Historically Reformed

Many people will jeer at the going back to historic faith. They will knock the Scots as an example to follow as ancient, no longer binding, or, pre-historic. And that in these days, "anything goes" seems to be the order of the day. Yet if we go back to the forming of the WEstminster Assembly, and its purposes, and the creeds and standards of the Reformed church, we will see why Scotland is set above others as an example to follow. God is unchanging in ALL times. Both then, and now.

The convocation issued by the English parliament when it issued the call for the assembly included for the call

"to procure and preserve the peace at home, and nearer agreement with the church of Scotland and other reformed churches abroad..."

The S L & C includes the words,

" That we shall sincerely, really, and constantly, through the grace of GOD, endeavor, in our several places and callings, the preservation of the reformed religion in the Church of Scotland, in doctrine, worship, discipline, and government, against our common enemies; the reformation of religion in the kingdoms of England and Ireland, in doctrine, worship, discipline, and government, according to the Word of GOD, and the example of the best reformed Churches; and shall endeavour to bring the Churches of GOD in the three kingdoms to the nearest conjunction and uniformity in religion, Confession of Faith, Form of Church Government, Directory for Worship and Catechising; that we, and our posterity after us, may, as brethren, live in faith and love, and the Lord may delight to dwell in the midst of us."

Note only England and Ireland are named, because Scotland already had the nearest attainable to True religion.

"The divines there congregated were men of imminent learning and godliness and minsterial abilities and fidelity. And not being worthy to be one of them, myself, I may the more freely speak that truth which I know. Even in the face of malice and envy that as far as I am able to judge by the information on all history of that kind, and by other evidence left to us. The Christian world since the days of the Apostles had never an official assembly of more excellent divines thatn this synod and the synod of Dordt. " [Richard Baxter--who though an imminent minister and scholar of the day, was passed over as being part of the assembly, tho knew many of the divines personally, but not being amongst them, had no axe to grind]

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