The Auchensaugh Renovation of the National Covenant and
by
The Reformed Presbytery
Part 1 out of 3
Produced by Jordan Dohms and PG Distributed Proofreaders
THE AUCHENSAUGH RENOVATION
OF THE
NATIONAL COVENANT AND SOLEMN LEAGUE AND COVENANT;
WITH THE
ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF SINS AND ENGAGEMENT TO DUTIES,
AS THEY WERE
RENEWED AT AUCHENSAUGH, NEAR DOUGLAS,
JULY 24, 1712.
(COMPARED WITH THE EDITIONS OF PAISLEY, 1820, AND BELFAST, 1835.)
ALSO,
THE RENOVATION
OF THESE
PUBLIC FEDERAL DEEDS
ORDAINED AT PHILADELPHIA, OCTOBER 8, 1880,
BY THE
REFORMED PRESBYTERY,
WITH ACCOMMODATION OF THE ORIGINAL COVENANTS, IN BOTH TRANSACTIONS,
TO THEIR TIMES AND POSITIONS RESPECTIVELY.
* * * * *
PHILADELPHIA 1880.
* * * * *
PREFACE.
The Reformed Presbytery, at a meeting in Philadelphia, October 6th 1880,
"_Resolved_, That another edition of the Auchensaugh Deed be published,"
and appointed the undersigned a committee "to attend to this business
with all convenient speed."
This Presbytery, after forty years' experience, during which
opportunities have been afforded for examining the opinions and
practices of all parties, professing any regard for the Covenanted
Reformation, is still deeply impressed with the conviction that the
transaction at Auchensaugh 1712, is the only faithful renovation of our
Covenants, National and Solemn League. The fidelity of our fathers in
that hazardous and heroic transaction, it is believed, has ever since
been the _occasion_ (not the _cause_) of all opponents manifesting their
hostility to the whole covenanted cause, by first assaults upon that
detested Bond. And that this is the real state of the case we proceed to
prove by the following historical facts. _First._--In connection with
remodeling the Testimony; or rather by supplanting it in 1806, the Terms
of Communion, without submitting an overture, were also changed to
harmonize with _Reformation Principles Exhibited_, by excluding the
Auchensaugh Renovation from the fourth Term, where it had stood for
nearly a century. The same party have for years excluded from their
abstract of Terms the _Covenants themselves_. _Second._--In Scotland
this faithful document was expunged in 1822, obviously to prepare the
way for the adoption of a _"New Testimony"(!)_, which appeared 1837-9.
The majority of the actors in that work who survive, are now in the Free
Church! _Third._--At the time when defection was progressing in the R.P.
Synod of Scotland, the sister Synod of Ireland strenuously resisted an
attempt to remove the foresaid Bond from its place in the Terms. The
Rev. Messrs. Dick, Smith and Houston in 1837, were faithful and
successful for the time in resisting that attempt. Mr. Houston "_would
ever resist any alteration_ in respect of the Auchensaugh Bond,
regarding the objection laid against it as in reality aimed at the
Covenants themselves." Yet as a sequel to their Renovation of the
Covenants at Dervock 1853, the Auchensaugh Bond was subsequently "shown
to the porch"--removed from the Terms! _Fourth._--At what was called
covenant-renovation at Pittsburgh 1871, we believe no one spoke in
behalf of their fathers' noble achievement in 1712. Indeed this could
not be rationally expected in a body who could tolerate members
vilifying the very Covenants which they pretended to renew.
_Fifth._--Other parties farther removed from the position of their
reforming progenitors; but who still claim ecclesiastical affinity with
John Knox, and commonly prefix to the symbols of their faith the
historical word _Westminster_, give very strong expression to their
feelings of hostility--not to the Auchensaugh Bond, of which probably
they never heard, but to the British Covenants expressly; yea, to the
very ordinance of public social covenanting itself. But we shall let
them speak for themselves. One Doctor of divinity is reported as
saying--"I am opposed to the whole matter of covenanting. Covenants do
an immense sight more harm than good. Those Scotch Covenanters brought
persecution upon themselves by their covenants."[1]
Another Dr. said, "I have always been opposed to covenanting. One
generation of God's people have no right to enter into bonds that entail
obligations upon future generations."[2] A third Dr. said, "I hold it is
a sin for men to go into the august presence of God and enter into
covenant with him. It is base presumption."[3] A fourth Dr. said, "I
hold that the church as an organization is not a responsible moral
agent. Neither is the nation!" These sentiments may well excite
astonishment and alarm, when proclaimed by accredited teachers of
morality and religion. _Sixth._--Seceders have all along their history
claimed to be the sole heirs of the Scottish covenanted inheritance.
They are not ignorant of the Auchensaugh Renovation. How they view that
transaction may be best ascertained from their own language. The
_Original Secession Magazine_ for November 1880, p. 861, speaks thus,
"The distinction drawn between 'Covenanters' and 'Seceders,' we have
shown to be groundless. Are Reformed Presbyterians covenanters at all?
There is not an _actual_ Covenanter among them. They renewed the
Covenants after a fashion in 1712. In our view the Covenants were not
renewed, they were only mangled," &c. These sentiments are sufficiently
strong and explicit to be intelligible. The writer's feelings evidently
interfered with judicial discrimination, while openly expressing that
hostility to the Auchensaugh Bond which is concealed by others. The Rev.
John McMillan, whom the Lord honored to take the lead at Auchensaugh, is
especially branded by this writer who asserts,--"he did not secede and
retire, he was expelled; nor was the position of his early associates in
the ministry of the purest water." Moreover, this writer asserts "that
they (Seceders) have actually renewed the Covenants, from time to time,
during the whole period of their existence." How could this be, since
Seceders have all along rejected "the civil part of the Covenants?" But
these documents bear on their face a direct aim at personal, domestic,
ecclesiastical, and civil reformation. No party can intelligently and
honestly renew the National Covenant and Solemn League, while eulogizing
the "Glorious Revolution" of 1688, while in allegiance to the British
throne--that "bloody horn of the beast;" or whose political principles
will identify them with any other horn which may have power to scatter
"Judah." Zech. i: 21.
We have thus attempted by an induction of particulars, as concisely as
we could, to point out existing opposition to our Covenanted
Reformation, by various parties who assail the British Covenants
directly, or by a first assault upon the Auchensaugh Bond, would reach a
fatal stroke at the Covenants themselves. We believe with our
predecessors that those who reject the Auchensaugh Renovation, by
logical necessity will relinquish the Covenants themselves.
The reader may be assured that neither we nor the Reformed Presbytery,
whose committee we are, claim Papal infallibility or Christian
perfection; nor do we ask implicit faith in any uninspired documents.
But we sincerely believe ourselves that the Auchensaugh Renovation and
the Bond, to which the foregoing statements are prefixed, will be found
on examination to be sound, faithful, and "in nothing contrary to the
word of God."
DAVID STEELE,
ROBERT ALEXANDER,
JOHN CLYDE.
_Committee_
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 1: This gentleman does not seem to know that infidels use
similar argument against Christianity. Or, did he never read--"I came
not to send peace on the earth, but a sword." His logic also is as
faulty as his theology--_non causa pro causa_.]
[Footnote 2: On what principle does this minister dispense the ordinance
of baptism to subjects in their minority? Is baptism a mere ceremony,
involving no obligation upon the children of believers? Gen. xvii: 14.]
[Footnote 3: No _presumption_, when graciously invited to do so. Is.
lvi: 4, 6, 11. This teaching tends to the subversion of social
order--the moral order of the universe. 2 Pet. ii: 10.]
* * * * *
THE AUCHENSAUGH RENOVATION.
THE NATIONAL COVENANT AND SOLEMN LEAGUE AND COVENANT, WITH THE
ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF SINS AND ENGAGEMENT TO DUTIES: AS THEY WERE RENEWED AT
AUCHENSAUGH, NEAR DOUGLAS, 24th JULY, 1712, WITH ACCOMMODATION TO THE
(THEN) PRESENT TIMES.
PSALM lxxvi: 11. Vow and pay unto the Lord your God.
ISAIAH xxiv: 5. The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof:
because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken
the everlasting covenant.
EZEK. xvii: 18. Seeing he despised the oath by breaking the covenant
(when, lo, he had given his hand), and hath done all these _things_, he
shall not escape.
2 TIM. iii: 3. Truce-breakers--or Covenant-breakers.
HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION.
It is the ineffable product of eternal love, and infinite condescension
in God toward his rational creatures, that ever he was pleased to make a
covenant with them, and not to command and require obedience to his holy
and just will, by virtue of his most absolute supremacy and rightful
dominion only; but even to superadd sweet and precious promises, as a
reward of that obedience, which he might of right have required, without
giving any such incitements or pursuasives to it. And as no tongue of
men or angels is sufficient to express, no strength of imagination to
conceive, no sublimity of intellectual faculties to comprehend the depth
of that spring, and breadth of that ocean of unbounded love, which hath
exerted itself in God's covenanting with man; yea, with sinful man, by
means of a Mediator: so shall it always afford matter of wonder and
admiration to all finite and intelligent beings, to the ages of
eternity, and shall never be comprehended by any, but by him whose
understanding is infinite; wherefore He, who is all-sufficient and
self-sufficient, should invite, yea, press and entreat unworthy indigent
nothings, the sinful children of men to such an incomparable degree of
honor, dignity and advancement, as that is, to enter into a covenant
relation, and come into a solemn treaty of peace and conjunction with
Him, who is infinitely removed beyond all blessing and all praise. To
have this invitation, is indeed the honor and privilege of all within
the visible church, to whose ears the joyful sound of the glorious
gospel of Jesus Christ hath come; but few are so wise as to accept and
approve it. Many, too many, account themselves unworthy of this honor,
and by despising this privilege, and rejecting this dignity, deprive
themselves of the greatest happiness; but as all nations, upon whom the
day-star of the gospel hath arisen, have had the invitation to this
duty, and all sound and real believers have actually participated of
this honor, to have God making a covenant with them, and they striking
hands with Him through a Mediator (which covenant is commonly termed the
_Covenant of Grace_,) so these three kingdoms of Scotland, England and
Ireland conjunctly, and Scotland by itself, as an independent nation,
had in an eminent way and manner the honor, above most nations in the
world, to dedicate and surrender themselves to the Lord, by a most
voluntary, free and deliberate choice, and to come under the bond of a
most solemn oath, in a most religious manner, devoting their all to
Christ, his interest and honor, the flourishing and thriving of his
kingdom, the success of his gospel, and reformation of his churches; and
openly avouching him for their Lord and Master, to the honor of his
name, and confusion of his enemies; which _Covenants National_ and
_Solemn League_, though we look not upon them to be the same with the
covenant of grace, yet we conceive of them as a solemn superadded and
new obligation, tying us to all the duties, as well of a particular
Christian conversation, as these which tend to the public and national
advancement of reformation in religion, whereof the covenant of grace is
the spring and foundation.
These covenants, as they were the effects and consequents of many
remarkable and signal expressions of divine love and goodness, many
singular mercies and deliverances vouchsafed to these nations, as the
return of many earnest prayers and wrestlings of the Lord's people with
him; so they were the occasions of many blessings, and great indications
of God's favor and loving-kindness. Then the Lord delighted to dwell in
the nations; then did he beautify the place of his sanctuary; then did
he fill his people's hearts with joy and gladness, by the familiar
intimations of his special love and down pourings of his Spirit's
gracious influences, as our land can afford many instances. Then did he
enlarge his people's affections, and animate their spirits with zeal and
courage, attended with knowledge, prudence and discretion to act for
him, and advance his kingdom. Then did he illustrate his churches in
these kingdoms, as bright and sparkling stars arising out of the thick
clouds of antichristian darkness, and getting out from under Prelatic
and Erastian yokes of bondage and slavery, and made them go forth as the
meridian sun glorious and excellent; _terrible as an army with banners_.
Hence it came to pass that these nations sent out a savory report to all
the neighboring reformed churches, a report which comforted, revived,
strengthened, animated and encouraged all the true and loyal subjects of
Christ's kingdom; which struck terror and amazement to the hearts of his
enemies; which shook and caused to tremble the pillars of Antichrist's
kingdom, and disquieted the very foundations of the _seat of that
beast_; which made malignants at home and abroad to be ashamed and
confounded, and even forced the haters of the Lord to _feign submission
to him_. Numberless were the advantages and privileges which did redound
to these nations by, and were the lovely attendants and sweet
consequents of, these covenants; whereby God did set to his seal of
approbation, and gave clear evidence and demonstration of his acceptance
of his people's cheerful and willing adventures in this duty of
covenanting with him: and as these blessings and mercies, which, as the
dew of Hermon, were distilled upon his people's heads and hearts, while
they abode steadfast with him, and faithful in his covenant were so many
irrefragable proofs of his acquiescence in their first and laudable
undertakings; so the many sad and fearful plagues, distractions,
confusions and miseries, which have attended and followed the many gross
breaches and violations of these covenants and departures from God, are
no less evident discoveries, undeniable signs and pregnant convictions
of the Lord's most just displeasure and indignation with the bypast and
present courses of revolting and backsliding from him; which courses of
declension and grievous apostatizing from God and his covenant, all the
three kingdoms and in special this nation, and every individual therein
capable of such a work, are, without all controversy, called to bewail
and confess before God, and by speedy amendment to turn from them, in
order to avert judgments, and turn away justly impendent wrath and long
threatened strokes.
