unlawful
and unseasonable. But so it is that confederacy and association with the
people of these abominations, will increase the Lord's indignation and
controversy seven times more. _Ergo_, The assumption was as manifest and
uncontroverted as the proposition, a few months ago, but it is begun now
to be questioned by some, _qui quod sciunt nesciunt, quia sapiunt_(374)
But we shall evince it. 1. We are standing under such a sentence, which we
deliberately and sincerely passed upon ourselves, in the days of our vows
to God, that if we did ever any more join with the people of these
abominations, the Lord would consume us till there was no remnant. And
this was not done in rashness but in sobriety, and with a scripture
precedent, Ezra ix. 12, 13. 2. Our experience hath made this clear to us,
we never did mingle ourselves among them, but the Lord did pursue us with
indignation, and stamped that sin, as in vive(375) characters, upon our
judgment. God hath set upon that rock, that we have so oft split upon, a
remarkable beacon. Therefore we do not only in our solemn engagements,
bind ourselves over to a curse, in case of relapsing, but pass the
sentence of great madness and folly on ourselves. _Piscator ictu
sapit_.(376) Experience makes fools wise, but it cannot cure madness. Did
not that mixture provoke God at Dunbar?(377) And is this the way to
appease him, to revolt more and more? 3. Conjunction and confederacy with
that party, doth necessarily infer a communion in blessings and plagues,
we must cast in our lot with them, and have all one purse. Now it hath
been confessed and declared by this church, that God hath a notable
controversy with that party, that this enemy is in an eminent way to bear
them down and crush them. Therefore if we join with them, we must resolve
to partake of their plagues, and have that controversy pleaded against us
also.

It is answered, That indignation need not be feared simply on this
account, because the means are lawful and necessary, else, if this have
any force, it will conclude, that we should lie down and do nothing,
because God's indignation is upon the whole land.

But we reply, 1. Though it be true, that this enemy is the rod of God's
indignation against the whole land, yet it is certain to us, and hath been
formerly unquestioned, that they are raised up in a special way, to
execute God's wrath on malignants, and God doth arm them with power in a
signal manner for that end. Besides