This people are so divided, and subdivided, in their judgements and practice, that if ever either their church or state settle, it is God’s miraculous mercy. Had not God raised our nation to join with all our strength, long ere this, without all doubt, they had been swallowed up by their enemies; yea, they had, without the hand of an enemy, by their own broken and languid proceedings, been lost irrecoverably; and as yet it stands, the dangers are exceeding great.
For our assembly-matters, we are daily perplexed; not only we make no progress, and are far from the sight of any appearance of an end, but also matters oft in hazard of miscarriage. The Independents, so far as yet we can see, are peremptory for a schism; and their party is very strong and growing, especially in the army. The leading men in the assembly are much at this time divided about the question in hand, of the power of congregations and synods. Some of them would give nothing to congregations, denying peremptorily all example, precept, or reason, for a congregational eldership; others, and many more, are wilful to give to congregational eldership all and entire power of ordination, excommunication, and all. Had not God sent Mr Henderson, Mr Rutherford, and Mr Gillespie among them, I see not that ever they could agree on any settled government. We expect the favour of God to help us over the rocks, and through the storms, in the midst whereof we sail at this hour. The answer and return of your prayers we oft feel and acknowledge. All our company, blessed be God, have had perfect health, good courage, and hearty unanimity, in all things; great credit and reputation; sensible assistance in every thing, and hitherto very good success, to all our motions, either for church or state; so that we are hopeful to wrestle through the present difficulties, as we have done many before, by the help of the prayers of God’s people among you. The humour of this people is very various, and inclinable to singularities, to differ from all the world, and one from another, and shortly from themselves. No people had so much need of a presbytery. The affairs of the state, marvel not that I and others write oft so diversely of them; for there are many contrary and divers tides into them. We are still feared that the King come, and set himself down in the parliament. If he had done so this twelvemonth bygone, or yet would, it would put our affairs in the greatest hazard of confusion. To cross that dangerous design of the mighty faction among us, the engine of the articles of peace is turned on the face of the authors to our great advantage. We have got such articles passed the committee of both kingdoms, and transmitted to both Houses, as Wariston has brought down. They are of our own framing. Nine of the greatest are consented to by the Commons, and the rest will shortly pass, I trust. Yesterday the whole House went to the Lords for a conference, and required the passing of three ordinances, which long had lien by. 1. The continuance of the committee of both kingdoms for other three months. That committee is the great bulwark against the faction. The first framing of it was over their heads. It has been their greatest eye-sore. It expires the morn. They thought either to hinder the renewing of the ordinance, or to add unto it such other members of both Houses, of their mind, as might have over-swayed the better party and us; but we hope this union of the Commons will counteract that plot.
* * * *
To Mr William Spang.
On Friday, after a week’s debate, we carried, albeit hardly, that no single congregation had the power of ordination. To-morrow we begin to debate if they have any right of excommunication. We gave in, long ago, a paper to the great committee, wherein we asserted a congregational eldership, for governing the private affaire of the congregation, from the 18th of Matthew. Mr David Calderwood, in his letter to us, has censured us grievously for so doing; shewing us, that our books of discipline admit of no presbytery or eldership but one; that we put ourselves in hazard to be forced to give excommunication, and so entire government, to congregations, which is a great step to Independency. Mr Henderson acknowledges this: and we are in a peck of troubles with it.
* * * *
May 17, 1644.—This day was the best that I have seen since I came to England. General Essex, when he went out, sent to the assembly, to intreat, that a day of fasting might be kept for him. We appoint, this day, four of our number to preach and pray at Christ’s church; also, taking the occasion, we thought it meet to be humbled in the assembly, so we spent from nine to five very graciously. After D. Twisse had begun with a brief prayer, Mr Marshall prayed large two hours, most divinely, confessing the sins of the members of the assembly, in a wonderful, pathetick, and prudent way. After, Mr Arrowsmith preached an hour, then a psalm; thereafter Mr Vines prayed near two hours, and Mr. Palmer preached an hour, and Mr Seaman prayed near two hours, then a psalm; after Mr Henderson brought them to a sweet conference of the heat confessed in the assembly, and other seen faults, to be remedied, and the conveniency to preach against all sects, especially Anabaptists and Antinomians. Dr Twisse closed with a short prayer and blessing. God was so evidently in all this exercise, that we expect certainly a blessing both in our matter of the assembly and whole kingdom.
[See continuation of the Account of the Westminster
Assembly, appended to the Acts of 1644.]