DISCOURSE VIII.

A FAST SERMON.

DEUT. XXIII. 9.

When the host goeth forth against thine enemies, then keep thee from every wicked thing.

Sa minifter of that Gospel which DISC.

was first published by the Prince of VIII. Peace, who came to reconcile all things in heaven and earth, and bequeathed peace, as his last and best legacy, to his difciples; I could rather have wifhed, it might have been my province to congratulate you this day on the approach of it's re-establishment in the world; on the delightful profpect of times, when the whole earth should once more fit quiet, and be at leifure to attend to better things, than

ignenious

" lift

DISC. ingenious and well concerted plans of mu VIII. tual deftruction; when "nation fhould not up fword against nation, neither "fhould they learn war any more.” These ought to be the effects of Religion; these would be it's effects, were it univerfally understood and practifed; these will be it's effects, at a more aufpicious æra of the chriftian church, and in a happier clime, as all the prophets have foretold, which have been fince the world began.

Let none, meanwhile, be offended and stumble at that ftumbling-ftone laid in their way by the frequency of wars among nations profeffing Chriftianity. They owe not their origin to Religion, but to the want of it. The fault is in the ground, not in the feed, which is good, but is either stolen away, or withered, or choked by the paffions growing up with it, and fometimes, even making it the cause, the very innocent caufe, of those diffenfions and animofities, which it was defigned for ever to extirpate." Whence. come wars

" and

"and fightings among you "not hence, even of

Come they DISC.

your defires," which

your Religion fhould mortify and fubdue ? Doubtless, the fight of Chriftian, Catholic, Faithful, and Apoftolic princes, fending their numerous regiments to flaughter one another in the field of battle, forms a fhocking contrast to the fpirit of the meek and lowly Jefus-fo fhocking, that fome have been thereby induced to maintain the utter unlawfulness of all war. But what then is to be done? Who can prevent a restless and ambitious ftate from attacking it's neighbour? In these circumstances, fuch men muft either defend themselves, or be defended by others, or God must interpofe miraculoufly in their defence, or all muft quietly fubmit to conquest and captivity by an unjust invader. Had this last been intended, that rigid moralift, the Baptift, would not have regulated, but prohibited the military profeffion; nor would Chriftians have ferved, as we know they did, with fidelity and diligence, in the armies of the Pagan emperors.

The

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DISC.

VIII.

The lawfulness of a war must therefore be rested now, under the Gospel, upon the fame foot on which it hath ever ftood from the beginning, namely, the juftice of it; and upon a fuppofition that our cause is good-as we humbly truft it is-we may undoubtedly accept the permiffion, or rather commiffion, implied in the first words of the text; "When the host goeth "forth against thine enemies"-The people of God may ftill be brought under a neceffity of engaging in war, defensive or offenfive, to maintain their rights, or to avenge their wrongs; and that, whether against foreign enemies, or rebellious fubjects: much more, if the latter, after having erected the standard of independency, should unite with the former, and exclaim concerning those who nourished and brought them up, like the children of Lot, when Affur had acceded to the League-"Come, and let us root alfo "them out, that they may be no more a "people; and that the name of Ifrael may "be no more in remembrance!" In cir cumstances

VIII.

cumstances like these, I fay, when all is at DISC. stake, the people of God may carry on a war, as the only means left them to obtain an honourable and permanent peace, which, in many cafes, can only be the fruit of victory; and heroes might again be celebrated by an Apoftle (fhould fuch heroes arise, with an Apostle to celebrate them) who, through faith, had" fubdued kingdoms," as well as "wrought righteousness."

Between these two achievements, feemingly fo very different (and often, alas, really fo!) the latter part of the text points out a nearer connection, than might, perhaps, have been imagined ever to subfift. "When the hoft goeth forth against "thine enemies, then keep thee from

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every wicked thing." If, even with right on thy fide, thou wouldest conquer and triumph, remember to prepare the way by repentance and reformation. thou defireft to become great, let ambition first excite thee to be good. The qualities are affociated in the style imperial of hea