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Home / Publications / Free Presbyterian Magazine / 1998 to 2003 / May 2000 / The Solemn League and Covenant

The Solemn League and Covenant

The Life of Alexander Henderson – Part 10

Rev. K. D. Macleod

In the early 1640s there were high of hopes of bringing about a uniformity of doctrine and practice between the churches of Scotland and England. Henderson brought forward a proposal for a new Confession of Faith in Scotland, and the General Assembly appointed him to the task. Further reflection led him to see the desirability of such an initiative coming from south of the Border.

IN early 1643 the Scottish Parliament sent the Earl of Loudon to Oxford to offer his services to the King as a mediator between himself and the English Parliament. The Commission of Assembly sent Henderson along with him to press for uniformity of church government between Scotland and England and requesting a meeting of an assembly of divines in England together with commissioners from Scotland. Henderson and Loudon commented, “We are not ignorant that the work is great, the difficulties and the impediments many, and that there be both mountains and lions in the way”.

When they reached Oxford, their reception convinced them that they had come to an enemy’s headquarters. As Henderson walked through the Oxford streets, people mocked him from their windows, and some of his friends seem to have hinted to him that his life was in danger. At first Charles made Henderson very welcome as he tried to convince him of the justice of his cause, but when the King realised he was less than successful his attitude changed. He kept the Scots waiting for nearly two months and then scornfully sent them away, telling them that it was unwarranted and unbecoming for them to intermeddle with affairs so foreign to their jurisdiction. Henderson left Oxford convinced that there was no possibility that the freedom of the Scottish Church could ever be secured from the King.

In June and July 1643 the Parliamentary troops in the Civil War were experiencing their darkest hour; they had suffered repeated defeats against the King’s forces, and their eyes turned northwards in the hope of obtaining support from the Scots. On July 19 the English Parliament dispatched six commissioners to seek the help of a Scottish army. But Pym, the English leader, realised that the Scots would be unwilling to give the help they so desperately needed unless there was some progress in the question of church government. “If in this he bring no satisfaction to us quickly,” wrote Baillie as he and his fellow Scots awaited the appearance of the English commissioners in Edinburgh, “it will be a great impediment to their affairs here.” With this in mind two members of the Westminster Assembly, Stephen Marshall and Philip Nye, were added to the party.

The Commissioners found the General Assembly in session, with Henderson again their moderator in view of the seriousness of the business before them. “Mr Henderson was the only man meet for the time”, explained Baillie. They asked the Assembly to send to Westminister “such number of godly and learned divines as they shall think most expedient for the furtherance of the work of reformation in ecclesiastical matters in this Church and kingdom, and a nearer conjunction between both Churches”. There was a general willingness in Scotland to help the English, but the great impediment which Baillie referred to stood in the way; the English were for “a civil league” rather than for what the Scots wanted, “a religious covenant”.

Eventually the English commissioners realised that they could not have a Scottish army unless they accepted a religious covenant. Henderson submitted a draft of what was to become known as The Solemn League and Covenant, in which he had been assisted by Johnston of Wariston. In signing this document people bound themselves to “endeavour the preservation of the reformed religion in the Church of Scotland in doctrine, worship, discipline and government, the reformation of religion in the Church of England according to the example of the best reformed Churches, and as may bring the Churches of God in both nations to the nearest conjunction and uniformity in religion, confession of faith, form of church government, directory of worship and catechising, that we and our posterity after us may as brethren live in faith and love”. They swore also “that we shall in like manner without respect of persons endeavour the extirpation of Popery, Prelacy, superstition, heresy, profaneness,” and to defend the King’s person and authority in the preservation and defence of the true religion; they asserted their loyalty and stated that they had no intention to diminish His Majesty’s just power and greatness. And finally they made confession of sin before God.

Vane argued in favour of leaving the door in England more open to Independency, but succeeded only in securing agreement for having the expression “according to the Word of God” added to the basis for reforming the Church of England. Unquestionably the Scots wished to reform the English Church according to the Word of God, but from the Independents’ point of view the addition of this phrase left them free to argue for their interpretation of Scripture.

