'■^m M?^ O PRINCETON. N. J. "^^ Presented by Mr. Samuel Agnew of Philadelphia, Pa. Aguczv Coll. on Baptism, No. see ^; Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive in 2011 witii funding from Princeton Tlieological Seminary Library li ftp ://www.arcli ive.org/details/regularclergyssoOOsliar THE REGULAR. C L E R G Y S SOLE RIGHT To Adminifter Cl^^iftianiSaptifni, ASSERTED: I N A Familiar Dialogue BETWIXT A Church^man and a Dijfcnter - Adapted to the meanefl: Capacity. IN WHICH Some Notice is taken of the Serious Enquiry into the frefmt State oj the Church (f England, by ^^^ -R^v SK-^-y^: Arij'e^ and he b'aptiz.'d^ catling upon the Name of the Lord^ Afts 22. 16. '01/75 \^oV '^y yj-^M 'rk ^fKWH, KT6 (iotTrji^eiy. Ignat. Ej>. ad Smyrnos* By the Author of the Ham (led- Conferences. LOND O iV, Printed tor Richard ll^ilkin, at the Kivig^s-Head ia Sc. PauH Church-yard, 171 2. HriCc 6 d. T O T H E READER THE followwg DUlogue was tvrofey in Part, before the Author thought of the Serious Enquirer; an^. that filly Paw^hlet^ as to the Point of Lay-Baptijm^ was effectually dn fiver"* d, before he took it into his Hands* As to the other Points handled in that trifling Tracl^ they have often been defended already. To what he fays of Non'Refifiancey the Reader is dcjir''d to look intOy and eonfult the two Parts ^Paflive- Obedience, wrofe at the beginning of the Revolution, and the Excellent An f vers to Mr* Hoadly V feflilent Books* As to what he fays to the Independency of the Churchy the Rea^ der mayfndit anfver'^d in Dr. Hick'/ two learn- ed Difcourfes of the Dignity of the Clergy, A 2. and To the reader; And in thv Appendix to the 2d Volume^ viz. Mr, HugheV Diflertation. / fhall not take the trouble ufon me to gtiefs at the doughty Author \ let him enjoy his beloved Privacy^ for 1 ajfure hin^, I envy him not }or his Performance, I need not nwnder^ why the World has not fern a fet Jnfiver to it ; and I am apt to believe, that no one of the Church thought it jvorth his while, nor would honour ' it fo far\ tho* the Author of this Dialogue juft dipfd into it, and could not forbear to make a few Remarks on it, as it came in his way. He has treated it as it deferves \ and the Enquirer mufi think it an Honour^ that the ieaft Notice was takeii of him,. The Author had it once in his Thoughts^ to introduce the Story f?/* Athanafius baptizing fe~ veral little Boys ; but it is exploded, and tha^ jufily, by the Learned Werld^ J refer the Rea- der to the Eptftle before Lay-Bapiifm, the id Edition, and to the Letter to the Author of Lay-Baptifm, pag. 6. where he will Ji??d fnf- ■fcient Satisfa^ion, This ts aR {hat I defign to fay in Defence of the enfuiffg Dialogue, The To the reader: The Author leaves it to fljift for its felf in an ill-natur'^d World : His Intention was goody And he doubts not but it will be honeflly re- ceiv'^d by the Orthodox Part of the World » and if it be negle^ed by the other ^ he may com- fort himfelf that he is not the firfi that has been neglected^ and will not be the lajl. Me can produce fome of great Figure, whofe Wri* tings will not Convince ; and if the Author of this Dialogue fhould fail of making FrofelyteSy he can make his Appeal to the Searcher of Hearts, that his pure Intention was to fettle unfettied Minds, and to Jherv the Nullity of thofe BaptifmSy that is, WafJjings, of the Diffenters ; and that is what he defigns in the following Dialogue. THE (7) THE REGULAR CLERGY s SOLE RIGHT To Adminifter Chriftian Baptiftn ASSERTED, ere. TH E Occafion of this Fourth Conference was this : A certain Gentlewoman, that defcended from Diflenting Parents, was in her Youth unhappily baptiz'd bya Diflenting Minifter. This Perfon belie- ving, that Baptifm by Diflenting Teachers was Va- lid, continu'd in her Error, till Ihe receiv'd the firft Notice of it from a neighbouring Clergy-man, who by a Friend fent her a Meffage •, which, by God's Bleliing, awaken'd her Confcience. A little time after, the Gentlewoman apply'd her felf to the aforefaid Clergy-man, being in much Trouble and Confafion about that Point, which concern'd no lefs A 4 thaa (S) than the Salvation of her Soul. This afterwards oc- cafion'd feveral Meetings and Difcourfes, betwixt her, and divers other Clergy-men, who told her. That (lie was in a very uncertain State, and that Ihe ought, as Toon as could be, to get out of it, if (he had any regard to the Happinefs and Welfare of her Immortal Soul. Thefe Conferences had fogogcj an EffciTt upon her Mind, as fully to convince her^ fo (lie fonfented to be baptiz'd, and was according- ly, by a Presbyter of the'Church o( Efigland. Thi$ Pccurrence coming to the Ears of Philo-Schifmatt- cm^ he took the firll Opportunity of meeting his old Friend Orthodoxn-s^ and difcours'd him upon this No- vel Cuftom and Praftice, as he thought it, of Rie- baptization. At the old Place, where they us'dto meet, he thus accofled him : Phil. Fine doings indeed, my Friend Orthodoxus'^ The World is (Irangely alter'cl •, our Minifters, by your Doiflrine, are rio Miniders, but mere Lay- men, and our Sacraments are no Saf raments, when thus adminifter'd •, The Churchmen have taken Hpon them, to prove them Null and hvalld : What will this come to at laft ? If we have no Sacra- ments, then it follows, we have no true Minifters*, if we have no true Minifters, then our Church is no Church •, and then, I think, there's an End of the Toleration. Were we at fo much Pains and Fa- tigue to get a Toleration, and an Eflabliftiment, as we thougt it, and is it all gone ^ith one Puff? Is this the Reward of our- Labours ? And all our Thanks to our Glorious Deliverer is come to no- thing, and vanifii d in fumo: 1 am refolv'd it fliall ne'er paTs fo, but will have your Sentiments on it t Do yen think that our Church (hall thus fall with- out one flroke or ftruggle? No, no! be afTur'd, we fliall have one Tug, before it is laid in the Duft •, And do you think that all our Arguments ( from the Days of Qiieen 0iz.abeth^ down to thefe times ) ior a Separate Communion, for a true Gofpel- '' • Mjniftry, (9) Miniftry, mufl be laid afide, and buried iji Eternal Oblivion, by every VVhifler, or Smatterer in Divi- nity *, no, you fliall find to your Coft, that wc will not fo eafily part with our Church or Mi- jiiftry. Orfh. Why To hot, Thilo'Schijmaticm ? A cooler Temper will better become you, that boafl: fo much of that Golden Virtue, Moderation. If you have po true Church, no lawful Miniftry •, who can help it ? I fee no other way to procure one, but to per- fuade your Minifters, to apply themfelves to the Church for Regular and F'alid Ordination, and then you will be fafe, and not till then. We have an Old Maxim in Philofophy, and 'tis as true in Di- vinity, Nihil dat, qui in fe non habet. Now if your Minifters have not Power to Ordain, they have no Power to confer a Power of Adminiftring the Holy Sacraments, and of doing any other 5^- cerdotal or Minifterial Offices. Be not fo Angry, that I am fo plain with you. Phil, i^ngry, do you fay? I think we have all the reafon in the World to be fo •, for would it not move a Stoick, to fee Things go on in this pafs ? Toloofe our Church, to have no Minifters, and to be depriv'd of every thing relating to another World ? Who can abftain from Heat, if he duly confiders this ? Orth. But you ought to remember the Word yJii?- deration, which you have {o much gloried in ^ A Government of the Paflions would much better be- come Chriftians. Phil. Wc fay, our Church is Eftablifti'd, and our Minifters are Ordain'd by Chrift •, and therefore they have Authority to Adminifter i\:i SacramentS;, and Confer Orders. Orth. Not fo faft, dear Philo-Schifmaticus, as you love me •, faying and proving are different Things : Suppofe, I lay, all Diflenters are true Saints, Does this prove it ? I muft defire hard Arguments, and !of£ ( «°) foft Words> before I can fubfcribe to the Lawfulnefs of your Minjftry. If yoa can prove your Miffion from Chrift, to execute the PrielVs Office, you'll fay (bmcthing indeed : If not, 'tis nothing, but Bruturn Ftihnen^ all Noife and Non-fenfe. Vhil. I'll try what I can do, and recolle£l fbme of thofe Scriptures our Minilters have org^ to prove their Miffion : As Matthew 28. 