bound, wars will cease; but as soon as he is again let loose, they will rage. The writer is sensible, that this will be a very unpopular doctrine with the men of this world; and with those worldly Chris-7 tians, who are struggling, and teasing, and panting, for the profits, and the honours of this world. If it is a fact, that the nature and laws of the Mediator's kingdom, are diametrically opposite to the kingdoms of this world, then the inference is irre sistible, that the kingdoms of this world belong not to the kingdom of our Lord, but to the kingdom of Satan; and however unsavoury the truth; may be, it ought not to be disguised. Satan is the strong man, but the Mediator is the stronger, and he will bind him, and spoil his goods. The son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil. When he shall destroy the rage of the nations, and the tumult of the people; then Satan's goods will be spoiled. When Satan is cast into the bottomless pit, tumult, and war, will retire with him back to hell; and instead of the blast of the trumpet, and the groans of the dying, will be heard the shouts of the saints, and the songs of the redeemed. Then will be "heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia, for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth."

3. If the Mediator's kingdom is not of this world, and the kingdoms of this world are under Satan's dominion; then we may infer, the great impropriety of the subjects of the Mediator's kingdom

using the weapons of this world, and engaging in tumults, wars, and fightings. "Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world; if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews." The Jews expected in their Messiah a temporal Prince; but because his kingdom was not of this world, they crucified the Lord of life and glory. Had he only appeared in the pomp of this world, and in the splendour of a temporal conqueror, tó vanquish the Romans, who were in possession of their earthly Canaan, and oppressing their nation, they would immediately have rallied round his standard, and followed him to earthly conquest and glory. He was apparently too inattentive to their rights and liberties, (which the patriots of this world now emphatically call their dearest interests.) They said, "If we let him alone, all men will believe on him; and the Romans shall take away both our place and our nation" It may be asked, Why were the Jews apprehensive, if all men should believe on him, the Romans would take away both their place and their nation? The answer does not appear difficult. They doubtless perceived that both his life and precepts, directly opposed rendering vengeance to their enemies; and, on the contrary, demanded nothing less than love to their enemies, good for evil, and blessing for cursing. This they could not endure, as it directly opposed their carnal desires, and filled them with malice against the Prince of Peace. They might, with much greater propriety than any nation under the gospel light, have said, Shall we imbibe

this pusillanimous spirit of doing good to those who oppress us, and tamely bend our necks to the yoke of tyranny, and suffer our dearest interests to be wrested from us, without once making a struggle to defend them? Rather let us arise and fight manfully, and defend our liberties, or die gloriously in their vindication. We say they might, with much greater propriety, have made these declarations, than any under the light of the gospel; because they considered themselves under the Mosaic dispensation, which had fully tolerated them, not only in defensive, but offensive war. But when they per

ceived that the doctrines of the Mediator were calculated to disannul their dispensation, and extinguish their carnal hopes, (notwithstanding his credentials were divine,) their malice was kindled against him, and their vengeance was not satiated, until they wreaked their hands in the blood of the Son of God. And we may confidently expect, that whereever the same Spirit of Christ lifts up a standard against the same carnal policy, and temporal interest, there will follow the same spirit of envy, persecution, and revenge, which was manifested against the Lord of life and glory. If any man, (no matter who,) will live godly in Christ Jesus, he shall suffer persecution. The Spirit of Christ is the same now, that it was then, and the world is the same, the carnal heart is the same, and the great adversary of souls is the same. Only let it be styled Patriotic to persecute the followers of the Lamb of God; and we should soon see the Heroes of this world drunk with the blood of the Martyrs of Jesus; and probably

many would be as conscious as Paul was, while breathing out threatnings and slaughter against the disciples of the meek and lowly Jesus. It is not impossible but when the witnesses* are slain, their crime may be, a refusal to use carnal weapons in defence of their country.

As it is a matter of great practical consequence to know, whether the subjects of the Prince of Peace are authorized in any case, under the gospel dispensation, to use carnal weapons or not; we propose in this inference to be a little more particular. Although it is supposed that the Lord Jesus Christ acted in a threefold capacity, as God, Man, and Mediator; yet we have never heard it questioned by Christians, but that all his conduct as man, was to remain a perfect example for his brethren; and all his precepts, a perfect rule for their duty. As his kingdom was not of this world, he did not intermeddle with the governments of this world; he only submitted to all their laws, which were not contrary to the laws of his heavenly Father. He was meek, and lowly; so little did he possess of

The writer has, for a length of time, been of opinion, that no event has ever yet happened to the Church, which answers to slaying the witnesses. It has been given as a reason, by some, that the witnesses have been slain, that so much light has been diffused since the Art of Printing was discovered; and since the reformation, that no reason can ever again be found, sufficiently plausible to satisfy the consciences of mankind, in again taking the lives of their fellow men, in matters of conscience. If our country was invaded, and a law should be passed that every man capable of bearing arms, should equip himself for its defence; on penalty of being considered as an enemy, and to be publicly executed accordingly, in case of refusal for conscience sake, there would not probably be wanting patriots sufficient to execute the laws: if they could not be found in our land of liberty, they might be found amongst the Tyrants of the Old World.

this world, that he had not where to lay his head. He went about continually doing good. He was full of compassion, even to his enemies. He wept over devoted Jerusalem. He was finally brought as a lamb to the slaughter; and as the sheep before their shearers are dumb, so he opened not his ' mouth. When he was reviled, he reviled not again, but committed himself to him who judges righteously. He prayed for his murderers, and apologized for his persecutors, saying, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. As the Church, under a former dispensation, had divine authority for engaging in war, it is important to ascertain, whether this authority was abrogated under the gospel dispensation or not *. That many things have been tolerated under one dispensation of the Church and prohibited under another, most Christians allow. That the preceptive will of God, is

* If the permission given to the church under the Mosaic dispensation to engage in war, has not been disannulled by the gospel dispensation, (which is by no means granted,) it is thought that it does not admit of the consequences which are generally drawn. The Israelites were God's covenant people, and were utterly prohibited from making any covenant with the nations around them; or engaging with them in their wars. It must therefore be totally improper for God's covenant people now, to unite with those who are strangers to the covenant of promise, and engage with them, in their tumult, and fightings. It is presumed that no one who has ever read our constitution will pretend that the American nation has, in the Scriptural sense, made a covenant with God. If the analogy holds good in one point, it must in another; and in that case, there is no alternative left for God's covenant people, but either to withdraw from those who are not in covenant with God, or adopt a national religion which must be defended by the weapons of the nation. It is believed that those who will not admit that the permission granted to the Israelites to engage in war was abrogated by the gospel dispensation, can never fully answer the arguments in favour of a national religion.