CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

¹Secondly, Consider that though the Apostles had many personal and extraordinary privileges, yet the essence and substance of their Ministerial office, is the same with that which every Minister of the Gospel hath, For Matth. 28. there the substance of their office is to preach and administer the Sacraments, which is the duty of every Pastor in the Church; We may not then argue from the extraordinaries of the Apostles to every Minister, but from their substantials, as thus, The Apostolical privileges were to behold Christ with their eyes, and thereby to witness the truth; To be infallible in their doctrine, to be illimited, not bound to one place more then another, to work miracles, &c. Now these were necessary for the infancy and first plantation of the Church, Signs ⟨p. 493⟩being for those that do not believe, and so it's not necessary ordinary Pastors should have them, but then there are the substantials of their Apostolical Office, which was to preach the Word, to be authorized thereunto, these are belonging to every Pastor, and in this they are Successors to the Apostles, Mat. 28. ult. I will be with you to the end of the world, and 2 Tim. 6.14. where in one place God promiseth, and in another place Paul is required to keep those Church-Ordinances till the end of the world, how can this be otherwise? but in the Pastor of the Church, who are in this, though not in their extraordinaries the Apostles Successors.

¹Secondly, Consider that though the Apostles had many personall and extraordinary priviledges, yet the essence and substance of their Ministerial office, is the same with that which every Minister of the Gospel hath, For Matth. 28. there the substance of their office is to preach and administer the Sacraments, which is the duty of every Pastor in the Church; We may not then argue from the extraordinaries of the Apostles to every Minister, but from their substantials, as thus, The Apostolical priviledges were to behold Christ with their eyes, and thereby to witnesse the truth; To be infallible in their doctrine, to be illimited, not bound to one place more then another, to work miracles, &c. Now these were necessary for the infancy and first plantation of the Church, Signes