the House of Commons their alterations of our paper of ordination;
at last they have agreed to send back our desires for changing the
most of these alterations, according to the papers which we gave in
to the assembly and both Houses. Concerning these alterations, we
expect, without farther ado, the Houses will pass our desires; so that
presently all the youths in England, who for many years have waited
for a pure ordination, shall be admitted to churches; and when all
these, and what moe Scotland can afford of good youths for the ministry
here, are provided, it is thought some thousands of churches must vaik
for want of men. Our next work is, to give our advice what to do for
suppressing of Anabaptists, Antinomians, and other sectaries. This will
be a hard work; yet so much as concerns us will be quickly dispatched,
I hope in one session. It is appointed thereafter that we return to
the government, and to hold to it till we conclude the erection of
sessions, presbyteries, and synods. The most of the directory is
passed, and the rest is given to proper hands to prepare the models for
the assembly. All the world are sensible of our necessitated delays,
and cry for expedition. All of us long much to be at home; but the
daily unexpected difficulties, and the necessitated length of our
affairs, are incredible to any who is not on the place.
* * * * *
_For Mr William Spang. September 13, 1644._
This day Cromwell has obtained an order of the House of Commons, to
refer to the committee of both kingdoms the accommodation or toleration
of the Independents; a high and unexpected order; yet, by God’s help,
we will make use of it contrare to the design of the procurers.
* * * * *
_Publick Letter. September 16, 1644_
We spent a number of sessions on some propositions of advice to the
parliament, for suppressing Antinomians, Anabaptists, and these
who preach a liberty for all religions. Even in these, our good
Independents found us great difficulty; and when we had carried our
advices against their mind, they offered to give in contrare reasons
to the parliament. We spent two or three days on the matter of a
remonstrance to the parliament of the sins which provoked God to
give us this late stroke; and here we had the most free and strange
parliament that ever I heard, about the evident sins of the assembly,
the sins of the parliament, the sins of the army, the sins of the
people. When we were in full hope of a large fruit of so honest and
faithful a censure, Thomas Goodwin and his brethren, as their custom
is to oppose all things that are good, carried it so, that all was
dung in the howes, and that matter clean laid by. We are again on
the government. We have passed two or three propositions, that the
church may be governed by three sorts of assemblies, congregational,
classical, and synodical. We begin with synods, and hope to make
quicker dispatch than before, by God’s help. We have sundry means of
haste in agitation with our private friends.
* * * * *
_For Mr David Dickson. September 16, 1644._
While Cromwell is here, the House of Commons, without the least
advertisement to any of us, or of the assembly, passes an order, that
the grand Committee of both Houses, assembly, and us, shall consider
of the means to unite us and the Independents; or, if that be found
impossible, to see how they may be tolerated. This has much affected
us. These men have retarded the assembly these long twelve months.
This is the fruit of their disservice, to obtain really an act of
parliament for their toleration, before we have got any thing for
presbytery either in assembly or parliament. Our greatest friends, Sir
Henry Vane and the Solicitor, are the main procurers of all this; And
that without any regard to us, who have saved their nation, and brought
these two persons to the height of the power now they enjoy, and use
to our prejudice. We are on our ways, with God and men, to redress
all these things as we may. We had much need of your prayers. This
is a very fickle people; so wonderfully divided in all their armies,
both their Houses of parliament, assembly, city, and country, that it
is a miracle if they fall not into the mouth of the King. That party
grows in strength and courage. The Queen is very like to get an army
from France. The great shot of Cromwell and Vane is to have a liberty
of all religions, without any exception. Many a time we are put to
great trouble of mind. We must make the best of an ill game we can.
Marshal miskens us altogether: he is for a middle way of his own, and
draws a faction in the synod to give ordination and excommunication
to congregations, albeit dependently, in case of male-administration.
God help us! If God be pleased to settle Scotland, and give us
Newcastle, all will go well. We must see for new friends at last, when
our old ones, without any the least cause, have deserted, and have
half-betrayed us.
