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If you are a three-office man, then this looks/sounds like an abuse of classic Presbyterianism, which Calvin is most assuredly a forerunner of. In this case of employment to a bad end, the minister has been elevated to an executive-pastor, the elders have all been "priested" (or what really looks like--done away with), and left are the deacons, who have also been made into clergy.
Not all of us agree that "there is no distinction of office" between a minister (bishop? in someone's parlance?) and the ruler/elder. Calvin, Knox, etc. would have recognized the minister as a clergyman. In this quote: "There still remain bishops and rectors of parishes...," I see no distinguishing being made between these men in Calvin's thinking, other than that the former may have a larger parish.
At the end of the day, I think Calvin would be content to have a church be Reformed, and its order a tolerable approximation to biblical government, if that's the best that could be had.
__________________ Rev. Bruce G. Buchanan
ChainOLakes Presbyterian Church, CentralLake, MI Made both Lord and Christ--Jesus, the Destroyer
Acts 2:36 - 1 Cor. 10:9-10 & 15:22-26 - Hebrews 2:9-15 - 1 John 3:8 - James 4:12
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