Covenant Theology: Obedience, Disobedience, and National Judgment

Richard Cameron

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Covenant Theology

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2001-06-10

Synopsis: John Weaver presents a biographical study of Richard Cameron, the 'Lion of the Covenant,' a 17th-century Scottish Covenanter who was martyred for his faith. The sermon highlights Cameron's unwavering commitment to Christ's kingship over the church, his role in the Sanquhar Declaration, and his death at the Battle of Airds Moss. Weaver uses Cameron's example to challenge modern believers to embrace suffering for the sake of the gospel and to live with godly conviction.

[John Weaver] I'm going to bring a message today which I've entitled, now listen carefully, it's a biographical study on Richard Cameron, the Lion of the Covenant. You don't know who Richard Cameron is, just listen. Richard Cameron, the Lion of the Covenant. You'll understand that in just a few moments. Hebrews chapter 11, look in verse 32. The Word of God says, and what shall I more say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, of Samson, and of Jephthah, of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets, who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness

[John Weaver] were made strong, waxed valued in fight, Turned to flight the armies of the aliens, women received their dead race to life again, and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection. And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourging, jail over bonds and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sung asunder, they were tempted, they were slain with a sword, they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented, of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens, and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise, God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect."

[John Weaver] Now, I call your attention to the fact that there are a number of these martyrs named, especially in verse 32. Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. Not only martyrs, but men of faith. And then when you look, if you would please, at verse 36, the scripture says, and others, that it would be a multitude of others, had trial of cruel mockings. scourgings, yam over bonds and imprisonment. And then he says they were stoned.

[John Weaver] That is, they were martyred. They were killed. They were sewn asunder, sewn in two. And this is a reference to the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah was supposedly sewn in two. They were tempted. They were slain with the sword.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to understand that not every hero of faith is listed by name in Hebrews chapter 11. There were many others who suffered and who lived in New Testament times, who suffered and died for their faith in Jesus Christ, who are not listed in Hebrews 11. And likewise, since the New Testament times, There have been a multitude who have stood firm for their faith in Jesus Christ and for the gospel of Christ, and have witnessed a good confession of faith, and have died in the faith. And one such martyr was an individual by the name of Richard Cameron, who was known as the Lion of the Covenant. Now, unhappily, most of us have never heard of Richard Cameron. nor the phrase the line of the covenant, nor do we know any history surrounding Richard Cameron.

[John Weaver] The problem is we live in a day when principles and convictions are a thing of the past, and those few who hold some principles and convictions today tend to think that those principles and those convictions are really not worth suffering for, and especially not worth dying for. But thankfully, not all men hold such compromising and sinful thoughts. The truth is, by nature, we all abhor suffering, and we certainly do not want to suffer.

[John Weaver] We judge others also by ourselves because we like it cool and comfortable, so to speak. We think others are likewise the same. And yet the scripture teaches us there is a principle that if we live godly, we shall suffer persecution. That's what the Apostle Paul wrote. This know that all who live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. One of the problems with us As to why we're not suffering more than we are is probably because we're not living as godly as we should be.

[John Weaver] But I want you to look in your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 11. Let me show you another principle. You see, the right way is not always the easy way or the pleasant way. And Hebrews chapter 11, begin there with verse 24. The Bible says, By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter.

[John Weaver] Now let me just stop there. Note, if you would please, Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. What does that mean? He would have been next in line to be the ruler of Egypt. The Bible says, by faith when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God. than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt, for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward."

[John Weaver] Now we should look carefully at verse 25. The Bible says concerning Moses, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. So Moses deliberately chose to suffer Note, if you would please, that the reason he chose that was based upon his estimation of Christ in verse 26. Here's why he chose suffering, esteeming or estimating the reproach of Christ greater treasures than the treasures in Egypt. Now, you've just got to remember that Egypt at this time was the most powerful and probably the richest country in the then known world. And Moses chose to suffer because he esteemed the reproach of Jesus Christ greater than all the treasures in Egypt. I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of Philippians chapter 1 verse 29. Here's a very interesting verse. Philippians 1 verse 29.

[John Weaver] One that we don't like to think about. Philippians 1 verse 29. Look what the word of God says. For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake." Ah, did you hear what I just read? Watch it carefully. For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ. That is, for Christ's sake, for Christ's glory. Unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.

[John Weaver] I want you to note two things. First of all, just like faith is God's gift, so likewise suffering is God's gift. He said, under you it is given not only to believe on Christ, but also to suffer for him. So suffering is the gift of God. What an unusual gift. Secondly, I want you to note that just as there are degrees in faith, you read in the Bible about a little faith, you read in the Bible about a great faith. Now, if there's a little faith and a great faith, there's that medium or normal faith in between. So just like there are degrees in faith, there is also degrees in suffering. God does not give everyone the exact same ministry of suffering. Some suffer. Enormously, and those who do so are given greater grace. And greater consolation. But he says under you is given on behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Acts chapter 9. Acts chapter 9. Look if you would please. Beginning there at verse 15, Acts 9 verse 15. And notice if you would what God says concerning the Apostle Paul. Acts chapter 9 verse 15. God tells Ananias, he says, Go thy way, the Lord said unto him, go thy way for he, that is Paul, is a chosen vessel unto me.

[John Weaver] to bear my name before the Gentiles and the kings and the children of Israel." Now, I want you to look at this. Every one of us would say, well, Lord, I sure would like to be a chosen vessel. I would like to be used like the Apostle Paul. Oh? It is true that God calls him a chosen vessel in verse 15, but look what he says in verse 16. God says, for I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. Now all of a sudden we don't want to be a chosen vessel. Because in this instance, being a chosen vessel involved extreme suffering. For instance, if you will turn in your Bibles to 2 Corinthians chapter 11. 2 Corinthians 11. Let's begin there with verse 24. And I'll just show you a few of the things that the Apostle Paul suffered. Notice 2 Corinthians chapter 11, verse 24. The Apostle Paul says of the Jews, five times received I forty stripes, save one. So four of the five times Paul was beaten to the maximum extent of the law.

[John Weaver] And you've got to remember that in all five times the Apostle Paul was innocent of any wrongdoing. So he was beaten then unjustly and probably unlawfully. Note, if you would please, he says, verse 25, thrice was I beaten with rods. Once I was stoned and left for dead, by the way. Thrice I suffered a shipwreck. A night and day I've been in the deep. In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren. Look, in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

[John Weaver] Besides those things which are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of the churches." So the Apostle Paul knew what it was to suffer not only physically, but mentally and emotionally and spiritually as well. And finally, you know, the Apostle Paul lost his life, for his head was cut off with a Roman axe. Now, Richard Cameron was much like the Apostle Paul. Not only did he suffer in life, his life was also ended by the hands of the enemies of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Richard Cameron is sometimes referred to as Richie Cameron, as the Hillman called him, but Richard Cameron was a Scottish Covenantor. You say, what in the world was a Covenantor? Let me tell you.

[John Weaver] The Scottish Covenanters were Scottish Presbyterians in the 17th century who gave their support to the National Covenant of 1638. Now, the whole land of Scotland subscribed, or at least most of them did, subscribed to what was known as the National Covenant, where they recognized Jesus Christ as the true King, and Jesus Christ as the true Head of the Church. Now, the reason they subscribe to the National Covenant is because King Charles Stewart of England was trying to force upon the Scottish Covenantors an episcopal form of government. In other words, he was going to make Scotland, basically speaking, an Anglican country, like England was ruled by the Anglican Church, with the king being the head of the church. Well, most of those Scottish pastors absolutely refused to do that.

[John Weaver] They were driven from their pulpits. They were kicked out. They were called non-conformists. They were not even allowed to preach in their own churches. In order to preach in your church, you had to take a license from the king, you had to pay the king a tax, and you had to agree to preach what the king wanted you to preach. While these nonconformist pastors then started holding conventicals or field meetings.

[John Weaver] They would literally convene out in the fields. Well, they were meeting without a license, without paying the tax. And so the king then would send his dragoons, not just to break up the meeting, but to kill not only the pastor, but all who opposed them and all who stood in the way. And an interesting thing is, and I ran across this in my studies, the tax that was applied was called the cess, C-E-S-S. Now, when you look it up in Webster's 1828, the cess refers, as a verb, to a tax laid on, as a noun, it's just a tax.

[John Weaver] And I thought, I wonder if that's where we get our word cesspool from. It's a possibility, you know. So here was this tax that these pastors and these preachers were supposed to pay, and the people as well, and they refused to pay them. Many of them.

[John Weaver] Now some paid them at the point of a bayonet. Others did not. And when those taxes were not paid to the king, and when the permission was not taken from the king to preach, then the king sent his dragoons to plunder, to steal, and to kill. It's kind of similar to IRS and ATF. You understand what I'm saying? The king was going to get his taxes and his authority recognized one way or the other.

[John Weaver] Now, the truth of the matter is this. Many suffered. John Gavin had his ears cut off, and he was banished to Barbados for his beliefs. Donald Cargo, James Guthrie, John Nisbet, David Haxton, and a multitude of others lost their lives. In fact, I want to tell you that Richard and his younger brother Michael were together in their death. They also had a sister by the name of Marion, whom the Dragoons killed as well.

[John Weaver] Now Richard Cameron was a man who preached the gospel of Jesus Christ. He preached in such a way that his memory was long treasured after he was killed. He was willing to die for the right of Jesus Christ to rule his church. And his convictions then embolden others to persevere and to hold out saying, look, Jesus Christ is indeed the king of the church, And we need not recognize the king as the head of the church, nor need we take his permission, his license, or pay his tax. Well, it's Richard's life who, by the way, not only rebukes our lukewarmness and our apathy, but it's his life also that demonstrates to us what can indeed be done for God's honor and God's glory when we're willing to die for the truth's sake and willing to stand even to the end.

[John Weaver] Now, Henry Inglis Haxton wrote a little couplet that summarized Richard Cameron's life. Here it is. He said, Cameron of the Covenant stood and prayed the battle prayer. Then with his brother side by side, took up the cross of Christ and died upon the moss of Ayr. A-Y-R.

[John Weaver] Now really, to begin, I must tell you about Saniquahar town, June the 12th, 1680. Here was a band of about 20 horsemen that clattered up the high street to the town cross. And here all the people began to gather together and they were running and hollering, it's Ritchie, it's Ritchie, it's Ritchie, and the Hillmen. Here came Richard Cameron, the Lion of the Covenant, with his brother Michael and a few other of his men on horse. As they dismounted at the town cross, the first thing they did was form a circle.

[John Weaver] And then they sang a psalm, and then prayed. And after the prayer, Michael, Richard's younger brother, read the famous Sanguinar Declaration. Here is part of it. Listen carefully. Michael reads in clear, loud tones that although we be for government and governors, such as the word of God in our covenant allows, yet we for ourselves and all that will adhere to us as the representative of the true Presbyterian Church and covenant nation of Scotland, considering the great hazard of lying under such a sin any longer, Do by these present disown Charles Stuart, who hath been reigning, or rather tyrannizing, as we may say, on the throne of Britain these years bygone, as having any right, title to, or interest in, the said crown of Scotland for government, as forfeited several years since by its perjury and breach of covenant both to God and His Church, and usurpation of His crown and royal prerogatives therein?

[John Weaver] Also, we, being under the standard of our Lord Jesus Christ, Captain of Salvation, do declare a war with such a tyrant and usurper, and all the men of his practices, as enemies to our Lord Jesus Christ and his cause and covenants, and against all such as have strengthened him. And also, we disown and by this resent the reception of the Duke of York, that professed papist, has repugnant our principles and vows to the Most High God."

[John Weaver] Now would you just stop there just for a moment and think with me. Here these men have gathered together and they said we disown Charles Stewart. He's a liar and a perjurer. Why? Because Charles Stewart had formally signed the National Covenant. And now he's against the National Covenant. And he's persecuting and destroying men who were trying to stand for the truth. And the Duke of York, of course, a Roman Catholic, they despised him. And by the way, it was the Duke of York that had sneeringly threatened to make Scotland like a hunting field. The Covenanters referred to the Duke of York as the devil's lieutenant.

[John Weaver] It was Thomas Campbell who took and nailed the Declaration to the wall. And then the hillmen rode off into the hills. They understood that they were now in what you and I would say was a heap of trouble. What had they done? They'd cast off the usurped authority of a tyrant. They had not done it mischievously. They had not done it in anarchy and blatant revolt. They had made their adoration a religious act.

[John Weaver] They prefaced and followed their oath of rejection of King Charles by the worship of the One True and Living God. They had disavowed King Charles in the interest of King Jesus. They disowned the unworthy ruler that they might obey the supreme and sovereign ruler, Jesus Christ. What basically they had done is this. They had chosen a theocracy over despotism. Actually, what they had done was a reversal of 1 Samuel chapter 8. Do you not remember in 1 Samuel chapter 8, the people refused God and wanted a king to rule over them? And now they said, no, no, we don't want the man, the king, the tyrant to rule over us. We want the one true and living God to rule over us. Remember this was 1680.

[John Weaver] Eight years later, eight years later, Lord Spiritual and Temporal of England with the Estates of Scotland kicked out King James Stuart and put in William and Mary. William Orange, you remember the Glorious Revolution 1688? Did you know that Richard Cameron said this concerning his banner? He said, Ours is a standard which shall overthrow the throne of Britain. And it did. within eight years after his death. Because his standard was none other than Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to understand that our country today is directly connected to the Scottish Covenanters. In fact, everything we are basically is intimately connected with Charles I. Why? Because his oppression drove out the Puritans, drove out many of the Scottish Covenanters, and they came to this country. You see, our country might have been settled by the Spaniards or the Portuguese, who were all Roman Catholics. And then we could have been just as dark and ignorant of the truth as those South American countries are today. But no, God in his mercy sent some of the finest expositors of scriptures to this country. You see, God's people ultimately only suffer just to reign. It was not just the Puritans who came over here, it was some of these Covenanters as well.

