of God are charged to submit unto them. "Obey your governors and
submit ye," Heb. xiii. 17. The word properly notes a submissive yielding
without opposition or resistance; yea, it signifies intense obedience.
They must not only yield, but yield with subjection and submission,
which relates to authority. They are also charged to be subordinate to
them. "Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves to the elders," 1 Pet. v.
5; i.e., _be ye subordinate_, (it is a military term,) viz: be ordered,
ranked, guided, governed, disciplined by them, as soldiers are by their
commanders. The word _elders_ here is by some taken only for elders in
age, and not in office. But it seems better to interpret it of elders in
office; and the context well agrees with this; for the apostle having
immediately before charged the ruling preaching presbyters with their
duties towards their flock, ver. 1-4, here he seems to enjoin the ruled
flock (which commonly were younger in age and gifts) to look to their
duties of subjection to their elders in office.

Touching the second, viz. the denial of like commands, and upon like
grounds to all others in the church, except to the church officers only:
where can it be evidenced in all the Scriptures that the people of God
are commanded to know, to esteem very highly in love, to count worthy of
double honor, to obey, and submit themselves to any persons in the
church but to the ruling officers thereof in reference to their office,
and the due execution thereof?

Now, seeing the Church and people of God are peculiarly obliged, by so
many commands of Christ, to perform such duties of subjection and
obedience to the officers of Christ, may it not be concluded,

Therefore the officers of Christ are the only subjects of authority from
Christ for the government of his Church?

_Argum_. VI. Finally, the directions touching rule and government in the
Church; the encouragements to well-ruling by commendations, promises,
rewards, together with the contrary deterring discouragements from
ill-ruling, by discommendations, threats, &c., being specially applied
and appropriated by the word of Christ unto Christ's officers, very
notably discover to us that Christ's officers are the only subjects of
power from Christ for the government of his Church. Thus it may be
argued:

_Major_. Whatsoever persons in the Church have directions for church
government, encouragements to well-ruling, and discouragements from
ill-ruling, p