* * * * *
_Publick Letter. October._
In the assembly, thanks to God, we have throughed not only our
presbyteries, but also our synods, provincial and national, and
the subordination of all the four meetings, parochial, classical,
provincial, and national. We are now to dispute upon the power of all
the four. We have strange tugging with the Independents. The House of
Commons have appointed a committee to consider of their differences
with us, if they be reconcileable; or, if not, how far they may be
tolerated. At first the motion did much perplex us; but, after some
debates upon it, we are now hopeful to make vantage of it, for the
truth against the errors of that very wilful and obstinate party. We
are in hopes to get the directory brought towards an end, and the
catechism also ere long, with which some of us are likely to be sent
down. The Confession of Faith is referred to a committee, to be put
in several the best hands that are here. By the help of God, procured
by your prayers, our adversaries designs may contribute to the happy
closure of these longsome and wonderfully troublesome affairs.
* * * * *
_For Mr William Spang. October 25, 1644._
Their greatest plot, wherewith yet we are wrestling, is an order of
the House of Commons, contrived by Mr Solicitor and Mr Marshal, which
they got stolen through, to the committee of Lords, Commons, and
Divines, which treated with us, to consider of differences in point
of church-government, which were among the members of the assembly,
that they might be agreed; or if not, how far tender consciences
might be borne with, which could not come up to the common rule to
be established, that so the proceedings of the assembly might not
be retarded. This order presently gave us the alarm; we saw it was
for a toleration of the Independents by act of parliament, before
the presbytery or any common rule were established. Our most trusty
friend the Solicitor had throughed it the House before we heard of
it. Mr Marshal had evidently, in the prosecution of it, slighted us.
Sir Henry Vane, whom we trusted most, had given us many signs of his
alteration; twice at our table prolixly, earnestly, and passionately
had reasoned for a full liberty of conscience to all religions, without
any exceptions; had publickly, in the House, opposed the clause in
the ordination that required ministers to subscribe the covenant, and
that which did intimate their being over their flocks in the Lord;
had moved the mustering of our army, as being far less than we were
paid for; had been offended with the Solicitor for putting in the
ordinance the differences about church-government; and not only about
free grace, intruding liberty to the Antinomians, and to all sects, he,
without the least occasion on our side, did openly oppose us. Always
God has helped us against him and them egregiously to this day. In
the first meeting of the grand committee, Mr Marshal the chairman, by
canny convoyance, got a subcommittee nominate according to his mind,
to draw the differences; Goodwin and Nye, other four with himself,
who joined with the Independents in giving to the congregations power
of excommunication and ordination. Vines, Herle, Reynolds, Temple,
Seaman, and Palmer, of our mind, were named; but seeing us excluded
by Marshal’s cunning, would not join. The next two or three meetings
were spent on the subcommittee’s draught of the differences. We found
the Independents clear for the whole people, every communicant male,
to have decisive voice in all ecclesiastic causes, in admission,
deposition, excommunication of ministers, in determining of schisms and
heresies. 2. That no congregation did depend on any superior synod,
so that a congregation falling in all the heresies and crimes of the
world, neither the whole nor any member of it can be censured by any
synod or presbytery in the earth, however it may be refused communion
by any who find no satisfaction in its proceedings: but, which is
worst of all, they avow they cannot communicate as members with any
congregation in England, though reformed to the uttermost pitch of
purity which the assembly or parliament are like to require, because
even the English, as all the rest of the Reformed, will consist but of
professors of the truth in whose life there is no scandal; but they
require to a member, beside a fair profession, and want of scandal,
such signs of grace as persuades the whole congregation of their true
regeneration. We were glad to have them declare this much under their
hands; for hitherto it has been their great care to avoid any such
declaration; but now they are more bold, apprehending their party to
be much more considerable, and our nation much less considerable than
before. The change of providence did nothing daunt our courage; yet
we were much in prayer and longing expectation that God would raise
us from our lowness, near to contempt, and compesce their groundless
insolency. At our first meeting, my Lords Sey and Wharton, Vane and
the Solicitor, pressed vehemently to debate the propositions of the
subcommittee. They knew, when they had debated, and come to voicing,
they would carry all by plurality in the committee; and though they
