4.8 JP E ND 1 X. Numb.Ii. ` Having done thus, you catechize there Seekers, as you call thefe Doáors : And then proceed to prove that thefè Reverend, Learned, Pious Bithops, which you acknowledge to be now in this Nation, are no lawful Bithops upon the Principles laid down ; becaufe they were ordained by fuch as had no Authority to ordain. This you provebecaufe they were Ordained at length by the Popifh Bithops in ` Hen. VIII. Time, who had np Authority to Ordain; this you prove; becaufe they. derived their Authority from the Pope, who had no Authority to give tthem any That the Pope had no Authority you prove by an Interruption of Socceffìon oflawful Bithops in that Chair. That therebathbeen an Interruption inithat.Chair you prove by the Inftances of Liberals, Honoriaa, Dame Pone, and many others, as you fay, out of Bilhop jewel. The Strength of thefe Inlìences dépend upon that Hypothefrs, that Herefy or notorious Impiety cloth evacuate ho- ` ly.Orders. Now if it can he infallably proved that Herefy or Lfipiety doth not evacuate holy Orders; or rather, if you cannot infallably proveas it is my part,at this time to deny (1 being upon the defenfive) that Impiety or Herefy doth evacuate Holy Orders, then it will not follow that there was an Interruption, though Li- ' berias was an Heretick. And if no interruption,-then Pope Clement the Incum- bent at Rome in Henry VIiI. Days, was, notwithftanding what is urged, in full ` Power to Ordain : And then if he had Authority, then the Popifh Bithops which ` derived from him had full Authority ; andifthey had,ehenourBithops who at length derive from them have altofull Athoriry t and fo thewhole Stru6lurewill fall at once ` if that Hypothefrs, which is the Foundation of all, thait chance to (hake. And a therefore, Sir, in the ftrlf place, I pray you take notice,. that I deny that Herefy '.or Impiety doth evacuate Holy Orders; and expect the Proof of it. But then fuppofe I'fhould grant this I never intend) I may, I conceive, fairly debate, that though there Ihould be an interruption in the Succe(fion of the:Chair at- Reme,i yet the Pope that now is, or the Pope that fat at Rome in Hen. VIII. Days were fully authorized to ordain, if they were but ordained by fach, who neither were Heretical or Impious: For the Authority or Power of Ordina- tion, 1 conceive, cloth not come to any.Bilbopby Verme drawn from his Prede- cefforrin fede, bùt by Vertue derived from him who laid Hands upon him at his Confecration, For Example, that you may underhand my meaning; fuppofe Dr. Winmffe, the late Bilhop of Lincoln, was confecrated by the Impofition of the Bilhop of Worceftor's Hand I conceive it is unreafonable to affirm, that this Do- ' nor received his Epifcopal Orders rather from Dr.Williams, his Predeceffor in the Chair at Lincoln, than from the Bilhop ofWorcrffer, who is fuppofed to lay Hands upon hint at his Confecration. Or ifthe Queftion be whether he wasa lawful Bi- r Prop that gave himOrders; I conceive that it is equally unreafonable that we lhculd go and inquire rather after pr.Williasns his. Authority whowas his Predecef- for in fede, than after: the Bilhop of Warcefler, who was, or is fuppofed in the Cale to be his Confecrator. Or if JobeWilliams, who was his Predeceffor, fhould have de f ilo, proved an Arrian or:a.Conjurer while he fat in the DiocefanChair at Lincoln, I think it is every whit as unreafonable to affirm, that therefore Dr. Wnveff , who (ùcceeded him in that Sear, lhould lofe his Epifcopal Authority, when as his Confecrator can have no (Lich thing fattened upon him. In like man- ' tier, though Liberirea was an Arrianwhile he fat in thePontifical Chair at Rome; yet if that Bithop, whoever he was, (and look you to that) who confecrated Pope . Clement were Orthodox, and fo forward till wecome to the Apoflles, his Authori- . ty was good enough, though one, or more of his Predeceffors infide were Hereti- cal.lf you (hall fay that the Cafe is not alike betwixt the SuccefGon of Popes and otter Bithops I ask, where's the difference ? If you fay that the difference is in ' this, that the Pope claims not his Authority front his Confecrator, but from his Predeceffor.l anfwer, Thatit is very 'probable that he cloth do fo: Bpt let him and the Popifh Doótprs therefore fee how they can quit theirHands ofthis Interruption: For our parts weconceive weneed not be engaged in this Controverfy:It is enough for us to reply to this affected Difference. Thatthe.Queffion is not what they lay claim co, but what they ought de fare, to lay claim to. if you fay, That de jure, ' they do challenge theirAuthority from their Predeceffors, I expedt that you muff prove it, beforeI will promife ) ou that I will believe it. But if you fay, that the Difference is only this, That they do de facto claim their Authority after another manner thanother Bithops; then I rejoyn, that it Both not follow, that they have their Authority after another manner than other Bffhops; becaufe they fay they have. If therefore the facaltas Ordinandi doth not come from the Bifhop's Predeceffor in fide, but from the Bithop who is the Confecrator. Then, Sir, you
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