t gifts and
trophies of Christ's ascension: "Ascending up on high, he led captivity
captive, and gave gifts to men: and he gave some apostles, and some
prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers," Eph. iv.
8, 11. Thus in that exact roll of ordinary officers: "Having, therefore,
gifts different according to the grace given unto us; whether prophecy,
let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; or ministry, let
us wait on our ministry;" (here is the general distribution of all
ordinary officers under two heads, _prophecy_ and _ministry_:) "or he
that teacheth, on teaching; or he that exhorteth, on exhortation," (here
is the teacher and the pastor, that come under the first head of
prophecy,) Rom. xii. 6-8. "Take heed to yourselves, and to all the
flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made" (or set) "you overseers,"
Acts xx. 28. Note--God hath set in the Church; Christ hath given for his
body; the Holy Ghost hath made overseers over the flock, these pastors
and teachers: and are not pastors and teachers church officers by divine
right, having the authority of God, Christ, and of the Holy Ghost?

2. They are to be thus and thus qualified according to divine direction.
The qualifications of these pastors and teachers, (called presbyters and
overseers,) see in 1 Tim. iii. 2-8, "An overseer," or bishop, "must be
blameless," &c.; and Tit. i. 5-10, "To ordain presbyters," or elders,
"in every city--If any be blameless," &c. Now, where God lays down
qualifications for pastors and teachers, there he approves such officers
to be his own ordinance.

3. They have manifold church employments committed to them from Christ,
as ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God, (1 Cor. iv.
1, 2,) they being intrusted in whole or in part with the managing of
most if not all the ordinances forementioned in part 2, chap. VII., as
there by the texts alleged is evident. Matters of order and special
office are committed to them only _divisim_: matters of jurisdiction are
committed to them with ruling elders _conjunctim_. If Christ hath
intrusted them thus with church ordinances, and the dispensing of them,
sure they are Christ's church officers.

4. The very names and titles given them in Scripture proclaim them to be
Christ's own ordinance; among many take these: "Ministers of Christ," 1
Cor. iv. 1; "Stewards of the mysteries of God," 1 Cor. iv. 1;
"Ambassadors for Christ," 2 Cor. v. 20; "Laborers thrust f