The National Covenant. Sermon at St. Andrews by Alexander Henderson.
For the rest of this week in honor of the signing of the National Covenant 386 years ago, Berith Press would like to offer writings from our covenanting forefathers on the topic of covenanting. The first instalment of this series is of the text of Alexander Henderson’s sermon The National Covenant, adapted from Rev. James Kerr’s classic compilation The Covenants and Covenanters (1895). Our hope and desire is that these historical blog posts will bless and edify the church and bring about a greater desire for Reformation, by God’s grace alone. May we all reflect on this prominent Covenant that our forefathers signed, that we may have such a zeal in this day and age to honor such, as well.
THE NATIONAL COVENANT.
SERMON AT ST. ANDREWS.
BY ALEXANDER HENDERSON.
"Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power, in the
beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning; Thou hast the
dew of thy youth."—Psalm 110:3.
It is, beloved in the Lord, very expedient, and sometimes most necessary, that we turn away our eyes from kings and their greatness, from kirkmen and men of state, and that we turn them towards another object, and look only to Jesus Christ, who is the great king, priest, and prophet of His kirk. The godly in former times, who were kings, priests, and prophets themselves, used to do this, and that before Christ; and a lot more is it required of us now in their days, seeing we live in troublesome times; for there is a comfort that comes to the children of God that way. The first part of this psalm expresses to us the threefold office of Christ, and the second part of it expresses the valiant acts our Lord Jesus does by these His three offices, but especially by His Princely office; which indeed is His worst studied office by many men in the world. We would, many of us, willingly take Him for our prophet to teach us, and for our priest to intercede for us, and be a sacrifice for our sins, but when it comes to his princely office, to direct us what we should do, then we would be at that which seems best in our own eyes.
His princely office is described unto us here three ways:
(1) In relation to God Himself; "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at My right hand."
(2) In respect of His enemies; "The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thy enemies." Were His enemies never so many, and never so despiteful against Him, yet He shall rule in the midst of them. And indeed this is a very admirable part of His kingly office, that even in the midst of His enemies He shall have a kingdom for Himself, in despite of them, and all that they can do or say against it.
(3) The third, wherein the glory of His kingly office consists, is in their words that I have read to you: and that is in relation to, and in respect of the subjects of the kingdom of Christ. And they are described here to be a people belonging to Jesus Christ; to be a people on whom God manifests His power; and they are a most willing people, a people who count holiness to be their chiefest beauty. And they are so marvellously multiplied, that it is a wonder to consider it: there are no more drops of dew will fall, nor they will not fall any faster in a morning than the Lord will multiply them, when He is pleased to do so. And although the Lord sometimes multiplies them in a secret manner, yet still the multitude stands to be true.
That the purposes may be the better [taken] up by you who will take heed to them, consider these parts in the words.
(1) The persons of whom the Psalmist speaks here. "Thy people."
(2) The properties of these people in this day: they shall be a willing people; a holy people; a people who shall be miraculously multiplied. And so their properties are willingness, holiness, and multiplication.
(1) Many proofs have been of the truth of this prophecy since the beginning – that the Lord's people shall be willing in the day of His power, in the beauties of holiness; from the womb of the morning thou hast the dew of thy youth. There were many evident proofs of the truth of this since the beginning of the plantation of the gospel into the world. And surely we do not know a more evident and notable proof of it than this same that is presently into this land, nor do I think that there are any who can show the parallel of it. The Lord has made them willingly to offer up themselves, and all that they have, for Him. And they are a people of holiness; albeit it is true, indeed, many have been brought to it from this quarter and that quarter of the land, since the beginning, to be more holy than they used to be. And if the multiplication of them is not wonderful, I cannot tell what you will tell me of that is more wonderful; so that indeed it is a miracle to all who hear of it.
In the time while Christ was upon the earth there were two sorts of miracles to be seen: firstly, Christ made the dumb to speak, the blind to see, the lame to walk, etc. This indeed was a great miracle. The second sort of miracles was of him who did see these things wrought by Christ, and yet for all that, did not believe in Him who did work them. Even so, there are two sorts of wonders in this same time wherein we live;—first, how the Lord has multiplied His people, and made them to be so many, whereas, at the first, we thought them to be but very few; secondly, we cannot but wonder at these who observes not God's hand into it: and indeed we cannot but wonder that any can be so blind that they observe not the very hand and finger of God in the work. Aye, we who have been witnesses to it, for the most part, we cannot but wonder at the work of God in it. It has not been man's wit has done the work, and multiply so, but only God has done it; and we cannot tell how; but only we see that there are numbers continually multiplied.
