The Covenants And The Covenanters Part 2

And this was it that made the apostles so bold, when it was alleged that they had done that whilk was not right: they made the enemies themselves judges, and says, "Whether it be right in your sight to obey G.o.d rather than man, judge ye." As if they had said, It's true indeed we are mickle obliged to man, but we are more obliged to G.o.d than to all men; for what is it that man can do to us, either good or ill, but G.o.d can do that als (also) and more? And upon this ground, in the next chapter, they draw this conclusion,--It behoveth us rather to obey G.o.d than man. And so, first, they reason with the adversars themselves upon it; and seeing that they could not deny it, upon that they draw up their conclusion. I mark this for this end, that whenever ye are enjoined to do anything by any man, that then ye would not forget this dignity and power that G.o.d has over you, and that ye are the people of Jesus Christ; and therefore no man ought to enjoin anything to be done by you, but that for the whilk he has a warrant from G.o.d. There is a great controversy now about disobedience to superiors, and the contempt of those who are in authority; but there is not a word of that, whether G.o.d be obeyed or not, or if He be disobeyed by any. Fy, that people should sell themselves over to the slavery of man, when the Lord has only sovereign power over them! I would not have you to think that a whole country of people are appointed only to uphold the grandeur of five or six men. No, they are ordained to be magistrates for your good. And sall we think that a ministry s.h.i.+nes into a land for the upholding of the grandeur of some few persons. No, all these things are ordained for the good of G.o.d's people; and, seeing that it is so, sall ye then make yourselves like to a.s.ses and slaves, to be subject to all that men pleases to impose upon you? No, no; try anything that they impose upon you, before ye obey it, if it is warranted by G.o.d or not; because G.o.d is the only superior over you.

2. Secondly. "Thy people." This also is a note of distinction; for every people are G.o.d's people, but there is a distinction among them. All people, it's true, are G.o.d's people by right of creation: why therefore says he, _Thy_ people, and not _all_ people? Because all people belong not to Christ. G.o.d has authority over all indeed, but in a special manner He enters into covenant with some. All people who are subject to Him in His providence are not His peculiar people, His royal nation, His holy priesthood, His chosen generation, but only those of them who belong to Christ; those are properly termed to be His people. And we should remember of this, that those who are the people of G.o.d, they have notable privileges; they have all things that any people should have, and, whatever we should be, they have that. Where any are the people of G.o.d, there there is blessedness indeed, for they have His truth for their security, they have His love for their comfort, His power for their defence. The Lord G.o.d, He takes His people into His bosom, and with every soul He does so, and says, "I the Lord thy G.o.d enters in covenant with thee, and renews the covenant that before I made with thee." And then He lays a necessity upon thee, by His providence, that thou must enter into covenant with Him; and then He says to thee, "I will not remember thy sins any more; I know they are heinous, great, and many, but because thou desires that they should not be remembered, therefore I will not remember them. And because when ye have renewed your covenant with Me, ye will be aye in a fear to break it again, therefore I will write My law in your hearts. And so whatever I promise to you, I will perform it freely when ye are in covenant with Me; and whatever ye promise to Me, being in covenant with Me, I sall perform it for you also, at least I sall give you strength to perform it." And therefore to the end that ye may be perfectly blessed, enter into a covenant with G.o.d; and without ye be in covenant with Him, ye sall be in nothing but perpetual misery. I would have all of you to think this to be your only health, wealth, and peace, and your only glory in the world, to be in covenant with G.o.d; and so that ye are the people of G.o.d, I would not have you to count men to be rich and glorious men by their estates in the world--that he can spend so many chalders of victual yearly, or so many thousand merks. O, a silly, beggarly glory is this!

Naked thou came into the world, and naked thou must go out of it again.

But see how mickle thou has of the knowledge of Jesus Christ, how far thou art forward in the work of repentance, faith, &c., and such good actions. Learn to set your affections on things that are above, and testify it by your actions.

II. "In the day of Thy power." This is the time when the people of G.o.d sall be willing, even in the day of His power; that is, in the day of the power of Jesus Christ. The day of His own resurrection from the dead was one day of His power: He says, "I have power to lay down My life, and I have power to take it again;" "Destroy this temple, and I will build it up again in three days;" He meant of the temple of His body: and indeed there was none who could raise His dead body out of the grave, but only Himself. A second day of His power sall be the day of the resurrection of our bodies out of the dust. But there is another day that is meant of here than any of these, and that is the day of our first resurrection out of the grave of sin, by the preaching of the gospel. And there is good reason for it, why this should be called a day of His power. First, because it is the power of Jesus Christ that brings the purity of the gospel into a land; and we may indeed say that it was only His power that brought the gospel into this land. It had not authority then to countenance it, for all those that were in authority were against it; and counsel and policy, and all the clergy, and the mult.i.tude, all of them, were against it; and yet, for all that, the Lord brought in the purity of the gospel into this land, and established it here against all these. Secondly, when the purity of the gospel is into a land, it is only the power of G.o.d that makes it effectual for turning of souls unto Himself, and raising them out of the grave of sin, wherein they are so fast buried. So when the Lord first sends the gospel, we are lying into the grave of sin; and the devil, and the world, and all these enemies they are watching the grave, to see that we rise not out of it; and when we are beginning to rise they are busy to hold us down. And think not that we can rise, and lift up ourselves from so base to so high ane estate, without the power of G.o.d. No, no. Third.

