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A52769
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The Solemn League and Covenant, commonly call'd The Scotch Covenant; Solemn League and Covenant (1643)
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Nedham, Marchamont, 1620-1678.
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1676
(1676)
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Wing N405; ESTC R210
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2,940
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3
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THE Solemn LEAGUE and COVENANT Commonly call'd The Scotch Covenant 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 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 Jesus Christ the honour and happiness of the Kings Majesty and his Posterity and the true publick liberty safety and peace of the Kingdoms wherein every ones private condition is concluded And calling to mind the treacherous and bloody Plots Conspiracies Attempts and Practices of the Enemies of God against the true Religion and Professors thereof 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 estate of the Church and Kingdom of Ireland the distressed estate of the Church and Kingdom of England and the dangerous state of the Church and Kingdom of Scotland are present and publick 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 these Kingdoms in former times and the example of Gods people in other Nations after mature deliberation resolved and determined to enter into a mutual SOLEMN LEAGUE AND COVENANT wherein we all subscribe and each one of us for our self with our hands lifted up to the most high God do swear I. THat we will sineerely really and constantly through the grace of God endeavour in our several places and callings the preservation of the Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government against our common 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 examples of the best Reformed Churches And shall endeavour to bring the Churches of God in the Three Kingdoms to the nearest conjunction and Vniformity in Religion Confession of Faith form 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 Chancellors and Commissaries Deans Deans and Chapters Arch-Deacons and all other Ecclesiastical Officers depending on that Hierarchy Superstition Heresie Schism Prophaneness and whatsoever shall be found to be contrary to sound Doctrine and to the power of Godliness lest we partake of 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 shall with the same sincerity reality and constancy in our several vocations endeavour with our Estates and Lives mutually to preserve the Rights and Priviledges of the Parliament and the Liberties of the Kingdoms and to preserve and defend the Kings Majesties person and Authority in the preservation and the defence of the True Religion and Liberties of the Kingdoms that the world may bear witness with our Consciences of our Loyalty and that we have no thoughts or intentions to diminish his Majesties just power and greatness IV. We shall also with all faithfulness endeavour the discovery of all such as have been or shall be Incendiaries Malignants or evil Instruments 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 Tryal and receive condign punishment as the degree of their offences shall require or deserve or the Supream Judicature of both Kingdoms respectively or others having power from them for that effect shall judge convenient V. And whereas the happiness of a blessed Peace betwixt 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 setled by both Parliaments we shall each one of us according to our place and interest endeavour that they may remain conjoyned in a firm Peace and Vnion to all posterity and that Justice may be done upon the wilful opposers thereof in manner expressed in the precedent Article VI. We shall also according to our places and callings in this common Cause of Religion Liberty and peace of the Kingdoms 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 Terrour 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 concerns the glory of God the good of the Kingdoms and the honour of the King but shall all the days of our lives zealously and constantly continue therein against all opposition and promote the same according to our power against all lets and impediments whatever and what we are not able our selves to suppress or overcome we shall reveal and make known that it may be timely prevented or removed all which we shall do as in the sight of God And because these Kingdoms are guilty of many sins and provocations against God and his Son Jesus Christ as is too manifest by our present distresses and danger the fruits thereof we profess and declare before God and the World our unfeigned desire to be humbled for our own sins and 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 endeavoured to receive Christ in our Hearts nor 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 unfeigned 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 real Reformation that the Lord may turn 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 perform 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 bless our desires and proceedings with such success as may be deliverance and safety to his people and incouragement to other Christian Churches groaning under or in danger of the yoak of Antichristian Tyranny to joyn in the same or like Association and Covenant to the glory of God and the enlargement of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and the peace and tranquillity of Christian Kingdoms and Common-wealths The Negative OATH I A. B. do Swear from my heart that I will not directly or indirectly adhere unto or willingly assist the King in this War or in this Cause against the Parliament nor any Forces raised without the consent of the Two Houses of Parliament in this Cause or War And I do likewise Swear that my coming and submitting my self under the power and protection of the Parliament is without any manner of design whatsoever to the prejudice of the proceedings of this present Parliament and without the direction privity or advice of the King or any of his Council or Officers other than what I have now made known So help me God and the help of this Book Thus you may see how the inclinations of the Dis-affected Party were bent when this COVENANT was made and how solemnly it was taken by many of them notwithstanding the very Learned and Elegant Reasons given against it by the University of Oxford which Reasons if desired you may expect in a small time How near this comes to our own times I leave it to the judicious Reader to judge so that the ill consequences may be avoided MA. NEDHAM FINIS