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
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.
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
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 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
God; I say no more of it now but only this for your use. If ye kent this
power 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. Ye 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
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