upplication to God, that he would
either of his infinite mercy convince them of, and reclaim them from, or
in justice reprove and punish them for their opposition to his cause and
interest. As also, that we have not duly searched into our own sins, and
especially the malignancy of our own hearts: by means whereof, the Lord
is highly provoked to permit such evil instruments not only to afflict
and oppress us, but also to retard the success of his own work; and that
we have not impartially or sincerely mourned over these sins in our own
hearts and lives, which hinder our own personal, and so have influence
to impede national reformation, and have not forsaken and abandoned
them.

In the fifth Article, we are bound, "according to our place and station,
to endeavor, that the kingdoms may remain conjoined in a most firm peace
and union to all posterity; and that justice may be done upon the wilful
opposers thereof;" according to Isa. ii. 2, 3, xiv. 23, 24; Jer. 1, 4,
5; Ezek. xxxvii. 16, 17; Zech. ii. 11. viii. 21, 22; Gal. v. 12.

"But through the peace and union of the kingdoms (while duly subordinate
to the interest of religion) was a great blessing of God unto both, and
a bond which we are bound to preserve inviolated, and to endeavor that
justice may be done upon the wilful opposers thereof; yet some in this
land, who have come under the bond of the Covenant, have made it their
great study how to dissolve this union, and few or no endeavors have
been used by any of us for punishing of such;" yea, very little, or none
at all, have the most of us been concerned about this Article; whether
there be peace with, or holiness and truth in, the other kingdoms; or
what sort of peace, or on what foundation it be settled: both kingdoms
are mutually guilty of dissolving this Covenant Union, in invading each
other, at several times, contrary to the Covenant, the English nation
in subjecting us to their conquest, and forcing us to a submission to
their Sectarian usurpations on church and state; and this nation, in
giving such provocations to them, by the unlawful engagement in the year
1648, by treating with, setting up and entertaining, the head of the
malignant party, their enemy and ours both, as our King in the year
1650, and invading them upon his quarrel, at the Worcester expedition,
Anno 1651; since which time, after that kingdom and this both united in
that unhappy course of restoring the King, without respect to the
Covenan