The final version of The Solemn League and Covenant was then brought before the Assembly on August 17. Henderson began with a “most grave oration”. Twice he read the document over distinctly. Then he called on a number of the leading ministers and elders to express their opinions. All of them spoke in favour and the Assembly went on to accept the Solemn League and Covenant unanimously. That afternoon it secured political approval; the Commissions of Estates also passed it.

The General Assembly appointed eight commissioners to represent them in the Westminster Assembly: Henderson, Baillie, Rutherford, Gillespie, Lord Maitland, Johnston and two others who never actually went to London. Henderson was very reluctant to leave home, he protested that he was not even likely to survive till he would reach London – his health was so poor. However, he consented to go, and at the end of the month set sail for London with Gillespie and Maitland, who as the Duke of Lauderdale was to be at the head of the persecuting Scottish Government for most of the reign of Charles II. Henderson was allowed a sum of £1 sterling per day while he was away and £30 for his extraordinary charges.

The Solemn League and Covenant had already reached England and created a favourable impression. It was accepted by the Westminster Assembly as it stood, except that they spelt out what was meant by Prelacy; the only change made in the House of Commons was to add Ireland to Scotland and England, and the House of Lords accepted it without further change. On September 25 it was subscribed by the House of Commons and the Westminster Assembly after being addressed by both Henderson and Nye.

Henderson, in enthusiastic and hopeful terms, told them, “When the prelates were grown . . . intolerably insolent, and when the people of God . . . were brought so low that they chose rather to die than live in such slavery . . . then did the Lord say, ‘I have seen, I have seen the affliction of My people, and have heard their groaning and am come down to deliver them’. The beginnings were small and contemptible in the eyes of the presumptuous enemies . . . but were so seconded and continually followed by the undeniable evidence of divine providence, leading them forward from one step to another, that their mountain became strong in the end. No tongue can tell what motions filled the hearts, what tears poured from the eyes . . . when they found an unwonted flame warming their breasts and creating for them a new world wherein should dwell religion and righteousness. When they were destitute of monies and munition . . . the Lord brought them forth out of His hid treasures, which was wonderful in their eyes and matter of astonishment to their hearts. When they were many times at a pause in their deliberations and brought to such perplexity that they knew not what to choose to do for prosecuting the work of God (only their eyes were toward Him) . . . their devices were turned upon their own heads and served for the promoting of the work of God. . . . All which were sensible impressions of the good providence of God and legible characters of His work, which, as the Church and kingdom of England, exercised at this time with greater difficulties than theirs, have in part already found, so shall the parallel be perfected to their greater comfort in the faithful pursuing of the work unto the end.”

Then on October 13 the Commissions of both the Estates and the Assembly gathered in St Giles’ Church, with those commissioners from England who were still in Scotland, to put their signatures also to this covenant. The English Parliament got the Scottish army which it so desperately wanted and the Scots got the commitment to advance towards religious uniformity that some of them so much desired. There could be no question of forcing the English to accept the Scottish form of church government. Writing a few years later, Rutherford made it clear that “as for the forcing of our opinions upon the consciences of any . . . it was not in our thoughts or intentions to obtrude by the sword and force of arms any church government at all on our brethren in England”.

While the Westminster Assembly was in progress, the Parliamentary army took control of the military situation and Cromwell, with his strongly Independent outlook, rose to prominence on the field and in the House of Commons. Then all hopes that Presbyterianism would be set up in England, and that the Scottish and English Churches might come into closer union, were doomed to disappointment. Parliament did indeed vote in January 1645 that the Church of England should become Presbyterian, but Baillie believed it was only “a kind of nominal presbytery”. And, except for London and Lancashire, the scheme never really got off the ground. Yet a scheme was floated – and the original idea seems to have been Henderson’s – of the union of Protestant Churches throughout Christendom, not only to counter-balance Roman Catholicism, but in order to strengthen and purify all Christian Churches and to unite them in the Great Commission to go forth and make disciples of all nations.

