ther is nothing elfe to he faid for it^ 
 ' Duftor Dubitantium, fourth Edition, Page 
 638, 639. 
 
 A N D in the fame Book, Page 198, * In 
 ' all Moral ASions ther muji be a Subjiantial 
 
 * Potejiative Principle that muji haveproportion'*d 
 
 * Power 
 
78 The InvAlidity 
 
 ' Power to the Effc^ 5 a thing ca>mot he done 
 ' without a Caiije^ a7td Principle in Morality^ 
 ' any more than in Nature, If a Won/an goes 
 ' about to Confecratc the Holy Sacrament^ it 
 ' is an ineffedlive Hand^ fie Sins for attempt-^ 
 
 * ingit 3 and cannot do it afterwards 5 and 
 
 * it were wifer and truer ^ if Men will think 
 ^ the janie thing of their giving Baptifwy un^ 
 
 * lefs they will canfefs that to Baptize Chil- 
 ' dren is a mere Natural and Secular ABion^ 
 
 * to which Natural Powers are fufficient 3 or 
 ' that Women have received Spiritual Powers 
 ' to do it^ and that whether a Prieji or a Wo- 
 *' man do^s it^ is no difference^ hut matter of 
 
 * Order only. If an effcS he Spiritural^ the 
 
 * Agent muff he fo too ^ thus for that Great 
 Eilliop : And if his Reafons are good a- 
 gainft Womens Baptizing, as I think they 
 are, they will be as good to all Intents and 
 Purpofes againft a Man's prefuming to do 
 the like without the Divine Commiffien : be- 
 caufe, he is equally deftitute of a Spiritual 
 Power, and in jaci is as little in Holy Or- 
 ders as fbe. 
 
 Vin. The laft Objeftion that I (hall men- 
 tion is, what fome great Men have made ufe 
 of to EftabliHi the Validity of Lay Baptifms^ 
 and that is. That tho' it was a Sin for the 
 two hundred and fifty Princes to offer In- 
 cenfe ^ yet by even that Sinful offering the 
 Cenfcrs, wherewith they offerM were hallow'd^ 
 
 and 
 
of Lay Bapttfffi, 79^ 
 
 and God himfelf deckir'd them to be fo, 
 Nnmhers 16. in like manner, tho' it be a Sin 
 for Laymen to Baptize, yet the Perfon fo 
 Baptiz'd is thereby Hallovv'd and Sanftify'd 5 
 and confequently fuch a Baptifni is Valid. 
 
 Anf. This Objection has no manner of 
 Force for the purpofe delign'd, becaiife 'tis 
 not in the lead parallel toChriftian Baptifm; 
 for the Cenfers Qmere fenfelefs thingsj were 
 Capable of no Supernatural Spiritual Graces 
 ami Privileges to be enjoy cl by them, by vir- 
 tue of that Offering ^ but the Objcfts of 
 Baptifnij Senfible, Rational, and Immortal 
 Souls, are to be poffefsM of, and to be made 
 happy by fuch unfpeakable Benefits and Ad* 
 vantages as are annexM to Baptifm. The 
 Cenfers were wholly Paffive ^ but the Bap- ' 
 tiz'd Perfon is not fo, for even in Infancy he 
 is Aftive by his Sponforo, and when he 
 comes to Years, muft be fo in his own Per- 
 fon. 1 he Cenfers, tho' they were hallovv'd, 
 yet they were not hallowed to the fame pur- 
 pofe as the Cenfers wherewirh Aaron offer'd 
 Incenfe ^ for God did nor order thofe two 
 hundred and fifty Cenfers to be continued, 
 for the fafjie ufe to which thofe Sinners put 
 them, b'Jt requirM them to be viade broad 
 VI at es for a. Cover in gof the Altar : To be a Ale- 
 viorial unto the Children of Ifrael, that no 
 Stranger which is not of the Seed of Aaron 
 come near to offer Incenfe before the Lord^ 
 
 (Num. 
 
8o r^c Invalidity 
 
 (Num. i6. ?9, 40.) So that if thefe Cen- 
 fera are a Parallel Inftance for Perfons Bap- 
 tize! by HrtcoK^mijJion^d pretenders, then the 
 life that God order'd them to be put to, 
 fhould teach us to make the like ufe of fuch 
 Sinfully Baptized Perfons, viz. To make 
 them Memorials to all Chriftians that none 
 who are not Cof^viijfion'd by Chrirt:, ftiauld 
 dare to come near to Baptize in the Chriftiari 
 Church : But how fnall fuchfinfully iiapriz'^d 
 Perfons become fuchMemorials fo effedually, 
 as by renouncing their falfe, and receiving 
 true Chriftian Baptifm from Chrift's Autho- 
 rized Minifters, and thereby fruftrate as much 
 as they can, the prefumptuous Ufurpatiom of 
 thofe who have no Divine Miffion for fo 
 great a Miniftration. This is the moft prop- 
 er inference that can be drawn from thefe 
 Cenfers, with refpeft to fuch as are unlawful- 
 ly Baptiz'd : Tho' after all, they have no- 
 thing in them that can with any Coherence, 
 be juftly adapted to the Inftitution of Chri- 
 ftian Baptifm, or any one Effential I-art tlier- 
 of: The two hundred and fifty Princes, in- 
 deed, if compared tothe UnauthorizM Admi- 
 niftrators of Baptifm may be fomething to the 
 purpofe ^ and fo may the Incenfe,if compared 
 to the Water in Baptifm ^ becaufe, as this 
 when rightly Adminifter'd, is the means of 
 Spiritual Benefits, fo Incenfe, when Rightly 
 offer'd, i, c» by a Divinely Commiiiion'd Per- 
 
 Ion,, 
 
of Lay Bdptiff^. &I 
 
 fon, was a means likewife of procuring the 
 favour of God, by making an Attonement 
 for the Sins of the People. But as fox the 
 Cenfers, they were o?il) the Veffels wherein 
 this Incenfe, the outward Means of the At- 
 tonement, was contained ^ fo that they have? 
 not the leaft reference, either to the Perfon 
 Adminiftring, or the Waterof Baptifm, or to 
 the Perfon BaptizM^ and therfore, if the Ob- 
 jeftor will have them to be Parallel to any 
 thing at all in this matter, they mufl: be fo to 
 the Veffel which contains the Baptifm Wa- 
 ter: And he may make as much ufe as he 
 pleafes of that Parallelifm, which is nothing 
 at all to our prefent purpofe. 
 
 UPON the whole, the Grand Defign of 
 thefe Princes was (in oppofition to the 
 EftablifhM PriefthoodJ to offer Incenfe before 
 the Lord, contrary to a Divine Fo/itive In-' 
 ftitution^ which cofifind that A&ion to Aaron 
 and his Sons only 5 This Offering being thus 
 unlawful, for want of the Divine Authority 
 of the Perfons Adminiftring, was fo far 
 from being accepted, that it was a crying 
 Abomination 5 and inftead of procuring a 
 Bleffing, either for themfelves or their Abet- 
 tors, drew down upon them fwift Deftrudi- 
 on ^ the Princes being immediately confum*d 
 by a Fire from the Lord, and Fourteen thou- 
 fand Seven hundred of their Partizans de- 
 ftroyM by a Plague. Even fo, if any thing about 
 Baptifm may be hence infer'd, we may juftly 
 
 fear 
 
8i The Invalidity 
 
 fear that the Adminiftrationof fupposM Bap- 
 tifmbyUncommiffionM Perfons,in Oppofition 
 to the Divinely cftablifti'd Priefthoodof the 
 Chriftian Church, inftead of being a Means 
 of conveying Spiritual Graces and Benefits, 
 to thofe who knovoingly receive, or acquiefce 
 in it, will rather exclude both fuch Giver 
 and Receiver, ("tho* they efcape God's Judg- 
 ments here) from the infinite Privileges of 
 his Children hereafter, u-ithout a fincere 
 and fpeedy Rep'^ntance, 
 
 Some otherObjedtions Ihave endeavoured to 
 obviate in theProgrefs of this Eflay, andther- 
 fbre dial I only further Declare, that I fincer- 
 ly believe the Subjeft of this Difcourfe to be 
 a Subfrantial t'ruth^ nay, even a firfi: Prir^ 
 ciple of Chriftianity, and that without the 
 couragious Aflerting and Vindication thereof^ 
 the whole Chriftian Priefthood and the Di- 
 vine Authority of it, mull: be caird in que- 
 ftion, (as we fee it has lately been in Pub- 
 lick Print) and confequently in time fo far 
 deny'dj as to Incourage every bold Intruder 
 to ufurp that Sacred Office and Miniftry, even 
 in oppofition to that Divine ComniiflTion, 
 which has been conftantly handed down 
 from Chrift and his Apoltles, to this very 
 Day, 
 
A LETTER to the 
 
 AUTHOR 
 
 S I Rj \J i^iCTOol. :o :h<o^ ■■:. 
 
 TH E deplorable State of Chriftm- 
 nity in thole Parts of it which have 
 reformed from Popery in Doctrine, is 
 chiefly to be afcnb'd to the Contempt or 
 Neglect of the Divine Infticutions relating 
 to the Conftitution and Oeconomy of the 
 Church. This in particular hath brought 
 all the Difbrder and Confufion in matters 
 of Religion, for which England is fcanda- 
 lous above all other Chriftian Countries, 
 having ever fince the Great Rebellion, 
 abounded with Religious Sefts and Fafti* 
 ons, which owe their Original, more or 
 lefs, to the direful change and overthrow 
 of that Government, which Chrift ordained 
 for his Church, and his Apoftles left in it, 
 and which throughout all Ages wasconti- 
 nued without Interruption in the Chriftian 
 World for 1 500 Years, as that very form of 
 Church Government, which all Chriftians 
 thought was ordainM to continue unto i\\Q 
 End of the World. There never was in all 
 that time any Church founded but in, and 
 
 a wiih 
 
J Letter to the Author. 
 
 with (l^pifCOpaCf ; ^^^ did ever any Seft 
 of Men alTume the Title of a Church, till 
 they could get a pretended Bifhop, from 
 whom they had their Priefts, and their 
 Priefts their Miffion, till the time of the 
 Reformation ; nor did any Chriftian Priefts, 
 or People of an Epifcopal Church, ever 
 rile up againft their Bi/bopj as fuch, and 
 rejeft the whole Order, but thofe of Great 
 BritAtn^ under the pretence of farther Re- 
 formation, by which they have brought 
 fiicb Confuflons, and fo expos'd Religion 
 among us, that it is in a great meafure loft, 
 fo that we may lay, (as was Jong fince 
 laid of "Juftice in the Iron^Age of the 
 World) that fhe hath taken her flight from 
 Earth to Heaven. Could any Church, or 
 Facher of the Carholick Church, in Anti- 
 ent Times, have imagined or believ'd 
 without th^ Gift of Prophecy, that an 
 Age would come, when the Presbyters of 
 a National Church would take upon them 
 to depoje ihtiv Bijhofs, and teach the Peo- 
 ple that their Order was contrary to God's 
 Word, or grievous and unneceffary to the 
 Church / Could they have imaging, that 
 in a flourifhing Church, pure in DoSrine 
 and WorHiip, confifting of Two Provir^- 
 ces, an Affembly of ftveral Presbyters 
 fhould be held in oppofttion to their JSijliops, 
 
 and 
 
A Letter $o the Author- 
 
 and their Lawful Sovereign Lord the Ex- 
 ternal or Civil Bifhop Oi his Church, by 
 the command of Rebels in aftual Arms 
 againft their King ! Could they ever ima- 
 gine, that in three famous National Chur- 
 chef reform'd after the Antient Pattern of 
 Churches fettled in the Primitive Times, 
 and profeffing the fame Holy Faith, a 
 ftrong Party of Presbyters and People, 
 fhould be fo wicked, as by Force to depofe 
 the whole College of Bifhops^ and as much 
 as they could, extirpate the whole Order 
 as unlawful and needlefs, nay, as an An* 
 ti-Chriftian Conflitution, and a Yoak 
 which we nor our Fathers were able to 
 bear ! Yet Sir, I am one of thofe furviving 
 Men who livM in thofe times, and faw all 
 thofe things done, and the direful confe- 
 quences, thefirfl: of which was the fetting 
 up a Government of the Church by Pres- 
 byters alTuming Epifcopal Authority, who 
 with their Seft were call'd Presbyteriarts. 
 
 But thefe did not long f^ourifh ; for as they 
 had taught the People that Epifcopa! Ordi- 
 nations or MifRons were not ncceff^ry, fb 
 others foon faid the fame of their Ordina* 
 ticns by Presbyters, afferting, that only 
 Gifts, and the Call of Gifted iMen by the 
 Congregation was fufficient for the Mini- 
 ftry \ and fo from the Sed of Presbytery 
 a 3 fprang 
 
A Letter to the Author^ 
 
 fprang up that of the Independents amoDg 
 lis, and from them again, others, who 
 thought Gifts ^/^/ff were a fufficient Call 
 to the Minillry, and in this abomination of 
 dejoUtiQriy Laymen firft invaded the Sacred 
 OfRceofthe Miniftry among us. 
 
 When 1. was a Young School Boy in a 
 little Village near Helmfley in Torkjhire^ 
 i lav/ a Man in Gray Cloths itep up into 
 the Pulpit on the Lord's Day, where after 
 a long Prayet hepreachM to the People, as 
 wel] as I can guefi from what I now re- 
 member^ aftenth^ manner of the Fifth Mo- 
 nurchy Ambdptijls. Being afterwards re- 
 moved to School at North' AllertOfj^ I (aw 
 an Officer of Cror/JwsIPs Army go up into 
 the Palpir, and there after a long Frayer,he 
 made a long Sermon, of. which, as I then 
 underftood iitrle, To I retnember nothings 
 but that he talk'd much of Dead Ordman* 
 ces^ and Gilts of the Spirit, and a Carnal 
 Mnijirjy mQ2,n\t]g no doubt iUq Mini/lry 
 lof the Church, By that time Quaker ijm^ 
 which began in W^efimor eland, was much 
 increas'd in that Place, where I often faw 
 not only iMcn, but Women Preach both 
 in the Fields, and in Houies without any 
 other call, but their pretended Motions of 
 the Spirit, when (you muft, Sir, excufe 
 my impertinence to tell you, that) a 
 
 School- 
 
ji Letter to the Author. 
 
 SchooKFellow older than my fclf by 3 or 
 4 Years, though of a Lower Form in the 
 School, who had been carefully bred up 
 in Church PriyicipUs, and like another Tt- 
 moth) \ni\x\iditd by his Parents from his 
 Childhood in the Scriptures, To baffled their 
 Speakers, by asking them rvho fent them 
 to Preachy and urging the places of Scrip- 
 ture againft them, which fpeak of God the 
 Father's (ending our Saviour, and Hts 
 fending the Apoftles, and They others; 
 and by requiring of them a Vijible proof 
 of their pretended Call by the Spirit, that 
 they came not of a long time after to that 
 placS; and as T remember, not till that 
 Boy, fo mightj in the Scriptures^ was taken 
 from the School. 
 
 Indeed Sir, the Neceffity of an Immeii* 
 Ate, or Mediate Call and Mijjionfrom God to 
 any Divine Mintflry, is fo plainly taught in 
 the Scriptures as appears by the "^ Margin, 
 that I have often wonder'd how any fort of 
 
 ^ %\\t ^iffian of tlDjfce?. - ^'^^ f^^^ -Lot/ [aid — . 
 
 Come now tbtrefore, and I will fcnD ^^-"^^ wiU9 Piiaraok, 
 that thou 7}uyeji bring forth my ?eopie, &c. out of Egypt. 
 Exod. 3. lo. NjW therefore go, and I ivill he with tJ)y 
 ILuthj and teach thee what thou Jhalt fay, Exod 4, 12. 
 He fcnt Mofes his Servant. ?hi. 105. z6. 
 
 'Ctje i^uTion of tiie Icid!! Pciefs?, ^^^ f'^-^n unto 
 
 thee Aaron thy FtJther^ and his Sons with him, icQX\\ 
 
 a } Chriftians 
 
A Letter to the Author, 
 
 Chriftians, pretending to the Knowledge 
 of them, lliould take upon them the Mi- 
 nifterial Office, without the Ordinary Re- 
 gular Call from Man as God hath appoint- 
 
 «ntO \\\t ^''^ '^^^ Price's Office^ even Aaron, Nadab, and 
 Abihu, Eleazer, and Ithainar, Aaron V Sons,- Exod. 
 
 28. I. Aii-i f^'C Lord /pake unto A^ion, Thou and 
 
 thy Sons with thee Jb all keep your ^ric30£)ffirt- ^ — 
 
 5'!)at)S gttjtn P"'' rrietts Ojfce unto you as a Service of 
 0lft, and the -^trang^r ^^'^^ covieth nigh (i, e. as a 
 Pntjl) fiall he put to Death. Kumb. 18. i, 7. Vzziah the 
 Kiflg tranfguJJ'ed againfi the Lord his God, and went into 
 the Temple of the Lord to hum hicejife upon the Altar cf In- 
 cenfe, and Azariah the Fiitfi wait in afrer him, and with 
 him Fonrfcore Priejls of the Lord that were valiant Men : 
 And they ttJftlj^COB TJzziah the King, and faid unto him^ 
 '*i aPpcrtainCt^ not ^^^^o thee Uzziah to hum Incenfe un- 
 to ihe Lord, hut to the PrieJIs the Sons of Aaron, that are 
 ConrCCratetJ '^^ hum lucevfc : CDo cut ^/ ihe SanHuary 
 for thou hajl trcfpajfcd, 8cc. z Chroii 26. 16, 17, 5 8. For 
 CxCry H'gh Pneji taken fiQ\\x a'TIOlIC^ iPciT, ^^ Ordam'dfor 
 Men JJi things pertaining to Gjd, that he viay ofer hoth 
 Gifts and Sacrifices for Sin: And no M.in taketh this Ho' 
 710W unto himfeif tut be that 2s CSllC^ of '>J?OB ^''-^ '^'^^ 
 Aaron, Hcb.5. i, \. Not to fpend too inuch time in 
 enumerating thofe Texts which prove the Million of 
 the Prophets, I ihall only recite fome of thofe which 
 plainly evince. 
 
 "Zlit^itiim of ^t-B'Qijntb^BapffO', the Laii of 
 
 the Jev/iih Prophets, and immediate Fore-runner of our 
 Saviour, There wes a Man ftnt fom God^ whofe Name 
 
 v:as John. He was fmt -'^ h^ar wiinefs of that Light 
 
 Cx^ e. of Chijt) He that f£nt tne to Baptize, 8cc, 
 
 St. John I, 6, 8, 5?. Behold! J fenn iviv ^ffl^ngcr 
 
 (i. e. John the BaptiftJ before thy Fue, whuh Jhail pre- 
 fare thy Wayhefore thee, St, Mark i. 2. <?<: 11. 10. 
 \_ CilC^PliTian of CbrtlT, The Second Perlbn of the 
 i tfcjnal Trinity. — St. 'John the Eaptill fpeaking of 
 
 ed, 
 
- ■■ ■ " ■ ■ ■ 7 ■ 
 
 J Letter to the Author, 
 
 ed, or an extraordinary Call from God, 
 without one of which, neither Chrift, nor 
 the Holy Spirit, neither Angels nor Men, 
 prcfumed to aO: authoritatively in things 
 pertaining to God, 
 
 Him fays — He it ii, who coming after vie is Vreferred he^ 
 fore we, St, John i. 27, ?o. And our Lord fpeaking 
 of himfelf lays, He that receiveth me receiveth him (i. e. 
 God the Fatherj that ftnt wf, St, Matth. 10. 40. St, 
 John i^. zo. — JnH He that defpifeth vu defpifeth him 
 that Cent ^"^', '^^' Luke 10. 16. — God fent ^'^^ his So^i 
 into th JFbrld to condemn the J^orld, hut that xhe jrorld 
 
 through him might he Saved, St, John ;. 17. Jcfus 
 
 faith, viy Meat is to do the Will of him that ftut 
 
 vie, &. John 4. ^4. — Yie that honoureth not the Sun^ 
 honoureth not the Father which hath {^Xit ^•'^'"^ ^He that 
 beareth my Wo)d and helieveth on him that fi^nt me hath 
 
 Everla^ing Life, / feek not mine own If ill hut the 
 
 Will of the Father which hath ffnC w^« •"— The Father 
 
 hath {fxit ^^^' -^'^^ ^^^^ Father himfelf which hath 
 
 rent wf, St, John 5. 2?, 24, ?o, ?6, 17. The Liv 
 
 ing Father hath{^t vie. Si, John 6, 57. The Father that 
 fent w<^, St, John 8. 16, 18. — Say ye of him (i. e. of 
 Chrilt; whom the Father hath Sanflified (i, e. Confe- 
 crated or Set apart for the Office of the Mefiias^ and 
 ftnt ^''^fo the World, 8cc, St. John 10. 36. — That they 
 may helievc that thou haft feflt we, St. John 11. 42 » 
 ^ I have notfpoken of itt^fclf, hut the father which ffnt 
 
 vie, /'egat)entea€oinimnmiient?i'/^^^//'j?^^<^P.v, ^^^^ 
 
 what IJhould fpeak, St. John 12, 49. — And tins u Life 
 Eternal^ that zhey might know thee, the only True God, and 
 Jefus Chr ft whom ihou {jaff fent« -^ I have finijhed the 
 Work which thou gatCit "'^ to do. I came gut from t^^^^- 
 
 Thou haft fent "/^ ^^ito the World. — -* Thou haft 
 
 fent me, St. John 17. ?, 8, 18, 25. God fent ^•'^^ 
 
 only Begotten Son^into the World, that we vtight live 
 through him, — ^ And fcHt his Son to he the propitiati- 
 on for our Sins, i St. John 4, 9, IC God fent fottll 
 
 a 4 But 
 
A Letter to the Author, 
 
 But mofl efpecially have I wonder'd,ancl 
 ftill do wonder, how Clergy-men, I mean, 
 Presbyters who were regularly fent^ by 
 Epifcopal Ordination, according to the 
 
 l)u Son made of a jFoman^ &c. Galat. 4. 4. Thus 
 
 we lee that a^i/Z glerifltD HOt \^i\\\ltWo he made an 
 High Pyiejl, hut He tl\i^ J aid imto him^ Thou art viy Scii^ 
 
 Heb. 5. 5. Wherefore let us Confder the Jp- 
 
 file and High Friefi of our Trofejjion Chr'Ji jefus^ vpho was 
 fat¥il\ fo ^■^''>' ^^-^^ ^pjJcmCDO hwi^ Heb. V I, 2. 
 
 -^^C i?llIton of t\\t l^olV ^^pt'rtC, the Third Perfcn 
 of rne liternal Trinity. T7:e Cor/fjrter which is the Hdy 
 ■Ghojl^ whom the j^attjtT IVtW fttlD J'' ?"7 Na>ne, St. Johii 
 14. i6. — jyheii the Ccviforter is come whom J tBlIl 
 ffnU i'^iio you from the Father^ even the Spirit of Tnith\ 
 who proceedeth from the Father^ Sec St. John 15.26. 
 
 If I go not axvay the Comfjvter will not come untojcu^ 
 
 lut if 1 Depart- ^ rrtll fcnll him unto ycu^ St. John 16. 
 7. — He fijiill not fpeak of f^iutfrif, hut what foever 
 
 he Jlmli hear that fiall he fpfok^ ver. 1 >. — HeJJjall 
 
 gloy:fe me, for he Jhall rCCetbC Df XWiXM ^''"'^ 7^^^' Mvo it 
 
 ■7into you, VQT. 14. —Accordingly, the Holy Ghoft 
 
 •was lent from Heaven on the Day of Pentecoft, as St. 
 Peter tellified to the wondring Multitude, telling them, 
 
 This Jefus — — heing hy the Right Hand of God ex- 
 
 n'ted, ar.d having received of the Father the Promife of the 
 HjliGhoJl, he hath ^iXfl^xt]) this, which) on now fee and 
 hear (u e. he hathfent fottl) Cllt ©Ol^ C^QOft ^vho has 
 Laufed thofe aUoniHiing miraculous Wonders which you 
 
 DOW fee and hear.) Acls 2. >2, 3^. And St. Paid 
 
 tciis the Galaiions, God hath ffnt forCl) ^'he Spirit of his 
 Son (i. e. the Holy Ghost) into your Hearts^ Galat. 4. 6. 
 
 aA.nd St. P.?^o- • reckons the Holy Ghofi fcnt DattH 
 
 frow Haven, aiiiong thofe thir.gs which the Jn^cls depn 
 t,o look into, i Si, Pet. I. IZ. 
 
 Cf;e ^lHjOn of 2ngclsf. — They are all Mimjtrivg 
 
 ft;/)-;/-' lent tortiV^ Mi^^h'^ter, Heb. i, 14. ^- TheJniel 
 
 ^^.i.uiei aiSi CxXltfo'fi God unto a City, grV. to a Vn^i.i 
 
 Will 
 
A Letter to the Juthcr, 
 
 Will of our Lord, the Founder cf liis 
 Church, and the Vnvaridble and VniverfAl 
 ApojloltcAl praftice of it for 1 500 Years, 
 I fay, I (till wonder, how fuch Presbyters 
 
 efpjufed to a Man whofe Nam: was Jofeph, <> St. Luke 
 
 I. 26. --— The fame Angel appeared before unto • 
 Zachar'ws :iid told him, — / am Gabriel that Jlani hi the 
 pre fence of Godj and ^^\ f0nt to /peak yiUo thee. — ver. I9« 
 Peter [aid, Norv I know of a Surety tlat the HcrD fc<ltb 
 fent ^-'^•f^'^ce/, and hath ddh-erd v:t out of the Hand of 
 
 Heiod, ^c. Ads 12. 11, The Reidation of Jefus 
 
 Chisi which God gave unto him^ &c. ^tttXlt ^^d fgnified 
 it hy his Jngel unto his Servant Jolin, Revelar. i.'r. 
 r— — .The Seven Sprits of God fftlt fCttl) ^^^^0 all the Earthy 
 
 Revelar. 5. 6. TheLord God fent ^^^^ Angel to Jhew 
 
 unto his Servants the things which mvfi fiortly he done, 
 Revelat 22. 6. 
 
 %lit ^iHion of tf)C ^poilleig. After tl^e Tv.'elve Apo- 
 files are nam'd, 'tis faid, Thd'&Twclve J^/z/jfcnt foftllt 
 
 and commanded them faying Preach freely ye have 
 
 rem^Cn freely give, St. Matth. ic. 5,7,8. '— As my 
 Father hath fent me even f-j f^nlJ -^>''^w, St. Joim lo. 21. 
 ■ All power is given iniro me in Heaven and in Earth. 
 (Do ^Z therefore and teach for rather Difciple^ all Nati- 
 Ohs^ baptizing them. — —teaching them ■ and lo 3i 
 
 am Olitl) POU altuapSr ^'^'^'^ 7t?2fO the end of the World. 
 Amen, St. Mat. 28. 18, 19, 20. — And to fiipply the 
 Place of Judas Ifcariot out of the T^^'elve, the Apoliles 
 payed and faid, thou Lord v;h]ch knowcjl the Hearts of all 
 Men, /hew whether of thefe Two (i. e. of JuUus or JNlat- 
 thias^ thoit haft tlio(tUi ^^^^^ ^^^ "'-V ta^0 i^'^'^ c/ t^^^^ 
 Minipy and Apofilcfl^ip^ Ads i. 24, Z)* And they gave 
 for their Lots^ and the Lot fell upon Matthias, and he was 
 numhred with the Eleven ApoJlU:^ ver. 26. — God hath[^% 
 fom$ \n the Church, ^Itft A^ojfles, i Cor. 12, 28. • — Our 
 Lord faid to Ananias concerning the Apoftle St. Paul, 
 —He is a Ctjof^fl ^ejfd unto me to bear my Name before the. 
 Qentiles, ard Kings, and tise Child} sn oflfiacl, Acls 9. 15, 
 
 could. 
 
A Letter to the Author. 
 
 could firft preach againft the Epifcopa] Or- 
 der, and then proceed to pull down their 
 own Bi(hop$, by whom they were Or- 
 dained,, and then in oppofition to the Holy 
 
 — As they MinifterM to iU Lord and FaJIed, tie Holy 
 Ghoji faid, (tptX^t "le Barnnlfas and Saul (i. e. Paul) 
 for the Work rphereunto I have faUfJU tllClU. Jnd when 
 ihey iadfafied and pajed^ and laid their Hands on them 
 they fent them away \ fo they heivg fent fOttfi hy the Holy 
 Ghojl departed^ &c. Ads 15. 2, ?, 4. Again, the Lord 
 faid unto St. Vaul^Deprtj for IvpUI fenll thee far hence unto 
 theGentiIes,Ad:sii. zi. — And therefore he Riles him- 
 ftU Pavl calleD io he an Jpojlh ofj'efus Chr'ift, through tU 
 
 Will of God ^j Cor. i. i. and fays in another Place, J 
 
 ani £Drtiatnf5 ^ Preacher, and an Jpofile a Teacher of 
 
 the Gentiles^ i Tim. 2.7. • How fiall they Preach ex- 
 
 cep they ^ ^ent, Rom. 10, ij, — When He (u e. 
 