should not, yet they were confident, when the report came to the
House of Commons, to get all they desired there past. So, without
the assembly, they purposed immediately from this committee to get a
toleration of Independency concluded in the House of Commons, long
before any thing should be got so much as reported from the assembly
anent presbyteries. Here it was where God helped us beside our
expectation. Mr Rous, Mr Taite, and Mr Prideaux, among the ablest of
the House of Commons, opposed them to their face. My Lord Chancellor,
with a spirit of divine eloquence, Wariston, with the sharp points of
manifold arguments, Maitland, Mr Henderson, Mr Gillespie, and all,
made their designs to appear so clearly, that at once many did dislike
them; yet Henry Vane went on violently. We refused to consider their
propositions, except on two express caveats; one, That no report should
be made of any conclusion of the committee, till first it came to the
assembly, and from them, after examination, should be transmitted to
the House of Commons; another, That first the common rule of government
should be resolved, before any forbearance of these who differed
therefrom should be resolved upon. The first, after many hours sharp
debate, we obtained: the second we are to debate to-morrow; and, if we
obtain it not, we have a brave paper ready, penned by Mr Henderson,
to be given in to the Houses and assembly, which will paint out the
Independents and their adherents so clearly, that I am hopeful that the
bottom of their plots shall be dung out. While I am writing, we get
the long-expected news of the taking of Newcastle, and that by storm.
Blessed be the name of the Lord, who will not for ever contemn the
prayers of his people. We were extremely dejected on many grounds: we
were perplexed for Scotland; beside winter, poverty, and strong, proud,
obstinate enemies within Newcastle, the pest was beginning in our army;
the King, with the greatest army he ever commanded, was coming straight
upon us, being hopeful to dissipate our armies before they could
conjoin, and it was but the miss of one day.
* * * * *
Before we had ended our prayers on Wednesday, in the assembly, the
House of Peers sent us a message, by my Lord Admiral and Pembroke,
with all diligence, to haste the church-government, for heresies did
spread mightily over all the land; also they told, the King had turned
his back on us, and was retiring towards Oxford, finding, against his
expectation, that all our armies were joined.
* * * * *
_November 1, 1644._—To comfort them, six or eight of the chief Lords
came this day in message from the House of Peers with that letter,
intreated the assembly to haste; also in that letter the Commons
voted, over the Independents bellies, the dissolving of that dangerous
committee which these five weeks has vexed us. The preface of our
directory, casting out at doors the liturgy, and all the ceremonies in
cumulo, is this day passed. It cost us divers days debate, and these
sharp enough, with our best friends.
* * * * *
_Publick Letter. November 21, 1644._
Our church-affairs go on now apace, blessed be God. Our letters from
Newcastle moved the Houses to call once, twice, thrice, to the assembly
for expedition. They sent up our propositions concerning presbyteries.
The Independents gave in the reasons of their dissent therefrom. These
are in the hands of a committee. The answer is like to be full and
satisfactory to the world, and possibly to the parties themselves. In
a few days, all we have done about government will be sent up to the
Houses, against which the Independents will have nothing considerable
to say more than is in their papers against Presbyteries. But that
which most comforts us is the directory. All that we have done in it is
this day sent up, with a full unanimity of all. Many a wearisome debate
has it cost us; but we hope the sweet fruit will over-balance the very
great toil we had in it. The last passage was sensibly from God. After,
with huge deal of ado, we passed the parts that concerned prayers,
reading of scripture, preaching, both the sacraments, ordination,
and sanctification of the Sabbath, there were many references to the
preface; one, to turn the directory to a straight liturgy; another to
make it so loose and free, that it should serve for little use: but God
helped us to get both these rocks eschewed. Always here, yesterday,
when we were at the very end of it, the Independents brought us so
doubtful a disputation, that we were in very great fear all should be
cast in the hows, and that their opposition to the whole directory
should be as great as to the government; yet God in his mercy guided
it so, that yesterday we got them, and all others, so satisfied, that,
_nemine contradicente_, it was ordered all together to be transmitted
to the Houses, and Goodwin to be one of the carriers; which was this
day done, to all our great joy, and hope that this will be a good
ground of agreeance betwixt us and them, either soon or syne. What
remains of the directory, anent marrying and burial, will soon be
dispatched. The catechism is drawn up, and, I think, shall not take up
much time. 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.
