1643 a Solemn LEAGVE 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 ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, and IRELAND.  
〈◊〉 50.5. Come let us join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant that shall not be forgotten.  
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 king's Majesty and his posterity, and the true public Liberty, Safety, and Peace of the kingdoms, wherein every ones private Condition is included, and calling to mind 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 public Testimonies; We have now at last, (after other means of Supplication, Remonstrance, Protestations, and Sufferings) for the preservation of ourselves and our Religion, from utter Ruin and Destruction; according to the commendable practice of those Kingdoms in former times, and the Example of God's people in other Nations; After mature deliberation, resolved and determined to enter into a mutual 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 swear;  
I: That we shall sincerely, 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 & 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 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, Confession of Faith, Form of Church-government, 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 midst of us.  Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God and to walk in his ways, & to keep his Statutes & his Commandments, & his judgements & to hearken to his woyce, And the Lord hath avouched thee this day, to be his peculiar people & to make thee high above all nations, in praise in name & in honour, Deutero: 26: 17: 18: 
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 Chancello rs and Comissaries, Deans, Deans and Chapters, Archdeacon's, & all other Ecclesiastical Officers depending on that Hierarchy) Superstition, Heresy, Schism, Profaneness, and whatsoever shall be found to be contrary to sound Doctrine, and the power of Godliness; lest we partake in other men's sins, and thereby be in danger to receive of their plagues, and that the Lord may be one, and his Name in the three kingdoms.  Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted out, Math. 13 
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 Privileges of the Parliaments; and the Liberties of the kingdoms, and to preserve and defend the king's Majesty's person and authority, in the preservation and 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 Maiesti. es just power and greatness.  The Lord will Create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion, & upon her Assemblies, a Cloud and smoke by day, and a shining of a flaming Fire by night, for upon all the glory shall be a defence. Isaiah 4: 5: 
Are to be sold by Thomas Penner at the Royal Exchange.  
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 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 & Covenant, that they may be brought to public trial, and receive condign pumishment, as the degree of their offences shall require or deserve, or the suprean judicatories of both kingdoms respectively, or others having power from them for that effect, shall judge convenient.  I will purge out from among you the Rebels, & them that transgress against me. I will bring them forth out of the Country where they sojourn, Ezekiel. 20: 37. & 38 
V And whereas the happiness of a blessed Peace between these kingdoms, denied 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, endeavour that they may remain conjoined in a firm Peace an Union to all posterity; And that justice may be done upon the wilful Opposers thereof, in manner expressed in the precedent Article.  
A threefold cord is not easily broken 

England  
Scotland  
Ireland    
VI We shall also according to our places & callings in this common cause of Religion, Liberty, and Peace of the kingdoms, assist and defend all those that enter in to this League and Covenant, in the maintaining & pursuing thereof, and shall not suffer ourselves directly or indirectly by whatsoever combination, persuasion or terror, to be dewided & withdrawn from this blessed Union & coniungtion whether to make defection to the contrary part, or to give ourselves to a detestable indifferency or neutrality in this cause which so much concerneth the glory of God, the good of the kingdoms, and 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 whatsoever; an what we are not able ourselves to suppress or overcome, we shall reveal and make known, that if may be timely prevented or removed: All which we shall do as in the sight of God.  And his heart shall be against the holy Covenant. Dan: 11 28 〈◊〉 the Covenant no no 
And because these kingdoms are guilty of many sins & provocations against God, & his Son jesus Christ, as is too manifest by our present distresses and dangers, the fruits thereof; We profess and declare before God and the world, our unfeigned 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 endeavoured 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 unfeigned purpose, desire, and endeavour for ourselves, and all others under our power and charge, both in public and in private, in all duties we own 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, & encouradgement to other Christian Churches groaning under, or in danger of the yoke of Anti-christian Tyranny, to yoyne in the same, or like Association and Covenant to the glory of God, the enlargement of the kingdo me: of jesus Christ, and the peace and tranquillity of Christian kingdoms & Comonwealths.  I am she I am not he Come let's go to the 〈◊〉 Come & let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, in the house of the God of jacob, he will teach us of his ways, 〈◊〉 will walk in his paths, Micah: 4: 2: