obtaining ascendency. This opportunity was furnished by the ignorance of the barbarian overthrowers of the Roman empire; and thus Popery arose into full power. One of its distinctive features was its assumption of supremacy in all matters both civil and ecclesiastical. The fatal effect of this blending of jurisdictions was not at once apparent; but it led to absolute despotism and its counterpart, absolute slavery. At the Reformation, an attempt was generally made to separate the two jurisdictions, the civil and the ecclesiastical; but the importance of the idea was not fully appreciated, and the attempt was but partially successful. In England, in particular, the sovereign, seizing upon the power formerly possessed by the pope, assumed both jurisdictions, and became head of the Church as well as head of the State. The pernicious consequences were soon apparent,-in the unsteady and fluctuating progress of religious reformation,-in the new forms of persecution, -in the complete stop put to further advancement in purity and truth, and in the rapid growth of despotism, civil and religious. These consequences advanced steadily, though with varying rapidity, during the reigns of Elizabeth, James, and Charles I., till they produced the absolute necessity of resistance, unless men were willing to submit to the entire loss of natural, national, and religious liberty. For though we have but touched the main points of the events of those reigns, it must be evident to every intelligent person, that there was not a single thing in which a human being could claim liberty to act, as a man, as a responsible and free agent, and as a member of the Christian Church, which was not directly and violently assailed by the prelates under the authority of the sovereign's ecclesiastical supremacy. And as man can never be entitled to denude himself, or to suffer others to wrest from him his essential characteristics of a responsible and religious being, it had become a sacred duty to assert and defend his natural, national, and religious rights and responsibilities. Further, when Prelacy, at first avowedly a human invention, arrogated a divine right, it assumed an aspect that could no longer be endured. Men may, in certain circumstances, abstain from asserting their natural rights; but when an attempt is made to abolish these rights, even in God's name, it becomes a duty which they owe to God himself, to prevent the perpetration of a grievous wrong, so wrought, as to involve a violation of His glorious and holy character and attributes. It was, therefore, a holy deed to resist that form of prelatic tyranny; for it was a vindication of the King Eternal from a despotism usurped as if by his authority. And let it be well observed, that the awfully pernicious character here ascribed to the assumed divine right of Prelacy, cannot be charged against Presbytery, when it, too, claims to be of divine right. Because, while it asserts that Christ, the only Supreme Head and King of the Church, has appointed a government and office-bearers in his spiritual kingdom, it recognizes equally the religious rights and responsibilities of the people, the free subjects of that kingdom, whose right to liberty of conscience is also a divine right. Nor can it ever become a Popery, by usurping civil authority, and exercising a spiritual and civil despotism; because it owns and teaches the divine right of the civil magistrate in his own department, as also and equally an ordinance of God. But upon this subject it is needless to dwell at present; it will come more fully before us as we proceed in tracing the discussions of the Westminster Assembly. CHAPTER II. First Meeting of the Assembly of Divines at Westminster-List of Names -Regulations-Order of Procedure-A Fast-The Thirty-Nine Articles Revised-Commissioners sent to the Scottish Convention of Estates and General Assembly--Discussions concerning a Treaty between the Kingdoms-The SOLEMN LEAGUE AND COVENANT prepared and assented to Taken in England and in Scotland-Remarks-Parties composing the Westminster Assembly-Episcopalians--Puritans or English Presbyterians-Independents or Congregationalists-Characters of the Leaders of that Party-Erastians-The leading supporters of that Party-The Scottish Commissioners-Their Characters-Sectarians throughout the Country-Cause of so many Sects-Prelatic Tyranny and Neglect of Instruction-Connection and intercourse between the Sectarians and the Independents in the Assembly-The misapplication of the term Toleration-Remarks. THE ordinance of the Parliament calling the Assembly of Divines to meet at Westminster, on the 1st day of July, 1643, was issued, as has been stated, on the 12th of June, in the same year. On the 22d of June, his majesty, by a proclamation, forbade their meeting for the purposes mentioned in the parliamentary ordinance; declared that no acts done by them ought to be received by his subjects; and threatened, that if they should meet, he would proceed against them with the utmost severity of the law. This was so far unpropitious, even to his own cause, as it tended to prevent the greater part of the Episcopalian divines who had been summoned, from attending. The Scottish Convention of Estates met in June, but came to no definite resolution; and public matters were postponed till it should be more clearly known what terms would be proposed by the King and the Parliament, the Covenanters being unwilling directly to interpose, if that could be avoided. The following is the list of names contained in the ordinance by which the Assembly was called; amounting to one hundred and fifty-one in all, namely, ten Lords and twenty Commoners, as lay assessors, and one hundred and twenty-one Divines: Herbert Palmer, B.D., of Ashwell John White, of Dorchester Stephen Marshall, B.D., of Finchingfield Peter Clarke, of Carnaby or Kirby Theodore Backhurst, of Overton Wetsville Philip Nye, of Kimbolton Brocket Smith, D.D., of Barkway Francis Coke, of Yoxhall Thomas Young, of Stowmarket Henry Scudder, of Colingbourne Benjamin Pickering, of East Hoatly Arthur Sallaway, of Severn Stoake Anthony Burgess, of Sutton-Coldfield Thomas Temple, D.D., of Battersey John Green, of Pencombe Thomas Wilson, of Otham Anthony Tuckney, D.D., of Boston Thomas Coleman, of Bliton Edward Reynolds, D.D., of Brampton John Foxcroft, of Gotham Thomas Thoroughgood, of Massingham Christopher Pashly, D.D., of Hawarden John Hacket, D.D., of St. Andrew's, London John, Lord Maitland Samuel de la Place French Congrega- Thomas Westfield, D.D., Bishop of Bristol Henry Painter, B.D., of Exeter Thomas Micklethwait, of Cherry burton William Price, of St. Paul's, Covent Henry Wilkinson, D.D., of St. Dunstan's SCOTTISH MEMBERS. Lay Assessors or Elders. | Sir Archibald Johnston, of Warriston Ministers. Samuel Rutherford, of St. Andrew's Alexander Henderson, of Edinburgh SCRIBES OR CLERKS. Adoniram Byfield | John Wallis Henry Roborough Of this list, about twenty-five never appeared at the Assembly, one or two having died about the time of the meeting of the Assembly, and others fearing the displeasure of the king, or having a preference for the prelatic system. In order to supply the deficiency thus caused, and also occasional diminution caused by death during the protracted sittings of the Assembly, the Parliament summoned about twenty-one additional members, who were termed the superadded divines. The following is a list of their names, as far as is known : Daniel Cawdrey, of Great Mr. Strong, of Westminster Thomas Dillingham, of Dean John Drury John Ward Mr. Johnson Thomas Ford John Maynard William Rathband, of High William Newscore gate New Sarum Mr. Moore John Strickland, B.D., of Simeon Ashe, of St. Bride's There were thus, in whole, thirty-two lay assessors, including those from Scotland; and one hundred and fortytwo divines, including the four Scottish commissioners. |