If the Creed is left on the shelf as some interesting museum piece of obvious theological thought, it can be of no practical value. None whatsoever. Such is the position of the Westminster Confession in the present Church of Scotland and the Thirty-Nine Articles in the present Church of England. The Creed must be the expression of the living faith of the Church. As such, it is not a Creed for theologians only, but for the body of believers in the Church. That is very important. This was the great value of the Shorter Catechism when it was taught in the secular Sabbath Schools of our land. The benefits to our people because they had, in brief compass the Confession and all that that meant. The Creed, therefore, must be used as an instrument in the work of instructing the people.
An instrument in the work of instructing the people — this is a very important function and it is in danger of being lost sight of. I teach theology and the Confession is done in the theological classes for our ministers. It is also studied in the Presbytery — students have to study it for the Presbytery, and so on. But that in itself is not sufficient. It is really necessary for the people of the Church so that they may grow in the knowledge of these great and wonderful doctrines. They should study the Confession for themselves. In my judgment, Shaw’s Exposition of the Westminster Confession (“The Reformed Faith”) is the best I know — it is well written, it is easy to read, and with some little application it can be understood. Therefore, it is one of the great practical values of the Confession or of Creeds, that they have an important function in the work of instructing the people. I have already mentioned the twin-fold use of the Creed in the work of making, preserving, and disseminating the attainments made in the various branches of the Christian Church. I hope the historical section of this paper has made the practical value of the Confession in this respect very clear. In the Confession is retained what the Nicene and the Chalcedon Creed and all these Creeds taught and this has been set down with great clarity, great theological acumen and great spiritual penetration.
Secondly, it discriminates the truth from false teaching. The Confession also has a great practical advantage as a bond of Christian fellowship. It is not good enough for somebody to come along and say, “I don’t belong to any denomination, I belong to the Church of Christ.” What do you believe? “I believe the Bible.” Well, that does not tell me anything. What do you believe about the Bible? What do you believe about the Trinity? What do you believe about the Person of Christ? What do you believe about adoption, sanctification, etc.? These people are rather like the people in Corinth, you see, when Paul complained about them. There were those who said, “I am of Paul, I am of Apollos, I am of Cephas,” and then there were very pious ones who said that they were of Christ — they came under the same sanction. You see, it is not enough to say, “I belong to the Church of Christ.” That does not tell me anything about you. But where the Confession is, and somebody comes along to you and says, “What do you believe about the Trinity?” or “What does your Church believe about the Trinity?” Then you can point to the Confession, because it is the bond of Christian fellowship. If anyone asks what the Church believes, all one has to do is to point to the Confession.
We now come to the binding effect of a Confession on the individuals in the Church. The Word of God is binding upon men’s consciences, and the Confession is binding only because it is founded upon that Word. A distinction is to be drawn here between what is required of members of the Church and office bearers of the Church. With regard to this word ‘members of the Church’ I regard all baptised people as members of the Church, and those who sit at the Lord’s table are known as communicants. When a person is baptised, that person becomes a member of the visible church; and when a person takes the step of going forward to the Lord’s Table, then that person is a communicant. Then, when I mention a distinction between the members of the Church and the office bearers of the Church, I mean, on the one hand, those who are baptised and those who are communicants, and, on the other hand those who are office bearers. Now, the former (that is, the members and the communicants) are examined as to their religious knowledge, both of the Bible and the Shorter Catechism, and that is the practice among us, and that is why we do it. We examine them on the Bible, we examine them on the Shorter Catechism, to examine them on their religious knowledge, and then of course on their profession. The Catechism is used for them as the instrument of examination because it sets down the teaching of the Confession in a simple form suitable for such. If members are found to hold false views, an attempt must be made to correct them and, if this fails, disciplinary action will have to be taken. Office bearers are in a much more serious position. They take upon themselves Ordination Vows, and so must believe in the truth and wisdom of the Constitution and the laws of the Church. So they sign what is called a Formula. I would just like to remind you about it. “I do hereby declare, that I sincerely hold and believe the whole doctrine contained in the Confession of Faith.” Then there are the principles of Presbyterianism, and also the principles of the history of our Church involved in the Formula. This is what that person signs. “I do hold the same as the confession of my faith.” And therefore, of course, he must understand about the Confession. No man, therefore, should be made a deacon or an elder without his minister going over the confession with him. They must know what they are going to sign and say, “This is the confession of my faith.” When they do so, these vows are of a most solemn and binding nature, and should never be taken lightly. If broken, they place an enormous burden of guilt upon the conscience of such a person in the sight of God.
