and infpectors of the different orders of the clergy in the Romish church, but it is certain that in those churches where Epifcopacy is established, many rule who are not teachers. Bishop Burnet, in his Funeral Sermon on Archbishop Tillotfon, exprefsly affirms, that a bishop as fuch, though appointed to rule, has no care of fouls, by preaching, devolved upon him. "In his function," fays he, he was a conftant preacher: For though he "had no care of fouls upon him, yet few that had, labour"ed fo painfully as he did." And Dr. South, in his Sermon preached at the Confecration of the Bishop of Rochefter, vol. i. p. 209. explicitly afferts, that "a teach"ing talent is not abfolutely neceffary in a bishop, nor "is of the vital conftitution of his function. If he have "it, it is not to be refused; but if he have it not, it is not much to be defired." And befides their bifhops, we know that they have chancellors, and commiffioners, and church-wardens, and other officers, who, though laymen, judge and decide in ecclefiaftical matters. Dr. Whitaker moreover, though an Epifcopalian, acknowledges that there fhould be two claffes of elders in the church; and Dr. Whitby, as will be fhewn, exprefsly avows himself of the very fame fentiments. See alfo Bishop Jewel's Defence of his Apology, part i. p. 41. where he admits that laymen fhould judge in the church; and fee, too, Willet in his Controverfiæ, Controv. iii. Quæft. iv. p. 41. where he attempts to prove, by a variety of arguments, that laymen fhould be allowed to be ecclefiaftical judges. With regard to Independents, it is certain that though the multitude be permitted to judge and vote with the pastors, it is a few only of the leading and most active of the members who determine every business. The only difference then between Prefbyterians and them feems to be this, that while the government is committed by the former to a clafs of elders who do not teach, together with the paftors who

rule as well as teach, it is intrufted nominally by the latter to all the members together with the pastors, but is exercised in reality only by a few of them who influence the reft. Now, is it not better to give not only the power but the name of rulers to these few along with the paftor, than, like Independents, to delude the people with the mere name, while the power is neceffarily limited to a few? On the whole, as the government must really, from the nature of the thing, be placed in the hands of a few, and as the leading men in a congregation, though perhaps forward and loquacious, are often leaft fitted to direct their decifions, is not the fyftem of Prefbytery more enlightened and wife? By this means, they are fecured from the evils which too often refult from the confidence or intrigues of any noify declaimer; and a court of ecclefiaftical judges is obtained, not only more enlightened and judicious than thofe who frequently poffefs the afcendency in popular affemblies, but who, from their knowledge and experience, being more upon an equality with each other, are less likely to be exposed to a superior influence, and to unite at once that ability and that independence which are abfolutely neceffary to the enjoyment of a wife and perfect government.

SIR,

LETTER X.

SATISFACTORY as may be the confiderations which are fuggefted by reason for the neceffity and utility of the inftitution of a separate order of elders, it is on revelation alone that we reft its authority. There are three pasfages in particular which appear to affert its truth.

In the first place, Rom. xii. 6, 7, 8. Here it is neceffary to remark, that, in the preceding verses, the apoftle

represents the church of Christ under the metaphor of a body, and affirms that as in the natural body there is a variety of members poffeffed of different and separate powers, fo in this fpiritual body there is a diverfity of offices, for the exercife of which a diversity of gifts is requifite. "As we have many members in one body," fays he," and all members have not the fame office, fo we "being many, are one body in Chrift, and every one "members one of another." After this, he declares it was the duty of thofe to whom gifts had been imparted for the exercife of particular offices faithfully to employ them, without vanity or arrogance (compare ver. 3.), in their different functions: "Having then gifts, differing "according to the grace that is given to us, whether

any

prophecy, let us prophefy according to the proportion "of faith; or miniftry, let us wait on our miniftering; "or he that teacheth, on teaching; or he that exhort"eth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with fimplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that "fheweth mercy, with cheerfulness." Now, fince in the body of Chrift there is a diverfity of offices as striking as that of the offices of the different members of the natural body; and fince, as is no less evident from the comparison, the united members of the body of Chrift can no more exercise office of that body which does not belong to them united, than every member of the human body united can discharge the office of any particular member of that body; and fince, as is equally plain, there are Some of the offices of the body of Chrift which can be exercifed by perfons who cannot difcharge any fuperior function, as in the human body there are fome offices which can be performed only by the eye or the ear, while these members cannot discharge any other function; is it not obvious that if it can be proved that ruling is numbered among thefe offices in the former body, it will not only follow that it cannot be exercised by all, as see

ing or hearing cannot be performed by all the members of the latter body, but that it can be performed by fome who cannot teach, as feeing and hearing can be exercised by members of the latter body which have no other function?

But that ruling is here mentioned as one of the offices in the church of Christ appears to be undeniable. These offices, as we are informed by Mr. Goodwin and Dr. Guyse, are first divided into prophecy * and miniftry : and are again fubdivided into thofe of the exhorter and teacher, comprehended under the former; and thofe of the perfon who gives, of him who rules, and of him who fhews mercy, included under the latter. Now, as Paul, when speaking of the offices of the church, after his general arrangement, fpecifies particularly him that ruleth, is it not evident that the office of the elder who rules is a divine inftitution? As he introduces it under the head of miniftry, which is confeffedly different in its other branches (that of the deacon who gave, and that of him who fheweth mercy) from the office-bearers who were appointed, under the head of prophecy, to teach and exhort, is it not obvious that this office muft be completely distinct from that of teaching, and, like the office of the deacon, which too is included under miniftry, may be exercised by those who have neither talents nor authority to preach the gofpel? In fhort, as the gifts for ruling, which Paul here enjoins the governors of the church to exercife with diligence, by the very comparifon before mentioned, are no more given to all the members of the church, than the power of feeing or hearing

* Understanding by prophecy, as Dr. Guyfe has proved (fee his Note on the place, and his Second Note on 1 Cor. xiv. I.-5.), not the interpretation of fcripture by immediate infpiration, or the foretelling of future events, but the ordinary preaching of the ministers of Christ, as his two witnesses are faid to prophesy during the reign of Antichrist.

is imparted to all the members of our bodies, is it not manifeft that this office of ruling cannot belong to all the members indifcriminately? And, in fine, as mere gifts for preaching, or giving, do not authorize as many as have them to exercife the offices of a paflor or a deacon, but those only are warranted to do fo who have been fet apart to these offices, fo is it not evident that when the duty of ruling is spoken of, every one is not here called to the performance of this duty, but as many only as have been confidered to be requifite to take the overfight of the church, and have been invefted with the office of rulers for this end? Thus, then, it would appear that there is an office of rule in the church of Chrift different from that of the elder who teaches, and that this office is not committed to all indifcriminately, but to as many only of those who are qualified for it, and are neceffary for this end, as have been regularly fet apart to it by the elders of the church.

In answer to this it has been faid, that the apostle is not here speaking of offices but of gifts, and confequently that it cannot be inferred from what is here faid, that there is an office of rule distinct from that of the elder who teaches. But in reply to this it may be observed, that by introducing a comparison between the natural body and the church of Chrift (ver. 4, 5.), and afferting that as in the former "there were many members, "all of which had not the fame office," fo in the latter there was a variety no less remarkable, he plainly points out a diversity not only of gifts but of offices in the latter, as there was a diverfity not only of gifts but of offices in the former. Though therefore it were admitted that the apoftle is fpeaking only of the exercife of the gifts of him who ruleth, agreeably to what he says in ver. 6. he evidently fuppofes that there is an office for ruling in which thefe gifts may be exercifed, and an office diftinct from that of the teacher, as when he speaks