fubjects of his fincere adherence to the Proteftant religion, His Majefty caufed his minifter John Craig to compile the negative Confeffion, (national covenant) in the form of an oath §." Collier fays, "This covenant was figned, either by the king or the lords of the council, at the request of the General Affembly." Rapin fays, "It was drawn up by order of the General Affembly +."

The origination of the Solemn League and Covenant was equally confiftent with a religious vow. Not a few of the moft pious clergymen in England had all along, from Elizabeth's establishment of the Proteftant religion, hated part of the ceremonies, and the lordly power of the bishops. Many of these, driven from their charge, by the Prelatical perfecution, under Elizabeth and James, and Charles I had been compaffionately taken into the families of great men, for the education of their children. Their inftruction and example were remarkably bleffed, for rendering their pupils and others intelligent and pious. They perceived the encroachments made upon their religion and liberties by Abp. Laud and his affiftants, and not a few of them conceived a strong relish for what was then called Puritanifm. The fuccefs of the Scotch covenanters, in their struggels with the tyrannical court, made many of the English wifh and hope for a fimilar deliver ance. In their treaty with Charles 1641, the Scots requested, that the English fhould be brought to a reformed uniformity with themselves in religion. The Scotch minifters, who attended their Commiffioners at London, in forming that treaty of peace, by their inftructions and example, recommended their Prefbyterian reformation not a little to many of the most learned and pious of the English. A cor

SP. 25. * Hift. Vol. II. P. 788. Hift. Fol. Vol. II. P. 303.

refpondence for promoting a religious uniformity between the two Churches was carried on by a number of the English clergymen with the Scotch Affemblies, 1641, 1642, 1643; and by the English Parliament with the Affemblies, 1642, 1643. At their request, the Affembly appointed Meffrs Henderfon, Rutherford, Gillefpy and others, to affift the Weltmifter Affembly in compiling ecclefiaftical Standards, of doctrine, worship, difcipline and government. Alarmed by the terrible maffacre of the Proteftants in Ireland, and reduced to ftraits in their war with K. Charles, the English Parliament requested, that for promoting and establishing uniformity in religi on, and preferving their respective liberties, the two nations might be more closely connected by a mutual League. The Letter from a multitude of English minifters,-the papers from the English parliament and their Commiffioners, and the Scotch Affembly's Answers, manifeft that an uniformity of religion was the principal thing propofed by this League. Henry Vane and perhaps fome other English Commiffioners, nevertheless, from a diflike of the Scotch Prefbyterianifm, thought to have gone no further than a civil league, but the Scots being pofitive for a religious one, he yielded. It appeared from that readiness and avidity, with which the Solemn League was received in England, that it anfwered to the wishes of his conftituents. After the West

minfter Affembly had examined and approved it, the English Parliament appointed it to be fworn by perfons of all ranks, and iffued forth inftructions and an exhortation for promoting that work ‡.

6. There is nothing in the matter of these cove

Neal's Hiftory of Puritans, Vol. I. II. III. Naphtali, p. 142. Stevenfon, Vol. III. Baillie's Let. Vol. I. Acts of Aff. 1642, 1643. Paton's Collection of Confeffions, p. 58.---- 107, 558,-*-* $46. Rapin, Vol. II. 481,---484.

nants, which doth not enter into the faith and prac tice of true religion. They principally engaged to the belief, profeffion and practice of the true Protef tant religion, in doctrine, worship, difcipline and government; and renounced, and promised the regular extirpation of Popery, Prelacy, and whatever elfe fhould, by the word of God, be found contrary to faid doctrine, worship, difcipline, and government, and holy practice. The prefervation of the King's perfon and authority, and of the rights and privileges of the parliament and nation was promifed as a thing fubordinated to the interefts of religion, in which view, it is a very neceflary and important branch of practical Chriftianity, Rom. xiii. 1,-8.1. Fet. ii. 13, 17. Tit iii. 1.

