30 .!1 mP E ND 1 xY-. Numb. it Ordainer, if Ordination cannot behad : It is theOnus and Labor, that is the firlt and chief thing confrderable in the Miniliry, and the Honor and Power is but in or- der to that. 8. If Secular Power may be derived from God, at leaft, fo far as to oblige the Subjects to Obedience, and : to give them the Benefits of that Power; and thiswithout any regular authoritative Conveyance from Man, then fit may Ecclelaftical Power alfo. - But the Antecedent is truer Ergo, The Antecedent is proved. r. In that Scripture commands us to obey fuch as the Roman Emperors then were, Rom. 1 ;. who had no filch Conveyance. 2. Life it would be hard to knowwhat Power to acknowledge: For what Nation is there where the Line of Succelfion, as to a lawful Conveyance, bath not been interrupted? William the Conqueror's Title being bad, fo mutt all that hold from him. King Stephen's was worfe. The Hodes ofTork andLancafter had rather neither of them agood Title, than both. What Nation is there that muff not acknowledge the Original from the Sword ? I (hall not need to anfwer the Arguments drawn from thePeoplesPow- er to convey it, to any that approvethof the Arguments lately ufed in England againft the Parliaments Caufe. And I think if it wereproved that the People have the Power of making a King, it would foon be proved, that that way of Soccer - fion hath been oft enough interrupted. And for the Sword of unjult War, if Vi- olence gives right in one cafe, why not in another ? but this will not, I fuppofe, be owned. Moreover, if an Interruption of the Succellìon of Legitimate Convey- ance of Power, do leave us uncapable of any juft Succeffion hereafter, or any true Power, then either all Commonwealths, or molt are diffolved for ever, or ours at lealt, till God immediately Ihall choofe.a new. But that is not true: It being a Conclufon defi idive to all Civil Government, and all Obedience of Subjects to the World's End. The Confequence is proved in that there is the fame Necefity of uninterrupted Succeffion in Legitimate Conveyance of Secular Power, as is of the forefaid Conveyance of Ecciefiaflical Power ; for there is no Power but of God. And thereforeI would have you here anfwer all your own Queftions, whe. Cher King Cbarlee did receive his Power immediately from God, or mediately : if mediately, then whether byanuninterrupted Succeffion of Legitimate Conveyance, or by fumeScripture Mediation ? And how Scripture which meddles nor with the individua Ihould confer Power on him as a It Medium? For my part, I fhall an. fwer this as I do the other, I think Providence doth Signare individuum. 9. If un-, deniableUfurpation did not null thg MinifterialAáions of the Priefts beforeChrift's Death, then want of Authoritative Ecclefiaftical Ordination in cafe of Neceffity will not null the Aáions of Church -Governors now. At worum prim: Ergo, and confèquently if their Allions be not null, then their Ordinations arenot null. That the Priefts then came not in God'sway (whichwas tofucceedby Birth.fromAaron) but that the Priefihood was ufurpedby others; yea, commonly bought with Mo- ney of the Romany, and became at WI but annual, if not two at once, is known beyond doubt. That their A&ions were not null, as to others, appears byChrift's teaching Men tofubmit to them, and make ufe ofthem, as he did the Lepers, and by many other Paffages. The Reafon of the Confequence lyeth in the equal ne- ceßityof uninterrupted Succeffion thenand now :.Yea, the neceflity then was far more apparent, in that God had more clearly fixed it to the Tribe of Levi, and the Line of Aaron, than he bath done now to Ecclefaltical Legitimate Ordination, and becaufe under that Lawof Ceremonies (whereof the High-Priefthood was the. Topar typifying Chriff, &c.) God would not fo eafily difpenfe with_ them as now. to. When God ryes his People to Duty, there he is ready to give them the Blelling which is its end, ifthey obey :, But God tyeth his People to fubmit to the Minifteriaf Aáions of Come Ufùrpers: Ergo, he is ready to give them the Bindings which are the end of thole A&ions; and conftquently they arenot null to them;. andconfequentl 'Orddinationis not null to filch; which is one !idiom The Mi. jor is proved before, and indeed needsno Proof For the Minor, God eyes us to fubmit to the Minifterial Aáions of him that is in fede (at lealf) if we know him not tobe an Ufürper ; but many may be Ufurpers in fede, whom yet we know not to be fuch (nor can well know:) Yea, many fach have been already : Ergo,. If the Major be denyed, all peoples Ecclefialtical Obedience is unavoidably over- thrown., TheMinor is apparent; t. In that it is not thePeoples Duty fo muchas narrowly to pry into his.Calf, whom they find in fede ; foas to require Satisfaction as to his Jult Ordination, if they find him fit for, and faithful in the Minifterial Work. x. In that the People cannot know it : There is not oneof Ten Thoufand in England could know whether their Bifhotos were truly Confecratedatall, much less; whether juftly, much lets, whether from an uninterruptedSucceffionof juft Ordination
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