A treatise of miscellany questions wherein many useful questions and cases of conscience are…A treatise of miscellany questions wherein many usefull questions and cases of conscience are…

Of Prophets and Evangelists, in what sense their Work and Vocation might be called extraordinary; and in what sense ordinary.

This Question appeareth to be very perplexed and thorny, yet I am led upon it both by the controversies of the times, concerning the necessity of Mission and Ordination unto all Ministers of holy things, and likewise by occasion of that which is maintained by some men of Learning that there are still or may be Evangelists in the Church. Calvin holds indeed that in that age of his, God raised up Evangelists to rescue the Church from Popery Instit lib. 4. cap. 3. § 4. and Mr. Hooker in his Ecclesiastical policy, lib. 5. Sect: 78. tells us out of Eusebius eccles: hist: lib. 3. cap: 34. that in Trajans days many of the Apostles Disciples and Scholars who were then alive, sold their possessions, which they gave to the poor, and betaking themselves to travel, undertook the labour of Evangelists, that is, they painfully preached Christ, and delivered to them who as yet never heard the doctrine of Faith. Concerning Prophets, I have before showed out of Justine Martyr dial: ⟨p. 92⟩cum Tryph: Jud. That in his days there were still some in the Church, who had an extraordinary gift of prophecy, and such there have been also in other places, and at other times. Of which there might be diverse instances given, I shall here speak somewhat, first of the work of Prophets and Evangelists.

THis Question appeareth to be very perplexed and thornie, yet I am led upon it both by the contraversies of the times, concerning the necessity of Mission and Ordination unto all Ministers of holy things, and likewise by occasion of that which is maintained by some men of Learning that there are still or may be Evangelists in the Church. Calvin holds indeed that in that age of his, God raised up Evangelists to rescue the Church from Popery Instit lib. 4. cap. 3. § 4. and Mr. Hooker in his Ecclesiasticall policie, lib. 5. Sect: 78. tels us out of Eusebius eccles: hist: lib. 3. cap: 34. that in Trajans dayes many of the Apostles Disciples and Scholers who were then alive, sold their possessions, which they gave to the poor, and betaking themselves to travel, undertook the labour of Evangelists, that is, they painfully preached Christ, and delivered to them who as yet never heard the doctrine of Faith. Concerning Prophets, I have before shewed out of Iustine Martyr dial: