Vindication and Assertion of Calvin and Bezas Presbyterian Principles, Chapter 1

Vindication and Assertion of Calvin and Bezas Presbyterian Principles · Chapter 1

p. 1CHAP. First.

The Scripture Account of Presbyterian Government Exhibite in some plain Positions, out of the Writings of Calvin and Beza.

THat we may Exhibite in the beginning, a clear Prospect of the Judgment, of these Learned Divines, in point of Presbyterian Government, and thereby lay a solid Foundation of the Confutaion of this Pasquel. We offer to the Reader in these plain Assertions, this full Account of Presbyterian Government from their Writings, which are plain, and undenyable Maxims and Axioms, Demonstrating their Judgment herein from Scripture:

First, The ordinary Officers, which Christ Institute, and the Churches practice warrands, are Bishops, Elders, and Deacons; we need not Caution what Calvin means by Bishops, it being obvious to all of common Sense, who do but read him, that he intends the P…tor or Minister, Instit. lib. 4. cap. 6. Sect. 11. with Cap. 4. Sect. 1.

2. Evangelists, were next to Apostles in Office, were to preach every where, and were fixt to no certain determined station; Calvin on p. 2Act. 21. 8. Speaking of Philip the Evangelist, the same he hath, on Tit. 1. 5. Nulla certa statio assignata Evangelistis.

3. Appropriating the Name, Bishop, as peculiar, to one Pastor set over others; is an abuse of Scripture Language, and the Divine Institution, Coment on Philip. 1.

4. The reason of this is, that all Pastors or Presbyters, have one and the same, and an equal Function, and Official Authority, so that Dominion in any of them over another, is a sinful impeachment of this their equal Official Power and A…thority, lbid.

5. The passage, Tit. 1. 7. proves aboundantly, that there is no difference betwixt Bishop and Presbyter, the Apostle using both names indifferently, as Ierom hath observed. Therefore the Office being common to all Pastors; it is an absurd perversion of Scripture Language, to give this Official name (Bishop) to one, robbing the rest of the Pastors, thereof; Ibidem. And if he quarrel the robbing of them, of their Official Name, therefore much more the robbing them of any piece of their Official Power and Authority.

6. The Bishops, to whom Paul committed the Charge of the Church of Ephesus, in his last farewell, were Presbyters, Bishops of equal authority. Calvin on Act. 20. 28. He observes, That all Presbyters are called Bishops indifferently, and therefore the Bishops differs nothing from Presbyters; hence he holds, that both Name and Thing of a Scripture Bishop, is proper to every Pastor.

7. All Pastors have equal right in Ordination, Pastors only Ordain, and not the People. They have all one and the same Official Power and Function, to which they are called of God. Instit. lib. 4. cap. 4. sect. 2: Coment. on Phil, 1. 1.

8. The Pastors are the highest ordinary Chruch Officers, Titus his Evangelistick Authority, in Crete was a Vicarious Transient, unfixt Ministry, in Pauls place and name, beyond the limits of this ordinary Function of Pastors; supposing the Church not Exedified, and in this differing from the Pastoral Office, which doth suppose, this exigence of the Churches state to over. Calvin on Ti…us 1. cap. 5. and 6 vers.

9. This Evangelistick Authority, while existing, was not to wrong, or derogat any thing, from the consistorial decisive ordianry authority of Pastors, in Church Government, Ibid. in answer to an Objection:

p. 310. The Apostle had a transient, unfixt Ministry, their Office lay in founding Churches, and planting Christ… Kingdom in them; they had no certain limits assigned them, for the exercise of their Ministry, but were spread the Gospel through the World; this their Office evanisht, and died with themselves; in this they differ from Pastors, who are fixt to their Charges, Calvin. on 1 Cor. 12. 28. vers. none of them, had peculiar, proper Charges assigned to the, but all of them a common Command to Preach the Gospel wherever they came. Evangelists were like to them in Office, but in different degrees of Dignity, such were Timothy, Titus and such like, of their subsidiary help, the Lord made use of, next to that of the Apostles; Pastors, and Doctors are next to them, and perpetually necessary: without whom there can be no Government of the Church; wherin they differ from Apostles, Prophets and Evangelists, who are temporary and expired, and not thus necessary for the Churches ordinary and perpetual Government. There is one Episcopacy, which is Christs alone, whereof every Minister of the Gospel hath an intire and equal share, Calvin on Ephes. 4. 11. Instit. lib. 4. cap. 3. sect. 14. But of this further, when we come to examine the third Definition.

