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…

But what is the distinguishing work and characteristical property of an Evangelist, i. e. that which an ordinary Pastor and Teacher might not do, and which none else could do but an Apostle or a Prophet? That I may speak to this more clearly, 'tis to be remembered, that the word Evangelist is not here taken in that restricted vulgar sense, for a pen-man of the holy Ghost writing Gospel; for in that sense there were but four Evangelists, and two of them Apostles. But this is not the Scripture notion of the word, which tells us that Philip and Timothy were Evangelists, Act. 21. 8. 2 Tim. 4. 5. And that Christ hath given Evangelists to his Church for the work of the Ministry. Eph. 4. 11, 12. Now if we take the word as the Scripture doth, the proper work of an Evangelist i. e. that which none but an Evangelist as an Evangelist, or he who was more then an Evangelist could do, I conceive to stand in two things: the first is, to lay foundations of Churches, and to preach Christ to an unbelieving people, who have not yet received the Gospel, or at least who have not the true Doctrine of Christ among them. So Philip the Evangelist preached Christ to the city of Samaria, and baptized them before any of the Apostles came unto them. Act. 8. 5. 12. And if the 70 Disciples Luk 10 were Evangelists (as many think, and Calvin Instit: lib: 4. cap: 3. 4. thinks it probable) their proper work as Evangelists, was to preach the Gospel to those cities which had not received it. Their second work is a travelling and negotiating as Messengers and Agents upon extraordinary ⟨p. 94⟩occasions, and special emergencies which is oft times between one Church and another, and so distinct from the first which is a travelling among them that are yet without. Of this second there are diverse examples in Scripture, as 2 Cor. 8. 23. Phil: 2. 19. 25. 2 Tim: 4. 9. Tit: 3 12 Act: 15 22 25. In this last example, although some are of opinion that Silas was of Jerusalem, and had an ordinary Ministerial function there, yet the best writers do commonly reckon Silas among the Evangelists, and I do not doubt but as he was a Prophet,