(170 of fo great weight , that there is no probability that they mold fuller anytogo for Pafiors or Bifhops that are unordaiatd, in fo great a cafe. e/Infw. z. All this is so certainty : and therefore no proof : and no fatisfa&ion to the mind ofaMinifter,in the fore mentioned doubts. 2. Yea we have fo great reafon to be fufpici- ous in the cafe that we cannot conclude that we have fo mnch as a probabily. Seft. 9. For, i. We know that there is fo much felfithnefs and corruption inman as is likeenough to draw them todeceit. Ordainers may be bribed to confecrate or ordain the uncapable, and the Ordained or Confecrated may be tempted to leek it in their incapacity ; and manymay be drawn to pretend that they were Ordained or Confecrated when it was no fuch matter. And fo there is not fo much a a Probability. Seft. 10. z. And weknow that there were fo many heretics abroad , and Rill have been, and fo much faction andSchifm in theChurch : that we cannot be lure that thefe might not inter. rupt the fuccefüon , or that they drew not our predeceflors to counterfeit aConfecration or Ordination when they hadnone,or none that was regular. Seft. i i . 3. And we knowour felves that the thing bath been tooufual. When I was young, I lived in a village that had but about twenty houles. And among there there were five that went out into the Miniftry. One was an Old Reader whole Original we could not reach.Anotherwas hisfon,whofe fe!f-Or- dinacion was muchfufpefted : Theother three had Letters of Orders,two of themfufpe ted to be drawn up and forged by him, andone that was fufpefted to Ordain himfclf. Oneof them, or twoat Tat were proved tohave counterfeit. Orders, when they had continued many years in the Miniftry. So that this is no rare thing. Sea. az. Among fo many temptations that in fo many ages fince the Apoliles dayes, have befallen fo many men, as our pre, deceffors in the Minitfry, or the Bithops predecetTors havebeen, it were a wonder if all of them fhould. (cape the fnare : So that we have reafon to take it for a thing improbable, that the fucceflion'hathnot been interrupted. Sea.. 13. And we know that in feveral ages of the Church the Prelates
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