Yet the Covenant had its enemies; but they were apparently few and for a
while very quiet. These anti-Covenanters stood with the king in his
effort to foist Prelacy upon the people. These he repaid with political
preferments. Hitherto they had claimed to be in the majority and
therefore assumed the right to rule over the Presbyterians. But the year
of Jubilee had come; the Covenant proclaimed "liberty throughout all the
land unto all the inhabitants thereof." This Covenant with God revealed
to the people their dignity, privileges, rights, power, and freedom in
Christ Jesus, KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS. In that light which fell
like the glory of heaven upon Scotland, Episcopacy appeared in its real
strength, or rather in its weakness; in comparison with Presbyterianism
it was a mere faction.

King Charles ruled Scotland from his throne in London. The Covenanters
were his most loyal subjects, devoted to him on every principle of truth
and righteousness; yet by no means would they permit him to assume the
rights of Jesus Christ without their earnest protest. They hastened to
report the Covenant to the king at London; their adversaries sent
delegates with equal haste. Both sides tried to win the king. As might
have been expected, the Covenanters failed. He was exceedingly wroth. He
branded the Covenant as treason and the Covenanters as traitors. "I will
die," said he, "before I grant their impertinent demands; they must be
crushed; put them down with fire and sword."

The king appointed the Marquis of Hamilton to represent his majesty in
Scotland and to subdue the Covenanters. Hamilton accepted the
commission and entered upon his stupendous task. He was authorized to
deceive and betray, to arrest and execute, to feign friendship and wage
war--to use discretionary power; the manner would not be questioned if