The consideration of these blessings and benefits, on the one hand,
which followed the zealous entering into, and sincere performing of
these sacred oaths; and upon the other hand the sense we desire to
retain of the plagues and curses, threatened by God in his word against
covenant-breaking inflicted upon covenant-breakers in former ages, and
foreign nations, and visibly impending upon us in these nations, for our
perfidious dealing in God's covenant; hath moved us a _poor
insignificant handful of people_, unworthy indeed to be called the
posterity of our zealous reforming ancestors, though heartily desirous
to be found adhering to the same standard of doctrine, worship,
discipline and government to which they adhered, to attempt this solemn
and weighty duty of renewing (in our capacities and stations) these
covenant obligations, that we might at least give some discovery of our
respect to the cause of God, for the advancement and preservation
whereof these covenants were first entered into, and afterwards again
and again renewed by our religious progenitors, and by the whole
representative body of the three kingdoms, who had any zeal for the
interest of religion. And that we might, for our parts, be in some
measure instrumental to transmit a testimony for the work of God in our
land to the succeeding generation. Neither do we want, besides these
general motives, some special inducements to this undertaking. As 1.
Because these national covenants, having been nationally broken, and
their funeral piles erected by wicked and perfidious rulers in the
capital cities of the kingdom, with all imaginable ignominy and
contempt, have long lien buried and (almost) quite forgotten under these
ashes; most people either hating the very name and remembrance of them,
or at least being ashamed honorably to avouch their adherence to them,
and afraid to endeavor a vigorous and constant prosecution of the duties
contained in them: So that it is high time that every one should do his
utmost towards a reviving of them. 2. Because many openly declare their
sorrow and grief that ever these covenants should have been entered
into: malignants calling them a conspiracy, attributing every
miscarriage of the persons engaged in them to the covenants themselves
as their native effects; and others, who would take it ill to be called
malignants, making them the causes of all the tyranny, rapine, bloodshed
and persecution of the late reigns, as having raised the spleen of the
enemies of religion, and accounting it safer that they should lie still
in their graves, than that they should irritate malignants any more by
their resurrection.[4] Therefore we judge it our duty to renew them,
that we might evidence, that notwithstanding all these malicious
calumnies and false consequences cast upon them, we are still of the
same judgment with our reformers, that they are the most sovereign
means, under the blessing of God, for the reviving and preserving the
work of God in the land. 3. Because of the courses that are carried on
in direct opposition to these covenants; the nations, formerly cemented
in peace and love in conjunction with truth and righteousness, having
broken these bonds, and united themselves upon another footing, by the
late sinful incorporating union: and imposing new oaths in opposition to
the covenant; such as abjuration, &c. granting license, protection and
toleration to all the evils abjured in the covenant; as heresies and
errors in doctrine, superstition in worship, Prelacy and Erastianism in
government, and overthrowing all good discipline. 4. Because of our own
sinful miscarriages in, and woful declinings from our covenanted duties,
our proneness to break covenant with God, and to be indifferent, lax,
negligent and unsteadfast in the cause and work of God, and to be led
away with the error of the wicked, and to fall from our steadfastness;
wherefore we thought it necessary to bind ourselves by a new tie to the
Lord, and one to another in a zealous prosecution of covenanted duties,
that the covenant might be as a hedge to keep us from running out into
the paths of destroyers. 5. We being sincerely desirous and having an
earnest longing to celebrate the sacred ordinance of the Lord's Supper,
whereof many had unjustly called us despisers and contemners, and
finding it to have been the laudable practice of the church of Scotland
formerly, that all such as were admitted to that holy table should swear
and subscribe the covenant before their coming thereunto; we judged it a
fit preparation for our receiving a sacramental confirmation of God's
covenanted love and favor to us, through our Lord Jesus Christ, that we
should avouch Him for our God, and testify our adherence to His cause
and truth, by our renewing our national covenants with Him.
Upon these and the like weighty considerations we resolved to set about
this solemn and tremendous duty; and being assured that we have no
sufficiency in ourselves for any such undertaking, after frequently
imploring the Lord for light and direction, strength and assistance, and
seeking for ourselves a right way in the performance of the duty, upon
days of humiliation, both in our private societies and publicly in the
fields, we did condescend upon the following _acknowledgment of sins_,
the more to enable us to remember our own and the land's breaches of
covenant, in our solemn public confession thereof; and did draw up the
following _engagement to duties_, not to superadd any new oath and
obligation to the covenants, but only to adjust the articles of the
covenant to the circumstances of the time, and to explain in what sense
the covenant binds us against the present evils that are now prevalent
in the land, and to the contrary duties. As for the covenants
themselves, we made no material alteration in them, as judging it a work
more proper for an assembly of divines, or representative body of church
and state (had they been upright and faithful in this cause) than for
us, who, as we are called by others in contempt, must own ourselves in
truth to be, _but a handful of weak and most illiterate people_, and but
as babes in comparison of the first framers of our covenants; only that
we might make them in some measure accomodable to the present lamentable
circumstances, whereinto we are involved by our iniquities, we have
annotated some few necessary alterations upon the margin, wherein the
judicious will find that we have in nothing receded from the scope and
substance of the covenant, but only in the phrase; for instance, where
the covenant binds to _the defence and preservation of the king's
majesty and government_, in regard we have no king nor supreme civil
magistrate so qualified, as God's law and the laudable laws of this
realm require, to whom we might, for conscience sake, subject ourselves,
in a consistency with our defending the true reformed religion in all
its parts and privileges: Therefore, we can only bind ourselves to
_defend and preserve the honor, authority and majesty of lawful
sovereigns, or supreme magistrates, having the qualifications aforesaid,
when God shall be pleased to grant them to us_. Where no judicious
person will say that there is any substantial alteration as to the
_matter of the duty_, but only as to the object to whom the duty is to
be performed; there being none such in being as can justly claim, or to
whom we may with a good conscience pay such an allegiance.
Having mutually agreed concerning these prerequisites to this sacred
action, that the same might be orderly gone about, and might not be
performed in a clandestine way, so as to preclude any upright-hearted
friends to the covenanted reformation from joining with us in that so
necessary a duty, there was public intimation made of the design a
competent space of time before, upon a day of humiliation, and likewise
upon the Lord's day immediately preceding the work.
As for the particular way and manner, method and circumstances of the
work, we had not given any narrative of them; but that some, who came
with an evil eye, to spy out our liberty, for criticizing, not for
joining or profiting, have in part misrepresented the same, and may
further do so; therefore, to obviate all such misreports, we have
thought fit to make this brief relation thereof.
Upon Wednesday, July 23d, those who had the work in design being met
together, the minister began the day's work with prayer for special
assistance to attain due preparation, and a suitable frame, throughout
the whole solemnity: and thereafter had a prefatory discourse to the
people, showing the nature of the work in general, its lawfulness,
expediency, and necessity, from scripture precedents and approven
examples of the people of God, adducing the 9th chapter of Ezra, Neh.
Ezek. Dan. and Neh. x. 28, 29, for proof thereof; and of the day in
particular, that it was a day of fasting and supplication, with
preaching of the word, in order to preparation for the solemnities
intended, both of renewing the covenants and celebrating the sacrament
of the Lord's, Supper. After which a part of the lxxviii. Psalm, from
the 5th to the 12th verse being sung, Mr. John M'Neil, preacher of the
gospel, had a sermon upon Jer. 1. 4, and 5. "In those days, and in that
time, saith the Lord, the children of Israel shall come, they and the
children of Judah together, going and weeping: they shall go and seek
the Lord their God. They shall ask the way to Zion, with their faces
thitherward, saying, Come and let us join ourselves to the Lord, in a
perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten." From which text he
raised and prosecuted largely, and particularly the two following
observations, as most pertinent for the work of the day; the first
implicitly supposed, the other more explicitly asserted in the words;
viz. 1. That, _a people in covenant with God may be forgetful of and
deal falsely in their covenant_; or that _covenant-takers may be
covenant-breakers_. 2. That, _it is the duty of a people who have broken
covenant with God to engage themselves again to the Lord by the
renovation of their covenant_. Where in prosecuting the former, he
showed by what gradual steps of declension a people usually come to deal
falsely in God's covenant, such as, (1.) By forgetfulness, Deut. iv. 23.
There being a connexion between forgetting and forsaking, or dealing
falsely in God's covenant, so the church intimates, Psal. xliv. 17, 18.
"All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have
we dealt falsely in thy covenant; our heart is not turned back, neither
have our steps declined from thy way." And the returning remnant of
Israel being sensible of this connexion, resolve to bind themselves to
the Lord _in a perpetual covenant that may not be forgotten_. (2.) By
seeking shifts and arguments to elude and evade the obligation of the
covenant and to defend the breaches thereof; which is after vows to make
inquiry. (3.) By despising the bond of it; Ezek. xvi. 59. "Which hast
despised the oath in breaking the covenant." (4.) By defection to the
iniquities which are sworn and engaged against in the covenant, Jer. xi.
10. "They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which
refused to hear my words; and they went after other gods to serve them;
the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant,
which I made with their fathers." (5.) By changing the government, laws,
and ordinances sworn to be maintained in the covenant; either the
government of the state, without consulting divine direction, and due
inspection into the qualification of the persons set up, Hos. viii.,
compare the 1st and 4th verses. "They have transgressed my covenant, &c.
They have set up kings, but not by me, princes and I knew it not;" that
is, without consulting me to know my will, and without my approbation
and consent; or the government of the church, without regard to the
revealed will of God. Thus, Abijah justly chargeth Jeroboam that he had
"cast out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites,"
and that he had "made priests after the manner of the nations of other
lands;" but encourages himself that he and Judah had the Lord for their
God, because they had not forsaken him; "and the priests which
ministered unto the Lord were the sons of Aaron." 2 Chron. xiii. 6, 10.
(6.) By an entire forsaking and disowning the obligation of the
covenant, Dan. xi. 30. "He------shall have intelligence with them that
forsake the holy covenant." (7.) By a stated opposition to the covenant,
and persecuting of these who adhere thereunto. Thus Elijah justly
charges Israel, 1 Kings xix. 10, that they had forsaken God's covenant,
because they had thrown down his altars, slain his prophets, and sought
after Elijah's life. And in a use of lamentation deduced from the
foresaid doctrine, he showed, that all ranks in the land had reason to
mourn over their breach of covenant, in regard that some of all ranks,
from the throne to the dunghill, in church and state, are, or have been
guilty of dealing falsely in God's covenant, in all and every one of
these diverse ways, and of declining from it: and in regard that there
has been so much ignominy and contempt cast upon these sacred covenants,
not only by breaking them openly, but also avowedly disowning and
disdaining their obligation, and making the adherence to them criminal;
and, which is above all, burning them by the hand of the hangman, and
burying them so long in forgetfulness. This guiltiness he applied not to
great persons only, but also to professors, to ministers, and
particularly to ourselves, who are called dissenters from the present
establishment; pressing upon us no less than others, the absolute and
indispensable necessity of being convinced of, and mourning over these,
not as the sins of others only, but also as our own--we having a chief
hand in the trespass; pressing upon all present concerned in the work
the duty of self-examination, and putting themselves to the trial,
concerning their knowledge of the covenant obligations, both as to their
nature and extent, as well as their sense of the breaches of these
obligations.
In the second head of doctrine, viz., _That it is the duty of a people
who have broken covenant with God, to engage themselves again to him by
renovation of their covenant_; after proving the proposition by several
heads of arguments deduced--1st, From the lawfulness of entering into
covenant with God, whether personal, as Jacob, Gen. xxviii. 20, 21, or
economical, as Joshua and his family, Josh. xxiv. 15, or national, as
God brought his people Israel under a covenant with himself, Exod. xix
5. The consequence holding undeniably, that if it be lawful and
necessary, in any of these respects, to enter into covenant with God, it
must needs be also lawful and a duty to renew the same after the breach
thereof. 2dly, From Scripture precedents of the people of God, who,
after breaking off and declining from God's covenant, renewed the same.