 Chriftj afcended np on High, He gabf/'^'^ Jpojlles^ 
 
 2. e. he gave Tome the Power and Authority of being 
 his AmbaiTadors, Ephef. 4. 11..——* 
 
 '©fieO^iffionof tbe S>etoitp ff>frcipUs(, and of the 
 ^eaconsf- ^fl^^ ^H^ ^^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ appointen other 
 
 Seventy alfo^and fent ^^^w Two and Two before his Face, 
 
 St. Luke 10. 1. The Tvpclve(u e. the ApolUesj called 
 
 the Multitude of the Difciples unto them and/aid^ -*• Look 
 ye out among you Seven Men of Honejl Report full of the 
 'Holy Ghost and ffifdom^ whom 5S!t map aPpofnt) over this 
 Bufincfs^ (i. e. of taking care for the Pcor^ — Jnd 
 they chafe Stephen, ^c. whom they fet \xlOXt tf)0 2po« 
 
 ijlesf 5 ^^«^ ^^^^">' tbtp had prayed tfieij latD tWr ^fBM>^ 
 
 on them^ Acb 6. ^, 5, 6.- -■ 
 
 Cne^iiTian of tie ilpafflrs; ^tucelToiaf. — s. Paul 
 
 and St. Barnabas ^^tiatlieU '^^^w/ C^ltierfil in evejy Church, 
 Adl:s 14. 2?. ~— - For this caufe left I thee (i. e, Titus j 
 in Crete that thcu foouldesi fet in order the thii^s that 
 are wanting^ and £Diliain Elders in every City^ as 1 (i, e, 
 St, Paul) hadapSoinCCD ^^'^^ Tit. i. s- — Stir up the 
 0tft of God which u in thee (i. e. Stir up that Epifco" 
 pal Aurhoiity, and the Gifts annexed thereto, where- 
 
 Apoftolical 
 
A Letter to the Author, 
 
 Apoftolical Order and Charafter, and the 
 perfons lawfully vefted with it, Sacriiegi- 
 oufly prefume, like Coiluthus, to take upon 
 them the Epiftopal Office, and power in 
 Ordaining and Sending of other pretended 
 Presbyters into the Church, as they did in 
 
 with God has cndow'd thee) fcp tht jpUtiOCt OH of 
 ni^ (i. e. St. PauPi) i^anngl, 2 Tm. i. 6. —I.-c? TUvgs 
 thai time haft heard of vie — - — the fwic ConiltUt ^^'^'" 
 to Faithful Men^ who /hall he alls to Teach others alfo^ 
 
 2 Tim. 2. 2. ^a]? 1^9^175)0 fiddenly on no Man^ 
 
 I Tim. 5. 22. ''—The Seven Stars are the ^nffsls' (^- ^- 
 the Biihops, or fupream Spiritual GovernoiirsJ of the 
 Seven CJmrches, Rev. i. 20. — Of which St. Folycarp^ 
 Bifhop of ^yw/ry^ii was one. Kow that thefe Succeiibrs 
 of the Apofdes, to whoin the Povv^er of Ordaining o- 
 thers into the Minillry was committed, were not mere 
 rreshyters is evident from hence, that they had the 
 ovcrfght of the Church of God ^ r Pet. 5. 2. A Power to 
 receive an ^CCUfattOrt %^'?'"/ (and therefoie were each 
 of them a 3!ulIS£! of) an Elder or Miniiler of a confe- 
 quently Infeiiour Order, i Tini. 5. 19. — It was aUb 
 their Province to Rebuke with all Sut&oritlT, fo as to lei 
 no Man defpje them, Tit. 2. iS- — to rejzdy i. e. excom- 
 municate, a Man zhat is an Here tick after the Fir ft and Se- 
 cond Admonition^ Tit. B. 10. — iruhout preferring owe 
 
 before another^ doing nothing hy'i^^XtiSiMt^-) i Tim 5.21. 
 — Hence the particular Jngel^ or billiop ff tie Church in 
 Pergamos^ was jiiftly reproved for lolerating them that 
 h§ld the JDoflyine of Balaam^ and the Nicolaitaus in tiiat 
 Church, ^du. 2. 14, 15, 16. So alfo was the particular 
 Angel or Bilhop oifhyatira, for fllffertng the falfe Pro- 
 phetefs Jezabel, Rev. 2. zo, ~~ And they could never 
 have been thus juftly ceniur'd, if they had not been 
 vefled with the Powers andAuihorhy above nientiDnM, 
 and thefe Powers do vailly e-^icced all that can be duly 
 claimed by any mere Pyjshttr^ or Body of P,:ihjters 
 whatfuever. --. 
 
 all 
 
A Letter to the Author, 
 
 all, ormort parts of the Nation, after the 
 Abolition of Epifcopacy, and the Down- 
 fall of the National Church with it, in 
 the times of which I fpeak. Such Arch- 
 fchifmaticks as theft were Mr. Eowh of 
 Torky }Ai\Batxeroi Kjderminfter^ and Mr. 
 Hughes of P/y mouth, not to mention SMEC- 
 TTMNVVS, iStefhen M^r[hal,Edmond Ca. 
 lamy, Thomas Toang , Matthew Newcomb^ 
 Willi Am Spurjlowy'] of London^ where I 
 prefume pretended Presby*:ers were alfo 
 Ordain'd, by mere Presbyters inthoftfad 
 times ot confufion, 
 
 I was once at one of their pretended 
 Ordinations,which I fince found,was much 
 after the French Form. Thus, and This, 
 Sir, was the Original of the Preskfterian 
 Mtlfion in England^ and it is againft the 
 Authority of the pretended Minifters of 
 this MiiIion,rr/?^ were never duly Author iz^^d^ 
 and therefore cannot Adminifter truly Va- 
 ltd Bapti/w, that you have written your ex- 
 cellent Book with great Strength, and 
 pcrfpicuity, as well as Modelty, and con- 
 firmed your Doctrine with your PraSice. 
 
 Indeed, you have written it through- 
 out with fo much Modefty and Caution, 
 that in fome places, it hath an Air dlmofi 
 of Diffidence and Miftruft, although you 
 have faid nothing as to the Invalidity 
 of their Adminiftrations , but what our 
 
 belt 
 
A Letter to the Jnthor. 
 
 beft Divines have written before you. I 
 beg leave to prefent you with what I find 
 to this purpofe, in the Firft Volume of 
 the Pofthumous Sermons of one of the 
 greateft of them, {_Bi{bof Btveridge'] en- 
 entituled, The Dtgntty^ and Authority ^ ani 
 Office of the PrieflhooL In the Third Ser- 
 mon on this Text, Therefore^ feeing rve have 
 this Miniftry as we have received mercy y rve 
 faint not^ at the lo j. Page you'll find thefe 
 Words, " In the next Place we mufi ohferve^ 
 '* that ali hough ^h^ Priefts^ if any ke prejentj 
 *• lay on their Hwds al/o^yet it is exffrefly or^ 
 *' der'^d^ that the Bijhop [ball fay the Words^ 
 " Receive ye the Holy Ghoft, &c. For^ 
 ^^ if a mere Priefi jhould Jay them^ or any one 
 *' hut 2. Billiop, the Ordination was reckon* 
 *' ed I^Ull anD 5HOtO, with more to that 
 purpoie. So in his Sermon on Acls 13. j, 
 '' And when they had fajied^ and prayed^ and 
 " laid their Hands on them^ they Jent thent 
 " anay, you have thefe Words at p. ^09. 
 ^' As the right Ordination of thofe, who 
 " Adrmvifier the Means of Grace muf needs 
 " he acknowledged to he (neceffary), for jee* 
 " ing wi can have no Grace, nor Power to 
 " do Good, hut what is delivered to »s from 
 ' God through our Lord and Saviour Jtfus 
 ^' Chrifl, in the ufe of the means which he 
 ^^ hath e/lahlifb^d for that purpofe, unhfs thofe 
 *^ means be rightly and duly Adminiftred, 
 
 " they 
 
A Letter to the Author, 
 
 *' they loofe their Foice, and Energy, and 
 *^ fb can never attain the end, wherefore 
 " they were eliablifhed. Neither is there 
 " any thing more neceflary to eJlMiJb the 
 " msms of Grace^ than that they who Ad* 
 " rtiinifier them he rightly Ordained and 
 " Authorized to do it accordifig to the Injli-^ 
 '^ tut ion J and CommAnd of him that did 
 *' eBahlijb them. For feeing they do not 
 *' work naturally, hut only by virtue of the 
 Inftitucion, and Promife annexed ro it, un* 
 *^ lefs that he duly ohfervsdj ive have no 
 ^' gro-indtoexfeB^ that the Promife fhould 
 *' be performed, nor by confequence that they 
 ^' fhould be effectual to the Purpofes for which 
 ^' they are u/ed.Soin his Sermon on thisText. 
 * A'ow then we are A nth ajf a dor J for Chrift^^c, 
 *• p. :^ 86. For that can he done only by the power 
 ^\ of God J accompanying^ and affifling his own 
 ** Infiitntion andCommiffion, Infomuch that 
 *' ^f I did not think, or rather was not fully 
 
 *' affured, that I had fuch a Commiffion to 
 *' be an Ambaffadour for Chrift, and to aft 
 *' in his Name, Jfhould never think it north 
 ^'' the while to Preachy or execute my Mtn*^e* 
 '* rial Office. For I am jure all that I did 
 *' would be Null and Void olit felf, accord^ 
 *' ing to God^s ordinary way of working, and 
 *^ we have no ground to expeci Mir ales. So in 
 another Place of that Sermon ; '' Any Man 
 
A Letter to the Author. 
 
 " md) re Ad a Sermon or make an oration to the 
 *« People^ hut it is not that^ rvhich the Serifs 
 ** ture calls Preaching the Word of GoAyun* 
 " lejs he he SEN T by God to do it For how 
 " can they Preach except they be lent . Rom, 
 " lo. 1 6. -4 Butcher might kill an Oxy or a 
 " Lamb aswellas the Htgh-frteft^ hut it was 
 ** no Sacrifice to God, unlefs a Prieft did ir. 
 *^ And no Man taketh this Honour to htmjelf, 
 *' but he that is called ofGodj as was Aaron, 
 &c. All theft Paffages, Sir, exaSly agree 
 withtheSubjeftof your Book, and I might 
 Ihew you much more to the lame purpofe 
 out of the Writings ot the Clergy, befides 
 thofe, which you have cited, p, 66. as out of 
 the Second Edition of a Letter to a Noncon 
 Mimjhr of the KJrk^jhetving the Nullity of the 
 Presbyterian Mtffion, And Dr. Wells'^sThefes 
 againft theValidity of Presbyterian Ordination* 
 But what I have cited from the Bifhop, 
 which wasPublifhedfince the Firft Edition 
 of your Book, is enough to fecond the deCgn 
 of it, and give you courage boldly to main- 
 tain your Doftrinc and PraQife, and the 
 caufe not only of the Church of England^ but 
 of the Catholick Church againft the Britifi 
 Sefts and Schifms. Indeed you have done 
 God and his Church good fervice in a time 
 of need, as Two worthy Citizens now 
 with God, Mr, Allen, and Mr. Lamb did 
 by (heir Writings about Forty Years ago^ 
 
 who 
 
A Letter to the Author, 
 
 who having gone from the Church to the 
 Jmbapttftsy by God's Grace law their Er- 
 rour, and returned both together from 
 them to the Ch urcl) again, to which they 
 made ample recompence by their Writ- 
 ings, and were great Ornaments to it in 
 every rtfpeO: all their Lives long. I 
 knew theti) both very well, and am glad 
 of this opp'j^tunity, to mention them with 
 I that refpcd which is due to both their Me- 
 morieSjwhereof the former told me,that he 
 had the Misfortune to lead Mx. Allen out 
 the of Church to theSchilnijbut that Mr. 
 Allsn had the bltifed part to lead him out 
 of the Schifm to the Church again. It is to 
 me a comfortable pre{age,that God will not 
 forfake the Church of EirgUnd nor fuffer 
 Toleration, and the Gates of Hel! to pre- 
 vail againft her, becaufe he raifes out of 
 her People, Men to defend her, and adorn 
 her with their Writings. I pray God to 
 ftir up more fuch continually, that thofe, 
 who are mifled by unauthorized xMinifters, 
 and feachers, may confider the great 
 danger they are in, and after your txam- 
 ple, enter in at the right Door into her 
 Fold, and declare, as you have bravely 
 done, p. 82. that you jincerely believe the 
 Suije^ of your Difcourfi to be a fubftan^ 
 tUl Truth, nay even a firji Principle of 
 
 Chrtftianityf 
 
A Letter to the Author. 
 
 Chriftianit)^ and that without the courageous 
 ajferti/?g thereof^ the whole ChriftiAn Priejt* 
 hood^ and the Divine Authority of ity mufl be 
 called in question ^ ~ and encourage every bold 
 Intruder to ufurp the Sacred M/nifiry^ in op- 
 pofition to that Qommijjioa^ which hath been 
 conftantlj handed down from Cbrifl and his 
 Apo/lles to this very day. In the fame Place 
 you fay you hope, that none vejled with this 
 Divine Authority will fght cgain(l it, &ۥ. 
 which if any Clergy-man fhould do, in 
 the manner as you there mention, I could 
 not but fufpefl:, that he was one of thofe 
 who took Gifts and Prcfints of the Dijfen- 
 tersy to Jet the Names of their Children, 
 who had no other but Schifmatical Lay- 
 BaptifmsjDQ Regiftred among the True Bap^ 
 tifms of the Church. This unwarrantable 
 Praftife, which you have oblerved, to be 
 ^' fcandalou/ly praclifed in [owe Places^ I 
 can confirm to be true ; For I knevy 
 fbme Minifters of this City, (now dead) 
 who were guilty of this praclife, and are 
 gone to God to give an account of it ; and 
 I my felf, fbon after I u^as prefented to 
 the Vicarige of ^//^^//c»r/^ Barkin, had fe- 
 veral, and fbme very great Offers, froni 
 Dijfenters, to enter their Childrens iSlames, 
 as BaptizM,in the Parifh Church Regifter ; 
 and a Parochial Prieft of a great City in 
 
A Letter to the Author. 
 
 this Kingdom^ who gave me a Vifit about 
 a Year fince, did aflure me, that all the 
 Minifters of that Place, himfelf only ex- 
 cepted, were guilty of this execrable pra- 
 ftice; execrable I call it, becaufe it is a 
 double falfification of cur Parochial Dip' 
 tjcbsy as they are Regifters and Kecords 
 both of Church and State, and I think 
 both Ceprivation,2nd the Pillory to be juft 
 Punifhmenrs for that Minifter, who dares 
 do fb great and mifchievous^ wickednefs, 
 or fufter it to be done. 
 
 I fay, I fhould be tempted to fufpedl any 
 Clergy-man, that fhould w^ite in the 
 manner you mention, againft you, to be 
 one of that corrupt forr^ or at leaft of ano- 
 ther, who to court the Favour and Ap- 
 plaufe of the Dijlenters , either never 
 Preach in defence of the Church againfi: 
 them^ or if they do^ they do it no other- 
 wife than barely to fliew, that the Church 
 of EngUr*dh a Jafe (lommHnion^ and that 
 thofe, whoihrough miflake feparatcdfrom 
 it, would be in no danger of Damnation 
 if they returned to it. But to fhew that 
 feparation from it is ^Cl^tflll) and by con- 
 fequence a damning Sin^ and that the Se- 
 j7aratifi:s of ail forts from it, are, without 
 ihe extraordinary mercy of God, in great 
 And app^re/iP da.'7ger of Damnaiiont thefe 
 
 Gentle- 
 
A Letter jo th- Author- 
 
 men love not to touch upon that Point > 
 nor rife to that Heighth, which long be" 
 fore the Revolution occafioned the diftin' 
 ftion between High and Low Church- men 
 and the former lo be called by ill, or ig- 
 norant Men, High-Flyer 9 y Tantivies^ and 
 other fuch opprobrious Names. It was, 
 I fuppofe, a RefleQion upon theft Men, 
 and the Indignation he had againft their 
 double praOiifes, which provoked a Divine 
 not very manyYears fince,to utter aSarcafm 
 upon ihem from the Puipitj in Words to 
 this Purpcfe, That fome (at the time he 
 fpoke it) rvere become Fathers of the Churchy 
 who never were her true Sons, 
 
 Sir,I with all Clergy-men, who are con- 
 cerned in either ot theft Remarks, would 
 ferioufly confider your pious and feaft^n- 
 able Addrefs to us in the conclufion of your 
 Appendix, We are all concerned, (^as you 
 befeech and conjure us to do,) to co??fidsr 
 our High and Holy Qdling to the Pneji- 
 hood^ and to vit^diate our unalie/jable 
 Rights to idmini{ler the Holy Sacraments^ 
 and to let the People under ft and^ that the 
 Miniftration of them ts effemial to our 
 Office^ and cur Office efjenttal to the Mi- 
 mftration of them^ and that our long and 
 general filence in riot ajferting^ and de* 
 fending this great Trnthj hathy as you 
 
 b 2 obftrve. 
 
A Letter to the Anthor* 
 
 obferve, been the occafioft of much ignorance 
 among the People^ of the nature of Schijm^ and 
 the direful conjequences of it^ which fbme of 
 our Order ftill are, as I am fure fbme have 
 been, fo averfe (contrary to their Truftjand 
 the Duty of it) to fet before the People. I 
 remember, when fomcof the London Cler- 
 gy, refolding to do this, as you now be- 
 feech us, and for the fame Realbns ; it w^as 
 oppofed, efpecially by one of them, for no 
 other reafon, but that it would be cenfured 
 as Vreachirjg up cur [elves ; a Reafon, where- 
 of the Weaknefs and lil-confequences 
 are fhewn by an excellent Perfon, in the 
 Preface to his Con'if anion for the tejlivals 
 and Ri/is of the Church <?/ England, where^ 
 to oblige the Clergy to inftruQ: the People 
 in the great Truth of Sacerdotal MifTion, 
 and Authority to adminifter the Sacraments, 
 He wifhes tlie Catechifm of the Church 
 might be continued, in a few Qjeftions and 
 Anfwers to fhew, who only have Power 
 to adminifter the Holy Saci aments. I need 
 fiot name this worthy Gentleman, whom 
 God raifed up cut of the People before you, 
 to defend the Rights and Authority of the 
 Pficfihcod, and who thinks it no more di- 
 minution ,or difhonour to him, to be thought 
 one of the People with refpcfl: to tiie Church, 
 ti>afl one of them with refpeS to the State. 
 
J Letter to the Author, 
 
 In your Jppendix to your Book, I think 
 you have folidly and fatisfaftorily anfwer'd 
 all the Objeftions that have been made 
 againft the ufeful Subjeft of ir, fince the 
 Firft Edition, taking in your Second 
 Thoughts, and the explanation of your 
 Defign, and meaning, in fbme PalTages of 
 it to prevent Offence. This, Sir, is an 
 argument of your great Humility, as well 
 as of your Zeal and Prudence \ and your 
 humble and truly Chriftian Temper and 
 Declaration in />. 24, encourage me to 
 make a few Remarks upon your Aopendixy 
 of which you have the liberty to judge as 
 you pleafe. P. 27, you have well ob- 
 ferved, thit our Church hath provided no 
 Office of Confirmxtion for thofe, who re- 
 ceive Baptifm from Lay-Bapttzers. And 
 indeed it would have been ftrange, that 
 fhe, which allows of no Baptifm but by a 
 '^ LAwfulMimfter,iho\Ad have provided fuch 
 an OiBce to confirm, or ratifiethe Baptifm 
 of thofe, who truly (peaking, were Sprink- 
 led^ or iVa/bed, but not Bdpt/zed. But I 
 think, you might with reafbn enough have 
 farther obferved, that fhe harh provided 
 an Office for their true and lawful Bapcifm. 
 
 I mean, sv, c^e flPtmftratf Ott Of J58p. 
 ti fmto fcc^ agate of rtpergearg Thh 
 
 ■^ RubyicL in the Mimjlrathn of Pnvati Bapijvi. 
 
 b J new 
 
A Letter to the Author. 
 
 new Office was made prefenrly after the 
 ReftAuratio^^ and is part of tFie Liturgy^ 
 that now is confirmed by AclofPariia- 
 ment. And I do not think it was intended 
 o?ily for Heathefjs, Jews, and Mahomet a^s^ 
 whofhould be converted to Chriflianity, 
 or for fuch converted Hereticks among us 
 as rejeft Baptifm, but alfo for thofe who 
 hadh^Qii I^vahdly B:iptiz?d^ of which there 
 were great Numbers at the time of the 
 Reliauration, and nov/ alas ! are many 
 more. I fubmit this Obfervatirn to your 
 Xhoughts, and the confideraiion of all, 
 who iliail read it; and if my Opinion as 
 to this Office is wrong, I hope my Errour 
 is pardonable, becaufe it is not hurtful to 
 the Church, nor cafts the leaft di[hoaour 
 upon her Learned and Pious BilhopSj and 
 Priefts, her ReprelcntativeSj who made 
 that Office - which before was want- 
 ing. What you there (ay of the PaiTage 
 in the preceeding Page, concerning the 
 Vsliditj of Lay Baftifm ^ viz. ^ that the 
 
 * Learned Authornever defign'd, that any 
 ^ thing in his excellent Book fliould favour 
 
 * Lay Bapti/m in oppofition to the Sacerdo- 
 
 * tal power, is evidently true, becaufe it is 
 plain from his Words, he means LAy-Bnp^ 
 tifm Adminiitred by Liy-Men^ fb and lb 
 qualified, to dying Perfons, by the Autho- 
 rity 
 
A Letter to the Author. 
 
 rity and Allowance of the Church, as in 
 the 38th Canon of the Council of E/ibirss 
 which you cite p. XIII. ofyouvPrelifTfindry 
 Difcoarje. A nd it is very praifc wort hy inyou 
 thatuponSecondThoughts,ycucorrefl:your 
 feif in your PremonitionjWhere you tell us, 
 *' Toa do r:ot pre fume to determine ^rvhether the 
 '' Church tvhich hath power from Chrifl to 
 *^ grje A Man a fl&nding Comm'ilJion to he a. 
 ^' Brief;., cannot in Cafes ofextream neceffity 
 ** give him aCcmryiifion pro jj^gc tltCC>Cor pro 
 " hie & nunc) to do a Sacerdotal Ad.This 
 Commiffion of that Council, proceeded, 
 ^ from an Anticnt, but a Pious, and inno- 
 cent erroneous opinion, (as I think I may 
 call it) that Baptifmwas ^\^XQ\Utt\^»eceJ' 
 fary to Salvation, as the communicating of 
 Infants proceeded from another the like er^ 
 roneous belief ofih^abfoUte neceffity of re- 
 ceiving the Holy Eucharift in order to Sal- 
 vation.ThisErrour of the abfolute neceffity 
 of Baptifm,defcended in the f Latin Church 
 to after Ages, and acquired fuch firmnefs 
 of belief by confl-ant praftifc, that it re- 
 
 * TertuU. de Baptifmo. Cap. xvii. vid. VoiTmmdeBap- 
 tifmo Difput. xi. v. vi, vii. 
 
 t According to the Canon Law : Li necejjitate quili^ 
 ket potifi haptizarCy diim viodo iyiteiidit facere q}iod Ecch- 
 fi^ iuiendu. 
 
 b A. raained 
 
J Letter to the Author. 
 
 mained * fome time uncorre£led by our 
 Church after the Reformation, but after- 
 wards the Title of the Office for Private 
 Baptifm was alter'd thus^'Ofther/^that are 
 " to be 'Baptized in time of mcejjity by the 
 ^•' Minifierof the Parifh,<?r any lawful Mi- 
 '' niiierthat can be procured ; and the Ku- 
 brick was accordingly alter'd in this man- 
 ner,^' Let the lawful Minifter,^^ them that 
 " hefrejenty cull upon God for his Grace, a?^d 
 " fay the Lord'^s Prayer if the time xvilifuffer^ 
 ^' and then the Chila being named by fome one 
 '^ that ts prefenty the faid lawful Minifter 
 " fhall dip it in Water^ or pour Water upon 
 ^^ />> f^y^f^g th?fi Wordsy I baptize theCjd'^. 
 to this change of the Title and Kubrick 
 of them that are to he Baptized in Private^ 
 (in K. Edward'^s Book) exaftly agrees the 
 Kubrick of our preient Liturgy, cited be- 
 fore in the Margin. 
 
 Sir, from theft Obfervations I think I 
 
 "^^ Js appears ficyn this Riihrkk of the Ojfce for them 
 ibathe Baptized jn Vriiate Hoiij'c: in tints of nccejjity^ in 
 the Bock uf Con^mc.n-Piajerj fet forth Anno 2, niid ?, 
 of td ward the Sixth, 1549. The ITords of that Kubrick 
 are thefe^ Firft, let them that be prefcnt call upon God 
 '* for his Grace, and fay the Lord's Pra3-er, if the tiir.e 
 " will iufFer, & then one of them fliall name the Child, 
 " and dip him in the Water, or pcur Water upon him, 
 ^' laying, / Baptize thee in the Name^ 8cc. vide VoJJium de 
 BaptirmoDilp. X. §. X. 
 
 may 
 
A Letter to the Author, 
 
 may conclude, f/r/?, that the ab/olute /VW/t 
 fpe^fdle neceffity of Baptifm is not the Do- 
 flrine of the Church of EngUpid, Secondly^ 
 that fhe approves of no Baptifm, qr thinks 
 no Baptifm duly and vaHdly Adminiftred, 
 but what is Miniftred by duly Authorized 
 & lawful Minifters, and confequentJy thac 
 fhe reieds all Lay-Baptijm, Thirdly, That 
 fhe cannot count thoic duly authorized and 
 lawful Minifterij, who take upon them 
 fhe Miniftry within the pale of her jurif- 
 diflion, in contempt of, and oppofition to 
 her Epiicopat and Epilcopal Million, or 
 Power of Ordination ; and by confequence, 
 that fhe muft look upon Baptifm Admi- 
 niftred by (uch Minifters,as Null and Void, 
 ifrom the Beginning. From thefe Con- 
 clufions, and the Confequences ifTuing from 
 them, r have further reafon to think, that 
 the OfEce of The Mirii[lratio'/2 of Baptifm 
 to fuch AS are of Riper Tears^ was intended 
 for Ferfbns invatidly Baptized by fuch nn* 
 lawful Mtnifters among us, as were never 
 duly Authorized, as well as for converted 
 Heathens^ 'Jetps^ Mahometans j and fuch mo» 
 dern Mamck^ans^ and Selene tans amcngft 
 us, as held it unlawful to Baptize with the 
 Baptifm of the Church. 
 
 And as you have juftly obferved, that 
 the learned Author cf the pafTage you 
 cite in *^, 26, could not defign, thac any 
 
 thing 
 
A Letter to the Author, 
 
 thing he faid in it fhould favour L47 B&^ * 
 tifm : So I dare fay for him, that upon Se- 
 cond Thoughts, he will not affirm that it 
 is in the power of the Church to confirm 
 Ludicrous Hiftrionical or other Mimical 
 Baptif^Sy or that any Church or Bifhop 
 did ever confirm any of them by Chrifm 
 and Impofition of Plands. 1 he Opinion 
 of LudicrcHs Bapti/k not to be reiterated, 
 was Gccafioned by a fabulous Story of A- 
 thannfius^ who, when a little Boy, with 
 others , playing at Mmifters , as our 
 Children call it , by the Water-fide, 
 Ath^naftus afted the Bifl^op^ other Boys 
 Ffiefts and Deacons^ and in their Play 
 Baptized ftveral Children, who reprefen- 
 ted Catechumens and Competents in form. 
 Alex^nder^ Bifhop of Alexa^drid^ happen- 
 ing to fee this, as the Stcry is told, fent 
 for the Boys, and underftanding from their 
 own Relation, that their Ludicrous Bap- 
 tifm was performed by them according to 
 the Rites and Orders of the Church, was 
 of opinion with other Bifhops prefent with 
 him, that the Children fo Chriftned, 
 were not to be Re-baptized, whereupon 
 he confirmed them with Chrifm, and Im- 
 pofition of Hands, 
 
 This 
 
A Letter to the Author. 
 
 This "^ He AT- fay Story is told by Sozo- 
 men from Ruffinus^ and from him again 
 at large by Petrus D^fnianus. in his Book 
 entituled Gratiffimus^ and mentioned be- 
 fore him hyWatafridtisStrabo.v^ his Book de 
 Divinis Officits^ and reckoned by Antonius 
 Muretus in the 9th Chap, of his i jth Book 
 of various LeBions^ among the prefages of 
 things thdt have happened, as Boys have 
 afted them in Play. Lafllj^ fuch recepti- 
 on this Scory of Athu'/safim hath had intlie 
 \V0rtdp that it is cited as true by Dr. 
 George Abbot^ in the Lecture which he read 
 in the Divinity-School at Oxford^ de Ctr^ 
 cumcifom & BaptifmOy 1597, which Le- 
 dure he made, to excufe the Firft PraSice 
 of our Church after the Reformation, 
 which he faith Facilitate larga with^r^^f 
 Latitude or If^dulgence for fbme time 
 tolerated the Baptiim of Lay-men and 
 Women in abfolute necellicy, for the 
 ignorance of the People and hardnefs of 
 their Hearts. This Story favoured the 
 loofe Do6frineof St. Augufitn^ as to the 
 Miniftration of Baptifm, and therefore 
 we need not wonder that f He fpoke 
 
 Sozaro Led. riiu. Lib. i. Cli. 17. 
 
 •i" Dc Baptijmo contra Djuatiftos. Lib. 7, Verrus iinem 
 Libii in Toiri. 7. ' 
 
 fo 
 
A Letter to the Author, 
 
 lb favourably of Ludicrous^ and 'Jocular^ 
 as well as Mimical and Hiflrwrncd Bap- 
 tifms. But as current as by misfortune 
 this Story hath been, and as many as it 
 hath led into Errour, it is now exploded 
 for very good Reafons by Learned Men, as 
 by Dr. Cavb in his HiftoriA Liter Aria, by 
 du Pifi in his Notes on Athamfe in his 
 Nouvelk Bihliotkeque^ and by the Learned 
 Bejjediciins in his Life, f.w. Printed be- 
 fore his Works, whither I refer you. 
 
