Solemn League and Covenant

For Reformation and Defence of Religion; the Honour and Happiness of the King; and the Peace and Safety of the three Kingdoms of Scotland, England and Ireland: agreed upon by Commiffioners from the Parliament and Affembly of Divines in England, with Commiffioners of the Convention of Eftates and General Affembly in Scotland; approven by the General Affembly of the Church of Scotland, and by both Hou fes of Parliament, and Alfembly of Divines in England, and taken and fubfcribed by them Anno 1643 and thereafter, by the faid Authority, taken and fubfcribed by all Ranks in Scotland and England the fame Year; and ratified by Act of the Parliament of Scot land, Anno 1644; and again renewed in Scotland, with an Acknowledgment of Sins, and Engagement to Duties, by all Ranks, Anno 1648, and by the Par liament 1649; and taken and subscribed by King Charles II. at Spey, June 23, 1650; and at Scoon, January 1, 1651.

WEE

VEE Noblemen, Barons, Knights, Gentlemen, Citizens, Burgeffes, Minifters of the Gofpel, and Commons of all Sorts in the Kingdoms of Scotland, England, and Ireland, by the Providence of God, living under one King, and being of one reformed Religion, having before our Eyes the Glory of God, and the Advancement of the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift, the Honour and

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Happiness of the King's Majefty, and his Pofterity, and the true publick Liberty, Safety, and Peace of the Kingdoms, wherein every one's private Condition is included: And calling to Mind the treacherous and bloody Plots, Confpiracies, Attempts, and Practices of the Enemies of God, against the true Religion, and Profeffors thereof in all Places, especially in these three Kingdoms, ever fince the Reformation of Religion; and how much their Rage, Power and Prefumption are of late, and at this Time encreased and exercised, whereof the deplorable State of the Church and Kingdom of Ireland, the diftreffed Estate of the Church and Kingdom of England, and the dangerous Estate of the Church and Kingdom of Scotland, are present and publick Testimonies; We have now at laft (after other Means of Supplications, Remonftrance, Proteftations and Sufferings) for the Preservation of our felves and our Religion from utter Ruin and Destruction, according to the commendable Practice of thefe Kingdoms in former Times, and the Example of God's People in other Nations; after mature Deliberation, refolved and determined to enter into a mutual and folemn League and Covenant, wherein we all fubfcribe, and each one of us for himself, with our Hands lifted up to the most high God, do swear;

1.TH

Hat we fhall fincerely, really, and conftantly, through the Grace of God, endeavour in our feveral Places and Callings, the Prefervation of the reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland, in Doctrine, Worship, Difcipline and Government, against our common Enemies; the Reformation of Religion in the Kingdoms of England and Ireland, in Doctrine, Worfhip, Difcipline and Government, according to the Word of God, and the Example of the best reformed Churches; and shall endeavour to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdoms, to the nearest Conjunction and Uniformity in Religion, Confeffion of Faith, Form of Church-government, Directory for Worship and Catechizing; that we, and our Pofterity after us, may, as

Brethren,

Brethren, live in Faith and Love; and the Lord may delight to dwell in the midst of us.

II. That we fhall in like Manner, without Refpect of Perfons, endeavour the Extirpation of Popery, Prelacy, (that is, Church-government by Arch-bifhops, Bifhops, their Chancellors, and Commiffaries, Deans, Deans and Chapters, Arch-deacons, and all other Ecclefiaftical Of ficers, depending on that Hierarchy) Superftition, Herefie, Schifm, Profaneness, and whatsoever fhall be found to be contrary to found Doctrine, and the Power of Godliness; left we partake in other Mens Sins, and thereby be in Danger to receive of their Plagues; And that the Lord may be one, and his Name one in the three Kingdoms.

