Samuel Ward, D D. master of Sidney college, ** Mr. John Wallis, afterwards D.D. and scribe. Mr. Janies Welby, Sylatten. * Thomas Westfield, D.D. bishop of Bristol. ** Mr. Jeremiah Whitaker, A.M. Stretton. Mr. Francis Whiddon Moreton. ** Henry Wilkinson, senior, D.D. Waddesdon, afterwards Margaret professor, Oxon. ** Mr. Henry Wilkinson, junior, B.D. St. Dunstan's. ** Mr Thomas Wilson, Otham. * Thomas Wincop, D.D. Elesworth. ** John Wincop, D.D. St. Martin's in the Fields. ** Mr. Francis Woodcock, proctor of the University of Cambridge. ** Mr. Thomas Young, Stow-market. MINISTERS FROM SCOTLAND. ** Mr Alexander Henderson. ** Mr. George Gillespie. ** Mr. Samuel Rutherford. ** Mr. Robert Bayley. CHAPTER II. The Assembly opened-Rules of proceeding-Solemn oath of the members-Assembly divided into three committees-Revision of the ARTICLES undertaken-Description of the room and manner of sitting, and of transacting business. THE first day of July, 1643, having been appointed for the meeting of the Assembly, the members of the two houses of Parliament, named in the ordinance, and many of the divines named in the same instrument, and a great congregation beside, being met in the Abbey Church, in Westminster, Dr. Twisse, the appointed prolocutor, preached to them, from John xiv. 18. “I will not leave you comfortless." After sermon, all the members of the Assembly went into Henry the Seventh's chapel, where the names of the members being called, sixty three answered; or about that number. Not being ready to proceed to business, the Assembly adjourned till Thursday, July 6th, when they received from Parliament a set of rules for the direction and government of the body; which are as follows: "1. That two assessors be joined to the prolocutor, to supply his place in case of absence or infirmity. "2. That scribes be appointed to set down all proceedings; and these to be divines who are not of the Assembly. The persons selected were, Henry Roborough, and Adoniram Byfield. "3. Every member, at his first entry into the Assembly, shall make serious and solemn protestation, not to maintain any thing but what he believes to be the truth, in sincerity, when discovered unto him. "4. No resolution to be given upon any question, the same day wherein it is first propounded. "5. What any man undertakes to prove as necessary, he shall make good out of Scripture. "6. No man to proceed in any dispute after the prolocutor has enjoined him silence, unless the Assembly desire he may go on. "7. No man to be denied to enter his dissent from the Assembly, and his reasons for it, in any point, after it hath been first debated in the Assembly, and thence (if the dissenting party desire it) to be sent to the houses of Parliament by the Assembly, not by any particular man or men in a private way—when either house shall require. "8. All things agreed upon and prepared for the Parliament, to be openly read and allowed in the Assembly, and then offered as the judgment of the Assembly, if the major part assent. Provided, that the opinions of any persons dissenting, and the reasons urged for it, be annexed thereunto, if the dissenters require it, together with the solutions, if any were given, by the Assembly, to these reasons." On Saturday, July 8th, the prescribed protestation was taken by every member of the body, Lords and Commons, as well as divines. It was in the following words, viz: "I. A. B. do seriously and solemnly protest, in the presence of Almighty God, that in this Assembly, whereof I am a member, I will not maintain any thing in matters of doctrine, but what I think in my conscience to be truth; or, in point of discipline, but what I shall conceive to conduce most to the glory of God, and the good and peace of his church." This formula was also put into the hands of each member. The first thing done further, was, to divide the whole body into three committees. In forming these the divines were arranged as their names stood in the ordinance of Parliament; and the members from the Lords and Commons into three several parts, according to their order, also. The thirty-nine Articles of the Church of England were now resolved to be brought under consideration, and the first, second, third, and fourth of these Articles were assigned to the first committee, who were to meet in Henry the Seventh's Chapel. The fifth, sixth, and seventh articles were assigned to the Second Committee, whose place of meeting was appointed, in the room used by the lower house of Convocation. The eighth, ninth, and tenth articles were assigned to the Third Committee, and their