11. The consistorial ordinary Collegiat Authority of Pastors, in ordination and imposition of hands, is examplified in the imposition of the Prophets hands at Antioch upon Paul, as Gods standing order and method in point of Ordination. Neither Timothy, nor any Evangelists authority, was to incroach upon this; and the Apostolick Precepts to Timothy and Titus, Lay hands suddenly on no man; and that other, I left thee in Crete, to ordain elders, are groundlesly and impertinently pleaded, to prove the sole authority of any one Church Officer, in Ordination or Jurisdiction; but this authority is in the Collegiat Meeting. Instit: lib: 4. cap: 3. sect: 14 and 15. compared with what is said above.

12. As every ordinary Pastor, de jure, owes a subjection to the Prophets, or ordinary Pastors in the Lord, so the first Proestotes or fixed Moderators, were de facto thus subject, and so had no juridical official pre-eminence over the Judicatiories, Calvin on that place, The Spirits of the Prophets, &c. and Insti…: lib: 4. cap. 4. sect: 2. at the close, their work was only to moderat the Meeting, and gather the Votes, &c. Coment on Tit, 1. vers. 5. 6.

p. 413. As Timothy and Titus, their Evangelistick Inspection, was beyond the limits of the ordinary Office of Pastors, and in respect of its naure, and time of existency, such as could not be succeeded unto; (Calvin on Tit 15, 6, verses, compared with Coment: 1 Tim. 1. and 6. with v. 18.) so what our Lord enjoyns to the seven Asian Angels, doth nothing impeach this, even taking them for single persons, or Presidents, since they were such, as had the rest of the Minister or Angels, their Colleagues; and not so much as the necessity of a fixt Moderator, or President, can be drawn from this Assertion, Beza on Rev. 2. 24, 26, vers.

14. The fixing of President Bishops, over Church Judicatories, with Official pre-eminence over them, gave the rise to Antichrists Oligarchical Tyranny over the Church, and all the mischiefs thereof, Beza, Ibid.

15. The Presbyterian Government, which Iohn Knox brought into this Church of Scotland, is the right Order, and true Government of the House of God; the hedge and wall of the Doctrine, without which it cannot be kept pure: The want of which Government, is the cause, why the Gospel is preached to many in wrath. All are to contend for this Government, who wish well to this Church, and to oppose the Reintroduction of Episcopacy, opposit thereunto, which is the Relicts of Papacy, and will bring Epicurism into the Church, if admitted, Bez. Ipist. 79. to Iohn Knox.

16. The pretence of Unity, or curing Schism by this Episcopacy, is a pretence as false and lying, as it is flattering, whereby many of the best Antients, were deceived. Ibid.

17. There was among the Apostles met together, no distinction of degrees, but only of Order, as in other Ecclesiastical Meetings and Assemblies, until the humane Episcopacy, was brought into the Church, which shortly turned into Satanical, Beza on Acts. 1. 23.

18. The Apostles had an immediat Call to their Office, to which Office was annext an extraordinary measure of the Holy Ghost, which is Termed Infused; This immediat Call is the true and genuine Mark of the Apostolick Calling, which expired with the death of the Apostles themselves, when they had fulfilled their work in framing Churches. Evangelists were assumed by the Apostles without the Churches suffrage, because the Churches were not as yet Constitte, and were sent hither p. 5and thither, while the Churches were in Planting; Such was the Office of Evangelists peculiarly so called, as Timothy, Titus, Luke, &c. Beza on Galat. 1. v. 1, 2.

