, the elders will bring forward the elements;
and it is hoped that sisters in Christ will not come to communion till
the brethren are served, who, as they take their seats at the Lord's
table, are invited to sign their names to this solemn charter of the
religious rights and liberties of God's people in Scotland."

He then came down from the pulpit with the parchment in his hand, and
going to the head of the sacramental table, he opened it again, and laid
it down over the elements of the bread and wine which the elders had
just placed there; and a minister, whose name I do not well recollect,
sitting at his right hand, holding an inkstand, presented him with a
pen, which, when he had taken, he prayed in silence for the space of a
minute, and then, bending forward, he signed his name; having done so,
he raised himself erect and said, with a loud voice, holding up his
right hand, "Before God and these witnesses, in truth and holiness, I
have sworn to keep this Covenant." At that moment a solemn sound rose
from all the congregation, and every one stood up to see the men, as
they sat at the table, put down their names.

CHAPTER XLI

From the day on which the Covenant was signed, though I was owre young
to remember the change myself, I have heard it often said that a great
alteration took place in the morals and manners of the Covenanters. The
Sabbath was observed by them with far more than the solemnity of times
past; and there was a strictness of walk and conversation among them,
which showed how much in sincerity they were indeed regenerated
Christians. The company of persons inclined to the prelatic sect was
eschewed as contagious, and all light pastimes and gayety of heart were
suppressed, both on account of their tendency to sinfulness, and because
of the danger with which the Truth and the Word were threatened by the
Arminian Antichrist of the King's government.

But the more immediate effect of the renewal of the Solemn League and
Covenant was the preparation for defence and resistance, which the
deceitful policy of that false monarch, King Charles the First, taught
every one to know would be required. The men began to practise firing
at butts and targets, and to provide themselves with arms and munitions
of war; while, in order to maintain a life void of offence in all
temporal concerns, they were by ordinare obedient and submissive to
those in authority over them, whether holding jurisdiction from the
K