understandings would be lost in the numbers. The settlement of Pennsylvania is a pleasing specimen of the effect of Christian principles, as contrasted with the policy of war. There is another specimen of greater antiquity, and, I will add, of more weight, because it was nearer to primitive times. It is the case of the destruction of Jerusalem. The Jews depended on themselves; and what became of them and their city? They exhibited a scene of destruction and carnage, never before exceeded. At that very juneture, the Christians, without mixing in the war spirit, or the dictates of human wisdom, simply cast themselves on God for protection and they found it. Led by that Arm which is still found to be around and underneath the true Christian, they were directed to a place of safety; -while their infatuated countrymen, both their place and nation, were swept with the besom of destruction. Look back at the history of the Church, through all ages-and what is more remarkable and obvious, than the unfailing providence of God? Has he not, in all ages, been their bow and battleaxe, their sun and shield? Has he not proved that his name is a strong tower, into which the righteous may run, and find safety? Has he ever left them so destitute, as to drive them from an observance of his law, to obtain a better protection to themselves, than he would afford them? No, never! the righteous have never been forsaken, nor warranted in making flesh their arm, or putting their trust in man. Even during that dispensation, under which wars were sometimes permitted, the most conclusive evidence was given, that this was not necessary as a means of preservation. How often were the most signal victories obtained by the most unlikely means! How often were the Israelites delivered from their enemies, by special interpositions of Providence, when all outward succour and resources failed! And why should we call in question, either the power or the providence of God! In that memorable appearance of our Lord to his disciples after his resurrection, he made use of these expressions : "All power is given unto me, in heaven and in earth." And again: "Lo! I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." Who then that believes in these gracious declarations, can suppose that we dare not comply with the precepts of our Lord, or imitate his example, for fear of the consequences? Or are we, after all the light that has been afforded, to suppose that we are better acquainted with the human heart than he isthat the system he has laid down for the regulation of our conduct, is not adapted to the condition of mankind; and therefore we are at liberty, and able, to devise another scheme of preservation, in which we can have more dependence upon ourselves, and less upon him. This indeed is the very summit of folly. Who would be willing to be cut off from the protecting care of Almighty God! And who can expect the blessings of his providence, but in obedience to his requisitions! Thus, if we look back to past ages, we shall be irresistibly led to the conclusion, that, in the original order of things, as first constituted by the Divine Author, there was nothing in the human character that was congenial with war:-that this afflictive scourge was the effect of those passions and motives which spring up in the depraved nature, and which the spirit of the gospel was designed to eradicate, and which it does eradicate in all those who thoroughly submit to its operations:-and mankind, being sunk into a state far, very far, below their original purity and dignity, were not capable of coming up, at once, into the full practice and enjoyment of the excellencies of the gospel. Hence the personal appearance of our Lord, the discoveries of the mysteries of his kingdom, and the requisitions which necessarily accompanied that discovery, were deferred until, by an easy gradation of dispensations, their minds were prepared for the important event. And here it may be remarked, that every discovery of truth carries with it a proportionate obligation on the life and conduct of him to whom the revelation is made. Hence the gradual developement of truth through early ages, because mankind were not prepared to come under the requisitions or obligations that would necessarily have followed; nor indeed were they prepared for that enlargement of views itself. In all this we discover the wisdom and condescending goodness of God, to deal with mankind according to their weakness and capacity. Continuing the retrospective view, we find a course of instruction was instituted, through the medium of the law and the prophets, and many striking events that were X calculated to make a strong impression. In this course of instruction were to be noticed particularly, the clear, impressive evidences of divine power and providence-the incapacity of man to command the smallest blessing by his own unassisted efforts the omnipotence of the Divine Being, and his interposition in human affairs, both to protect his dependent servants, and to overrule the schemes and malevolent designs of those who were disposed to disregard his divine will. It also pleased him, who thus instituted this school of instruction, to give mankind, through the medium of prophecy, some clear views of the dispensation that was ultimately to be introduced. The new covenant dispensation was introduced by the Son of God, in a personal appearance on earth; who explained it by precept, and illustrated it by example. That dispensation was designed to restore man to a state of acceptance, by bringing him into a participation of the divine nature. This constitutes the new creature, in which