21, 22. Co^ haptiz.e all Nations^ See. and I am with you to the end of the World.. As my Father hath fcnt mCy Jo fend I you^ John 6. 27. And nnany more Places I could alledge \ but if thefe two Places prove what I intend, viz,. That our Minifters are true Miniflers of Chrifl, it will be as effetflual as Two Thonfand. Now, fay I, If our Minifters are con- cern'd in thofe two Texts, they muft be lawful Mi- nifters, and Minifters of Chrift. If Chrift order'd them to Baptise and Teach *, If Chrift feot them, as 'tis in the other Text ; If Chrift be with them, and their Succeftjrs, to the end of the World \ Ther, fay I. it muft needs follow, that they are Minifters oY Chrift. Orth, Your Minifters have taught you finely in- deed •, and have urg'd thole Texts to prove their A'fifion.^ that do not belong to them: Thofe Texts have no manner of regard to fuch a Schifmatical xMi- riftry as yours is, who have no lawful Caife to i^parate from our Church, as (lie's a Branch of the C:it!iolick. Now, as to the firft Text, 1 would ask you, To whom does our bleftl-d Lord fpeak ? You jnuftaiifwer thus ', HeaddrcHTes himfelftohis Apo- itle"s, and tells them, he will be with them and their Sufceffprs to the end of the World : Now you muft i?rove, tlnit your Minifters are Succeffors to the Apo- ftlcs, or elle \ou beat the Air, and prove juft nothing r.tuli. Phil. That lean do at eaf?. Thefe prefent Mini- frcrs were ordain'd by others, and fo upwards to the .'\ poltles of Chriit. ^ Ortk ( II ) Orth. Rarely prov'd indeed *, you have made fliortWork of it, by fayin^^. The prefent Diflenting Minifters were ordaiu'd bv others '. But I would ask, Who ordain'd the firft -Diflenting Mini- fters ? Phil. Who? Why, who fliould? But their Pre- deceflbrs. Orth. I would ask another Queftion •, Who, and what fort of Men were your Predeceflbrs among us. Phil. True Presbyters, there's no doubt on't. Orth. Could you get over this one Point, That meer Presbyters, from the Apoftles time to ours, had Power to ordain Presbyters, you might clap your Hands, and cry FiCloria : But 'tis not fo eafie to be done j nay, more than that, 'tis impof- fible. Phil, Since you are fo free with your Queflions, pray let me ask you one. Orth. With all my Heart •, you are at your Li- berty to ask as many as you pleafe. Phil. Were not the Apoftles, and their SuccefTor?, meer Presbyters? If they were, there's an End of the Difpute betwixt us. Orth. Our Preachers tell me, they were more than meer Presbyters, as I have often heard thera prove them •, and they prove it by this Scheme : Our Saviour ordain'd Twelve Apoftles, and Seventy Difciples, and thefe he fent to Preach to, and con^ vert the World from Judaifm and Gentilifm : Some of thefe Apoftles were appointed by the Apo- ftolical Colledge, to be Bifliops of particular Di- ftrifts ^ as St. James of Jemjale;}:, &c. They ap- pointed other Biftiops •, as Tttus and Tiniothy : But in EiifebiHs^ and other Ecclefiaftical Hiftorians, you ' have the Biftiops nam'd, who were conftituted by * the Apoftles themfelves, over the then Famous ' Churches of Jer/tfalem, Antioch^ Rome, and Alex- *• andria^ and many pther Churches \ and the Bi- ' ibops. * fiiops, their Succedbrs in their Apoftolical Office, * appointed otiiers, ^own to the time of Calvin^ * which were all Bifliops in the Catholick Church*. Now I would feign know, if any Church could be flamed for Fifteen Hundred Years after Chrift, ■wherein Presbyters were ordain'd by meer Presby- ters, and which were governed by meer Presbyters (times of Vacancy excepted.) Phil, That Queftion I (hall ask forac of our Mi- nifters, and then I Ihall return an Anfwer. Orth. That will be ad Grac.ts Calendas. I tell you, depend upon it, 'tis not to be done *, And to Dfing you over to our Church, I (hall recommend to you fome Books, that I have with great Satif- faftion and Profit read *, and if you'll read them without Prejudice, by God's Grace you may be, even as I : They are thefe •, Jacques Ordination by TTieer Presbyters^ proved Null and F'oid. Printed for W. Freeman^ at the Bible over againft the Middle- Temple-Gate. Dr. Pvtter's Learned Difcowrfe of Church-Government. Printed for R. IVilkm, at th6 King's- Head in St. Paul's Church-Yard. Lay-Baptifm Invalid. The Second Edition. With the moft Ex- cellent Letter of Dr. Hicks to the Author. Printed by W. lajdor at the Ship in St. Pad's Church-Tard. The Anfwer to J. Owen'j Arguments^ for Ordination by Presbyters^ without Bifjops. Printed by R. Wil- kin. The Divine Right of Epifcopacy ajferted. Re- commended to the World in a learned Preface, by Dr. Hicks •, and Printed by R. Sare at Grays- Inn-Gate. Dr. IVells's Excellent Letters to a Dijfenting Minifier, Mr. X^y^y's *afore-mention'd Difcourfe. Printed by G. Strahan, Dr. Hicks Two Excellent Treatifes of the * See Air. Lefly'j Excellettt Difcourfe, fljewing who they are^ that are now qttalify'd to adminifier Baptifm and the Lord's-S^pper. Pag. 4. Sold by Straban at thi Go'iden-BuU in eornhill. ( >J ) tht Chrifiian Priefihood, uni of the Epifcopal Order ^ ^d Edit. I could advife you to many more learned Trafts upon this Subjeft •, but thcfe will be enough to fettle you •, and 1 dare fay, if they v/cre truly read, and ruminated on, they would be of Force to per- fuade you to leave the Separation, and come over to our Church ( as Mr. Richardfer?^ one of yoar Preachers has ) who with open Arms is ready py- fully to receive you and all Diflenters: And fince I fiave mention'd Mr. Richardfcn^ I would defire you to read his Retra^ation, preach'd in St. Mary iVhlte-Chappel^ in which he has prov'd, from Scri- pture, and the three firft Cesturies, the Nullity of Presbyterian Orders. Phil. I thank you, Neighbour, for your gopid Ad- vice ^ and when they come to hand, I'll give them a ferious and diligent reading. Orth. In thofe Books and Trails, I muft tell yoa, you*ll find all the DilTcnting Arguments ( if they mufr be called fo) fliamefuUy baffled and confuted 9 and I never heard that there ever was any (fo much as pretended.) Anfwer to them, and I fliall ever defpair of any. The Caufe is funk, and your Wri- ters are beaten out of the Field, and they'll be neyer able to rally again. Phil. I can't tell what to fay to that : But fup- pofing that our Minifters, for want of Epifcopal Mifficv^ are not true Minifters •, yet they may bap- tize Children in Cafe of Neceflity^ nay, Women may validly officiate in fuch a Cafe, and I have a celebrated Author of your Church, who afferts it. Orth. We are now come to the Point, the Occa- fionof our prefent meeting, viz.. Whether any Per- Ibn, not regularly ordained, can adminifter Chri- ftiin Baptifm in Cafe of Extream Necefiity. Phil. What arc your Thoughts in this prefent Cafe, as thus ftated ? Orth', ( 14 ) Ortb. With SubmifTion to better judgments, I think, that none but a Lawful Minifter ought to prefume to Adminifter the Sacrament of Baptifm. Phil. St. Aiigi^filn^ I am told, was called the Dh- rm Infa-fitiion Pater^ becaufe he deny 'd Salvation t6 Infants unbaptized ^ and befides, Archbifhop Whit- gift and Hooker are for Baptifm by any Lay-man in Cafeof Neceflity. Orth. I am fenfible what you fay of thofe three great Men is truly alledg'd : But Men of great Name muft not be foUow'd blindfold ■, their Argu- ments ought to bear the Teft of Examination, before they are receiv'd •, the Over-fight of thefe Men Ihews only, that Man is Fallible, and Humanum tjl crrare. Sappofe now an Archbilhop to be a So- cinian, or for the Depofrng Power^ Does it follow, that fuch ought to b*; Precedents for my Pra£lice ? Tis true, Whltgift and Hooker were Perfons migh- tily eftecm'd, and fo are flill. St. Anjlhis harlh Opinion, occafion'd by the Pelagians^ threw him to the other Extream •, and they, through over- abundant Mercy and Tendernefs, alTerted, though without ground. That Baptifm ought to be done in Cafes of Neceffity by any Hand : But Can- wright is of my Opinion •, of whom