Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland

“ 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 ”

“ The Independents in their last meeting of our grand committee of accommodation have expressed their desires for toleration, not only to themselves but to other sects. The parliament has no great inclination to satisfy either. What may come of this, we know not; only it were our heart’s desire that our army at Newark were recruited. Nothing is better for the good of Scotland, for the welfare of the whole isle, and the Protestant religion. If God make us either unable or unwilling to this, the loss will be great to us and all. ”

“ In this Mr Henderson seconded him. Always, when it came to voicing, Mr Henderson’s commission was unanimously received. The next question was about a new leet for a new moderator. The old fashion was, that the former moderator leeted whom he would, and the assembly added whom they pleased. An overture had passed at Aberdeen, that every provincial synod should have one of their number to be on the leets for moderator, one to be on the committee of bills, one for the reports, and one for the overtures. The Northlandmen pressed much to have it so ”

“ For it is agaynst Reason and Practise of the Christian Church, that no Primate, Archbishop, nor Bishop, haue place nor voyce deliberatiue, nor decisue, in Generall Assemblies, except they bee authorized, and elected, by their Presbyterial Meetinges, consisting of Preaching and Ruling Elders, (as they call them) and without Warrand, or Example, in the Primitiue, and purest tymes of the Church.
XII. This also doeth inferre the Nullitie of an Assemblie, if the Moderator and President for matters of Doctrine, and Discipline, shall bee neyther the Primate, Arch-bishop, nor Bishop ”

“ 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 ”

“ 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 ”

“ 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? ”

“ There he carried on the traditions of the chair, and his learning and character quickly made him a leader of the 'moderate' party in the Scottish church during the long and growing controversy with the evangelicals or 'high-flyers.' In 1821 he was chosen moderator of the general assembly, and in 1823 was appointed one of George IV's chaplains for Scotland. ”

“ He that hath brought the Children to the birth, can also give strength to come forth; And hee whose hand did cast out Prelacie and the Book of Common Prayer (although strongly rooted in standing Lawes;) and who enclined the Parliament of England to Owne no other Church Government but the Presbyteriall, (Though it bee not yet fully settled according to the Word of God, and the example of the best Reformed Churches) can as easily encline when hee thinks good both the King and them, and the body of that Kingdome to a thorow and perfect Reformation. ”

“ There is no more work before the assembly. The translation of the psalms is passed long ago in the assembly; yet it sticks in the Houses. The Commons passed their order long ago; but the Lords joined not, being solicited by divers of the assembly, and of the ministers of London, who love better the more poetical paraphrase of their colleague Mr Burton. The too great accuracy of some in the assembly, sticking too hard to the original text, made the last edition more concise and obscure than the former. With this the commission of our church was not so well pleased ”

“ 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 ”

“ Moderatour said—We must begin where we endit on Saturday and goe forward in that worke. There is ane great mountaine removed, blessed be our Lord, who have done it. Ye know that in the explanation of our subscribit Confession of Faith, we did oblische ourselves to forbeare the practice of all novations or approbation of the corruptions of the publict Government of the Kirk till a free Generall Assemblie, which hes beine done conscientiouslie by many ”

“ 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 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 ”

“ We have an act, that nothing shall be brought to a greater meeting which has not first been treated of in a smaller; but now your compend of the general assembly, or deputes of it, at the first instance, judge of matters which might be better handled in lesser meetings. For God’s sake, look this course in time be stopped, else the commission of the kirk will swallow up all other ecclesiastick judicatories, and such ministers who reside in and about Edinburgh, shall at last ingross all church-power in their hands. ”

“ We have given in to the parliament our conclusions anent ordination; whereupon, I think, we have spent above forty long sessions. To prevent a present rupture with the Independents, we were content not to give in our propositions of presbyteries and congregations, that we might not necessitate them to give in their remonstrance against our conclusions, which they are peremptor to do when we come on that matter. We judged it also convenient to delay till we had gone through the383 whole matters of the presbyteries and synods; to send them up rather in their full strength than by pieces ”

“ 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. ”

“ VI. What may be required of the Kirk of Scotland for furthering the Work of Uniformitie of Government, or for agreeing upon a common Confession of Faith, Catechisme, and directory for Worship, shall according to the order given by this Assembly, be most willingly performed by Us, who long extreamly for the day when King and Parliament shall joyn for bringing to passe so great, so good a Work, That all Warres and Commotions ceasing, all Superstition, Idolatry, Heresie, Sects, and Schismes being removed, as the Lord is one, so his name may be one amongst us ”

“ Yea, it were enough to make people loathe the articles of their faith, to hear such men as these take the Covenant of God in their mouths; and therefore it is expedient that the Church of God be purged of such foul scandals as it hath been polluted with in these men’s persons. And this is profitable likewise for the faithful, that they may learn to be wise and holy, and that they fall not into the same faults, lest the same censure come upon them. And truly if the Lord had directed to another remedy for these men, the Kirk of Scotland would have been glad to use it ”

“ 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 ”

“ 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 ”

“ 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 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. ”

“ It is nothing but an abuse of preaching, to serve the humours only of rich people for a reward. Our church expressly has discharged them on many good reasons. It is here a good part of the ministers livelihood; therefore they will not quit it. After three days debate, we cannot find yet a way of agreeance. If this were passed, there is no more in our directory, but fasting and holidays, wherein we apprehend no difference. Upon these, with our votes of government already passed, and our answers to the Independents reasons, the next week, I think, will be spent. ”

“ 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. ”