As for instance, the covenant made with Israel at Horeb, was renewed at
the plains of Moab, Deut. xxxix;--by Joshua, chap, xxiv.;--by Asa, 2
Chron. xv. 13, 14;--by Jehoiada, 2 Kings xi. 17;--by Hezekiah, 2 Chron.
xxix. 10;--by Josiah, 2 Kings, xxiii. 2;--by Ezra and Nehemiah, Ezra, x.
3;--Neh. ix ult. and x. 28, 29. 3dly, From Scripture precepts, Deut.
xxix. 1--"These are the words of the covenant which the Lord commanded
Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, beside
the covenant which he made with them in Horeb." Psalm, lxxvi. 11--"Vow,
and pay unto the Lord your God." 4thly, From Scripture promises, wherein
the Lord promiseth as a blessing and mercy to his church and people,
that they should renew their covenant with him, Isaiah xix. 21, 23--25;
Zech. ii. 11. For further opening of the proposition, these two
questions were proposed and solved--_First_, Whether all persons who
have broken covenant with God may be admitted to renew the same?
_Answer_, All sorts of persons in the three kingdoms are under the
obligation of the covenant, and consequently, bound to renew and keep it
inviolable; but all are not in present capacity, and therefore have no
actual right to enter into covenant: such as are obstinately wicked,
living in error, profanity, or malignancy, have not God's call and right
from him, as such, to renew a covenant with him; for, Psal. 1. 16,
17--"God says to the wicked, What hast thou to do to take my covenant in
thy mouth?" But all such as are reformed, or reforming from all
iniquity, and namely from the defections and compliances of the time;
who have some suitable sense of the breaches, and competent knowledge
and understanding of the duties engaged unto in the covenant, Neh. x.
28, have a right and an immediate call to the duty of renewing the
covenant. 2dly, If any number of people may renew a national oath and
covenant without the consent and concurrence of royal authority, or at
least, without the concurrence of some chief and principal men in church
and state? _Answer_, Without the concurrence of church and state, a
covenant cannot be taken or renewed nationally, speaking strictly; yet a
few may publicly declare their adherence to their covenant-engagements
by renewing them, not only without the consent and concurrence of
authority, but against it; and there are several precedents for so
doing, both before and since the established reformation. As for
instance, that covenant at Edinburgh, Anno 1557; at Perth, 1559; at
Stirling, the same year; another at Leith, Anno 1560; another at Ayr,
1562. And at Lanark, a small handful of the Lord's people renewed it in
direct opposition to, and at Lesmahago, without the consent or
concurrence of authority; which instances may be both an inducement and
encouragement to us to renew, and in our mean capacity, to testify to
the nation our approbation of, and adherence to these covenants.
In the prosecution of this doctrine, he had occasion also to insist upon
the _reasons_, or _motives_, and _manner_ of entering into covenant. The
scope and argument of the reasons adduced as motives to the duty of
covenanting was to this effect:--
1. The turning away of the Lord's wrath and anger from a land, or
people, which covenant-breaking hath deserved, may be a motive to
renewing covenant with God; this was the motive that prompted the good
reforming King Hezekiah to make a covenant with the Lord, 2 Chron. xxix.
10--"Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the Lord God of
Israel, that his fierce wrath may turn away from us." And Nehemiah, with
the returned captives, Neh. ix. 38--"And because of all this, we make a
sure covenant."
2. Reviving and advancement in reformation, being the ordinary
consequent and effect of upright covenanting with the Lord, may be
another motive and inducement thereunto; this appears both in personal
and national covenanting--In personal, Psal. cxix. 106--"I have sworn,
and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments." The
Psalmist's having sworn, was a very quickening consideration to excite
him to the performance of his duty. In national covenanting, we always
find, after the people of Israel and Judah had covenanted with the Lord,
they made progress in reformation, and the land was purged of
abominations and idols. Thus it was in Asa's covenant, 2 Chron. xv. 12
to 19; for there, the people have entered into a covenant with the Lord,
"and sworn with all their soul, and with all their heart," the Lord was
found of them; and Asa removed his mother, Maachah, from her royal
dignity, and stamped the idol which she had made, and burnt it at the
brook Kidron; and he brought into the house of the Lord the things that
his father and himself had dedicated. Thus it was also in Jehoiada's
covenant, which he made "between the Lord, and the king, and the people,
that they should be the Lord's people," 2 Kings xi. 17, 18, 20; for,
immediately after the making of his covenant, "all the people of the
land went into the house of Baal, and brake it down--his altars, and his
images brake they in pieces thoroughly; and the priest appointed
officers over the house of the Lord;" and they slew Athaliah with the
sword. The like is evident in Hezekiah's covenanting, 2 Chron. xxxiv.,
xxxv. chapters.
3. This upright renewing of covenant with the Lord is a way and mean to
procure many mercies, both spiritual and temporal, from the hand of the
Lord; which should be a strong inducement and motive to engage us
thereunto. Spiritual mercies are entailed upon it, Deut. xxix. 12, 13.
"That thou shouldest enter into covenant with the Lord thy God, and into
his oath, which the Lord thy God maketh with thee this day: that he may
establish thee to-day for a people to himself, and that he may be unto
thee a God, as he hath said unto thee, and as he hath sworn unto thy
fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob." Temporal mercies are also
promised to this upright renewing and keeping covenant, Deut. xxix.
9--"Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may
prosper in all that ye do." And, it is remarked, 2 Chron. xv. 15, that
after Asa's covenant, "the Lord gave them rest round about."
4. The malice and opposition of the Popish, Prelatical, and malignant
party against the covenants, and their doing what in them lies, to make
their obligation void and null, may be a motive and argument for the
people of God so much the more to avouch their respect to them by a
public adherence, especially after long continued breaches.
5. Upright entering into, or renewing covenant with God, is a most
sovereign medicine for healing a people's breaches, as well as their
backslidings, the covenant being a cement, as well to join and unite the
people of God one to another, as all of them in their duty to God; and,
as it flows from the nature of the covenant to unite the friends of
reformation, so it is observable as one of the peculiar fruits of
covenant-renewing, that union in the Lord has followed thereupon: thus
it was with Israel and Judah in the text, who united together in making
a covenant with the Lord. Whence all the people of God, who are called
to be united and "perfectly joined together in the same spirit, and in
the same mind;" and especially they who have been lamentably divided one
from another, by their manifold defections from God, and from their
covenant-engagements, ought to be strongly inclined, moved, and engaged
to this duty; from this consideration, the upright covenant-renewing is
a usual mean of land-uniting and church-uniting dispositions amongst the
people of God.
As for the manner of renewing covenant with God, and how the duty ought
to be gone about, he propounded and opened it in the following
particulars, to this effect:--
1. That it must be done with understanding and judgment, both in
relation to the nature of the duties we engage to perform in the
covenant: grossly ignorant persons being justly deprived of the
privilege of engaging in covenant, though bound to inform themselves of
its nature and obligation; and also in relation to the breaches, such as
would engage into it being called to have some suitable sense and
understanding, both how it has been violated, and by what means persons
come to be guilty of the breach thereof. So, Neh. x. 28, 29--"Every one
that had knowledge and understanding entered into the covenant."
2. This duty must be gone about with sincerity and uprightness of heart;
thus Joshua, when making a covenant with the people, that they should
serve the Lord, exhorts them--"Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve
him in sincerity and truth," Joshua, xxiv., compare the 25th verse with
the 14th. The want of which qualification in covenant-renewing, causes
unsteadfastness and perfidy in covenant-performing--Psal. lxxviii. 36,
37.
3. This duty of covenant-renewing requires, as a qualification towards
the right performing of it, that there be a due consideration, and some
suitable impression of the solemnity and weightiness of the work: which
ariseth, partly from the _object_ or _party covenanted with_, the holy
and jealous God, Joshua xxiv. 19--"He is a holy God, he is a jealous
God, he will not forgive your transgressions, nor your sins," and partly
from the _subject matter covenanted, or engaged to_. The articles of the
covenant of grace, which we have professedly, at last, yielded to in our
baptism, are weighty; for therein, as God engages to give us himself,
his Son Christ Jesus, and in him all temporal and eternal blessings; so
we engaged to be obedient children, and faithful subjects to him all the
days of our lives. And the articles of these national covenants are
weighty, for therein we engage to great things relating to the glory of
God, and the good of our own and other's souls. And, partly, this
weightiness ariseth from the great _danger and dreadful punishment of
breaking the covenant_; which is threatened in many places of Scripture.
The same is also intimated to us in the customs both of the Jews and
Heathens, in entering into covenant; particularly, we find that the Jews
used to cut a calf, or some other clean beast, in twain, and pass
between the parts of it--using this, or the like form of speech, as the
Jewish doctors relate--"So God divide or separate me, if I keep not this
covenant." Jer. xxxiv. 18, compared with verse 20--"I will give the men
into the hands of their enemies who have transgressed my covenant, which
they had made before me, when they cut the calf in twain, and passed
between the parts thereof." Nehemiah also, chap. v. 12, 13, when he took
an oath of the priests, shook his lap and said--"So God shake out every
man from his house, and from his labour, that performeth not this
promise," &c. And all the covenanters said--"Amen."
4. Much tenderness and heart-melting is requisite to the right
performing of this duty. So it was with covenant-renewing Israel and
Judah, who were "weeping as they went to seek the Lord their God, and to
make a covenant never to be forgotten." This brokenness of heart, and
tender-melting frame may arise, both from the consideration of the many
sins and iniquities whereby persons have provoked the Lord their God to
anger, whence they come "to be like doves of the valley, every one
mourning for his iniquity:" and likewise from the consideration of the
grace and mercy of God, manifested in Christ Jesus, his condescension to
enter into a covenant with sinful men, and readiness, upon his people's
repentance, to pardon their former breaches; from the consideration of
this transcendently free grace, an humble and sincere covenanter will be
transported into an ecstacy of wonder and admiration; as the church is,
Mic. vii. 18, 19, 20--"Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth
iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his
heritage?" &c.
5. Dependency and recumbency upon the Lord by faith, for strength to
perform covenant engagements, is requisite to right covenanting, Isa.
xxvii. 5--"Let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with
me; and he shall make peace with me." This is to "take hold of" God's
covenant, Isa. lvi. 4.
6. Affection to God and the duties whereunto we engage, is requisite to
right covenanting, and that in its flower and vigour, height and
supremacy. Thus, 2 Chron. xv. 12, 15, Asa and the people "entered into a
covenant, to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart,
and with all their soul:--And all Judah rejoiced at the oath; for they
had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire."
They had an affection to the work, and did it with complacency, not in
dissimulation, so as not to design to perform it: nor through
compulsion, with an eye to secular profit or preferment, as many in
these lands did.
7. It is necessary, in order to right covenanting, that the work be
gone about with a firm purpose and resolution (through grace enabling
us) to adhere to our covenant engagements, notwithstanding whatever
opposition and persecution we may meet with from the world for so doing,
and whatever difficulties and discouragements may arise from the
multitude of those, who prove unsteadfast in, or foully forsake their
covenant. We must stand to our covenant, as it is said of Josiah, 2
Chron. xxxiv. 32, that "he caused all that were present in Judah and
Benjamin, to stand to" the covenant, which implies as well a firm
resolution to perform, as consent to engage, as in the latter part of
the verse, it is remarked, that "the inhabitants of Jerusalem did
according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers;" where
_doing according to the covenant_ is exegetical of _standing to it._
David also joins the resolution of performance with swearing; Psal.
cxix. 106. "I have sworn, and I will perform, that I will keep thy
righteous judgments."
From the doctrine thus confirmed and explained, he drew this inference,
by way of information, that seeing it is a people's duty, who have
broken covenant with the Lord, to engage themselves again to him, by
renewing their covenant, that it is not arbitrary for us (as many are
apt to think) to renew, or not to renew our covenant; but that there is
a plain and positive necessity for our repenting and returning again to
the Lord, by entering anew into covenant with him, whether personal made
in baptism, or at the Lord's table, or under affliction and trouble, or
national vows and covenants entered into by ourselves or our fathers.
And in a use of lamentation, he bewailed the backwardness of these
lands, and particularly of this nation, to this duty; in that, now after
sixty years and upwards of great defections from, and grievous breaches
of our covenants by people of all ranks; yet there appears so little
sense of either the obligations or breaches of them, and of a
disposition to reviving them, even amongst those who not only profess
some love to the reformation of religion, but even some belief of their
perpetual binding obligation; and that notwithstanding, as the Prophet
Isaiah saith, concerning Judah, chap. xxiv. 5, "The earth (or the land)
is defiled under the inhabitants thereof, because they have transgressed
the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant;" our
land having been denied with Popery and Prelacy, and with a flood of
abomination and profanity, the natural consequent of perfidy, the
ordinances having been changed, perverted and corrupted, and the
covenant not only broken, but burnt ignominiously, and the adherence to
it made criminal; yet, for all this, there has not been a time found for
renewing them these twenty-three years; and that ministers, at whose
door it chiefly lay to stir up the land to this work, have many of them
been as careless as others, waiving and putting off a stumbled and
offended people, expressing some concernedness for this duty, with these
and the like pretexts, that it was not a fit time, nor the land in a
case for it (too sad a truth), but not laboring to get the land brought
to be in a case and disposition for it, by pressing the obligation, and
plainly discovering the violations thereof; so that, instead of being
brought to a fitter condition for this duty, the covenants are almost
forgotten and quite out of mind, so that the succeeding generation is
scarce like to know that ever there was a covenant sworn in Scotland.