 As for Ht^rionicd Baptifm by HeAthensj 
 that alfo is urged by the Patrons of Lay- 
 Baptifm in favour of their opinion, f Of 
 this they cite this Story out of the Croni- 
 con Alexandrinum ; that in mockery of the 
 Chriflians, the Heathen -Players Baptized 
 one of their Companions in warm Wa- 
 ter, upon the Stage, and then put upon 
 him a White Garment, upon which he 
 immediately cryed out that he was made 
 a Chriftian, and would dye as fuch. The 
 Speftators hearing him declare this, flew 
 upontheScagc, and taking him from thence 
 ftoned him to death, ^ Ado Vienmnfis tells 
 another Story in his Martyrology oiAuguJi. 
 25. of St. Gemfins^ who being Baptized by 
 
 f Vcfiius deBnptifmo diff. II. §. 29. 
 t Ibid^i/i-. 10. §. 13. ' 
 
 Heathens 
 
A Letter io the Author, 
 
 Heathens to ridicule Chriftian Baptifm, 
 alfo became a Chriftian : But then fuppo- 
 fing the truth of thefe Stories, they are as 
 ferfe^ly miraculoHs^ as the converfion of 
 fome Pagan Executioners of Martyrs, who 
 declared themfelves Chriftians at the place 
 of Execution, and tliere fufFered death 
 with them, and were Bavtized in their 
 own Blood, And therefore, the miracu' 
 bus manifeftation of God's Grace at Hi- 
 ftrionical Baptifms to teftifie the truth of 
 the Chriftian Religion, and confound its 
 Adverfaries, are no argument for Lay-men 
 to take upon them to Adminifter Baptifm 
 upon any pretence whatfoever- Nay, 
 Sir, fuch an unwarrantable Latitude hath 
 the Church of Rome given to the Admi- 
 ftration of Baptifm, f that fome of her 
 Papes^ have allowed the Baptifm of Jews^ 
 and Heathens, and "^ the Pope in the Coun- 
 cil of Florence doth exprefly decree, that 
 in cafe of neceffity not only a faithful 
 Chriftian Lnj-man^ or Womsn^ but an He- 
 retick or Pagna may Validly Baptize. 
 
 flbid Bif-p, ir. i8. 
 
 * In decreto Eugenii Papae ad Armenos : Minijier Jmjui 
 Sacrmnenti ejl facerdos^ cm ex officio contpetit Bapizare. 
 In Caula aiitem nccefTitatis, non foliim Jacerdos^ vel Di^ 
 acoKus, fed etiam Laicus, x'e/ Mulier, wio etiam Paganus, 
 $f Haereticus BaPT'izarej^oteft. &c. 
 
 As 
 
A Letter to the Author, 
 
 As to the cafe of neceffity, ^o called, 
 it is, as I have already obferved, founded 
 in the miftaken opinion of the abfb- 
 lute neceflity of Baptifm to Salvation. 
 Which Opinion is of Two Sorts, one more 
 antienr, grounded on the literal rtriclnefs 
 of the Precept, or inftitution of Baptifm^^ 
 which was the Erronr of TertullUn^ who 
 therefore in cafe of rreceffity, allowed 
 Lay n:ien, but not Women, to Baptize. 
 The other is more modern, as having its 
 rife from the VeUsgltn Controverfy, and 
 that was the indifpenf?.b!e neceffity of 
 Baptifi-n to wafh away Orii^inal Sin. This 
 ftriftnefs of opinion, as to the indifpenfable 
 ;)eceility of this Sacrament, to wafh offthe 
 guilt of Original Sin, made St; Augu(lin^ 
 tliat durus Parer If^fantitdm^ fo very loofe^ 
 as to the Minifler of it in cafe of neceffity, 
 And therefore upon theQucftion, whether 
 bn?y r^ho rvas net A (IhYiftun^ could give 
 BAfufm^ '^ He delivered his Opinion un- 
 certaifiiy, faying he would not determine ity 
 hcaufe it hid not been determined in any 
 CounciL And fo from this Errourof the 
 djoluie neceffity of Baptifm to Salvation, 
 the Church of Rome came by degrees, to 
 allow the Miniftration of Baptifm by any 
 
 ■^ ContiJJ^pi^- Tcirmcn, Lib. 2'. Cap. 15. 
 
A Letter to the Author. 
 
 Hand, when a lawful Minifter could not 
 be had, rather than let a Child perifh, 
 which without it they formerly thought 
 muft be damned, and ftill think cannot 
 be faved, as fuffering f^nam dsLmn't, tho' 
 not fanam fenfuSy i, e, the Lofs of Hea- 
 ven, tho' not the Flames of Hell " Hence 
 they came to place all the ^virtuey arjd tiflcxcy 
 of Bnftijfm in the invocation of the Holy 
 Trtmty^ as in the princtf&lcaufe^ not mak- 
 ing any difference in the Miniftcrial, or 
 Inftrumental cauft, in cafe of neceffity. 
 But, Sir, you havefliew'd with great force 
 and clear evidence, that ihQ Lmftdl Mi^i* 
 fier is as ejfe^tial to Baptifm, as the Mat- 
 ter, and Form, and cannot be difpenfed 
 with by Men, who are tyed to it by the 
 Divine Inftitution. But though God tyes 
 us, yet he himfelf is not tyed to his own 
 Inflituticns; and therfore the erroneous opi- 
 nion of the abfolute neceffity of Baptifm by 
 any Minifter, either upon the account of the 
 letter of the Inftitution, or of Original 
 Sin, hath been long rejefted by Learned 
 Men, for great, and I think, unanfwer- 
 Reafons, as you may (ee in Archbifhcp 
 Bramhails Letter to Sir Henry de Ficy at 
 
 "^Decretiim Engenii P. ad Jivienoi in Com Fhrent. Conc- 
 Lahh, gf Cofi) . Tom, i ^ p- 555- 
 
 the 
 
A Letter to the Author. 
 
 the 979. p. of his Works, and in the 7 Difp. 
 of Vojjiu'.'^s Book de Bmifmo. 
 
 lamextrcamly pleafed with the modeft 
 Reflection you nmake in your PVemonition 
 upon what you had faid p. 1^5. of your 
 Book to prove the Vdidity of Hoi] Orders 
 conferred on Vf?bctptized Perfo;gs. For 
 whereas you diftinguifh Qualifications for 
 the Miniftry, into Perfonal and Authorita- 
 thje^ give me leave to te!! you, that I 
 think a!! Qaalificacions for it are Perfo-aal^ 
 and that of Fer/?^jal Qujilifcitions^ the 
 want of fome cnl) make a Man unworthy 
 of the Miniftry, but not uncapable of it ; 
 but the want of others make him utterly 
 uncapable of ir, or of being Seperated or 
 Ordained to it. The Berfofsal Qualificati- 
 ons of the Firft.fort may be called Morale 
 as Purity, Humility, Sobriety, and all 
 orher Vertues and Graces that are compre- 
 hended in Holinefs of Life, the want of 
 which make a Man unworthy, as of Holy 
 Orders after Baptifm, fo of Baptifm it fell', 
 but yet do not Null or make Void either 
 of them, when the Perfon is Baptized or 
 Ordained. The Second fort of (Salifica- 
 tions are either Natural, Acquired^ or Legal^ 
 \vhichlan: may bealfbcalPd Political^ as re- 
 lating to the Fundamental or Pofitive Laws 
 of the Church, anaong acquired Qualifi- 
 cations 
 
A Letter to the Author, 
 
 cations we may (afely reckon Readings 
 the want of which utterly dif^bles a Man 
 from performing Priefrly Offices, and by 
 confequence, makes his Orders Void. Then 
 as for Natural Quahfications, they belong 
 either to the Bodj or thtMimd \ to the Body^ 
 as fpeaking, ieeing, hearing, the want of 
 xvhich (without any ^ Canons or Pofitive 
 Laws of the Church) in my judgment, 
 utterly unqualifies a Man for the Prieft- 
 hood ; and therefore Holy Orders conferred 
 on a Deaf, and Dumb, or-Incurable Blind 
 Man, muft, in my opinion be Null and 
 Void, becaufe they render him uncapable 
 of performing Minifterial Offices. The 
 like I may fay of a Man who wants both 
 his Hands, who though never fb worthy 
 upon the (core of Moral Qualifications^ ■: 
 
 yet, by reafbn of that natural incapacity^ |.^ 
 
 cannot effedually bemadea Prieft. Quali- t'; 
 
 fications which belong to xh^Mind are Un- / 
 
 derfl-andingjjand Memory, the want of 7 
 
 which in Idiots^ Lunaticks, and Maniacs / 
 
 makes them lb utterly uncapable of re* 
 ceiving Holy Orders, that upon fuppofi- 1 
 
 tion, any fuch were Ordained to the Priefl:- ' 
 
 hood, his Orders would be Null and Void. / 
 
 Thus much. Sir, with fubmiffion to the 
 
 •^ Cm. Apjl. 59. 
 
 c Learned, 
 
A Letter to the Author. 
 
 Learned, I have faid of Perlbnal Quulifi- 
 cacions for the Priefthood that art Moral, 
 or Natural. The Legd likewife are of 
 Two Sorts. F/>/?5 fuch as are fundarmn- 
 td to the Chriftian Society^ or Conftitu- 
 tion of the Church ; or Seconal)^ fuch as 
 are fuper-induced by the Pofttve Laws of 
 the Church. Of the Birft fort, in ray 
 Opinion. Bapt/Jm certainly is, the want 
 of which therefore I think, muft utterly 
 render a Man uncapabie of being a Chrt- 
 ftian Prlefij becaulc it makes him utterly 
 uncapable of bei^g ^, Chrifii&n^ or of re- 
 ceiving the Holy Eucharift, wiiich to an 
 Un-baptized Pcifbn is '^w^a^Tt^ja Sacrifice 
 of no more cfftct than If he had not come 
 to it ; and hovv then can a Man be made 
 capable to Admin* 'xer that Holy Sacrament 
 to others who harh no right to receive it, 
 or uiike others Meirbers of the Church, 
 of v/hich he is not a Member himftlf ? As 
 to the latter fort of Legal QuaHfications, 
 the want of v^hich do make a Man unca* 
 pable of Ilolv OrHerr and his Orders 
 NMl after he is Ordained, by the Canons 
 pf the Chu« ch ; 1 have no occafion to 
 dilcom fe, and therefore in anfwer to the 
 ObjeQ'on ^ladea^.;.^inll: you,giveme leave 
 toobfer\ier^hatl prclume it relates to this 
 <a(e, which is fuppofed, but never proved 
 ^ - ^ \ tO' 
 
A Letter to the Author, 
 
 to have happened, viz that when a Per- 
 fon honafde^ believing himfelf to have had 
 VaHd Prieftjy Baptifm, but indeed had not^ 
 yet happens to be Ordained Bona Fide, 
 by the Bifliop, his Orders notwithftand- 
 ing are Nui! and Void. This, I prefume, 
 muft be the cafe in which the Objeftion is 
 put, and nor where the Perfon Ordaining, 
 and the Perfon Ordained, both k^ow that 
 the latter never received any other than 
 Lay-Baptifm, by one prefuming to Baptize 
 in oppofitfon to the Church, thefe Two 
 Cafes are fo vaftly different, that I believe 
 as- to the latter, all Divines truly Learned 
 in their profeffion will make no difficulty 
 to determine, that Orders fb conferred are 
 Null and Void. But as to the former cafe, 
 uponW'hich I take it for granted the Ob- 
 jedion proceeds, we muft have recourfe 
 to Equity^ which, in fuch Cafes of per- 
 feO: invincible ignorance, takes place in 
 Ecclefiafticai as well as Civil Cafes 4 
 in Divine as well as Humane Lsws. 
 Therefore^ Sir, I make no fcruple to tell 
 you, that a Prieft in this cafe now before 
 us, is in the Eyes of God a Valid Prieft", 
 and that all his Frieftly Adminiftrations, 
 are by his allowance alfoValid and Effeftu- 
 al, and as acceptable as thole of other 
 Priefts to htm, who can make allowances 
 c 2 where 
 
A Letter to the Author^ 
 
 where Men cannot, and ratifie what 
 Men, if it came to their knowledge, 
 could not ratifie, but muft pronounce 
 Null. You know the Priefthood was he- 
 reditary among the Jews^ and it is not 
 unreafonable to fuppofe, that one Prieft 
 or other in fuch a long tiaQ: of time might, 
 without any fufpicion, have an adulterous 
 Son ; upon which fuppofition, I believe 
 you w^iil not doubt, that when he was at 
 Age to Adminifter,God would rcekf)n him 
 among the Priefts, and accept of all his 
 Adminiftrations at the Altar; or if fuch 
 
 'an one happened to be HighPriefl:, even 
 in the very Holj of Holier, though if his 
 incapacity had been known, he mull have 
 been depofed from the Priefthood. 
 
 Sir, in this way of ftating the Cafe, 
 I am far from encouraging any Perfon fo 
 
 . Baptized, to take upon him the Priefthood. 
 For if, fuch an one, knowing himfelfto 
 have no other Baptifm, offers himfelf to 
 take Holy Orders, I think he commits, 
 a Piacuiar Sin as great as that of C(?r^)& ; 
 nay, if fuch a one but fufpeSing himfelf to 
 have no other Saptifm, takes Holy Orders, 
 I think he commits a Sin of Prefumption, 
 and is obliged, to a ftrifl: enquiry, whether 
 or no he was lb Baptized ; and if he finds 
 he was, he is bound, as he expefts For- 
 
 givenefs 
 
A Litter to the Author, 
 
 givenefs of God, to cancel his Orders, and 
 abdicate himfelf frt m the Priefthood. But 
 to prevent either of thefe fuppoftableCa- 
 fes,you,like a good Chriftian,have(/>. i8, of 
 the Appendix)mculcated co theGovernours 
 of the Church,/;^n? much it is forher^'ecuritj^ 
 and ought to be their care^ to require of all 
 Candidates of the Mini/lrj, Certificates of 
 their Baptifm, as well as of their good Con^ 
 verfatton\ after which I beg leave to fay, 
 according to my diftinclion of Perfbnal 
 Qualifications for the Priefthood, that the 
 want of the former makes a Man unca- 
 pable to receive Holy Orders,but the wane 
 of the latter only makes him unworthy to 
 receive them. 
 
 P. XKIX. You prudently and modeftly 
 decline the great dilpuce, which exercifed 
 the Church of Old, about the manner of 
 admitting Perfbns Baptized in Herefy and 
 S^hi/m. You know there was the like diC 
 pute among the Apoftles about Circum- 
 cifion, and the obfervation of the Mofaick 
 Law,but as St,* Augujli» obferves,without 
 any breach of Charity. And as it pleafes 
 God to let the Governours of his Church 
 be fometimes exercifed with great difficul- 
 ties, fb were they in fome of the Golden 
 
 * Contra Qefcomnm. Lib, 2. 
 
 c 3 Ages 
 
A Letter to the Author^ 
 
 Ages of it exercifed with this Queliion ;, 
 but as the fame Father ^obfervesj falzut^ 
 unimsif without dividing the Onity of the^ 
 Churches. To prove ilris,: he ekes the 
 Words o^?it»Cyp'ian which he (p'lk^ at ihe. 
 opening ot the Council of- CinrZ-^.^^^y.-jitD 
 which he was at the Head of the moft 
 rigid Side ; to fhew his fvioderation in 
 this difpute, of which you may iee a Ch.ort, 
 bat clear account, in the Learned Note 
 upon }Aexm Sententixm in 24?. p, of C/i 
 frhrP^ Works, Printed at Oxford^ i 582. 
 The Words are thefe, Superefij ut de hac 
 i^fi re fi/sgu'l^p quid jenti&m;iSy prefer d?nHSy 
 mminem ^udicanteSj aut 4 jure Ccmmunionis 
 aliquem , // diver jum jenferit , Amoientss. 
 So- in his Epiflle to Jubau^us, though he 
 ftrenuoufly and warmly defends his Opi- 
 Aion, yet he concludes with great mode- 
 fty, and meekriull 'V.;r r?hi ^reviter pro 
 ndflr.1, mediocritAte Tejcrifjmus^ ' f rarer cha- 
 rffjim?^ nemini prafcribeme'f^^- aut prejudican- 
 Hs^ quo mhim unus^Ht'jo^m EpiJcoporuWy 
 quod put at fad at ^ hahem ^.rhitrii fui libe- 
 rstm po^Sfiaiem:-' Nos Quantum In nobis ejl 
 
 '' ■'::-^-' ■' - " ■ - u^^ 
 
 * Ibid, Kcpi^kniiHiiVv'i viomevtiy quod ijiter Epjfcopos 
 Jiiterimis jS/-aiis*\j7frm''eJje ^icif.ei-et- Pars Donati, ifta 
 
 c]4aaaUaJuijaayir, ^..miioi .kiksuslJMfx A Qoliega- 
 
 Ti-'nijlalva Uiiitare, Sriitem'ms, . 
 
 propter 
 
A Lettpy to the Author. 
 
 propter H<icr€ticos cum Cvlh^is & Co Epifcopis 
 noftris nan contendmus, cum quihus Divi- 
 Udtn Comor^tAm^ et dj'minkxm pacem tene- 
 p$tis, m.ixime cum & Apofiolus die at ^ // quts 
 Autem pufaierit contentiofus ejfe^ nos tdem 
 onfuetudinem non h&bemus^ t?eque Ecchfta 
 Dei. Thefe Paflages plainly ihcw^ that 
 the Peace and Unity of the Church was 
 not to fuffer in this contention, but that 
 the Bifhops and Churches of both Sides 
 were ■*" to be left to their own Cuftoms, 
 and the Praftice of their Fathers, as St. 
 Bajii fpQ^ks in his Firft Canonical Letter 
 to AmphtlochluSy Bifhop of Iconium^ about 
 the Baptifm of the Novatians, Indeed, 
 there was no reafbn why the Bifhops 
 fhould divide Communion, and break the 
 Unity of the Epifcopal College in this 
 Controvcrfy; becaufe, Firjl^ both Parties 
 agreed in their Sentiments, of the direful 
 facrilegious.and damnable Nature of Here^ 
 fi and Schifm, and particularly of the 
 Schifm made by the Novatians^ and Dona* 
 ti[ls. Secondly^ they both run back, and 
 unravelled the Succeffions of their Anti- 
 bifhops to Interruptions, optn^us Milev. in 
 the one, as well as Cyprim in the other 
 
 c 4 Schifm 
 
A Letter to the Author* 
 
 Schifin. Thirdly, both compared them 
 to Ccrahy Datha^, and Ahiraw^ and like- 
 wife to Adulterers, and looked upon theii: 
 Ordainersas Traditors. And Ujtly^ bot^i 
 alTerted, that in thofe Schifms none could 
 be faved in the ordinary way, without re- 
 turning to the Church. But then, though 
 they agreed in the charge of Schifm, 
 they differed as to the manner of recon- 
 ciling SchifmAticks ; one fide being for 
 Baptizing thofe again who were Baptized 
 in Schifm, becaufe they thought their 
 Baptifm to be * Null^ Extraneous^ and 
 Profane, and that. Schifmatical Churches 
 were f only like Churches, but were ript 
 real Churches, and by confequence, that 
 their Bifhop^, and Friefts, could not Va- 
 lidly Baptize, or do any other Prieftly 
 A-ft. Therefore they had one way of 
 reconciling Penitents, who had been Bap- 
 tized in the. Church, when they returned 
 to it from the Schifm, and another of re- 
 
 •* Cypn Epjl^-ji, lz,n. Edit. Oxon. ' 
 f Cyprianus Jubaiano. ^lando ad iios non omnlno 
 peruneat, quid Hqftes EccleJiA faciuiity dummodo teneamvs 
 ipfi potcjlatjs 7iofcrA honor^m, £f rationis, nc veritatisfiy- 
 mitatem. Nam Novatianus //w/^yz/w viore, qUiZ cum Homi- 
 'les non fmt^ Homines tamen imitantuY^ vvh Ecchfuz Ct- 
 f.holk(B auctoritatevi fihi, £(f Honorem vind'tcare^ quando 
 ipfe in Ecclejia non fit. ivio adhuc irifuper contra Ec- 
 clef am Rebellis gf Hoflis extiterit. 
 
 Con(:iling 
 
A Letter to the Author . 
 
 conciling thofe who had btcn Baptized 
 in the Schifm, when they came over to liie 
 Church. The former they only iooked 
 upon as ^ Stray-Sheep, and as fuch re- 
 admitted them into the. Fold barely by im 
 pofition of Hands. But they' looked upon 
 the latter as No^ Oves, who did not be- 
 long to the Fold, and were not Sheep at all, 
 and therefore, determined that they oughc 
 to be Baptized in the Holy Catholick 
 Church, that ihey might become Sheep 
 of her Fold, 
 
 The other fide on the contrary, though 
 they looked upon thofe Schifmatical Chur- 
 ches not to belong to the Holj Catho/tck 
 Churchy but to be, extraneous to it, and 
 alienated from it, yet they looked upon 
 them as Parts, though as factious, facri- 
 legious Parts of the Univerfal Church, 
 which were guilty of the higheft breach of 
 
 ■^ ^od nos q^iioaiie hoJie ohfervamus^ ut qtios conflat 
 hk BaptizatGs ejfe, ^ a nobis ad Heretic s tranfnjfe^ fi 
 ^oftmoduin peccato [no cognxto^ ^ enore digefto, ad veri- 
 tateiti ^ AUirican vemat^ fat:: f^t in P&nitentiam Manum 
 impnere \ ut quia ovisfuerat, hcnc Ovem ac alienatam ^ 
 gnahindarn in Ovilefuum Pafior recipiat, fi autem quis ab 
 H^reticjs venir^ Baptiz^Uts in Ecclef.a prius Tion fnit 
 fed alienus in totum, P^ profavus venit, Ba^tizandus efl^ 
 ut Ovisfat^ quia una eA a^ua rn EcclefiafanSa, qu^ Oves 
 faciat, Cyprian, Fpili. ad Quintuir. 
 
 Charity, 
 
A Letter to the Juthor, 
 
 Charity, and compared them tothe"^Vef^ 
 fels of difhonour io the Hoiife of Godl 
 I fay, they looked upon them as Parts of 
 the Univerfa! Church, in the moft extend- 
 ed fenfe of the Word as it comprehends 
 Good, and Bad, Sound and Corrupt, Or- 
 thodox, and Hgeretical, Pufe, andAdul' 
 terous Churches , Churches under, and 
 Churches free from the charge of Schifm, 
 and as Members of the Univerfal Church 
 in the largeft fenfe they aifo looked upon 
 them as re^/ Churches, and the Miniftra- 
 tions of their Bifliops, and Priefts, and 
 the Sacraments they Adminiftred, as good 
 in themfelvesy though unprofitable^ becaufe, 
 both Givers, and Receivers, wanted Cha- 
 rity, as being divided from the Unity of 
 the Church. This St, Augufi, inculcates 
 again and again of f SchifmaticalBaptifm, 
 
 ■*^ Auguft. Dovarijlis Epifi. i66. Perire los noji viiU 
 Dens in facrile^a difcordia alienator a Matre veftya Catho- 
 iica^ Contra Doiiatiii. L'.h. i. ^li feperationisapcrto Sa- 
 CYiltgio jiLViifcfii funi j Eos tamen a Sacriiegio Schiiniatis 
 revocnt. 
 
 ■\ Jiigv ft. in Zvsing, Johan. Trafi6. ^ potefi fieri, iit 
 al'iqttis habent.Biiptifminn pYAter columhau :ut prolit ei Bap- 
 
 tifniu^, prater coliimham iion poteji • dccst nos cohfnir- 
 
 la^ refpondet enivi de capite Domini^ dicevSy Faptifmuiu ha- 
 hes^ cbaruatem nuteviy qua Ego Gemo non ba'.-es. ^nd eft 
 J)oc, nequit, Baptifmum baheo^ charitattinnoji haheo.i^acra- 
 vientum haheo, Charitaum noiu Noli claviare^ oslcnde viib'i 
 cuomoda habcat charirateifiy c^ui dividit unitatm. ego^ in^ 
 
 where 
 
A Letter to the Jmfjor, 
 
 where he detemis the Validtty of it in ip> 
 fslf. And asMart^/rdom out of theUnii> 
 ty is unprofitable to Salvation, fo he laitb,^' 
 Bapcifm is. The Fathers of the Lann' 
 Church, particularly the Jfrua^y^ in Sf. 
 Jugufifnh time looked upon Schijwy and' 
 the utter violation of Charity in if, as 
 
 quit] haheo Bhp.ifmiivi : hahes^fed fine chciritate nihil libi 
 prodeil:. Ba^^tifma quippe al'iqmd efi^ ^ m\:gmim alYqirid- 
 efi proper illmn^ dequo diciim efly hie eft qui ^npizht^ fed: 
 nc putaras illud o^itod mcignum efi ff/'ialiquid prcdefiepoffe» 
 
 fi nonfucris in Tfnirate. Si ^'(fptifinuni Jtabts efto in Co- 
 
 lumha^ lie iion tibi proiir, quod hahec, rem ergo ad coluju- 
 laiu d'uwnis^ lun ut mcipi. is habere^ quodiifn hahl'asf}tid\ 
 ut prodcfTd tibi incipiat, qnodhahes, Foris eiihnhal-el-ii{ 
 Bnphfmum ad pemuiemi, iwixxs ji hahui^risfmcv^'n prodeli*: 
 ad falutem. Contr.i Lpiiu parmeniani. Lib. z, aljiLi. 
 f/?prorfus lion hahre^ allud perniciofe hahcre^ al'md falur-. 
 bnt^r habere^ quicqnid nonhaletur daiidurii efi^ cum opus 
 efi day I ^ quod vera perniciofe hahetur per cutrtciioiwn'de- 
 pulfa pevnicie agendum efl^ut falubiiter habeatur. Co^itra 
 Crefcon. Gramii). Lib z. Ita vohis ^ nos dicimus^ quein 
 Baptifmuni vos ignor antes ohfervatis,- ejus- potefiareirt ivifi's- 
 vos annunciamus^ non ut C2im ad nosveneyjtis alterum acci- 
 piatis^fed ut eum^ qui jam a}ud vos erat~' uiilnQT accipi- 
 atis. Contra Donatiiios, Li/'. 1. Non eis itaqite did" 
 mus^ nolite dare, fed nolite in Schifiiiate dare. Nee eis 
 quos uiientur haptizaturi, dicimus, ivlite acciperi^ fed no- 
 
 lite ill Schifimate accipere. Si poftea venire ad 
 
 Catbolicam cogitat, quia certus efi ibi prodtlie Sacrainen- 
 tiiiw,, quod alibi accipi quidem poteft, prodeile autem non 
 poteil. — -*, In EccLfia Bapiifnum rede accipi,.. — Non 
 aiUem iljic (apud DonatiftosJ rede accipu Anguflin de 
 Bapt. contra Donatii [OS, Lib. 4. EccLtia paradijo compa- 
 rata indicac nobis, poffe quidem ejus Baprifmum Homines 
 ctiamfurisacciPere^ fed falutem hiauiiudiiM extra earn ne-^ 
 
 an 
 
A Letter, to the Author, 
 
 an impedient Caufcj which hinder'd the 
 defcent, and the reception of the Holy Spi- 
 rit upon the Baptized in Schifiri, and their 
 receiving the Gr-ace of the SacrAmeht^ which 
 only could make the Sacranient effedgal 
 to Salvation ; and upon the whole, Sir, 
 I cannot but obferve, that the difference 
 between the ISJullity ^Inutility ofSchifma* 
 ticalBaptifin is not very great, if it be con- 
 fidered , that thofe Words are fo near- 
 ly allyed to one another , that in the 
 Civil Law, the Latter is often uled to 
 fignifie the Former, fo tnutiUs StipuUtio 
 fignifies a void Bargain, and inutiliter te* 
 fiari to make a Will that is Void, or no 
 IViH. And fb the r^anis of St. Cyfrian, 
 and Inutiits of St. Augujiin^ let them differ 
 as they will, are both fo terrible, that ei* 
 ther of them methinks fhould fright Schif^ 
 maticks from the fad State they are in, to 
 
 viinem vel peicipere, vel tenere, Eos (Hareticos) 
 
 doccamus^ quod ex imitate We?^/^, non valere^^ falutem^ 
 
 nifi ad eaiidem venerint umtatem. Salus (inqu'u) extra 
 
 Ecchfiam non efi ; quis negat ? Et ideo au&cunqiie ipjius 
 EccUfia hahentur extra Ecclcjiam non valent ad falutem^ 
 fed aliud eft non habere, aliud non utilker habere, De 
 Unit, Ecclef, Sacravienta eadcm fmit, fed non profunt, 
 quia aim nil recia fint, ipfi perverfi funt, — — Jccipat 
 vinculum pads, quod non hahehar^ jine quo illi proaefTe 
 
 non potefl Baptitma quos hahebat, Baptifmui autem 
 
 in eo, qui juflitiam njn habet^ Qii^c potest, fed non poteit 
 prodeffe. 
 
 betake 
 
A Letter 10 the Author. 
 
 betake themlelves to the Ark and San£lu- 
 ary of the Church, and be reconciled toher, 
 either by reiterated Baptifm, as St. Cypridn 
 faith many Thoufands were in his time, or 
 only by Impolition of Hands^ which after- 
 wards obtained in the L^tin Church. 
 Wherefore, Sir, I agree with you, that 
 the manner of admitting , and recon- 
 ciling fuch Penitent Schifmaticks, as re- 
 turned from the Novatians and Donattjh^ 
 ought not now to be matter of difpute. 
 For the converfion of fuch is the main 
 Point, and the manner of admitting them 
 ought to be left to the cuftom of Churches. 
 Here I cannot butobftrve to you, with 
 what f Le^itj and Gentlenefs the Church 
 of AfricA treated the Donatifts. '^ She 
 allowed their Ordindtiorjs as well as Baptifms^ 
 and in a Diocefs where there was a Church- 
 Biiliop,and a Donatift Bifhop, "^She offered 
 a Partition of fuch a Diocefs, in which the 
 Senior of them floould divide, and the Ju- 
 nior choofe. "^ She alfb received the Cler- 
 gy-men among the Donatiiis upon their 
 Converfion , to the fame honour that 
 they enjoyed among the Donatifts^ ^ and 
 alfb admitted thofe vi^ho were Baptized in 
 
 f African Code in the Clsygy-maii'sVade mecum. Part i. 
 Caiu 66. * Ca7i 69, ^Can, 1 1^, -^ Cav.6S. ^ Can* 47. 57. 
 
 their 
 
A Letter to the Jathor, 
 
 their Infancy by the Douatifis^ not only 
 
 lipto tl>e Church but alfo to the Mtnifiryof 
 
 the ]Alt.zrj.rvhe,%jhey wfre converted^ ani> had 
 
 .received Impofttion of Hands. Without 
 
 Converfion and Admiffion into the Unity, 
 
 to which the Church Bifhops invited them 
 
 .by thefe Conceilions and Honours, there 
 
 could be no reunion, or making the Two 
 
 ijito one Communion again. But the DonA- 
 
 r/y? Bifhops having Mumbers^and Strength 
 
 on their Side refufcdj and tlighicd all the 
 
 diTers of the Church-, and (b added Obliina- 
 
 cy and Contempt to their Sin, ^ Stc Augu- 
 
 fiin tells us tliey were fo proud k unconde- 
 
 .fcending, that they would iiOtcome toany 
 
 paciBck CoDferencewith ih^m/jill forc'^dhy 
 
 the Emperoiiryom prided themfclves in their 
 
 Schiiiii. Sir, I have referred you above 
 
 to the Canons of the African Code^ as they 
 
 ^are abridged in the Second Part of the 
 
 ^4de Meoum, becaufe I had a mind to no- 
 
 tifie thatxyxeilenc and ufeful Book to the 
 
 *' '-^ Exhort ad Concord. Icclef. Efi^. 166. Nihil in nos 
 fdiq^iiando 'frohare potuiftis^ vefiri Epifc.'^pi conventi a nohis, 
 nunquam pacijice cum nobis ionfery<. volucnnit^ ^^i^tfifi^g^- 
 ciites cinn pccc.itorilnii loqiLi, ^its jcrat iltaai fuperbiani, 
 qii.^fi Paulus Jpofiolus non covtnkr't cum peccaturihu^, £f 
 cum Villas faciiiegis- ^t^fi ipf- Oomiuus non cum ludaeis 
 
 it quihui cYucifixiis ejl^ Somones de lege hahmrit. nt 
 
 inteliigatos iftos ideo uobifcum nolle conferre, quia can- 
 [am juam pnditam no) nut ! 
 