more by and b\>'. Phil. Let him alone then for the prefent •, but you By to the other Extream, when a lawful Mini- ller cannot be had, and are fo cruel and hard, as not to admit any other Perfon to Adminifter in that Cafeof Neccllity. Orth. 1 think I have Authority for what I fay, ^'iz,. The Authority of the Church England \ and 1 am fure, as Ihe's not Popilh in other, io not in this Point-, For the Church of /vi'/?;^ allows Mid wives to do that Office in Cales of Neceflity ; which Praftice our Church allows not o'i. Phi!. Have a Care what you fay, left you caft a Blemilh on your Church. ( i5) Orth. I tlwnk you for your Caie of me -, and be afTury, that I ftiall be cautious not to bring a Scandal upon our Church, in fathering ill and unfound Do- ftrin^s upon it. PhU. Begin then, and let me hear what you can fcy for your hard Opinion. Orth, Firft then, in Chriftian Baptifm * three Things are neceflary *, as Fiyjr, a Lanful Minifter ^ TJly^ The Outward \'irible Sign, or Form in Bap- tifm, which Is Water, wherein the Perfon is bap- tized in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoil: •, 3^/)', The Inward Spiri- tual Grace, w'hich is a Death unto Sin, and New Birth unto Righteoufnefs -^ for being by Nature born in Sin, and the Children of Wrath, we are hereby made the Children of Grace. Jn the two laft, we are at perfeft Agreement, we only differ in the firfl: •, of which Difference, I have now undertakeij to make you fenfible, and, if polTible, to convince yoiL PhiL I am afraid 'twill be a hard Province in- cleed :i but try your beft, for I afTure you I am not irreclaimable. Ortb. I am glad to hear you fay fo, and that you are not, as fome are, Obflinate and paft Conviiflion '. The Form runs thus ^ II * Of them that are to be * baptized in Private Houfes, in time of Neceffity, * by the Minifter of the Parilh, or any other Law- * fid Minifter that can be produc'd. The Third * Rubrick is in thefe Words •, Firft let the Lawful * Minifter, and them that be prefent, call upon ' God for his Grace, and fay the Lord's Prayer, if * time will fuffer. The laici Lawfid Minifter iliail * dip it in the Water, or pour Water upon ir, fay- * ing thefe Words, / baptix,e thee in the Name of * the * Church-Catechifm. % Private Form of Baptifm. ( 16 ) * the Father J and of the Son^ and of the Holy Gho/ti * Amen. And let them not doubt, but that the ' Child fo baptized ( that is, by a Lawful Minifterj ' is lawfully and fufficiently baptiz'd, and ought not * to be baptized agahi.-— Or if the Child were ' baptized by any other Lawfid Minifter, that then * the Minifter of the Parifli, where the Child was * born or chriften'd, Ihall examine and try, whe- * ther the Child be lawfully baptized or no.-— By whom was the Child baptized ? That is, by what lawful Minifter ? Tho' in Cafe of Extrearfi Neceffity, and very near the point of Death. Is not this plain to the Matter in Hand ? Can you ob- jeft any thmg again ft this ? Fhil. Kxt not our Minifters lawful Minifters, or Minifters according to the Law of Toleration ? Are not they eftablifti'd as well as yours ? Do they not preach in our Meetings without Moleftation, and according to Law ? And if fo. Why may not the Word Lawful in your Rubrick be extenfive, and comprehend our Minifters, as well as yours ? Orth, That cannot be for this Reafon •, for 'ris plain, that thefe were made in Convocation for the good Government of the Church, and not for the Support of Conventicles m Oppofition to the Church. Your Obfervation is a meer Qiiirk, and does not deferve any more Anfwer. Your Meet- ings are tolerated, as an Evil for the Ha:rdners of your Hearts, and not eftablifti'd as lawful Churches y you are exempted only from the Penalties of for- mer Laws, but not from a Confcientious Obedience to them, tho' the Penalties are fufpended. And if you would have the Indulgence of the Government contina'd, without Moleitation, you ought to be niodeft and thankful, and not to afpire to greater Things •, you know what I mean. Phil. I guefs what your Thoughts are ^ but after all, 'tis very hard, that a Child ftiould be permit- ted to go into the other World without Chriftian Baptifm : ( 17 ) Baptifm: Better clone by any, than none, Qttod fieri }ion debet^ faction valet \ tho' tlie Perfon aiftin^ in fuch Cafe, has no exprefs Command from God^ yet the Fail is Valid. Orth, Give me leave, Fhilo'Schif;naticHs to return a (liort Anfvver, but fall to all your Particulars. Firll you fay, T'is hard, that a Child fliould go into the other World without Chriftian Baptifm *, I fay fotoo? What then. It ought to be inquir'd intoj fkft who was in the Fault, whether the Negligence of the Prieft, or the Parent •, if neither, then r^e/no tenetHr ad impoj^bilia •, no Man can do more, than he can do. A Child may die in a Moment, and who can help it ivet that Child fliall be faved in the o- ther World. God in the Cafe of a Jewi//j Child, dying long before the Eight Day, giving the Grace of that Sacrament, where it could not be had, as YOU may fee proved in the Excellent Traft Lay- Baptifm : ^ To which I refer you, and in the Let- ter to the Author ^ which I before' recommended, God has laid a Command on an Order of Perfons to Adminifter Chriftian Baptifm •, yet is he not fo tied to his Ordinances, that he cannot, or will not fave without them : He will fupply the outward Ordi- nance out of the Plenitude of bis Mercy •, to which we leave fuch Infants, that dyed, before Baptifm can be adminifVred. Secondly, you fay, better done by any one, than wholly to be Omitted-, and you confefs, though the Perfon Officiating has no Pow- fr from Chril>, yet this being done, the Faft is Valid. I can't fay fo-, but on the contrary, affert two things, as Fir/t, the Perfon Officiating without a Miflion, is guilty of a high Adl of Pre- fumption, in invading the Priefts Office-, for how dare any one aft, where he has no Commijfion from God to aft : Vz.z,ah was puniflied with fudden B Death, ^ zd Edition, ( i8) Death, for endeavouring to fave a tottering Ark, and he had as good '<^ plea of Charity, as any LaicK to baptize; God rent the Kingdom from Saul^ for prefuming to offer Sacrifice, before Samuel came, though he pleaded "Neceffity, as you may fee, I Sa/j?. 13. and 'tis excellently enlarged in the Ap- pendix to the 2d Editiftn of Lay-Baptifm Invalid, page 171. King Az^ariah (as we read 2 Chrott. 26.) was fmote with Leprofie, for prefuming to offer Incenfe, which was the Office of a Prieft. And if God lliould punifli bold Intruders into the Mini- llry, 'twou'd be but juft fo to do. Secondly^ the aft is Falfe, which is a bare Wafliing, and no Chriftian Baptifm; and confequently of no manner of Effeft to the Soul of an Infant. And Lafily^ to the fieri mn debet jaEhum valet •, This 1 anfwer ? Though it may be true in fome Cafes, yet as 'tis plain from thefe Inftances, not in fnch wherein a Divine Million, or Commiflion is required: If a Lay-Man prefumes to adminilter the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper *, will you fay, 'tis a Valid Sacrament by Virtue of this Maxime, Quod fieri non debet fa[imn valet. If the Eucharillical Sacrament in fuch a Cafe be not Valid, why lliould the Baptifmal Sacrament be fo ', confult Lay- Baptifm the 2d Edition, Page 107. Fhil. I told you )u{\ now, that a Celebrated Au- thor of your Church fays, that for Fourteen Cen- turies, any Pcrfon in Cafe of Neceffity might bap- tize ^ and that I might not amufe you , '^s my Lord of Sarum •, the print has his Name lin the Ti- tle Page. Oi-th. It cannot enter into my Thoughts, that his lordfliip fliould enter fuch a , fome roguilh BookfcHer has clapt his Lordlliips Name , to make the Pamphlet go off the ber.ter. I tell you, I cannot believe, that a Perfon of his vaft Learning, can be guilty of fuch a Miftake ', but pray what does the Pamphlet fay. V.hiL ( «9) Phil. In the 23d Page you have tbcfe Words -^ ^ *■ In Popery the Midwives generally baptize, yet though this is againft an exprefs Rule or the Apoj. Ales, that a Woman ought not to fpeak in the Church •, none of the Reformed ever