To be continued

Return to Table of Contents for The Free Presbyterian Magazine – May 2000

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        • Cry Aloud Spare Not
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        • Looking Forward
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        • Book Review – Daily Prayer and Praise by Henry Law
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        • The Fear of God
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        • The Church of God From Age to Age
        • Jesus of Nazareth passeth by
        • Rev Lachlan MacLeod (1918-1998) – Obituary
        • “So let him give”
        • The Solemn League and Covenant
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        • The Example of the Church in Smyrna
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        • Obituary The late Mr Alasdair Gillies, M.A., Elder, Dingwall
        • Report of Mbuma Zending Meeting – 29th April 2000
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        • Ma Donsa One of the Pilgrims at Ingwenya
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        • Two Free Churches
        • Sermon The Gracious Invitation of Christ
        • The Rev John Sinclair of Bruan (1801-43)
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        • Regeneration Regulating the Affections
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        • The Earth Corrupt before God
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        • Another Millennium
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        • Princeton Seminary – The Majestic Testimony by David Calhoun.
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        • The Divine Saviour
        • A Sermon by John Kennedy
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        • The Late Roderick Macleod,
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        • Where Are We Now?
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        • Christ Given in His Fulness
        • Alexander Henderson
        • I cannot always come to Christ
        • Obedience to Christ
        • The Nature of Vital Piety
        • The Puritans for Today
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        • The Family Under Attack
        • Sermon
        • Princeton Theology – the Scottish Connection
        • The King in Scotland
        • Comments on Psalm 51
        • Unsettling the Settlement
        • The pope’s visit to the Holy Land
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        • Declaring All the Counsel of God
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        • God so Loved the World
        • The Rev. James S. Sinclair
        • The Glasgow Assembly
        • Calvin’s View of the Millennium
        • Book Review
        • Trinitarian Bible Society Annual General Meeting
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      • September 1999
        • Old Testament Types
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        • Christ Seeing of the Travail of His Soul
        • Alexander Stewart of Cromarty
        • The Intercession of Christ
        • Resolved to Abolish Episcopacy
        • “And the sun was darkened”
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        • Morality and Politics
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        • Sermon
        • Rev Alexander Morrison (1925-1999) – Obituary
        • The Charismatic Movement – The Gifts have Ceased
        • Casting down the Walls of Jericho
        • A Visit to Singapore
        • Book Review
        • Protestant View
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      • May 1999
        • “Upon this rock I will build my church”
        • The Blessed Poor
        • Rev Angus Mackay
        • Is Christ our High Priest?
        • Signs of Religious Declension
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
        • Church Information
      • March 1999
        • Heaven-provoking Legislation
        • Church Information
        • The Drawing Power of the Cross
        • The Alpha Course Examined
        • Teaching Christianity in Scottish Schools
        • The late Mrs Margaret Tallach, Glasgow
        • Letter by John Love, D.D.
        • Protestant View
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      • June 1999
        • Made a Faithful Shepherd
        • Notes and Comments
        • How May Sanctification Be Attained?
        • Protestant View
        • Mbuma Zending Meeting Report
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        • Spiritual Pride in Man
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        • Preaching the Unsearchable Riches of Christ
        • The Free Church and the World
      • January 1999
        • When the Enemy Shall Come in Like a Flood
        • Church Information
        • Let me see thy countenance
        • The Religion of the Highlands
        • Personal Creed and Resolutions
        • Book Review
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
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      • July 1999
        • The Church of Scotland General Assembly
        • Notes and Comments
        • Church Information
        • The Pre-eminence of Christ
        • A Man Who Wished to Live Obscurely
        • The Nature of Saving Faith
        • The Light of the World
        • God is: therefore God is to be Worshipped
        • Book Review
        • The Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland Synod
        • Protestant View
      • February 1999
        • The Purposes of the Lord’s Supper
        • The Trinitarian Bible Society – Appointments
        • The Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God
        • Holy Importunity in Prayer
        • A Heavenly Eternal Crown of Glory
        • Book Review
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
        • African Mission News
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      • December 1999
        • The End of a Millennium
        • African Mission News