 World, 
 
A Letter to the Author, 
 
 World, for which the Author deferves 
 great praife and thanks.But Sir,neverthelefs 
 I defire you, who underftand Lati^, to , 
 read them at large in that Language, in 
 "JaJlePs Bibliotheca, "Juris CAnonici veteris^ 
 Tom I. and when you have leafure the 
 Conferences at Carthage between the Ca* 
 tholtcksy and the Donatifts in Optatus Mi- 
 lev it anuses Works, or rather St. Auguftins 
 Breviculum of them in the 7th Vol, of his 
 Works. 
 
 I have obferved to you in the beginning 
 of my Letter, that as there never w^as 
 any Church founded, but in and with EpiC 
 copacy, fo no Sefl: ever affumed the Title 
 of a Church, till they had a pretended 
 rightful Bifhop, before the time of the 
 Reformation. So effentid did all Chri- 
 il:ians(till that time) think Bifliops to the 
 Church as a Society^ according to that of 
 St. Cyfrian in ^ his 66. Epift. '' //// funt Ec^ 
 " clefia Vlebs Sacerdeti adunata^ O- Paftori 
 *' fuo Grex adh/srens. Vno^e fcire debes Epif- 
 " copum tn Ecc/efia ejfe^ & Ecclefiam in Efif- 
 '' copo, & fi qai cum Epifcopo mn fint^.> i'^ 
 " Ecclefia non ejje. A Chtirch is cowpofed 
 " of the People united to the Bijbop^ and the 
 
 »^ Edit. Oxon, 
 
 Tkck 
 
A Letter to the Author, 
 
 •"' Flock adhering to thetr Paftoarj therefore 
 ^ you ought to know^ that the Btfbop is in the 
 *• Churchy a fid the Church in the Btfljop ; Jo 
 *' that they who are not with the Btjhop are 
 *' i^ot in the Church, 
 
 This is exaftly according to the Apo* 
 ftolical Doflrrine of St. Ignattus. Bur, Sir, 
 to fhew you, or rather the Reader, that all 
 SecisjWho defired to be accounted Church- 
 es, were headed by Bifliops as Principles of 
 VnttyX need but inftance in tbxMontaniftsy 
 thole ancient C ami far s^ who being condeni- 
 nedby the whole Catholick Church,formed 
 theniiielves into a feperate Church, over 
 which they pretended to fet Bi/hops and 
 Presl?yters f^hom they chole out of the Pro- 
 phetical Orderjzsin the time of theApoftles, 
 by the Imrxediate Call of God, I mean by the 
 exprefs defignation of the Holy Ghoft, or 
 a vifible manifeftation of the Divine Un- 
 aion refting upon them. They alfo fet 
 up a Primat in the fame manner over their 
 JSiew Church, which they declared to be 
 the moft perfeQ: that ever had been on the 
 Face of the Earth. This, 5/>, you may 
 fee in the Hiftory of Montanifmjn One of 
 the Three Dijcourfes newly Publifhed againft 
 our pretended new Prophets^ to which I re- 
 fer you ; and it is natural to conclude, that 
 they either had no notion of a Church 
 
 : without 
 
A Letter to thi Author, 
 
 without BifljopSy or that they feared to 
 be deteded as falfe Prophets for rejecting 
 the Apoflolical Order, and therefore accord- 
 ing to the pratlifeof theCatholick Church 
 unto that tinn^e, from which chey durft not 
 depart, they founded their Ne\v Churches 
 />; and rvii/j Epifcopacy ; of all which they 
 looked upon the Church ofPept4za, a City 
 of Phrjgia, to be the Mother, as HurN/a- 
 /em was of the Catholick Church. 
 
 My next Inftance iliall be in Novatiar^^ 
 the Founder of the Novatidn Schifm, who 
 got himfelF to be Ordained by Three un- 
 worthy Bifhops in fuch an indireQ and 
 /candalous manner, as you may read in the 
 4jdCh.of the tth Book oftheEcclefiaftical 
 Hiftory of Eufebius. According to this re« 
 ceived Principle of the neceiTuy of a Bi- 
 {hop to a: Church, mofi: of the Troubles in 
 the Ancient Churches were not for />a///>?g 
 down B/Jbopf^ but about fitting of them up^ 
 that every Party might have a Bifhop for 
 a pretended Principle of Unity ; and lb the 
 Novations, though they were divided from 
 the Church for a long time, yet maintained 
 an Epifcopal Succefiion, tliat they might 
 in all Places have the Form and Fafhion, 
 and Appearance of a Church. Thus the 
 Party of the Donxtifts in Africa, fb called 
 from Donafus a Cafts Nigris^ who began 
 4 " ro 
 
A Letter to the Anthor^ 
 
 to trouble the Church in the time of Men 
 (unusy Prim Ate oi Carthage, after his Death 
 fet up Msjorirjus v^gzmQiC^ciliany his next 
 lawful Succeffor, who had been truly E- 
 Iccted and Confccrated into his Place, 
 They knew the People of that City would 
 not follow them v/ithout a Bifhop, and 
 having by that means formed a mighty 
 Party there, they were headed by * thole 
 other Bifhops who condemned CdoiliAn^ 
 and (et up Majorirms agaioft him, and 
 thereby formed the moil deplorable Schifm 
 that ever was in any of the Churches of 
 Old. The People then had no notion of a 
 Church without aBifliop,(unle(s ia a vacant 
 Church where the Altar continues) much 
 iefs of a Church let up ag^inft Ep if cop acj. For 
 had they thought that a Church could be 
 without a Bifhop, and Epifcopal SuccelTors, 
 the Mifleaders of them at any time into 
 Hereff or Schtfm, need not have taken fo 
 much pains, or uled fo many indireQ: Arts 
 to be made^ Bifhops, but have hi up Pres- 
 hjterisn Qhurches^ which v/as fo contrary 
 to Catholick Prafirifc , and the common 
 Princi'fjle of Bifhops being the Apoftles 
 SuccelTors, and Principle of Unity in their 
 refpe£tive Churches, that they either ne- 
 ver thought of doing it, or if they did, 
 they thought they could never do it with 
 
 ^ HcnviciiJi vatCi dz Sdnfinat'^ Doiiatifuinim. Cap. 2. 
 
 iuccefs. 
 
A Letter to the Author, 
 
 fuccefs. So in the famous fub divifion 
 from the Church among the Donatifls^ 
 which feperated from them as they had 
 feperated from the Church, '^ M,%ximUnus 
 a faftious Deacon, was (et up by thern, 
 againft PrtmiAntts their Bifhop of Cur* 
 thage^ as thty at firfi: fst up Majorimis 
 againft CaciUan: which they need not have 
 done, if a Church without a Bifhop v^^ould 
 have ferved their turn. This Sc£t of 
 the Maximianijis is mentioned in that me- 
 morable Canon of the -^/r/V^^Cf?^^, where* 
 in the Fathers Ordained, that Legates 
 fhould be lent to preach Peace to the 
 Donatifls^ both Clergy and People, and to 
 fhew them, that they departed from the 
 Church as unjuftly as th^ MAximia?9i (Is di- 
 vided from them, and that they fhould alfo 
 be exhorted to receive Converts from the 
 Maximia»'ifts,2iS the Church did from them, 
 cv*. allowing their Orditsntion and Baptipn, 
 
 But, Sir, to fhew thofe who know not 
 the Story, how the Principle of Epilconacy 
 was tranfmitted to latter Ages, and kept 
 its ground to the 15th Century, permit me 
 to relate the Opinion and Proceedings of 
 the Presbjters of thofe B jher^i a ris znd Mo' 
 TAvUrjSj who in perfecution retiring to a 
 Mountainous Country near Sziefia, grew 
 
 * Augurii de Gijtii cum Emerilto Bonaiijt. Epfcop, 
 
 d 2 verv 
 
A Letter to the Author, 
 
 very foiliciious how the People fhould have 
 the Miniftry continued unto them after 
 they were dead. "^ In this deliberation they 
 had fome thoughts, which neceffity fugge- 
 fted to them of ordaining other Presbyters 
 to fucceed them. Bur fearing that fuch Or- 
 dinations would not be Legitimate nor de- 
 fenfible, if called in queftion, at length in 
 the Year 1467. the moft eminent among 
 them that were difperfed through Bohemia 
 and Mor^via^ met together to the Number 
 of about 70, who addreffingthemfelves to 
 God with Prayers and Tears, befeeched 
 him to fhew them if their Purpofe were 
 agreeable to his holy Will, and if that 
 were the time for it^ and then pro- 
 ceeded in the following manner to know 
 the Will of God by Let. They chofe 
 by Suffrages Nifje Men from among them- 
 felvee, whom they thought moft worthy 
 to be B/JbopSf and having put into the 
 f lands o\ a Child Twelve little Papers fold- 
 ed up, they directed him to diftribute them 
 among the A^/^e Perfbns Nine ofthePapers 
 
 • 
 
 -*■ Ecclefice SclavoiiicxBohma in Gente potifiTimuni radi- 
 catsB Hiilonola. § 59, 60; 61. fed quajfabdt anhnos me' 
 ius^ an fat is legu'ima foret Ordinatio, fi Pveshyter peshi- 
 town crearet ; non vt}0 Fpifcopus ^ et ajiomodo talem Ordi- 
 ytatiojiem^ fi lis- }wv^atur dcfevfuri cjfsm^ five apid alioi 
 Jivs a^ud fios, 
 
 were 
 
A Letter to the Author , 
 
 w^re BUnk , and on tiie other Three 
 only were written EST, it is^ to wit, 
 the PVi/l of God^ which they had begg'd 
 him to difcover to them. It might have fb 
 happened, that every one of the AvV;? Per- 
 fbns niight have got a B/4^/6 Paper^ which 
 would have been a fign to them of the 
 Negative Will of God. But it came to 
 pafs, that the Three Written Papers fell into 
 the Hands of Three among them, who 
 were noted for their Piety, Learning;, 
 and Prudence. 
 
 Thefe ^they embraced with joy, as gi- 
 ven unto them from Heaven, and then 
 deliberated about their Confecration. And 
 to that End fent Three of their Mini- 
 fters to a part of the Waldenjes^ who oe- 
 ing banifhed out of Prance^ came to re- 
 fide in the Confines of Jufiria and Mora . 
 *via. To thefe they related their fad State^ 
 and having asked their Counfei, Stephanus^ 
 one of their Bifhops, calling to him ano- 
 ther Bifhop, and fome xMinifters, he made 
 known to them the purity of their Do- 
 ftrine, the grievous Perlecutions they had 
 fuffered in Fra^yce and Italy^ and ^ the law- 
 
 ' * ihid §. 60. 
 
 * Qirnqye d'lfii Waldenfes legitmos fe kikere Epifcofos 
 hgithiiamque^ ^ non inter) npt.vii ah Jpojiolis ttfque Jucr 
 cejjijiiem affiniurcvty oeanint: ties e noHroiiim Mmiftris 
 Epifcopos, &c. la pfsetat. Ante Rationea:i diicipliuoe 
 11 U/ij.^ats Fvatrum Boiitmoru;!!, 
 
A Letter to the Author. 
 
 ful uninterrupted 6uQoefJion of their Bifhops 
 from the firft Plantation of Chriftianity 
 among them to that time. To them 
 therefore the Bohemian Minifters, Elefted 
 by Lotj were fent to be Confecrated Bi^ 
 fhops, after which they refolded to unite 
 with the V/ddenfes^ who were fuddenly 
 fcattered by a new Perfecution, in which, 
 Stephafi. thtir Bifhop fufFered Martyrdom, 
 being inhumanely burnt at Fienna. f 'Job. 
 Amos Comeniui was the lafl: Bifhop of this 
 Bohemim Succeffion, who lived to fee the 
 f utter ruine of the Bohewia;^ and Moravian 
 Churches, occafioned by their impatience 
 * under the Crofs^ in taking up Arms againft 
 their Lawful Sovereign, and letting up 
 another againft him. 
 
 But having mentioned Colluthus above, 
 as an Ufurper upon the Epifcopal Office in 
 prefuming to Oidain Presbyters^ give me 
 leave to tell the Story, becaule, as Lawyers 
 fpeak, it is zBook-cafey which fhews the In • 
 validity of Presbyterian Ordination, This 
 ColluthuSy a Presbyter of Alexandria^ took 
 
 f Joh. Amos. Comenei Dedicator mm Jlloqumm.-^ . 8,9,1 o. 
 
 ■^ Hoc egerunt ut tas exquifitis divexationihis ad impa- 
 tient iatHj fy dehinc ad Arma, proriiarent. *•■ 
 
 •j- Eo res deduHa efi^ tii intra Eoherniam, ^ Moravi- 
 am vulliim amplius Ev angel icisTemf hi >n^ nulla Schia, nul- 
 hivi pvivaiwn Rd-g2onis Exercit'mvi. &c. 
 
 upoq 
 
A Letter to the Jut her. 
 
 upon him in oppofition to his Bifhopto Or- 
 dain certain Presbyters^ and among the reft 
 one called ^Ifchyras^ who accufed Maartus^ 
 a Presbyter of Athan.^^fms^ for breaking the 
 Chahce while he was Adminiftring at the 
 Holy Altar ; and this fcandalous Story was 
 one of thofe which the Aria?7s invented, 
 and brought againft AtbuyLifiu;, and were 
 all examined, and found to be Lyes by a 
 great f Council, which met at Alexa^dri^ 
 in the Year of our Lord, ^40. As to this 
 particular Story, the Council upon enqui- 
 ry declared "^ Firji ^ that in the Place 
 where the Holy Cup was faid to be broken 
 by M^cjtrius , there was no Church, 
 Secondly^ nor Presbyter there to Admini- 
 fter, nor Thirdly^ was the Day in which 
 the Faft was faid, a Day of Communion, 
 nor Laft of all was Ifchyras a Prieft, "^ be- 
 ing only Ordained by Colluthus^ who dyed a. 
 Presbyter^ and xvhoje Impofttiors of Hdnds 
 was of no Authority, or Validity, and 
 that, all who were Ordained by him, were 
 Laymen, and communicated in the xAlTem- 
 
 t Atiunaiii, Jpol. r. 
 
 Aaa' 077 fCMcTfeV n oAa>f Viie^ yrui yetf> j o^w fMTi iVTPSi 
 
 ^ Aw" 077 KO^AAOT0O2 'r p,f^v 71 pj( tiy iTlKiViiiTt, 
 
 d 4 blics 
 
J Letter to the Author. 
 
 blies as luch. To this Teftimony of the 
 Church, let rae add another of a Sptniflj^ 
 Bifbop, who having fore Eyes at an Or- 
 dination of Presbyters only laid his Hands 
 upon them, fuftering a Presbyter to read 
 the Words of Ordination, This coming 
 to be debated in the "*" Second Council of 
 Sevi/, was, upon mature dehberation, thus 
 determined. F^rft, that the Presbyter, 
 had he been ahve, fhoald have been cen- 
 fured for his prefumption. And Seco^d!y^ 
 that the Presbyters and Deacons, fo Or- 
 dained, fhould be depofed from their Sa- 
 cred Orders, which they had wrongfully 
 received. This fnews, that this Council 
 w^cre of opinion, that Prefbyters could have 
 no Ejjenttal Part in Ordination, and there* 
 fore,that they are liable tocenfure, merely 
 ior reading the Words of Ordination, which 
 formally conftitute a Presbyter^ or Deaco/?^ 
 though vv/iththe allowance of his BilTiopj 
 who is not fuppofed to have power to Au- 
 thorize him to do that, which he only 
 bath Authority to do himfeif 
 
 Upon what you have Written, P. 27. 
 about the Forr^^ of Bmifm , ^tT t\^Z 
 |5amC of i^Z f atl^er, &c. sir, give me 
 leave to recommend to yourperufal;, what 
 is written by a very Learned Divine, and 
 
 ^ Condi. Hijp. II. Cav, 5, 
 
A Letter to the Author, 
 
 ap old Sufferer for the Church of England^ 
 Mr. Chrijl0pher Eider field in his Book of 
 Regeneration and Baptijm^ from P. 183. 
 to P. 207. 
 
 I cannot but declare my confent to what 
 you have written, P. 11. of the ^/>. viz,^ 
 That fuppoji^g 2i ivere(as ttis r^ot^pojjible^for 
 the Church to he deprived At on^esf dl her 8/- 
 jhops^ it would he our duty^ as well as fifety^ 
 tn thAt Deflitutiorj^ to iVait and Pray, and 
 hope for a nerp Revelation ^ef the Will of 
 Qod^ rather than to take u^on our felves\ to 
 make Bt(bops,for which rve haze no Authority, 
 And I concur with you alfo in your Con- 
 clufionjP. 12. of the Ap. That no Doclrme 
 ivhat/oever^can he proved fa/fe, [or as I teg leave 
 to add ought to be rejecled^becaufe Numbers of 
 Men rnay be involved in the fad Confluences 
 that arifefrom it. To which let me alio add, 
 more Specially, when they are involved in 
 them,contrary to their Knowledge, or by 
 their own wilful Ignorance, or Miftake, 
 or by Worldly Interell, and evil PaflTions. 
 ThiSj«S/>, will appear plainly, if we confider 
 . th^received Principles of Chrin:ianity,which 
 are either Speculative, or Pra'£lical, that 
 is, either Doflrines or Commands, By 
 the speculative Principles, I mean all the 
 received DoQ vines of Faith, which we 
 ^re bound to believe in order to Salvation, 
 
 and 
 
A Letter to the Author, 
 
 and by the Praciical^ thofe, which oblige 
 us to ibmePraQicalDuty, which are again 
 of three Sorts, Moral^ Ritnal, and Foliti- 
 caL And there are none of ihefe Princi- 
 ples, which fbme Men among us, in this 
 Age of Deftrudive Latitude, will not 
 give up, or ftrive to bend, and relax, for 
 fear, or favour, when great Numbers of 
 Men, efpecially of Men in power, are 
 concerned in the Confequences of them. 
 To inftance in one of the Speculative 
 Principles .- You cannot but know, that 
 fome do not Uke our Preaching up the 
 Doctrine of Chrijl^s being God, or, G^d of 
 God, ofthe (ameEjf/'^/^fi?, ov Subfiar.ce with 
 the Father, and the BeHef of it, as neceflary 
 to Salvation, becaufc fo many Arians^ and 
 Socimam^ and other unexcufable Unbe- 
 lievers are involved in the dangerous Con- 
 fequences of that Do&rine ; and for their 
 fakes,and,it may be,fecretly for their own, 
 they rack their Inventions to find out new, 
 looie, and Evafive Expofitions of that 
 Fundamental Myftery to Chriftjeniry, and 
 exprefs them in odd uncertain Terms un • 
 known to all Antiquity^ and as different 
 in Senfe, as in Sound from the Language 
 of the Cathoitck Church, I have faid, //?- 
 excujahle Unbelievers, though thefe Gen- 
 tlemen of large thoughts, and pretended 
 
 large 
 
A Letter to the Author, 
 
 large Charity would excufe them , be- 
 caiift theMyftery isirxomprehenfible, and 
 the manner of the thing, as taught by 
 the Cathoh'ck Church, unconceivable by 
 Humane Underftanding : But let me 
 fay,, no otherwife unconceivable by us, 
 than fome Natural Myfieries are, which 
 though we cannot conceive, yet we believe. 
 They will tell us in behalf of thefe Unbe- 
 lievers, that Mens Minds are as different 
 as their Faces, that our Brains, and the 
 Cells in them, are of different make, and 
 that all Men cannot believe alike. But, 
 Sir, to fhew the Vanity of fuch Apologies, 
 let us fuppofe, that fome of our Country- 
 men were Trading among a People very 
 remote from the Sea, imagine under the 
 foot of Mount C^ucafus^ and had told 
 them, that the Waters of the River, 
 which run through the Capital City of 
 E.'/^/^W^did twice every day, and fometimes 
 oftner,run backwards up theiameChannel, 
 down which the Stream had run not long 
 before, and that the /C^>gof that People, as 
 well as the People, wondring at this relati' 
 on fhould fend Letters to iht^en to defire 
 her Majefty, that if it was true, fhe would 
 be pleafed to confirm the Truth of it by an 
 Anfwcr with her Rojd Seal, and that, 
 ^fter he received her Majejifs moft Au- 
 
 thentick 
 
A Letter to the Author. 
 
 jtlientick Letter, (hould neverthelefs de- 
 clare he would not believe the things be* 
 caufe he could not conceive the manner of 
 it, nor how it could poflibly be done, and 
 thereupon alfo did brand the Firft Relators 
 of this unconceivable natural Myftery, 
 as Ljars^ and then banifh them out of his 
 Dominions, Suppofing all this, Sir, do you 
 think it were rearonabIe,to make an Apolo- 
 gy for fuch a Princes obftinate incredulity, 
 who, upon the Authority of fuch Tefti- 
 monies, would not believe the thing, be- 
 caufe it was not only above his Under- 
 ftanding, but that of all the Philofophers in 
 his Kingdom. I fay, would it be reafb- 
 nable, for fuch a Prince, and his Philofb- 
 phers, to dis^believe, or doubt of that 
 thing after fuch undoubted Hum.ane Au- 
 thority for the truth of it, or for others to 
 Palliat, or Excufe their obftinate Unbelief, 
 becaufe Men's Minds are not all alike, 
 and their Brains of different make. Sir, 
 I wifh the Gentlemen, for whofe fake I 
 have made this comparifon, would confi- 
 der it, and no longer, under pretence of 
 V/^iverfal Charity ^2ind the differed Features 
 of Mi^ds^WYitQ in fuch manner of the great 
 Myftery of our Religion, as to confirm our 
 Doubters,orUnbelievers in their Scepticifm, 
 or Unbelief, and thereby give them occa- 
 
 iioa 
 
J Letter to the Author. 
 
 fion to rejeft it as uncertain or falfe, rather 
 than be involv'd in the dreadful confe- 
 quence of their Unbelief, fhould it be, as 
 it certainly is, a Divine Truth. 
 
 Then as to the Praflical Principles, 
 which I call Precepts, or Comrfjands^ they 
 are alfo as neceffary to be ohferved as the 
 other are to be believed ; and if I may fb 
 fpeak, are as dear to God as any Article 
 of Faith, and yet there is none of them, 
 which feme Men of Latitude among us 
 will not foften, and trim up into another 
 fenfe, topleafe the Tranfgreflbrs of them 
 to their Etereal Ruin. 
 
 Thus, Sir, that very Seft, which not 
 only neglefts, but defpifes the Two Sacra- 
 ments as Temporary Inftitutions, or Ritual 
 Ordinances, appointed only for the hfant^ 
 State of the Church, are not only allowed 
 the Title of Chriflians, but reckoned in 
 the ordinary State of Salvation by fome 
 free thinkers in the Broad Way ^ which 
 leadeth toDeftruflion. And then, as to 
 the Political DccirineSj or Principles, re- 
 lating to the Government of the Church, 
 though it was the confentient Belief of all 
 Chriftians for Fifteen Hundred Years, that 
 Bifhops were the SuccefTors of the Apo- 
 ftles, & as fuch only have power to Ordain 
 Minifters in the Church, yet have we 
 
 Men 
 
A Letter to the Author, 
 
 Men, and Men of no ordinary Figures in 
 the Church, that not only never Preach 
 this Doclrine themfelves, but do not love 
 that others fhould Preach it, or Inftrucl: 
 the Youth in'it, becauie fay they, // Vn^ 
 churches the foreign Churches, But, Sir, in 
 the Name of God, is it this received VxYd- 
 ciplcofthQCathoiick Churchy that Unchur- 
 ches Foreign Churches, or do they Un- 
 church themfelyes in continuing v^'ilful 
 Tranlgreffors of it f As not to fpeak more 
 of the Moral Prii^ciples of Chriftianity, is 
 it for inftance, the DoQrine of Sobriety, 
 or Juftice, or Temperance, or Purity, or 
 Humility, that damns fo many Millions of 
 Chriftians, or do they damn themfelves 
 by their wilful violation of them ? 
 The Pofuive Laws of God are all Sacro- 
 fanQ", e/pec/all) thoje he hath Grdurji*d for 
 Government^ and he v^ill in no wife excufe 
 the wilful Negieft, Cbnrempt, or TranP 
 greffion of them ; but every fuch Tranf- 
 greiCon and Difobedience againft the Po- 
 Tity of the Chiiftian Theocracy, let the 
 Number of Offenders be never fo great 
 fhal! receive a juflRecompenceof Reward. 
 And therefore judge, 8ir^ who aft mofl 
 like Primitive Chi iftians, and the faithful 
 Servants of Chrif}, tho(e^ who in all Meek-^ 
 ncfs, and Charity, fct this received Prin- 
 
 eiple 
 
A Letter to the Author, 
 
 cip!e concerning the OecumentGnTheccracy of 
 the Myftical IJrael.thQ Neceffity of Confor- 
 mity and Obedience, and the Confequences 
 of Difobedienceto it before the other Chur- 
 ches, orthofe, who Iboth and flatter them 
 in their Errcur , becaufe they are whole 
 Nations^ though moft of them have aban- 
 doned the Divine Order of Bifhops, purely 
 for Human Reafons of State, and par- 
 ticularly becaufe they have alienated the 
 Revenues, by which they were main- 
 tained. Yet, Sir , the fame Perfons, 
 who had rather this Principle were fup. 
 prefs'd, than that thofe Nations lliould, 
 as they fpgak, h^V^churchedhy it^ would, 
 at leaii many of them, make no difficul- 
 ties to Vnchurch lefTer Bodies of Chriftians 
 by it, and let the Confequences which 
 arife from it, have their full force upon a 
 few, though the Tranfgreffion of the Prin-^ 
 cifle^ and the Confequences of the Tranf^ 
 greflion equally affed a great, as well as a 
 final! Number, and condemn whole Na- 
 tions of Chriftians as much, and as eileftu- 
 ally as fingle Men. But thefs Gentlemen 
 fhould confider that they are theMuItitudes 
 and great Numbers that will be condemned 
 at the Day of Judgment. Furthermore, 
 6Vr, You know, what indifpenfable Obli^ 
 gaticns, lye upon all Chs iftians, and Chri- 
 
 itian 
 
A Letter to the Author, 
 
 ftian Nations/ to frofefs the Fdith once d^^ 
 Itvered to the Sai/itSy dtid to contend earneft^ 
 ly for it, and accordingly how carefully ft 
 was guarded, and how zealoufly contend- 
 ed for zgmA all Hereticks, who from 
 the Beginning oppofcd it , or any part 
 of it : and therefore, if we muft believe 
 and contend for Divine ReieUtionSy 
 which have always been oppofed, why 
 fhould we not as zealoufiy oblerve an^ 
 contend for that Divine Infiitution^ which 
 was never oppofed for 1 500 Years, T mean, 
 that Form of Governmenr.whichallChrr- 
 ftianity received and Praclifed for lb many 
 Ages, as tliat only Ecclefiaftical Polity, 
 which was appointed by Chrift to continue 
 unco the End of the World. 
 