thought of rebaplizing the Perfons fo baptized. Again, the common Topick is, That tne Commiffion to Preach and Baptize was given to the Apollles, fo that nont but their SuccefTors can pretend to it. But has not every Chriftian in Cafes of Neceffity, a right to teach and inftruft one another, aiicl to perfwade him to become a Chriilian : And therefore though it be a very juft part of the Order of the Church, that none but Perfons in- itiated into Holy Fun£lions, lliould Baptize and Preach, yet necelTity is above all Rules. In fuch a Cafe they may Bapiize as well as Preach. The Faith if the Trinity gives every Man a right to Baptize, and this has been the conftant Senfe of the Church, for above Four Hundred Tears^ which in a ritual Manner, is certainly of great Autho- rity. They reckoned, that Baptifm is the gift of Chrift to his Church, when given in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Gholl •, it is ChriiVs Baptifm, be they who give it Hereticks, or Or- thodoTt, Clergy or Layety, and in the latter A- ges Men, or Women. Now if this Dciflrine be true, as I believe it is, and as it comes from fo great a Man -, I pity your Cafe, your Arguments are Weak, your Reafon of little or no Force, and your Foundation Failing your Fabrick fmks. Orth. Don't crow too foon, and clap your Wings, I believe, that you have not ar.y Reafon to be fo pert, though you vaunt fo much with your p/rra;- dcd Salisbury Sermons ^ have you feen any Aniwers to them? B 2 Phi!. Two Sermons preach'd ar Salisbury. ( 20 ) Phil. Anrwers fay you, A Je/l ? I dare fay, they are nnanfwerable, anid the Praftice of the Church for Fourteen Centuries is Authority enough. I fliall rot trouble the Parifn Pn'eji- for the Future, I'll ev'n Chriften my own Child firft, as the Proverb has it. Orth. Have you feen two little Trafts, v\'rote in part againft thofe two Ser;non'?, that go by t!ie Kame of the Bifliop of Sarinn. The firft was wrote by a Layman, that wrote his own Cafe in a Tradt, called Lay-Baptifm Invalid : Read the id Edition with the Learned Preface by Dr. Hicks •, and fmce that fame ingenious Author has publifhed a- nother, call'd Sacerdotal Powers. The Fifth Chap- ter of which is wholly taken up to prove Lay- Eaptifm to be Null and Void againft thofe two un- accountable Sermons. Have you I'een the White- Crow, another Pamphlet, or an Enquiry into fome new Do£lrines broacht by the Bifliop of Salisbury. X'll tell you, they have nettl'd that Author, and I believe, have put him to eternal Silence ^ for I have never heard yet pf an Anfwer *, havj you? Phil. Yes, Sir, I have? And the Title is, a feri- ous Enquiry into the Ralh)iefs of the Clergy, &c. A fmart Piece indeed, Orth. That 1 have feen, I confefs ? Do you call that an Anfwer? Tlien I fee any ftuff may pafs for one, as 'tis ufual Vv-ith your Party ^ I have given it, (what it deferv'd and more) a curfory Reading-, iind upon my Word, I find liim a mere Trifler-.^ of Tvhom more by and by : In the mean while, give me leave to colleft fomewhat out of Lay-Baptifm Invalid, Sacerdotal Powers, and the White-Crow, and riiey are all three fo good, that I heartily re- commend to you the Perulal of them. The White- Crow, fpeakingof the Fourteen Centuries, has thefe \Vords •, * ' I muft freely Confefs, that 1 have not confulted * Page ;2o ( 21 ) confulted any of the Fathers or Councils upon this Head •, but Mr. Hoadly (mind that Fhilo- SchifmaticHs) in his Realbnablenefs of Conformity, and his Defence, of Eplfcopal Ordiriatlorj^ has full/ convinc'd me, that Lay-Baptifm is Invalid. - ■ - Prithee Friend, read tliofe Trafts, and ^om may fee, that Mr. Hoadly^ thoup,h grofly wrong in forhef Points, which have been effeftually Anfwer'd, yet in this of Lay-Baptifm he is right-, and fo there's another Author on my Side. In page 32, is your whole Quotation, to which he replies. * ' Thefe indeed are fuch Notions, as I cannot by any means afTent to, and from the ftamp of your Lord- fliips Authority, I fear the Liberty of the pre-- fent Age will but make but too great an life, of what you have herein laid down, in order to the Propagating of thofe Heterdox Principles, which are continually Imbibing into the more Unwary and Ignorant part of Mankind. How can it but make our Spirits burn within us, and even burn with a pious Rage, (t and as a late Author expref- fes it) when hearing it impudently faid, that Laicks as well as Eccleriaftick& may Baptize and give the Communion, may publickly Preach, and hold forth folemn Prayer, and in fhort, without the help of the latter, may open to themfdvcs, and others the way of Salvation : May any Man fet or apply the Oiieen^s Broad-Seal • but is every Man indifferently commij/hned to do it -with Effeci^ or without Treafon : Theft are the exprefs Words of Dr. Hicks. Was it ever known in the Jewi/h Church, that any but thofe of the Sacerdotal Or- der had a right to offer Sacrifice y or if any fuch dar'd to ufurp that Office, were they not pur- fued with Cen(ure and Vengeance : And ftiall the B 3 ' Evart- * Page 32. t Fid, Wife's Kif. Sermcrt. (22") ' Evangelical Miniftry be thouglit lefs Sacred, or ' more fafely and innocently to be invaded, than * that of the Law ? Good God ! Into what a dege- ' nerate Age, what Dregs of Time are we funk ? ' And how would it have amaz'd the Primitive Chri- ' ftians, to fee the Things which we fee, and hear the ' Things which we hear ? — Phil. Upon my Credit, thefe are hard Words on thofe Salishury Sermons. I think, he has teiz'd that Author fufficiently, and 'tis time to have done with him, and let thofe Sermons fhift for themfelves for me •, for I am fure I fhall, for the future, never go about to defend them •, they may fink or fwim for ir.ey fay I, I pray difmifs them, Orth. Have a little Patience, till I collet fome choice Sayings of that Excellent Tra£V, llil'd Sacer- dotal Towers •, I am of Opinion, he has perfe^ly confuted that Paragraph of the Salisbury Sermons : Be Judge your felf. * ' Eecaufe our Author is fo very fond of thofe Fourteen Centuries, and does not care to be concluded by the Three Firft Hun- dred Years of Chriftianity, which were the befl: and pureft Ages of the Church, I will. therefore bring fome Teftimonies againft Lay-Baptifm from competent Witneifes, who liv'd in that Period which he himfelf infills on. St. Bafd thus argues v Thofe whom a Laick baptizeth, are to be re-bap- tized. This Argument he made ufe of, to prove that Heretical and Schifmatical Baptifms were Null and Void •, and that ht reckon'd them fo, becaufe he thought them of the fame Nature, as Lay- Baptifms in thofe Days. His Major Propofr- tion. That thofe whom a Laick baptizeth, are to be re-baptized, was not deny'd : He had no Op- pofers, to defend fuch Baptifms. All the Oppo- fition he met with, was, that they deny'd the ' Minor, * Saccr, Power Sf p. 119. (2J ) Minor, That thofe whom a Heretick or Schifma- tick baptizeth, a Laick baptizeth •, They would not allow, that the Heretiqks and Schifmaticks in thofe Days were nfiere Laicks , and therefore, tho' they did not deny, but Lay-Baptifm was AM and Fb/rf, yet they affirm'd Heretical and Schifmatical Baptifms, in the Name of the Trinity, to be good, becaafe they were not Lay-Baptifms •, and to this St. Bafil * con fen ted. Again that Author goes on •, f * After the Coun- cil of iV/cf, the Major. Propofition, That thofe whom a Laick baptizeth are to be re-baptized, was' look'd upon to be fo true, that it was tne undoubt- ed Principle, whereby the Orthodox confuted the Lnciferians ^ for thus they argn'd, Thofe whom a Laick baptizeth, are to be re-baptized ^ but thofe whom an Arian Prieft baptizeth, are not to be re-baptized \ therefore an Arian Prieft is not a Laick. II' St. Chryfoflome, Arch-Bifliop of Conjlant'raople^ Anna 598. is exprefs for the Invalidity of Lay- Baptifm •, and that in Cafes of Necefiity, it can be no more adminifter'd by a Laick, than the Eucha- rift. But all thefe Things (fays he) can be ad- minifter'd by no other Man living, but by thofe Sacred Hands alone, the Hands of a Prieft.