e highest: therefore all
members should harmoniously lay out their gifts for the good of the
whole body, without jars or divisions, ver. 12-28. 3. All the several
officers, whether extraordinary or ordinary, though furnished with
several gifts and several administrations, yet are placed by one and the
same God, in one and the same general Church; and therefore should all
level at the benefit of the whole church, without pride, animosities,
divisions, &c., ver. 28, to the end. These things being briefly premised
for the clearing the context and scope of the chapter, we may thus argue
from ver. 28:

_Major_. Whatsoever officers God himself, now under the New Testament,
hath set in the Church as governors therein, distinct from all other
church governors, whether extraordinary or ordinary; they are the ruling
elders we inquire after, and that by divine right.

This proposition is so clear and evident of itself, that much needs not
to be said for any further demonstration of it. For what can be further
desired for proof that there are such distinct officers as ruling elders
in the Church of Christ, and that of divine right, than to evince, 1.
That there are certain officers set of God in the Church as governors
therein. 2. That those officers so set of God in the Church, are set in
the Church under the New Testament, which immediately concerns us, and
not under the Old Testament. 3. That these officers set of God as
governors in the Church of the New Testament, are distinct from all
other church governors, whether extraordinary or ordinary? For, by the
third of these, we have a distinct church officer delineated and
particularized: by the second we have this distinct church officer
limited to the time and state of the Church only under the New
Testament, which is our case: and by the first of these, we have this
distinct New Testament officer's ruling power in the Church, and the
divine right thereof evidently demonstrated, by God's act in setting him
there in this capacity; (see Part 1. Chap. VI.;) so that by all put
together, the consequence of this major proposition seems to be strong
and unquestionable.

_Minor_. But the governments named in 1 Cor. xii. 28, are officers which
God himself now under the New Testament hath set in the Church as
governors therein, distinct from all other church governors, whether
extraordinary or ordinary.

This minor or assumption is wholly grounded upon, and plainly contained
in this