19. The Apostolick Office lay in this, to Constitute Churches through the whole World, by a sort of peculiar right, as appears from Christ's Command, and their whole History; therefore Churches being Constitute, this Office also of necessity was taken away; it is therefore a Tyrannical Term, for any to profess himself, an Apostle by succession, Evangelists being Attendants, and helpers of the Apostles, as was Timothy, who is by name called an Evangelist, this Office was therefore Temporary also. The Doctors and Pastors are of perpetual necessity in the Church-Beza on Ephes. 4. v. 11.

20. The Brethren mentioned, as with Paul. (Gal. 1. 2.) were the whole Presbyterie of the Church of Antioch, whence this Epistle was written; Beza in locum. The Bishop… in Philippi. (Phil. 1. 1.) are the Pastors, Doctors, and Presbyters, who attend the word and doctrine, and who (as the Greek word imports) like Sentinels, and Watch-men, do watch over and inquire into the Doctrine, and the conversation of the Flock committed to them; such were these in Act. 20. 28. who are sometime called by the general name of Presbyters, as Verse 17 of that Chapter, and in first of Timothy. 5. 17. This was then of old the Appellation of Bishop…, until he who was in the Assembly (Caetu) or Meeting, was set over the rest of the Brethren, whom Justinus calls the Proestos, or President, began to be peculiarly called the Bishop; from hence the Devil began to lay the first foundations of Tyranny in the Church of GOD, the whole administration and Government of the Church, being as it were with the name trans…erred upon One, then from the Episcopal Tyranny, it came to Me…trapolitants, whom they call Arch-bishops, &c. From Metrapolitants, they advanced to the first four primary Patriarchs, the Christian Republick, being as it were divided unto four men, until the fortuitus occasion of the fifth, because of the Dignity of new Rome; hence arose perpetual Contests, till the rest ceding, the Contest continued with … of Rome and Constantinople, a Controversie never decided unto tlis day, sometimes the one, sometimes the other avouching himself the p. 6universal Patriarch. The Roman Bishop in the mean time, being condemned of Falsehood (falsi) in the Carthaginian Counsel, of (two hundred and seven Fathers) yet such was the ambition, that (the Constantinopolitane Patriarch even now is set over the Churches spread through the East, if they may be called Churches) the Roman has invaded both Churches and Kingdoms of the West, by a just Judgment, depriving them of their Scepters, by whose help, he invaded a Tyranny over the Churches. Behold, of how great moment and consequence it is, to decline even in a hair breadth from the Word▪ of GOD. Beza on Phil. Cap. 1. 1.

21. The Presbytrie mentioned, (1 Tim. 4. 14. who imposed hands upon Timothy, is to be understood of the Meeting or Assembly of Pastors, Bishops, or Presbyters, at Lystra, who laboured in the Word and Doctrine; and by this word [Presbytrie] any such Assembly is to be understood, Beza in locum. All Pastors are servants of that one Legistator, Christ in the Ecclesiastick Office; there is no d… minion of one over another, he only excells among Ministers, who is most diligent, and averse from all ambitious usurping over his fellow-servants. Beza in Math. 20. 25. paralelling this place with the 1. Pet. 5. …. and as his understanding the A…gel, Rev. 2. 1. of the President, by whom his Colleagues were to be admonished, will not so much as found the humane Bishop, after brought into the Church, so that clause Rev. 2. 24. (viz. to you and the rest) &c. is to be understood of the A… gel, or President for the time, and the Assembly of his Colleagues; In which passage, the conjunction foreign, or, and, is necessarly to be understood or read. Beza lbid, from Beza in his Answer to Sarav. de diversis mi nistrorum gradibus, there are innumerable clear Testimonies adduceable against this mans design and pleading. He tells us that the Evangeli…s properly so called, were helpers of the Apostles, in perfecting the Structure of Churches; distinguished from ordinary Preachers, in this that for a time they only were set over some Churches to confirm, o… constitute them fully, sometimes in one place, sometimes in another, as the matter required, as appears from Pauls Epistles, Beza, Respon: and caput sextum Sarav No Apostle or Evangelist was above another, and both these Officers are ceast. Beza ad Cap 9. Numb 15. apud S…aviam, the term foreign or Leader, which the Apostle useth thrice, Heb.

