we seek, and that by divine right.

The major proposition is clear. For in the particulars of it, well
compared together, are observable both a plain delineation or
description of the ruling elder's office; and also a firm foundation for
the divine right of that office. The ruling elder's office is described
and delineated by these several clauses, which set out so many
requisites for the making up of a ruling elder, viz: 1. He must be a
member of Christ's organical body. Such as are without, pagans,
heathens, infidels, &c., out of the Church, they are not fit objects for
church government, to have it exercised by the Church upon them; the
Church only judges them that are within, (1 Cor. v. 12, 13,) much less
can they be fit subjects of church government to exercise it themselves
within the Church. How shall they be officers in the Church that are not
so much as members of the Church? Besides, such as are only members of
the invisible body of Christ, as the glorified saints in heaven, they
cannot be officers in the Church; for not the Church invisible, but only
the Church or body of Christ visible is organical. So that every church
officer must first be a Church member, a member of the visible organical
body: consequently a ruling elder must be such a member. 2. He must have
an office of ruling in this body of Christ. Membership is not enough,
unless that power of rule be superadded thereto; for the whole office of
the ruling elder is contained in the matter of rule; take away rule, you
destroy the very office. Now, rule belongs not to every member: "Salute
all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints," Heb. xiii.
24, where rulers and saints are made contradistinct to one another. In
the body natural all the members are not eyes, hands, &c., governing the
body, some are rather governed; so in the body of Christ, 1 Cor. xii. 3.
This his office of ruling must be an ordinary office; apostles had some
power that was extraordinary, as their apostleship was extraordinary;
but when we seek for this ruling elder, we seek for a fixed, standing,
ordinary officer ruling in the church. 4. All that is not enough, that
he be a member of the church, that he have an office of rule in the
church, and that office also be ordinary; but besides all these it is
necessary that he be also distinct from all other standing officers in
the church, viz. from pastors, teachers, deacons; else all the former
will not make up a peculiar k