The Covenants And The Covenanters | Page 3

James Kerr
forbidding
"title or right by the said bishop of Rome or his sect to anything within
this realme," and by the first General Assembly of the Church of
Scotland. Seven years thereafter, 1569, the Parliament recognised, by
specific Act, the reformed Church of Scotland as "the only true and
holy kirk of Jesus Christ within this realm." The young Church of
Scotland was based on the Word of God, anti-papal, free, reformed, and
covenanting, and in that character acknowledged by the State. "At this
time," writes D'Aubigne, "the reformed church was recognised and
established by the State--a triumph similar to that of Christianity when
under Constantine the religion of the Crucified One ascended the
throne of the Cæsars." In spite of the vacillating policy of the King and
Parliament, and their repeated attempts to impose the order of bishops

on the Church, the reformation proceeded steadily, and a great advance
was reached by the National Covenant of 1580.
This National Covenant, or Second Confession of Faith, was prepared
by John Craig, minister of Holyrood House. Its original title was "Ane
Short and Generall Confession of the True Christiane Faith and
Religione, according to God's verde and Actis of our Perlamentis,
subscryved by the Kingis Majestie and his Household, with sindrie
otheris, to the glorie of God and good example of all men, att
Edinburghe, the 28 day of Januare, 1580, and 14 yeare of his Majestie's
reigne." The immediate occasion of this memorable transaction was the
discovery of a secret dispensation from the Pope consenting to the
profession of the reformed religion by Roman Catholics, but instructing
them to use all their influence in promotion of the "ancient faith."
Though the King was still in sympathy to some degree with the policy
of Rome against the "new faith," he could not dare to resist the
indignation of the people against Romish intrigues, and their demand
for a national bond as a means of defence. By the National Covenant,
the Covenanters declared their belief "in the true Christian faith and
religion, revealed by the blessed evangel, and received by the Kirk of
Scotland, as God's eternal truth and only ground of our Salvation;"
renounced "all kinds of Papistry," its authority, dogmas, rites and
decrees, and pledged themselves to maintain "the King's majesty, in the
defence of Christ, against all enemies within this realm or without." It
was signed by the King and the Privy Council and throughout the
kingdom, and was subscribed again in 1590 and 1596. "The Kirk of
Scotland," wrote Calderwood, "was now come to her perfection and the
greatest puritie that ever she attained unto, both in doctrine and
discipline, so that her beautie was admirable to forraine kirks. The
assemblies of the sancts were never so glorious." This period was the
meridian of the first Reformation.
But the time of Scotland's rest and joy was short indeed. Ere the
sixteenth century opened, the ecclesiastical edifice, raised by Knox, the
Melvilles and other reformers, was almost in ruins. The monarch had
been taught in his youth the doctrine of the divine right of kings, and he
was now determined to assert it. Both church and state must be laid in

the dust before his absolute will. Both had been delivered from a
popedom on the banks of the Tiber, now they will be confronted by a
popedom on the banks of the Thames; and the despotism of the Pope
shall be even exceeded by the despotism of the Prince. Scotland is now
to be the scene of a struggle with issues more momentous than any ever
waged on any field of battle. Shall civil and religious liberty be saved
from captivity by tyrants on the throne? Shall free assemblies and free
parliaments be extinguished in the land that has, by its people and its
Parliament, abolished the authority of Rome and taken its National
Covenant with God? For nearly a hundred years this conflict was
destined to continue till, at the Revolution Settlement, the divine right
of kings was banished the realm.
Kingcraft forthwith commenced its work of demolition and proceeded
to deliver its blows in rapid succession. Summoning to its aid Laud and
other sycophantic counsellors, it subtly resolved to lay its hand on the
very conscience of the church. Mitres were offered some of her more
prominent ministers, for Charles I. knew that Presbyterianism is the
friend of civil freedom, and that Prelacy in the Church will more
readily consent to despotism in the State. The "Black Acts" were
passed confirming the "king's royal power over all states and subjects
within this realm," discharging all assemblies held "without our
Sovereign Lord's special licence and commandment," and requiring
ministers to acknowledge the ecclesiastical superiority of bishops. The
assembly was induced to adopt a proposal for the appointment of a
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