[John Weaver] I'm going to tell you about one in just a little bit. But it was King Charles Stuart who forced these people to leave. As Scripture says in Genesis 50, when Joseph was speaking there, he said to his brethren, you meant it for evil, but God meant it for good. Well, King Charles I meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.

[John Weaver] Now, there would have been more boatloads coming over, but Charles I imperiously forbade any brother ships to flee to America. had he known, he would have been delighted to let other ships go, because on board one ship set to sail were two men by the name of Oliver Cromwell and John Hampden. And so since the king forbade their sailing, Oliver Cromwell and John Hampden stayed in England And once again it was Oliver Cromwell and John Hampton who reproved Charles I and he lost his head as well as his throne. But you see, the persecution brought to America good and godly men.

[John Weaver] Now Alan Cameron, I'll tell you more about him a little bit later, Alan Cameron was a believing merchant in Falkland Fife, and he had three sons, of which Richard was the oldest, and Michael, I believe, was the youngest, and Alexander was in the middle. He also had a daughter by the name of Marian, who was a fine, godly Christian woman, who was also murdered by the king's dragoons. But it was after his university days, Richard Cameron was just a schoolmaster, just a teacher.

[John Weaver] But he occasionally went out to hear these field preachers, the preachers that Charles I had thrown out of their churches. And at first he listened, you know, just to be listening. And then one day God opened his heart and he listened to life and he believed the gospel and was converted. And after he was converted, he began preaching and he preached with such fervor. They said he was quite hot and his fervor stimulated others, and since Richard Cameron understood the issues, he had little use for those who were lukewarm. But even before the gallows drew near, everyone professed to receive great blessing from his preaching.

[John Weaver] Now, the persecution got so hot and so heavy for him, he had to flee to Holland for a while. In fact, many of the Scotlanders fled to Holland. In fact, you remember the Puritans who came over here on Mayflower, they first fled to Holland themselves. But it was while he was in Holland that he was ordained to the ministry.

[John Weaver] Now, he'd been preaching before he got over there, but now he's ordained, and here he is ordained by three men, Pastor Brown, Coleman, and then there was a Dutch minister, the great McWard, And after the ordination service was over, listen carefully, the great MacWard left his hand upon the head of Richard Cameron. And here's what he said. After everyone had lifted their hands, MacWard kept his hand upon Cameron's head and he said, here is the head of a faithful minister and servant of Jesus Christ who shall lose the same for his master's interest and it shall be set up before the sun and the moon in the public view of the world. And that was a Scottish Covenanter's minister's ordination. Now listen to what he said. Here is a minister and servant of Jesus Christ. Here's the head of a faithful minister and servant of Jesus Christ, who shall lose the same. So here this man is predicting that Richard Cameron's head is going to be cut off. And he said it's going to be set up in front of the sun and the moon for the whole world to see.

[John Weaver] Well, Richard Cameron got back to Scotland in October of 1679, and soon his name was linked with Cargill Wellwood and some of the other blessed martyrs. John Wellwood, who was martyred, who came out of his cold den the last day, looked and he said, No more night nor darkness for me. He knew it was his last day. And then Richard Cameron's ministry took off like a meteor.

[John Weaver] I mean, it was bright, it was shining, and of course there was a huge price placed upon his head. Incessantly they looked for individuals who would betray him, but very few wanted to betray Richard Cameron, and his brother Michael was always by his side. I want to just give you A statement concerning some of his sermons. Listen carefully, because his sermons were full of words of welcome and love of the Lord Jesus Christ for poor, helpless sinners. Here's what he said. Listen, as I quote, he asked, Will you take him?

[John Weaver] Tell us what you say. These hills and mountains around us witness that we have offered him to you this day. Angels are wondering at this offer. They stand beholding with admiration that our Lord is giving you such an offer today. They will go up to report at the throne what is everyone's choice. He then preached memorably from such texts as Jeremiah 3.19, How shall I put thee among the children?

[John Weaver] Matthew 11.28, Come unto me all ye that labor and heavy laden, I will give you rest. Isaiah 32.2, And a man shall be as a hiding place from the wind and a cover from the tempest. Isaiah 49, 24, shall the prey be taken from the mighty or the lawful captive delivered? And John 5 in verse 40, and would you not come unto me that you might have life?

[John Weaver] In the midst of all of his sermons, it is said that he made a contract between human hearts and Christ, and oftentimes he fell a-weeping and crowds wept with him. Their hearts tendered as the man of Calvary was preached unto them, and as Cameron's preaching was, so was his praying. And so was his practicing. Now, just after this magnificent San Guajar declaration, the hunt for Cameron and his clan was intensified.

[John Weaver] Less than three weeks before this fierce battle, I'm going to tell you about at Ars Mons, Richard Cameron said this, I shall be but breakfast to the enemy shortly. I shall be but a breakfast to the enemy shortly. This is three weeks before he died. After a day of prayer, twelve days before the end, his word was this, My body shall dung the wilderness within a fortnight.

[John Weaver] He knew they were after him, but very seldom did he pray privately, or to family, or to church gathering, did he fail to make this request. He prayed that he might wait with patience till the Lord's time come. The last Lord's day of his life. He preached from Psalm 46 in verse 10, Be still and know that I am God. On the next Lord's Day, Cargill was preaching his funeral sermon from the text, Know ye not that there is a great man and a prince fallen this day in Israel. It was indeed a time of the eating of the bread of affliction. The last week of Richard Cameron's life was lived with about 60 others.

[John Weaver] There's Patrick Walker, the Covenanter peddler, the Covenanting John Bunyan, who said concerning them they were of one heart and one soul, and they always basically stayed together. Now, although there were about 60 of them, some were armed and some were not armed. Out of the 60, about 20 had horses, and some Individuals think that some of these Scottish Covenanters were wrong for even taking up arms. I want you to understand something.

[John Weaver] Many of these individuals had seen not only pastors murdered, but innocent people just simply tracked down or shot through by the King's Dragoons mercilessly. In fact, I forget the name of the one pastor now. But one pastor, when he stepped forward to defend his people, one of the guns was stuck to his head and the trigger pulled and it literally blew his head off and his wife caught his head in her hands. I mean, that's how they were dealing with these people. And while some were willing to suffer and lose their life for Christ's sake, They were not willing to see others suffer so needlessly, and thus they took up arms not only to defend themselves, but to defend others.

[John Weaver] May I remind you, the sixth commandment, thou shalt not kill, certainly implies, to say the least, the obligation to defend ourselves. Because if we have the obligation not to kill, we have the obligation not to kill ourselves or to allow ourselves to be killed. And when you get to Deuteronomy chapter 22, there's certainly the obligation to help save and help preserve the lives of others. And so while some of these Scottish covenanters were willing to suffer and bleed and die and give their lives, others said, look, I'm willing to die if that is what God would have me to do. But until that time, I will defend myself and I will defend the lives of others as well.

[John Weaver] So Richard Cameron, the Lion of the Covenant, spent his last night on the Meadowhead farm at the home of William Mitchell. In the morning, he washed his face in the old stone froth, and on drying himself, he took his hands and placed them on his face and looked at Mrs. Mitchell and her daughter and said, this is their last washing. I have need to make them clean, for there are many to see them.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to think with me. McWard said, here's the head of a faithful servant of Jesus Christ who shall lose it for the interest of his master. It shall be set up before the sun and the moon for all to see.

[John Weaver] Now, the morning before his death, he washes his hands, he places them on his face, and he says, this is their last washing. I have needs to make them clean, for there are many to see them. At this, Mrs. Mitchell and her daughter began to weep. And Richard Cameron told her, weep not for me, but for yourselves and for yours, and for the sins of a sinful land, for you have many melancholy, sorrowful, and weary days before you.

[John Weaver] It was about four o'clock in the afternoon, and the little Bible-reading, praying, and preaching band was meeting in the desert place of the Arsmos. There, Richard Cameron, was giving his last sermon. As they looked up, here came a body of the king's dragoons, outnumbering the little band, and outarmed. They stood. And so Richard then got all of his men around him, and three times in prayer he appealed to the Lord of the harvest to spare the green and to take the And then looking at his younger brother, he said to him, Come, Michael, let us fight it out to the last.

[John Weaver] For this is the day that I have longed for, to die fighting against our Lord's avowed enemies. And this is the day that we shall get the crown. To his beloved fellows, he said, Be encouraged, all of you, to fight it out valiantly. For all of you who fall this day, I see heaven's gates cast wide open to receive you. Then with eyes turned to heaven in calm resignation, they sang their last song to the God of their salvation.

[John Weaver] The dragoons, emboldened by better arms and better numbers, attacked at once. The wanderers, as they were often called, defended themselves bravely. Listen to David Paxton's account, and I'll tell you about David in just a moment. David says, the rest of us advanced fast upon the enemy. So as the king's dragoons were coming, here Richard Cameron and his band are running out to meet them. Remember, there's only about 20 horses. So he says, the rest of us advanced fast on the enemy, being a strong body of horse coming hard on us, whereupon when we were joined, our horse fired first and wounded and killed some of them, both horse and foot. Our horse advanced to their faces, and we fired on each other.

[John Weaver] I being foremost after receiving their fire, and finding the horse behind me broken, I then rode in amongst them and went out of the side without any wrong or wound. I was pursued by several with whom I fought a good space, sometimes they following me, sometimes I following them. At last And they ganged up on David Haxton, by the way, and with a treacherous and unfair blow from the back, they cut him down. They did not kill him, but they at least cut him down, and he gave himself up to the man in front of him then as his prisoner. But David Haxton writes, they gave us all testimony, being brave, resolute men.

[John Weaver] Nine were slain of that poor party that occasionally met at the hour's mosque only for the hearing of the gospel. Just stop and think. What have these men done? Nothing but preach and pray. That's all. So nine were killed. Among those that were killed were Richard Cameron and his brother Michael. Michael and Richard were always inseparable in life, and they were inseparable in death as well. Someone has written this little poem.

[John Weaver] I want to read it in light of what happened at the Battle of Ars Mas. For the righteous had fallen and the combat was ended. A chariot of fire through the dark clouds descended. Its drivers were angels on horses of whiteness, and its burning wheels turned on axles of brightness. A seraph unfolded its doors bright and shining, all dazzling like gold of the seventh refining, and the souls that came forth out of great tribulation have mounted a chariot and steeds of salvation."

[John Weaver] Richard was less than 32 years of age when he died. His brother Michael, even younger. They gave their lives for Christ's crown and covenant. Six prisoners were taken that day. William Manuel, John Valiance, John Pollock, David Hackson, John Malcolm, and Archibald Allison. From the severity of his wounds and the treatment that he received, William Emanuel died as he was being carried to the prison. From the same causes, John Valius died the day following. John Pollock, who was cruelly treated in the midst of his steadfast, but in the midst of all was steadfast and cheerful, died after he was tortured.

[John Weaver] He was banished as a slave to the American plantations. Now, may I remind you that the first slaves of this country were white, and they were Christians, and they were sent as slaves for their faith in Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] Now, if that makes you ask the question, from whom, then, did the black slaves of Africa hear the gospel? from those Scottish covenanters who were already over here as white slaves. An interesting thing is, you think of all of the old Negro spirituals, where did those Negroes get those spiritual songs from? There was nothing like that in Africa. There was no gospel in Africa. There was no word in Africa. And interestingly enough, some of those old Negro spirituals are almost like those metric or metered psalms that the coming after saying. So undoubtedly, the black slaves heard the preaching from the white slaves who had been captured and sent over here.

[John Weaver] Now, there are other three prisoners who were executed. David Haxton, who I'm going to tell you about last of all. But John Malcolm, an Archibald Allison, John Malcolm, as he was executed, said this concerning Christ. Let his cause be your cause in will and in woe, that is, in blessings, in good times and bad times. Then he says, O noble cause, O noble work, O noble heaven, O noble Christ that makes it to be heaven. And he is the owner of the work I lay down my life, not as an evildoer, but as a sufferer for Jesus Christ. Archibald Allison said this before he was executed. What think ye of heaven and glory that is at the back of the cross?

[John Weaver] The hope of this makes me look upon pale death as a lovely messenger to me. I bless the Lord for my lot this day. Did you hear that? He's about to be executed. I bless the Lord for my lot this day. Friends, give our Lord credit. He is I good, but oh, he is good in the day of trial, and he will be sweet company through the ages. of eternity. Of those that escaped from Mars Mosque that day, and some of those Covenanters escaped, many wept that they had died not that day. But Patrick Walker writes, those eight who died on the spot went within with right and longing for the day of death.

[John Weaver] After they had killed Richard Cameron, The Dragoons came and cut off his head and his hands. They then cut off the head of John Fowler, thinking it to be his brother, Michael. They took the head of Richard Cameron in his hands and the head of John Fowler, put them in a sack to take to the bloodthirsty council of Edinburgh and passing through Lanark, They met a young woman by the name of Elizabeth Hope, who had the audacity to ask them what they had in the bag. The dragoons asked her, did she want to buy some calves heads?

[John Weaver] She replied she didn't know, she'd have to see them. At night they emptied the head of Richard Cameron, and John Fowler on the ground, and begin to kick it up and down as you would kick a soccer ball, at which Elizabeth fainted and passed out. On reaching Edinburgh, the Dragoons put the heads of the rebels upon Halbert's. They took the Halbert and stuck it through the mouth of Richard Cameron, out of which proceeded such great and glorious and gospel words. Robert Murray, as he delivered the head of Richard Cameron and John Fowler and the hands of Cameron to the council, Robert Murray said this, these are the head and the hands that lived praying and preaching and died praying and fighting. These are the heads in the hands of them who died, who lived praying and preaching, and died praying and fighting. Remember, there was a huge reward for Richard Cameron.

[John Weaver] Before the hangman set the head in the hands of the blood-stained martyr on the Nethervale port, with the hands on either side of his head, there was one other little trick of torment they had to perform. You see, in the prison was an elderly man by the name of Alan Cameron, the father of Richard and Michael. Alan Cameron was in prison because he had been giving help to the field preachers and to the conventicals, those meeting without the king's permission. And so here the old man is imprisoned. They take the head and the hands of Richard Cameron to his father, Alan. And they thrust that head in those hands to Alan Cameron and said, Do you know these? At which Alan Cameron took his son's head in his hand and kissed his severed head and he said, yes, I know them. I know them. They are my sons. My own dear sons. It is the Lord. Good is the will of the Lord who cannot wrong me or mine.

