replied, that the term, when it fignifies to prefide, as far as we know, uniformly denotes a much higher authority-an authority which entitles him to govern and direct those over whom he is placed, and not merely to fit as a moderator while they confult and determine. It is employed, for inftance, in scripture, as was before obferved, 1 Tim. iii. 4, 5. 12. to denote the authority connected with a Chriftian's prefiding over or ruling his family; and in Tit. iii. 8. 14. to fignify the command which he should exercise over himself, fo as to excel in good works. It is used too, as was before remarked, by Thucydides, to fignify the government of a flateπροεισηκει του δημου, Torsnes Tou daμov, "he governed the people;" by Ariftotle, in his Polit. lib. iii. cap. x. according to Conftantinus in his Lexicon, in the fame fenfe-gous

αυτών, "they governed them; by Xenophon, in his Economics, in a fimilar acceptation-gorans σEAUTY πατρίδος, argidos, "who prefideft over, or governeft thy country;" by Herodotus, for the fuperintendent of the armory or arfenal—της οπλοθήκης προεσηκως, 66 having been fet over the armory; by the fame writer, for the magiftrates or governors of cities-πρωεςωτες των πολεων ; by Plato, in his Epiftles (Epift. vii.), in the same sense-μsyaλns προεσως πολεως, " the prefeat or governor of a great "city;" and by Demofthenes pro Corona, in a fimilar acceptation—και μεγίςων δη πραγματων προςας, "fet even "over the greatest matters, or having the fupreme power." Now, fince the word, as far as we know, fignifies not merely to prefide over an affembly, who, as rulers, are vested with an equality of power with the prefident himself (the point of preserving order alone excepted), and can even make determinations which can authoritatively bind him no less than themselves, how can it be supposed that, in the prefent paffage, it is to be taken in this acceptation, and that a number of men would be faid to prefide as governors over the church,

agreeably to this ftrong expreffion, when all that is meant is only that they fat as chairmen in their meetings, and preferved order, while, in every other point, they were more completely subject to the power of the members than the members were to that of the presidents ? But if, as we are here taught, there be a class of men who are to rule in the church, not merely as chairmen and moderators, but as governors, in whom alone, together with the paftors, the adminiftration is vefted; and if thefe men, as is here afferted, be diftinguished from the paftor, the teacher, the deacon, and those who, in the primitive times, fhewed mercy; are we not warranted to affirm that there must be a clafs of elders who rule and do not teach?

The second of thofe paffages urged by Presbyterians in fupport of this pofition, is one to which I have already folicited your attention, namely, 1 Cor. xii. 28. That the apoftle, in this place, is enumerating not merely the extraordinary, as M'Knight affirms, but also the ordinary offices in the church, muft be evident from the comparison inftituted between the offices of the church and the offices of all the different members of the body. In fpeaking of the latter, the feeble as well as the ftrong, ver. 22. and the lefs honourable as well as the more honourable members are specified, ver. 21. Now, if Paul, when reprobating the Corinthian office-bearers for all aspiring at the highest functions, tells them that it was as unseemly as if all the members of the natural body should seek to be an eye, or an ear, or a sense of smelling (ver. 17. &c.); and if, when speaking of the variety which, for the wifeft purposes, was appointed in the body, he mentions not only the stronger and more honourable, but the feebler and lefs honourable members; would it not be unaccountable, if, in detailing the correfponding diverfity of officer, which is fitly instituted in the church of Chrift, he fpecified those only which are extraordinary and more exult

ed? But if the ordinary as well as extraordinary minifters be mentioned, have we reason to believe that among the former, are included the elder who rules and does not teach?