Creeds, therefore, are of real, practical value in expressing the faith of the Church, in binding the Church in fellowship together, and in
discriminating between truth and error. One thing I would like to hope is, that, as a result of this paper, in which I have endeavoured to be as direct and as simple as I can in what is after all quite an involved subject, I have impressed upon you young people the untold benefit there is in having a Confession which is Scriptural, based on the Word of God, and sums up all the work and meditation of Christian scholars. This is set down here and given into our possession so that we can have it and that we can study it in the light of Scripture, see that it is founded there, and hope that its power may be felt.
The National Covenants
by Rev. James S. Sinclair
No doubt there is hardly one of our intelligent readers but knows something about the National Covenants of our country, and yet it is to be feared that many, especially of the younger generation, would find it difficult, if questioned, to give an intelligent account of their history, character, and aims. These Covenants were entered into during the most important periods in the history of this nation, and had much to do with the establishment of the kingdom of Christ in our midst. We all make our boast of the distinguished sufferings which our ancestors endured for Christ’s Crown and Covenant; and the stimulating influence of their heroic lives and ever-memorable sacrifices is with us unto this day. Surely it would be well, therefore, to have a clear understanding of their Covenants or Mutual Agreements in the cause of God and truth, which have had such an intimate connection with the history and life of vital Christianity in the land. Much has been written on the subject; it would be easy to refer our readers simply to books,1 and so leave the matter, but a brief statement here of the facts historical and otherwise may not be without advantage to both old and young among us.
The Covenants were the results of the Reforms from Popery and Prelacy. The Reformation from Popery began to dawn about the beginning of the fifteenth century. James Resby, “an Englishman and scholar of Wicliffe,” and Paul Craw, “a Bohemian and follower of Huss,” then suffered martyrdom in Scotland for their faithful testimony against the errors of Rome. But it was not until the sixteenth century, when Patrick Hamilton and other Scottish witnesses died the martyr’s death, that the Reformation had made so much progress as to encourage those
1The “Scots Worthies,” “The Covenants and Covenanterers,” etc.
who were emancipated from Popish error and superstition to band themselves together (formally and publicly) for the maintenance and advancement of God’s truth in the country. It is on record that those who were valiant for the truth entered into “bands,” or covenants, at Dun in 1556, Edinburgh in 1557, Perth in 1559, and again at Edinburgh in 1560, the objects of which were to declare their renunciation of idolatry and all society with it, and to vow (as may be learned from the words of one of these covenants) that “we, by His grace, shall, with all diligence, continually apply our whole power, substance, and our very lives, to maintain, set forward, and establish the most blessed Word of God.” In 1562 the Confession of Faith, prepared by John Knox and five other Reformers, was approved of by the three Estates of the kingdom and by the first General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. “The jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome” was abolished within the bounds of the realm. In 1569 the Reformed Church was acknowledged by Act of Parliament as “the only true and holy kirk of Jesus Christ within this realm.” The reformation, which thus made such remarkable strides, had as one of its eminent fruits the great National Covenant of 1580.
