The real Covenanters however were not conquered.  Death had slain thousands, and defection tens of thousands, yet the faithful had not lost heart.  There was still a vigorous force of loyal men and women, earnest quiet people, who stood fearlessly by the Covenant and Testimony of Jesus Christ.  They were called, “The remnant.”  With these the Holy Spirit was pleased to clothe Himself, for the good fight of faith which they continued with unabated ardor.  They stepped into the firing line where the shock of war was heaviest, and became the aggressive party, demanding from the king their Covenanted rights.  The Lord was ever with them; they heard Him saying, “Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”  Their zeal and energy were but the crested waves of Omnipotence, the Lord’s own strength surging along the strand of time, and dashing against the rocks of wickedness and misrule—­waves of Divine energy that must yet overflow every land, overcome the whole world, and cover the earth with glory, as the waters cover the sea.

[Illustration:  Claverhouse.

Claverhouse was a captain of dragoons, who pursued the Covenanters and slaughtered them with savage atrocity.  He outlived the persecution, but was killed the next year, 1689, at the battle of Killiecrankie, fighting against the accession of the Prince of Orange.  “A shot in the left eye” sent the reeking soul into the presence of God, whom he, in aweful blasphemy, had promised to take into his own hands.  He died at the age of forty-six.]

These strong-spirited, unbending Covenanters believed that the time had now come for a forward movement, and they accepted the task as from the Lord.  They were not merely unconquerable; they were determined to conquer.  At the beginning of the persecution they were passive, meekly submitting to reproach, spoilation, imprisonment, and death, for Christ’s sake.  This continued till patience was exhausted.

Their second attitude was that of self-defence.  Oppression maketh a wise man mad.  The people came armed to the Conventicles, and with swords and muskets met the troops that attacked the meetings.  These acts of self-defence developed into two distinct efforts to raise an army for the redress of grievances.  All this time the Covenanters recognized Charles II. as their king.

The third attitude was that of revolution.  They now had reached this point.  They challenge the king’s right to reign.  They resolve to take the crown from his head, and place it upon the brow of a man worthy of the honor, one who “feared God, and hated covetousness.”  What a daring task! what courage exhibited by these men! what unbounded confidence in the righteousness of their cause as they against all odds, all earthly advantages, and all human wisdom, proclaim the king’s forfeiture of the throne, and face the consequences of that proclamation!