The Shorter Writings of George Gillespie - Volume 2

Theologian George Gillespie (1613-1648) served as one of the Scottish church’s representatives at the Westminster Assembly. While his two major works on worship and the relationship between church and state are highly regarded, Gillespie’s shorter writings have not been circulated since their original publishing. Naphtali Press’s Special Edition of The Shorter Writings of George Gillespie brings these valuable works into the hands of today’s readers. Volume two contains Gillespie’s controversial writings against Erastianism and his principles for how the government should relate to the Church.

Contents

Volume 2. NPSE (2022).

• A Sermon Preached before the Honorable House of Commons at their late Solemn Fast, Wednesday, March 27, 1644. Text: Ezekiel 43:11.
• A Sermon Preached Before the Right Honorable House of Lords, in the Abbey Church at Westminster, August 27, 1645, the day appointed for Solemn and Public Humiliation. Text: Malachi 3:2.
• Anti-Erastian tracts against Thomas Coleman.
• A Brotherly Examination of some passages of Mr. Coleman’s Late Sermon upon Job 11:20. 1645.
• Nihil Respondes: or a discovery of the extreme unsatisfactoriness of Mr. Coleman’s Piece published last week under the title of “A Brotherly examination re-examined.” Wherein his self-contradictions; his yielding of some things, and not answering to other things objected against him; his abusing of scripture; his errors in divinity; his abusing of the parliament, and endangering their authority; his abusing of the assembly [of divines]; his calumnies, namely, against the Church of Scotland and against myself; the repugnancy of his doctrine to the solemn League and Covenant;—are plainly demonstrated. 1645.
• Male Audis; or, an answer to Mr. Coleman’s Male Dicis: wherein the repugnancy of his Erastian doctrine to the Word of God, to the Solemn League and Covenant, and to the ordinances of Parliament; also his contradictions, tergiversations, heterodoxies, calumnies, and perverting of testimonies, are made more apparent than formerly, together with some animadversions upon Mr. Hussey’s Pleas for Christian Magistracy: showing, that in divers of the afore-mentioned particulars he hath miscarried as much as, and in some particulars more than, Mr. Coleman. 1645.
• One Hundred and Eleven Propositions Concerning the Ministry and Government of the Church. 1647.
• A Transcription from Manuscript of a portion of a Sermon on Psalm 2:10–12, preached before the Scottish Parliament, March 2, 1648.

Endorsements

“Chris Coldwell … has been untiring—and remarkably successful—in his efforts to further and foster new research in the post-Reformation period. His own productions have found their way into the hands of more than one thankful historian in Cambridge and into many libraries around the world.” —Chad Van Dixhoorn, PhD

“George Gillespie lived a short life, but one of great significance. For half of his just mere ten years of public ministry, he participated in and contributed to the Second Reformation in Scotland, and the other half he spent in London helping to create a confession of faith and catechism that would mark the high point of Reformed confessionalism. In participating in the Westminster Assembly, he contributed greatly to these confessional documents that the church still uses widely today. He was a profound and precise thinker, marked by devotion to the Lord and His church. This new edition of Gillespie’s shorter writings invites readers to dig into works that are lesser known today yet highly valuable. The miscellaneous questions alone (v. 3) will repay any time invested in them. Helping us understand theology and practice generally, and seventeenth-century Scottish Presbyterianism particularly, this set will serve the church well in by promoting a broader picture of one strand of thought that fed into influenced the Westminster Standards, and by providing insights into Scripture that can feed our souls.” —Ryan M. McGraw, academic dean and Morton H. Smith Professor of Systematic Theology, Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary

About the Author

Theologian George Gillespie (1613-1648) served as one of the Scottish church’s representatives at the Westminster Assembly. Gillespie is best known for his two major works on worship and the relationship between church and state, A Dispute Against the English Popish Ceremonies (1637) and Aaron’s Rod Blossoming (1646).