To enter upon the Controversy who these Elders and Overseers were▪ is repugnant to the occasion at this time: Then you have this office in subje•to, in Hypothesi; in the practice of it, you have the rule of a Pastor, and the example of a Ruler, and that is in Paul himself: O the zeal, watchfulness, the diligence, the courage, the purity of aim and ends, which he professeth in his Ministerial discharge! not that he speaketh these for ostentation, but imitation; for he would not have said thus much of himself, saith Grotius on the place, but that hereby he would leave a pattern or form of life to all successors; Insomuch, that no Minister ⟨p. 3⟩reading Pauls expressions of himself in this place, but may cry out, O me! a clod of earth to such a Star, Ice to such a Fire, a worm to such an Angel! Though he were a Paul, as some think his name denoteth, little in stature of his body, yet he was a Giant in Gifts and Graces, so that Papists themselves cannot but give the pre-eminence to Paul above Peter, in respect of Doctrine and Ministerial abilities: He was the earthly Angel, the Cor Christi, the Tuba Evangelii, as the Ancients call him; yet I am not of Amyraldus his mind, consider. in cap. 7. ad Rom. who denying the Interpretation of the seventh of the Romans, to be understood personally of Paul, thinking this would be injurious to the Grace of God sanctifying of him, and making him so eminent a Servant in his Church: He affirmeth, that if God pleased so to adorn Paul with the gifts of the Spirit, that he should in this life arrive at that fullness and perfection of holiness, which other Believers obtain no where but in Heaven, that thereby he might be propounded as a perfect example to all Christians, and his Ministry be more happily efficacious; here was not (saith he) any thing to be blame-worthy: But though we grant Paul to have an elder Brothers portion in the Graces and Gifts of Christ, so that if no Minister could be saved, unless he were a Paul, woe be to us all; yet that Paul was not above the combat of the flesh and spirit within him, appeareth partly in that careful keeping down of his body, 1 Cor. 9. 27. lest sin should prevail; as also in those buffetings of Satan which ⟨p. 4⟩he was exercised with, that he might not be lifted up above measure, 2 Cor. 12. 7.
To enter upon the Controversie who these Elders and Overseers were▪ is repugnant to the occasion at this time: Then you have this office in subje•to, in Hypothesi; in the practice of it, you have the rule of a Pastor, and the example of a Ruler, and that is in Paul himself: O the zeal, watchfulness, the dilegence, the courage, the purity of aime and ends, which he professeth in his Ministerial discharge! not that he speaketh these for ostentation, but imitation; for he would not have said thus much of himself, saith Grotius on the place, but that hereby he would leave a patern or form of life to all successors; Insomuch, that no Minister ⟨p. 3⟩reading Pauls expressions of himself in this place, but may cry out, O me! a clod of earth to such a Star, Ice to such a Fire, a worm to such an Angel! Though he were a Paul, as some think his name denoteth, little in stature of his body, yet he was a Gyant in Gifts and Graces, so that Papists themselves cannot but give the pre-eminence to Paul above Peter, in respect of Doctrine and Ministerial abilities: He was the earthly Angel, the Cor Christi, the Tuba Evangelii, as the Ancients call him; yet I am not of Amyraldus his minde, consider. in cap. 7. ad Rom. who denying the Interpretation of the seventh of the Romans, to be understood personally of Paul, thinking this would be injurious to the Grace of God sanctifying of him, and making him so eminent a Servant in his Church: He affirmeth, that if God pleased so to adorn Paul with the gifts of the Spirit, that he should in this life arrive at that fulness and perfection of holiness, which other Believers obtain no where but in Heaven, that thereby he might be propounded as a perfect example to all Christians, and his Ministry be more happily efficacious; here was not (saith he) any thing to be blame-worthy: But though we grant Paul to have an elder Brothers portion in the Graces and Gifts of Christ, so that if no Minister could be saved, unless he were a Paul, wo be to us all; yet that Paul was not above the combate of the flesh and spirit within him, appeareth partly in that careful keeping down of his body, 1 Cor. 9. 27. lest sin should prevail; as also in those buffetings of Satan which ⟨p. 4⟩he was exercised with, that he might not be lifted up above measure, 2 Cor. 12. 7.
