THE
GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
AT EDINBURGH, 1643.
The proceedings of the Assembly in 1642, us the reader must have perceived, from the nature of some of its Acts, were of a very important character and tendency; and, having given the authenticated record, it now becomes requisite, with reference to the current of events, to recur to these in connection with the political occurrences with which they were combined, as forerunners of the proceedings in the Assembly of 1643.
It will be recollected that, some months previous to the Assembly of 1642, a complete rupture had taken place betwixt the King and the English Parliament—that both parties were busied in preparations for an appeal to arms—that the Commissioners for the Scotch Covenanters had tendered their mediation, and obtruded their unseasonable project for establishing Presbytery in England as the means of allaying all animosities betwixt the King and his English subjects—(a proposition which was reproved by the King, but encouraged by the parliamentary leaders)—and that, notwithstanding the King’s reasonable objections to the Scotch intermeddling with the affairs of England, a popular petition was presented to him, through the Scotch Council, persisting in these hostile intervenes respecting the Church of England. This took place on the very eve of the meeting of that Assembly on the 27th of July.
The King’s letter to the Assembly gave assurances of the most friendly kind with respect to the Kirk as now restored to its Presbyterian form and privileges, and called upon it to promote peace and obedience to the laws by precept and example. Soon after it met, a “Declaration of the Parliament of England” was also laid before it; but neither the date of that document, nor of its receipt, nor of the answer to it which is subjoined in the printed Acts, appears from thence. To the King’s letter, it will be observed there is, in the answer, an exuberant declaration of “great joy and gladnesse” on hearing it read, and assurances of promoting loyalty, peace, and religion. But this is followed by a pressing demand for “unity in religion and uniformity of church government, as a meane of a firme and durable union betwixt the two kingdomes, and without which, former experiences put us out of hope long to enjoy the puritie of the Gospel with peace,” &c.; and all this is wound up with a high rhetorical flourish. In the Declaration from the Parliament, the cunning malcontents, by whom it was sent, adopted a language suited to the taste of their Scottish confederates, ascribing all the troubles to “the plots and practises of a malignant party of Papists and ill-affected persons, especially of the corrupt and dissolute Clergy;” the “instigation of Bishops and others,” actuated by “avarice and ambition, being not able to bear the reformation endeavoured by the Parliament.” And they express great concern for the King’s honour and state, “the glory of God, by the advancement of the true religion, and such a reformation of the Church as shall be most agreeable to God’s Word.”
To this vague and guarded communication, the Assembly made an elaborate answer, intimating “their serious thoughts and earnest desires for unity of Religion; that in all His Majesties dominions there might be one Confession of Faith—one Directory of Worship—one publike Catechisme—and one forme of Kirk Government;” and for “suppressing the names of heresies and sects, Puritans, Conformists, Separatists, Anabaptists,” &c. In conclusion, the Assembly plainly suggests, to the English Parliament, that “the Prelaticall Hierarchie being put out of the way, the work will be easie, without forcing of any conscience, to settle in England the government of the Reformed Kirks by Assemblies; for although the Reformed Kirks do hold, without doubting, their kirk officers and kirk government by Assemblies higher and lower, in their strong and beautiful subordination, to be jure divino, and perpetuall; yet Prelacie, as it differeth from the office of a pastor, is almost universally acknowledged by the Prelates themselves, and their adherents, to be but an humane ordinance,” &c., which, “without wronging any man’s conscience, may be altered and abolished.”
Besides the letter from the Parliament, the Assembly were favoured with a similar one from “some Ministers of England,” whose names, however, are not given in the copy of it, but much more in accordance with the views of the Assembly, inasmuch as they avow their preference of the Presbyterian system. To this a cordial response was given, concluding with a proposal for a united Assembly of the divines of both kingdoms to settle all points of faith, catechisms, and directory for public worship.
These several communications, from the Assembly of 1642, were accompanied with applications to the Lords of Privy Council and Conservators of the Peace for their concurrence in support of these views and objects, by pressing them on the King and Parliament of England. Lord Maitland was authorized to proceed thither with the answers to the King and Parliament; and they gave instructions to their Commissioners in London to enforce these preconcerted measures. But the crowning act of this scheme was the appointment of a “Commission for publike affairs of this Kirk, and for prosecuting the desires of this Assembly, to his Majestie and the Parliament of England.” Of the proceedings of this formidable Commission, we shall have occasion to treat in the sequel. It comprised fifty ministers, ten noblemen, and fifteen barons and burgesses, being in all seventy-five members, who henceforward formed, as it were, a second House of Parliament in Scotland, exercising functions that embraced both the civil and ecclesiastical concerns of Scotland, as well as trenching upon those of England. Its members were the leaders of the Covenant throughout its career; and the laymen amongst them were those whose ardent zeal had been rather quickened then quenched by the spoliation of the Episcopal revenues, in the Scottish Parliament of November, 1641—an exemplar which, doubtless, awakened the cupidity of many among the English Puritans, who now panted for a similar and even more extended change; for a large portion of these were Independents, and contemplated the adoption of a more comprehensive appropriation in their legislation, which might extinguish the Episcopal without rearing a Presbyterian Church, and thus leave the wealthier endowments of the English Church to the rapacious hands of the most potent among them.
In order to carry out the principles of this scheme, the Assembly thought it fitting to keep up popular excitement throughout the country; and, for this purpose, a fast was appointed, and the clergy were enjoined to forward the “great work of unity of religion, and uniformity of kirk-government,” by preaching and praying with their flocks on the subject.