IF either Christian duty, which by reason of the light of the Gospell so clearely shining amongst us, might have been expected from the profes­sors of Religion; Or if natu­rall affection which even in the Heathen and [Page 2] Infidels ignorant of Christ, hath abounded toward their native Countrey, or sincere re­spect to His Majesties Honour and hap­pinesse, could have been found in the waies or hearts of our common enemies, the ene­mies of Truth and Peace: If they had either feared God or regarded men, or yeelded to our Importunities, We had not after so ma­ny Petitions, Declarations and Remon­strances as have filled all mens eares and hands, been put to this necessity of a new Declaration (which therefore must be more patheticke and pressing then any of the for­mer:) Nor after so many troubles and suffe­rings of the Kingdome of Scotland, after the desolation of the Kingdome of Ireland, and after so much blood, and so many unna­turall Tragedies in the Kingdome of Eng­land, had We been redacted to this present con­dition and joynt posture of Armes; the Lord whose counsels are a great depth, and who is righteous in all his waies, and holy in all his workes, hath just cause of controversie against us and this whole Island. But who would have beleeved that our Religion, Liberties, and Lawes which for so long a [Page 3] time have endured opposition and Assaults of forraigne power, envying our happinesse, would have been opposed, oppressed and trod under foot by the craft and cruelty of our owne Natives and Countrey men?

In this our extremity, first of all We De­clare, that We place not our confidence in our owne counsels and strength, but our confi­dence is in God Almighty the Lord of Hosts, who will not leave nor forsake his people; It is his owne Truth and Cause which we maintaine with all the Reformed Churches, and which hath been witnessed and sealed by the testimony, sufferings, and blood of so many Confessours and Martyrs against the Heresie, Superstition, and Tyranny of Anti­christ: the glory of his owne Name, the exal­tation of the Kingdome of his Sonne, and the preservation of his Church, and of this whole Island from utter ruine and devasta­tion is our aime, and the end which we have before our eyes. His Covenant have we in both Nations solemnly sworn and subscribed, which he would not have put in our hearts to doe, if he had been minded to destroy us; The many prayers and supplications which [Page 4] these many yeeres past, but especially of late have been offered up with fasting and humi­liation, and with strong crying and teares, unto him that is able to deliver and save us, are a seed which promise unto us a plentifull Harvest of comfort and happinesse; and the Apostacy, Atheisme, Idolatry, Blasphemies, Prophanenesse, Cruelty, Excesse, & open moc­king of all Godlinesse and Honesty, have fil­led the cup of our Adversaries to the brym, and threaten their speedy and fearefull de­struction, unlesse it be prevented by such ex­traordinary repentance, as seemeth not yet to have entered into their hearts.

Vpon these and the like grounds and con­siderations, being confident that this warre wherein both Nations now firmely united are so deeply engaged, is of God; We resolve with courage and constancy unto the end, to doe our part, and the Lord who hath stirred up our spirits, displayed his Banner before us, and given the Alarm, doe that which see­meth him good.

Secondly, although every man is to hope for the principall reward of his service from [Page 5] God, who rewards every one according to his works; yet we finde our selves bound in consci­ence and equity to Declare, that besides those who have the publique faith ingaged to them for their security, such as since the beginning have done valiantly, and dealt faithfully in this Cause, and such as have chosen rather to suffer the spoyling of their Goods, then to as­sist the Enemy, or to take Armes against their Religion and Countrey, and shall continue constant in the same course of doing or suffe­ring unto the end, shall be according to their Merits taken into publique Notice and Con­sideration, their losses (so far as may be) re­paired, and themselves honoured and rewar­ded by such meanes and waies, as we trust, God in his providence shall afford, and the Parliaments or Estates of the two King­domes respectively shall in their Wisdome, Iustice and Thankfulnesse judge most con­venient; so that no man who hath been emi­nent in action, or hath suffered any notable losse for the publique, shall be neglected or sleighted, but one way or other shall be thank­fully remembred, to his own honour and the good of his posterity.