When the gospel is into a land, it is only the power of Jesus Christ that makes it to continue, for if the Lord make not the gospel to continue into a land, it will not stay there. And there is no less power required either to bring the gospel into a land, or to make it effectual, or to make it to continue, than was required to raise the dead body of Christ out of the grave, or will be required to raise ours.

I would have you consider here, that all times are not alike, but there is a time of the Lord's power; that all days are not alike, but there is a day of the Lord's power; a time when the saints of G.o.d sall be weak, a time when they sall be strong; a time when some sall rise up to persecute the saints, a time when others sall rise up to help them; a time when the Lord withholds His power, and a time when He kythes (shews it); a time when the people draws back from the Lord, and a time when they turn to Him again. There has been a day of defection in this land this time past, and now there is a time of the Lord's power in bringing back this defection again: and indeed this very instant time that now is is ane hour of that day of the Lord's power, and I will shew you two or three reasons for it. 1. The Lord did arise and manifested His power when the enemies were become insolent, and when they had determined that they would set up such a mode of wors.h.i.+p as they thought meet, and noways according to the pattern shown upon the mount. And indeed the Lord, He uses ordinarily to do this, that even when the enemies of His people are become insolent, and they have determined that they will do such a thing instantly, then He takes them in their own snare. 2. To show that it is the Lord's power only that works a work, He uses to begin at very small beginnings; and so the Lord did in this same work;--He began at first with some few, and these not honourable, and yet now He has made it to cover the whole land through all the quarters thereof. 3. This is also a note of the power of G.o.d, that He has touched the hearts of people, that there was never such a howling and a weeping heard amongst them this long time as there is now; and yet it is not a weeping for sorrow, but a weeping for joy. How oft has there been preachings in the most part of the congregations of this land this long time past, and yet people have never found the power of it in working upon their hearts; and yet within this short s.p.a.ce, when the Lord has renewed His covenant with them, and they with Him, He has displayed His banner, and made His power known in working upon the hearts of people.

4. In this the power of G.o.d is manifestly to be seen in this work, that the Lord has made all the devices and plots of the adversars, that they have devised to further their own ends, to work contrair to these ends, and to work for the good of His own work. And, indeed, we may say that it has not been so mickle the courage and wisdom of these, that has been for this cause, that has brought it so far on, but the very plots and devices of the adversars that they have devised for their own good. This also is ane evident token of the Lord's power.

And now since the Lord did arise when the enemies were become insolent, since He began at so small beginnings and has brought it so far, since the Lord has wrought so on the hearts of people now, and since He has made all the plots of the enemies to work against themselves, and for His people, let us give this glory to G.o.d, and reverence Him, and say that it is only by His power that the work is done, and that He has been pleased to manifest Himself into the work. Beloved, we may comfort ourselves in this, if all this has been done by the power of G.o.d, then we need not to fear the power of men; men can do nothing against G.o.d.

The Lord may indeed put His kirk to a trial, but He will not suffer her to be overthrown by any. And indeed, any who hears and knows what the enemies are doing here may see that they are not fighting against men, but against G.o.d, and that they are kicking against the p.r.i.c.ks.

