he international
transactions of the world." The Parliament and Westminster Assembly
issued instructions for its subscription throughout the kingdom. The
classes and the masses in England, Scotland, and Ireland received it
with gladness. In the face of a despotism unexampled in the history of
these lands, high and low, rich and poor, bowed themselves as one before
the throne of God. "For at that time day by day there came to David to
help him, until it was a great host like the host of God." Through this
League and Covenant, the people of the British Isles were protected by
Omnipotence, and were as invincible against the despotic forces that
assailed them as were the white cliffs of their native shores against
the huge galleons of the invincible Armada.

"To Thine own people, with Thine arm,
Thou didst redemption bring;
To Jacob's sons and to the tribes
Of Joseph that do spring."

These Covenants were prepared and subscribed in a spirit of deep piety.
But for the sterling spirituality of the Reformers there would never
have been a Covenanted Reformation. The work of Covenanting is itself a
lofty spiritual exercise, and requires a people possessing much of the
Spirit of the living God. Every public act for the sake of Christ should
be the outcome of an impassioned devotion. The reading of even the scant
records of those times of Covenanting, telling of the prayers, and
tears, and love, and courage of those who gave themselves to God, is
fitted to inspire the coldest heart with noblest emotions. Their inward
piety made them men of power, and enabled them to bear down every
barrier to the kingdom of their Lord erected by the craft of prince and
priest. It is when Israel would call her Lord, Ishi, my Husband, that
"the names of Baalim would be taken out of her mouth and be remembered
no more." It was when the Christians of the Mearns had communion at "the
table of the Lord Jesus," ministered by Knox, that they "banded
themselves to the uttermost of their power to maintain the true
preaching of the Evangel of Christ." The historian, Burton, describes
the movement that resulted in the subscription of the National Covenant
as the fruit of "a great religious revival," and the Reformation as "the
great revival." And Kirkton says, "I verily believe there were more
souls converted to Christ in that short time than in any other season
since the Reformation." Their intense piety prepared the Covenanters for
th