General Assembly of the Church of Scotland

“ We appointed the commission to sit and answer them. They are but poor ones. That same day we renewed the commission of the church. There is too great a change of the persons, and too great addition of men who never have been members of any assembly; also their power is too much enlarged, even to process all who oppose their orders, as well as of the general assembly. I find divers in the mind, that if once our army in England had got any sensible success, our state are resolved totally to suppress the commission of the church, as a judicatory not yet established by law ”

“ Likewayes, as the bands of the Scottish church were strong, so her beauty was bright: no error was so much as named, the people were not only sound in the faith, but innocently ignorant of unsound doctrine; no scandalous person could live, no scandal could be concealed in all Scotland, so strict a correspondence there was betwixt ministers and congregations. The General Assembly seemed to be the priest with Urim and Thumim, and there were not ane 100 persons in all Scotland to oppose their conclusions ”

“ For what hope can there be of Unity in Religion, of one Confession of Faith, one Form of Worship, and one Catechisme, till there be first one Forme of Ecclesiasticall Government? Yea, what hope can the Kingdome and Kirk of Scotland have of a firme and durable Peace, till Prelacie, which hath been the main cause of their miseries and troubles, first and last, be plucked up, root and branch, as a plant which God hath not planted, and from which, no better fruits can be expected then such sower grapes, as this day set on edge the Kingdome of England? ”

“ As for your Meeting to treat of the Affairs of the Church, We do not see at this time how that can be done; for within Our Kingdom of Scotland, We cannot promise you any place of Safety, and in any other of Our Dominions We cannot hold it convenient, all things considered; wherefore We conceive that the best way will be for your Lordships to give in, by way of Protestation or Remonstrance, your Exceptions against this Assembly and Parliament to Our Commissioner, which may be sent by any mean man, so he be Trusty, and deliver it at his entering into the Church ”

“ And I am sure these that have not seen Assemblies before will understand how profitable this Assembly is unto our Church, when every man is heard178 patiently till he speak his mind; and then is a contribution of every gift in a nation joining together and making up a composition of an Assembly. Let it be judged by any man whether the Episcopal power be likest God’s own order in his house; and I put no question but the Kirk of Scotland will be found to be the Church of Christ, and the Antichristian Church shall be found to acknowledge it. 4. As it is a beautiful, a powerful, a profitable order ”

“ In Scotland the practice was for all the ministers and ruling elders within the bounds of a Provincial Synod to attend the Synod personally; but in England, on account of her size, the plan of Synods of elected representatives might be advisable—which, however, would not affect the principle. In any case, the annual National Assembly of the whole Church, which, under the new Presbyterian system, would be to England the same Ecclesiastical Parliament that the General Assembly in Edinburgh was to Scotland, must necessarily, like that Assembly, be constituted representatively. ”

“ All of us will take it for the call of God, whatever you resolve of our stays or goings. It is like, about that time, there shall be more to do here than before; for the delays of the Independents importunities has been wonderful, which now, I hope, are drawing near an end; and very likely, about that very time of the assembly, if God cast not in unexpected impediments, we may be about the highest points both of government and worship, the erecting of our presbytery, and putting our votes in practice, and settling of a directory, wherein we have yet got little thing done, and much is here ado. ”

“ The Independents have entered their dissent only to three propositions: “That in Ephesus was a classical presbytery; That there is a subordination of assemblies; That a single congregation has not all and sole power of ordination.” Their reasons against these three propositions we expect to-morrow. Against the end of the next week we hope our committees will have answers ready to all they will say; and after all is sent up to the House, by God’s help, we expect shortly an erection of presbyteries and synods here ”

“ In the greatest parish of London, scarce one child in a-year was brought to the church for baptism. Also we have carried the parent’s presenting of his child, and not their midwives, as was their universal custom. In our last debate with the committee of Commons, for our paper of ordination, we were in the midst, over head and ears, of that greatest of our questions, the power of the parliament in ecclesiastick affairs. It is like this question shall be hotter here than any where else: but we mind to hold off ”

“ The Church did for Scotland what the Parliament accomplished for England. The Assembly was not a meeting of ecclesiastics alone. The strength of the Church lay in the presence of lay members in her courts, [120] to which there came earls, lords, and barons, and commissioners from provinces and universities. Each member, be he lord or peasant, the minister of St. Giles, or a Glasgow baillie, had equal right to speak, and no man's vote counted for more than that of his neighbour. The history of Scotland from the Reformation to the Revolution is the history of the General Assembly. ”

“ But as the faithful Servants of God in this Church in former times, did by His good Hand upon them in the right administration of free and lawful Assemblies, bring the Work of Reformation in Scotland unto a great perfection, and neer conformity with the first pattern: So, unfaithful men minding their own things more then the things of Christ, and usurping over their Brethren and over the Lords Inheritance, did deface the beauty thereof, first by encroaching upon the liberty and freedom of Assemblies; afterwards by taking away the Assembly themselves. ”

“ They have, yesterday, had a publick fast for it, and renewed solemnly their covenant by oath and subscription; and this day have given in a strong petition for settling of church-government, and suppressing of all sects, without any toleration. No doubt, if they be constant, they will obtain all their desires; for all know here that the parliament cannot subsist without London: so whatsoever they desire in earnest, and constantly, it must be granted. Wherefore, albeit they gave them a baffling answer to their former petition a month ago ”

