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The Sacramental Theology and Practice of the Reverend John Willison (1680-1750)

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The Sacramental Theology and Practice of the Reverend John Willison (1680-1750) MacLeod, Ian (1994) The sacramental theology and practice of the Reverend John Willison (1680-1750). PhD thesis. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/1609/ Copyright and moral rights for this thesis are retained by the Author A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge This thesis cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the Author The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the Author When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given Glasgow Theses Service http://theses.gla.ac.uk/ [email protected] Ian MacLeod. A dissertation subnitted to the Faculty of Divinity in the University of Glasgow as a requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. John Willison (1680-1750) was a leading Evangelical in the Church of Scotland, whose prolific writing had a pronounced sacramental emphasis, at a time when the Lord's Supper was infrequently celebrated. The thesis aims to examine his sacramental theology and practice. ChaDter pae reconstructs his 'roots1 and considers the influence of family, home church and university on his thinking. Ministries at Brechin and Dundee are outlined and his publications are placed in context, Chapkcfrur examines his adherence to the federal scheme of theology. Villison is shown to identify three covenants, which he understands as having a contractual basis. Consideration is given to his stance on the Marrow Controversy, and to areas of agreement and disagreement with the Harrow men. ChaDter three examines his sacramental theology which is based on that of the Westminster Confession. His adherence to federalism is shown to result in his assertion that the sacrament is not a 'converting ordinance', his emphasis that it is a seal of the believer's faith and a badge of Christian profession, and his rigorous 'fencing' of the table. Consideration is also given to his positive stress on the sacrament as a means of grace, and to his teaching on the 'real presence1 of Christ, ChaDter four analyses the form, style and content of Willison's preaching, and his aversion to that of the Moderates. His sacramental sermons, prayers, 'fencing' of the table and table addresses are examined and compared=qith those of contemporaries .. '. , from both parties. .. , ChagkL fAxc considers his catechetical material and practice and comparison is made with the work of others, Particular attention is given to his practice of admitting communicants, and it is shown that while Villison objected to the Episcopalian rite of confirmation, he believed, nevertheless, in a distinctive form of admission which involved a 'renewal of baptismal engagements'. ChnDter six examines the issue of infrequent celebration in the Church of Scotland, Willison' s desire for change, his arguments for greater frequency, and his own practice. His influence on later pamphleteers is traced, as is their realisation of the truth of his assertion that greater frequency would only be achieved through changes to the customary sacramental 'season'. ChagkL seven makes an assessment of Willison and his work, showing him as a typical Evangelical of the eighteenth century who had a measure of broadmindedness, but no latitude in theological outlook, The consequences of his theological stance and its effect on his sacramental theology and practice are considered. Villison is also shown to differ from his contemporaries in his demand for a more frequent celebration of the Lord's Supper, and in his attempts to promote it. A conclusion is then made on Willison's significance. The author submits that the study contributes to scholarship for two reasons. Firstly, no work exclusively on Willison's sacramental material has been undertaken hitherto. Secondly, the issue of frequency of celebration is a continuing debate in the Church of Scotland, and, since some Evangelicals today express a viewpoint which is diametrically opposed to Willison's, the thesis has particular relevance, Title page. Abstract. p. i. List of Contents. p. iii. List of Illustrations. p. vii. Acknowledgements. p. viii. List of Abbreviations. p* ix. Chapter One : Villison's Background and Kinistries, Willison's Background and Formative Influences. Church Connection. The Willison Family, Study at Glasgow. The Influence of James Wodrow. Winistry at Brechin. Winistry at Dundee. Chapter Two r Villison's Scheme of Theology. Villison's Understanding of the Federal Scheme. Villison and the Harrow Controversy. Villison's Conclusions on the Harrow Controversy. Chapter Three : Willison's Sacramental Theology. Willison's Understanding of the