corrupt impressions of our Bibles seemed to intimate, which had it thus, helps in governments, which some moderns seem to favor; but this is contrary to the original Greek, which signifies helps, governments; contrary to the ancient Syriac version, which hath it thus, (as Tremel. renders it,) and helpers, and governments:  and therefore this gross corruption is well amended in our late printed Bible. Helps, governments, are here generally taken by interpreters for two distinct officers. 6.  Nor, finally, can the teaching elder here be meant; for that were to make a needless and absurd tautology, the teacher being formerly mentioned in this same verse.  Consequently, by governments here, what can be intended, but such a kind of officer in the church as hath rule and government therein, distinct from all governors forementioned?  And doth not this lead us plainly to the ruling elder?

3.  These governments thus set in the Church, as rulers therein, are set therein by God himself; God hath set some in the Church, first, apostles—­governments—­God hath set, put, made, constituted, &c., (as the word imports,) in the Church.  What hath God set in the Church? viz. apostles and—­governments, as well as apostles themselves.  The verb, hath set, equally relates to all the sorts of officers enumerated.  And is not that officer IA the Church of divine right, which God himself, by his own act and authority, sets therein?  Then doubtless these governments are of divine right.

4.  Finally, these governments set in the Church under the New Testament as governors therein, and that by God himself, are distinct from not only all governing officers without the Church, (as hath been showed,) but also from all other governing officers within the church.  For here the apostles make a notable enumeration of the several sorts of church officers, both extraordinary and ordinary, viz. eight in all.  Five of these being extraordinary, and to continue but for a season, for the more effectual spreading and propagating of the gospel of Christ at first, and planting of Christian churches, viz. apostles, prophets, powers, gifts of healings, kinds of tongues:  three of these being ordinary, and to be perpetuated in the Church, as of continual use and necessity therein, viz. teachers, governments, [i.e. ruling elders,] and helps, [i.e. deacons, who are to help and relieve the poor and afflicted.] This is the enumeration.  It is not contended, that it is absolutely and completely perfect, for that some officers seem to be omitted and left out, which elsewhere are reckoned up, Eph. iv. 11; Rom. xii. 7, 8.  Evangelists are omitted in the list of extraordinary officers, and pastors are left out of the roll of the ordinary officers; and yet some conceive that pastors and teachers point not out two distinct sorts of officers, but rather two distinct acts of the same officers; and if this will hold, then pastors are sufficiently