fuch extraordinary Gifts of Miracles and Tongues were no part of their Office, being common to all Christians, as well Laity as Priests, in the first Age and Infancy of the Church; and are now Univerfally withdrawn, because the regular Inftitution of Clergy, to feed and inftruct the People in all things neceffary, and a clear and fufficicnt Publication of the Means of Grace in the Scriptures (that furer Word of Prophecy) have fuperfeded the Ufe and Neceffity of fuch extraordinary Difpenfations; fo that if we will not, under thefe Advantages, hear Mofes (i. e. the Clergy). and the Prophets (i. e. the Scriptures) neither wou'd we believe, tho' one rofe, by Miracle, from the Dead.

AND farther, to evince the Neceffity of a vifible and certain Order of Clergy in the Church, 'tis plain, that both before the Law, under the Law, and under the Golpel, GOD thought fit, in, Condefcention to our Infirmities, to appoint external Signs and vifible Tokens of his Covenant; that fo Mankind might not only be kept in remembrance thereof, but also have a fenfible Pledge to affure them of his Favour; and to prevent all manner of Imposture and Mistakes in adminiftring these Holy Symbols, it was no less neceffary that the Perfons, who on God's Part are to apply the Seals to the Covenant, fhould have

as Vifible and Undoubted an Appointment to that Office; and fince it appears that the fame Authority, which ordain'd Baptifm for the Seal of the Gospel Covenant, did alfo at the fame time determine the Perfons, that fhould adminifter that Sacrament, is it not plain, that a Right Administrator is as effential to the Validity thereof, as the right Form of Water in the Name of the Holy Trinity? Befides, what Man can say he Baptizes in the Name (i. e. on the Behalf) of God, who has not received a lawful Commiffion for fo doing? And indeed, were not the fettled and conftant Manner of Ordination of Clergy in the Church, as evident a Mark of their true Miffion, as the Nature of the thing will admit; it would be morally impoffible to preferve the right Use of the Sacraments, or prevent the Impositions of evil Men, who, under the fpecious Pretences of greater Gifts, and Sanctity, might eafily creep unawares, into that Sacred Employment.

BUT our Saviour, as he appointed the moft effectual Method to prevent fuch Impofitions, fo he alfo forewarns us, that, notwithstanding all that Care, Falfe Teachers would arife, who fhould deceive many; He calls them ravening Wolves in Sheeps Cloathing, to arm us against their pretended Sanctity and Innocence; and charges, that we go not after them;" and St. Paul tells

us,

us, that in the latter Days (and that must be meant more particularly of thefe our unhappy Times) there will arife a Set of People, having the Form of Godlincfs, without the Power thereof; and defcribes them, for our better notice, by thefe Marks, Creeping into Houfes, and leading Captive filly Women laden with Lufts, like Jannes and Jambres the Egyptian Magicians, who, by their pretended Miracles, withstood Mofes; (ie. the lawful Governors of the Church;) from fuch he commands to turn away: And what he further adds of thefe People is fuch a Mark of Diftinction, as I dare aver agrees to no fort of Christians, but to our unhappy Sectaries, namely, that not enduring found Doctrine, after their own Lufts, they should heap to themfelves Teachers, having itching Ears; and I appeal to the Practice of our Diffenters, in the calling and electing their Minifters, by meer Authority of Lay-men, as a plain Proof of this Obfervation.

THE Church of CHRIST, even in the most corrupt Ages of Popery and Superstition, never went this Length, as to reject their own Clergy, and fet up Teachers of their own, 'till Calvin led the way, and invented the Presbyterian Scheme of a Lay-Priesthood, which is really a Contradiction in Terms; and what the Effect of C 2

that

that schismatical Ordination has been, we find by woeful Experience; instead of one Monster of Popery, innumerable other Sects and Herefies having fprung up from thence, equally destructive of the Peace and Unity of the Church of CHRIST. But admitting that much may be urged in Excufe of Calvin, and the foreign Reformers, from the Neceffity of thofe Times, where Episcopal Ordination could not fo eafily be obtained; 'tis certain our Diffenters have no fuch Neceffity to plead; all Abuses in the Government and Difcipline, of the Church as well as in its Doctrines, being truly reformed in this happy Nation, and nothing left that can admit of a reafonable, or even tolerable, Objection.

THAT our Bishops are of the fame Sort with the Bishops in the Primitive Church, and the direct Descendants and Succeffors of the Apostles, is as evident to any candid Inquirer, as any Pedigree or Succeffion whatsoever can be deduced and proved; and is abundantly made out by many Authors that have written on that Subject. But where will the Diffenters go to prove their Orders, but to their own fancy'd Gifts and pretended Calls, to an Election by Laymen (according to the Prophecy of heaping to themselves Teachers) or of late, for the greater Solemnity, a formal Ordination of one another, never heard

of

of in the World before, nor practised among themfelves till of late Years, when the Trade of Jockeys and Coblers, thrufting themselves into Pulpits, grew too fcandalous to be allow'd.

BUT O have Mercy, Lord! on these poor unhappy People, who are led by fuch blind Guides, and bring them out of this great Darkness and Shadow of Death, into the marvellous Light of thy true Church.

THESE things being premis'd, and well confider'd, will direct us to the true and only Adminiftrators of Baptism at this Time; namely, to those that have Epifcopal Ordination; fuch, blessed be GOD, we find in the Church of England; which on its Reformation from Popery, did not, like its neighbouring Reformers, caft away that Catholick and truly Apoftolical Institution of Epifcopacy; but faw the Reafon and Neceffity of Retaining, as well the primitive Form of conferring Holy Orders, as the outward and visible Signs in the two Sacraments.

BECAUSE, if the antient Fathers of the Church may be believed, even thofe Holy Martyrs who fealed their Faith with their Blood, there