if possible, with tears of
blood, hinder us from testifying our adherence to the covenant, or
invalidate what we have done therein.

_Object_. 4. "Albeit the action should be granted to be for the main,
lawful and right, yet it was most unseasonable to undertake it at such a
time, when the parliament and ministry is composed of a set of men that
evidence no good affection to the present established church in
Scotland, who will be ready to interpret the action of a few
immoderately and unseasonably zealous people, as the deed of the whole
Presbyterians in Scotland, and to make a handle thereof against them, to
impose upon them some new burdens; or to take such measures as will
effectually put a stop to the more general renovation thereof throughout
the land."

In answer to this objection, we shall only desire the gentlemen that
made it to remember, That now for the space of 24 years they have been
crying, the time is not come wherein we should set about
covenant-renewing; one while they have pretended that the time was not
seasonable, because such as were in authority were friends to the
church; and it would look like a suspecting of their integrity, to enter
into covenant for defence and reformation of religion, as if they would
not show themselves active enough for these ends, and prove an
irritation to them to turn enemies to Presbyterian government; it would
cause them to think the Presbyterians to be a people of indiscreet and
ungovernable zeal, and so disgust them at the establishment. Another,
while they excuse themselves from this duty, because these in authority
are unfriendly to the Presbyterian establishment, they must walk
cautiously now and manage prudently, lest they give any umbrage to
Jacobites and Episcopalians to represent them ill at court, and so
occasion the overthrow of the great security founded in the Union
Treaty. Formerly they needed not renew the covenant, because religion
was not in danger; now they dare not attempt to do it because it is;
they must wait till a well-affected parliament and good counsellors set
it out of danger again, and then they will not need to covenant for its
safety. These shifts are too shrewd discoveries of neutrality in this
cause. It is to be feared that the godly have too long been hoodwinked
with such frivolous pretexts; and it is high time for every one that
has the low case of the work of God in the land at heart, to be awakened
to renew their covenant with God