of Judea should ever be made during the three great festivals, while obedience to the divine appointments caused the men to leave their lands and families unprotected. “Thrice in the year shall all your men-children appear before the Lord God, the God of Israel. For I will cast out the nations before thee, and enlarge thy borders: neither shall any man desire thy land when thou shalt go up to appear before the Lord thy God thrice in the year." Exodus xxxiv. 23, 24.

At other seasons it pleased God to permit his people to be invaded by their enemies, even while they exercised a proper trust in his protection, and lived in obedience to his commands. Under such circumstances they entered into a state of warfare, and used the ordinary means of self-defence: nor were they ever reproved for this conduct. On the contrary, they were often incited by their prophets, or inspired leaders, to repel with force the aggressions of their enemies.

Sometimes, indeed, the Almighty appeared so remarkably for their protection, as to render their own exertions unnecessary; as in the case of the pious Jehoshaphat. When he was attacked by the Moabites, the Ammonites, and inhabitants of Mount Seir, whom the Almighty" would not let Israel invade, when

they came out of the land of Egypt, (2 Chronicles xx. 10.) he set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah;" verse 3. In this instance God ordained it so, that the confederate army was destroyed by its own weapons. "The children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them; and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another." verse 23.

Such extraordinary interposition was not always granted, but the people were left to use the ordinary means of defence, which were rendered successful by the gracious, though invisible, assistance of the Almighty, as in the case of Asa. When the land was invaded by Zerah, the Ethiopian, with an army containing a million of men, "Asa cried unto the Lord, and said, Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power? Help us, O Lord our God, for we rest on thee." 2 Chronicles xiv. 9, 11. His prayer was answered, and this enormous army was defeated by the forces of the Jews. This victory was obtained by the blessing of God upon their arms; and so far were the people from receiving a rebuke for engaging in this defensive warfare, that they

were afterwards reminded of this victory, as an instance of the divine favour towards them. "Were not the Ethiopians and Lubims a huge host," said Hanani the Seer, " with many chariots and horsemen? Yet, because thou didst rely on the Lord, he delivered them into thy hand." Ib. chapter xvi. 8.

An objection to the conclusion drawn from these considerations may arise in the minds of some of your readers. It may be said, that the reasoning hitherto rests upon examples drawn from the Old Testament; whereas the New speaks a different language. I shall proceed, therefore, to examine what is said in the New Testament on this subject.

When John the Baptist "came into the country about Jordan, a multitude of the people came forth to be baptized of him." Luke iii. 7. To these he gave reproofs and instructions suited to their several conditions. "When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth, therefore, fruits meet for repentance." Matthew iii. 7, 8. "Then came also publicans (or tax-gatherers) to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do? And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is

appointed you. And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely, and be content with your wages," or soldier's pay, as the word in the original signifies. Luke iii. 12-14.

Now, can any reasonable person conceive it possible, that this faithful servant of God, this greatest of the prophets, this harbinger of the Prince of Peace, could have given such instructions to the soldiers, if warfare was absolutely, and under all circumstances, unlawful? What! shall a set of murderers be instructed to be content with their wages?! For, let it be remembered, that if warfare be absolutely unlawful, a soldier is a murderer by profession. This holy messenger of Christ understood perfectly the nature of the moral law, and faithfully fulfilled his office of calling all men to repentance, and to the forsaking of every evil way. He does not class soldiers, as such, among the "generation of vipers," but cautions them against those crimes to which their profession might lead them. He judged that a continuance in the profession of war caused no insuperable obstacle to their repentance; and allowed the lawfulness of

that profession, by not calling upon them to forsake it.

When the centurion, or Roman captain, made application to our Saviour on account of his sick servant, and manifested such humility and confidence in the power and grace of Christ, the great searcher of hearts declared that he had not "found so great faith, no not in Israel." So far was our Lord from informing him, that the profession of war was inconsistent with purity of heart, that he strongly intimated the centurion to be of that happy number, "who shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven." Matthew viii. 10, 11.

Another captain in the Roman army is declared, in the Acts of the Apostles, chapter x. to have been a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house; among whose "household servants" was a "devout soldier." To this military man was the Apostle Peter sent, to bring the glad tidings of salvation. This inspired Apostle did not require from him a renunciation of his profession, but acknowledged him to be of the number whom God had accepted. In consequence of that acceptance," the gift of the Holy Ghost was poured out" upon him, and he was imme