persons, among the unsettled multitude, who were lossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine; by the slight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.-The men, who were taught and enabled, under the smiles and influences of approving Heaven, to display their talents, learning, piety, and zeal, in earnestly contending for the faith, which was once delivered unto the saints.-The men, who entirely devoted themselves to the honourable service of their Lord, in his vineyard, and uniformly sacrificed their own interest to that of their Redeemer's kingdom.The men, who supported, with all their energy, the noble cause of divine Truth, under manifold privations and sufferings.-Men who, were not ashamed of Christ, nor of his words, before an adulterous and sinful generation And the men who did solemnly swear unto Jehovah, and cheerfully subscribe with their hand unto Him, and greatly rejoiced at the oath.

It may be observed here, that after the British Revolu tion, in 1688, the Westminster Confession of Faith was established, as the standard of orthodoxy, and the Presbyterian form of Church-government was also established, in all it's extent, in Scotland; but alas! the Covenants were over-looked or forgotten. It is certainly matter of great lamentation, that these solemn deeds, which our noble ancestors very highly esteemed and rejoiced in, should be either over-looked or forgotten. It was one design of this publication, to keep these solemn deeds in remembrance, and excite mankind to turn there attention seriously to the Covenanted work of Reformation. But, alas! that glorious work seems, at this time, to occupy very little of our attention. The time, however, of favouring Zion will come; even the time which Jehovah himself has unalterably fixed. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

Let us now hear the conclusion of the whole matter:

a Laing's Hist. Seot. vol. ii. B. x. p. 216. Anno 1690,

Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole (duty) of man. Let us attend carefully and strictly to both personal and family religion. Let us study to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God. Let us trust in the Lord for ever : for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength. Let us endeavour, through divine grace, in our station, to be the salt of the earth, and the lights of the world; to search the Holy Scriptures, bringing all to their test ;-to try the spirits whether they are of God;-to hold fast that which is good, contending earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints; and to follow the Lamb whether soever He goeth, that we may be also followers of them who through faith and paitience inherit the promises.

And for the aid and encouragement of true Covenanters, and with a view to excite a laudable zeal for the glorious work of Reformation, two excellent Speeches which were delivered before subscribing the Covenant, at Margaret's Church, Westminster, on the 25th of Sep. 1643, are here subjoined at the end of this work, and as a conclusion to it. These Speeches were delivered by two eminent Divines, Messrs Nye and Henderson, and now follow.

An Exhortation made to the Honourable House of Commons, and Reverend Divines of the Assembly, by MR NrE, before he read the Covenant.

A GREAT and solemn work (Honourable and Reverend) this day is put into our hands, let us stir up and awaken our hearts unto it. We deal with God as well as with men, and with God in his greatness and excellency, for by him we swear; and at the same time we have to do with God and his goodness, who now reacheth out unto us a strong and seasonable arm of assistance. The goodness of God procuring succour and help to a sinful and afflicted people, (such are we) ought to be matter of fear and trembling even to all that hear of it, Jer. xxxiii. 9. We

are to exalt and acknowledge him this day, who is fearful in praises, swear by that Name which is Holy and Reverend, enter into a Covenant and League that is ne ver to be forgotten by us nor our posterity, and the fruit I hope of it shall be so great, as both we and they shall have cause to remember it with joy; and such an oath as for matter, persons, and other circumstances, the like hath not been in any age, or oath we read of in sacred or human stories, yet sufficiently warranted in both.

The parties engaging in this League, are three kingdoms, famous for the knowledge, and the acknowledg ment of Christ above all the kingdoms in the world; to swear before such a presence, should mould the spirit of man into a great deal of reverence: what then to be engaged, to be incorporated, and that by sacred oath, with such an high and honourable fraternity? An oath is to be esteemed so much the more solemn, by how much greater the persons are that swear each to other: as in heaven when God swears to his Son, on earth, when kings swear each to other; so in this business, where kingdoms swear mutually.

