and if this will hold, then pastors are sufficiently comprised
under the word teachers; yea, some think that both evangelists and
pastors are comprehended under the word teacher.[55] But, however, be
that as it will, these two things are evident, 1. That this enumeration
(though evangelists and pastors be left out) is the fullest and
completest enumeration of church officers which in any place is to be
found throughout all the New Testament. 2. That though we should grant
this defect in the enumeration, yet this is no way prejudicial to the
present argument, that governments here mentioned are ruling officers in
the Church, distinct from all other church officers that have rule; for
they are plainly and distinctly recited as distinct kinds of officers,
distinct from apostles, from prophets, from teachers, from all here
mentioned. And thus interpreters[56] commonly expound this place, taking
governments for a distinct kind of church officer from all the rest here
enumerated.

Now to sum up all that hath been said for the proof of the assumption;
it is evident, 1. That the church here spoken of is the Church of Christ
now under the New Testament. 2. That the governments here mentioned, are
officers set in this church, (not out of the church,) as rulers
governing therein. 3. That these governments set as rulers or governors
in this church, are set there not by man, but by God himself; _God hath
set in the Church--governments_. 4. And, finally, That these governments
thus set in the Church, are distinct, not only from all governors out of
the Church, but also from all governing officers within the Church. And
if all this laid together will not clearly evince the divine right of
the ruling elder, what will? Hence we may strongly conclude,

_Conclusion_. Therefore these governments in 1 Cor. xii. 28, are the
ruling elders we inquire after, and that of divine right.

Now against the urging of 1 Cor. xii. 28, for the proof of the divine
right of the ruling elders, divers exceptions are made, which are to be
answered before we pass to the third argument.

_Except_. 1. The allegation of this place is too weak to prove the thing
in question. For will any man that knoweth what it is to reason, reason
from the general to the particular and special affirmatively? or will
ever any man of common sense be persuaded that this consequence is good:
There were governors in the primitive church mentioned by the
Apostles--therefore they w