their judgement in things controverted, we have been quit of their
cumber these six or seven weeks. Every day this month we have been
expecting their positive tenets, but as yet we have heard nothing of
them; only in their sermons in the city they are deviating more and
more towards old and new errors, especially liberty of conscience.
Their ways are daily more and more disliked. The directory is so far
from being cried down as fools say there, that there is an ordinance
of parliament coming out for the practice of it, if it be not changed,
that I will be caution few shall dare to contemn, either that whole
book, or any part of it. We have these fourteen days been upon our
advice to a subcommittee of the House of Commons, anent the execution
of our votes of government: for it is the work of that subcommittee
to draw two ordinances; the one, for the practice of the directory,
wherein their punishment is as rigorous, if it be not mitigated,
for the contemners of any part of that book as it was before to the
contemners of their religion. For preachers, or writers, or publishers,
against it, were they Dukes and Peers, their third fault is the loss of
all their goods, and perpetual imprisonment. The other ordinance is for
the erection of ecclesiastick courts over the whole kingdom. For their
help herein, they called the ministers of London to advise them for
their city, and they sent to the assembly for their advice anent the
rest of the kingdom. The city-ministers have sent them their unanimous
advice (for of 121 city-ministers, there are not three Independents)
for planting, just after our Scottish fashion, an eldership in
every congregation; of fourteen presbyteries within the lines of
communication, every one consisting of ministers betwixt twelve and
sixteen, and also many ruling elders; and of a provincial Synod for
London and ten miles round about. The assembly have presented their
advice this day. We went through this forenoon-session unanimously
what concerns provincial and national assemblies, as yesterday what
concerned presbyteries, and the days before congregational elderships.
They have concluded provincial synods twice a-year, presbyteries once
a-month, and national assemblies once a-year; and after, every one
of these as it shall be needful. Herein the greatness of this nation
forces them to differ from us with our good liking. Their provincial
assemblies cannot consist of all the ministers, but of so many
delegated from every presbytery; for in sundry of their provinces will
be above 600 churches, which would make at least 1200 members in a
provincial synod: also their national assembly is constitute of three
ministers and two ruling elders, deputed, not from every presbytery,
but as it is in France and Holland, from every provincial synod,
whereof there will be at least sixty. We shortly expect an ordinance
according to our advice, and the execution presently upon the back of
it. Our next work will be the Confession and Catechism, upon both which
we have already made some entrance.
_To Mr William Spang._
The condition of our church affairs is good. We are at a point with the
government, and beginning to take the Confession of Faith and Catechism
to our consideration. These eight days we have been on our advice for
the manner of chusing of elders in every congregation, and division
of the country into presbyteries and provincial synods. We hope now
shortly, by God’s help, to see a synod and fourteen presbyteries in
London, and a session in every church, just after the Scots fashion.
But other matters are in a dangerous posture. Hurry and Montrose have
fought a most bloody battle.
* * * * *
The Erastian party in the parliament is stronger than the Independent,
and is like _to_ work us much woe. Selden is their head. If L’Emperour
would beat down that man’s arrogance, as he very well can, to show,
out of the Rabbins, that the Jewish state was diverse from their
church, and that they held the censure of excommunication among them,
and a double Sanhedrim, one civil, another ecclesiastick; if he would
confound him with Hebrew testimonies; it would lay Selden’s vanity, who
is very insolent for his Oriental literature. Also if any of you would
meddle with Erastus, whom Beza, they say, durst never answer, it would
do us a great deal of good.
_For my Lord Lauderdale.
Worcester-house, June 17, 1645._
My Lord Fairfax sent up, the last week, an horrible Antitriastrian;
the whole assembly went in a body to the Houses to complain of his
blasphemies. It was the will of Cromwell, in the letter of his victory,
to desire the House not to discourage these who had ventured their
lives for them, and to come out expressly with their much-desired
liberty of conscience.
* * * * *
I know how lazy soever, and tediously longsome, they be here, yet that
they will be impatient of any long delay there in this work. If ever
ye did God or your country, or the whole isle, service _in_ your life,
haste up these recruits to our army. There is no other way to make the
King take reason in patience, also to bridle the insolency of wicked
men.
