(1) "TITS GEHERAL AS3SOLY OF 1610." —A Or 1 tloal Investigation.— —— , " • ,/ "."Mil1 : : ri j i. !,"8,1;^' :. '.•,'. at-: by G. Campbell Wadaworth B«A.. B,D> (2) The subject of the following Thesis is "The General Assembly of 1610." The Intention of the writer has been to conduct a detailed and thoroughgoing investigation of everything which had to do with that important and historic gathering. The plan of this work is as follows: In the Introductory Chapter we have reviewed the history of the Scottish Episcopate from the year of Reformation in 1560 to the year 1587, when the tem­ poralities of all benef ioies were annexed to the crown. Chapter One which follows has to do with the Moderate Reaction and the reestablishment of Episcopal government in the Church of Scotland* This brings us to the heart of our subject, which is the meeting of the Assembly itself. In Chapter Two we investigated the Calling of the Assembly, the personnel of its membership and the record of its proceedings. Chapter Three is concerned with the sequel to the Assembly, with certain general conclusions and with the bearing of the Assembly on the question of Church Reunion in our time* In all of which we would now make the claim that the following Thesis is the most detailed and exhaustive study which has appeared on this subject up to the present time. In our treatment of the case we have en­ deavoured to be entirely impartial. How far we have suc­ ceeded in this design we of course must leave to the reader to determine. (3) COHTEMTS SS 21 3 SS SS S2 55 S? (Foreward. ........................ .paee 2.) Introduot1 on, Ihe Soottlah Episcopate 1560-1587. A. The yir.,t Phase: (1£60-1572.). .............. " 6. B. The Second rhaae: The Tulohan Episcopacy.(1572-1575.5. * " 12. C. The Third Phas : ro the Act of Annexation.(1575-1507). " 22. Appendix I, Motives leading to the Introduction of Spisoopaoy in 1572. ........... " 29. Chapter I. The 3eeatabl1ahment of Spiocopacy. A, The Moderate Reaction. ................. * 34. B. The Aberdeen Assembly of 1605. ............. " 41. C. Constant i:oder:i lora and l;he Courts of Ill^h Goraiuission. n 47. Chapter II. Jhe .yrooeodln^s of the A a embly. A. The Calling of the Assembly. .............. " 63. B. The Memb rship of the Assembly ............. n 73. C. The Aa^einbly Day by Day. ................ n 93. Appendix II. The 3oll of the Asaembly .... n 102. Chapter III, The ^e^lalatl.on of the Assembly* n 107. Appendix III. A Collation of the Legislative Articles a 8 VaSlW w the 1610 As embly with the 3 as Pieviaed by the 1612 Parliament. ........... " 124, Chapter 17, Conolu. aion. A, The Sequel to the Assembly. .............. " 129. B. Oouoluding Reflections. ...,.,•••••••••• i°'* C. The Glasgow Assembly and Chria'GiJin Reunion. ...... 140. Bibliography. A. Original Authorities. ..........••••••• |J B, Secondary Authorities ......... ........ List of the More Difficult Abbreviations* . • " 149. (4) (5) —Introduction— —The Scottish iS.plaoopate 1560-1587.— A. The I'irst Phase: 1560«-1572. B. The second Phase: The Tulchan Episcopaoy. (157B-1675) 0. The Third Phase: To the Act of Annexation. (1575-1587) (6) The Glasgow Assembly of 1610 was responsible for the erection of a limited and constitutional Episcopacy within the Reformed Soottlah Church. Clearly such a fact should be enough to plaoe It among the outstanding and epoch-making Assemblies In the Kirk's history. And what took pi-ice In the nota le gathering which daring the seoond week-end of June 1610 met within the walls of 3alnt Mango's Cathedral Is now to be the subject of our detailed Investigation and study. But In order ole rly to understand what the Assembly of 1610 was endeavoring to do, as well as what It actually accomplished. It will be necessary for as to take as our starting point a date much earlier than that upon which the Assembly met. In fact we shall be /orced to retrace oar steps over a period of fifty years before m find the starting point we desire. For, as will become Increasingly evident as we proceed, what happened In 1610 can only be anderstood and appreciated In the light of the accumulated experience gained by the Church during the preceding half century. Thus, for example, when we care to exarrr'ne the "Heads and Articles concerning the Discipline of the Kirk" adopted In 1610, we shall discover that those members of the Assembly '/ho flr^w up these legislative proposals were in point aft^r point relying and fallin ; back upon ^hese legal and practical experiences which the previous years had so abundantly supplied, without a clear knowledge of what took place during these earlier and formative aays it will be quite Impossible to understand either the