III. Now, for the properties of thir people. The first of them is _willing_. The Lord's people are a people of willingness in the day of His power: and indeed thir three go very well together, the people of G.o.d, the power of G.o.d, and a willing people. When the power of G.o.d works upon His people then He makes them to be a willing people. And indeed, it is no small matter to see a people willing in a good cause, for by nature we are unwilling, and naturally we are not set to affect anything that is right, except it be through hypocrisy. Our hearts they are contrary to G.o.d; they are proud, disobedient, rebellious, and he who sees and knows his own heart sees all this to be in it; and he knows that it is the Lord who cries upon him, in the day of His own power, and frames his heart in a new mould, and makes it to be so nimble and cheerful in any good work,--that albeit they had been before running with all their speed to the devil, yet He makes them to stand still in the way and look about them, and consider what they have been doing, and then to turn about again. Albeit thou were like to Paul, persecuting the Church, yet He can then make a preacher of thee, and so affright thee that thou sall not know where thou art, but say, "Here am I, Lord:" and albeit thou were as unwilling to go as the prophet Moses, yet He will make thee to say, "Here am I, Lord, send me," and be as Elisha, when Elias cuist (cast) his mantle about him, then he could not stay any longer. And when Christ comes to Peter, and calls upon them, they cannot stay any longer, but incontinent they leave all and follows Him. I will not now begin to make any large discourse of the invincible power of G.o.d; I say no more of it now but only this for your use. If ye kent this power of G.o.d, it would make you ready and willing to give a confession to Him this day, and even to confess Him before men, and to forsake all and follow Him. Ye who are ignorant of the power of G.o.d, take heed to this,--it is the Lord who commanded light to come out of darkness, who must make you to see Christ; He who takes His rod in His hand to beat down the hard and humble the haughty heart, He must do this also. O if ye felt this power of G.o.d, ye would think nothing to forsake all and to follow Him. He has suffered more for us nor we can suffer for Him; and if we suffered anything for Him, He would not suffer any of us yet to be a loser at His hand: but we cannot put Him to a trial.

Now for this unwillingness of these people, it is well expressed here.

They are called a people of willingness. And yet He thinks not this satisfactory, to call them a willing people, but He calls them a people of willingness, a n.o.ble, generous, high-minded people. And all this is to shew that when the people of G.o.d is wakened up in the day of His power, there is none who is able to express their willingness. They are so willing that if they had a thousand minds they would employ them all for Him, and if they had a thousand faces, they would not let one of them look down, but they would hold them all up for the Lord; if every hair in their head were a man, they would employ them all in His service. Their willingness, indeed, it cannot be expressed. They cry to the Lord, because they think they cannot run fast enough, "Draw me and I sail run after Thee:" they are flying together, as the dowes does to the holes of the rocks before a tempest come. In the Canticles, Christ says, "My soul made Me as the chariots of My n.o.ble people;" and, indeed, to see a people running through the land, to meet together to keep communion with the Lord, this is the best chariot that can be. And this willingness has been so great at some times in the children of G.o.d that they have fallen in a paroxysm, or like the fit of a fever, with it: as it is Acts xvii. Paul's spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the City of Athens given to so much base idolatry as to wors.h.i.+p the UNKNOWN G.o.d.

And Lot, also, he had such a fit as this; he vexed his righteous soul with the iniquities of Sodom, that is, he tortured his soul with their sins, he never saw them committing sin but it was a grief to him. And, indeed, the children of G.o.d this while past have been grieved and vexed to behold the sins that has been committed into this same land. I insist upon this the rather because I would wish from my heart that ye would be thus willing, and that ye would be as forward for the glory and honour of G.o.d as ever any was. And then, indeed, it should do good to others also, when they should hear tell that the people of St. Andrews were such a willing people. And, indeed, ye have just reason to be willing now.

1. Because it is G.o.d's cause ye have in hand, and it is no new cause to us. It is almost sixty years old; it is no less since this same Confession of Faith was first subscribed and sworn to. And it has been still in use yearly to be subscribed and sworn to in some parts, among some in this land, to this day. And I think it would have been so in all the parts of the land if men had dreamed of what was coming upon us.

Whatever is added to it at this time, it is nothing but ane interpretation of the former part; and if men will be willing to see the right, they may see that there is nothing in the latter part but that whilk may be deduced from the first. And in the making of a Covenant we are not bound to keep only these same words that were before, but we must renew it; and in the renewing thereof we must apply it to the present time when it is renewed, as we have done, renewed it against the present ills. For it is not necessar for us to abjure Turkism or Paganism, because we are not in fear to be troubled with that; but the thing that we are in danger of is Papistry, and therefore we must abjure that.

2. A second reason to make you willing is, because this matter concerns you in all things,--in your bodies, in your estates, in your lives, your liberties, in your souls. I may say, if in the Lord's providence this course had not been taken, ye would have found the thraldom whereinto that course, wherein ye were anes (once) going, would have brought you to or (ere) now, even ye who are most averse from it.

3. A third reason to make you willing is, ye have the precedency and testimony of the n.o.bility in the land to it, and of all sorts of persons, n.o.blemen, barons, gentlemen, burgesses, ministers, and commons; and wherefore, then, should not ye be willing to follow their example?

