Cor. ii. 6. It is very observable, he saith not, _of all_; nor _of
many_, but _of the chief ones_, viz. the church officers, who had the
rule and government of the church committed to them: (the article _the_
being emphatical;) for this word translated _many_ may as well be
translated chief, denoting worth, &c., as many, denoting number. And in
this sense the Holy Ghost ofttimes useth this word in the New Testament;
as for instance, "Is not the life better than meat?" Matt. vi. 25.
"Behold, a greater than Jonah is here," Matt. xii. 41. "And behold, a
greater than Solomon is here," Matt. xii. 41. "To love him with all the
heart," &c., "is more than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices,"
Mark xii. 33. And again, ver. 43, "This poor widow hath cast more than
all they," &c. And thus it is frequently used to signify quality, worth,
greatness, dignity, eminency, &c., and so it may be conveniently
interpreted in this of the Corinthians. 4. Though all proper acts of
authority appertain only to the church officers, yet we are not against
the people's fraternal concurrence therewith. People may incite the
presbytery to the acts of their office; people may be present at the
administration of censures, &c., by the elders, as Cyprian of old would
dispatch all public acts, the people being present; people may judge
with a judgment of discretion, acclamation, and approbation, &c., as the
elders judge with a judgment of power; and people afterwards may, yea
must, withdraw from delinquents sentenced, that the sentence may attain
its proposed end. But none of these are properly any acts of power.

3. Nor doth the apostle's expression, verse 12, "Do you not judge them
that are within?" prove that the people concur with any authoritative
act in the elders' sentence. For, 1. This being spoken to them
indefinitely, was to be applied distributively and respectively, only to
them to whom it properly appertained, viz. the elders, as hath been
showed. They only have authority to judge. 2. Such a judgment is allowed