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"thele Words, This is the Seal of the holy Spi"rit. As to the Eunomians, the Montanists, "the Sabellians, and all the other Hereticks, "the Council ordains that they shall be re"ceived like Pagans, &c. and at laft they "fhall be Baptized."

"The Council of Capua, Anno 390, decla"red, That it was not lawful to use Re-bap"tization, RE-ORDINATION, and the "TRANSLATION of BISHOPS.

The fecond Council of Carthage, Anno 390, in the 8th Canon declares, "That if a Prieft "Excommunicated by his own Bishop, un"dertake to offer up the Sacrifices in private, "and to fet up ALTAR against ALTAR, "thereby making a SCHISM, he ought to "be anathematiz'd, because there is but "ONE CHURCH, ONE FAITH, and "ONE BAPTISM." My Remark upon this Canon is, That this ONE BAPTISM cannot be fuppos'd to be out of this ONE CHURCH, and therefore is only in it.

The third Council of Carthage, Anno 398, Canon 100, fays, "That a Woman ought not to take upon her to baptize."

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"St.Chryfoftom Archbishop of Conftantinople, "Anno 398, is exprefs for the Invalidity of (દ Lay-Baptifm, and that it can be no more "adminiftred by a Laick than the Eucharift. " (fays he) But all thefe are Things which can be adminiftred BY NO OTHER MAN "LIVING but by those SACRED HANDS

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“ALONE,

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"ALONE, the Hands I fay of the PRIEST. Chryf. Lib. III. de Sacerd. C. 5.

In the 5th Century flourifh'd St. Auguftin, "Bishop of Hipo in Africa; he argued vigor"oufly against the Donatifts, who began their "SCHISM by a Separation of fome African "Bishops, and proceeded fo far as to reckon "all other Churches as unclean, and indeed "to be no Churches at all; and confequently 66 when any Catholick came over to their Par66 ty, they would not admit him without Re"baptization, making ufe of St. Cyprian and "his Collegues Authority, who taught, That

Baptifm adminiftred by Hereticks and "Schifmaticks could not be valid, because "they were out of the Church; and the "Donatifts efteemed the Catholicks to be no "better than fuch."

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St. Auguftin, in Oppofition to them, undertakes to prove, "That tho' his Party were not the Church, yet the Donatifts were not to baptize them a fecond time; he confelfes, that Baptifm performed without naming the TRINITY, is Null; but affirms, "That if it be adminiftred in the Name of "the TRINITY, it is Valid,WHOSOEVER ❝he be that adminifters it, and ought not to "be repeated: That neither the Minister's "FAITH as to Religion, nor his Sanctity, "avail any thing to the Validity of Baptism: "That it is God, and not the Minifter, who

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"gives

gives the holy Spirit, and worketh the Re ""miffion of Sins."

But here, before I proceed further, I must obferve, that it does not hence follow, that because the Faith or Sanctity of the Minifter avails nothing to the Validity of Baptifm, therefore his AUTHORITY by which he acts, avails nothing thereto: For AUTHORITY may very well be, and often is DISTINCT and SEPARATE from both thofe excellent Qualities. And again; Every one will grant, that it is God, and not the Minifter, who gives the Holy Spirit, &c. What then? Does it thence follow that any Perfon may ftand in God's ftead, as appointed by him to Adminifter? Can it be reasonably expected that God fhould concur with the USURPATIONS of those who act therein without HIS COMMISSION, nay, and in OPPOSITION thereto [as is the Cafe with us?] Certainly no; it cannot: For, however he may difpenfe with the WANT of a Sacrament, yet he has no where promifed to give EFFICACY to thofe Adminiftrations, which are in any Refpect contrary to the Effentials of his own Inftitutions; and to me it feems a mere Fool-hardinefs and Prefumption to expect it.

But to proceed:

St. Augustin, in the 7th Book of Baptifm, Cap. 53. lays thus: "It is asked whether that Baptifm is to be approved which is admi

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"niftred by an Unbaptized Perfon, who out "of Curiofity has learned the Way of baptizing among Chriftians? It is asked further, "Whether it be neceffary for the Validity of "Baptifm, that he who either adminifters or receives it, be fincere? And it they should "be only in Jeft, whether their Baptifm ought to be adminiftred again in the "Church? Whether Baptifm conferr'd in "Derifion, as that would be, which should "be administred by a Comedian, might be accounted Valid? Whether Baptism admi"niftred by an Actor may become Valid, "when he that receives it is well difpos'd?"

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He anfwers to these, and fuch like Que ftions, "That the fecureft way is to return "no Anfwer to Questions that never were "decided in any Council, General or Natio"nal. But he adds; Should any Man, meet"ing with me at fuch Council, ask my Ad"vice about thefe Questions, and that it were

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my Turn to declare my Opinion, having "not heard other Mens Opinions, which I "might prefer before my own, &c. I should " without difficulty acknowledge, that they

all receive Baptifm truly, in any Place "whatfoever, and by WHOMSOEVER ad"miniftred, if on their Part they receive it "with Faith and Sincerity. I am apt alfo to believe, that fuch as receive Baptism in "the Church, or in what is fuppofed to be the Church, are truly baptized, as to the €2

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"Sacramental Part of the Action, whatfo"ever be their Intention: But as for Baptifm "adminiftred and received out of the Church, "in Raillery, Contempt, and to make Sport, "I could not approve the fame without a "Revelation."

He endeavours to overthrow the Reafons and Teftimonies of the Cyprianifts against the Validity of Heretical and Schifmatical Baptisms by the Comparison of concealed Hereticks and evil Minifters, with known Hereticks and Schifmaticks. "For (fays he) if the Baptifm admi"niftred by the FORMER is Valid, and not "to be renewed, why fhould not the fame "thing be faid of the LATTER, fince all the "Reasons that are alledg'd for the Nullity of "the Baptifm of Hereticks, may also belong "to evil Minifters? It is faid, for Example, "That to give the Holy Ghoft, one must have it: "That Hereticks have it not; and confequently

that they cannot give it. Why may we not "reafon after the fame manner concerning "Baptifm conferr'd by conceal'd Hereticks, or by wicked Priefts? Have they the Holy "Gholt to give?" Thus St. Auguftin.

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I cannot but take Notice here, that this Great Man does not appear (to me) to have made the Comparison according to the Defign of St. Cyprian and his Collegues: for, by the manner of handling this Difpute in thofe Days, 'tis plain to me that the Hereticks and Schifmaticks were fuppofed to be (by their fepa

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