enant. This stone, these walls, these
pillars, these seats shall witness against you, that ye denied Him: to
falsify the engagement, is to deny our God; His power, His revenging
justice, His word, His presence, and the like; if you wilfully falsify
this oath wherewith you are bound, as much as in you lies, you make God
any thing but a God. Keep truth and fidelity for ever.

II. Do not profane it by a slight esteem, by an irreverent taking, by an
unholy life.

_First_, By a slight esteem, as a matter of no moment. Can that be a
trifle, which is the fruit of the judicious consultations of the agents
of both kingdoms, as the only means to perpetuate the union? Can that be
a trifle, which was produced by such, who had merely the glory of God
before their eyes as conducing much thereto? Can that be a trifle, which
is published as the main and sole preventive of all the bloody plots of
God's enemies against the truth? Can that be a trifle, which is now
cleaved to as a means more effectual, and a degree above supplications,
remonstrances, protestations, to preserve ourselves, and our religion?
All this and more the preamble speaks.

_Second_, By irreverent taking. It was resolved on after mature
deliberation. It is a lifting up of the hand to the most high God, and a
swearing by His name, and God's name must not be taken in vain: such
will God not hold guiltless. But of this before.

_Third_, By an unholy life. Such a thing would mar all we have done;
though defiled with former sins, yet now sin no more: our covenant
forbids it: our state now stands thus. Either by our sins we shall make
a breach into our covenant, or by our covenant make a breach from our
sins. In the close of the covenant, we resolve on the endeavour that
this covenant may have its desired fruit. We desire to be humbled for
our own sins, the land's sins, undervaluing the gospel, neglecting the
power, and purity of it, no endeavour to receive Christ into our hearts,
no care to walk worthy of Him in our lives. Such and the like sins a
godly covenanter must shun, lest he profane it. Let us then prize it as
an effectual means of good, take it with a reverend fear of God, honour
it in holiness of life for ever. Let us both verify it, and sanctify it
by continuing to stand in it, by endeavouring to live by it to God's
glory, that this taken covenant may be for the name, the honour, the
praise of the great Jehovah for ever.

II. _Hortatory._ These cautions bei