can be prov'd to be falfe, by the Mischiefs of thofe Confequences which neceffarily arife from it, when thofe Confequences themselves are not contradictory to fome previous Truths; and when Men by either their wilful Sins, or fupine Neglects, are the only Caufes of the Mifchiefs of thofe Confequences, for which Truth and its Affertors are no ways anfwerable. This I believe is a Maxim that will ftand the Test of a strict Examination, and hold good in the Cafe before us: And I pray God to touch the Hearts of those who are concern'd in it, with a due fenfe of their Deviations from his Holy Inftitutes, that they may compleat a thorough Reformation; that the Chriftian Priesthood may recover its Ancient Spiritual Glory; and that we may be all blefs'd with the Happiness of a Univerfal Communion of Saints here in the Church Militant, fo as to be intitled to an entire and eternal Union and Communion with the Church-Triumphant in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Obj. X. 'Tis further objected; That if Lay Baptifm be Invalid, then all thofe who never receiv'd any other Baptifm are uncapable of Holy Orders, having never been Baptiz'd; and therefore the Orders of feveral Epifcopally Or dain'd Perfons among us are Null and Void, and confequently fo are all their Minifterial Acts too, because they never receiv'd any de ther than Lay-Baptifm. This will involve the Church into the utmost Confusion; and there

fore

fore the Invalidity of Lay-Baptifm ought not to be allow'd by any, who value the Order and Peace of the Church.

Anfw. THIS Objection raifes a Confequence from an uncertain, and it may be a false Foundation; for it takes for granted, that the Unworthiness of a Person to receive Holy Orders, or his being not duly qualified for them, by reafon of his being Unbaptiz'd, renders Holy Orders, if conferr'd on him, Null and Void; or, in short, that want of Baptifm Nulls Holy Orders in any Perfon Ordain'd to the Miniftry. This Affertion does not yet appear eafy, if at all to be prov'd, for these following Reasons.

ift. Because there is a vaft difference be tween a Personal Capacity or Qualification, and an Authoritative One. For, a Perfonal Qualification for the Miniftry, is, what a Man is bound to be endow'd with, IN COMMON with all other Chriftians, whether he be Ordain'd to the Miniftry or no; and therefore Baptifm and Holinefs of Life being equally in cumbent on all Chriftians, Ministers as well as Lay-men, may justly be diftinguish'd by the Name of Perfonal Qualifications.

BUT an Authoritative Qualification for the Ministry is that only, whereby a Man is fepe rated and diftinguifh'd from the reft of Mankind, and thereby empower'd to Perfonate and Represent the Divine Prefence, for the convey. ance of Spiritual and Supernatural Benefits to K

US,

us. This is what we call the Divine Commiffion, convey'd from the Apostles in Epifcopacy, and given to the Ordain'd Perfon by Impofition of the Bishop's Hands.

zdly, A PERSONAL Qualification may be, and in fact often is wanting, when an Authori tative One remains Good and Valid; and there's abundance of Reason that it fhould be fo, becaufe,the Perfonal Qualification chiefly respects, the Man himself, who is, or ought to be, pof fefs'd of it, fince he only will reap the benefit of having, or find the mifery of being deftitute of it. But the Authoritative Qualification, as fuch, relates only to God, and the People; to God, as the Minifter is to be his Proxy and Reprefentative; and to the People, as they are to receive from God the Supernatural Benefits of his Proxy's Miniftrations. The People re ceive no more advantage from the Perfonal, Qualification of God's Reprefentative, than they do mifchief from his Perfonal Immora lities that is, none at all, (except but by their own Learning or Imitation of them, because they are neither anfwerable for the one or the other, any farther than as they are Encouragers or Abettors of them. If he be deftitute of any fuch Qualifications, let him look to that, 'tis none of their business with refpect to the Validity of his Miniftrations: All that they are bound to take care of, upon that Single account, is, that he be TRULY SENT; and if they are but once fecure of that, then

;

in all his Miniftrations they are not to suppose him, but Chrift himself (whom he Perfonates) to be Adminiftring to them'; for, all Sacraments, on the Part of the Administration, are Good and Valid, only upon this ONE FOUNDATION; without this, of Christ the Great High Prieft's Adminiftring, either himself in Perfon, or by his Proxy, all Chriftian Sacraments must fall to the Ground, and be of no ufe or advantage to Mankind: And therefore if we can but folidly, i. e. upon good Foundation, believe, that he does thus Administer to us, we need never concern our felves with the Perfonal Qualifications of his Representative,for the Validity of thofe Administrations, which receive their whole Efficacy from the Authori tative Qualifications of Chrift himself, who has promis'd to make good, and confirm them, when perform'd by one whom he has fent.

TO Exemplify all this in the Cafe before us: Holiness of Life is requir'd as a Personal Qualification, previous to Holy Orders: This is evident from St. Paul's Epiftles to Timothy and Titus; and yet 'tis well known, that our Lord himself chofe Judas Iscariot, a covetous Thief, and one whom he himself branded with the Name of a Devil; I fay, 'tis well known, that he chose this wicked Wretch to be no lefs than an Apostle, and fent him to Preach and Baptize, to caft out Devils, and to heal the Sick, as well as the reft of the Apostles; for which Reafon, all his Minifterial Acts were K 2 Good

Good and Valid, notwithstanding his being deftitute of the Perfonal Qualification of Holinefs of Life; and 'tis univerfally acknowledg'd, that the fame is true of all other wicked Bifhops, Priefts, and Deacons whatsoever, otherwife we could never be satisfied with the Validity of Ordinations in any Age of Chriftianity. And therefore, tho' Holiness of Life is a neceffary Perfonal Qualification for the Miniftry, because of great Edification to the People, c. Yet if a truly Ordained Minister fhould be a wicked Man, the People ought not to fufpect the Validity of his Miniftrations by reafon of the Wickedness of his Life, because, 'tis Chrift that Adminifters by him as bis Proxy only, and Christ's Ministrations are certainly Good and Valid; let his visible Representative be never fo wicked, he himself (and not the People, except they concur with, and encourage him in his Wickedness,) must anfwer for that. This is exactly agreeable to the 26th Article of the Church of England; and therefore there is no need longer to infift upon it, but to proceed to Baptifm, another Perfonal Qualification for Holy Orders.

IT is certainly the indifpenfable Duty of Every Minister 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 Custom of the Church of Rome, who (tho' Corrupt and fcandaloufly Wicked in other

Matters,