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THE
HISTORY, CHARACTER,
AND
RESULTS,
or THE
WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY OE DIVINES.
A DISCOURSE,
IN COMMEMORATION OF THE BI-CENTENARY ANNIVERSARY OF THAT
BODY. EY
THOMAS SMYTH, D. D.;
Author of Lectures on the Prelatical Doctrine of Apostolical Succession,
Presibytery and not Prelacy the Scriptural and Primitive Polity, Ecclesi
astical Republicanism, An Ecclesiastical Catechism, etc.

PUBLISHED BY RECtUEST.

NEW-YORK :
LEAVITT, TROW, & CO., AND ROBERT CARTER.
BOSTON : CROCKER & EREWSTER. PHILADELPHIA : WM. a.
MARTIEN, AND PERKINS & PURTES. PITTSBURGH : THOMAS
CARTER, LONDON:
WILEY AND PUTNAM.
1844.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1844,
Bv LEAVITT, TROW, & CO.,
rh the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Southern District of
Nev- York.

M

StnB

ne w-tork:
john p. trow &l co., printers,
No, 33 Ann-street.

Sljta t)olnme,

WHICH IS PUBLISHED AT THE REQUEST OF MANY WHO
HEARD IT, IS RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED

H. V. BTTTLEB, Esq.
OF PATTERSON, N. J.

BY WHOSE GENEROSITY IT IS PRESENTED TO THE
PUBLIC.

PREFACE

The following discourse was prepared by the author, to
be delivered to his own congregation, on the occasion ofthe
bi-centenary celebration of the Westminster Assembly of
Divines. During his visit to the North, he was requested to
deliver it in the Old South Church, Boston, in the First
Church in Charlestown, in Patterson, N. J., in New Bruns
wick, and in Philadelphia. On each of these occasions the
author was requested to publish it; and when he had re
turned home, he received a generous request from the gen
tleman to whom it is dedicated, to allow it to be published
at his expense. To this request he has felt it his duty to
accede. Not that there is any pretension in the discourse to
elegance of style, or to great originality of matter. To be
faithful to history, the facts must be, of necessity, such as
are already acknowledged. All that the author claims is, to
have combined in the discourse a general summary of all
the information we possess concerning this remarkable As
sembly, in its origin, progress, and results ; to have shown
its relations to the great struggle for religious and civil lib
erty which was then going on ; to have presented the groundi

X PREFACE.
upon which it has laid posterity under a debt of lasting
gratitude ; and to have offered some vindication of the As
sembly from the charge of persecution and intolerance.
All that is expected, therefore, from this publication is,
that it may convey, in a small compass, the most necessary
information on these points, to some who may not have lei
sure or opportunity to peruse more lengthened works.
Should any similarity be found in the arrange-ijient of
this discourse and the history of Mr. Hetherington, the au
thor would state that, although he has now made some refer
ences to that valuable work, this was written in May, 1843,
and of course months before the appearance of the work
referred to.
Charleston, S. C, September, 1843.

CONTENTS.

SECTION I.

Pa»e

introductory remarks, with a review of the
causes which led to the calling of the
westminster assembly . 13
SECTION II.
THE NATURE, HISTORY, AND CHARACTER OF THE
WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY . 30
SECTION III.
THE STANDARDS OF THE WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY . 43
SECTION IV.
THE POLITICAL SENTIMENTS AND CHARACTER OF THE
WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY AND ITS ADHERENTS . 62
SECTION V.
THE WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY AND THE PRESBYTERI
ANS OF THEIR TIME VINDICATED FROM THE CHARGE
OF PERSECUTION . 66

Xll CONTENTS.
SECTION VI Page
PRESBYTERIANISM VINDICATED FROM THE CHARGE
OF HAVING GIVEN ORIGIN TO INNUMERABLE SECTS,
AND THE SUBJECT CONCLUDED 97
APPENDIX.
THE OBJECTIONS FOUNDED UPON THE PERSECUTING
PRINCIPLES ANU CONDUCT OF THE PRESBYTERIANS
FURTHER ANSWERED, FROM THE AUTHOR'S WORK
ON "ECCLESIASTICAL REPUBLICANISM,'' p. 231
—239 ... . 110

HISTORY

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY.

SECTION I.
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS, WITH A REVIEW OF THE CAUSES
WHICH LED TO THE CALLING OF THE WESTMINSTER
ASSEMBLY. We are on this occasion called upon, with an
innumerable multitude in every quarter of the globe,
and of many different denominations, to celebrate
the bicentenary anniversary of the Westminster
Assembly of Divines. To this body the world is
indebted for those standards of faith and practice
which have been substantially adopted, not only by
the Presbyterian Church in all its branches, but also
by the Congregational and Baptist denominations.
2

14 HISTORY OF THE
The return ofa second centennial anniversary of this
Assembly, invokes the grateful remembrance of all
who value these standards, and the blessings of
religious and civil freedom with which they have
become inseparably connected. If the clear defini
tion and establishment of those doctrines that are
of God, alike freed from Antinomian licentiousness
on the one hand, and from fanatical extravagance on
the other; if the preparation of standards which have
served as bulwarks to the truth as it is in Jesus,
when error and heresy have come in like a flood upon
the church, and which are at this moment venerated,
as containing the system of doctrine taught in the
word of God, by growing multitudes ; and if a devotion
to the cause of human rights which no bribery or per
secution could extinguish ; if, I say, these achievements
are sufficient to demand our gratitude, then are we
imperatively called upon to hail with exultation this
natal day of our spiritual birthright, to consider the
days of old and the years of ancient times, and to bring
to remembrance the Westminster Assembly.
In order, however, properly to appreciate the debt

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 15
of gratitude we owe to this General Council of the
Church, and to enter heartily into this commemora
tion, we must recall to mind the circumstances which
gave origin to this assembly,* and the nature and in
fluence of its proceedings. It will be our object, there
fore, in this discourse to present some general observa
tions relating to the history, character, and results of
this body.
The Westminster Assembly of Divines is to be re
garded both as an effect and as a cause. It was at
once the result of certain previous movements, and
the source of other and momentous consequences to
which it gave occasion. Itself the fruit of former
vegetation, it became the seed of new productions.
From it, as a starting point, the Presbyterian Church
commenced her glorious race, freed from the clogs and
hinderances with which she had been long previously
bound, and is now seen in all the strength of growing
maturity, pressing on towards the mark for the prize
* See these minutely given in the Preface toReid's Lives
ofthe Divines ofthe Westminster Assembly. Paisley,I811.

16 HISTORY OF THE
of her high calling ; while upon the foundation of its
doctrinal standards millions build the fabric of their
everlasting hopes.
To understand the causes which led to the con
vention of the Westminster Assembly, we must go
back to the era ofthe English Reformation and trace the
history and working of the Anglican hierarchy. Un
like the Continental and Scottish reforms, which were
originated, and sustained, and completed by the people,
the English Reformation was altogether a political
movement, and an affair of state. It was forced upon
an unprepared and unenlightened people, like any
other matter of political legislation. Neither was it a
reformation, but rather an adaptation of the existing
hierarchy to the views and purposes of a covetous,
worldly-minded, and ambitious monarch. While the
supremacy of the pope was renounced, the king was
recognized as the head of the church, and was thus
implicated in that usurpation ofthe royal prerogative
of Christ, and in those encroachments on the rights
of the church, which form one of the weightiest
charges against the Roman Antichrist. And while the

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 17
people, in their state of ignorance, spurned from them
the established religion — as far as they dared express
their feelings — because it was in any way, and to any
degree an alteration of the old, that same people, when
fully instructed in the knowledge ofthe gospel, rejected
to a great extent this same established religion, be
cause it was but a modification of the corrupted pa
pacy, and altogether unlike the primitive and aposto
lical church of Christ. It is beyond all controversy
certain, that had the great body of the clergy and the
laity, in the days of Elizabeth, possessed the liberty of
carrying out their views, the Church of England
would have been modelled after the same original
platform of Presbyterian polity which was preserved
to us in the sanctuary of truth, and universally adopt
ed by every other reformed church in Christendoms-
Coerced into obedience to the powers that ruled over
them, and legislated into conformity by the all-con
vincing arguments of proclamations, penalties, im-
* See the author's Work on " Presbytery, and not Pre
lacy, the Scriptural and Primitive Polity," for proof.

18 HISTORY OF THE
prisonment, torture, infamy, and death, the people of
England groaned within themselves, being burdened.
Having no refuge in man, they sought relief in God,
into whose ear they poured their complaints, and cried
with a loud voice, saying, " How long, O Lord, holy
and true, dost thou not judge our cause, and avenge
our sufferings on them that oppress us?"
Prelacy is a plain and manifest deviation from
the institutions of Christ. As such it appeared to all
the reformed churches, and to a large portion of the
English people. They sought, therefore, its removal
by an appeal to scriptural argument and authority.
But prelacy had also become identified with spiritual
despotism and arbitrary proceedings. Secular power,
external violence, inquisitorial authority, and political
tyranny, as well as ecclesiastical jurisdiction, had long
been annexed to the hierarchy, had become charac
teristic of its conduct, and interwoven with all its
proceedings. Bishops were not only lords spiritual,
but also lords temporal. Their power extended
equally to the body and the soul, and to civil as well
as to ecclesiastical penalties. They domineered over

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 19
all the ecclesiastical rights of the people in the church,
while they lent themselves as the tools of arbitrary
monarchs in the state. They had, too, become pos
sessed of extensive power, independent of the crown
and parliament ; a power which, being based upon a
divine right and thus beyond the reach of any hu
man control, could be questioned only by the voice
of blasphemous impiety. Their history is filled with
treasons, conspiracies, and oppression.* They had
ever been found opposed to the laws and liberties of
* The collected proofs of these charges, from authentic
sources, may be seen given at length by that learned and
persecuted man, Counsellor Prynne, in his " Antipathie of
the English Lordly Prelacy both to regular Monarchy and
civil Unity : or an Historical Collection of the several exe
crable Treasons, Conspiracies, Rebellions, Seditions, State-
schisms, Contumacies, Oppressions, and Anti-monarchical
Practices, of our English, Brittish, French, Scottish, and Irish
Lordly Prelates, against our Kings, Kingdomes, Laws, Liber
ties ; and of the several Wars, and civil Dissensions occa
sioned by them in, or against our Realm, in former and
latter ages." London, 1641. 2 vols, 4to.

20 HISTORY OF THE
the people, and to the reformation of abuses. Their
high-handed proceedings in the Bishops' courts ;
their illegal powers as members of the High Commis
sion ;* and the exorbitant prerogative of the crown,
which they abetted and sustained, prostrated all
freedom, trampled upon the just rights of the citizen,
and left men of every quality and degree at the mercy
of a rapacious despotism. t
This language may appear strong, but it is inade
quate to express the true character of the Anglican
* By this dreadful tribunal many were reduced to utter
poverty by fines, many were imprisoned till they contracted
fatal diseases, others were banished, and some were actually
sold for slaves.
t It was actually decided by the twelve judges of the
Star Chamber, " That the King, having the supreme ecclesi
astical power, could, without parliament, make orders and
constitutions for church government ; that the High Commis
sioner might enforce them, ex officio, without libel ; and
that subjects might not frame petitions for relief without
being guilty of an offence finable at discretion, and very
near to treason and felony." Neal, Vol. I. p. 416, 417.

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 21
hierarchy. Take, for example, the case of Leigh-
ton, father of the celebrated Archbishop. At the
instigation of Laud, and upon the charge of hav
ing published a book against prelacy ! — he was thrown
into prison, where he lay in a filthy cell infested
with vermin for fifteen weeks, so that when served
with his libel his hair and skin had come off his
body, and he was so reduced in strength as to be
unable to appear at the bar. This, however, made
no difference. Untried and unheard he was con
demned to suffer the following sentence, on hearing
which pronounced, Laud, we are told, "pulled off
his cap and gave God thanks.'' " The horrid sen
tence," says the sufferer in his petition to parliament
some years afterwards, " was to be inflicted with
knife, sword, fire, and whip, at and upon the pillory,
with ten thousand pounds fine ; which some of the
lords of court conceived could never be inflicted, but
only that it was imposed on a dying man to terrify
others. But Laud and his creatures caused the sen
tence to be executed with a witness ; for the hang-

22 HISTORY OF THE
man was animated all the night before, with strong
drink in the prison, and with threatening words, to
do it cruelly. Your petitioner's hands being tied to
a stake, besides all other torments, he received thirty-
six stripes with a treble cord, after which he stood
almost two hours in the pillory in cold, frost, and
snow, and then suffered the rest, as cutting off the ear,
firing the face, and slitting up the nose. He was
made a spectacle of misery to men and angels. And
on that day seven nights, the sores upon his back,
ears, nose and face, not being cured, he was again
whipped at the pillory in Cheapside, and then had
the remainder of the sentence executed by cutting off
the other ear, slitting up the other nostril, and brand
ing the other cheek !"
Similar punishments were inflicted on Counsellor
Prynne, Dr. Bastwick, and Dr. Burton, and for the
same atrocious crime of having written against the
prelacy !
In short, " the Church of England continued
under the Stuarts what she had become under the

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 23
Tudors : a submissive slave to the higher ranks, a
tyrant to the lower."* And the portentous re-ap
pearance, at the present time, and in our own coun
try as well as in England, of the fundamental princi
ple, — the prelatical doctrine of Apostolical Succes
sion, — from which these results followed, may well
excite alarm; embodying, as it does, the very es
sence of despotism, civil and religious, and possess
ing an energy that nothing human can control with
out a struggle, wide, wasting, and deadly, too fearful
even to be imagined.!
Nor was this all. While prelacy had become
identified, as was believed, with despotic cruelty and
injustice, an event occurred which awakened the
whole people of Britain to. a full perception of their
awful condition, and still more fearful prospects, —
* Hoffman's Anglo-Prussian Bishopric, p. 28.
t Hatherington, Hist, of Westm. Ass,, p. 50 See abun
dant proofs of the intolerant tendencies and results of this
doctrine both in England and America, in the author's Lec
tures on the Prelatical doctrine ofthe Apostolical Succession,
Lecture XIII

24

HISTORY OF THE

I allude to the horrible massacre ofthe Irish Protest
ants, by the Roman Catholics. Taught to believe
that by putting heretics to death they would merit
favor at the hands of God, these deluded men received
the sacrament before commencing the work of car
nage, and swore before high heaven that they would
not leave a Protestant alive in the whole kingdom.
For many months, nay, with some little intermis
sion, for two years, the country was a scene of the
most unparalleled atrocities. No mercy was shown
to age, or rank, or sex. Men, women, and even
children, became the executioners of helpless victims,
and everywhere perpetrated the most execrable atro
cities. Suffice it to say, that according to some
writers riot less than 300,000 Protestants were sacri
ficed to glut the ferocious appetite of Popery.*
Neither can King Charles be altogether freed from
the charge of having connived at, if he did not pro
mote, this infamous treachery. Certain it is, that
* See on this subject the various calculations as given in
Dr. Reid's History of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.
Vol. I. p. 336, 337.

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 25
the object avowed by the Papists was the subjuga
tion ofthe English parliament and the Scottish army ;
the support of the king in his struggle for arbitrary
power, and the more complete enslavement of the
British nation.*
* The Royal Commission from Charles I. for the move
ments of 1641 , has been strenuously denied. The evidence of
its reality seems, however, beyond controversy. The evidence
may be summed up as follows : — (1.) The Royal Commission
was published by Sir Phelim O'Neill himself, in his procla
mation from Newry, 1641, (2.) It was reprinted in the
"Mysterie of Iniquity," 1643. (3.) In " Viccar 's Parliamentary
Chronicle," 1646. (4.) In Milton's Works, 1698. And those
who desire to see the genuineness of the Commission fully
canvassed, may consult Brodie, Vol. III. p. 190-9 ; and God
win, Vol. I. p. 225-30. (5.) Even Reilly, » stanch Ro
manist, admits that Lords Auburn and Osmond were in
structed by Charles to seize the castle of Dublin, the lords
justices, &c, and that Sir Phelim merely endeavoured to
have the first hand in the work. (6.) The declaration of
the commons, July 25, 1642, is sufficient to prove that there
was a plot between the queen and the Irish Papists, and that
the king knew of it.

26

HISTORY OF THE

By these, and other similar causes, which time
will not permit us to detail, the public mind was
led to regard prelacy as equally dangerous to the
religion, liberties, and peace of the three kingdoms,
and thus to desire the complete extirpation of the
hierarchy. The controversy respecting high-church-
ism, which had hitherto been carried on by the
Puritans on religious grounds, was now, by the con
duct of the prelates, forced to assume the character
of a defence of civil liberty. The floodgates of
the popular mind were opened. The subject of
church government became the all-engrossing topic
of the day, and, from its close connection with public
affairs, a national question. Within a period of twenty
years no fewer than 30,000 pamphlets were issued
on this subject. Feeling ran deeper every day against
the prelates, until, by the disclosures brought out
upon the trial of Archbishop Laud, it burst forth in
ungovernable fury, and demanded their removal from
office. The commons, therefore, having been petitioned
to that effect by the London ministers, in their grand

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 27
remonstrance, presented in 1641, urged the necessity
of a free synod, to take into consideration, and
remove the grievances of the church. In the treaty
of Oxford a bill was offered to the same purpose and
rejected. Some time after, Dr. Burgess, at the head
of the Puritan clergy, again applied to parliament for
the same purpose. At length an ordinance was
passed by the parliament in June, 1643, convening an
assembly by their own authority. In this ordinance
they say, " Whereas, among the infinite blessings of
Almighty God upon this nation, none is, or can be,
more clear to us than the purity of our religion ;
and for that as yet many things remain in the liturgy,
discipline, and government of the church, which do
necessarily require a further and more perfect
reformation, than as yet hath been obtained; and
whereas it hath been declared and resolved by the
lords and commons assembled in parliament, that
the present church government, by archbishops,
bishops, their chancellors, commissars, deans, and
chapters, arch-deacons, and other ecclesiastical offi
cers, depending upon the hierarchy, is evil and justly

28 HISTORY OF THE
offensive and burdensome to the kingdom, a great
impediment to reformation and growth of religion, and
very prejudicial to the state and government of this
kingdom ; therefore they are resolved, that the same
shall be taken away, and that such a government
shall be settled in the church as may be most agree
able to God's holy word, and most apt to procure and
preserve the peace of the church at home, and nearer
agreement with the Church of Scotland and other
reformed churches abroad ; and for the better effecting
hereof, and for the vindicating and clearing of the
doctrine of the Church of England from all false
calumnies and aspersions, it is thought fit and neces
sary to call an assembly of learned, godly, and judi
cious divines, who, together with some members of
both houses of parliament, are to consult and advise
of such matters and things, touching the premises,
as shall be proposed unto them, by both or either
houses of parliament, and to give their council and
advice therein to both or either of said houses,
when, and so often, as they shall be thereunto
required,"

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 29
The language and spirit of this ordinance will
be considered as justly marvellous, when it is recol
lected, that this very parliament was composed of
persons who had been almost to a man Episcopalians,
and attached to Episcopal government ; men, too,
possessed of great and plentiful fortunes ; and, as
Clarendon, who states these facts, allows, of great
gravity and wisdom.*
* Clarendon, Vol. I., p. 184. M'Crie's Scottish Church
Hist. p. 275. " As to religion," says Clarendon, " they were
all members ofthe Established Church, and almost to a man
for Episcopal government."

