necessary, for all that wish well to religion,
the king and kingdom, to join in, and to be a singular pledge of God's
gracious goodness to all the three kingdoms.

11. That if any minister do refuse to take, or to tender the covenant,
or any other person, or persons, do not take it the Lord's day that it
is tendered, that then it be tendered to them again the Lord's day
following, and if they still continue to refuse it, that then their
names be returned by the minister that tenders it, and by the
church-wardens, or constables, unto the committees, and by them to the
house of commons, that such further course may be taken with them, as
the houses of parliament shall see cause.

12. That all such persons as are within the several parishes, when
notice is given of the taking of it, and do absent themselves from the
church at the time of taking it, and come not in afterwards, to the
minister and church-wardens or other officers, to take it in their
presence before the return be made, be returned as refusers.

13. The manner of the taking it to be thus; "The minister to read the
whole covenant distinctly and audibly in the pulpit, and, during the
time of the reading thereof, the whole congregation to be uncovered, and
at the end of his reading thereof, all to take it standing, lifting up
their right hands bare, and then afterwards to subscribe it severally by
writing their names, (or their marks, to which their names are to be
added) in a parchment roll, or a book, whereinto the covenant is to be
inserted, purposely provided for that end, and kept as a record in the
parish."

14. That the Assembly of Divines do prepare an exhortation for the
better taking of the covenant: and that the said exhortation, and the
declaration of the kingdoms of England and Scotland, joined in the
armies for the vindication and defence of their religion, liberties and
laws, against the popish, prelatical and malignant party, and passed the
thirty of January last, be publicly read, when the covenant is read,
according to the fourth and fifth articles: and that a sufficient number
of the copies of the said declaration be sent by the persons, appointed
to send the true copies of the said covenant, in the first and second
articles.

THE SOLEMN LEAGUE AND COVENANT:

EXHORTATION BY THE WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY.

If the power of religion or solid reason, if loyalty to the king and
piety to their native country, or love to themselves and nat