And then, I may say, ye have the prayers of all the reformed kirks in Europe for you, who have ever heard of the perturbations that has been, and yet are, into this land. And, moreover, beloved, whom have ye against you in this course? All the atheists, all the papists, and all the profane rogues in the country; they draw to that side, and it is only they who hate this cause. And should not all these make you willing to swear to it, and to hazard for it? And I may say, if ye be but willing to hazard all that ye have, that may be the heaviest distress that ever ye shall be put to. And if so be that ye had been willing at first, the Lord would have touched the king's heart, and made him willing also; but because he is informed by some that the most part are not willing, that is a great part of the cause why he is not willing.

The second property of G.o.d's people is holiness. "In the beauties of holiness;" a speech that is borrowed from the priest's garments under the law. Sometimes they were broidered with gold, sometimes they were all white, especially in the day of expiation. Not that ministers under the New Testament should have such garments as these, for these were representations to them, both of their inward holiness and of their outward holiness, by (beyond) others; but now all believers are priests as well as ministers are, and therefore such garments as these are not necessar. Indeed, if such garments as these had been necessar, then Christ and His apostles had done great wrong to themselves, who never used the like; and they had done great wrong to the kirk also in not appointing such garments to be worn by ministers. There be garments of glory in heaven, and garments of grace in the earth; that party-coloured garment spoken of in the Colossians, and this holiness whilk is spoken of here. Concerning whilk we will mark two things:--First, as people are a people of willingness in a good cause, so they must also be a people of holiness, or otherwise their willingness is only but for some worldly respects: therefore, I would have you with willingness to put on holiness. And, indeed, if we saw what holiness were, we needed not to be persuaded to put it on, we would do it willingly. For it has three parts in it--1. A purgation from former filthiness. 2. A separation from the world. If thou will be holy, then thou must be separate from the world; thou must strive to keep thyself from those whose garments are spotted with the flesh. 3. Holiness requires devotion or dedication to the Lord.

When there is purgation from filthiness, separation from the world, and dedication to the Lord, there there is holiness and nowhere else.

Now, is there any of you but ye are obleist (obliged) to be holy? Ye say that ye are the people of the Lord. If so be, then ye must have your inward man purged of sin, and ye must stand at the stave's end against the corruptions of the time, and ye must devote yourselves only to serve and honour G.o.d. And your Covenant, that ye are to swear to this day, oblishes you to this; and it requires nothing of you but that whilk ye are bound to perform. And, therefore, seeing this is required of you, purge yourselves within, flee the corruptions of the time, eschew the society of those whom ye see to be corrupt, and devote yourselves only to the Lord. Yet this is not that we would obleish you to perform everything punctually that the Lord requires of you; there is none who can do that, but promise to the Lord to do so, tell Him that ye have a desire to do so, and join a resolution and a purpose, and say to Him, Lord, I sall prease (earnestly endeavour) to do als far as I can. And, indeed, there is no more in our covenant but this, that we sall endeavour to keep ourselves within the bounds of our Christian liberty; and, albeit, none of you would swear to this, ye are bound to it by your baptism. And, therefore, think not that we are precisians, (or these who has set down this covenant), seeing all of you are bound to do it.

Secondly, "The _beauties_ of holiness." Consider here that as holiness is necessar for the saints of G.o.d, so all G.o.d's courtiers they are full of beauty. G.o.d Himself is full of beauty, and we have no power, beauty nor holiness but in His power, beauty, and holiness. Holiness, it is the beauty of the Son of G.o.d, Jesus Christ; and to Him it is said in Esay, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord G.o.d Almighty": and the Holy Ghost has this style to be called Holy. And the angels in heaven, they are clothed with holiness; and the saints who are in heaven, this is the long white robes wherewith they are clothed. And they who are begun to be sanctified here, they strive to be more and more clad with holiness.

Beloved, I would have you to count this to be your beauty, even holiness; for if ye have not this beauty, then all your other beauty will degenerate in a b.a.s.t.a.r.d beauty.

Now follows the marvellous _multiplication_ of thir people. "From the womb of the morning thou hast the dew of thy youth." The words are somewhat obscure even to the learned ear, but look to the 133d Psalm, and there ye will see a place to help to clear them. Always (however) observe here, "from the womb of the morning thou hast the dew of thy youth," that as in a May morning, when there is no extremity of heat, the dew falls so thick that all the fields are covered with it, and it falls in such a secret manner that none sees it fall, so the Lord, in the day of His power, He sall multiply His people, and He sall multiply them in a secret manner; so that it is marvellous to the world, that once there should seem to be so few or none of them, and then incontinent He should make them to be through all estates.