30

HISTORY OF THE

SECTION II.
THE NATURE, HISTORY, AND CHARACTER OF THE WESTMIN
STER ASSEMBLY.
The Assembly was to consist of ten lords, twenty
commoners, and one hundred and twenty-one minis
ters ; in all, about one hundred and fifty-one mem
bers. In accordance with what we have stated, as it
regards the ecclesiastical views ofthe parliament, the
members chosen to constitute this Assembly were,
almost all, such as had till then conformed to the
Established Church of England.* From the fact
* In their answer to the reasons given by the Episcopal
divines for withdrawing from the body, the assembly answer
the charge that " the divines were for the most part of a
puritanical stamp and enemies to the hierarchy," by saying,
" the divines, except the Scots and French, were in Episco
pal orders, educated in our own universities, and most of

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 31
that it was convened at Westminster, in the Abbey
Church, it has been denominated the Westminster
Assembly. And forasmuch as it was not called by
ecclesiastical authority, or according to any fixed
rules of ecclesiastical procedure, but by the authority
of parliament, it is styled an Assembly, and not a
Convocation or Synod. It was designed to be an
ecclesiastical advisory council, to aid and assist the
parliament in the determinations of religious ques
tions. It was thus identified with the national legis
lature and became a part of that body, or rather its
ecclesiastical cabinet.* All its members were chosen
by the parliament, who selected two from each
them graduates." Neal's Hist, of Puritans, Vol. III. 49.
" Those who made up the Westminster Assembly, and who
were the honour of the parliamentary party throughout the
land, were almost all such as had till then conformed."
Orme's Life of Baxter, Vol. I. p. 35.
* In the answer ofthe Assembly to the Episcopal divines
they say, " This being not designed for a legal convocation,
but for a council to the parliament in the reformation of the
church." Neal, III. 49,

32 HISTORY OF THE
county, and in addition to these, some of the most
learned men of the age, such as Archbishop Usher,
Dr. Holdsworth, Dr. Hammond, Dr. Wincop, Bishops
Westfield, and Prideaux, and many more.* Parlia
ment also drew up the rules by which in all their
deliberations they were to be directed and governed,
and the solemn oath or protestation which was to be
taken by every member of the body. The Assembly,
therefore, had no independent existence or authority.
Its members were sworn to "make good out of Scrip
ture what any man undertook to prove," and " to
maintain nothing in matters of doctrine, but what
they thought in their conscience to be truth ; or in
point of discipline but what should conduce most to
the glory of God, and to the good and peace of the
church." They could not, however, enforce any
thing by their own power, as either true or obliga
tory. All their productions are entitled, " The hum-
* A few of the royalist Episcopal divines at first met
with the Assembly, but afterwards withdrew when the
king had prohibited their meeting.

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 33
ble advice of the Assembly of Divines, by authority of
parliament sitting at Westminster concerning," &c.
&c* The ecclesiastical authority now attached to
the Westminster Assembly's standards, arises solely
from their adoption by the various bodies who have
received them as their own, while their intrinsic
validity is based upon the word of God, on which they
are exclusively founded. The Assembly was but a
component part of the most celebrated of all parlia
ments — a wheel within a wheel — one band of actors
in that glorious drama which will ever attract the
admiration and excite the reverence of mankind.
By obeying the summons ofthe parliament, the mem
bers of the Assembly, at once and forever, committed
themselves to the cause of the people against their
tyrannical oppressor ; braved the fury of an incensed
monarch, who had openly denounced their meeting
as traitorous, and pledged their lives, property, and
* Of these I possess copies in the original editions. I
have also ten 4to volumes of the discourses they delivered be
fore the parliament,

34

HISTORY OF THE

sacred honour, to the support of liberty and truth.*
The volcanic fires which had long been burning in
secret had now burst forth, and filled the land with
civil commotion. To these divines was given the
hazardous but honourable duty to direct the whirlwind
and the storm which were then raging, and if possi
ble to suggest such measures as might reduce their
conflicting elements to order and harmony. By the
merits of that struggle, which was then commenced
in desperate earnestness, must this Assembly be now
tested. Was it a traitorous rebellion against lawful
power and the heaven-appointed insolence of des
pots? — then were they accessories to the nefarious
plot, and base hypocrites in the sight of heaven.
* In their answer to the Episcopal divines, who alleged
that the Assembly were not authorized by the king, they
replied, " that the constitution at present was dissolved ; that
there were two sovereign contending parties in the nation ;
and if the war in which the parliament was engaged was
just and necessary, they might assume this branch of the
prerogative, till the nation was settled, as well as any other "
Neal, Vol. III. p. 49

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 35
But was that outburst of freedom " the commence
ment of all true liberty, public and personal," and the
birth-day of a nation's rights? — then are the mem
bers of the Westminster Assembly to be held in ever
lasting remembrance.
The Assembly continued to act and deliberate
till 1648-9, about three weeks after the king's death,
having sat five years, six months, and twenty-two days,
during which time they had eleven hundred and sixty-
three sessions. They were still employed after that
time, as a committee for the examination, ordination,
and induction of ministers, till March 25th, 1652,
when the long parliament being turned out of the
house by Oliver Cromwell, they also broke up with
out any formal dissolution. They thus rose and fell
with the long parliament, and were buried with it in
the same grave of constitutional liberty.
The Westminster Assembly was a congregation
ofthe most wise, pious, liberal and learned spirits of
the age. "The divines there congregated," says
Baxter, " were men of eminent learning, godliness,
ministerial abilities, and fidelity, and being not worthy

36 HISTORY OF THE
to be one myself, I may the more freely speak the truth,
even in the face of. malice and envy; that as far as I
am able to judge by the information of all history of
that kind, and by any other evidence left us, the Chris
tian world, since the days of the Apostles, had never a
Synod of more excellent divines than this, and the
Synod of Dort." " For personal integrity, ministerial
diligence, and general scholarship, the Wesminster
Assembly," says Dr. Price, who is warmly opposed
to presbyterianism, " has never been surpassed by any
ecclesiastical assemblage."* Let any one examine
the list of its members, and he will find among them
the most considerable lawyers and divines of a most
remarkable age.
The names of Lightfoot, Gataker, Greenhill, Ar-
rowsmith, Twisse, Reynolds (afterwards bishop),
Burgess, Bolton, Burroughs, Calamy, Caryl, Godwin,
Hildersham, Marshal, Scudder, Vines, Wallis, Hen
derson, Gillespie, Rutherford, Baillie, and many others,
are among the most illustrious in English history,
* Dr. Price's Hist .of Non. Conf. Vol. II. p. 248.

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 37
and will never be undervalued in the learned world.
Selden, also, among the lay members, and Prynne,
the great Presbyterian advocate in the parliament,
were prodigies of learning, and their works treasuries
of erudition. In fact all the members were men of distinction,
and while Cajetan, who was reputed to be the most
learned man in the Council of Trent, knew not a
word of Hebrew,* many of these divines were emi
nent for their acquirements in Hebrew, and in Tal-
mudical, classical, and oriental literature. Their de-
* "^Neither was there amongst these prelates any one re
markable for learning; some of them were lawyers, perhaps
learned in that profession, but of little understanding in reli
gion ; few divines, but of less than ordinary sufficiency; the
greater number gentlemen or courtiers ; and for their digni
ties some were only titular, and the major part bishops of so
small cities, that, supposing every one to represent his peo
ple, it could not be said that one of a thousand in Christen
dom was represented. But particularly of Germany, that
there was not so much as one bishop or divine." Father
Paul, p. 153.

38

HISTORY OF THE

bates, which were sometimes continued for months
upon a single point, were regular scholastic discus
sions. An appeal was continually made to the Greek
and Hebrew originals, to the analogy of faith, and
to the opinions of the Rabbinical doctors and early
fathers. In these branches of study some of them
attained an eminence, which, if ever it has been
equalled, has certainly never been excelled. They
still shine forth, with singular glory, as stars of the
first magnitude. Besides the discussions of the
Assembly, which occupied their forenoons, and those
of the committee, which filled up their afternoons,
the members were many of them employed in pre
paring dissertations for the parliamentary discourses
and other works of great extent, erudition, and
learning. When the universities were deserted, in
consequence of the removal of the adherents of the
king, their places were filled with incumbents
selected chiefly from among the members of this As
sembly. And while many have asserted that the
reputation of these universities was sadly diminished
by their new professors, the very contrary is the truth

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 39
in the case. Learning, religion, and good sense pre
vailed to a much greater extent at the Restoration,
than before the civil wars, in both these seats of
learning. All the eminent philosophers and divines,
who did so much honour to their country in the three
succeeding reigns — the Tillotsons, Stillingfleets, Pat
ricks, Souths, Caves, Sprats, Kidders, Whitbys, Bulls,
Boyles, Newtons, and Lockes — were educated by
these very professors. And if, as is always allowed,
the glory of the scholar illustrates the character of
his teacher, we may at once perceive how pre-emi
nently qualified these men were to be the tutors of
the greatest geniuses that have ever adorned humanity.
In foreign countries, also, the reputation of these
universities was at this time very high ; while the
number of learned performances which they produced
was as great as during any former period.* Never
certainly was the standard of ministerial qualifica
tions placed higher than by these divines. " The
languages, Greek and Hebrew, are," they urged,
* Neal III. 400.

40 HISTORY OF THE
" necessary to understand the original text, and derive
our doctrine from the fresh and pure fountains. The
Latin is also needful, that we may the better receive
the benefits of the gifts given to the fathers and
writers of former ages, (for all gifts are given by God
to profit the* church withal,) but also to be acquainted
with the liberal arts and sciences." After showing
how the knowledge of the arts and sciences contri
bute to the usefulness of the ministry, and how a learn
ed ministry has been in all ages the bulwark of the
church against heretics and errorists, they conclude
that " therefore the enemies of a learned ministry are
the friends of popery and all heresies, of ignorance
and blindness, and the enemies of the truth and gos
pel, of the light and comfort of the church of Jesus
Christ."* The fruits of these principles and labours
we find in that harvest of nonconforming ministers
who filled the churches at the period of the Restora
tion, of whom two thousand in England, between
* See Byfi eld's (a member ofthe Assembly) Short Trea
tise describing the Church of Christ. London, 1653, p. 26, 27.

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 41
three and four thousand in Scotland, and sixty out of
sixty-five in Ireland, gave up their livings rather than
abandon principle ; of whom the world was not wor
thy ; whose works of piety and devotion will ever
constitute the staple productions of our Christian
literature ; and of whom we have a noble succession
in those five hundred Presbyterian clergymen and two
hundred licentiates and students in divinity in Scot
land, who have now taken joyfully the spoiling of
their goods, and suffered even unto poverty, in their
glorious contest for the truth and honour of the gospel.
Howe and Charnock, Bates and Heyward, and a host
of other worthies, exemplify the character of these
divines, and the truth of these observations. Without
the works of many of these divines, no theological
library could be complete, since they contain treatises
on various subjects, which are regarded as incompar
ably the best in the English language.
Neither is this character of the divines of the
Westminster Assembly rendered in any degree ques
tionable by the baseless calumnies of Clarendon, or
the revengeful vituperation of Milton. By their de-

42 HISTORY OF THE
nunciation of Milton's work on divorce, which led to
his being brought before the House of Lords, and
by their steady opposition to the constitutional pro
ceedings of his master Cromwell, they excited the
deep and keen anger of his fierce antagonist. In
this, however, Milton only proved his own incon
sistency, and reflected discredit, not on the Assem
bly, but upon himself. For that very work on
divorce had been dedicated by him to this very
Assembly. In this dedication, after they had been
in session for two years, he denominates them " a
select Assembly " " of so much piety and wisdom,"
" a learned and memorable Synod, in which piety,
learning, and prudence were housed." The hireling
defamer of political opponents, and the enraged
avenger of a private quarrel, are neither of them
therefore entitled to vilify a large and respectable
Assembly, whose character is otherwise so undoubt
edly established.* *¦ See Orme's Life of Baxter, p. 71.

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 43

SECTION III.
THE STANDARDS OF THE WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY.
But great as were these men in natural genius,
and eminent as they were in acquirement and in
their literary and theological publications, it is as the
authors of those standards which were the fruits of
their five years' deliberations, that they most power
fully claim our reverence. The first of these is the
Confession of Faith. We have stated that the mem
bers ofthe Assembly had been almost to a man Epis
copalians, or at least conformists. The first object
of the Assembly was not therefore to overthrow, but
to alter and improve, the existing system of polity
and doctrine. Accordingly, one of their first acts
was to divide their whole body into three committees,
to each of which was distributed a certain number of
the articles of the English Church. After having

44 HISTORY OF THE
spent ten weeks in the revision of the first fifteen
articles, they were arrested in their proceedings by
an order at once to frame a Directory for public wor
ship ; and as it was afterwards thought that unifor
mity would be better promoted by constructing a
new Confession, the further amendment of the thirty-
nine Articles was dropped. A committee was there
fore appointed to this work in May, 1645, who pre
sented the complete Confession in November, 1646,
which after being reviewed and amended was pub
lished in May, 1647. The outline of this work
would appear to have originated with Alexander
Henderson, the leader of what is termed the Second
Scottish Reformation, who had been appointed by
the General Assembly of Scotland in 1641 to draw
up a Confession of Faith, a Catechism, a Directory
for all parts of public worship, and a Platform of
Government, and who was a commissioner to the
Westminster Assembly. In June, 1648, the two
houses of Lords and Commons having gone over the
whole, article by article, ordered it to be published
under the title of " Articles of Religion approved and

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 45
passed by both houses of Parliament, after advice had
with an Assembly of Divines called together by them
for that purpose." The whole Confession being im
mediately transmitted to Scotland, was received with
approbation by both the General Assembly and Par
liament, and has continued to be the established doc
trine of the Church of Scotland until this day, and
of all the Presbyterian churches founded by her in
England, Ireland, America, and all other parts of the
world. This Confession has been embodied almost
verbatim in the Confession adopted by the Congrega-
tionalists at the Savoy Conference, in their Cam
bridge and Saybrook platforms, and in the Confessions
of the Old South Church in Boston, and other New-
*
England churches ; and also by the Calvinistic
Baptists. The next work completed by the Assembly was
the reduction ofthe substance of this Confession into
the form of Catechisms ; one called " The Larger,"
for the groundwork of a public exposition in the pul
pit, according to the custom of the foreign churches ;
and the other " The Shorter," for the instruction of
3*

46 HISTORY OF THE
children in the principal doctrines of the Christian
religion. The Shorter Catechism was presented to
parliament in November, 1647, and the Larger in
April, 1648. These works are beyond all praise.
To those who recognize the system of doctrine they
contain as being that taught in the word of God, they
must be allowed to be, next to the Bible, the most
complete and perfect summaries of evangelical truth
that exist ; most admirable in their arrangement ;
simple and scriptural in their language ; comprehen
sive in their details, and masterly in their whole con
struction. They are, in short, perfect systems of
divinity. Beginning with a general introduction,
illustrative of the great end of man's creation and the
only infallible standard of faith and practice, they
are divided into two parts. The first division ex
plains what we are to believe concerning God in
himself considered, and in his doings towards the
human race, in their creation, fall, and redemption.
The second division embraces the duty which God
requires of man ; in which is given a full explanation
ofthe moral law as contained in the Ten Command-

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 47
ments ; and the special duties arising from the gos
pel dispensation, such as faith, repentance, the dili
gent use of the means of grace and prayer, as illus
trated in the general summary of " The Lord's
Prayer." To these catechisms, millions are indebted
for their theological knowledge, for their saving
piety, and for their preservation from dangerous here
sies and errors ; while to them, under God, must our
church trace her deliverance from many a dangerous
onset, and her present establishment in the faith once
delivered to the saints.
The next work of the Assembly was the one
which gave rise to the greatest debates — that is, the
Form of Government. At first no more was thought
of than such a modified form of episcopacy as would
remove the evils consequent upon the hierarchy. But
when the views ofthe Scottish divines were presented
and most elaborately discussed, and a full knowledge
was obtained of the working, efficiency, and influ
ence of the Presbyterian system, as practised in the
reformed churches, the great majority of the Assem
bly, Episcopalians though they had been, were led to

HISTORY OP THE

approve of Presbytery as the system of polity insti
tuted by Christ and his apostles. They all, except
about eight Independents, (who differed as to the
second point,) adopted as of divine right "the two
radical principles of Presbyterial church government,
the PARITY OF MINISTERS of the Gospel, or
the identity of Bishops and Presbyters ; and the regu
lation of all matters in the church by the counsel
and will of the whole body, or their representatives,
which comprehends the subordination of inferior to
superior judicatories."
Even the Congregationalists in the Assembly em
braced almost every thing in this work, and had
actually agreed to a compromised view upon which
both parties would have been harmoniously united,
but for the political influence of Cromwell, for whose
interest it was necessary that they should be kept
divided,* This form of government, however, was
"* " They both admitted the same orders of office-bearers
in the church, though the Independents would have recog
nized more than the Presbyterians thought either necessarv

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 49
never fully approved by the parliament, owing to the
increased influence of the Independents, Erastian,
or commanded in Scripture ; and they differed little in their
opinions respecting the powers properly inherent in congre
gations." (Hetherington, p. 165.) Mr. Nye, the leader of the
Independents, admitted that they held classical and synodi-
cal meetings very useful and profitable, yea, possibly agree
able to the institution of Christ; but the question is this,
whether these meetings have the same power that ecclesia
prima, or one single congregation has ? (Lightfoot, p. 144.)
The compromise above alluded to, was brought in by a com
mittee raised for the purpose, and composed of Messrs. Sea
man, Vines, Palmer, Marshall, Godwin, Nye, Burroughs,
and Bridge, together with the four Scottish divines, and was
as follows : " 1. That there be a presbytery, or meeting of
the elders of many neighbouring congregations, to consult
upon such things as concern those congregations in matters
ecclesiastical ; and such presbyteries are the ordinances of
Christ, having his power and authority. 2. Such presbyte
ries have power in cases that are to come before them, to
declare and determine doctrinally what is agreeable to God's
word; and this judgment of theirs is to be received with
reverence and obligation as Christ's ordinance. 3. They

50

HISTORY OF THE .

and Sectarian parties in that body ; and the impossi
bility of harmonizing them all upon the platform of
have power to require the elders of those congregations to
give an account of any thing scandalous in doctrine or prac
tice." (Lightfoot, p. 214, 215.J Another report was brought
forward from this committee about a week afterwards, con
taining two additional propositions, forming five in all, as
follows : " 4. The churches and eldership being offended,
let them examine, admonish, and in case of obstinacy, de
clare them either disturbers of the peace, as subverters of the
faith, or otherwise, as the nature and degree of the offence
shall require. 5. In case that the particular church or elder
ship shall refuse to reform that scandalous doctrine or prac
tice, then that meeting of elders, which is assembled from
several churches and congregations, shall acquaint their sev
eral congregations respectively, and withdraw from them,
and deny church communion and fellowship with them.'
(Lightfoot, p. 229.) In the course of their argument and
illustrations, the dissenting brethren, that is, the Congrega-
tionalists, made so many concessions, that it is rather diffi
cult to conceive on wbat their final opposition rested. As,
for instance, they admitted " that synods are an ordinance of
God upon all occasions of difficulty; that all the churches

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 51
Presbyterianism. It was, however, at once adopted
in the Church of Scotland, and has been perpetuated
in all her branches.
The next work for which we are indebted to the
divines of the Westminster Assembly is the Directory
for public Worship. As early as October, 1643, the
parliament, having virtually abolished the liturgy,
directed the Assembly to prepare " a Directory of
Worship or Liturgy, hereafter to be in the Church,"
with all the' convenient speed they could. The
ofa province may call a single congregation to account; that
they may examine and admonish, and, in case of obstinacy,
may declare them to be subverters of the faith ; that they
have authority to determine in controversies of faith ; that
they may deny church communion to an offending and ob
stinate congregation, and that this sentence of non-commun
ion may be enforced by the authority ofthe civil magistrate ;
and that they may call before them any person within their
bounds concerned in the ecclesiastical business before them,
and may hear and determine such causes as orderly come
before them." Reasons and Answers of Dissenting Brethren,
page 138.

