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.

Proposition.

The Apostles were not fixed President ordinary Bishops over the 70 Disciples.

Demonstration.

They whose pr••sidency was not fixt to any Church or Station, nor Ordinary, but Extraordinary, and universal over the whole Church, both Ministers and Flocks, these had no fixed ordinary moral presiden∣cy, over the 70 Disciples. But the Apostolick presidency was of this Nature, in the Judgment of Calvin; ergo the Apostles were not ordi∣nary fixed president Bishops over the 70 Disciples. The Major is evi∣dent, for to be fixed, and not fixed, ordinary and extraordinary Pre∣sidents, yea, and in relation to the 70 Disciples only, and to the whole Church, Ministers and People, cannot consist. The Minor is cleared above, wherein it is evinced, that Calvin ass••rts the Apostolick Inspection, to be both Universal, Extraordinary and Unfixed. Hence we may safely conclude, ergo the Apostles were not ordinary presi∣dent Bishops, or in a proper and formal Sense over the 70 Disciples, which was to be proved. Come we to the second Proposition, which is this.