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by Chris Coldwell (Editor)
This monumental scholarly work contains primary documents that address one of the most controversial issues amongst the Westminster Assembly of Divines: church government. Discontented with the majority's Presbyterian views, the Congregationalist members produced dissenting papers to which the Assembly replied. Thoroughly edited by Chris Coldwell, these polemical papers provide Presbyterians and Congregationalists alike with the strongest arguments and chief concerns in discerning a Reformed ecclesiology. Includes an appendix that presents an updated version of research into the theological resources available at the Westminster Assembly.
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This work contains a lesser-known set of documents by the Westminster Assembly of Divines arguing for and against the Presbyterian form of church government. Discontented with the majority's Presbyterian views, the Congregationalist members produced dissenting papers to which the Assembly replied, giving a more detailed view of the matters debated than the snatches of information recorded in the Assembly's minutes.
Presented in five sections, The Grand Debate includes the following exchanges between the Congregationalist dissenting brethren and the Presbyterian majority of the Assembly: I. Reasons against the proposition that many churches may be under one Presbyterial government from the example of the church at Jerusalem, and the Assembly's reply; II. Reasons against ... from the example of the church at Ephesus, with the Assembly's reply; III. Reasons against the subordination of church synods, with the Assembly's reply; IV. Reasons against the Assembly's limitation on the power of individual congregations to ordain, with the Assembly's reply; V. Four papers by the Congregationalists presented in the committee formed to come to an accommodation, with answers by the representatives of the Assembly.
The text has been edited to reflect modern spelling and usage. The bibliographical references have been traced. Notes have been added throughout, keying the text to the Assembly minutes, Gillespie's notes, Lightfoot's journal, and other sources. Cross-references linking the arguments in the dissenting brethrens' papers to the Assembly's replies and vice versa have been added in the margins. All the Latin has been translated marginally or in footnotes.
In the original text, the Assembly quotes and often summarizes and paraphrases the Independents' argument without any distinction--all set in the italic face, as was all other emphasis. Much of this over-italicization has been removed for this edition. Any apparent quotations appear within double quotation marks. Obvious paraphrases, proposed objections, or words placed in the mouth of the opponent are set within single quotation marks.
An appendix presents an updated version of research into the theological resources available on the Westminster Assembly, presenting in better form the Assembly's working library borrowed from Archbishop Laud's study and adding reference to the personal libraries of William Greenhill and Lazarus Seaman.
