rely dealt with and handled, contrar to the rule of
equity and the former practise of this Church: Their refusing and
shifting to receive and redress the people's just and great grievances,
and little regard had to prevent the giving offence to the Lord's
people, and small endeavours to have these things removed that are
stumbling and offensive to them, contrar to the Apostle's rule and
practise, who became all things to all Men that by all means he might
save some: their not declaring faithfully and freely against the sins of
the land former and latter, without respect of persons, contrar to that
express precept, "Set the trumpet to thy mouth, and show My people their
transgressions, and the house of Jacob their sin."

Lastly, we bear testimony against Ministers sinful and shameful silence,
when called to speak and act by preaching and protesting against this
unhallowed Union, which, as it is already the stain, so we swear it will
prove the ruin and bain of this poor nation; though some of them, we
grant, signified their dislike thereof, before and about the time it was
concluded, yet there was no plain and express protestation, faithfully
and freely given in to the Parliament, shewing the sinfulness and danger
of this cursed Union, being contrar, not only to the honour, interest,
and fundamental laws, and constitutions of the kingdom, and a palpable
surrender of the sovereignty, rights and priviledges of the nation, but
also a manifest breach of our Solemn League and Covenant, which was
made and sworn with uplifted hands to the most high God, for purging and
reforming the three nations from error, heresy, superstition and
prophaneness, and whatever is contrar to sound doctrine, the power of
godliness, and the purity of worship, discipline and government in the
same. And so it involves this nation into a most fearful perjury before
God, being contrar to the first article of the Covenant, wherein we
swear to contribute with our outmost endeavours, in our several places
and callings, to reform England in Doctrine, Worship, Discipline and
Government; But by this Union we are bound up for ever from all
endeavours and attempts of this nature, and have put ourselves out of
all capacity to give any help or assistance that way, as ye may see more
fully in the late protestation against the Union, published at Sanquhar,
October 22, 1707.

Let none say, That what we have done here flows from ambition to exalt
ourselves above oth