[John Weaver] but has made goodness and mercy to follow me all the days of my life. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

[John Weaver] They then cruelly took the head and the hands of Richard Campbell and placed them on the natherbore port. for all to see, the sun and the moon. David Haxton, who wrote of the account of the battle, who was with Richard Cameron and was taken to prison, eight days later, met a horrible and excruciating death. As he was with Richard in life, so he joined him in death. I want to read to you the order of the council concerning the death of David Haxton. Here it is. They gave an order.

[John Weaver] Now remember, he was guilty of hearing the preaching of the gospel. They gave the order, quote, that his body be drawn backward on a hurdle to the Mercat Cross. that there be a high scaffold erected a little above the cross, where in the first place, his right hand is to be struck off, and after some time, his left hand to be struck off. Then he is to be hanged up and cut down alive, his bowels to be taken out, and his heart shown to the people by the hangman. than his heart and his bowels to be burned in a fire prepared for that purpose on the scaffold, that afterwards his head be cut off and his body divided into four quarters, his head to be affixed on another bowel, one of his quarters with his hands to be affixed at St. Andrews, another

[John Weaver] quarter at Glasgow, a third at Lathe, and a fourth at Bernesland, that none presumed to be in mourning for him, or any coffin brought, that no person be suffered to be with him on the scaffold save the two Baileys, the executioner and his servants, that he be allowed to pray to God Almighty, but not to speak to the people, and that Haxton's and Cameron's heads be fixed on higher poles than the rest. Thus died men who stood for Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] I've got one scripture I want you to turn in your Bibles to John 16. And let's begin reading with verse 1. It's hard for you and I to envision this now. But wait a little while. John 16, beginning with verse 1, look at what our Lord says. These things have I spoken unto you that you should not be offended. Lord, you're not to stumble. You're not to get upset. You're not to get bent out of shape. These things have I spoken unto you that you should not be offended.

[John Weaver] They shall put you out of the synagogues or the churches. Yea, the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God's service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me." Did you know that Charles I was an extremely religious man?

[John Weaver] Married to a Roman Catholic wife.

[John Weaver] Folks, let me tell you something. It was not easy to stand for truth in the New Testament. It was not easy to stand for truth in the 17th century. And it's not easy to stand for truth in the 21st century. May I tell you with the rampant charge of humanism in this country. If God is not merciful to us, the time of eating the bread of affliction is coming again.

[John Weaver] When we will understand that He that killeth you will think that you do God's service. In other words, we're getting rid of you crazy. Notice how God's people are always called rebels, when in reality, the ones who are really rebellious are those who oppose Jesus Christ and His righteousness. Does not the life of Richard Cameron shame us? Does not the courage of His Father condemn us? Oh, if God would give us the grace. And how many of us murmur and complain because it's too hot or too cold, or things not, you understand what I'm saying?

[John Weaver] We ought to do this. We ought to leave this building today, number one, thanking God for what He has done for us, what He has given us, how He has spared us. And then on the other hand, we ought to ask God to give us courage to be willing to suffer, to die, to fight for truth and righteousness. Let's pray. Father, we ask You, in the name of Jesus Christ, that You would encourage us, build us up in the most holy faith that should make us godly.

[John Weaver] Lord, when we hear of men that Thou hast used, and yet men who suffered so greatly, we're so shamed. We're so condemned. Because we suffered nothing. Because, Lord, we're not as godly as we ought to be and not as godly as we should be. We pray for godliness. We pray for holiness. We pray for grace and strength to serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In Thy name we ask. Amen.

Richard Cameron

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	311082047158
Subject	Covenant Theology
Course	Covenant Theology: Obedience, Disobedience, and National Judgment
Genre	Sermon
Date	2001-06-10
Dictation Name
Book	Book 044: Covenant Theology: Obedience, Disobedience, and National Judgment — Chapter 1
Source Timed Segments	76

Formatted Transcript

Introduction: The Faith of the Martyrs

Weaver introduces the topic by reading Hebrews 11:32-40, emphasizing that many unnamed heroes of faith have suffered and died for Christ, including Richard Cameron.

I'm going to bring a message today which I've entitled—now listen carefully—it's a biographical study on Richard Cameron, the Lion of the Covenant. If you don't know who Richard Cameron is, just listen. Richard Cameron, the Lion of the Covenant. You'll understand that in just a few moments. Hebrews chapter 11, look in verse 32. The Word of God says,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 11:32-40

"And what shall I more say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthah; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness

were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: and others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect." Now, I call your attention to the fact that there are a number of these martyrs named, especially in verse 32: Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. Not only martyrs, but men of faith. And then when you look, if you would please, at verse 36, the scripture says, "and others"—that would be a multitude of others—"had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment." And then he says, "they were stoned."

That is, they were martyred. They were killed. They were sawn asunder—sawn in two. And this is a reference to the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah was supposedly sawn in two. They were tempted. They were slain with the sword.

Now, I want you to understand that not every hero of faith is listed by name in Hebrews chapter 11. There were many others who suffered and who lived in New Testament times, who suffered and died for their faith in Jesus Christ, who are not listed in Hebrews 11. And likewise, since the New Testament times, there have been a multitude who have stood firm for their faith in Jesus Christ and for the gospel of Christ, and have witnessed a good confession of faith, and have died in the faith. And one such martyr was an individual by the name of Richard Cameron, who was known as the Lion of the Covenant. Now, unhappily, most of us have never heard of Richard Cameron, nor the phrase "the Lion of the Covenant," nor do we know any history surrounding Richard Cameron.

The Call to Suffer for Christ

Using Hebrews 11:24-26 and Philippians 1:29, Weaver teaches that suffering is a gift from God and that Moses chose affliction over the pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ.

But I want you to look in your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 11. Let me show you another principle. You see, the right way is not always the easy way or the pleasant way. And Hebrews chapter 11, begin there with verse 24. The Bible says,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 11:24-26

"By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;"

Now let me just stop there. Note, if you would please, Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. What does that mean? He would have been next in line to be the ruler of Egypt. The Bible says, "By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward."

Now we should look carefully at verse 25. The Bible says concerning Moses, "choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season." So Moses deliberately chose to suffer. Note, if you would please, that the reason he chose that was based upon his estimation of Christ in verse 26. Here's why he chose suffering: "esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt." Now, you've just got to remember that Egypt at this time was the most powerful and probably the richest country in the then known world. And Moses chose to suffer because he esteemed the reproach of Jesus Christ greater than all the treasures in Egypt. I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of Philippians chapter 1 verse 29. Here's a very interesting verse. Philippians 1 verse 29.

One that we don't like to think about. Philippians 1 verse 29. Look what the word of God says:

Scripture Reading — Philippians 1:29

"For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake."

Ah, did you hear what I just read? Watch it carefully.

Scripture Reading — Philippians 1:29

"For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ"

—that is, for Christ's sake, for Christ's glory—

Scripture Reading — Philippians 1:29

"unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake."

I want you to note two things. First of all, just like faith is God's gift, so likewise suffering is God's gift. He said,

Scripture Reading — Philippians 1:29

"unto you it is given not only to believe on Christ, but also to suffer for him."

So suffering is the gift of God. What an unusual gift. Secondly, I want you to note that just as there are degrees in faith—you read in the Bible about a little faith, you read in the Bible about a great faith. Now, if there's a little faith and a great faith, there's that medium or normal faith in between. So just like there are degrees in faith, there are also degrees in suffering. God does not give everyone the exact same ministry of suffering. Some suffer enormously, and those who do so are given greater grace and greater consolation. But he says,

Scripture Reading — Philippians 1:29

"unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake."

Paul as a Chosen Vessel of Suffering

Weaver examines Acts 9:15-16 and 2 Corinthians 11:24-28 to show that being a chosen vessel involves great suffering, as exemplified by the Apostle Paul.

Now I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Acts chapter 9. Acts chapter 9. Look, if you would please, beginning there at verse 15. Acts 9 verse 15. And notice if you would what God says concerning the Apostle Paul. Acts chapter 9 verse 15. God tells Ananias, he says, "Go thy way,

Scripture Reading — Acts 9:15-16

" the Lord said unto him, "

go thy way: for he"—that is, Paul—

Scripture Reading — Acts 9:15-16

"is a chosen vessel unto me,

to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel." Now, I want you to look at this. Every one of us would say, "Well, Lord, I sure would like to be a chosen vessel. I would like to be used like the Apostle Paul." Oh? It is true that God calls him a chosen vessel in verse 15, but look what he says in verse 16. God says, "For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake." Now all of a sudden we don't want to be a chosen vessel. Because in this instance, being a chosen vessel involved extreme suffering. For instance, if you will turn in your Bibles to 2 Corinthians chapter 11. 2 Corinthians 11. Let's begin there with verse 24. And I'll just show you a few of the things that the Apostle Paul suffered. Notice 2 Corinthians chapter 11, verse 24. The Apostle Paul says, "Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one." So four of the five times Paul was beaten to the maximum extent of the law.

And you've got to remember that in all five times the Apostle Paul was innocent of any wrongdoing. So he was beaten then unjustly and probably unlawfully. Note, if you would please, he says, verse 25, "Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned"—and left for dead, by the way—"thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Besides those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches." So the Apostle Paul knew what it was to suffer not only physically, but mentally and emotionally and spiritually as well. And finally, you know, the Apostle Paul lost his life, for his head was cut off with a Roman axe. Now, Richard Cameron was much like the Apostle Paul. Not only did he suffer in life, his life was also ended by the hands of the enemies of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Richard Cameron is sometimes referred to as "Ritchie" Cameron, as the hillmen called him, but Richard Cameron was a Scottish Covenanter. You say, "What in the world was a Covenanter?" Let me tell you.

Historical Background of the Scottish Covenanters

Weaver explains the 17th-century conflict between Scottish Presbyterians and King Charles II, who sought to impose episcopal government, leading to the National Covenant and the persecution of nonconformist pastors.

The Scottish Covenanters were Scottish Presbyterians in the 17th century who gave their support to the National Covenant of 1638. Now, the whole land of Scotland subscribed, or at least most of them did, subscribed to what was known as the National Covenant, where they recognized Jesus Christ as the true King, and Jesus Christ as the true Head of the Church. Now, the reason they subscribed to the National Covenant is because King Charles Stuart of England was trying to force upon the Scottish Covenanters an episcopal form of government. In other words, he was going to make Scotland, basically speaking, an Anglican country, like England was ruled by the Anglican Church, with the king being the head of the church. Well, most of those Scottish pastors absolutely refused to do that. They were driven from their pulpits. They were kicked out. They were called non-conformists. They were not even allowed to preach in their own churches. In order to preach in your church, you had to take a license from the king, you had to pay the king a tax, and you had to agree to preach what the king wanted you to preach. While these nonconformist pastors then started holding conventicles or field meetings.

They would literally convene out in the fields. Well, they were meeting without a license, without paying the tax. And so the king then would send his dragoons, not just to break up the meeting, but to kill not only the pastor, but all who opposed them and all who stood in the way. And an interesting thing is, and I ran across this in my studies, the tax that was applied was called the cess, C-E-S-S. Now, when you look it up in Webster's 1828, the cess refers, as a verb, to a tax laid on; as a noun, it's just a tax. And I thought, I wonder if that's where we get our word "cesspool" from. It's a possibility, you know. So here was this tax that these pastors and these preachers were supposed to pay, and the people as well, and they refused to pay them. Many of them.

Now some paid them at the point of a bayonet. Others did not. And when those taxes were not paid to the king, and when the permission was not taken from the king to preach, then the king sent his dragoons to plunder, to steal, and to kill. It's kind of similar to IRS and ATF. You understand what I'm saying? The king was going to get his taxes and his authority recognized one way or the other.

Now, the truth of the matter is this. Many suffered. John Gavan had his ears cut off, and he was banished to Barbados for his beliefs. Donald Cargill, James Guthrie, John Nisbet, David Hackston, and a multitude of others lost their lives. In fact, I want to tell you that Richard and his younger brother Michael were together in their death. They also had a sister by the name of Marion, whom the dragoons killed as well.

The Sanquhar Declaration

Weaver recounts the events of June 12, 1680, when Richard Cameron and his band publicly disowned Charles Stuart as king, declaring allegiance to Christ alone.

Now really, to begin, I must tell you about Sanquhar town, June the 12th, 1680. Here was a band of about 20 horsemen that clattered up the high street to the town cross. And here all the people began to gather together and they were running and hollering, "It's Ritchie, it's Ritchie, it's Ritchie, and the hillmen!" Here came Richard Cameron, the Lion of the Covenant, with his brother Michael and a few other of his men on horse. As they dismounted at the town cross, the first thing they did was form a circle. And then they sang a psalm, and then prayed. And after the prayer, Michael, Richard's younger brother, read the famous Sanquhar Declaration. Here is part of it. Listen carefully. Michael reads in clear, loud tones that "although we be for government and governors, such as the word of God in our covenant allows, yet we for ourselves and all that will adhere to us as the representative of the true Presbyterian Church and covenant nation of Scotland, considering the great hazard of lying under such a sin any longer, do by these present disown Charles Stuart, who hath been reigning, or rather tyrannizing, as we may say, on the throne of Britain these years bygone, as having any right, title to, or interest in, the said crown of Scotland for government, as forfeited several years since by his perjury and breach of covenant both to God and His Church, and usurpation of His crown and royal prerogatives therein.

Also, we, being under the standard of our Lord Jesus Christ, Captain of Salvation, do declare a war with such a tyrant and usurper, and all the men of his practices, as enemies to our Lord Jesus Christ and his cause and covenants, and against all such as have strengthened him. And also, we disown and by this resent the reception of the Duke of York, that professed papist, as repugnant to our principles and vows to the Most High God." Now would you just stop there just for a moment and think with me. Here these men have gathered together and they said, "We disown Charles Stuart. He's a liar and a perjurer." Why? Because Charles Stuart had formally signed the National Covenant. And now he's against the National Covenant. And he's persecuting and destroying men who were trying to stand for the truth. And the Duke of York, of course, a Roman Catholic, they despised him. And by the way, it was the Duke of York that had sneeringly threatened to make Scotland like a hunting field. The Covenanters referred to the Duke of York as the devil's lieutenant.

