A Copie of the COVENANT, Both as it was first formed at EDENBƲRGH By the Generall Assembly and Con­vention of Estates of SCOTLAND, With the concurrence and advice of the Com­missioners sent thitherout of ENGLAND, And as it was after reformed by the LORDS and COMMONS of PARLIAMENT at WESTMINSTER.

Together with His Majesties Proclamation prohi­biting the taking of it.

Printed, Anno 1644.

A Solemne League and Covenant for Re­formation and Defence of Religion, the Honor and happinesse of the King, and the Peace and Safety of the three Kingdomes of ENGLAND, SCOTLAND and IRELAND.
As it was agreed upon by the Lords and Commons of Parlia­ment at Westminister, September, 1643.

[The severall additions to the Scottish forme are here printed in a different letter.]

[The omissions and other alterations are noted in the margent.]

WEe Noblemen, Barons, Knights, Gentlemen, Citi­zens, Burgesses, Ministers of the Gospell, and Commons of all sortsScot. of. in the Kingdomes of Eng­land, Scotland, and Ireland, by the Providence of God living under one King,Sc. and of one true Pro­testant reformed Religion. and being of one Re­formed Religion, having before our eyes the glory of God, [and the advancement of the Kingdome of our Lord and Sa­viour Jesus Christ,] the Honour and happinesse of the King's Ma­jesty and His Posterity, and the true publique Liberty, Safety, and [Page 4]Peace of the Kingdomes, [wherein every ones private condition is in­cluded,] and calling to minde the treacherous and bloody Plots, Con­spiracies, Attempts and Practices of the Enemies of God, against the true Religion and Professours thereof in all places, especiallySc. in this Iland. in these three Kingdomes, ever since the Reformation of Religion; and how much their rage, power and presumption are of late, and at this time encreased and exercised; whereof the deplorable State of the Church and Kingdome of Ireland, the distressed estate of the Church and Kingdome of England, and the dangerous estate of the Church [and Kingdome] of Scotland, are present and publique testimonies; We have now at last, (after other meanes of Supplication, Remon­strance, Protestations, and Sufferings) for the preservation of our selves and our Religion from utter ruine and destruction, according to the commendable practice of these Kingdomes in former times, and the Example of God's people in other Nations, after mature de­liberation, resolved and determined to enter into a mutuall solemne League and Covenant, wherein We [all] subscribe, and [each one of us for himselfe] with our hands lifted up to the most High God, do sweare,

I. That We shallSc. all and each of us, so­lemnely. sincerely, really, and constantly, through the Grace of God, endeavour, in our severall places and callings, the preservation of theSc. true Protestant Reformed. Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland, in Doctrine, Worship, Discipline, and GovernmentSc. ac­cording to the Word of God. [against our common Enemies,] the Reformation of Religion in the [Sc. Church. Kingdomes] of England and Ireland, in Doctrine, Worship, Discipline, and Go­vernment,Sc. ac­cording to the same holy Word. according to the Word of God, and the Example of the best Reformed Churches: andSc. as may shall endeavour to bring the Chur­ches of God inSc. both Nations the three Kingdomes to the nearest conjunction and uniformity in Religion, Confession of Faith, Forme of Church-Government, directory for Worship and Catechizing; That We and our Posterity after us may, as Brethren, live in Faith and Love, [and the Lord may delight to dwell in the midst of us.]

II. That We shall in like manner, without respect of persons, endeavour the Extirpation of Popery, Prelacy, [that is, Church-Government by Arch-bishops, Bishops, their Chancellours and Com­missaries, Deanes, Deanes and Chapters, Arch-deacons, and all other Ecclesiasticall Officers depending on that Hierarchy] Superstition, He­resie, [Page 5] [Schisme] Profanenesse, and whatsoever shall be found to be contrary to sound Doctrine, and the power of Godlinesse; lest We partake in other mens sinnes, and thereby be in danger to receive of their plagues, and that the Lord may be one, and his Name one in the three Kingdomes.

III. We shall, with the same sincerity, reality, and constancy, in our severall Vocations, endeavour, with our estates and lives, [mutually] to preserve the Rights and Priviledges of the Parlia­ments, and the Liberties of the KingdomesSc. respe­ctively., and to preserve and defend the King's Majesties Person and Authority, in the preservati­on and defence of the true Religion and Liberties of the Kingdomes; that the world may beare witnesse with our consciences of our loy­alty, and that We have no thoughts or intentions to diminish His Majesties just Power and Greatnesse.

IV. We shall also with all faithfulnesse, endeavour the disco­very of all such as have been or shall be Incendiaries, Malignants, or evill Instruments,Sc. to hin­der. by hindering the Reformation of Religion,Sc. or to di­vide. di­viding the King from his People, or one of the Kingdomes from an­other, [or making any Faction, or Parties amongst the People, contrary to this League and Covenant] that they may be brought to publique triall, and receive condigne punishment, as the degree of their of­fences shall requireSc. and. or deserve, or the supreme Judicatories of both Kingdomes respectively, or others having power from them [for that effect] shall judge convenient.

