# Cotton Mather on ruling elders as a distinct office



## Reformed Covenanter (Feb 17, 2020)

... But, that unless a church have divers elders, the church-government must needs become either prelatic or popular; and that a church’s needing but one elder, is an opinion contrary not only to the sense of the faithful in all ages, but also to the law of the scriptures, where there can be nothing plainer, than, elders, who rule well, and are worthy of double honour, though they do not labour in word and doctrine; whereas, if there were any teaching elders, who do not labour in word and doctrine, they would be so far from worthy of double honour, that they would not be worthy of any honour at all. ...

For more, see Cotton Mather on ruling elders as a distinct office.


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