It was Thomas Campbell who took and nailed the Declaration to the wall. And then the hillmen rode off into the hills. They understood that they were now in what you and I would say was a heap of trouble. What had they done? They'd cast off the usurped authority of a tyrant. They had not done it mischievously. They had not done it in anarchy and blatant revolt. They had made their declaration a religious act.

They prefaced and followed their oath of rejection of King Charles by the worship of the One True and Living God. They had disavowed King Charles in the interest of King Jesus. They disowned the unworthy ruler that they might obey the supreme and sovereign ruler, Jesus Christ. What basically they had done is this: they had chosen a theocracy over despotism. Actually, what they had done was a reversal of 1 Samuel chapter 8. Do you not remember in 1 Samuel chapter 8, the people refused God and wanted a king to rule over them? And now they said, "No, no, we don't want the man, the king, the tyrant to rule over us. We want the one true and living God to rule over us." Remember this was 1680.

Eight years later, eight years later, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal of England with the Estates of Scotland kicked out King James Stuart and put in William and Mary. William of Orange, you remember the Glorious Revolution 1688? Did you know that Richard Cameron said this concerning his banner? He said, "Ours is a standard which shall overthrow the throne of Britain." And it did, within eight years after his death. Because his standard was none other than Jesus Christ.

Cameron's Ministry and Prophecy of Martyrdom

Weaver describes Cameron's conversion, fervent preaching, ordination in Holland, and the prophecy that his head would be publicly displayed.

But he occasionally went out to hear these field preachers, the preachers that Charles I had thrown out of their churches. And at first he listened, you know, just to be listening. And then one day God opened his heart and he listened to life and he believed the gospel and was converted. And after he was converted, he began preaching and he preached with such fervor. They said he was quite hot and his fervor stimulated others, and since Richard Cameron understood the issues, he had little use for those who were lukewarm. But even before the gallows drew near, everyone professed to receive great blessing from his preaching.

Now, the persecution got so hot and so heavy for him, he had to flee to Holland for a while. In fact, many of the Scotlanders fled to Holland. In fact, you remember the Puritans who came over here on the Mayflower, they first fled to Holland themselves. But it was while he was in Holland that he was ordained to the ministry.

Now, he'd been preaching before he got over there, but now he's ordained, and here he is ordained by three men: Pastor Brown, Coleman, and then there was a Dutch minister, the great McWard. And after the ordination service was over, listen carefully, the great McWard left his hand upon the head of Richard Cameron. And here's what he said. After everyone had lifted their hands, McWard kept his hand upon Cameron's head and he said, "Here is the head of a faithful minister and servant of Jesus Christ who shall lose the same for his master's interest and it shall be set up before the sun and the moon in the public view of the world." And that was a Scottish Covenanter's minister's ordination. Now listen to what he said. "Here is a minister and servant of Jesus Christ. Here's the head of a faithful minister and servant of Jesus Christ, who shall lose the same." So here this man is predicting that Richard Cameron's head is going to be cut off. And he said it's going to be set up in front of the sun and the moon for the whole world to see.

Well, Richard Cameron got back to Scotland in October of 1679, and soon his name was linked with Cargill, Wellwood, and some of the other blessed martyrs. John Wellwood, who was martyred, who came out of his cold den the last day, looked and he said, "No more night nor darkness for me." He knew it was his last day. And then Richard Cameron's ministry took off like a meteor.

The Battle of Airds Moss and Cameron's Death

Weaver details the final days of Cameron, the battle against the king's dragoons, and the deaths of Richard and his brother Michael.

Less than three weeks before this fierce battle—I'm going to tell you about at Airds Moss—Richard Cameron said this, "I shall be but breakfast to the enemy shortly. I shall be but a breakfast to the enemy shortly." This is three weeks before he died. After a day of prayer, twelve days before the end, his word was this, "My body shall dung the wilderness within a fortnight." He knew they were after him, but very seldom did he pray privately, or to family, or to church gathering, did he fail to make this request. He prayed that he might wait with patience till the Lord's time come. The last Lord's day of his life, he preached from Psalm 46:10, "Be still, and know that I am God." On the next Lord's Day, Cargill was preaching his funeral sermon from the text, "Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?" It was indeed a time of the eating of the bread of affliction. The last week of Richard Cameron's life was lived with about 60 others.

There's Patrick Walker, the Covenanter peddler, the Covenanting John Bunyan, who said concerning them they were of one heart and one soul, and they always basically stayed together. Now, although there were about 60 of them, some were armed and some were not armed. Out of the 60, about 20 had horses, and some individuals think that some of these Scottish Covenanters were wrong for even taking up arms. I want you to understand something. Many of these individuals had seen not only pastors murdered, but innocent people just simply tracked down or shot through by the King's Dragoons mercilessly. In fact, I forget the name of the one pastor now. But one pastor, when he stepped forward to defend his people, one of the guns was stuck to his head and the trigger pulled and it literally blew his head off and his wife caught his head in her hands. I mean, that's how they were dealing with these people. And while some were willing to suffer and lose their life for Christ's sake, they were not willing to see others suffer so needlessly, and thus they took up arms not only to defend themselves, but to defend others.

May I remind you, the sixth commandment, "Thou shalt not kill," certainly implies, to say the least, the obligation to defend ourselves. Because if we have the obligation not to kill, we have the obligation not to kill ourselves or to allow ourselves to be killed. And when you get to Deuteronomy chapter 22, there's certainly the obligation to help save and help preserve the lives of others. And so while some of these Scottish covenanters were willing to suffer and bleed and die and give their lives, others said, "Look, I'm willing to die if that is what God would have me to do. But until that time, I will defend myself and I will defend the lives of others as well."

So Richard Cameron, the Lion of the Covenant, spent his last night on the Meadowhead farm at the home of William Mitchell. In the morning, he washed his face in the old stone trough, and on drying himself, he took his hands and placed them on his face and looked at Mrs. Mitchell and her daughter and said, "This is their last washing. I have need to make them clean, for there are many to see them."

Now, I want you to think with me. McWard said, "Here's the head of a faithful servant of Jesus Christ who shall lose it for the interest of his master. It shall be set up before the sun and the moon for all to see." Now, the morning before his death, he washes his hands, he places them on his face, and he says, "This is their last washing. I have needs to make them clean, for there are many to see them." At this, Mrs. Mitchell and her daughter began to weep. And Richard Cameron told her, "Weep not for me, but for yourselves and for yours, and for the sins of a sinful land, for you have many melancholy, sorrowful, and weary days before you."

It was about four o'clock in the afternoon, and the little Bible-reading, praying, and preaching band was meeting in the desert place of the Airds Moss. There, Richard Cameron was giving his last sermon. As they looked up, here came a body of the king's dragoons, outnumbering the little band, and outarmed. They stood. And so Richard then got all of his men around him, and three times in prayer he appealed to the Lord of the harvest to spare the green and to take the ripe. And then looking at his younger brother, he said to him, "Come, Michael, let us fight it out to the last. For this is the day that I have longed for, to die fighting against our Lord's avowed enemies. And this is the day that we shall get the crown." To his beloved fellows, he said, "Be encouraged, all of you, to fight it out valiantly. For all of you who fall this day, I see heaven's gates cast wide open to receive you." Then with eyes turned to heaven in calm resignation, they sang their last song to the God of their salvation.

The dragoons, emboldened by better arms and better numbers, attacked at once. The wanderers, as they were often called, defended themselves bravely. Listen to David Hackston's account, and I'll tell you about David in just a moment. David says, "The rest of us advanced fast upon the enemy." So as the king's dragoons were coming, here Richard Cameron and his band are running out to meet them. Remember, there's only about 20 horses. So he says, "The rest of us advanced fast on the enemy, being a strong body of horse coming hard on us, whereupon when we were joined, our horse fired first and wounded and killed some of them, both horse and foot. Our horse advanced to their faces, and we fired on each other.

I being foremost after receiving their fire, and finding the horse behind me broken, I then rode in amongst them and went out of the side without any wrong or wound. I was pursued by several with whom I fought a good space, sometimes they following me, sometimes I following them. At last"—and they ganged up on David Hackston, by the way, and with a treacherous and unfair blow from the back, they cut him down. They did not kill him, but they at least cut him down, and he gave himself up to the man in front of him then as his prisoner. But David Hackston writes, "They gave us all testimony, being brave, resolute men." Nine were slain of that poor party that occasionally met at the Airds Moss only for the hearing of the gospel. Just stop and think. What have these men done? Nothing but preach and pray. That's all. So nine were killed. Among those that were killed were Richard Cameron and his brother Michael. Michael and Richard were always inseparable in life, and they were inseparable in death as well. Someone has written this little poem.

I want to read it in light of what happened at the Battle of Airds Moss. "For the righteous had fallen and the combat was ended. A chariot of fire through the dark clouds descended. Its drivers were angels on horses of whiteness, and its burning wheels turned on axles of brightness. A seraph unfolded its doors bright and shining, all dazzling like gold of the seventh refining, and the souls that came forth out of great tribulation have mounted a chariot and steeds of salvation."

Aftermath: The Treatment of the Martyrs

Weaver describes the mutilation of Cameron's body, the presentation of his head to his imprisoned father, and the brutal execution of David Hackston.

After they had killed Richard Cameron, the dragoons came and cut off his head and his hands. They then cut off the head of John Fowler, thinking it to be his brother, Michael. They took the head of Richard Cameron and his hands and the head of John Fowler, put them in a sack to take to the bloodthirsty council of Edinburgh, and passing through Lanark, they met a young woman by the name of Elizabeth Hope, who had the audacity to ask them what they had in the bag. The dragoons asked her, did she want to buy some calves' heads? She replied she didn't know, she'd have to see them. At night they emptied the head of Richard Cameron and John Fowler on the ground, and began to kick it up and down as you would kick a soccer ball, at which Elizabeth fainted and passed out. On reaching Edinburgh, the dragoons put the heads of the rebels upon halberts. They took the halbert and stuck it through the mouth of Richard Cameron, out of which proceeded such great and glorious and gospel words. Robert Murray, as he delivered the head of Richard Cameron and John Fowler and the hands of Cameron to the council, Robert Murray said this, "These are the head and the hands that lived praying and preaching and died praying and fighting. These are the heads and the hands of them who died, who lived praying and preaching, and died praying and fighting." Remember, there was a huge reward for Richard Cameron.

Before the hangman set the head and the hands of the blood-stained martyr on the Netherbow Port, with the hands on either side of his head, there was one other little trick of torment they had to perform. You see, in the prison was an elderly man by the name of Allan Cameron, the father of Richard and Michael. Allan Cameron was in prison because he had been giving help to the field preachers and to the conventicles, those meeting without the king's permission. And so here the old man is imprisoned. They take the head and the hands of Richard Cameron to his father, Allan. And they thrust that head and those hands to Allan Cameron and said, "Do you know these?" At which Allan Cameron took his son's head in his hand and kissed his severed head and he said, "Yes, I know them. I know them. They are my sons. My own dear sons. It is the Lord. Good is the will of the Lord who cannot wrong me or mine,

but has made goodness and mercy to follow me all the days of my life. Blessed be the name of the Lord."

They then cruelly took the head and the hands of Richard Cameron and placed them on the Netherbow Port, for all to see, the sun and the moon. David Hackston, who wrote of the account of the battle, who was with Richard Cameron and was taken to prison, eight days later, met a horrible and excruciating death. As he was with Richard in life, so he joined him in death. I want to read to you the order of the council concerning the death of David Hackston. Here it is. They gave an order.

Now remember, he was guilty of hearing the preaching of the gospel. They gave the order, quote, "that his body be drawn backward on a hurdle to the Mercat Cross; that there be a high scaffold erected a little above the cross, where in the first place, his right hand is to be struck off, and after some time, his left hand to be struck off; then he is to be hanged up and cut down alive, his bowels to be taken out, and his heart shown to the people by the hangman; then his heart and his bowels to be burned in a fire prepared for that purpose on the scaffold; that afterwards his head be cut off and his body divided into four quarters; his head to be affixed on another pole, one of his quarters with his hands to be affixed at St. Andrews, another

quarter at Glasgow, a third at Leith, and a fourth at Burntisland; that none presumed to be in mourning for him, or any coffin brought; that no person be suffered to be with him on the scaffold save the two baillies, the executioner and his servants; that he be allowed to pray to God Almighty, but not to speak to the people; and that Hackston's and Cameron's heads be fixed on higher poles than the rest." Thus died men who stood for Jesus Christ.

Application: Standing for Truth Today

Weaver applies the lesson of Cameron's life, urging believers to thank God for His mercies and to pray for courage to suffer and die for truth and righteousness.

I've got one scripture I want you to turn in your Bibles to John 16. And let's begin reading with verse 1. It's hard for you and I to envision this now. But wait a little while. John 16, beginning with verse 1, look at what our Lord says.

Scripture Reading — John 16:1-3

"These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended."

Lord, you're not to stumble. You're not to get upset. You're not to get bent out of shape.

Scripture Reading — John 16:1-3

"These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.

They shall put you out of the synagogues"—or the churches—"yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me." Did you know that Charles I was an extremely religious man?

Married to a Roman Catholic wife.

Folks, let me tell you something. It was not easy to stand for truth in the New Testament. It was not easy to stand for truth in the 17th century. And it's not easy to stand for truth in the 21st century. May I tell you with the rampant charge of humanism in this country, if God is not merciful to us, the time of eating the bread of affliction is coming again.