III. We fhall with the famé Sincerity, Reality and Conftancy, in our feveral Vocations, endeavour with our Eftates and Lives, mutually to preferve the Right's and Priviledges of the Parliaments, and the Liberties of the Kingdoms; and to preferve and defend the King's Majefty's Perfon and Authority, in the Preservation and Defence of the true Religion, and Liberties of the King doms; that the World may bear Witness with our Cont fciences of our Loyalty, and that we have no Thought's or Intentions to diminish his Majesty's juft Power and Greatnefs:

IV. We fhall also, with all Faithfulness, endeavour the Discovery of all fuch as have been or shall be Incendiaries, Malignants, or evil Inftruments, by hindring the Reformation of Religion, dividing the King from his People, or one of the Kingdoms from another, or making any Faction, or Parties amongst the People, contrary to this League and Covenant; that they may be brought to publick Trial, and receive condign Punishment, as the Degree of their Offences shall require or deferve, or the fupreme Judicatories of both Kingdonis respectively, or others having Power from them for that effect, fhall judge convenient. S

V. And whereas the Happiness of a bleffed Peace be tween thefe Kingdoms, denied in former Times to our Progenitors, is by the good Providence of God gran

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ted unto us, and hath been lately concluded, and fettled by both Parliaments; We fhall each one of us, accord, ing to our Place and Intereft, endeavour that they remain conjoined in a firm Peace and Union to all Pofterity, and that Justice may be done upon the wilful Oppofers thereof, in manner expreffed in the precedent Article.

VI. We shall alfo, according to our Places and Callings, in this common Cause of Religion, Liberty and Peace of the Kingdoms, affift and defend all those that enter into this League and Covenant, in the maintaining and pursuing thereof; and fhall not suffer our felves die rectly or indirectly, by whatsoever Combination, Perwafion or Terror, to be divided and withdrawn from this bleffed Union and Conjunction, whether to make Defection to the contrary Part, or to give our felves to a detestable Indifferency or Neutrality in this Caufe, which so much concerneth the Glory of God, the Good of the Kingdoms, and Honour of the King; but fhall all the Days of our Lives zealously and conftantly conti mue therein, against all Oppofition, and promote the fame according to our Power, against all Lets and Impediments whatfoever; and, what we are not able our felves to suppress or overcome, we fhall reveal and make known, that it may be timely prevented or removed; all which we fhall do as in the Sight of God,

And, because thefe Kingdoms are guilty of many Sins and Provocations against God, and his Son Jefus Chrift, as is too manifeft by our prefent Diftreffes and Dangers, the Fruits thereof; we profess and declare before God and the World, our unfeigned Defire to be humble for our own Sins, and for the Sins of thefe Kingdoms; espe cially that we have not, as we ought, valued the inesti, mable Benefit of the Copel, that we have not laboured for the Purity and Power thereof, and that we have not endeavoured to receive Chrift in our Hearts, nor to walk worthy of him in our Lives, which are the Caufes of other Sins and Tranfgreffions fo much abounding amongst us; and our true and unfeigned Purpose, Defire, and Endeavour for our felves, and all others un der our Power and Charge, both in publick and in pri

vate, 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 real Reformation; that the Lord may turn away his Wrath and heavy Indignation, and establish thefe Churches and Kingdoms in Truth and Peace. And this Covenant we make in the Prefence of ALMIGHTY GOD, the Searcher of all Hearts, with a true Intention to perform the fame, as we fhall answer at that great Day, when the Secrets of all Hearts fhall be disclosed; moft humbly befeeching the Lord to ftrengthen us by his holy Spirit for this End, and to blefs, our Defires and Proceedings with fuch Succefs, as may be Deliverance and Safety to his People, and Encouragement to other Chriftian Churches, groaning under, or in Danger of the Yoke of Antichriftian Tyranny, to join in the fame, or like Affociation and Covenant, to the Glory of God, the Enlargement of the Kingdom of Jefus Chrift, and the Peace and Tranquillity of Chriftian Kingdoms and Common-wealths..

How King Charles II. took this Covenant, fee Colleotion of Acts, &c. No. 25. There be alfo Copies of this Covenant, on Parchment, to be feen, with Origi nal Subfcriptions.

January 30, 1643-4.

He Ordinance of the Lords and Commons, Autho

England, To call before them all Officers, Minifters, and other Attendants on the Great Seal, or Court of Chancery, King's-bench, Common-pleas, Exchequer and Court Wards and Liveries, and to tender unto every of them the Solemn League and Covenant for Reformation, and for making void as well the Places and Offices of fuch as fhall refufe or neglect to take the fame; as allo, for reftraining of all Lawyers, Attorneys, Clerks or Solicitors, to practife or folicite in any of the faid Courts, before they fhall have taken the faid Solemn League and Covenant. See the Acts of the Parliament of England.