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THE
CONTENTS.
A
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.
2
The Opinion of Stephen Bishop of Rome, and his
Party, concerning fuch Baptifms,
The Arguments of the Stephanians for their Vali-
dity,
The Cyprianifts Reafons for their Invalidity, 3
St. Cyprian's Chriftian Humility and Charity to-
wards his Antagonists,
The contrary Temper of Stephen Bishop of Rome,
9
The Apoftolick Canons eftablish St. Cyprian's Opi-
nion, 9, 10
St. Athanafius rejects Heretical Baptifm, ΙΟ The Council of Eliberis allows of Lay-Baptifm in Cafe of Neceffity, but with a particular Provifo,
II
12
The Council of Arles determines the famous Difpute.
about Rebaptizing Hereticks.
But nothing concerning Lay-Baptifm,
13
The Orthodox after the Council of Nice reject
Lay-Baptifm,
ibid
St. Bafil
St. Bafil does fo too,
14
His Opinion of Heretical and Schifmatical Bap- tifm,
The Councils of Laodicea, Conftantinople, Capua,
and Carthage,
15, 16.
The Third Council of Carthage difallows Baptifm
by Women,
16
St. Chryfoftom against the Validity of Lay-Bap-
tism,
St. Auguftin's Argument against the Donatifts,
not conclufive for the Validity of Lay-Baptifm,
18
26
Nor bis 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,
27
His Thoughts about the Dispute in St. Cyprian's Time,
His Refolution however not to meddle with it,
His Defign in this Discourse,
The INTRODUCTION.
32
Of the Nature and Obligation of Divine Pofitive
Inftitutions of Religion.
DEFINITIONS of
A Divine Pofitive Inftitution,
33.
· 34.
The Effential Parts of fuch an Inftitution, ibid.
An Invalid Act,
Supernatural Advantages annex'd to fuch an Infti- tution
The Divine Authority of the Adminiftrator, ibid.
A Lay-Adminiflration,
Axioms, or U ndeniable Maxims.
I
35.
PROPO-
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 Act (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,
Corollary. Hence there's no fuch Thing as a but
Partial Invalidity; 'tis entire, for want of any
One Effential Part of a Pofitive Inftitution, 38
III. We have no Reafon 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 adminis 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,
Prov'd,
42
ift, From God's making the Divine Authority of
the Adminiftrator, to be an Effential Part of his
22
own Pofitive Inftitutions under the Mofaic Law,
44
2dly, 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 Purpose,
46
3dly, From the Words of Inftitution of Chriftian
4thly, From the Defign and Benefits thereof,
48
60
5thly, 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 Reafon) 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
84
Of the pretended Practice of Antient Churches to this Purpose, ibid.
The Unavoidable Mifchiefs that must follow upon
Allowing the Validity of Lay-Baptifm,
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, 87
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, 88
It highly concerns thofe who are ignorant of this,
to undeceive themselves, if poffible, that they
may be fure of the Validity of their Baptifm, 89
OBJECTIONS Answered.
1. Chrift, in the Words of Inflitution, does not,
(in express Terms) confine Baptifm to the Ad-
miniftration
a 3