ons and evils, no lefs than if every one of them had been expressed in the forefaid Confeffions: and that we are obliged to deteft and abhor them, amongst other particular heads of papiftry abjured therein. And therefore from the knowledge and confcience of our duty to God, to our king and country, without any worldly respect or inducement, fo far as human infirmity will fuffer, wifhing a further measure of the grace of God for this effect; We promife and fwear by the GREAT NAME OF THE LORD OUR GOD, to continue in the profeffion and obedience of the forefaid religion; and that we shall defend the fame, and refift all thefe contrary errors and corruptions, according to our vocation, and to the uttermoft of that power that God hath put in our hands, all the days of our life. And in like manner, with the fame heart we declare before God and men, that we have no intention nor defire to attempt any thing that may turn to the dishonour of God, or to the diminution of the king's greatness and authority: but, on the contrary, we promife and fwear, That we fhall, to the uttermost of our power, with our means and lives, ftand to the defence of our dread fovereign the king's majefty his person and authority, in the defence and prefervation of the forefaid true religion, liberties and laws of the kingdom: as alfo, to the mutual defence and affistance every one of us of another, in the fame cause of maintaining the true religion and his majesty's authority, with our best counsel, our bodies, means and whole power, against all forts of perfons whatsoever; fo that whatfoever fhall be done to the leaft of us for that cause, fhall be taken as done to us all in general, and to every one of us in particular. And that we shall neither directly nor indirectly fuffer ourselves to be divided or withdrawn, by whatfoever fuggeftion, combination, allurement or terror, from this bleffed and loyal conjunction: nor fhall caft in any let or impediment that may stay or hinder any fuch resolution as by common confent fhall be found to conduce for fo good ends; but on the contrary, fhall by all lawful means labour to further and promote the fame: and if any fuch dangerous and divifive motion be made to us by word or writ, we, and every one of us fhall either fupprefs it, or, if need be, fhall incontinent, make the fame known, that it may be timeoufly obviated. Neither do we fear the foul afperfions of rebellion, combination, or what elie our adversaries, from their craft and malice, would put upon us: feeing what we do is fo well warranted, and arifeth from an unfeigned defire to maintain the true worship of God, the majefty of our king, and the peace of the kingdom, for the common happiness of ourselves and our pofterity. And because we cannot look for a bieffing from God upon our proceedings, except with our profeffion and fubfcription we join fuch a life and converfation as befeemeth chriftians who have renewed their covenant with God: we therefore faithfully promife for ourselves, our followers, and all others under us, both in publick, and in our panti cular cular families and perfonal carriage, to endeavour to keep ourselves within the bounds of Chriftian liberty; and to be good examples to others of all godliness, fubernefs, and righteoufnefs, and of every duty we owe to God and man. And, that this our union and conjunction may be observed without violation. We call the LIVING GOD THE SEARCHER OF OUR HEARTS to witnefs, who knoweth this to be our fincere defire and unfeigned refolution as we fhall anfwer to JESUS CHRIST in the great day, and under the pain of God's everlafting wrath, and of infamy and lofs of all honour and refpect in this world moft humbly befceching the LORD to ftrengthen us by his HOLY SPIRIT for this end, and to blefs our defires and proceedings with a happy fuccefs; that religion and righteousness may flourish in the land to the glory of GOD, the honour of our king, and peace and comfort of us all. lo witnefs whereof, we have fubfcribed with our hands all the premiffes. THE HE article of this covenant, which was at the first subscription referred to the determination of the General Affembly, being now determined; and thereby the five articles of Perth, the government of the kirk by bishops, and the civil places and power of kirkmen, upon the reafons and grounds contained in the Acts of the General Affembly, declared to be unlawful within this kirk; we subscribe according to the determination forefaid. FINI S. SOLEMN A ND LEAGUE 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. Taken and Subfcribed feveral Times by King CHARLES II. and by all Ranks in the faid three Kingdoms. WITH, An A&t of the General Assembly 1643, and an Act of Parliament 1644, Ratifying and approving the faid League and Covenant. Jer. 1.5. Come let us join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant, that fhall not be forgotten. Prov. xxv. 5. Take away the wicked from before the King, and his throne fhall be eftablished in righteousness. 