p. 713. and which our Lord expones, Iohn. 10. 4. is attributed to Ministers only, with respect to the Flock committed to them, that the same is to be judged of the term (Bishop) appears from Act. 8. 28. Hence as the Church shortly after felt, it was a dangerous custom to transfer the terme Proestos, and foreign to them, who preceded over the Assembly of their Colleagues, not as more eminent in Degree, but only as being first in order. lbid, Numb. 20. secundum. Sarav.

2. The Office of Pastor and Doctor, are the chief functions of the Church, perpetually necessary, Beza. resp. and Cap. 11. Numb. 3 juxta Sarav.

3. Such as deny the Office of Apostles, Prophets, and Evangelists to be temporary and ceast, they must either conclude, that the work of building and compleating the Churches, is left by them imperfect and manck, which is most false, and cannot be said without their reproach, or that afterward, the whole Edifice is so far subverted, that for its Restitution, we need not only faithful Pastors, Doctors and Presbyters, but Architects to lay the foundation again, Evangelists, for the Superstructure; lastly Prophets, and other gifts of the Spirit, for confirming their Work. Beza. ad Cap. 16. Numb. 3. with Sarav., The preserving this Edifice intire, is committed to these perpetual Officers, Pastors, Doctors, Ruling-Elders and Deacons, Ibid, Num. 10. with Sarav.

4. The Apostles and Evangelists work of preaching, Baptizing and governing the Church with Pastors and Presbyters, was ordinary, their unconfined Inspection, Apostolick Authority, in planting and watering Churches, was temporary and expired. Beza. Ibid. Numb. 11. The ordinary perpetual Government they committed to Pastors, Doctors, Elders, and Deacons. Ibid. Numb. 12. The perpetual form and Authority of Governing the Church, of teaching and administrating Sacraments, yea, and of her Restauration and Propagation, is committed to Pastors, Doctors, and Elders, and remains as thus committed to them, and prescribed by the Apostles and Evangelists; Yet their infallible Authority of founding and compleating Churches, is ceast with their life. Numb. 13. Their function and Office died with them, not the form and rule of Government, committed to Pastors, Doctors, &c. Numb. 14. The ordinary succession of a perpetual Ministry, is of p. 8Pastors, to Pastors, Doctors, to Doctors, Elders, to Elders, Deacons, to Deacons; Ibid. Numb. 15. The Apostolick Authority differs from the ordinary and perpetual authority of Pastors, as likewise their gifts, not only as to Manner and Measure, but in the Nature thereof, from these promist to the ordinary Ministry Beza. ad Cap. 17. Numb. 2. apud. Sarav.

5. An Episcopal Degree, with some shew of Apostolick Authority, is no where to be found in Scripture, is condemned, Luke 22. 25. gave the raise of that Oligarchie and Tyranny which came into the Church, and therefore there is no divine Right left for such a Succession, ad Cap. 16. Numb. 17. apud Sarav. As the Apostles Gifts are such, so their Power and Authority is not succeeded to, by any ordinary Church-Officers, nor hath the Church power to set up any such Office. Ad Cap. 17. Numb. 3. The pretence of Arch-bishops, Primates, Metropolitants, their Succession to Apostles, or Evangelists (Timothy, Titus, Mark) and a continuation of their power or authority in the Church, is a groundless Conjecture, condemned in Sarav. Beza in Cap. 18. Sarav. the same condemned ad Cap. 19. Numb. 3.

