22 APPENDIX. Numb. If. for even the Ufurper fucceedethin the Office as a Ufurper, and it is part of our ControJerfy, whether the later (Succetfron of Ordination) be of flat Neceffity to the former (Succeflion in Office). It being then the Neceffity of an uninterrupted Succefion of Ordination that weenquire after,- itmutt be known what wemean by Ordination. xn frsn, theWord commonly ufed is but Conflitno: Ordination in. General then is any Conflitutionof a Man in the Office of the Miniftry. Hlere we mutt diflinguifh between the Conflitution it felf, and the MadamConflitnendi :. It's one thingto ask whether Ordination be neceffary ; and another, whether Im- pofitionof Hands, or prefent Falling and Prayer be neceffary ; yea, or the Pre- fence of the Perlon Ordaining ; feting a Man may be Ordained, Conflituted or authorifed, per literar abfantis., and not only per mans vel verba prafentú, whether. this Mode be as meet as any, we now queftion not. Alto its one thing to ask whe- ther God's Ordination be neceffary, and another, whether Man's be neceffary. Alfo,it is one thing to enquire of the Neceffity of theFa& ofOrdaining ; and ano- ther, of the Neceffity of a jufl Authority in the Ordainer to do it ; where it will be needful to confider what is of Neceffity to the Conflitution of fuch Autho- rity, and what deflroys it : Before all which it would be neceffaryto knowwhat. the Ordainer's Work is, and to what and how far his Power extends r But this L am not now to meddle in. That aDivineOrdination is of Neceffity, to the Li- gitimation of our Calling in fora Dti, I grant ; as alfo, in fora Confcientie Mini- flrantie. Thatauthoritative Ordination of Men, is neceffary Ordinie Grritiâ, when it may be obtained, and where God's Providence¿lothnot make it naturally, or morally impoffible, lalfo grant. That Impofition of Hands with folemn Prayer,. is the moll convenient manner, and neceffary for the Ordainer to ufe, Necef/uate Pracepti bMediiad beneefre Ordinationie, I elfo grant., That the Power of Ordain -. in is ordinarily only in she Hands of Chrift's Ecclefiaflical Miniflers, I acknow- ledge (whether Bilhops or Presbyters we now queflion not) and that it is notdi- volved to any others, but in Cafe of Neceffity. TheThings then that I deny are, that Impofition of Hands, or prefent Prayer, or the Prefence of the Ordainer are of Neceffity to our Office. That the true, juif Authority of an Ecclefiaflical Or- dainer is ofNeceffity to thebeing of our Office ::And confequently, that an unin- terrupted Succetfion of Jai., Authoritative, Ecclefiaflical Ordination from the Apollles, is of rabfohite neceffity to the beingof our Calling. Nay, that any Au- thoritative Human Ordination at all, betides the Peoples meet Confent is of filch abfólate, indifpenfable Necelftty ad rife O(flvü ; all this I deny. And my Opinion, is, that inCafe of a failingof all Ecclefraflical Authoritative Ordination, the Ma- giflrates Ordination may fuffice ad ejfe Officü : And incafe both fail, the Peoples Meer Acceptance, Confent, or Ele6tion may fuffice, fuppofing the Perfon meetly qualified. And whether you will call this all of the People a Conflitution, or Or- dination, or not, I am indifferent. Certainly xa9isn¡p oft liignifies the Conflitu- ting; which is hot an Alt of Government, or fuperior Authority. But noTerm bath fo much need of Explication as the Word (Office) or (Ministry) which is the 1erminua of Ordination. AnOffice is a flared Power or Authority, or Facul- ty with Duty of doing certain Works to certain Ends. The Mini(terial Officeof a Presbyéer, is to be differenced ab objetio er a fine. The Authority and the Duty in a lawful Officer go together : Such a one only is in fen/it primario & proprio an: Officer : But he that is a Ufurper, or bath no lawful Call, may yet both a. Have all the Duty of that Office lying upon him, and by his own Intrufionoblige him - felf to the Performance, and yet want thetrue Authority for performing it, feting he came in without God's Call, and there is no Power but of God. a. And he may have the Name of an Officer, though given him but analogically, or in f nfie fecundario Fr ecclefiaflieo. ;. And the Church may owe him that RefpeLt and Oft fer*ance due to a [awful Officer (the Reafon is, becaufe it is one thing to know who is a truly lawful Officer ; as in Matter ofMemberlhip, Tam bound toufe ma- ny as true Chriffiaus, even all that havethe.Profellîon of fach) who yet are not fach So amI bound to take all thofe for lawful Officers that have the external To- kens of filch, feting we cannot know any further ; though they benotfich indeed). 4. And all that Man's Miniflerial Allions are valid to the`Church that doth her Duty in oblervinghim, and yet they are all null or unlawful, and flat Sins to the Performer. The.Reafón of the later is, both becaufe no Man can lawfully do that which he had, no Authority givenhim for, and becaufe nemitti ex propria crimine de- botúr benef:cium; and Ergo, his Ufurp tion cannot fecure him. The Reafon of the former is, becaufeDuty andBenefit go together, and thereforethe Church that per- fórmeth but her Dury.in taking thofe to be truly called,Pallors thatrecut fo to be, having
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