Five disputations of church-government and worship

§. 28. 2. These Itinerant unfixed Ministers, are not so obliged to perpetual motion, but that they may reside for a considerable ⟨p. 284⟩time in a place, either for the following on the work of Conversion, where they find a plenteous harvest, or for settling Churches, or suppressing heresies or disorders, or because of their own disability to travail. And thus Paul staid at and about Ephesus in Asia three years, Act. 20.31. Their stay must be prudentially apportioned to their work and opportunities.

§. 28. 2. These Itinerant unfixed Ministers, are not so obliged to perpetual motion, but that they may reside for a considerable ⟨p. 284⟩time in a place, either for the following on the work of Conversion, where they find a plenteous harvest, or for setling Churches, or surpressing heresies or disorders, or because of their own disability to travail. And thus Paul staid at and about Ephesus in Asia three years, Act. 20.31. Their stay must be prudentially apportioned to their work and opportunities.

§. 29. 3. No Itinerant Minister can (of himself) exclude another from his Province, and appropriate it to himself, and say, Here I will work alone, or here I have greater Authority then you: nay it was usual for these Ministers to go by companies, or more then one (as Paul and Barnabas, Paul and Silas, Paul and Timothy, Titus, &c.) so that it was no mans Province or Diocese where they came. For they that Convert Souls to Christ and not to themselves, and Baptize into his name and not in their own, do know the greatness of the work and burden, and therefore are glad of all the assistance they can get: when those that do nothing, are the men that thrust others out of the Vineyard, and say, This is my Diocese or Province; you have nothing to do to labour here.]