And as the solemnity of an oath is to be measured by the persons swearing, so by the matter also that is to be sworn to. God would not swear to the covenant of works, he intended not to honour it so much, it was not to continue, it was not worthy of an oath of his; but to the covenant of grace, which is the gospel, he swears and repents not of it. God swears for the salvation of men, and of kingdoms: and if kingdoms swear, what subject of an oath becometh them better than the preservation and salvation of kingdoms, by establishing the kingdom of a Saviour amongst them, even our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who is a Mediator and Saviour for nations as well as particular persons?

The end also is great and honourable, as either of the former. Two is better than one, saith he, who best knoweth what is best; and from whom alone every thing hath the goodness it hath. Association is of divine offspring; not only the being of creatures, but the putting of them together: the clustre as well as the grape is the

work of God: consort and harmony amongst men, especially amongst saints, is very pleasing unto the Lord; if when but two or three agree and assent upon any thing on earth, it shall be confirmed in heaven: and for this, because they gather together in his Name, much more when two or three kingdoms shall meet and consent together in his Name, and for his Name, that God may be one, and his Name one amongst them, and his presence amidst them. That prayer of Christ seemeth to proceed from a feeling sense of his own blessedness, Father, that they may be one, as thou in me, &c. Unity amongst his churches and children must needs therefore be very acceptable unto him: for out of the more deep sense, desires are fetcht from within us, the more pleasing will be the answer of them unto us. Churches and kingdoms are near to God, his patience towards them, his compassions over them more than particular persons, sheweth it plainly. But kingdoms willingly engaging themselves for his kingdom, his Christ, his saints, the purity of religion, his worship and government, in all particulars, and in all humility sitting down at his feet to receive the law, and the rule from his mouth; what a price doth he set upon such? especially, when (as we this day) sensible of our infirmity, of an unfaithful heart not steady with our God, but apt to start from the cause, if we feel the knife or the fire; who bind ourselves with cords, as a sacrifice to the horns of the altar: we invocate the name of the great God, that his vows, yea, his curse may be upon us, if we do not this; yea, though we suffer for so doing, that is, if we endeavour not so far as the Lord shall assist us by his grace, to advance the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ here upon earth, and make Jerusalem once more the praise of the whole world notwithstanding all the contradictions of men.

What is this but the contents and matter of our oath? what do we covenant? what do we vow? is it not the preservation of religion, where it is reformed, and the reformation of religion, where it needs? is it not the reformation of three kingdoms, and a reformation universal, in doctrine, discipline, and worship, in whatsoever the word shall discover unto us? To practise, is a fruit of love;

to reform, a fruit of zeal; but so to reform, will be a token of great prudence and circumspection in each of these churches and all this to be done according to God's word, the best rule, and according to the best reformed churches, the best interpreters of this rule. If England hath obtained to any greater perfection in so handling the word of righteousness, and truths, that are according to godliness, as to make men more godly, more righteous: and, if in the Churches of Scotland any more light and beauty in matters of order and discipline, by which their Assemblies are more orderly: or, if to any other Church, or person, it hath been given better to have learned Christ in any of his ways, than any of us, we shall humbly bow, and kiss their lips that can speak right words unto us, in this matter, and help us into the nearest uniformity with the word and mind of Christ in this great work of refor. mation.

Honourable and Reverend Brethren, there cannot be a more direct and effectual way to exhort and persuade the wise, and men of sad and serious spirits (and such are you to whom I am commanded to speak this day) than to let into their understandings the weight, and worth, and great importance of the work, they are persuaded unto. This oath is such, and in the matter and consequence of it, of such concernment, as I can truly say, it is worthy of us, yea, of all these kingdoms, yea, of all the kingdoms of the world; for it is swearing fealty and allegiance unto Christ, the King of kings; and a giving up of all these kingdoms which are in his inheritance, to be subdued more to his throne, and ruled more by his sceptre, upon whose shoulders the government is laid, and, in the increase of whose government and peace there shall be no end, Isa. ix. Yea, we find this very thing in the utmost accomplishment of it, to have been the oath of the greatest Angel that ever was, who setting his feet upon two of God's kingdoms, the one upon the sea, the other upon the earth, lifting up his hand to heaven, as you are to do this day, and so swearing, Rev. x. The effect of that oath you shall find to be this, that the kingdoms of the world. become the kingdoms of the Lord and his Christ, and he