 Sir^ I have taken occafion from your 
 AfTertion to fay thus much in behalf of 
 Eoijcopac) , as a received Principle of Chri^ 
 ftiantty^ and from thence to fhew, how it 
 concerns all our Divines, efpecially of the 
 Epifcopal Order, to fet the dangerous con^ 
 fequences of rejefting it before the Forsig^i 
 Churches J and thereupon to invite, encou. 
 rage, and exhort, nay to Conjure them in 
 the Name of Chrift, to join the Apoftoii- 
 cal Government to the Apoftolical Faith 
 of the Church, that thereby they may 
 become wholly Pure and Primitive, and 
 
 nor 
 
A Letter to ths Author, 
 
 not only in part, but in whole, as ue are, 
 and all Chriftian Nacions ought to be. This 
 furely, would better become the Men of 
 higher Stations and Charafters in the 
 Church, than, in finful ccmphifance to Fo« 
 reign Churches, to condemn Books cf mofl 
 excellent inftrudion {qv the younger (brt 
 at School^ becaufe they teach them, that 
 Bfjhops nere Succejfurs to the Apofiles in the 
 Churchy and only have fewer to ordain and 
 Jend forth Lal^oarers into God^s Fi/ieyard. 
 Thefe Gentlemen furely forget , that 
 as the nature of the Church, as a Seci^ 
 confilis in DoGrines ; So, as f}}e is a Soci* 
 ety^ it confifts in that frame of Polity which 
 God hath Ordained for the Government 
 thereof, wherefore, inftead of condcm. 
 ning, they fibould rather recommend all 
 fuch Books, as Inftruct the L&icy^ Young, 
 or Old, in Primitive Chriftianity, and en* 
 courage them to read all fuch Trafts, and 
 Difi:our(es in their own or any other 
 Tongue, as will give them true Views 
 of the State of the Piimitive Church in 
 the Beft and Purefl: Ages, and of thexVlaa- 
 ners otthe Primitive Chriftians in them ; 
 and were this diligently done by the Cler- 
 gy, the Church would foon rind great 
 benefit, and God receive much glory by ir, 
 and the Straj^Sheep of our Countries, after 
 e your 
 
A Letter to the Author > 
 
 your Example, would return' in Flocks to 
 her Folds. 
 
 Your e}iiquiri}?g Genius^ and the Provi- 
 dence of God led you to read fuch Books, 
 and his Blefling upon Reading of them 
 made you fee, and Correcl your Errour ; 
 and though you have an advantage above 
 moiT others of the Laity in underflanding 
 Latin^ yec there is already a great deal 
 written in Ehgl/fh, to let Pious, and In- 
 quifitive Perfons into the knowledge of 
 the Primitive Church, and Primitive Chri- 
 ftianity, fuch as Dr. C^x^^'i Primitive Chri- 
 ftianity ; and his Learned, and elaborat 
 Lives of the Fathers ; F/eury of the Man- 
 ners, and Behaviour oiiho. Primitive Chri* 
 ftiins, turned into Engli[b ; The Hcclefia- 
 ftical Hiftorians in a Noble new Edition, 
 Illuftrated with Maps by the Learned Dr. 
 Well£s\ TheGenuine Epi(Hes of the Apofl:o- 
 Jical Fathers by the Learned Bifhop IVake^ 
 from whom we vyait for another Edition ; 
 The Learned Mr. Bingham's Origtnes Eccle- 
 fiafiica.OT^ Antiquities oftheChrijlun Churchy 
 wortiiy to be read by all Men ; The Se- 
 cond Part of the Clergy ^man's Vade-Mecam, 
 commended above ; Mr. Reeves's Apologies 
 of the Antient Chriftians, for which he well 
 dcfervestheThanks and Praifecf all Lovers 
 of primitive Chriltianity, who cannot but 
 
 delight 
 
ji Letter to the Author* 
 
 delight to hear them fpeak in our Lan- 
 guage the fame things , with the fame 
 IJnited Force of Wit and Reafon, and 
 with the fame Charms of Elcquence that 
 they did in their own. To thefe let me 
 add the Expofiticn of the XXXIX. Arti- 
 cles by the late Bifhop Beveridge^ which 
 the Learned World defines, and from 
 which we may expeQ: nothing but what 
 is Primitive. There are other excellent 
 Pens at Work in Books cf the like na- 
 ture with thefe^ and I cannot bat hope 
 that God hath excited the Spirit of cultiva- 
 ting the more early Ecclejiajhcal Antiqui* 
 ties, in mercy to his Church. I coukl name 
 ^ feveral other EnglifhTrafts upon feveral 
 Subiefts, full of Primitive Chriftian Divini- 
 ty, were (uch a Bibliothe^a fit for this Place. 
 And befidesthofe which are written in£;?^- 
 ///>&, there are many excellent Pieces of 
 the fame kinds written in French^ as Du 
 Pra^s Nouvelle Bibliothe(jue des Aute^irs 
 EcckliaJUques ^ Tranflatcd into English \ 
 Tttlemom'^h Memoir es^ Pour Servtr a P hi* 
 jloire Ecciejiajiique ^ which ah^o deferves 
 to be Tranflated ; the Works q\ St, Cyprian 
 in Frer/ch^ which I cannot but wifh that 
 all Englifhmen, who are not verfed in La- 
 
 * Js the Principles of the Cypr'wnick Jgs, and th4 de- 
 fence of i^, &c, 
 
 e 2 tin 
 
J Letter to the Author . 
 
 tin^ but undti ftand tliat Language, would 
 carefully re.^d. Were our People exercifed 
 in fuch Writings asthefe, and their Minds 
 feafbncd with the Ancient Do£trines and 
 Principles which are in them, we fhould 
 foon fee the Spirit of Primitive Chriftianity 
 begin to revive among them, in the Sound- 
 ness and Orthodoxy of their Faith ; in the 
 Piety of their l-raQife ; in their Zeal for 
 the Divine Inftitutions ; in their Love and 
 Reverence of the Clergy ; and iti their Pray- 
 ers & Endeavours, for luppiying whatever 
 is wanting to make the Church of EngU-ad 
 in the Sanctity of her Clergy, and Peo- 
 pie, and in the ftricbnefs of herDifcipline, 
 and every other thing, as Pure, andPerfeft, 
 and Venerable as the Primitive Church. 
 
 Siry your Book, had I time to write 
 them, would furnifh me with matter for 
 moreuieful Refleftions, and Obfervations ; 
 but thefe are fufficient to fliew you with 
 how much Diligence and Dehght, it hath 
 been read over by 
 
 7oiir Frie/jdy andServAnty 
 
 GEO. HICKES. 
 
 THE 
 
THE 
 
 Author's Premonition 
 
 T O T H E 
 
 READER. 
 
 T 
 
 HE occafion of writijig this EJfay %s fujjiciently declared in 
 the Title Page ; aiid the Vefign thereof is to contribute 
 [omethivg towards the recovery of tlyofe^ who are almoji 
 drowned in the fatal Error ^ of thinking that the}' receive 
 Chr\fti.in SacrmnentSy when in Truth and Reality they receive none 
 at all. I don't doubt hut IJhall procure to viy f elf many Enemits hy 
 ihis Attempy but m matter for that, if this, viy poor endeavour, can 
 lut poveefeBual to Jin up the Clergy (whofe Office it is) to Preach 
 and^Jfnte frequently, to difahufe Mankind in fo weighty an Affair. 
 
 I amwe.il aware, how diligent the Adv erf aries will be to find' what 
 Faults they can ^ and I am not fo vain, as to think myfelf to have 
 efcaped altogether frtefom fome in this EJfay, Andtherfore, that I 
 may take away all Occafons of unncccjfary difpute, and fave my felf 
 the trouble of future Anfwers to what may be caviPd at by fome, I 
 Jhallhere once for all dtclare what I think necejfary, for the more 
 clear Explanation of my Defgn and Meaning in fome Faffages of 
 this Book, which othoivife I fear may give offence. And, 
 
 I ft In the Preliminary Bijcourfe 
 
 Page XV. Ihave noted from Du Pin, that " Vjc Council of Ne- 
 « ocoefarea, Anno n 4, Canon I. fays, that if a Prielt marries 
 « after he has been Ordain 'd, he ought to be DEGRADED, 
 whereas, in Truth that Author (Jmdd have faid, he ought to for- 
 bear the Exeicife of his Otiice. 
 
 Page XXI. Iremayk, that " the Hereticks and Schlfmaticks 
 *' were fuppos'd to be EXCOMMUNICATE; my mcan- 
 ivg is, that they were ejteem'd AS E X C O M xM U .M C A T E, 
 hecaufethey feparated from the Communion of the Church ; and the 
 fame is meant o///;e known Excomiimnicated Hereticks and Schlf- 
 maticks a little lower. 
 
 Page XXIV. My Cenfure of the Church may be reckoned too harjh 
 find fevere for thofe early Days of Chrijlianity j hut I defign no more 
 
 therby 
 
To the READER. 
 
 ilerl'y than to rep-efevt that ^' after Juno 500 fi^e BEGAN to he^ 
 (not thatfis aerially was wmiediatijy^ aft-.y that Peyjod) " miferably 
 '^ over-mnwith Error and Superfiition.F;o?M that time ther was ^ 
 gradual Declenfion from the Apojlolick Purity ; and tJp' the Faith 
 ypas kept li^hjle and Eutiy.e^ yet ther werefome Mixtures inade^ fome 
 lad Foundations laid for after Miferies andConfufions^ which infefled 
 mote efpecially the RomanChurch^ to whom I had an Eye in that Cen- 
 fitre. Jnd J cannot fec^ hiiitheCanons:coii(oermng the Celehacy of 
 ihehiep (tho'' grounded on the general fractue of the Prmitiva 
 Oergy) gave occajion to the Church of Mams afretward? abfolutely 
 io foihid theClergy Marriage^ and to ohUgc them to vow Celehacy^ as 
 if Marriage were an Jhmination to that Order of Men. 
 
 Page XX^'. ^fV-) "The Decrees of Fathers and Councils have 
 •' no more weight with me in this matter {i.e, of L,y Bapifm') 
 *' than what they receive, from their Conformity to thofe Di- 
 '< vine Oracles, &c. Here fome may p-ohahly ask me^ " who'musi 
 fycjudge between you and the Council st I anfwa; the fame asmnfi 
 le judge between the contradiBious Canons of diferent Councils , the 
 fame as vinft be judge between me and a Council that commands me to 
 worfiip Saints and Jngels^Scc. Now who this-isiipn Earth 1 cannot 
 tell \ a living infallible Judge we have no^ie ; and therfore I mujl 
 look for a Rnle or Gui^e^ i. e. the Holy Scripture, and if the Councils 
 and I differ about the fer.fe of this Rule, Ivmsi have rccotirfe to the 
 BEST and PURESTj^esofChriJliajiity^ and fie what the Apoflolick 
 Fathers and the Councils next after 'them underfiood by that Rule 
 372 the controverted Point. After all I vmft he allovp\i a judgment of 
 difcretion for my [elf, in conjunction with a juji deference to the 
 Canons of that particular Churchy whereof I am, or ought to he a. 
 Member-^ and ly all thefe Methods I am brought to conclude for my 
 felf^ that Lay H'.^pifm by one in oj^pofitton to the Church can never 
 he Good and Fa! id. 
 
 Page XaX. H'^hei e I fay that *' I am not to be put off with the 
 '' Authority of any greatNames,leparate from Scripture andRea- 
 " fon, Idejire to he underfiood ofReafomn the Objed, as Learned 
 JHen call all M'^Mnms or Arguments of Proof '^ among which for the 
 Jurhority of the Scripures,and the fcnfc of thtm in difputed Places, 
 Xunfegmdiy declare, I look upon thv confentient Docbrine and Pra- 
 dice of the Primitive Church, to be the beji and Jlrongcjl Proof 
 
 2diy, In the Fffay it felf 
 
 Page 49. I ffeak of the Council o/Eliberis, Anno 505. as if it 
 efliem'dLay Bapifm in Cafes of Extremity, to be " in Ibniemeafure 
 "• Invaiiu, liuit was peifedted, or lailier mended by Lnpolition 
 "- of theiiilhop's Hanas. See the fame again Page 75. The reafou 
 vhy 1 do fo %s,bccavfc Jame {with whom I confn'd upon this Sub- 
 
To the READER. 
 
 je^) did grant ^ that fiich Bapifim are not -wholly Valid, hecauft 
 that Council Canon 58, reqvir''d Lay Bap'iz'd Perfons to le FE'R^ 
 FECI ED hy Impption of the Bipop Haiids [See PicUm. Difc, 
 Page XIII.] Now this their CoJiceJjjon, whtthcr ''twas the true /en/ e 
 of that Canon or no, I thought convenient to make iife of aj anjr-ni 
 vtent agairiji them, to pove that Impjition of the Bijhop'i Handt or 
 Confirmation only, cannot pjjd'ly give entire Validity to that ^Lay 
 Bap ifm which was partly Invalid before. And this is no other than 
 Argumentum ad Homiiiem, which I had never made ufe of- if \t 
 had not heen-pleaded from that Council, that I ought not to require 
 Epif copal Bap if m, hcaufe, the Bijh'jp having confirm'' d me, that Ail 
 of his gave entire Validity to the Lay Baptifm adminifier'd to me 'm 
 my Infancy, tho' it was partly Irivalid,heforefuch AdofCoiifirma^i-n 
 
 JVhereas PERFECTED in the fenfe of the Cmnici'l anl 
 
 thofe times, only fgnifies Finished and Conriunrnated, as all Law 
 ful Baptifm s were thought to he by Ghrifm and Impofition of Hands 
 which in thofe Days was immediately performed after Baptifm or ai 
 foon after as po]f fly could be. Againin 
 
 Page 75. ther's another Pajfage which pojibly may l-ecavirdat,v2z, 
 " Mow a SINFUL Ack Ihould be VALID for tuperiiatural Piu* 
 *' pofes is utterly iiiCGnceivable,nay,'tis abominable'to affirm it. 
 Forfome will fry this is inconclufive, 'tis no argument, becaufe many 
 finfil ABs are certalinly Valid \ as the Marriage of M'vnors without 
 aiid againfi the confent of Parent s\ a Priejl's adminifl) ing the Sacra- 
 ments of Baptifm and tleEucharifi to adult Per Pons not duly qualiHed 
 and the like • but theAnfwer to thisi: cajie.for Uefef.nful Acls, are not 
 Sins agahijl the very Ellence of the In'jlitutions of Marri.Tge,8cc, hut 
 only againfl fome accidental circumflance. But the finful Acl I am 
 [peaking of in the forecitedpaffage,':s a Sin againfl: the very Effence 
 of the Pofitive Iiiftitution ot Chrifliaji Baptifm, ii?i;f therfore not 
 parallel with thofe Ivffances, 
 
 gdly and Laitly, in the Appendix. 
 
 Page 13. and forward in anfwer to the loth OhjeSion, I have at- 
 tempted to Prove the Validity of Holy Orders conferred on L'/i- 
 hap'iz'd Perfons, JVhat I have proposed in order the) e to, I defre thg 
 judicious Lovers of Truth to inte)p)et only as an Effay • I am not fo 
 fond of any rhivg I have f aid aboup it, as to flrive with thofe who 
 differ from me ^ nay more, if it fjmild be geimally condemned by 
 Learned Men I Jhall acqu'iifce, acknowledging that they argue well 
 who fay, that 'tu fuppos'd a Man ought 10 be a Member, iefore he 
 can be a M'mifler of Chrifi in his Chu.ch. 
 
 JVhat I have faidinthe following and other Parts of this Book, in 
 general Terms, again]} the Churdei Power , to give Aulhoriry to a Lay- 
 man for the Admin'ijh anon ofVaiidBaptifrain Cafes o/extrcam >,e- 
 
 celuty. 
 
To the READER. 
 
 ceffity, IthvikveceJ]'ayyhyrvayofprecautio7i here to explain^ hy 
 leU'vTg my Reader, that tho^ I have not [aid Jo in exprefs JFords yet 
 I depgn iherlyto mean fuch Laymen, as e'uher AB, ijt, inoppofition 
 to the EpifcopalJuthority, or e//> zdly, not insubordination to it, 
 *' whether Bilhops, the Spiritual Governours of the Church, 
 " who have power from Chrifl to give a Man a ftarding Com- 
 " milTionto be a Pried, cannot give himaComituffioii pro hac 
 " vice, in Cafes of extream neceflity, to do a Sacerdotal A£l, 
 I voill not pvcftme to determiuc, neither do I think it neccffary to di- 
 fpite agaivfl thofe, who affirm that they can ; proiided the Layman he 
 vicomviunion with, and an aBual lUmher of that Particular Na^ 
 tional, or Piovinci.-i! Clnrch, over which the Bijhops prejide who give 
 fuchan Occafional Cormmjjion, proiided alfo, that they rive him this 
 Commijion in fvcha manner, and with fiuh Limitations and Refiri- 
 Bions, as that iher may he no more realbn to fufpecl: the Truth of 
 the Divine Authority relidiiig in him for the executing of that 
 Sacerdotal Kc\ pro hi,. ^ nunc, in a Cafe of extream necellity, 
 than theris to oueftionihe Validity of the fianding CommhTi- 
 on of the ordinary Prieitiiood; for then, infuch Cafe, the Man aBs 
 jiotof himfelf, or as a mere Laick ; le isfuppos'd not to Jdmim- 
 fier, hy vertue of any Canon ofFoie'<gnCounc\h,l-ut as impower'^d hy 
 the Juthoriiy of thofe particular Bijhops he is fubjeB to ; and I think 
 it neceffary toviake thefe Proiifoes, becaufe on the other Hand it is 
 well known, how apt Men have been, and siillare, to pervert a7id 
 a'ufe this Power and Authority, and vnf apply it to wrovg andillPur- 
 p fcs hy unfouhd and falfe Inferences, (as I my felf ■ have found 
 by Experience in my Converfation, relating to my own parti- 
 cular CafcJ fo far as at lajl to make thcChriJlian Priejlhood he e- 
 jieem'd by the he^dlefs Multitude, as a thing of no neceffary ufe 
 and valve at all, and for this Reafon ^tis that I have endeavour'' dfo 
 much (in this hffay Page 50. and Appendix Page 5^. and 54.J to 
 Cnew the ill ufes which Men are apt to make of the Churches Power. 
 
 After all, whether aChuich has or has not thePjwer of Authoriz- 
 ing Uer own Laiv.ks (as above fpecified) to Baptize in Cafes of 
 Extremity, I th:nk J need make no fcrvple to fay. 
 
 ifl, That the practice cf one National or Provincial Church in this 
 Cafe cannot Authorize the Laicks of another fuch Church, which 
 gives them no juch Authority. (as here with us.) 
 
 zdly, Thatw) Chirch can have any Power to allow Laicks of o^p- 
 ^oiiltCommwiions to her, to adminifter Baptifm in that Cafe y much 
 le^s when ther is no necej^ty at all, (as certainly ther is none in our 
 Vijfenters £ apt if mi. ) 
 
 ^dly, That nj Church has or can have power to confirm Baptifmsfo 
 cdmiuifhcrcd, hecaufe Confirmation fuppofes the Per/on to have been 
 validly baptized before, and his Baptifm to bt confummated and fi- 
 Mijb'd thnchys A 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 SINCE the Publication of the '^Firfl: 
 Edition of this Book, I am informM, 
 that fome Gentlemen of no mean Cha- 
 rafter, have made further Objections a* 
 gainft the SubjeO: therof, which (becauS 
 they look very plaufible at firft fight, and 
 may therfore prejudice too many againft 
 what I have propos'd) I (hall endeavour 
 here to anfwer, as briefly and plainly as 
 I can. 
 
 Ohj. IX. A ND Firft 'tis faid^that if Lay 
 Baptifm be Invalid, and the Divine Com- 
 miffion to Baptize be convey 'd from the 
 Apoftles inEpifcopacy only, then all thofe 
 Foreign Reformed Churches which have 
 'no Epifcopal Ordination are effedually 
 Unchurched, as being (by the Prin- 
 ciples aflerted by me) deftitute of a 
 Chriftian Miniftry, and conlequently of 
 Chriftian Baptifm, which is a confequence 
 fb dreadful, and even contrary to the Con* 
 ceflions of many Epifcopal Divines of the 
 Church of Er?gUndj that none ought to 
 admit of that Doftrine, from which (if 
 granted ) fo great a nufchief muft neceG- 
 farily arife. Anfw. 
 
 A 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 Anfw. That Lay Baptifm is Null and 
 Void, I humbly conceive, I have provM ; 
 if not, let the Authors of this Objeaion 
 (hew, either the Infufficiency, or Fallacy 
 of the Arguments I have produced for that 
 purpofe ; otherwile I lliall take it for 
 granted, that they acknov^ledge fuch Bap- 
 tifins to be Invalid ; or elft, that at.befl: 
 they can give no folid Reafbns for their 
 Validity. And therfore, till I hear fur- 
 ther from them upon this fingle Topick, 
 I fhall give my felf no more trouble about 
 it, but proceed to the conveyance of the 
 Divine Coramiffion to Baptize, and this 
 (fuppofing Lay Baptifm to be Invalid) can 
 be convey^ from the Apofiles in the Chri- 
 ftian Miniftry only ; fo that all our Bufinefs 
 here, is to know how the Chriftian Mi- 
 niftry was handed down, and fucecffively 
 continued from the Apoftles to our Days, ' 
 and this will determine who caa Admini- 
 fter Valid Baptifm. 
 
 THAT the Chriftian iMiniftry was 
 conveyed from the Apoftles in Epifcopacy 
 only, we have a Cloud of WitnefTes ; Firft, 
 the Pradlice of the Apoftles, recorded 
 in the Sacred Oracles of infallible Truth 
 the Holy Scriptures; Secondly, a]I Eccle- 
 iiaftical Hiftory ; and Thirdly, the con- 
 ftant and uninterrupted Pradice of the 
 
 Univerf:] 
 
A P FEND IX. ^ 
 
 Univerfal Church of Chrift In all Ages 
 and Places, for One Thoufand Five Hun? 
 dred Years together from t!ie Apoftle* 
 Days. Thefe all bear teftimony to rhis 
 great Truth, as has been fucTicisnrly cq- 
 monftrated by a vatt number of the beil 
 Chriftian WriterSj particularly forne of 
 our own Nation, and that very lately, 
 (vid, Thofe I have mentiof/^d in Anjwer to 
 the T^dObjeBiox^nnd another 'EnUttded^ TT-e 
 Divine Right of Epifcopacy, Printed for 
 Richard Sare^ at Grays J/?/?-G ate in Hoi- 
 hor-fi, 1708,^ who have obviated and an» 
 fwer'd the Objeftions of all Enen^iies {o 
 excellently well, that it would be no lefs 
 than Prefumption in me, to attempt to fay 
 any thing more upon that Subjecl, alter 
 fiich Learned Authors ; to whom theifors 
 I refei' the Keader for his fatisfaftion in 
 thisPoint, and pafs on to confiJer theOb- 
 jedion it felf. 
 
 IF then the Prcmifes above mention'd 
 be true ; If Lay Baptifm be Invalid, &c, 
 then (fays the Objeftor; '' all.^hofe Foreign 
 '' R eform^d Churches, tx c. are efetiudU Un - 
 ** church'* d^ being deftitttte of aChrtfiian Mi- 
 ^^ mflry^ and confequsntl^ of Chriflian Bap- 
 '* tijm. Why truly, if'thofe Foreign PvC- 
 form'd are Unchurched upon the truth of 
 thofe Premifes, I cannot help that, 'tis the 
 A 2 Objcdlor 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 Ohjeaor himfelf that tells me they are fo ; 
 and I know of no way for him to help 
 them out of that Difficulty at prefent, 
 but either to prove the Premifes falfc ; or 
 elfe to perfwade them to receive Epifcopal 
 Ordination. But 'tis faid, ^' this is a dreaA^ 
 *' ful cQpfequence I It may be fb, and very 
 dreadful too, if they are fo far Unchurched 
 as to be reduced to a ftate of abfolute In- 
 fidels, which I hope the Objeftor does not 
 mean when he fays they are UnchurchM, 
 if he does, I muft tell him, that (tho'I 
 am no Latitudinarian) I have more cha- 
 ritable Thoughts concerning Thoufands 
 of them than he has, upon the fuppofition 
 of their being defHtute of Chriftian Bap- 
 tifm : for I believe abundance of them 
 may be included in the Number of thofe, 
 whom I have fpoke of in the Words of a 
 moft Excellent modern i^uthor, {to^vards 
 the End of my Anfwer to the Fourth Obj^ciion) 
 and that therfore they may very fairly be 
 efteem'd 80 mUCl^ (tt tl^C CI^UW]^ as 
 the Catechumeni, or Candidate!) for Chri- 
 iiian Biptifm, were us'd to be in the Pri- 
 niitive times. This I think abates much 
 of the drcadfuIaeG of the Confequence to 
 the Hpneft and Sincere; but it cannot be 
 hence infer 'd, that their Miniftry and Mi- 
 niftrations are Good and Vahd, or that 
 
 thole 
 
APPENDIX, 
 
 thole who know their Defefts fhould con- 
 cur and communicate with 'em in fuch 
 their Deviations from the Divine Infti- 
 tutes. 
 
 BUT (to proceed) this fays the Ob- 
 
 jefltor, is " even contrary to the Concefjiens of 
 
 ** many Epifcofal Divines of the Church of 
 
 " England. I fuppole he means fome of the 
 
 Writers fince the Reformation, who have 
 
 endeavour'^d to make Excufes and Salvo's 
 
 for the Presbyterian and Lay Ordinations 
 
 abroad. In reference to whom I muft 
 
 needs fay, that 'tis juftiy to be fear'd, they 
 
 have done more hurt by fuch their Con- 
 
 ceflions, than at the time of their writing 
 
 them they were aware of ; for 'tis not to 
 
 be doubted, that many put a great value 
 
 upon the Judgment of fuch Learned and 
 
 Good Men, and therby have been induc'd 
 
 to believe that fuch Ordinations are Good 
 
 and Valid, and confequently that ther's no 
 
 need for thofe Foreign Reformed to feek 
 
 for Epifcopal Ordination , wherby too 
 
 many of the Foreign Teachers themfelves, 
 
 are inftead of being cur'd of, confirmed 
 
 in their Errors, and it may be hinder'd 
 
 from fo much, as but enquiring whether 
 
 they are in the right or no* With fub» 
 
 miflion to better judgments, fuch large 
 
 Conceflions oitho^Qmnnj EfiJcopaiDtvines^ 
 
 have 
 
J P P E N D IX. 
 
 have been not only Prejudicial and Hurtful 
 to civo Rcibrra'd abroad, but even contrary 
 to the Doftrine and avowM PraQice of 
 the Church of England, \vhich they were 
 obliq'd in conicience by their Subfcription, 
 to lupport and maintain. For, does fhe 
 not teach in her 2 ^. Article, that ^' It; is not 
 ^* lawful (therfore 'tis finful and contrary to 
 their Inftitution) '^ for any Man to take tq^ 
 ^ ' on him the Office of Mlniftring the Sacra* 
 '' ments before he be lawfully Call'* a and Sent ? 
 And does flie not confine tbi latDfUl Call- 
 ing anu ^enDing to Cptfcopal iSDjDi- 
 
 liattOtt, in the Preface to her form and 
 Manner of Making. Ordaining, and Con- 
 lecraiingof BifhopSj Priefts and Deacons ? 
 Doss {he not call this CptfCOpal ^MtlSl 
 
 tiony Ci^nfigCommtirtonan&auti^o- 
 
 ^it^i when in her 2 6i.h Article (he teaches, 
 that the Minifter when he Adminifters the 
 Sacraments does it " in Chrift'^s Nam^, and 
 ^' by his Cornmiffion md Authority ? Is fhe 
 not fo exactly confiftent to all this, that (he 
 will not admit any of thefe Foreign Teach • 
 crs into the Number of her Priefts, no nor 
 of her Deacons neither, without Epi{co- 
 pal Ordination ? Is not all this fo true that 
 none can deny it ? And does (lie not ther- 
 by, as much as may be, prevent all (uch 
 Conceffions^ and reprove tho(e who make 
 
 them, 
 
AP P END 1 X 
 
 them, contrary to her Doftrine and Pra- 
 ftice ? I think fhe does, and confequently 
 that her Articles, are not of fo loole and 
 variable a Contexture as fome (who ought 
 to know better) have reprefented them to 
 be, (like a Nofe of Wax) that may be 
 wrefted to (erve any turn, and defend al- 
 moft all Contradiftious Doctrines and Pra- 
 ctices whatfoever, without confidering 
 that her Articles, Kubricks, and Canons, 
 &c. when duly comparM with one ano« 
 ther, do make the mofl perfeft Harmony 
 and Agreement, and have nothing in them 
 that is either Contradiftory or Inconfilient 
 to themfelves, or difagreeable to the Holy 
 Scriptures, and PraQice of the Primitive 
 Church. 
 