And more particularly, that the godly, who are dissatisfied with, and
dissent from the defections and corruptions of the times, have
discovered so little concern about the work of reformation, and cause of
God, which the covenants oblige us to own, defend, and promote. All
which laxness and remissness is for a lamentation, and ought to be
lamented and mourned over by the people of God.
In the exhortation, he pressed upon us who are embodied together to
renew our _covenant-engagements_, by giving an open and public testimony
of our adherence to the _covenants, national_ and _solemn league_, that
we should labor to attain a suitable frame, and serious consideration of
the weightiness, solemnity, and awfulness of the work we were then
undertaking: enforcing the same by several cogent motives, as namely,
because in renewing these covenants we are called to remember our
baptismal and personal vows, whereby we had renounced the devil, the
world and the flesh, and devoted ourselves to the Lord to be his people;
which if they were slighted and forgotten, there could be no right,
acceptable, and comfortable entering into _national covenants._ And
likewise because of the weightiness of the duties engaged to in our
_national covenant_, and in the _solemn league_ and _covenant_, which
he proved to be a covenant that ought to be renewed by us in this nation
no less than our _national covenant_, in regard it was a religious,
just, and holy covenant made betwixt God and the three kingdoms, though
it cannot now be taken in the same consideration and extent, as at the
first framing it was, viz.: As a league betwixt us and the
representative body of the kingdoms of England and Ireland: where he
took occasion to go over the several articles of the covenant, showing
the nature and weightiness of the duties.
Beside these two more general doctrines which were chiefly insisted
upon, he observed several others pertinently deducible from the words,
as first, _That unfaithful dealing in God's covenant will breed distance
and estrangement from God._ This is implied in the children of Israel
and Judah seeking the Lord, asking the way to Zion, &c.; their asking
the way to Zion, importing that they had forgotten the right way of
worshipping God, and that their sins had made a sad separation between
them and their God. Secondly, That it is necessary that persons become
sensible of their sin against God, and of his anger against them, and
lay these things to heart, that they may be concerned about
reconciliation with God, and reform their lives. Thirdly, That the
kindly exercise of repentance in a backsliding people lamenting after
the Lord, and setting about to renew their covenant with him, hath an
effectual influence to unite and cement the divided people of God: thus
in the text the children of Israel and Judah, whom their iniquities had
long and sadly divided, are uniting together in this desirable frame of
weeping and seeking the Lord their God, and making a perpetual covenant
with him. This doctrine he proved and applied briefly as the time would
permit, both because of its native result from the text, and because of
his own, and our sincere desire to see a holy union and communion, in
the way of truth and duty effected by returning to the Lord, and
renewing the covenant with him, as among all the godly, so especially
among those that profess their dissent from, and dislike of the corrupt
courses of the times.
Sermon being ended, after prayer, the covenants were first read
according to the _Directory for renewing the solemn league and
covenant_, prescribed by the Act of the General Assembly at Edinburgh,
6th October, 1648, post meridiem, entitled, _Act for renewing of the
Solemn League and Covenant;_ and, thereafter, the following
Acknowledgment of Sins was also read: after which, prayer was made,
containing a comprehensive confession of the more general heads of the
foresaid Acknowledgement of Sins; and a part of the 78th Psalm,
beginning at the 36th verse, was sung; and the minister dismissed the
congregation with a short reprehension and advice, reproving them for
their unconcerned carriage and behaviour during the reading of the
acknowledgment of the breaches of these covenants, which had been first
entered into at the expense of so much blood and treasure, and confirmed
and sealed with the blood of many honourable martyrs of all ranks in the
land; withal, exhorting all present to labour after a heart-melting
frame for the right performance of the work in hand.
Upon Thursday, July 24th, after singing a part of the 105th Psalm, from
the 6th to the 12th verse, and prayer--Mr. John M'Millan preached upon
Isaiah, xliv. 5--"One shall say I am the Lord's: and another shall call
himself by the name of Jacob: and another shall subscribe with his hand
unto the Lord, and sirname himself by the name of Israel." Whereupon,
after the unfolding of the context, and explication of the words,
showing that they clearly contain an intimation of a covenant relation
betwixt God and a people, and their avouching of the same upon their
part; the words seeming to have a reference to the state of the New
Testament Church, and conversion of the Gentiles, who, being allured by
the great gospel blessings and mercies bestowed by God upon the Jews, to
join themselves to the church, should avouch their interest in the
Messiah and covenant of grace, by taking the Lord for their God, and
owning themselves to be his people. So that the words may be taken up as
an answer to such a presupposed question as this, _Whose are you?_ _and
what is your name?_ To which question, one shall answer, _I am the
Lord's;_ another, _I am one of old Jacob's family and offspring_;
another, if you desiderate my name, look the covenant subscriptions and
you will find it there; another shall say, whatever my name was before,
_my sirname now is an Israelite_. So sweetly should a shower of gospel
grace engage the hearts of the New Testament converts to avow their
covenant relation to the Lord, and glory in their union with his church
and covenanted people. Having taking up the sense of the words to this
effect, he deduced from them these two observations:
_1. That the Lord is graciously pleased sometimes to privilege his
people with very remarkable tokens of his gracious presence._ This
doctrine is clear from the context, verses 3d and 4th--"For I will pour
water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground; I will
pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring. And
they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the
watercourses."
Under this head of doctrine, he gave the following marks to evidence
whether the present time of renewing our covenant with God was indeed to
us a time of the Lord's privileging us with his gracious presence--1st,
That a time of God's privileging his people with his gracious presence,
and with a shower of gospel grace, is a very inviting and alluring time;
wherein, as the Lord invites his people to their duty, by engaging their
hearts and souls, through his Spirit's gracious influences, to fall in
love with him and his commandments, so they mutually invite one another
to covenant with God. 2d, That such a time proves a soul-engaging and
taking time, wherein souls are engaged to fall in love with the
covenant, and with Christ the Mediator of the covenant, and are taken in
the net of the gospel. 3d, That a time of the letting out of God's
gracious presence is ordinarily a time of many sweet and excellent
resolutions, the people of God resolving to walk more accurately and
circumspectly in the ways of new obedience. 4th, That this usually is a
time of ridding marches, and clearing of evidences. 5th, That it is a
time of many and special confirmations of God's love to the soul. 6th,
That this time of God's letting out much of his gracious presence to his
people, is a very uniting and healing time to them amongst themselves.
Having given these marks, to show whether the Lord were, at the
occasion, letting out his gracious presence, he added, by way of
caution, that seeing (no doubt) the people of God would be expecting
something of all these, upon the undertaking of so great a work; if so
be that they found it not, they should not thence be induced to have
hard thoughts of the Lord, and to conclude that he keeps not his usual
method with his people, or is not so good to them as formerly he hath
been: for whatever defects there are upon his people's part, there is
none upon the Lord's, for he remains the same to them, providing they do
so to him; the change of his dispensations towards his people being from
the change of his people's deportment towards him.
The Second Doctrine, resulting more directly from the words, was, _That
the Lord's Spirit poured out in plenty upon his people will quickly
bring them to an embracing of him, and to a public acknowledgment and
avouching of the same._ Thus it was with the people of God in the
text--no sooner does the Lord "pour water upon the thirsty, and floods
upon the dry ground," even his Spirit upon the spiritual seed of Israel,
but presently they are at covenanting work and subscribing work; "One
shall say, I am the Lord's," etc. In prosecuting this doctrine he shewed
first negatively that he was not for that occasion largely to treat of
the several ways that the Spirit useth to manage this work of engaging
the hearts of his people to embrace Christ, and so to make a public
avouchment of the same; whether he doth it by representing to their
views the sweet and precious promises made in the covenant of grace,
thereby sweetly alluring and drawing them with the cords of love to
himself, or by holding forth to their consciences the terrors and
threatenings of the law, and thereby powerfully constraining them to fly
to him as to the city of refuge from the face of Divine Justice pursuing
them: for seeing the Spirit is a free agent and blows both how and where
he listeth, he may engage a soul to close with Christ by either of these
ways, though most usually he doth it by a conjunction and concurrence of
both. Only this ought to satisfy us, that what way soever the Spirit
taketh in bringing a soul to embrace Christ upon the gospel terms, he so
manageth the work as that the end is effectually and infallibly
attained.
Nor Secondly, Was he to enquire into the measure of the outpouring of
the Spirit's graces and operations, which is effectual for attaining the
end, this being one of the deep things of God which the Spirit alone
searcheth, and therefore is not necessary for us further to know, save
only that we understand so much to be needful as may serve to empty the
creature of all confidence in or dependence upon itself, or any other
creature-helps whatsoever, and bring it to rely upon Christ alone, for
acceptance with God; so much is necessary, and less cannot be
sufficient.
Nor Thirdly, Was he to handle the material differences between those who
are brought really and sincerely to accept, embrace and acknowledge the
Lord for their Lord, and to avouch the same publicly, which presupposeth
a mighty power of the Spirit manifested in the sweet impressions which
he maketh upon the soul, moving them sweetly and readily to comply with
and yield to Christ without any longer resistance, and these who only in
semblance and shew profess to avouch Christ to be their Lord, and feign
submission to him, not from the Spirit's effectual and saving
operations, but either from carnal and external considerations, or at
most from the Spirit's common motions and convictions; which differences
commonly arise from the different natures, motives, manner or ends of
this their acknowledging and avouching Christ for their Lord, and
covenanting with Him.
These things, as not so immediately proper for the work in hand, though
natively involved in the doctrine, being only cleared in transition; he
came in the second place more positively to insist upon and handle the
following heads. First, More generally to propose some considerations
which make such a great work as renewing covenant with the Lord a
weighty, hard and difficult work. And upon the other hand, to lay down
some counterbalancing considerations which render such a work more easy
and light, and may afford matter of encouragement toward the undertaking
of it. Secondly, More particularly in application to ourselves and the
work in hand, to lay before those who were resolved to enter into
covenant with the Lord, what were the things that seemed to speak
against us in the work, and might prove matter of discouragement in the
undertaking of it. And what, upon the other side, might speak for us,
and be ground of encouragement to us to go forward in humble and sincere
endeavors to renew our covenant with the Lord. Thirdly, To give some
advices and directions to such as were resolved upon the work. As for
the first: The considerations which make covenanting work weighty and
difficult. The _first_ consideration was drawn from the greatness of the
party to be covenanted with, the great and glorious Jehovah, the
Creator of the ends of the earth, who is a holy and jealous God, and who
will not forgive the iniquity of such as are false hearted and
perfidious in his covenant, obstinately persisting in their false
dealing; so Joshua premonisheth a people making very fair resolutions
and promises to serve the Lord, that it was a harder work than at the
first sight they apprehended; "That they could not serve the Lord, in
regard he is an holy God, he is a jealous God, and would not forgive
their transgressions nor their sins; and that if they should forsake the
Lord, and serve strange gods, then he would turn and do them hurt and
consume them, after he had done them good," Josh. xxiv. 19, 20. 'Tis a
part of his name, Exod. xxxiv. 7. _That he will by no means clear the
(obstinately and impenitently) guilty_.
