Covenanters
and Covenanted Reformation
TOLERATION: THE CUT-THROAT OF TRUE RELIGION
The Presbytery testify
against a sinful and almost boundless toleration, granted anno 1712, a woeful
fruit of the union; by which toleration act, not only those of the Episcopal
communion in
Scotland have
the protection of authority, but a wide door is cast open, and ample pass given
to all sects and heretics (popish recusants and anti-trinitarians some way
excepted, who yet are numerous in the nation), to make whatever attacks they
please upon the kingdom and interest of our glorious Redeemer, in order to the
advancement of their own and the devil's, and all with impunity. The foresaid
act warrants the Episcopal clergy publicly to administer all ordinances, and
perform their worship after their own manner with all the popish canons and
ceremonies thereof, and obliges all magistrates to protect and assist them,
while it destroys the hedge of church discipline against the scandalous and
profane, and is, therefore, a settling and establishing of prelacy in Scotland,
giving it a security, little, if anything, inferior to that which the
established church has. Again, by a clause in the toleration bill, the security
given by former laws to Presbyterian church government and discipline, is
undermined and taken away, at least rendered ineffectual, and made the subject
of ridicule to the openly profane, by the civil magistrate's withdrawing his
concurrence, in as much as it declares the civil pain of excommunication to be
taken away, and that none are to be compelled to appear before church
judicatories. There is nothing in religion of an indifferent nature; "For
whosoever [saith Christ] shall break one of the least of these commandments,
and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven."
It must, then, be the most daring wickedness, and an affronting of the Majesty
of Heaven in the highest manner, for an earthly monarch to pretend to enact a
toleration of religions, and thereby give a liberty where the divine law has
laid a restraint; it implies an exalting of himself, not only to an equality
with, but to a state of superiority above, the God of glory. Whatever
principles are of divine authority require no toleration from man; it is
wickedness to pretend to do it, seeing whatever comes under the necessity of a
toleration, properly so-called, falls, at the same time, under the notion of a
crime. And no less wicked is it for a magistrate to protect, by a promiscuous
toleration, all heretics, heresies and errors; yet, it is a manifest breach to
trust, and plain perverting the end of his office, seeing he is appointed to be
custos et vindex utriusque tabulae, intrusted with the concerns of God's glory, as well as
the interests of men. Experience has, in every age, taught, that a toleration
of all religions is the cut-throat and ruin of all true religion. It is the
most effectual method that ever the policy of hell hatched, to banish all true
godliness out of the world. But however manifold the evils be that toleration
is big with, this church, instead of opposing, seems to have complied
therewith, and to be of toleration principles; which is evident, not only from
their receiving into communion the Scots curates, of which above; but from
their joining in communion with Mr. Whitefield (an English curate and member of
that church, and ring-leader of the Methodists there), when he is in Scotland.
Again, it is known, that when the Scots gentlemen are sent to attend the
British parliament, or at any time in England, they do, many of them, join in
communion with the prelatic church -- nay, are guilty of taking the sacramental
test (that is, taking the sacrament after their superstitious manner, to
qualify them for any public post); yet this church receives them into the
closest communion, without requiring any satisfaction for these evils; whereby
they act contrary to Christ's example, in purging and keeping his house pure,
and contrary to the Scripture; Rev. ii, 14, 15, 20.
Excerpted from: The
Act, Declaration and Testimony for the Whole of Our Covenanted Reformation... by the Reformed Presbytery, pp. 89-90 (SWRB digital download
or rare bound photocopy [1761], reprinted 1995 from the 1876 edition).
Still Waters Revival Books (Reformation
resources at great discounts!)
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FOR FURTHER STUDY
Act,
Declaration, And Testimony, For The Whole Of The Covenanted Reformation by the
Reformed Presbytery
Reformed
Presbytery, RPNA Protesters, etc.
A
Free Disputation Against Pretended Liberty of Conscience (1649 edition) by
Samuel Rutherford
Wholesome
Severity Reconciled With Christian Liberty, or, The True Resolution of a
Present Controversy Concerning Liberty of Conscience (1644) by George Gillespie
The
Mystery of Magistracy Unveiled: or, God's Ordinance of Magistracy Asserted,
Cleared, and Vindicated from Heathenish Dominion, Tyrannous and Antichristian
Usurpation, Despisers of Dignities, and Contemners of Authorities by George
Gillespie
Defending
the Reformed Presbyterian Position on the Civil Magistrate (1781) by John
M'Millan Jr
Civil
Government and Resistance (Classic Reformed and Puritan Books)
RUTHERFORD,
SAMUEL
A Free Disputation Against Pretended Liberty of
Conscience (1649 edition.)