* * * * *
_Publick Letter. December 1, 1644._
The House of Commons have passed, without any variation to count of,
all the directory we sent them, and I hope to-morrow will send it to
the Lords to make an ordinance upon it. In the assembly we have stuck
longer than we expected on marriage; but I hope to-morrow we shall end
it; and before this week end we shall pass the two remanent parts of
the directory, fasting, and burial, or visitation of the sick; also,
that we shall one of the days of this week send up the rest of our
votes of government, except we fall in debate of some passages of our
too large answer to the Independents reasons against presbyteries.
Believe it, for as slow as you may think us, and as we pronounce
ourselves to be, yet all the days of the week we are pretty busy. We
sit daily from nine till near one; and after noon till night we are
usually in committees. Saturday, our only free day, is to prepare for
Sunday; wherein we seldom vaik from preaching in some eminent place
of the city. Judge what time we have for letters, and writing of
pamphlets, and many other businesses. We would think it a great ease
both to our bodies and spirits to be at home.
* * * * *
Lieutenant-General Cromwell has publickly, in the House of Commons,
accused my Lord of Manchester of the neglect of fighting at Newbury.
That neglect indeed was great; for, as we now are made sure, the
King’s army was in that posture, that they took themselves as lost all
utterly. Yet the fault is unjustly laid on Manchester. It was common
to all the general officers then present, and to Cromwell himself as
much as to any other. Always Manchester has declared himself abundantly
in the House of Lords and there has recriminated Cromwell, as one who
has avowed his desire to abolish the nobility of England; who has
spoken contumeliously of the Scots intention of coming into England
to establish their church-government, in which Cromwell said he would
draw his sword against them; also against the assembly of divines, and
has threatened to make an army of sectaries, to extort by force, both
from King and parliament, what conditions they thought meet. This fire
was long under the embers; now it has broken out, we trust, in a good
time. It is like, for the interest of our nation, we must crave reason
of that darling of the sectaries, and in obtaining his removal from the
army, which himself, by his own rashness, has procured, to break the
power of that potent faction. This is our present difficult exercise.
* * * * *
_To Mr William Spang. December 6, 1644._
We never go so quickly in the assembly as we expect. This week, after
many sharp debates, we have agreed, and sent up to the Houses, our
directory, for marriage, and days of thanksgiving; also we have,
with much difficulty, passed a proposition for abolishing their
ceremonies at burial: but our difference about funeral sermons seems
irreconcileable, as it has been here and every where preached. 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.
* * * * *
This matter of Cromwell has been a high and mighty plot of the
Independent party to have gotten an army for themselves under Cromwell,
with the ruin, and shamefully unjust crushing, of Manchester’s person,
of dissolving the union of the nations, of abolishing the House of
Lords, of dividing the House of Commons, of filling the city, and most
of the Commons, with intestine wars, of setting up themselves upon
the ruins of all; but God, who has drawn us out of many desperate
dangers, is like to turn this dangerous mischief on the heads of the
contrivers. I hope it shall break the far more supposed than real
strength of that party, and unite us more strongly; but we are yet
wrestling with them. By the next you may have more.