52

HISTORY OF THE

Directory was accordingly drawn up and, after much
discussion, was almost unanimously adopted. It
contains a directory for prayer, with the substance of
what ought to be included in the public morning
prayer; for the reading of the Scriptures; for the
administration ofthe Lord's Supper and Baptism ;
for preaching the word, the sanctification of the
Lord's day, the solemnization of marriage, the observ
ance of days of public fasting and humiliation, and
also of thanksgiving, and for the burial^of the dead.
In the change then made in the form of public wor
ship, the following things before in use were entirely
omitted, viz., the public reading of the Apocrypha
in the churches, private and lay-baptism, god-fathers
and god-mothers, the sign of the cross in baptism,
and the private administration of the communion to
the sick. The altar with rails was exchanged for the
communion table, kneeling at the Lord's table was
disused, burial service, the ring in marriage, all pecu
liar garments for officiating ministers, and saint's
days, were also discarded.
To the Assembly, also, we are indebted for a

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 53
metrical version ofthe Book of Psalms to be used in
the public worship of God, and for the general intro
duction of congregational psalmody.* This version
* Milner's Life of Watts, p. 358. " The practice of the
primitive church was thus revived. The people were, as
Seeker expressed it, ' restored to their rights, and taught to
sing as well as to pray.' The mode of singing psalms in
measured verse, as now practised, was introduced first by
Calvin at Geneva, in 1543. He wrote the preface to Marot's
metrical version of the Psalms, and took care to have them set
to music by the most distinguished musicians. The whole
Psalms with music, were first printed at Geneva in 1553.
From that church the practice went forth into all the re
formed churches in France, and was introduced into Eng
land by the Presbyterians, who resided at Geneva, and
established an English church there during the Marian per
secution. The English exiles, while at Geneva, commenced
and completed a translation of the Scriptures into the Eng
lish language. Tbe principal translators were Miles Cov
erdale, Christopher Goodman, John Knox, Anthony Gilby
or Gibbs, Thomas Sampson, William Cole, and William
Whittingham. They divided the chapters into verses, and
added notes in the margin, and also tables, maps, &c, and

54 HISTORY OF THE
was composed by Mr. Francis Rous, who was one of
the lay-members appointed to sit in the Assembly.
Although this work was far from being satisfactory,
it was adopted as the best then made, both by
the Assembly and by the Church of Scotland, where
it is still used. In England and America this ver
sion has given place to the far more scriptural and
published it with a dedication to Queen Elizabeth, in 1560.
The Psalms, versified and set to music as in the church of
Geneva, were annexed to this Bible. This version has
been known as that of Sternhold and Hopkins. The initials
of the name ofthe versifier were prefixed to each Psalm.
Thus the Psalms versified in English came into England,
and were allowed to be sung before the morning and even
ing service ; and at length they were published with this
declaration : Psalms set forth and allowed to he sung in all
churches, before and after morning and evening Prayer, as
also before and after Sermons. And in a short time they su
perseded the Te Deum, Benedicite, Magnificat, and Nunc di-
mittis, which had been retained from the Romish church.
Bayle, Art. Marot. Neal, p. 109. Heylin, p. 213, 214. Rees'
Cy. Art. Bible. Burnet, p. 290 Waterman's Life of Cal
vin, p. 403.

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 55
proper version of Watts and others ; while in Scot
land repeated efforts have been made to improve
their existing psalmody. In their Directory how
ever, under the head " Of the Singing of Psalms,"
the Assembly do not confine the churches to this
version, nor to any version of the Psalms merely,
since they expressly teach that " it is the duty of
Christians to praise God by singing psalms or hymns,"
thus distinctly condemning the modern exclusiveness
of those who would prohibit Christians from using in
the worship of God any hymns or new songs adapted
to the dispensation of the Gospel under which we
live. And that this was really the sentiment of the
Assembly is made manifest by the very early and
constant efforts ofthe Church of Scotland to provide
other scriptural hymns for the use of her churches,
and by her adoption of more than a hundred such
hymns, which are now authorized and in use in that
church.* * The secession church formerly took the same view,
since all the hymns and metrical versions of Eeekiel (or, as
they would now call them, paraphrases) were prepared by

56 HISTORY OF THE
Such is a rapid summary of the immediate doings
of the Westminster Assembly of Divines, as the
ecclesiastical council of the Long Parliament. Com
posed of some of the most liberal and learned spirits
ofthe age, and conducted with more wisdom than
any other council in any other age, it has given birth
to the most complete standards ever framed, furnished
the world with some of the most valuable works
which have ever been composed by uninspired men,
and communicated a general impetus to the cause
of education, which is still felt, and thus led to the
exaltation of the ministerial office and qualifications.
" By these," says Mr. Aiton, alluding to the
Westminster formularies, " these divines have erected
a monument in almost every heart in Scotland. For
two hundred years these have withstood the attacks
of infidelity, and even many severe wounds from the
hands oftheir friends : yet is the Confession of Faith,
him, at the request ofthe secession synod, and with a view-
to their adoption in the public worship of God. See
Works of Ralph Erskine, Vol. X.

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 57
unshaken as the rock of ages, still found, on a Sab
bath afternoon, in the hands of our peasantry, dear
to them almost as their Bible ; and the Catechism,
carried morning after morning, by our sons and our
daughters, to the parish school, (the plan of which
Henderson devised,) that their contents may en
lighten the minds, and spiritualize the nature of the
rising generation. Next to the introduction of Chris
tianity itself into Scotland, and the translation of the
Bible into the vulgar tongue, the framing of the Con
fession of our Faith and of the Catechisms has con
ferred the greatest boon on every Christian in our
country."* But we are not only indebted to this Assembly
for these positive blessings, but also for an indirect
and most triumphant proof of the truth of Presbyte
rian doctrine and polity. It has often been denied
that the Articles of the Church of England were
designed to be understood in a Calvinistic sense, or
that Calvinism was the first and long established
* Life of Alexander Henderson, p. 468.

58 HISTORY OF THE
standard of doctrinal orthodoxy in that church. To
our minds the evidence in proof of both these posi
tions is overwhelmingly great. And in the fact that
all the reformed churches, in every part of the
world, without collusion or consultation, by the study
of the Scriptures alone, were led to the adoption of
those doctrines, now termed Calvinistic from their
greatest advocate and defender, we find an unanswer
able presumption in favour of the scripturality and
divine origin of these tenets. For on what other
supposition can this perfect harmony of so many con
fessions, differing on other points, be possibly ac
counted for, and especially when we remember that
these doctrines are, and ever will be, most discordant
to the natural reason, and unpalatable to the natural.
feelings of man? Look also at this Westminster
Assembly, composed of different parties, of laymen
and ministers, of politicians and divines, convened
from every portion of the land, and generally un
known to each other. And yet in that whole body it
does not appear that there was one single individual
who dissented from any of those doctrines which are

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 59
included under the Calvinistic system. There was
not among them all one Arminian or Antinomian,
much less one Unitarian or Pelagian. The same is
true in a great degree of the parliament itself. Even
among the many hundred noblemen and gentlemen
who constituted that body, we do not find a single in
fidel, Unitarian, Pelagian, or even Arminian.* They
were all, or nearly all, the stanch friends of ortho
doxy. So that for the truth of our doctrinal stand
ards we have the universal testimony of the ablest,
wisest, and best men, both at the period of the
* On March 22d, 1648, a conference was held between
the two houses, to compare their opinions respecting the
Confession of Faith, the result of which is thus stated by
V ushforth : " The Commons this day (March 22d) at a con
ference presented the Lords with the Confession of Faith
passed by them with some alterations, viz., That they do
agree with their lordships, and so with the Assembly, in the
doctrinal part, and desire the same may be made public, that
this kingdom, and all the Reformed churches of Christendom
may see the parliament of England differ not in doctrine."
Hetherington, 244, 245.

60 HISTORY OF THE
Reformation, and in an age which has been justly
styled the glory of England and the golden age of
literature. Equally remarkable is the fact that these bodies,
almost to a man Episcopalian by birth and education,
should, after long, minute, and impartial investigation,
reject the scriptural claims of prelacy, and adopt
those principles denominated presbytery, as the truly
scriptural and primitive polity. In the main fea
tures and principles of this system, there was no dif
ference of opinion, either in the Assembly or in the
parliament. That there is but one order of the
Christian ministry, called indiscriminately presbyters
or bishops, ordained by Christ and his apostles, and
found in the truly primitive church, all, without
EXCEPTION, WERE CONSTRAINED TO BELIEVE. On
this ground, Presbyterians, Independents, and Eras-
tians all stood without wavering or doubt. On the
subject of divine right, the power of presbyteries,
synods and assemblies, and of ruling elders, there
were, it is true, differences of views, as there are at
this moment, in the bosom of the Presbyterian

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 61
church, as well as out of it. The Erastians denied
the spiritual independence of the church, and her
right to govern ecclesiastically, free from all inter
ference on the part of the state. The Independents
denied the propriety of stated and regular judica
tories, though they allowed the Scripturality of Synods
and Presbyteries, whenever necessary. But in the
great fundamental principle which divides prelatists
from all other denominations, every member of the
Assembly and every member of the parliament were
fully agreed. Is there not, then, great weight in this
fact ? And when connected with the unanimous
judgment of all the reformed churches, and the opin
ions of some of the greatest divines in every age, from
that period up to the time of the apostles, does it not
demonstrate that the orders of the hierarchy origina
ted not in Scripture, but in custom and the policy of
man ?

62 HISTORY OF THE

SECTION IV.
THE POLITICAL SENTIMENTS AND CHARACTER OF THE WEST
MINSTER ASSEMBLY AND ITS ADHERENTS.
But we pass on to remark, that in an age of dis
traction, anarchy, and wild excess, the Westminster
Assembly, and the party which adhered to them and to
their principles, formed the conservative influence by
which peace, order, and truth were maintained, and
would have been, if possible, preserved. They were
men of liberal views, but they were not latitudin arian.
They were consecrated to the cause of freedom, but
they sought it in the establishment of constitutional
rights, and not in the destruction of the constitution.
They were attached to the British government of
kings, lords, and commons, and believing that it only
required reform to be stable, just, and free, they re
garded as unwise, dangerous, and chimerical, the

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 63
attempt to establish upon its ruins a system of mili
tary despotism, or agrarian democracy. They de
sired a republic in which the president should be
elective or hereditary, with the name of king ; and
in which the force of the democracy and of the no
bility should be equally subject to check. They
were, in short, conservatives, and not radicals. They
opposed, therefore, to a man, the execution of the
king. They openly denounced the usurpation by
Cromwell of all prerogative and authority. They
protested against the encouragement which was given
to error, heresy, and schism. And they aimed at the
union of the whole British Empire in a common
bond of Protestant harmony.
Looking back upon the eventful history of those
times, and the calamitous results of the wild, ungov
ernable reign of mere popular license which succeed
ed, we can see that they were correct. The British
people were not prepared, either for subjection to a
military despotism, for the freedom and self-govern
ment of a republic, or for the unrestrained exercise of
an unbridled liberty. Had the party connected with

64 HISTORY OF THE
the Assembly prevailed, instead of having been early
defeated and overwhelmed, the lamentable conse
quences would not have ensued. A republican
monarchy would have been established, which might
have ripened, ere this, into a constitutional republic.
The reign of anarchy, confusion, and blood, would
have been prevented. The nation would not have
fallen a prey to intestine feuds, and to the voracious
maws of innumerable sects. The tide of liberty,
which had been for years swelling in its onward
flow, would not have been driven back within the
channels of arbitrary power. The sun of freedom,
which had shone so brightly, would not have gone
down before noonday. A disastrous eclipse would
not have so soon obscured the hopes of the nation,
and buried them again in the darkness of absolute
despotism, civil and ecclesiastical. Those ages of
licentiousness, formality, persecution, and cruelty,
would not have followed, which converted England
into the home of infidelity, scattered her pious chil
dren, and drove them into exile, and deluged every
mountain-pass and deep ravine of Scotland with the

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 65
blood of martyred Covenanters. Thanks to God,
these efforts of the enemy were unavailing ! The
precious spark of liberty which the Puritans alone
had kindled, was still preserved with the blood of its
slaughtered friends, and has burst forth in that free
dom which now characterizes the English constitu
tion, and which shines forth in unclouded brilliance
in this land of liberty. And when it is recollected
what Presbytery has done for Scotland, compared
with what Prelacy has done for England; and in Ire
land what Presbytery has effected for Ulster, com
pared with what Episcopacy has accomplished for the
other provinces of that unhappy country, who, it has
been truly asked, will venture to conclude that the
evils which now threaten to overthrow the Protestant
establishments in Britain, might not have been
avoided, had the Presbyterian polity been universally
established.* * Presb. Review, MarcTi, 1836, p. 27.

66 HISTORY OF THE

SECTION V.
THE WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY AND THE PRESBYTERIANS OF
THEIR TIME VINDICATED FROM THE CHARGE OF PERSE
CUTION. But it is said this Presbyterian party were intol
erant and persecuting. Doubtless it is so decreed,
for their enemies alone have been their historians, and
vilification and abuse their only monument. But
have they received justice at the hands of posterity ?
Far from it. Their true history has yet to be writ
ten. Not that they were free from fault — they were
men. Not that they had imbibed those views of uni
versal toleration which are the glory of the present
age — they lived in the seventeenth century. Not
that we can palliate, much less justify, whatever in
their course was inconsistent with the most perfect
liberty of opinion and practice. We make no such

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 67
apology. But we demand an arrest of judgment. We
ask that they shall be tried by the standard of their
own age, and the opinions of the men of that age.
Trained within the precincts of a state church, they
retained much of its spirit, and acted, as axiomatically
true, upon many of its evil maxims. By these false
principles they were misled — some of them far and
widely. They admitted the right and power of the
magistrate to interfere with the church, to establish
and control her external movements, and thus to es
tablish a uniformity of worship. And hence believ
ing, as they did, that Presbytery was by divine right
the polity of the church of Christ, they sought that
the civil power should give its sanction of exclusive
approbation to this system. They protested against
the state, — after having bound itself to the cause of
Presbyterianism by solemn league and covenant, —
recognizing and encouraging the innumerable sects
which then sprung into existence, from the prolific
hot-bed of superstition and ignorance, exposed to the
full influence of a licentious and unrestrained license.
They could not believe that it was proper that all

GS

HISTORY OF THE

men should have unlimited freedom to proclaim sen
timents however blasphemous and revolting, and to
practice, as acts of worship, immoralities and inde
cencies too gross to be detailed.* Against a positive
and judicial sanction to these things, on the part of
government, they did solemnly protest. It being on
all hands agreed that it was the province of the
state to adjudicate on this matter, the Presbyterian
party argued that, it was one thing " not to compel
men to come in, and another thing to open the door
for the encouragement of error, and to inscribe over
it " all kinds of heresies, schisms, and blasphemies,
publicly allowed and tolerated here." And who will
deny that this conclusion follows inevitably from the
PREMISES THEN UNIVERSALLY ADMITTED ? For if it
is the right and duty of the state to establish and de
fend religion, then is the state bound to enforce only
that system which is true, and to discountenance and
condemn all other forms of religion. And since the
* McCrie's Scott. Hist. p. 307, 308, 310. Hetherington,
Hist of Ch. of Scot, p. 340.

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 69
parliament had established the Presbyterian faith and
discipline, it was consistently required to patronize it
alone. The error was in the principle acted upon,
which, however, all avouched as correct, and not in
the conclusion deduced from it, and which was repro
bated only by the party it excluded. The Assembly
having been constituted the advisory council of the
parliament, and having been led to the conclusion
that the Presbyterian system was by divine right,
were of necessity impelled to seek the recognition of
that divine right on the part of the parliament.
But there was another privilege and right which
they claimed for the church, and that was her spirit
ual independence, in all ecclesiastical matters, upon
all civil authority whatsoever. This doctrine has
ever been dear to Scottish Presbyterians. The
history of that country for nearly a century and a
half after the overthrow of Popery, presents a series
of struggles unexampled in severity and number, to
protect and to rescue it from Erastian encroachments.
To surrender it to these was deemed no less than
4*

70 HISTORY OF THE
treason to Christ, and the taking of the crown from
His head. The sense entertained of its importance,
and the ardor of the people's attachment to it were
such, that many submitted to bonds, and to the loss
of goods and of life, for its sake. The names of the
Scottish martyrs, from the era of the Reformation
downwards, are one and all associated with its main
tenance. The very peasantry of the land tunderstood
it — defended it — died for it. And during those
twenty-eight years of national suffering which pre
ceded the memorable revolution, the fundamental
question in the great controversy upheld by our an
cestors against the fearful odds of unprincipled and
cruel despotism, was no other than the Headship of
Christ, and the liberty and spiritual independence of
the Church of Scotland. " The day," says that great
man, John Welsh of Ayr, when writing from his
prison at Blackness, " on which I should be offered
up as a sacrifice for these truths, now the special
cause of our imprisonment, — that Christ is Head of
His Church, and that she is free of all jurisdiction

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 71
but His — I should consider the most glorious day
and gladdest hour I ever saw in my life.*
* Mr. Thomas Forrester, in 1674, when minister of Alva,
gave in a paper to the brethren of the exercise, wherein he
stated that the " two powers, civil and ecclesiastic, are dis
tinct toto genere, both as to the original, the subject-matter,
the manner of working, and the nearest end designed, — con
sequently, that THEY ARE CO-ORDINATE, NOT SUBORDINATE
one to another. That these were kept also distinct — dis
tinct limits being put betwixt them, both in the Old and
New Testaments : under the law, a standing priesthood and
spiritual sanhedrim established, who were to meddle with
matters of the Lord, distinct from matters of the king : that
the judgment on Saul and Uzzias was for going beyond their
limit : and that, under the New Testament, the Lord Jesus,
the king, head, and lawgiver of his church, hath a visible
kingdom which he exerciseth in and over the church visible
by its spiritual office-bearers given to it as a church ; and
therefore distinct from, and independent upon, the civil power,
the keys ofthe kingdom of heaven being by him committed
not to the magistrate, but to the apostles' successors in the
work of the ministry. That as it is clear that this spiritual
power was at first committed to church officers, when no

72 HISTORY OF THE
Now this was the great fundamental princi
ple for which the Assembly and the Presbyterian
party contended, as even Neal admits. And to show
that they were in earnest in maintaining it, they
nobly determined, like their present followers, the
Free Church of Scotland, that they would not com
ply with the existing establishment until it was deliv
ered from the yoke ofthe civil magistrate.
Such were the views embodied in the Westmin
ster Confession of Faith ; imbedded in the Covenants ;
and which constituted the rallying motto on the ban
ners of the blue. Such was that church power
whichtihe Presbyterians were so anxious to secure,
magistrate was so much as a member thereof, and conse
quently to be exercised then independently upon him, so it
is as clear that our Lord hath commanded the exercise of this
power as intrinsic in the church, whether the magistrate be
friend or enemy, upon moral perpetual grounds, till he come
again." — Wodrow's History, Jl., 254.
Mr. Forrester was deposed. He survived the revolution,
however ; and became Principal of tbe new College of St.
Andrews.

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 73
and which has been magnified into a civil authority
over men's persons and properties. It had nothing
to do with either. It was purely ecclesiastical and
spiritual. It is what every church in this country at
this moment possesses, the power of conducting its
own affairs, and exercising its own discipline, accord
ing to its own rules and the dictates of Scripture.
Now the claim of this power and the consequent
right to keep back scandalous and unworthy persons
from the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's sup
per, was the very head and front of their offending.
This constituted the great point in dispute between
the Assembly and the parliament. The latter passed
a law by which an ultimate appeal was, in every case,
given from the ecclesiastical to the civil tribunals ;
and by which church courts might be compelled to
admit and retain in the church the most unworthy
members. Against this the whole Presbyterian party
protested — and were they not right ? The recogni
tion of their exclusive scriptural claims, which the
parliament had in effect allowed, and of the spiritual
independence of the church upon the state, this was

74 HISTORY OF THE
all that they desired, and with less than which they
refused to be satisfied.*
But the annexation of civil penalties did not enter
into the claim of the Presbyterians in their doctrine
of the divine right of Presbytery. They did not ask
to wield the power of the sword, nor the enforcement
of uniformity by civil pains. The church, even in
Scotland, and in the full plenitude of its power, never
did persecute. Expressions indeed may be found
which, as now understood, breathe the spirit of intol
erance. But it cannot be shown that, with the con
sent and approbation of the public authorities, the
covenant was ever forced upon any, or that the loss
of liberty or of goods was incurred by its refusal. t
* See their own statements in " The Divine Right of
Church Government," 1654. Pref. 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, in the
work pp. 2, 4, 7, 43, 45, 67. Also McCrie's Scott. Church
Hist., p. 303. Aiton's Life of Henderson, pp. 558-565. Gil
lespie's Aaron's Rod Blossoming, Dedication to the Assem
bly, and Preface to the Reader. A Model of Church Govern
ment, by John Drury, one ofthe Assembly of Div. Pref.
t Dr. McCrie on Unity of the Church, p. 162. Hether-

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 75
Such as refused to take the covenant were indeed, in
many cases, excluded from places of power and trust.
But was not this treatment demanded by a regard to
the high interests at stake ; to their own safety ; and
to those maxims of prudence by which, in similar cir
cumstances, all people are led most carefully to dis
tinguish such as approve, from those who oppose
their interests ? In such a season of national danger
and alarm, when all that was dear to the soul was put
in jeopardy, who could expect the Presbyterians to
intrust their enemies with offices of power and trust?
National religion, safety, liberty, and peace forbade.
And if such exclusion was intolerant, then is every
government and society now intolerant, since they ex
clude from office such as are disqualified by their
opposing views to fill them ?*
ington's Hist, of Ch. of Scot., p 341. McCrie's Scott. Ch.
Hist., p. 212.
* Let it be borne in mind, that with all this outcry about
the intolerance ofthe Assembly, the Confession of Faith it
drew up was never made a legal standard of orthodoxy — it
was never enforced as a term of Christian communion, nor

76 HISTORY OF THE
Beyond this, however, they did not go, and even
to this length the greater part were unwillingly driv
en. " How can we," say they, in their defence of
their church government, "tyrannize over any, or. in
what respects? Not over their states; for, we claim
no secular power at all over men's states, by fines,
mulcts, penalties, forfeitures, or confiscations. Not
over their bodies, for we inflict no corporal punish
ment, by banishment, imprisonment, branding, slit
ting, cropping, striking, whipping, dismembering or
killing : not over their souls ; for them we desire by
this government to gain, (Matth. 18: 15,) to edify,
(2 Cor. 10: 8, and 13: 10,) and to save, (1 Cor. 5: 5.)
Only this government ought to be impartial and severe
against sin, that the flesh may be destroyed, (1 Cor.
5: 5.) It is only destructive to corruption, which is
deadly and destructive to the soul. Thus the impu
tation itself of arbitrariness or tyrannicalness to the
Presbyterial government is unjust and causeless."*
ever enjoined upon all ministers for forty years after its
adoption. Neal, III., 329.
¦* Jus Divinum Regiminis Ecclesiastici. Pref, p. 10.

