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majefty's licences on the contrary, which are difcharged,and declared to be of no force, in fo far as they tend in any wife to the prejudice and hinder of the execution of the acts of parliament againft papifts and adverfaries of true religion, act 106. parl. 7. K. Ja. VI. On the other parl. in the 47. act parl. 3. K. Ja. VI. it is declared and ordained, Seeing the caufe of God's true religion, and his highness's authority are fo joined, as the hurt of the one is common to both; that none shall be reputed as loyal and faithful fubjects to our fovereign Lord, or his authority, but be punishable as rebellers and gainftanders of the fame, who fhall not give their confeffion, and make their profeffion of the faid true religion: And that they who after defection fhall give the Confeffion of their Faith of new, they fhall promife to continue therein in time coming, to maintain our Soverign Lord's authority, and at the uttermoft of their power to fortify,affift and maintain the true preachers and profeffors of Chrift's religion, against whatfoever enemies and gainftanders of the fame; and namely, against all fuch, of whatsoever nation, eftate or degree they be of,that have joined and bound themfelves, or have affifted, or affifts to fet forwards and excute the cruel decrees of the council of Trent,contrary to the true preachers and profeffors of the word of God. Which is repeated, word by word, in the articles of pacification at Perth, the 23d of February 1 572, approved by Parliament the laft of April 1573, ratified in Parliament 1587, and related act 123. parl. 12. of K. Ja. VI. with this addition, That they are bound to refift all treasonable uproars and hoftilities raifed against the true religion, the King's Majesty, and the true profeffors.

Likeas, all lieges are bound to maintain the King's Majefty's royal perfon and authority, the authority of parlia ments, without the which, neither any laws or lawful judicatories can be established, act 1 30. and 131. parl. 8,K. Ja.VI. and the fubjects liberties, who ought only to live and be governed by the king's laws, the common laws of this realm' allenarly, act 48. parl. 3. K. Ja. 1. act 79. parl. 6. K. Ja. IV. repeated in the act 131. parl. 8. K. Ja. VI. Which if they be innovated and prejudged, the commiffion anent the union of the two kingdoms of Scotland and England, which is the fole act of the 17. parl. of K, Ja. VI, declares, Such

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confufion would enfue, as this realm could be no more a free monarchy: Becaufe, by the fundamental laws, antient privi leges, offices and liberties of this kingdom, not only the princely authority of his majesty's royal defcent hath been thefe many ages maintained; but also the peoples fecurity of their lands, livings, rights, offices, liberties and dignities preferved. And therefore, for the prefervation of the faid true religion, laws and liberties of this kingdom, it is ftatute, by the 8. act, parl. 1. repeated in the 99. act parl. 7. ra-, tified in the 3. act, parl. 21. and 114. act, parl, 12. of K. Ja. VI. and 4. act, parl. 1.of K. Char. I. That all kings and princes at their coronation, and reception of their princely. authority, fhall make their faithful promife by their folemn oath, in the prefence of the eternal God, that, enduring the whole time of their lives, they fhall ferve the fame eternal God, to the uttermoft of their power, according as he hath required in his moft holy word,contained in the Old and New Teftaments. And, according to the fame word,fhall maintain the true religion of Chrift Jefus, the preaching of his holy word, the due and right miniftration of the facraments, now received and preached within this realm (according to the Confeffion of Faith immediately preceeding) and fhall abolifh and gainftand all falfe religion contrary to the fame; and fhall rule the people committed to their charge according to the will and command of God revealed in his forefaid, word, and according to the laudable laws and conftitutions. received in this realm, nowife repugnant to the faid will of the eternal God; and fhall procure, to the uttermoft of their power, to the kirk of God,and whole chriftian people, true and perfect peace in all time coming: And that they shall be careful to root out of their empire, all heretics and enemies to the true worship of God, who fhall be convicted by the true kirk of God of the forefaid crimes.Which was alfo obferved, by his majesty, at his coronation in Edinburgh 1633. as may be feen in the order of the coronation.

