A Useful Case of Conscience, Section 4
Sect. 4. That it is not Lawfull for the well affected Subjects to concurr in such an Engadgment in war, and Associate with the Malignant Party.
SOme convinced of the unlawfulness of the publick Resolutions and proceedings, in reference to the employing of the Malignant Party; Yet do not find such clearness and satisfaction in their oun Consciences as to forbid the Subjects to concurr in this War, and Associate with the Army so Constituted. Therefore it is needfull to speak something to this point. That it is unlawfull for the Subjects to Associate and joyn in arms with that Party, as it is for the Parliament to employ them. For these Reasons.
1. The Scriptures before Cited against Associations and Confederacies with wicked and ungodly men do prove this. The Command prohibiting Conjunction with them and Conversing &c. is common both to Magistrates and people: for the ground of it is common to both. The peoples ensnaring, Helping of the ungodly &c. It were strange Doctrine to say, that it is not Lawfull for the Parliament to Associate in War with the Malignants, lest the people be ensnared: And yet it is Lawfull for the people to Associate with them upon the Command of the Parliament, seing the ensnaring of the People, hath a more immediate connexion with the peoples Conjunction with them, nor with the Parliaments Resolution about it. Had it not been a transgression in all the people to have joyned with these men before the Parliaments Resolution about it? How then can their Resolution interveening, loose the people from their obligation to Gods Command? Shall it be no sin to me, because they sin before me? Can their going before me in the transgression, exempt me from the transgression of that same Law which obliges both them and me? 2. The People were reproved for such Associations as well as Rulers, though they were originated from the Rulers. The Prophets speak to the whole body. What hast thow to doe in the way of Egypt &c.? Ier. 2: 18. And Isay. 31. Wo to them that go down to Egypt. Psal. 106. They mingled themselves &c. The Lord instructed Isaiah, and in him all his oun people, all the Children whom God had given him, saying, Say not ye, A Confederacie, to all them to whom this people shall say, A Confederacy; Isay. 8: 12. When all the people was going on in such a mean of Self-defence, the Lord instructed him and the Disciples among whom the testimony was sealed, that they should not walk in the way of this people. When Iehoshaphat was reproved for helping the ungodly, was not all his people reproved that went with him? They were the helpers of the ungodly as well as he. If Amaziah had refused to dismiss the Army of Israel whom God was not with, Doubtless it had been the Subjects duty to testifie against it, and refuse to concurr and act in such a fellowship.
3. If the Association and Conjunction with Malignants, be only the sin of the Parliament, and not the sin of the people, who doe upon their Command Associate with them: Then we cannot see how people can be guilty of Association with Malignants at any time and in any Case. To Joyn with them in an ill Cause is not Lawfull indeed: But neither may we joyn with good men in an evil Cause. Suppose then the Cause be good and necessarie (as no war is Just if it be not necessary) in what case or Circumstances shall Association with them be unlawfull for the people? If it be said, in Case the Magistrate Command it not; we think that strange Divinitie, that the solo Command of the Magistrate should make that our duty, which in absence of his Command is our sin; And that not because of the absence of his Command but from other perpetuall grounds. Certainly, whenever Association with them is a sin, it is not that which makes it a sin because the Mastistrate Commands it not, but because God forbids it. And it is as strange, that the unlawfull and sinfull Resolution of Parliament should make that lawfull to me which otherwise had been lawfull. It is known that Humane Laws oblidge not, but as they have Connexion with Gods Word. Now if that Law, enjoyning a Confluence of all Subjects for the defence of the Kingdom, be contrare to the Word, in as far as it holds out a Conjunction with Malignant and bloodie men, how can it be lawfull to me, in obedience to that ordinance, to Associate with these men? If it be said to be lawfull in the Case of necessity, that same necessity is as strong a plea for the Magistrates employing them, as for the peoples joyning with them: and if it doe not justifie that, it cannot excuse this. If the Lawfullness of the MEAN must be measured by the justice and necessity of the END: then certainly any mean shall be lawfull in the Case of just and necessary defence; then we may employ Irish Cut-throats; then we may go to the Devil for help, if expediency to compass such a necessar and just End be the Rule of the Lawfullness of the Mean.