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 77
Such sentiments as the following were also fre
quently expressed by them in their public sermons.
" Fierce and furious prosecution, even of a good
cause, is rather prejudice than promotion. We must
tenaciously adhere to all divine truths ourselves, and,
with our wisest moderation, plant and propagate
them in others. Opposites, indeed, must be opposed,
gainsaid, reclaimed ; but all must be done in a way,
and by the means, appointed from heaven. It is one
thing to show moderation to pious, peaceable, and
tender consciences ; it is another thing to proclaim
beforehand toleration to impious, fiery, and unpeace-
able opinions."* The true sentiments of the Presbyte
rian party and of the Assembly, may be further seen
from the following extracts from Baillie, one oftheir
number : " As for the Church of Scotland, that it
did ever intermeddle to trouble any in their goods,
liberties, or persons, is very false. What civil penal
ties the parliament of a kingdom thinks meet to,in-
flict upon those who are refractory and unamenable
* Hetherington, 287.

78 HISTORY OF THE
by the censures of a church, the state from whom alone
these punishments do come, are answerable, and not
the church. That excommunication in Scotland is
inflicted on those who cannot assent to every point of
religion determined in their confession, there is no
thing more untrue ; for we know it well, that never
any person in Scotland was excommunicated only for
his difference of opinion in a theological tenet. Ex
communication there is a very dreadful sentence, and
therefore very rare. These last forty years, so far as
I have either seen or heard, there has none at all
been excommunicated in Scotland but some few traf
ficking Papists, and some very notoriously flagitious
persons, and five or six of you the prelates for your
obstinate impenitence, after your overturning the
foundations both of our church and state." In an
other work, published about the same time, he says,
" If once the government of Christ were set up
amongst us, as it is in the rest of the reformed
churches, we know not what would impede it, by the
sword of God alone, without any secular violence, to
banish out of the land these spirits of error in all

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 79
meekness, humility, and love, by the force of truth,
convincing and satisfying the minds of the seduced.
Put these holy and divine instruments into the hands
of the Church of England, by the blessing of God
thereupon, the sole and great evil of so many heresies
and schisms, shall quickly be cured, which now not
only troubles the peace and welfare, but hazards the
very subsistence both of church and kingdom ; with
out this mean, the state will toil itself in vain about
the cure of such spiritual diseases."
" The Presbyterian party," says Baxter,* " con
sisted of grave, orthodox, godly ministers, together
with the hopefullest of the students and young minis
ters, and the soberest, godly, ancient Christians, who
WERE EQUALLY AVERSE TO PERSECUTION AND TO
schism ; and of those young ones who were educated
and ruled by these ; as, also, of the soberest sort of
the well-meaning vulgar, who liked a godly life,
though they had no great knowledge of it. This
PARTY WAS MOST DESIROUS OF PEACE."
* Orme's Life of, p. 81.

80 HISTORY OF THE
Whatever may have been the rash expressions or
improper language of any individual among them, we
can prove the kind and liberal conduct of the Pres
byterians by the testimony of an Episcopalian of emi
nence. " Whatever," says Dr. John Edwards, "may
be thought of the principles of the Presbyterians on
the subject of toleration, it is undeniable that
THEIR PRACTICE, WHEN IN POWER, WAS MARKED BY
the most exemplary forbearance. The Presby
terian party (though the Assembly of Divines, the
representative body of the city, the Court of Common
Council, the ministry of the kingdom, thousands and
tens of thousands of godly, well-affected persons, the
kingdom of Scotland, yea, all the reformed churches,
own that way) in their love and forbearance to the
sectaries hath been admirable. When the Independ
ents were but few, and other sectaries a small num
ber, some half a score or dozen ministers, with three
hundred or four hundred people, the Presbyterians gave
them the right hand of fellowship, admitted them to
their meetings, opened their pulpit-doors to them,
showed all brotherly respect to them, even more than

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 81
to mostof their own way ; and notwithstanding breach
of agreements, drawing away their people, and many
and strange carriages, yet still using all fairness and
love, hoping by brotherly kindness, forbearance, and
a thorough reformation in the church, (wherein they
have been willing, upon all occasions, to gratify and
have respect unto their consciences,) at last to have
gained them."*
It is also to be remembered, that whatever was
intolerant in the spirit or language of the Presbyte
rian party, was openly disavowed by some of its
most eminent divines, as for instance, by Howe,t and
Baxter. £
But the injustice with which the charge of intol
erance is made so exclusively against the Presbyteri
ans of this period, will be still further apparent by
comparing them with the Independents. We have
no wish to derogate from the just praise which is
* See also Lorimer's Manual of Presbytery, p. 230.
t Works, Vol. IV., 433, and Rogers's Life of, I., 358-364.
t In Neal, Vol. IV., p. 73

82 HISTORY OF THE
due to this body for their efforts to promote civil and
religious liberty. Posterity is, and ever will be, un
der deep and lasting obligations to them. But that
they are peculiarly entitled to gratitude on this ac
count, or more so than their Presbyterian brethren,
we are not prepared to admit.
It is not true, as is generally supposed, that the
great principle of religious toleration originated with
the Independents. It was promulgated in its germ
by many of the reformers who were Presbyterian.
Luther taught that " the church ought not to force
persons to believe, nor to animadvert capitally on
those who follow a different religion," " that to be
lieve is something free, yea, divine, being the fruit of
the Spirit , wherefore it cannot and ought not to be
forced by any external violence." Zuingle declared
that " it is at once contrary to the gospel and to rea
son, to employ violent measures to extort a confession
contrary to conscience. Reason and persuasion are
the arms that a Christian ought to employ." Calvin
declared that, " though it may be wrong to form
friendship or intimacy with those who hold perni-

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 83
cious opinions, yet must we contend against them
only by exhortations, by kindly instructions, by clem
ency, by mildness, by prayers to God, that they may
be so changed as to bear good fruits, and be restored
to the unity of the church. And not only are erring
Christians to be so treated, but even Turks and Sa
racens." Similar sentiments were also expressed by
Knox, Melville, and other eminent Presbyterian re
formers. But they were not the sentiments of their
age, nor was their age prepared to receive them.
They sowed, however, the seed which others reaped.
They imbedded these principles in their ecclesiastical
constitutions, and in their doctrine of civil govern
ment and the function of the magistrate. And it is
to Calvinism and Presbyterianism we owe all those
controversies and civil commotions which gave birth
to the modern republics, and diffused so widely the
principles of toleration and freedom.
In short, to the bonds, covenants, or leagues,
adopted by the Protestants in Germany and France,
and by the Protestant nobility and gentry in Scot
land, before its reformation ; — to the covenant en-

84

HISTORY OF THE

tered into in the form of a national deed in Scotland
in 1580, and again in 1638; — and to the Solemn
League and Covenant so generally adopted in both
England and Scotland, in 1643 ; — the fathers of our
Revolution, were indebted for the idea, nature, form,
and much of the very wording of the celebrated
Declaration of our national Independence. National
reformation and uniformity were combined with na
tional liberty, safety, peace, and law, in these holy
bonds, by which the confederates pledged to one an
other their lives; their property, and their sacred
honor, by solemn oath to the Most High God. Let
any one read and compare these several deeds with
the Declaration of Independence, and they will be
led to conclude that to these men, vilified and abused
as they are, this country and the world must look as
the very source and fountain of their priceless liber
ties. These principles, be it remembered, had been
stated and theoretically enforced, when the Independ
ents found Presbyterianism about to be established,
and themselves excluded. It was then they laid hold

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 85
of this sheet-anchor of religious toleration, and in
self-defence pressed it upon the attention of the pub
lic. And the truth is, that it was by this very war of
opinions, and this strife of interests, the great doc
trine of religious toleration was developed. It was
by this means at length made manifest that there was
no alternative between universal toleration and spirit
ual despotism. Amid the storm and tempest of the
wrath and contention of men, this bow of promise
rose upon our afflicted world, and gave assurance
that in future men of every creed might dwell to
gether in peace and unity.
The Independents, however, were no more har
monious in their sentiments on this subject, or con
sistent in their practice, than were Presbyterians.
Did they not make the peculiar constitution of the
church, as laid down by them, an article of faith ap
pertaining to salvation, and thus unchurch and ex
communicate all other denominations ?* Did they
* See numerous proofs in Paget's Defence of Presb. Ch.
Gov't , p. 33. As to the lengths to which they went, Bost-
wick'a Utter Routing — Epistle to the Reader.

86

HISTORY OF THE

not, in their famous Apologetical Narrative, declare
that " they give to the magistrates power, as much,
and, as they think, more than the principles
of the Presbyterial government will suffer them to
yield?"* Did not Dr. Owen, in a sermon preached
before the House of Commons, thus present their doc
trine on the subject of toleration ?t " Some, per
haps," says he, " by a toleration understand an uni
versal, uncontrolled license of living as you please in
things concerning religion : that every one may be
let alone, and not so much as discountenanced in
doing, speaking, acting, how, what, where, or when
he pleaseth, in all such things as concerneth the
worship of God, articles of belief, or generally any
thing commanded in religion. And in the mean time,
the parties at variance, and litigant about differences,
freely to revile, reject, and despise one another, ac
cording as their provoked genius shall dispose their
minds thereunto. Now, truly, though every one of
* See in Dr. McCrie on the Unity ofthe Church, p. 153.
t Printed in 1646, p. 66, in Hetherington, p. 286.

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 87
this mind pretend to cry for mercy to be extended
unto poor afflicted Truth, yet I cannot but be per
suaded, that such a toleration would prove exceeding
pernicious to all sorts of men." Did not the Inde
pendents accept sequestered livings from which even
Presbyterians were ejected, as freely, to say the least,
as Presbyterians had ever done ?* " When, upon the
death of the king, the government of England was
changed to a commonwealth, an ordinance was
passed appointing an engagement to be taken, first
by all civil and military officers, and afterwards by
all who held official situations in the universities ;
and at last it was further ordered, that no min
ister be capable of enjoying any preferment in the
church, unless he should, within six months, take the
engagement publicly before a congregation. The
consequence of this was, that while the engagement
was readily taken by all the sectarians, and by many
Episcopalians of lax principles, it was refused by
* Dr. Laing's Relig. and Educ. in America, p. 125, and
Hetherington, p. 269.

88 HISTORY OF THE
great numbers of the Presbyterians, several of whom
were in a short time ejected from the situations to
which they had been appointed by the parliament.
Cromwell and his council, carrying into full execu
tion this course of procedure, certainly not that of
toleration, immediately placed Independents in the
situations thus rendered vacant by the ejection of
the Presbyterians, prohibited the publication of
pamphlets censuring the conduct of the new govern
ment, and abolished the monthly fasts, which had
continued to be regularly kept for about seven years,
and whose sacred influence had often been deeply and
beneficially felt by both parliament and assembly."
During the reign of Cromwell, when the Inde
pendents were in chief power, were not many of the
existing sects, such as the Levellers, the Fifth-Mon
archy men, the Socinians, the Antinomians, the
Quakers, &c., forcibly suppressed?* Did not the
leading Independent ministers bring before the com
mittee of triers, in 1654, a series of requests, in the
* Hetherington, p. 286.

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 89
form of a representation, one article of which was as
follows :* " That this honorable committee be de
sired to propose to the parliament, that such who do
not receive those principles of religion, without ac
knowledgment whereof the Scriptures do clearly and
plainly affirm that salvation is not to be obtained, as
those formerly complained of by the ministers, may
not be suffered to preach or promulgate any thing in
opposition unto such principles." And when, in
consequence of this representation, it was agreed
" that all should be tolerated who professed the fun
damentals of Christianity," and a committee of di
vines, including Goodwin, Nye, and other Independ
ents, were appointed to draw up a list of fundamental
articles, did they not present such an enumeration as
effectually to exclude from all toleration Deists, Pa
pists, Socinians, Arians, Antinomians, Quakers, and
even Arminians?f Did not their mightiest cham
pions, and the great teachers of the doctrine of toler-
* Neal, Vol. II. , p. 621, 622.
t Ibid., Vol. IL, p. 621, 622,

90 HISTORY OF THE
ation, and that, too, while discussing this very sub
ject, exclude Romanists from any possible toleration?*
And had the Independents been in a similar majority
with the Presbyterians, and possessed the same pow
er, would they have been as willing to tolerate as
were these same Presbyterians ? Let Dr. John Ed
wards answer. " I am confidently persuaded," says
this writer, " and so I believe are all wise men that
have observed the ways of the sectaries, that if they
had been in the place of the Presbyterians, having
had their power, number, authority, and the Presby
terians had been a small number as they were, and
should have offered to have done but the twentieth
part of that in preaching, writing, &c, which the
sectaries have done against the Presbyterians, they
would have trod them down as mire in the street,
casting them out in scorn before this time of day, nor
have suffered a Presbyterian to preach among us, or
* Milton's Prose Works, Vol. IV., 264, 265—" Of True
Religion," &c. Locke on Toleration, in Works, Vol. II. ,
342, 343, 4to ed.

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 91
to have been in any place or office, military or civil,
but all would have been shut up in prison, banished,
or else hiding themselves in holes and corners ; many
godly persons, in some places, having much ado now
to hold up their heads to live by them, to preach
quietly, to go safely in the streets, or to be quiet in
their houses." And if this testimony is not sufficient,
then we would point to the New-England colonies,
where Independency, as it was then termed, did at
tain to absolute power, and to the actual persecution
and intolerance which was long practised among
them, as demonstrative proof that Independents can
lay no peculiar claim to an early practice of tolera
tion, nor boast themselves over their Presbyterian
brethren. Shall we now compare the conduct of the Pres
byterians with that of Prelatists, both previously and
subsequently to these times? But will they endure a
moment's comparison? "Supposing," to use the
words of the Edinburgh Review,* " that the republi
can religionists of those days had been more uncon-
* Oct. 1836, p. 53.

92

HISTORY OF THE

ciliatory to their spiritual opponents than the mem
bers of the Church of England, — supposing that they
had imprisoned, and mutilated, and butchered greater
numbers, — even then would it be a gross injustice to
brand their intolerance with as much moral turpitude.
Despotic cruelty, and retaliation, is each to be ranked
as a crime in our moral codes ; but assuredly as a
crime of higher or lower gradation than the other.
Wantonness and cold-blooded deliberation enhance
the guilt of the one ; the partial infusion of justice
and the hurry of passion diminish the guilt of the
other. And be it remembered that these were the
precise moral distinctions of the Episcopalian and
Republican. The former had haughtily trampled
down, without any necessity, all who dared to dissent
from their pretensions ; the latter, when the hour of
requital came, had higher reasons for gratifying their
vengeance. We are far — very far — from exculpating
the Presbyterians ; they would have shown a glorious
magnanimity and a Christian piety in overlooking
wrongs ; but, nevertheless, we must protest against
their being equalized with their foes." It would be

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 93,
idle in us to say that the opponents of the Church of
England were in " no instances intolerant. Educa
tion, passion, kept many of them ignorant of the
true principles of civil and religious liberty. But it
is beyond bearing, that party-spirit should make a
man so purblind to facts, and so self-contradictory,
as to prompt him to institute any thing like a com
parison between the intolerance of Charles I. and the
intolerance of" his opponents.
" That during the Protectorate," continues the
Review, " there were many instances of unright
eous oppression ; that there were numerous se
questrations of the Episcopal clergy, which were
most indefensible, must be admitted. But the calm
observer of these times will perceive, that revenge,
not religious intolerance, caused such proceedings :
and, INASMUCH AS THE LEADING MINISTERS OF RELI
GION _HAD_T£0_EART_ IN THESE RETALIATIONS, THEY
ARE NOT TO BE URGED AGAINST THEM AS PROOFS OF
RELIGIOUS OR POLITICAL INSINCERITY."
But who, we further ask, were the Episcopal
ministers who were thus ejected, and on what

94

HISTORY OF THE

grounds were they thus treated? "They cast out,"
says Baxter,* " the grosser sort of insufficient and
scandalous clergy, and some few civil men, that had
acted in the wars for the king ; but left in near one
half of those that were but barely tolerable." He fur
ther states, "that in the counties where he was ac
quainted, six to one ofthe sequestered ministers were,
by the oaths of witnesses, proved insufficient, or scan
dalous, or both." This ejectment, then, does not
admit of a comparison with that which took place
at the restoration, for non-conformity. In this case,
the principal ground was either political, because
they were considered enemies to the existing gov
ernment, or, because they were totally unfit for the
sacred office of the ministry ; whereas the ejected
ministers of 1662 were loyal subjects of the king,
had had a considerable share in his restoration, and
were certainly among the most pious and best quali
fied ministers in the kingdom. There was another
striking difference in the two cases : in the ejectment
* Dr. A. Alexander's Hist, of the Westminster Assembly
of Divines, p. 142.

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 95
by parliament, one-ffth of the income of all eject
ed ministers was appropriated to the support of
their wives and children ; whereas, in the case of
those ministers cast out after the restoration, no pro
vision whatever was made for the suffering families
ofthe ejected ministers; but on the contrary, by se
vere penalties, they were prohibited from coming
within five miles of any incorporated town; so that
their opportunities of making a living by teaching, or
in any other way, were exceedingly circumscribed."
When prelacy had again triumphed ; when, through
the agency of Presbyterians, the king was restored
to his throne ; when all power was in the hands of
Episcopalians ; when Presbyterians confided in their
oaths and promises of conciliation and kindness ; who
can palliate that act of barbarous intolerance by
which two thousand ministers were thus ejected, in
opposition to the petitions, prayers, and tears oftheir
parishioners, — and then hunted down, fined, impris
oned, and made to suffer a thousand deaths ?
" The questions between the revengeful Episco
pate that followed the second Charles, and those who

96 HISTORY OF THE
afterwards were driven to non-conformity, were," to
continue the words of the Review, " not whether that
should be the religion of the state — not whether the
Episcopacy should retain its government and reve
nues — not whether the liturgy should be preserved ;
but whether the ' Apocrypha' should receive sanction
the same as inspiration — whether a few exceptiona
ble passages in the ritual should be modified. These,
and just such unimportant differences as these, were
under agitation. Let us hear Mr. Lathbury,* in his
recent defence of the prelacy. ' The alliance,' he
says, ' between church and state, the lawfulness of a
prescribed form, and other points, on which modern
Dissenters entertain such strong opinions, were never
questioned by the Presbyterians, either prior to or
at the Conference ; nay, the necessity of an estab
lished church was insisted on as strongly by the one
party as the other.' The intolerance of an ungrate
ful Episcopate — one unhumbled by her afflictions —
was therefore for the single purpose of revenge. No
matters of principle entered into the discussion. "t
* P. 55, Edinburgh Rev., Oct., 1836. t See also Appendix.

