this order of words, “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor,” &c., take upon themselves more weighty cares.  For those words (in the word and doctrine) should either have been quite omitted, as now was expressed, or should have been inserted immediately after them that rule well, and before the word especially, to this effect, “Let the elders that rule well and preach the word and doctrine well, be counted worthy of double honor; but especially those who labor much in well ruling and in well preaching:”  in such an expression the case had been very clear and evident. 4.  Should this comment stand, that they who labor more in the ministry than others should have more honor, more maintenance, than others, how many emulations and contentions were this likely to procure?  Who shall undertake to proportion the honor and reward, according to the proportion of every minister’s labor? 5.  As for the criticism of the word laboring, which Bilson lays so much stress upon, these things are evident, 1.  That here laboring, signifies emphatically nothing else but that labor, care, diligence, solicitude, &c., which the nature of the pastoral office requires in every faithful pastor; as is implied 1 Thess. v., 12, 13, “Know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord;” and the apostle saith that every minister “shall receive a reward according to his own labor,” 1 Cor. iii. 8.  Such labor and diligence also is required in them that rule, whilst they are charged to rule with diligence, Rom. xii. 8, which is as much as with labor:  yea, the common charity of Christians hath its labor; and this very word labor is ascribed thereunto, labor of love, 1 Thess. i. 3; Heb. vi. 10. 2.  That if the apostle had here intended the extraordinary labor of some ministers above others, not ordinarily required of all, he would have taken a more emphatical word to have set it out, as he is wont to do in some other cases, as in 2 Cor. xi. 27, “In labor and weariness.” 1 Thess. ii. 9, “For ye remembered, brethren, our labor and weariness.” 6.  Finally, “If there be but one kind of church officers here designed, then,” as saith the learned Cartwright, “the words (especially those that labor) do not cause the apostle’s speech to rise, but to fall; not to go forward, but to go backward; for to teach worthily and singularly is more than to teach painfully; for the first doth set forth all that which may be required in a worthy teacher, where the latter noteth one virtue only of pains taking.”

Except. 8.  Though it could be evinced, that here the apostle speaks of some other elders, besides the ministers of the word, yet what advantage can this be for the proof of ruling elders?  For the apostle being to prove that the ministers of the word ought to be honored, i.e. maintained; why might he not use this general proposition, that all rulers, whether public or domestic, whether civil or ecclesiastical, are to be honored?  And when the apostle speaketh of the qualifications of deacons, he requires them to be such as have ruled their own houses well.[83]