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That fuch was the opinion of the venerable Chryfoftom, one of the most distinguished of the Chriftian fathers, appears to be undeniable. He underftands by "the "helpers," or avoλnus*, “ illi qui pauperes fufciperent," i. e." those who took care of the poor;" and by "the "governments," or xußegynous," illi qui præeffent, et curam gererent, et res fpirituales adminiftrarent," i. e. "those who prefided over, and managed and go"verned the fpiritual concerns of the church." And in this opinion he is followed not only by modern Presbyterians, but by Owen, as well as many of the most respectable of the Independents. And that this interpretation is founded in truth, feems evident from an impartial review of the paffage. That the apostle, in enumerating the different offices which exift in the church, fpecifies not merely fome which are extraordinary, but others which are ordinary, we have already proved; and that in afcertaining which of thefe offices are ordinary, and which of them are extraordinary, we are to be guided by their nature, and by the common reprefentations of them in fcripture, appears to be no lefs evident. Judging then by thefe principles, it would feem that while among the extraordinary offices, are to be claffed those of apostles, and prophets, and workers of miracles, among the ordinary, are to be comprehended teachers, and helps, and governments. Thefe are not only, in their own nature, ftanding offices, which are continually requifite for the edification of the church, and require no miraculous gifts for their performance, but are always pointed out in ripture as ordinary offices. It has indeed been afferted

See his Thirty-first Homily.

by M'Knight, that by the teacher here, we are to understand an extraordinary minifter, because in 1 Cor. xiv. 6. the doctrine or teaching there mentioned, means doctrine or teaching by infpiration. But though it were granted (and nothing more is there mentioned) that an apostle, or other extraordinary minifter, fometimes taught by infpiration, it is certain that the term teacher, in the New Teftament, commonly fignifies an ordinary minister, who had no fupernatural powers *. It has been contended moreover, by that expofitor, that by helps, or helpers, appear to be meant inspired brethren, who, speaking occafionally to the edification of the church, affifted the apostles and elders in their miniftrations. But while it may juftly be queftioned whether any but the minifters of the church poffeffed these miraculous gifts for teaching, and while we never hear of such persons being helps to the apoftles, we know that deacons, at the period of their inftitution, were exprefsly appointed to affift them in their work, and to free them from the labour of ferving tables. It has also been maintained, that by governments are meant, perfons endowed with miraculous gifts, who prefided in the meetings, and directed the affairs of the primitive church. But we hear, in the New Teftame. of no fuch infpired officers who were prefidents of the church. In the account which is given (Acts xv.) of the confultation at Jerusalem, upon the reference from Antioch, it was not merely the prefident, but the rulers at large, who fpoke and advised; and if, as is evident from the principles both of Independents and Prefbyterians, any of the other members may fet afide any propofal fuggefted by the prefident, and, if he is able to support it by fuperior reasoning, may introduce and carry any measure of his

• It is plain, too, that as teachers are here distinguished from apostles, and prophets, and other infpired instructors, they can here denote only ordinary ministers.

own, I cannot fee how the former are entitled to the name of governments, or governors, rather than the latter. Since by governments, or governors, all who were entitled to adminifter the church are intended, and fince, as far at leaft as is mentioned in the New Teftament, it was not neceffary for this purpose that those who were appointed to it should be furnished with any extraordinary gifts, it appears plain that the governments, who are here mentioned, were ordinary officers. And as they are stated as different from teachers and helps, we are warranted to infer that they are a class of elders diftinct from the paftors, and teachers, and deacons, and are merely to rule in the church of Chrift.

Here then is another teftimony to the divine authority of the elder who rules and does not preach. Government in itself, as well as according to the uniform representation of it delivered in the New Teftament, is an office for which no miraculous powers are requifite, and an office which is always neceffary in the church. It is therefore an ordinary and standing office. It is an office which is here faid to be given to fome only, and, therefore, in no form ought to be committed to all. It is an office which is vefted neither upon the principles of Independents nor Prefbyterians in the prefident alone, for every member of the court has as much, if not more, a voice and power than the prefident himself. And it is an office, moreover, completely distinct from that of the teacher, and is represented as exercised by fome who are entitled to discharge no higher function. In other words, it is an office which may be discharged by elders who do not teach.

Is it faid in answer to this, that the apostle speaks here of gifts, not of offices? It is replied, that as there is an office in the natural body correfponding to the gifts bestowed by the Creator upon any of the members, so, though it were granted that the apoftle speaks here only