When we will understand that "he that killeth you will think that he doeth God service." In other words, we're getting rid of you crazies. Notice how God's people are always called rebels, when in reality, the ones who are really rebellious are those who oppose Jesus Christ and His righteousness. Does not the life of Richard Cameron shame us? Does not the courage of his father condemn us? Oh, if God would give us the grace. And how many of us murmur and complain because it's too hot or too cold, or things not—you understand what I'm saying? We ought to do this. We ought to leave this building today, number one, thanking God for what He has done for us, what He has given us, how He has spared us. And then on the other hand, we ought to ask God to give us courage to be willing to suffer, to die, to fight for truth and righteousness. Let's pray. Father, we ask You, in the name of Jesus Christ, that You would encourage us, build us up in the most holy faith that should make us godly.

Lord, when we hear of men that Thou hast used, and yet men who suffered so greatly, we're so shamed. We're so condemned. Because we suffered nothing. Because, Lord, we're not as godly as we ought to be and not as godly as we should be. We pray for godliness. We pray for holiness. We pray for grace and strength to serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In Thy name we ask. Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Suffering as a Gift from God

Summary: Suffering for Christ is presented not as a curse but as a divine gift, paralleling the gift of faith.

Evidence: Weaver cites Philippians 1:29: 'For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.'

The Cost of Godly Living

Summary: True godliness inevitably leads to persecution, and the lack of suffering may indicate a lack of godliness.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'One of the problems with us as to why we're not suffering more than we are is probably because we're not living as godly as we should be.'

Christ's Kingship Over the Church

Summary: The Scottish Covenanters' central conviction was that Jesus Christ alone is the head of the church, not any earthly monarch.

Evidence: Weaver explains that the Covenanters 'recognized Jesus Christ as the true King, and Jesus Christ as the true Head of the Church.'

The Nobility of Martyrdom

Summary: Dying for the faith is portrayed as a glorious and desirable end, with martyrs receiving a 'crown' and entering heaven's open gates.

Evidence: Cameron's words: 'For this is the day that I have longed for, to die fighting against our Lord's avowed enemies. And this is the day that we shall get the crown.'

The Providence of God in Persecution

Summary: God uses persecution for good, as seen in the scattering of Puritans and Covenanters to America, which brought the gospel to the New World.

Evidence: Weaver notes, 'God in his mercy sent some of the finest expositors of scriptures to this country' through the persecution of Charles I.

The Shame of Modern Complacency

Summary: The courage of historical martyrs like Cameron exposes the lukewarmness and apathy of contemporary believers.

Evidence: Weaver asks, 'Does not the life of Richard Cameron shame us? Does not the courage of his father condemn us?'

Key Arguments

Suffering is integral to the Christian calling

Summary: Weaver argues that suffering for Christ is not optional but is given to believers just as faith is given, and it is a mark of being a chosen vessel.

Evidence: He references Philippians 1:29 and Acts 9:15-16, stating, 'just like faith is God's gift, so likewise suffering is God's gift.'

The right way is often the hard way

Summary: Using Moses as an example, Weaver contends that choosing to suffer with God's people is superior to enjoying sinful pleasures, because of the eternal reward.

Evidence: He cites Hebrews 11:25-26: 'choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.'

Civil disobedience is justified when earthly rulers oppose Christ's authority

Summary: Weaver defends the Covenanters' rejection of Charles II as a legitimate act of allegiance to Christ, the supreme ruler.

Evidence: He states, 'They had disavowed King Charles in the interest of King Jesus. They disowned the unworthy ruler that they might obey the supreme and sovereign ruler, Jesus Christ.'

Self-defense is biblically permissible

Summary: Weaver argues that the sixth commandment implies an obligation to defend oneself and others, justifying the Covenanters' armed resistance.

Evidence: He says, 'the sixth commandment, "Thou shalt not kill," certainly implies, to say the least, the obligation to defend ourselves.'

Persecution can advance the gospel

Summary: Weaver demonstrates that the scattering of believers through persecution led to the spread of the gospel, including to American slaves.

Evidence: He notes that black slaves heard the gospel from white Covenanter slaves, and their spirituals resemble Covenanter psalms.

Modern believers must prepare for coming persecution

Summary: Weaver warns that with the rise of humanism, a time of affliction may be approaching, and believers need courage to stand for truth.

Evidence: He states, 'if God is not merciful to us, the time of eating the bread of affliction is coming again.'

Scripture References

Hebrews 11:32-40

Context: Weaver reads this passage to introduce the theme of unnamed martyrs and heroes of faith, setting the stage for Richard Cameron's story.

Hebrews 11:24-26

Context: Used to illustrate Moses' choice to suffer affliction with God's people rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ.

Philippians 1:29

Context: Cited to show that suffering for Christ is a gift from God, just as faith is.

Acts 9:15-16

Context: Used to demonstrate that being a chosen vessel, like Paul, involves great suffering for Christ's name.

2 Corinthians 11:24-28

Context: Weaver lists Paul's sufferings to emphasize the extent of his afflictions as a chosen vessel.

1 Samuel 8

Context: Referenced to contrast the Covenanters' rejection of an earthly tyrant with Israel's demand for a king, showing a reversal of that choice.

Genesis 50:20

Context: Alluded to when Weaver says, 'You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good,' regarding Charles I's persecution driving believers to America.

Jeremiah 3:19

Context: Mentioned as one of the texts from which Cameron preached memorably.

Matthew 11:28

Context: Listed among Cameron's sermon texts, emphasizing Christ's invitation to the weary.

Isaiah 32:2

Context: Cited as a text Cameron used, portraying Christ as a hiding place and covert.

Isaiah 49:24

Context: Another of Cameron's sermon texts, questioning whether the prey can be taken from the mighty.

John 5:40

Context: Used by Cameron to preach on the refusal to come to Christ for life.

Psalm 46:10

Context: The text of Cameron's last sermon: 'Be still, and know that I am God.'

2 Samuel 3:38

Context: Alluded to as the text for Cargill's funeral sermon for Cameron: 'Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?'

Deuteronomy 22

Context: Referenced to support the obligation to help preserve the lives of others, justifying self-defense.

John 16:1-3

Context: Weaver reads this passage to warn that persecution will come, and killers will think they are serving God.

Historical References

Richard Cameron (c. 1648–1680)

Context: The main subject of the sermon, a Scottish Covenanter preacher known as the 'Lion of the Covenant,' martyred at Airds Moss.

Scottish Covenanters

Context: 17th-century Scottish Presbyterians who supported the National Covenant of 1638, opposing the king's control over the church.

National Covenant of 1638

Context: A covenant signed by many Scots recognizing Christ as the true head of the church, in opposition to Charles I's episcopal impositions.

King Charles II (Charles Stuart)

Context: The king of England and Scotland who persecuted the Covenanters, disowned in the Sanquhar Declaration.

Sanquhar Declaration (June 12, 1680)

Context: A public declaration by Richard Cameron and his followers disowning Charles II as king and declaring war on him in the name of Christ.

Battle of Airds Moss (July 22, 1680)

Context: The skirmish where Richard Cameron and his brother Michael were killed by the king's dragoons.

David Hackston of Rathillet

Context: A Covenanter who fought alongside Cameron, was captured, and suffered a brutal execution; his account of the battle is cited.

Allan Cameron

Context: Richard Cameron's father, imprisoned for aiding field preachers, who was forced to identify his son's severed head and hands.

Glorious Revolution (1688)

Context: The overthrow of James II and the accession of William and Mary, which Weaver connects to Cameron's prophecy that his standard would overthrow the throne of Britain.

Oliver Cromwell and John Hampden

Context: Mentioned as men who were prevented from sailing to America by Charles I, later playing key roles in the English Civil War.

Important Quotes

Here is the head of a faithful minister and servant of Jesus Christ who shall lose the same for his master's interest and it shall be set up before the sun and the moon in the public view of the world.

Significance: This prophecy at Cameron's ordination foretold his martyrdom and the public display of his severed head, which was later fulfilled.

These are the head and the hands that lived praying and preaching and died praying and fighting.

Significance: Robert Murray's words when presenting Cameron's remains to the council, summarizing his life of devotion and courageous death.

I shall be but breakfast to the enemy shortly.

Significance: Cameron's foreboding statement three weeks before his death, indicating his awareness of impending martyrdom.

Weep not for me, but for yourselves and for yours, and for the sins of a sinful land, for you have many melancholy, sorrowful, and weary days before you.

Significance: Cameron's words to Mrs. Mitchell on the morning of his death, showing his concern for others and prophetic insight into coming trials.

O noble cause, O noble work, O noble heaven, O noble Christ that makes it to be heaven. And he is the owner of the work I lay down my life, not as an evildoer, but as a sufferer for Jesus Christ.

Significance: John Malcolm's dying testimony, exalting Christ and the honor of suffering for Him.

Discussion Questions

How does the example of Richard Cameron challenge our modern aversion to suffering for the faith?

Context: Weaver emphasizes that we live in a day when principles are not considered worth suffering for, and Cameron's life rebukes our lukewarmness.

In what ways is suffering for Christ a 'gift' according to Philippians 1:29, and how should this shape our perspective on hardship?

Context: Weaver points out that suffering is given by God just as faith is, and there are degrees of suffering as there are degrees of faith.

What does it mean to 'esteem the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt' in our contemporary context?

Context: Weaver uses Moses' choice to illustrate valuing Christ above worldly wealth and comfort.

How should Christians balance submission to government with allegiance to Christ when the two conflict?

Context: The Sanquhar Declaration disowned Charles II in the interest of King Jesus, raising questions about civil disobedience.

Is armed self-defense biblically justifiable for believers facing persecution?

Context: Weaver argues that the sixth commandment implies an obligation to defend oneself and others, as some Covenanters did.

How can the knowledge that 'he that killeth you will think that he doeth God service' prepare us for future persecution?

Context: Weaver cites John 16:2 to warn that opposition may come from religious people who believe they are serving God.

What can we learn from Allan Cameron's response to his son's martyrdom about trusting God's goodness in tragedy?

Context: Allan Cameron kissed his son's severed head and blessed the Lord, demonstrating profound faith.

How does the history of the Scottish Covenanters connect to the founding of America and the spread of the gospel?

Context: Weaver explains that persecution drove Covenanters and Puritans to America, bringing the gospel and influencing the nation's spiritual heritage.

Applications

Cultivate a willingness to suffer for Christ

Summary: Believers should ask God for courage to be willing to suffer, die, and fight for truth and righteousness, rather than avoiding hardship.

Evidence: Weaver prays, 'we ought to ask God to give us courage to be willing to suffer, to die, to fight for truth and righteousness.'

Thank God for His mercies and sparing hand

Summary: In light of the martyrs' sacrifices, believers should leave with gratitude for what God has given and how He has spared them.

Evidence: Weaver exhorts, 'We ought to leave this building today, number one, thanking God for what He has done for us, what He has given us, how He has spared us.'

Pursue godliness despite the cost

Summary: The lack of persecution may indicate a lack of godliness; believers should strive to live more godly lives, accepting that persecution will follow.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'One of the problems with us as to why we're not suffering more than we are is probably because we're not living as godly as we should be.'

Value Christ above all earthly treasures

Summary: Like Moses, believers should esteem the reproach of Christ as greater riches than any worldly wealth or comfort.

Evidence: Weaver highlights Moses' choice in Hebrews 11:26, 'esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt.'

Prepare for coming persecution

Summary: With the rise of humanism, believers should be spiritually prepared for a time when they may face affliction for their faith.

Evidence: Weaver warns, 'if God is not merciful to us, the time of eating the bread of affliction is coming again.'

Pray for godliness and strength

Summary: Weaver models a prayer for godliness, holiness, and grace to serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

Evidence: He prays, 'We pray for godliness. We pray for holiness. We pray for grace and strength to serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T13:52:00Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T01:31:53Z