— ' Thele Inftanccs are plain Proofs againft the Au- thor of the Salisbury Sermons, who aflerts, That the Faith of the Trinity gives every Man a Right to Baptize,- and that this has been the conftant Senfe of the Church for above Fourteen Hundred Years', for here we fee, that within the Term of this Period, 'twas a ftanding Maxim, That Lay- Baptifm was Nuli and P^oid •, and that thofe whoi' B 4 ' pleaded * Baf. Ep. ad Amph, Ca^, L ■J" Sacer. Powers. H Chryfoft. Lib, 3, de Sacer, Chap. 5, (24) * pleaded for the Validitv of {bme Heretical and ' Schifmatical Baptifms, could not deny the Nul- ' lity of thofe, who were adminifler'd by meer ' Laicks.— - Some time after thofe Sermons appear'd,our Mi- nifter, a truly Orthodox Clergyman, briskly attack'd that Claiife of vours about the Praftice of the Church for Fourteen Centuries. He quoted Sx. Chryfofio me ^ whoUv'd in the Fourth Century •, he alfo quoted Gz/- vin, B.cz.ci^ and others, fince the Reformation •, and now I'll leave it to you, Philo-SchifmaticHs^ to make out the Fourteen Centuries betwixt St. Chryfofiopie and Calvin. Once more , Since that Dr. Brett has publiili'd an Excellent Letter to the Author of Lay-Baptifm, wherein the Popifli Doftrine of Lay-Baptifm^ taught in a Sermon, faid to have been preach'd by the B-'- of 5— - is cenfur'd and condemn'd, printed by H. Cle- vient^ at the Half Moon in St. VanCi Church- Yard : Page 4. he proves, * That the Greek Church, in a great Patriarchal Synod, Anno 1 166. were of the fame Opinion with St. Bafil arid St. Chryfofiome •, and iiiys Dr. Breit^ in that Year Lucas Chryjoberges held a General Council in Tritllo^ in the Imperial Palace a.t Con/iantinople^ at which were prefent Three Pa- triarchs, and Fifty Seven Metropolitans, befides o- ther Billiops. In this Synod, Manuel^ Bifliop of Heradca^ ask'd, Whether he ought to receive, as one of the Faithful, a Perfon who had been baptized by a Layman, who pretended to be in Holy Or- ders ? The Synod determin'd. That fuch ought to be Re-baptized-— Page 8. || There's an Account of this Cafe in the Hampton- CoHrt-Confere?ice -^ and the Rubrick in Private Baptifm was alter'd to Lawful Aiinificr ^ which Rubrick is defended in the fore- going * Dr, BrettV Letter^ pag- 4. II Vag. S. ( 25 ) going Difcourfe •, at Page lo. he proves, * that the Reformed, Churches beyond the Seas have declared, that Baptifm adminifter'd by an un-ordain'd Per- fon, is wholly Null and Void-, and Page ii. he proves from Hooker^ f that Cartwright^ the Cory- ph/ ntero. This was the Praflice of Mr. Pett^ as you fee hereafter j and fmce his Works have the Roval Privilege, we may fafely prefume. That that Praftice was allow'd by the GaiUcan Church \ and I fuppofe, what is allow'd and pra- ftif'd, as to the Point in Hand, may be fairly fup- pos'd to be the Pra£lice of the whole PopiOi Com- munion ; and I do not in the leaft doubt, but that Mr. Pen baptiz'd the Child (with his rare Invention) in the Name of the Trinity •, from which I conclude, that tho'the Faft be true, yet the Aft is not Valid •, and 1 hope, the Author of the Salisbury Sermons will not (in his next Preachment) go fo great a length as to introduce this Piece of Popery among us. And that you may not think that I abufe you, I fhall leave the Author's Words in their own Original with you, for I think 'tis not Decent or Modeft, to make it Englijf}. The Book has this Title, viz.. La Pratique des Acouchemens, printed at Paris^ nvec Privilege dit Roy. The Title of the Ninth Seftion of the Twelfth Chapter is, O/idoier dans le Perille, and runs n thefe Words : ' Si bon reconnoit quel'Enfant loit foible, ou qu'il y ait danger qu'il Meure, en ve- nant au Monde, il ne faut pas manquer de I'Or- doier fous Condition, ou fans Condition, felon- que Ton dour, ou que Ton connoit qu'il a Vie. On comprend afTez I'lmportance qu'il y a de prendre cette Precaution ^ Mais oii y trouve quelquefois desObfiacles de la part des Parens. Je me fou- viens qu'un Homme qui ^toit pour lors de la Re- ligion pretendue reform^e, fit une fois tous fes Ef- forts pour m'cmptcher d'Ondoier fou fon Enfant dans le peril. Jem'tn rendis le Maitremalgre fon Oppofition •, Et de la j'ai pris Occafion de la fairc fecretement en de pareilles rencontres pourc'viter toute Conteftation, & de Meure pour cet eifet d'une petite Seri-ague forte nette remplie d'Eau claire, mife dans la poche, qui m'a fervi quelques fois pour Ondoier des Enfans de cette Nature * dans ( ?o) ' dans le peril, d'ont jen'enai avertilc Parens qu'a- pres coup, & en fortant. Phil. Enough, enough, I am throughly convinc'd of what^you fay, and fliall not aft according to it •, I think 'tis time to have done ^ Are not you of the fame Opinion ? Orth. No, before I conclude, I muft make fome Remarks upon one, that calls him^QK sl Serious En- quirer-, * for he feems to be a mighty Defender of the Salisbury Sermons : The Author though he con- ceals his Name, yet is very well known for main- taining t Mr. Hoadlefs peftilent Doftrine, of Re- fifting Sovereign Princes and States. Phil. I'll begin, and you Hiall remark, as you go along •, in the firft Place I'll give you a Character of the Bilhop of Salisbury^ drawn by the Enquirer ^ II an Eminent and renown'd Prelate, whom every good Man Honours, and of whom 1 muft own, I can never fpeak too well, Orth. This wou'd have founded better from a Perfon, who had not receiv'd fo many, and great Obligations from his Lordfliip \ however 'tis grate- full in him to adorn his Benefaftor, fo far is well enough : go on Phil. Phil. No Man has written better for the Church ^ no Man appearVI more Zealous for it ;, no Man made more Converts to it •, no Man gets kls by it, than he. Orrh. No Man gets lefs by it, than he ! What does he mean ? The Bifhoprick of Salisbury is very Opulent, and has great Revenues, and his miftake in this Particular may tempt a Man , that does not know the great worth of the Biihop, to fufpedl the reft of his Chara<^er ; but go on. Phil. * Serious Etiq. p. 14. t Mr. Hoadly'j'. 1! Page 14. (31 ) Phil. Notwithftanding, no Man is more Exem- plary in his Life, as a Chriftian •, no Man a great- er Benefaftor to his See, or more careful of his Diocefs •, no Man more ftriftly Conforming, as a Churchman. Orth. To this Philo-Schifmaticuf, I fay no more, being a private Pcrfon, but leave the World to judge of it. Phil. * Ever fince the Reformation, the Church of England has always maintained a tender Re- gard to the Sifter Churches of the Reformation abroad.- But infteud of this, too many of the Clergy 1 fear, are run into a Notion, which in a manner Excommunicate, not only our own Dif- (enters, but even all the Reformed Churches too, and inftead of allowing them to be Churches, will not allow them to be Chriftians. Orth. This out-cry of the Danger of the Reform- ed Churches abroad, fhall be anfwer'd by and by, but what's the reafon of this Clamour and Noife. Phil. Not too hafty, my Friend, you fliall have it prefently, they, that is, the Clergy, the Hot- headed Brethren, as he calls them. Page 4. main- tain, that the Adminiftration of Baptifm is nothing, but an empty Formality, without any Promife or Privilege attending it, when done by any Perfon not Epifcopally ordain'd. Orth. Prithee, Philo-SchifmaticHi \ advife our Au- thor to read the 2d Edition of Lay- Baptifm Inva- lid, with the Learned Preface by Dr. Hicks -^ Sa- cerdotal Powers, and the 4th Volume of Rehearfals, efpecially the 24, 25, 31, 32, 34. and he may be of another Mind, which God grant— but how does he prove it? Phil. That you fliall have in his own Words •, t I met (fays he) with a Sermon, whofe Title is, the f Page 15. t P^gff 16. ( 30 the EHvine Authority and Commiflion of God's Minifters", in a Sermon Preach'd at Vl^elis^ Jime the Fourth by Mr. Holt^ before the Bilhop of WellSy at an Ordination, which pofitively Afierts, that fach a Baptifm is no more than a common Wafhing, and by confequence is no more Baptifm at all in the Chriftian Notion of it, that is ^ it gives no more Privilege, nor entitles us to any more Advantage, than any common Wafhing does. Orth. I don't hear, that that Good