principles, enjoins us in our practice fo much charity and heavenly-mindedness, fuch a tame reconciliation, and forbearance, and fubmiffion to private injuries, as to be utterly subverfive of the honour and happinefs of individuals, repugnant to felf-love, the firft principle of human nature, and wholly inconsistent with the very existence of civil fociety. But this is a very ignorant, or a very invidious objection, proceeding from partial confideration, and a very unintelligent application of fome fhort and detached precepts, or from a wilful mifinterpretation of the whole defign of the Christian inftitution: which concerns itself indeed very little with the powers and modes of government in this world, yet doth not faftidiously reprobate those which are established, nor arrogate to itself the honour of inventing a perfect plan of policy and legiflation; well knowing that if every private man, to whose moral amendment and fpiritual improvement it principally directs its attention, would with a vigorous zeal and a constant fedulity live up to the full extent of its injunctions, there would be no need of either national defence, or civil jurisdiction. To what purpose the fences of pro perty, perty, when there would be an unbounded liberality and a common ufe? the minifters of justice, when there would be no iniquity? the fanctions of law, when there could be no tranfgreffion? the refources for general defence, when there could be no apprehenfion of an enemy; when there would be but one family on the whole earth; one common expectation and a common interest; one foul actuating one body, where all the members being firmly compacted in love, by a kindred fympathy would fuffer or rejoice together?-But an obedience compleat and univerfal to its laws is more to be wished, than expected; for though a general 'view of the state of mankind at this time, when the colonies and commerce of Chriftian nations have encompaffed the whole earth, when Babylon the great feems falling, and all the states of Europe manifest plain tokens of an internal decay, compared with the prophetical writings of Daniel and St. John concerning the latter times, and illuftrated by the standing miracle of the Jewish difperfion, and the great apostacy and corruption of the Chriftian Church, might probably to a cool and comprehenfive mind exhibit the Arm of the Lord naked naked in the cause of Chriftianity; yet doth not its full establishment feem near at hand. The greateft nations of the earth have fcarcely heard of the gospel of Christ, nor hath it been any where received but as either polluted with pagan fuperftitions, or deż based by the beggarly elements of Judaical ceremonies: its purity and fimplicity hath been every where depreciated; it hath been made a ladder of ambition by Churchmen; an engine of government by Statesmen; and though by its reciprocal action it hath ftrengthened the bonds of fociety, yet hath its spirit been depreffed and weighed down by the earthly principles of every civil inftitution; all of which, when it fhall exert its full activity, it will break to pieces with a rod of iron: the ftone which was cut out without hands, fhall in the feafon which is known to the Antient of days, and to none befides, fmite thoroughly both the iron and the clay, reduce as fmall as the chaff of the summer floor every stately image of political power, become a great mountain, and fill the whole earth. Till that time cometh, Christianity neither takes away from focieties, nor individuals, their natural right of felf-defence; the one may engage in a juft war for the fafety fafety of the whole community, the other may in many cafes appeal to the magistrate for a redress of the injuries he receives. THE laws of fociety, even the best that the most deliberate wisdom can promulgate, are but inadequate measures of moral rectitude, incompetent judges of fpiritual excellence, impotent advocates in the support of virtuous, or the discouragement of vicious habits. Their influence extends no farther than to the ordering of the outward demeanor, to the cenfuring of the overt act, the supporting the publick peace; they can put a bar upon the door of our lips, fetter our hands, and fhackle our feet; but they cannot purify the polluted receffes of a de ceitful heart; they cannot probe the festerings of envy; they cannot ftifle the workings of pride, take down the towerings of ambition, nor dilate a contracted foul; they cannot pour o'er the heart that dew of gentleness and love, of meekness and benignity, of quietness and mutual forbearance, which must be our passports to heaven, and will accompany us through all fucceeding scenes of our existence; nor can they stop in its career the intemperate extravagance of any inordinate defire. They can provide well enough for the protection of our perfons, and are sufficiently expert in throwing a trench round our properties; but this being effected, their whole aim is accomplished; they are quite unable to define the precife bounds where it would become, not a citizen merely but a Chriftian, not a just but a good man to affert his right against an obstinate invader, or to repel the insult of a perfonal oppreffor. HUMAN laws permit us to ftand on our defence in all cafes, and afford a rigorous redress, a kind of retaliation, for the minutest injury offered our perfons, or depredation committed upon our properties; but Christianity is of another spirit. Damages for trefpaffes, infamy for defamation, blood for blood is the voice of Law - but what faith the gospel of Chrift? It forbids indeed offences, in a language as rigid and comprehensive as can be; thou shalt not kill, thou fhalt not fleal; but it fays too, ye shall not refift the injurious man; whofoever attacks your person, and shall fmite you on your right cheek, you fhall not in the first guft of paffion commence an action of affault against |