lood, before we will so
much as speak with them? It is replied, that the scandal is taken, and not
given, which must not be stood upon in the case of a necessary duty. But,
1. We cleared, that there is no necessity of that conjunction, therefore
the scandal is given, seeing it is known beforehand that it will be taken.
2. There are many grounds of offence given by the present resolutions, as
appears by what is said. If it were no more, it is a great appearance of
evil, it is very inductive of many evils, a most fit occasion of all that
is spoken, and besides, it is in itself sinful, contrary to God's word,
and our oaths.

Sixth Reason. That which makes glad all the wicked and enemies of God in
the land, and sad many, if not most part, of the godly, hath much
appearance and evidence, if not certainty, of evil. But the public
resolutions and proceedings are such. _Ergo_,--Or thus--That which makes
glad all the wicked, and heightens the hopes and expectations of the
malignant party, and makes sad none almost but the godly, and discourages
their spirits, that, proceeding from the public judicatories, cannot be
right and lawful. But so it is, that that which proceeds from the public
judicatories makes glad all the hearts of the wicked, and makes sad none
almost but the godly, heightens the hopes of the malignants, and makes
them say, their day is coming, "lo we have seen it," and discourages the
godly, and makes them almost say, "Our hope is cut off, our glory is
departed." _Ergo_, It cannot be right, at least it hath a great and
convincing appearance of evil.

This argument may be thought more popular than either philosophical or
scriptural. But such an argument the General Assembly, 1648, made use of
against the Engagement. It is no ways imaginable, how the wicked and
ungodly in the land would so insult and rejoice in this day, if they saw
not some legible characters upon it, which were agreeable to their own
principles and ends. The children of God are, for the most part, led by
the Spirit of God, and taught the way they should choose, John xvi. 13,
Psal. xxv. 12. So that readily they do not skunner(372) at courses
approven of God. But the children of the world being, at best, led by
their own carnal minds and senses and, for the most part, acted by a
spirit of disobedience and enmity against God, they use not to rejoice at
things that do not suit with their carnal hearts, and are not engraven
with the character of that