 I F in the Days oi Jeroboam the Son of 
 Nebat^ who made Ifrael to Sin^ a Piieft of 
 theTribeof Jdro» (hould have undertak- 
 en to defend the Validity of the Pi iefthood, 
 w^hich Jeroboam had fet up, would he not 
 have been juftly cenfurable, would he not 
 have afted contrary to the Principles of the 
 true Church of the Jews at Jerufaiem f 
 Certainly he would, notwithftanding the 
 vaftly fuperior Numbers in the Ten Tribes 
 who forfook the true Priefts, and the 
 imallnefs of the Numbers in the Two 
 other Tribes, who would not follow thar 
 R MidtitHcii 
 
8 APPENDIX. 
 
 Muhitude to do this EvtL And the reafbn 
 why he would have been jufily blameable 
 is evident, becaufe Jeroboam made Priefis of 
 the Loweji of the People tvhich rvere rwt of 
 the Sons of Levi^ i Kings 12. 31. For that 
 this (as well as their Idolatry^ was his 
 and the Ten Tribes Sin is evident by ^^z- 
 jih's ijDeech to them, (2 Chron, i j, 9, 10 ) 
 Hsve ye r^ot cajl out the Priefis of the Lord^ 
 the Sons -of Aaron ar/d the Levites, and 
 have made jcu Priefis afur the manner of 
 the Nsiions of other La/idsy ScC. But as for 
 us (i. e, the Members of the true Church 
 of God, the othtr Two Tribes of Ifrael) 
 The I ord ts cur God^ 8cc. ^nd the Priefis 
 which Mimfizr urAo the Lord are the Sons 
 of Aaron, and the Levites wAtt upon their 
 Bupnefs. Here you fee that jihijah Tri- 
 umphs and Glories in the true Prieilhood 
 with them, becaufe 'twas that which God 
 biinRlf appointed ; and he upbraids the 
 Ten Tribes for their having iht up other 
 J'riefis, without any regard to the Divine 
 Initiiutionof the Priefihood ; their migh- 
 ty Numbers, and the feeming neceffuy of 
 their being forc'd thereto by the Secular 
 Power, u'as no Argument for him toal* 
 jow of their Priefihood. How much lefs 
 o5ight thofe Writers among us, to have 
 ftudied fo mdullriouny, as fome of them 
 
 have 
 
APP EN D I X. 
 
 have done, to prove the Validity of their 
 IVliniftry, who are not one tenth of the 
 preftint Univcrfal Church, and who differ 
 from them and the v/hole Church through- 
 out all Ages, in not requiring their Mini- 
 iters to be Vefted Vvith the Divine Autho- 
 rity by Epifcopal Ordination. 
 
 I AM well aware of what is pleaded 
 by thofe Epifccfal Divines^ 'viz,. That 
 thefe Foreign Reform^ were under a Cafe 
 of Neceflity, and fome of them fay, they 
 are fb ftill. But I am not yet fatisfied 
 what they mean by this Cafe of Nece{]]ry • 
 The Church of E^gu^d, wherof thofe 
 Epifcopal Divines are Members, has not 
 declared it : the Scripture is wholly fllent 
 about it, and on the contrary, has record- 
 ed the dreadful PuniHiments inflicled upon 
 fome, who to ail appearance had a great 
 deal of Reafbn to plead, that they were 
 under great Circumftances of Neceflity, 
 to afTume to themfelves thofe Offices, 
 wherein ihey miniltred contrary to the 
 Divine Inftirurions; as in the Cafes of vS'^fc-/, 
 I Sam. ij. from ver/e S. to verje 14. and 
 Vz^zahy 7 Sam. 6. 6^ 7. So that I am ut- 
 terly at a Lois to kn;^w, how thofe Wri- 
 ters could difcover any Cafe of Necefliry, 
 that of It jelf was (ufficient to Amhov'xzQ 
 Men, to take upon them the Great Office 
 
 B 2 of 
 
,o APPENDIX. 
 
 of mediating between God and Man. Ther 
 is not one Inftance (that I know of) in 
 all the facred Oracles, of any one's being 
 inflated into fuch an Office, even in the 
 greateft Cafes of Neceflicy, without an 
 explicit Revelation of God's Will, that 
 the Man fliould aft therin, when the 
 ordinary appointed means of giving him 
 his Ccmmidion was wanting. And if 
 the Excufers of thoie Foreign Ordinations 
 can fliew me fuch an Inftance, I fliall be 
 very much oblig'd to them if they will 
 be picas'd to do it. 
 
 NAY further, fuppofing that 'twere 
 poffible to determine a Cafe of Neceffity, 
 that might be fufficient to empower Men 
 £0 Adminiftcr Valid Sacraments, without 
 receiving a Commidion for fb doing, by 
 God's appointed means of Epifcopal Or- 
 dination, yet I dont find that any of the 
 abovefaid Writers have proved by good 
 Arguments, that the faid Foreigners were 
 ever under fuch a Ca(e of Neceffity, tntich 
 lefs thiit the) are fo now ; and till this is 
 prcv'd, I fie no reafon to be at all con- 
 cluded by the Writings of even the beft of 
 Men, who are not guided in their Didates 
 by the infallible Spirit of Truth, as the 
 Bleffed Apodlesand Prophets were. 
 
 I 
 
APPENDIX. II 
 
 I KNOW that fomc do beg the Que- 
 ftion, by fuppofing, '' What if the Epif^ 
 *^ copal Order were utterly Extinft, and 
 " no Birtiops could be found to confer 
 *' Holy Orders ; muft ther be no Mini- 
 " fters therfore in the Chriftian Church ? 
 " and muft the Vifible Church of Chrift 
 ^* ceafe to have a Being as fuch in tiie 
 '* World ? This at firft propoling looks 
 to be a very weighty Queftion, but when 
 we juftly reflefl: on the Divine Veracity 
 which has infallibly affur'd us, that Chri^ 
 will be mthhis Apofiles^(\.. e. them And their 
 Succejfors^ the Bf/bopSy) dlway even unto 
 
 t]^e (Cnti of tl^C l»Ort& ; and that the 
 Gates of Hell fball never prevail agii^sjl the 
 Church ; then the Impertinence and Fol- 
 ly of this \}VhAt if] does immediately dif- 
 cover it lelf, becaule it fuppofes, what in 
 fafl: never was, nor ever will be, and ther- 
 fore needs no anfivering becaufe not to be 
 granted. But alas / fuppofing that it were 
 (as it is not) poiTible, for the Church to 
 be univerfally deprived of her Spiritual Fa- 
 thers theBilhops, 'tis our Duty as well as 
 Safety, rather to wait and hope for, ITjmc 
 New Revelation of his Will for ancilicr 
 Inftitution of iMen to fucceed in the Chri- 
 ftian Priefthocd, than to take it upon our 
 felves, by fuch Ways and Means as he has 
 B 5 not 
 
5 2 A P P E N D IX, 
 
 not hitherto appointed, and which will 
 therfore prove ineffeftual for the Juperna^ 
 r^r^/ Pu5 poles of his own Divine Inftitu- 
 tions; (becaufe Q^sn by liis own Autho- 
 rity only, can never make a Human equal 
 to a Divine InftitutionJ but this Cafe has 
 never happen^ yet, and therfore, no So- 
 ciety of Men either part or prefent, can 
 be at all excus'^d upon this fuppob'd Foun- 
 dation. 
 
 AND now to conclude, all that I have 
 to fay to this Objection, no Doftrine what- 
 loever can be proved to be falfe, by the 
 Mifchiefs of thofe Confequences which 
 neceilarily arife from it, when thofe Con- 
 fequences themfelvesare not contradiftory 
 to ibme previous Truths ; and when Men 
 by either their wilful Sins, or fupine Neg- 
 leQs, are the orjlj cmfes of the Mifchiets 
 ot thofe Confequences, for which Truth 
 and its Affertors are noways anfwerable. 
 This I believe is a Maxim that w^ill ftand 
 the Tcft of a ftrifit Examination, and hold 
 good in the Cafe before us : And I pray 
 God to touch the Hearts of thofe viho arc 
 concernM in it, with a due fenfe of their 
 Deviations from his Holy Inllitutes, that 
 they may complcat a thorow ReformattOH^ 
 that th.e Chriftian Friefthood may recover 
 us Anticnr Spiiitual Glory; and that we 
 
 may 
 
APPENDIX. I ? 
 
 may be all blefs'd with the Happineft of 
 a Univerfa! Communion of Saints here in 
 the Church Militant, fbas to be intituled 
 to an entire and eternal Union and Com- 
 munion with the Church triumphant in 
 the Kingdom of Heaven 
 
 Obj. X. 'Tis further Objeded; that if 
 Lay Baptifm be Invalid, then all thofe 
 who never received any other Baptifm arc 
 uncapabls of Holy Orders, having never 
 been Baptized ; and therfore the Orders of 
 feveral Epifcopally Ordained Perfons a- 
 mong us are Null and Void, and confe- 
 quently fo are all their Minirt:erial Acts 
 too, bscaufe they never received any other 
 than Lay Baptifm. This will involve the 
 Church into the utmoft confufion ; and 
 therfore the Invalidity of Lay Baptifm 
 ought not to be allowM by any, who 
 value the Order and Peace of the Churcli. 
 
 Jnfiv. THIS Objedion raifes a Con- 
 fequence from an uncertain, and ic may 
 be a falfe Foundation; for it takes for 
 granted, that the Incapacity of a Perfon 
 to receive Holy Orders, by reafon of his 
 being Unbaptiz'd, renders Holy Orders, if 
 confer'd on him, Null and Void ; or in 
 fliort, that wAn^ of Baptifm Nulls Holy 
 Orders in Any Perfon Ord.tirPd to the Mint- 
 Jiry. This Aflertion does not yet appear 
 B 4 eafie, 
 
14 APPENDIX. 
 
 eafie, if at all to be prov'd, for thefe fol- 
 lowing Rea foils. 
 
 17?. Becaufe ther is a vaft difference be- 
 tween a Perfbnal Capacity or Qualification, 
 and an Authoritative One. For, a Ptrfond 
 QualijiCAtion^ for the Miniftry, is, what a 
 Man is bound to be endow'd with, tit 
 ComtUOtt with all other Chriftians, whe- 
 ther he be ordained to the Miniftry or no ; 
 and therfore Baptifm and Holinefs of Life 
 being equally incumbent on all Chriftians, 
 Minifters as well as Lay-Men, msi) jufllj 
 be diftinguifhM by the Name of Perfonal 
 QualificAtions* 
 
 BUT an Authoritative Qualification ^ov 
 the Miniftry is that only, wherby a Man 
 is feparated and difl-irj^uifb''d from the reft 
 of Mankind, and therby empower'd to 
 Perfonate and Reprefent the Divine Pre- 
 fence, for the conveyance of Spiritual and 
 Supernatural Benefits to us. This is what 
 we call the Divine CommifTion, convey'd 
 from the Apoftles in Epifcopacy, and gi- 
 ven to tlie Ordain'd Perfon by Impofition 
 of the Bifhop's Hands. 
 
 2dly, A PERSONAL Qualification 
 may be, and in fadl often is wanting^ when 
 dn Authoritative One remains Good and 
 Valid ; and ther's abundance of Reafon 
 that it fiiould be fo, becaufe, die Perjonal 
 
 Qualify 
 
APPENDIX. i^ 
 
 QoiilificAtion chiQ^y refpefts the Man him- 
 feU*, who is, or ought to be, poUefs'd of 
 it, fince he only will reap the benefit of 
 having, or find the mifery of being defti- 
 tute of it. But the Juthoritative Q^Altfi^ 
 cition as fuch, relates only to God, and 
 the People ; to God, as the Minifter is to 
 be his Proxy and Refrefentative ; and to 
 the People as they are to receive from God 
 the Supernatural Benefits of his Proxy^s 
 Miniftrations, The People receive no 
 more advantage from the Perfbnal Quali- 
 fication of God's Reprefentative, th^n 
 they do mifchief from his Per formal Iwmo- 
 ralities ; that is, none at all, becaufe they 
 are neither anfwerable for the one or the 
 other : if he be deftitute of any fuch 
 Qualifications, let him look to that, 'tis 
 none of their bufinefs with refpefl: to the 
 Efficacy of his Miniftrations : all that 
 they are bound to take care of, is, that he 
 be ttfttlf ^ent, and if they are but once 
 fecure of that, then in all his Miniftrati* 
 ons they are not to fuppofe him, but 
 Chrift himfelf (whom he Perfonates) to 
 be Adminiflring to them ; for, all Sacra- 
 ments on the Part of the Adminifiraiion are 
 Good and Valid, only upon this ClIC 
 ^OUntlSttOtl ; without this, of Chrift the 
 Great High Prieft's Adminiftrinc, either 
 
 ^ himfelf 
 
i6 APPENDIX. 
 
 himfelf in Perfon or by his Proxy, all 
 Cliriftian Sacraments muft fall to the 
 Ground* and be of no ufc or advantage 
 to Mankind ; and therfore if wccan but 
 folidly, /. e. upon good foundation, be- 
 lieve, that he does thus Adminifler to us, 
 we need never concern our fck^es with the 
 Per fond QualificAtions of his Reprefenta* 
 tive, for the Validity of thofe Adminiftra- 
 tions, which rcxeive their whole EfBcacy 
 from tlie JuthGyitative .Qudific^tiQns of 
 Chrift himfelf, who has promis'd to make 
 good and ccnrirm thena when performed by 
 €ip?e whom be has Jent, 
 
 TO Exemphfy ail this in the Cafe be- 
 fore us ; Hohnefs of Life is RequirM as a 
 Perfbnal Qualification, Previous to Holy 
 Orders : this is evident from St. Paulh E- 
 piftles to Timothy and Titus ; and yet 'tis 
 well known, that our Lord himfeif chofe 
 "^udds Ifcariot^ a covetous Thief, and one 
 whom he himfeif branded with the Name 
 of a Devil; I fay^ ^tis well known, that 
 he chofe tliis wicked Wretch to be no Jefs 
 than a?^ Apoftle, and fent him to Preach and 
 Baptize, to cafl out Devil?, and to heal 
 the Sick, as well as the refl: of the Apoftles \ 
 lor which reafbn, all his MinifteriahAfts 
 were Good and Valid, notwithflandinghis 
 being deftitute of the Perfond ^dif cati- 
 on 
 
APPENDIX. 17 
 
 Off of Holimfs of Life ; and 'tis univerfally 
 acknowledged, that the fame is true of all 
 other wicked Bifhops, Priefts, and Dea- 
 cons whatfoever, otherwifc, \vc could ne- 
 ver be fatisiied with the Validity of Ordi- 
 nations in any -Age of Chriftianity. And 
 therfore, tho' Holinefs of Life is a //ecejfarj 
 Perfo?2al QmltficAiioa for the Miniftry, 
 becaufe of great Edification to the People, 
 &c. yet if a truly Ordained Minifter fhould 
 be a wicked Man, the People ought not 
 to fufpecl the Validity of his Miniftrations 
 by reafon of the wickednels of his Life, 
 becaufe, 'tis Chrift that Adminifters by 
 him as his Proxy Gnbj^ and Chrift's Mini* 
 ftrations are certainly Good and Valid ; 
 let his vifible Reprefentative be never fo 
 wicked, he himlelf (and not the People) 
 muft anfwer for that. This is exactly a- 
 greeable to the 26th Article of the Church 
 of England^ and therfore ther is no need 
 longer to infift upon it, but to proceed to 
 Baptifm, another Per/o^a/ J^ahficatio^ for 
 Holy Orders. 
 
 I T is certainly the indifpenfable Duty 
 of Every Mi&i/hr to be Baptiz'd, as well 
 as to be perfonally Holy, becaufe 'tis a 
 Divine Law to which all ought to pay 
 Obedience. For which reafon I cannot 
 omit commending the laudable Cuftom of 
 
 the 
 
i8 JPPENDIX. 
 
 the Church of Rome, who, (tho' Corrupt 
 and Scandaloufly wicked in other Matters, 
 yet) requires her Candidates for Holy Or- 
 ders to prove their Baptifm, before they 
 can be admitted into the Miniflry ; and I 
 fhouldlieartily rejoyce to fee the Gover- 
 nours of our Church require the fame of 
 her Candidates for the Minifterial Funfli- 
 on, who, 'tis to be fear'^d, ever fince the 
 Reformation, have never beenenjoyn'd to 
 bring Certificates of their Baptifm, as well 
 as of their good Behaviour and Chriftian 
 Converfation. This Omiflion, I charitably 
 believe, proceeded only from an Opinion, 
 thaf none would frefume to enter into Holy 
 Orders before the^ rtere BaptizPdy and that 
 t her fore '^ttvas needlefs to require a Proof of 
 their Baptifm : But however, if this Cu- 
 ftom had been preferv'd, 'tis reafonable to 
 believe, that our Minifters would (fome 
 of them) have been more ftricl in keeping 
 their ParifbRegiflers of Perfons Baptiz'd by 
 Lawfully Ordain'd Minifters, and not have 
 fuffer'd Schifmatical Lay Baptifms to have 
 been Regifter'd among the True Baptifms^ 
 as 'tis now fcandaloufly praftic'd in fomc 
 Places, to the great grief of many, and I 
 hope almoft all our Divines, who have 
 conftantly opposed all fuch unwarrantable 
 Praciicesy and will (to their Praife be it 
 
 . fpoken^ 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 19 
 
 fpoken ) never fuffer fuch Regiflers to be 
 made in their Parifia Books. I fay, if this 
 good Cuftom of requiring Certificates of 
 their Baptifm had been continued, *tis ve- 
 ry likely, that no Lay Baptized Perfon 
 would have got fuch a Certificate, from 
 the Minifter of any Parifti ; becaufe fuch a 
 Minifter's giving fuch a Certificate, would 
 have been a publifhing of his own fault, 
 in making fuch a Rcgiller as is contrary to 
 the Laws and Cuftoms of the Church ; for 
 he muft have mentioned the Lay-man's 
 Name, who was faid to have Baptized the 
 Perfon, and therby have declared, that he 
 himfelf took part with Schifmaticks^ and 
 confequently muft have incurred the PenaU 
 ties of the \oth and ^jth Canons cf the 
 Church of England ; and this might have 
 been aneffeQuai means of prefer v ing our 
 Regifters entire , and confequently of 
 keeping out of the Miniftry, thofe who 
 received Baptifm from Lay Preachers ; no 
 other Lay-men being at leaft now fo pre- 
 fumptuous, as once to pretend to Baptize. 
 But this only by way of Digreffion. 
 
 AND now to return, Chriftian Bap- 
 tifm is certainly a Perjonal QualtfiCMion 
 for Holy Orders ; and that it is no more 
 than a Perfonal One, I infer from hence, 
 becaufe all Chriftians arc eClUaU^ bound to 
 
 be 
 
20 APPENDIX. 
 
 be Baptized, Minifters as well as People ; 
 and it cannot be prov'd, that it is more the 
 duty of the one than of the oiher to be Bap- 
 tized : if it be laid yes it is, becaufe ther 
 inuft of neceflity be a Chrifiian Minifler, 
 before ther can be a Baptiz'd Lay-man ; 
 this is not denyM ; it is certainly true ther 
 mull: be fo ; but it does not therfore follow 
 that he is not a Chriftian iMinifter if he is 
 UnbaptizM ; for 'tis not his Baptifm, but 
 the Commiffion that makes him a Chri- 
 Itian Minifter, or one fet apart to MinifieY 
 in the Dtvine QJJices of the ChrijlUn Re^ 
 ligion. If it be objeL-led, that while he is 
 UnbaptizM he is out of the Church ; and 
 how can he who is not of the Church, ad- 
 mit another by Baptifm into the Church ? 
 I anf\ver, tho' he is out of the Church 
 with refpect to any EeneHts to himfelf, vet 
 not with refpecl to the Spiritual Benefits 
 he has Authority and CommifTion mediate- 
 iy to convey to others ; for, a Man may 
 be & True Mejfe/jger to carry that Good to 
 another, which he himfelf neither does 
 nor ever will enjoy ;and therfore, he who 
 is not of the Church becaufe Unbaptiz'd, 
 may as trulj admit aPerfon intotheChurch 
 by Baptifm,as he who(tho' Baptiz'dj thro' 
 his Wickednefs, is deftitute of the Holy 
 Ghoil, can convev the Gift of the Holy 
 
 Ghoft 
 
APPENDIX. 21 
 
 Ghoft by his Miniftration of Sacraments 
 to others : for, as 'tis not the Parjomi 
 Holinefs of the Adminiflrator, that con- 
 veys Holinefs to me in the Miniftration 
 of any Sacrament ; io neither, does his 
 having received that Sicrament, fignifie 
 any thing to me for the Vahdity therof, 
 u hen he Adminiftcrs it to me by vktue of 
 A Divine Commiffion explicitly given to htm. 
 This COtltmilTiOn alone, is that Vv inch 
 makes the Minjitranon liOC his, but God's 
 own Ad, and asfuch {without dny ether Ap* 
 fendmt Cdnje) 'tis Good and Vahd, Hence 
 our BlefTed Lord calPd both Unbaptiz'd 
 and Unholy Men, viz. his Apoflles, who 
 cannot be prov'd to have been BaPtiz'^d i/i 
 the Name of the Trinity before his Re* 
 furredion j and one of them, 'Judas Ifcariot^ 
 a Thief, a Devil in his Difpofition, to the 
 Adminiftration of Holy Things, as if he 
 would tlierby teach us, to look with Faith 
 onl^ij; aUt^OjtitjOnl? .without confiding 
 in any or the beft Accomplifhments oi 
 thofe on whom he has conferM it. And 
 if we do bur look back to the Condition 
 of the Jewifh Church, during their forty 
 Years fojourning in the Wildernefs, we 
 fliall find that none of them were Circum- 
 cised in all that fpace of time ; and tiio' 
 the Uncircumcis'd was by God's own Ap* 
 
 fointmenr 
 
22 APPENDIX. 
 
 pointment to be cut off from among his Peo^ 
 fle^ yet the Miniftry of thofe Priefts and 
 Levitcs, who were born in the term of 
 thofe Forty Years, was not Null'd and 
 madeVoid for their want of Circumcifion ; 
 which doubtlefs was as much necelTary 
 to qualify them for Holy Orders, as Bap- 
 tifm is now toquahfy our Chriftian Priefts. 
 UPON the whole, as neither the Bap* 
 tijm^ nor Perfonal Holinefs of the Mini. 
 fter can Baptize or make us Holy, but tl)0 
 J^MnZ 9iUt]^0?tt^ refiding in him; fo nci- 
 ther, can the Bapnjm or Perfonal Holinefs 
 of theBifliop coafer Holy Orders, but tl^e 
 ®it)fne aUtl^OJtt? from Chrift and his 
 Apoftlcs, vifibly convey'd to and refiding 
 in him : 'tis by virtue of t^tjS alOHC that 
 Holy Orders are given, and if either the 
 Bifhop or OrdainM Perfon, or both, have 
 any Perfonal Incapacity, viz. of Wick- 
 ednefs or want of Baptifm, the Fault is 
 their own,and they muflanfwerforit ;but 
 as for the Ordination, that muft remaia 
 Good and Valid, by reafonof the Exter- 
 nal Divine Commiflion de jacfo given to 
 the Bifhop. For, if every Perjonal De- 
 feci of what is required, either in the Ad- 
 miniftrator or Recipient, could Invalidate 
 the Adminiftration, either of Baptifm or 
 Holy Orders, we fhould never have an 
 
 end 
 
AP P E N D IX, 
 
 2? 
 
 Knd of Rebaptiz'Uions and ReordinHCions ' 
 JNay, we could never have any certainty, 
 either of V'aHd Baptifms or Ordinaiions, 
 becaufc we fliould always find but too ma- 
 ny Occafions, to call in queftion the Suffi* 
 ciency of the Preparations, and Peribnal 
 Qualifications of both Minifters and Peo- 
 ple, who are all equally exposM to the 
 fame Human Frailties, and lyable to be 
 tryM with the fame innumerable Temp- 
 tations. 
 
 AND therfore t humblv conceive, our 
 beft way is ( t don't (ay bnl^ but) Cl^teftp 
 to regard, and infift on the V^ifible Divine 
 Authority and Commiffion, handed down 
 from Chrift and his Apoftles, by that 
 ^jtDCf of Men, w^ho have 4/1174;; had 
 power to convey it to others ; this, with 
 the Right Matter, and Forr^ of Admini« 
 ftration^ are what we ought to efieem to 
 be the o^Ij EJJe^itia/s of Baptifm and Or- 
 dination, on the part of the Adrhiniftrati* 
 on of them ; and as for the reft, every 
 one in particular muft do his part to tlie 
 utmcft of his Power, to (ecure thofe Per- 
 fonal Qualifications, which God has re- 
 quired of both Miniilcr and People, under 
 no lefs penalty than that of Eternal Dam* 
 nation, upon the wilful negleft of them. 
 
 C THUS 
 
24 APPENDIX, 
 
 T H 11 S far I have prefumM to declare 
 my Thoughts, concerning the Uncertainty 
 snd (as far as I can lie) the Falfenefs of 
 the Foundation, upon which this whole 
 Objeftion is rais'd, humbly fubmitting all 
 I have faid in oppofition to it, to the better 
 Reafons and Arguments of my Superiors, 
 the truly Ordain'd Minifters of Jefus Chrift, 
 whether Kifhcps, Priefh, or Deacons, fin- 
 cerely declaring, that if any thing has 
 dfopM from me, that is contrary to the 
 Truth of Chrifrianity, I do hereby Re- 
 cant it, and will do fo in a more particular 
 manner, as foon as I can difcover my 
 Errcur, 
 
 AND now, whether what I have faid 
 againk Ordination*, and Holy Miniftrati- 
 ons being NulPd for want of Baptifin, be 
 true or no; if the Invalidity of Lay Bap. 
 tifm be a Truth, let every one take care to 
 keep himfelf from the mifctiievous Conle- 
 qucnces of it. And if the Nulling of Ho- 
 ly Orders, and Miniftrations, be a re J 
 Cc^JequeKce of this Truth, tlien ther's no 
 other Remedy, but that thofe who are in* 
 volv'^d in it, fhould extricate themfelves 
 out of it, by Epijcopal Baptijfmznd Recrds- 
 n At ion. It is not enough to fay, that 
 '^ this tpill invcAve the Church into the ut- 
 ^' mod Covftfficn ; for, want of BaptiCn and 
 
APPENDIX. 25 
 
 a Valid Miniftry is the mofc pernicious 
 Confufion,and infinitely greater than what 
 can proceed from fach Perfbns receiving 
 valid Baptifm and Holy Orders ; and ther- 
 fore, if the Premilcs are true the Risk 
 muic be'run, for Truths of fo great Im- 
 portance thuft not be ftified, and made to 
 give way to iuppos'd Cohfufions ; becaule, 
 whatlbever miichief may arife, can never 
 be the Refult of Divine Truth (which is 
 always Good and Beneiicial) but of Mens 
 Sins and Impieties, in ufurping thofe Sa* 
 cred Offices, which they never received 
 any CommiiTion to ASt in. So that thofe 
 who value the Order and Peace of the 
 Church, ought not to difallow of the In-- 
 validity of Lay liaptifm, upon the Account 
 of thisConlcquence, but rather to enquire 
 lerioufly, whether Divine Revelation gives 
 us any Foundation to believe, that fuch 
 Baptifms are Good and valid ; and if they 
 arenot, whether the Nulling of Holy Or- 
 ders be a real Confequcnce therof ; and if 
 tf bC; they fhould aifert snd maintain it lo 
 the utmoft of their power, nay even ta 
 Martyrdom it fclf, if the defending fuch a 
 Truth did expale them to it, rather than 
 fuffer themfelves to be deftitute both of a 
 Chrifiian Priefihoody and Chrijlian Bap- 
 tifm, 
 
 € 2 Ohji 
 
26 APPENDIX. 
 
 Obi, XL BUT others fay, that to a- 
 void the fatal Confequcnces of adhering 
 too rigoroufiy to this Doctrine of Lay Kap- 
 lifms being Invalid, the ^' Authority of the 
 ^' Powers Hi er arch sal are very Divr/ie^ and 
 *^ the JA?ne which Chriji had^ not to the vie-- 
 '* Ution of hts Laws, hut to DlfpCttfC ^^^^^^ 
 '* them to CDtftCStfOfl) f(^^ which they may 
 *^ he irfifower'' A to lieUx ftated Rules ^ in cajes 
 '' that ap^iear vecejfaty or exponent. And 
 that therforc, iho* Heretical^ Schifmatical^ 
 *^ and ALmuai Baptjfms are done ivithcut^ 
 ^* nay J and again ji the conjent of the Hie- 
 ^^ rarciiVj and therfore are not intire^ or 
 *^ 'valid tn thcmfelves^ yst they are M-me fo 
 *^ Oi^the Poft-haQy hj ih^ Spiritual Powers^ 
 <' fo far, as that the Externa/ Rite jba/l not 
 ** he Re/tf rated : hut as to any Spiritual 
 *"■ Graces they art not to he had thereby^ till 
 ^* thofe defeciive and h regular A els are Jup- 
 " vljd^ Righied and Cor^jirMed.hy the Chr/Jm 
 *^ of the Hi/hopy or Imvofuion of his Hands ^ 
 *' or JlchRne ky which he jball fix the Per/on 
 ** RavtiZ^d into a State of Canonical Vni* 
 »'- on tvith tht Church, So aUb, the Vali- 
 dity of Lay Baptifm, " as well to its Inter* 
 *' naly as Exter?ial Priviledges, farads en 
 ** the Jut hen :y of the Churches Power to 
 *•' ^rayit fuch Licenfe to Lay-men in Extre^ 
 «* mtttcss /in wliich being confider'd, Lay- 
 
 Bapti fills 
 
J P F E N D IX, 27 
 
 Baptifms ought now to be acknowledge 
 Valid, ef|3ecia!Iy to fuch as have been con- 
 firmed by the Bifhop. 
 