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 97

SECTION VI.
PRESBYTERIANISM VINDICATED FROM THE CHARGE OF HAV
ING GIVEN ORIGIN TO INNUMERABLE SECTS, AND THE
SUBJECT CONCLUDED.
So much, then, for the charge of intolerance.
But it is also alleged by Prelatists that the system of
Presbytery, as introduced by this Assembly, has re
sulted only in the introduction of innumerable sects,
and that its tendency is to degenerate into Socinian-
ism and every error. Never, however, was there a
mistake more glaring, or a calumny more monstrous.
It would be easy to show, did time permit, that Pres
byterianism was never generally established in Eng
land ; that the ordinance of parliament took effect
only in a very few counties ; that the system, as re
cognized by parliament, was shorn of its strength and
deprived of all power of discipline and independent
jurisdiction ; and that even as it was established in

98

HISTORY OF THE

some places, it had but little time and opportunity to
exemplify its tendencies.* It was strangled almost
in its birth, by the young Hercules of Independency,
and, after lingering out a dying existence, was finally
crushed by the strong hand of prelatic power. It is,
we have seen, a fact easily explained by these cir
cumstances, that the Confession of Faith of the West
minster Assembly was not subscribed by any member
of that body except the prolocutor, assessors, and
clerks, nor was an assent to it required from any
minister or layman, as a term of ecclesiastical com
munion, for forty years afterwards.t Presbytery had
no authority to carry out its principles. Its courts of
review were nullified, its laws emasculated, and its
standards converted into mere paper proclamations.
To impute, therefore, the results which followed at
» See Neal, Vol. IV., 204. Price's Hist., II., 340, 408.
Owen's Works, 20, 322. Orme's Life of Baxter, p. 71, 72,
80, 81. Baxter's Disput. on Ch. Gov't., Pref, p. 28 and p.
328. Henderson's Review and Consid., p. 33.
f Neal, III., 329, Note by the Editor, and references
there given.

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 99
this time in England to the system of Presbytery, is
most preposterous and absurd. Presbytery found the
seeds of these pestiferous evils growing up into ma
turity around it. They were the offspring of the
previous ignorance and superstitions of the people,
which embraced the first opportunity afforded by the
license of the times, to shoot forth into vigorous
growth. These sects were everywhere and always
denounced and opposed by Presbytery. They, , in
turn, regarded Presbytery as their most powerful en
emy, and hence were they all found combined in
fell hostility to its system of doctrine, discipline, and
order. So that instead of fostering these sectaries,
the truth is, that Presbytery actually fell a victim to
their relentless hate. No — would we trace these
evils to their source, we must go back to the lordli
ness, profaneness and superstition, to the ceremonies,
doctrine and worship, ofthe prelates.*
But we may meet this calumny by an appeal to
facts. In France and Geneva a Presbytery was
" See Prynne'e Eng. Prel. II., 505,

LOO

HISTORY OF THE

established, and there, so long as it was allowed to
call forth into exercise its internal energies, there
were neither sects nor schisms. These churches
have since been corrupted only by the Erastian in
terference of the state, and the destruction of all ec
clesiastical discipline. In Scotland Presbytery was
established, and there dissenters are not as one to a
hundred, compared with England.* In Ireland
* "A few facts," says Mr. Lorimer, in his Manual of
Presbytery, p. 192, 193, "may be noticed in this connection,
not usually adverted to, but fitted to correct misapprehen
sions, and honor Presbytery. According to the late census,
the population of Presbyterian Scotland is about one-sixth of
that of Episcopalian England and Wales. Hence, if the coun
tries were the same in point of religious divisions on church-
government, Scotland should have a sixth of the parties
which divide England. The result is widely different ;
much more creditable to the religious unity of Scotland, and
the strength of Presbytery over a nation. The Congrega-
tionalists of England and Wales are estimated to have 1600
congregations. If the same division of opinion on church-
government prevailed in Scotland, proportionally, there

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 101
Presbytery was planted in the province of Ulster, and
has it not acted as a purifying element in that land of
should be nearly 270 Independent congregations. There
are only 105, and 21 of these are reported as vacant.
The Baptists of England and Wales are rated at 1520. If
the same proportion held in Scotland, there should be much
the same number — 270 congregations ; instead of which,
there are 58.
The Wesleyan Methodists have, in England and Wales,
above 1100 preachers, and about 3c0,000 members. In the
same proportion, in Scotland, there should have been about
200 preachers, and 55,000 members; instead of which, there
are only 30 preachers, and 3700 members.
The Roman Catholics have 561 priests in England and
Wales, and 18 convents. Were Scotland equally divided, or
did it equally favor the same soul-destroying system, it should
have had 93 priests, and three convents. It has 80 of the
one, and one of the other ; and that, though old Popery has
held some parts of the Highlands and islands as its ancient
seat, undisturbed by the Reformation, and though near
neighborhood to Popish Ireland has, in later days, given it
superior facilities, which have not been unimproved, for
invading the Scottish shores.
I have not been able precisely to ascertain the numbers

102 HISTORY OF THE
spiritual corruption and death? In New England, so
long as a system closely resembling the Presbyte
rian was strictly enforced, error, heresy, and immo
rality, were comparatively unknown. In Virginia
Presbytery was planted, and did it not restore truth
and piety to the church ; impart vigor and energy
to the state ; uproot the system of state religion, and
introduce that entire severance between religion and
the civil power, which is now the glorious peculiarity
of this land of freedom ?
In fine, to apply to the Presbyterian party gener
ally, what Milton says of the Long Parliament:
" Having by a solemn protestation vowed themselves
and the kingdom anew to God and his service, meet
ing next, as I may so resemble, with the. second life of
tyranny (for she was grown an ambiguous monster,
and to be slain in two shapes) guarded with super-
of the Socinian body in England and Wales. Probably they
may count 300 congregations. According to this proportion,
Scotland should have 50 ; but so sound has Presb) tery kept
the country, that she has not five."

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 103
stition, which hath no small power to captivate
the minds of men otherwise most wise, they neither
were taken with her mitred hypocrisy, nor terrified
with the push of her bestial horns, but breaking them
immediately, forced her to unbend the pontifical brow
and recoil ; which repulse only given to the prelates
(that we may imagine how happy their removal would
be) was the producement of such glorious effects and
consequences in the church, that if I should compare
them with those exploits of highest fame in poems
and panegyricks of old, I am certain it would but
diminish and impair their work, who are now my ar
gument : for these ancient worthies delivered men
from such tyrants as were content to enforce cnly an
outward obedience, letting the mind be as free as it
could; but these have freed us from a doctrine cf
tyranny, that offered violence and corruption even to
the inward persuasion. They set at liberty nations
and cities of men, good and bad mixed together ; but
* See McCrie's Unity, p. 160, 16l, 165— McCrie's Scott.
Hist., p. 108, 106.

104 HISTORY OF THE
these, opening the dungeons and prisons, called out
of darkness and bonds the elect martyrs and wit
nesses of their Redeemer. They restored the body to
ease and wealth ; but these, the oppressed conscience
to that freedom which is the chief prerogative of the
gospel ; taking off those cruel burdens imposed not
by necessity, as other tyrants are wont, or the safe
guard of their lives, but laid upon our necks by the
strange wilfulness and wantonness of a needless and
jolly persecutor, called Indifference. Lastly, some
of these ancient deliverers have had immortal praise
for preserving some of their citizens from a famine of
corn. But these, by this only repulse of an unholy
hierarchy, almost in a moment replenished with sav
ing knowledge their country, nigh famished for want
of that which should feed their souls. All this being
done while two armies in the field stood gazing on :
the one in reverence of such nobleness, quietly gave
back and dislodged ; the other, in spite of the unruli-
ness and doubted fidelity in some regiments, was
either persuaded or compelled to disband and retire
home."

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 105
But we must here pause. Enough has been said
to constitute a sufficient claim to our gratitude, and a
justification of the wisdom of this commemoration.
Romanists receive their missal almost as inspiration,
and yet it is an inharmonious patchwork, compiled
from materials drawn from every period of the
church, like some old cathedra] made up of buildings
of every order, variety, and age. Episcopalians are
never weary of praising their liturgy, which is never
theless all borrowed, and filled with endless repeti
tions. And both Romanists and Prelatists laud to
the skies their articles and creeds, which admit the
most contrary and latitudinarian interpretations,* and
shall not Presbyterians honor and commemorate those
men who have given to us original standards, drawn,
not from the muddy streams of human authority, but
from the pure and uncorrupted fountain of everlast
ing truth ?
* Witness the Oxford Tractarians, the Newmanites, and
the Evangelical parties in England, and the respective in
terpretations ofthe Rev. Mr. Carey and Drs. Smith and An-
thon in our own country.

106

HISTORY OF THE

Americans annually celebrate the Declaration of
Independence, and preserve the memory of its glori
ous signers J/ And shall not Presbyterians commem
orate the fame of those men to whom that declaration
and the spirit that gave it birth can be assuredly
traced ?
The Israelites observed an annual festival in
grateful commemoration of their deliverance from
the bondage of Egypt, and on different occasions
contributed most liberally to the advancement of
their ecclesiastical interests ; — and shall we be found
less zealous in the remembrance of our deliverance
from the bondage of Romish and Prelatical tyranny,
or less willing to communicate of our substance to
carry on, to diffuse, and to establish those civil and
religious blessings which have been achieved for us
by blood ?
This centennial celebration of the Westminster
Assembly is most timely and auspicious. In the
standards of that body there is a common and sub
stantial basis, upon which all orthodox, non-episcopal
communions can harmoniously unite. It is astonish-

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 107
ing to find how very nearly the Presbyterians and
Congregational ists in that body were agreed. In
all that was essential they were as one. And wher
ever the doctrines of these standards are fully and
cordially embraced, is there not still the same essen
tial unity ? There is, among all such, by whatever
name they are called, and however in subordinate
matters they may differ, " there is one body, and
one spirit, even as we are called, in one hcpe of our
calling ; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one
God and Father of all." Are we not all brethren,
and members together of the household of faith ? We
are. By all the marks of the true church of Jesus
Christ, as laid down in the word of God ; by all the
piinciples which constitute the glorious gospel of the
blessed God ; by all the tests of piety and the evi
dences of Christian character ; by all those hopes
and aims and labors to which the Christian is called
of God — we are one. This epoch is our common
anniversary. We are alike interested in its glorious
recollections and in its forthcoming destinies. We
feel on this occasion that, notwithstanding our differ-

108 HISTORY OF THE
ences in ecclesiastical arrangements, and baptismal
forms, we are one. Like the members of a large
family we have been scattered, and lived apart, and
gathered around us new and separate interests. But
we are on this occasion brought together. We revisit
our old ancestral homestead. We read over the ori
ginal deeds by which we became heirs to the same
rich inheritance. The ties of blood draw our hearts
together, and we embrace one another in the arms of
spiritual affection.
This, brethren, is to me the happiest issue to
which this commemoration leads. It will serve to
promote other valuable ends. It will contribute to
the establishment of the minds of our youth in the
principles of our ecclesiastical polity, and thus pre
vent apostasy. It will tend to the greater elevation
and usefulness of our Assembly's Board of Publica
tion, by creating a demand for works of denomina
tional instruction. But its adaptation to promote
unity among the different branches of the church
who hold the truth, is most auspicious. It has al
ready given birth to overtures of union and friendly

WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY. 109
co-operation, on the common basis of Protestant
evangelical truth, among all the orthodox, non-epis
copal churches of Great Britain ; and it will, we
trust, eventuate in a solemn league and covenant
among all such, for the defence of our common rights
against our common enemies. Triumphing in our
alienations, these enemies have come up in all their
might against us. They are at our gates. We hear
their loud bravado shouts of anticipated victory. But,
thank God, our hearts are not daunted. God has
given to us the spirit of courage and of confident
hope. He has enkindled within us the feelings of
Christian brotherhood and love. Against Popery,
Prelacy in its high-church phase, and heresy, we
are one. And endeavoring to keep the unity of the
Spirit in the bond of peace, we shall henceforth be
found contending earnestly for our common princi
ples, and for that faith which was once delivered to
the saints, until God shall give us the victory through
our Lord Jesus Christ. May God grant it, and to
his name shall be all the praise. 6

APPENDIX.
THE OBJECTION FOUNDED UPON THE PERSECUTING PRINCI
PLES AND CONDUCT OF PRESBYTERIANS, ANSWERED.
From the Author's \v»rk on Ecclesiastical Republicanism.
But an overwhelming argument is brought to bear
against all these claims to superior liberality, on the
ground that the Presbyterian church has, in past days,
cherished exclusive and persecuting principles, and
manifested this spirit in her conduct; and that some
Presbyterian bodies are still found willing to sanction
these principles.* Now to the truth of both these
* Dr. How's Vind. of Prot. Ep. Ch. pp. 47, 48, 374, 375.
This charge is not seldom also brought against us by Con-
gregationalists, who stand in need ofa common defence. But
that, in former days, they made their views of the constitu
tion ofa church an article of faith, appertaining to salvation,
may be seen by numerous quotations in Pagot's Def. of Presb.

APPENDIX. Ill
facts, we grant cur reluctant and mest sorrowful con-
fessicn. And while much might be said to palliate
the guilt of such intolerance, and to show that in ccm-
parison with the course pursued by the Papacy and
the Prelacy, it was fitful, temporary, and partial, while
their intolerance has been constant, universal, and
applied to opinions as well as to forms ; — yet we take
refuge in no apology.* We make no excuse. We
are rather willing to join in the execration of such prin
ciples, and the condemnation of such acts, (so far as
facts will show that they were cherished and carried
Ch. Govt. p. 33. As to the leDgths to which they then pro
ceeded, see Bastwick's Utter Routing, &c. Epistle to the
Reader. See also the history of their proceedings in New
England, as given in Clark's Hist, of Intolerance, vol. i. Pref,
and in all other histories. Dr. Lang's Relig. and Educ. in
America, p. 125, &c, where he shows that ' Cromwell's own
clergy,- accepted sequestered benefices ofthe Church of Eng
land. See further, on this subject, from Mr Lorimer, on p. 232.
This forms the whole strength of Bishop Hughes's argu
ment in proof ofthe opposition of Presbyterianism to civil and
religious liberty. See Discussion.
* See Dr. Binney's Dissent not Schism, p. 74, though an
Independent.

1 12 APPENDIX.
out,) as utterly alien to the spirit ofthe gospel, and
to the genius of Presbyterianism. And that a portion
of the Covenanters should still maintain these views,
is a fact inexplicable for its mystery, inexcusable for its
absurdity, and unparalleled for its anomaly.
But what have we to do with the conduct of these
brethren, with whom, although agreeing in most
points, we differ in this matter toto ccelo ; with whom
we have no ecclesiastical connection whatever ; and
for whose opinions on this subject we are no more re
sponsible, than we are as Christians for the corruptions
of all those who are called by that name. We now ad
vocate the claims, and present the sentiments, of 'the
Presbyterian church' of these United States. For
on this subject, alterations were found necessary, in
order to adapt our standards to the views of our
American Zion. We challenge therefore a fair and
impartial verdict, and are willing to compare ourselves
with any other denomination whatsoever. We do
not, for a moment, shrink even from a comparison of
Presbyterianism, in general, with Prelacy, in general;
but in this case we would require, that the whole his-

appendix. 1 13
tory of Prelacy, as developed in the Romish, Angli
can, and other churches, should be considered ; and
then the whole history of Presbytery, as developed in
the Waldenses, Paulicians, Culdees, and Scotch, Irish,
and American churches, should be brtught into, con
trast. In such a comparison, who can doubt the
transcendent lustre with which Presbytery would out
shine Prelacy. Its most intolerant enactments would
appear liberality itself, and its most persecuting doings
the forthgoings of Christian charity, when brought
into contrast with the bloody annals of councils, can
ons, decrees, crusades, test acts, acts of uniformity,
Bartholomew scenes and massacres, which constitute
such an integral portion of Prelatical ecclesiastical
history.* Our present concern, however, is with
* Dr. McCrie's Miscell. Wks. Rev. ofthe Life of Owen.
See also Presbyterians vindicated from all serious persecu
tion, in Lorimer's Manual of Presbytery, p, 230. The wri
ter says, ' The Congregationalists, then, have nothing in
point of practice of which to boast, over their Presbyterian
brethren ; and in regard to their earlier holding sound tJteo-
retical views of toleration and religious liberty, the same
great historical authority shows, that as correct sentiments

114 appendix.
the Presbyterian church, as known in the standards
of our American General Assemblies, both old and
were entertained from a much earlier date, by the Reform
ers and first Puritans, who were Presbyterian ; that soon
after the Reformation the same views were common among
the presbyterians of Holland and France; that it was not
the principles ofthe sectaries, but ofthe reformers and their
successors, which lay, and still lie, at the foundation of Brit
ish freedom, civil and religious ; that the writings of lead
ing Independents, at the period referred to, betray decided
symptoms of intolerance and persecution ; and that it was
the extravagant and most injurious proceedings of many of
the sectaries, which, by driving matters to extremities in
England, created a reaction — lost all the immense advan
tages of a sound, civil, and ecclesiastical reformation, de
stroyed the monarch, and recalled persecution, with its hor
rors, under Charles II.'
'Had this little work not already exceeded the limits
which were originally intended, it would not be difficult to
vindicate the Presbyterians from any serious charge of perse
cution, in connection with the signing of the ' Solemn League
and Covenant,' and kindred subjects. It could be shown,
from the testimony of such men as Henderson, Dickson,
Cant, and Lord Loudon, that men were not forced to take
the covenant, or punished for refusal ; that any cases of
this kind were rare and unauthorized ; that the league was

appendix. 115
new school, as compared with the Prelatical ccm-
municn, either Romish or Protestant. The only prcper
most cordially embraced, without any compulsion from
church or state, by the great body of the nation ; and that
any undue influence was chiefly employed against tbe cov
enant. It could be shown, also, from .the exhortations ofthe
Westminster Assembly, and the speeches of such members
as Coleman, Caryl, Palmer, Thorowgood, &c, that they dis
approved ofthe propagation of religion by force, and that it
was mainly the seditious-political, and not the erroneous-re
ligious, against which tbeir exertions were directed, and
which gave to their sentiments and proceedings the air of
persecution. The case is correctly stated by ' the Reformed
Presbytery,' in their Explanation and Defence of Terms of
Communion in 1801. 'If any otherwise peaceable and in
offensive subjects, in church and state, had religious scru
ples in their own mind, both the open doctrine and uniform
practice of our pious ancestors recommended all possible ten
derness in laboring to have them removed. But, on the
other hand, when cruel popish factions, under the fair pre
tence of only claiming a liberty to serve God in their own
way, were plotting the utter ruin of both church and state,
and seeking the overthrow of all laws, human and divine ;
in such a case, indeed, they could not help thinking, that
salutary restraint, and well regulated coercion, were indis
pensably necessary. And what nation under heaven, prop-

116 appendix.
parallel in this case, therefore, is the constitution
and principles of our own particular church, in com
parison with theirs, and not of all who may bear our
name. Now, from the extracts already presented, it must
be manifest that there can be no greater liberality, nor
any protest against both the spirit, principles, and
practice of intolerance, more powerful than that de
livered in the standards of our church. In addition
to what has been adduced from them, let the follow
ing be considered. Chapter xx. of our Confession of
Faith, is on ' Christian Liberty and Liberty of Con
science.' In this it is taught,* ' God alone is Lord of the
conscience, and hath left it free from the doctrines and
commandments of men, which are in any thing con
trary to his word, or beside it, in matters of faith or
worship. So that to believe such doctrines, or to
obey such commandments, out of conscience, is to
betray true liberty of conscience ; and the requiring
erly consulting her own safety and happiness, in time of
danger, would not find it advisable to act on the same great
principle ?' * § 2, p. 109.

appendix. 117
an implicit faith, and an absolute and blind obedi
ence, is to destroy liberty of conscience and reason
also.' Again, in chapter xxiii. 'Of the civil magistrate,'
it is declared, ' civil magistrates may not assume to
themselves the administration of the word and sa
craments ; or the power of the keys of the kingdom
of heaven ; or in the least interfere in matters of
faith. Yet, as nursing-fathers, it is the duty of
civil magistrates to protect the church of our com
mon Lord, without giving the preference to any
denomination of Christians above the rest, in such a
manner, that all ecclesiastical persons whatever shall
enjoy the full, free, and unquestioned liberty of dis
charging every part of their sacred functions without
violence or danger. And as Jesus Christ hath ap
pointed a regular government and discipline in his
church, no law of any commonwealth should interfere
with, let, or hinder, the due exercise thereof, among
the voluntary members of any denomination of Chris
tians, according to their own profession and belief.