Clean Transcript

Richard Cameron

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

I'm going to bring a message today which I've entitled—now listen carefully—it's a biographical study on Richard Cameron, the Lion of the Covenant. If you don't know who Richard Cameron is, just listen. Richard Cameron, the Lion of the Covenant. You'll understand that in just a few moments. Hebrews chapter 11, look in verse 32. The Word of God says, "And what shall I more say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthah; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness
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were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: and others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect."
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Now, I call your attention to the fact that there are a number of these martyrs named, especially in verse 32: Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. Not only martyrs, but men of faith. And then when you look, if you would please, at verse 36, the scripture says, "and others"—that would be a multitude of others—"had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment." And then he says, "they were stoned."
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That is, they were martyred. They were killed. They were sawn asunder—sawn in two. And this is a reference to the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah was supposedly sawn in two. They were tempted. They were slain with the sword.
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Now, I want you to understand that not every hero of faith is listed by name in Hebrews chapter 11. There were many others who suffered and who lived in New Testament times, who suffered and died for their faith in Jesus Christ, who are not listed in Hebrews 11. And likewise, since the New Testament times, there have been a multitude who have stood firm for their faith in Jesus Christ and for the gospel of Christ, and have witnessed a good confession of faith, and have died in the faith. And one such martyr was an individual by the name of Richard Cameron, who was known as the Lion of the Covenant. Now, unhappily, most of us have never heard of Richard Cameron, nor the phrase "the Lion of the Covenant," nor do we know any history surrounding Richard Cameron.
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The problem is we live in a day when principles and convictions are a thing of the past, and those few who hold some principles and convictions today tend to think that those principles and those convictions are really not worth suffering for, and especially not worth dying for. But thankfully, not all men hold such compromising and sinful thoughts. The truth is, by nature, we all abhor suffering, and we certainly do not want to suffer.
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We judge others also by ourselves because we like it cool and comfortable, so to speak. We think others are likewise the same. And yet the scripture teaches us there is a principle that if we live godly, we shall suffer persecution. That's what the Apostle Paul wrote: "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." One of the problems with us as to why we're not suffering more than we are is probably because we're not living as godly as we should be.
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But I want you to look in your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 11. Let me show you another principle. You see, the right way is not always the easy way or the pleasant way. And Hebrews chapter 11, begin there with verse 24. The Bible says, "By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;"
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Now let me just stop there. Note, if you would please, Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. What does that mean? He would have been next in line to be the ruler of Egypt. The Bible says, "By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward."
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Now we should look carefully at verse 25. The Bible says concerning Moses, "choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season." So Moses deliberately chose to suffer. Note, if you would please, that the reason he chose that was based upon his estimation of Christ in verse 26. Here's why he chose suffering: "esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt." Now, you've just got to remember that Egypt at this time was the most powerful and probably the richest country in the then known world. And Moses chose to suffer because he esteemed the reproach of Jesus Christ greater than all the treasures in Egypt. I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of Philippians chapter 1 verse 29. Here's a very interesting verse. Philippians 1 verse 29.
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One that we don't like to think about. Philippians 1 verse 29. Look what the word of God says: "For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake." Ah, did you hear what I just read? Watch it carefully. "For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ"—that is, for Christ's sake, for Christ's glory—"unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake."
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I want you to note two things. First of all, just like faith is God's gift, so likewise suffering is God's gift. He said, "unto you it is given not only to believe on Christ, but also to suffer for him." So suffering is the gift of God. What an unusual gift. Secondly, I want you to note that just as there are degrees in faith—you read in the Bible about a little faith, you read in the Bible about a great faith. Now, if there's a little faith and a great faith, there's that medium or normal faith in between. So just like there are degrees in faith, there are also degrees in suffering. God does not give everyone the exact same ministry of suffering. Some suffer enormously, and those who do so are given greater grace and greater consolation. But he says, "unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake."
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Now I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Acts chapter 9. Acts chapter 9. Look, if you would please, beginning there at verse 15. Acts 9 verse 15. And notice if you would what God says concerning the Apostle Paul. Acts chapter 9 verse 15. God tells Ananias, he says, "Go thy way," the Lord said unto him, "go thy way: for he"—that is, Paul—"is a chosen vessel unto me,
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to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel." Now, I want you to look at this. Every one of us would say, "Well, Lord, I sure would like to be a chosen vessel. I would like to be used like the Apostle Paul." Oh? It is true that God calls him a chosen vessel in verse 15, but look what he says in verse 16. God says, "For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake." Now all of a sudden we don't want to be a chosen vessel. Because in this instance, being a chosen vessel involved extreme suffering. For instance, if you will turn in your Bibles to 2 Corinthians chapter 11. 2 Corinthians 11. Let's begin there with verse 24. And I'll just show you a few of the things that the Apostle Paul suffered. Notice 2 Corinthians chapter 11, verse 24. The Apostle Paul says, "Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one." So four of the five times Paul was beaten to the maximum extent of the law.
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And you've got to remember that in all five times the Apostle Paul was innocent of any wrongdoing. So he was beaten then unjustly and probably unlawfully. Note, if you would please, he says, verse 25, "Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned"—and left for dead, by the way—"thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
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Besides those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches." So the Apostle Paul knew what it was to suffer not only physically, but mentally and emotionally and spiritually as well. And finally, you know, the Apostle Paul lost his life, for his head was cut off with a Roman axe. Now, Richard Cameron was much like the Apostle Paul. Not only did he suffer in life, his life was also ended by the hands of the enemies of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Richard Cameron is sometimes referred to as "Ritchie" Cameron, as the hillmen called him, but Richard Cameron was a Scottish Covenanter. You say, "What in the world was a Covenanter?" Let me tell you.
#16 | 10:47 to 11:41 | cleaned
The Scottish Covenanters were Scottish Presbyterians in the 17th century who gave their support to the National Covenant of 1638. Now, the whole land of Scotland subscribed, or at least most of them did, subscribed to what was known as the National Covenant, where they recognized Jesus Christ as the true King, and Jesus Christ as the true Head of the Church. Now, the reason they subscribed to the National Covenant is because King Charles Stuart of England was trying to force upon the Scottish Covenanters an episcopal form of government. In other words, he was going to make Scotland, basically speaking, an Anglican country, like England was ruled by the Anglican Church, with the king being the head of the church. Well, most of those Scottish pastors absolutely refused to do that.
#17 | 11:42 to 12:44 | cleaned
They were driven from their pulpits. They were kicked out. They were called non-conformists. They were not even allowed to preach in their own churches. In order to preach in your church, you had to take a license from the king, you had to pay the king a tax, and you had to agree to preach what the king wanted you to preach. While these nonconformist pastors then started holding conventicles or field meetings.
#18 | 12:45 to 13:12 | cleaned
They would literally convene out in the fields. Well, they were meeting without a license, without paying the tax. And so the king then would send his dragoons, not just to break up the meeting, but to kill not only the pastor, but all who opposed them and all who stood in the way. And an interesting thing is, and I ran across this in my studies, the tax that was applied was called the cess, C-E-S-S. Now, when you look it up in Webster's 1828, the cess refers, as a verb, to a tax laid on; as a noun, it's just a tax.
#19 | 13:12 to 13:58 | cleaned
And I thought, I wonder if that's where we get our word "cesspool" from. It's a possibility, you know. So here was this tax that these pastors and these preachers were supposed to pay, and the people as well, and they refused to pay them. Many of them.
#20 | 14:00 to 14:24 | cleaned
Now some paid them at the point of a bayonet. Others did not. And when those taxes were not paid to the king, and when the permission was not taken from the king to preach, then the king sent his dragoons to plunder, to steal, and to kill. It's kind of similar to IRS and ATF. You understand what I'm saying? The king was going to get his taxes and his authority recognized one way or the other.
#21 | 14:25 to 14:55 | cleaned
Now, the truth of the matter is this. Many suffered. John Gavan had his ears cut off, and he was banished to Barbados for his beliefs. Donald Cargill, James Guthrie, John Nisbet, David Hackston, and a multitude of others lost their lives. In fact, I want to tell you that Richard and his younger brother Michael were together in their death. They also had a sister by the name of Marion, whom the dragoons killed as well.
#22 | 14:56 to 15:26 | cleaned
Now Richard Cameron was a man who preached the gospel of Jesus Christ. He preached in such a way that his memory was long treasured after he was killed. He was willing to die for the right of Jesus Christ to rule his church. And his convictions then emboldened others to persevere and to hold out saying, "Look, Jesus Christ is indeed the king of the church, and we need not recognize the king as the head of the church, nor need we take his permission, his license, or pay his tax." Well, it's Richard's life who, by the way, not only rebukes our lukewarmness and our apathy, but it's his life also that demonstrates to us what can indeed be done for God's honor and God's glory when we're willing to die for the truth's sake and willing to stand even to the end.
#23 | 15:27 to 16:23 | cleaned
Now, Henry Inglis wrote a little couplet that summarized Richard Cameron's life. Here it is. He said, "Cameron of the Covenant stood and prayed the battle prayer. Then with his brother side by side, took up the cross of Christ and died upon the moss of Ayr." A-Y-R.
#24 | 16:25 to 16:45 | cleaned
Now really, to begin, I must tell you about Sanquhar town, June the 12th, 1680. Here was a band of about 20 horsemen that clattered up the high street to the town cross. And here all the people began to gather together and they were running and hollering, "It's Ritchie, it's Ritchie, it's Ritchie, and the hillmen!" Here came Richard Cameron, the Lion of the Covenant, with his brother Michael and a few other of his men on horse. As they dismounted at the town cross, the first thing they did was form a circle.
#25 | 16:47 to 17:22 | cleaned
And then they sang a psalm, and then prayed. And after the prayer, Michael, Richard's younger brother, read the famous Sanquhar Declaration. Here is part of it. Listen carefully. Michael reads in clear, loud tones that "although we be for government and governors, such as the word of God in our covenant allows, yet we for ourselves and all that will adhere to us as the representative of the true Presbyterian Church and covenant nation of Scotland, considering the great hazard of lying under such a sin any longer, do by these present disown Charles Stuart, who hath been reigning, or rather tyrannizing, as we may say, on the throne of Britain these years bygone, as having any right, title to, or interest in, the said crown of Scotland for government, as forfeited several years since by his perjury and breach of covenant both to God and His Church, and usurpation of His crown and royal prerogatives therein.
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Also, we, being under the standard of our Lord Jesus Christ, Captain of Salvation, do declare a war with such a tyrant and usurper, and all the men of his practices, as enemies to our Lord Jesus Christ and his cause and covenants, and against all such as have strengthened him. And also, we disown and by this resent the reception of the Duke of York, that professed papist, as repugnant to our principles and vows to the Most High God."
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Now would you just stop there just for a moment and think with me. Here these men have gathered together and they said, "We disown Charles Stuart. He's a liar and a perjurer." Why? Because Charles Stuart had formally signed the National Covenant. And now he's against the National Covenant. And he's persecuting and destroying men who were trying to stand for the truth. And the Duke of York, of course, a Roman Catholic, they despised him. And by the way, it was the Duke of York that had sneeringly threatened to make Scotland like a hunting field. The Covenanters referred to the Duke of York as the devil's lieutenant.
#28 | 19:02 to 19:58 | cleaned
It was Thomas Campbell who took and nailed the Declaration to the wall. And then the hillmen rode off into the hills. They understood that they were now in what you and I would say was a heap of trouble. What had they done? They'd cast off the usurped authority of a tyrant. They had not done it mischievously. They had not done it in anarchy and blatant revolt. They had made their declaration a religious act.
#29 | 20:00 to 20:34 | cleaned
They prefaced and followed their oath of rejection of King Charles by the worship of the One True and Living God. They had disavowed King Charles in the interest of King Jesus. They disowned the unworthy ruler that they might obey the supreme and sovereign ruler, Jesus Christ. What basically they had done is this: they had chosen a theocracy over despotism. Actually, what they had done was a reversal of 1 Samuel chapter 8. Do you not remember in 1 Samuel chapter 8, the people refused God and wanted a king to rule over them? And now they said, "No, no, we don't want the man, the king, the tyrant to rule over us. We want the one true and living God to rule over us." Remember this was 1680.
#30 | 20:35 to 21:25 | cleaned
Eight years later, eight years later, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal of England with the Estates of Scotland kicked out King James Stuart and put in William and Mary. William of Orange, you remember the Glorious Revolution 1688? Did you know that Richard Cameron said this concerning his banner? He said, "Ours is a standard which shall overthrow the throne of Britain." And it did, within eight years after his death. Because his standard was none other than Jesus Christ.
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Now I want you to understand that our country today is directly connected to the Scottish Covenanters. In fact, everything we are basically is intimately connected with Charles I. Why? Because his oppression drove out the Puritans, drove out many of the Scottish Covenanters, and they came to this country. You see, our country might have been settled by the Spaniards or the Portuguese, who were all Roman Catholics. And then we could have been just as dark and ignorant of the truth as those South American countries are today. But no, God in his mercy sent some of the finest expositors of scriptures to this country. You see, God's people ultimately only suffer just to reign. It was not just the Puritans who came over here, it was some of these Covenanters as well.
#32 | 22:13 to 23:30 | cleaned
I'm going to tell you about one in just a little bit. But it was King Charles Stuart who forced these people to leave. As Scripture says in Genesis 50, when Joseph was speaking there, he said to his brethren, "You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good." Well, King Charles I meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.
#33 | 23:30 to 23:53 | cleaned
Now, there would have been more boatloads coming over, but Charles I imperiously forbade any more ships to flee to America. Had he known, he would have been delighted to let other ships go, because on board one ship set to sail were two men by the name of Oliver Cromwell and John Hampden. And so since the king forbade their sailing, Oliver Cromwell and John Hampden stayed in England. And once again it was Oliver Cromwell and John Hampden who reproved Charles I and he lost his head as well as his throne. But you see, the persecution brought to America good and godly men.
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Now Allan Cameron—I'll tell you more about him a little bit later—Allan Cameron was a believing merchant in Falkland, Fife, and he had three sons, of which Richard was the oldest, and Michael, I believe, was the youngest, and Alexander was in the middle. He also had a daughter by the name of Marion, who was a fine, godly Christian woman, who was also murdered by the king's dragoons. But it was after his university days, Richard Cameron was just a schoolmaster, just a teacher.
#35 | 24:55 to 25:27 | cleaned
But he occasionally went out to hear these field preachers, the preachers that Charles I had thrown out of their churches. And at first he listened, you know, just to be listening. And then one day God opened his heart and he listened to life and he believed the gospel and was converted. And after he was converted, he began preaching and he preached with such fervor. They said he was quite hot and his fervor stimulated others, and since Richard Cameron understood the issues, he had little use for those who were lukewarm. But even before the gallows drew near, everyone professed to receive great blessing from his preaching.
#36 | 25:27 to 26:14 | cleaned
Now, the persecution got so hot and so heavy for him, he had to flee to Holland for a while. In fact, many of the Scotlanders fled to Holland. In fact, you remember the Puritans who came over here on the Mayflower, they first fled to Holland themselves. But it was while he was in Holland that he was ordained to the ministry.
#37 | 26:14 to 26:36 | cleaned
