"Therefore, the church is not absolutely necessary as an object of faith, not even for us today, for then Abraham and the other prophets would not have given assent to those things which were revealed to them from God without any intervening help of the church"

This quote by William Ames recommends that the church is not a crucial part of faith, even in modern-day times. He argues that if the church was necessary for faith, then Abraham and the other prophets would not have accepted the revelations from God without the help of the church. This suggests that faith is something that is individual and does not need the church to be present. Ames suggests that faith is something that is between a private and God, and does not require to be moderated by the church. This quote highlights the value of individual faith and the concept that the church is not essential for faith. It also suggests that faith is something that is deeply individual and does not need to be verified by the church.