118 appendix.
It is the duty of civil magistrates to protect the per
son and good name of all their people, in such an ef
fectual manner, as that no person be suffered, either
upon pretence of religion or infidelity, to offer any in
dignity, violence, abuse, or injury, to any other person
whatsoever ; and to take order, that all religious and
ecclesiastical assemblies be held without molestation
or disturbance.' ' It is the duty ofthe people to pray for magistrates,
to honor their persons, to pay them tribute and other
dues, to obey their lawful commands, and to be sub
ject to their authority, for conscience' sake. Infi
delity or indifference in religion doth not make
void the magistrate's just and legal authority, nor free
the people from their due obedience to him ; from
which ecclesiastical persons are not exempted ; much
less hath the pcpe any power or jurisdiction over
them in their dominions, or over any oftheir people;
and least of all, to deprive them of their dominions
or lives, if hs sh til judge them to be heretics, or upon
any other pretence whatsoever.'

appendix. 119
So also in Form of Government, chapter i. sec
tion I, as quoted above,* and in chapter viii.. sec
tion 2, where, speaking of all our ecclesiastical courts,
it teaches, 'These assemblies ought not to possess
any civil jurisdiction, nor to inflict any civil pen
alties. Their power is wholly moral or spiritual,
and that only ministerial and declarative.'
To this let me add the following extracts from
' An Ecclesiastical Catechism of the Presbyterian
Church,' by the author, which has been approved by
various portions of our church, and by some of
its leading divines, t In chapter v. section 1, 'Ofthe
nature of church power,' it is asked, ' Is the power
which church officers possess, such as to affect the
civil interests of men ?'
' No ; it is altogether ecclesiastical ; and such as to
affect men only in their relation to the church, and
to God.' ' How else may you describe this power of the
church? It is spiritual, and addressed to the con
sciences of those who are subject to it.'
* Eccles. Rep. p. 218. t A third edition has been called for.

120

appendix.

' Have church officers any power or authority,
even in ecclesiastical matters, independently, or in
themselves considered ? None whatever — they act
altogether ministerially.'
' Do Presbyterians, in our country, ascribe any
power to the church, which interferes with the au
thorities of the state ? No ; Presbyterians maintain,
that the church is independent of the state, and dis
tinct from it, in its laws, its administrations, and its
objects ; and that it is governed by its own laws, which
are purely spiritual.'
' Do Presbyterians in our country desire, then,
any alliance between their church and the state ? On
the contrary, they believe, that any such alliance ever
has been, and ever will be, equally injurious to the
state and to the church ; and that it is to be depre
cated by every Christian, as the baneful source of
corruption and intolerance.'*
* The only portions of our standards, besides the doctrines
of election and predestination, which Bishop Hughes could
pervert to a sense opposite to civil and religious liberty, is the
explanation given of the Second Commandment, (Breckin-

appendix. 121
Let any man candidly study these passages, in con
nection with the constitution of this freest and most

ridge and Hughes's Discussion, pp. 318, 344, 372,) which,
among other things, is said to require ' the disapproving, de
testing, opposing, all false worship ; and, according to each
one's place and calling, removing it, and all monuments of
idolatry.' 'If I understand the reasoning,' says Dr. Breck
inridge, ' he means to charge us with holding, that force of
some kind is a duty ; or that some method of ' removino- the
monuments of idolatry,' at war with the rights of others, is
expressed. For I suppose he will not say, that if we oppose
false worship, and remove these monuments of idolatry, in a
constitutional way, and without disturbing the rights of others,
this would be wrong, or against liberty, civil or religious.'
' He will not say that it is persecution, to oppose idolatry by
discussion, moral influence, and prayer. The question then
is, as to the manner of doing it. Does our doctrine utter or
imply tyranny, or force, or a hinderance to the free exercise
of religious worship ? If so, we should like to know it. So far
is this from being the fact, that he has himself owned ' that the
Confession of Faith was amended, (at the adoption of the
American Constitution,) to suit the constitution and the new
order of things.' What he thus admits (as '¦an amendment'}
to be true, may be easily shown, by reference to all those
parts of our standards, which relate to the freedom of wor-

122 appendix.
liberal of all governments, and will he not say that
they are, in spirit, perfectly the same, and that, in
the principles delivered in these standards, our pu
ritan fathers found the germs, the elements, of that
perfect civil and religious liberty, which every citizen
of this great republic equally enjoys. Real liberality
cannot possibly coexist with any system which does
not recognize the principle, that individual convic
tion is the only worthy basis of true faith, and the
consequent right and duty of private judgment. In
this doctrine, the very essence of real liberality, both
political and religious, is involved. It is when this
principle is received as an axiomatic truth, that the
ship, and the use of force, by the civil magistrate, in matters
of conscience. ' Yet it is not saidofowi- particular church, but of all Chris
tian denominations, that the civil magistrate should pro
tect them. Religion is one of our common rights — and a civil
right to be protected in it. But Mr. Hughes replies, this
' excludes us idolaters.' No. We say ' all religious and ec
clesiastical assemblies,' are to be '¦protected,' though it be an
antichristian system. But shall we, for this reason, be silent
about their errors ? May we not use the liberty of speech ? '

appendix. 123
exercise of such liberality is not (as it is too often rep
resented) of the nature of a lenient indulgence, or
a benevolent concession, but stands forth, not on the
ground of concession, but of principle, — not of in
dulgence, butofright, — not of favor, but of justice, —
not of compromise, but of steadfast maintenance of the
truth, — each upholding what he believes right, with
out denouncing the other as wrong ; all uniting for
objects in which they agree, without compromising
one point in which they differ.*
Now, as interpreted in our standards, Christianity
sanctions and does not destroy this freedom ; ele
vates and does no't dethrone reason ; encourages and
does not fetter inquiry ; secures and does not with
held liberty of conscience ; since it enforces only a
voluntary subjection to its requirements. It is the
doctrine of Bossuet, and the church to which he be
longs, and not the doctrine ofthe Presbyterian church,
that ' all attachment to private judgment is heresy, it
being the property of a heretic to have a particular
k Prof. Powell, of Oxford, on State Educ. London, 1840,
pp 81, 82.

124 appendix.
opinion.'* And as this doctrine has been shown to
lie at the very foundation of American republican-
ism,t in connection with the entire severance of pol
itics and religion, of civil and religious matters, the
absurdity of the charge of any connivance at intoler
ance, as made against our church, is as great as if
alleged against the Constitution of the United States
itself. * Variations of Prot. vol. i. p. 17.
t Tocqueville's Democ. in Am.

THE END.

LATELY PUBLISHED, BY THE SAME AUTHOR,
PRESBYTERY AND NOT PRELACY
TBE SCRIPTURAL AND PRIMITIVE POLITY;
PHOVED FROM THE
Testimonies of Scripture ; Vie Fathers ; Ihe Schoolmen ; the Reformers!
and the English and Oriental Churches.
ALSO,
THE ANTIQUITY OF PRESBYTERY;
INCLUDING
AN ACCOUNT OF THE ANCIENT CULDEES, AND OF ST. PATRICK.
ALSO
ECCLESIASTICAL REPUBLICANISM;
OR., THS
REPUBLICANISM, LIBERALITY, AND CATHOLICITY
OF
PRESBYTERY,
IN CONTRAST WITH PRELACY AND POPERY.
CRITICAL SOTICES, WHICH HAVE ALREADY APPEARED i
From the Rev. Samuel Miller, D. D., Professor in the Theological
Seminary, Princeton.
I have read the volume entitled "Presbytery and not Prelaey
.he Scriptural and Primitive Polity," &c., with unfeigned and
high pleasure ; and although not able to acquiesce in every opin
ion and statement which it contains, yet I consider it, in its great
outline, as clear, learned, powerful, and altogether conclusive in
the refutation of Prelacy and establishment of Presbyterianism.
It takes a more comprehensive and complete view of the whole
controversy than is to be found in any other single volume with
which I am acquainted, and appears to me to be eminently adapted
to be useful, and well worthy of the thanks and patronage of every
member of the Presbyterian Church. It is eminently a learned
work. The author has not suffered himself to write, as too many
of the ignorant and arrogant advocates of the sect which he op
poses have done, without an acquaintance with more than hia own

£ CRITICAL NOTICES.
side ofthe question. I doubt whether there is'another individual
in the United States who has read so extensively on this subject,
and especially who has made himself so familiar with the works
ofthe highest and best authorities ofthe Episcopal denomination.
Mr. Smyth- is undoubtedly entitled to the character of an able
advocate and benefactor of the Presbyterian Church. With regard
to every important Episcopal claim, he has not only shown that it
has no support whatever in the word of God, but that it has been
given up as untenable by the most learned and venerable authori
ties among Prelatists themselves.
With regard to the second work, of smaller size, by the same
author, entitled "Ecclesiastical Republicanism," it merits the
same general character with its larger companion. It is learned
and ample in its compass, forcible in its reasoning, and perfectly
unanswerable in its statements and conclusions.
These works cannot fail of making a deep impression on all
minds capable of estimating the weight of either authority or argu
ment. Every Presbyterian in the United States ought to feel
himself a debtor to the author.

From the Biblical Repertory.
We have here two new volumes by the indefatigable author of
the Lectures on Apostolical Succession. The more elaborate and
important of the two is constructed on the same general method
with its predecessor, but with the advantage of appearing in a
more digested, systematic form. In either case, the circumstance
which first strikes the reader is the number and variety of authors
quoted. None but a well stocked and selected library could fur
nish the material of such a volume. It is in this richness of ma
terial that the value ofthe work chiefly consists.
If, in addition to the summary view which we have given of
the author's plan, and the more general remarks preceding it, we
thought it necessary to characterize this treatise as a whole, we
should call attention, in the first place, to the comprehensiveness
of its design. We are not aware of any interesting or important
question, involved in the controversy, which is left untouched.
The extent and variety of the author's reading, upon this and
kindred subjects, have made him acquainted with the various as
pects under which the whole dispute has been presented, and with
the precise points which are now at issue. If he has not always
made them as distinctly visible to the reader as they must be to
himself, it has arisen from the difficulty, which we have already
pointed out, of executing with uniform success a somewhat pecu
liar and complicated plan. We are free to say, however, that no
one can attentively peruse this volume without having fully, and

CRITICAL NOTICES. 3
for the most part clearly, brought before his mind the various
theories of cliurch government, and the grounds on which they
are supported, often in the very words of their respective advo
cates. This latter circumstance, while it detracts, as we have
seen, from the unity and absolute consistency ofthe author's own
argument, adds much to the historical and literary interest of his
performance. Its merit, in this respect, is greater than any but
au attentive reader would imagine. We are constantly surprised
at the industry with which all accessible authorities have been
resorted to, and so cited as to furnish the means of more particular
examination on the reader's part. In this the author has done
wisely, not so much for mere immediate success as for permanent
utility and reputation. This volume, like its predecessor, will be
apt to alarm American readers by its bulk and show of erudition
Those who have been nourished on the modern diet of newspa
pers and cheap literature have little taste or stomach for more solid
aliment. But even some who are at first repelled by the magni
tude and copious contents of the volume, may hereafter resort to
it as a guide to the original sources of information, and thus be led
to read the whole. In this connexion, we must not omit to men
tion a valuable catalogue or index of the most important works
upon the subject, which the author has prepared, and appended to
the volume. Most of these works are in his own possession, and
have been employed in the construction of this treatise.
Another creditable feature of the work, considered as an original
argument, is its freedom from extremes, and an enlarged view of
the subject of church government, which could never have resulted
from mere solitary speculation, but which has obviously flowed,
in this case, from an extensive comparison of opinions with the
grounds on which they rest. By such a process one becomes
aware that what might otherwise have appeared to be a happy
discovery is nothing more than an exploded error, and that much
is to be said, and has been said, in favor of opinions, which dog
matical ignorance would at once set down as obsolete absurdities.
We think it the more necessary to make this general commenda
tory statement, because we differ from the author as to some points,
both of his reasoning and interpretation, only one or two of which
could be even hinted at on this occasion.
These are particulars in which our native publications are too
commonly defective, and which we hope will contribute to the
circulation of the one before us, abroad as well as at home. On
the whole, we look upon the volume as another pleasing and credit
able proof of what may be accomplished by untiring industry, not
only in retirement or in academical stations, but amidst the labors
of an important pastoral charge. That such a situation is no ex
cuse for idleness, is clear from such examples as those of Mr.
Smyth and Mr. Barnes.

4 CRITICAL NOTICES.
From the American Biblical Repository.
Ecclesiastical Republicanism, &c. — Mr. Smyth is already
well known and duly appreciated as the author of several volumes
on ecclesiastical polity, Apostolical succession, Presbytery and not
Prelacy Scriptural, Ecclesiastical Catechism, &c. The present
volume is designed to show that Presbytery is preeminently repub
lican, that it is liberal and catholic, and admirably adapted, in its
principles, both dogmatical and ecclesiastical, to our system of
civil polity.
We have always wondered how those who hold to episcopacy
could contend for its republicanism and adaptedness to our system
of representative government. It seems to us too manifest to be
denied, without a blush, that the principles of presbytery, in its
extended sense, are precisely those which lie at the basis of our
political structure, that they are essentially liberal and republican,
and equalled by no others in their accordance with the free spirit
of our popular government.
The author has done his part well, and his work merits the
commendation of all non-episcopal, and the attention of all epis
copal communions. At tlie present crisis, it is especially demand
ed, when so lofty claims are set up by those who deem themselves
the only conservators ofthe rights and privileges of God's house.
May the writer be rewarded for his work of faith !
* * * * *******
Presbytery and not Prelacy, &c. — It is not in our power
now to devote as much space to a notice of this work as its merits
certainly would justify. It is well worthy of an extended review,
and we should lie pleased to have one offered for our pages, as
we fear our own pressing and multiplied engagements will not
allow us tlie time necessary for its preparation.
Mr Smyth has taken hold of a great subject with great zeal,
and stands up manfully in defence of non-episcopal polity. The
day seems to have come when we must again buckle on the armor
for a conflict with the papacy and sub-papacy, or Newmania !
We must show the people that we stand on solid ground, when
we maintain the parity ofthe ministry, and undertake to substan
tiate our claims to as high and holy a succession, and a* rightful
and regular an administration ofthe ordinances of Christ's house,
as ever belonged to Pope or Prelate.
But to the volume. Mr. Smyth has here furnished an armory,
where the presbyter can be readily supplied with a panoply, all-
sufficient for his defence against the hottest onsets of his antago
nists, and indeed one in which he can go forth with confidence
of victory.

CRITICAL NOTICES. 5
From the Southern Quarterly Revieic, for October, 1843.
It was with much pleasure that we noticed, the other day, that
Princeton College, N. J., had conferred on tho learned and pious
author of this work, the honorary degree of Doctor in Divinity.
No Southern Divine is more worthy of the high distinction, and
the Faculty of that time-honored institution have exhibited a.
pioper discrimination, in this instanco, whieh will meet with the
approval, not only of the friends of that gentleman, but of the
whole body of scholars throughout the South. Dr. Smyth has,
after many years of laborious research, at length completed his
great work on "Presbytery and Prelacy," which is a monument
at once of his learning, his industry, and his impartiality. It is
an argument in behalf of Christian liberty, in which he advocates,
in a style of great force and elegance, and with profound learning,
"principles which are common to Congregationalists, Presbyte
rians, Reformed Dutch, Lutherans, Baptists, and Methodists."
We have just received these works, and, amidst a multiplicity
of engagements, have not yet had time to give them more than a
cursory perusal. Our impressions are, upon the whole, most
favorable. We intend to place them in the hands of an eminent
Presbyterian theologian, for the purpose of review, — a respect
which is due to their high literary character.

From the New- York Tribune.
Presbytery and not Prelacy the Scriptural and Primitive
Polity. By Thomas Smyth. New-York: Leavitt, Trow «t
(Jo., 194 Broadway.
This book professedly enters into the controversy between dif
ferent religious sects; and it is obviously improper for us to ex
press an opinion as to the conclusiveness of the argument which
the author has made. But we readily bear full testimony to the
learning, the ability, industry, and enthusiasm which the author
has brought into the very important discussion with which the
book is occupied. He professes to place himself upon ground held
in common by all denominations of Christians except Prelatists
and Papists, and comes forward as a representative of them all,
against Episcopacy in any form. He regards the present day as a
most important crisis in this great discussion. The efforts of the
Roman and Episcopal Churches to establish their exclusive right
to be considered the true and primitive Church, which are perhaps
more rigorous and general than they have been heretofore, render
necessary, in his opinion, more labored fundamental arguments in
defence of non-episcopal tenets. He has accordingly sought to
furnish in this work an armory whence proofs and authorities may

6 CRITICAL NOTICES.
be drawn in the controversy. In the first book he aims to iiiow
from the Holy Scriptures that Presbytery is the Apostolical order
of the Church of Christ ; he does this by referring to the condition
of the Church at the time of and immediately after the Saviour's
ministry, by appealing to the Apostolic age ofthe Church, and by
showing that presbyteries are clothed by Apostolic authority with
the functions ofthe ministry and by divine right with ecclesiastical
jurisdiction aud the power of ordination. In the second book he
attempts to show the same points by an appeal to the Fathers;
and the third book treats of tbe antiquity of Presbytery, with an
exhibition ofthe presbyterianism ofthe ancient Culdees of Ireland
and Scotland, and also of St. Patrick. From this statement the
theological reader will readily infer the extent and nature of the
argument, which is conducted by the author with signal ability
and learning. The work cannot fail to be highly useful, and must
be greatly prized by those who feel a decided interest in these
discussions. Mr. Smyth is a well-known divine of South Caroli
na, and is tho author of several other religious works of merit and
popularity. The present work is published in a very neat form,
on clear type, in an octavo volume of nearly 600 pages.
***********
Ecclesiastical Republicanism. By Thomas Smyth. New-
York : Leavitt, Trow & Co., 194 Broadway.
The purpose of this work is to disprove the determined claim,
which the Prelatic and Romish Churches are said to prefer, to a
greater conformity in spirit and in order to our republican institu
tions than any other denominations. The author is well known
to the religious public as the author of several works upon subjects
nearly allied to this ; and his present work is the result of certain
studies into which he was compelled quite largely to enter in the
progress of preparing those already issued. The subject is evi
dently one of great and growing importance ; and those who take
an interest in it will find it here discussed with great learning and
ability. The argument is condensed, and yet comprehensive ;
and we commend the work to the attention of those for whom it
was specially written.

From the Neto- York Evangelist.
We expected to find the evidences of learning, research, can
dor, and signal ability in this volume, and have not been disap
pointed. The author is a clear and cogent reasoner, an honest
lover ofthe truth, and possesses a kind Christian spirit, and rare
qualifications for the work to which he has addressed himself.
The claims of Prelacy are examined in all their aspects, and am

CRITICAL NOTICES. 7
frankly met and fairly disposed of. We hardly know how any
question, not within the reach of a mathematical demonstration,
could be more effectually settled. We cannot coincide with all
the views taken, but the main citadel he has so completely carried,
that we cannot withhold our voice from the chorus of victory.
***********
Ecclesiastical Republicanism ; or, the Republicanism, Liber
ality, and Catholicity of Presbytery, in contrast with Prelacy
and Popery. By Rev. Thomas Smyth. 12mo.
The author's design has been to show the despotic tendencies
of Popery and Prelacy, by contrasting with them the free, liberal,
and catholic influence of non-Episcopal forms of church govern
ment. The term " Presbytery" he applies in a generic sense, to
all denominations who reject prelatical bishops. He maintains
its republican tendency in its ecclesiastical and doctrinal charac
ter, and presents an array of facts and arguments which show the
danger ofthe sects he opposes. The work is written in a free and
animated style, well adapted for popular effect. It is very timely,
and should find many readers.

