We Noblemen, Barons knights, Gentlemen, Citizens, Burgesses, Ministers of the Gospel, and Commons of all sorts in the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland, by the Providence of God living vnder one king, 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 Iesus Christ, the Honour and happinesse of the kings Ma­iesty and his posterity, and the true publique Liberty, Safety, and Peace of the kingdoms, 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 professors the roof in all places, especially in these three kingdoms ever since the Reformation of Religion, and how much their rage, power and presumption, are of late, and at this time increased and exer­cised, whereof the deplorable state of the Church and kingdom of Ireland, the distressed esta­te of the Church and kingdom of England, and the dangerous estate of the Church and king­dom of Scotland, are present and publique Testimonies; We have now at last, (after other means 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 those Kingdoms in former times, and the Example of Gods people in other Nations; After mature deliberation, resolved and determined to enter into a mutuall and solemn. Legue and Covenant; Wherein we all subscribe, and each one of us for himself, with our hands lifted up to the most high God, do sweare;

[Page]I: That we shall sincerely, really and constantly, thro­ugh the Grace of God, endeavour in our severall pla­ces and callings, the preservation of the Refor­med Religion in the Church of Scotland, in Doc­trine, Worship, Discipline & Government, against our comon Enemies, the reformation of Religi­on in the kingdoms of England and Ireland, in Doc­trine, Worship, Discipline and Government, accor­ding to the Word of God, and the Example of the best Reformed Churches, And shall indeavour to bring the Churches of God in the three king­doms, to the neerest coniunction and Uniformi­ty in Religion, Confession of Faith, Form of Church-gouernment, Directory for Worship and Cate­chising; That we and our posterity after us, may as Brethren, live in Faith and Love, and the Lord may delight to dwell in the mid­dest of us.

[Page]II. That we shall in like manner, without respect of per­sons, indeavour the extirpation of Popery, Prelacie, (that is Church-government by Arch-Bishops, Bishops, their Chancello ^rs and Comissaries, Deans, Deans and Chapters, Archdeacons, & all other Ecclesiasticall Officers depending on that Hierarchy) Superstition, Heresie, Schisme, Prophanenesse, and what­soever shall be found to be contrary to sound Doctri­ne, and the power of Godlinesse; lest we partake in other mens sins, and therby be in danger to receive of their plagues, and that the Lord may be one, and his Name in the three kingdoms.

[Page]III. We shall with the same sincerity, reallity 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 kingdomes, and to preserve and defend the kings Maiesties 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 Loyaltie, and that we have no thoughts or intentions to diminish his Maiesti. ^es iust power and great­nesse.

[Page]IV: We shall also with all faithfulne­sse endeavour the discovery of all such as have beene, or shall be Incē ­diaries, Malignants, or evill Instru­ments, by hindering 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 & Coue­nant, that they may be brought to pu­blick triall, and receive condigne pu­mishmēt, as the degree of their offē ­ces shall require or deserve, or the su­preā Iudicatories of both kingdoms respectively, or others having power from them for that effect, shall iudge cōvenient.

[Page]V And whereas the happinesse of a blessed Peace between these king­doms, denyed in for­mer times to our Pro­genitors, is by the good Providence of God gran­ted unto us, and hath been lately concluded and selled by both Parliaments, we shall each one of us, according to our place and interest, indeavour that they may remain conioyned in a firm Pea­ce an Union to all posterity; And that Iustice may be done upon the wilfull Opposers thereof, in manner expressed in the precedent Article.

[Page]VI. We shall also according to our places & callings in this common cause of Religion, Liberty, and Peace of the kingdomes, assist and defend all those that enter in to this League and Covenant, in the maintainīg & pur­suing thereof, and shall not suffer our selves directly or indirectly by whatsoever combination, perswasion or ter­ror, to be dewided & withdrawn from this blessed Uniō & coniungtion 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 cōcerneth the glory of God, the good of the kingdoms, 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; an what we are not able ourselves to suppresse or overcome, we shall reveale and make known, that if may be timely prevented or remo­ved: All which we shall do as in the sight of God.

[Page]And because these kingdoms are guilty of many sins & provocations against God, & 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 unfay­ned desire to be humbled for our, & for the sins of these kingdoms, 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 endeavored to receive Christ in our hearts, not to walk worthy of him in our lives, which are the causes of other sins and trans­gressions, so much abounding amongst us; And our true and unfayned purpose, desire, and endeavour for our selves, and all others under our power and charge, both in publick 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 establish these Churches and king­doms 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 for this end, and to blesse our desi­res and procedings with such successe, as may be deliverance and safety to his people, & encouradgement to other Christian Churches groaning under, or in dā ­ger of the yoake of Anti-christian Tyranny, to yoyne in the same, or like Associatiō and Covenant to the glory of God, the enlargement of the kingdo ^me: of Iesus Christ, and the peace and tranquility of Christiā kingdoms & Com̄onwealths.