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Anf. When the outward Elements of the Christian Sacraments are rightly administer'd according to all the Effential Parts of their Infitution, then, and then only, they become efficacious to the worthy Receiver of them; and this their Efficacy proceeds only from God's Concurrence with his Promise, made to fuch due Administration of them: So that, in Christian Baptifm, the Efficacy depends no more upon the Divine Commiffion of him who Adminifters, than upon the Water, and the Form of Administration; but upon God's performing his Promife, to beftow the Supernatu ral Graces thereof, by the Mediation of his own Minifter's applying the Water in the Name of the Trinity: And therefore, as the Church has conftantly affirm'd, that God does not give Efficacy to Water adminifter'd even by his own Minifter, without the use of thefe Words [In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft] because an Effential Part of the Inftitution is omitted; So, we have no Reason from Divine Revelation (which is our ONLY GUIDE in this Cafe) to believe, that he will give Efficacy to Water adminifter'd with the pronouncing of the faid Form of Words, when 'tis done by one who has not the Divine Commif fion for fo doing, becaufe, this is alfo an O miffion of another equally Effential Part of the fame Inftitution, as I humbly hope I have fufficiently prov'd. 1. o paivibio

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AS to the latter Part of this Objection, viz. That if the Perfon who Minifters has not been Commiffion'd by Chrift, he admi nifters no real Sacraments at all; I readily ac knowledge that my Difcourfe does imply fo much; and that the contrary ought upon no Account whatfoever to be affirm'd or believ'd because, the outward Elements are not Sacra ments by themselves, not made any ways Effi cacious for Supernatural Purposes,till adminis fter'd as God has appointed in their Inftitución; and when they are so adminifterid, then they become Sacraments, and are thereby made Means of conveying, and alfo Pledges to affure us of the Supernatural Graces which God has annex'd to fuch their Administration. Now, who does not fee at firft Sight, that none can make any thing to be the Means of conveying Supernatural Benefits and Advantages, who have not the Power and Authority of a Supernatural Commiffion? That, no Perfon can make that, which before had no fuch excellent Quality! to become a Pledge or an Earnest of Affurance, that God will grant us fuch ineftimable Gra ces and Privileges (as Nature could never have entitul'd us to ) except he be firft fenry and thereby authoriz'd for that Purpofe, by him who is to acknowledge the Pledge as his own, and for the fake thereof, is to perform all that was promis'd, and imply'd by the gr ving and receiving of it?

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As for Inftance, OTHAPA & IN Chriftian Baptifm, Water, the outward Element, is no Chriftian Sacrament till ap ply'd as the Inftitution of Baptifm requires! and then, and then only, tis a Means of convey ing, and a Pledge to affure us of, the Mystical Walking away of Sin; and how fhall we reft fatisfyld and affur'd, that it is fuch a Means and Pledge, if it is not apply'd and given to us by GOD HIMSELF in the Perfion of his Reprefentative, Commiffion'd by him to give us this Affurance 3 ftis certain, that if Water be apply'd never foferiously, it cannot be the Chralian Saitament of Baptifm, if it wants the true Form, In the Name of the Trinity,} appointed in the Inftitution; this every one will acknowledge and why then fhould any plead for itsy bbing/a Sacrament, when the very Truth of the Form it felf is destroy'd, by the Adminiftration of a Non-Commiffion'd Perfon, who cannot really and truly, and withduga Lye, fay, I Baptize thee in the Name [or by the Authority and Commission] of the Frther, and of the Son, Cand of the Holy Ghost; this his Ufurpation is as contrary to the Inftitution, as a truly Commiffion'd Perfon's leaving out the Form wou'd be, as I think I have provid; and therefore, if the one hinders the Water from being as Time Chriftian Sacrament, the other muft do fo too, because the Perfon Commissiond to Adminifter is as much appointed, as Lebark

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the Matter and Form of Administration: And this Perfon is AS MUCH the Reprefentative of God the giver, as the matter is the Reprefentation of the Graces given; infomuch, that we have at least as much reason to omit the Sym bolical Element, as we have to leave out the Divine Authority or Commiffion, which repre sents no less than God himself; and therefore thofe Administrations of the former, which are deftitute of the latter, are no Chriftian Sacra ments or (which is the fame) Means and Pled ges of Supernatural Graces.

Obj. III. But if this be fo, (others will fay) you have brought us to a fine Pafs For 'tis well known, that this Divine Autho rity is very much controverted, and where to fix it, is not yet determin'd: So that, while we are in this Sufpenfe, we must be always doubting concerning the Validity of our Bap tifm; and thereby you put this Divine Inftitution upon a very Precarius and Uncertain Foundation,t!

Anf. That the Divine Right of who fhall Minifter in things pertaining to God, has been, and ftill is very much Difputed by fome Ignorant and Foolish Men, and alfo by others of corrupt Principles and wicked Defigns, we find to be too true, by woful Experiences but what then, do's that argue that it is not to be determin'd who has this Divine Right? cer tainly no; for, tho' through Herefy and Schifme the Minds of many Men are fo dreadfully

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blinded that they do not difcover this great Truth; yet, God be prais'd, they who con tinue in the Communion of the Truly Catho Lick and Apoftolick Church, and are Diligent and Inquifitive to know God's Will, and to live according to that knowledge, need never be put to fo great a plunge, as to be in doubt and fufpenfe concerning this Difpute, or the Validity of their Baptifm, which they have receiv'd from the Lawfully Ordain'd Minifters of Chrift; becaufe, fuch Minifters muft be visible and known, as long as there is or fhall be, any truly Organiz'd Church of Christ in the World; and that there fhall be always fuch a Church is plain by our Saviour's Promife, That the Gates of Hades fhall not prevail against it; and as for the Valid Ministers thereof, that they fhall alfo continue, is as certain, by his promising thus to his Apoftles, Lo I am with you alway, even unto the End of the World; and this is further confirm'd by the Apoftle St. Paul's affuring us, that when Chrift Afcended up on High, he gave fonie Apostles, and fome Prophets, and fome Evangelifts, and fome Paftors, and Teachers, for the PERFECTING of the Saints, &c. 'till we all come into the UNITY of the Faith, &c. unto a PERFECT MAN. Now 'tis certain, that this Perfection and entire Unity will not be compleated till the End of the World, and there fore thefe Valid Officers appointed to bring about fuch excellent Purpofes, muft continue H

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