The true and only way of concord of all the Christian churches the desirableness…

3. It is of great use to our faith and obedience to understand that Christ hath settled an authorized Ministry to preserve and preach his Word, and administer his Sacraments, and guide his Churches to the end of the world, and he that knoweth not this wanteth an integral part of Christianity, and a great and needful help to his edification and salvation.

4. Yet none of these are absolutely necessary to the essence of Christianity: If any lived where the ministerial office were not known, or should by misleading ⟨p. 174⟩so far err as to think that any judicious Christian, or any Christian Magistrate, or master of a family, might preach and administer the Sacraments, if yet this man believe in God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, as his Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier, and be accordingly devoted to him in baptism, this man shall be saved, notwithstanding his ignorance or error about the Ministry, yea though he knew not of the office of the Apostles, but took them for lay men. For the promise is, that whoever believeth in Christ shall not perish, but have everlasting life, Joh. 3. 16, 18. by what means soever he was converted to the faith: It is not only, [He that is converted by a Priest shall not perish] Nor is it ever said [He that believeth in the Apostles or Priests shall not perish], but he that believeth in Christ (which essentially includeth the belief in the Father and the Holy Ghost.) And therefore Paul calleth them carnal as guilty of Schism that said I am of Paul, and I of Cephas; because they were not baptized into the name of Paul or Cephas, but of Christ: And he thanketh God that he had baptized few of them, lest they should say that he had baptized them into his own name.

4. Yet none of these are absolutely necessary to the essence of Christianity: If any lived where the ministerial office were not known, or should by misleading ⟨p. 174⟩so far err as to think that any judicious Christian, or any Christian Magistrate, or master of a family, might preach and administer the Sacraments, if yet this man believe in God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, as his Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier, and be accordingly devoted to him in baptism, this man shall be saved, notwithstanding his ignorance or errour about the Ministry, yea though he knew not of the office of the Apostles, but took them for lay men. For the promise is, that whoever believeth in Christ shall not perish, but have everlasting life,