A _second_ consideration that makes the work of covenanting with God to
appear a hard and difficult work, was taken from the nature of the work
itself, which is to serve the Lord in a covenant way, and in the
capacity of covenanted children, this covenant relation involving in it
a walk and conversation in all things like the chosen of the Lord; and
'tis no small matter, so to walk, and so to behave as to be accounted
worthy of a covenanted union with the Lord and interest in him, this
covenant relation being confirmed with such awful sanctions, as in
scripture we find, Neh. x. 29. "They------entered into a curse and into
an oath, to walk in God's law," &c. This consideration, that covenanting
work is weighty in its own nature, was further illustrated and amplified
from the difficulty both of the things to be engaged against, and of the
things to be engaged unto. As for the former, the things to be engaged
against, which is sin in all its kinds and degrees, and in all the
inducements to it, both with reference to ourselves, and also as to
participation in the sins of others. This must first be put away, if one
would be a right covenanter. Well did old Jacob understand the necessity
of this, who being resolved to go up to Bethel, to renew his covenant
with God, that answered him in the day of his strait, advises his family
first "to put away the strange gods that were amongst them, and to be
clean." Gen. xxxv. 2. So David assures us, Psal. xxxiv. 14, that
departing from evil must precede doing of good. A man that would lift up
his face without spot in renewing covenant with God, must first "put
iniquity far away, and not suffer wickedness to dwell in his
tabernacles," as Zophar advises Job, chap. xi. 14, 15. They that would
take on with a new master must be fairly parted from the old, there is
no way of pleasing both Christ and mammon, and therefore no possibility
of serving both; whence the nature of covenanting work requires, that
there be an upright putting away of all sin; for if the soul have any
secret reserves in favor of a beloved sin, it has no ground to think
that Christ will accept it, as his covenanted spouse and bride. Nor is
this all, but 2dly, it must be mourned over and truly bewailed,
especially upon the account of the offence done to a gracious God
thereby; which sorrow must not be of an ordinary sort, but an
extraordinary and most intense sorrow, for it cannot be an ordinary kind
of sorrow, provided it be in any suitable measure proportioned to the
offence. And 3dly, which follows upon the former, there must be a
"loathing of the person's self because of these its ways and doings that
have not been good in his sight," Ezek. vi. 9, even to that degree as to
fill the soul with wonder and astonishment, that ever it should have an
occasion of renewing covenant with God again. 4thly, There must be a
sincere and hearty resolving against all sins, consequent upon this
loathing; the soul saying with a steady purpose, "if I have done
iniquity I will do so no more," Job xxxiv. 32.
2dly, As to the latter, the things engaged unto render the nature of
covenanting work difficult and weighty, which are duties of various
kinds, such as, 1st, Holiness towards God, which is one special and
chief part of the covenant, and that not for a time only, but for ever;
both in regard that God, the party covenanted with, is holy and
unchangeably so, and calls his people to imitate him in this attribute
especially; and also in regard that the covenant itself is for its
nature holy, all the articles being morally good and consonant to the
royal law, the scriptures of truth; and for the extent of its duration,
of perpetual force and obligation. This duty of holiness towards God,
engaged to in the covenant, comprehends in it a zealous endeavor to
maintain the purity of the doctrine, worship, discipline and government
of his institution, in opposition to all those who would corrupt it, or
decline from it. 2d, Righteousness towards our neighbor, and more
especially to our covenanted brother; which righteousness should
discover itself both in reference to sin and duty, by reproving him for
sin; or upon his rejecting reproof, by withdrawing from him, that he may
be ashamed, and so come to be reclaimed from his evil course; and by
affording him all that help and assistance to covenanted duties, that
may be warrantably called for, and generally by uprightness towards him
in all our transactions and dealings of any kind. 3d, Faithfulness
towards our nation, which comprehends a constant endeavor to advance and
promote in our station the common good thereof; and a stedfast
opposition to the courses that tend to take away the privilege of the
same. 4th, Uprightness towards ourselves, in everything relating to the
real good of our own souls and bodies; by walking in all the duties of
soberness, temperance, and moderation; for as others are to have their
due, so ourselves are not to be neglected.
A _third_ consideration, whereby the duty of renewing covenant with God
appears to be difficult and weighty, was deduced from _the manner and
way of engaging_; whereunto several things of great difficulty to be
attained were showed to be absolutely necessary, as, 1st, _Judgment_, to
know, and in some measure comprehend, the nature of the duties to be
engaged to, and the advantages flowing from the right entering into, and
keeping of the covenant, and the losses redounding to the breakers
thereof. 2d, _Seriousness_, which, if ever it be in exercise, will
certainly then be most lively, when the soul is entering upon a work of
so high import, as making a covenant with God; for then the creature has
one of two things to look for, either covenant blessings, or covenant
curses, according as it performs or not performs the tenor of the
covenant. 3d, _Deliberation_; rashness in covenanting is of dangerous
consequence: 'tis not the example of others only, nor raw flashes of
conviction or love, nor external considerations, as gain, honor, men's
approbation, &c., that must induce to this duty; but a fixed permanent
purpose of heart and soul, rationally and deliberately entered into.
4th, _Heart-integrity_, That it be done with all the heart, 2 Chron. xv.
15, for the man brings himself under a curse, that "having a male in his
flock, sacrificeth to the Lord a corrupt thing." Mal. i. 14.
A _fourth_ consideration, from whence the work of covenanting comes to
be a difficult and hard work, was deduced from the _way and manner of
performing_ the duties engaged to; which is (as 'tis expressed in the
covenant) with sincerity, reality, and constancy; the difficulty of
attaining to these qualifications in the performance of covenant-duties,
arising partly from the strength of corruption within, the law of sin
and death, which opposes the law of God; and partly from the strength of
snares and temptations from without; which requires, that (as becomes
covenanted children) there be a daily recourse to Jesus Christ, for
light to discover, and strength to overcome these corruptions and
temptations; and life, that the soul turn not dead and insensible under
them.
A _fifth_ consideration, from whence the difficulty of covenanting with
God is sometimes heightened, was taken from _the meanness of such as
attempt the work_. When the great ones, the nobles that are called _the
shields of the earth_, do not afford their authority and patrociny, as
an encouragement to the undertaking; and when the wise and learned will
not employ their learning, parts, and abilities for the facilitating
thereof; but the mean and weakest are left to do the work alone. This
was no small difficulty and discouragement to the Tekoites, in their
building and repairing the wall of Jerusalem, "That their nobles put not
their necks to the work of their Lord." Neh. iii. 5.
A _sixth_ consideration, which may sometimes render such a work hard and
difficult, was drawn from _the want of the concurrence of civil
authority; and the opposition made thereunto by the laws of the land_;
which, when it happens to be the case of a people designing to renew
national engagements cannot but be a very difficult and discouraging
ingredient amongst others in their cup.
On the other hand, these counterbalancing considerations were adduced,
which are as so many props and pillars to support his people, and to
allay the difficulties of the duty of entering into covenant with God,
and to make it the more light and easy. 1st, _That the work is the
Lord's_, and he is greatly concerned in it; and, therefore, his people
may safely lean to him for help, he having enacted no law against it, as
men have. 2d, That _he looks not upon his people in such undertakings,
as in themselves_, for then it were impossible for creatures, having
the least sinful imperfection in them, to covenant with their spotless
Creator, and come so near a jealous God, who is a consuming fire to the
workers of iniquity; _but he considers his people in their covenanting
with him, as in their head, Christ, his eternal Son_; whence we may
safely say, That our national covenant wants not a Mediator more than
the covenant of grace, in this sense, as it is through him we have
access to make this covenant with God. 3d, That _the Lord has promised
his presence to his own work_; thus we find through the whole of the
covenants made, and renewed by the people of Israel and Judah, that the
Lord discovered his gracious presence with them, by some remarkable
effect of his goodness. Thus it is remarked of Hezekiah, that after he
had entered into covenant, "That the Lord was with him, and he prospered
whithersoever he went forth," 2 Kings xviii. 7, compared with 2 Chron.
xxix. 10. 4th, That _the Lord puts none of his people to any piece of
his work upon their own proper expense and charges, but upon his own_;
and whatever complaints his people may have of want of necessary
charges, he both has wherewith to supply them, and has undertaken to
make it actually forthcoming for them, having commanded his people to
open their mouths wide, and he has promised to fill them. 5th, That the
covenant has a greater entail of blessings, than what will sufficiently
compensate whatever expense and pains a people may be at, in undertaking
and performing it. In regard, that though a Christian should lose all,
yea, even life itself, upon the account of it, yet the covenant will
bring in all with advantage to a hundred fold, and glory to the
overplus, when it is duly observed. 6th, That _the undertakers have
God's call and commandment to set about it_; this is that which, above
all other considerations, inspires a Christian with undaunted courage
and alacrity in the undertaking of a duty, when it is made clear that
the person has God's call and command for a warrant; otherwise the want
of this may make the duty to be heartlessly and doubtingly entered upon,
and lamely performed.
Seeing, therefore, that sometimes a work may be the Lord's, and yet the
Lord's call to such a particular person, or people to undertake it, may
be wanting; he came necessarily (which was the _second_ head proposed)
to enquire, what were the several things that might seem to speak
against us, as not having this call from the Lord, and what were the
things that spake for us, and might give us matter of encouragement in
undertaking the work before us.--In solution of which the following
considerations were proposed.
1st, As to the things that might seem to speak against us: 1st, _Our
darkness_, not whether covenanting be a duty, but in regard of the want
of right apprehensions of the nature and greatness of the duty, which
cannot be a sufficient ground to neglect the duty, unless there were
some duties from which a Christian is exeemed and that this is one of
them, which indeed will not be found in the whole Bible. 2d, _Our want
of a frame suitable for the greatness and weightiness of the work_,
which speaks sadly against us, but is not to be a ground to neglect the
duty, we being commanded to look to the God of the covenant for it.
Upon the other hand, the things which seemed to speak for us, and yield
matter of encouragement, that not only the work was the Lord's, but also
that we had his call to the same, were, 1st, The many, palpable, plain,
and open breaches of these covenants, are a loud call to renew them. 2d,
The undervaluing account that the nations have made of them, is a call
to all such as have any respect to the sacred name of the Lord invocated
in these covenants, to do their utmost to vindicate them from that
disgrace, by showing how high a price and value they put upon them. 3d,
The lands enacting the perpetual banishment of these covenants, and
imposing oaths contrary and opposite to them; which brings double
perjury upon the nation, both by disregarding and omitting the
performance of this just, lawful, and commendable covenant, and by
making unjust, sinful and hateful covenants, for opposing the growth and
success of Christ's kingdom, even the reformation of these many abuses
that have corrupted the holy religion of his institution: And perjury
drawing wrath after it, as a native and necessary fruit consequent; they
that would stand in the gap, to turn away national wrath, cannot
otherwise make up the hedge, that the land should not be destroyed, but
by renewing and keeping national covenants. 4th, That so many are
speaking against them everywhere, accounting them a conspiracy against
royal authority, a popular combination for advancing private ends and
interests under the cloak of religion, or at least unnecessary and
unprofitable for the end intended by them, binding to things of such a
heterogeneous nature, as renders the keeping of them, and keeping within
the sphere of our own activity and station, inconsistent and impossible,
and such things as whereof we now have no occasion, and the like; which
is a loud call to us, or any that retain other thoughts of their nature
and ends, than the generality do, to speak for them; which cannot be
done more fitly, honorably, nor conspicuously any other way, than by
renewing and observing them. 5th, The practice of the godly in such a
juncture of time, as what ours appears to be, is a call and encouraging
consideration to set us upon this work: the godly usually in times of
great defection from the purity and power of religion, and corruption of
the ordinances of God's worship, set about renewing their covenant,
thereby to prevent covenant curses, and procure covenant blessings; as
we find both in scripture record, 2 Chron. xv. 12, 13; xxix. 10; xxxiv.
30, 31; Ezra x. 3, and in our own ecclesiastic history. And the practice
was justified by the success, for the most part terminating in some
reviving and reformation. 6th, The time being come to such a crisis,
that such as would keep the word of Christ's patience cannot any longer
do it in a distinguishing way from those that are covenant-breakers, but
by renewing covenant, and thereby making a test and trial of the
well-wishers to the covenanted interest in the land, is a call to set
about this work: in former times the godly held fast this their
profession, by suffering for their adherence to covenanted duties,
resisting unto blood, striving against the sin of covenant-breaking;
whereas now our call seems to be more clear to do it, by renewing those
covenant-obligations. 7th, The covenants themselves have, as it were, a
loud voice to call us, and all who own their obligation, to set about
renewing of them; they call by the justness and intrinsic goodness of
the matter, which is of binding force by virtue of the law of God, prior
to any covenant-tie, and by the holiness and excellency of the end, to
wit, the reformation and preservation of religion. Yea, the covenant
seems to say to us, and to every true hearted son of the church of
Scotland, as Job said in another case, "Have pity upon me, O my
friends," &c. So says the covenant: Have pity upon me, all ye that have
any respect for me, for church and state have forsaken me.
The _third_ thing proposed was to give some advices and directions for
right managing the duty intended. The scope and substance whereof
briefly follows:
1st, Such as would make a covenant with God aright, so as the same may
never be broken nor yet forgotten, must labor to know if they be in good
terms with the God of the covenant, and with the Mediator of the
covenant; if they sincerely closed with the terms, and acquiesced to the
proposals of the covenant of grace; this personal and particular
acceptance of Christ in the new covenant being the only fountain of
acceptable entering into national covenants. Hence it concerns all that
would be right Covenanters, to search and see how it may be betwixt God
and them, because 'tis but a profanation of the covenant to have the
hand and tongue at it, and the heart from it: a well informed head
without a reformed heart is not sufficient: a good opinion and liking of
the covenant without a heart and affection to the covenant avails
nothing in God's sight.