We have first to learn here, that the Kirk of G.o.d, she has a morning; and in the morning the dew falls, and not in the night, nor in the heat of the day. So it is not in the night of defection, nor in the heat of the day of persecution, when the Lord's people are multiplied, but it is in the morning of the day. Beloved, I wish you may be a discerning people, to know the Lord's seasons. Sall we be as those, of whom our Saviour complains, who can discern the face of the sky, but cannot discern the day of the Lord's merciful and gracious visitation towards them? Men indeed may be very learned and know things very well, and yet in the meantime be but ignorant of this; for there are sundry gifts bestowed upon men, and ilk are has not this gift, to discern the Lord's merciful visitation. And therefore happy are ye, albeit ye be not great in other gifts, if so be that ye know this; for the Lord, He has some gifts of His own bestowing allanerly (only), whilk He will bestow upon the meanest, and yet He will deny them to the proudest; even as the tops of the mountains, they will be dry and have no dew, while as the valleys will be wet with it. So those who exalts themselves high, and boasts themselves of their other gifts, of their knowledge, learning, experience, &c., the Lord will, for all that, ofttimes leave them void of saving and sanctifying grace.

"From the womb of the morning thou hast the dew of thy youth." That is, as the dew is multiplied upon the earth, so sall thy people be. This is are ordinar phrase in Scripture. Hushai says to Absalom, "Convene the people from Dan to Beersheba, and then we sall light upon David as the dew lighteth upon the ground; and then there sall not be left of him and of all the men that are with him so much as one." And this phrase is well set down, Is. liv., "Rejoice, O barren, and thou that didst not bear, break forth into singing and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child; for more are the children of the desolate than the married wife." And therefore He uses this form of speech, v. 2, "Enlarge thy tents, and let them stretch the curtains of thy habitations; lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes." And all these things are requisite to be done when the people of G.o.d are multiplied thus.

Let us observe here, if the Word of G.o.d continue in this land, in the purity thereof, and the sacraments be rightly administrate, the people of G.o.d will then multiply exceedingly here. The chiefest city in this land, they are forced to marvel where the people has been in former times that are in it now, so that they cannot get kirks to contain them.

And they think, if the gospel continue in the purity thereof, all the kirks that they are building, with the rest, sall have enough ado to contain them. And it is a marvel to consider how the Lord has multiplied His people, at this time. This is not that we are to glory in mult.i.tudes, but to let you see the great work of G.o.d, Who has multiplied His people thus. And as it was at the beginning of the plantation of the Christian religion, there was three thousand converted at one preaching of the apostle, I will not say that there has been three thousand converted at a preaching here, but I may say this, that at one preaching there has been some thousands wakened up, who had not been so for a long time before. And will it not be a hard matter, seeing that it is so, that Saint Andrews sall be as Gideon's fleece; that all the kingdom about it sall be wet with the dew of heaven, and it sall only be dry?

Even so, will it not be a shame, that all others sall be stirred up, and ye not a whit stirred up in this day more than if there were not such a thing? And, therefore, beloved, I would have you to join yourselves with the rest of the people of G.o.d in this cause.

"Thy youth." That is, _thy young men_. Those that are renewed by grace they are called young, albeit they were never so old, because their age is not reckoned by their first, but by their second birth. Ay, moreover, still the older that the children of G.o.d grow in years, and the weaker in the world, they grow younger and stronger in grace. Secondly, they are called young, because of the strength that they have to resist temptations. Before they be renewed by grace and born again that way, they are like bairns, that every temptation prevails with them; but then they are as young men, who are able to resist temptations to sin, so that sin gets not liberty to exercise dominion over them. Thirdly, they are called young, because they will contend with all their power and might for the faith. I would have all of you to be young in these respects, and labour to get ane evidence of your new birth by these, that ye are growing in grace, gaining still more strength to resist temptations, and by contending earnestly for the faith; even be bold in this, especially in contending for the truth. Strive for the truth, for, if ye anes lose it, ye will not get it so easily again. And this same is the covenant of truth whilk ye are to swear to; for as our Covenant is renewed, so also it is exponed (explained) according as the exigencies of the time requires, and it is applied to the present purpose.

Beloved, I told you already that ye have no cause of fear, for I avow and attest here before G.o.d, that what ye do is not against authority, but for authority, let some men who are wickedly disposed say what they will; but what ye do is for authority. And I told you of the obligations whereby authority are bound to this. And for the words of it, because they are conceived in a terrible manner, ye need not to stand in awe for this; and it were good that ye should read them over again, and think upon this wrath of G.o.d whilk we pray for to come upon us, if we do intend anything against authority.

_Objection._ We have oblished ourselves by our subscription already; what then needs us to obleish ourselves over again by our oath? _Ans._ It's true, I grant, many of you has subscribed it already, and so ye are bound; but now ye are to swear also, that so through abundance of bands to G.o.d ye may know yourselves to be the more bound to Him. David says, I have purposed, I have promised, I have sworn, and I sall perform Thy righteous statutes. There be also here sundry Acts of Parliament, that are all of them made within this same kingdom for the maintainance of the true religion; and for thir, they speak for themselves. And I would have these who say we do anything against law and against our superiors, to see and try if there be anything against them, and not all directly for them.

