The true nature of a Gospel church and its government

I shall never oppose this Order, but rather desire to see it in practice; namely, that particular Churches were of such an extent, as necessarily to require many Elders both Teaching and Ruling for their Instruction and Government; for the better observation of Order and Decency in the public Assemblies; the fuller Representation of the Authority committed by Jesus Christ unto the Officers of his Church; the occasional instruction of the Members in lesser Assemblies, which as unto some ends may be stated also, with the due attendance unto all other means of Edification and Watching, Inspecting, Warning, Admonishing, ⟨p. 49⟩Exhorting, and the like; and that among these Elders one should be chosen by themselves, with the consent of the Church, not into a New Order, not into a degree of Authority above his Brethren, but only unto his part of the common work in a peculiar manner, which requires some kind of Precedency. Hereby no New Officer, no New Order of Officers, no New degree of Power or Authority is constituted in the Church; only the Work and Duty of it is cast into such an Order, as the very light of nature doth require.

I shall never oppose this Order, but rather desire to see it in practice; namely, that particular Churches were of such an extent, as necessarily to require many Elders both Teaching and Ruling for their Instruction and Government; for the better observation of Order and Decency in the publick Assemblies; the fuller Representation of the Authority committed by Jesus Christ unto the Officers of his Church; the occasional instruction of the Members in lesser Assemblies, which as unto some ends may be stated also, with the due attendance unto all other means of Edification and Watching, Inspecting, Warning, Admonishing, ⟨p. 49⟩Exhorting, and the like; and that among these Elders one should be chosen by themselves, with the consent of the Church, not into a New Order, not into a degree of Authority above his Brethren, but only unto his part of the common work in a peculiar manner, which requires some kind of Precedency. Hereby no New Officer, no New Order of Officers, no New degree of Power or Authority is constituted in the Church; only the Work and Duty of it is cast into such an Order, as the very light of nature doth require.