[Page 6]Thirdly, although Newtrality and indiffe­rency in the time of the danger of Religion be a thing detestable to God, who willeth all Christians earnestly to contend for the Truth, and such as have been Newtralists or indif­ferent in the tunes of civill division and dan­ger of the Common-wealth, have been in all Nations severely punished as pernicious & publique enemies: yet that the consciences of all men may be the more convinced, & all pre­texts removed, We give now Publique War­ning to such persons to rest no longer upon their Newtrality, or to please themselves with the naughty and slothfull pretext of In­differency, but that they addresse themselves speedily to take the Covenant, and joyne with all their power in the defence of this Cause against the common Enemie, and by their zeale and forwardnesse hereafter to make up what hath been wanting through their luke­warmnesse; this they will finde to be their greatest wisdome and safety; otherwise We doe Declare them to be publique Enemies to the Religion and Country, and that they are to be censured and punished as profes'd Adver­saries and Malignants.

[Page 7]Fourthly, Because a great many of the mul­titude of the people, upon ignorant Mistake­ings, false Informations, and Threats, or Compulsions, against their wills and inclina­tion, have beene induced or constrained to joyne in Armes with the Enemies against their Religion and Native Country; Wee doe Declare, that all common Souldiers, who up­on the humble acknowledgement of their for­mer Errors, shall offer themselves willingly and speédily to take the Covenant, and shall joyne heartily and really in the defence of this Cause, as becommeth good Christians and lovers of their Country, shall be freély accep­ted into the Covenant, and their former Error passed by; otherwise let them expect the punish­ment of wilfull Delinquents and Malig­nants.

Fifthly, Because some of the Scottish Na­tion, upon their owne private respects, or up­on specious pretences and faire perswasions, have joyned themselves in Armes with the Popish, Prelaticall, and Malignant party, against the Parliament and Kingdome of Eng­land, and not considering the nature of the [Page 8] Cause in which they have beene engaged, nor the deepe interest of the Church and Kingdom of Scotland, upon which this Warre was to turne in the end, have beene fighting against their owne Religion and native Kingdome; Wee doe therefore againe Warne all such, of whatsoever quality, and in whatsoever place, speedily to withdraw themselves from that Faction, to confesse their mistakes, and to joyne in the Covenant and Cause of God in both Kingdomes before the first day of March next, otherwise Wee Declare, in the behalfe of the Kingdome of England, that they are to expect no favour, but are to be used as desperate Ma­lignants; And Wee Declare, in behalfe of the Kingdome of Scotland, if they either continue in Armes after the foresaid first day of March, or withhold their helpe and assistance from their Native Country, in the time of trouble and danger, they are to be censured and punish­ed as publique Enemies to their Religion and Country, perfidious transgressors of their Nationall Covenant, and their Estates dispo­sed of for the use of the Publique.

Sixthly, Because there are divers Noble­men, [Page 9] Knights, Gentlemen, Citizens, and o­thers, who by forsaking or deserting the Par­liament of England, and by joyning themselves to the Enemies of Religion, his Majesties happinesse and Peace of the Kingdomes, have made the Division greater, and the Breaches wider betwixt the King and his Parliament, and thereby contrary to the duty of their pla­ces and callings, have beene the cause of the shedding of much innocent Blood, of great Losses, and of many Miseries and dangers, to the Publique of both Kingdomes, and of the Sufferings of private men in their Estates, and Lives, and yet are not to be reckoned a­mongst the prime Authors of this unnaturall Warre, nor amongst the malicious and despe­rate Enemies of their Religion and Country: Wee doe Declare, That all such forsaking their former Opposition, returning to their duty, and indeavouring the good of Religion and the publique Peace, shall, as to their lives and liberties of their persons, be secured, and shall be received into favour: But to the end, that a just difference may be made betwixt such persons returning so late to their duty, and [Page 10] those that never departed from it, they must expect that toward the payment of the publique Debts, relieving the common Burdens of the Kingdomes, and repairing of particular Losses; All which in a great part have beene contracted and sustained by their default or procurement: Their Estates in some proporti­ons should be lyable, and that as the wisedome and discretion of the Parliament, or of such as shall be authorized by them, (who will be as carefull to prevent their ruine as to punish their Delinquencies) shall find & judge to be necessary for that end.