V.Sc. That we shall, all and each of us, according to our places and interest, in­violably ob­serve the Ar­ticles of the late Treaty of Peace betwixt the two Nations; and shall, by all good meanes, endeavour that Iustice be done without partiality, in manner aforesaid, upon the Opposers of it; to the end that this blessed Peace, may be perpetuall to all posterity. And whereas the happinesse of a blessed Peace between these Kingdomes, denied in former times to our Progenitours, is by the good Providence of God granted unto us, and hath been lately concluded and setled by both Parliaments, We shall each one of us, according to our place and interest endeavour that they may remain conjoyned in a firme Peace and Ʋnion to all Posterity; And that justice may be done upon the wilfull Opposers thereof, in manner expressed in the precedent Ar­ticle.

VI. We shall also,Sc. to the utmost of our abilities. according to our Places and Callings, in this common cause of Religion, Liberties, and Peace of the Kingdomes, assist and defend all those that enter into this League and Covenant, in the maintaining and pursuing thereof, and shall not suffer our selves, directly or indirectly, by whatsoever combination, perswasion, or [Page 6]terror, to be divided and withdrawn from this blessed Vnion and Conjunction, whether to make defection to the contrary part, or to give our selves to a detestable Indifferency or Neutrality in this cause, [which so much concerneth the glory] of God, [the] good of the Kingdomes, and Honour of the King; but shall all the dayes of our lives zealously and constantly continue therein, against all opposition, and promote the same according to our power, against all lets and impediments whatsoever: and what We are not ableSc. pre­sently. our selves, to suppresse or overcome, We shall reveale and make known, that it may be timely prevented or removed. All which We shall do as in the sight of God.

And becauseSc. both Nations. these Kingdomes are guilty of many sinnes and pro­vocations against God, and his Son Iesus Christ, as is [too] manifest by our present distresses and dangers, the fruits thereof, We professe and declare before God and the world, our unfeigned desire to be humbled for our own sinnes, and for the sinnes ofSc. both Nations. these Kingdomes, especially, that We have not, as We ought, valued the inestimable benefit of the Gospel, that We have not laboured for the purity and power thereof, and that We have not endeavoured to receive Christ in our hearts, [nor to walke worthy of Him in our lives,] which are the causes of other [Sinnes and] transgressions so much abounding amongst us; and our true and unfeigned purpose, desire, and endea­vour, for our selves, and all others under our power and charge, both in publique and in private, in all duties We owe to God and man, to amend our lives, and each one to go before another in the example of a reall Reformation; that the Lord may turne away his wrath and heavy indignation, and establishSc. both Nations. these Churches and Kingdomes in Truth and Peace. And this Covenant We make in the Presence of Almighty God, the Searcher of all hearts, with a true intention to performe the same, as we shall answer at that great Day, when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed: most humbly beseeching the Lord to strengthen us by his holy Spirit to this end, and to blesse our desires and proceedings with such successe, as may be deliverance and safety to his People, and encouragement to other Christian Churches, groaning under, or in danger of the yoake of Antichristi­an Tyranny, to joyne in the same, or like Association and Covenant, to the glory of God, the enlargement of the Kingdome of Iesus Christ, and the Peace and Traquillity of ChristianSc. States Kingdomes and Common-wealths.

¶ BY THE KING.
His Majesties Proclamation forbidding the tendering or taking of a late Covenant, called, A solemne League and Covenant for Reformation, &c.

WHereas there is a Printed Paper, entituled, A solemne League and Covenant for Re­formation, and Defence of Religion, the Honour and Happinesse of the King, and the Peace and safety of the three King­domes of England, Scotland, and Ireland, pretended to be Ordered by the Commons in Parliament on the twenty first day of September last, to be Printed and Pub­lished; Which Covenant though it seemes to make specious expressions of Piety and Religion, is in Truth nothing else but a Traiterous and Seditious Com­bination against Ʋs, and against the establshed Religion and Lawes of this Kingdome, in pursuance of a Traiterous Designe, and endeavour to bring in Forraigne Force to invade this Kingdome; We do therefore [Page 8]straightly charge and command all our loving Subjects, of what degree or quality soever, upon their Allegeance, that they presume not to take the said Seditious and Traiterous Covenant. And We do likewise hereby forbid and inhibit all Our Subjects to impose, administer, or ten­der the said Covenant, as they and every of them will answer the contrary at their utmost and extremest Perills.

Given at our Court at Oxford, this ninth day of October, in the Nineteenth Yeare of our Reigne.

God save the King.

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