GOOD NEWS From the Assembly in Scotland, now sitting in consultation, concerning their Ecclesiastical Government in the CHURCH.  
Exhibited to this Parliament in England, concerning this present Reformation in England, with their hearty desires this ensuing Treatise may be forthwith enacted; for the satisfaction of all good Subjects, here or elsewhere.  
From Edinburgh, August 4. 1642 Avast 10th  IN DOMINO CONFIDO  printer's device, a framed fleur-de-lis with a plain background 
London printed for J. W. 1642.   

DOCTRINA PARIT VIRTUTEM  device consisting of an open book with a sword, scepter, and surrounding motto  
Good News from the Assembly in Scotland, now sitting in consultation, concerning their Ecclesiastical Government.  
THe Confession of Faith, and Reformation of the Kirk of Scotland, in doctrine, discipline, and worship, so far as the Reformers did conceive and understand were regulated by the word of God, & grounded upon Scripture, as is acknowledged by the Harmony of Confessions of the Reformed Kirks, and by the testimony of the best and most eminent Divines, which have been in the Kirk of England, or in the Reformed Kirks at that time, and to this day, amidst the greatest desolation, notwithstanding the ambition and usurpation of Prelates, no other Ministers and Office-bearers have been acknowledged, or received by the Reformed Kirk of Scotland, but Pastors, Doctors, and Elders, with Deacons. These being warranted with Scripture, and being sufficient for all the necessary uses of the Kirk of Scotland; yet so, that the Prince and Civil Magistrate, hold his own eminent place and Civil Power, for the consolation and purgation of Religion.  
No man here were, were he never so wise and pious above others, or doth he never so much abrogate authority unto himself, hath the reins of Kirk government in his hands, to dispose or do what seemeth good in his own eyes; but all matters are advised and determined by Common Consent in the Conventions and Assemblies of the Kirk; which Assemblies were of four sorts and degrees, commonly designed by the names of Kirk-Sessions, or Consistories, Presbyteries, Provincial Synods, and General, or Nationall Assemblies.  
The Kirk-Sessions, or Consistory, do consist of one Minister at least, approved for his learning, life, and skill in government; and of Elders, men of best knowledge, and holiest of life in the parish, so many in number as the proportion of the Congregation doth require, who are chosen with the consent of the people, and in the presence of the people solemnly admitted to their charge: These convene weekly for orderin●●uch matters of the worship of God, as are proper for that parish; as what days of the week are me●●est for assembling to the public worship, or catechising, and what hours in the Lord's day, before noon and afternoon, are sittest for the exercise of that d●y 〈◊〉 what times the Communion shall be given, for consulting of Delinquents in swearing, curling, profanation of the Lords day, drunkenness, fornication: And for dilating greater offences, such as heresy, superstition, adultery, if any be suspected: if there be any scandal within their bounds, that all Trangressours may be brought to repentance, or separated from the people of God, according to the Ordinances of Christ, and order of the Kirk. Here also the Deacons are present, to receive direction in their duty.  
Presbytery or Classical meeting doth consist of particular Kirks, in such a circuit 12, 16, or 20. Or so many, as by conveniency of the place, can weekly assemble here, one elder of each parish appointed by the particular Kirk-Session, and the whole Ministers of these, do meet where the Ministers and others be admitted to the Ministry, whom we call expectance, exercise their gifts by course in public, the exercised or prophesy being ended, the Minister and Elders sit down, and after prayer and censure of the Doctrine, they use the power of jurisdiction, Ordination, Suspensation, Deprivation, Visitation of Kirks, trials of the projects of Excommunication, deduced by the particular elderships and of direction to the Ministers of the parish, to excommunicate if need be. Here the Scandalous faults of Ministers in Doctrine or life, are declared, and all persons of whatsoever quality disobedient to their own Ministers and Elders, are with great authority censured, Provincial Synods do consist of the whole Presbyteryes, shires, or provinces, so that the whole Kingdom is divided into Shires or Provinces in relation to those Synods. Here all the Ministers and one Elder from every parish do meet twice in the year, and after preaching and calling upon the name of God by the Moderators of the preceding Synod: a new Moderator being chosen, they try the Presbyteries by their Records, presented by the Clerk of every Presbytery what was obscure or difficult for the Presbyteries, or might concern them all in common, is determined and ordained, and if any difficulty do arise which doth not fall under some Kirk constitution, it is referred to the National Assembly: all matters are with such diligence, expedited that each Minister may return to his charge on the Lord's day.  
In the general or national assembly, the King's Majesty in person, or Commissioner in his place useth to be present, who convene once in the year or oftener, pro re nata.  
It doth consist of Ministers and Elders from each Presbytery and regal Burrough.  
After solemn Humiliation the first day of the Assembly, one of the Ministers is chosen by the voices of the whole Assembly to moderate and precide in that Assembly.  
The records of the Synod, are perused and tried, Acts and constitutions of all the Churches, and agreed upon with common consent, and all men's doubts and scruples concerning them, are satisfied to the full. If they be propounded Animo edificandi non tentandi, Appellations, Grievances, Petitions and Complaints, are examined and determined by this supreme and highest Kirks judicatory, and some Commissioners chosen to present grievances or Petitions agreed upon in the Assembly to the Parliament, the King, the Council of the Kingdom, or convention of the Estates.  
In this authority subordination of Sessions, Presbyteryes, provincial Synods and national Assemblies do consist, the Order, Beauty, the strength of the Kirks of Scotland, comfortable to the Godly, both pastors and professors, terrible as an Army with Banners to Papists, be their places never so high, to all Heretics, Schismatics, hirelings and all ungodly men.  
No scandalous fault of any person escapeth Censure.  
No heresy or errors can sooner be hatched, but it is presently crushed by some of those inferior Assemblies, or if it be kept on foot, or take strength, it is quite suppressed by the national Assembly convening once in a year, which hath been a main cause why so few sects and errors in Doctrine and Worship have appeared in the Kirk of Scots for many years, and wheresoever those Assemblies have place and liberty, the names of Heresies and Sects have not almost been heard of.  
In these particular Assemblies, the particular Heretics are not governed by the extrinsecall power of any one or many set over them, as in the Monarchical government of prelate's, but they are ruled and judged by themselves, and their own intrinsical power, each member by the whole body in one orderly way. None of the whole communion of the faithful being barred from the joint and common government by those Assemblies, the gifts, the knowledge and zeal of all the members, especially of the Ministers, and stirred up, quickened and strengthened, and holy emulation is excited by acquaintance, conference, and by perceiving the gifts one of another. And the best gifts are known for planting of Kirks and Colleges: whence it is that Ministers return from those Assemblies ashamed and humbled in themselves, and furnished with fresh resolutions for every pastoral duty for the common benefit and edification of all the Kirks.   
FJNIS.