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Another Paffage Gratian attributes to St. Auguftin, which by Neceffary Confequence Nulls our Lay-Baptifms,

146

A Story Gratian relates as from St. Auguftin in favour of Lay· Baptifm,

147

ibid. St. Auguftin, if he did relate it, owns that 'twas only a Report, and the Author unknown, St. Auguftin's fuppos'd Opinion, That fuch a Cafe, as a Layman's Baptizing a Perfon in Danger of Death, where no other was prefent, might happen; and that a Perfon fo in Danger ought not to be left unbaptiz'd, fairly confider'd, 147, 148 St. Auguftin's Genuin Works, prove Nothing of any Law, Tradition, or Cuftom of the Catholick Church for Lay-Baptism,

150, to 162 He Hefitates, and is not pofitive, that Lay-Baptism in Cafe of Neceffity is Valid; this proves, that he did not know of any Catholick Tradition for the pretended Validity thereof, 150, ISI

Which is further Confirm'd, by his not being able to Clear fuch pretended Baptifms from the Guilt of Sin, 153 His Notion of Ufurped Lay-Baptifm in Ordinary Cafes, being Unlawful, and to be repented of by both Giver and Receiver, and that 'tis yet Valid, refuted at large, 154, to 160 He acknowledges this not to have been the Determination of any General Council, but his own Private Opinion, 155, 156 He was not wholly free from introducing Novelties in Religion,

161

Gelafius, Bishop of Rome, Anno 492. His Saying of Laymen's having Power granted them to Baptize in Cafes of Extreme Neceffity, is no Proof that this was the General Sense and Practice of the Church, 162, 163 Mr. Bingham's falfe Inference from Gelafius's Words, That LAYMEN had as much Fower to Baptize in Abfence of Deacons, as DEACONS HAD in Absence of the Presbyters and Bishop, expos'd, Gelafius is no Evidence for the Validity of Baptifm by Perfons. who were never Commiffion'd by Bishops to Baptize, Ifidore, Bishop of Sevil, Anno 595, founds the Power of Baptizing upon the Commiffion Chrift gave to his Apostles,

162

164

165,

166

His faying of Laymen's being permitted or impower'd to Baptize, is ftill confining the Power of Baptizing to a Commiffion to be firft receiv'd by the Baptizer, The Unaccountable Lengths fome Men ran into, concerning the Minifter of Baptifm, after St. Auguftin's Days,

167

ibid.

The

The Summ of Mr. Bingham's whole Evidence, in his own Words, is, That the General Sense and Practice of the Church for the firft 600 Years, was grounded upon the Apoftolick Commiffion, given to all Baptizers in Cafes Ordinary and Extraordinary 169 From whence it follows, that the General Sense and Practice of the Ancient Catholick Church, do's not Countenance the pretended Validity of Baptifms, perform'd by Perfons, who never were Commiffion'd by Bifhops,

170

Mr. Bingham's whole Evidence is not fo much as a Proof, that the Ancient Catholick Church for the first 600 Years, did ever Authorize or Commiffion Laymen to Baptize, in want of the Clergy,

CHAP. IV.

ibid.

Mr. Bingham's Objections against the Teftimonies of St. Cyprian, St. Bafil, and St. Chryfoftom, answer'd,

CHAP. V.

174

HIS Acknowledgments, concerning the Great Queftion now in Difpute, viz. "Whether the Usurped and Unauthoriz'd Baptifm of Laymen, was allow'd [by the Ancient Catholick Church] to be Valid? Wherein he establishes our Affertion,

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CHAP. VI.

189

THE Ancient Churches, who allow'd of Heretical and Schif matical Baptifms, did not reckon those Baptisms to have been Unauthoriz'd, Uncommission'd, Anti Epifcopal Lay-Baptifms, tho' Mr. Bingham endeavours to make them look as fuch,

193 Of the Rite of Impofition of Hands, whereby repenting Hereticks and Schifmaticks were receiv'd into the Church,

208

CHAP. VII.

Mr Bingham's Account of the fuppofed Practice of Lay-Baptifm by the Modern Greeks, Mofcovites, and Foreign Reform'd, examin'd,

102

of

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THE HE whole Evidence of Antiquity fumm'd up; proving, That the Far Greater Majority of Ancient Teftimony, is against all Pretended Baptifms perform'd by Perfons, who never were Authoriz'd by Bishops to Baptize; and confequently, that fuch Baptifms are not Valid by any Ecclefiaftical Law, Tradition, or Cuftom of the Ancient Catholick Church, 259, to 269

The Conclufion, containing a True State of the Question about Suppofed Cafes of Neceffity, where Episcopally Authoriz'd Baptizers are not to be had,

269

PA

ËRRA TA.

Age 3. Line 29. for Baptifm, read Christian Sacraments. P. 36. I. the laft, for, by Virtue any, read, by Virtue of any. P. 59. I. 15. read Scholaftical Hiftory.

P. 117. 1.19. for, this of the Invalidity, read, this Applicable to the Invalidity.

P. 126. In the Note 1. 4. read, eft enim.

P. 127. l. 2. read, do not act. L. 13. read, whom you do not L. 15, 16, 22. blot out "the Double Comma's.

P. 144. 1. 22. read Fallacy.

P. 224. 21. read His Collection.
P. 269. 1. 5. read, I have faid.
P. 272. I. 10. read, and Deacons.

THE

SECOND PART

OF

Lay-Baptifm Invalid.

CHAP. I.

The Occafion and Nature of the prefent Difpute.

§ I.

T

HAT there may be no Miftake in the Nature and Design of this Controverfy, the Reader is dedefir'd to bear this always in mind, and to keep his Eye continually upon it; That the Occafion thereof is a moft Novel, and formerly unheard of, Unchriftian Ufurpation, attempted at the Reformation, and fince that time to this day, by Men who never receiv'd any Divine Commiffion; and who yet, in Oppofition to, and Rebellion againft, their Spiritual Sovereigns, refufing to receive any fuch

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Commiffion from them, endeavour to advance themselves into the High-Priests and Priefts Office, and to minifter in fuch Holy Things, as God has appropriated to that Sacred Commiffion, which he gives to Men for that Purpose: And this they do, not upon the pretence of Neceffity, arifing, as fome fuppofe, from the want of fuch as are Commiffion'd, but in an obftinate perverfe Refiftance againft Chrift's Spiritual Vicegerents, undervaluing and trampling upon that Authority wherewith He has invefted them.

§ II. It is alfo to be remembred, That God always us'd (if we may believe the Divine Oracles) to fet à Mark of his feverest Displeasure, not only upon fuch Ufurping Adminiftrators themfelves, but also upon thofe who adher'd to and encourag'd them in their Ufurpations; as I have formerly obferv'd and inftanc'd upon this Occafion; and He has made fuch Ufurpers and their Adherents fenfible of his Wrath and Fury, not only when they have attempted Sacred Miniftrations, without any plea of Neceffity, as did Corah and his Company, and King Uzziah; but also, when, to all appearance, they had a fair plea of Neceffity to excufe their Ufurpations, if That could be an Excufe, as we fee that it was not in the Cafes of Saul and Uzza.

§ III. Hence it behoves fuch Ufurpers, and those who concurr with, abett, and encourage their Ufurpations, ferioufly to confider what they are doing, and upon what foundation they can venture to affirm any Validity to be in fuch pretended Miniftrations; when God himself has branded others like theirs, with indelible Marks of Infamy

and

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