Numb. IL APPENDIX. 2f to it, and fhould much more if I thought it could indubitably be proved that ` the Succeffron hash been interrupted. IV. My Fourth Argument is this; We ought therefore to contend for an fli mutt- terrupted Succeon, becaufe if the Succeffìon be interrupted; then that Perfon ` who immediately comes into the Miniftry after the Interruption, mutt come into ' it without Impofitionof Hands; and fo if he without Impofition of Hands b0 ítí11 a lawful Minifier, then it will follow, that Impofition of Hands is a Matter ` rather of Convenience than of Neceflity. But Impofition of Hands is effential ' to Ordination. I know there are fome Schoolmen that contend' againft éhis t ` But this is aQueltion not fubje&ed to any Man's way ofreafoning eNaturâ Rei: ' For if Chrift hath declared,that it is hisMind any Ordinance lhall be performed ' after fuch or fuch a Mauer, it is too much Confidence for any Manto-l'y, or go ' about to prove, that fuch an Ordinance may be performed as well another Way, ` or after another Manner; when as the Fitnefs of the Manner of doing to the `thing done, is not founded in Naturâ Rei, but in bene placite inftituentr. Foraf- ' much therefore as Chrift bath revealedto his Church that it is hit Mind, or Will ` that his Churches Officers fhould be fer a part by Impofnionof Hands, it dodr ' therefore follow that Impofitionof Hands is necefiary and effential to their Sepa- r ration : If you ask me how I know that it was Chrift's Will and'Mind, that Im- pofition of Hands fhould beufed in the Ordination of Miniflers: I ánfwer; fink; ` That if you expert I fhould thew an exprefsCommand forit, I acknowledge there ` is none: Or any implicite Command, I acknowledgeI knownone: But rejoin with all, that the Mindand Will ofChrift maybe otherwife madeknown. Thole ' Scriptures where Impofitionof Handsis fpoken of, commented upon by theIhní- ' verfal Pra&ice of the Church of Chrift from the firft Age, until this wild, e m ' bitant, laft Century, feem to me a molt clearEvidence what the Will of Cürill id ` in that Particular, andwill fä11 appear fo, till you Thew nie a bettor way how to difcover the Mindof Chrift infuch Cafesas theft at this Diltance, If you expedf that I should prove that it hath been the confiant, univerfal Praâiee of the ` Church of God : I /hall likewifedo that when I know that it is required, and all the reft in the Argument granted. Andnow, Sir, if this Interruption of Succeffron, being yielded, doth necelfa' rilycall out fome of the Effentials in Ordination, if it ftrengthens the Hands of ' Intruders, if it hindersus from having our Authority from Chrift ; if our learned Country -men have taken fo much Pains to clear up an Unioterruption, then I think it follows, that it is a Matter worth the pleading for : Which is the only ' STTp Ede ¿i a of this Paper. M. 7ohnfon.. Mr. Baxter's Kepi" to Mr. johnfon, ägaini the abfolute Neceffity of Ordination, anti of an uninterrupted Succefon thereoffront the Appel, to the Being of the Minifferial Office. Brotber, T Return you this Anfwer to yours, but on this Condition, that before you Osaka JI any Reply to it, you perform the other Partsof your undertaken Task, or it leali, the two tall ; for I think it a far fafer way in fuch Cafes as this, to argue a non fbia ad non ingitutum,(the Church harp not had fuch an uninterrupted Soccer' fion : Ergo, God bath not made it abfolutely neceffary) than from a fuppofed hi. ftimtion to an anfwerable Event (God bath made it abfolutely neceflary á Ergo, theChurch bath enjoined it) ; becaufe it is incomparably mote eafy to difcern the Matter of fuch publick Faet, than to difcern the meaning of thofeTexts which will be alledged by each Partyin theft controverted circumffaittial Points : And you knowwe muff argue a notieread minis notion, andnot contrarily.. /couldwills the Queftion had been exadily flared by joint Confent, to avoid tedious Explicati- ons and fxcurfiona. We mull fink diltinguifh the Succeflion of Office, and Suc cellion of Ordination to that Office: Our Queflion is not diredlly of the former, fog,
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