The Covenants And The Covenanters: Covenants, Sermons, and Documents of the Covenanted Reformation
Religion
The Covenants And The Covenanters: Covenants, Sermons, and Documents of the Covenanted Reformation
Covenanters -- Scotland -- History -- Sources; Presbyterian Church -- Scotland -- History -- Sources
There are some spots of this world that have secured undying memorials,
as they have been stages for the settlement of questions of momentous
importance in the destinies of nations. There is Marathon in Greece,
Waterloo in France, Sadowa in Austria, and Trafalgar on the sea, but
probably the scenes associated with these pale in glory in the presence
of Greyfriars and Westminster, where nations won unparalleled victories
in the surrender of themselves to their Covenant God. These two spots
were the earthly centres of spiritual movements of mighty magnitude, and
possess in the eyes of the God of Heaven and of the principalities about
His Throne a splendour not eclipsed by any that ever shone on a
battlefield. When the day of millennial glory comes, the people of the
new Era will not look to the Sadowas and the Sedans, but to such spots
as these where the greatest heroes of the pre-millennial times reflected
millennial light and anticipated millennial triumphs. For there, by an
army without sword or spear, the absolutism of Monarchies and the
tyranny of Hierarchies were scattered like chaff before the wind. As the
Covenanters entered into and rejoiced in their vows to God, the
Imperialism of King Jesus conquered the Imperialism which prince and
priest had been enforcing with rigour; and this Imperialism shall be in
the ascendancy yet the world over when the empires of earth shall crown
the Christ of God as King of the Church and King of nations.
But the Covenanters have scarce time to estimate and enjoy the benefits
of their conquests before a tempest burst forth suddenly and threatened
the destruction of all the attainments of the past. In a moment of
national infatuation the Stuart dynasty was restored to the throne, and
Charles II. instantly proceeded to set up once more the Dagon of the
Royal Supremacy and enforce its recognition by all his power. On two
occasions he had subscribed the Solemn League, and he had issued
instructions in its favour, professing warm admiration of both Covenants
and of the Reformation. But now the perjured monarch employed all his
craft and power to overthrow the whole Covenanted Reformation in Church
and State. Parliament, the slave of his behests, passed the Act of
Supremacy, giving legislative sanction to all the rights he claimed. The
Acts Rescissory followed, declaring the Covenants unlawful and seditious
deeds, and repealing all Parliamentary laws in their favour. Then came
the abolition of Presbyterianism, Indulgences, the restoration of
Prelacy, the appointment of High Commission Courts, the ejection of all
ministers who would not obey the royal mandates, and the erection of
scaffolds. The monarch seemed determined to extinguish every spark of
liberty in the kingdom. The reign of peace was supplanted by a reign of
terror. The Covenants were broken, burnt, buried, by public orders. The
Covenanters met to worship God in the moorlands and dells, setting a
watch for the dragoons of Claverhouse.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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