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
Had the two nations and their Churches adhered to their National
Covenants and the Solemn League and Covenant, and to the formularies
prepared by the international Assembly at Westminster, the lovers of the
Covenanted Reformation would not have had these portentous conditions to
deplore to-day. Would their adherence to those deeds and documents have
done them any dishonour? And would it not be to the lasting honour of
their posterity now, if a movement were originated and carried through
to reproduce with all possible fulness the scenes of the past--another
Greyfriars, Edinburgh, and another St. Margarets, Westminster. But, even
apart from the historical aspect of the whole matter, the question may,
in the presence of these monstrous evils, be pressed upon the attention
and heart of all the people throughout the land? What ought to be done
to remove these evils and avert the disaster which their continuance
must entail? What ought the British subject, if a patriot, do, in the
face of evils which threaten the ruin of his kingdom? What ought the
Protestant to do, in the presence of a government and administration
which are daily advancing the court of Rome to power? What the
Presbyterian, who cannot take the Oath of Allegiance without committing
himself to the hierarchy of Prelacy? What the Christian, in the presence
of systems in imperial politics which have already dethroned Christ and
are hastening to expel Him from all national institutions? Is there no
means by which the Christian citizen can exonerate himself from
national sins, and free himself of all responsibility for national
calamity? Must he still exercise his right to vote and give his support
to governments which, in the hands of both political parties, are
augmenting rather than diminishing the existing evils? If the members of
one political party secede from that party, when changes they cannot
accept are welcomed to their programme, and henceforth refuse them their
support at the polling-booth, would it not be proper that men, sensible
of the utter inadequacy of the performances of both parties to meet the
evils under which the nation lies, should stand aloof from both
government and opposition? The leading Unionists in Ireland again and
again declared that they could not possibly enter into the proposed
Parliament under Home Rule which would be set up in Dublin, and their
declarations awakened universal sympathy. For reasons similar, should
not all Christian electors refuse to identify themselves with a
constitution and government which are based on principles subversive of
independence and liberty? Protests against existing evils are not
sufficient. Practical political dissent is imperatively demanded in the
interests of patriotism and Christianity. If even one-tenth of the
electors in the United Kingdom prepared a paper of grievances, setting
forth the present dishonours done to Christ nationally, and calling for
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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