Write what they please against bishops and ceremonies obita, for our confirmation; for these are now out of the hearts of all here almost. But above all, and in earnest, let them exhort to be watchful against anarchical schisms, and the heresies of Antinomians and Anabaptists. These came together cordially against the reformed churches, and increase so much in number and boldness, as easily they would carry all here to a lamentable confusion, if the fear of our armies did not keep them in order."

Baillie exerted himself greatly to procure that some of the most eminent foreign divines should write in favour of the Assembly; and especially that they should appear in favour of Presbyterian church government, in opposition to the Independents and Erastians. There is scarcely a letter to Mr. Spang, in which he does not express his anxiety on this subject. But for some reason, these learned professors in the foreign Universities, seem to have been very averse to volunteer in this controversy. Andrew Rivet had taken offence at something which he understood had been said disrespectfully towards him, by some one in the Assembly; which, however, Baillie declares to have been a false report. Spanheim said, when applied to, that he would not write on that subject, unless commanded to do so by his university. Du Moulin did write a letter, which was more favourable than was expected of him; but the only one who came up to the hopes and wishes of the Presbyterians, was APOLLONIUS.

In a note to Mr. Buchanan, Baillie says, "I conceive it very expedient, that you write to some of the ministers of Paris, Geneva, and Bern, the true state of our affairs, how that a mighty faction is arisen, to prefer liberty of conscience for all sects; at least a freedom for Morellius' popular government of the church; but that the Scots, and most of the synod and Parliament are for establishing the government, by synods and classes. It would encourage them much, if the divines of Geneva and Switzerland

would, in their answers to the synod's letter, as the divines of Zealand have done in their letter, and the divines of Hesse also, exhort the synod at some length, and in earnest, to beware of the pernicious liberty of all sects, in particular those who are enemies to the discipline of all the reformed. There is a golden occasion in hand, if improved, to get England conformed, in government and worship, to the rest of the reformed. If nothing dare be written in public, by the French, see if they will write their mind for our encouragement, to any private friend here, or in Holland. You should write for the same purpose to Moulin in Sedan, and Spanheim in Leyden. It were good, if they write, that their letters were conceived in the greatest names they could procure. The Theologie of Bern would get a letter from the Switzerland church; those of Geneva, from their whole. ecclesiastic classes; Moulin, from the University of Sedan, and Spanheim, from the university of Leyden. It were not ill that in all their letters, they congratulated the abolition of episcopacy and popish ceremonies; and exhorted to set up quickly, the government of Christ; that so long an anarchy as is here, is the mother of heresies and schisms, and many more evils."

The answers received from the foreign reformed churches, were commonly cordial to the cause in which the Assembly was engaged; but not uniformly so. That from the synod of Hesse Cassel, was very cold and unsatisfactory, at the close of which, they advised the Assembly not to meddle with the bishops.

In another to Mr. Willlam Spang, he speaks of the letter from Zealand, and suggests that it would be well to have it printed in Latin and English, as was the Assembly's letter to them; and to send over a number of copies, as there was likely to be a scarcity. He mentions a letter written by Apollonius, one of the Holland divines, and expresses a high approbation of it. "We are," says he, " much obliged to that excellent divine, Apollonius. We trust he will, with all

diligence, go on in his avowed intention. There is nothing wherein he can do better service to God, and the reformed churches." "It is marvelled, that the rest of your provinces and professors, will not follow the gracious and charitable examples of Zealand Shall they see both the church and state of all these three kingdoms perish, and stand aloof without the least assistance, by the stretch of their pen, when they are called to it by our lamentable letters, and the gracious example of their compassionate brethren? See how they will be answerable for such an apathy, in so necessary a time." "Strange that your divines of Holland will learn nothing from England. Do they sit still, while we are a-dying?"

In a letter, under date of December 6th, 1644, Baillie informs his friend Spang, that Apollonius' book was read in the Assembly, and a copy given to every member; and what is represented to be absque exemplo, the thanks of the Assembly were ordered to be transmitted to the author. "Jan Apollonius has done a good service to God and his churches here. I have not yet had time to read it all, but I approve what I have read."

In another letter, to Buchanan, at Paris, he gives thanks for the sympathy felt in the common cause of all the reformed churches, by the friends at Paris. In answer to some queries which they wished to have answered, Baillie informs them, "That the Covenant of Scotland, rejects absolutely, all kinds of Episcopacy; that the Covenant of the Three Kingdoms is expressly for rooting out all prelacy, and not merely the tyranny of that office. That no Episcopacy could be tolerated, as being a mere human invention, without the word of God; which, wherever it lodged, has been a very unhappy guest. That ruling elders are conceived here on the old French grounds, by all of our side, to stand on a divine right; and that an ecclesiastical right alone is no just foundation for any officer in the house of God." "That the Independents' common tenets are these: 1. That the power of ecclesias

tical censures is alone in the Congregational presbyteries. They grant the divine right and many excellent uses of synods lesser and greater, only deny their power of jurisdiction over any congregation. Ordination of all officers, also, their depositions; and excommunication of all members, they give to the Congregational consistory. They give so much authority to a synod, and to every neighbouring congregation, when they receive no satisfaction from any scandalous congregation, to abstain from communion with it; and to pronounce their sentence of non-communion with it.

2. They will admit of none to be members of their congregations, of whose true grace and regeneration they have no good evidences. By this means, they would keep out of the Christian church, forty for one, of the members of the best reformed churches.

3. They make it necessary to have all the men, who are communicants, present at every act of jurisdiction of the consistory.

4. They give liberty to every one who is able, though he never entered the ministry, to profess and preach publicly in the face of the church.

5. They do not censure in their churches the de-. nial of pœdo-baptism, though they profess their dislike of that error.

6. Many of them preach, and some print for a liberty of conscience; at least the great equity of a toleration of all religions; that every man should be permitted without any fear so much as of discountenance from the magistrate, to profess publicly his conscience, were he never so erroneous, and also live according thereunto; if he trouble not the public peace, by any seditious or wicked practice."

CHAPTER VII.

Fifteen Articles of the Church of England revised.—A view of the alterations proposed.

As has been already mentioned, the first object of the Assembly was, not to overthrow the hierarchy, or to set aside the thirty-nine Articles of Religion, but to alter and improve both. Accordingly, one of their first acts was, to divide their whole number into three committees, to each of which was assigned the consideration of a certain number of the ARTICLES of the English Church. The design of this revision was, not to alter any of the doctrines of those Articles, but to render their expression more explicit, in favour of Calvinistic doctrines. Certain persons were appointed to search for the most authentic copies of those articles which could be obtained, and to exhibit the same to the Assembly. Ten weeks were occupied in discussing the amendments proposed to the first fifteen of the THIRTY-NINE ARTICLES. At this point, they were arrested in their proceedings, by an order from Parliament, to proceed immediately to the forming a DIRECTORY for public worship; because the liturgy being virtually set aside, the churches were at a great loss how to proceed in the public worship of God. And after the arrival of the Scottish Commissioners, it was ascertained, that uniformity between the English and Scottish churches, could be more easily obtained, by forming a new Confession, than by amending the Articles of the Church of England. The further revision of these Articles was never afterwards resumed in the Assembly. But as so much time was employed in this work, and as the revision is still extant, a history of the Westminster Assembly would not be complete without an exhibition of the changes made in the Articles, which were considered. The fairest view of what alterations were proposed and adopted, in these fifteen Articles, will be afforded by exhibiting, in parallel columns, these Articles in their