2d, Such as would rightly renew covenant with God, must be well resolved
concerning the motives leading them to covenant; which motives must
neither arise wholly from without, nor yet wholly from within, for if
these motives arise wholly from without, it discovers a great deal of
treachery in the persons covenanting, as not beginning at the heart, not
duly considering the inward case of the soul, but being moved from some
external considerations, as a name amongst men, or affectation of zeal
for public concerns, or such like; if they arise wholly from within it
betrays much weakness and lowness of spirit, as not being able at the
same time both to have a concern about the inward frame of the heart,
and eternal state and condition of the soul, and likewise a zeal for the
public good of the nation, and thriving of the work of God and kingdom
of Christ. Both which interests ought to be in their due proportion
before the eyes of a sound and real Covenanter; a right engager in
covenant must be moved thereto, both from a due sense of the strength
and power of corruption within, and also from the consideration of the
lowness of God's work through defection without.
3d, A right covenanter must be well resolved concerning the terms of
the covenant; that it excludes all coming and going, according to the
revolutions of the times, and the ebbing and flowing of worldly
interests: One that has given up his name to the Lord in covenant, and
called himself by the name of Israel, must not, like the Samaritans, be
an Israelite only in the time of Israel's prosperity, but he must be one
in adversity too: The things engaged to in the covenant being of an
everlasting and permanent duration, in their nature, must be lasting
also in their observation.
4th, A right renewer of covenant must be well resolved anent the cost
and expense of steadfast keeping of covenant. This should be first
counted and deliberately resolved upon before engaging, lest after
persons have engaged they want sufficiency to finish and fulfil the
undertaking; and the Wise man assures us, it is better not to vow, than
to vow and not pay. The covenant may come to require the cost both of
doing and suffering to finish it: there must, therefore, be a resolving
upon both, before engaging.
5th, A right covenanter must be well resolved concerning the separating
nature, and the uniting tie and bond of the covenant, for as it
distinguished between friends and foes, so it unites covenanters amongst
themselves in duties, interests, and concerns. So that they become one
society, having an identity of common duties and privileges, common
crosses and rejoicings; and must rejoice together and weep together.
He closed the Sermon with a two-fold advice or exhortation, to two sorts
of persons.
1st, To those who had some good opinion of, and some love for the
covenant, but yet were not resolved to join in covenant with us, because
of many entanglements in a world; some estate, farm, or place of
employment would be forfeited thereby; and hence, though the covenant
be, in their opinion, a lawful and commendable engagement, yet not for
them; they are in a course inconsistent with it, and could not be
otherwise without foregoing some worldly accommodation. Those he advised
to consider the matter duly; not to engage without a resolution to
forsake all interests that might interfere with covenanted duties; for
to engage in the covenant, and yet to walk in a course opposite to it,
would be exceedingly sinful; but to labour rather after old Jacob's
spirit and disposition, who looked to and trusted in the God of the
covenant when he had nothing else to look to--no outward encouragement,
Gen. xxxii. 10--He had but his staff in his hand when he passed over
Jordan, and the Lord made him to return with two bands. For, if a person
could attain Jacob's spirit, name and sirname would be lovely in their
eyes, covenant and covenanting.
2dly, To those who had put their hands to many sinful covenants in
opposition to this covenant, and such as being in a natural and
unrenewed state, in league with sin and Satan, and in covenant with hell
and death. Those he advised and earnestly obtested to break all their
sinful covenants, to loathe and abhor them, and be humbled for them: and
to come and fall in with this covenant, to say in sincerity that whereas
other lords have had too long dominion over them, henceforth they would
make mention only of the name of the Lord as their Lord; and that their
name should henceforth be _Jacob_, and their sirname _Israel_, and to
sign and seal the same with their oath and subscription. This
exhortation he enforced by the several calls to the work mentioned
before, and by the two following motives: 1st, Because right entering
into, and steadfast keeping of this covenant is the way to a holy life,
and a holy life tends to make a holy nation; for, if we would observe
this covenant sincerely, uniformly, and constantly, we could never be an
unholy, and consequently, never an unhappy people; but it should be
written as a motto upon our walls and gates, JEHOVAH SHAMMAI, _the Lord
is there._ 2d, Because the entering rightly into and due observance of
this covenant would be our strength in the midst of all perplexing
thoughts, whether arising from inward corruptions, or from outward
temptations or dangers; the covenant yielded more satisfaction to David
when dying than a royal diadem, a melodious harp, a puissant army,
strong cities, a numerous offspring, or any earthly comforts could do,
when, 2 Sam. xxiii. 5, he supports himself with this, That "though his
house was not so with God," yet He had made with him "an everlasting
covenant, well-ordered in all things, and sure." The keeping of this
covenant had been to our nation a Samson's lock, whereby we should have
been able to oppose all our enemies; whereas the breach of it hath
opened a door to all sorts of enemies to creep in amongst us, and hence
is verified that which the Lord has threatened his people with for
their breach of covenant, Deut. xxviii. 44, that the enemy shall be the
head, and his people the tail.
Sermon being closed by prayer, the Acknowledgment of Sins was again
read, as preparative to the engaging part; and the minister, in the
first place, admonished all such as were guilty of such public steps of
defection as are confessed in the Acknowledgment, to make full and free
confession thereof before the congregation, with such a due sense of,
and sorrow for these public sins, as might evidence a hearty design of
abandoning them and of adhering more closely to covenanted duties, which
accordingly many did, both with respect to the perjurious oaths of the
late times and defections of the present.
Because many have made a handle of this, above any other part of the
action, to reproach and render the whole of the work contemptible,
calling it Jesuitic superstition, enthusiasm, advancing our own
confessions into the room of Christ's satisfaction, and expecting pardon
upon the score of superficial public acknowledgments:--therefore, to
vindicate this part of the work from such groundless calumny, we desire
it may be adverted. 1st, That this is a commanded duty, that such as
have violated the law and commandments of God, and being guilty of false
and unfaithful dealing in his covenant, should unfeignedly confess their
iniquity, which, if they do, God is faithful and just to forgive. 2d,
That according to the nature of the offence, as the same has been acted
secretly or publickly, and is of a secret or public nature and concern,
so it ought to be confessed. If the offence be in its nature and way of
perpetration a secret sin, known only to God and the person's own
conscience, secret repentance sufficeth: nor can the church require any
thing else, in regard such sins come not within the sphere of her
cognizance;--but if the sin be public and national, or only personal,
but publickly acted, so as the same has been stumbling, scandalous, and
offensive to others; then it is requisite, for the glory of God and good
of offended brethren, that the acknowledgment be equally public as the
offence. These are _first principles_ that will not need to be proved,
but may be taken for granted. But, 3dly, To make it appear that it is
consonant to the practice of the godly to make public confession of
national backsliding, we will advance two or three Scripture instances.
Joshua, chap. vii. 19, compared with verse 11, commands Achan, who had
broken God's covenant which he commanded Israel, and so brought upon the
whole nation the Lord's anger, that he would give glory to God, by
making confession to him. Whence it appears, that such sins as are
national in their consequences, and bring national judgments upon a
people, ought to be publickly confessed for turning away these
judgments, and vindicating the honour of the Supreme Lawgiver, Ezra x.
1,2--"Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping, and
casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him
out of Israel a very great congregation of men, women, and children: for
the people wept very sore." Verse 2d, And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel,
one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed
against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land.
Verse 3d, Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God, to put away
all the wives, and such as are born of them. Verse 10, And Ezra the
priest stood up and said unto them, Ye have transgressed and taken
strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel. Verse 11, Now
therefore make confession unto the Lord God of your fathers, and do his
pleasure. Verse 12, Then all the congregation answered, and said with a
loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do." Neh. ix. 1--"Now, in the
twenty and fourth day of this month, the children of Israel were
assembled with fasting and with sackclothes, and earth upon them. Verse
2d, And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and
stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.
Verse 3d, And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the
law of the Lord their God, one fourth part of the day, and another
fourth part they confessed and worshipped the Lord their God." Acts xix.
18--"And many that believed came, and confessed, and showed their
deeds."
These Scripture examples, as we conceive, do sufficiently evince, that
such public confession, for the substance of it, is not only expedient,
but also necessary for such as would renew their covenant with God. As
for some circumstances of the manner thereof, neither are we to
vindicate them, nor can they justly be charged upon the whole of those
who made those confessions; far less upon the minister, who, though he
exhorted such as were guilty of scandalous defection, to glorify God by
a public confession, yet obliged none thereunto _authoritatively_: and
such as confessed the sin of their thoughts, or any other sins not
scandalous or offensive to others; he exhorted to be serious in mourning
over these things secretly before the Lord; but withal told them that
these things are not the subject matter of such a public acknowledgment.
Such as were unconcerned in their confessions, and seemed rather to do
it from the examples of others, than from a real and deep sense of their
guiltiness before God (as it must not be dissembled, there were too
many,) he exhorted to attain a sense of the things confessed, and posed
their consciences, whether they were convinced of what they pretended to
confess. If any was so ignorant and weak in their apprehensions of the
nature of right repentance and justification, as to put their
acknowledgment of sin in the room of Christ's satisfaction, and to rely
thereupon for peace and acceptance with God, as it is alleged they did,
it must be owned that they wofully erred in a matter of the highest
consequence: but to affix this either upon all in general, or upon any
particular person by name, is against the law of charity, and a judging
of the heart, which is not obvious to man, but only to God, and so an
usurping of God's prerogative; wherefore it appears, that the objecting
of these and other such like things against this duty, is the effect of
an impotent malice, and passion against the whole design of the work,
which is too shrewd an evidence of a malignant spirit.
Whereas, some have taken occasion to pass injurious reflections upon the
minister, because he made confession and acknowledgment of his own
personal miscarriage; as though he did it with design to please the
people, and to excite them to make confession of the things whereof they
had no due sense, and that he should have proposed himself, as an
example to the people; therefore, to discover the falsehood of such
reports, we must declare plain matter of fact upon this head. The
minister did indeed acknowledge his own iniquities in general, with
others, and also particularly at the entry of the work; but without any
design to please party or person; but only for the glory of God as
himself declared, which if any shall say was but hypocritical
self-seeking, we must remit them to the apostle's interrogation, to
prepare an answer, _Who art thou, O man, that judgest?_ Neither did he
say that he did it to be an example to others, though, even in that
case, he had not been to be blamed, seeing the best of God's saints, in
public employment in church and state, have done the like in public
assemblies, as Josiah, Ezra, Nehemiah, in sacred record, and in our
church history, the Rev. John Davidson, who, at the renewing of the
covenant, March 30th, 1596, not only exhorted the brethren of the
ministry to a serious confession of their sins, but did also make
confession of his own, and excited the rest by his example, as is
related by Mr. Calderwood in his history of the church of Scotland, page
317. Wherefore, seeing he has the command of God, and the most eminent
of his saints for his warrant and precedent, he may be perfectly
unconcerned, what are the constructions that such persons as are
indifferent either about national sins or judgments do put upon this
action,
The Acknowledgment of Sins being read, the minister prayed, confessing
therein the sins which had been publicly confessed in the said
Acknowledgment, and begging assistance to know and do the duties engaged
unto, then the Engagement to Duties was likewise read in the audience of
the congregation; where he showed that the design of these engagements
was to accommodate the covenants to our case and circumstances. And
advised the mixed multitude to beware of entering into the covenant,
unless they were duly resolved concerning the performing of the same,
according as our fathers understood it, as the same was explained and
applied to the present condition of things in these engagements. After
which the minister having prayed for the gracious presence and
assistance of the divine Spirit, to enable us both to engage and
perform; commanding those who were to renew their covenant to stand
upright, and hold up their right hands, he proceeded to the
administration of the oath, causing the people to elevate their hands at
the end of each article. The covenants being renewed, the minister
addressed himself to those that had entered into covenant to this
purpose. Now, you who have renewed your covenant with God must not
imagine that you may sit down upon your performance and rest yourselves
as though your work was perfected and finished; nay, but you must
consider with yourselves that now it is but beginning; your race is
before you, the greatest, part of the work is before your hand:
covenanting is relative to performing; you must, therefore, meditate
upon, and ponder your engagements more now than before; for now you have
put a new bond upon your souls, to walk with God in all the ways of new
obedience. In order therefore to your performing, as you have
undertaken, I would put you in mind of several particulars, which you
must have much and frequently upon your hearts, and before your eyes.
