THE year following, the General Affembly adopted the meafure. It became univerfal in the Church. From this time the idea of Covenant-renovation has prevailed among cove nanters. As the Church had affumed a regu lar form, fo her faithful friends purfued a fyftem with diftinguished vigour. The first time this covenant was renewed was in 1590, as a teftimony of gratitude for deliverance from the Spanish Armada. The manner of it deferves our attention; it was done with a bond fuited to the ftate of the Church and nation. It was a fecond time renewed 1596, for the purpofe of confirming and ftrengthening their at tainments in Reformation. Court influence produced a scene of apoftacy, and corruption in the doctrine and Government, until the year 1638. This was alfo done by a bond accom modated unto their circumftances; after enumerating various acts of Parliament, which fecured the covenanters from the crime of rebellion. The tenor of their bond follows:

"WE Noblemen, Barons, Gentlemen, Burgeffes, Minifters, and Commons under-fubfcribing, confidering divers times before, and efpecially at this time, the danger of the true Reformed Religion, of the King's honour, and of the public peace of the kingdom, by the manifold innovations and evils generally contained, and particularly mentioned in our late fupplications, complaints, and proteftations; Do

hereby

1

hereby profefs, and before God, his angels, and the world, folemnly declare, That with our whole heart we agree, and refolve all the days of our life, conftantly to adhere unto and to defend the forefaid true religion: And forbearing the practice of all novations already introduced in the matters of the worhip of God, or approbation of the public government of the Kirk, or civil places and power of kirkmen, till they be tried and allowed in free Affemblies and Parliaments; to labour, by all lawful means, to recover the purity and liberty of the Gospel, as it was established and profelled before the forefaid novations: And becaufe, after due examination, we plainly perceive, and undoubtedly believe, that the innovations and evils contained in our fupplications, complaints, and proteftations, have no warrant of the Word of God, are contrary to the articles of the forefaid Confeffion, to the intention and meaning of the bleffed Reformers of Religion in this land, to the above-written acts of Parliament; and do fenfibly tend to the recftablishing of the Popish Religion and Tyranny, and the fubverfion and ruin of the true Reformed Religion, and of our liberties, laws, and eftates: We alfo declare, That the forefaid Confeffions are to be interpreted, and ought to be understood of the forefaid novations and evils, no lefs than if every one of them had been expreffed in the forefaid Confeffions; and that we are obliged to deteft and

abhor

abhor them, amongst other particular heads of Papistry abjured therein. And, therefore, from the knowledge and confcience of our duty to God, to our King and country, without any worldly respect or inducement, fo far as human infirmity will fuffer, wifhing a further measure of the Grace of God for this effect; We promife and fwear, by the GREAT NAME OF THE LORD OUR GOD, to continue in the profeffion and obedience of the forefaid religion; and that we fhall defend the fame, and resist all thefe contrary errors and corruptions, according to our vocation, and to the uttermoft of that power that God hath put in our hands, all the days of our life.

AND, in like manner, with the fane heart, we declare, before God and men, That we have no intention nor defire to attempt any thing that may turn to the dishonour of God, or to the diminution of the King's greatnefs and authority: But, on the contrary, we promife and fwear, That we fhall, to the utter most of our power, with our means and lives, fland to the defence of our dread Sovereign the King's Majefty, his perfon and authority, in the defence and prefervation of the forefaid true religion, liberties, and laws of the kingdom: As alfo, to the mutual defence and affiftance every one of us of another, in the fame caufe of maintaining the true religion and his Majefty's authority, with our beft counfel, our bodies, means, and whole power, against all

forts

forts of perfons whatfoever; fo that whatfoever fhall be done to the leaft of us for that cause, fhall be taken as done to us all in general, and to every one of us in particular. And that we shall neither directly nor indirectly fuffer ourselves to be divided or withdrawn, by whatfoever fuggeftion, combination, allurement, or terror, from this bleffed and loyal conjunction; nor fhall caft any let or impediment that may ftay or hinder any fuch refolution, as, by common confent, fhall be found to conduce for fo good ends: But, on the contrary, fhall, by all lawful means, labour to further and promove the fame; and if any fuch dangerous and divifive motion be made to us, by word or writ, We, and every one of us, fhall either fupprefs it, or, if need be, thall incontinent make the fame known, that it may be timeously obviated. Neither do we fear the foul afperfions of rebellion, combination, or what else our adverfaries, from their craft and malice, would put upon us; feeing what we do is fo well. warranted, and arifeth from an unfeigned defire to maintain the true worship of God, the Majefty of our King, and the peace of the kingdom, for the common happiness of ourfelves and our pofterity.

AND because we cannot look for a bleffing from God upon our proceedings, except with our profeffion and fubfcription we join fuch a life and converfation as befeemeth Chriftians who have renewed their covenant with God:

We

We therefore, faithfully promife, for ourselves, our followers, and all others under us, both in public and in our particular families, and perfonal carriage, to endeavour to keep ourselves within the bounds of Chriftian liberty; and to be good examples to others of all godlinefs, fobernefs, and righteoufnefs, and of every duty we owe to God and man.

AND, that this our union and conjunction may be obferved without violation, We call the LIVING GOD, THE SEARCHER OF OUR HEARTS, to witnefs, who knoweth this to be our fincere defire and unfeigned refolution, as we shall anfwer to JESUS CHRIST in the great day, and under the pain of GoD's everlafting wrath, and of infamy and lofs of all honour and respect in this world: Moft humbly befeeching the LORD to ftrengthen us by his HOLY SPIRIT for this end, and to blefs our defires and proceedings with a happy fuccefs, that religion and righteoufnefs may flourish in the land, to the glory of GOD the honour of our King, the peace and comfort of us all. In witness we have fubfcribed with our hands all the premiffes."

BоTH nations having entertained ideas of civil power directly oppofite to King Charles I. and as he confidered Epifcopal government as a more proper inftrument of prerogative than any other form. The Parliament, with which he differed, having called together an Affem

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