_For Glasgow. June 17, 1645._
Since my last, June 3d, there is, by God’s mercy, a great change of
affairs here. Our progress in the assembly is but small. We fell in a
labyrinth of a catalogue of sins for which people must be kept from
the sacrament, and ministers be deposed. When we had spent many days
upon this, we found it was necessary to have an ________ and a general
clause, whereby the presbyteries and synods behoved to be intrusted
with many more cases than possibly could be enumerated. This retarded
us so much, that yet it will be some days before the body of our
government go up to the Houses. We have sent down the last fifty of the
psalms. We wish they may be well examined there, that we may have your
animadversions and approbation. Doubtless these new psalms will be a
great deal better than the old.
* * * * *
All would go well if it might please God to blink upon Scotland, to
remove the three great plagues we hear that continue there, hardness of
heart, the pestilence, and the sword. Our fasheries here are great and
many; we wish, from our heart, to see a happy end, and to be at home.
_Publick Letter. July 1, 1645._
Little more progress is made in church-affairs. The assembly has been
forced to adjourn on five divers occasions of fastings and thanksgiving
lately, every one whereof took from us almost two days. When we
sat we had no real controversy; only petty debates for alterations
of words, and transposition of propositions, in the whole body of
government, took up our time. Our luck will be very evil, if once
this week, by God’s help, we do not at last put out of our hands to
the Houses all that we have to say of government, the whole platform
there really according to the practice of our church. Farther, order
for the directory, after many debates, at last is passed the House of
Commons; very near as severe an ordinance as that against the neglect
of the service-book. Wednesdays and Fridays are set apart by the
Houses for church-affairs, so we hope very shortly to see presbyteries
and synods erected; yet what retardment we may have from this great
victory, obtained most by the Independent party, and what that model
of government, whereupon Thomas Goodwin and his brethren, these three
months have been sitting so close, that they very rarely, and he never
at all has yet appeared, we do not know; only we expect a very sharp
assault, how soon we know not, for a toleration to we wot not what.
* * * * *
_July 8, 1645._—All the ministers in London now without exception are
for our presbytery. Thomas Goodwin and Burton, that were against it,
are put by the parliament from their places. Some other few preachers
are but lecturers. The Independents yet present not their model. We
suspect their domestick divisions, or their perplexity, whether to
take in or hold out from amongst themselves the rest of the sectaries.
If our army were in good case, by God’s blessing, all would settle
quickly in peace; else, we are but in the beginning of confusions and
troubles. The troubles in Scotland are but secondary evils. Your right
eye would be on the affairs here, if you have either wisdom, or any
love to yourselves. Mr Henderson is much tenderer than he wont. He and
Mr Rutherford are gone this day to Epsom waters. So long as any thing
is to do here, he cannot be away. I hope the rest of us ere long may
be well spared, if once we had through the Catechism and a part of the
Confession.
_To Mr William Spang. September 5, 1645._
This day we had a publick fast in all the churches within the lines
for the miseries of Scotland. I confess I am amazed, and cannot see to
my mind’s satisfaction, the reasons of the Lord’s dealing with that
land. The sins of all ranks there I know to be great, and the late
mercies of God, spiritual and temporal, towards them to have been many;
but what means the Lord, so far against the expectation of the most
clear-sighted, to humble us so low, and by his own immediate hand, I
confess I know not.
* * * * *
Yet all here is in the balance. In the assembly we are going on
languidly with the Confession of Faith and Catechism. The minds of
the divines are much enfeebled by the House their delay to grant the
petition, a power to seclude from the table all scandalous persons as
well as some. Mr Prin and the Erastian lawyers are now our _remora_.
The Independents and sects are quiet, enjoying peaceably all their
desires, and increasing daily their party. They speak no more of
bringing their model in the assembly. We are afraid that this shameful
and monstrous delay of building the Lord’s house, and their ingratitude
and unkindness to us in our deep sufferings for them, will provoke God
against them, which we oft earnestly deprecate; for their misery will
be ours, and their welfare will profit all the Reformed churches I
believe in time they will do all we desire.
_A Publick Letter. London, October 14, 1645._
For the great and seasonable mercies of God to desolate Scotland, our
afflicted spirits do rejoice in God. Since he has begun to stretch
out his arm for our deliverance, we hope he will not draw it back
till he give us more matter of praise. We trust he will call back the
destroying angel, and persecute the cruel enemy till he be no more. We
hope the Lord will give repentance to that land, that after all these
troubles we may be a holy and sanctified people; also, that those who
ever have been but false-hearted, and now are discovered, and taken in
the snare, will be so disposed upon, that they be no more able to serve
the enemy.