1st, You must know that a holy life is what becomes Covenanters; it is
not holiness in name, show and appearance, but holiness in reality, in
truth and substance, that must be interwoven with all your actions and
duties; though others should not look to conscience, yet you must;
though others slight and neglect religion, you must by no means do it;
you must put on a Joshua's generous and holy resolution, "That whatever
others do, you and your house will serve the Lord." You must consider
upon it, that well-set speeches concerning the covenant, is not what you
are principally to study, but well-set hearts; you must shake off
laziness as well as hypocrisy.
2d. You must be very regular in your walk; an uniform conversation in
the way of holiness is that which greatly adorns a Christian, and
consequently, a Covenanter. And if you endeavor such a regular course of
life, you will not shape yourselves according to the company you fall
into. As some have a religion for every company, so they have one for
man and another for God, and will be more careful and afraid lest their
hypocrisy be discovered by men, than they are afraid to be made manifest
to the Lord. But so it must not be with you who have renewed your
covenant with the Lord: you must be the same in the closet as in the
public assembly, and have a greater regard to the eye of Jehovah, and
the answer of a good conscience, than the approbation of fellow
creatures.
3d, You mast be careful to perform all things which you have engaged to,
within your sphere and station, but must not go without it: God is _a
God of order_, and as he hath placed the stars in their proper orbs for
the order and ornament of the universe, so hath he assigned to
Christians their diverse stations, for the beauty, order, and union of
the Church; Christ, the Captain of salvation, hath marshalled his
soldiers into rank and file, and it were a disordering of his army if
any should break their ranks.
4th, You must slight no opportunity of pursuing the ends of your
covenant; whatever it may cost you when the occasion offers, suffering
must not deter you from it; and if the times be such now as spare both
your persons and purses, yet you must not be sparing in your prayers for
the reviving of the work of God in the land, which is the very end of
covenanting.
5th, You must be careful that you do not forget the covenant; forgetting
(as you heard before) is a step towards forsaking, and, therefore, you
must endeavour to have the covenant nearer to you than the Israelites
had it--they had it written upon the posts of their doors, you must have
it written upon the tables of your hearts.
6th, You must evidence a great deal of cheerfulness and patience under
your crosses, which may occur to you for your adherence to this your
covenant; you must neither weaken your own hands in the discharge of
covenanted duties, by drooping and discouragement under these crosses,
nor stumble others, by repining at these losses, or by any carriage and
deportment under them that may import your repenting of what you have
now done. And because you are impotent and weak in yourselves,
therefore,
7th, You must see that faith be in exercise in all your performances of
covenanted duties. If this be wanting you will perform nothing to
purpose, "for without faith it is impossible to please God." By this
grace you must keep up acquaintance with Christ, and have frequent
recourse to him, both for cleansing you from your defilements, when you
break the covenant, and for strength to perform what you are obliged to
by covenant; both for recovering grace, to raise you up when fallen, and
for preventing grace, to preserve you from falling or relapsing again.
8th, That you may be the more active and vigilant in keeping covenant,
you must labor to maintain a constant fear of breaking it, and have a
fixed impression of the tremendous threatening denounced against
covenant-breakers; and you must know that all are such in God's account,
who satisfy themselves with the form of godliness, denying the power
thereof. For this end read and ponder these and the like scriptures.
Lev. xxvi. 25, "And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the
quarrel of my covenant, and when ye are gathered together within your
cities, I will send the pestilence among you: and ye shall be delivered
into the hand of the enemy." Neh. v. 13--"So God shall shake out every
man from his house, and from his labor, that performeth not this
promise; even thus be he shaken out and emptied." Jer. xi. 3, "Cursed be
the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant, which I commanded
your fathers in the day that I brought them forth from the iron
furnace." Ezek. xvii. 15, "Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doth
such things? or shall he break the covenant and be delivered?" Verse 18,
"Seeing he hath despised the oath, by breaking the covenant, when lo, he
had given his hand, and hath done all these things, he shall not
escape." Verse 19th, "Therefore, thus saith the Lord God, as I live,
surely mine oath that he hath despised and my covenant that he hath
broken, even it will I recompense upon his own head."
The minister having given these exhortations, closed the day's work with
prayer, and singing a part of the ciii. Psalm from the 17th to the 19th
verse. And having intimated the time of meeting for more immediate
preparation for the _holy communion_, putting the people in mind to be
preparing for the work, by fervent prayer and supplication, joined with
serious and upright self-examination, he dismissed the congregation
after the usual form.
This true and unbiassed account of the work in its design, progress and
issue we have given, not to pre-occupy false reports only, which we
cannot rationally suppose an entire freedom from, unless we fall in with
the opposers of our covenanted reformation, and to purchase the good
opinion and commendation of men at the rate of losing the favor of God.
The main end of relating some of the more material heads, scope and
argument of the _sermons_ is because there are some things handled in
them which behoved to have been inserted in this _preface_, to clear up
our motives and call to the work, which could not be better done than as
the same was cleared then to the people. And this brief relation,
though falling short of the matter then delivered, may serve to bring
things to the memories of those that found sweet satisfaction in hearing
them in the public. As for what may be the observations of censorious
critics, either _of the sermons_ in particular, or of the _work_ in
general, we are perfectly unconcerned about them, seeing we equally
value their approbation or disapprobation; providing true matter of fact
be not misrepresented, and so truth injuriously wronged. Nor are we
willing here to make any observation of our own concerning the issue and
on-carrying of the work, though all the godly there present ought to
observe the Lord's gracious assistance and favor (so far as they found
the same afforded to themselves, or displayed in others), lest we may
either be in danger to diminish the grace of God by complaining, or
incur the suspicion of self-flatterers by commending, but shall leave it
to the judgment of such as were then present, and the candid
interpretation of others that may read this preceding account thereof.
There have been many objections made against the _design, matter_ and
_form_ of the _covenants_: more against subjects covenanting to defend
the purity and promote the reformation of religion, without the royal
concurrence of their sovereign princes; most of all against private
persons entering into covenant, or renewing thereof, for the said end
without the general concurrence of the representative body of the church
and state. Those which concern the former two, have been fully answered
by the greatest of our reformers, whose piety and learning set them
sufficiently above the snarling censures of whatsoever cavilling pens or
tongues: As for what are made against the last, they are also answered
better than we can pretend to, in the analysis upon the 19th chapter of
Deuteronomy, prefixed to the National and Solemn League and Covenant
renewed at Lesmahago, whereunto we refer the reader. Only because that
book may not be at hand to every one that would desire these objections
solved, we shall here transcribe the answers to two or three of the most
material of these objections, making but small, if any, variation from
the author's words.
_Object_. 1. "In all the national covenants whereof we read in
scripture, there was still the concurrence of either the sovereign
authority then in being, or at least of the Captains, Elders, Officers,
and Heads of the tribes; And, therefore, it cannot be done by private
subjects, without either royal or parliamentary authority."
_Ans_. Certainly the obligations of the Covenant, held forth Deut. xxix.
10, 11, 12, being so extensive as to reach all the members of church and
commonwealth, of all qualities, ranks, vocations, ages, sexes; is to be
understood _positively_, that all these are obliged to enter into
covenant, but not _negatively_, that without any of these the covenant
should not be entered into. The motives mentioned are to the small as
well as to the great; and without them as well as with them; the
articles of it, and the keeping and doing them, are common to both
alike: The relation that the small and meaner sort of people have to God
(the other contracting party) is the same that the nobles and great ones
have, and the privileges of it, to be established as a people unto
himself and to have him for their God, do no more belong to the one than
the other; And consequently the small may renew it, as well as the
great; but not nationally to bind the whole nation formally, to which
indeed the concurrence of the representatives is necessary. As for
precedents of this practice, see them above, in the narrative of the
sermons, [p. 9].
_Object_. 2. "This covenant having been disclaimed by the political
father, and made void by law, never again revived by authority of
parliament, nor the law rescinded by which it was declared not
obligatory; is therefore of no binding force upon us, who have never
personally sworn it; and to renew it, and bring ourselves under the bond
of it, when we are free, without the concurring or imposing authority of
our rulers, is high presumption in private subjects."
_Ans_. If any engagements can be supposed binding to posterity,
certainly national covenants to keep the commandments of God, and to
adhere to his institutions, must be of that nature. It cannot be denied,
that several obligations do bind to posterity; such as public promises
with annexation of curses to breakers, Neh. v. 12, 13. Thus Joshua's
adjuration did oblige all posterity never to build Jericho, Josh. vi.
26. And the breach of it did bring the curse upon Hiel the Bethelite, in
the days of Ahab. 2dly, Public vows: Jacob's vow, Gen. xxviii. 21, did
oblige all his posterity, virtually comprehended in him, Hos. xii. 4.
The Rechabites found themselves obliged to observe the vow of their
forefather Jonadab, Jer. xxxv. 6, 14, for which they were rewarded and
commended. Public oaths do oblige posterity: Joseph took an oath of the
children of Israel, to carry up his bones to Canaan, Gen. i. 25, which
did oblige posterity some hundred years after. Exod. xiii 19. Josh.
xxiv. 32. National covenants with men before God, do oblige posterity,
as Israel's covenant with the Gibeonites, Josh. ix. 15, 19. The breach
whereof was punished in the days of David, 2 Sam. xxi. 1. Especially
National Covenants with God, before men, about things moral and
objectively obliging, are perpetual; and yet more especially (as Grotius
observes) when they are of an hereditary nature, i.e. when the subject
is permanent, the matter moral, the end good, and in the _form_ there is
a clause expressing their perpetuity.
All which ingredients of perpetual obligations are clear in Scotland's
Covenants, which are _national promises_, adjuring all ranks of persons,
under a curse, to preserve and promote reformation according to the word
of God, and extirpate the opposite thereof. _National vows_, devoting
the then engaging, and succeeding generations to be the Lord's people,
and walk in his ways. _National oaths_, solemnly sworn by all ranks,
never to admit of innovations, or submit to usurpations, contradictory
to the word of God. _National covenants_, wherein the king, parliament
and people did covenant with each other, to perform their respective
duties, in their several places and stations, inviolably to preserve
religion and liberty: Yea, more, _national laws_, solemnly ratified by
the king and parliament, and made the foundation of the people's compact
with the king, at his inauguration: And, finally, they are _national
covenants with God_, as party contracting, to keep all the words of his
covenant. The subject or parties contracting are permanent, to wit, the
unchangeable God and the kingdom of Scotland, (the same may be said of
England and Ireland,) which, whilst it remains a kingdom, is still under
the obligation of these covenants. The _matter_ is _moral_, antecedently
and eternally binding, albeit there had been no formal covenant: the
_ends_ of them perpetually good, to wit, _the defence of the true
reformed religion, and the maintenance of the King's Majesty's person
and estate_, (as is expressed in the National Covenant,) _the glory of
God, the advancement of the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ; the honor
and happiness of the King's Majesty and his posterity, and the public
liberty, safety, and peace of the kingdoms_, as it is expressed in the
Solemn League. And in the _form_ of them there are clauses expressing
their perpetuity. In the National covenant it is said, _that the present
and succeeding generations in this land are bound to keep the foresaid
National Oath and Subscription inviolable_. And in the Solemn League,
Article 1, _That we and our posterity after us, may, as brethren, live
in faith and love_. And Art. 5, _That they may remain conjoined in a
firm peace and union to all posterity_.
We may add also the sanctions of rewards and punishments descending to
posterity, prove the obligation perpetual: Which is, alas! too visible
in our case as to the punishments inflicted for the breach of our
covenants, and like to be further inflicted, if repentance prevent not;
so that as we have been a taunting proverb, and an hissing, for the
guilt, we may look to be made a curse and an execration for the
punishment of it. The distinction which some make use of to elude this
obligation, "That suppose they be materially bound, yet seeing they have
not sworn the covenants personally, they are not formally bound," is
both false and frivolous; for our father's oath having all the aforesaid
qualifications, binds us formally as an oath, though we have but
virtually sworn it; and whether the obligation be material or formal,
implicit or explicit, it is all one in God's sight, if it be real,
seeing even virtual obligations have frequently brought rewards and
punishments upon the head of the observers or breakers of them, as well
as formal. Seeing, then, the obligation of the covenant upon us is
evident to a demonstration, it cannot, in justness, be called a
rebellious action against lawful authority, to declare in our station
that we believe so much and resolve to practice accordingly. It is
indeed too true that the wicked laws enacting the perpetual breaches of
these covenants have never been rescinded; but seeing they are wicked
and opposite to the commandment and covenant of the Lord, the supreme
legislator, they are naturally void and null, and have been still so
esteemed by us.
_Object_. 3. "Albeit the National Covenant should be granted to be
binding upon us the people of Scotland, and, therefore, may be renewed:
yet, to renew the Solemn League with England and Ireland, as matters now
stand, is ridiculous and impossible."