and Learned Biihop has cen fared Mr. Holt for this falfe Doftrine, as you call it. Phil. No, no, Si'r, he's fo far from that, that he e- ven coHcurrs with him •, he's one of the Hot-headed Brethren. Orth. Take care what you fay, for fear of Scand, Mag. Phil. I thank you for your Advice, which I pray follow •, fo no more of that. Orth. We of oar Church, generally fpeaking, do jiay what duty is owing to a Chriilian Bifhop ;, and lor my felf, fmce I read Dr. Hiek's Learned Dif- courfe, concerning the Epifcopal Dignity and Of- fice, Printed R. Sare^ at Grays- Inn-Gate^ 1 can fay, I have very honourable Notions of the Epifcopal pignitv, let vyho will wear the Miter *, but pray, Sir, go on. Thil. And this is yet a Notion received by the Generality of the Clergy, though manifeftly con- trary to the Judgment of the whole Chriftian Church, and even the very Doftrines of our own. * TerthlUan and St Hierowe^ and others fay, 'tis contrary to the Primitive Church, and allow Lay-Perfons to Baptize. And the Council of Illi- keurs fays, that if fuch Lay-Baptized Perfons lived, they Ihould be confirmed by the ililhop. Orth, * Fage 17. ( 31 ) Orth. This is to the purpofe indeed, and were your Allegations true it wou'd be more than e- nough to damn this Doi^rine of the Invalidity of Lay-Baptifm. But I find the whole Chriftian Church, the Primitive Church, and the Names of TertHllian , HieroM, without any Autho- rity to back them (except the Council of IlUberiSg, of which more by and b^.) Have I any Reafon tp take your bare Words, and fliall your Author']? bold AfTertions pafs with me for clear Demon- ftrations? It muft: be weightier Evidences, that will be of Power to convince me. Befides he has impudent Falflioods, joyn'd with unparalell'd Bold^- neis. He fays the whole Chriftian Church af- ferts the Validity of Lay-Baptifm ? I hy., 'tis a notorious Falfehood. You have feen already, that * St. Bafil and St. Chryfofiome have condemn'^ it. To which I Ihall add now the Teftiraony of Jgnathtiy that Saint and Martyr, as I find it quot- ed by the Honeft Author of Sacerdotal Powers, in his Epiftle to the Smyrnians. He fays •, t That 'tis not lawful without the Billiop to Baptize.— That without a Bilhop, Pricfts, and Deacons, there is no Church, and that he is without, who does any thing \vithout the Bifliops, Presbyters and Deacons." Then for Tertfillia??^ and St. Hierom^ when I fee their Teilimonies alledg'd ■, I fliall give them a due Confideration, and 'tis time enough to anfwer, when I iee their Wordy produc'd. Nothing remains, but to cojifider the Thirty Eighth Canon of the Counil of Jllibtris, and I believe that will fail you too j fuch is the C fate ^ Sacer. Powers, p. 75, t Dr, Hicks'f Dignity of the Epif, Ord, 22. ( H) fate of your Author. 1 defire you to look into Sacerdotal Powers, Page 83. and you will find iufficicnt Anfwers to your Council of Jlllberis\ ^s H>v?, ' That this was no General Council, and fo did not oblige the Univerfal Church. Secoftd- ly. That even this Council docs not countenance un-authoriz'd Lay-men, for the Canon is not dec'arative of any Right, that Lay-men have in themfelves, as private Chriftians to Baptize. No, it only authorizes fome part of Lay-men to do it in certain Emergencies, and upon Conditions, that is, the Canon gives them a power to Bap- tize, which they had not before-, for if they had, what need of a Canon in CouncU to give them leave. This Lay-Chriftian too, was to be in Communion with the Bilhop •, He w^as to be fuch a one, as was under no Penance, nor a Bigamift.- He was allowed by thofe Bilhops to Baptize in cafe of Necellity thofe who were in a Jour- ney, being at a great DiftaviCes from a Church, and this too, upon Condition, that he prefent the fo baptized Perfon, if he furvive, to the Bilhop, to be Confirmed, by Impolition of his Hands. So that, if any thing can be faid for the f^alUiity of thofe Baptifms, it muft be found- ed upon thofe Bifliops Auihority, to give fuch Power to their Lay-men, and then it muil be pleaded, that the Lay-men acted by Authority, firll received from their Bilhops, if they had Power to give it them, and confequently, that they were i:p/ycop.2//i' authoriz'd Lay -men, which can no ways be faid of our Lay-Uiurpers, who never were Authoriz'd by their Bill.ops, to whom they owed Subjection, and confequently can in no Senfe be faid to have tlte Divine Com- milfion, to Miniiler in fuch Holy things, and more efpeciatly wlieii they u^ in direit Oppo- ' lition I (35) ' fition to, and Rebellion agaiiift Epifcopacv it In the lafl: Place your Author fays, that the In- validity of Lay-Baptifm, is contrary to the very Doftrines of your own Church. What is the meaning of this, of our own Church ! what Church does he mean ? I am fure not the Church of Hi-jg- l.wd-^ if he means the DiirLMiting Communions, to which fome give the Name of the Church of Eng- land^ I'll ev'n let it go without any Remark, for it is not worthy of any Anfwer. Phil. He means the Church of England , for he quotes the Church Liturgy, * for fays he, if we look into the Office for the burial of the Dead, we lliall find there, that no Man is to be denyed a Chriftian Burial, but fuch as die under Excom- munication. Orth. That's notorioufly Falfe Thilo-Schifmaticih-, as confult the Rubrick, which is in thefe Words. ' t Here 'tis to be noted, that the Office enfuing ' is not to be u fed for any that die Unbaptized, or ' Excommunicated 3 or have laid violent Hands * upon themfelves. You fee, how your Author mangles the Rubrick, from whence you may iee, how he is to be credited, when he cites Ancie,nt Authorities •, befides our OifTenters are ipja f.icio Excommunicate, as appears from the Canons of our Church, and then by his own Argument, ihey ought to be denyed that Office. Ihe Ninth Ca- non runs thus, *• H whofoever ihall iiereafter ie- *" parate themfelves from the Communion of Saints, * as it is approv'd by the Apoftles Rules in the ' Church of England^ and combine themi'elves nt G 2 *■ a- new * Serions Enq, t See the Ruh, II Can. p. (J6) a new Brotherhood, accounting the Chriftians, who are conformable to the Doctrine, Govern- ment, Rites, and Ceremonies of the Church of England^ to be profane and unmeet for them to ]oyn with them in Chriftian Profeffion •, let them be Excommunicated ipfo faUo. The Tenth is in thefe Words, * whofoever (hall hereafter affirm^ that fuch Minifters as refufe to fubfcribe to the form and manner of God's Worfhip in the Church of England^ prefcribed in the Com- munion Book, and their Adherents, may truly take unto them the Name of another Church not Eftablifh'd by Taw, and dare prefume to Publifti it, that this their pretended Church hath of a long time groaned under the Burden of certain Greivances impofed on it, and upon the Members thereof before mentioned , by the Church of England^ the Orders and Conftituti- ons therein by Law Eftabliflied •, let them be Excommunicated. The Eleventh is thus, t whofoever lliall hereafter affirm or maintain, that there are within this Realm other Meet- ings , AfTemblies , or Congregations of the King's born Subjefts, than fuch as by the Laws of the Land are held and allowed, which may rightly challenge to themfelves the Name of true and lawful Churches •, let him be Excom- municated. Thil. The force of all thefe Canons is taken a- ,vay by the Aft of Toleration j and they are of lo more Vertue, than an A£l of Parliament re- pealed. Orth. As I told you before, you are wrong in- formed ^ the Penalty only is fufpended ^ the Pro* ceedings * C.'W. 10. t Can. II. ( J7 ) ceedings of the Bifliops Court are flop'd, but the Crime remains :, but I will not repeat what I have raade plain already, as you may fee, if you wiH turn back fomc Leaves : But go on with your Au- thor. Phil. Why then are theyallow'd Chriftian Burial? * ' Which to do^ fays he, is to acknowledge the Pe.r- ' fon to be bury'd a Chriftian. Ofth. I anfwer, ^r/?. That fome Di (Tenters were baptiz'd by Epifcopal Divines, and To have a right to be called and treated as compleat Chriftians. zdly. That thofe that 'are