ome rulers who had spoken to them the word of God, Heb. xiii.
7; rulers that watched for their souls as they that must give an account,
ver. 17. Now let the reverend brother speak out, What can he answer? Were
these rulers civil magistrates? Did the civil magistrate speak to them the
word of God? If these rulers were not magistrates but ministers, I ask
next. Is it a matter of indifferency, and no institution, to have a
ministry in a church or not? I hope, though he do not acknowledge ruling
elders _jure divino_, yet he will acknowledge that the ministers of the
word are _jure divino_; yet these were some of the rulers mentioned in the
scriptures quoted. Let him loose the knot, and laugh when he hath done.

Page 19, 20, He laboureth to prove from 1 Cor. xii. 28, that Christ hath
placed civil government in his church; and whereas it is said, that though
it were granted that civil governments are meant in that place, yet it
proves not that Christ hath placed them in the church. He replieth, "I am
sure the Commissioner will not stand to this: he that placed governors was
the same that placed teachers." But his assurance deceiveth him; for upon
supposition that civil governments are there meant (which is his sense), I
deny it, and he doth but _petere principium_. God placed civil
governments, Christ placed teachers; God placed all whom Christ placed,
but Christ did not place all whom God placed. Next, whereas it was said,
that governments in that place cannot be meant of Christian magistrates,
because at that time the church had no Christian magistrates, he replieth,
That Paul speaks of governments that the church had not, because in the
enumeration, ver. 29, 30, he omits none but _helps_ and _governments_. I
answer, The reason of that omission is not because these two were not then
in being (for God had set them as well as the rest in the church, ver.
28), but to make ruling elders and deacons contented with their station,
though they be not prophets, teachers, &c. Thirdly, I asked, How comes
civil government into the catalogue of ecclesiastical and spiritual
administrations? His reply is nothing but an affirmation, that Christian
magistracy is an ecclesiastical administration, and a query whether
working of miracles and gifts of healings be ecclesiastical. _Ans._ Hence
followeth, 1. That if the magistrate cease to be Christian he loseth his
administration; 2. That though a worker of miracles cease to be Christian,
yet it is