Now, he'd been preaching before he got over there, but now he's ordained, and here he is ordained by three men: Pastor Brown, Coleman, and then there was a Dutch minister, the great McWard. And after the ordination service was over, listen carefully, the great McWard left his hand upon the head of Richard Cameron. And here's what he said. After everyone had lifted their hands, McWard kept his hand upon Cameron's head and he said, "Here is the head of a faithful minister and servant of Jesus Christ who shall lose the same for his master's interest and it shall be set up before the sun and the moon in the public view of the world." And that was a Scottish Covenanter's minister's ordination. Now listen to what he said. "Here is a minister and servant of Jesus Christ. Here's the head of a faithful minister and servant of Jesus Christ, who shall lose the same." So here this man is predicting that Richard Cameron's head is going to be cut off. And he said it's going to be set up in front of the sun and the moon for the whole world to see.
#38 | 26:36 to 27:51 | cleaned
Well, Richard Cameron got back to Scotland in October of 1679, and soon his name was linked with Cargill, Wellwood, and some of the other blessed martyrs. John Wellwood, who was martyred, who came out of his cold den the last day, looked and he said, "No more night nor darkness for me." He knew it was his last day. And then Richard Cameron's ministry took off like a meteor.
#39 | 27:53 to 28:21 | cleaned
I mean, it was bright, it was shining, and of course there was a huge price placed upon his head. Incessantly they looked for individuals who would betray him, but very few wanted to betray Richard Cameron, and his brother Michael was always by his side. I want to just give you a statement concerning some of his sermons. Listen carefully, because his sermons were full of words of welcome and love of the Lord Jesus Christ for poor, helpless sinners. Here's what he said. Listen, as I quote, he asked, "Will you take him?
#40 | 28:21 to 28:56 | cleaned
Tell us what you say. These hills and mountains around us witness that we have offered him to you this day. Angels are wondering at this offer. They stand beholding with admiration that our Lord is giving you such an offer today. They will go up to report at the throne what is everyone's choice." He then preached memorably from such texts as Jeremiah 3:19, "How shall I put thee among the children?"
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Matthew 11:28, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Isaiah 32:2, "And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest." Isaiah 49:24, "Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?" And John 5:40, "And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life."
#42 | 29:21 to 29:41 | cleaned
In the midst of all of his sermons, it is said that he made a contract between human hearts and Christ, and oftentimes he fell a-weeping and crowds wept with him. Their hearts tendered as the man of Calvary was preached unto them, and as Cameron's preaching was, so was his praying. And so was his practicing. Now, just after this magnificent Sanquhar declaration, the hunt for Cameron and his clan was intensified.
#43 | 29:42 to 30:12 | cleaned
Less than three weeks before this fierce battle—I'm going to tell you about at Airds Moss—Richard Cameron said this, "I shall be but breakfast to the enemy shortly. I shall be but a breakfast to the enemy shortly." This is three weeks before he died. After a day of prayer, twelve days before the end, his word was this, "My body shall dung the wilderness within a fortnight."
#44 | 30:14 to 30:40 | cleaned
He knew they were after him, but very seldom did he pray privately, or to family, or to church gathering, did he fail to make this request. He prayed that he might wait with patience till the Lord's time come. The last Lord's day of his life, he preached from Psalm 46:10, "Be still, and know that I am God." On the next Lord's Day, Cargill was preaching his funeral sermon from the text, "Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?" It was indeed a time of the eating of the bread of affliction. The last week of Richard Cameron's life was lived with about 60 others.
#45 | 30:41 to 31:28 | cleaned
There's Patrick Walker, the Covenanter peddler, the Covenanting John Bunyan, who said concerning them they were of one heart and one soul, and they always basically stayed together. Now, although there were about 60 of them, some were armed and some were not armed. Out of the 60, about 20 had horses, and some individuals think that some of these Scottish Covenanters were wrong for even taking up arms. I want you to understand something.
#46 | 31:29 to 32:02 | cleaned
Many of these individuals had seen not only pastors murdered, but innocent people just simply tracked down or shot through by the King's Dragoons mercilessly. In fact, I forget the name of the one pastor now. But one pastor, when he stepped forward to defend his people, one of the guns was stuck to his head and the trigger pulled and it literally blew his head off and his wife caught his head in her hands. I mean, that's how they were dealing with these people. And while some were willing to suffer and lose their life for Christ's sake, they were not willing to see others suffer so needlessly, and thus they took up arms not only to defend themselves, but to defend others.
#47 | 32:03 to 33:01 | cleaned
May I remind you, the sixth commandment, "Thou shalt not kill," certainly implies, to say the least, the obligation to defend ourselves. Because if we have the obligation not to kill, we have the obligation not to kill ourselves or to allow ourselves to be killed. And when you get to Deuteronomy chapter 22, there's certainly the obligation to help save and help preserve the lives of others. And so while some of these Scottish covenanters were willing to suffer and bleed and die and give their lives, others said, "Look, I'm willing to die if that is what God would have me to do. But until that time, I will defend myself and I will defend the lives of others as well."
#48 | 33:02 to 33:47 | cleaned
So Richard Cameron, the Lion of the Covenant, spent his last night on the Meadowhead farm at the home of William Mitchell. In the morning, he washed his face in the old stone trough, and on drying himself, he took his hands and placed them on his face and looked at Mrs. Mitchell and her daughter and said, "This is their last washing. I have need to make them clean, for there are many to see them."
#49 | 33:47 to 34:17 | cleaned
Now, I want you to think with me. McWard said, "Here's the head of a faithful servant of Jesus Christ who shall lose it for the interest of his master. It shall be set up before the sun and the moon for all to see."
#50 | 34:17 to 34:33 | cleaned
Now, the morning before his death, he washes his hands, he places them on his face, and he says, "This is their last washing. I have needs to make them clean, for there are many to see them." At this, Mrs. Mitchell and her daughter began to weep. And Richard Cameron told her, "Weep not for me, but for yourselves and for yours, and for the sins of a sinful land, for you have many melancholy, sorrowful, and weary days before you."
#51 | 34:33 to 35:05 | cleaned
It was about four o'clock in the afternoon, and the little Bible-reading, praying, and preaching band was meeting in the desert place of the Airds Moss. There, Richard Cameron was giving his last sermon. As they looked up, here came a body of the king's dragoons, outnumbering the little band, and outarmed. They stood. And so Richard then got all of his men around him, and three times in prayer he appealed to the Lord of the harvest to spare the green and to take the ripe. And then looking at his younger brother, he said to him, "Come, Michael, let us fight it out to the last.
#52 | 35:07 to 36:00 | cleaned
For this is the day that I have longed for, to die fighting against our Lord's avowed enemies. And this is the day that we shall get the crown." To his beloved fellows, he said, "Be encouraged, all of you, to fight it out valiantly. For all of you who fall this day, I see heaven's gates cast wide open to receive you." Then with eyes turned to heaven in calm resignation, they sang their last song to the God of their salvation.
#53 | 36:01 to 36:29 | cleaned
The dragoons, emboldened by better arms and better numbers, attacked at once. The wanderers, as they were often called, defended themselves bravely. Listen to David Hackston's account, and I'll tell you about David in just a moment. David says, "The rest of us advanced fast upon the enemy." So as the king's dragoons were coming, here Richard Cameron and his band are running out to meet them. Remember, there's only about 20 horses. So he says, "The rest of us advanced fast on the enemy, being a strong body of horse coming hard on us, whereupon when we were joined, our horse fired first and wounded and killed some of them, both horse and foot. Our horse advanced to their faces, and we fired on each other.
#54 | 36:31 to 37:20 | cleaned
I being foremost after receiving their fire, and finding the horse behind me broken, I then rode in amongst them and went out of the side without any wrong or wound. I was pursued by several with whom I fought a good space, sometimes they following me, sometimes I following them. At last"—and they ganged up on David Hackston, by the way, and with a treacherous and unfair blow from the back, they cut him down. They did not kill him, but they at least cut him down, and he gave himself up to the man in front of him then as his prisoner. But David Hackston writes, "They gave us all testimony, being brave, resolute men."
#55 | 37:21 to 37:59 | cleaned
Nine were slain of that poor party that occasionally met at the Airds Moss only for the hearing of the gospel. Just stop and think. What have these men done? Nothing but preach and pray. That's all. So nine were killed. Among those that were killed were Richard Cameron and his brother Michael. Michael and Richard were always inseparable in life, and they were inseparable in death as well. Someone has written this little poem.
#56 | 38:00 to 38:33 | cleaned
I want to read it in light of what happened at the Battle of Airds Moss. "For the righteous had fallen and the combat was ended. A chariot of fire through the dark clouds descended. Its drivers were angels on horses of whiteness, and its burning wheels turned on axles of brightness. A seraph unfolded its doors bright and shining, all dazzling like gold of the seventh refining, and the souls that came forth out of great tribulation have mounted a chariot and steeds of salvation."
#57 | 38:33 to 39:02 | cleaned
Richard was less than 32 years of age when he died. His brother Michael, even younger. They gave their lives for Christ's crown and covenant. Six prisoners were taken that day: William M'Millan, John Vallance, John Pollock, David Hackston, John Malcolm, and Archibald Alison. From the severity of his wounds and the treatment that he received, William M'Millan died as he was being carried to the prison. From the same causes, John Vallance died the day following. John Pollock, who was cruelly treated, but in the midst of all was steadfast and cheerful, died after he was tortured.
#58 | 39:04 to 39:54 | cleaned
He was banished as a slave to the American plantations. Now, may I remind you that the first slaves of this country were white, and they were Christians, and they were sent as slaves for their faith in Jesus Christ.
#59 | 39:54 to 40:17 | cleaned
Now, if that makes you ask the question, "From whom, then, did the black slaves of Africa hear the gospel?" From those Scottish covenanters who were already over here as white slaves. An interesting thing is, you think of all of the old Negro spirituals, where did those Negroes get those spiritual songs from? There was nothing like that in Africa. There was no gospel in Africa. There was no word in Africa. And interestingly enough, some of those old Negro spirituals are almost like those metrical or metered psalms that the Covenanters sang. So undoubtedly, the black slaves heard the preaching from the white slaves who had been captured and sent over here.
#60 | 40:18 to 41:22 | cleaned
Now, there are other three prisoners who were executed. David Hackston, who I'm going to tell you about last of all. But John Malcolm and Archibald Alison. John Malcolm, as he was executed, said this concerning Christ: "Let his cause be your cause in will and in woe"—that is, in blessings, in good times and bad times. Then he says, "O noble cause, O noble work, O noble heaven, O noble Christ that makes it to be heaven. And he is the owner of the work I lay down my life, not as an evildoer, but as a sufferer for Jesus Christ." Archibald Alison said this before he was executed: "What think ye of heaven and glory that is at the back of the cross?
#61 | 41:24 to 42:08 | cleaned
The hope of this makes me look upon pale death as a lovely messenger to me. I bless the Lord for my lot this day." Did you hear that? He's about to be executed. "I bless the Lord for my lot this day. Friends, give our Lord credit. He is good, but oh, he is good in the day of trial, and he will be sweet company through the ages of eternity." Of those that escaped from Airds Moss that day—and some of those Covenanters escaped—many wept that they had died not that day. But Patrick Walker writes, "Those eight who died on the spot went within with right and longing for the day of death."
#62 | 42:09 to 42:54 | cleaned
After they had killed Richard Cameron, the dragoons came and cut off his head and his hands. They then cut off the head of John Fowler, thinking it to be his brother, Michael. They took the head of Richard Cameron and his hands and the head of John Fowler, put them in a sack to take to the bloodthirsty council of Edinburgh, and passing through Lanark, they met a young woman by the name of Elizabeth Hope, who had the audacity to ask them what they had in the bag. The dragoons asked her, did she want to buy some calves' heads?
#63 | 42:58 to 43:50 | cleaned
She replied she didn't know, she'd have to see them. At night they emptied the head of Richard Cameron and John Fowler on the ground, and began to kick it up and down as you would kick a soccer ball, at which Elizabeth fainted and passed out. On reaching Edinburgh, the dragoons put the heads of the rebels upon halberts. They took the halbert and stuck it through the mouth of Richard Cameron, out of which proceeded such great and glorious and gospel words. Robert Murray, as he delivered the head of Richard Cameron and John Fowler and the hands of Cameron to the council, Robert Murray said this, "These are the head and the hands that lived praying and preaching and died praying and fighting. These are the heads and the hands of them who died, who lived praying and preaching, and died praying and fighting." Remember, there was a huge reward for Richard Cameron.
#64 | 43:53 to 45:16 | cleaned
Before the hangman set the head and the hands of the blood-stained martyr on the Netherbow Port, with the hands on either side of his head, there was one other little trick of torment they had to perform. You see, in the prison was an elderly man by the name of Allan Cameron, the father of Richard and Michael. Allan Cameron was in prison because he had been giving help to the field preachers and to the conventicles, those meeting without the king's permission. And so here the old man is imprisoned. They take the head and the hands of Richard Cameron to his father, Allan. And they thrust that head and those hands to Allan Cameron and said, "Do you know these?" At which Allan Cameron took his son's head in his hand and kissed his severed head and he said, "Yes, I know them. I know them. They are my sons. My own dear sons. It is the Lord. Good is the will of the Lord who cannot wrong me or mine,
#65 | 45:17 to 46:59 | cleaned
but has made goodness and mercy to follow me all the days of my life. Blessed be the name of the Lord."
#66 | 47:00 to 47:09 | cleaned
They then cruelly took the head and the hands of Richard Cameron and placed them on the Netherbow Port, for all to see, the sun and the moon. David Hackston, who wrote of the account of the battle, who was with Richard Cameron and was taken to prison, eight days later, met a horrible and excruciating death. As he was with Richard in life, so he joined him in death. I want to read to you the order of the council concerning the death of David Hackston. Here it is. They gave an order.
#67 | 47:18 to 48:17 | cleaned
Now remember, he was guilty of hearing the preaching of the gospel. They gave the order, quote, "that his body be drawn backward on a hurdle to the Mercat Cross; that there be a high scaffold erected a little above the cross, where in the first place, his right hand is to be struck off, and after some time, his left hand to be struck off; then he is to be hanged up and cut down alive, his bowels to be taken out, and his heart shown to the people by the hangman; then his heart and his bowels to be burned in a fire prepared for that purpose on the scaffold; that afterwards his head be cut off and his body divided into four quarters; his head to be affixed on another pole, one of his quarters with his hands to be affixed at St. Andrews, another
#68 | 48:18 to 49:17 | cleaned
quarter at Glasgow, a third at Leith, and a fourth at Burntisland; that none presumed to be in mourning for him, or any coffin brought; that no person be suffered to be with him on the scaffold save the two baillies, the executioner and his servants; that he be allowed to pray to God Almighty, but not to speak to the people; and that Hackston's and Cameron's heads be fixed on higher poles than the rest." Thus died men who stood for Jesus Christ.
#69 | 49:17 to 50:00 | cleaned
I've got one scripture I want you to turn in your Bibles to John 16. And let's begin reading with verse 1. It's hard for you and I to envision this now. But wait a little while. John 16, beginning with verse 1, look at what our Lord says. "These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended." Lord, you're not to stumble. You're not to get upset. You're not to get bent out of shape. "These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.
#70 | 50:02 to 50:44 | cleaned
They shall put you out of the synagogues"—or the churches—"yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me." Did you know that Charles I was an extremely religious man?
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Married to a Roman Catholic wife.
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Folks, let me tell you something. It was not easy to stand for truth in the New Testament. It was not easy to stand for truth in the 17th century. And it's not easy to stand for truth in the 21st century. May I tell you with the rampant charge of humanism in this country, if God is not merciful to us, the time of eating the bread of affliction is coming again.
#73 | 51:28 to 52:08 | cleaned
When we will understand that "he that killeth you will think that he doeth God service." In other words, we're getting rid of you crazies. Notice how God's people are always called rebels, when in reality, the ones who are really rebellious are those who oppose Jesus Christ and His righteousness. Does not the life of Richard Cameron shame us? Does not the courage of his father condemn us? Oh, if God would give us the grace. And how many of us murmur and complain because it's too hot or too cold, or things not—you understand what I'm saying?
#74 | 52:09 to 53:13 | cleaned
We ought to do this. We ought to leave this building today, number one, thanking God for what He has done for us, what He has given us, how He has spared us. And then on the other hand, we ought to ask God to give us courage to be willing to suffer, to die, to fight for truth and righteousness. Let's pray. Father, we ask You, in the name of Jesus Christ, that You would encourage us, build us up in the most holy faith that should make us godly.
#75 | 53:15 to 53:54 | cleaned
Lord, when we hear of men that Thou hast used, and yet men who suffered so greatly, we're so shamed. We're so condemned. Because we suffered nothing. Because, Lord, we're not as godly as we ought to be and not as godly as we should be. We pray for godliness. We pray for holiness. We pray for grace and strength to serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In Thy name we ask. Amen.
#76 | 53:55 to 54:33 | cleaned

