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lightened, persevering pursuit of just rights must be successful. There may be martyrdom in its course, but there cannot be slavery at its termination. An appeal to the sword commonly either strengthens an old despotism or produces a new

one.

The affinity between standing armies and despotism is noticed by Paley, at the conclusion of the chapter on which these remarks are hazarded; but he has altogether passed over the demoralizing consequences of making war a profession and a trade, except in the merely incidental remark that "the profession of a soldier almost always unfits men for the business of regular occupations." By other writers on the subject they have been made more prominent. Fletcher says of mercenary troops, "Most men that enter into those armies, whether officers or soldiers, as if they were obliged to shew themselves new creatures, and perfectly regenerate, if before they were modest or sober, immediately turn themselves to all manner of debauchery and wickedness, committing all kinds of injustice and barbarity against poor and defenceless people." Machiavel has a remarkable condemnation of the military profession: "War being a profession by which men cannot live honourably at all times, it is not to be taken up as a trade, unless it be by a commonwealth or a kingdom; and if they be well constituted, they will neither of

them suffer any of their citizens or subjects, or any other good man to make it his business; for he will never be thought a good man who takes upon him an employment by which, if he would reap any profit at any time, he is obliged to be false and rapacious and cruel, and to entertain several other qualities that are not consistent in a good man; nor can any man, great or small, who makes war his profession, be otherwise than vicious;-have you not a proverb which confirms what I say, and tells us that war makes thieves, and peace brings them to the gallows?" (Art of War, Ch. ii.) He then adduces the example of Rome, which "whilst it was well governed (which was till the time of the Gracchi) had never any soldier who made it his profession to be so, by which means few of them were disso lute." They had afterwards; and then came the corruption of their manners, and the extinction of their liberties.

What man can escape untainted from long familiarity with stratagem, falsehood, bloodshed and plunder? Melancholy proof might be given of their brutalizing influence upon men of edu→ cation, rank, and humanity; what then must it be upon the ignorant, young, necessitous, and worthless, who fill the ranks of armies? There are, doubtless, in the army, many men of excellent character, extensive benevolence, and real piety. I have known such. I am sorry that it

should be so; because the strict consistency of Christians on the subject of war, is the first step towards its abolition.

Long, very long will it probably be, before the world arrives at a consummation so devoutly to be wished; and a firm trust in the truth of prophecy and the omnipotence of Providence, can alone preserve us from doubting or despairing of its arrival. Opposing interests, false notions of glory, the turbulence of ambition, and a thousand formidable obstacles preclude all hope of its speedy approach. Meanwhile there is some gratification in observing, that the testimony borne against this evil has been especially connected with the purer forms of religion, and will therefore gather strength in proportion to the predicted revival and diffusion of genuine Christianity.

Neither Jews nor Christians could serve in the Roman legions without incurring the guilt of idolatry. The frequent sacrifices at which all were bound to assist, the homage paid to the standards, the military oath, which was renewed every year, all were idolatrous. Hence, before the time of Christ the Jews only acted as auxiliaries to the Romans, under their own officers; and they procured from Julius Cæsar an exemption from serving in the wars. But the objections of some of them were not only to idolatry, but to war itself. Philo says of the Esseans, "None among

them can be found that manufacture darts, arrows, swords, breastplates, or even such weapons as might be converted to bad purposes in time of peace; much less do they engage in any of those arts which are useful in war." The Esseans generally became Christians (see Jones's Ecclesiastical Researches); and their pacific principles, sanctioned as they were by the language of Christ, (Matthew v. 38, &c.,) were adopted and adhered to generally by the Christians for upwards of two centuries, being only abandoned by the same gradation that truth, simplicity, and purity, were abandoned also. Of this there is satisfactory evidence.

Justin Martyr declares, “We fight not with our enemies," ascribes war, without distinction, to the instigation of the devil, and considers the prophecy of Isaiah (ii. 4) as accomplished in its renunciation by the Christians of his day.

Irenæus gives the same literal interpretation of that prophecy, and expresses the same notion of its being then fulfilled. "Jam nesciunt pugnare."

Tatian intimates plainly his opinion concerning the unlawfulness of war, and contrasts soldiers and Christians as in all respects opposite.

Tertullian condemns serving in the army; but "in his time, (the third century,) if not before, there were some Christian soldiers, and it is hard to conceive how they could maintain their

innocence in that station, and avoid such dissimulation, and such practices as were scarcely allowable. It is to be supposed that the Christians kept out of the army as much as they could."-Jortin.

Clemens Alexandrinus allows that it might be lawful for a Christian to serve, if, when he was converted to Christianity, he was a soldier; and enjoins on such converts obedience to the just commands of their superiors.

These must have been comparatively rare instances, for afterwards, Celsus charges the Christians with refusing to bear arms for the emperor, and tells them, that if all were of their opinion the empire would soon be overrun by the barbarians. Origen, in replying, allows the truth of the accusation.

Cyprian says, "When a single murder is committed it shall be deemed, perhaps, a crime; but that crime shall commence a virtue when committed under the shelter of public authority, so that punishment is not rated by the measure of guilt, but the more enormous the size of wickedness is, so much greater is the chance of impunity."

Even in the legend of the Thundering Legion," the Christians are not represented as serving Antoninus by their arms, but by their prayers.

In the fourth century, Lactantius declares expressly against Christians being in the army;

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