red, The Lord is able to give thee much more than this. Then
Amaziah separated them, to wit, the army that was to come to him out of
Ephraim, to go home again wherefore their anger was greatly kindled
against Judah, and they returned home in great anger." The sin and danger
of such associations may further appear from Isa. viii. 12, 13: "Say ye
not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A
confederacy, neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. Sanctify the Lord
of hosts himself, and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread,"
Jer. ii. 18 "And now,--what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink
the waters of the river?" Psal. cvi. 35. "But were mingled among the
heathen, and learned their works," Hosea v. 13. "When Ephraim saw his
sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and
sent to king Jareb, yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your
wound," and chap. vii. 8, 11. "Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the
people, Ephraim is a cake not turned, Ephraim also is like a silly dove
without heart, they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria," 2 Cor. vi. 14, 15.
"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers, for what fellowship
hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light
with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath
he that believeth with an infidel?" And if we should esteem God's enemies
our enemies, and hate them with perfect hatred, how can we then join with
them as friends? Psal. cxxxix. 21.

The committee of estates at that time endeavoured to elude the strength of
these scriptures, and vindicate their engagement from the falling within
the compass of them. But the commission of the Assembly that year took the
mask off their evasions. Would to God we had no other party to deal with
now! It was the evil and complaint of that time, that church and state
were divided. But what an evil time are we now fallen into, that the union
of those in this point, is the complaint of many of the godly? The
commission, in their letter to Stirling presbytery,(350) sets up the
committee's answer in a new dress, and holds it out for satisfaction to
our consciences. All that is answered may be reduced to three or four
heads.

I. There is made a great difference between an invasive and defensive war
as if in the one, choice of instruments ought to be sought, but in the
case of just and necessary defence, all subjects may