Commissioners from the English Parliament and from the Westminster Assembly came to the General Assembly at Edinburgh in August 1643. Symington writes that they brought a declaration of both Houses “expressing a desire for reformation in religion, and begging aid from Scotland in the matter”, a letter from the Westminster Assembly signed by its prolocutor, Dr Twisse, and “a private letter, subscribed by no fewer than seventy of the Westminster divines”. Baillie, who was there, wrote: “The letter of the private Divines was so lamentable, that it drew tears from many” [spelling modernised].1
The General Assembly’s Act, “Approbation of the League and Covenant”, was passed at Edinburgh in its fourteenth session, on 17 August 1643.2
On 25 September 1643 it was subscribed in St Margaret’s Church, Westminster.3
Two days later the same General Assembly chose its commissioners to the Westminster Assembly.4
See also
Notes
- William Symington, “Historical Sketch of the Westminster Assembly of Divines”, in Commemoration of the Bicentenary of the Westminster Assembly of Divines, by the Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Scotland (Glasgow, 1843), excerpts as published on this site, “The Composition of the Assembly”; Robert Baillie, The Letters and Journals of Robert Baillie, ed. David Laing, vol. 2 (Edinburgh: Robert Ogle, 1841), pp. 89–90: “The letter of the private Divines was so lamentable, that it drew tears from manie”. ↑
- Sess. 14, 17 August 1643, “Approbation of the League and Covenant” (Acts 1638–1842, pp. 83, 86) (OCR); James Kerr (introduction), The Covenants and the Covenanters: Covenants, Sermons, and Documents of the Covenanted Reformation (Edinburgh: R. W. Hunter, n.d.; prefatory note dated December 1895), Act of the General Assembly: “At Edinburgh, August 17th, 1643, Sess. 14”. ↑
- Kerr, Covenants, Introduction: “On September 25, 1643, it was subscribed in St. Margarets Church, Westminster.”; W. M. Hetherington, History of the Westminster Assembly of Divines (New York: Mark H. Newman, 1843), p. 109 (OCR); Alexander F. Mitchell, The Westminster Assembly: Its History and Standards (London: James Nisbet, 1883), pp. 164–165, note (OCR). ↑
- Sess. Ult., 19 August 1643 (Acts 1638–1842, p. 94) (OCR). ↑
Sources
- Acts of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, 1638–1842, reprinted under the superintendence of the Church Law Society (Edinburgh: Edinburgh Printing and Publishing Company, 1843) (OCR).
- Robert Baillie, The Letters and Journals of Robert Baillie, ed. David Laing, vol. 2 (Edinburgh: Robert Ogle, 1841).
- W. M. Hetherington, History of the Westminster Assembly of Divines (New York: Mark H. Newman, 1843) (OCR).
- James Kerr (introduction), The Covenants and the Covenanters: Covenants, Sermons, and Documents of the Covenanted Reformation (Edinburgh: R. W. Hunter, n.d.; prefatory note dated December 1895).
- Alexander F. Mitchell, The Westminster Assembly: Its History and Standards (London: James Nisbet, 1883) (OCR).
- William Symington, “Historical Sketch of the Westminster Assembly of Divines”, in Commemoration of the Bicentenary of the Westminster Assembly of Divines, by the Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Scotland (Glasgow, 1843), excerpts as published on this site.