e effects, we desire that this our protestation
may be a standing testimony to present and succeeding ages, against the
sinfulness of this land-ruining, God-provoking, soul destroying and
posterity-enslaving and ensnaring Union, and this _ad futurum rei
memoriam_. And to evite the brand and odium of passing the bounds of our
station, and that this our protestation may be brought to the view of
the world; we have thought fit to publish and leave a copy of the same
at Sanquhar by a part of our number, having the unanimous consent of the
whole so to do.

_Given on the 2nd day of October, 1707._

SECESSION FROM THE REVOLUTION CHURCH.[21]

We, Mr. John Mackmillan, present minister of the Gospel at Balmaghie,
and Mr. John Mackneil, Preacher of the Gospel, being most odiously and
invidiously represented to the world as schismaticks, separatists and
teachers of unsound and divisive doctrine, tending to the detriment of
Church and State, and especially by Ministers with whom we were
embodied, while there remained any hope of getting grievances redressed.
Therefore, that both Ministers and Professors may know the
unaccountableness of such aspersions, let it be considered that this
backsliding Church (when we with others might have been big with
expectations for advancement in Reformation) continued in their
defections from time to time, still, as occasion was given, evidencing
their readiness to comply with every new backsliding course, instance
that of the Oath of Alledgance, and Bond of Assurance to the present
Queen; which additional step to the former gave occasion and rise to our
unhappy contentions and divisions. And now at this time, for the glory
of God, the vindication of truth and of ourselves (as conscience and
reason obligeth us), to make evident to the world the groundlesness of
these aspersions and calumnies as renters and dividers, and particularly
in the commissions late odious and malicious lybel, wherein are
contained many gross falsehoods, such as swearing persons not to pay
cess, and travelling throw the country with scandalous persons in arms,
which, as they are odious culumnies in themselves, so they will never be
proven by witnesses: and, as to our judgment anent the cess, we reckon
it duty in the people of God to deny and withhold all support, succour,
aid, or assistance that may contribute to the upholding or strengthening
the man of sin, or any of the adversaries of truth, (as the Word of God