In obedience to the commandment of God, conform to the practice of the Godly in former times, and according to the laudable example of our worthy and religious progenitors, and of many yet living amongst us, which was warranted alfo by act of council, commanding a general band to be made and fubfcribed by his majefty's fubjects of all ranks, for two

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causes: one was, for defending the true religion as it was then reformed,and is expreffed in the Confeffion of Faith above written, and a former large confession established by fundry acts of lawful general affemblies and of parliaments, unto which it hath relation, fet down in public catechifms; and which had been for many years, with a blessing from heaven preached and profeffed in this kirk and kingdom,as God's undoubted truth, grounded only upon his written word. The other caufe was, for maintaining the king's majefty, his perfon and estate; the true worship of God and the kings authority being fo ftraitly joined, as that they had the fame friends and common enemies,and did stand and fall together. And finally being convinced in our minds, and confeffing with our mouths that the present and fucceeding generations in this land are, bound to keep the forefaid national oath and fubrscription inviolable;

We Noblemen, Barons, Gentlemen, Burgeffes,Minifters, andCommons, under fubfcribing,confidering divers times before and efpecially at this time, the danger of the true reformed religion, of the kings honour, and of the public peace of the kingdom, by the manifold innovations and evils generaly contained, and particulary mentioned in our late fupplications, complaints and proteftations; do hereby profefs, and before God, his angels, and the world, folemnly declare, that with our whole heart we agree, and refolve all the days of our life conftantly to adhere unto and to defend the forefaid true feligion: And forbearing the practice of all novations, already introduced in the matters of the worfhip of God, or approbation, of the corruptions of the public' government of the kirk, or civil places and power of kirk men, till they be tried and allowed in free affemblies and in parliaments; to labour by all means lawful, to recover the purity and liberty of the gofpel, as it was eftablished and profeffed before the forefaid novations. And because, after due examination, we plainly perceive, and undoubtedly believe, that the inovations and evils contained in our fupplications.complaints and protestations, have no warrant of the word of God, are contrary to the articles of the forefaid confeffion,to the intention and meaning of the bleffed reformers of religion in this land, to the above written Acts of parliament; and do fenfibly tend to the establishing of the Popish

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religion and tyranny, and to the fubverfion and ruin of the true reformed religion, and of our liberties, laws, and ftates: We alfo declare,that the forefaid confeffions are to be interpreted and ought to be understood of the forefaid novations and evils,no lefs than if every one of them had been expreffed 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 refpect or inducement; fo far as human infirmity will fuffer, wishing 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 fhall defend the fame, and refist 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 difhonour of God,or to the diminution of the king's greatnefs and authority: But, on the contrary, we promife and fwear, That we fhall,to the uttermoft of our power, with our means and lives, stand to the defence of our dread fovereign the king's majesty, his perfon 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 caufe of maintaining the true religion and his majesty's authority, with our beft counsel, our bodies means and whole power, against all forts of perfons whatfoever; fo that whatsoever fhall be done to the leaft of us for that caufe, 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 whatsoever 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 refolution 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 dan

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gerous and divifive motion be made to us by word or write, We and every one of us, fhall either fupprefs it, or, if need be, fhall incontinent make the fame known, that it may be timeously obviated. Neither do we fear the foul afperfions of rebellion, combination, or what elfe our adverfaries, from their craft and malice, would put upon us; feeing what 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 ourfelves and our posterity.

And because we cannot look for a bleffing from God upon our proceedings, except with our profeffion &fuperfcriptionwe 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 other under us, both in public, and in our particular families and perfonal carriage, to endeavour to keep ourselves within the bounds of Chriftian liberty; and to be good examples to o thers of all Godliness. fobernefs, and righteoufnefs, and of every duty we owe to God and man.

And, that this our union and conjunction may be obferved without violation, We call the LIVING GOD THE SEARCHER OF OUR HEARTS to witness, who knoweth this to be our fincere defire and unfeigned refolution as we fhall anfwear 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 humblybefeeching 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 righ teoufnefs may flowrish in the land, to the glory of GOD, the honour of our King, and peace and comfort of us all. In witnefs whereof, we have fubfcribed with our hands all the promiffes,

THE article of this covenant, which was at the firft fübfcription referred to the determination of the general affembly,being now determined; and thereby the five articles of Perth, the goverment of the kirk by bifhops, and the civil places and power of Kirkmen, upon the reafons and grounds contained in the acts of the general affembly declaring to be unlawful within this kirk we fubfcribe according to the determination forefaid.

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