Rutherford's
Free Disputation, though scarce, is still one of his most important
works -- with maybe only a few copies of the actual book left in existence.
Though Rutherford is affectionately remembered in our day for his Letters, or for laying the foundations of constitutional
government (against the divine right of kings) in his unsurpassed Lex Rex, his Free Disputation should not be overlooked -- for it contains the
same searing insights as Lex Rex.
In fact, this book should probably be known as Rutherford's "politically
incorrect" companion volume to Lex Rex. A sort of sequel aimed at driving pluralists and
antinomians insane. Written against "the Belgick Arminians, Socinians, and
other Authors contending for lawlesse liberty, or licentious Tolerations of
Sects and Heresies," Rutherford explains the undiluted Biblical solution
to moral relativism, especially as it is expressed in ecclesiastical and civil
pluralism! (Corporate pluralism being a violation of the first commandment and
an affront to the holy God of Scripture). He also deals with conscience,
toleration, penology (punishment), and the judicial laws, as related to both
the civil and ecclesiastical realms. Excellent sections are also included which
address questions related to determining the fundamentals of religion, how
covenants bind us, the perpetual obligation of social covenants (with direct
application to the Solemn League and Covenant and the covenant-breaking of
Cromwell and his sectarian supporters), whether the punishing of seducing
teachers be persecution of conscience, and much more. Walker adds these
comments and context regarding Rutherford's Free Disputation, "The principle of toleration was beginning
to be broached in England, and in a modified shape to find acceptance there.
Samuel Rutherford was alarmed, or rather, I should say, he was horrified, for
he neither feared the face of man or argument. He rushed to the rescue of the
good old view... It is not so easy to find a theoretical ground for toleration;
and Rutherford has many plausible things to say against it. With the most
perfect confidence, he argues that it is alike against Scripture and common
sense that you should have two religions side by side. It is outrageous
ecclesiastically, it is sinful civilly. He does not, however, take what I call
the essentially persecuting ground. He does not hold that the magistrate is to
punish religion as religion. Nay, he strongly maintains that the civil
magistrate never aims at the conscience. The magistrate, he urges, does not
send anyone, whether a heretic (who is a soul murderer--RB) or a murderer, to
the scaffold with the idea of producing conversion or other spiritual result,
but to strengthen the foundations of civil order. But if he gives so much power
to the king, he is no lover of despotism withal: the king himself must be under
law. To vindicate this great doctrine is the object of another book, the
celebrated Lex Rex; of which it
has been said by one competent to judge, that it first clearly developed the
constitutionalism which all men now accept" (Theology and
Theologians..., pp. 11-12). In our
day Francis Schaeffer, and numerous others, have critiqued many of the problems
found in modern society, but most have spent little time developing explicitly
Biblical solutions -- especially regarding the theoretical foundations that
Rutherford addresses here. Rutherford's Free Disputation provides a detailed blueprint for laying the
foundations that must be laid before any lasting, God-honoring solutions will
be found. Furthermore, Rutherford and his writings were the enemies of all
governments not covenanted with Christ. This book will give you a very clear
picture as to why "the beast" (civil and ecclesiastical) has reserved
his special hatred for such teaching. As Samuel Wylie noted "[t]he
dispute, then, will not turn upon the point whether religion should be civilly
established... but it is concerning what religion ought to be civilly
established and protected, -- whether the religion of Jesus alone should be
countenanced by civil authority, or every blasphemous, heretical, and
idolatrous abomination which the subtle malignity of the old serpent and a heart
deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, can frame and devise, should
be put on an equal footing therewith" (Two Sons of Oil: or, The
Faithful Witness For Magistracy and Ministry Upon a Scriptural Basis, softcover). Can our generation swallow
Rutherford's hard, anti-pluralistic, Covenanter medicine, poured forth from the
bottle of the first commandment, without choking on their carnal dreams of a
free and righteous society divorced from God (and His absolute claims upon
everyone and everything)? Not without the enabling power of the Holy Spirit --
that is for sure! In summary, this book answers all the hardest questions
theonomists (and their wisest and best opponents) have been asking for the last
20-30 years (and these answers are much more in depth than any we have seen in
the last couple of millennia [less about a century to account for the
apostles]). As the reader will discover, Rutherford was a wealthy man when it
came to wisdom (and much advanced theologically), and those who take the time
to gaze into the King's treasure house, as exhibited in this book, will find
that they are greatly rewarded. Furthermore, because of its uncompromising
stand upon the Word of God, this book is sure to be unpopular among a wicked
and adulterous generation. However, on the other hand, it is sure to be popular
among the covenanted servants of King Jesus! This is one of the best books (in
the top five anyway) for advanced study of the Christian faith. We have now obtained
an easy-to-read, amazingly clear copy of this very rare, old treasure. Great
price too, considering that a copy of the 1649 edition, containing this quality
of print, would likely cost upwards of $1000 on the rare book market -- though
it is unlikely you would ever see a copy for sale!