* * * * *
Great wrestling have we for the erecting of our presbytery. It must
be a divine thing to which so much resistance is made by men of all
sorts; yet, by God’s help, we will very speedily see it set up, in
spite of the devil. We have great difficulties on all hands; yet if
the Lord continue to blink in mercy upon Scotland, they will diminish.
I long extremely to hear the condition of Glasgow, what the enemy
has done in it, and how now it fares; what is become of my dear
brethren and colleagues, and their families; and what of my own. We
hear particularly from almost all the parts of Scotland weekly; but
since that black day at Kilsyth, we have got nothing particularly from
Glasgow.
* * * * *
We were in a long expectation of a model from the Independents; but
yesterday, after seven months waiting, they have scorned us. The
assembly having put them to it, to make a report of their diligence,
they gave us in a sheet or two of injurious reasons why they would not
give us any reasons of their tenets. We have appointed a committee to
answer that libel. We think they agree not among themselves, and that
there are many things among them which they are loth to profess, which,
by God’s help, ere long I mind to do for them in their own words. But
our greatest trouble for the time is from the Erastians in the House of
Commons. They are at last content to erect presbyteries and synods in
all the land, and have given out their orders for that end; yet they
give to the ecclesiastick courts so little power, that the assembly
finding their petitions not granted, are in great doubt whether to set
up any thing, till, by some powerful petition of many thousand hands,
they obtain some more of their just desires. The only mean to obtain
this, and all else we desire, is our recruited army about Newark. The
inlacks of that army is the earthly fountain of all our difficulties
here. If our distressed land be able to remeid it, it would be done
quickly; else evils will grow both here and with you at home.
_For Mr George Young. October, 1645._
Our hearts here are oft much weighted and wounded by many hands. Our
wrestlings with devils and men are great. However the body of this
people be as good as any people, yet they that rule all are much
opposite to our desires. Some very few guide all now at their pleasure,
only through the default of our army. For this long time they have not
trusted us; but have had their secret fear of our colluding with the
King.
* * * * *
The faction that here prevails, minding liberty of conscience, and
finding it impossible to gain us to oversee that so great a fault,
have made that their work be to quit of us. They have occasioned many
provocations, to vex us, and make us vex others. I cannot write the
half of their unjust, proud, and unjust dealings.
* * * * *
The assembly is much discouraged; they find their advice altogether
slighted; a kind of presbytery set up; sects daily spreading over all
the land, without any care at all to restrain them; a clear aim in the
prevailing party to have a liberty universal; an utter dislike of our
nation for opposing their designs, and driving it so high, that ways
are studied, if no better may be, to break the union of the nations,
and have us, for the carriage of our army, declared the first breakers
to them, and dealt with us as such. We do what we are able to prevent
mischief. We cry to God, who knows the honesty of our hearts, and
the dishonesty of theirs; the cause of our engagement, and our huge
suffering; their great ingratitude to us, and our great patience to
them. It is gone already very high. We fear that they make Digby seem
to deal with us, while they in truth know how to get the King from us
to themselves on their own terms; and if we be not willing to compone
in what terms, both for religion and state, they please, to cast us
off; and for the recompence of all our labours, to turn on our poor,
broken, distressed country the armies of both. The best way we know to
prevent this, is to haste up our army, well recruited and disciplined,
to Newark, having cashiered all who are the known instruments of
debauchery, or can be proven to have kept correspondence with the
enemy. This, in spite of the Independent plots, would help all: for the
body of the parliament, city, and country, are for the presbytery, and
love us, and hate the sectaries; but are all overwitted and overpowered
by a few, whom the service and activeness of our army would undo.
