The Author's charitable Thoughts of many Foreign-

ers,

121

122

The Epifcopal Divines fpoken of, have by their

Conceffions, contradicted the Doctrine and avow-

ed Practice of the Church of England,

A Comparison of a True Prieft of the Tribe of

Aaron, undertaking to defend the Validity of

the Priesthood which Jeroboam bad fet up, 123

No Cafe of Neceffity can of it felf Authorize us to

affume the great Office of mediating between

God and Man,
125

126.

Epifcopacy cannot be utterly extinct,

But if it were, 'tis fafer for us to wait and hope

for fome new Revelation of God's Will, to ap-

point Minifters, than take it upon our felves,

127

X. Of the Nullity of their Orders and Miniftra-

tions who have not been Baptiz'd, and yet have

been Epifcopally Ordain'd to the Ministry, 128

An Effay towards an Anfwer to this Objection,

129

But with Submiffion to the better Reasons of the

Clergy,

139

The Author's final and determinate Answer to the
Objection,
ibid.

XI. Of the Powers of the Hierarchy, to relax

Stated Rules in Cafes of Neceffity, and of Con-

firming and Ratifying by Chrism or Impofition

of Hands, fuch Heretical, Schifmatical, or Mi

mical Baptifms, as are done without, nay and

against the Confent of the Hierarchy,

Our Hierarchical Powers have provided no Act of

Confirmation of fuch Baptifms,

140

142

The

142

The Powers of the Hierarchy are for ever limited

(in things fundamental) to the Canon of the

Holy Scriptures,

Their Hazard in difpenfing with things fundamen-

tal, and our Infecurity in fuch Difpenfations,

143

144

If the external Rite of fuch Baptifms does not con-

fer Spiritual Graces, &c, as the Objection fup-

pofes, then no after Att of the Bishop, can con-

firm thofe Baptifms; but the external Rite muft

be perform'd by a Lawful Minifter,

Why fome Churches allow'd of Antient Heretical

and Schifmatical Baptifms,

The ill Ufe that Hereticks and Schifmaticks may

make of the Church's fuppofed Power to Licenfe

Lay-men to Baptize in Cafes of Extremity, 148

The Benefit of Afferting the Miniftration of the

Priesthood to be Effential to the Adminiftration

of Chriftian Sacraments,

147

*

151

XII. Of the Church of the Jews changing the

Firft Pofture of Standing to eat the Pafchal

Lamb, into that of Leaning or Lying along,

Of David and his Mens eating the Shew-Bread,

which was not lawful but for the Priests alone;

and of our Saviour's telling the Jews that God

will have Mercy and not Sacrifice.
153

None of thefe Scripture Inftances at all parallel to

the Adminiftration of Chriftian Baptism prov'd

at large.

ift, The Pofture of Eating the Pafchal Lamb, 154

2d, The Shew-bread,

3d, I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice,

157

163

XIII. The late Bishop of Sarum's boafted unan-

fwerable Objection,, concerning the Ufurpation

of

of the Jewish High Priesthood and Atonement,

173

◄

XIV. Of our Saviour's commanding not to for

bid the Man who caft out Devils, when the

Apoftle would have him forbid because he fol-

lowed not Chrift and his Apoftles,

193

XV. Of the Scriptures calling All Chriftians,

Priefts, &c.

195

The Conclufion, in a Serious and Humble Address

to the Moft Reverend, the Right Reverend, and

the Reverend, The Governors and Minifters of

Chrift over his Flock in all Parts of the Univer

fal Church,

203

ERRATA.

I

Na Letter to the Author, p. xxxii. In the marginal

Note inftead of Hereticus read Hereticus.

p. xxxiii. is

falfe paged xxiii. ibid. line 10, inftead of hav- Read having.

p. xliv. 1. 2. dele we. p. lvi. In the marginal Note 1. i,

For § 70, r. § 60.

A LETTER to the

AUTHOR.

SIR,

HE deplorable State of ChriftiaT nity in thofe Parts of it which have reform'd from Popery in Doctrine, is chiefly to be afcrib'd to the Contempt or Neglect of the Divine Inftitutions, relating to the Conftitution and Oeconomy of the Church. This in par ticular hath brought all the Disorder and Confufion in Matters of Religion, for which England is fcandalous above all other Chriftian Countries; having ever finçe the Great Rebellion, abounded with Religious Sects and Factions, which owe their Original, more or lefs, to the direful Change and Overthrow of that Government, which, Chrift ordain'd for his Church, and his Apostles left in it, and which throughout all Ages was continued without Interruption in the Chriftian World for 1500 Years, as that very Form of Church-Government, which all Chriftians thought was ordain'd

to

to continue unto the End of the World. There never was in all that Time any Church founded but in, and with EPISCOPACY; nor did ever any Sect of Men affume the Title of a Church, till they could get a pretended Bishop, from whom they. had their Priefts, and their Priefts their Miffion, till the Time of the Reformation; nor did any Chriftian Priests, or People of an Epifcopal Church, ever rife up against their Bishops as fuch, and reject the whole Order, but thofe of Great Britain, under the Pretence of farther Reformation; by which they have brought fuch Confufions, and fo expos'd Religion among us, that it is in a great Measure loft, fo that we may fay (as was long fince faid of Juftice in the Iron Age of the World) that fhe hath taken her Flight from Earth to Heaven. Could any Church, or Father of the Catholick Church, in Antient Times, have imagin'd or believ'd without the Gift of Prophecy, that an Age would come, when the Presbyters of a National Church would take upon them to depofe their Bi hops, and teach the People that their Order was contrary to God's Word, or grie, vous and unneceffary to the Church! Could they have imagin'd, that in a flourishing Church, pure in Doctrine and Worship, confifting of Two Provinces, an Affembly