t, and re-establishing the Prelacy, which broke our Covenanted
Union and Conjunction, that nation hath sometimes sent aid to our
persecutors, for suppressing our attempts to recover our religion and
liberties; and this nation hath sent forces to help their destroyers,
and to suppress their endeavors for the recovery of their privileges.
And in the mean time, we have been very little solicitous for
correspondence to settle union with such of them as owned the Covenant,
or for giving to, or receiving from them, mutual informations of our
respective cases and conditions, under all our calamities and calumnies
cast upon us: nor have we studied to keep sympathy or communion of
saints, or mutual bearing of one another's burdens, as became covenanted
brethren.

On the other hand instead of union in truth and duty according to the
bond of the Covenant, a confederacy hath been studied in defection from
the Covenant, and an union and peace which wanted the foundation laid
down in the foregoing Articles of the Covenant, viz., "uniformity in
doctrine, worship, discipline and government, against Popery, Prelacy,
Schism, Sectarianism, for our religion, laws and liberties, and
discovering, suppressing and punishing the enemies of these interests."
Such an Union has not been studied nor sought, but on the contrary an
Union against the Reformation and Uniformity, for Prelacy and
Sectarianism multiformity, by maintaining tyranny and strengthening
malignancy. Yea, by the means of this incorporating Union now of late
established, Prelacy is not only strengthened and confirmed, but so
settled as to continue to all succeeding generations, and this nation's
slavery as well as their sin perpetuated. And persons of all ranks have
had a deep hand in this trespass: the nobility and gentry who
represented the nation, in surrendering their own and the nation's
rights and privileges; ministers in not warning them faithfully to
beware of that covenant-breaking course, which could not but provoke God
to anger against this poor island, but showing more concern in that
juncture for settling their own, then for securing and advancing
Christ's interest; and the body of the land, in that they did not bestir
themselves, for the defence of their own liberties in a lawful way.

In the sixth Article we are bound, "according to our places and
callings, in this common cause of religion, liberty and peace, to assist
and defend all those that enter into this Leag