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

First, That God hath appointed a Ministry in his Church, not from necessity, but a voluntary liberty condescending herein to our capacity. God did once govern his Church, as in the Patriarchs time, by immediate revelations and apparitions, and thus he could still do, if he pleased: It's not therefore from necessity, but mere bounty, that he hath appointed such a way of spiritualizing people. God doth not need the parts, or gifts, or piety of any men in the world; and certainly, if God hath appointed second causes in nature, which work from a necessary principle within, not necessarily, but freely, much less did he in these things which are of a supernatural constitution.

First, That God hath appointed a Ministry in his Church, not from necessity, but a voluntary liberty condescending herein to our capacity. God did once govern his Church, as in the Patriarchs time, by immediate revelations and apparitions, and thus he could still do, if he pleased: It's not therefore from necessity, but meer bounty, that he hath appointed such a way of spiritualizing people. God doth not need the parts, or gifts, or piety of any men in the world; and certainly, if God hath appointed second causes in nature, which work from a necessary principle within, not necessarily, but freely, much lesse did he in these things which are of a supernatural constitution.

Secondly, It's to be affirmed, That in the first plantation of Christs Church, there were some things extraordinary, but that doth not infer every thing thus appointed was extraordinary. The Office of the Apostles, who had a Commission to go over the world, and had an universal Authority, being furnished to that end with infallible assistance, was extraordinary. Christ seedeth his Church spiritually, as he did once the bodies of men miraculously, first, he took bread himself, then he gave bread to his Disciples, and they gave it to the people. Thus Christ he preached the word of life, and then he commanded the Apostles to preach, who instituted others in their room. The Office then of Apostles and Prophets, with the gift of miracles, were extraordinary in the first constituting of the Church; but then ordinary Officers were afterwards required; As with the people of Israel, while in the wilderness, God made miraculous provision for them, but when once settled in Canaan, then their Manna and other miraculous provision failed them.