Beloved, I hope that it will not be necessar for us to spend mickle time with you in removing of scruples. Good things I know has over many objections against them from the devil, the world, and our own ill hearts. And I know some of them who are accounted the learnedst in the land, have a.s.sayed their wits and used their pens to object against this. But truly these who are judicious, they have confessed that they have been greatly confirmed by that whilk they have objected; and the reason of it was, because they who were the most learned a.s.sayed themselves to see what they could say, and yet when all was done, they had nothing to say that was worth the hearing.

For the first part of this Confession of faith, there is not a word changed in it; and if so be that men had keeped that part of it free of sinistrous glosses, and had applied it according to the meaning of those who were the penners thereof, there needed not to have such a thing ado as there is now; but because they have put sinistrous glosses upon it now and misapplied it, therefore it behoved to be explained and applied to the present time.

The first thing that ye swear to is, That with your whole hearts ye agree and resolve, all the days of your life, constantly to adhere unto and defend the true religion. There is no scruple here. 2. That ye suspend and forbear the practice of all novations already introduced in the matters of the wors.h.i.+p of G.o.d, or approbation of the corruptions of the public government of the kirk, or civil places and power of kirkmen, till they be tried and allowed in free a.s.semblies and in parliaments.

Now, I know there be some who make scruples here. How can we, say they, bind ourselves to forbear the practice of that whilk Acts of a.s.sembly allows, and Acts of Parliament commands? _Ans._ We do not herein condemn the Act as altogether unlawful, whatever our judgment be of it, but this is all what we do. Because such ills has followed upon these novations, therefore we think it meet now to forbear the practice of them till they be tried by a.s.sembly and Parliament.

And this is not a breach of the Act, when all is done. Because the Act is not set down in the manner of a command, but only as a counsel; for so the Act of the pretended a.s.sembly bears. The words is, "The a.s.semblie thinks good," &c., "because all memory of superst.i.tion is now past, therefore we may kneel at the communion." Then, if there be any danger of superst.i.tion, by the very words of the Act we may gather this, that we should not kneel: and so they who practice now keep the letter of the Act, but they who forbear keep the meaning thereof more nearly than the practisers. 3. We promise and swear against the Service-book, Book of Canons, and High Commission, with all other innovations and ills contained in our Supplications, Complaints, and Protestations. Now for the Service-book, I find every one almost to be so inclined willingly to quite (be done with) it. But let me attest your own consciences, if it had gone on for a while, and been read among you, as it was begun to be, if it had not been as hard for you to have quat it as to quit the Articles of Perth; and therefore, do not deceive yourselves, to let such things be practised any more. It is a pitiful thing, that those who are wise otherways should deceive themselves in the matters of G.o.d's service and wors.h.i.+p, and suffer others to deceive them also. 4. Ye promise and swear, to the uttermost of your power to stand to the defence of the king's majesty, in the defence and preservation of true religion: as also, every one of you to the mutual defence of another in the same cause. Now there be a number who says, that in this we come under rebellion against the king, and we join in a combination against him, when we join ourselves thus, every one for the defence of another. I say no more of it but this. It is not disputed here, ye see, whether it be lawful for subjects to take up arms against their prince or not, whether in offence or defence; but that we will maintain the true religion, and resist all contrary corruptions, according to our vocation. And every one of us oblishes ourselves for the defence of another, only in maintaining the cause of true religion, according to the laws and liberties of this kingdom. And indeed, this is very reasonable to be done, albeit not asked of; for when your neighbour's house is burning, ye will not run to the king to speir (ask) if ye should help him or not, before it come to your own; but ye will incontinent put to your hand, both to help him, and to save your own house. Ye may not say, neither, that because we may not oppose against authority, that we may not oppose against Papists or against Prelates; for that were to make ourselves slaves to men. And the very law of nature binds every one of us to help another, in a lawful manner, for a good cause. 5. Ye swear, because ye cannot look for a blessing from G.o.d upon your proceedings, except that with your confession and subscription ye join such a life as becomes Christians who has renewed their covenant with G.o.d,--therefore ye promise to endeavour at least, for yourselves and all that are under you, to keep yourselves within the bounds of your Christian liberty, and to be good ensamples to others in all G.o.dliness, soberness, and righteousness, and of every duty we owe both to G.o.d and man. And there is none who needs to skarre (be frightened) at this; for we are not hereby to tie any to the obedience of the law, but to the obedience of the Gospel: and I am sure all are bound at least to please to (strive after) this. And therefore I would have you to labour to it; and when ye find that ye cannot get it done, then run to Christ, and beseech Him to teach you to do it; and to give you strength, according to His promise made in His new covenant; and so ye sail give glory to G.o.d and get good to your own souls. And, indeed, all of you are obleist to amend your lives, and to live otherwise than ye have done. And last of all, there is the _Attestation_.

