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:
[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.
[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.
[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 oth