From the New-York Observer.
Ecclesiastical Republicanism ; or the Republicanism, Liberal
ity, and Catholicity of Presbytery, in contrast with Prelacy and
Popery. By Thomas Smyth, Author of Lectures on the Apos
tolical Succession, &c.
An eloquent and able treatise on a delicate subject, and unless
we mistake the temper of the times, the book will attract some
attention and provoke discussion. Particularly will it be an offen
sive doctrine to many that Presbyterianism is more congenial to
our free institutions than other forms of church government ; but
this point our author defends valiantly by history and argument.
Mr. Smyth is one of the most voluminous writers of the day.
But his books are not merely volumes. They are the result of
deep study and minute investigation, and as such are worthy of
being read by intelligent men.
* *** * * * * * *¦ <•
"Presbytery and not Prelacy the Scriptural and Primitive
Polity," &c.
The author of this handsome octavo of 550 pages, is Rev.
Thomas Smyth, of Charleston, S. C, whose former works have
introduced him to the favorable notice of the public as an expert
controversialist, a diligent student, and a man of extensive research
and considerable vigor of mind. In the book before us he has
with labor, which we do not envy him, collected a vast array ot

8 CRITICAL NOTICES.
testimony from Scripture, the fathers, the schoolmen, the reform
ers, and the English and Oriental churches, to show the antiquity
of Presbytery, and to establish the fundamental doctrine of his
work, that Presbytery is the Apostolic and Scriptural form of
church government.
At this time very many clergymen and laymen are turning their
attention anew and with zeal to the investigation of this subject;
and to all such, whether Episcopalians or Presbyterians, we com
mend this volume, as a valuable digest ofthe evidence in favor of
the Presbyterial side ofthe question. Clergymen who are writing
on the subject will here find reference to numerous authors, and
will be spared the labor of much investigation by consulting Mr.
Smyth's armory. It may be found at the principal bookstores in
the chief cities of the United States.

From the Christian Observer.
This handsome volume is an octavo in size, containing about
570 pages, printed on fine paper and in excellent style. It is
divided into three books, which are also subdivided into chapters.
Such, briefly, is the ground occupied by this volume. We have
no personal acquaintance with the writer — but we regard his work
as important and valuable, and well adapted to promote the inte
rests of truth. Tbe great subject, which he has ably discussed, is
assuming new importance in the estimation of the public. The
claims of Prelacy, and the ominous movements in the Episcopal
Church, are calling attention to it. Many minds are awake to
the tendencies of Prelacy, watching its developments as affecting
the purity of Christian doctrine, the spirituality ofthe Church, and
the rights of Christian men. Many are seeking information and
truth on this subject. To such, this work will be truly accepta
ble. Its numerous extracts from the works of distinguished
writers of every period in the history of the Church, will render
it highly valuable to ministers, to students, and to the class pf
general readers to which we have just referred.
Ofthe work on Ecclesiastical Republicanism, this paper says :—
The character of this work is indicated by its title. The sub
jects ably discussed in it are important and worthy ofthe attention
of American citizens, &c.

From th>: New England Puritan.
We have read this book with much satisfaction. It is the fruil
of extensive research. The author has had access to abundant

CRITICAL NOTICES. 9
materials, und has well improved his advantage. He is a san
guine ex animo and jure divino Presbyterian ; and his predilec
tions have led him into some errors. He finds Presbyterianism
where we find Congregationalism. Indeed, we can hardly quar
rel with him for this ; since his definition of Presbyterianism is
so broad, as to embrace such men as Dr. Owen. Let us have
Presbyterianism after Dr. Owen's stamp, and we concede that the
Scriptures and the Primitive Church favor it.
With the exception above named, the argument ofthe book is
powerful and conclusive. It is not only a valuable offering to the
Presbyterian Church, but it will be read with profit by all denomi
nations ; and we hope it will have an extensive circulation.

From the Christian Watchman.
The plan and design of the author are briefly indicated by the
title-page. He has dedicated his work to the Presbyterian, Con
gregational, Reformed Dutch, German Lutheran, Methodist, and
Baptist denominations, and declares in his preface that the aim of
the work is catholic and not sectarian.
The subject embraced in this treatise, describes the great battle
field on which are to meet the friends and the opposers of evan
gelical piety All mankind must have a religion. Enlightened
nations cannot tolerate idolatry, it is too absurd. It matters little
what the form is, if it have not the elements of evangelical piety.
The gospel plan is simple. It is sustained and carried forward
by the power ofthe Holy Ghost. If you set aside this plan, you
must have pomp and ceremony, and the natural tendency is to a
priesthood. The work of Mr. Smyth is elaborate. He seems to have sur
veyed the whole ground, and has been at great expense in col
lecting and digesting whatever has been written upon the subject.
With the peculiar views of the author on the subject of Presby
terianism as opposed to Congregationalism, we have no sympathy,
but in the main question we concur with him.
The work is divided into three books, &c.

From the Presbyterian (Pittsburgh) Advocate.
We have also received by the kindness of the author, Rev.
Thomas Smyth, of Charleston, S. C, his recent elaborate work,
entitled — " Presbytery and not Prelacy the Scriptural and Primi
tive Polity" of tho Christian Church. This book consists of
twenty-four chapters, and is a learned and elaborate discussion of

10 CRITICAL NOTICES.
the important topics brought under review in the controversy on
Church Government with Papists and Prelatists. The design of
the writer, as he informs us, was to condense thc substance ofthe
innumerable treatises which have been written on the subject, and
to arrange their various topics in a more complete and compre
hensive order, so as to present them in as perfect, clear, and satis
factory a manner as the limits of a single volume would permit.
That Mr. Smyth has succeeded in his design, is testified bymany
competent witnesses, such as the Biblical Repertory, and others
ofthe same high standing. After years of laborious research and
comparison of the views of a large number of the ablest writers
upon the subject, he has given us the result in this handsome
octavo of 560 pages. It is very neatly got up, and printed upon
fine paper; and in connection with an equally elaborate and
applauded work, on the Apostolical Succession, and a third on
Ecclesiastical Republicanism, all issued within a few years, forms
a very creditable testimony to the genius and industry of the
author. These works may be had at Carter's, Market-street.
By a private note from the same author, we are gratified to learn
that the third edition of his "Ecclesiastical Catechism," will be
immediately issued from the press. This manual of instruction,
designed to explain in familiar question and answer, the Presby
terian form of Church Government, has also received high com
mendation from various most respectable sources.

From the North American.
Presbytery and not Prelacy the Scriptural and Primitive
Polity, proved from the testimony of Scripture, the Fathers, tho
Schoolmen, the Reformers, and the English and Oriental
Churches. Also, the Antiquity of Presbytery, including an
account ofthe ancient Culdees and of St. Patrick. By Thomas
Smyth, author of Lectures on the Apostolic Succession, &c.
This is an octavo volume, beautifully printed, and containing
600 pages. It is for sale by W. S. Martien, S. E. corner of Seventh
and George streets. As the work of a most able and learned
writer, it will doubtless be extensively read among all classes of
Protestants whose faith and discipline are adverse to Episcopal
government. More than this it is not the part of our press to say.

From the N. Y. Journal of Cmmerce.
Smyth on Presbytery and Prelacy. — The title-page of this
elaborate work indicates the object and design of the author. It
is as follows : —

CRITICAL NOTICES. 11
Presbytery and not Prelacy the Scriptural and Primitive Polity,
proved from the testimonies of Scripture, the Fathers, the
(-'choolmen, the Reformers, and the English and Oriental
Churches. Also, tlie Antiquity of Presbytery, including an
account of the Ancient Culdees, and of St. Patrick. By Thomas
Smyth, author of Lectures on the Apostolical Succession, &c.
The author declares the aim ofthe work to be catholic, and not
sectarian. He has dedicated it to the Presbyterian, Congrega
tional, Reformed Dutch, Gorman Lutheran, Methodist, and Bap
tist denominations, whose common principles of ecclesiastical
order, in contrast with those of Prelacy and Popery, it is mainly
designed to advocate.
Here, in the compass of an octavo volume of 540 pages, Mr.
Smyth lias condensed the substance of all that is valuable in the
innumerable treatises that have been published on this great con
troversy. In the collection of these works in London and on the
Continent of Europe, great expense was incurred ; and in perusing,
collating, and digesting them, the labor of years has been applied.
The lucid arrangement adopted by the author tends much to en
hance the interest ofthe various topics so ably and satisfactorily
discussed. The work is divided into three Books, each of which
is subdivided into several chapters. Book I. is designed to show
that Presbytery, (under which term the author includes those
generic principles common to all the non-Episcopal Christian
denominations,) is the Scriptural and Apostolic order ofthe Church
of Christ. In Book II. the claims of Presbytery to the true Apos
tolic or ministerial succession are sustained by an appeal to the
Fathers, the Schoolmen, the Reformers, and to the Romish, Angli
can, and other Churches. Book III. treats of the antiquity of
Presbytery ; and describes (he Presbyterianism ofthe ancient Cul
dees of Ireland and Scotland, and also of St. Patrick.
***********
Smyth on Ecclesiastical Republicanism. — The necessity
of compressing the preceding work within the briefest compass,
compelled the author to leave out certain chapters originally de
signed to be embodied in it. Part of these related to the republi
canism, liberality, and catholicity of Presbytery, in contrast with
Prelacy and Popery. These have been published in a duodecimo
volume of oOO pages and upwards, bearing the title prefixed to
this paragraph. The author successfully exposes tho futility of
the arguments commonly advanced in favor ofthe claim preferred
liv the Prclatic and Romish Churches, to an exclusive catholicity,
I'iiri to a greater liberality than other denominations. In contrast
ing the different ecclesiastical systems, he shows triumphantly the
simerior adaDtatiou of I'rosbytcrv to the system of our republican
1 * **. * * * * * * * «

12 CRITICAL NOTICES.
government — its greater conformity, in spirit and in order, to our
institutions.

From the Presbyterian.
Not long since we had the pleasure of commending to the notice
of our readers an octavo volume on the Apostolical Succession,
from the author whose fertile pen has now produced the two
above named works. As our readers may perceive, these volumes
bear upon the same great subject, and are the results of much
study, and very extensive reading. * * :1 * As in his " Apostoli
cal Succession," so in these volumes, Mr. Smyth has investigated -
his subject thoroughly, and constructed a full and conclusive argu
ment in favor of Presbyterianism. In the former work, the claims
of Presbytery as the true Apostolical order ofthe Church ofChrist,
are sustained in an argument of much force and great variety.
The second work, on " Ecclesiastical Republicanism," is one
peculiarly suited to the times. The author very successfully
proves that Presbytery is republican in its doctrinal and ecclesi
astical systems. He investigates its structure, and from every
part of it deduces this character of it, and not only so, but proves
that in comparison with other forms of Church polity, it is pre
eminently so. It indeed constitutes the best defence of Presbyte
rianism against thc current slanders of the day, with which we
have met, and while we hope the former work will find an hon
orable place in thc library at least of every Presbyterian clergy
man, this we should hope will be found in every Presbyterian
family as well adapted to popular reading. Hoping that these
books will be reviewed in our Monthlies and Quarterlies, we con
clude our short notice of them with thanks to the author for hia
indefatigable labor in these particular departments, to which the
controversies ofthe day have given unusual prominence. Prelacy
with its arrogant pretensions will and must be defeated by the re
sistance which it is now arousing.

From the Charleston Courier.
Two very able polemic works, the one entitled " Presbytery
and not Prelacy the Scriptural and Primitive Polity," and the
other, " Ecclesiastical Republicanism," from the pen of the Rev.
Thomas Smyth, have been received and are for sale at the dif
ferent bookstores in this city. The author in the composition
of these works has shown himself an able controversialist, reason
ing with clearness and cogency, and exhibiting great learning and

CRITICAL NOl'lCEJ. 13
research. These volumes certainly place him high as a writer,
and entitle him to rank among thc foremost as a champion of hig
Church. Our neutrality on matters of religious controversy pre
cludes us from an examination ofthe subjects discussed; and we
therefore simply refer our readers lo the following notices of these
works, in other papers, to show the estimation in which thev are
held.

From a Writer in the Charleston Courier.
The Rev. Mr. Smyth's promised Treatise on Presbytery and
Prelacy, has at last appeared, and will be found to sustain, in
every way, his high reputation as a polemic and a controversial
writer. In fact, ne has proved himself absolute master of his
subject, and fully competent to its discussion throughout the mi
nutest details.
In the present work he assumes, however, a new position, and
deserting his former posture of defence, assails his opponents with
singular vigor and dexterity. There are, of course, two sides to
every question ; but he has fortified his views with such abun
dance of quotation from authority, such fertility of illustration, and
such ingenuity of reasoning, that we shall wait with some impa
tience of curiosity to see what grounds of reply have been left to
his antagonists.
Whatever else may result from these disputes, one thing is cer
tain ; that no theological library can be considered as properly
furnished, in regard to this topic, which shall not contain these
well-written and highly interesting volumes.

From the Rambler, by John B. Irving, M. D. (Charleston, S. C.)
Smyth's works on Presbytery and Prelacy and Ecclesiastical
Republicanism, from the press of Crocker & Brewster, Boston,
are before us.
The rule we have laid down for ourself in the conduct of the
Rambler, forbids our entering into the discussion of any subject
connected either with politics or religion ; but we are bound in
justice ta Southern Literature, to notice in the most favorable
manner the works before us, evidencing as they do the research
and fine literary attainments of the author. These publications,
like many others, should be attentively read by all seeking the
truth — " either to make or break a faith." For our own part we
are free to confess that we have no prejudices, and cheerfully read
any work put into our hands on doctrinal points, happy to be set
right whenever it is satisfictorily proved to us, that we have been

14 CRITICAL NOTICES.
in error. Of all prejudices on earth, the most fetal to the spread
of truth, to peace and good will among men, is religious prejudice !

From the Southern Christian Advocate.
This elaborate Treatise, from the pen of our accomplished fel
low-townsman, the Rev. Mr. Smyth, is dedicated to the Presby
terian, Congregational, Reformed Dutch, German Lutheran, Me
thodist, and Baptist denominations, whose common principles of
ecclesiastical order, in contrast with those of Prelacy and Papacy,
it is mainly designed to advocate. The work is divided into three
Books : the first, showing that Presbytery is the Scriptural and
Apostolical order ofthe Church of Christ: the second, exhibiting
the claims of Presbytery to the true Apostolical or Ministerial
Succession, by an appeal to the Fathers, the Schoolmen, the Re
formers, and to the Romish, Anglican, and other Churches : the
third, presenting the antiquity of Presbytery, with a detailed his
toric account of the ancient Culdees of Ireland and Scotland.
The whole forms a contribution to sacred letters, for which the
country in general, the South in particular, is laid under special
obligations to the author. The subject discussed, important at
any time, is vitally so at the present day. Upon it hinges a ten
years' controversy, in which an unprecedented amount of learn
ing and vigor has been expended, and around which, all that is
vital in Christianity, and hopeful for the redeemed race of man
kind, is gathered.
Although we may not go the whole way with the author, in
the minuter details of his subject, we agree with him in the lead
ing principles he advocates, and thank him for the noble vindica
tion which this publication, in connection with his work on Apos.
tolical Succession, asserts against the growing intolerance of the
times. The work is beautifully printed, and for sale at the Methodist
Southern Book-room, 240 King-street.
******.*****
Ecclesiastical Republicanism. — A Treatise under this title
has recently been given to the world by the Rev. Dr. Smyth, of
this city, who is advantageously known to the Christian public as
the author of several valuable works on subjects of vital impor
tance at the present time to Protestant Christendom. We have
carefully read this publication, and do not hesitate to say that, in
our opinion, it is one of the author's best productions, both as to
force of reasoning and finish of style.
y* *********
It is but due to Dr. Smyth to add, and we take pleasure in doing
so, that we except his publications entirely from the foregoing een

CRITICAL NOTICES. 15
sure. His notice ofthe Methodist E. Church in his work on Ec
clesiastical Republicanism, is frank and kind ; and although ho
has not presented the peculiarities of its organization in the point
of light which we think sheer justice demands, yet he has not
descended from the port of the catholic Christian, the accomplished
scholar, the finished gentleman, to misrepresent and injure.

From the Charleston Observer.
It is about two years since the Rev. Mr. Smyth, of this city,
issued a large volume, entitled " The Prelatical Doctrine of the
Apostolical Succession examined, and the Protestant Ministry
defended against the assumptions of Popery and High Church-
ism" — and this is now followed by an 8vo volume of nearly 600
pages. The larger part of the work is devoted to the proof that
Presbytery is the Scriptural and Apostolical order of the Church.
Then the claims of Presbytery to the true Apostolic Succession
are sustained by an appeal to the Fathers, the Schoolmen, the
Reformers, and to the Romish, Anglican, and other Churches —
and the work concludes with proofs of the antiquity of Presby
tery ; with an exhibition of the Presbyterianism of the ancient
Culdees of Ireland and Scotland, and also of St. Patrick. In de
fining his position, Mr. Smyth maintains that Presbyters are the
only Bishops recognized in the word of God — that they are em
powered to discharge all the offices and functions ofthe Christian
ministry — that they succeed to all that authority, and to all those
duties which have been devolved, by the Apostles, upon their
successors in the ordinary and permanent ministry ofthe Gospel,
and that there is no other order of Ministers distinct from and
superior to them, to whom is given the exclusive possession of all
ecclesiastical authority. He then openly denies the truth of the
position, as maintained by Prelatists — that there are three original
and distinct orders in the ministry — Bishops, Presbyters, and Dea
cons — each instituted by Divine right through the inspiration of
the Holy Ghost, and each of them essentiai~to the valid constitu
tion ofa Church of Christ. His work is, therefore, both didactic
and polemic. He shows both what is, and what is not, the Primi
tive, Scriptural, and Apostolical order of the Church. Besides
frequent brief appeals to tbe Scriptures, he has brought about fifty
passages in particular illustration of the positions which he has
assumed ; and his references are numerous to the most eminent
writers on the subject, both ancient and modern. From the rich
sources of information in the possession of the author, he could
have compiled a work of great service to the truth and to the
Church; but be has done much more. He has furnished as ori
ginal a production as the nature of the subject would admit—

16 CRITICAL NOTICES.
admirably arranged — and if there bc any fault, it is in tho supera
bundance of tho proof brought to sustain positions which cannot
be successfully controverted. So that if any should undertake to
answer it, they wiil pass lightly over the main argument, and
seize upon some of the appendages to which even the author has
attached very little value. It is possible that Prelatists may pass
this work by, under the assumption that their claims are beyond
the reach of any such appeal. But whether they notice it or not,
it will commend itself to the judgment and conscience of every
intelligent and impartial reader. There is, moreover, very little,
if any tiling, which may properly be called sectarian, in the work
All but Prelatists may read and enjoy it, and we feel no hesitancy
in recommending it, especially to those who are set for the defence
of the Gospel. This, together with the work on the Apostolic
Succession, forms two of the best Tracts for the Times with
which we are acquainted.

From the (N. Y.) Baptist Advocate.
An octavo, of nearly 600 pages, handsomely printed on clear
paper, and neatly bound. It. is designed, not to exhibit and en
force all the doctrines and views of Presbyterianism, but merely
to prove, from Scripture, history, and reason, that instead of three
orders in the ministry, as Churchmen claim, there was instituted
by the Apostles, and has continued throughout a great part ofthe
Church till the present day, but one order, that of Presbyters or
Elders, holding one, and a uniformly equal office. To sustain this
view, the author has collected a mass of testimony and evidence
from ecclesiastical writers, which evinces a degree of research not
often expended in our day in preparing a volume for the press.
Tbe prelatical assumptions of Puseyism are wrested from them by
the force of weapons taken from the hands of illustrious Church
men, and little is left to cover their mortified defeat, but their own
imperturbable effrontery.
The author does not fail of argument, but the chief merit ofthe
work consists in its abundant and appropriate extracts, quotations,
and citations from authors not accessible to many readers. Care
is taken, we believe, in every instance, to give in a note the book
and page referred to in the body of the work.

From thc Southern Baptist Advocate.
That those are able, learned, and, on the whole, candid works,
it needs not our suffrages to testify. Mr. Smyth, in a commenda
ble spirit of charity, would construe the word Presbytery as em-

CRITICAL NOTICES. 17
bracing the Eldership of all non-prclatical Churches. Let him
speak for himself on this important point. ****** This first
work will materially aid the young student of ecclesiastical gov
ernment in arriving at that understanding, and as such, we cor
dially recommend it to his attention. We wish we could copy
the whole of Mr Smyth's " Contents," but this our limits do not
permit. Those of the first three chapters of Book I., and those
of Book III., will give a fair idea ofthe whole.

From the Southern Chronicle.
We have received of the Reverend Author, "Presbytery and
not Prelacy the Scriptural and Primitive Polity, proved from the
testimonies of Scripture, the Fathers, the Schoolmen, the Reform
ers, and the English and Oriental Churches." Also, " Ecclesias
tical Republicanism ; or the Republicanism, Liberality, and Catho
licity of Presbytery in contrast with Prelacy and Popery;" both
by the Rev. Thomas Smyth, D. D., of Charleston.
The author is already favorably known to the religious public
through his "Lectures on Apostolical Succession," and other
works; and although we have not had time to form any opinion
ofthe merits ofthe works before us, we have no doubt, from his
established reputation, and character for piety and learning, they
will be an acquisition to the theologian and patriot.

