Baxter - BX5207 B3 A2 1696

Numb. I. APPENDIX. that do otherwife. 4. We have no Bithop in our Diocefs. S. We read Canons that null Bilhops Ordination out of their Dioceffes. 6. We know not of above two Bithops in England, nor whereto find the reff that are latent, and we hear thofe two will not ordain. 7. Divers of them were juftly ejeóted for defiroying the Church, and we cannottake them for Bilhops. S. We are hut Subjeóts and á fmall part of the Miniftry, and cannot fet up Bilhops among our felves, if we were of that Judgmentas much as others : But Nations, Commonwealths, and Free - cities might if they would. The Cloak which you fsy is tooShort, is indeed much larger than our Cafe requires : If our Nation, or any part of it, did voluntarily cult of Bilhops, fò did the Proteltant Churches, and continue to keep them out to this Day. But you cannot prove that the Minifters of this Affociation did call them off. And for your furmife of the Countenance of our Chriltian Charity : I an- fwer, we never yet giveyou Caufe tofuppofe that we difinguifh not between Pro - teftant Bilhops and Papifts. Except. toSeal. S. An Argument a Forticri,all Logick admits of, but I never heard a Sufpicionofany Firmnels, inconcluding ab Imbectlliori, thus : Perhaps, perhaps I fay, and as many Moderns would charitably think, they maybe true Presbyters, who were ordained by Presbyters, (where, morally to fpeak, and as to confciential pollibility) there was animpolhbilityof procuring Orders from any Bilhops, but fuch as would ob- lige them to betray both Presbyters and Bilhops Authority to Papal Ufurpation, and arrogated Supremacy; therefore we alfo, who might have had Ordination by Bilhops, and thole fuch, who have as well as we oft hindred that papal Ufurpati- on, yea, had renued that Duration by an Oath inSynod ; a little before thefe late fad Schifms, and this new attempted Ordination, and chofe to be ordained with- out them contrary to all the Canons of the Church Univerfalof all Ages, till chef& Iaff Ages of this Cotroverfy. We, I fay, alto for all that, are true Paflors and Presbyters, and we will be acknowledged for fuch in this Agreement, and others to be Popilh Divines, lurking under the Name of Epifcopal Divines. Lo, here a goodly Confequence, and a Chriltian Presbyterian Charity. Reply toSeít. y. a. Our Argument is not only a pari, but a fortiori, as is manifefted. 2. You give usreafon here to fear that your felf are one of thofe Perlons whom we except againft, and that it is your own Caufe that you drive for, and that your Guilt is it that makes you angry, for ycu feem to me to intimate to us, that you own not their Opinion that make the Proteftant Minifters to be Minifters indeed (and con- fèquenrly their Churches true organized Churches) for all the neceffity which you pretend they had for you make it but a [ perbaps,] and your double that r perhaps] that we may fee you own it not, and you fay it is [as many would think] as if it were but their Thought, and as if you were none of thole many : And it is but !the Moderns] that fo think as if you intimated that Antiquity judged otherwife, which doubtlefs you prefer before the Moderns ; and you fay, [they would think it] intimating that Will prevails againlf Judgment, or Judgment follows not that Will; fyea, it is charitably] that they would think it, as it Affection milled them: and other Paffages afterward do yet further reveal your Mind in this, though you are-loath, I perceive, to fpeak out, becaufe of the harfhnefs of it to Proteltants Tars;. I therefore again fay, I. Thofe churches were not, nor are to this Day un- der any impolfrbility ofhaving Bilhops, ifthey judged them neceffary. 2. That you provenot what you fay, that they in this Country might have had Ordination by a Bilhop, who were ordained by Presbyters only : We leave therefore our Conte- tfuence, and our Chriltian Presbyterian Charity to a more equal Judge, whether that Man be like to be aProteltant, that taketh the Church of Rome for a true Church, and all the reformed Churches (except the Epifcopal, for no true Church- es, and that taketh their Prieufs for Lawful Minifters, and all the Proteltant Mini- fiefs for none, except shore that were ordained by Bilhops ; nay, that argue, as here you do, to have us (and confequentlyall fo ordained) difclaimed by Paftors and People, and confequently all our Churches nullified, and publick Worlhip for- fáken. Are we fo blind as not to fee, that you thus not only prefer the Papilla be- fore sis (as much as a true Miniftry beforeno Miniftry, and a true Church before noChurch) but hereby would deliver us up into their Hands? If we difpute with them in the hearing of the People, and confefs that theirChurch is true, and ours is not; may not the People tautly fee that it's better join with them than with us ? and would not you your Self rather fubmit to a Mafs Pried, than to chofe .whoa you take for noMipiftersat all ? If you fay (you would haveus fubmit to neither

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