old things are done away, and all things become new; new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Here all the corrupt and malevolent passions are subjugated, and the spirit of Jesus Christ becomes the ruling principle in us. The feelings and temper thus produced, being a preparation for, and a foretaste of heaven. In the precepts and example of our Lord, no trace of the war spirit or policy could be found. On the contrary, the practice of forbearance, non-resistance, and forgiveness of injuries, was enforced in the most explicit manner; and every feeling that could possibly lead to violence between man and man, was as clearly prohibited. It was the design of our Divine Lawgiver, to lay the axe to the root of the corrupt tree; and this was in no case more obvious than in relation to war: every feeling that could lead to strife, discord, or violence, being interdicted. If these are eradicated, the fruit cannot be produced. When we contemplate the example of our Lord Jesus Christ, forming a perfect contrast to the war character, and remember that this was designed as a pattern for our conduct-when we consider his precepts, and reflect that these are of perpetual obligation; and further bring to mind, that his followers took no part in wars for more than two hundred years after his personal appearance on earth, can we entertain a doubt of the incompatibility of war with the duties of a Christian? Can we draw any other conclusion, than that, in adopting the spirit and practice of war, we must act with such inconsistency with the precepts and example of Jesus Christ, and the example of his followers, as amounts to a dereliction of Christianity itself! We cannot be actuated by the Spirit that was in Christ, nor walk by the rules which he laid down, nor maintain any thing like the character of his followers, during the purity of the Church. If these positions be true, (and even the advocates for war will be bound to admit that they are,) will it not follow, as an undeniable conclusion, that no man can maintain two characters so totally different from each other, at the same time? "Ye cannot serve two masters." -"Doth a fountain send forth, at the same place, sweet water and bitter?" "By their fruits ye shall know them," said our Lord; and the rule remains good to the present day. Who can be at a loss, in fixing the character of the work of death and desolation? Can we hesitate a moment, in ascribing it to the influence of him who was a murderer from the beginning? "The works of your father ye will do," said our Lord to the pharisees. And from whose works can be the destruction of human happiness, and the devastation of the works of God? However the feelings of charity may prompt us to draw a veil over the infirmities and deformities of human nature, the cause of humanity and religion, has too long and too deeply suffered by war, to permit any part of its character to be concealed, through motives of delicacy or tenderness towards those who are in this practice. It cannot escape the notice of those who reflect on the subject, that the appendages of military parade, the hilarity and various gratifications associated with such parade, and the emoluments and the applause that are frequently obtained by war, are so many causes actively operating to keep alive the war spirit, and of course actually producing war. Those who contend that war is unavoidable in the present state of society, and therefore take an active part in thus keeping alive the war spirit, are chargeable with perpetuating that insuperable obstacle to the establishment of peace on earth. If war is an evil, as all rational men must confess, how can any reconcile to themselves the idea of perpetuating that evil. So great is the magnitude of the evils; so horrible the scenes inseparably connected with war, that, independent of all arguments drawn from the impiety of the practice, we should think that men could hardly feel so little repugnance at producing those calamities as they do. The prospect presented by the world around us, seems too fully to justify the reflections of the poet Cowper: "There is no flesh in man's obdurate heart; Indeed, when we consider the enormous mass of misery and of guilt that has been produced by war, it becomes an inquiry of no ordinary consequence, how far we are individually chargeable with that guilt. But, after all the calamity and guilt which have thus deformed the human character, we may ask the question, What has been obtained? Not safety-not happinessnot liberty-not virtue! Look round over the nations of the earth, both ancient and modern, and say, where is that people who, placing their dependence on the sword, remained half a century without being involved in calamities of the most afflictive nature-the sacrifice of immense treasure, and of human life and happiness? No nation upon earth has ever attained to safety by the war policy. Danger, though sometimes concealed, was still lurking near. When the alarm of war, or the spirit of retaliation spreads over a nation, ask then if they are happy. Ask the soldier, torn from the bosom of his family-ask the disconsolate wife and children left behind, who listen to every passing wind, as bearing the messages of deathif they are happy. Ask the widow and the orphan, after the contest is over-ask the veteran, who has met his brother in the field of battle, and seen him mix in the mangled mass of mortality. Happiness is a stranger to these conditions. Of all abridgments of natural rights, none is so great as that produced by war. Military government is perfectly despotic. Ask the conqueror, who has risen to the summit of his |