where we
swear to oppose all malignants and hinderers of reformation and
religion, and yet by this Union, the prelats, who themselves are the
very malignants and enemies to all further reformation in religion are
hereby settled and secured in all their places of power and dignity,
without the least appearance or ground of expectation of any alteration
for ever.

How offensive and displeasing unto God this accursed Union is, may be
further evident by its involving this land in a sinful conjunction and
association with prelats, malignants, and many other enemies to God and
Godliness, and stated adversaries to our reformation of religion and
sworn-to principles in our Covenants National and Solemn League, and
particularly as this Union imbodys and units us in this land in the
strickest conjunction and association with England, a land so deeply
already involved in the breach of Covenant, and pestered with so many
sectaries, errors and abominable practices, and joins us in issue and
interest with these that are tollerators, maintainers and defenders of
these errors, which the Word of God strictly prohibits, and our sacred
Covenants plainly and expressly abjures. And further, how far and
deeply it ingages this land in a confedracy and association with God's
enemies at home and abroad in their expeditions and counsels; a course
so often prohibeted by God in His word, and visibly pleagued in many
remarkable instances of providences, as may be seen both in sacred and
historical records, and the unlawfulness thereof, on just and scriptural
grounds, demonstrate by famous divines, even of our own Church and
nation, and set down as a cause of God's wrath against this Church and
kingdom. And how detestable must such an Union be, whose native tendency
leads to wear off, from the dissenting party in England, all sight,
sense, consideration and belief of the indispensibility of the Solemn
League, and hardening enemies in their opposition to it, and these of
all ranks in the habitual breach of it: yea also, how shamefully it
leads to the obliterating and extinguishing all the acts of parliaments
and assemblies made in favours of these covenants and reformation,
especially between 1638 and 1649 inclusive. And not only so, but to a
trampling on all the blood of martyrs during the late tyrannical reigns,
and a plain burying of all the testimonies of the suffering and
contending party in this land, in their firm, faithful and constant
adher