A
Free Disputation Against Pretended Liberty of Conscience (1649 edition) by
Samuel Rutherford (digital download)
This book
is also available on PURITAN HARD DRIVE
EDWARDS, THOMAS
The Casting Down of the Last and Strongest Hold of
Satan; Or, A Treatise Against Toleration and Pretended Liberty of Conscience (1647)
The title continues: "Wherein by
Scripture, sound Reason, Fathers, Schoolmen, Casuists, Protestant Divines of
all Nations, Confessions of Faith of the Reformed Churches, Ecclesiastical
Histories, and constant practice of the most pious and wisest Emperors,
Princes, States, the best Writers of Politicks, the experience of all Ages;
yea, by divers Principles, Testimonies and Proceedings of Sectaries themselves,
as Donatists, Anabaptists, Brownists, Independents, the unlawfulness and
mischief in Christian Commonwealths and Kingdoms both of a Universal Toleration
of all Religions and Consciences, and of a limited and bounded (toleration--RB)
of some Sects only, are clearly proved and demonstrated, with all the material
Grounds and Reasons brought for such Tolerations fully answered."
This title (representing the English Presbyterian
position) is very much akin to the Scottish view found in Samuel
Rutherford's classic A Free
Disputation Against Pretended Liberty of Conscience.
It is also comparable to the position of the Covenanted Scottish General
Assembly as seen in this sample quote,
(W)e are also
very sensible of the great and imminent dangers into which this common cause of
religion is now brought by the growing and spreading of most dangerous errors
in England to the obstructing and hindering of the begun Reformation, as namely
(beside many others) Socinianism, Arminianism, Anabaptism, Antinomianism,
Brownism, Erastianism, Independency, and that which is called (by abuse of
the word) Liberty of Conscience, being indeed Liberty of Error, Scandal,
Schism, Heresy, dishonouring God, opposing the Truth, hindering Reformation;
and seducing others" (Acts
of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland 1638-1649 Inclusive, p. 333).
In short, this work of Edwards' is "a
treatise against the Magistrates toleration and permission of a promiscuous use
and profession of all religions, sects and heresies, and a partial limited
toleration of some few sects, or of any one sect, way of worship, church
government different from the true religion established and settled." It also deals in great Scriptural
depth with many of the questions being debated in our day among
Reconstructionists and their opponents (concerning God's law, civil government,
etc.). This book was
published by the authority of the English Parliament of Edwards' day. 224 pages.
This book
is also available on PURITAN HARD DRIVE
REFORMED
PRESBYTERY
Act,
Declaration, And Testimony, For The Whole Of The Covenanted Reformation, As
Attained To, And Established In, Britain and Ireland; Particularly Betwixt The
Years 1638 and 1649, Inclusive. As, Also, Against All The Steps Of Defection
From Said Reformation, Whether In Former Or Later Times, Since The Overthrow Of
That Glorious Work, Down To This Present Day (1876)
Upholds the original work of the Westminster
Assembly and testifies to the abiding worth and truth formulated in the
Westminster family of documents. Upholds and defends the crown rights of King
Jesus in church and state, denouncing those who would remove the crown from
Christ's head by denying His right to rule (by His law) in both the civil and
ecclesiastical spheres. Testifies to the received doctrine, government,
worship, and discipline of the Church of Scotland in her purest (reforming)
periods. Applies God's Word to the Church's corporate attainments "with a
judicial approbation of the earnest contendings and attainments of the
faithful, and a strong and pointed judicial condemnation of error and the
promoters thereof" (The Original Covenanter and Contending Witness, Dec.
