Five disputations of church-government and worship

§. 15. 4. And it is not the taking up of another calling or Species of Ministerial Office: For the Ministry is one office (distinct from that inferior sort of Ministry of Deacons) and containeth the power and obligation of doing all this, when we have particular Calls: It is but the exercise of the same office which we had before: We do but lay out our selves more in some parts or acts of that office, then more retired Pastors do.

§. 15. 4. And it is not the taking up of another calling or Species of Ministerial Office: For the Ministry is one office (distinct from that inferiour sort of Ministry of Deacons) and containeth the power and obligation of doing all this, when we have particular Cals: It is but the exercise of the same office which we had before: We do but lay out our selves more in some parts or acts of that office, then more retired Pastors do.

§. 16. And 5. It belongeth to the Magistrates to take care of the Church and the right exercise of the gifts of their subject Ministers: and therefore if they command one man more labour then another, even the Planting, or Visiting of Churches, it is our Duty to obey them.

§. 17. More particularly: 1. That a fixed Pastor may preach abroad among the unconverted, I hope none will deny. It was the ancient custom of the fixed Bishops, besides the feeding of their flocks, to labour the Conversion of all the Countries about them that were unconverted: The example of Gregory of Ne• caesarea may suffice, who found but seventeen Christians in the City, but converted not only all that City (except seventeen) but also most of the Countries about, and planted Churches, and ordained them Bishops. And so have abundance others done, to the increase of the Church.