Two discourses concerning the Holy Spirit, and His work the one, Of the Spirit…

(§ 21.) LASTLY, The Continuance of the Employment as unto the Settling of new planted Churches, is no way necessary. For every Church being planted and settled, is entrusted with Power for it's own Preservation and continuance in due Order according to the Mind of Christ, and is enabled to do all those things in it self, which at first were done under the Guidance of the Evangelists; nor can any one Instance be given wherein they are defective. And where any Church was called and gathered in the Name of Christ, which had some things yet wanting unto it's Perfection and Complete Order, which the Evangelists were to finish and settle; they did it not but in and by the Power of the Church it self; only presiding and directing in the things to be done. And if any Churches through their own Default have lost that Order and Power which they were once established in, ⟨p. 158⟩as they shall never want Power in themselves to recover their pristine Estate and Condition, who will attend unto their Duty according unto Rule to that purpose: So this would rather prove a Necessity of raising up new Evangelists, of a new extraordinary Ministry on the Defection of Churches, than the continuance of them in the Church rightly stated and settled.

(§ 21.) LASTLY, The Continuance of the Employment as unto the Settling of new planted Churches, is no way necessary. For every Church being planted and settled, is entrusted with Power for it's own Preservation and continuance in due Order according to the Mind of Christ, and is enabled to do all those things in it self, which at first were done under the Guidance of the Evangelists; nor can any one Instance be given wherein they are defective. And where any Church was called and gathered in the Name of Christ, which had some things yet wanting unto it's Perfection and Compleat Order, which the Evangelists were to finish and settle; they did it not but in and by the Power of the Church it self; only presiding and directing in the things to be done. And if any Churches through their own Default have lost that Order and Power which they were once established in, ⟨p. 158⟩as they shall never want Power in themselves to recover their pristine Estate and Condition, who will attend unto their Duty according unto Rule to that purpose: So this would rather prove a Necessity of raising up new Evangelists, of a new extraordinary Ministry on the Defection of Churches, than the continuance of them in the Church rightly stated and settled.