_A Publick Letter. November 25, 1645._
In the assembly, we are going on with the Confession of Faith. We
had long and tough debates about the decrees of election; yet thanks
to God all is gone right according to our mind. That which has taken
up much of the assembly’s time and mind, these six or seven weeks,
is their manifold petitions to the parliament, for a full liberty to
keep from the holy table all scandalous persons. The parliament calls
this an arbitrary power, and requires the assembly to make an express
enumeration of all the sins for which they intend to censure. After
many returns, we gave them in an enumeration of many particulars, but
withal craves a general clause to be added. We have some more hope to
attain it by God’s help than before. This has been the only impediment
why the presbyteries and synods have not been erected; for the
ministers refuse to accept of presbyteries without this power. Had it
been God’s will that our army this summer had done any service, we had
long before this obtained all our desires: or yet, if we could send any
considerable strength to Newark, we would have great influence in their
counsels. All good men here desire the continuance of the union of the
nations, and know, as well as we, that in that union the happiness of
both doth consist, and in the breach of it the lasting miseries of both
are certain ruin.
* * * * *
The city, both magistrates and ministers, are now engaged, blessed be
God, in very home and earnest petitions for the erection of general
and provincial assemblies, of presbyteries and sessions, and all with
their full power. 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.
We go on daily in some proposition of the Confession of Faith: till
this be ended we will not take in any more of the catechism. The psalms
are perfected; the best that without all doubt ever yet were extant.
They are on the press; but not to be perused till they be sent to you,
and your animadversions returned hither, which we wish were so soon
as might be. The Lord give our poor land the fruit of their grievous
troubles, and haste their deliverance.
_To Mr William Spang._
We have had sundry meetings with them for accommodation both in the
grand committee and sub-committees. We would, for peace’s cause,
dispense with them in very many things; but they are peremptor they
will not hear nor speak of any accommodation, but they will by all
means have their separate churches. They plead for a toleration to
other sects as well as to themselves; and with much ado could we get
them to propone what they desired to themselves. At last they gave us
a paper, requiring expressly a full toleration of congregations in
their way every where, separate from ours. In our answer we flatly
denied such a vast liberty, and backed it with reasons, and withal are
begun to shew what indulgence we could, for peace sake, grant. Here
Mr Marshal our chairman has been their most diligent agent, to draw
too many of us to grant them much more than my heart can yield to,
and which to my power I oppose. As yet we are not come to express our
rash bounty, and some things have interveened from God, that I hope
will stay the precipitancy of some whom I expected should have been
more opposite to all toleration of separate congregations, than when
it comes to a chock I found them. 1. Thomas Goodwin, the last meeting,
declared publickly, that he cannot refuse to be members, no censure
when members any for Anabaptism, Lutheranism, or any errors which are
not fundamental, and maintained against knowledge, according to the
principle in the Apologetick. This ingenuous, and most timeous, albeit
merely accidental profession, has much allayed the favour of some to
their toleration. 2. Some good friend has informed the city-ministers,
that they in their meeting at Sion college, have resolved unanimously
to petition the assembly against all such tolerations. 3. The other
day Sey and Wharton moved in the House of Lords to adjourn, that is
really to dissolve, the assembly. 4. The Independents are stickling too
openly to have the common council of London modelled to their mind.
5. Instead of their long-expected model, they presented a libel of
invectives as reasons why they would present no model to the assembly.
This, underhand, they caused print; and when the assembly had drawn up
a sober and true answer, and got an order from the House of Lords to
print it, they make their friends in the House of Commons as yet to
keep it in. All these are alarms to make us, if we be not demented, as
many the best men here are, to be the more wary of their toleration.
We go on in the assembly now with pretty good speed in our Confession
of Faith. We have passed the heads of scripture, God, Trinity, decrees,
providence, redemption, covenant, justification, sanctification,
free-will, sacraments in general, a part of perseverance, and of the
Lord’s Supper.
_A Publick Letter. London._
However we wait daily on the assembly, yet our progress in the
Confession of Faith is but slow. We have many diversions, many days of
fasts and thanksgivings, with the days preceding them for preparation.
The providing ministers to all vacant churches, even to remote shires,
their trial and mission, lies on the assembly, and takes up almost
every day too much of our time. The printing of the Bibles fashed us
much before we could fall on the way to get them printed well for eight
groats in octavo, with the marginal quotations, and for six or seven
groats at most in 12mo unbound. This we hope will encourage poor people
to buy Bibles. Also we are oft diverted with many by-questions from the
House; yet we hope, by God’s grace, ere long to end the Confession. We
stick long sometimes on scabrous questions; but that whereupon the eyes
and hearts of all are fixed, is the settling of the government, and
with it the toleration of sects. The greatest part of the parliament
have been hitherto very __________ to do less in the one, and more in
the other, than we could wish. Great struggling have we had, and yet we
have much to do. God has helped us to get the body of the ministry of
all the land to be cordially for us, and the city is now striking in;
which we hope shall carry it, and get up a straighter government, and
also exclude toleration of sects more than many men here do desire. We
have had many bickerings with the Independents in the grand committee
about an indulgence for their separate congregations. We have spent
many sheets of paper on both sides. They have given in writs thrice,
and we have as oft answered in writ. They are on their fourth writ.
