CHAPTER XXII.
1646.
Before Parliament sent its propositions to Newcastle, it had commenced the business of establishing Presbyterianism. The Directory had been ordained, and the Prayer Book abolished. Still more was done.
On the 7th of July, 1645, the Westminster Assembly sent up to the two Houses a thoroughly-digested and complete scheme of Presbyterian government.[588] Modified as already represented, the scheme was embodied in an ordinance on the 19th of August, establishing a Presbyterian polity in the city of London. This ordinance commanded that a Congregational Assembly should be formed in each of the city parishes, and that a Classical Assembly should be gathered in each of the twelve classes, or districts, into which the ecclesiastical province of the metropolis was by the ordinance divided. Towards the end of September, the Houses decided that certain persons should try the fitness of lay elders; the triers being three clergymen and six laymen for each class. This was an Erastian arrangement, very displeasing, of course, to the Presbyterians, and, consequently, they refused to carry the measure into effect. In the March following (1646) it became loaded with an additional and still more objectionable provision. Instead of Parliament being constituted simply a final court of appeal, it was now to choose certain Lay Commissioners, who were to act in the first instance as judges of scandalous offences—in fact, were to have in their hands the entire control of Church discipline.[589] This was a measure which weighed too heavily on Presbyterian forbearance; and, therefore, a compromise followed in the month of June, when the Lay Commissioners were withdrawn, and a committee of Lords and Commons was appointed to determine such cases of scandals and offences as had not been already specified. This plan was in accordance with an earlier direction, to the effect that Members of Parliament sitting in the Westminster Assembly should be constituted a tribunal to decide respecting causes of suspension from the Lord's Supper. On the 2nd of October, the county palatine of Lancaster was divided into nine classical presbyteries;[590] and on the 21st of January, 1647, a committee of the two Houses ordered that Essex should form a province including fourteen classes.
Presbyterian Church Government.
Still, presbyteries were not actually formed. In April, 1647, appeared resolutions of the Houses, entitled, "Remedies for removing some Obstructions in Church Government;" and after this, on the 3rd of May, the first Provincial Assembly met in the Convocation House of St. Paul's, including about 108 members. Dr. Gouge, the prolocutor, opened the meetings by a sermon in his own parish church of St. Anne, Blackfriars.[591]
On the 29th of the January following (1648), another Parliamentary ordinance appeared, commanding the committees and commissioners throughout the country—with the assistance of ministers—to divide their respective counties into distinct classical presbyteries; and also specifying that the Chancellors, Vice-Chancellors, and heads of houses should establish the same in the two Universities, and certify the accomplishment of the fact before the 25th of March.
On the 29th of August, a more elaborate order issued from the Lords and Commons, to the effect that all parishes and places whatsoever in England and Wales should be under the government of Congregational, Classical, Provincial, and National Assemblies.[592] To see how the system thus elaborated upon paper, and thus enforced by successive ordinances, worked in this kingdom; or rather, with some exceptions, failed to work at all, we must wait till we reach the history of the Commonwealth Church in the next volume.