other wife, have no man- ner of right to be look'd on as Chriftians, as the Word imports, a Member of Chrifl's Myllical Bo- dy the Church, and by confequence have no right to that-OfHce. This is the Cafe, which, I wilh, was brought to a Tryal, upon denying that Office to fuch Diflenters •, for the Pra<5lice of burying fuch is unjuftifiable, and ought for the Honour of the Church to be redrefs'd. The reft of this Pamphlet is fpent upon Epifco- pacy and Preaching, which Iiave been a Thoufand times already anfwer'd :, and fo I fliall refer your Author to thofe Anfwers, efpecially the learned Dr. Afaurke againft Cl.rrkfon •, and Epifcopacy by Divine Right, and Jacques iQarncd Difcoujrfe about Ordifiation by meer Presbyters^ prov'd Null and Vfiid. Phil. I begin now to be convinc'd *, but our Au- thor, in many places of his weak Pampl;let, fpeaks of uivchurching the Foreign Reformed Churches, which you promis'd to fpeak to, becaufe it is, it feems, a lamentable thing to advance Dcwflrines that (deftroy the Reformed Churches oi Holland, Geneva, ^witz.erland, &'C. C 3 Ortk * $er, ]^nq, p. 19, ( 38) Orth. I thank you, Vhilo-Schifmaticm^ for put- ting me in mind of that, which I had almoft for- i>ot : But, pray confider, there's no helping the Confequences of true Doflrines, tho' never (o fe- vere, againft which they plead Neceflity, which, I think, they ought not : And what I have to (ay on this Point, I f^all deliver in the Words of the learned Dr. Hicks^ in Anfwer to the Objeftion of Unchurching Foreign Churches. * ' They are ( fays he) ^ the Men, who truly weaken the Pro- ' teftant Caufe, in continuing a Church Politie, ' contrary to that which Chrift and his Apoftles ' erefted for the Church in all Places and Ages \ ' who take upon them the Priefthood by a new ' uncatholick Mif/ion of their own creating-, and * they truly and properly widen the diftance a- ' mongft Proteftants,, who rejeifl the Antien-t Apo- ' ftolical Mifllon, as needlefs and unlawful, and 'perhaps befides a few Compliments, which fome ' of them have lately made to Epifcopacy, and the ' Epifcopal Mifiion, will not move one ftep to- ' wards, but expert that we fliould go to them, ' and quit the Ground upon which we fo fafely ' Hand. ' I fpeak this with relurtance, tho' with free- ' dom and plainnefs *, I call God to witnefs, not ' to reproach the Proteftants of other Churches, ' '.\ ho have abdicated Epifcopacy, but in great Cha- ' rity and Pity to them, befeeching them tocon- ' fider,^ if indeed they can juftify themfelves to ' Chrift and the Chriftian World, for abdicating ' of it, and departing from the ConlUtution and ' Million of the Catholick Church. ' TKey all, except in one Place, plead Neceftlty ' for departing from it ;, and I would tc God their ' Plea Pnfat. Jjifc. in Jnfwer to the Right^ p. 210, ( 39) Pka were good. But the Necefllties they plead, are NecefTities of their own making and conti- nuing, chofen and wilful Necefllties ;, and I am forc'd to fay, by confequence unjuftifiable Necef- fities •, Necefllties out of which they may, and I think therefore ought to extricate and deliver themfelves, as foon as they can. In a Word, Necefllties which, in my Opinion, would as well juftify the Abdication of the Presbyterian Go- vernment, Minifl;ry, and Miflion, as the Epi- fcopal •, not only the Miflion and Miniftry, which the Minifters of fome Presbyterian Churches, per- haps, only derive from Non- Presbyters^ or meer Lay-men, as Calvin and Bez,a^ butalfo that which the Minifters of others of them derive from Pref- byters Epifcopally ordain'd. ' I befeech them both, for Jefas Chrift's fake, the great Apoftle and High-Prieft of our Profeflion, and Bifliop of our Souls, who eftablifli'd his King- dom upon Earth in the Epifcopal Government and Miflion, to confider what they have done iq erefting and continuing another Government, another Miflion, and another Miniftry, of their own devifmg, againft the Goverment and Mini- ftry fet UD by Divine Authority for the Catho- lick Churcn, and to plead a pretended Neceflity, which, I think, would as well juftify the Abdi- cation of the Lord's Day, and the life of the Two Sacraments •, and which our Neighbours might as well plead, not only for the Abdica- tion of Epifcopacy, but of all Publick Forms of Prayer, and Admin ift ration of the Sacraments, the Reading of the Word of God, and Confel- fion of the Chriftian Faith, and the Lord's Prayer in Divine Worfliip : Let it no longer be faid of them, that as they would not have Bifliops, when they might, fo now they will not have them, when they may. Let them not any longer give • ' C 4 * the ( 40 ) the Common Adverfary fo great an Advantage againfi the Proteftant Caufe, by ftill asking them, as formerly at the Conferences of Po///y, Fountain- hlean^ and more lately by the Bifliop of Meaux, Where is your Miffion ? Let them no longer con- tinue to £;ive fo jull an Offence to thofe, who, upon Catholick Principles and Pra£lice, ftri6lly adhere to tht Epifcopal Communion. Let them not put a longer ftop to the Reformation, by refufmg to embrace the Divine Ordinance. Let them not longer hinder the Progrefs of it, or provoke God in Judgment to cart it out of Coun- tries where it is, becaufe after fo long forbear- ance, they fliali delay to embrace that Form of Government, that Miniflry, that MifTian, and that one Priefthood, which he appointed for his Church. ' I fpeak this to all the Proteflant Churches, coTicern'd as Chrifiian Societies, to hear an'd confider what I fay \ and I fpeak it, according as my Adverfary would direft me to fpeak, to the whole Church in every Place, to the People, as well as the Minifters, more efpecially to the Magiftrates, as the Chiefs of the People. 1 fpeak it from mine ov/n Confcience to theirs, and I call God again to vviti-iefs, that I fpeak it to them in the greatelV Charity and Compaflion, hear- ti!v bemoaning their Condition, and as heartily wiflting, 1 lud not fo jull: Occafion given me to fpeak it. 1 fpeak it with a Zeal for their per- fecting their Reformation, and, I hope, with as true a Chrifiian Zeal, as Ignatius wrote untt) the Chriilians in S'i.y'na^ to whom he laid. Hear- ken unto the Bilkops^ that God >?\ay hcrrken laito yon. Afy Soul f/.>all be Security for theirs^ who are ftihicH- to the B:Jr:cp^ rrlrh the Presbyters and Dea- cons •, and may my Vortlon he with theirs in God. IVith the fame Alfurance and. Atfcftion, let me ' prefume (4' ) prefume to fpeak to the Reformed Churches a- broad. Hearken unto Epifcopacy, that God, who founded it in the Perfon and Office of his Son, and appointed it for the Government of his King- dom, may hearken unto you. My Soul fhali an- Twer for yours •, I will be your Security to God for fubmitting to Epifcopacy : If you fm in fo doing, let my Soul anfwer to him for it •, and when you return to it, then let my Soul be with yours, then let my Lot and Portion be together with yodrs in God. I fay, when you return to it •, for your Churches, which you have happily refbrm'd in Doftrines, as all other Churches throughout the Chriftian World, when firft plant- ed, were founded and formed in and with it^ It was the Government of them from the begin- ning, and great would be the Joy both in Hea- ven and Earth, wojild you return to it again. Tell me, I befeech thee. Why fhould you not be perfectly P,.eform'd ? Why fliould you not re- form your felves in both Points ? In the primitive Form of Government, as a Chriftian Society, as well as in the primitive Faith, as a Chriftiaa Seft. You have a great and laudable Zeal for all the pofitive Do6lrines of Divine Revelation, and why not for the pofitive Ordinances of Divine In^itution? Nay, how comes it to pafs, that you, who retain all other Things of Divine In- ititution, as Baptifm, the Lord's- Day, the Holy Eucbarift, and Ordination, fhould rejedi this? What hath Epifcopacy done, to be thus caft off, and to deferve Abdication ? Hath it been fo pro- faned, fo abufed, and fo polluted, in the Papal Church, as Calvtn tragically complains in his Epiflk to the King of Poland^ and hath not