6. The Office of President in Church Assemblies, imports only a right of Governing, and ordering the common actions of the Meeting, without any command or rule over the Members thereof, in which Meetings, Ruli…g Elders, are to joyn with Pastors; Beza. resp: ad Cap. 20. Numb. 1. The state of this Controversie is, whether he who is set over the Meeting of Pastors, of any Church, has any command or power over these his Colleagues, as inferiours by Divine Right. This is that which I deny Numb. 2. The setting up this Episcopal degree of the Bishop, above his Colleagues, has been greatly prejudicial to the Church. Numb. 8.

7. These to whom Paul injoyned to deliver the Incestuous man to Satan, when gathered together, were the Pastors and Presbyters of Corinth, who by Ecclesiastick Judgment and Censure, were to purge the Church of this Leaven. As every Church after its first beginnings had Pastors and Presbyters; so it is not supposable, that Paul who stayed there half a year, and Apollos who followed him, did not upon the first opportunity, furnish that Church with a Presbytry. Ad cap 23. Numb: 17: and Numb 2, and 3. Apud Sarav: at large setting down p. 9Ieroms testimony in Epist. ad Oceanum & ad Euagrum Comment. in Epist. ad Titum, together with the Scipture proofs, anent the Identity of Bishop and Presbyter, shewing that the Bishops superiority over the Presbyters, was founded on Custom, not Divine warrand; upon which Beza collects thus, this coth Ierom assert, not in one place only, or few, or as of a thing doubtful, but often, copiously, and peremptorly, ascribing to Bishop and Presbyter, as one and the same appellation, so one and the same function, Ad. cap: 13. Numb: 2 and 3.

8. The divine Bishop, or who is institute by divine Right, is the same Office, with that which is poynted out, by the peculiar name of Pastor, whom Paul affirms, that the holy Ghost made Bishops to feed the Church of God. Acts. 20. 18. and this is the proper name of them both, in the New Testamen, whereby with Paul they are distinguisht, from Apostles, Prophets and Evangelists, which Officers were for a time only one Ephes. 4. cap. 11. and from Deacons (2 Tim. 3. Phil. 1.) they are called Bishops, with respect to Souls committed to them.

9. The Colledge, or meeting of these Pastors, and Bishops, together with such Elders, as Paul calls Governments, foreign, are the same who are called the Presbytry, 1 Tim. 4. v. 14. Beza de Episcop. triplici. initio. Their Office was to attend the Word and Prayer in publick and private, and to govern the Church joyntly, and in common, Ibid.

