greatly decayed, and therefore mutual sympathy and
affection amongst the people of God in the prosecution and maintenance
of it are much a wanting.

In the same Article we are bound, "not to suffer ourselves directly or
indirectly, by whatsoever combination or terror, to be divided or
withdrawn from this blessed union and conjunction, whether to make
defection to the contrary part, or to give ourselves to a detestable
indifferency or neutrality in this cause; and in the National Covenant,
that we shall neither directly nor indirectly suffer ourselves to be
divided, or withdrawn, by whatsoever suggestion, allurement or terror,
from this blessed and loyal conjunction. According to scripture
warrants."

Gen. xiii. 8; Psal. cxxxiii. throughout; Zech. viii. 19; I Cor. i. 10;
Eph. iv. 3; Phil. i. 27, ii. 2; Heb. xxi. 14; Jer. ix. 3; Ezek. xxii.
25; Hag. i. 2; Phil. ii. 21; II Tim. iv. 10; Rev. iii. 15.

But, alas! it is long since our fathers had reason to complain and
confess, "That many in their day through persuasion or terror, suffered
themselves to be divided and withdrawn to make defection to the contrary
part. Many had turned off to a detestable indifferency and neutrality in
this cause, which so much concerneth the glory of God, and the good of
these kingdoms. Nay, many had made it their study to walk so, as they
might comply with all times, and all the revolutions thereof. That it
was not their care to countenance, encourage, entrust, and employ, such
only as from their hearts did affect and mind God's work; but the hearts
of such, many times had been discouraged, and their hands weakened,
their sufferings neglected, and themselves slighted, and many who had
been once open enemies, and always secret underminers, countenanced and
employed. Nay, even those who had been looked upon as incendiaries, and
upon whom the Lord had set marks of desperate malignancy, falsehood and
deceit, were brought in as fit to manage public affairs."

All which sins and breaches of covenant have now increased to a great
height of heinousness; for, in our day, these incendiaries, desperate
and engrained malignants have only been employed in, and admitted to the
management of the affairs of the kingdom, and none but they accounted
habile by law; and such divisions from the Covenanted-conjunction, and
defections to the contrary part have been, and are enacted and
established by law; yea, all the unhappy divisions that have been from
the _p