2 Chron. xv. 15, And all Judah rejoiced at the oath; for they had fworn with all their heart. Gal. iii. 15. Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed by an oath, no man disannuleth, nor addeth thereto. Printed in the Year M,DCC,LV. Affembly at Edinburgh, Auguft 17, 1643, Seff. 14. The General Affembly's approbation of the Solemn League and Covenant. THE HE affembly having recommended unto a committee, appointed by them to join with the committee of the honourable convention of estates, and the commiffioners of the honourable houses of the parlia ment of England, for bringing the kingdoms to a more near conjunction and union, received from the aforefaid commitees the covenant aftermentioned, as the result of their confultations and have taken the fame, as a matter of fo public concernment and of fo deep importance doth require, unto their graveft confideration, did with all their hearts, and with the beginnings of the feelings of that joy, which they did find in so great measure upon the renovation of the National Covenant of this kirk and kingdom, All with one voice approve and embrace the fame, as the most powerful mean, by the bleffing of GOD, for fettling and preferving the true proteftant religion, with perfect peace in his majefty's dominions, and propagating the fame to other nations, and for establishing his majesty's Throne to all ages and generations. And therefore, with their beft affections, recommend the fame to the honourable convention of estates, that, being examined and approved by them, it may be sent with all diligence to the kingdom of England, that, being received and approven there, the fame may be, with public humiliation, and all religious and anfwerable folemnity, fworn and subscribed by all true profeffors of the reformed religion, and all his majesty's good subjects in both kingdoms. A. Johnstoun. Charles I. Parl. 3d. Seff. 1. A&t 5. A&t anent the Ratification of the calling of the Covention, Ratification of the League and Covenant, Articles of Treaty betwixt the Kingdoms of Scotland and England, and remanent Acts of the Convention of Eftates and Committee thereof. T At Edinburgh, July 15, 1644. HE eftates of parliament presently conveened by vertue of the laft act of the last parliament holden by his majefty, and the three eftates, in anno 1641, confidering, that the Lords of his majefty's privys council, and commiffioners for conferving the articles of the treaty, hav ing according to their interefts and truft committed to them by his ma jefty and eftates of parliament, ufed all means, by fupplications, remonftrances, and fending of commifhoners, for fecuring the peace of this kingdom, and removing the unhappy distractions betwixt his majefty and his fubjects in England, in fuch a way as might ferve most for his majefty's honour, and good of both kingdoms; and their humble and dutiful endeavours for fo good ends having proven ineffectual, and their offer of mediation and interceffion being refufed by his majefty; and thereby finding the weight and difficulty of affairs, and the charge lying on them, to be greater than they could bear; did therefore, in the month of May 1643, meet together with the commiffioners for the common burdens, that by joint-advice fome tefolution might be taken therein; and in refpect of the danger imminent to the true Proteftant religion, his majef ty's honour, and peace of these kingdoms, by the multitude of papists and their adherents in arms in England and Ireland, and of many other publick and important affairs, which could not admit delay, and did require the advice of the reprefentative body of the kingdom; appointed and caused indict a meeting of the convention of eftates (his majefty having formerly refufed their humble defires for a parliament) to be on the 22d of June following; which diet being frequently kept by the nos blemen commiffioners of hires and burghs, and they finding thefe dan gers against this kirk and state still increafing, refolved, after serious deliberation and advice of the general affembly, and joint-concurrence of the commiffioners authorized by the parliament of England, that one of the chiefeft remedies, for preventing of thefe and the like dangers, for prefervation of religion, and both kingdoms from ruin and destruction, and for procuring of peace, That both kingdoms fhould, for thefe ends, enter into covenant; which was accordingly drawn up, and chearfully embraced, and allowed. And at last, a treaty was agreed unto by both kingdoms, concerning the faid covenant, and affiftance craved from this kingdom by the kingdom of England, in purfuance of the ends expreffed therein:And the effates being ftill defirous to ufe all good G g |