COVENANT, in ecclesiastical history, denotes the contract or convention agreed to by the Scotch in the year 1638, for maintaining their religion against innovation. In 1581 the General Assembly of Scotland drew up a confession of faith, or national covenant, condemning episcopal government, under the name of hierarchy, which was signed by James I. and enjoined upon all his subjects. It was again subscribed in 1590 and 1596. The subscription was renewed in 1638, and the subscribers engaged by oath to maintain religion in the same state in which it existed in 1580, and to reject all innovations introduced since that time. This oath annexed to the confession of faith received the name of the Covenant; as those who subscribed it were called Covenanters.