[ 493] among us, who deride even the pretence ofPray.: ing by the Spirit, when it rneaneth no Enthufiafm, but the illuminating, quickning and fanctifying influx ofthe Spirit, fhould hardly believe that all or moft ofthe ignorant and erroneous Biihops of the World have Apoftolick Jnfpiration. If they have, are not their Decrees and Writings God's Word, and equal to the Scriptures ? God's Law is not fo imperfeCt a thing, nor Chrifi fo imperfeCt a Law-giver, as that more and more mull: be added to it, and no man can tell by whom; nor when it will be perfect. Nothing unneceffary is fit for an Univerfal Law ; And all that is Univerfally neceffary Chrifi bath done al– ready. An Univerfal Law-giver is a Chrifi : If a falfe pretender, he is a falfe Chrifi. But all Pallors are Succeffors to the Apofiles as qrdinary Minifiers, in that ordinary part of their work; viz.~ To Preach Chrifi, and make and bap– tize Difciples, and teach them to obferve all that: Chrifi commanded the Apofiles, as Official Guides of their feveral Flocks: And to do this in order, decently, and to edification : And being the· Church~Guides, it is their Office to }udge of their' own aets, that is, when, where, in what words eo· Preach and Pray, and whom to Baptize, and to· whom to deliver the Sacraments of Commu– nion, &c. § 6. III. But the next doubt is of the extent of the Apofiles Office, and next of the Biil1ops and ordinary Pafiors. . And, I. It is evident that what the Apofiles· did in delivering Chrifi's Commands in Vi'riting. ~ (in the Scriptures) · though at firfi and mofi imme– diately it was for the u(e of particular Perfons and I , '
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