So that upon a juft Confideration of this Table, and all that has been faid before, 'tis evident, that the Sum Total of all that our Reverend Hiftorian and I have have faid upon this Subject, is, That the ancient Catholick Church never had any Ecclefiaftical Law, Tradition, or Cuftom, in Favour of the Validity of Baptifms perform'd by thofe,who are notoriously known to have been never Cominiffion'd by Bishops to baptize. If Men will then venture to pronounce them Valid, 'tis plain that they have no Law of God, or of his ancient Catholick Church, whereon to found fuch a Determination. And therefore it must be done upon fome private Principle of their own: But from fuch fatal Pra&tices, I pray God to deliver and preferve his Church for ever.

I fhall without any the leaft Pedantry conclude with these following Obfervations about fuppos'd Cafes of Neceffity, concerning which fome [without any Neceffity at all] do make fo great a Buftle.

ift, Suppofing a Perfon duly qualified for Baptifim, but not Baptiz'd, fhould be in fuch Circumftances, as that he could not poffibly obtain Baptifm, tho' from a duly Ordained Prieft there prefent, but with an Uninftituted Form, not in the Name of the Trinity; the Prieft, for Suppofition'sfake, being an Anti-Trinitarian: If this Perfon fhould defire Baptifm in the Name of the Trinity, and yet accept of this Falfe Baptifm, reckoning it to be Right, because he can have no Other; Tis plain, he is not actually Baptiz'd, notwithstanding the fuppos'd Neceffity, and therefore is not in Actual Covenant with God; and confequently, if he Dies without True Baptifm, he must be left to God's Uncovenanted Mercy; but with this Difadvantage, That he acquiefces in a Sin, though ignorantly, to make the best of it.

adly,

2dly, Suppofing this Perfon to have a right sense of his Duty, and to Die with the Refufal of this Falfe Baptifin, becaufe 'tis contrary to the Inftitution; 'tis plain, he Dies Unbaptiz'd, and fo is not in Actual Covenant with God, and therefore must be referr❜d to the fame Uncovenanted Mercy; but with this great Advantage on his fide, That he would do his Duty, but cannot He knows 'tis finful to Break the Inftitution; and confequently, through a pious, juft fear of Tranfgreffing, will not admit of an Uninftituted Form, and confequently, of False Baptifm inftead of the True: He trufts to Uncovenanted Mercy, with the Advantage of not breaking God's Law to obtain it: And let any one in his Senfes judge, which of the Two is the Safeft to be chofen. So,

3dly, A Baptifm with the Form in the Name of the Trinity, perform'd by a person never Commillion'd to Baptize, tho' done when no Commiffion'd Perfon can be bad, is as much a Breach of the Inftitution as the other, and therefore we must have recourfe to Uncovenanted Mercy for its Acceptance : For by what Covenant has God obliged himself to accept of it? But then our Confidence in this Mercy is abated, nay, is liable to be confounded, by our Sin and Prefumption, in doing and acquiefcing in a finful Miniftration, which is a Breach of the Effential Law of God about this Matter, Whereas,

4thly and Laftly, By refufing the Never-commiffion'd Pretender, when we can have No Commiffion'd Baptifm, we exprefs our Pious Regard to the Divine Institution; we fhow, That we muft not do or acquiefce in Evil, with a defign that Good may come of it: But we refer ourselves to the Divine Mercy, without venturing to break his Law; and

fo

fo we escape the Imputation of Prefumption, and are the more capable Objects of his Pity and Compaffion, tho' we have no Claim to it by virtue of an Explicit Baptifmal Covenant, when we Die in this Cafe without the Inftituted Miniftration of Baptifm by a Commiffion.

In short, Upon the prefent Suppofition, Perfons pretendedly Baptiz'd by Non-commiffion'd Ufurpers, and fo Dying, must be referr'd to an Uncove nanted Mercy for Acceptance, [because they were not receiv'd into Covenant by the Inftituted Miniftration; as muft alfo others, who [refufe thofe Falfe Baptifms, and] Die without True Baptifm, because they cannot procure Commiffion'd Baptifm. But the difference to the Disadvantage of the firft is very great, for their Cafe is attended with Sin, even in the Baptized himself, when he confents to, acquiefces in, defends, and never endeavours to amend the Ufurpation, [as is the Cafe of too many with us, who are come to Years of Difcretion, &c.] Whereas thefe latter, who fo Die without Commiffion'd Baptifin, are so far from having any Sin to answer for, upon the account of refufing an Uncommiffion'd Ufurper's Ad, that their very Refufal of it, was an Act of Piety and Religion; and therefore their and our Confidence in God's Mercy, is much better founded, while 'tis thus free from the bafe alloy of Prefumption.

And it were to be wifh'd, that they who talk fo much of pretended Cafes of Neceffity, [efpecially among us, where there are really none] would ferioufly confider, which of these Two is the fafett Way; and the very great Danger of Encouraging People to fit down contented with that, which themfelves acknowledge to be a Sin, when 'tis fo eafie among us to correct and amend

it, by a Validly Commiffion'd Baptifm, every-where to be obtain'd, if those who have Power will but adminifter it, and they who want it will but qualifie themselves to receive and feek for it.

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But I Conclude; Humbly and Earneftly Praying to Almighty God, "Who gathers his Flock out of "all Nations into the Saving Fold of Dne Catho"lick Church; Who has alfo appointed divers Or"ders [Bithops, Preks, Deacons] in his "Church," [in their feveral Degrees and Stations, to reprefent the Great Mediator between God and Man, Chrift Jefus, for this Sacred Purpofe; ] "That He would be pleas'd to Infpire All Bishops " and their Clergy, with Courage and Skill, and Fatherly Care, to Edifie and Guard their Several Charges;" to keep that which is committed to their Truft, and in Chrift's ftead, here on Earth, to Open the Kingdom of Heaven to all Believers That he would Blefs all the Laity " with a filial "Love, and due Obedience to their Spiritual SupeThat the Clearness of Truth, and Beauty of Holiness, daily increasing in his Ehurch, through every one's devout Pursuance of their "Duties, all Hereticks and Schifmaticks" may be converted, and "all Jews and Pagans be happily

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into her Sacred Bofom the fole Ark of Salva"tion," through the Power and Merits of the Eternal Son of God, Fefus Christ our Lord, To whom with his Eternal Father, and the Holy Ghoft, eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son; Three Perfons, but One Incomprehenfible God! be all Honour, Praife, and Glory, Might, Power, Majesty and Dominion, for Ever and Ever, Amen.

FINIS