The Preface and Bibliography
to the Rare Bound Photocopy:
The Duty and Perpetual
Obligation of Social Covenanting
The material found in this bound photocopy addresses a forgotten and
neglected ordinance of God: social covenanting. God's people in times of re-
pentance and thanksgiving, trial and blessing have been a covenanting
people. In the most pure times of ecclesiastical and civil reformation
throughout history, both church and state under the mediatorial rule of
Christ have by the grace of God bound themselves together by covenant to
promote and defend the true Christian religion. The first document
adopted by the Westminster Assembly was in fact, the Solemn League and
Covenant (1644). It united the kingdoms of Scotland, England, and Ireland
in a covenanted reformation of both church and state in order to preserve,
promote and defend the true Christian religion (as summarized in the
Westminster Confession of Faith, Larger and Shorter Catechisms, Directory
For Public Worship, and Form of Church Government), and in order to ex-
pose and uproot all false teaching contrary to the Scripture and these stan-
dards. Furthermore, it was not only the desire of the Westminster Assem-
bly to unite in covenant the three British kingdoms, but rather to include
in this covenanted reformation all of the Reformed Churches throughout
Europe. Consider the goal of the Assembly as summarized by Hetherington:
There was one great, and even sublime idea, brought somewhat
indefinitely before the Westminster Assembly, which has not yet been
realized, the idea of a Protestant union throughout Christendom, not
merely for the purpose of counterbalancing Popery, but in order to purify,
strengthen, and unite all true Christian churches, so that with combined
energy and zeal they might go forth, in glad compliance with the
Redeemer's commands, teaching all nations, and preaching the everlasting
gospel to every creature under heaven. This truly magnificent, and also
truly Christian idea, seems to have originated in the mind of that distin-
guished man, Alexander Henderson. It was suggested by him to the
Scottish commissioners, and by them partially brought before the English
Parliament, requesting them to direct the Assembly to write letters to the
Protestant Churches in France, Holland, Switzerland, and other Reformed
Churches. . . . and along with these letters were sent copies of the Solemn
League and Covenant, a document which might itself form the basis of such
a Protestant union. The deep thinking divines of the Netherlands
apprehended the idea, and in their answer, not only expressed their
approbation of the Covenant, but also desired to join in it with the British
kingdoms. Nor did they content themselves with the mere expression of
approval and willingness to join. A letter was soon afterwards sent to the
Assembly from the Hague, written by Duraeus (the celebrated John Dury),
offering to come to the Assembly, and containing a copy of a vow which he
had prepared and tendered to the distinguished Oxenstiern, chancellor of
Sweden, wherein he bound himself "to prosecute a reconciliation between
Protestants in point of religion.". . . [O]n one occasion Henderson procured a
passport to go to Holland, most probably for the purpose of prosecuting
this grand idea. But the intrigues of politicians, the delays caused by the
conduct of the Independents, and the narrow-minded Erastianism of the
English Parliament, all conspired to prevent the Assembly from entering
farther into that truly glorious Christian enterprise. Days of trouble and
darkness came; persecution wore out the great men of that remarkable
period; pure and vital Christianity was stricken to the earth and trampled
under foot. . . . (William Hetherington, History of the Westminster
Assembly of Divines, [Edmonton, Alberta: Still Waters Revival Books], pp.
337-339).
The material presented herein is commended to the reader with the sin-
cere prayer and confidence that God will again restore the Church of Jesus
Christ to a glorious covenanted reformation Ñ one that will even surpass
that one to which she had attained at the time of the Westminster Assem-
bly. However, when the Lord brings that future covenanted reformation it
will not be limited to only three kingdoms of the earth, but by the grace
and power of Christ our King, it will be a covenanted reformation that will
encompass all of the nations of the earth (Ps. 2:6-12; Is. 2:1-4; Mt. 28:1-20)
and will bring to the church a visible unity and uniformity that (unlike
pleas for unity today) is firmly grounded upon the truth.
Greg L. Price
Pastor of the Puritan Reformed Church
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
March, 1996
The material contained in this compilation was gathered together by the
session of the Puritan Reformed Church of Edmonton/Prince George. Its
210 pages contain the following items, as listed in the following bibliogra-
phy concerning social covenanting:
1. Samuel Rutherford, Due Right of Presbyteries..., pp. 130-139
2. George Gillespie, The Works of George Gillespie, Vol. 2, pp. 71-88.
3. John Brown of Wamphray, An Apologetic Relation..., pp. 167-175,
181-207.
4. David Scott, Distinctive Principles of the Reformed Presbyterian
Church, pp. 14-90.
5. William Roberts, The Reformed Presbyterian Catechism, pp. 134-152.
6. The Reformed Presbytery, An Explanation and Defence of the Terms
of Communion, pp. 181-187.
7. The Reformed Presbytery, Act , Declaration and Testimony for the
Whole of the Covenanted Reformation..., pp. 11-23.
8. The Reformed Presbytery, The Auchensaugh Renovation of the
National and Solemn League and Covenants..., pp. 115-140.
9. The Church of Scotland (1639), "The National Covenant of Scotland,"
pp. 345-354 in the Westminster Confession of Faith (Free Presbyterian
Publications).
10. The Westminster Assembly (1644), "The Solemn League and
Covenant," pp. 355-360 in the Westminster Confession of Faith (Free
Presbyterian Publications).
11. The Church of Scotland (1648), "A Solemn Acknowledgement of
Publick Sins and Breaches of the Covenant," pp. 361-368 in the
Westminster Confession of Faith (Free Presbyterian Publications).
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