hearkned more unto men than unto God.

Albeit we made folemn publick profeffion before the world, of our unfeigned defires to be humbled before the Lord for our own fins, and the fins of these kingdoms especially for our undervaluing of the inestimable benefit of the gospel, and that we have not laboured for the power thereof, and received Christ into our hearts, and walked worthy of him in our lives; and of our true and unfeigned purpofe, defire and endeavour for ourselves, and all others under our power and charge, both in publick and private, in all the duties which we owe to God and man, to amend our lives, and each one to go before another in the example of a real reformation, that the Lord might turn away his wrath and heavy indignation, and establish these kirks and kingdoms in truth and peace: yet we have refused to be reformed, and have walked proudly and obftinately against the Lord, not valuing his gofpel, nor fubmitting ourselves unto the obedience thereof; not feeking after Chrift, nor studying to honour him in the excellency of his perfon, nor employ him in the virtue of his offices; nor making confcience of publick ordinances, nor private nor fecret duties; nor studying to edify one another in love. Ignorance of God, and of his Son Jefus Chrift, prevails exceedingly in the land; the greatest part of masters of families, amongst noblemen, barons, gentlemen, burgeffes and commons, neglect to feek God in their families, and to endeavour the reformation thereof; and albeit it hath been much preffed, yet few of our nobles and great ones, ever to this day, could be perfwaded to perform family duties themselves, and in their own perfons; which makes fo neceffary and useful a duty to be mifregarded by others of inferior rank: nay, many of the, nobility, gentry and burrows, who should have been examples of godliness and fober walking unto &thers, have been ringleaders of excefs and rioting. Albeit we be the Lord's people, engaged to him in a folemn way; yet, to this day, we have not made it our study, that judicatories

and

and armies fhould confift of, and places of power and trust be filled with men of a blameless and Christian conversation, and of known integrity, and approven fidelity, affection and zeal unto the cause of God; but not only those who have been neutral and indifferent, but difaffected and malignant, and others who have been profane and fcandalous, have been intrusted: by which it hath come to pass, that judicatories have been the feats of injustice and iniquity; and many in our armies, by their miscarriages, have become our plague, unto the great prejudice of the caufe of God, the great scandal of the gofpel, and the great increase of looseness and profanity throughout all the land. It were impoffible to reckon up all the abominations that are in the land; but the blafpheming of the name of God, swearing by the creatures, profanation of the Lord's day, uncleannefs, drunkenness, excess and rioting, vanity of apparel, lying and deceit, railing and cursing, arbitrary and uncontrouled oppreffion, and grinding of the faces of the poor by landlords, and others in place and power, are become ordinary and common fins: and, befides all these things, there be many other tranfgreffions, whereof the lands wherein we live are guilty. All which we defire to acknowledge and to be humbled for, that the world may bear witness with us, that righteoufnefs belongeth unto God, and fhame and confufion of face unto us, as appears this day.

And because it is needful for those who find mercy, not only to confefs, but also to forfake their fin; therefore, that the reality and fincerity of our repentance may appear, we do refolve and folemnly engage ourfelves, before the Lord, carefully to avoid for the time to come all these offences, whereof we have now made folemn publick acknowledgment, and all the fnares and tentations which tend thereunto: and to teftify the integrity of our refolution herein, and that we may be the better enabled in the power of the Lord's ftrength to perform the fame, we do again renew our folemn league and covenant, promifing hereafter to make confcience of all the

duties, whereunto we are obliged, in all the heads and articles thereof, particularly of these that follow.

1. Because religion is of all things the most excellent and precious, the advancing and promoting the power thereof, against all ungodlinefs and profanity, the fecuring and preferving the purity thereof against all error, herefy and fchifm; and namely, independency, anabaptism, antinomianism, arminianism, and focinianism, familism, libertinism, scepticism, and eraftianism, and the carrying on the work of uniformity fhall be ftudied and endeavoured by us before all worldly interests, whether concerning the king, ourselves, or any other whatfomever. 2. Because many have of late laboured to fupplant the liberties of the kirk, we fhall maintain and defend the kirk of Scotland, in all her liberties and privileges, against all who fhall oppofe or undermine the fame, or encroach thereupon, under any pretext whatsomever. 3 We fhall vindicate and maintain the liberties of the fubjects, in all these things which concern their confciences, perfons and eftates. 4. We fhall carefully maintain and defend the union betwixt the kingdoms, and avoid every thing that may weaken the fame, or involve us in any measure of acceffion unto the guilt of those who have invaded the kingdom of England. 5. As we have been always loyal to our king, fo we shall still endeavour to give unto God that which is God's, and to Cefar the things which are Cefar's. 6. We fhall be so far from conniving at, complying with, or countenancing of malignancy, injuftice, iniquity, profanity and impiety, that we fhall not only avoid and discountenance those things, and cherish and encourage these perfons who are zealous for the cause of God, and walk according to the gofpel; but alfo fhall take a more effectual courfe than heretofore, in our refpective places and callings, for punishing and fuppreffing these evils; and faithfully endeavour, that the best and fittest remedies may be applied for taking away the causes thereof, and advancing the knowledge of God, and holiness and righteousness in the land.

And

And therefore, in the laft place, as we fhall earnestly pray unto God, that he would give usable men, fearing God, men of truth, and hating covetoufnefs,' to judge and bear charge among his people; fo we shall, according to our places and callings, endeavour that judicatories, and all places of power and truft both in kirk and ftate, may confift of, and be filled with, fuch men as are of known good affection to the cause of God, and of a blameless and Chriftian conversation.

And, because there be many, who heretofore have not made conscience of the oath of God, but fome through fear, others by perfuafion and upon base ends and human interests, have entered thereinto, who have afterwards difcovered themfelves to have dealt deceitfully with the Lord, in fwearing fallly by his name; Therefore we, who do now renew our covenant, in reference to these duties, and all other duties contained therein, do, in the fight of him, who is the Searcher of hearts, folemnly profefs, that it is not upon any politick advantage, or private intereft or by-end, or because of any terror or perfuafion from men, or hypocritically and deceitfully, that we do again take upon us the oath of God, but honestly and fincerely, and from the sense of our duty; and that therefore, denying ourselves and our own things, and laying afide all felf-interest and ends, we shall above all things feek the honour of God, the good of his caufe, and the wealth of his people; and that forfaking the counfels of flesh and blood, and not leaning upon carnal confidences, we fhall depend upon the Lord, walk by the rule of his word, and hearken to the voice of his fervants. In all which, profeffing our own weakness, we do earnestly pray to God, who is the Father of mercies, through his Son Jefus Chrift, to be merciful unto us, and to enable us by the power of his might, that we may do our duty, unto the praise of his grace in the churches. Amen.

FINI S..