not to be proud of their spiritual gifts, (which in those days
abounded,) but to think soberly, self-denyingly of themselves, and to
use all their gifts well. This he presseth upon them, 1. From the nature
of the Church, which is as a natural organical body, wherein are many
members, having their several offices for the good of the whole body; so
the members of Christ's body being many, have their several gifts and
offices for the good of the whole, that the superior should not despise
the inferior, nor the inferior envy their superior, ver. 3-5. 2. From
the distribution or enumeration of the several kinds of ordinary
standing officers in this organical body, the Church, who are severally
exhorted duly to discharge those duties that are specially required of
them in their several functions, ver. 6-8. These officers are reduced
first to two general heads, viz: Prophecy (understand not the
extraordinary gift of foretelling future things, &c., but the ordinary,
in the right understanding and interpreting of Scripture) and ministry;
and the general duties thereof are annexed, ver. 6, 7. Then these
generals are subdivided into the special offices contained under them,
the special duty of every officer being severally pressed upon them.
Under prophecy are contained, 1. _He that teacheth_, i.e., the doctor or
teacher; 2. _He that exhorteth_, i.e., the pastor, ver. 7, 8. Under
ministry are comprised, 1. _He that giveth_, i.e., the deacon; 2. _He
that ruleth_, i.e., the ruling elder. The current of our best
interpreters to this effect resolve this context. So that here we have a
very excellent and perfect enumeration of all the ordinary standing
officers in the Church of Christ distinctly laid down. This premised,
the argument for the divine right of the ruling elder may be thus
propounded:

_Major_. Whatsoever members of Christ's organical body have an ordinary
office of ruling therein given them of God, distinct from all other
ordinary standing officers in the church, together with directions from
God how they are to rule; they are the ruling elders we seek, and that
by divine right.

_Minor_. But _he that ruleth_, mentioned in Rom. xii. 8, is a member of
Christ's organical body, having an ordinary office of ruling therein
given him of God, distinct from all other standing officers in the
church, together with direction how he is to rule.

_Conclusion_. Therefore he that ruleth, mentioned in Rom. xii. 8, is the
ruling elder