An assertion of the government of the Church of Scotland in the points of…

For resolution hereof we must understand ⟨p. 137⟩1. That causes common to many congregations, ought not to be judged by any one of them, but by the greater Presbytery common to them all. 2. It is to be supposed that particular congregations (at least the far greatest part of them) have not in their proper Elderships so many men of sufficient abilities, as are requisite in judging and determining the cases of the examination of Ministers, of ordination, deposition, excommunication, and the like. 3. When one appealeth from a particular Eldership, out of persuasion that he is wronged by the sentence thereof, or when that Eldership finding its own insufficiency for determining some difficult causes, resolveth to refer the same into a higher Court: reason would that there should be an ordinary Court of a Classical Presbytery to receive such appellations or references. 4. Congregations which lye near together, ought all as one to keep unity and conformity in Church policy and government, neither ought one of them be permitted to do an injury, or to give an offence unto another: and for these ends, it is most necessary that they be governed by one common Presbytery. 5. There may be a competition or a controversy not only betwixt one congregation and another, but in the same ⟨p. 138⟩congregation betwixt the one half and the other; yea, the Eldership it self of that congregation, may be, (and sometimes is) divided in it self. And how shall things of this kind be determined, but by the common Presbytery? 6. But (which is caput rei) these our Classical Presbyteries have a certain warrant from the pattern of the Apostolical Churches: For proof whereof, it shall be made to appear, 1. That in those Cities, (at least in many of them) where Christian religion was planted by the Apostles, there were a great number of Christians, then either did, or conveniently could meet together into one place for the worship of God. 2. that in those Cities there was a plurality not only of ruling Elders, but of the Ministers of the word. 3. That notwithstanding hereof, the whole number of Christians within the City, was one Church. 4. That the whole number, and several companies of Christians within one City, were all governed by one common Presbytery. The second of these doth follow upon the first, and the fourth upon the third.

For resolution hereof we must understand ⟨p. 137⟩