Five disputations of church-government and worship

§. 7. Nor yet is it any of our Question, Whether the difference between these general unfixed Ministers and ordinary fixed Presbyters, ⟨p. 277⟩be in point of Authority or of exercise only. Whether they are two distinct Species of the Ministry, or but one of the same Office in Specie, variously exercised: I have given in my thoughts of this before, so far as I can yet reach: But if it be granted that some should ordinarily exercise their office generally and ambulatorily over many Churches, as others ordinarily must exercise it fixedly in one particular Church, I shall not contend whether they are to be called One Office or two: nor yet whether the fixed Minister may not extraordinarily upon a special reason, do the same work as the itinerant Minister in the same way. But Ministers there must be for both these work.

§. 8. And that some should make the general work before mentioned their ordinary business, and not take the pastoral Charge of any particular Church, I conceive (besides the former proofs) is further manifest, 1. In that the work of Converting Unbelievers, and bringing them into a fitness for Church Communion, is the work that is to go first, and is the greatest work: Its the greatest in weight (praecisively considered, and as to the terminus à quo of the change that it effects:) and it is the greatest in regard of opposing difficulties: the winning of a soul, which rejoiceth Angels, and rejoiceth Jesus Christ himself, will have so much of Satan's malice to oppose it, and hath so much resistance in the heart of the sinner, that it requireth the whole work (in ordinary) of those Ministers that are specially called hereunto.

§. 8. And that some should make the general work before mentioned their ordinary business, and not take the pastoral Charge of any particular Church, I conceive (besides the former proofs) is further manifest, 1. In that the work of Converting Unbelievers, and bringing them into a fitness for Church Communion, is the work that is to go first, and is the greatest work: Its the greatest in weight (praecisively considered, and as to the terminus à quo of the change that it effects:) and it is the greatest in regard of opposing difficulties: the winning of a soul, which rejoyceth Angels, and rejoyceth Jesus Christ himself, will have so much of Satans malice to oppose it, and hath so much resistance in the heart of the sinner, that it requireth the whole work (in ordinary) of those Ministers that are specially called hereunto.