and then make them swear to employ it well.
'Tis as ridiculous as to give a madman a sword, and then persuade him to
hurt none with it. There is no more capitulation with such persons,
retaining their old principles, than with the floods or winds. These whom
that sacred bond of covenant hath not tied, what oath can bind? Except you
can change their nature, do not swear them to good behaviour. Can a
leopard change his spots?

Fifth Reason. That which gives great offence and scandal, and lays a
stumbling-block in the way, both of the people of the land and our
enemies, especially in the way of the godly, that is unlawful. But the
present association and conjunction with all persons in the kingdom
(excepting a few, if any) is scandalous and offensive to the whole land,
to the godly especially, and also to the enemy. Therefore it is unlawful.
The _major_(368) is beyond all exception, if we consider how peremptory
Christ and his apostles are in the point of offence, which yet few
Christians do consider. We ought not only to beware of the offence of the
godly, but even of wicked men, even of our blaspheming enemies. "Give no
offence neither to the Jew nor Gentile, nor to the church of God." Christ
would not offend and scandalize his malicious enemies. The _minor_(369) is
proved. 1. There is great offence given to the godly in the kingdom by the
public resolutions, concerning that conjunction with the malignant party,
under the name and notion of subjects. (1) Because it is known that the
most part of them are tender in that point, what fellowship they act with,
and this hath been remonstrate unto the commission and committee of
estates, from several synods. Now the present resolution layeth that
stumbling block in their way, that they cannot act in the defence of the
kingdom, because there is no way left them for the performing of that
duty, but that which they in their consciences are not satisfied with. It
is a sad necessity and snare that is put upon them, that they cannot
perform their bound duty, which they are most desirous of, without sin,
because of the way that is taken. (2) Is it not matter of offence and
stumbling to them, to be necessitated by law to that which was their
affliction? The mixture that was in our armies was their grief, and their
comfort was that the judicatories were minting at(370) their duty to purge
them. But now there is no hope of attaining that, all doors are shut up by
the public resolutions.