[1] "Thy people." Here is a note of property, and a note of distinction. First, it is a note of property. They are God's people—God has absolute right over a people, and there is none who has any right over them but He alone. It's true all people are under Him, but He calls not all His people after this manner. All things are for God, and subordinate to Him; the absolute power to rule and to command these people is in God’s hand, and He will not give that power to any other over them: and He has good reason so to do.
{1} Because He was thinking upon His people from all eternity; and there was none who did that but only He.
{2} He made us and fashioned us in time; and neither any authority or magistrate did that.
{3} Who is it that provides means for their sustenance daily, and makes these means effectual, but only the Lord? A man cannot make one blade of grass, or one ear of corn, to grow for thy entertainment, but only the Lord: and when you have gotten these things, it is the blessing of God that makes them effectual. For when you say the grace to your meat, do you say it to man? No, you say it only to God. So that every way you are God’s people. And then, which is more, and therefore we are bound to be His people, no man can redeem the life of his brother, nor give a price sufficient for his life, let be (let alone) for his soul, and yet the Lord, He has redeemed us from hell, and from the grave; and therefore we belong to Him. Then, is it not the Lord who enters in covenant with thee, and says, “I will remember thy sins no more”? Then albeit all the world should remember thy ill deeds, yet if the Lord remembers them not, then you are blessed. It is He who says, “I will write My laws in your hearts, to lead you here;” it is He who puts us in the estate of grace while we are here, and so puts us in hope of glory after this life. It is He who shall be our judge at that great day. And so you are the Lord's people, by way of property.
And this was it that made the apostles so bold, when it was alleged that they had done that which was not right: they made the enemies themselves judges, and says, "Whether it be right in your sight to obey God 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 God than to all men; for what is it that man can do to us, either good or ill, but God can do that also and more? And upon this ground, in the next chapter, they draw this conclusion,—It behoveth us rather to obey God than man. And so, first, they reason with the adversaries 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 you are enjoined to do anything by any man, that then you would not forget this dignity and power that God has over you, and that you are the people of Jesus Christ; and therefore no man ought to enjoin anything to be done by you, but that for the which he has a warrant from God. 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 God be obeyed or not, or if He be disobeyed by any. Oh, 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 shall we think that a ministry shines into a land for the upholding of the grandeur of some few persons? No, all these things are ordained for the good of God's people; and, seeing that it is so, shall you then make yourselves like to asses and slaves, to be subject to all that men pleases to impose upon you? No, no; try anything that they impose upon you, before you obey it, if it is warranted by God or not; because God is the only superior over you.
[2] Secondly. "Thy people." This also is a note of distinction; for every people are God’s people, but there is a distinction among them. All people, it's true, are God's people by right of creation: why therefore says he, “Thy people,” and not all people? Because all people belong not to Christ. God 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 God, 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 God, 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 God, He takes His people into His bosom, and with every soul He does so, and says, "I the Lord thy God enters in covenant with thee, and renews the covenant that before I made with thee." And then He lays a necessity upon you, by His providence, that you must enter into covenant with Him; and then He says to you, "I will not remember your sins any more; I know they are heinous, great, and many, but because you desire that they should not be remembered, therefore I will not remember them. And because when you have renewed your covenant with Me, you 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 you are in covenant with Me; and whatever you promise to Me, being in covenant with Me, I shall perform it for you also, at least I shall give you strength to perform it."
And therefore to the end that you may be perfectly blessed, enter into a covenant with God; and unless you are in covenant with Him, you shall 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 God; and so that you are the people of God, 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 you came into the world, and naked you must go out of it again. But see how much you have of the knowledge of Jesus Christ, how far you are forward in the work of repentance, faith, etc., and such good actions. Learn to set your affections on things that are above, and testify it by your actions.