Lord's Supper. Chapter Four : Willison's Preaching and other Sacramental EIaterial. The Preaching of the Moderates. Preparatory Sermons. Act ion Sermons. The Fencing of the Table. Villison's Prayer of Consecration. Villison's Table Addresses. Villison' s 'Speech' After the Tables. Willison' s Sermon After Communion. Consistency of Villison's Sacramental Material and Theology. Chapter Five r he Preparation and Admission of Communicants. The Churches' Legislation and Practice. Explicatory Catechisms. John Villison's Catechisms. Villison's Evaluation of Catechetical Instruction, The Example of Plain Catechising. The Mother's Catechism, The Limitations of Villison's Explicatory Catechisms. The Sacramental Catechism. Baptism. The Lord's Supper. The Young Communicant's Catechism. Catechising Practice. The Admission of First Communicants. The Kilmarnock Admission Service. Vi 11 ison' s Form of Admission. Personal Covenanting . Chapter Five (contd. ) Confirmation or Renewing Baptismal Engagements. Chapter Six : The Frequency and Mode of Sacramental Celebrations. p. 210. Attitudes of Reformers and Reformation Documents. p. 210. Attitude of the Westminster Assembly. p. 212. Acts of the General Assembly Anent Frequency p. 214. The Situation in Willison's Day. p. 215. John Willison's Celebrations at Brechin and Dundee. p. 216. Villison's Demands for More Frequent Celebration. p. 219. Villison's Arguments for a Wore Frequent Celebration. p. 222. Villison - A Forerunner to Change, p. 232, The Scheme Proposed by the Presbytery of Edinburgh. p. 233. Overture of the Synod of Argyll. p. 233, Overture Anent Frequency from the Synod of Glasgow and Ayr. p. 234. Dr. John Erskine. p. 236, The Pamphleteers. p. 236. Thomas Randal of Inchture. p. 240. John Glas. p. 241. Later Letters and Pamphlets. p, 242, The Structure of Communion Seasons and the Mode of Celebration. p. 247. Objections to the Great Occasions. p. 249. Villison' s Identification of the Problem. p. 252. The Pamphleteers. p. 257. Chapter Seven : An Assessment of Villison's Theology And Sacramental Practice. Villison - The Typical Evangelical. A Limited Catholicity. No Latitude in Theological Thought. Consequences of Villison's Barrow Theological Stance. Villison and The Lord's Supper. Villison Also Untypical. A Commendable Achievement. Conclusion. Bibliography, Appendix. 1 Allan, D. (1774-1796) 'Catechising in the Church of Scotland1, 2 Anon. Etching of a Communion service in progress (possibly early eighteenth century). 3 Philip, 3. R. A. (1817-1867) 'Presbyterian Catechising' . I should like to express my thanks to my supervisor, Dr. Douglas Hurray, for his kindly guidance and patience during my research, and to Dr. Henry Sefton of the University of Aberdeen for suggesting the topic. I am grateful to Dr. Robert K. Hackenzie, of Brechin Cathedral, and to his Session Clerk, for access to Kirk Session Records held there, and to Kiss Brown, secretary to the Principal Clerk of the Church of Scotland, for access to General Assembly transcripts and Acts. Thanks are also due to library staff at Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and St. Andrews Universities, Xew College Library, the Free Church of Scotland College Library, the ]rational Library, Edinburgh, the ILitchell Library, Glasgow, the Public Library, Dundee, the Public Library, Paisley, the Public Library, Inverness, and the local library (Special Collections Dept.) Ardrossan. I am equally grateful to the staff at the Scottish Records Office, to the Archivist at the Central Region Archives, Stirling, and the staff at Dundee City Archives and Strathclyde Region Archives, both in Glasgow and Ayr. I should also wish to express thanks to Hr. E. Stanton of 5 Grange Road, Bushey VD2 2LF, Essex, a descendant of John Villi~m's, for corroboration of the facts which I had gathered and present on Villison' s family background. Acknowledgement is made for a small grant from the Bequest Fund for Ninisters in the Outlying Areas of Scotland during the first three years of study, and to the Mss Elizabeth DNrmrwd's Trust for a grant in the two final years. Pitcairn, T. (Ed.) Acts of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, 1638-1642 (Edinburgh : 1843). Peterkin, A. The Booke of the Universal Kirk of Scotland Wherein the Headis and Conclusions Devysit Be The Ministers and Cornisionares Of The Particular Kirks Thereof Are Specially Expressed and Contained (Edinburgh : 1839). Central Region Archives, Cameron, J, (Ed. The First Book of Discipline (Edinburgh : 19721, Willison, J. A Fair and Impartial Testimony, Essayed in the Xame of a Birmber of Winisters, Elders and Christian People of the Church of Scotland, unto the laudable Principles, Wrestlings and Attainmenmts of that Church: and Against the backslidings, Corruptions, Divisions
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