“ And yet considering the urgent necessity of purging and settling the Church (as hath been often pressed and presented to the Parliament of England, by pious and frequent exhortations and Declarations from that reverent Assembly) they have been constrained by an Ordinance of both Houses, to call an Assembly of Divines, and others, now fitting, to consider and prepare what may conduce thereunto, which by the assistance of some godly and learned Divines sent from this Nation (as is earnestly desired) we hope may through the blessing of God, bring it to perfection. ”

“ Wherein we assure our selves of their ready and willing affections, considering the great service they may do to God, and the great honour may redound to themselves in becoming the Instruments of a glorious Reformation, not onely through this Iland, but from thence possibly to be spread to other Churches now oppressed under the Antichristian bondage, and tyrannie of the Popish and prelaticall Faction. We will not say there lies any obligation upon this Church and Kingdome, to comply with the desires of the two Houses of Parliament ”

“ In the assembly we are fallen on a fashious proposition, that has kept us divers days, and will do so divers more, coming upon the article of the church and the church-notes to oppose the Erastian heresy, which in this land is very strong, especially among the lawyers, unhappy members of this parliament. We find it necessary to say, “That Christ in the New Testament had institute a church-government distinct from the civil, to be exercised by the officers of the church, without commission from the magistrate.” ”

“ We know nothing of that kinde, that all of us who love Unitie, Order, and Edification, may not perfectly agree in, without scandall or disturbance: And we beseech the Lord to keep that Kirk free of such Sects and Monsters of opinions, as are daily set on foot and multiplied in this Kingdome, through the want of that Church-government by Assemblies, which hath preserved us, and we hope, through the [pg 251] blessing of God, shall cure them. ”

“ But the King carried his point, and in 1606 the Estates passed an act for the restoration of the bishops. No acts of church government were in future to be lawful without their consent, and though the General Assembly was still to go on, its power was to be very much lessened. As the old line of Scottish bishops had died out, John Spottiswood, Andrew Lamb, and Gavin Hamilton were consecrated by English bishops at London House to the bishoprics of Glasgow, Brechin, and Galloway. ”

“ The Assembly doth blesse the Lord, who hath not only inspired the Houses of Parliament with desires and resolutions of the Reformation of Religion, but hath advanced by several steps and degrees that blessed Work; By which, as they shall most approve themselves to the Reformed Churches abroad, and to their Brethren of Scotland, so shall they most powerfully draw even from Heaven the blessings of prosperity and peace upon England. ”

“ Since that time we have had no meeting for the whole church, not so much as for counsel, though the remonstrants have met oft, and are like to set up a commission and assembly of their own for very ill purposes. They are most bitter against those who adhere to their covenant in the matter of the King and assembly. They are as bent as ever to purge the church. To punish men truly deserving censure, we are as willing as they; but their purging is, for common, a very injurious oppression. ”

“ From its first meeting in December 1560 onwards, the General Assembly or Supreme Court of the Church was convened by the authority of the Church itself, and year by year laid the deep foundations of the social and religious future of Scotland. It was a great [Pg 116] work—nothing less than organising a rude nation into a self-governing Church. ”

“ It is likewise desired, that that reverend Assembly will according to their former promise and resolution, send to the Assembly here, such number of godly and learned Divines, as in their wisedome they think most expedient for the furtherance of this work, which so much concerns the honour of God, the prosperity and peace of the two Churches of England and Scotland; and which must needs have a great influence in procuring a more safe and prosperous condition to other reformed Churches abroad. ”

“ I fear the Confession of Faith may stick longer. However, we will, by God’s help, have so much work done in a month, that it seems necessar to have a general assembly in Scotland shortly, that some of us may bring there what has been so long in doing, to be revised, and, I hope, without great difficulty, to be passed. If it please the Lord to perfect this work, it will be the sweetest and most happy business that ever in this isle was enterprised. The hope of it comforts us in the midst of our perplexities, which sometimes are not small. ”

“ The form of church government in Scotland was still further connected with that of the Calvinistic churches on the Continent (particularly that of France) by the establishment and gradation of church courts—the General Assembly having jurisdiction over the whole church, the provincial synod over the ministers and congregations within a particular province, and the session or lesser eldership or consistory over one or more neighbouring congregations. ”

“ The King’s letter was read again, and overtures for Papists and presentations were referred to the moderator. The committees were appointed in the afternoon. At our meeting, it was laid on Mr Henderson to answer the King and parliament’s letters. The overture anent Papists was committed to me; which I drew, as it was thereafter approven in the assembly, without alteration. We spake much of patronages. The overtures whereupon the commissioners of parliament had agreed on with the King, I shewed was of no use to us; for it was hard for us to find one person to a vacant kirk ”

“ Having seriously considered with our selves, that nothing in this world is so precious, and ought to be so deare unto us as our Religion; that the diseases of the Church after long toleration did threaten no lesse then her utter ruine, and the expiring of the truth of Religion at last; and that a free Generall Assemblie was the ordinarie remedie appointed by divine Authority, and blessed by divine providence in other Churches ”

“ Betwixt the Chancellor, Duke Argyle, Treasurer, Lauderdale, Lanerk, Balmerino, Wariston, Mr Robert Douglas, Mr George Gillespie, Mr David Calderwood, Mr Robert Blair, Mr David Dickson, Mr Samuel Rutherford, many meetings have been had, night and day, private and publick; but as yet our discords increase, and are ready to break out in a fearful rupture both of church and state. Our meetings were long in private for a state of a question. We required peremptorily to stand to our former principles and covenant; “to have religion settled first ”