(2) "In the day of Thy power." This is the time when the people of God shall 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 shall 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. [1] 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 multitude, 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. [2] Secondly, when the purity of the gospel is into a land, it is only the power of God that makes it effectual for turning 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 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 an estate, without the power of God. No, no. [3] Thirdly, when the gospel is into a land, it is only the power of Jesus Christ that makes it to continue, for if the Lord does not make 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 God shall be weak, a time when they shall be strong; a time when some shall rise up to persecute the saints, a time when others shall rise up to help them; a time when the Lord withholds His power, and a time when He shows 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 an 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 worship as they thought meet, and no ways 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 God, 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 space, 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 God is manifestly to be seen in this work, that the Lord has made all the devices and plots of the adversaries, 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 adversaries that they have devised for their own good. This also is an 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 God, 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 God, then we need not to fear the power of men; men can do nothing against God. 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 God, and that they are kicking against the pricks.
(3) Now, for the properties of the people. The first of them is willing. The Lord's people are a people of willingness in the day of His power: and indeed the three go very well together, the people of God, the power of God, and a willing people. When the power of God 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 God; 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 you were like to Paul, persecuting the Church, yet He can then make a preacher of thee, and so affright thee that you shall not know where you are, but say, "Here am I, Lord:" and albeit you 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 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 God; I say no more of it now but only this for your use. If you [recognize] this power to be of God, 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. You who are ignorant of the power of God, 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 you felt this power of God, you 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 noble, generous, high-minded people. And all this is to shew that when the people of God 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 doves to the holes of the rocks before a tempest come.
In the Canticles, Christ says, "My soul made Me as the chariots of My noble 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 God that they have fallen in a paroxysm, or like the fit of a fever, with it: as it is Acts 17. Paul’s spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the City of Athens given to so much base idolatry as to worship the UNKNOWN GOD. 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 God 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 you would be thus willing, and that you would be as forward for the glory and honour of God 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, you have just reason to be willing now.
[1] Because it is God's cause you 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 an 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 which 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 necessary 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, you would have found the thraldom whereinto that course, wherein you were once going, would have brought you to or (ere) now, even you who are most averse from it.
[3] A third reason to make you willing is, you have the precedency and testimony of the nobility in the land to it, and of all sorts of persons, noblemen, barons, gentlemen, burgesses, ministers, and commons; and wherefore, then, should not you be willing to follow their example? And then, I may say, you have the prayers of all the reformed kirks in Europe for you, who have ever heard of the perturbations that have been, and yet are, into this land. And, moreover, beloved, whom do you have 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 you are but willing to hazard all that you have, that may be the heaviest distress that ever you shall be put to. And if so be that you 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 God'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 necessary. Indeed, if such garments as these had been necessary, 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 which is spoken of here. Concerning which, we will mark two things:
{1} 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: (i) A purgation from former filthiness. (ii) A separation from the world. If you will be holy, then you must be separate from the world; you must strive to keep thyself from those whose garments are spotted with the flesh. (iii) 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 you are obliged to be holy? You say that you are the people of the Lord. If so be, then you must have your inward man purged of sin, and you must stand at the stave's end against the corruptions of the time, and you must devote yourselves only to serve and honor God. And your covenant, that you are to swear to this day, obliges you to this; and it requires nothing of you but that which you 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 you see to be corrupt, and devote yourselves only to the Lord. Yet this is not that we would oblige 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 you have a desire to do so, and join a resolution and a purpose, and say to Him, Lord, I shall earnestly endeavor to do as far as I can. And, indeed, there is no more in our covenant but this, that we shall endeavor to keep ourselves within the bounds of our Christian liberty; and, albeit, none of you would swear to this, you 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.
{2} Secondly, "The beauties of holiness." Consider here that as holiness is necessary for the saints of God, so all God's courtiers they are full of beauty. God 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 God, Jesus Christ; and to Him it is said in Isaiah, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God 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 those 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 you have not this beauty, then all your other beauty will degenerate in a bastard beauty.
Now follows the marvellous multiplication of the 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 you 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 shall multiply His people, and He shall 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 God, 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. Shall 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 you are not great in other gifts, if so be that you know this; for the Lord, He has some gifts of His own bestowing only, which 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 exalt themselves high, and boast themselves of their other gifts, of their knowledge, learning, experience, etc., 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 shall thy people be. This is an ordinary phrase in Scripture. Hushai says to Absalom, "Convene the people from Dan to Beersheba, and then we shall light upon David as the dew lighteth upon the ground; and then there shall 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 in Isaiah 54: “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 (verse 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 God are multiplied thus.