 Mf.P. THIS Objeaicm is for fhe mod 
 part in the very Words of a Learned and 
 Reverend Oppofer, of One of the moft 
 Poyfonous Books that, it may be, was 
 ever fuft'er'd to be PubiifliM in the Chri- 
 ftian World, falfly Intitul'd^ the Btgl^tSJ 
 
 Dft^eCl^nfftan C^utcl^ afleneo The 
 
 worthy Author, who has done the Churcli 
 good Service, in anfwering that pernici- 
 ous Book, Idarefay, never defigncd, that 
 any thing in his moft Excellent Book 
 fbould be conftruM to favour our Lay- 
 Baptifins, which are evidently />?(?/?^^/mv» 
 to the Divine Right of Epifcopacy, and 
 for which our Hierarchial Powers have 
 
 provided no act Of Confwmatw« So 
 
 that in tliele Nations, Our Lay Baptizers 
 and their Profelytes, can reap no benefit by 
 any thing afferted in this Objcftion 
 
 I HAVE already, under the Corol- 
 lary of the Third Propoficion, declared my 
 Reafons againft the difpenfing Power plead- 
 ed in this ObieQion ; to which I fnaj] fur- 
 ther add, That I acknowledge the Divide 
 Pcrvsrs of the Hieraychy^ but witfe this 
 Reftriftion, that fince the fetling of the 
 Canon of the Holy Scriptures, they are 
 
 C 3 for 
 
8 J PP END IX. 
 
 for ever limited in ®l&fng0 fanJJsmental 
 
 to that Ru!e/rom which chcy have no Au- 
 thority to Deviate, and confequencly not to 
 dtfpenfs with any of theElTentials of Bap- 
 tifm, which without all doubt is a Funda- 
 mental of Chriftjanity ; fuch a, . D^fpef^fa^ 
 tmi muft be a VioUtiGn of Chrift's Law, 
 and how th.at fhould be to Edifcation is 
 inconceiveableiinceChrilt our Great Law^ 
 Giver, has provided Fundamentals fuffi- 
 cient for the Edification of his Church 
 in all circumftances whatfbever'', and obe- 
 dience to his Laws about Fundamentals, is 
 moft certainly the beft Edification ; other- 
 wife, He who is Omnifcienr, Wifdom it 
 felf, would never have made fuch Laws : 
 and therfore with fubmiffion, ther feems 
 to be no neceffity for impowering the 
 Governoursef the Church to '' ReUx ha 
 '* /rated Rules J no not in Cafes that appear 
 ^' mceffat) or expedient. Befides, if Chrifi: 
 has made ftated Rules for the EiTentials of 
 Chriftian Sacraments,, without providing 
 for fuch pretended Cafes of Neceffity, the 
 Hierarchiai Powers mufl certainly run a 
 great hazard of Sin, in attempting to 
 difpcnfe v*'ith things, for which he has 
 made no Provifion ; and the Perfons 
 difpensM with can have no juft j&tisfdHon 
 in fuch Dirpenfatioas, efpecially when the 
 . feeminj;! 
 
J P PEN D IX. 
 
 feeming caufe of them is removed, as it 
 certainly is in the cafe of PerfonsbaptizM 
 by Laymen, contrary to the ftated Rule 
 who may afterwards obtain Epifcopal Bap- 
 tifm agreeable to the Law of Chrifr, // 
 the HteprchiAl Powers wUl ha: give them 
 leAve. 
 
 THIS I fay in oppofuion to thoU 
 who affirm, that the Hierarchial Powisrs 
 
 ate actually enDotoea with Authority to 
 
 '^ dijpenje wtthChnji^s Law}\ and to ReUx 
 ^* ftated RuleSyin CAJes that appear neceffary & 
 " expedient ; which the LeariTcd Author, 
 whofe Words tliey u(e, does not fay. Ail 
 that he intimates is only, that they mag 
 Jje impower'd to do fo ; which plainly 
 Ihews, fthat he would not venture to 
 affirm that they really are \ and 'tis reafbn- 
 able to believe, that upon (econd Thoughts 
 he will not allow fb much, as that they 
 mA) be lb impowsrM ; becaule what may bcj 
 may n^t he^ as far as we know : nay, 'tis 
 more agreeable toreveaPd Religion to (ay, 
 that they are not fo impowcr'd ; becaufe, a 
 thing of fo great moment would never 
 have been left out of the Divine Oracles, to 
 be handed down to us thro* all Ages, by 
 the unCClPtam metl^D of Tradition only \ 
 and theriore, *tis very unfafe for us to 
 truft in fuch {nay ^^'s] when the Re- 
 
 C 4 reiving. 
 
JO APT END IK. 
 
 ceiving, or not Receiving, of Spiritual 
 Supernatural Frtvtleclges atid Benefits^ de- 
 pends upon the Truth or Falfity of fuch a 
 difpenllng Power, as it certainly does in 
 the Adminiftration of Chriftian Sacraments. 
 ^' Hertticdy Schifmatical arm MimiQd Bap- 
 *' tif^nsyd^rt in this Objeftion acknowledg'd 
 to be " not Er^tire cr Falid in themfelves^ 
 therfore in themfelves they are utterly and 
 entirely Invalid (by the CoyolLiYji of the 3d 
 Propofirion .) It is alfb agreed, that '* as to 
 *• &rjj Spiritual Graces they are not to he had, 
 thereby tillkc. which is a plain Indication, 
 that of tfcttUftlbCfJ they are of yjo Efficacy 
 to the I'urpofes of Chriftian Baptifm, the 
 AdminiftrarioR whereof is certainly effica- 
 cious for the conveyance of Spiritual Gra- 
 ces. Again, they are calPd here '' Defective 
 '* and Irregular Jcis. But why are they De- 
 fecitve, except but for their being uncapa- 
 bje of producing the proper Etfefts of 
 true Baptifm ? And why fhould they be 
 ferm'd Irregular Jcis,, except only but for 
 being contrary to the ftated RuIe(or which 
 i^ the fame) iw^ Firft Inftitution of Chri- 
 flianBaprifrn ? 
 
 SO that the E^tf^md Rite performed 
 by thcie Heretical, SchijmAticAl and Mimical 
 Biptiztrs, being thus acknowledg'd to be 
 Conrrarj 10 the Indicuticn of Baptifin, and 
 
 utterly 
 
APPENDIX 
 
 ?' 
 
 utterly uncapable in it felf, of being the 
 means to convey any Sp/ntaal Graces 
 what has it to do with Chriflian liaptifm ? 
 certainly it mufl: be a mere Nullity, and 
 all one as if it had never been perform'd, 
 becaufe, if it had no virtue to confer Spi- 
 ritual Graces, ic had no virtue to confer 
 any Benefit at all ; for, even the outward 
 Priviledges are no Priviledges, when fepa- 
 ratefrom the Spiritual Graces. Thus, all 
 Terfons, on whom the (aid External Rite 
 was performed, can receive by means ther» 
 of, none of the Benefits of Chriftian Bap- 
 tifm, which are all Spiricual and Superna- 
 tural, and confequently muft remain in the 
 State of the Unbaptiz'd, till they receive 
 true Chrifiian Baptifm ; which bow they 
 can receive without repeating the Externa! 
 Rice by a proper Adminiftrator, is utterly 
 inconceivable. It is faid indeed, that 
 *' thoje Defeclive and IrreguUr Acis^ (/. e. 
 the External Rites of thofe Heretical, Schif- 
 matical and Mimical Baptifms) are Sup- 
 ^' pIj%Rfghnd^affdCo^ifirw^d, by the Chrtjm 
 ** of the Bi^bop^ or Import ton of his Hands*^ 
 " kc. For anfwer to which, I refer the 
 Reader to the Coroliary of the "^dPropofitioH ; 
 &r further add^that this is only (aid and not 
 prov'd ; and I believe never will, till it can 
 be dcmonftraied that, that which before 
 
 was 
 
3*^ ~AP P E NO IX, 
 
 wCiSPio Baptijm at aS in the Chriftian ienfe 
 of the Word, is now made true Chriftian 
 Baptifin (without the Afl: of liaptization) 
 merely by the Bifliop's Chrifm, or Impo- 
 iition of his Hands. Kirher the firlt External 
 Rite was the Cne J^Spttfm the Scripture 
 fpeaks of, or it was not ; if it was, then 
 k was Entire and Vahd Baptiftii, and con- 
 lequentiy wants no fuch Aft of the Bifhop 
 to fupply .And Yi?ht zt ; but if it was not 
 that ^tte ^aptifm, then nothing can 
 make it lb, but the very Afl: of Baptization 
 by a Chriftian Minifter : for it may with as 
 Tnuch te/ifon be affirra'd, that Baptifin is 
 Adminifter'd really and truly by fuch Ads 
 of the Bifhop, to dl other VjjbAptizPd Per^ 
 fons as well as to thofe ; and fo at laft, 
 .Baptifm it felf will be rendered needleft, 
 when the want of it can be fo eafiiy [up- 
 plfd : but no left than a Divine JRevela- 
 tion will fuffice to convince us, that this 
 is true, and till that is produced we muft 
 continue to believe, that not alltheAfls 
 of the highcft created Powers on Earth, 
 are fufficient to make that which before 
 u'as no Baptifra, to become Chriftian Bap. 
 tifm, without the Aft of Baptization by a 
 proper Minifter, asChrift has appointed in 
 the Inftitutipn : And that confequcntly, 
 thok who never Received any other than 
 
 Lay 
 
JPPENDIX^ 3J 
 
 Lay Baptifrn arc ftill Unbaptiz'd, notwith- 
 ftanding their being fupposM to have been 
 confirm'd by the Bifhop. As for the Fa/i- 
 dity of Lay Baptifrn^ that it *' Jlands en 
 '^ the Authority of the Church* s Power^ to 
 ** gfAnt fuch Licenfe to Lay men in Extre^ 
 '* mities ; when it can be prov'd, that 
 Chrifi has Vefled his Church with fuch a 
 Porvery it will neceffarily follow, that Lay 
 Baptifrn, in Cafes of Extremity^ rauft be 
 Valid upon that Foundation; but even 
 then, Qur Ordinary hay Baptifms muft be 
 Null and Void, becaufe they are deftitute 
 of the Plea of Neceffity in a Country where 
 Chriiiian Priefts are to be had ; and ther- 
 fore, 'tis in vain to claim any Benefit from 
 the fupposM Power of the Church, be- 
 caufefhe herfelf has not Authority to ex- 
 ercife this Power, except in <£jrtVCtnftfCjSi 
 which God be praised we do not yet labour 
 unda*. But after all, 'tis dangerous to al- 
 low, that this Power was ever given to the 
 Church for Cafes of Extremity, becaufe, 
 fuch a Power would be an Occafion of de- 
 ftroying the very Unity of the Church, 
 and expofe her to the endlefs Divifion^^ 
 and Separations, which Hereticks and 
 Schiftnaticks would make from her : for^ 
 if by virtue of this fuppos'd Power, fhe 
 fhould once make a Canon to Licenft Lay- 
 men 
 
54 AP PENDIX. 
 
 men to Adminifter Valid Baptifm in Ca- 
 fes of Extremity, then fuch dividing He- 
 reticks and Schifmaticks, calling their pre- 
 tended Scruples y and Tend^^rjefjes of Con- 
 fciencey by the Name of Cafe0 Of tjXtt 
 mttp* would eftablifh the Validity otcheir 
 Lay Adminiftrations, upon the Authority 
 of the Church from whom they feparate, 
 and vindicate their Oppofitions to her, by 
 the Power which flie in fuch cafe would 
 implicitly give to them. And lb every 
 private Peribn, after having blinded his 
 Underftanding by hearkening to Falfe 
 Teachers might plead, that he was under 
 a 0tCrtrtt^ to feparate from the Church, 
 by reafon that he cannot overcome his 
 Scruples about her Doftrine and Worfhip ; 
 And therfore might join himfelf to any 
 Congregation he fliould like beft, with- 
 out the lead fear of dividing from the 
 Church, becaufe, rvhere true Sacraments And 
 the Word of God are^ there mull be a, 
 true Church ; and he could find proper 
 Sacraments Adminifter'd in thefe New 
 Congregations even by Lay Adminiftrators, 
 who Adi by the Jutkority of the Church 
 her felf This is to build the Church and 
 its Unity upon (b precarious a Foundation, 
 that we (hall never know what Schifm and 
 caufelcfs Separation mcan^tho' theScripture 
 
 tell^ 
 
J P P EN D IX. ^55 
 
 tells us ther are andwill be fash Sms^ and 
 the Apoftles pronouncing Damnation upon 
 thofe who are guilt) of fuch Sins {Gd. 
 5.2c, 21O will have no force and eiEcacy 
 upon Men's Confciences, wl-^n they can 
 once perlwade themfelves fas they too 
 often do) that they ftparate /(?r Neceffjty^ 
 and can upo'/i that very Accoum receive Va- 
 lid Sacraments from Lay Hands ; and then 
 'twill be in vain to fay, that fuch Lay 
 Adminiflrations mufi: be confirmed by the 
 Bifliop before they can be Valid Sacraments; 
 for it will be demanded, by what AuthO' 
 rity the Billiop requires fuch Adminiftrati- 
 ons CO be confirm^ by him f and if good 
 Teftimonials from floly Scripture are not 
 produced for this furpofe, the Bifhop^s 
 Sufvljirig and Rigiuini fuch Irregular Afts 
 will be made a Jeft of, and the Sep^ratifis 
 will conclude themfelves as much in the 
 Church as the Biflaop himfelf, while they 
 Adminiflcr and Receive as good Sacraments 
 as he, fince he cannot prove their Lay 
 Adminiftrations /leccffarj to be Cotjfrm^d^ 
 Righted ^uA Supflfd^ by impofiticn of his 
 Hands, &c. On the contrary, if it had 
 but been conflantly afferted and defended^ 
 Than the Sacramems of thi ChrifiiAn Chur€b 
 are b) Inftitution of fuch 4 Nature ^ thst the 
 Chrijliiin PrieJlhoO,i is one Jnfepsrable ami 
 
56 JPPENDIX. 
 
 ■ ■*- 
 
 EJjfe/Jtial part of tbem^ or^ that the Divine 
 Authority of the Admifilftrator^ is tk$ tUtlCl^ 
 dnd as durable a fart of their l^Jtitution^ 
 as the very matter^ or outward Elements of 
 them. If Men had been always taught^ that 
 in the Sacraments^ the Priefi is fl^ ttlUCl^ 
 the Heprefentative of Cod the Giver , as the 
 cutrvard EUments are of the Graces given^ 
 and that confequently^ thefe tatter art no 
 Chrisiian Sacraments rvhen feparate from 
 God^s Authorized Reprefentative the Priefi : 
 And that the Chureb her felf cannot by any 
 Authority given to her^ alter the nature of 
 theje things, If thefe Topicks had been 
 conftantly infiftedon, without Trtming to 
 pleale any Farcy oiHereticks or Schijmaticks 
 whatfoever, 'Tis more than probable, 
 that Men would have been much more 
 tender of the Unity of the Church, and 
 more cautious of feparating from her, than 
 now we find they are; fince howfarfbever 
 their vain Curiofity might have prompted 
 them to have followM New f angled Lay 
 Teachers to pleale their itching Ears, yet 
 the confideration of their hdngdeftituteoi 
 €]^?tftfan^Ctament!S,might have terri- 
 iy'd them from withdrawing from the Com- 
 munion of the Chriftian Priefthood, and 
 therby have prevented, at leaft, many of 
 thole fnal Separations from the only falutary 
 
 ComrnuMion^, 
 
APPE NDIX. g7 
 
 Communion^ which abundance of poor 
 Wretches have fallen into, meerly thro' 
 the falfe notion of better Edification, and 
 vain belief of being fiire to find true 
 Chriftian Sacraments in communion with 
 their New fet up Lay Teachers. And 'tis 
 juftly to befear'd, that the continual fc- 
 parations from the Church in all Ages, 
 and particularly in ours, have chiefly 
 fprung from this wretched Opinion of tlie 
 meer Of us Operatum of Sacraments being 
 real Sacraments, whether Adminifter'd by 
 a Prieft or a Lay Man ; as if Chrift^s ap- 
 pointing the- Order of Priefthood in the 
 Chriftian Cliurch, fignify'd nothing at all, 
 rotwithftanding 'twas the refult of the 
 moft confummate Wifdom of our Great 
 Law-giver. 
 
 BUT, becaule 'tis pleaded from Scrip- 
 ture Inftances, that Cafes of Neceffity 
 and Extremity, have taken place of Divine 
 Inftitutions, and that therfore Baptifm, 
 in Cafes of extream Neceflity, may be 
 Validly Adminifter'd by a Lay-man^ not- 
 withftanding the Inftitution requires it to 
 be Adminifter'd by a Prieft : and fgral- 
 much, as many Lay-baptiz'd Perfons en- 
 courage themlelves by fuppofing theirs to 
 be a Cafe of Neceffity, and conftquently 
 that they have received true Chriftian Bap- 
 
 tiim; 
 
§8 APPENDIX. 
 
 tifm, I fhail therfore, in anfwer to the 
 next Objedion ilicw, that thofe Inftances 
 produced from Scripture are not parallel 
 toCIirillian Baptifm, and that ther is no- 
 thing in them that can favour Lay Baptifm, 
 even in Cafes of ^^reateft Extremity. 
 
 Obj XII. IN' the Inftitution of the Paffo- 
 ver, it was appointed that the Jews fliould 
 eat the Pafchal Lamb ^' with their Loins 
 *' gtrded^ their Sbo^i on their Feet^ and their 
 *' St^ff in their Hand,E)iod. i 2. 1 1, which 
 fignines a ftanding Pofture : The Church 
 of the JQWS afterwards changed thisPofture 
 into that of Leaning or Lyiag along , and 
 our Saviour finding! this Cuftom orevaiPd 
 in his Days, comply'd with it when he 
 celebrated the PaiTover^ fMat. a 6. 20.) 
 Which plainly freu s, that we may many 
 times comply with tlie Churches changing 
 ^ven a Divine Inftitution for a Human 
 one ; and why not therfore with the 
 Churches allowing of Lay-Baprifm in Ca- 
 fes of NecefTity ? Again, our Saviour 
 leproving the Jews for their over Rigid 
 Nicenefsinoblerving the Divine Inftitution 
 of the Sabbath, tells them, That David 
 *' ivhe» he hud ;jeed did take a»d Eat the 
 *^ Shew Bready and gave to them that were 
 •' with him which was mt /awful for him 
 " iQ eat^ mither for them that wne with him^ 
 
 *' hut 
 
APPENDIX. j9 
 
 " iut for the Priejls alone <^St. M^t. la. 4. 
 St. Mark 2. 25, 26.) making D4i///i's Ne- 
 ceflity a fufficient Reafbn, for difpenfing 
 at that time with God's own Pofitive In- 
 ftitution about the Shew-Bread. And fur- 
 ther, ourBleffed Lord upon the fameoc- 
 cafion reproving the Jews^ fays, that God 
 will have Mercy and not Sacrific€y (St. Mat. 
 12, 7.) Which is fufficient to inftrufl: us, 
 that in Cafes of Neceffity, the Pofitive 
 Inftitutions of God himfelf mufl be fbme- 
 times difpens'd with, for the fupply of our 
 wants, and confequently, that Baptifin 
 in cafes of Neceffity, where a Priefi: cannot 
 be had, may be VaHdiy Adminifter'd by 
 a Lay-man, to fupply the Spiritual Wants 
 of thofe v/ho are Unbaptiz^d. 
 
 Jnjw, THIS Objeaion confifts of fo 
 many particulars, that 'twill be necefPary 
 for me to confider it, in the fame order 
 wherein it lyes. And, 
 
 I ft. THE Poflure of ftanding to Eat 
 the Pafchal Lamb was no more than a 
 Temporary Inftirution ^ peculiar to the 
 Celebration of the, Fir ft Paflover in Egypt, 
 the very Night the Jews were to Depart 
 out of that Country. This is plain, from 
 the reafon of God's appointing them tD 
 Eat it in fiich a Poilure of Travellers, in 
 hafte^viz, becaufe he would '^ fafs through 
 
 D '' tht 
 
40 APPENDIX. 
 
 ^ ihe LA/jd of Egjp that Nighty and Smtte 
 *^/ i// the Firfl'korff in Egypt both df Man 
 ^^'aMheaft, (ver. 12.) which would have 
 fiich an Effect upon the Egyptians^ that 
 they would be very prefTing and Urgent . 
 upon the Children of Ifiael to depart out 
 ef their Country to be rid of their Com- 
 pany, for whofe fake they had luffered fb 
 m^ny and great Plagues, and were now 
 deprived of their Fiv(r-born, throughout 
 all their Houfcs and Families, ihcExod. 
 12. from ver. 00, to ver, 54. And, if the 
 ^Children of /yr^/ had not been that Night 
 m/iich a Travelling Poflure, they would 
 hot have been pVepar'd for fb fudden and 
 hafty a departure, as the diftrafied and 
 tj^n ify'd Egyptians obligM them to, wher- 
 by they might have been expo.'d to abun- 
 dance of Inconveniencies, both from the 
 fury of the Egyptians y and their own XJn^ 
 pi eparedncfs for a Midnight Journey; And 
 therfore, thit they might not ;be thus in- 
 eptilmoded, God required them to eat the 
 Pafchal Lamb '* ttt I^afte, ^i^l^ their Loins 
 ^^ girdedy their Slwes en their Pett^ and their 
 ^' Sta^ tn their Hand^ to be ready for their 
 Journey at any warning that Hiould be 
 given them that Night ; but . after their 
 departure the Reafon of this Appointment 
 CeasM, and t her fore fa did . the. Appoint- 
 ment 
 
• APPENDIX, 41 
 
 ment it felf, and confequently was no 
 longer binding and obliging : and we 
 never find this Travelling Pofture repeated 
 in any of the after Celebrations of the 
 PalTover : but that it was only a Temporary 
 h(litution, peculiar to that Firft Celebra- 
 tion, I appeal to the Learned Jews both 
 Ancient and Modern, and alfo to our beft 
 Com n:)gn tutors upon the place> (lee Bifhop 
 Patrick, Grotius, Diodati^ Pools Syxopfis.S^c.) 
 to whom I refer the Reader, that I may 
 not be more Prolix upon this Subject. 
 
 THE Pofture of Standing then, being 
 not enjoynM to be conftantly us'd, was no 
 Ejfe'/Jt'tal Part of the Inftituticn of the 
 Paffover, and therfore 'twas afterwards 
 indifferent what Pofture the Jews jfhould 
 Eat the Pafchal Lamb in ; for which 
 reafbn, tj:ieir Church certainly had power 
 to appoint any innocent Pofture fhe fhould 
 thij)J5 fit ; and fince heaning or laying along 
 was determined by her, and prevaiPd in 
 our Saviour's Days, and he was pleas'd 
 to conform to it, we ought to follow his 
 Example in complying with fuch inftiru- 
 tions of the Church as are v^ot contrary 
 to the Law of God. But this Inftance 
 do's not allow us to comply with the 
 Church's cl^anglttg a Divine Inftiturion 
 for % Human one ; becaufe, the Church of 
 D 2 the 
 
42 APPENDIX. 
 
 the Jews did not herein Clj8tt|j;C a Divine 
 into a Human Inflitutior. ; tor, the Pofture 
 of Standing was then no Divirie Jfpoint* 
 tnent hecauje tiot Ejjetitid to the Pajf over ^ 
 and therfoi e the Church of the Jews did 
 not CijattgC this into another Ceremony, 
 bur appoint the indifferent Ceremony of 
 Lying or Leaning, when ther was no 
 Divine Injiitution at that time, obliging 
 them toany ether Pofture. 
 
 AND therfore, we ought not^ from the 
 'Authority of this Inftan^e^to comply with the 
 Church's allowing of Lay Baptifm in Ca- 
 fes of Neceffitys becaufe Baptifm by a 
 ^jtitS is EiTential to Chriftian Baptifm, 
 and as much obliging as the Inftitution of 
 tJDat^V it i"^If> during the utmofi: term of 
 theChriftian Difpenfation, as I have prov'd 
 under the i fi and 2d Propoutions. And a 
 Lay-man's Baptizing to confer Supernatu- 
 ral Benefits, is tto tntiiffetcnt Ctvcum- 
 
 Sance in the Power of Man to determine 
 ana appoint, as was the Pofture of Lying 
 or Leaning along, when the Church of 
 the Jews appointed it; and therfore, from 
 that Church's Example and our Sav iour^s 
 conformity thereto, no Argument can be 
 drawn to fupport the Validity of Lay 
 Baptifin, even in Ca*fes of greateft Ne* 
 ceflity^becaufe the quality of th^erfon who 
 
 is 
 
JPPENDIX, 4? 
 
 is AuthorizM to Baptize for Supernatural 
 Purpofes, is determin'd by no other than a 
 mere Politive Divine Inftitution. And no 
 Cafe of Neceflity whatfbever can deter- 
 mine any other means for the conveyance 
 of ^uper}2AturdlBea:jitSy than what are al- 
 ready reveaPd to us, except God Hiall be 
 pleased to make fome New Revelation of 
 his Will for fach a Purpofe. 
 
 2, AS forthelnftanceof D^^'/iandhis 
 Mens Eating the Shew-Bread ; leaft Men 
 fliould from hence encourage themfelves to 
 break through all the Divine Laws to fup- 
 ply their Neceffities, 'tis necelTary to con- 
 fider, what Circumftances of Neceflity 
 will excufe our breaking a mere Pofitive 
 Inftitution of Religion. 
 
 Firft, THEN, confidering that all 
 God's Pofitive Inftitutions are appointed 
 for our Obedience, nothing can excufe us 
 from the Breach of any one of them, but 
 fome other ntOVe f nCUmbCnt Duty, which 
 at the fame time Hands in competition 
 with the Pofitive Duty. 
 
 Secondly y THE means of fupplying 
 our Neceffities, mufl: either be fuch as arc 
 cf a natural Efficiency^ or elfe efficacious by 
 virtue of a Divine Inftttutiony Adminifter'd 
 juft as God himfelf has apppointed. 
 
 BOTH thefe circumftances concurrM 
 D J in 
 
44 APPENDIX. 
 
 in David and his Mens eating the Shew- 
 Bread, and not one of them is to be found 
 in Lay Baptifm. For, 
 
 J ft. T H O' by the Pofitive Law, 'tWas 
 not lawful for any but thePriefts to eat ir, 
 yet by the Law of Nature and ReveaPd 
 Rehgicn too, it was necefTary to feed the 
 neceffitous Hungry ; and David and his 
 Men, wanting Bread, and ther being at 
 that time no other to fupply their Necefli- 
 ty (i Sam. 21.6,) the Prieft gave him 
 the Hallow'd Bread, that fo the Law of 
 Charity to the Lives of Men, enforced by 
 a double Obligation, vi&. by the Law of 
 Nature and of Reveal'd Religion, might 
 take place of the mere Pofitive Law about 
 the Shew Bread, which had no other Ob- 
 ligation than from the Pofitive Inftitution 
 only, with which the faid Law of Charity 
 itood at that time in competition ; and 
 this is exaftly agreeable to what the 
 LearnM Dr. Hammond fays, in his Para- 
 phraie upon St. Mat, 12. j, 4. which be- 
 caufe fo very appofjte to this purpofe, I 
 fiiali here tranfcribe for the Readers Infor- 
 mation : His Words are theft, '* Remem^ 
 ^' her the Story cf V^v'id^ I Saw, 21. 6. 
 '* a^^d hj that )oti -will dt\cern that the Cafe 
 *' of Hunger was Excepted^ and Referv^d tn 
 '"■.' the Law fo^icerm;-^^ Hdy Days or Things \ 
 . '' tor 
 
J P PEN D IK. 45 
 
 " For there David and his Company being 
 " prefs^d with Hunger^ were by the Pri^Jc 
 " dllonPd to Eat the Sf/erv-Bre^d, which 
 " hei^g confecrated did particuUrlj belong to 
 " the Prieft, Levit. 24- 9. jet might it 
 " feems (hy the intention of ihe L^iw-gtver) 
 " he by him implofd in anj charitable ufe./or 
 ^' the Relief of others^ as long as there rr^^re 
 " T^ore ready co^fe crated for the Sacred Vfes, 
 ^' I Sam. 21. ^., j^^daccordi;?glyy tho^ the 
 " Prieft pretended not to dtjpenje with ant 
 ^' (fo much as Ritual) Part of God's Law 
 " ^as appears by the exception interposed by 
 " him ver. 4. If the Toang Men have kepc 
 " themfelves from Women) yet he doubts not 
 '' to give them freely of the Confecrated 
 ^' Bread ; thereby ajjuring us^ that it was 
 ^ as Lawful for the Prieft to give fome part: 
 " of the Confecrated Bread to relieve the 
 ^* Hungry^ as to Ezt it himfelf\ and fo that 
 ^*^ in the Law of Holy Things^ not being 
 " touch"* d hy any but the Prie,ts^ the Cafe of 
 " Hunger or Diftrefs was referv'^d, in which 
 " it might by the Prieft he lawfully given ta 
 " others. Thus far that learn'd Author. 
 But nothing of all this occurs in Lay 
 Baptifm : for the Pofitive Law requires 
 that Baptifm fhould be AdminifterM by 
 a Prieft of God's Appointment ; and 
 cher is no Law of but equal, much lefs 
 D 4 ' of 
 
46 APP ENDl X. 
 
 of greater Obligation that requires a Lay* 
 man to Baptize at all : Natural Religion 
 does not oblige him to Baptize, becaufe 
 Baptifin is no part of Natural Religion ; 
 and as for Reveal'd Religion, that has not 
 required him to Baptize ; and therfore in 
 Cafes of greateft Neceffity, if he does 
 Baptize, he afts without any Duty incumbent 
 onhim^ contrary to a Pofitive Inflitution, 
 A^hich is no Waysconfiijcnt with this In- 
 fiance of Duvid. and his Men. 
 
