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Bulstrode Whitelocke

1605–1675

Memorialist; Commissioner of the Great Seal; ambassador to Sweden.

The Erastians

Biography

Of St John's Oxford and the Middle Temple, Whitelocke was MP for Marlow and one of the most active parliamentary lay assessors at the Assembly. He served as Commissioner of the Great Seal from 1648 and on numerous embassies, including the famous mission to Queen Christina of Sweden (1653-54) recorded in his Journal of the Swedish Embassy. His Memorials of the English Affairs from the Beginning of the Reign of King Charles the First to King Charles the Second His Happy Restauration (1682) remains the indispensable lawyer's-eye chronicle of the period — the source for many famous quotations from the Assembly debates, including Selden's most cutting interventions. He sympathised with the Erastians on polity but on most other questions was a moderate. Refused to sit in judgement on the king. Withdrew from public life at the Restoration. Died in 1675.

Principal works

Role at the Assembly

Lay Assessor — House of Commons

Parliament seated lay assessors alongside the divines to represent its interest and keep it informed of the Assembly's progress. The ordinance of 1643 named thirty members of the House of Commons as assessors; they could take part in debate but were not among the voting divines, and their attendance was often occasional as the war and parliamentary business pressed on them.

Party in 1 crux

Ontology placement · 1 override of 35

I. ✦ Scripture
Sufficiency Express-And-Good-Consequence Canon 66-Book-Protestant-Canon Authority Self-Authenticating-With-Internal-Witness Interpretation Scripture-Interprets-Scripture Necessity Necessary-After-The-Fall
II. ✠ God & Decree
Trinity Nicene-With-Filioque Order of Decrees Deliberately-Permits-Both Extent of Atonement Particular Reprobation Preterition-And-Just-Condemnation Covenant of Redemption Implicit-Affirmed
III. ⊕ Covenant
Number of Covenants Bi-Covenantal Mosaic Covenant Administration-Of-Grace Children of Believers Federal-Inclusion-Paedobaptist Testamental Continuity One-Substance-Different-Administrations
IV. ☧ Christology
Natures Chalcedonian-Two-Natures Offices Prophet-Priest-King States & Descent Humiliation-And-Exaltation; No-Local-Descent Active-Obedience Imputation Active-And-Passive-Obedience-Imputed
V. ✚ Soteriology
Effectual Calling Effectual-And-Renewing Justification Ground Imputed-Righteousness-Of-Christ Saving Faith Receptive-Resting-On-Christ-Alone Perseverance Certain-For-The-Elect Assurance Attainable-But-Not-Essence-Of-Faith
VI. ⚖ Law & Sanctification
Uses of the Law Three-Uses-Affirmed Tripartite Division Moral-Judicial-Ceremonial Sabbath Lords-Day-Fourth-Commandment-Perpetual Good Works Necessary-Fruit-Not-Meritorious
VII. ☩ Ecclesiology & Worship
Polity Erastian ≠ Sacramental Efficacy Signs-And-Seals-Conferring-Grace-By-Spirit Regulative Principle Strict-Only-What-Commanded Censures & Synods Three-Degrees-With-Graded-Synods
VIII. ⌛ Civil & Last Things
Magistrate's Role Custos-Utriusque-Tabulae (1646) Oaths & Marriage Oaths-Lawful-Serious; Divorce-Adultery-Or-Desertion Intermediate State Immediate-Conscious-With-God-Or-Judgment Final Judgment Single-Universal-Judgment-By-Christ