Let us observe here, if the Word of God continues in this land, in the purity thereof, and the sacraments be rightly administrated, the people of God will then multiply exceedingly here. The chiefest city in this land, they are forced to marvel where the people have been in former times that are in it now, so that they cannot get kirks to contain them. And they think, if the gospel continues in the purity thereof, all the kirks that they are building, with the rest, shall 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 multitudes, but to let you see the great work of God, 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 shall be as Gideon’s fleece; that all the kingdom about it shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and it shall only be dry? Even so, will it not be a shame, that all others shall be stirred up, and you 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 God 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 God 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 labor to get any evidence of your new birth by these, that you 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 you anew lose it, you will not get it so easily again. And this same is the covenant of truth which you are to swear to; for as our covenant is renewed, so also it is explained according as the exigencies of the time requires, and it is applied to the present purpose.
Beloved, I told you already that you have no cause of fear, for I avow and attest here before God, that what you do is not against authority, but for authority, let some men who are wickedly disposed say what they will; but what you 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, you need not to stand in awe for this; and it were good that you should read them over again, and think upon this wrath of God which we pray for to come upon us, if we do intend anything against authority.
Objection: We have obliged ourselves by our subscription already; what then needs us to oblige ourselves over again by our oath?
Answer: It's true, I grant, many of you has subscribed it already, and so you are bound; but now you are to swear also, that so through abundance of bands to God you may know yourselves to be the more bound to Him. David says, “I have purposed, I have promised, I have sworn, and I shall perform Thy righteous statutes.” There are also here sundry Acts of Parliament, that are all of them made within this same kingdom for the maintenance of the true religion; and for thir, they speak for themselves. And I would have those 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 necessary for us to spend a lot of time with you in removing scruples. Good things I know have 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 most learned in the land, have assayed 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 which they have objected; and the reason of it was, because they who were the most learned assayed 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 behooved to be explained and applied to the present time.
(1) The first thing that you swear to is, That with your whole hearts you 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 you suspend and forbear the practice of all novations already introduced in the matters of the worship of God, 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 assemblies and in parliaments.
Objection: Now, I know there are some who make scruples here. How can we, say they, bind ourselves to forbear the practice of that which Acts of Assembly allows, and Acts of Parliament commands?
Answer: 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 have followed upon these novations, therefore we think it meet now to forbear the practice of them till they are tried by Assembly 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 Assembly bears. The words is, "The Assembly thinks good," etc., "because all memory of superstition is now past, therefore we may kneel at the communion." Then, if there be any danger of superstition, 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 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 quit it as to quit the Articles of Perth; and therefore, do not deceive yourselves, to let such things be practiced any more. It is a pitiful thing, that those who are wise otherways should deceive themselves in the matters of God's service and worship, and suffer others to deceive them also.
(4) You promise and swear, to the uttermost of your power to stand to the defense of the king's majesty, in the defense and preservation of true religion: as also, every one of you to the mutual defense of another in the same cause. Now there are a number who say 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 defense of another. I say no more of it but this. It is not disputed here, you see, whether it be lawful for subjects to take up arms against their prince or not, whether in offense or defense; but that we will maintain the true religion, and resist all contrary corruptions, according to our vocation. And every one of us obliges ourselves for the defense 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 neighbor’s house is burning, you will not run to the king to ask if you should help him or not, before it come to your own; but you will incontinent put to your hand, both to help him, and to save your own house. You 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) You swear, because you cannot look for a blessing from God upon your proceedings, except that with your confession and subscription you join such a life as becomes Christians who has renewed their covenant with God, – therefore you promise to endeavor 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 godliness, soberness, and righteousness, and of every duty we owe both to God and man. And there is none who needs to 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 labor to it; and when you find that you 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 you shall give glory to God and get good to your own souls. And, indeed, all of you are obliged to amend your lives, and to live otherwise than you 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 God, 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 you may do it with all your hearts, to His glory and honor, and to your comfort in Jesus Christ.
