obligation of the covenant, and consequently, bound to renew and keep it
inviolable; but all are not in present capacity, and therefore have no
actual right to enter into covenant: such as are obstinately wicked,
living in error, profanity, or malignancy, have not God's call and right
from him, as such, to renew a covenant with him; for, Psal. 1. 16,
17--"God says to the wicked, What hast thou to do to take my covenant in
thy mouth?" But all such as are reformed, or reforming from all
iniquity, and namely from the defections and compliances of the time;
who have some suitable sense of the breaches, and competent knowledge
and understanding of the duties engaged unto in the covenant, Neh. x.
28, have a right and an immediate call to the duty of renewing the
covenant. 2dly, If any number of people may renew a national oath and
covenant without the consent and concurrence of royal authority, or at
least, without the concurrence of some chief and principal men in church
and state? _Answer_, Without the concurrence of church and state, a
covenant cannot be taken or renewed nationally, speaking strictly; yet a
few may publicly declare their adherence to their covenant-engagements
by renewing them, not only without the consent and concurrence of
authority, but against it; and there are several precedents for so
doing, both before and since the established reformation. As for
instance, that covenant at Edinburgh, Anno 1557; at Perth, 1559; at
Stirling, the same year; another at Leith, Anno 1560; another at Ayr,
1562. And at Lanark, a small handful of the Lord's people renewed it in
direct opposition to, and at Lesmahago, without the consent or
concurrence of authority; which instances may be both an inducement and
encouragement to us to renew, and in our mean capacity, to testify to
the nation our approbation of, and adherence to these covenants.

In the prosecution of this doctrine, he had occasion also to insist upon
the _reasons_, or _motives_, and _manner_ of entering into covenant. The