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.

To the first part of the proof, Preheminence in Office includs a proportional Jurisdiction, over the Officers who are under them, by Axiom 2. which refers to Definition 2. and 3. I Answer; We have upon these his two Definitions, here referred unto, fully discovered, That the places of Calvin annexed unto them, do not fortifie, but doth overthrow this Power, of the moral standing President Bishop, which therefrom, he undertakes to prove; we have also discovered the ab∣surdities, and inconsistancies which he involves Calvin and himself in∣to, by these his Definitions; we discovered that the place of Calvin annexed to Definition 2. speaks of Authority it self, not of its Object, defined by him, That Calvin holding the Function, and Official Power of all Pastors, to be one and the same, and consequently their Power of Ordination; and the power of Jurisdiction, being with this Pamphleter, commensurable thereunto, in Calvins sense, that learn∣ed Divine must consequently hold, the Power of Ordination, and Jurisdiction, to be one and the same in all Pastors, which clearly everts this mans scope, and his sense of th••s•• places of Calvin cited by him; we also proved, that the Official Preheminence, supposed existent among Church-officers, in that place of Calvin annexed to Definition 2. is by him expresly limited to that time and case of the Church; And that upon Tit. 1. v. 5, 6. He asserts Timothies inspection to be transi∣ent and unfixed; and in this commensurable to that of the Apostles; And that asserting likewise Timothie's Office to be beyond the ordinary power of Pastors, he doth in both respects contradict, the scope of this this Definition, and would thus twise contradict himself if it were otherwise.

Upon Definition 3. asserting in this President Bishop, a fixed Power of Ordination regulated by Canons, and of Jurisdictions, bal∣lanced by assisting Ministers, (proved by Calvin's asserting, that Paul only laid hands on Timothy,) 2 Tim. 1. 6. And that the Bishop had the power of the Consul, (Instit. lib. 4. cop. 4. Sect. 1.) I have made appear how pitifully this man stumbles and prevaricats. 1. In making Calvin assert a sole power, in this President Bishop, as well as a fixed power. And that 2. in making the Power of Jurisdiction, to be ballanced by assisting Ministers, and not annexing this Clause to the Power of Ordination, he either restricts it to this Power of Jurisdiction, imputing this to Calvin a Chimerical assertion of his own forgery, and involves Calvin and himself in a Contradiction, in that he asserts, that with him the Power of Jurisdiction is of like nature and correspondent to that of Ordination, the preheminence in Office and Iurisdiction, be∣ing one and the same by Axiom 2. or if both Power of Ordination, and Jurisdiction, be held thus ballanced by our Pamphleter, we have discovered that in betaking himself to this shift; he would be but out of the pit into the snare, incidit in s••yllam cupiens vitare Charybdin, for thus he overthrows his proof from Calvins assertion, that Paul and none else laid hands upon Timothy. 2. We have also made appear, that in his 3 Definition, he sayes nothing to his purpose and scope, unless he qualifie the Power of this supposed President Bishop, not only with the property, and adjunct of [fixed] but also with that of (Ordinary) both which that Calvin disowns in the Apostles and Evangelists, we proved from clear places, both of his Commentaries and Institutions.

And for his other proof of that Definition, taken from Calvins equi∣parating, the power of this President. Bishop, with that of the Con∣sul; We did disprove it, not only from Calvins explication, that it reach∣ed only the gathering of the Votes, and seeing the Sentence execute; but likewise, from his plain and positive assertion, that this Proestos or President was subject to his Colleagues, whence by inevitable con∣sequence, it follows, that he had no such Official Preheminence over them, as this man alledges Calvin doth hold.

3. Again, whereas the fixing of this Power in the President Bishop, is, as the other branch of his Assumption, proved by Definition 3.

What we have said to disapprove his scope in this 3 Definition, doth sufficiently evert this Branch, of the Assumption grounded there∣upon

4. Finally, upon Axiom 2. referring to both these his Definitions, we have evinced, that this Preheminence in Office, and proportion∣ed-preheminence in Jurisdiction, which Calvin in the places therein cited, supposes competent to the Apostles and Evangelists, was nei∣ther first Fixed, or secondly Ordinary, nor such as is of a moral stand∣ing nature, but did expire with the Persons of these extra••rdinary Offices; and that 3ly. During the existence of this extraordinary Pre∣heminence, in Office and Jurisdiction, it was in Calvins judgement, cumulative unto, not privative of, the ordinary collegiat authority of Pa∣stors, in Ordination and Jurisdiction; So that, that Axiom, as understood by this man, of a supposed moral standing preheminent president Bishop over Pastors, we have fully proved, in the places above-cited, that Calvin doth disown it, and consequently, the Assumption of this De∣monstration as none of his. The Conclusion is,

Therefore the Fathers of the primitive Church, were President Bi∣shops.

Which doth appear from what is said, to be a meer, yea a gross non sequitur; both Major and Assumption being palpably false, taking this President Bishop, in the extent and nature exprest in both these Propositions. And hereunto his Proposition and Demonstration, I shall oppose these two An••itheses, and Counter-demonstrations. The first Proposition is.