Church-history of the government of bishops and their councils abbreviated including the chief part…

§. 1. GOD that could have enlightened the Earth without the Sun and Stars, could immediately alone have taught his Church, and communicated knowledge to mankind: But as he is the most communicative good, he was pleased not only to make his Creatures receptive of his own influx, but also to give them the use and honour of being efficient sub-communicants under him, and causes of good to themselves and to one another: And as his Power gave Being and Motion, his Wisdom gave Order and Harmony, and his Love gave Goodness and Perfection, felicity and love, as he is the creating and conserving Cause of Nature; and this in much inequality, as he was the free disposer of his own▪ so in the Kingdom of Grace he doth by the Spirit of Life, Light, and Love▪ 1. Quicken and strengthen the dead and weak souls, and awaken the slumbering and slothful; 2. Illuminate the dark with Faith and Knowledge; and 3. Sanctify ⟨p. 2⟩the malignant Enemies of holiness, by the power of his communicated love, making them friends and joyful lovers: This Spirit first filled the Humane Nature of Christ our Head; who first communicated it to some chosen persons in an eminent manner and degree, as Nature maketh the heart and brain and other principal parts to be organical, in making, preserving, and governing the rest. To these he gave an eminence of Power to work Miracles, of Wisdom to propagate the Word of life, and infallibly by Preaching and Writing promulgate and record his sacred Gospel, and of holy love to kindle the like by zealous holiness in the hearts of others. To these organical persons he committed the Economy of being the witnesses of his words and actions, his resurrection and ascension, and of recording them in writing, of planting his first Churches, and sealing the truth of their testimony by many Miracles, promising them his Spirit to perform all that he committed to their trust, and to bring all to their remembrance, and to lead them into all truth, and to communicate instrumentally his Spirit to others, the sanctifying gifts by blessing their Doctrine, and the miraculous gifts by their imposition of hands.

§. 1. GOD that could have enlightned the Earth without the Sun and Stars, could immediately alone have taught his Church, and communicated knowledge to mankind: But as he is the most communicative good, he was pleased not only to make his Creatures receptive of his own influx, but also to give them the use and honour of being efficient sub-communicants under him, and causes of good to themselves and to one another: And as his Power gave Being and Motion, his Wisdom gave Order and Harmony, and his Love gave Goodness and Perfection, felicity and love, as he is the creating and conserving Cause of Nature; and this in much inequality, as he was the free disposer of his own so in the Kingdom of Grace he doth by the Spirit of Life, Light, and Love 1. Quicken and strengthen the dead and weak souls, and awaken the slumbering and slothful; 2. Illuminate the dark with Faith and Knowledge; and 3. Sanctifie