Now, I hope all these things be so clear to you, that there is not any scruple in any of your minds. And therefore, that this work may be done aright, and may be accompanied by the power of G.o.d, I would have all of you to bow your knees before that great and dreadful Lord, and beseech Him that He would send down the Holy Ghost, and the power of His Spirit, to accompany the work, that so ye may do it with all your hearts, to His glory and honour, and to your comfort in Jesus Christ.

THE NATIONAL COVENANT:

EXHORTATION AT INVERNESS.

_BY ANDREW CANT._[3]

Long ago our gracious G.o.d was pleased to visit this nation with the light of His glorious Gospel, by planting a vineyard in, and making His glory to arise upon Scotland. A wonder! that so great a G.o.d should s.h.i.+ne on so base a soil! Nature hath been a stepmother to us in comparison of those who live under a hotter climate, as in a land like Goshen, or a garden like Eden. But the Lord looks not as man: His grace is most free, whereby it often pleaseth Him to compense what is wanting in nature: whence upon Scotland (a dark obscure island, inferior to many) the Lord did arise, and discovered the tops of the mountains with such a clear light, that in G.o.d's gracious dispensation, it is inferior to none. How far other nations outstripped her in naturals, as far did she out-go them in spirituals. Her pomp less, her purity more: they had more of antichrist than she, she more of Christ than they: in their reformation something of the beast was reserved; in ours, not so much as a hoof.

When the Lord's ark was set up among them, Dagon fell, and his neck brake, yet his stump was left; but with us, stump and all was cast into the brook Kidron. Hence king James his doxology in face of parliament, thanking G.o.d who made him king in such a kirk that was far beyond England (they having but an ill-said ma.s.s in English) yea, beyond Geneva itself; for holy-days (one of the beast's marks) are in part there retained, which (said he) to day are with us quite abolished. Thus to a people sitting in darkness, and in the shadow of death, light is sprung up. Thus, in a manner, the stone that the builders refused is become the head of the corner. The Lord's Anointed (to whom the ends of the earth were given for a possession and inheritance) came and took up house amongst us, strongly established on two pillars, Jachin and Boaz, and well ordered with the staves of beauty and bands, and borrowing nothing from the border of Rome. Her foundation, walls, doors, and windows were all adorned with carbuncles, sapphires, emeralds, chrysolites, and precious stones out of the Lord's own treasure. G.o.d Himself sat with His beauty and ornaments therein, so that it was the praise and admiration of the whole earth. Strangers and home-bred persons wondered. Such was the glory, perfection, order, and unity of this house, that the altar of Damascus could have no peace, the Canaanite no rest, heresy no hatching, schism no footing, Diotrephes no incoming, the papists no couching, and Jezebel no fairding. Our church looked forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners. Then G.o.d's tabernacle was amiable, His glory filled the sanctuary, the clear fresh streams watered the city of our G.o.d; the stoutest humbled themselves, and were afraid. If an idiot entered the Lord's courts, so great power sounded from Barnabas and Boanerges, the sons of consolation and thunder, that they were forced to fall down on their face, and cry, "This is Bethel, G.o.d is here."

But alas! Satan envied our happiness, brake our ranks, poisoned our fountains, mudded and defiled our streams; and while the watchmen slept, the wicked one sowed his tares: whence these divers years bygone, for ministerial authority, we had lordly supremacy and pomp; for beauty, fairding; for simplicity, whorish buskings; for sincerity, mixtures; for zeal, a Laodicean temper; for doctrines, men's precepts; for wholesome fruits, a medley of rites; for feeders we had fleecers; for pastors, wolves and impostors; for builders of Jerusalem, rebuilders of Jericho; for unity, rents; for progress, defection. Truth is fallen in the streets, our dignity is gone, our credit lost, our crown is fallen from our heads; our reputation is turned to imputation: before G.o.d and man we justly deserve the censure of the degenerate vine; a backsliding people, an apostate perjured nation, by our breaking a blessed covenant so solemnly sworn.