To these we must give a fourth rejoinder, and then come to debate
verbally. For this point, both they and we contend _tanquam pro aris
et focis_. Had it been God’s will to have made our army here this last
year successful, we should have had few debates for any of our desires;
but the calamities of our country, and weakness of our army, make the
sects and their friends bold, and very insolent.
_To Mr William Spang._
This same day, the letter of our parliament is read; which, in high
and peremptor terms, but yet wise and unchangeable terms, requires the
settling of religion at last, according to the advice of the assembly,
without all toleration of any schism.
_Publick Letter. London, December 2, 1645._
We make good progress in our Confession of Faith. It would be very
satisfactory when the Lord gives it a conclusion. Our two great high
businesses for the time, are the obtaining from the House a power to
exclude all scandalous persons from the communion. We have stuck
some months on that work. The city, both ministers and magistrates,
have come down to put off our __________ __________ We expect, by
God’s help, satisfaction in this. The other is our committee of
accommodation, which will be a mighty business. The Independents
here plead for a toleration both for themselves and other sects. My
Dissuasive is come in time to do service here. We hope God will assist
us to remonstrate the wickedness of such a toleration. Yet the assembly
and city do cordially join with us in opposition to all such motion;
and we hope the House shall never approve it. An accommodation in just
terms we were well content with; but the Independents always scorned
it. Yet ere long I think they will beg it when it will not be granted.
_For Mr Roberts._
Yesterday the assembly’s petition was frowned upon in both Houses;
notwithstanding we purpose, God willing, on Thursday to give in a
remonstrance of a more full and high strain, to be communicate to
both Houses, and the assembly, on Friday, by the hand of the grand
committee. What necessity there is of hastening your petition also, you
may consider. I heard yesterday, that Mr Lilburn has a petition for the
sectaries, subscribed with the hands of a great many thousands.
[_See continuation of the Account of the Westminster Assembly,
appended to the Acts of 1646._]
_Note of Proceedings in the Convention of Estates relative to the
Church, betwixt the Assemblies of 1645 and 1646._
1645.
_February 12._ Act Discharging the Printing or Reprinting of some
Books, (religious,) p. 167.
_February 13._ Act anent Printing of Warning from the Assembly. _Ib._
_March 8._ Decreet of Forfeiture against the Earl of Montrose and
his Assistants, for their Invasion in the South, p. 182. Decreet of
Forfeiture against them for Invasion in the North. _Ib._ Act for
Transplanting of the Kirk of Kirkmabreck. _Ib._ Act anent the Erection
of a new Kirk in the Landward Parish of St Andrew’s. _Ib._ Act anent
the Answer of the Estates to the Remonstrance of the Commissioners
of the General Assembly, p. 187. Act anent the Erection of the Kirk
of Carfern. _Ib._ Ratification in favour of the Principal and Second
Ministers of Paisley, p. 188.
_July 10._ Act Restraining any to go out of the Country without
License, p. 191.
_August 2._ Act of Approbation of the Directorie, and for recording,
publishing, and practising of the same, conforme to the printed copy,
p. 193.
_August 7._ Act against Swearing, Drinking, and Mocking of Piety, p.
195. Act for uplifting of Pecunial Pains to be bestowed upon Pious
Uses. _Ib._
_December 18._ Act anent the Training and Arming of the Fourth Man, p.
200.
_December 26._ Act for Publishing and Printing of the Declaration of
the Commissioners of the General Assembly, p. 202. Answer of Parliament
to the Remonstrance of the Kirk. _Ib._
1646.
_January 16._ Decreets of Forfeiture against Sir Robert Spottiswood,
Nathaniel Gordon, William Murray, and Mr Andrew Guthrie, p. 205.
Commission for Visiting the Universities of Aberdeen. p. 205. Act in
favour of the University of St Andrew’s. _Ib._ Overtures for the Kirk
and Ordinance of Parliament. _Ib._