in the mistaken Opinion of the abfolute Neceffity of Baptifm to Salvation, Which Opinion is of Two Sorts, one more antient, grounded on the literal Strictnefs of the Precept, or Inftitution of Baptifm, which was the Error of Tertullian, who therefore, in cafe of Neceffity, * allowed Lay-men of the Church, but not Women, to Baptize. The other is more modern, as havits Rife from the Pelagian Controverfy, and that was the indifpenfible Neceffity of Baptifm to wash away Original Sin. This Strictness of Opinion, as to the indifpenfible Neceffity of this Sacrament, to wash off the Guilt of Original Sin, made St. Auguftin, that durus Pater Infantium, fo very loofe, as to the Minifter of it in cafe of Neceffity. And therefore upon the Question, whether one, who was not a Chriftian, could give Baptifm, He delivered his Opinion, uncertainly, faying, he would not determine it, because it had not been determined in any Council. And fo from this Error of the abfolute Neceffity of Baptifm to Salvation, the Church of Rome came by degrees to allow the Mi * De Baptifmo, Cap. 17. + See Epiphanius Adverfus Haref. Lib. III. Tom. II. P, 1057. Tertul. de prafcript. adverf. Haret. Cap. 41. de veland. Virg. Cap. 9. * Contra Epift. Parmen. Lib. 2. Cap. 13. niftration niftration of Baptifm by any Hand, when a lawful Minifter could not be had, rather than let a Child, as they fpeak, perifh, which without it they formerly thought must be damned, and ftill think cannot be faved, as fuffering pænam damni, tho' not pænam fenfus, i. e. the Lofs of Heaven, tho' not the Flames of Hell. * Hence they came to place all the Virtue and Efficacy of Baptifm in the Invocation of the Holy Trinity, as in the principal Caufe, not making any Difference in the Minifterial, or Inftrumental Caufe, in cafe of Neceffity. But, Sir, you have fhewed with Force and great clear Evidence, that the Lawful Minifter is as effential to the Miniftration of Baptifm, as the Matter and Form is to that Sacrament, and cannot be difpenfed with by Men, who are tied to it by the Divine Inftitution. But though God ties us, yet he himself is not tied to his own Inftitutions; and therefore the erroneous Opinion 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 rejected by Learned Men, for great, and I think, unanswerable Reasons, as you may fee in Archbishop * Decretum Eugenii P. ad Armenos in Conc. Florent. Conc. Labb. & Collar. Tom. 13. P. 535. Bramhall's Bramhall's Letter to Sir Henry de Vic, at the 979 Page of his Works, and in the 7 Difp. of Vollius's Book de Baptifmo. I am extremely pleased with the modeft Reflection you make in your Premonition, upon what you had faid to prove the Validi ty of Holy Orders conferred on Unbaptized Perfons. For whereas you diftinguifh Qualifications for the Miniftry, into Perfonal and Authoritative, give me Leave to tell you, that I think all Qualifications for it are Perfonal, and that of Perfonal Qualifi cations, the want of fome only make a Man unworthy of the Miniftry, but not uncapable of it; but the want of others make him utterly uncapable of it, or of being Separated or Ordained to it. The Perfo nal Qualifications of the Firft fort may be called Moral, as Purity, Humility, Sobrie ty, and all other Vertues and Graces that are comprehended in Holiness of Life, the want of which make a Man unworthy, as of Holy Orders after Baptifm, fo of Baptifm it felf, but yet do not Null or make Void either of them, when the Perfon is Baptized or Ordained. The Second fort of Qualifications are either Natural, Acquired, or Legal, which laft may be alfo called Political, as relating to the Funda mental or Pofitive Laws of the Church. Among acquir'd Qualifications we may Ianomot 20fafely * fafely reckon Literature, the utter want of which perfectly difables a Man from performing Prieftly Offices, and by confel quence, makes his Orders Void! Then as for Natural Qualifications, they belong eff ther to the Body or the Mind; to the Bo dy, as the Natural Faculties of Speaking, and Hearing, the want of which with out any Canons or Pofitive Laws of the Church) in my Judgment, utterly unqua lifies a Man for the Priesthood; and there fore Holy Orders conferred on a Deaf and Dumb Man, must be Null and Void, be? caufe they render him uncapable of per forming Minifterial Offices. The like I may fay of a Man who hath neither Hands nor Sight, which joint Defects, I think incapacitate fuch a Perfon, though never fo Morally worthy for the Prieftly Office, and that by confequence he cannot effectually be made a Prieft. Qualifications which belong to the Mind are Understanding and Memory, the want of which in Idiots, Lu naticks, and Maniacs, makes them fo ut terly uncapable of receiving Holy Orders, that upon Suppofition any fuch were Or dained to the Priesthood, his Orders would be Null and Void. Thus much, Sir, with Submiffion to the Learned, I have faid of * Can. Apoft. 69. T Perfonal Perfonal Qualifications for the Priesthood that are, Moral, or Natural. The Legal likewife are of Two Sorts. First, fuch as are fundamental to the Chriftian Society, or Constitution of the Church; or Secondly, fuch as are fuperinduced by the Pofitive Laws of the Church. Of the First fort, in my Opinion, Baptifm certainly is; the want of which therefore, I think, muft utterly render a Man uncapable of being a Chriftian Prief, because it makes him utterly uncapable of being a Chriftian in the ftrict and proper Senfe of the Word, as it fignifies a Member of the Church, who as fuch hath a Right to receive the Holy Eucharift, which to an Unbaptized Perfon is uoia autos, a Sacrifice of no more effect, than if he had not come to it, and partak'd of it. How then can a Man be made capable to Administer that Holy Sacrament to others, who hath no right to receive it; or make others Members of the Church, of which he is not a Member himself? As to the latter fort of Legal Qualifications, the want of which do make a Man uncapable of Holy Orders, and his Orders Null after he is Ordained, by the Canons of the Church, I have no occafion to difcourfe; and therefore in anfwer to the Objection made against you, give me leave to obferve, that I prefume |