adduce the testimony of the prophets; for, these inspired writers, in their predictions respecting the Gospel dispensation, have frequently alluded both to the superiour spirituality and to the purer morality of that system of religion, of which the law, with all its accompaniments, was only the introduction. In the second chapter of the book of Isaiah we read the following prophecy: "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it; and many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for, out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and rebuke many people; and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more;" ver.2--4. The prophet Micah repeats the same prediction, and adds the following animating description: "But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his figtree; and none shall make them afraid; for the mouth of the Lord of Hosts hath spoken it;" Mic. iv, 1-4. It is allowed, by the Jews, that the "last days," of which these prophets speak, are the "days of the Messiah;" and the unanimous consent of Christian commentators confirms the application of those expressions to the period of that glorious dispensation which was introduced by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Accordingly, the actual predictions of his coming are elsewhere accompanied with similar descriptions. In Isa. ix, 6, the Messiah is expressly denominated the "Prince of Peace." In Isa. xi, the

reign of Christ is painted in glowing colours, as accompanied by the universal harmony of God's creation. Lastly, in Zech. ix, 9, 10; we read as follows: "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt, the foal of an ass. And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle-bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth;" comp. Ps. xlvi, 9.

It is undeniable that, in these passages, a total cessation from the practice of war is described as one of the most conspicuous characteristicks of Christianity. Such a consequence is represented by Isaiah as arising from the conversion of the heathen nations, -as resulting from their being led into the ways, instructed in the law, and enlightened by the word, of the Lord. Whoever, indeed, were to be the members of the true church of God, she was no longer to participate in the warfare of the world. The chariot was to be cut off from Ephraim, and the war-horse from Jerusalem. It is true that, for the full accomplishment of these glorious prophecies, we must look forward to a period yet to come. But let us not deceive ourselves. The inspired writers describe this complete and uninterrupted peaceableness, as a distinguishing feature of the dispensation under which Christians are living-as the result of obedience to that law which they are, at all times, bound to follow: and we may, therefore, infer that, if the true nature of the Christian dispensation were fully understood, and if the law by which it is regulated were exactly obeyed, a conversion to our holy religion, or the cordial and serious holding of it, would be uniformly accompanied with an entire absti

nence from warfare. Thus the prevalence of the law of peace would be found commensurate, in every age of the church, with the actual extent of the Messiah's kingdom over men.

As the language of prophecy clearly suggests this doctrine, so it will be found that, on the introduction of Christianity, there were promulgated certain moral rules which, when fully and faithfully obeyed, infallibly lead to this particular result. Here I am by no means alluding exclusively to those divine laws which condemn aggressive warfare and every species of unjust and unprovoked injury; for these laws (however it may be the intention of Christians to obey them) are far from being powerful enough to produce the effect in question. They were, indeed, commonly admitted in the world, long before the commencement of the Christian dispensation; and neither before nor after that era have they ever been found sufficient to convert the sword into the ploughshare, and the spear into the pruninghook. In point of fact, the distinction which men are accustomed to draw between just and unjust warfare is, in a great plurality of instances, entirely nugatory; for there are few wars, however atrocious, which are not defended, and not many, perhaps, which the persons waging them do not believe to be justified, by some plea or other connected with self-preservation or honourable retribution. In addition, therefore, to the laws which forbid spontaneous injury, some stronger and more comprehensive principles were obviously needed, in order to the accomplishment of this great end; and these principles are unfolded in that pure and exalted code of morality which was revealed, in connexion with the Gospel. They are, the non-resistance of injuries, the return of good for evil, and the love of our enemies.

It was the Lord Jesus himself who promulgated

"Ye

these principles; and promulgated them as distinguishing his own dispensation from that of the law. have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: but I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain, &c. Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For, if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect;" Matt. v, 38-48; comp. Luke vi, 27-29. So, also, the apostle Peter commands the believers not to render "evil for evil, nor railing for railing, but, contrariwise, blessing," I Pet. iii, 9; and Paul, in the following lively exhortation, holds up the very same standard of Christian practice: "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore, if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for, in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good;" Rom. xii, 19-21.

In the delivery of that holy law, by obedience to - which Christians may be brought, in their small mea

sure, (and yet with completeness according to that measure,) to a conformity with the moral attributes of their heavenly Father, our Lord has laid his axe to the root. He has established certain principles which, as they are honestly observed in conduct, must put an end to every evil practice; and thus is the tree which bears the fruits of corruption cut down and destroyed. Of this nature, precisely, are the principles which we are now considering, and which, when followed up with true consistency, cannot fail to abolish warfare, whether offensive or defensive, whether aggressive or retributive, whether unjust or just. The great law of Christ, which his disciples are ever bound to obey, is the law of love-love complete, uninterrupted, universal, fixed upon God in the first place, and afterwards embracing the whole family of man. And, since war (of whatsoever species or description it may be) can never consist with this love, it is indisputable that, where the latter prevails as it ought to do, the former must entirely cease.

It is observed that our Lord's precepts, which have now been cited, are addressed to individuals. Since this is undeniably true, it follows that it is the clear duty of individual Christians to obey them; and to obey them uniformly, and on every occasion. If, during the common course of their life, they are attacked, insulted, injured, and persecuted, they ought to suffer wrong, to revenge no injury, to return good for evil, and to love their enemies. So, also, should it happen that they are exposed to the more extraordinary calamities of war, their duty remains unaltered; their conduct must continue to be guided by the same principles. If the sword of the invader be lifted up against them, the precept is still at hand, that they resist not evil. If the insults and injuries of the carnal warrior be heaped upon them, they are still forbid