GILLESPIE, GEORGE (1613-1648), Scottish divine, was born at Kirkcaldy, where his father, John Gillespie, was parish minister, on Jan. 21, 1613, and was educated at the University of St. Andrews. He was acting as private chaplain to the earl of Cassillis when he wrote his first work, A Dispute against the Eng lish Popish Ceremonies obtruded upon the Church of Scotland (1637), which was burnt by order of the privy council. In April 1638 Gillespie was ordained minister of Wemyss (Fife), and in the same year was a member of the Glasgow Assembly, bef ore which he preached (Nov. 21) a sermon against royal interference in matters ecclesiastical. In 1642 Gillespie was translated to Edin burgh. In 1640 he had accompanied the commissioners of the peace to England as one of their chaplains; and in 1643 he was appointed one of the four Scottish commissioners to the West minster Assembly, where he displayed great power as a contro versialist. In 1645 he returned to Scotland, and is said to have drawn the Act of Assembly sanctioning the directory of public worship. On his return to London he had a hand in drafting the Westminster confession of faith, especially chap. i. Gillespie was elected moderator of the Assembly in 1648' The hard work en tailed by this office hastened his death, which took place at Kirk caldy on Dec. 17, 1648.
His principal publications were controversial and chiefly against Erastianism.
See Works, with memoir, published by Hetherington