mploying Of, And Associating With The Malignant Party, According
As Is Contained In The Public Resolutions, Is Sinful And Unlawful.

If there be in the land a malignant party of power and policy, and the
exceptions contained in the Act of Levy do comprehend but few of that
party, then there need be no more difficulty to prove, that the present
public resolutions and proceedings do import an association and
conjunction with a malignant party, than to gather a conclusion from clear
premises. But that such a conjunction is in itself sinful and unlawful,
and besides, a violation of our solemn oaths and engagements, a
backsliding from our principles and professions, and a walking contrary to
the whole tenor and current of our former resolutions and practices, is
now to be made manifest.

First: We reason from that constant, standing and perpetual rule, which
the Lord gives concerning the modelling and carnage of the armies of his
people in all their wars, Deut. xxiii. 9, "When the host goeth forth
against their enemies, then keep thee from every wicked thing." And after,
"If there be among you any man that is unclean, by reason of uncleanness
that chanceth him by night, then shall he go abroad out of the camp, he
shall not come within the camp." (If for ceremonial uncleanness he was to
be excluded, much more for moral, as our divines reason from the Old
Testament in the point of excommunication, and if for uncleanness not
voluntary, much more for voluntary wickedness). The reason of all is given
ver. 14: "For the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of the camp, to
deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee. Therefore shall
thy camp be holy, that he see no unclean thing in thee, and turn away from
thee." Even as they would expert a blessing of the Lord, so ought they to
keep their camp holy, as he is holy. He gives not such a strict rule for
the competency of number, as for the qualifications of the persons, as
being the principal thing. Therefore the present conjunction with so many
ungodly and wicked men, that have formerly declared themselves enemies to
God and his people, and to this day give no evidence to the contrary, is
sinful and unlawful.

Second, The Lord hath frequently in scripture declared his dislike and
hatred of such associations and conjunctions. The scriptures cited in the
General Assembly's declaration in the year 1648, against the
Engagement,(349) are sufficient proof of this. We shall take t