proceedings or the significance of. our Glasgow Assembly* It is our intention in these pages of introduction which follow to make a rapid sketch of the history of the Scottish Episcopate from the date of Reformation in 1560 to the passing of the famous Act of Annexation in 1587* It was during these troubled years that Scottish Churchmen received their first Impression of the part which a Protestant bishop might play in a Reformed Church. It was during these years also that they arrived at certain definite decisions as to the position rihioh such a prelate might occupy in the ecclesiastical system and the relative amount of jurisdiction which might be left in his hands* Precedents of far-reaching importance were thus beaten out upon the anvil of experience daring these years, and we shall see how the legislators of 1610 made use of as many of these preoedents as they oould. Now at the outset of our study the first thing to be recognised is that in spite of the sweeping character of the religious revolution which they carried through, the Sootfcish Reformers by no means accomplished all that they set out to achieve. The Reformation for which they were responsible was by no means as thoroagh-going as they would have desired. It Is true that in the Convent!on-?arllament of August 1560 they saw to their satisfaction 1he whole edifice of Homlsh religion and Papal power overthrown. First of all, their Confession of Faith had been acoepted«(l) Then In succession three Acts had been passed. The first abolished the Papal Jurisdiction In Scotland.(2) The seoond annulled all antl-Protestant l«glsk tlon.(3) The third declared the hearing or saying of Mass to be a criminal offence.(4) Bat as a moment's reflection will show this achievement had more of a negative than a positive character. The Roman ecclesiastical edifice had been demolished It is true, but "the true and holy Kirk" of the Reformers' drearas still remained to be built. And It was jaat here? on the constructive side of their work that the Reformers met with grave difficulty and sore disappointment. (1) A.P.3. vol. II-, pp. 526-534. (2) A.P.3. II*. PP. 534-535. (5) A.P.5. II., p. (4) lf.P.3. II., p. (7) Phe story of what happened la ao well known that the barest sketch of events will suffice here, shortly after Parliament dissolved a commission wag ^iven to the famous ale Johns— Knox and five companions, Wynram, Spottlswoode. "Tillok, Douglas and " 2vaw ?P a Pian of the P0Hty and discipline of the Church a 3 they desired to see It reconstituted* (5) The v 2dtJ?? t Sie ln dolh« what waa required of them. and In a short while the First Book of Discipline was ready to be presented to the Great Council of Scotland. (5) The nobles took charge of the Book, and peruaed It many days. Their main impression of the work, how-ver. appears to have been an unfavorable one, for as a bodv the Secret Council refused to give the Book Its ofi'ioial approval. (7) And while In January 1561 a large number of the nobility did add their signatures to the work, y-t It never became law nor were many of Its chief proposals ever carried Into effect. The main reason for this refusal to establish the Reformed Church according to the plan of the Book of Discipline was simply that whereas Knox and his fellow ministers proposed to apply the rents and endowments of the ancient Church to the schemes and purposes of the Reformed body, the nobles on the other hand were determined to appropriate as much of this wealth as possible for themselves. This, however, Is not a subject with which we are concerned here* That is necessary for the purposes of this fcudy is that we should remember that In 1560 the Church of Scotland was not established according to the plan of the Book of Discipline. (8) Such an establishment would, we believe, have proved a stubborn barrier to the re Introduction of Episcopacy a decade later* But the Reformers failed to get their chosen constitution adopted, and as a result in the field of church government the way was left open for development and change. The failure to secure official sanction for their Book of Discipline was unquestionably a &reat disappointment to Reformed Churchmen* 3ut they did not spend their time in giving voice to vain regrets. They set about without dslay to pat as much as possible of their chosen polity iato operation* They had already done something towards this end* As early as the Summer (July) of 1560, when the Protestant victory had been secured, arrangements had been made for the planting of Reformed minl3ters In Edinburgh, Saint Andrews, Perth, Aberdeen and other principal towns* At the same time the much debated office of Superintendent made Its initial appearance.