GEORGE GILLESPIE, MINISTER OF
EDINBURGH,
AND ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS FROM THE CHURCH OF
SCOTLAND TO THE ASSEMBLY OF DIVINES AT WESTMINSTER.
GEORGE GILLESPIE was the son of Mr John Gillespie, who
some time was minister of the Gospel at Kirkaldy, a royal burgh and market town
of Fifeshire, in Scotland. Wood says, that George Gillespie, the subject of
this Memoir, was educated in the University of St Andrew’s. He received a
good classical education, and made very great proficiency in his studies. He
was some time chaplain, in the Family of the Earl of Cassils, and waited on
Lord Kennedy. He was also some time chaplain to the Viscount of Kenmure.- He
was ordained minister of Wemyss, with the imposition of hands, by the
Presbytery of Kirkcaldy, without the acknowledgement of the bishop. He was one
of those illustrious reformers, who subscribed, as minister at Wemyss, the
National Covenant which was agreed upon and sworn, in the year 1638.
Baillie, speaking of Mr George Gillespie, calls him “ a youth who waited
on Lord Kennedy,” and says that he “was admitted to the Kirk of
Weems, maugre St Andrew’s beard, by the Presbytery.” Our author adds,
‘this same youth is now given out also, by those who should know, for the
author of the English Popish Ceremonies, whereof we all do marvel; for though
he had gotten the papers, and help of the chief of that side ; yet the
composition would seem to be rar above such art age: but if that book be truly
of his making, I admire the man, though I mislike much of his matrer ; yea, I
think, he may prove among the best wits of this isle.
Mr Baillie was a
witness of the display of Mr Gillespie’s abilities and learning, in the
famous Assembly at Westminster. Stevenson says, that Mr Gillespie was the
author of the anonymous piece above-mentioned ; and. that it was discharged by
a proclamation, in the y’ar 1637, as being of too corrosive a quality for
the weak stomachs of the bishops. In it the will-worship of Episcopacy is
exposed.
Mr Gillespie eminently appeared, at a very seasonable time, as one
of the most able and zealous advocates for the Presbyterian cause. His
literature and talents were highly respectable; and diligently employed in
promoting the interests of the Redeemer’s king. Hewas a real friend to the
work of Reformation; and strongly averse to Prelacy, to Erastianism, and to all
corruption. At the venerable Assembly which convened at Glasgow, in 1638, he
preached a very learned and judicious sermon, explaining these words, The
icing’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, &c. This discourse did not
altogether escape censure; for the Earl of Argyle thought that Mr Gillespie
touched the royal prerogative too nearly and very gravely admonished the
Assembly to let authority alone, which all took in good part; and the moderator
very prudently supported what Argyle had said, in a most judicious and
beautiful speech. At the General Assembly which met at Edinburgh, , Mr
Gillespie had a call from the town of Aberdeen to be their minister; but the
Lord Commissioner and himself appeared in his cause, and managed it so well,
that he was continued at Wemyss.’
But in 1642. the General Assembly
consented unto his transportation to the city of Edinburgh. And he was one of
those four eminent ministers, who were sent as Commissioners from the Church of
Scotland, to the famous Assembly of Divines at Westminster, in the year 1643.
He was but a young man when he went to that Assembly. There, however, he
reasoned and conducted himself with alL the skill and prudence of a veteran.
Equally acute and learned, he commanded respectful attention when he spake. He
even ventured to contend, with the eminently learned Selden and Lightfoot, who
were at that time the great champions in the Erastian controversy, and truly
formidable for their extraordinary acquaintance with Jewish antiquities and
Rabinical learning. Against those eminent opponents, Mr Gillespie laboured with
success, in proving two Courts among the Jews, from Deut. xvii. 12. respecting
one going up from one court to another; that is, for appeals, as he strongly
urged from hence: The man who will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto
the priest who standeth to minister there before the Lord the God, or unto the
judge, even that man shall die: Making the priest to hold one Court, and the
judge another - And certainly to contend with such men on the field of
controversy, required great store of erudition and much power of intellect.
Mr Baillie, one of his colleagues in that Assembly, who had the best
opportunity of being well acquainted with his abilities and learning, speaks of
him as follows. “ How many and how learned debates we had, in twelve or
thirteen sessions, from nine to half-two, it were long to relate. None in all
the company did reason more, and more pertinently, than Mr Gillespie. That is
an excellent youth; my heart blesses God in his behalf.” And when Acts
xiv. 23. was produced for a proof of the power which the apostles had, of
ordination, and after much debate, was going to be voiced, Baillie says; “
Very learned and accute Mr Gillespie, a singular ornament of our Church, than
whom not one in the whole Assembly speaks to better purpose, and with better
acceptance by all the hearers, advertised, that the Greek word, of purpose by
the Episcopal translators turned ordaining, was truly chusing, importing the
people’s suifrages in ellecting their officers. Hence arose a tough
debate, that took up two whole sessions. Mr Henderson’s overture ended the
plea.”
