THE

CONTENTS.

Letter to the Author, Pag. i, to lxx

A Preliminary Difcourfe of the Va-

rious Opinions of the Fathers, con-

cerning Rebaptizations, and Invalid

Baptifms; with Remarks, Page 1.

St. Cyprian and his Collegues Opinion of Heretical

and Schifmatical Baptifms,

ibid.

The Opinion of Stephen Bishop of Rome, and his

Party, concerning fuch Baptifms,

The Arguments of the Stephanians for their Vali-
ibid.

2

dity,

The Cyprianifts Reafons for their Invalidity, 3

St. Cyprian's Chriftian Humility and Charity to-

wards his Antagonists,

9

A

The contrary Temper of Stephen Bishop of Rome,
ibid.

9, IO

The Apoftolick Canons eftablish St. Cyprian's Opi
nion,

St. Athanafius rejects Heretical Baptifm, 10

The Council of Eliberis allows of Lay-Baptifm in
Cafe of Neceffity, but with a particular Provifo,

II

The Council of Arles determines the famous Difpute.

about Rebaptizing Hereticks.

12

13

But nothing concerning Lay-Baptifm,

The Orthodox after the Council of Nice reject

Lay-Baptifm,

ibid

St. Bafil

2

St. Bafil does fo too,

14

His Opinion of Heretical and Schifmatical Bap
tifm,

IS

The Councils of Laodicea, Conftantinople, Capua,

and Carthage,

15, 16.

The Third Council of Carthage difallows Baptifm

by Women,

16

6

St. Chryfoftom against the Validity of Lay-Bap-

tism,
ibid.

St. Auguftin's Argument against the Donatifts,

not conclufive for the Validity of Lay-Baptifm,

18

26

Nor his Arguments against the Cyprianists, 20, 21

The Author's Cafe, and Diffatisfaction,

His Short Anfwer to fome who would perfuade

him, that the Baptifm adminifter'd to him in

Oppofition to Epifcopacy, was good, because done

in his Infancy,

His Thoughts about the Dispute in St. Cyprian's
Time,

27

ibid.

His Refolution however not to meddle with it,

His Defign in this Difcourfe,

The INTRODUCTION.

31

32

Of the Nature and Obligation of Divine Pofitive

Inftitutions of Religion.

DEFINITIONS of

A Divine Pofitive Inftitution,

33.

The Effential Parts of fuch an Inftitution, ibid.

An Invalid Act,

Supernatural Advantages annex'd to fuch an Infti-

34.

tution

ibid.

The Divine Authority of the Adminiftrator, ibid.

A Lay-Adminiflration,

Axioms, or Undeniable Maxims.

ibid.

35.

PROPO

I

PROPOSITIONS.

1. Every Effential Part of a Divine Pofitive Infti-

tution, is of Equal Obligation and Neceffity, 36

Corollary. Hence no Human Authority can deter-

mine one Effential Part of fuch an Inftitution,

to be more Excellent or Neceffary than another, 37

II. If an A&t (faid to be done in Pursuance of a

Divine Pofitive Inftitution) be wholly Null and

Void, for want of one Effential Part of the

Inftitution; 'tis alfo as much Null and Void,

when it wants but any other One Effential Part

of the fame Inflitution,
ibid.

Corollary. Hence there's no fuch Thing as a but

Partial Invalidity; 'tis entire, for want of any

One Effential Part of a Pofitive Inflitution, 38

III. We have no Reason to expect the Supernatu-

ral Benefits annexed to a Divine Pofitive Infti-

tution, without endeavouring to conform to eve-

ry one of its Effential Parts, when we know that

we have not yet conform'd to them,
39

The ESSAY.

Of the Nature and Benefits of Chriftian Baptifm, 40

'Tis no other than a Divine Pofitive Inftitution, 41

Confequently, our Obligation to receive it, and from

the Perfons by whom 'tis order'd to be admini-
fter'd, is wholly and only founded upon the Di-
vine Command,
ibid.

Prop. I. That the Divine Authority of the Admi-

niftrator, is an Effential Part of Chriftian

Baptifm,
42

Prov'd,

ift, From God's making the Divine Authority of

the Adminiftrator, to be an Effential Part of his

22

own

own Pofitive Inftitutions under the Mosaic Law,
44

zdly, By the Example of our Saviour's not taking

upon him to Minifter in fuch Holy Things, till

he was particularly and externally Commiffion'd

for that Purpofe,

46

3dly, From the Words of Inftitution of Chriftian

Baptifm,

48

60

4thly, From the Defign and Benefits thereof,

thly, From the conftant Practice of the True,

and Pretended Minifters of the Chriftian Church,

65

6thly, From the Doctrine and Practice of the

Church of England,
67

Prop. II. That the Divine Authority of the Admi-

niftrator of Baptifm, is as much obliging and

neceffary to us, as the Water and Form of Ad-

miniftring in the Name of the Trinity, 75

Corollary. Hence no Human Authority can difpenfe

with the Omiffion of the Divine Authority of him

who adminifters,
76

Prop. III. Whosoever affirms Baptifm to be wholly

Null and Invalid, for want of either Water,

or the Form of Adminiftring in the Name of

the Trinity; ought (for the fame Reason) to ac-

knowledge Baptifm as much Null and Invalid,

when it wants only the Divine Commiffion of the

Adminiftrator,
77

Corollary. Hence the Invalidity of fuch Baptifms,

as are adminifter'd by Unauthoriz'd Perfons,

cannot be Partial, but Entire,

78

Therefore,

79

Therefore Impofition of the Bishop's Hands, is not

fufficient to make fuch Baptifm Valid,

The Church of England, in her Office of Confirma-
tion, (appointed only for validly Baptiz'd Per-

fons) gives us not the leaft Intimation of any

fuch Efficacy in the Impofition of the Bishop's

Hands,
81

Of the pretended Practice of Antient Churches to
this Purpose,
ibid.

The Unavoidable Mifchiefs that must follow upon

Allowing the Validity of Lay-Baptifm, 84

Twill be then in vain for the True Minifters of

Chrift, to tell the People of the Damning Nature

of Schifm,
85

Prop. IV. He who knows himself to have been in-

validly baptiz'd by one who never had the Di-

vine Commiffion, can have no juft Grounds to

expect the Supernatural Benefits annexed to the

One True Chriftian Baptifm, till he has done his

utmoft for the Obtaining of them, by endeavour-

ing to procure that One Baptifm from the Hands

of a divinely Authoriz'd Minifter,

The great Danger they incur, who know themselves

to have been invalidly-baptiz'd by a Layman, in

Oppofition to, and Rebellion against those who

were truly Authoriz'd to baptize,

It highly concerns those who are ignorant of this,

to undeceive themselves, if poffible, that they

may be fure of the Validity of their Baptifm, 89

87

88

OBJECTIONS Answered.

I. Chrift, in the Words of Inflitution, does not,

(in exprefs Terms) confine Baptifm to the Ad-

a 3

miniftration