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DISSERTATION XX.

ON THE

RENOVATION

OF OUR

SOLEMN COVENANTS

IN THE

THE

PRESENT A GE.

HE foregoing Covenants were renewed in 1648: And the Confeffion of Sins, and Engagement to Duties are to be found ufually bound up with our Confeffion of Faith. From the violation of thefe engagements, by what is called the PUBLIC RESOLUTIONS, until the Revolution, there followed a fcene of covenant-violation altogether unexampled in the annals of mankind. If the violation was lefs flagrant at, and after the Revolution; yet, the proper feafon of covenant-renovation was utterly neglected. There were a handful of fufferers

0000 2

fufferers who had kept themselves, in a great meafure, from the pollutions of the world, who furvived the Perfecution. Thefe were fhamefully deferted by their ministers; and left in great confufion, as to both their political and religious principles. The judicatories of the Revolution Church were a very heterogeneous compofition: They were compofed of members who had failed with the wind for thirty years bygone, for one portion; another was made up of the indulged; and a third of fuch as had been refugees in other countries. The iron and clay were tempered together by the force of civil authority. Various overtures and propofals were made, for putting hand to a Covenanted Reformation; but the diverfity of opinion and practice among the clergy prevented the wishes of the few from any renovation of our Solemn Covenants at that memorable deliverance. Never had a church a fairer opportunity, or a louder call to it, than at that time: They had been delivered from flavery and abfolute government in the State, and a long period (twenty-eight years) of hot perfecution for confcience fake. Never did a church and nation fo flamefully neglect the golden feafon which God put into their hand. Thofe who polluted their confciences by fwearing the covenants, and the oaths of canonical obedience, as well as all oaths by which the Covenants were abjured, could not well be expected to be honoured by God as inftruments in fuch a

noble

ཨ་

noble work. Thefe, or fuch as had been ordained by them, formed the greater part, by much, of the minifters of the Church of Scotland. The indulged feem to have been a rump of the ancient refolutioners; of confequence, political maxims, which too frequently governed their conduct, prevailed with them, at this time, to fuperfede that work. The few who returned from their lurking places were out-voted, and borne down by the perfuafion and addrefs of others. The Synod of Galloway was the only one, if I miftake not, which took any fteps for the renovation of their facred engagements; but as much Court-water was procured as extinguished their defires. The perpetual obligation of our Covenants, however, was maintained by the grearer part of Prefbyterians; and minifters, when laying the baptifinal vows on parents, mentioned both the National Covenant and Solemn League, in exprefs terms. Individual minifters likeways made fome appearance in behalf of our national vows: Mr Hog appeared their fteady friend on the north fide of the Forth; Mr Bofton's fermons, which he delivered in this country, fhew his fentiments on that fubject; and to him were joined Meffrs Wilfon and Davidfon, as well as various other minifters of inferior reputation; prior unto thefe, Mr Gabriel Semple, who came out of the furnace of perfecution, had patronized the fame caufe: But the moft vigorous and explicit teftimony,

in favour of our Solemn Covenants, at that time, was referved for Mr John Hepburn, minifter at Orr. It is not pretended that every ftep of management taken by him, and fuch as joined with him, was unexceptionable; but it is certain, that his labours, by the bleffing of God, fowed the feeds of found principles among many, fo far as they extended; and multitudes, as far as we can judge, of gracious perfons, yea lively Chriftians, formed the focieties which he fuperintended. As many-minifters and people were diffatisfied with many things in the conftitution of the Revolution Church; so the judicatories added new grounds of offence in the steps of adminiftration. These are enumerated in the Judicial Act and Teftimony, and the Acknowledgment of Sins prefixed to the bond which is now in ufe among

covenanters.

PRIOR to the year 1732, various teftimonies had been given, by proteft and otherways, against thefe fteps of mal-adminiftration: But, after that period, the highest ecclefiaftic authority was interpofed to put a period unto them. Upon this, Mr Ebenezer Erfkine, in a fermon delivered before the Synod of Perth, turned the edge of his doctrine against the growing evil. This was highly refented by the courts. He maintained what he was perfuaded to be the caufe of Truth, with undaunted courage. Three other minifters took

part

part with him in framing various papers refpecting the grievances of the Church and her members, one of which bore the defignation of a TESTIMONY. In the year 1737, the minifters who befriended a Covenanted Reformation, and maintained a teftimony for it in connection with Mr Erfkine, having previoufly conftituted themselves into a Prefbytery, entered more minutely into a confideration of the national apoftacy from a Covenanted Reformation: They recount the most capital steps of it, and condemn them: They avow their attachment unto every former attainment; and their refolution to profecute the ends of their teftimony in connection with every one who thould choose to join them. This teftimony was received with avidity by many. It was peculiarly tormenting to the leaders of the National Church: They drew the ecclefiaftic fword against its authors: They did not fpare their treasures in hiring a fervile writer to confute it. Thefe things contributed their part to increase its number and refpect. The bleffing

of God fucceeded the labours of his fervants; and their number was increafed both by ordinations and new acceffions from the Establishment. The minifters and people were unanimous in the advancement of a Covenanted Reformation. As errors were ftill upon the increase in the land, they proceeded to publifh an Act, entitled THE DOCTRINE OF GRACE, for their more explicit condemnation: And, con

fidering

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