Yet, behold! when this should have been our doom, when all was almost gone, when we were down the hill, when the pit's mouth was opened, and we were at the falling in, and at the very shaking hands with Rome; the Lord, strong and gracious, pitied us, looked on us, and cried, saying, "Return, return, ye backsliding people; come, and I will heal your backslidings." The Lord hath been so saving, and the cry so quickening, that almost all of all ranks, from all quarters and corners, are awakened and on foot, meeting and answering the Lord, saying, "Behold we come unto Thee, for Thou art the Lord our G.o.d, other lords besides Thee have had dominion over us, but by Thee only will we make mention of Thy name." All are wondering at the turn, and looking like them that dream, and are singing and saying, "Blessed be the Lord who hath not given us for a prey to their teeth; our souls are escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowler, the snare is broken, and we are escaped: our help is in the name of the Lord who made the heaven and the earth." Who thought to have seen such a sudden change in Scotland, when all second causes were posting a contrary course? when proud men were boasting and saying, "Bow down that we may go over;" and we laid our "bodies as the ground, and as the streets to them that went over." But now, behold one of G.o.d's wonders! So many of all ranks taking the honour and cause of Christ to heart; all unanimously, harmoniously and legally conjoined as one man in supplications, protestations and declarations against innovations and innovators, corruptions and corrupters. Behold and wonder! That old covenant (once and again solemnly sworn and perfidiously violated) is now again happily renewed, with such solemnity, harmony, oaths and subscriptions, that I dare say, this hath been more real and true in thee, O Scotland, these few weeks bygone, than for the s.p.a.ce of thirty years before. I know Pashurs that went to smite Jeremiahs, are become at this work Magor-missabib, terror round about; Zedekiahs that went to smite Micaiahs, seek now an inner chamber to hide themselves. Tobiah and Sanballat gnaw their tongues, laugh and despise us, saying, "What is this ye do? Will ye rebel against the king?

Will ye fortify yourselves? Will ye make an end in a day? Will ye remove the stones out of the heaps of rubbish that is burnt?" Rehum the chancellor, s.h.i.+mshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions, cease not to fill the ears of a gracious prince with prejudice, saying, "Be it known to thee, O king, if this city be built, and the walls thereof set up again, that they will not pay toll, tribute or custom." But to these we answer, "Let the king live, and let all his enemies be confounded, let all that seek his d.a.m.nation be put to shame here and henceforth: but as for you, ye are strangers, meddle not with the joy of G.o.d's people; ye have no portion, right, nor memorial in G.o.d's Jerusalem." If the begun work vex them, it is no wonder; it does prognosticate the ruin of their kingdom, and that Haman, who hath begun to fall before the seed of the Jews, shall fall totally: the Lord is about to prune His vineyard, and to drive out the foxes that eat the tender grapes; to pluck up b.a.s.t.a.r.d plants, and to whip buyers and sellers out of the temple. The Lord is about to strike the Gehazis with leprosy, and to bring low the Simon Maguses who were so high lifted up by Satan's ministry. The Lord is calling the great ones to put too their shoulder, and help His work; He hath been in the south, saying, "Keep not back,"

and blessed be G.o.d, they have not. He hath now sent to the north, saying, "Give up, bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth:" contend for the faith once delivered to Scotland.

There is one Lord, one faith, one cause that concerns all. Though this north climate be cold, I hope your hearts are not, at least they should not be. The earth is the Lord's and its fulness, the world and they that dwell therein; the uttermost parts of the earth are given to Christ for a possession; His dominion is from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth. Come then, and kiss the Son; count it your greatest honour to honour Christ, and to lend His fallen truths a lift; come and help to build the old wastes, that ye may be called the repairers of the breach; and then shall all generations call you blessed; then shall G.o.d build up your houses, as He did to the Egyptian midwives, for their fearing G.o.d, and for their friends.h.i.+p to His people Israel. Be not like the n.o.bles of Tekoa, of whom Nehemiah complained, that they would not put their necks to the work of the Lord. Be not like Meroz, whom the angel of the Lord cursed bitterly, for not coming to the help of the Lord against the mighty. Neither be ye like these mockers and scorners, at the renewing of the Lord's covenant in Hezekiah's days, but rather like those whose hearts the Lord humbled and moved. Be not like those invited to the king's supper, who refused to come, and had miserable excuses, and therefore should not taste of it. We hope better things of you; G.o.d hath reserved and advanced you for a better time and use: but if ye draw back, keep silence, and hold your peace, G.o.d shall bring deliverance and enlargement to His church another way; but G.o.d save you from the sequel. Nothing is craved of you but what is for G.o.d and the king; for Christ's honour, and the kirk's good, and the kingdom's peace.

G.o.d give to your hearts courage, wisdom and resolution for G.o.d and the king, and for Christ and His truths. _Amen._

THE NATIONAL COVENANT

SERMON AT GLASGOW.[4]

_By ANDREW CANT._

"The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, who made a marriage for his son: and he sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding; and they would not come," etc.--_Matt._ xxii. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

I purpose not to handle this parable punctually, because it stands not with the nature of a parable, neither will the time suffer me so to do.