_Ans_. This objection is partly answered before in the Sermons, [page
14,] and may be further cleared, if we consider, that the Solemn League
and Covenant may be taken under different respects, _either as a league
amongst men_ or _a covenant between God and men_: in the former sense,
as it notes a _league offensive and defensive_ made betwixt the
collective bodies of these kingdoms, it is certain it cannot be taken by
us, who are but a poor insignificant handful of people, far from any
authority, or influence in church or commonwealth; the collective and
representative body of the three kingdoms having basely abandoned their
covenant with God, and united in a sinful compact opposite thereto, so
that to make a league with England or Ireland in this sense, were to
enter into a sinful confederacy with apostate covenant breakers; but in
the latter acceptation, as it is a covenant with God, not as a witness
only, but also as a party contracting, there is no absurdity or
impossibility why Scotland, or any part thereof, may not renew it,
obliging themselves by a solemn vow to perform what they are bound to
antecedently by the law of God. And if it be considered as an
association, it respects those only who now do, or hereafter shall,
adhere unto it, whether here or in the other two kingdoms. Hence, the
words in the preamble of the Solemn League and Covenant, expressing the
several ranks and the extent of the Covenanters, were not read at the
renewing of it at Douglass, because we own ourselves to be under a
league with none but such as own the covenanted Reformation; these, and
these only, we heartily embrace as our colleagues, into the nearest and
dearest bonds of Christian union and fellowship, according to this
League and Covenant.
As the revolt of the ten tribes from the true religion and covenant of
the Lord their God, hindered not the godly of Judah, nor the small party
that joined in the sincere worship of God, out of Ephraim and Manasseh,
to renew their covenant under the auspicious reigns of Asa, Hezekiah,
Josiah; Nor did the horrid apostacy of the Sectarian party in England
impede our ancestors to renew this Solemn League and Covenant in
Scotland, Anno, 1649. So neither can the defection of the generality of
the three kingdoms, which is to be bewailed, if possible, with tears of
blood, hinder us from testifying our adherence to the covenant, or
invalidate what we have done therein.
_Object_. 4. "Albeit the action should be granted to be for the main,
lawful and right, yet it was most unseasonable to undertake it at such a
time, when the parliament and ministry is composed of a set of men that
evidence no good affection to the present established church in
Scotland, who will be ready to interpret the action of a few
immoderately and unseasonably zealous people, as the deed of the whole
Presbyterians in Scotland, and to make a handle thereof against them, to
impose upon them some new burdens; or to take such measures as will
effectually put a stop to the more general renovation thereof throughout
the land."
In answer to this objection, we shall only desire the gentlemen that
made it to remember, That now for the space of 24 years they have been
crying, the time is not come wherein we should set about
covenant-renewing; one while they have pretended that the time was not
seasonable, because such as were in authority were friends to the
church; and it would look like a suspecting of their integrity, to enter
into covenant for defence and reformation of religion, as if they would
not show themselves active enough for these ends, and prove an
irritation to them to turn enemies to Presbyterian government; it would
cause them to think the Presbyterians to be a people of indiscreet and
ungovernable zeal, and so disgust them at the establishment. Another,
while they excuse themselves from this duty, because these in authority
are unfriendly to the Presbyterian establishment, they must walk
cautiously now and manage prudently, lest they give any umbrage to
Jacobites and Episcopalians to represent them ill at court, and so
occasion the overthrow of the great security founded in the Union
Treaty. Formerly they needed not renew the covenant, because religion
was not in danger; now they dare not attempt to do it because it is;
they must wait till a well-affected parliament and good counsellors set
it out of danger again, and then they will not need to covenant for its
safety. These shifts are too shrewd discoveries of neutrality in this
cause. It is to be feared that the godly have too long been hoodwinked
with such frivolous pretexts; and it is high time for every one that
has the low case of the work of God in the land at heart, to be awakened
to renew their covenant with God and keep the same. The motives and
calls to the work above mentioned will sufficiently, we hope,
demonstrate the seasonableness of it. But if there was a defect as to
the seasonableness, it was not because it was so soon set about, but
because it was no sooner.
We shall not dwell any longer upon these and the like objections; there
will not want mountains of difficulties in the way till such time as the
Lord, coming by his Spirit in a day of his power, shall be pleased to
level them and say, "Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubabel
thou shalt become a plain." In that day (we doubt not) there shall be a
willing people to enter covenant with the Lord, even a perpetual
covenant that shall not be forgotten; but, in the mean time, they would
do well to consider the hazard they bring themselves into who wilfully
raise objections against the covenant, because they are unwilling to
enter into it, or be bound by it.
It may be some will desiderate an account of the other _solemn holy
action_ that followed upon the back of this, in regard there were some
circumstances in it not so ordinary in this church in former times,
because of the paucity of public instruments; but neither do we think it
needful to give any large account of it, nor will it fall so properly
into this preface, which concerneth only national covenanting, and, it
is likely the reader's patience is too far transgressed upon already;
nor was there any _substantial or formal_ difference betwixt it and the
comely order of the Church of Scotland observed in our purest times of
reformation in the celebration of that sacred ordinance, except what in
the form arose from the circumstances we were in, and the reason now
mentioned. The work was awful and great, the persons employed about it
few, insignificant in their own eyes, as well as mean in the eyes of
others; and hence the Lord's power and grace was the more conspicuous,
who (we must not dissemble it) was present to the sensible experience of
many, sealing instruction upon the hearts of some, and granting,
strengthening, and confirming grace to others, for which he ought to
have all the glory.
But because there has been, as we are informed, no small clamor raised
anent some expressions used in debarring the ignorant and scandalous
from the holy table of the Lord; _That the Minister should have
unreasonably and presumptuously excommunicated the Queen and Parliament,
and the whole Ministers of the established church of Scotland_;
Therefore, we shall here insert the very words relating to that affair,
as they were uttered by him without any alteration. In warning the
ignorant, scandalous and profane to beware of presuming to approach to
the holy table of the Lord, the minister observed (as the manner is) the
order of the decalogue, where, in the sins forbidden in the second
commandment, as they are enumerated by the very Reverend the Assembly of
Divines sitting at Westminster, in their humble advice concerning a
Larger Catechism, we find these amongst others--"All devising,
counseling, commanding, using, and any ways approving any religious
worship not instituted by God himself, tolerating a false religion.----
All superstitious devices, corrupting the worship of God, adding to it,
taking from it, whether invented and taken up of ourselves, or received
by tradition from others, though under the title of antiquity, custom,
devotion, good intent, or any other pretence whatsoever." Hence, he
expressed himself in these words--"I excommunicate and debar from this
holy table of the Lord, all devisers, commanders, users, or approvers of
any religious worship not instituted by God in his Word, all tolerators
and countenancers thereof; and by consequence I debar and excommunicate
from this holy table of the Lord, Queen and Parliament, and all under
them, who spread and propagate or tolerate a false superstitious
worship, ay and until they repent," And in relation to the opposing of
the covenants and work of reformation, he had these words--"I
excommunicate and debar all who are opposers of our covenants and
covenanted Reformation, and all that have taken oaths contrary to our
covenants, and such particularly as are takers of the Oath of
Abjuration, whether Ministers or others, until they repent."
That this was no presumptuous and rebellious arrogance is evident,
because the sins for which he debarred Queen and Parliament, and all
others guilty of them, are proven from Scripture to be gross breaches of
God's law, and every violation thereof persisted in without repentance,
is a sufficient cause (in the opinion of Protestant Divines) to debar
and exclude from the Lord's table. Now, it is certain that even those
ministers of the established church who make such obloquy against the
work for this particular, do the same thing in effect every time that
they administrate this ordinance, for (as can be proved if they please
to require it, or do deny it,) they excommunicate from the table all
guilty of such sins as are forbidden in the second commandment,
according as they are specified in the forsaid Catechism; and so, by an
infallible consequence, they excommunicate the Queen and Parliament, who
are grossly guilty of the most of them, only they have not the courage
ingenuously and freely to own and express the consequence, but that it
follows natively and necessarily from the premises, even according to
their own principles, they will never be able to disprove.
Now, Reader, thou hast a just and true account as far as was necessary,
of our poor and weak endeavours in this matter, which we hope will, at
least, stand as a witness and testimony (without arrogance we desire to
speak it) against the apostacy of some and indifferency of others, who
should have been to us as the _he-goats before the flock_ in paving our
way to Zion, but are rather _making to themselves captains_ to carry us
back to Babylon, and pollute our land with idolatry and superstition;
and, as a pledge to posterity that the Lord has not yet utterly deserted
the land, though we rather wish,(if so it may consist with his holy
purpose, _who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working_) that it
might tend to excite, some to bethink "whence they have fallen, and
repent, and to do their first works, lest the Lord come quickly, and
utterly remove his candlestick from us:" and engage them to renew these
covenants in a more public way, and prosecute the ends of them with more
zeal, fidelity, and constancy, "that the Lord may yet delight to dwell
amongst us, make our judges peace, and our exactors righteousness," and
make us to be called _Hephzibah_, and our land _Beulah_.
The reader may please to cast his eye upon the following passages,
quoted from the writings of some of the ablest divines, wherewith these
kingdoms have been blessed, since the first reformation from Popery;
wherein he will see, how far different an opinion they have entertained
of the Covenant, from what are the thoughts of the learned
Latitudinarians of our age.
_A Testimony to the truth of_ JESUS CHRIST _and to our Solemn League
and Covenant, &c., subscribed by the Ministers of Christ, within the
province of London, December_ 14, 1649 Head IV.
"In order unto reformation and defence of religion within these three
kingdoms, we shall never forget, how solemnly and cheerfully the Solemn
League and Covenant was sworn with hands lifted up to the most high
God.--We were, and are abundantly satisfied, that our Solemn League and
Covenant of September 27, 1643, is not only warrantable for the matter
of it and manner of entering into it, but also of such excellency and
importance,--That it will be very hard in all points to parallel it;
and, therefore, as we did sincerely swear this covenant with God, with
all our heart, and with all our soul, much rejoicing at the oath with a
true intention to perform it, and not for promoting any politic design;
so we do believe and profess to the world that we still stand as firmly
engaged to the real performance of it, and that it is not in the power
of any person or persons on earth to dispense with it or absolve from
it."
_The harmonious consent of the Ministers of the county Palatine
Lancaster with their Reverend Brethren the Ministers of the province of
London._ Head V.
"We shall never forget how solemn it (the Solemn League and Covenant)
was sworn, and what rejoicing there was at the oath, sundry at the
taking of it weeping for joy; and when the Covenant was thus taken, we
thought with ourselves, that surely now the crown is set upon England's
head: We judged the day of entering into this Covenant to be England's
coronation-day, as it was the day of the gladness of our hearts."
_Mr. Philip Nye's Exhortation at the taking of the Covenant, September
29th, 1649, p. 2._
"This Oath is such, and in the matter and consequence of it of such
concernment, as I can truly say, it is worthy of us, yea, of all the
kingdoms of the world; for it is swearing fealty and allegiance to
Christ the King of kings, and giving up of all these kingdoms which are
his inheritance, to be subdued more to his throne, and ruled more by his
sceptre, upon whose shoulders the government is laid."
* * * * *
_THE NATIONAL COVENANT, OR THE CONFESSION OF FAITH OF THE KIRK OF
SCOTLAND_;
Subscribed at first by the King's Majesty and his Household, in the year
of God 1580; Thereafter, by persons of all ranks, in the year 1581; By
Ordinance of the Lords of the Secret Council, and Acts of the General
Assembly. Subscribed again by all sorts of persons in the year 1590, by
a new Ordinance of Council, at the desire of the General Assembly, with
a Band for the maintenance of the true religion, and the King's person:
And subscribed in the year 1638, by the Noblemen, Barons, Gentlemen,
Burgesses, Ministers and Commons, then under-subscribing; together with
their resolution and promises for the causes after specified, to
maintain the True Religion, and the King's Majesty, according to the
Confession aforesaid and Acts of Parliament; And upon the supplication
of the General Assembly to his Majesty's High Commissioner, and the
Lords of his Majesty's honorable Privy Council. Subscribed again in the
year 1639, by Ordinance of Council, and Acts of General Assembly, &c.,
&c. The Tenor whereof here followeth.
We all, and every one of us underwritten, protest, that after long and
due examination of our own consciences in matters of true and false
religion, we are now thoroughly resolved in the truth by the Word and
Spirit of God: And, therefore, we believe with our hearts, confess with
our mouths, subscribe with our hands and constantly affirm before God
and the whole world, that this only is the true Christian faith and
religion pleasing God, revealed to the world by the preaching of the
blessed evangel; and is received, believed, and defended by many and
sundry notable kirks and realms, but chiefly by the _Kirk of Scotland,
and sometimes by the King's Majesty, and the three estates of this
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