to ordain them
presbyters, or elders _in every church_, Acts xiv. 23; Tit. i. 5. Now
can it be clearly evidenced by any, that these were not ruling as well
as preaching presbyters; especially when it appears by other places that
the primitive churches had both? Rom. xii. 8; 1 Cor. xii. 28;

1 Tim. v. 17. Or can we think that the apostles were not as careful to
erect elderships in several congregations, as to appoint elders?
otherwise how could the apostles have answered it to their Lord and
Master Jesus Christ, in leaving them without that necessary provision of
government, which Christ himself had allowed to them, at least, in some
cases, as hath been evidenced?

4. Finally, necessity (which is a strong and cogent law) plainly and
forcibly pleads for elderships in particular congregations endowed with
authority and power from Christ for government within themselves. For,
1. How wearisome a thing would it be to all congregations, should every
one of their members be bound to attend upon synods and greater
presbyteries, (which in the country are at a great distance from them,)
in all ecclesiastical matters of judicature, if they had no relief in
their own congregations? How impossible would it be for the greater
presbyteries, not only to hear and determine all hard and weighty, but
also all small and easy causes that would be brought before them? And
what should become of such a congregation as either voluntarily
transplants itself, or is accidentally cast among heathens or pagans in
far countries, where there are no Christians or churches to join and
associate withal, if they be denied an authoritative presbytery within
themselves, for preventing and healing of scandals, and preserving
themselves from destruction and ruin, which anarchy would unavoidably
bring upon them?

CHAPTER XIII.

_Of the Divine Right of Presbyteries, (for distinction's sake called
Classical Presbyteries,) for the government of the Church._

Having spoken of the lesser, viz. congregational elderships, we come now
to the greater ruling assemblies, which are either presbyterial or
synodal. And first, of the presbyterial assembly, or classical
presbytery, viz. an assembly made up of the presbyters of divers
neighboring single congregations, for governing of all those respective
congregations in common, whereunto they belong, in all matters of common
concernment and greater difficulty in the Church. The divine warrant and
right of this