        • Church Information
        • Until the Day Break
        • The Charismatic Movement – The Gifts have Ceased
        • The Rev. Donald Macfarlane of Dingwall
        • The Pagan Origin of Christmas A Reminder
        • Ministers Prepared by Temptation
        • Book Review
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
      • August 1999
        • The Advance of Rome under Hume
        • Notes and Comments
        • Eastern Europe Mission
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        • The Marks of a Time of Revival, and the Means of Bringing it About
        • The Free Church of Scotland General Assembly
        • Thy Kingdom Come
        • The National Covenant
        • Work of the Trinitarian Bible Society in 1998
        • Unsettled and Discouraged?
        • Book Review
        • Protestant View
      • April 1999
        • The Observance of Easter
        • The Smitten Shepherd and His Flock
        • The Prince of Highland Preachers
        • The Inter-Faith Movement
        • Book Review
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
        • Church Information
      • September 1998
        • The Golden Key of Prayer
        • Church Information
        • Weighed in the Balances
        • Christ, the Way
        • Praying as Beggars
        • Book Reviews
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
        • Our African Mission
        • Patrick Mzamo – A sketch of an African elder and lay-preacher
      • October 1998
        • The Westminster Assembly and Romanism
        • African Mission News
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        • Christ Liveth in me *
        • God’s Way of Bringing Sinners to Christ
        • The Effects of Television Violence
        • Sin and Sanctification
        • Book Review
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
        • Philemon Ndebele
      • November 1998
        • Faithfulness or Vilification
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        • The Best Security in Evil Times
        • Pentecostal Dialogue with Rome
        • The Prayers of the Aged
        • The Religion of the Highlands – The Persecution of a Highland Laird
        • Book Review
        • Protestant View
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      • May 1998
        • The Mode of Baptism – A Defence
        • Outlines of Lectures on the Bible
        • A Vessel Meet for the Master’s Use
        • African Mission News
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        • Serving the Lord with Humility
        • The Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland on the Internet
        • Booklet Reviews
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        • Notes and Comments
        • The Story of Mamlotshwa
      • March 1998
        • A Minister of God
        • “I will yet for this be inquired of”
        • African Mission News
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        • Godliness With Contentment
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        • Outlines of Lectures on the Bible
        • Private Prayer and Public Profession
        • Truth and Life
        • The Free Church, Psalms and Hymns
      • June 1998
        • Family Worship
        • Notes and Comments
        • Ma Ngwenya – Mother of the late Rev. B. B. Dube
        • Church Information
        • The Lord is Risen Indeed
        • Outlines of Lectures on the Bible
        • The Pastoral Epistles
        • The Church of Scotland and the Bible
        • Mbuma-Zending Meeting – 1998
        • Three Characteristics of True Faith
        • Book Reviews
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      • July 1998
        • The General Assemblies
        • Church Information
        • The Scriptural Warrant for Creedal Subscription
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        • The Trinitarian Bible Society Report
        • A Cambuslang Case of Conversion
        • Booklet Review
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
        • The Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland Synod
      • January 1998
        • Book Review
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
        • MaHlabangana
        • Winter Visit to Eastern Europe
        • THE NEW YEAR
        • The Church Built and Kept by the Lord
        • Outlines of Lectures on the Bible
        • The Fruits of the Declaratory Act In the Free Church of Scotland
        • Redeeming the Time
        • African Mission News
      • February 1998
        • Outlines of Lectures on the Bible
        • Book Review
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
        • A Mission Day of Prayer
        • Church Information
        • Leaning Upon her Beloved
        • Brought Home to Heaven
        • Observing the Sabbath
        • Church Deputy’s Visit to North America
        • African Mission News
        • A Faithful Ambassador is Health
      • December 1998
        • When the Enemy Shall Come in Like a Flood
        • “My grace is sufficient for thee”
        • The People of the Great Faith
        • Sudden Conversions
        • A Good Soldier of Jesus Christ
        • “Give ye them to eat”
        • Protestant View
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      • August 1998
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        • Sermon – The House of Many Mansions
        • Lessons From the Doctrine of Divine Justice
        • Book Notice
        • Protestant View
        • Notes and Comments
        • Paul Magaya – Lay Preacher in Shangani
        • Church Information
      • April 1998
        • Outlines of Lectures on the Bible
        • The Mode of Baptism – A Defence
        • Notes and Comments
        • Protestant View
        • The Manner of Coming to Christ
        • Book Notice
        • A Lily from the Ukraine
        • Eastern Europe Mission
        • Church Information
        • Called of God
        • Threats to our Religious Liberties
        • Mazwabo’s Amazing Transformation
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