The National Covenant was drawn up by Mr John Craig, minister of Holyrood House, Edinburgh. It was signed by the King and his household and others, “to the glorie of God and the good example of all men,” at Edinburgh, on 21st day of January, 1580, and it purported to be “Ane Short and Generall Confession of the true Christiane Faith and Religion.” It appears that the special circumstances that called for this renowned Covenant was a Jesuitical effort by the Pope to retain his hold of the kingdom, in connection with which he granted a secret dispensation to his followers to profess the Reformed religion, and at the same time to do all in their power to advance the interests of the Roman faith. The National Covenant begins with a declaration by its subscribers to the effect that they are “throughly resolved in the truth by the Spirit and Word of God,” and that they confess and affirm “before God and the whole world the true Christian faith and religion, which now is, by the mercy of God, revealed to the world by the preaching of the blessed evangel.” received by the Church and State as God’s eternal truth, and “expressed in the Confession of our Faith,” grounded upon God’s written Word. They then proceed to declare their detestation of all contrary religion and doctrine, and make particular reference to the Roman Antichrist, his “usurped authority upon the Scriptures of God, upon the Kirk, the civil magistrate, and consciences of men,” with specific mention of many of the erroneous opinions, superstitious practices, and corrupt
decrees of Rome. They conclude with a solemn oath to defend the king’s person and authority, according to the following terms:— “We shall defend his person and authority with our goods, bodies, and lives, in the defence of Christ, His evangel, liberties of our country, ministration of justice, and punishment of iniquity, against all enemies within this realm or without, as we desire our God to be a strong and merciful defender to us in the day of our death, and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: to whom, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be all honour and glory eternally. Amen.” The time of this Covenant was a blessed one in the history of the Church of Scotland. Calderwood, the historian, writes:— “The Kirk of Scotland was now come to her perfection, and the greatest purity 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.”
The period of rest and external prosperity did not long continue. Soon Charles I, began to exert a tyrannical authority over the Church. Knowing that Prelacy lent itself to his despotic schemes rather than Presbytery, the friend of freedom, he endeavoured to force the former system, with its bishops and canons, upon the Scottish people. But his efforts were largely in vain. Andrew Melville and other noble witnesses for God’s truth resisted the king’s encroachments upon the purity and liberty of the Church. Janet Geddes flung her stool at the Deans head in St. Giles, when he began to read Laud’s liturgy in divine worship, and this was the signal for a remarkable display of popular feeling against the inroads of Episcopacy. The Council of the State vainly imagined that they could extinguish the agitation by a proclamation “condemning all meetings against the Episcopal Canons and Service Book,” but their attempts to suppress only fanned the fire into a more vehement flame. Satan, as he often has been, and will be, was outwitted by his own stratagems. The result was a public and most impressive renewal of the National Covenant, with additions for the times. One of these additions was the following notable passage:— “And because, after due examination; we plainly perceive, and undoubtedly believe, that the innovations and evils contained in our supplications, complaints, and protestations, have no warrant of the Word of God, are contrary to the articles of the foresaid Confession, to the intention and meaning of the blessed reformers of religion in this land, to the above written Acts of Parliament, and do sensibly tend to the re-establishing of the Popish religion and tyranny, and to the subversion and ruin of the true reformed religion, and of our liberties, laws, and estates; we also declare, That the foresaid
Confessions are to be interpreted, and ought to be understood of the foresaid novations and evils, no less than if every one of them had been expressed in the foresaid Confessions; and that we are obliged to detest and abhor them, amongst other particular heads of Papistry abjured therein. And, therefore, from the knowledge and conscience of our duty to God, to our king and country, without any worldly respect or inducement, so far as human infirmity will suffer, wishing a further measure of the grace of God for this effect; we promise and swear, by the GREAT NAME OF THE LORD OUR GOD, to continue in the profession and obedience of the aforesaid religion; and that we shall defend the same, and resist all these contrary errors and corruptions, according to our vocation, and to the uttermost of that power that God hath put in our hands, all the days of our life.”
The renewal of the National Covenant took place on the 28th February, 1638, in Greyfriars Churchyard, Edinburgh, and presents one of the most famous scenes in Scottish history. Alexander Henderson was the grand directing personality of that age, and his testimony about this memorable day, on which “Nobles, Gentlemen, Barons, Burgesses, and Commons” met to put their hands to the cause of God, was, that it was “the day of the Lord’s power,” the greatest day that had yet appeared in our Scottish Israel. Hundreds of copies of the Covenant were circulated throughout the kingdom, and were signed by all ranks and classes. Great success attended the efforts of the Reformers at this time. The King was reluctantly compelled to yield to their just claims. He abolished his courts and liturgies, and articles, and gave consent to the calling of a General Assembly of the Church, the first free Assembly that was held for the long period of forty-two years. It met in Glasgow on the 21st day of November, 1638.