* * * * *
_Publick Letter. December 26, 1644._
We daily now make good progress in the assembly. We have sent up our
directory for marriage and thanksgiving; we have also got through
burial. We have some little thing to say of fasting, and visiting of
the sick; and so our long-looked for directory will be closed. It is
exceedingly liked by all who see it. Every piece of it passes the
Houses as fast as we send it. Our answers to the Independents reasons
are now ready, and I hope this week may be sent up to the House. We
have also put together all our votes of government, and will send
them up to-morrow to both Houses. 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;
for there appears a good forwardness to expede all things of that
kind in both Houses since the taking of Newcastle. If the directory
and government were once out of our hands, as a few days will put
them, then we will fall on our great question of excommunication,
the catechism, and confession. There is here matter to hold us long
enough, if the wrangling humour which long predominated in many here
did continue; but, thanks to God, that is much abated, and all incline
towards a conclusion. We have drawn up a directory for church-censures
and excommunication; wherein we keep the practice of our church, but
decline speculative questions. This, we hope, will please all who
are not Independents; yea, I think even they needed not differ with
us here: but it yet appears they will to separation, and are not so
careful to accommodate, as conscience would command peaceable men to
be. However, we hope to get the debates of these things we most feared
either eschewed or shortened. We have near also agreed in private on a
draught of catechism; whereupon, when it comes in publick, we expect
little debate. I think we must either pass the Confession to another
season, or, if God will help us, the heads of it being distribute among
many able hands, it may in a short time be so drawn up, as the debates
of it may cost little time. All this chalking is on the supposition
of God’s singular assistance, continuing such a disposition in the
assembly and parliament as has appeared this month or two bypast. On
this supposition, two months, or three at most, may do much to put on
the cope-stone of our wonderful great work.
* * * * *
We hope this day to close in the assembly, the remainder of our
directory, and to send it up to-morrow to the Houses; so the next
week we expect an ordinance of parliament for the whole directory.
We have transmitted our answers to the Independents reasons against
our presbytery. They are well taken, and now upon the press. We hope,
in the beginning of next week, to send up also our answer to their
reasons against synods. We make no question but shortly thereafter the
Houses will pass an ordinance for the government; what is behind, a
good part of it, will be ended, and follow us to our general assembly;
and all the rest, by all appearance, will be closed in a month or two
thereafter; for all men now incline to a conclusion.
* * * * *
_For Mr William Spang. December 27, 1644._
We have ended this day the directory in the assembly. The Houses are
through the most of it already. Before we go they will pass all.
What remains of the government concerning the hard questions of
excommunication, Mr Henderson has drawn it up by way of a practical
directory, so calmly, that we trust to get it all past the assembly
next week, without much debate. The men whom most we feared, profess
their satisfaction with that draught. It is certainly true of what you
wrote, of the impossibility ever to have gotten England reformed by
human means, as things here stood without their brethrens help. The
learnedest and most considerable part of them were fully Episcopal.
Of these who joined with the parliament, the greatest and most
countenanced part were much Episcopal. The Independents had brought
the people to such a confusion, that was insuperable by all the wit
and strength which was here; but God has so guided it, that all has
contributed for the main work. The wickedness of the Popish and
Prelatical faction still continuing and increasing; the horrible
extravagancies of the sectaries; the unreasonable obstinacy of the
Independents; the strange confusions of this long anarchy; and, most
of all, God’s good hand on us here in the assembly, and on our armies
in the fields, has contribute to, dispose this land to a very fair
reformation above all their hopes.
[_See continuation of the Account of the Westminster Assembly,
appended to the Acts of 1645._]
2. _Note of Proceedings in the Convention of Estates relative to the
Church, from the 27th of June, 1643, to the 29th of July, 1644._[329]
1643.
_June 27._ Act for Printing the Declaration of the General
Assembly.—Acts, vol. vi., p. 7.
_July 4._ Answer of the Convention to the Remonstrance and Desires of
the Commissioners of the General Assembly, p. 8.