A counter-essay, or, A vindication and assertion of Calvin and Beza's presbyterian judgment and principles drawn from their writings, in answer to the imputations of a late pamphlet, entituled, An essay concerning church-government ... attempting to fasten upon them an episcopal perswasion ... / by a minister of the true Presbyterian Church of Scotland, established by law.

Answer.

In general, I may again animadvert here, that if by being Presi∣dent Bishops, be understood the Apostles univeral directive Authority and Inspection necessarly connected with, and sounded upon their insal∣libility, as being so many living Oracles, from whom the mind of Christ was infallibly to be sought, both by Ministers and People, as to every point of their respective duties, such a Presidency will be easily admitted; but in this respect he doth foolishly restrict, or ima∣gins, that Calvin & Beza, doth this restrict their Presidency or Episco∣pacy to the 70 Disciples, for thus they were president Bishops, over the universal Church, both Ministers and People, and that while they lived; In the same respect, and upon the same ground, upon

which they had this presidency over the 70 Disciples, they had it universally over all, both in the judgement of Calvin (as is above e∣vinced) and of all sound Divines. And in whatever respect he can alle••dge Calvin, to hold their Presidency, to be universal, over the 70 Disciples, it's easie to prove that he holds this Presidency, to be uni∣versal over all Churches and Ministers; and therefore if he will from hence infer, successors to them in Calvins judgment, he would make him hold twelve moral standing Primats, and universal Patriarchs or Popes, with infallible directive power over the whole Catholick Church.

2 I observe, that by asserting the Apostles, to be mee•• President Bishops, he would make men believe that he pleads only for a moral standing fixed Presidency; But (as I did above touch) he pleads by this first Proposition and Assumption, for a standing moral Prelatick Dominion, over Church Judicatories serued up to the highest Peg. Follows the Demonstration, whereof the first Proposition is,.