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

It hath a magisterial and high sounding title, undertaking the examination of Presbyterial Government. But Presbyterial Government secretly smileth, because ⟨p. 2⟩while she was ready to say much more for her self, he did not put her to to it, lest himself should have been put ad metam non probandi. But he particularizeth himself, and telleth us he hath unfolded the weakness of our grounds, and disproved our pretended proofs. The truth is, that the best of them & the most of them he hath not touched. He addeth that he hath proved out of the Word of God the liberty of the people in choosing their own officers. This may be added •aute, but caste, I am sure it is not. He would make the world believe that Presbyterians are against the peoples election of their officers, which is a calumny. He saith, he hath annexed certain arguments, proving Presbyterial Government to be contrary to the pattern which Christ hath left in the New Testament. These arguments shall be answered with no great difficulty. In this place I shall only say a word of them in general. The man hath a notable faculty of proving that wherein the Presbyterians do agree with him, and passing that wherein they disagree from him. Many humane testimonies and citations of writers he mustereth together, to make a simple reader believe that many are of his judgemen• ▪ But I find none of them all ⟨p. 3⟩except two or three to affirm any thing which we deny. But why hath he taken all this pains? He will present it (forsooth) to the Kings most excellent Majesty, and to the right honourable Lords, and the honourable house of Commons now assembled in Parliament. As if it were to be expected that a popular and independent form of Church government in every Congregation, which should most certainly open a door to a thousand remediless confusions, may obtain his Majesties royal assent, or the acceptation of the High Court of Parliament. Nay, brother, seek some other friends to your cause, for, if wise men be not too too much deceived▪ the King and the Parliament in their great wisdom do fore-see, that whensoever Episcopal government shall be removed, another form of Provincial and national Church government must needs succeed unto it.