ASSEMBLY OF DIVINES', or commonly called, from their place of meeting, the WEST MINSTER ASSEMBLY. A convocation appointed by the Long Parliament for settling the doctrine, liturgy, and government of the Church of Eng land. It consisted of 121 clergymen and 30 lay men-10 of whom were lords and 20 commoners —together with 4 clerical and 2 lay commission ers from the Church of Scotland. It held its first meeting on July 1, 1643, and continued to sit until February 22, 1649, during which time it had met 1163 times. The Presbyterians formed a large majority in the Assembly, and exercised a corresponding influence on its de cisions. In doctrine, the members were almost unanimous; hut on the subject of Church govern ment, opinions extremely opposite were main tained with keenness, especially on the question tonching the sphere and limits of the civil power in matters ecclesiastical. The principal fruits of these deliberations were the Directory of Pub lic Worship, submitted to Parliament April 20, 1644; the Confession of Faith, October and No vember, 1646: the Shorter Catechism, NOV0111 her 5, 1647; and the Larger Catechism, Septem ber 15, 1043. These several formularies, wili•h
contain a clear and rigid embodiment of Calvin istic theology and Presbyterian Church govern ment, constitute to this day the authorized standards of the Presbyterian Churches of Scot land, Ireland, and England. The Directory of Public Worship was ratified by both houses of Parliament October 2, 1644, and the doctrinal part of the Confession of Faith in March, 1643. An order of the house of Commons, October 13, 1647, ordained that the Presbyterian form of Church government should be tried for a year, but no further legislation followed.
Consult: Hetherington, History of the West minster Assembly (London, 1843) ; that by A. F. Mitchell, (London, 1882) ; and Masson, Life of I/i/ton, Vol. 11. (London, 1353-79), where a list of the members, with brief biographic notices. is given. See CREEDS AND CONFES SIONS.