17/93, p. 558.). Shows the church's great historical victories (such as the
National and Solemn League and Covenant, leading to the Westminster Assembly)
and exposes her enemies actions (e.g. the Prelacy of Laud; the Independency,
sectarianism, covenant breaking and ungodly toleration set forth by the likes
of Cromwell [and the Independents that conspired with him]; the Erastianism and
civil sectarianism of William of Orange, etc.). It is not likely that you will
find a more consistent working out of the principles of Calvinism anywhere.
Deals with the most important matters relating to the individual, the family,
the church and the state. Sets forth a faithful historical testimony of God's
dealings with men during some of the most important days of church history. A
basic text that should be mastered by all Christians. This book is also free on
the web at: http://www.covenanter.org/RefPres/actdeclarationandtestimony/acttitle.htm.
This book
is also available on PURITAN HARD DRIVE
Other Reformation
Resources:
Westminster Confession of Faith Super Sale
http://www.swrb.com/Puritan/westminster-confession.htm
Puritan Bookshelf CD Series Super Sale
http://www.swrb.com/Puritan/puritan-bookshelf-CDs.htm
Covenanter Sale
http://www.swrb.com/Puritan/covenanter-books.htm
Doctrinal Integrity: The Utility and Importance of
Creeds and Confessions and Adherence to Our Doctrinal Standards by Samuel Miller
The Covenanted
Reformation Defended Against Contemporary Schismatics: A Response and Antidote
Primarily to the Neopresbyterian Malignancy and Misrepresentations, and the
Manufactured "Steelite" Controversy, Found in Richard Bacon's A
Defense Departed; With a Refutation of Bacon's Independency, Popery, Arminianism,
Anabaptism and Various Other Heresies (Including an Exhibition of His
Opposition to Scripture and the Covenanted Reformation, in General; and His
Opposition to John Calvin, John Knox, the General Assembly of the Church of
Scotland [Especially 1638-1649], Samuel Rutherford, George Gillespie, the
Testimony of the Covenanter Martyrs, the Reformed Presbytery, the Puritan
Reformed Church of Edmonton and a Host of Other Prominent Reformers from Past
Generations, in Particular) -- With Copious Notes on Mr. Bacon's Backsliding
and His Blackening of the Blue Banner; as Well as Various Replies to Other
Modern Malignants by Greg Barrow (Greg Price, Dr. Reg Barrow, Dr. Larry Birger,
et al.) (Though set in the context of a debate with one
individual, this book addresses a number of specific problems which plague the
Presbyterian and Reformed churches of our day in general. "It conclusively
and irrefutably demonstrates that those churches which today call themselves
Presbyterian [and even many which claim a more general Reformed heritage] have
grievously departed from the Scriptural standards and principles of the
previous Spirit led Reformations [of the 16th and 17th centuries]. This will
become progressively [and painfully] clear as the reader witnesses evidence
upon evidence of defection from biblically based Reformation attainments (Phil.
3:16) -- and the burying and/or removing of the ancient Reformation landmarks.
Ultimately, when the testimony and evidence [presented in this book] is weighed
in light of Scriptural verities, it is entirely safe to say that the original
Reformers would not only have sought negative ecclesiastical sanctions against
our modern pseudo-Reformers, but in many cases negative civil sanctions as
well," writes Reg Barrow in the "Publisher's Preface." This
book, of over 300 [8.5" X 11"] pages, is also offered as a cerlox
bound photocopy [$14.98 US funds] or a Hardcover photocopy [$25.00 US funds].
It is also free on most of the CDs in
both the REFORMATION BOOKSHELF CD set [30 CDs, http://www.swrb.com/Puritan/reformation-bookshelf-CDs.htm ] and the PURITAN
BOOKSHELF CD set [32 CDs, http://www.swrb.com/Puritan/puritan-bookshelf-CDs.htm ])
Still Waters Revival Books,
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(Reformation resources at great discounts!)
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780-450-3730
Civil
Government and Resistance (Classic Reformed and Puritan Books)
A
Free Disputation Against Pretended Liberty of Conscience (1649 edition) by
Samuel Rutherford