meeting to be in Jerusalem Chamber, in the Dean's lodgings. Their first meeting was to be of all the committees, in their several places, on Monday, July 10, at one o'clock, P. M. Mr. John White, of Dorchester, and Mr. Cornelius Burgess were nominated assessors, in case of the sickness or absence of the prolocutor. A Committee was also appointed from the members of the Lords and Commons, and from the divines, to look out for the most authentic copies of the THIRTY-NINE ARTICLES, The committees having respectively met at the places and time appointed, proceeded to the choice of chairman, when Dr. Burgess was appointed chairman of the first, Dr. Stanton of the second, and Mr. Gibbon of the third committee. As it was doubted, whether by the rules, the prolocutor had the liberty of speaking, a resolution was proposed and adopted, "That he should speak, and give his advice when he should think fit." It may be gratifying to the reader to have some particular description of the room which the Assembly occupied, and of the manner in which the members were arranged in their respective seats. This we shall copy from the accurate Baillie. "At the upper end of the room," says he, "there is a chair set on a frame, a foot from the earth, for the prolocutor, Dr. Twisse. Before it, on the ground, stand two chairs, for the two Mr. assessors, Dr. Burgess, and Dr. White. Before these two chairs, through the length of the room, stands a table, at which sit the two scribes, Mr. Byfield and Mr. Roborough. The house is all well hung, and has a good fire, which is some dainties at London. Foreanent the table, upon the prolocutor's right hand, there are three or four ranks of forms. On the lowest one five do sit. Upon the other, at our backs, the members of Parliament deputed to the Assembly. On the forms foreanent us, on the prolocutor's left hand, going from the upper end of the house to the chimney, and at the other end of the house, and backside of the table till it came to our seats, are four or five stages of forms, whereupon their divines sit as they please; albeit, commonly they keep the same place. From the chimney to the door there are no seats, but a void for a passage. The lords of Parliament use to sit on chairs in that void, about the fire. We meet every day of the week, except Saturday. We sit commonly from nine to two or three in the afternoon. The prolocutor, at the beginning and end, has a short prayer. The man, as the world knows, is very learned in the questions he has studied; and very good, and beloved of all, and highly esteemed; but merely bookish, and not much as it seems, acquaint with conceived prayer; among the unfittest of all the company for any action; so after the prayer he sits mute. was the canny conveyance (contrivance?) of those who guide most matters for their own interest, to plant such a man of purposes in the chair. The one assessor, our good friend Dr. Burgess, a very active and sharp man, supplies so far as it is decent, the prolocutor's place: the other, our good friend Mr. Whyte, has kept in of the gout, since our coming. Ordinarily there will be present about three score of their divines. These are divided into three committees; in one whereof, every man is a member. No man is excluded who pleases to come to any of the three. Every committee, as the Parliament gives order in writ to take any purpose to consideration, takes a portion, and in the afternoon meeting prepares matters for the Assembly; sets down their minds in distinct propositions, and backs their propositions with texts of Scripture. After the prayer, Mr. Byfield, the scribe, reads the proposition and Scriptures, whereupon the Assembly debates in a most grave and orderly way. No man is called up to speak but who stands up of his own accord. speaks so long as he will without interruption. If two or three stand up at once, then the divines confusedly call on his name whom they desire to hear first. On whom the loudest and maniest voices call, he speaks. No man speaks to any but to the prolocutor. They harangue long and very learnedly. They study the question well beforehand, and prepare their speeches; but withal, the men are exceeding prompt, and well spoken. I do marvel at the very accurate and extemporal replies that many of them usually make. When upon every proposition, and on every text of Scripture that is brought to confirm it, every man who will has said his whole mind, and the replies, and duplies, and triplies, are heard, then the most part calls to the question. Byfield, the scribe, rises from the table, and comes to the prolo He |