The second great national agreement on behalf of truth was the Solemn League and Covenant, which was subscribed in St. Margaret’s Church, Westminster, on the 25th September, 1643. This document was animated by the same spirit and embodied the same principles as the former Covenant. It was, however, more comprehensive in its scope; was adopted by Englishmen as well as Scotsmen; and aimed at the furtherance of religion and reformation in the three kingdoms of Scotland, England, and Ireland. It is the crown of all the covenants ever entered into within the bounds of these realms, and has been well designated by Hetherington as “the noblest in its essential features of all that are recorded among the international transactions of the world.” Members of the English Parliament and the Westminster Assembly of
Divines, embracing representatives of both nations, lifted their hands in solemn oath to God, and declared their agreement with the terms of this Covenant. This remarkable union in the faith resulted, through the wonderful providence of God, from the despotic measures of Charles, who compelled the peoples of both nations thus to band together for the defence of their civil and religious liberties, for the preservation of the reformed religion in the Church of Scotland, and for the reformation of religion in the kingdoms of England and Ireland. And all this was engaged in under the deepest sense of the need of humiliation before God for sin, and with the utmost dependence upon the grace of God for the accomplishment of their intentions. Notice the concluding passage:—
“And because these kingdoms are guilty of many sins and provocations against God and His Son Jesus Christ, as is too manifest by our present distresses and dangers, the fruits thereof; we profess and declare, before God and the world, our unfeigned desire to be humbled for our own sins, and for the sins of these kingdoms; especially that we have not as we ought valued the inestimable benefit of the Gospel; that we have not laboured for the purity and power thereof; and that we have not endeavoured to receive Christ in our hearts, nor to walk worthy of Him in our lives, which are the causes of other sins and transgressions so much abounding amongst us; and our true and unfeigned purpose, desire, and endeavour for ourselves, and all others under our power and charge, both in public and private, in all duties we owe to God and man, to amend our lives, and each one to go before another in the example of a real reformation; that the Lord may turn away His wrath and heavy indignation, and establish these churches and kingdoms in truth and peace. And this Covenant we make in the presence of Almighty God, the Searcher of all hearts, with a true intention to perform the same, as we shall answer at the great day, when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed; most humbly beseeching the Lord to strengthen us by the Holy Spirit for this end, and to bless our desires and proceedings with such success as may be deliverance and safety to His people, and encouragement to other Christian Churches, groaning under, or in danger of, the yoke of anti-Christian tyranny, to join the same or like association or covenant, to the glory of God, the enlargement of the kingdom of Jesus Christ, and the peace and tranquility of Christian kingdoms and commonwealths.”
It is lamentable to reflect that the principles of this noble Covenant do not seem ever to have been carried out with general zeal and hearty thoroughness in England. The Commonwealth came to an end in 1660,
and the Stuart dynasty was unhappily restored to the throne. Charles II, who had subscribed the Covenant on two occasions, became a perfidious traitor to them, no sooner had he gained the crown. He pursued the same policy as his father, and exercised all his power to overturn the whole work of the Covenanted Reformation. The Acts Recissory were passed, in which the Covenants were annulled and declared treasonable and seditious articles. Thus began the period of the 28 years’ persecution. James II, succeeded Charles, and acted with greater severity than his predecessor. The Covenanterers were hunted with dragoons on the moors of Scotland, and many of them endured most painful sufferings and died most cruel deaths for the sake of Christ’s Crown and Covenant. At length, in the gracious providence of God, the Revolution came in 1688, when William and Mary, a Protestant king and queen, were set upon the throne, with the result that the persecutions were brought to an end, and an era of religious freedom dawned. The Presbyterian Church was established in Scotland and the Episcopal in England — not quite the ideal of the Covenanters. The Covenants were not formally acknowledged again, and the Acts Recissory remained on the statute book of the realm. More than two hundred years have elapsed since that time, and still we are nationally in the same, if not a worse, position. But a better day may yet dawn, when, under the outpouring of the Holy Spirit of God, these kingdoms will repent of their backslidings, and renew their solemn engagements with God, thus realising the fulfillment of the famous prediction of James Guthrie, the martyr, uttered on the scaffold, in immediate prospect of beholding the face of God and the Lamb, “The Covenants, the Covenants, will yet be Scotland’s reviving.”