brought under consideration by the Assembly. In a letter of Baillie to his cousin, Mr. Spang, under date of November, 1645, we find a notice of the successful progress of this work, in the following words:-"We go on in the Assembly now with pretty good speed. We have passed the heads of SCRIPTURE-GOD-TRINITY-DECREES-PROVIDENCE-REDEMPTION-COVE

NANTS JUSTIFICATION SANCTIFICATION -FREEWILL-SACRAMENTS, in general-a part of PERSEVERANCE and the LORD'S SUPPER."

It seems probable, that great assistance in forming, not only the "CONFESSION OF FAITH," but also the CATECHISMS, FORM OF GOVERNMENT, and DIRECTORY FOR WORSHIP, was derived from the Scottish commissioners, and especially from Mr. Alexander Henderson. For it is a remarkable fact, attested by Baillie, that in the General Assembly of Scotland, in the year 1641, of which Alexander Henderson was moderator, among other overtures, there was one from the moderator himself, which is described by Baillie, "as a notable motion of drawing up a CONFESSION OF FAITH, a CATECHISM, a DIRECTORY FOR ALL PARTS OF PUBLIC WORSHIP, and a PLATFORM OF GovernMENT, wherein possibly England and we might agree. All approved the motion, and thereafter the burden of that labour was laid on the back of the mover, with liberty to vaike (desist) from preaching, whenever he pleased, and to take help of whom he thought meet. He did not incline to undertake it," says Baillie, "yet it will be on him, and readily in this he may do some good."

The same fact is mentioned by Dr. Aiton, the biographer of Henderson, in the following words:"It was on Wednesday, the 28th of July, 1641, that Henderson first suggested to the Assembly, the propriety of drawing up a "Confession of Faith," Catechism, and a Directory for all the parts of public worship. His first intention seems to have been to frame the system in such a way, as to make it agreeable to the worshippers on both sides of the Tweed. But there is no compromise of Presbyterianism in it

from beginning to end, so as to support the Episcopalian principles of the English."

There is no doubt, then, that this work was performed and adopted by the kirk of Scotland; and there is evidence that the Scottish commissioners made communications of their views on some of these points to the committees who had these important works in charge. It would seem, therefore, that the outline, at least, of the Confession, as drawn up by the Assembly of Divines, at Westminster, originated in Scotland, and was the work of Mr. Henderson; and this will account for the readiness and unanimity with which the General Assembly of Scotland adopted these formularies of the English Assembly. They were, in substance, their own.

When the confession was completed, Dr. Burges was directed to cause it to be fairly transcribed, in order to its being presented to the Parliament. On the 11th of December, 1646, the whole Assembly went in a body to the parliament, and presented the ARTICLES OF RELIGION, which they had prepared and approved, under the following title, "THE HUMBLE ADVICE OF THE ASSEMBLY OF DIVINES AND OTHERS, NOW BY AUTHORITY OF PARLIAMENT, SITTING AT WESTMINSTER, CONCERNING A CONFESSION OF FAITH.”

The House of Commons having voted the Assembly thanks for their care and labour, in bringing this important work to a conclusion, desired them to insert the proofs in their proper places, and then to have six hundred copies printed, for the perusal of the members of Parliament, and no more. The committee appointed by the Assembly to collect the Scripture proofs, for the confirmation of the articles of religion, were, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Byfield, and Mr. Gower. When they had finished the work assigned to them, and had reported the result to the Assembly, it was ordered, that these proofs should be printed in the margin of the Confession. When this was executed, the whole Confession, with the proofs, was once more submitted to the review of three committees, who made report to the Assembly, of such

other amendments as they thought necessary; and when these were approved by the house, the work was sent to the press. This event did not occur until the 11th of May, 1647.

