fidering the calls of both Word and Providence, they proceeded to frame an Acknowledgment of Sins, confifting of an enumeration of thofe things which were a violation of former covenant engagements; and, at the fame time, made out a bond, the tenor of which follows; "WE, ALL AND EVERY ONE OF US, though fenfible of the deceitfulnefs and unbelief of our own hearts, and however frequently perplexed with doubts and fears anent our actual believing, yet defiring to effay, in the LORD's STRENGTH, and in obedience to his command, to glorify God, by believing his word of grace, contained in his covenant of promife, to devote ourfelves unto the Lord in a covenant' of duty; WE DO, with our hands lifted up to the MOST HIGH GOD, hereby profess, and, before God, angels, and men, folemnly declare, That, through the grace of God, and according to the measure of his grace given unto us, we do, with our whole hearts, take hold of the LORD JESUS CHRIST, as the only propitiation for our fins; his RIGHT EOUSNESS, as the only foundation of our accefs to, and acceptance with God; his CoVENANT of free and rich promifes, as our only charter for the heavenly inheritance; his WORD, for our perfect and only rule of faith and practice; his SPIRIT, for our alone guide, to lead us into all truth revealed in his holy Word, unto which nothing, at any time, is to be be added, whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of men. We avouch the LORD to be our COD; and, in the ftrength of his promifed grace, we PROMISE and SWEAR, by the GREAT NAME OF THE LORD OUR GOD, That we fhall walk in his way, keep his judgments and commandments, and hearken to his voice: And, particularly, that we fhall, by the Lord's grace, continue and abide in the profeffion, faith, and obedience of the forefaid true Reformed religion, in doctrine, worthip, Prefbyterial Church-government and difcipline; and that we fhaH, according to our feveral ftations, places, and callings, contend and teftify against all contrary 'evils, errors, and corruptions, particularly, Popery, Prelacy, Deifi, Arianifm, Arminianifm, and every error fubverfive to the Doctrine of Grace; as alfo, Independency, Latitudinarian tenets, and the other evils named in the above confeffion of fins. IN like manner, WE PROMISE AND SWEAR, That, by all means, which are lawful and warrantable for us, according to the Word of God, the approven and received ftandards of this Church, and our known principles, we fhall, in our feveral ftations and callings, endeavour the Reformation of religion in England and Ireland, in doctrine, worship, difcipline, and government, according to the Word of God; and to promote and advance our covenanted conjunction and uniformity in religion, confef Pppp fion fion of faith and catechifms, form of Church government, and directory for worship, as thefe were received by this Church. AND, in regard we are taught by the Word of God, and bound by our covenants, National and Solemn League, to live together in the fear of God, and in love one to another, and to encourage one another in the work and caufe of the Lord; and that, denying all ungodlinefs and worldly lufts, we fhould live foberly, righteoufly, and godly in this present world Therefore, in a dependence on the Lord's grace and ftrength, we, in the fame manner, do PROMISE AND SWEAR, That we fhall, in our feveral places and callings, encou rage and ftrengthen one another's hands, in purfing our end and defign of this our folemn oath and covenant; and that we fhall endeavour a life and converfation becoming the Gospel of Chrift: And that, in our perfonal callings and particular families, we shall study to be good examples to one another of godlinefs and righteoufiefs, and of every duty that we owe to God and man; and that we fhall not give up ourselves to a deteftable indifference and neutrality in the cause of God; but, denying ourselves, and our own things, we shall, above all things, feek the honour of God, and the good of his caufe and people; and that, through grace, forfaking the counfels of flesh and blood, and not leaning upon carnal confidences, we fhall endeavour to depend up on the Lord, to walk by the rule of his Word, and to hearken to his voice by his fervants. In all which, profeffing our own weakness, we 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 Holy Spirit, that we may do our duty, unto the praife of his grace in the Churches. Amen." BESIDES the Confeffion of Sins, which is ufually read before the fwearing of this bond, there was alfo framed a particular one, fuited to the cafe of the miniftry; and the minifters themselves fet an example unto their congregations. The form of the atteftation of their fubfcription is as follows: "We under fubfcribing minifters, members of the Affociate Prefbytery, do fubfcribe the above BOND with our hands, at Stirling, the 28th day of December 1743 years;-the. faid bond having been this day folemnly fworn by us. EBENEZER ERSKINE, Stirling. JAMES FISHER, Glasgow. ADAM GIB, Edinburgh. AND. CLARK SON, Craigmailen, WILLIAM CAMPBELL, Ceres. FOUR minifters who were not then prefent, and another who was not then ordained,-did join, after the fame manner, in that folemn work, at Falkirk, on the 14th day of March enfuing: And fubfcribed as follows, viz. "JAMES MAIR, Linton. PATRICK MATTHEW, Midholm. JAMES SCOT, Gatefball, JOHN WHYT, Dunse. HENRY ERSKINE, Falkirk *." NEAR an hundred congregations have copied the example fince that time; and fome of them have done it frequently, having had occafion for fo doing on account of the num bers who voluntarily offered from time to time. THE ferious part of this nation (fome friends to the abdicated family excepted) had always a becoming reverence for the Covenants, tho they had not renewed them for near a century. The first oppofition made unto them *The last of these five fubfcribers was ordained the day before. All who have been ordained fince that time, had previously joined in Covenanting-work, from |