brought in within her Pale, and be fuffered rather to climb up fome other way into the true Sheep-fold, than to enter by the Door of legitimate Baptism, That hereby they run a Hazard of infinite Importance, seems at least probable, and cannot with any Certainty be denied. But if, on the other hand, the Hazard of Rebaptization be objected, this is a Difficulty the Church herfelf has provided against, by that conditional Form the has appointed for authenticating fuch Baptisms as are doubtful and uncertain, or deficient in any effential Part. The Form is conceived in the following Words:

I

If thou art not already baptized, N. baptize thee in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft.

Amen.

IN

brought to the Church of God, there to be baptized: For to feparate the Adminiftration of the Sa"craments, from the Paftor's Office, is as if one fhould "tear out a Seal to make ufe of it, without the "Commiffion or Letters Patent to which it was af"fixed. And in this Cafe we must practise that Rule "of our LORD, What God hath joined together, les "no Man put asunder. This for, and in the Name "of, all the Affembly.

John Calvin.

N. B. They that produce Calvin's Authority to vouch for the Ufe of Confirmation, cannot but pay the like Deference to his judgment with respect to the Invalidity of Lay-Baptifm.

IN the Rubrick which prescribes this Form (q. v.) it is faid, that Baptizing with Water, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft, are effential Parts of Baptifm; and that if there be any Uncertainty as to any of the effential Parts, then, and in that Cafe, the conditional Form is to be used. Now, fuppofing the Cafe of a Perfon fchifmatically baptized, who is applying to be received to the Peace and Communion of the Church; if fuch a one be perfuaded in his Mind (and for that very reason is defirous to renounce his Schifm) that the Authority of the Administrator is one of the Effentials in Baptifm, however the Minister of our Church, that he applies himself to, may differ in Opinion, it cannot but seem more safe for either fide, as well as more agreeable to Peace and Moderation, to fteer between the two Extremes; and fo to admit fuch Convert by the hypothetical Form, which the Church's Indu!gence has allowed in every dubious Cafe.

THE Disputes which have arifen in the Church concerning the Validity of Baptifms conferred by unauthorized Hands, cannot but minister juft Ground of Doubt and Scruple. When we fee two great Saints and Lights of the Primitive Age fo divided in their Opinions on this Question, and hear the great St. Auguftin fo warmly

oppofing

oppofing the Judgment of the great St. Cyprian, and of the whole Council of Carthage, what wonder if a Perfon that thinks himfelt concerned in the Question, fhould fall into a State of the most difquieting Uncertainty, concerning the Suffici ency of his own Baptifm: And if the Arguments or Authority of fuch of our Clergy as are most complaifant to their diffenting Brethren, have not Weight enough to remove fuch Scruple and Uncertainty, it is prefumed the conditional Baptism cannot in justice be denied him, especially by those who love to diftinguish themselves by an Indulgence to tender Confciences. If fuch Deference be paid to Consciences, that not only fcruple the Lawfulness of joining with our Church in her Worship, but reject her Adminiftrations, and refuse all Obedience to her Authority; it cannot but feem reasonable, that as kind a Condefcention fhould be fhewn to one, whose Conscience is diffatisfied with his Baptifm fchifmatically received, and is become an humble Candidate to have that Defect fupply'd. For however Judgments may differ as to the Essentiality of the Adminiftrator, it is on all hands agreed, that Faith is an Indispensable Requisite to make that Sacrament effectual to the Receiver, and that no Room should be left for doubting. See Rom. xiv. 1, & 23.

IT

IT would fwell this Difcourfe into a Volume, fhould I enter into the Senfe of Antiquity concerning irregular Baptifms: But it is very well observed by the reverend Translator of St. Cyprian's Works, « That our modern Diffenters « have no Encouragement to depend upon the "Validity of their Ministrations, from any thing "that was then faid or done concerning fuch "Baptifms. For although St. Cyprian's Opinion "fhould be wrong, in rejecting heretical and "fchifmatical Baptisms, which had the episcopal "Authority to vouch for them, it will not there"fore follow that their Opinion is right, who "allow such schifmatical or heretical Baptifms, "as are wholly deftitute of epifcopal Authority, "and celebrated even in Defiance of it. "

IF St. Cyprian, with all the Eastern as well as African Churches, were in the right, as I am perfuaded they were, in this Question, notwithftanding the Oppofition of Stephen then Pope of Rome, and all that St. Auguftin has faid to the contrary:* And, confequently, if Baptisms adminifter'd

* In his Treatise against Donatus; his whole Argument turns upon a fuppofed abfolute Neceffity of Baptifm, which our Church doth not hold: It was the fame Principle which made him judge fo harshly of the Cafe of unbaptized Infants; and that is enough

to confute it.

adminifter'd out of the Church, though by epif copal Hands, were null and void; how much more must fuch Baptisms be absolute Nullities, that are given by Perfons who are neither in the Church, nor ever received any lawful Ordination? The Lay-Baptifms fometime allow'd of in the Primitive Church, are no Precedents to warrant the Practice of our Diffenters; they were only difpenfed with in Cafes of Neceffity, and none had ever Permiffion to ufe fuch a Power, but Perfons within the Church, and rightly Baptized themselves, [who had Lavacrum Integrum, according to Concil. Eliber. Can. 38.] But this is not the Cafe of our Lay-Baptizers; it is certain they have No Neceffity to plead. As to their own Baptifm, whether competent and entire or not, let them look to it; and as to their being in the Church, or out of it, I fhall only refer their Friends and Patrons to Dr. Scot's Definition of a Church in his Chriftian Life, Part II. Vol. II. viz. "That it is one univerfal Society "of all Christian People incorporated by the "New Covenant in Baptifm, under Jefus Christ

its fupreme Head, and diftributed under law«ful Governors and Paftors into particular «Churches, holding Communion with each "other, in all the Effentials of Chriftian Faith, "Worship and Discipline. "

WHO