 2iil)^ THE means of fupplying the 
 Neceffity of DxviA and his Men was 
 Bread, which has a Natural Phyfical EfEci* 
 ency tofatisfie Hunger,and confequently to 
 preferve Humane Life ; but Baptifm has 
 no Natural Phyfical Power to convey to us 
 the Forgivenefs of Sins^ and the Gift of 
 the Holy Ghofi : its Efficacy for fuch Su- 
 pernatural Purpofts depends only on a Po- 
 fitive Inftitution, and therfore, is not at all 
 parallel to the Inftance of the Shew-Bread ; 
 and confequently, under this Second RuJe, 
 nothing can be inferr'd from David and 
 his Mens Eating that Bread to a Lay man^s^ 
 Adminiftring Valid Baptifm, becaufethey 
 are things of quite different Natures and 
 Effe£ls, and no ways applicable to one 
 another. So that to bring Lay-Bapcifm to 
 this Second Rule^ it muti be prov'd Effica- 
 cious 
 
APPENDIX, 47 
 
 Cious by virtue of a. Dlvme Inftitiuion Ad- 
 mimfter'^djuji as Godhimfelf has apfolnted : 
 but this can never be done, becaufe. ther 
 is no Divine Infiitution of Lay Baptifm, 
 
 IN Ihort, to fum up ai] that I have 
 laid or need to fay about this Inftance of the 
 Shew Bread : Bread, before 'twas fet apart 
 for Sacred Ufes, was common for all Men 
 to iiat for the fatisfying of their Hunger ; 
 but ihQ Adminiftration of Baptifm for 
 Sufern/itural Purpofes was never thus com- 
 mon ; the Priefts giving the Shew-Bread, 
 when no other , was to be had^ was then 
 an Aft of Charity, to which he was 
 oblig'd by the very Law of Nature, en- 
 ferc'd by the Reveal'd Will of God, But 
 Lay Baptifm is no Duty incumbent on us 
 either by the Law of Nature or ReveaPd 
 Religion ; the Law of Nature diftates 
 nothing to us about Baptifm for Superna- 
 tural Purpofes, and ReveaPd Religion is 
 wholly filent about Lay Baptifm for fuch 
 Ends : The Shew Bread had a Phyfical 
 Natural EiFiciency to fatisfie Hunger and 
 prefcrve Life, and thcrfore the Prieft had 
 encouragement to give it, becaufe he had 
 no reafon to doubt of its good Effeft ; 
 but iJaptifm has no Natural Phyfical Effi- 
 ciency for Supernatural and Spiricual Gra- 
 ces, its Effects are purely owing to a 
 
 Pofitive 
 
P APP EN DIX. 
 
 Pofitive Inftitution only, and therfore wc 
 have no encouragement to hope for its 
 Efftfts, when the Inftitution is not ob- 
 Icrv'd in all its Effential Parts, as it 
 certainly is not when a Layman Admini- 
 fters. Further, in the Eating of the Shew- 
 Bread thee was no contradict ton ;the Prieft 
 did not give it to be eaten contrary to the 
 Pofitive Inftitution, withadefignby fo do- 
 ing to obferve the fame Pofitive Inftitution; 
 but in Lay Baptifin ther's a perfed Contra- 
 diction ;The Pont ivelnftitution of Baptifm 
 is broken,that by fb doing the fame Pofitive 
 Inftitution may be Gbferv'd and kept whole. 
 From all which 'tis very clear and evident, 
 that the Eating of the Shew-Bread>and the 
 Adminiftrationof Valid Baptifiii(in Cafes 
 of Neceflity) by a Lay-hand, are things 
 infinitely different in their Nature, and 
 confequently not at all applicable the one 
 to the other. To which I beg leave to 
 add, that the Eatins of the Shew-Bread, 
 
 was no auti^ojitattbe aDmfmftratton 
 
 for the conveyance of Sufer natural Graces^ 
 as Valid Baptifin moft certainly is : And 
 therfore 'tis no wonder, that God put a 
 good Conftruftion upon David and his 
 Mens Eating that Bread to fatisfie their 
 hi]nger-,when no other was to be had ; and 
 yet upon all occafions, feverely punifh'd 
 the Sacrilegious Vfurpations of every one 
 
 that 
 
APPENDIX. 49 
 
 that attempted to officiate in fuch Autho- 
 ritative Adminiftrations, as he had ap- 
 pointed tor the conveyance of Spiritual 
 Benefits; the great Neceffuies that urg'd 
 them thus to officiate^ were never admit- 
 ted or allowed of, {o much as but to miti- 
 gate their Crime, much lefs to make their 
 Adminiftrations Valid : This is apparent- 
 ly evident in the Cafe of 6'Ws taking 
 upon him to offer 4l Sacrifice in his great 
 Diftrefs, when his Enemies were coming 
 upon him, when he might have been flain 
 before he could make his peace with God, 
 when the Prieft Samuel was not prefent; 
 when he had waited and ftrove fb long, 
 that he at laft forcM himfelf to offer a Sa« 
 crifice to procure the Divine Favour. We 
 fee, that all this 0eC£flttp and the abftttCC 
 aXi^^t l&Jticft/ this eager defire to obtain 
 a Bkffing ! was no excufe for his affuming 
 the Prieft's Office; God would and did 
 punifh him for it, by rending the King- 
 dona from him, and giving it to another as 
 you mey fee in r Sam. i ^. This is a ftanding 
 Example,upon which we fhould always fix 
 our Eyes, and therby learn, that however 
 God may excufe in fome cafes of NecelTity, 
 be will never do it in fuch great In- 
 ftances, as the taking upon our felves to 
 Adminirter, or willingly concurring wqth 
 thofe whodoMinifter in the Prieft's Office,^ 
 without being called of Gcd^ as was Aaron. ■ 
 
 3. As 
 
50 APPENDIX. 
 
 J. AS for that other Text, where 'tis 
 fald I will hgve Mercy And not Sacrifice^ it 
 will as little ferve for the Validity of Lay 
 Baptifin as the reft. For the occafion of 
 our Saviour's ufing thofe Words, and the 
 place of Scripture from whence he quoted 
 them, do evidently prove, that the Defign 
 of this Text is only to convince us, that 
 fitch Pofitive hi^itutiofis as are here called by 
 the Name of ^^Vtifitt, ^^^^ never ap faint- 
 ed to frujirate and make void our Obligation 
 to the Genuine Moral Duties of Natural Re^ 
 ligiony f articular I) thofe of Juflice and £- 
 quity^ and of compajjion and charity to the 
 Nec£jjities and Wants of our Fellow Crea- 
 tures ; hut that on the contrary^ our Want 
 of fuch Excellent Moral Virtues^ and our 
 being of an unjufi^ uncharitable and cruel 
 temper y will make thcje Pofitive Duties xvhen 
 performed by uSy both loat-hfbme and abomina-- 
 bit in the fight of God. 
 
 T H I S I fay is evident, Firft from the 
 occafion of our Saviour's referring the Jews 
 to that Text, " / will have Mercy and n$t 
 Sacrifice ; for the Difciples being hungry 
 plucked the Ears of Corn on the Sabbath* 
 Day, which the Pharifees obferving,affirm- 
 ed, that it was a Breach of the Sabbath, 
 and therfore unlawful for them to do at 
 that time ; but our Saviour (who very 
 well knew the barbarous Cruelty of therr 
 
 temper) 
 
APPENDIX. 51 
 
 temper^ bid them remember the Ca(e of 
 David and his Mens Eating the Shew- 
 Bread, c^r. and then tells them, ^'li jehad 
 " kriorvn what this meamth^ " / will have 
 •* Merty and not Sacrifice, ye would not have 
 " condemned the dliUtitlef^ySt. Mat. 12. 7. 
 Whereby he prov'd tiie Innocence of his 
 Difcipks, that they had not at all broken 
 the Sabbath, by thus plucking the Ears of 
 Corn to affwage their hunger ; and that 
 confequently, the Moral Duties of Mercy, 
 and \A^orks of abfolute Meceffity, were 
 never intended by the Pofitive Inftitutioa 
 of the Sabbath, to be reckoned as Breaches 
 of the Duty of Reft, which God required 
 on that Holy Day. 
 
 2dlj. THE Place of Scripture from 
 whence our Lord quoted thole Words is 
 Hojea 6. 6. I depred Mercy and not Sacrifice^ 
 This does not mean that God did not re- 
 quire Sacrifice ; for 'tis plain that he did 
 require it, and all other Pofitive Duties 
 fignified by that general Word ; and the 
 Jev/s at that very time were bound to ob- 
 serve and obey all the Pofitive Inftitutions 
 of the Mofaic Law, under no lefs penalty 
 than that of" Curfedhe be that conjirmeth not 
 ** all the Words of this Law to do them. Deut. 
 27. 26. So that the not Sacrifice here muft 
 
 moan 
 
52 APPENDIX. 
 
 itieRfi mot cnl? ^acnflce] or [not ^a- 
 
 CVtftCe alone] ^nd therlore , the plain 
 Varaphrafe o'l this Textis '' Idtftredor Re^ 
 '' ^u/r'd not Onl^ ^atVidCt, not only your 
 *' Otedtence to my mereFcJia^ve Ixftifutio/fs; 
 " h^it AlfoyourOhJervAntf: Sf my Moral Lanf of 
 *' Mercy dni Kjndnef's, 'Twas t!ie want of 
 this and other Moral Virtues, together 
 with their being guilty of cruel Murders, 
 Robberies, and other Inimoralities, that 
 God compIainM of, almoft throughout this 
 whole Chapter, and for which he abhor'd 
 their very Sacrifices, tho' they were of his 
 own appointment, and they were then 
 bound and obliged to offer them, to him : 
 This is a!fo confirm^ by Mn^h 6. & //i. 
 1. II, .12, fj, 14, 15, 8cc. All. which 
 being duly confider'd, fifRciently declares, 
 the lence and meaning of [/ mil fjAve 
 Mercy and not Sacrffice^j that the defign 
 therof is not to make void our Obligation 
 to obey the Divine Pofitive Inftitutions ; 
 but to convince us, that the Moral Duties 
 of Natural Religion, rcinforcM by Divine 
 Revelation , are fb far from being incon- 
 fiftent with, That they, muft conftantly 
 accompany and attend our Obedience to 
 fucb Pofitive Inftitutions, and that out- 
 Approaches to God in his Pofitive Inftitu- 
 tionSi without fuch Moral Virtues, are 
 
 fa 
 
APPENDIX. 5j 
 
 fo far from being accepted that they are 
 hated and abhorr'd by him. 
 
 AND therfore, all that fat moftj can 
 be inferred from thofe Words of our Sa- 
 viour is, that when a mere Pofitive In- 
 Jiitution {innds in rfecejjary competition 
 with a Moral Duty of natural Relig^ 
 0/7 ,' rei/9 forced hy Divine Revelation^ the» 
 the mere Positive Institution muji give way 
 to the Moral Duty for that time andcircum- 
 fiance, 
 
 NOW then to try to apply this to the 
 
 Cafe before us, Thei's a Divine Pofitive 
 
 Inftitution,requiring liaptifm to beAdmini* 
 
 fter^ by One whohasChrift's Commifli- 
 
 on for ft) doing. This Baptifm is appointed 
 
 to be a Means of confering fuch merciful 
 
 Graces and Benefits, as our miferable Na* 
 
 ture, could never have made any claim or 
 
 title to, and which all^. the powers of 
 
 Nature could never have bcftowM on us. 
 
 It happens, that a Perfon wanting thefe 
 
 ineftimable benefits moft earneftly defires 
 
 CO obtain them by Baptifm ; but a Mini- 
 
 fter with Chrift's Commiffion, is neither 
 
 now, nor likely hereafter to be had : whac 
 
 then muft be done in this extream Ne- 
 
 ccfllty ? Why fays the Objeflor, God tvill 
 
 have Mercy and not Sacrifice : and therfore, 
 
 fince Sacrifice now ftands in competition 
 
 vmh 
 
^'4 APPENDIX, 
 
 with Mercy, the Sacrifice mud give way 
 to Mercy ; the Divine Authority of the 
 Adminiftrator niuft not new be inhfted on ; 
 but the Mercies and Favours muft be be- 
 ftowcd on the Perfon by a Lay man's Ad . 
 miniliring Baptifm to him. This ftems 
 to be well faid ; but upon examination 
 'twill be found, that no fuch thing can be 
 juftly inferrM from this Text, becaule, the 
 Merc^ there fpoken of, is a Morai Duty 
 of Natural Religion, and to be extended 
 to the Indigent and Neceffitous by Natu- 
 ral means ; but the Mercies to be receivM 
 by Chriftian Baptifm, are infinitely above 
 all Natural Religion;, and conleqiiently/iot 
 to be convey'd by any N.nural means. 
 The reafon why we are oblig'd to perform 
 thcfe Natural Afts of MercV; even when 
 they feem to run counter to fome mere 
 Politive laftituflon, is becaufe Natural 
 Co^/fcknce diftates this Duty, and Divine 
 Revelation has reinforc'd its Obligation; 
 whereas we are bound to obferve a Pofi- 
 tive Injiitution merely upon the account 
 of a Divine Law promulg'd to us, without 
 which we could never have been oblig'd to 
 the Obfervation of it. But this Reafon is 
 wholly wanting in Lay Baptifm ; For 
 Natural Confcience diftatcs nothing to us 
 about bertowing of Supernatural Mercies, 
 
 by 
 
JP P END IX. 55 
 
 by means of any kind of Baptifm what* 
 Ibever; and as for RcvealM Religion, that 
 is wholly filent about a Lay-man's being 
 ever capable of conveying fuch Mercies 
 to us by means of Baptifm ; fo that the 
 Lay-man has this Duty incumbent on him 
 neither by the Law of Nature, nor of Di- 
 vine Revelation ; and therfore, if h^bap. 
 tizes for Spiritual Purpoles, that he mnj 
 fiew Mercy, he ventures to do otherwife 
 than thePofitive Inftitution of Baptifm re- 
 quires, and at the fame time is deftitutp 
 of any the leaft encouragement from the 
 Text objefted, becaufe ther is no Law 
 either Natural or Reveard that obliges 
 him fo to do. 
 
 BUT further, when God will have 
 Mercy and rfot Sacrifice ; it is not intend- 
 ed, that one or more Eflential Parts of a 
 mere Pofitive Inftitution, fhould be more 
 neceflary and obliging to us than the other 
 Eflential Parts ther of. No, all that God 
 then requires of us is, to prefer a Moral 
 before a mere pofitive Duty, as is evident 
 from what 1 have already faid on this Sub- 
 jeft. But our Aflertors of the Validity 
 of Lay Baptifm in Cafes of Neceflity, do 
 unavoidably run themfelves into this In- 
 confiftency, of making one or more Eflen- 
 tial Parts of a mere Pofitive Inftitution, 
 
 E to 
 
56 ' APPENDIX. 
 
 to be of greater Necefjitj and Obligation 
 than another Effential Part of the fame 
 Inftitution ; for, they make f^^^^^r and r^^ 
 form of B^pttfra to be more neceffary and 
 obliging, than the Divide Authority oi 
 the Jdmimftr^tcr : but this Notion I have 
 already endeavoured to confute in the Se- 
 cand Propfition^ to which I refer the 
 Reader, and defire him here to obferve, 
 how very difagreeable this is with God's 
 requiring Mercy ^ a Moral Duty, and not 
 Sacrifice J a mere Pofitive One : For 'cis in 
 efFefl to make God fay, inftead oi[Iivill 
 have Mercy md not Sacrifice^ I wiS have 
 Sacrifce^ and not Sacrifice ; fince ther is not; 
 one of thofe Eflential Parts of Baptifm but 
 what is merely of FoGtive Inftitution. 
 This, of making one Effential Part of fuch 
 an Inftitution, to give way to the other 
 Effential Parts therof in Cafes of necefli- 
 ty, without a particular Revelation of 
 God's Will for fb doing, is fo ftrange, fb 
 unlcriptural a Praftice, that ther is not 
 One Example of it in all the Sacred Wri- 
 tings of the Old and New Teftam^ent, from 
 the firft Chapter of Gem^^s to the lafc of 
 the Reve/atio:4s ; but on the contrary, we 
 have a flagrant inftance of God's punifhing 
 this PraQice in the Perfonof Saul^ who in 
 hi5 0mf[it^ ihai he might obtain J^etC^, 
 
 made 
 
APPENDIX. .57 
 
 made one Eflentia! part of a poficive Ini- 
 ftitution, to give way to another of its 
 Effential Parts ; for the Prieft, one Effential 
 Part of the pofitive Inftitution of Burnt- 
 OfFerings, being abfent, ^he reckoned the 
 Burnt-Offering to be more Effential than 
 the Adminiftration of the Prieft, and 
 therfore offered a Bar z?^- Offer hg himfelf ; 
 for which rafh AQ:ion Samuel faid to him, 
 Thou ha[i done foolifljl)^ (i. e. wickedly ) thou 
 haji not kept f but haft broken) the Com'- 
 
 mandment of the Lord thy God^ &c. -^ 
 
 Thy t\Jngdom Jbdll not continue, &c. i Sam, 
 13. 11,12,13, 14. Here his endeavour 
 to obtain Mercy, by means of hut fart of 
 a mere poftive Dutj^ is, notwithftanding 
 the urgency of his neceffitous Circumftan- 
 ces, branded v/ith the Name of a foolifli 
 wicked Aftion ; and becaufe 'twas not 
 attended with the other Effential Part, 'viz^ 
 the Miniflratiou of the Prieft^ was fb far 
 from being efteem'd a Valid Offering to 
 God, that it prov'd inftead of a means of 
 Mercy, a Judgment and a Curfe to the 
 Offerer and his Pofterity. 
 
 THUS we fte, that tho' God will have 
 us fometimes exrend our Mercy rather than 
 offer Sacrifice :■ yet when J^CVC^ is to be ob- 
 tained ftOUll^inf h means oj ^acrijice^ i. e. 
 fuch mere pofitive Duties as lie has required, 
 E 2 he 
 
58 APPENDIX. 
 
 he will not grant us the Mercy we fue 
 for, by means of tuf part of fuch Sacrifice ; 
 no we muft either beg it of him by our 
 Ob(ervance of the whole Injlitution, or elfe 
 when we COnnOt have the whole,fit down 
 contented till we can, fincehe has declared 
 his abhorrence of fuch partial Sacrifices, and 
 therby taught us that they are ?^o Sacrifices 
 at all, 'Tis worth while to obferve here, 
 what Samueltdh 5W,(after he had reproved 
 him for breaking God's Commandment 
 about Burnt- Offerings) for now, (fays he) 
 would the Lord have ejiabltfbed thj l(Jngdom 
 
 upon Ifrael/^r ever, i Sam. ij. i j. 
 
 As much as if he had faid, *' If thou hadfi 
 *' not attempted to gain the Divine Favour 
 " by fo unwarrarstahle an Action ; // thou 
 ^* hadjl hein patient in thy Kecefjitj^ and not 
 *^ endeavoured to render God propitious to 
 ** thee hj fuch an unlaivful Method ; He is a 
 *' God of Mercy J and would not have imputed 
 ** Sin to thee for want of a Burnt Offerings 
 *' when it could not be had according to his 
 *' lnfiitution\ but on the contrary j would hAVi 
 *^ efieem^d thy not medling thertn to be an 
 ** Aci of Obedience to his Command ; and 
 ** confequently Qho"^ ther had been no Burnt 
 ** Offering made to him') would have bten 
 ** gracious and merciful to thee and thy ChiU 
 ^ drm after thee ; and as a Reward of thy 
 
 '' Faith 
 
APPENDIX. 59 
 
 " Faith and Obedience y would have eBatirJh^2 
 ** fhe Kjngdom to thee and thy Sons for even 
 This I fay is plainly the fcope and meaning 
 of SamuePs Words to Saul ; wherby we 
 alfb are encourag'd not to diftruft the 
 Divine Goodnefs, but conftantly and pati- 
 ently to wait and pray for it, without pre- 
 fuming to endeavour to obtain it by partial 
 Sacrifice, when wears under fuchfadcir- 
 cumftances,as not to be able to feek for it by 
 fvho/e Burnt Offerings; when vvc cannot have 
 ^ntttC^Spt;fm according to the Inftituti- 
 on ; when there is no Pncft to Adminifter 
 it to us; then ^tis a greater AQ of Faith 
 and Obedience^^o refufe than to accept 
 of fuppofed Baptifin from a Lay hand : 
 Nay, for one who knows the Nature and 
 Extent of the Inftitution of Chrirtian Bap* 
 tifm, to accept of, or acquiefcein Lay Bap- 
 tifin in Cafes of fupposM Neceflity, 'tis a 
 great prefumpnon ; becaufe, \h cxpefting 
 God's Mercy to be convey 'd by fuch Hands, 
 as he has not appointed for that purpofe, 
 and to whole Miniftration he never required 
 our obedience ; 'Tis the fuperftition of 
 making that abfblutcly neceflary to falva- 
 tion which God has not made fo ; as if 
 when we tDSnC thole means which he has 
 appointed, he could not extend his Favours 
 and Graces without thetn ; as if ther were 
 £ 3 a 
 
6o J PP END IX. 
 
 I I - — ■ 
 
 B. greater degree of Holinefs in Water, and 
 a Form of Words, than in the Inftitutioa 
 of the Chriftian Priefthood ; as if none 
 could be faved without the former, but 
 every body without the latter ; as if Water 
 could be a means of GracQS give^^ with- 
 out the mediation of one who do's truly 
 ferfonate God the Giver. In fhort, 'tis 
 Superfliticn, nay and Prefumption too, to 
 expeft Mercy by means of but patt of a 
 Sacrifice, when Gcd appointed that the. 
 tol^Ote fhould be the means of obtaining 
 that Mercy. And 'tis fo exaftly parallel 
 to 5^»/'s cafe, and fo infinitely different 
 from the defign of the Text objefted, that 
 we may very fairly conclude, that Lay 
 Baptifm cannot be Valid even in Cafes of 
 Neccflity; it cannot be fufficient, "'Uofup- 
 ^^ ply the Spiritual Wants of thofe vjhoare. 
 ^^ Vnbaptiz.'^d^ becaufe ther's no comparirod 
 between the Natural Means of Adminl* 
 rtring to the ordinary wasts of the Ne- 
 ceffitous and Indigene, and thQjupernatural 
 appointed means of fupplying the Spirit tut 
 Wants of the Unbaptiz'd; for thefe latter 
 are of fb extraordinary a Nature, that no 
 lefs than Mercies Supernatural are fuffici- 
 ent for fo great a purpofe ; and therfore, 
 no other method mufl be ufed to obtain 
 fuch Mercies, than what he who is to 
 
 beftow 
 
JPP EN D IK. 6t 
 
 beftow them has appointed. Obedience in 
 this cafe /i better than Sacrifice, efpecially 
 than fuch a falfe Burnt-Offering, as Saul^ 
 in the inftance above-mention'd, prefum'd 
 to offer to God : and may we all rake 
 warning by his Punifhment not to confine 
 God to our Will worfhip, not to meddle 
 in his Pofitive Inftitutes, and expeft that 
 be fhould concur with our foolifh and pre- 
 fiiOiptuous interpofing, in fuch Mini- 
 ftrations as he has confin'd to the Autho- 
 rity and Adminiftration of his, and his 
 Chrift's appointed Priefts and Minifters 
 only. 
 
 I CONCLUDE this Appendix, 
 Moft earneftly intreating the moft Reve* 
 rend, the Right Reverend, and Reverend, 
 
 ©obertiour^ and g^fmfterss of chrift 
 
 over his Flock in all parts of the 51$i 
 (libetfal church, The J^jieftgf of the 
 
 mofl btghGodl who are duly Authorized 
 to reprefent and make vifible to us, the 
 once vifible, but now invifible J^JICft^OOD 
 of the grett": high Priefi of our Profeijion 
 Chrifl Jejus ! tvh have not taken this Ho- 
 nour unto them [elves without being caW^dof 
 God, as was Aaron I who are therfore the 
 delegated ambalTaaoUtPjS for Chnfi, and 
 appointed ^tetoatDjJ of the Myfleries of 
 God, to whom he has given the IaC^Jj, 
 E 4 and 
 
^ APPENDIX. 
 
 anr^ co^m^rtcd the Cuftody of the CtDO 
 fitSat ^0£ll{( of the Fjs'fgdom of Henven^ 
 Jo ifjAt: vffja^joever they jhall hind on Earth 
 fbdll he hound in Heaven, and xvhatfoever 
 the) [ball loofe on Earth fifall he loojed in 
 Heaven ! I humbly befeech them, in the 
 Bowels ofjejus Chrifi, to confider the great 
 Dignity o^ their High and Holy CaUing, 
 and their Ilttalt ttaWe flight to Admini- 
 fter thcfe ^actamcnt^) which the infi- 
 nite Wifdom of our great Law-giver has 
 appropriated to their facred FunSion. For 
 If the mi-niftration of the Sacraments is 
 not eflcnttal to their Office, and tl^eff 
 iS>l{itZ e((enttal to the Miniftration of 
 Valid Sacraments, what fignifiesthe Infti^ 
 tution of the Prie/thood, and to what pur- 
 pofe did our Bleffed Lord promife to be 
 with his Friefts and concur with their Mi- 
 niftrations to the End of the World ? If 
 the prefumptuous Minifl rations of Lay- 
 men afting of themfelves, or in oppofition 
 to the Church and her Priefts, is not in- 
 confiftent with the Nature and Property 
 of True Sacraments : or if they can be 
 True arjdyalid Sacraments when given by 
 their Hands, how, and by what means, 
 fhall we be convinced, of the neceflity of 
 the Chriftian Pricfthood to the Church 
 by Divine Inftitution^and its perpetuity till 
 
 the 
 
APPENDIX. 6j 
 
 the confammation of all things ? How 
 ihall we be perfwaded to value the Mi* 
 niftrations of a Prieft more than thofe of a 
 Lay man, and what Arguments can be 
 produced for the prefer vation of the V/2Uy 
 of the Church, and to keep us from eternal 
 Schifms and Separations from her ? Your 
 lo^g fiUnee in not afferting and defending 
 the Dignity of yoitr O^ce^ and the unalien^ 
 dbU Nature of thofe Sacraments which 
 Chrift has infeparably annexed therto, tho' 
 it may have proceeded from a Notion of 
 Humility and Modefly, that jou might not 
 be thought to f reach up jour felves^ hut Chrilf 
 Jefus the Lord', Yet (with fubmiffion be 
 it fpoken) feems to have been the occafi- 
 on of much Ignorance among the Laity of 
 the nature of Schifm, and their duty to 
 you, ,and confequently of encouraging the 
 Enemies of the Clergy and their great Ma- 
 iler in Heaven, to blafpheme him, and 
 trample the Authority you have from him 
 under their Feet. Atheifm, Deifm, Pro- 
 phanenefs, Blafphemy, and Sacrilege, are 
 now grown Impudent, and Barefaced, Bold, 
 and Rampant ; they fcorn any longer to 
 dwell in Obfcurity and Darknefi, when 
 they are become the fafhionable accom* 
 plifhmentsof our pretended great Wits ! and 
 Men of diftinguifbed Senfe and Judgment \ 
 
 They 
 
64 APPENDIX. 
 
 They have a grand defign in hand, (and 
 their Emiffaries have pro fecuced it but with 
 too much fuccefs) to reprefent your Office 
 every where and to all forts of Men, as 
 Tyranny, Impofture, and Ufurpation; to 
 wieft the Sacraments out of your Hands, 
 that you may become ufelefs and infigni- 
 ficant ; to make the giddy Multitude be- 
 lieve that all you do is nothing but Prieft^ 
 craff, to bring and keep them under a 
 worfe than Egyptian Bondage ; to expofe 
 you to the Rage and Fury of an ungovern- 
 die Mcb^ and lb at laft to hifs you, and all 
 reieal'd Religion^ off of the Stage of this 
 ,WorId. U'hat elfei mean their (everal 
 execrable Books and Pamphlets that are 
 now induftrioufly publifh'd, of fet pur* 
 pofe to decry your Office, and ridicule your 
 Miniftrations ? How fhall the Ignorant be 
 defended from their Infedion, but by the 
 Antidote, whicn fome ot you, both by 
 Books and Sermons, have already begun 
 to apply, couragioufly following the Ex» 
 smple of the great St. P^?//, v»^ho «^^^;^/- 
 fed his Oi?c#, and tberby the Authority of 
 Jefus Chf ift who fent him ? God be praifcd 
 fpr tbcfe h^ppy beginnings, thefe firft no- 
 ble performances in maintaining your Office 
 & in defence of the true Rights of the Chri^ 
 ftim CZ-^^r^/S', depofited in your Hand^by the 
 
 grear 
 
APPENDIX, 6^ 
 
 great Author of our moft holy Religion : 
 a^d may he, by the blefled influences of his 
 Spirit, ftir up many tnO?e Of pJtt to Crj' 
 
 a/oad AnA [pare not^ to Uft up your Voices 
 like A Trumpetyto /bsw the People their Tra^f- 
 greffiofty and thofs rvho Jtrive with the Prieji 
 their Sin^ Ifa. 58. i. Hofi 4. 4. rf??^ Rom. 
 2. 8. That they may learn to BtTO^ and 
 fuhmit to thofe ivho are over tbem^ ( in tht 
 Lord) and who watch for their -Senisy Heb- 
 15 17. 'Xh2iixhty may efteem them t)Ct^ 
 ^tW? i^ love for their !»0?6jJ lake, 
 I llicif. 5. I J. Becaufe they are ;/^ Mmi- 
 fters of Chrifly and Stewards of the ^S^^iSx- 
 ftC? of Gody i'Cbr. 4/ 17 Tfiat :o ine 
 People may effeftually be enabled to mark 
 and avoid thofe^ who tho' they come to 
 fis in Sheeps Cloathing, and transform them- 
 [elves into the appearance of Jpoftles of 
 Chrijly and Mini fters of Righteoufnefs^ are 
 yet inwardly hut ravening Wolves, faifs 
 Jpoft/eSy deceitful Workers^ and Mimfters 
 of Satan, in St, PauPs Language ; for 
 they caufe Divifions and Offences contrary 
 to the Doctrines which we have Learn^dp 
 najy contrary to the very Principles, or 
 Foundations of the Docfrine of Chrift, of 
 Baptifms, and of Laying on of Hands, and 
 therfore fhould be avoided, that we may 
 keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond 
 
 of 
 
66 APPENDIX. 
 
 of Peace ; which that we may all learn to 
 do, and by your conientient (Ottftatlt 
 UiaVtlfnSiS be prelerv'd from the dreadful 
 fin of hatwg Sound Doiirim^ and heaping 
 to our felves Teachers deftitute of the Di- 
 vine Commiflion, who ferve not our Lord 
 Jejus Chrifij hut their own Bellies ^ may God 
 of his Infinite -Mercy grant, through Jefus 
 thrifty to whom be Glory for Ever and 
 Ever. Amen* 
 
 FINIS, 
 
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