Robert Fleming the younger

Robert Fleming the younger (1660?–1716) was a Scottish presbyterian minister, of liberal views, known as an early supporter of the principle of non-subscription to the Westminster Confession, and as an apocalyptic writer.

The son of Robert Fleming the elder, he was born at Cambuslang in Lanarkshire, about 1660. His early education was at the school of his uncle John Sinclair, minister of Ormiston, Haddingtonshire. In 1679 his father took him to Holland, where he studied at Leyden and Utrecht. On 9 February 1688 he was privately ordained by Scottish ministers in Holland, without special charge.

Fleming moved to England, and was domestic chaplain in a private family for about four years. In 1692 he accepted a call to the pastorate of the English presbyterian congregation at Leyden. On his father's death he was invited to succeed him in the Scots Church at Rotterdam, to which he was inducted in 1695.

In 1698 Fleming received a call to the Scots Church, Founders' Hall, Lothbury, supported by William Carstares and William III, who had known him in Holland. Fleming began his ministry there on 19 June 1698. The meeting-house was rebuilt for him about 1700. His position was influential: William III consulted him on the ecclesiastical affairs of Scotland, and he had good relations with Archbishop Thomas Tenison. Through the influence of a kinsman, John, Lord Carmichael, secretary of state for Scotland, he had the offer of the principalship of Glasgow University, but he declined.

On 15 May 1701 Fleming succeeded Vincent Alsop as one of the Tuesday lecturers at Salters' Hall, a lectureship which represented the liberal side in the Calvinistic controversy. On 7 May 1707 he was the spokesman of the London ministers of the "three denominations" in presenting an address of congratulation to Queen Anne on the union with Scotland.

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