10. The humane Bishop that is brought into the Church out of humane prudence, beside the express Word▪ of God, is a sort of Power given to some one Pastor above his Colleagues, yet limited by certain Rules and Cannons against Tyranny. ibid. That this Function was not brought in, from the Word of God, is evident from this, that we cannot find in the New Testament the least jot, from which we may draw such a conjecture; for altho there is no doubt that all things ought to be done orderly in the house of God, and that therefore there has been some President in every meeting (whom Iohn in the Revelation seems to call the Angel, Iustin calls foreign or President) that this President, excepting this only, that he was the first Moderator in the Ecclesiastick Actions in the Assembly, had no power over this Colleagues, far less exercised any Office superior unto them, ibid. Hence as Ierom observes, the Author to the Heb. calls all the p. 10whole Assembly of Presbyters, foreign Rulers, poynting at none of them. Such for the most part was Peter in the Colledge of the Apostles, &c. If any such Office had been then existent, or such a power of one over his Colleagues, this Officer had b…en by some peculiar name, pointed at in the Epistles, especially seing Paul salutes the Bishops, and Deacons of the Philippians in the plural number; whch since it was not done, it appears, that among these Rulers, there was none in degree Superiour to his Colleagues, and fellow Bishops, but that the Churches were then ruled by their Presbyters. Every one of them having equal and alike power, with his fellow Presbyter, &c. ibid. Thereafter he refutes Ep…phanius arguments, for his humane Episcopacy, as if it were the Divine. Wherein we see how peremptor Beza was as to this Distinction; and mentioning Epiphanius argument from that precept (against an Elder receive not an accusation) to prove Timothy's Episcopacy, he refutes this by many arguments, calling this the Error of Epiphanius, that Timothy was Bishop of Ephesus; which he tells him may be convicted of fa…shood from Scriptures; as mainly from this, that he was Pauls attendant, sent hither and thither and therefore made Bishop overno one Church; that he was an Evangelist, that Paul requested him to stay at Ephesus, 1 Tim. 1. 3. v. and for the special end, viz. to attend that Church, untill again recalled, which in the other Epistle he doth, 2 Tim. 4. 9 v. Do thy diligence, to come to me quickly, that when going to Ierusalem, never to return to Ephesus, he had either (upon Epiphanius supposition) restored Timot…y to these Ephesian…, or they had sought him again, being warned of such hazards; or if another was put in his place, he had peculiarly be spoken him, in that Divine Se…mon of his, but of this we read not, but only that he admonished the Presbyters, whom he sent for, of their general and common duty. Thereafter he adds, that as an Evangelist, adorned with so many and singular Gifts, in degree superior to Prysbyters, and for a time constitute there, by Apostolick Authority, he did administrat the Affairs of that Church, and that though it were granted to Epiphanius, that he had some singular power there, it may be denyed, that he could have obtained any power over the Presbytery of Ephesus, if he did not been an Evangelist, adding this reason, that Paul himself declares (1 Tim. 4. v. 14.) That imposition of hands p. 11was done in name of Presbytry it self, not by the Authority of any one Superior. After he cit…s Augustin (Epistle 19.) asserting, that by the Churches custome only, Episcopacy was greater than the Presbyterat, and Chrisostom saying on the first of Tim. 1, 3. That in Ordination only the Bishop differs from the Presbyter, that is, saith he, (as Theophylact more clearly) in the ceremony of Consec…ation only; citing also Theodoret, who upon Phil. I. writes, that of old, the name of Bishop and Presbyter were promiscuously used, as one and the same. He adds afterward, that Paul did not excommunicat the incestuous Corinthian alone, by his Apostlick Authority, but by the Authority of the whole Presbyt…y; and that Peter doubts not to call himself a fellow Presbyter, that if all eminency of one Pastor over his Colleagues had been forbidden, or rather never brought in by Men, the ensuing contests about Supremacy, had never rent the Church, so far is this Device from being a remedy of Schism; and finally he tells us upon his head, that as this humane Episcopacy came in by a tacite custome, advancing by degrees, so we must understand of this human episcopacy, as Antecedaneous to the Satanical, whatsover Iustin, Ignatius and other eminent Writers, do speak of Bishops, or rather of the first Presidents Authority.

10. The Moderator of the Ecclesiastick Synod, or Consistory, who is to ask the Votes, and moderat the whole affairs, is for ths one end to be chosen by their common suff…ages, or Votes, which Office must expire and end with the close of the Synod: Beza in Quest: secunda, referente Saravia pag 92.

