ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND'S COVENANT With their God;  
VIZ.  

In The Protestation,  
In The Vow and Covenant,  
In The League and Covenant for Reformation and preservation of Religion, the Honour and Happiness of the King, and the Peace and safety of the three Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.   
ORdered by the Commons in Parliament, that these Covenants be printed and published.  
Printed for Edw. Husbands, and are to be sold at his Shop in the middle Temple. 1643   


Dei Mercurii 5. Maii 1641.  

IT is this day Ordered by the House of Commons now assembled in Parliament, That the Preamble, together with the Protestation which the Members of this House made the third day of May, shall be forthwith Printed, and the Copies Printed brought to the Clerk of the said House to attest under his hand, to the end that the Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses may send them down to the Sheriffs and justices of Peace of the several Shires, and to the Citizens and Burgesses of the several Cities, Boroughes and Cinque Ports respectively. And the Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses, are to intimate unto the Shires, Cities, Boroughs and Cinque Ports, with that willingness all the members of this House made this Protestation: And further to signify, that as they justify the taking of it in themselves, so they cannot but approve it in all such as shall take it.  
WE the Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses in the Commons House of Parliament, finding to the great grief of our hearts that the designs of the Priests and jesuits, and other adherents to the See of Rome, have of late been more boldly and frequently put in practice then formerly, to the undermining and danger of the ruin of the true reformed Protestant Religion in his Majesty's Dominions established: And finding also that there have been, and having just cause to suspect that there still are, even during the sitting in Parliament, endeavours to subvert the fundamental Laws of England and Ireland, and to introduce the exercise of an Arbitrary and Tyrannical Government, by most pernicious and wicked Counsels, Practices, Plots and Conspiracies: And that the long intermission, and unhappy breach of Parliam●ents, hath occasioned many i●le all Taxations, whereupon the Subject hath been prosecuted and grieved. And that divers Innovations and Superstitions have been brought into the Church, multitudes driven out of his Majesty's Dominions; jealousies raised and fomented betwixt the King and his people; a Popish army levied in Ireland, and two Armies brought into the bowels of this Kingdom, to the hazard of his Majesties-Royal Person, the consumption of the Revenues of the Crown and Treasure of this Kingdom? And lastly finding great cause of jealousy, that endeavours have been, and are used to bring the English Army into a misunder standing of this Parliament, thereby to incline that Army, with force to bring to p●sse those wicked counsels, have therefore thought good to join themselves 〈◊〉 Declaration of our united Affections and Resolutions, and to make this ensuing Protestation.  

I A. B. Do in the presence of Almighty God, Promise, Vow, and Protest, to maintain and defend, as far as lawfully I may, with my life, power, and estate, the true Reformed Protestant Religion, expressed in the Doctrine of the Church of England, against all Popery and Popish Innovations within this Realm, contrary to the same Doctrine, and according to the duty of my Allegiance, His Majesty's Royal Person, Honour and Estate; as also the Power and Privileges of Parliament; The lawful Rights and Liberties of the Subject, and every person that maketh this Protestation, in whatsoever he shall do in the lawful pursuance of the s●me. And to my power, and as far as lawfully I may, I will oppose, and by all good ways and means endeavour to bring to condign punisHment, all such as shall either by Force, Practice, Counsels, Plots, Conspiracies, or otherwise, do any thing to the contrary of any thing in this present Protestation contained. And further, that I shall in all just and Honourable ways endeavour to preserve the Union and Peace between the three Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland; And neither for hope, fear, nor other respect, shall relinquish this Promise, Vow, and Protestation.    

WHereas some doubts have been raised by several persons out of this House, concerning the meaning of these words contained in the Protestation lately made by the Members of this House, (viz.) The true reformed Protestant Religion, expressed in the Doctrine of the Church of England against all Popery and Popish innovations within this Realm, contrary to the same Doctrine; This House doth declare, That by those words, was, and is meant, only the public Doctrine professed in the said Church, so far as it is opposite to Popery and Popish Innovations, And that the said words are not to be extended to the maintaining of any form of Worship, Discipline, or Government, nor of any Rites or Ceremonies of the said Church of England.    

Die Veneris 30. Julii, 1641.  
Resolved upon the Question.  
THat this House doth conceive that the Protestation made by them, is fit to be taken by every person that is well affected in Religion, and to the good of the Commonwealth; And therefore doth declare, That what person soever shall not take the Protestation, is unfit to bear Office in the Church or Commonwealth.   

The Vow and Covenant appointed by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, to be taken by every Man, in the Cities of London, Westminster, the Suburbs and Liberties thereof; and throughout the whole Kingdom.  
Whereas the Lords and Commons now assembled in Parliament have declared, That there hath been, and now is a Popish and Traitorous Plot for the subversion of the true Protestant reform Religion, and the Liberty of the Subject; And that in pursuance thereof, a Popish Army hath been raised, and now is on foot in divers parts of this Kingdom: And have further in a solemn manner Declared, Vowed, and Covenanted, That in order to the security and preservation of the true Protestant Religion, and Liberty of the Subject, they will not consent to the laying down of Arms, so long as the Papists now in open War against the Parliament, shall by force of Arms be protected from the justice thereof. And whereas the Lords and Commons have Declared, that there hath been a treacherous and horrid Design lately discovered, by the great blessing, and special Providence of God, of divers persons to join themselves with the Armies raised by the King, and to destroy the Forces raised by the Lords and Commons in Parliament, to surprise the Cities of London and Westminster, with the Suburbs, and by Arms to force the Parliament: And the said Lords and Commons finding by constant experience, that many ways of force and treachery are continually attempted, to bring to utter ruin and destruction the Parliament and Kingdom, and that which is dearest, the true Protestant Religion: and that for the preventing, and withstanding the same, they have thought fit, That all who are true hearted, and lovers of their country, should bind themselves each to other in a sacred Vow and Covenant, in manner and form as followeth, and accordingly:  

