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Obj. VVEre not those Priests you speake of, lawfully called to their function, or office?
Ans. I deny they were, for they cannot be lawfully called to* 1.1 that office or function, except either by an immediate calling from God, as the Prophets and Apostles were called; or by God and Man, as was Matthias, and the foure Deacons, viz. by the Spirit of God, and the Church, where they are to officiate; but that
these Priests afore-named, have neither of these callings, will ap∣peare by these reasons.
1. In that immediate callings are ceased, and therefore cannot* 1.2 be expected, Gifts and Miracles being acted by the Apostles, &c. rather for the glorifying of Christ, first comming in the flesh, then after, as will appeare by these Scriptures, Joh. 20. 29, 30, 31. Mat. 20. 1. 8. Mark 3. 15. Luke 9. 1. &c. As also in that the Man-hood of Christ is to be contained in the Heavens, till the re∣storing of all things, Act. 3. 21. therefore they that expect men to be so called, and so gifted, as the Apostles were (to rebuild the Spirituall Jerusalem, or to extract the Church of Christ out of the world, and Antichristianisme) may as well expect Christ com∣ming* 1.3 againe in person, which cannot be, for the reasons formerly alledged; and therefore it is impossible for them, or any other, to be so called to the publick Ministry in the Church of Christ, in these times.
2. As these Priests have not this immediate calling from God, so are they not rightly constituted to their office, by the immediate calling of the Church of Christ, viz. according to the example of the Apostles, in their constituting of Ministers; it being then effected by the generall consent of the Church, as of the Apo∣stles, Elders, and Brethren, as hereafter I shall make appeare at large.
Cavalier Priests not lawfully cal∣led to their office.
Two sorts of calling to the Ministry of the Gospel, viz. immediate and mediate.
None called now as were the Apostles.