And again, the same author says; “ We get good help in our
Assembly- debates of my Lord Wariston; but of none more than of that noble
youth Mr Gillespie. I truly admire his faculty, and bless God, as for all my
colleagues, so for him in that faculty with the first of the whole
Assembly.” And, in a letter to Mr Robert Blair, dated March 16th, 1644.,
the same writer says: Mr G. Gillespie, however I had a good opinion of his
gifts, yet I profess he has much deceived me. Of a truth there is no man whose
parts in a publick dispute, I do so admire. He has studied so accurately all
the points which ever yet came to our Assembly, he has gotten so ready, so
assured, so solid a way of publick debating, that though there are in the
Assembly divers very excellent men, yet, in my poor judgement, there is not one
who speaks more rationally, and to the point, than that brave youth has ever
done; so that his absence would be prejudicial to our whole cause, and
unpleasant to all here who wish it well.’
And it has been said, that
once when both the Parliament and the Assembly were convened, and a long
studied discourse was made in favour of Erasrianism, to which none seemed
readily to offer any answer, that, Mr Gillespie, being urged by his brethren,
the Scottish Commissioners, repeated the substance of the whole discourse, and
refuted it, to the admiration of all persons who were present. And what struck
them most was, that though it was common for the members to rake notes of what
was spoken in the Assembly as helpful to their memory, and Mr Gillespie
appeared to be so employed during the delivery of that speech to which he
afterward made a reply, yet the person who sat next him declared, that upon
looking into his note book, they found nothing of that speech written, but in
different places, Lord, send help - Lord, give assistance - Lord, lend thine
own cause.
After his return to his own country from London, he was much
employed in the public affairs of the Church of Scotland. And, having been
eminently distinguished in the Assembly of Divines at Westminster for his
erudition and zeal in the cause of truth, he was chosen Moderator of the
General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, which convened at Edinburgh on the
14th of July, 1644. In this Assembly, several good acts were made in
approbation and favour of the covenanted work of Reformation. And, in it, Mr
Gilkspie was nominated one of those ministers who should prosecute the Treaty
of Uniformity in ‘Religion with the English Parliament and their Assembly
of Divines.’
But in a short time after this, he was seized with
sickness. Mr Ruthurford, in a letter to him, when on his death.bed, dated St.
Andrews, Sept. 27th, 1648, says: “ I dare say nothing against his
dispensation; I hope to follow quickly. The heirs who are not there before you,
are posting with haste after you, and none shall take your lodging over your
head. Be not heavy: the life of faith is now called for; doing was never
reckoned in your accounts; though Christ in and by you hath done more than by
twenty, yea, an hundred gray.haired and godly pastors. Believing now is your
last. Look to your word, Gal. ii, 2(Ye must leave the wife to a more choice
Husband, and the children to a better Father. If ye leave any testimony to the
Lord’s work and covenant, against both malignants and sectaries, which I
suppose may be needful, let it be under your hand, and subcribed before
faithful witnesses.)”
Gillespie was always firmly attached to the work
of Reformation, and left a faithful testimony in favour of it, and against all
the prevailing evils of that time. He died toward the end of the year 1648;
some say about the 17th of Dec. He was very little past the prime of life, and
his death was greatly lamented. And the Public had such sense of his real
worth, that first the Committee of Estates, and then the Parliament, ordered
one thousand pounds sterling to he given to his widow and child reti; but
through the troubles of the times that was not paid’
Of Mr
Gillespie’s abilities, both natural and acquired, we have the most
irrefragable proofs, in the testimony of his co-temporaries, and also in the
excellent writings which he has left behind him. With the original languages of
the Holy Scriptures he was intimately acquainted; his knowledge of antiquity
was extensive and pro. found; and his taknt, both for written argument and
extemporary debate, has been generally allowet. We are much indebted to him,
for that remarkable patience and ardour of research, which have enabled him to
cast very great light on the deeply interesting subject of Church- government.
In all his labours, he seems to have been truly active and zealous for the Lord
God of Hosts. and to have been well directed in his zeal, by the Spirit of
wisdom and of holiness.
From Memoirs of the
Westminster Divines, by James Reid.