A HISTORY OF LONDON General Assembly of the Church of Scotland/^^ Indeed, a complete and friendly understanding existed between the Scots and the Londoners on the subject of religion. " A counter-petition was sent up in June on the pretext that the Remonstrance had not fairly represented the views of the majority of the citizens.^" The Commons on 9 June 1646 ordered the London ministers forthwith to put into execution the ordinances concerning Church government ;^^* and before the close of the year Presbyterianism was fairly established throughout the City/**' There is still in existence a Register Book of the Fourth Classis in London,*"" from which it is possible to form an excellent idea of the working of the system. This particular Classis con- tained fourteen parishes. A 'preparatory meeting ' was held on 18 Novem- ber 1646 to settle business details ; a moderator, registrar, and a ' servant to attend the Classis ' were appointed, and fortnightlv meetings of ministers and elders arranged for. These meetings were at first regularly held and well attended. The affairs dealt with consisted of the appointment of lecturers and parish clergy, the punishment of Sabbath-breakers, the examination of intending communicants, the admission of strangers to Holy Communion, the ordination of ministers *°^ on presentation of testimonials as to doctrine and character, matters of Church discipline, and the like. From time to time Provincial Assemblies were held, to which the Classis sent delegates. In 1648 the Provincial Assembly issued orders that children and such servants as were not yet communicants should be catechized on Sunday afternoon before the sermon, the Lesser Catechism being used.*"^ One or two of the churches in the Classis refused to elect elders, and in less than a year the attendance at the classical meetings had fallen off seriously. By 1650 nearly all the work had lapsed into the hands of six ministers and a few elders, and there was often no meeting for months together. In 1652 the Provincial Assembly, foreseeing ' an utter dissolution of the whole frame of presbyterial government,' urged ministers and elders alike to awaken to a sense of their duty, but in vain. From that time onwards to the dissolution of the Classis in 1659, with the exception of ordinations,*"' none but formal business was transacted at the meetings, which grew smaller and more infrequent every year."* The parish records contain a good deal of information as to the details of public worship under the Presbyterian system. Sermons and lectures of course occupied a very prominent place, ministers being paid so much (generally ioj.) a sermon to fill the pulpit during the very frequent vacancies that occurred.*"^ In some churches ' preparation sermons ' were preached before celebrations of Holy Communion,*"^ and tokens were largely '" Sharpe, op. cit. ii, 234-5. Ibid. 228. '" Com.Joum. iv, 561 ; Whitelock, Mem. (ed. 1732), 208. "* Com.Journ. iv, 569. '" See Vest. Min. 1 646, St. Mary Magdalen Milk Street, St. Dunstan in the West, St. Martin Ludgate.
- "" MS. in Dr. Williams's Library, from which the following particulars are taken.
'"' Mr. Ralph Robinson, a deacon, who was in 1 644 acting as ' pastor ' of St. Mary Woolnoth, refused to be ordained presbyter by the Classis, saying he would rather wait till there was ' a more settled way of ordination.' This led to a resolution by the Assembly of Divines that for the future those who had been ordained deacons of the Church of England should be ordained presbyters by the Classis before they were allowed to undertake a pastoral charge in any congregation ; Lords' "Joum. vii, 69, 70. "' See Hist. MSS. Com. Rep. vii, App. 34 ; Lords' Joum. x, 352. '" See St. Stephen Walbrook Chwdns.' Accts. 1652, 1658.
- " Reg. Bk. ut sup. •" Chwdns.' Accts. gen.
^"^ St. Michael Crooked Lane Chwdns.' Accts. 1644-62 ; St. Martin in the Fields Vest. Min. 1645 ; St. Ethelburga Accts. 1650 ; St. Laurence Jewry Vest. Min. 1641. 334
