Page images
PDF
EPUB

that fuch Washings as are Irrregular for want of a PROPER Adminiftrator, are Valid Baptifms, and this without any Limitations, either for Cafes of Neceffity, or for the excluding of Women, Heathens, or Stage-Players, &c. is fuch a Latitude, that it does not fall short of even the worst Corruptions of the Church of Rome. Nay, the Decrees of fome of their Popes, &c. concerning Midwife-Baptifm, and that given by Pagans, limit them to Cafes of Neceffity; but this defign'd Declaration makes not even this Provifion, to fecure the Authority of the Chriftian Priesthood for the Adminiftration of Baptifm, but opens a Door for all Intruders, even where there is no Pretence of Neceffity. It advises indeed, that "Men take "heed that they ufurp not an Office whereunCC to they be not call'd, for God will call them

to account for fo Doing:" But alas, what Effect can this Advice have, when the Declaration before pronounces their Miniftrations Valid; Valid without any Exception of Time, Perfon, Place, or Circumftance. Will God call Men to account for their Valid Miniftrations? For their effecting that which he has appointed to be effected? For their doing of that, which he concurs with, and from the Valid Performance whereof, he has by no Law excluded them? For, if he has by any of his Laws excluded them from the Valid Miniftration of Chriftian Baptifm, then their Attempt to Minifter it, is an Invalid Att. If he has by no Law excluded them from the Valid Ministration thereof, then their Attempt to Minifter it, is no Breach of any Law of his; for, where there is no Law, there is no Tranfgreffion, and confequently they will not be call'd to account for it; which plainly fhews the great Inconfiftency of fuch a Declara

tion. Befides, this Declaration was defign'd, it fays, "To teach a Truth, to take a Yoke of Doubtfulness from Men's Confciences, and: "to refift an Error NOT MUCH differing from " DONATISM and ANABAPTISM.

The fuppofed Truth it would teach, has been seen already. Its Latitude, its Contrariety to the Scripture, to the Judgment of the Univerfal Church, and of the Church of England in particular, which never made a Law or Canon of fo univerfal and unlimited a Nature, are evident to all ferious and knowing Enquirers into this Matter. Tertullian Himfelf, who by degrees fell into this fingular Latitude of allowing Laymen to be Priefts, in Cafes of Neceffity, contrary to the Doctrine and Practice of the Catholick Church; exprefly and abfolutely Excludes Women's Power to Baptize. De Baptifmo Cap. 17-The Conftitutions of the Apoftles, Book III. Chap. 6, 9, & 10. repudiate all LayMiniftrations, and particularly Lay-Baptifm, and Baptifm by Women-So does St. Epiphanius against the Collyridians utterly difallow of Baptifm by Women, See his Works, Book III. Tom. 2. Which Teftimonies I thought proper to add here (to thofe of my Preliminary Difcourfe) upon this Occafion, that Men may fee what a pretended Truth fome would Eftablish, and bow Conformable it is to the Judgment and Practice of the Catholick Church.

The "Yoke of Doubtfulness," &c. would be laid beavier on, rather than taken from, Men's Confciences by fuch a Declaration; which fays,, That "God will call Men to account for ufurp❝ing an Office [of Baptizing] whereunto they "be NOT CALL'D." For, will not the fcrupulous Perfon, who was pretendedly Baptiz'd by one

of

of thefe, and comes to know it, be very apt to say, How can I reft fatisfied in a Baptifm declar'd to be Irregular, for want of a proper Adminiftrator, [i.e. One call'd of God] When the Uncall'd pretended Adminiftrator, will by God himself be call'd to Account as an Ufurper of the Priestly Office, for Baptizing me? Will God judge him for fo doing? And fhall I efcape his Judgment for knowingly concurring with, or acquiefcing in, his finful Act? By what means shall I extricate my felf out of this Difficulty? If 'tis Sin in bim, 'tis fo in me too, by my approving of it; and yet (that this Scruple may ceafe) approve of it I muft. But how. can I approve of it, fince it was finful in the very Act? And thus I find no Relief from fuch a Declaration, which involves me in Sin, and prohibits my being extricated out of it.

[ocr errors]

The fuppofed Error it was defigned to oppofe, is this; That pretended Baptifm, Adminiftred without the Divine Authority or Commission; i.e. by One who has not this Commiffion, is not Chriftian Baptifm, but Null and Void. Is not this much Differing from the Real Error of Donatifm, which was, That the Donatifts Rebaptiz'd thofe who came over to them from the Catholick Church, tho' they had been before rightly Baptiz'd in or with Water in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, and by One in Real, Valid Holy Orders too? What has this to do with the Matter before us?

And as for Anabaptifm, its Error is twofold. Firft, It Nulls Baptifm in an Infant, howsoever and by whomfoever Adminifter'd. Secondly, In Grown Perfons, if they were not plung'd all over' in Water; in both which they make the AGE of the Perfon Baptized, and the VERY GREAT QUAN

QUANTITY of Water fufficient to cover the Perfon, Effential to the Miniftration of this Sacrament; Errors fo infinitely Different from the Cafe before us, that One would wonder how Men could Invent the Notion, of their being not much Different from what is Afferted, and, I hope, fairly proved, to be a Great Truth in this Efay.

The Author of a Pamphlet, call'd, The Judg ment of the Church of England in the Cafe of Lay-Baptifm and Diffenters Baptism, has publife'd what he calls The Second Part of the Judgment, &c. 'Tis an amazing thing to fee Men fo expofe themselves: For this Gentleman amuses the World with a Repetition of all that be bad faid before; and gives his Reader the fame Things over again, but in other Words, and in a Method fomething diverfified from the former; putting People. to an Unneceffary Charge, befides a Trial of their Patience, to bear with the Reading a fecond Time what they had read before; which is ftill the more aggravated by his Want of Argument; by his not fo much as endeavouring to confute the Reafons brought against his Firft Part, in the Answer thereto, call'd, Diffenters Baptifm Null and Void; (for he tells his Reader, that be does not defign this as a Reply to that Book ;) by his unbecoming Language, in giving Ill Names to what he knows he cannot confute; and laftly, by his induftriously Evading the MERITS OF THE CAUSE; when he knows that the Church of England has concern'd Her Self therewith, that her Articles of Religion are built upon it, and that he is oblig'd in his own Defence to enter into it.

This Author mightily triumphs in Bishops confirming Children, pretendedly Baptiz'd by Diffenting Teachers, as if they therefore acknowledg'd thofe

Baptifms

3

Baptifms to be Valid. But I can tell him, that there are fome who fay, that thofe Baptifms are not Valid before Confirmation, but made valid by Confirmation; this (tho' I abfolutely deny it) I can prove to be the Foundation upon which Confirmation has been given to Perfons fo pretendedly Baptiz'd; and our Author would da well to confider, whether thofe Bishops be Speaks of, did not Confirm them upon the fame Foundation, before he fo pofitively affirms, that thofe Bihops allowed their Baptifms to be Valid: For, if 'tis true, that fome act upon this falfe Foundation, others may have done fo likewife; and this will Spoil our Writer's Suppofition, however infufficient to make thofe Baptifms Valid, as I bave endea voured to prove in this Effay.

I have in this Fourth Edition added fome further Arguments to prove the main Propofition, fo much avoided by this Author, and endeavour'd to Anfwer new Objections for the Satisfaction of fome who may be led away by them. I have nothing more to request of my Reader than Chriftian Fuftice and Equity in his Cenfures, and that he would heartily join with me in this Prayer to Almighty God, That it would please Him to bring into the Way of Truth, all fuch as have Erred, and are

Deceived.

J

THE

« PreviousContinue »