7. The manner of covenanting reprefented in thefe covenants, correfponds not to merely civil but to religious Bonds. In their Bond 1531, 1590,

c. cur ancestors covenanted as throughly refolved in the truth by the word and Spirit of God,-as believing it with their heart, and joining themselves to the reformed kirk in doctrine, faith, religion, and use of the holy facraments, as lively members of the fame, in Chrift their Head. If thefe expreffions be but understood, as relating to the vifible church, her concerns as fuch, are of a spiritual and religious nature, John xviii. 36. Their covenanting in 1596, was fo much detached from the State, and fo religiously conducted, that you dare not pretend it to have been State-covenanting; yet they viewed it as a mere renovation of their national covenant, in a manner fuited to their circumftances. Shield in Hind let loose, De Foe, CrookThanks, and Stevenfon, and Petry in their Church hiftories, and Gillespy in his English Popish ceremonies, call it a renovation of their national covenant*.

Hift on A. D. 1576, English Ceremonies, Part 4, p. 39.

Epiftola Philadelphi subjoined to Altare Damafcenum fays, "Their facred and folemn covenant was renewed, in which men of all ranks covenanted with God, that they would adhere to the religion and difcipline +." Calderwood, who was perhaps prefent, fays, "The end of the convention March 1596, was to enter into a new league with God,-holding up their hands,-entering into a new league and covenant with God,-that the covenant might be renewed in Synods, after the fame manner.-The covenant was renewed in Synods.-The covenant was renewed in Prefbytries.-The covenant was renewed in parishes t.-In 1604, the whole brethren of the Prefbytery of St. Andrews and Synod of Lo thian, fubfcribed the confeffion of faith and national covenant anew, like as they fubfcribed the famein the year 1596,which Confeffion, i. e. national covenant is folemnly renewed in the covenant celebrated in the general and provincial Affemblies, Prefby-. tries, and Kirk-feffions, in the year 1596; and how fhall any be heard against that which he hath folemn ly fworn or fubfcribed §? The Affembly 1638, Sef. 17th, fay, "The covenant was renewed in 1596.”. The preamble of the covenant, 1648, affirms, that: "the Affembly 1596, and all the kirk judicatures, with the concurrence of the nobility, gentry and burgeffes, did with many tears acknowledge before God the breach of the national covenant,、 and engaged themfelves to reformation."— they covenanted in obedience to the command of God, conform to the practice of the godly in former times, and according to the laudable example of their worthy and religious progenitors, and of many yet living among them, fi. e. who had covenanted in 1596.)-They covenant

+ P. 7.

Hift. P. 317, 318, 323, 324, 325,

§ Hift. P. 484, 485, 712

In 1638,

as agreeing with their heart to the true religion,nd from the knowledge and confcience of their duty to God, their king and their country, without worldly refpect or inducement, fo far as human infirmity will fuffer;-as Chriftians renewing their covenant with God--as refolved to be good examples of all goodness, fobernefs and righteoufnefs.-In 1643, they covenanted as unfeignedly defirous to be humbled for their fins, in not duly receiving Jefus Chrift, and walking worthy of him. In 1648, they covenanted in imitation of their penitent predeceffors in 1596,-as deeply affected with their fins, especially the undervaluing of the gospel, that they had not laboured in the power thereof, and received Chrift into their hearts;--and as really and fincerely penitent; denying themselves, and refolving not to lean on carnal confidences, but to lean to the Lord. Dare you pretend, that all these expreffions, in their feveral bonds, reprefent men, merely as members of a commonwealth, employed in mere State-covenanting?

8. The ends of their covenanting expreffed in their feveral bonds are religious not merely civil: In 15311596 and 1604, they covenanted in order to promote and preferve the profeffion and practice of the true Proteflant religion;-in order to advance the kingdom of Chrift, as the principal, and the welfare of their country as their fubordinate end.-In 1638, they covenanted as a means of obtaining the Lord's fpecial favour, and of recovering the purity of religion ‡. In 1643, they covenanted that they and their pofterity might as brethren, live together in faith and love, and the Lord delight to dwell among them; and that the Lord might be one, and his name one, in all the three kingdoms, that the Lord might turn away bis wrath and heavy indignation, and establish thefe churches and

Stevenson's Hiftory, F. 284, 351.