Wherein also, the time of their returning and offering themselves, the reality of their affections and intentions, and readinesse to joyne in the common Cause, and Covenant, will be taken into speciall consideration. And in case they persist in their Opposition, and shall not returne before the first day of March next, they are not to expect favour, but shall be punished as publique Enemies to their Religion and Country.

Seventhly, Because Papists and Popish Recusants, according to the principles of their [Page 11] Profession, have ever beene plotting and con­triving the change of Religion in this Island, and the Ruine of all the Professors thereof: And after the Frustration of their Attempts, having waited upon such a time as this, have alienated the Heart of the Kings Majestie from his Protestant and Loyall Subjects, taken Armes against the Parliament & King­dom, and by all their meanes and power, have maintained a Bloody and unnaturall Warre, presuming in the end to have their execrable Superstition and Idolatry set up in the place of the true Reformed Religion, and the King and his Kingdomes to be brought under the Power and Tyranny of the Pope: Wee doe hereby Declare, That all such Papists and Popish Recusants, who have beene, now are, or shall be actually in Armes, under the false pretence of defending the Kings Person and Authority, are to looke for no favour, but to be punished as Traytors, and profess'd and in­tolerable Enemies of Religion and their Na­tive Country. The same Declaration Weé al­so make against all such Irish Rebells, whe­ther Papists or others, who have come over [Page 12] from Ireland, and assisted in this Warre a­gainst the Parliament, and Kingdome of Eng­land.

And Lastly, Because there are some few wicked & divelish Spirits of both Kingdoms, who have kindled and fomented the Fire of Division and Warre betwixt the King and his Parliament, or have misgoverned his Maje­sties Counsells and Courses to his owne dis­honour, and to the destruction of his loving and dutifull Subjects, or have infused Malignan­cie in others, or have beene restlesse and active Instruments of the Troubles and Miseries of his Majesties Dominions.

Wee doe Declare, concerning those who are or shall be found by the Supreame Iudi­catories of the Kingdomes respectively, or their Committees appoynted for that effect, to be such, That as the Conscience of their owne bad Deservings hath made them to despaire of favour, and thereby uncessantly to worke more and more mischiefe against their Religion and Native Country, so are they to look for such Execution of Iustice, as is due to Traytors and Enemies of Religion, of the King, and [Page 13] his Kingdomes, for Terror and Example to others, in all times to come.

And it is further now Declared, That the whole Estates, reall and personall, moveable, and Inheritance of those that shall not come in at the times before limited in the Sixth Arti­cle, and of the persons before excepted from Pardon, (as of Papists in Armes, Irish Re­bells, and those who shall be found to come within the compasse of the precedent Article) shall be forfeited and imployed for paying the Publique Debts, relieving the common Bur­dens of the Kingdomes, and repairing of par­ticular Losses.

And this Declaration Wee make, not from any presumption or vaine-glorying in the strength of our Armies and Forces, but from the sense of that duty which is re­quired, and expected from the high places and publique relations wherein we stand, and from the assurance Wee have of the assistance of God, by whose providence the trust and safety of these Kingdomes is put in our hands at this time, having after long and grave con­sultation, [Page 14] resolved and decreed never to lay downe Armes till Truth and Peace by the blessing of God be setled in this Island upon a firme foundation for the present and future Generations, which shall be esteémed of Vs an abundant reward of all that Wee can doe or suffer in this Cause.