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Author:
William M. Heterington

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9.x - 10.x

PREFACE

CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTORY

1531
Importance of the Westminster Assembly, - Quarrel between Henry VIII and the Pope, - Cranmer’s Suggestion,- Henry styled Supreme Head of the Church,- Effects of the Power thus assumed,- Six articles of Religious Agreement,- Reformation promoted by Edward VI.,- The Liturgy and Book of Ordinations,-

1550
Hooper refuses the Episcopal Vestments, - Articles of Religion, - "Bloody Mary" and Persecution, - "Frankfort Troubles" - Contests about Ceremonies, - Queen Elizabeth - Act of Supremacy, - Renewed Contests about Vestments and Ceremonies, -

1562
Convocation - Close of Reforming Period, - General View of the Grounds of Controversy between the - Court Divines and the Reforming Party, - Despotic Injunction of the Queen, - Suspension of those who refused to Conform, and who, wishing greater Purity, were now called Puritans, - Remonstrances of Foreign Churches, -

1566
The Puritans begin to form a separate Body, - Chief Differences between them and the Church, -

1567
Their first Communion interrupted, - Parliament attempts to interpose, but in vain, - State of Religion in England, - Associations for Worship, Discipline, "Prophesyings," - Cartwright and Whitgift, -

1572
Presbytery constituted in England, - Grindal interposes, but in vain, - Puritan Writings prohibited, - Rise of the Brownists, - Whitgift’s Articles - High Commission, -

1588
Bancroft’s Theory of jure divino Prelacy, - The Martin Mar-Prelate Tracts, - Attempt of Parliament to interfere - Suffering of Puritans, - Controversy on Sabbath-keeping, - Growth of Arminianism among the Prelatists, - King James - The Millenary Petition, - Hampton Court Conference, - Bancroft and the High Commission, - Civil Liberty manifestly endangered,

1616
Rise of the Independents, or Congregationalists,

1618
The King’s Book of Sports, - The King’s Despotism begins to rouse Parliament, - Acession of Charles I, - Despotic Principles of the High Church Party, - The Parliament begins to defend Liberty, Civil and Religious, -

1633
The Book of Sports revived, - Continued Contest between the King and Parliament, - Laud’s cruel Treatment of Leighton, Burton, Bastwick, and Prynne, - Hampden and the Ship-money Tax, - The Emigration of Hampden and Cromwell prohibited, - Laud reaches the Climax of Prelatic Usurpation, - Abortive attempts to force Prelacy on Scotland, -

1640
The Long Parliament called - Its vigorous measures, - Laud and the Earl of Strafford impeached, - Prelatic Controversy - Smectymnuus, - Parliament declares its own sittings permanent, - Protestation of Parliament, - The King in Scotland, - Remonstrance of the House of Commons, - Impeachment of the Bishops, - The King attempts to seize the five Members, and then leaves London,

1642
The Royal Standard raised at Nottingham, - Bill for the Abolition of Prelacy, - Ordinance calling the Assembly of Divines, - Outline of Scottish Affairs, - Reflections suggested by the preceding Narrative, -

CHAPTER 2
MEETING OF THE WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY
1643

List of the Assembly of Divines, - First Meeting of the Assembly - its Theory, - General Regulations of the Assembly, - Baillie’s Account of its Order of Procedure, - Prelatic Members of Assembly, - Fasts and Sermons of the Assembly, - Intercourse with the Church of Scotland, - Deliberations respecting a League, or Covenant, - The S OLEMN L EAGUE AND C OVENANT, - Remarks concerning it, - Parties in the Westminster Assembly, - Episcopalians, - Presbyterians, - Independents, - Erastians, - Remarks concerning these Parties, - The Scottish Commissioners to the Assembly, - Characters of Henderson, Gillespie, Rutherford, and Bailie, - Numerous Sects in England, - Causes of these numerous Sects, - Effects on the Assembly and the Kingdom, - Political Independents - Toleration, -

CHAPTER 3
THE INDEPENDENT CONTROVERSY

Order to frame a Directory of Worship, - Deliberations concerning the Office bearers in the Church - Concerning the Pastors and Teachers, or Doctors, - Concerning Ruling Elders, - Concerning Deacons, - Suggestions respecting the Supply of Vacant Charges, -
1644

The Subject of Ordination introduced, - The Struggle between the Parties begun, - Proposition of the Independents concerning Ordination, - Consent of the Congregation to, or Election of the Pastor, - Alterations made by the Parliament in the doctrinal part of Ordination successfully resisted by the Assembly, - Directory for Public Worship, - Form of Church Government and Discipline, - Opposition made by the Independents, - Their "Apologetical Narration" - Extracts, - Answers to that Work - Antapologia, - Remarks on the Independent Controversy, - The arguments on both sides stated, - Admission of a close Approximation, - "Many Congregations under one Presbytery" debated, - Remarkable Debate between Selden and Gillespie, - Nye’s Argument against Presbytery censured, - Admissions by the Independents, - Committee of Accommodation, - Proceedings of that Committee, - Debate on Congregational Ordination, - Suspension from Sacraments, and Excommunication, - Reasons of Dissent by the Independents, - Independents requested to state their own Model, - They decline, and publish "A Copy of a Remonstrance," - Answer to this by the Assembly, - Committee of Accommodation revived - Abandoned, - Remarks on this Controversy and its Consequences, -

