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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 Adminiftrator of Baptism, with the Baptism it self, and fo closely too, that she no where in any of her Publick Acts, gives us the least 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 thefe 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 Positive Inftitutions, infomuch as not to accept of the Performance of the latter without the former: Forafmuch, as Christ himself, notwithstanding his own Perfonal Excellencies and Perfections, and the preffing Neceffities of the whole World, which stood in need of his Ministrations, would not leave his private Station to take upon him fo great an Office till duly Authoriz'd by the Divine External Commiffion Forafinuch, as in the Words of the Inftitution of Baptism, our Lord Commiffion'd no other than his Eleven Apostles and their Succeffors and Substitutes 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 Administration of Baptifm, in the Name, or by the Authority of the Trinity requires, and neceffarily fuppofes and implies the Divine Authority of him who Adminifters: Forafmuch, as the Words of Inftitution are an exprefs Command to the Apostles and their Succeffors and Subftitutes, to Baptize all capable Persons 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 Baptifm, but fuch as God has appointed; forafmuch, as Chrift himself Baptizes us by the Ministry of those whom he has fent for that purpose; 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 Chrift, 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 those 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 neceffa

neceffarily be granted, that the Divine Authority of the Adminiftrator of Baptifm 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 Christian 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 observe this Inftitution, purely and only by Virtue of this Divine Command; which, forafmuch as it extends it self to every one of the faid Effential Parts thereof (as has been prov'd in the preceeding Propofition, wherein 'twas Demontrated, That the Divine Authority of the Ad miniftrator

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 (ż. e. but meer Pofitive Inftitutes) as the whole Inftitution it self. And again, being all Effential Parts [or fuch as are conftantly to be obferv'd as long as the Ordinance of Baptifm shall be obliging] 'tis evident, that for the fame Rea fon 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 Dispense with the whole Inftitution of Baptifm, where 'tis binding and obliging (Axiom 3.) so neither can they Dispense with the Omiffion of either Water,or the Form of Adminiftration, in the Name of the Trinity, or the Divine Miffion of him who Adminifters. Nor can any fuch Authority determine, that one of these Effential Parts of the Administration of Baptifm, is more excellent than another, because they have every one diftinctly, the fame Authority Commanding,

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from which alone they receive their whole Force and Efficacy, and are only by Virtue of that one Authority, made equally necessary and binding to us.

PROPOSITION III.

WHOSOEVER affirms Baptifm to be wholly Null and Invalid, by reafon of the Omiffion either of Water, or of the Form of Adminiftring in the Name of the Trinity, ought alfo for the fame Reafon to acknowledge, that Baptifm is as much Null and Invalid when it wants only the Divine Authority or Commission of the Administrator.

DEMON. This will follow from the Se cond Propofition of the Introduction.

FOR the only Reason why the Omiffion of either Water, or the Form, makes fuch a Baptism Void, must be, because fuch Omiffion is Unlawful, or Contrary to the Inftitution of Baptifm (Axiom 4.) So that he must affirm fuch Baptifm Null, becaufe 'tis Administer'd either with fuch Matter or Form as the Inftitution has not appointed; or, because 'tis not Adminifter'd with fuch Matter or Form as the Inftitution requires. Now, forafmuch as Chrift, who appointed the Water and the Form, appointed alfo the Perfon who should Adminifter both the one and the other: And fince the Divine Authority of this Administrator is an Effential Part, and as much obliging

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