eatise is to assist Presbyterians of
all denominations in the understanding of those passages of Scripture
upon which their wall is built, that they be not led aside by the
cunning speeches of false teachers, whereby they deceive and draw aside
the hearts of the simple.

This work was first published at London, at the time when the
controversy between the Presbyterians and ancient Independents ran very
high, and every intelligent and unprejudiced reader will see, that the
Holy Scriptures have been carefully perused, accurately compared, wisely
collected, and judiciously explained, in order to evince that the
Presbyterian government has the only lawful claim to a divine right, and
is the only form appointed by Christ in his Church. It is, therefore, to
be wished, that all his people would endeavor, in the strength of Divine
grace, to observe the laws of his house, and to walk in all his
ordinances and commandments blameless.

Considerable pains have been taken to make this edition more easily
understood by common readers than the former, and yet several difficult
and hard words have passed unnoticed. The Latin quotations from the
Fathers have been omitted, because they contain nothing materially
different from what is in the body of the work, and modern Independents
pay little regard to any human authorities but their own. It was
proposed to have added a few extracts from Messrs. Rutherford and
Gillespie, but upon looking into their works nothing of consequence was
observed, that tended to cast any new light upon the subject. It is
hoped, however, that the Appendix is filled up with extracts from other
authors upon subjects of considerable importance, and very necessary for
these times, concerning the scriptural qualifications and duties of
church members; the divine right of the gospel ministry; the people's
divine right to choose their own pastors; with an abstract of Dr. Owen's
arguments in favor of the divine right of the ruling elder: and as there
are many serious Christians who have not a capacity to take up and
retain a long chain of reasoning, a summary of the whole Treatise is
given by way of question and answer as a conclusion.

The Editor is not to be understood as approving of, or vindicating every
single sentiment, or mode of expression, used in this Treatise: at the
same time, next to the Holy Scriptures, he recommends it as one of the
best defences of presbytery which he has seen.

That it may be bless