From the South Carolinian.
In this work, as we gather from its preface, etc., not having had
leisure to read it, the design ofthe author has been to condense
the substance of all that is valuable from the various treatises
which have been written on this great controversy, in England
and on the Continent of Europe. And, to arrange the various
topics in a complete and comprehensive order, the work is divided
into three Books, each of which is subdivided into several chap
ters. The Rev. Author of these works is an able and accomplished
scholar, whose writings are too well known and too highly appre
ciated by the Christian community, to require any encomium or
approbation from us; and those before us have elicited the high
est testimonials of approval and regard from many of the ablest
religious papers and most eminent divines in the country ; from
among which, we select the following, by the Rev. Dr. Miller,
than whom few, if any, can have higher or more deserved influ
ence with those who concur with him in religious doctrines :
" We return our sincere thanks to the respected and gifted au
thor, for the volumes before us, whose high character cannot fail

THE
PRELATICAL DOCTRINE
OF
APOSTOLICAL SUCCESSION
-EXAMINED,
AND THE PROTESTANT MINISTRY DEFENDED AGAINST THE
ASSUMPTIOrvS OF POTEE.Y AND HIGH CHUUCIUSM,
Iii a Scries of Lectures.
BY THOMAS SMYTH,
Pastor of the Second Presbyterian Church, Charleston, S. C.

CRITICAL, NOTICES.

Overture adopted by the Synod of S. Carolina and.G-eo, al its session in 1841
That the publication of works intended to advocate the distinctive order and
polity of onr church should be encouraged, and their circulation among our
people rendered as general as possible ; and it having come to the knowledge of
this Synod, that one of their number, the Rev. Thuinas Smyth, of Charleston,
has recently given to the Church, among other valuable publications, ' An Eccle
siastical Catechism of the Presbyterian Church, for the use of Families, Bible
Cluoses, and Private Members,' — and a series of lectures on 'The Prelatical
Doctrine of Apostolical Succession Examined, and the Protestant Ministry
Defended against the Assumptions of Popery and High-Chun.'histi).' Therefore,
Resolved, That the Synod of South Carolina and Georgia regard with pleasure
and approbation these publications, as containing an able defence of the divine
authority of the Protestant Ministry, and a full and satisfactory exposition of the
order and government of our Church; and as demanded by the present stale of
the controversy on these subjects. And the Synod does, therefore, cordially
recommend the said publications to all our Ministers, Elders, and private mem
bers, as works of high value, and calculated to advance the intelligence of our
Church, ou our distinctive peculiarities aud doctrines.
Extract from a review of the work in the Biblical Repertory, for Jan'yi 1841 .
' This book does no small credit to the industry' and talent of the author. The
importance of his subject, the correctness of his views, and the abundance of
materials which he seems to have had at his command, entitle his performance to
the most respectful notice. The author's mind is nol only strong hut lively, and
his book exhibits traces of both qualities. The naturul, (and may we not say.)
national, vivacity with which he seizes on his topics and discusses them,
enlivens in a very satisfactory decree even Ihose parts of the subject which
might otherwise have proved most irksome and fatiguing. In a word, the book,
(which by the way is elegantly printed,) may he freely commended lo the favor
able notice of the public ; and we doubt not that wherever it "is read it will be
useful, in apprising those who read it what the high church doctrine really is, aud
on what grounds it may be most triumphantly and easily refuted J

2 CRITICAL NOTICE!.
From the Southern Christian Advocate.
* We have the pleasure to announce the probable publication of these Lec
tures at no distant day. As far as opportunity has allowed it, we have attended
Mr. Smyth's course, and been both pleased and edified. Pleased, in witnessing
a fine combination of candor, kindness, and strength, in the discussion of difficult
and soul-rousing questions. Edified, in listening to a vigorous discussion of
important fiist principles, where the lecturer was master of his thesis, and
backed his reasoning by extensive authority of the highest value in this contro
versy. This volume, in which the Prelatic Doctrine of Apostolical Succession
is considered, will be highly valuable to the theological student.'
From the Christian Intelligencer, of the Reformed Dutch Church, W. T.
'This is an exceedingly neat volume of five hundred and sixty-eight pages,
beautiful in its mechanical execution, and upon a subject of grave and exciting
importance. The work is seasonable, and from the cursory examination which
we have as vet been able to give to it, we believe that it will prove to be exceed
ingly valuable. The work Defore u^ at the present crisis, is seasonable and
necessary. It is more ample in its discussion th:in any lhat preceded it. It is
the result of much and patient research, and will be found to reflect credit alike
upon the talents and learning, and we will add also, the temper of the author.
lie bas rendered the Protestant community a debior. We desire that the work
may have the widest circulation, and receive the careful perusal both of Episco
palians and Christians of every other name.'
From the Christian Advocate and Journal, of the Methodist Church, W. T.
' This is a large octavo volume. The author makes thorough work of his
senbject, examining the pretensions of Prelacy with care and candor, and expos
ing iheir fallacy with unanswerable force and perspicutity. He gives the claims
which are set up by Popery and High-Churchmen in their own language, and
refutes them by arguments drawn from reason, church history, and Scripture-
The Christian world seems to be waked up anew to the high and exclusive
claims of Prelacy by ihe astounding assumptions of the Oxford divines ; and
we admit that such a book as that before us seems to be called for by the occa
sion, and will no doubt be read with great interest.'
From the New York Evangelist.
* A large and elegant octavo volume, on a most important topic. Its object 15
ihe examination of the claims of the Popish hierarchy, and of that portion of the
clergy and laity of the Episcopal Church which sympathizes with them, to the
rxclusive right lo ihe functions and privileges of the Christian ministry and
Church These claims, always unscriptural, have of late assumed new arro
gance nnd vigor, by the brief currency of ihe Oxford publications, and the
greatly quickened zeal ofthe Papacy among us. Tlie lime has certainly arrived
when their exclusive notions should bc subjected to the. searching test of reason
and scripture. If there are those among us who will vauntingly assume that theirs
i* the only, 1he valid ministry, that ¦with them are to be found the only author
ized ordinances of salvation, that there is no safety but within the pale of their
own denomination; let iheir pretensions be sifted, and the emptiness of their
claims be exposed by the clear light of truth. That such a contest wilh the
principle of Prelacy is yet to be waged, and that it is to be abandoned, there can
be no doubt. We hail every effort to throw light upon the subject. Mr. Smyth
has entered vigorously upon the field of controversy, and has spared neither
pains or strength to do it justice. He has gone over the whole ground in a more
extended manner than any writer before him in this country, and in au able
manner.' From The Presbyterian.
1 The volume before us contains a very full and minute discussion of the doc
trine indicated in ils title, and is to be followed by another which will vindicate
Ihe claims of Presbyterianism. The necessity of the work arises from the

CRITICAL NOTICES. 3
increasing boldness and arrogance with which the Episcopal Church obtrudes
its claims as the only true church, with the only valid ordinances, and the only
divinely constituted ministry. As to the manner in which he has accomplished
his taskj we are disposed to judge very favorably, from the necessarily partial
manner in which we have been able to examine "his work. He has acquired a
clear and distinct view of the question discussed in all its bearings, and to each
specific point he has brought a mind stored with ihe fruits of extensive reading.
We have admired the extent of his research, and his diligence m learning al!
that had been said by preceding writers which could throw ligjii on ihe discus
sion ; and indeed we have rather regarded liim as too redundant in his authorities ;
a fault, by the 'way, not often committed in this age of jumping at conclusions.
Mr. Smyth states the question of Apostolic succession, so much in the mouth of
modern Episcopalians, and he views it iu all possible lights, weighs it in just
balances^ and pronounces it wanting. He not only proves that the assumption
is unscriptural and unreasonable, but he traces the boasted succession, and
shows its broken links, and finds after all the iiourish of trumpets, that prelatists
are glorying in a mere shadow. He carries ihe war, moreover, into the enemy's
camp, and he carries off many trophies. Mr. Smyth is undoubtedly an able
controversialist, and prelatists will fiud him well armed at all points, if they are
disposed to attack.' From the Southern Christian Advocate.
1 The work before us is, we believe, the first distinct treatise published in this
country on the subject of the Apostolical Succession, and in opposition to its
arrogant assumptions. A very ably argued and well written work has been
recently given to the English public, entitled 'An Essay on Apostolical Succes
sion,' by the Rev. Thomas Powell, a Wesleyan minister, of which Mr. Smyth
makes honorable mention. We consider, therefore, the publication of these
Lectures as a valuable contribution to the religious literature of the time,
demanded withal by the claims of that portion of our common Christianity,
¦which is so unfortunate as to have no participation in the anointing oil of pre
latical consecration, and which lies beyond the range of apostolico-succession-
covenant blessing. Mr. Smylh has executed his task in a candid, kind, and
courteous spirit, while he has subjected the theory of Apostolical Succession to
the scrutiny of a thorough, extensive, and fearless examination. Innumerable
authorities are cited, and a copious index concludes the volume, which embraces
upwards of five hundred and sixty-nine pages, and is gotten up in the finest
fii'ish of the typographical art.'
From the Charleston Observer.
1 Notice was taken of these Lectures while in course of delivery. They are
now published, and wilh the notes, which contain aa much reading as the text,
make a large volume of five hundred and sixty-eight pages. The typographical
execution is in the best modem style, from the press of Crocker and Brewster
Boston. Our design, at present, is simply to apprise our readers lhat ihe work
is published, intending at our leisure to give it a more formal notice. As ihe
basis of the opinion controverted, rests upon what is familiarly known as the
Apostolical Succession, it is here that ihe author has exhibited his chief strength.
And were we to say that he has made good his position, it ini^ht be regarded as
only a judgment expressed in accordance with previously existing prejudices in
its favor. But we hope, on the other hand, that none will undertake to condemn
it unread. The advocates of High-Churchism, whether Roman or Anglican,
are chiefly concerned in the discussion, and possibly they may find in the work
something that will moderate their exclusive zeal, and lead them to the exercise
of more charity for the opinions of those from whom they differ.'
From The Presbyterian. #
' Mb. Editor: — I ask room in your paper to commend this work to the attention
of the ministers and intelligent laymen of our Church. If 1 here be any among
them who doubt whether a ¦work of this sort was called for, their doubts will
not survive the reading of the first Lecture, entitled ' The Necessity fur an Exam-

4 CRITICAL NOTICES.
ination into the Prelatical Doctrine of Apostolical Succession.' The discussion,
therefore, in which Mr. Smyth has embarked, was provoked by the growing
disposition among High-Church Episcopalians, to unchurch the Presbyterian
body, and challenge exclusive Salvation to the members of churches undeT
Diocesan Bishops. His work is not an attack, but a defence — a defence con
ducted ¦with great ability and skill. I venture to commend it to the notice of
your readers, beeause I am satisfied they will be instructed and profited by the
perusal of it. The lectures are evidently the result of much study, and very
extensive research. No single volume I have seen, contains such a mass of
authorities and seasonable testimonies, on the Prelatical controversy as this
work. It is equally creditable to the author's talents and industry, that he should
have found time to prepare, in the midst of his pastoral duties, an octavo of
five hundred and fifty pages, on a subject requiring so much study, and involv
ing an examination of several hundred distinct works on either side of the con
troversy. Such labors ought not to go unrequited ; but his brethren will be ren
dering themselves and the cause of truth a substantial service, by placing it in
their libraries ; and it is for this reason that their attention is invited to it by one
¦who has no other concern in it than that which is common to every Presbyterian.'
From the New York Observer.
* A formidable volume this is in appearance, and on this very account will
repel many who might otherwise be attracted to examine its pages. In a course
of twenty-one lectures the author has, with great industry and research, and no
mean ability as a controversialist, examined the question before him, and pre
sented, in the compass of a single book, a mass of testimony that must be of
value to those whose time and means will not allow them to pursue the investi
gation through all the original sources, which Mr Smyth has so perseveringly
explored.1 From the Watchman of the South.
' We offer a few general remarks at present, intending at an early day to
notice them, or at least that last named, far more fully than we usually do. One
thing must strike every one who knows the history of the author of these works
We refer to his industry. Without very firm bodily health, and having a very
laborious pastoral charge, he still economizes time sufficient to bring out, through
the press, from time to time, important contributions to the cause he loves. This
is as it should be. Mr. Smyth is, of course, a growing minister. His influence
and usefulness are constantly extending. It is also obvious to any one who
reads Mr. Smyth's -works, that he has, or has the use of a very good library, and
is a man of no mean learning. His works show the importance of ministers'
salaries being such as to enable them to 'give themselves to reading.1 But Mr.
Smyth is not a mere reader. He arranges aud uses what he reads. His char
acter as a writer rises every year. Mr. Smyth is also ardently attached to Pres
byterianism. Further remarks may be expected in a week or two.'
From the Charleston Courier.
' We would call the attention of all those who profess any regard for the
literary character of our southern community, to a work recently published by
our esteemed fellow-townsman, the Rev. Thomas Smyth, entitled ' Lectures on
the Apostolical Succession.' Whatever may be the opinion ofthe intelligent
reader on the subjects of which it treats, he will acknowledge it to be a striking
example of extensive and profound research, and most diligent investigation.
The author appears to have enjoyed some remarkable advantages in the prose
cution of his inquiries. Possessing, as he does, one of the best private libraries in
this country— probably the most complete in the theological department — he has
had access to an immense mass of authorities, not usually within the reach of
ihe American'scholar, and his abundant and voluminous references make his
book an absolute index for the use of future writers. His industry, indeed, has
left but scanty gleanings, as it would appear, for any who may desire to follow
him in Ibis discussion. His style is easy and animated, and the interest of the
reader is kept up, without flagging, through an octavo of nearly six hundred

CRITICAL NOTICES. S
pages. We hope the success of this highly creditable etTort mny be such as to
induce the learned and reverend author to complete his task, by giving promptly
to the public the second volume of his course, promised in his preface.'
From the Christian Observer.
* From a cursory examination of this work, we think it well adapted to
accomplish the good purposes for which it is designed It exposes and refuics
the extravagant assumptions of High- Churchmen, who claim to be the succes
sors of the apostles in ihe ministry, exclusive of all those who reject their views
of Prelacy. The work is worthy of a more extended notice, which shall be
given at an early day.'
From the Christian Watchman. (Boston — a Baptist paper.)
' This volume has lain on our table a considerable time, to enable us to give it
such an examination as the subject and ihe merits of the book demand. The
discussion throughout is conducted with candor, impartiality, and kindness ; and
displays no small share of ability, learning, and diligent research. It is deci
dedly the most able and thorough vindication ofthe Presbyterian view of ihe
subject which we have ever seen. The discussion, too, is timely, when Epis
copal popery is receiving a new impulse from the Oxford writers, whose semi
ments find so much sympathy even m our own land. We commend the book
therefore, to the attention of our brethren in the ministry, not as taking in every
instance that ground which we, as Baptists and Independents should preter lo
see taken, but as an able defence of the truth, and an extensive collection of
authorities and facts.'
From the Christian Examiner and General Review, (Boston,) Nov. 1841.
( We by no means intend to intimate that the work is ill-limed or superfluous.
Such is not our opinion. We believe it will do good. It will meet the new
phase of the controversy, and supply what we have no doubt is, in some pans of
our country, a pressing want. Even Ihe greatest absurdities, iterated and reit
erated in a tone of unblushing confidence, will gain some adherents. Besides,
the old treatises ou the subject are in a manner inaccessible to the general reader,
and will produce a deeper impression, even if it be not more applicable, which
in ordinary cases it will be, to the state of the times. The present volume we
regard as not only suited to the times, but in itself a production of no trifling
merit. It indicates great industry, and no little research on the part of tlie
writer, and its statements appear, from such an examination as we have been
able to give it, entitled to confidence. . . . There is an earnestness, good
temper and thoroughness which mark the work, which we like, aud we can
very cordially commend it to the attention of all who feel an interest in the
subject.' From the Southern Quarterly Review.
* This is one of the ablest works of theological controversy, that has appeared
during the present century, and we are happy to be able to add that it is the pro
duction of a Charleston clergyman. . . . We say then, in the outset, that the
Presbyterian church has, in our opinion, in the author of the work before us, a
powerful champion, who wields a polished pen, and one who seems to be emi
nently fitted, by his learning, his talents, and his industry, to maintain manfully
the cause he has espoused. We have read his book with deep interest, and wilh
great respect for his ability, and the general candor and fairness of his argu
ments.' [April, 1S43: pp 534—537.
From the Magnolia, a Literary Magazine and Monthly Review.
* The Doctrine of Apostolical Succession is here examined in an elaborate
course of Lectures, twenty-one in number, by the Rev. Thos. Smyth, Pastor of
the Second Presbyterian Church in Charleston. It is not within our province to
examine them. We can say nothing, therefore, of the question which Mr.
Smyth discusses. No doubt he discusses it abty. He certainly discusses it ear-

t CRITICAL NOTICES.
nestly. He is ingenious and forcible, and displays a wonderful deal of industry
and research. Here now is an octavo of near six hundred pages, brimful of
study, and crowded with authorities. We perceive that Mr. Smyth wins the
plaudit ' well done,' from numerous high sources, advocaling the same doctrine
with himself. They seem to think lhat his argument has done ample justice to
his subject; and we may add, so far as we have been able to examine it, lhat it
has been urged in a candid and Christian temper.'
From  , Attorney General in the State of  .
' Your Lectures I read wilh the highest satisfaction, and take great pleasure in
acknowledging the obligations which I think ihe friends of Christian truth, reli
gious liberty, and I will add, of the pure undented gospel, owe to you for them.
Your vindication of the Church, by which I mean the humble followers of our
Lord, by whatever name called, from the claims of usurped ecclesiastical domi
nation, seems to me to be complete; and whilst you have, in succession,
destroyed and dissipated every ground of doubt on the subject, in the minds of
the unprejudiced, your extensive and enlightened research and discrimination,
have enabled you to furnish an armory, where everyone may supply himself
with weapons for defence against individual attack. Nor am I less gratified with
tbe candid and charitable tone and temper wilh which your views are propounded,
than with the overwhelming mass of argument and illustration by which they
are demonstrated. Your lectures seem to me to have been written in a truly
Christian spirit ; and if they have been cavilled at ou that ground, it can only be
because men always feel attacks upon their prejudices to be unkind.'
From the New England Puritan.
* This large octavo, of five hundred and sixty-eight pages, is a highly seasona
ble offering to the Protestant Churches of our country, and displays an amount
of learning, of research, of skill and power in argument, of fertility in illustration,
of combined candor and earnestness of spirit, rarely to be met with in any volume
either of home or foreign origin. We have not had it in hand long enough to
master the whole of its contents — but long enough to be satisfied of its happy
adaptation to the sad times on which we have fallen, and of the richness of the
treasures it offers to the acceptance of the true friends of Christ. The volume
before us, though perfectly calm and candid in its discussions, leaves this matter
plain as sunlight. More formidable foes to Christ and his apostles are not to be
found amid all the tribes of religious errorists, than those arrayed beneath the
banners of Popery and High Churchism. It is to be hoped that our brethren in
the ministry will avail themselves of the labors of Mr. Smyth, to become
thoroughly acquainted with this imposing form of error, and arm themselves
with ' panoply divine ' to meet it and confound it, ere it attains the preeminence
to which it aspires, and which, unresisted, it will inevitably attain.'
From the Boston Recorder.
' This is truly an elaborate work. Our attention has been but recently called,
in a special manner, to its contents, but our highest expectations of the candor
and ability of the discussion have been more than satisfied. The object of the
author's animadversion is not episcopacy, as such ; but the arrogant and exclu
sive claim of High Churchmen and Romanists to be the only true Church of
Christ; his only real ministers, an I the * only sources of efficacious ordinances
and covenanted salvation.' Tlie volume is eminently appropriate to the times,
and, if read wilh a sincere desire for the truth, must, we think, prove an imme
diate corrective of auy tendencies towards the Church of England or of Rome.'
From the Christian World, by the Rev. Mr. Stockton, of the Protestant
Methodist Church.
'The Lectures which have led us to these remarks, are a valuable addition to
religious literature, and more particularly, the polemical department of it. They
number twenty -one, and fill a handsome volume of five hundred and fifty pages.
The chief aim of the author has been lo test the prelatical doctrine by Scripture,

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