o the defence of religion there must be a choice.

_Answer 1_. The Commission have vindicated themselves in a letter to
Stirling presbytery from that imputation, that it is said, they state the
quarrel and cause merely upon civil things in the answer to the
parliament's query.(356) But certainly there is just ground given to these
that are watching for any such thing to state the cause so, because they
do, contrary to all former custom and practice, mention the defence of the
kingdom only, as it had been of purpose to make the employing of all
members of the body or subjects of the kingdom for its defence more
plausible. But we answer to the point. The associations and conjunctions
that are condemned in the cited scriptures are some of them for civil
quarrels so far as we know, some of them in the point of just and
necessary defence of the kingdom, and yet that doth not justify them. 2.
The rule given them, Deut. xxiii., was regulating all their wars and
clearly holds forth, that all subjects as subjects and members of the
politic body, though as such there is an obligation lying on them to
defend the whole, yet are not in actual and nearest capacity to the
performance of that duty, if they be wicked and unclean. And the reason
is, because the Lord would have the wars of his people his own wars, and
all that they do, to his glory, Num. xxi. 14. 2 Chron. xx. 15, Col. iii.
17. More especially in such solemn undertakings, there ought to be a
difference between his people, acting for self defence, and other nations.
3. Although the defence of the kingdom and defence of the cause, be
different in themselves, yet are they inseparable. Whoever is intrusted
with the defence of the kingdom really and _de facto_,(357) he is _eo
ipso_(358) intrusted with the defence of the cause. Therefore the people
of God, who ought always to have religion first in their eye, ought,
especially in raising forces for self preservation, to level at religion,
and direct the choice of instruments in relation to that mark, that they
destroy not Christians, while they save subjects and preserve our bodies
to destroy our souls.

Third Reason. That which is dissonant from and contrary unto all our
former resolutions and proceedings, oaths and engagements, confessions and
humiliations, must needs be most unlawful, or they themselves, as to that
point, were unlawful. But the present resolutions and proceedings are
dissonant from, and contrary to all these.