without the Divine Authority they are qualify'd for fuch Miniftrations; and confequently confirms us in this, that the Divine Commission of the Administrator is an Effential Part of the Inftitution of a Sacrament. Nay, fo very Cautious is fhe, not to allow the contrary, that fhe makes not fo much as any Exception for Cafes of abfolute Neceffity; no, not tho? an unbaptiz'd Perfon were giving up the Ghost, she has not declar'd that any one may baptize him but the Minister of the Parish, or in his Abfence any other lawful Minifter that can be procur'd; as in her Office for private Baptifm, which is the only Office she has provided for Cafes of Neceffity: And what the means in the Ru brick thereof, by lawful Minifter, is easily de termined by her 26th Article of Religion, viz. "One who minifters in Chrift's Name, and by his Commiffion and Authority.

But of this I have treated more largely in my Book of Diffenters Baptifms null and void by the Articles, Canons, and Rubricks of the Church of England: To which give me leave to add here, that in her Offices for Publick Bap tism, the repuires the PRIEST to address to God in behalf of the baptized thus, "Grant “that whosoever is here (as in the Office for Infants); Or, That they being here (as in the Office for those of Riper Years) " DEDICA"TED to thee by OUR OFFICE AND MI"NISTRY, may also be endued with heavenly Virtues," &c. This Dedication of Persons to

God

God by Baptifm, is plainly afferted here by the Church, to be, by the Office, of those who (in her 26th Article fhe fays) "Minifter in "Chrift's Name, and by his Commiffion and Au

thority; plainly Connecting the Divine Authority of the Administrator of Baptism, with the Baptism it felf, and fo closely too, that the no where in any of her Publick Acts, gives us the leaft encouragement to think that this Dedication can be by any other; and therefore, what God and his Church have fa joyn'd together, let no Man put afunder.

AND now to fum up all that has been faid under these Six Heads.

FORASMUCH as God under the Mofaic Difpenfation, which was but the fore-runner of the Chriftian, made the Divine Authority of the Adminiftrator an Effential Part of his then Pofitive Inftitutions, infomuch as not to accept of the Performance of the latter without the former: Forafmuch, as Chrift himself, notwithstanding his own Perfonal Excellencies and Perfections, and the preffing Neceffities of the whole World, which stood in need of his Miniftrations, would not leave his private Station to take upon him fo great an Office till duly Authoriz'd by the Divine Ex ternal Commiffion: Forafmuch, as in the Words of the Inftitution of Baptifm, our Lord Commiffion'd no other than his Eleven Apostles and their Succeffors and Subftitutes to Baptize to the End of the World: Forafmuch as their

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Commiffion (as all others are) is Exclufive of all, but those to whom 'twas given; and the very Form of Adminiftration of Baptifm, in the Name, or by the Authority of the Trinity requires, and neceffarily fuppofes and implies the Divine Authority of him who Administers: Forafmuch, as the Words of Institution are an express Command to the Apostles and their Succeffors and Subftitutes, to Baptize all capable Perfons who have not been Baptized by them. Forafmuch, as the Benefits of Baptifm are fo great and SUPERNATURAL, that none can give or convey them by Baptism, but fuch as God has appointed; forafmuch, as Chrift himself Baptizes us by the Ministry of thofe whom he has fent for that purpofe; and we cannot be faid to be Baptized by him, when 'tis done by one whom he never fent: Forafmuch, as all who call themselves the Divinely Authoriz'd Minifters of Christ, have in all Ages claim'd the Power of Baptizing upon the Account of their Divine Commiffion : And Laftly, Forafmuch, as the Church of England by her Doctrine and Practice, gives fufficient ground to believe, that none can Adminifter Sacraments but thofe who are Divinely Authoriz'd for that purpose, and that to pretend to do fo, is contrary even to the very Inftitution of the Chriftian Sacraments, Seeing all thefe Premifes are true, and not to be deny'd, without running into unavoidable Inconfiftencies and Contradictions, it must

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neceffarily be granted, that the Divine Authority of the Administrator of Baptism is an Effential Part of that Holy Inftitution, to be obferv'd as often and as long as Baptifm fhall be neceffary to be Adminifter'd, even to the End of the World.

PROPOSITION II.

THAT every Effential Part of Chriftian Baptifm; (viz. The Divine Authority of the Adminiftrator, The Water, and the Form of Adminiftration in the Name of the Trinity) is of equal Obligation and Neceffity to us.

DEMON. This will follow from the first Propofition of the Introduction; which I fhall apply to this Divine Pofitive Inftitution; For the very Nature of this Inftitution is fuch, that it had no Intrinfick Excellency, or Moral Virtue, either in the Perfon Baptizing, or in the Water, or in the Form of Words wherewith Baptifm is given, to bind or oblige us to obferve the fame, till the Divine Command laid that Neceffity upon us, as indeed we find it did; fo that now we are oblig'd to obferve this Inftitution, purely and only by Virtue of this Divine Command, which, forafmuch as it extends it felf to every one of the faid Effential Parts thereof (as has been prov'd in the preceeding Propofition, wherein 'twas Demonftrated, That the Divine Authority of the Adminiftrator

miniftration of Baptifm is an Effential Part thereof as well as the Water and the Form) will make them all of equal Authority, and confequently of equal Neceffity and Obligation to us; because, the Divine Authority of the Administrator, the Water, and the Form of Administration, are every one of them diftinctly of the fame Nature (i, e. but meer Pofitive Inftitutes) as the whole Inftitution it felf. And again, being all Effential Parts [or fuch as are conftantly to be obferv'd as long as the Ordinance of Baptism ball be obliging] 'tis evident, that for the fame Reafon as one part may be omitted, another may be fo likewise, and confequently, that every one of them is upon all Accounts whatsoever, of equal Obligation and Neceffity to us, Q. E. D,

COROLLARY.

HENCE it follows, that as no Humane Authority can Difpenfe with the whole Inftitution of Baptifm, where 'tis binding and obliging (Axiom 3.) fo neither can they Difpenfe with the Omiffion of either Water,or the Form of Adminiftration, in the Name of the Trinity, or the Divine Miffion of him who Admi nifters. Nor can any fuch Authority deter mine, that one of thefe Effential Parts of the Administration of Baptifm, is more excellent than another, becaufe they have everyone diftinctly, the fame Authority Commanding,

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