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T13:52:00Z

Richard Cameron

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

John Weaver presents a biographical study of Richard Cameron, the 'Lion of the Covenant,' a 17th-century Scottish Covenanter who was martyred for his faith. The sermon highlights Cameron's unwavering commitment to Christ's kingship over the church, his role in the Sanquhar Declaration, and his death at the Battle of Airds Moss. Weaver uses Cameron's example to challenge modern believers to embrace suffering for the sake of the gospel and to live with godly conviction.

Introduction: The Faith of the Martyrs

Weaver introduces the topic by reading Hebrews 11:32-40, emphasizing that many unnamed heroes of faith have suffered and died for Christ, including Richard Cameron.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 11:32-40

"And what shall I more say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthah; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness

The Call to Suffer for Christ

Using Hebrews 11:24-26 and Philippians 1:29, Weaver teaches that suffering is a gift from God and that Moses chose affliction over the pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 11:24-26

"By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;"

One that we don't like to think about. Philippians 1 verse 29. Look what the word of God says:

Scripture Reading — Philippians 1:29

"For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake."

Ah, did you hear what I just read? Watch it carefully.

Scripture Reading — Philippians 1:29

"For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ"

—that is, for Christ's sake, for Christ's glory—

Scripture Reading — Philippians 1:29

"unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake."

I want you to note two things. First of all, just like faith is God's gift, so likewise suffering is God's gift. He said,

Scripture Reading — Philippians 1:29

"unto you it is given not only to believe on Christ, but also to suffer for him."

Scripture Reading — Philippians 1:29

"unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake."

Paul as a Chosen Vessel of Suffering

Weaver examines Acts 9:15-16 and 2 Corinthians 11:24-28 to show that being a chosen vessel involves great suffering, as exemplified by the Apostle Paul.

Scripture Reading — Acts 9:15-16

" the Lord said unto him, "

go thy way: for he"—that is, Paul—

Scripture Reading — Acts 9:15-16

"is a chosen vessel unto me,

Historical Background of the Scottish Covenanters

The Sanquhar Declaration

Weaver recounts the events of June 12, 1680, when Richard Cameron and his band publicly disowned Charles Stuart as king, declaring allegiance to Christ alone.

Cameron's Ministry and Prophecy of Martyrdom

Weaver describes Cameron's conversion, fervent preaching, ordination in Holland, and the prophecy that his head would be publicly displayed.

The Battle of Airds Moss and Cameron's Death

Weaver details the final days of Cameron, the battle against the king's dragoons, and the deaths of Richard and his brother Michael.

Aftermath: The Treatment of the Martyrs

Weaver describes the mutilation of Cameron's body, the presentation of his head to his imprisoned father, and the brutal execution of David Hackston.

but has made goodness and mercy to follow me all the days of my life. Blessed be the name of the Lord."

Application: Standing for Truth Today

Weaver applies the lesson of Cameron's life, urging believers to thank God for His mercies and to pray for courage to suffer and die for truth and righteousness.

Scripture Reading — John 16:1-3

"These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended."

Lord, you're not to stumble. You're not to get upset. You're not to get bent out of shape.

Scripture Reading — John 16:1-3

"These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.

Married to a Roman Catholic wife.

Richard Cameron

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	311082047158
Subject	Covenant Theology
Course	Covenant Theology: Obedience, Disobedience, and National Judgment
Genre	Sermon
Date	2001-06-10
Dictation Name
Book	Book 044: Covenant Theology: Obedience, Disobedience, and National Judgment — Chapter 1
Source Timed Segments	76

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction: The Faith of the Martyrs: Weaver introduces the topic by reading Hebrews 11:32-40, emphasizing that many unnamed heroes of faith have suffered and died for Christ, including Richard Cameron.
The Call to Suffer for Christ: Using Hebrews 11:24-26 and Philippians 1:29, Weaver teaches that suffering is a gift from God and that Moses chose affliction over the pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ.
Paul as a Chosen Vessel of Suffering: Weaver examines Acts 9:15-16 and 2 Corinthians 11:24-28 to show that being a chosen vessel involves great suffering, as exemplified by the Apostle Paul.
Historical Background of the Scottish Covenanters: Weaver explains the 17th-century conflict between Scottish Presbyterians and King Charles II, who sought to impose episcopal government, leading to the National Covenant and the persecution of nonconformist pastors.
The Sanquhar Declaration: Weaver recounts the events of June 12, 1680, when Richard Cameron and his band publicly disowned Charles Stuart as king, declaring allegiance to Christ alone.
Cameron's Ministry and Prophecy of Martyrdom: Weaver describes Cameron's conversion, fervent preaching, ordination in Holland, and the prophecy that his head would be publicly displayed.
The Battle of Airds Moss and Cameron's Death: Weaver details the final days of Cameron, the battle against the king's dragoons, and the deaths of Richard and his brother Michael.
Aftermath: The Treatment of the Martyrs: Weaver describes the mutilation of Cameron's body, the presentation of his head to his imprisoned father, and the brutal execution of David Hackston.
Application: Standing for Truth Today: Weaver applies the lesson of Cameron's life, urging believers to thank God for His mercies and to pray for courage to suffer and die for truth and righteousness.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Suffering is integral to the Christian calling

Weaver argues that suffering for Christ is not optional but is given to believers just as faith is given, and it is a mark of being a chosen vessel.

He references Philippians 1:29 and Acts 9:15-16, stating, 'just like faith is God's gift, so likewise suffering is God's gift.'

The right way is often the hard way

Using Moses as an example, Weaver contends that choosing to suffer with God's people is superior to enjoying sinful pleasures, because of the eternal reward.

He cites Hebrews 11:25-26: 'choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.'

Civil disobedience is justified when earthly rulers oppose Christ's authority

Weaver defends the Covenanters' rejection of Charles II as a legitimate act of allegiance to Christ, the supreme ruler.

He states, 'They had disavowed King Charles in the interest of King Jesus. They disowned the unworthy ruler that they might obey the supreme and sovereign ruler, Jesus Christ.'

Self-defense is biblically permissible

Weaver argues that the sixth commandment implies an obligation to defend oneself and others, justifying the Covenanters' armed resistance.

He says, 'the sixth commandment, "Thou shalt not kill," certainly implies, to say the least, the obligation to defend ourselves.'

Persecution can advance the gospel

Weaver demonstrates that the scattering of believers through persecution led to the spread of the gospel, including to American slaves.

He notes that black slaves heard the gospel from white Covenanter slaves, and their spirituals resemble Covenanter psalms.

Modern believers must prepare for coming persecution

Weaver warns that with the rise of humanism, a time of affliction may be approaching, and believers need courage to stand for truth.

He states, 'if God is not merciful to us, the time of eating the bread of affliction is coming again.'

Scripture References

Hebrews 11:32-40: Weaver reads this passage to introduce the theme of unnamed martyrs and heroes of faith, setting the stage for Richard Cameron's story.
Hebrews 11:24-26: Used to illustrate Moses' choice to suffer affliction with God's people rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ.
Philippians 1:29: Cited to show that suffering for Christ is a gift from God, just as faith is.
Acts 9:15-16: Used to demonstrate that being a chosen vessel, like Paul, involves great suffering for Christ's name.
2 Corinthians 11:24-28: Weaver lists Paul's sufferings to emphasize the extent of his afflictions as a chosen vessel.
1 Samuel 8: Referenced to contrast the Covenanters' rejection of an earthly tyrant with Israel's demand for a king, showing a reversal of that choice.
Genesis 50:20: Alluded to when Weaver says, 'You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good,' regarding Charles I's persecution driving believers to America.
Jeremiah 3:19: Mentioned as one of the texts from which Cameron preached memorably.
Matthew 11:28: Listed among Cameron's sermon texts, emphasizing Christ's invitation to the weary.
Isaiah 32:2: Cited as a text Cameron used, portraying Christ as a hiding place and covert.
Isaiah 49:24: Another of Cameron's sermon texts, questioning whether the prey can be taken from the mighty.
John 5:40: Used by Cameron to preach on the refusal to come to Christ for life.
Psalm 46:10: The text of Cameron's last sermon: 'Be still, and know that I am God.'
2 Samuel 3:38: Alluded to as the text for Cargill's funeral sermon for Cameron: 'Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?'
Deuteronomy 22: Referenced to support the obligation to help preserve the lives of others, justifying self-defense.
John 16:1-3: Weaver reads this passage to warn that persecution will come, and killers will think they are serving God.

Historical References

Richard Cameron (c. 1648–1680): The main subject of the sermon, a Scottish Covenanter preacher known as the 'Lion of the Covenant,' martyred at Airds Moss.
Scottish Covenanters: 17th-century Scottish Presbyterians who supported the National Covenant of 1638, opposing the king's control over the church.
National Covenant of 1638: A covenant signed by many Scots recognizing Christ as the true head of the church, in opposition to Charles I's episcopal impositions.
King Charles II (Charles Stuart): The king of England and Scotland who persecuted the Covenanters, disowned in the Sanquhar Declaration.
Sanquhar Declaration (June 12, 1680): A public declaration by Richard Cameron and his followers disowning Charles II as king and declaring war on him in the name of Christ.
Battle of Airds Moss (July 22, 1680): The skirmish where Richard Cameron and his brother Michael were killed by the king's dragoons.
David Hackston of Rathillet: A Covenanter who fought alongside Cameron, was captured, and suffered a brutal execution; his account of the battle is cited.
Allan Cameron: Richard Cameron's father, imprisoned for aiding field preachers, who was forced to identify his son's severed head and hands.
Glorious Revolution (1688): The overthrow of James II and the accession of William and Mary, which Weaver connects to Cameron's prophecy that his standard would overthrow the throne of Britain.
Oliver Cromwell and John Hampden: Mentioned as men who were prevented from sailing to America by Charles I, later playing key roles in the English Civil War.

Important Quotes

Here is the head of a faithful minister and servant of Jesus Christ who shall lose the same for his master's interest and it shall be set up before the sun and the moon in the public view of the world.

This prophecy at Cameron's ordination foretold his martyrdom and the public display of his severed head, which was later fulfilled.

These are the head and the hands that lived praying and preaching and died praying and fighting.

Robert Murray's words when presenting Cameron's remains to the council, summarizing his life of devotion and courageous death.

I shall be but breakfast to the enemy shortly.

Cameron's foreboding statement three weeks before his death, indicating his awareness of impending martyrdom.

Weep not for me, but for yourselves and for yours, and for the sins of a sinful land, for you have many melancholy, sorrowful, and weary days before you.

Cameron's words to Mrs. Mitchell on the morning of his death, showing his concern for others and prophetic insight into coming trials.

O noble cause, O noble work, O noble heaven, O noble Christ that makes it to be heaven. And he is the owner of the work I lay down my life, not as an evildoer, but as a sufferer for Jesus Christ.

John Malcolm's dying testimony, exalting Christ and the honor of suffering for Him.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

How does the example of Richard Cameron challenge our modern aversion to suffering for the faith?

[Context]

Weaver emphasizes that we live in a day when principles are not considered worth suffering for, and Cameron's life rebukes our lukewarmness.

[Question]

In what ways is suffering for Christ a 'gift' according to Philippians 1:29, and how should this shape our perspective on hardship?

[Context]

Weaver points out that suffering is given by God just as faith is, and there are degrees of suffering as there are degrees of faith.

[Question]

What does it mean to 'esteem the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt' in our contemporary context?

[Context]

Weaver uses Moses' choice to illustrate valuing Christ above worldly wealth and comfort.

[Question]

How should Christians balance submission to government with allegiance to Christ when the two conflict?

[Context]

The Sanquhar Declaration disowned Charles II in the interest of King Jesus, raising questions about civil disobedience.

[Question]

Is armed self-defense biblically justifiable for believers facing persecution?

[Context]

Weaver argues that the sixth commandment implies an obligation to defend oneself and others, as some Covenanters did.

[Question]

How can the knowledge that 'he that killeth you will think that he doeth God service' prepare us for future persecution?

[Context]

Weaver cites John 16:2 to warn that opposition may come from religious people who believe they are serving God.

[Question]

What can we learn from Allan Cameron's response to his son's martyrdom about trusting God's goodness in tragedy?

[Context]

Allan Cameron kissed his son's severed head and blessed the Lord, demonstrating profound faith.

[Question]

How does the history of the Scottish Covenanters connect to the founding of America and the spread of the gospel?

[Context]

Weaver explains that persecution drove Covenanters and Puritans to America, bringing the gospel and influencing the nation's spiritual heritage.

Applications

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