CHAPTER 4
THE ERASTIAN CONTROVERSY

Preliminary Remarks on the Erastian Theory, - Seldens’ Hint respecting Excommunication, - His Argument on 1Co_5:4, - Selden’s Argument on Mat_18:15-18, - Answered by Gillespie, - Whitelocke’s Argument and Suggestion on Divine Right, - Firmness of the Assembly - Successful, - Whitelocke and the jus divinum Claim in Parliament, -
1645

Conduct of Parliament on the Suspending of Ignorant and Scandalous Persons from that Lord’s Table, - Selden’s Argument on that subject, - Whitelocke’s Argument, - Remarks on these Arguments, - Ordinance upon Suspension, etc. - Erastian Clause, - Petitions from London and the City Ministers, -
1646

Ordinance for the Choice of Elders - Erastian Clause, - Remonstrance of the Scottish Parliamentary Commissioners, - Haughty Conduct of the English Parliament, - Petition of the Assembly - How received, - The Parliament’s jus divinum Questions, - The Assembly’s Deliverance on the essential element of the Controversy - Firmness of the Assembly, - The Assembly prepares Answers to these Questions, - The jus divinum Treatise by the City Ministers, - Outline of Political Events, - The King Retires to the Scottish Army - Altered tone of Parliament, - Erastian Clause Removed from the Ordinance for the choice of Elders and erection of Presbyteries, - The King in the Scottish Army - Negotiations, - Vindication of Scotland from the Accusation of having Sold the King - True state of the matter, -
1647

Removal of obstructions, and erection of Presbyteries and Synods, - Negotiations with the King - Votes of Parliament concerning Church Government and Toleration, - P REPARATION OF THE C ONFESSIONS OF F AITH, - Not the slightest Erastian modification admitted, - Presented to Parliament - Scripture Proofs required, -
1648

How far Ratified by Parliament - What alterations suggested - What topics recommitted - Remarks, - Literature of the Erastian Controversy, - Theories of different shades of Erastianism, - Coleman’s Sermon, - Gillespie’s Brotherly Examination, - Controversy between Coleman and Gillespie, - Gillespie’s Aaron’s Rod Blossoming - Rutherford’s Divine Right of Church Government, - Treatise by Apollonius, - Concluding Remarks on Erastianism, -

CHAPTER 5
CONCLUSION OF THE WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY.
1647-8

THE CATECHISMS COMPOSED, - Inquiry concerning the Authorship of the Catechisms, - Departure of the Scottish Commissioners, -
1649

Dissolution of the Assembly,
1655

Ratification of the Westminster Assembly’s productions by the Church of Scotland, with Explanations, - Outline of Subsequent Events in England, - Usurpations of the Army and Cromwell, -
The King in the Isle of Wight - Negotiations, - Death of Charles I, - Dissolution of the Long Parliament and the Westminster Assembly, - The Engagement - Ejection of Presbyterians, - Committee of Triers, -
1658

The Independents in Power - The Savoy Confession, - Death of Cromwell - Restoration of Charles II, - Prelacy restored - The Savoy Conference, -
1662

The Act of Uniformity - Two Thousand Presbyterian Ministers Ejected on St. Bartholomew’s Day, - Divines of the Westminster Assembly Ejected, - Retrospective View of the whole subject, - Main object of the Westminster Assembly, - Advantages of Religious Uniformity, - Effects of the Assembly - On Universities, - On Theological Literature, - On the State of Education in England, - Sectarianism - State of the Army, - On Religious Toleration, - Its True Nature intimated, - Liberty of Conscience, - How Misunderstood by both Parties, -
1654

Unlimited Toleration not granted by the Independents when in Power, - Opinions of the Early Reformers - of the Church of Scotland - of the Westminster Assembly, - Fundamental Principles of Faith by the Independents, - Great Idea of a General Protestant Union entertained by the Westminster Assembly, -

CHAPTER 6
THEOLOGICAL PRODUCTIONS OF THE WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY

Church Government, - Directory of Public Worship, - Confession of Faith, - Objections against Confessions answered,
- What a Confession of Faith really is, - Comprehensiveness and Accuracy as a system, - Relation to Church History, - Precision of Thought and Language, - Statement of Coordinate Jurisdictions, - True Liberty of Conscience, - Plan of the Confession, - The Catechisms, - Anecdote of Gillespie, - Relation of the Confession to the idea of a General Protestant Union, - Coincidences between the period of the Westminster Assembly and the present times, - Protestant Union yet Attainable, - Conclusion, -

APPENDIX
1. Religious Uniformity Recommended by the Scottish Commissioners in 1640-41 - Their Views,
2. Extracts from Gillespie’s Manuscripts; and Extracts on Election of Ministers,
3. Ordinance about Suspension, etc.,
4. Ordinance for the Choice of Elders,
5. Biographical Notices of the Scottish Commissioners -
1. Henderson,
2. Rutherford,
3. Baillie,
4. Gillespie,
5. Warriston,
6. Lauderdale,
6. Philip Nye and Religious Liberty,