e law forbidding association and confederacy with
known wicked and ungodly persons, is included in the law of nature, as
well as the law that obliges us to self preservation. That is grounded on
perpetual reason, as well as this. Nature bids me preserve myself, and
nature binds me to have one friend and foe with God. The heathens had a
notion of it. They observed, that Amphiaraus, a wise and virtuous man, was
therefore swallowed up in the earth with seven men and seven horses,
because he had joined himself and associated with Tydeus, Capaneus, and
other wicked commanders marching to the siege of Thebe. Mr Gill. Miscell.
Quest. chap. 14 p. 171.(384)

2. The second reason is framed thus _in hypothesi_.(385) Such as are
excluded are a great part, if not the greater part of the remnant of the
land, if rules of exclusion be extended impartially. Now, they having
their lives and liberties allowed them, must either in these things be
insured by the interposing of a competent power for their defence, or else
they must have liberty to act for themselves. But so it is, that we cannot
interpose a competent power for their protection. _Ergo_, They must have
liberty to act for themselves. _Nam qui dat vitam dat necessaria ad
vitam._(386)

We answer, (1) It is not certain that such as are excluded are the greater
part of the land. However, it is certain, that though the rule had been
kept, and endeavours had been used to walk according to it, yet many whom
it excludes would have been taken in. There is a great difference between
endeavour of duty, and attaining its perfection. If the rule had not been
quite destroyed, so great offence could not have been taken, though it had
not been strictly urged in all particulars. (2) We still affirm, upon
evident grounds to us, that there is a power competent in the land, beside
the malignant party, which may protect the land and insure their lives and
liberties. (3)(387) We are persuaded many of that party, who have been so
deeply involved in blood guiltiness and barbarous cruelties should neither
have lives nor liberties secured to them, because they ought not to be
permitted to live. But the not taking away so much guilty blood from the
land by acts of justice, is the cause that so much innocent and precious
blood is now shed. Our rulers have pardoned that blood which God would not
pardon, and therefore would not pardon it to the land because they
pardoned it to the murderers.