I A. B. in humility and reverence of the Divine Majesty, declare my hearty sorrow for my own sins, and the sins of this Nation, which have deserved the Calamities and judgements that now lie upon it; And my true intention is, by God's grace to endeavour the amendment of my own ways; And that I do abhor and detest the said wicked and treacherous Design lately discovered; and that I never gave nor will give my assent to the execution thereof, but will, according to my power and Vocation, oppose and resist the same, and all other of the like nature: And in case any other like Design shall hereafter come to my knowledge, I will make such timely discovery as I shall conceive may best conduce to the preventing thereof. And whereas I do in my conscience believe, That the Forces raised by the two Houses of Parliament are raised and continued for their just Defence, and for the Defence of the true Protestant Religion and Liberties of the Subject, against the Forces raised by the King: I do here in the presence of Almighty God, Declare, Vow, and Covenant, That I will, according to my power and vocation, assist the Forces raised and continued by both Houses of Parliament, against the Forces raised by the King without their consent; And will likewise assist all other persons that shall take this Oath, in what they shall do in pursuance thereof; And will not directly or indirectly adhere unto, nor shall willingly assist the Forces raised by the King without the consent of both Houses of Parliament. And this V●w and Covenant I make in the presence of Almighty God, the Searcher of all hear●s, with a true intention to perform the same, as I shall answer at the great Day, when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed.     
COme, let us join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant, that shall not he forgotten, jer. 50. 5. Take away the wicked from before the King, and his Throne shall be established in righteousness, Prov. 25. 5. And all judah rejoiced at the Oath, for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire, and he was found of them: and the Lord gave them rest round about, 2 Chron. 15. 15. 
The excellent Usefulnesse of this COVENANT.  
Union with God, Conformity to God, and Unity of the three Kingdoms are things most desirable: In the first we are happy: In the second holy: In the third is strength, peace and safety. These are the kindly fruits of this Covenant, and a Covenant that brings forth those, how gladly should it be embraced, and how willingly received? They are lovely Bands that binds us to be happy, holy, and safe. The heart of man is backsliding, and a Covenant is like a hedge or wall to stop us from going back: it being a good and ready answer to a tempter or tentation: How shall I do this, and break my Covenant? Surely we have been too lose toward God, having almost lost a Religion, too lose in our lives, and too disunited among ourselves: and well it may be thought that a main end of this Rod which now lies upon us, is to beat us into this Covenant; that thereby we may be knit faster to God, to holiness, and each to other by this Band of Unity. Yet the taking, is not the chief part of a Covenant, but the keeping. The benefits of a Covenant are then sure and steadfast to us, when we are steadfast in the Covenant: Now a main cause of unstedfastness in the Covenant, is forgetfulness of it. To prevent this, the Covenant is presented in this form, that being set up before us, it may be daily seen, and by seeing remembered, and by remembering performed And withal let us remember this; that all the ways of God are mercy and truth to them that fear him, and keep his Covenant. But because no man is strong in his own strength, let us seek strength of Him who is both our strength and our Redeem, that by Him we may be enabled to keep our Covenant with him, that so he may delight to dwell with us, to be called our God, and to call us his people; upon which happy condition, attend Peace, Prosperity, and all blessings of Heaven and Earth, temporal and eternal.  

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 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 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 t●e preservation of ourselves & our Religion, from utter ruin and Destruction, according to the commendable practice of these 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 League 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 & 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 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 but 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, Deane, Deans and Chapters, Arch-deacons, and 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 one in the three Kingdoms.  
III. We shall with the same sincerity, reality and constancy, in out several Vocations, endeavour with our Estates and Lives, mutually to preserve the Rights and Privileges of the Parliament, 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 Majesty's 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 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 and Covenant, that they may be brought to public trial, and receive condign punishment, as the degree of their offences shall require or deserve, or the supreme judicatories 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 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 settled 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 and Union to all posterity; And that justice may be done upon the wilful Opposers thereof, in manner expressed in the present Articles.  
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 ourselves, directly or indirectly, by whatsoever combination, persuasion or terror, to be divided, and withdrawn from this blessed Union and Conjunction, whether to make defection to the contrary part, or 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; and what we are not able ourselves 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 those Kingdoms are guilty of many sins and provocations against God, and 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 own sins, and 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 & 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 & endeavour for ourselves & all others under our power & 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 proceed with such success, as may be deliverance and safety to his people, and encouragement to other Christian Churches groaning under, or in danger of the yoke of Antichristian Tyranny; to join in the same, or like Association and Covenant, to the glory of God, the enlargement of the Kingdom of jesus Christ, and the Peace and Tranquillity of Christian Kingdoms and Commonwealths.    
FINIS.