By order of the House of Commons, Mr. Byfield delivered to the members of Parliament, copies of the Confession of Faith, with Scripture proofs, signed by Charles Herle, prolocutor; Cornelius Burges, and Herbert Palmer, assessors; and Henry Roborough, and Adoniram Byfield, scribes. 1

1

The House of Commons commenced their examination of the Confession of Faith on the 9th of May, 1647, and went over the whole of the first chapter, article by article. But further progress in the work of revision, was interrupted by the disturbances which now arose between the parliament and the army; so that during the whole summer, nothing more was done. In October, the work was resumed, and it was adopted as a rule, to discuss, at least one chapter of the Confession, every Wednesday; by observing which, they were able to get through the work by the month of March, 1648. For, on the 22d of that month, we find that the House of Commons, at a conference with the House of Lords, presented to them. THE CONFESSION OF FAITH, as passed by them, with some alterations.

The House of Lords, having, in their turn, considered and approved the doctrines of this Confession, on the 20th of June, 1648, parliament ordered it to be published, for the satisfaction of foreign churches, under the title of "ARTICLES OF RELIGION, APPROVED AND PASSED BY BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT, AFTER ADVICE HAD WITH AN ASSEMBLY OF DIVINES, CALLED TOGETHER BY THEM FOR THAT PURPOSE.'

They did not think proper to call it a CONFESSION OF FAITH, because the articles did not begin with the words, "I CONFESS," nor did they judge it expedient

1 Dr. Twisse died before the Assembly had been in session more than one year, and Mr. Herle was appointed in his place; and as Mr. Whyte, on account of bodily infirmity, could not perform the duties of an assessor, Mr. Palmer was substituted in his room.

to annex the chapters, on church government, concerning which the members of Parliament were not agreed among themselves. These chapters, therefore, were never published by order of Parliament, nor did they ever receive their sanction; for, in the first place, they were re-committed, and finally laid aside.

The whole Confession, with the proofs, and also the form of government, were transmitted to Scotland immediately, and there received the approbation both of the General Assembly and the Parliament of that kingdom. Every thing in these formularies seems to have been in exact accordance with the minds of the ministers and people of Scotland; for they adopted the whole, without delay, and without alteration just as it was prepared by the Westminster Assembly; and thus the Westminster Confession and form of church government became the established doctrine and discipline of the church of Scotland; and so they continue to be, without alteration unto this day.

The unanimity in agreeing to so many articles of religion has already been noticed; but candour requires it to be stated, that although the vote of approbation of the Confession, was carried by a great majority both in the Assembly and the Parliament, yet there were a few dissentients in both these bodies, who although they were Anti-Arminian, yet were unable to concur in every point of doctrine there determined, and in every form of expression there used.

CHAPTER IX.

Larger and Shorter Catechisms.

WHILE the Confession of Faith was passing through the Assembly by the report of the committees who had it in charge, two other committees were appointed

to reduce the substance of this system of doctrines into the form of CATECHISMS; one larger, for the service of a public exposition in the pulpit, according to the custom of foreign churches; the other smaller, for the instruction of children, in the principal doctrines of the Christian religion. In both of them, the articles relating to church government and discipline, are entirely omitted. THE LARGER CATECHISM is a comprehensive and excellent system of divinity; and it would be well if every young preacher, in the Presbyterian church, were required to commit it accurately to memory, before he undertakes to preach. in public.

The committee to whom was committed the work of reducing the Confession of Faith into the form of a catechism, were Dr. Tuckney, Dr. Arrowsmith, and Dr. Newcommen; and the composition of the Larger Catechism has been commonly attributed to the divine first named. There is often less credit due to the compilers of such formularies than they receive. Dr. Tuckney, no doubt, was an accurate, sound, and learned theologian. But if any one will take the pains to compare the short Latin system of Wollebiuswith our Larger Catechism, he will find in the latter a very good translation of the former, and will be convinced that this short manual must have been familiar to the person or persons who composed this excellent formulary.

The Shorter Catechism is an excellent summary of Christian doctrine; and has very much the appearance of being an abridgment of the Larger; but the historical fact is, that the Shorter Catechism was first finished and reported to the Assembly. The resemblance, not only in doctrine, but in language, between these two Catechisms, can be accounted for, by considering, that they were both founded on the Confession of Faith: and the similarity spoken of, which was no doubt designed, even as it related to words, might as well.

1 Rushworth's Collections.