George Gillespie
George Gillespie was a Scottish Presbyterian theologian. His A Dispute Against the English Popish Ceremonies Obtruded on the Church of Scotland (1637) reflected the fervour of the Presbyterians who rallied to the Covenant in the period leading up to the Bishops' Wars.
His father was John Gillespie, minister of Kirkcaldy. He studied at St. Andrews University, and is said to have graduated M.A. in 1629, though the date is probably that on which he entered the University. He became bursar of the Presbytery of Kirkcaldy, chaplain to John, Viscount Kenmure; to John, Earl of Cassilis, and tutor to his son, James, Lord Kennedy. He was ordained to Wemyss on 26th April 1638. He had calls to Aberdeen and St. Andrews. He was translated to Greyfriars, Edinburgh, in September 1642.
He was a member of the Westminster Assembly of Divines, 1643, and though the youngest member gave important assistance in the preparation of the Directory and Confession of Faith. He took final leave of Westminster on 10th July 1647, and presented the Confession of Faith to the General Assembly on 4th August, obtaining its ratification. He was elected to St. Giles, Edinburgh by the Town Council 22nd September 1647, and admitted shortly after that. He was elected Moderator of Assembly 12th July 1648.
“Though we have clear and full scriptures in the New Testament for abolishing the Ceremonial law, yet we nowhere read in all the new Testament of the abolishing of the Judicial law, so far as it did concern the punishing of sins against the Moral law, of which Heresy and seducing of souls is one, and a great one. Once God did reveal his will for punishing those sins by such and such punishments. He who will hold that the Christian Magistrate is not bound to inflict such punishments for such sins, is bound to prove that those former laws of God are abolished, and to shew some scripture for it.”