11. No Scripture truth can be produced for a standing mission of the 70 Disciples, to preach the Gospel, after our Lords Ascension, of a like nature and continuance, with that of the twelve Apostles, or that they were sent foreign or immediately; The Apostles Mission, Math. 10. Luk. 9, Mark 5. Was not that which is called peculiarly and properly Apostolick, for which the Apostles were then wholly unfit, but only a sort of preludie, that all might run to hear Christ himself, but these twelve Christ a…terward sent by a new Vocation, and wholly different from the first, for planting Churches through the whole World, adorning them with a peculiar and aboundant grace of the Spirit, both before his ascension into Heaven, (Iohn… …. v. 22. p. 12As likeways chiefly in the day of Pentec…st, adding more wonderfully the external Signs, of this Legation, from which Mission the Apostle doth therefore begin the rehearsal of the Apostolick …unction, and of others added thereunto, Ephes, 4. 10. v. 11. But of these 70 where is there any mention, either about the time of our Lord's Ascension, or after. That Mission mentioned (Luk. 10) is wholly diverse from that of Apostles; Institute after our Lord's Ascension. Had the 70. had such a standing Mission, the Sacred Writers neither would nor could have omit…ed, a matter so necessary, mentioning only that of the 12 Apostles; and granting it had been, this will not infer any imparity of power, betwixt them and the 12 Apostles, or that Christ made them two distinct Orders, or divided them in two Classes; the after Institution, and addition to the other that's prior, will not prove an Inferiority in that Mission of the 70, which Luke only commemorates. What degree will we find, whereby they may be subjected to the 12. Who had a prior …ission? That the Apostles were assumed by Christ, as domesticks, will no more ground their imparity, with other Disciples, than it will make Iohn superior to the other Apostles, because a Disciple most dear to Christ beyond other Disciples, it was the Apostolick… function, which thereafter gave them a priority of Order, and also of Power, unto other Disciples, Beza resp. ad cap. 1. Sarav. de divers. Minist. Evangel. grad. Refuting after the argument, drawn from the addition of the 70 Elders to Moses.

Now from these passages of Calvin and Beza, how clearly Presbyterian Government is asserted in its whole Structure and Frame, and the opposite Fabrick of Prelacy subverted, is obvious to the meanest capacity to conclude, so that to insist in drawing forth Propositions to clear this, s…ems a meer Battalogy, and an attempt to shew the Sun with a candle. Here we have asserted the extraordinary expired nature of the Function, first of Apostles, secondly of Evangelists, as such. Next, that the Pastor who labours in the Word and Doctrine is the highest Officer left by Christ in his Church, who has no Superior in Church administrations, and therein the Prelates pretended Official Superiority is flatly denyed.

3ly. That no extraordinary Power of Apostles, and Evangelists, can ground a standing presidencie over Presbyters.

p. 134. That Church Government under the New Testament, is to be administred by their joynt decisive Sufferage.

5. That the Ruling Elder is standing Church Officer appointed by Christ, &c: And in opposition to this Pamphleters forged Definitions, Postulatums and Actions, how easie is it from what is premised, to bring forth Calvin and Beza's counter-assertions, and present these great Divines, as joyntly witnessing him a Liar and Calumniator therein. As first, that there was no standing preheminence in any Church-Officer above the Pastor, allowed to Christ to be continued in the Church, against the definition 3d, and the pretended proof of definition 2d.

2. That the Angel had no fixed presidency over other Ministers, against what is pretended definition 3d.

3. That what is set down in Scripture anent the 70 Disciples, sent out after the 12 Apostles, will not give the least shadow of an Argument, whereby different degrees of Ministers may be concluded, against the scope of Postulatum first.

4. That the Inspection of Timothy and Titus over Ephesus and Crete, had no fixed power of Ordination and Jurisdiction, over these Churches included therein, in contradiction to Postulatum 2d.

5. That the preheminency of one single person in Office unto other Ministers, was never by Gods Warrand, retained or practised by the Church for remedy of Schism, against the scope of Postulatum 3d.

6. That these first Presidents introduced by the primative Church, were not preheminent in Office unto other Ministers; whereby the same Postulatum is again convict of Falshood.

7. That not so much as a constant President can be warranted, from the Angel of the 7 Churches; against the scope of Postulatum 4th.

8. That neither Apostles nor Evagelists, their Office did found a standing official lawful Preheminency, of an ordinary Church-Officer, over the Pastor, in contradiction to the scope of Definition 3d 4. Postulatum 4th. Axiom 2d; And finally, that this official Preheminent office over the Pastor, has neither a divine Right, flowing from Christ's immediate Institution, nor Apostolick from the Apostles doctrine, and practise, or of the Apostolick and primitive Church, and consequently that the having, not the wanting of such a Government, is pernicious to the Gospel and Christian Religion, which overturns the scope p. 14of the whole Pamphlet, parti…larly Postulatum 3d, 4th, Axiom 2d, 3d, 4th.