al- moft every Thing in the Chriftian Religion been fo too ? Reftore it then to its antient Purity, with the Chriftian Doclrines to vour Churches •, ' ' ! or, (42 ) "' or, as I fliould rather fay, Reftore your Churches ' to it, that you may thereby, with the Antient * Apoftolical Faith of Divine Revelation, have the ' Antient Apoftolical Government and Priefthood '' of Divine Inftitution, and thereby of a certainty ' recover the Mifiion, and become united to the ' Body of the Catholick Church. * Pardon my Chriftian Freedom, I befeech you ^ * for 1 argue with you, and urge you, upon a re- ceiv'd Principle, ^ nod omnibus^ qmd uhiqne^ quod *' femper^ upon a Principle that is attefted by the * fame Witne0es, thatatteft the Number of Books, * and the Divine Authority of the Scriptures \ and * therefore a Principle, which in arguing with *f you, will admit of no Flattery, nor the leaft ' degree of femblance of Flattery, Compliment, or * Complaifance. For Principles, believe me. Sirs, * are Principles, they may eafily be broken, but ^ cannot be bent •, Principles, efpecially Chriftian * Principles, require free and plain Dealing, efpe- * cially among Chriftians, who ought neither to * write, or fpeak fuch Things, or in fuch manner, * when Divine Doftrines or Ordinances are in the * Caie, astopleafeMen, but to pleafe God. Thus that Great Man. ♦ VhiL I thought you would never have done ij I find you can excrcife your Lungs occafionallyy as well as any diflenting Preacher. Orth. Prithee, Philo-Schifmaticus, pardon mc for this one time, I'll promife you not to offend haftily in this kind : I proteft to you, that I could not help it ; and fo convincing it is, that I could ivifli it tranilated into Latin or French, for the fake of the Foreign Reformed Churches : I fay nothing of * See the append, of the id Edit, of Lay'Baptifm. I2S. (4? ) of his fevernl Indefatigable Labours again ft Deifis^ Papifls^ Socinians, and ScUaries^ for which he will be had in everlajling Remembrame^ and for which he'l! receive his Reward from God. Phil. You feem to fpeak of his Writings with refpeft, as I have heard others do, when his Name is mention'd : I do confefs, indeed ( for Magna eft Veritas & pncvalehit ) that the Opinion you have of him and his Writings is juft: ^ and be afTur'd, I fliall always honour them both, but 'tis time to haflen to a Conclufion •, for fome Company at my Lodgings are expefting my return. It is my Re- queft, that before we part, you will fay fomething of the DifTenters fymboUz^ing with the Papifts, as you promis'd me you would", for it was a greajc Surprize to me, that they fymbolize with them in any one thing. ' - ' Orth. I cannot perform that Task now at large \ but if you are content to have it in fhort, I will inftance in a few Particulars, that you may confi- der of, till we meet again. To begin then j Firfi^ They fymbolize with the Church of Rome in the damnable Doftrine of Re- fifting and Depofing King's. See, here's a Sheet, caird Two Sticks made One : or, The Devil upon Dun •, pray_view and read, and fee how loving- ly the Jefuits and DifTenters go Hand in Hand ^ Here's Salmeron, Bellarmine, Dokman^ Aiariana^ and Suarez^ in the Company with Rutherford, Jus Populi, Lex ReXf Mene Tekel, Knox, Buchanan, Baxter, and many more, too many to be repeated at this time, all chiming in upon the damnable Doftrine of Depofing Kings : This Hellirti Doftrinc owes its Source and Original to Pope Hildebrand^ otherwife called Gregory the Vllth : From Rome ic took its Progrefs to STx>itz.erland, and was encou- rag'd by Calvin, and thofe of his Platform : There Knox, that Firebrand, fuck'd it in, aud tranfport- ed (44) cd it to Scotland^ from thence it came to Eng- land^ and is now one of the Darling Doftrines of our Di {Tenters. Phil. But I am told, that fome of your Church, efpecially the Moderate Sons of it, manage and roaintain the fame Doftriiie. Orth. A way with them at once •, never honour fach with the glorious Charaifter of being Sons of the Church •, advife them to pull off the Mask ? nay their Gowns too in to the Bargain, and put on the Cloak, and joyn with the Conventicle •, for affure your felf, that our Church difowns fuch, as is plain from the Homilies againft Rebellion, and other Works, as you may lee in the Hiftory of Vaffive Obedience, and in the 2d part of the Excellent Anfwer to Mr. Hoadly. Secondly^ Houfe'Baptifm (except in cafes of ex- tream Necefiity) is a Popilh Doftrine, and the DiiTenters chime in with that •, as you may fee in the cafe of Houfe Baptifm, Page 15. Printed by R. Wilkhr^ and in Mr. Wall's Admirable Hiitory of Infant BaptiGn , Page r55. the 2d Edi- tion, Printed for R, Burroughs at the Sun and Jifoon in Ccrnhill^ in which are thefe Words \ This (meaning the cuftom of Houfe Baptifm) was firil: granted as a Privilege of Kings, and Kings 3on?, as appears from the Decretals of Clement the Fifth in the Twelfth Century, and by the Coun- cil of Carthage, it is ordained, that none but they iliould be Baptized at Home. Phil. But if Houfe Baptifm be a Popifh Do- ^rine, I am fiire moft of the City Clergy Prac- tice it, and I ilill fc^ar, they are a little inclined to Popery, and I am now forry, they Pra6^ice foch a Popifh Indulgence, contrary to the Orders of their own Church. Oi-th. 'Tis true, our Church abhors that Pra- ctice, and if fome Minifters do comply therewith ^ 'ti§ (45) 'tis a Fault, and a great one too, and onght to be RedrelVd : Our Governours ought to look to that, and I widi all were of the Mind of my Lord Bifiiop of Briflol^ who is refolved to put an end to that evil Pra£\ice in his Diocefs, and I am in hopes all the other Biftiops, will follow fo good an Example. Thirdly, The DilTenters take the Communion in a Sitting Poftnre, aud in that very Pofture the Roman Pontiff receives it-, Befides, and by the by the DiiTenters do worfe in this cafe of Sitting \ for they fymbolize with the Toionian Socinians, who receive it Sitting, acknowledging our Savi- our, to be no more than a Man •, and if you will rot believe me, I dcfire you to confult the Learn- ed, whofe Books I can help you to, when you are at Leifure to read them. Lafily^ Then, the DiiTenters Symbolize with Popilb Writers, writing again ft Epifcopacy, as has been often obferv'd againft them by very Learned Men of our Church, whofe Books I can alfo help you to, which will amply convince you of the Truth of what I fay, as to this Point, and I hope you will read them. Phil. I fhall do fo, when Opporunity ferves \ now nothing remains, but to return you my un- feigned thanks for your free and kind Converfa- tion •, I lliall revolve again and again, what you have been pleafed to fuggeft to me, and (ball com- municate all the Notions, I have had from you, as freely to my Friends. Onh. I pray do, and God Almrghty put it in- to the Hearts of you and all other DiiTenters to confider, what a Hazard they run in cafe of their pretended Minifterial, which in reality is nothing but Lay Baptifm •, and do not doubt, but if they will read with unprejudiced Reafon, and judge %yhat they read with a folid Judgment, they mud ^ needs ( 46 ) needs be convhic'd of their Fatal Error, and fub- mit themfelves to the Guidance of the Clergy of our Church , who will pat them into the right way to Life Eternal : They will give them no more trouble upon their coming Over, than to advife them to make a due and folemn Preparation, by Prayer, Reading, and Falling for the Reception of the Holy Sacrament of Church Baptifm *, then when they are Incorporated into the Church, they will indeed be made Mem- bers of Chrift, Children of God, and Inheriters of the Kingdom of Heaven. God grant them fuch a fenfe of their State, to open their Eyes to turn them from Darknefs to Light, and from the Pow- er of Satan unto God. And now I lliall leave •you and others ferioufly to confider of what I have faid, and I pray God to give you Under- ftanding in all things. Phil. I ought to joyn with you in your good Wifties, and I heartily fay. Amen. Adieu, Dear Orthodoxiis. Ortk Farewell, and the Lord be with you. FINIS. l-'-x