The author says, (p. 42.) "where a command is clear and undoubted, we are to obey, at all hazards.": &c. It is believed that the command is clear, "I say unto you, that ye resist not evil." If the command is clear, Abram might, with as much propriety, have looked at consequences, and objected to his duty. He might have plead the loss of the son of promise, and the express command, he that "sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed." The children of Israel might have said, upon this principle, that they all should be drowned, if they obeyed, when they were commanded, to go forward into the sea. When the Lord told the Prince of his people, on a particular occasion, that he should not need to fight his enemy, who was advancing against him; he might have replied, upon the same principle of our author, shall we stand still and suffer our enemies to destroy us?

If the Gospel forbids defensive war, we have as much reason to trust in the word of the Lord, as the children of Israel had, when he commanded all the males of the nation to appear before him. The Lord commanded the children of Israel, saying, "Three times in a year all thy males shall appear before the Lord God,”—“ neither shall any man desire thy land, when thou shalt go up to appear before the Lord thy God thrice in a year." The fact, that the enemies of Israel never invaded their land, (although left defenceless when the males appeared before the Lord,) has often been adduced to unbelievers. as an evidence of the truth and faithfulness of God's word.

It is a fact which the experience of every day demonstrates, that peaceable men are not more liable to be assaulted than the retaliating. He who styles himself the man of honour, would be ashamed to challenge a man who had previously declared his sentiments

against fighting. "When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him."

That peaceable subjects are not more in danger of being destroyed than others, is a truth which the author himself unguardedly stumbled upon. (L. p. 18.) He says, "What then would induce the Romans to destroy the Jewish nation? Not quiet submission; for why should peaceable subjects be destroyed?"

He has said we are not to expect miracles in our preservation. It is not necessary for Him, in whose hand are the hearts of all men, to work a special miracle, to preserve his people. If it is for his glory, and their good, he can at his pleasure regulate his Providence for their preservation.

But what faith is that which does not trust in the word of the Lord, and leave the consequences with him who knows the end from the beginning. God's people find their only consolation in trusting in his word. "The truth is, they ought to have nothing to do with consequences, but only duties. Thus, saith the Lord, should be their warrant, and only guide. If they implicitly follow the command, consequences are all safe in God's hand." (Med. Kingd. p. 38.) "He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppression; that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes; that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; he shall dwell on high; his place of defence is the munitions of rocks; bread shall be given him; his water shall be sure." The following words of an eloquent and pious writer, are directly to the point. "Unbelief looks at opposition, and faints-Faith looks at the promise of God, and conquers. In the strength of the promise,

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worm Jacob threshes the mountains, and beats them small as chaff." (Hope for the Heathen, p. 34.) '

It is unnecessary to proceed further on this part of the subject, as it is not consequences, in the view of men, that are to decide the question; but the word of the Lord*..

The author has been pleased to conclude his remarks upon the pamphlet, in the following triumphant manner, (p. 44.) "What has been said, will be a sufficient explanation of my views of your pamphlet ; and, I trust, a sufficient warning to others, against its errors and pernicious tendency." His denunciation and triumph appear, from our remarks, to be premature; for it is in vain for him to attempt to destroy a noxious tree, which bears "pernicious" fruit, by brandishing his pruning-knife amongst the twigs, and occasionally striking at a limb, while he leaves the body and the roots untouched.

Having completed the remarks upon such parts of

* The writer would here observe-that the common objection which he hears against the sentiment is, what is apprehended would be the consequences. The following things, and the like, have often been repeated to him. "If this sentiment were to prevail, universal anarchy would follow. Thieves and robbers would plunder and destroy at their pleasure. Rogues and swindlers would cheat and abuse honest men. Tyrants would make us hewers of wood, and drawers of water," &c. &c. Christians who make these objections, would, with one voice admit, that they ought not to have the weight of a straw against adopting the sentiment, provided God has expressly commanded it. If it is not, then, what men may apprehend would be the consequences, but the authority of God which is to decide the question, why are they continually appealing to consequences, (which it is believed, would never follow, if Christians did their duty,) and not to the testimony of the Scriptures? All these consequences are, at times, permitted to take place as judgments upon the earth, for its wickedness. But the saints are the salt of the earth; and, when this salt diffuses its savour, it preserves the earth. It is not probable that these consequences, for the elect's sake, would be permitted to follow, if they were only faithful. But if the salt has lost its savour, we may expect that the earth will corrupt and decay.

the "Letter" as was thought proper to notice, (several things of less importance are passed by, for the sake of brevity,) we shall conclude by taking a summary view; to which we shall add a few general observations.

If the remarks which have been made, are correct, of which the candid reader must judge; the following things, it is apprehended, are evident.

That the Mediator has a kingdom, and that this. kingdom is in a special manner, his church, under the dispensation of the Gospel. Although it is spiritual, its government extends to the heart and life of its subjects; they are bound to glorify God in their body, and spirit, which are his. These laws, if followed, are believed to be sufficient for the regulation of life, in all situations in which we can be placed.

The children of Israel, under the Mosaic dispensation, were not a nation including Church and State, in the sense in which we speak of civil and religious government at the present day. Their government was not civil, but religious. They were the Church of God. The Lord was their legislator, and he appointed their judges, and those who should execute his laws. They were God's covenant people, and were not permitted to make any covenant with the nations of the earth. They were a holy nation, and distinct from all other nations. The Lord, speaking of Israel, says, "You only have I known of all the nations of the earth." If the Church of God, under the Mosaic dispensation, was distinct from all the nations of the earth; is the Church now, under a brighter dispensation, less separated from the world? If the Church of old was not permitted to make any covenant with the nations of the earth, is the Church now permitted to do it?

Because the precepts of God to his Church formally

extended to the regulation of all their temporal, as well as spiritual concerns, it does not follow that they were a civil and religious government, in the common acceptation of the words. The precepts of God to the Church now extend not only to the regulation of spiritual, but temporal concerns. And it is the opinion of the writer, that there is no higher authority, and that the laws of the Church are sufficient, and ought to regulate all the conduct of its members, not only in spiritual, but temporal

matters.

The government of the Church was committed to the nation of Israel, until the Lord of life and glory appeared. The sceptre did not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh came. When Shiloh appeared, the God of heaven set up a kingdom, not a new Church, but a new government or dispensation of the Church; not an economy which required the effusion of blood, but the sprinkling of pure water; not to be regulated so much by external ceremony, as by the Spirit of the living God; not to be confined to one nation, but to be a holy nation, and peculiar people, chosen out of every nation*.

* It is the present opinion of the writer, that the covenant people of God, under the Gospel dispensation, bear nearly the same relation to those who are now out of covenant with God, that the covenant people of God, under the Mosaic dispensation, did to those who were then out of covenant with God. Therefore the kingdom of heaven is not united to the kingdoms of this world, but distinct from them. When the millennial glory shall appear and cover the earth as the waters cover the sea, then the people will be gathered unto Shiloh. It being a kingdom of love and peace,` wars will cease from under heaven, and there will be nothing to hurt or destroy in all God's holy mountain. The same laws, and the same spirit, however, will then govern the Church which ought now to govern it. But we must remember that wars will never cease, until the spirit of war ceases. How is the reign of peace to commence, without the spirit of peace? Do we, while we are praying for the latter day glory to come, endeavour to imbibe and diffuse that spirit which we expect will then pervade the earth? If we do not, is there not a great inconsistency between our conduct and our prayers?