and disquieted the very foundations of the _seat of that
beast_; which made malignants at home and abroad to be ashamed and
confounded, and even forced the haters of the Lord to _feign submission
to him_. Numberless were the advantages and privileges which did redound
to these nations by, and were the lovely attendants and sweet
consequents of, these covenants; whereby God did set to his seal of
approbation, and gave clear evidence and demonstration of his acceptance
of his people's cheerful and willing adventures in this duty of
covenanting with him: and as these blessings and mercies, which, as the
dew of Hermon, were distilled upon his people's heads and hearts, while
they abode steadfast with him, and faithful in his covenant were so many
irrefragable proofs of his acquiescence in their first and laudable
undertakings; so the many sad and fearful plagues, distractions,
confusions and miseries, which have attended and followed the many gross
breaches and violations of these covenants and departures from God, are
no less evident discoveries, undeniable signs and pregnant convictions
of the Lord's most just displeasure and indignation with the bypast and
present courses of revolting and backsliding from him; which courses of
declension and grievous apostatizing from God and his covenant, all the
three kingdoms and in special this nation, and every individual therein
capable of such a work, are, without all controversy, called to bewail
and confess before God, and by speedy amendment to turn from them, in
order to avert judgments, and turn away justly impendent wrath and long
threatened strokes.

The consideration of these blessings and benefits, on the one hand,
which followed the zealous entering into, and sincere performing of
these sacred oaths; and upon the other hand the sense we desire to
retain of the plagues and curses, threatened by God in his word against
covenant-breaking inflicted upon covenant-breakers in former ages, and
foreign nations, and visibly impending upon us in these nations, for our
perfidious dealing in God's covenant; hath moved us a _poor
insignificant handful of people_, unworthy indeed to be called the
posterity of our zealous reforming ancestors, though heartily desirous
to be found adhering to the same standard of doctrine, worship,
discipline and government to which they adhered, to attempt this solemn
and weighty duty of renewing (in our capacities and stations) these
covenant obligatio