sufficient foundation for a distinct
kind of church officer, we shall open a door for invention of church
officers at pleasure; then welcome commissioners and committee men, &c.;
yea, then let us return to the vomit, and resume prelates, deans,
archdeacons, chancellors, officials, &c., for church officers. And where
shall we stop? who but Christ Jesus himself can establish new officers
in his church? Is it not the fruit of his ascension, &c.? Eph. iv. 7,
11, 12. Certainly if the Scriptures lay not before us grounds more than
prudential for the ruling elder, it were better never to have mere
ruling elders in the church. Both the Presbyterians and Independents[45]
acknowledge the divine right of the ruling elder. For satisfaction of
doubting unprejudiced minds, (to omit divers considerations that might
be produced,) the divine right of the ruling elder may be evinced by
these ensuing arguments.

_Argum_. I. The first argument for the divine right of the ruling elder
in the Church of Christ, shall be drawn from Rom. xii. 6-8: "Having,
then, gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us,
whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
or ministry, _let us wait_ on our ministering; or he that teacheth, on
teaching; or he that exhorteth, on exhortation; he that giveth, _let him
do it_ with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence," &c. Let the
scope and context of this chapter be a little viewed, and it will make
way for the more clear arguing from this place. Briefly thus: The
apostle having finished the principal part of his epistle, which was
problematical, wherein he disputed--1. About justification, chap,
i.-vi.; 2. Sanctification, chap. vi. 7, 8; and, 3. Predestination, chap.
ix. 10, 11, he comes to the next branch, which is more practical, about
good works, chap. xii.-xvi. This twelfth chapter is wholly in the way of
exhortation, and he herein exhorts to divers duties. 1. More generally
that we should even consecrate ourselves wholly to the service of God,
ver. 1; that we should not conform to the world, ver. 2. More specially
he descends to particular duties, which are of two sorts, viz: 1. Such
as concern ecclesiastical officers as officers, ver. 3-9; 2. Such as
concern all Christians in common as Christians, both towards one another
and towards their very enemies, verse 9, to the end of the chapter.
Touching ecclesiastical officers, the apostle's evident scope is to urge
them