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SER M. but what is incumbent upon every Man, efpecially upon those who have the Care of Chil

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dren, or Servants, or others under them. The other is unlawful and facrilegious, and what Ranks fuch as are guilty of it amongst those falfe Prophets which GoD complains of to Jeremiah, that he had not fent them, and yet they ran, Jer. xxiii. 21.

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"I own indeed that thofe Words may be meant of a distinct and new Meffage, and that they were spoken of such Prophets as pretended a new Doctrine, for which they cc had no Commiffion from GOD. But which

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way foever they be expounded, they will "conclude right in this particular. For if they fignify an ordinary Miffion; then "there is an ordinary Miffion of Preachers, " which no Man muft ufurp, unless he can

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clearly prove his Title to be derived from "GOD. But if they fignify an extraordinary "Cafe, and that no Meffage may be pre"tended by Prophets, but what they have "Commiffion for; then must not ordinary "Perfons pretend an extraordinary Commif"fion to an ordinary Purpose. For it is

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very plain from all the Difpenfations of his "Providence, that God will never endure "that Order should be interrupted to no Pur

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pofe; and confequently that he will never S ER M. give an extraordinary Commiffion unless it "be to a proportionable End. Whofoever "therefore pretends to a Licence of Preaching by Virtue of an extraordinary Calling, "muft fee that he be furnished with an extraordinary Meffage, left his Commiffion "be thought ridiculous. And when he comes, he must be fure to shew his Au

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thority by an Argument proportionable, “i.e. by such a Proof, without which no wife "Man can reasonably believe him, which "cannot be lefs than Miraculous and Divine. "In all other Cafes he comes under the "Curfe of those whom GOD has not fent ; "He goes on his own Errand, and therefore "must not expect his Wages from him. "Whoever therefore cannot fay with St. "Paul, that he is ordained a Preacher,

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1 Tim. ii. 7. (how great foever his Abili "ties may be) has yet no Title to testify "Chrift. For, though to be able to perform an Office may be a good Reason, why a "Perfon fhould be ordained to that Office yet it gives him no Authority till he be fo "ordained. Every wife Man is not a Coun→ "fellor of State, nor every good Lawyer "a Judge. Ability or Skill is only a Qua"lification,

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SERM." lification, and must be enabled to act by "fomething that transmits Authority. And "it is very remarkable that when Judas was "fallen from his Apostleship, though there "were Numbers of fufficient Knowledge and Ability to supply his Office (viz. all that "accompanied with the Apostles during the "Time that the Lord Jesus went in and out "amongst them) yet not one of them would

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prefume to do it, but the Appointment of his "Succeffor was referred to a Divine Election. "A plain Démonstration that the Preaching or bearing Witness of Jefus and his Refurrection, was not only a Work but a Divine Office: And that befides Experience and Ability, a particular Ordination was ac"counted neceffary before any one might "undertake it *.

And thus having fhewed both the Neceffity of a Ministry, and the Neceffity also of a Divine Commiffion to qualify fuch a Miniftry for the Performance of their Office; what better Ufe can I make of the whole than to observe to you the happy Conftitution of our Church, which is bleft with a Ministry fo qualified? They that preach the Gospel with us

*See Bishop Taylor's Divine Institution of the Office Minifterial. p. 16, 17.

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are not fuch as the Populace have made Choice SER M of, and affigned to their Office, or fuch as have received a pretended Ordination from meer Prefbyters or Elders, who were never invested with a Power to give it; but fuch as were fet apart by a fuperior Order, who by a regular Succeffion from Chrift himself derive their Commiffion to ordain others.

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Bleffing that all the Reformed abroad (if they mean what they fay) envy us and wish for. For it is the peculiar Happiness of the English Church (among all that have thrown off the Errors of Popery) not to afcribe either to the Clergy or Laity any unprecedented Powers, nor yet to encroach upon their ancient Liberties. The People have ftill the Privilege of objecting, if they have any Thing to alledge against the Morals or Converfation of the Perfon to be ordained; and therefore are solemnly appealed to at the Confirmation of our Bishops, as well as in our Forms of Ordination both of Deacons and Priefts. And in the Ordination of a Prieft, the Priests that are prefent are to join with the Bishop in the Impofition of Hands to teftify their Confent, whilft the Bishop himself, as the Mouth of them all, pronounces the Form, and communicates the Authority. And this being all the Share in Ordination, that was ever allowed

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SER M. allowed to the Order of Prefbyters from

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the Apoftolick Age to that of the Reformation; our Church supposes that it is as much as any Presbyters now will claim or expect. She is fenfible that there is no Instance, during all that Time, i. e. for fifteen hundred Years together, of an Ordination performed by meer Prefbyters alone, which was ever allowed by the Church to be valid and good : And therefore the thinks fhe has no Power now to invest them with a Commission, which they were never before permitted to execute. Much less can she acknowledge thofe Perfons to be invested with any fuch Commiffion, whom as deriving their own Orders (in Oppofition to the Epifcopal) from no other than Prefbyters, he knows not how to look upon but as fchifmatical Laymen. These therefore we apprehend to have fo little Authority to commit the Office, I am speaking of, to others that as yet we are at a Lofs to know by what Authority, they take it upon themselves. It being evident from the univerfal Practice of the Church that no Layman (even in Communion) was ever allowed to preach in publick without the fpecial Appointment of the Bifhop* And this only in a few Cafes, where *See Bingham's Antiqu. 1. xiv. c. 4. ff. 4.

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