4. The whole Land is bound by the Covenant and Solemne Engadgment not to Associate with the Malignant party: Ergo it is sinfull for the people to joyn with them as for the Magistrate to employ them. Are we not all bound by Covenant, to endeavour to bring Malignants to Condigne punishment, and to look on them as enemies? And is not Conjunction and Confederacy with them on the peoples part, as inconsistent in its oun Nature with that Duty, as the Magistrats employing them is inconsistent with his Convenanted duty? When all the people did Solemnly engadge themselves not to joyn any more with the People of these Abominations, was the meaning of it, we shall not joyn untill our Rulers joyn first; Or, we shall not joyn with them in an ill Cause? No indeed, but we shall not employ them in a good Cause, or joyn with any party of them in it. If that Engadgment be upon every one in their station, let us consider what every mans station in the work is. The Rulers station and Calling is to choose Instruments, and levie Forces for the Defence thereof. The Subjects station and Calling is, to concurr in that work, by rising in Defence of the Cause and Kingdome. Now what did the Subject then engadge unto? Certainly, unlesse we mock God, we must say, that as the Magistrate engadged not to employ that ungodly Generation in a good Cause, so the Subject engadged not to joyn with any such party even in a good Cause. If this be not the meaning of our ENGADGMENTS and VOWS, We see not how the Subjects is in Capacity to break them, as to that precise point of Association.
In Sum, All the Reasons that are brought to prove the unlawfullness of the publick Resolutions, may with a litle Variation be proportionably applyed to this present Question. Therefore we add no more but a Word to ane objection or two.
Object. 1. A necessary Duty, such as Self-Preservation is, cannot be my sin. But it is the Subjects necessary Duty to rise in Defence of the Kingdome. Ergo. Answer. A necessary Duty cannot be a sin in it self, but it may be a sin in regard of some Circumstances, in which it ceases to be a necessary Duty. It is a necessar duty to defend the Kingdome: But it is neither a Duty nor necessary to do it in such a Conjunction and fellowship, but rather a sin. If I cannot preserve my self, but by ane unlawfull mean, then Self-preservation in such Circumstances, is not my Dutie.
Object. 2d. JONATHAN did assist Saul in a war against the Philistines invading the Land, and no doubt many Godly joyned and died in battel. Now this is commended in Scripture, as may be seen in Davids funeral upon them; although it was known that Saul was ane hater of Gods people and a perfecuter, and that God had a Controversie with him, and that these 3000 that assisted him against David were also ungodly and wicked men. Answer. 1. These Scriptures speak nothing to commend that Particular act of Ionathans Conjunction in war with his Father. David in his Epitaph speaks much to the Commendation of both Saul, and Ionathan, as of excellent Warriours; and of Ionathan as a kind and Constant friend to him: but there is nothing touched of that point. If that place be pressed, it will follow with much more evidence, that Saul was as good a man as Ionathan, and that the People of God had great loss inhis death. But none of these must be pressed rigorously from a speech wherin he vents his affection and grief. 2. Suppose the naturall bond of Ionathan to Saul his Father, and the Civil bonds of the people to Saul their King, did oblidge them to joyn with him against the Common Enemy; Yet we think they ought not to have Associated with these persecuting Servants and the 3000. that pursued David; But they ought to have pleaded for a purging of the Army. 3. It is not Probable that there was many Godly persons imployed in that Army. David complains of that time Psal. 12. That the Godly man ceased, and the faithfull from among the Children of men: and that the wicked walked round about when the Vilest men were Exalted. 4. Many of the Laws of God have not been much taken notice of, even by Godly men, untill the Lord hath taken occasion to reprove them particularly and so to mind them of their Duty. It is like the Rule Deut. 23. hath not been Considered till the time of Iehoshaphat and Amaziah &c.