An expository comment, doctrinal, controversial, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…An expository comment, doctrinal, controversal, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…

To this we may answer, That it is both an instrument to gather a Church, and then a note of it, when gathered; neither is there any absurdity therein. It's true, that very numerical preaching, which at first made the Church, cannot be a mark or note of it, but the same specific preaching, or that which is like it, that doth truly declare where the true Church is. So that by this we may see, the dignity and usefulness of the Ministry; for by that God is pleased to raise up ⟨p. 56⟩all the Churches that are in the world. God who did immediately create the world, and used no instruments, yet in planting of his Church doth, and therefore they are workers with him, 2 Cor. 6. 1. Neither is the Ministry only necessary to constitute a Church, and then afterwards useless, as Episcopius saith. Where people have the Scriptures, there the Ministry is of no necessity. Yea the Socinians make it only a matter of order and conveniency. For Ministers are not only appointed to gather Churches at first, but when they are planted, continually to water them. Therefore Ephes. 4. their usefulness is showed even to constituted Churches; For the further building them up, even till they come to a full stature in Christ. And therefore the Apostles thought it not enough to make Churches, to erect new spiritual Societies, that should profess Christ; but Elders were to be ordained in every Church, that were to have constant residence amongst them, and to give them daily food, watching over their souls, and therefore their title of Shepherds, and the people being called a Flock, do evidently demonstrate the necessity of a Ministry not only at first, as miracles were, but perpetually even to the coming of Christ.

To this we may answer, That it is both an instrument to gather a Church, and then a note of it, when gathered; neither is there any absurdity therein. It's true, that very numerical preaching, which at first made the Church, cannot be a mark or note of it, but the same specifical preaching, or that which is like it, that doth truly declare where the true Church is. So that by this we may see, the dignity and usefulness of the Ministry; for by that God is pleased to raise up ⟨p. 56⟩