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unscriptural, and to state it is to refute it. If Christ has not enjoined non-resistance to and forgiveness of all enemies, he has to none. Why should the American people love foreigners better than themselves? Why should they allow Turks or Russians to inflict all possible injuries upon them with impunity, and yet not permit any of their number to commit the smallest offence, without subjecting them to pains and penalties ? If self-defence be not lawful in a national, it is not in an individual capacity; for the right of any one man cannot be more comprehensive than that of the whole people.

The only difference, therefore, between the Society of Friends and the Non-Resistance Society, respecting the treatment of enemies, is, that the former goes for the pardon of those only who come from abroad, and the latter for the pardon of all, for Christ's sake, whether they are foreign or domestic.

As to the governments of this world, all history shows that they cannot be maintained, except by naval and military power; that all their mandates being a dead letter without such power to enforce them in the last extremity, are virtually written in human blood; hence, that the followers of Jesus should instinctively shun their stations of trust, honor and authority at the same time, 'submitting to every ordinance of man, for the Lord's sake,' and offering no physical resistance to any of their commands, however unjust or tyrannical. The language of Jesus is, 'My kingdom is not of this world, else would my servants fight.' Calling his disciples to him, he said to them, 'Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles, exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so it shall not be among you; but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister; and whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.

For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.'

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Human governments are to be viewed as judicial punishments. If a people turn the grace of God into lasciviousness, or make their liberty an occasion for anarchy —or if they refuse to belong to the one fold and one Shepherd'— they shall be scourged by governments of their own choosing, and burdened with taxation, and subjected to physical control, and torn by factions, and made to eat the fruit of their evil doings, until they are prepared to receive the liberty and the rest which remain, on earth as well as in heaven, for the people of God. This is in strict accordance with the arrangements of Divine Providence.

So long as men contemn the perfect government of the Most High, and will not fill up the measure of Christ's sufferings in their own persons, just so long will they desire to usurp authority over each other; just so long will they pertinaciously cling to human governments, fashioned in the likeness and administered in the spirit of their own disobedience. Now, if the prayer of our Lord be not a mockery; if the kingdom of God is to come universally, and his will to be done on earth as it is in heaven; and if, in that kingdom, no carnal weapon can be wielded, no life taken, then why are not all Christians obligated to come out now, and be separate from the kingdoms of this world,' which are all based upon the principle of violence, and which require their officers and servants to govern and be governed by that principle?

In almost every attempt made to justify the punishment of enemies, or uphold human government based upon brute force, it is observable that the 13th chapter of Romans is regarded as a frowning Gibraltar, inaccessible by sea and land, filled with troops and all warlike instruments, and able to vanquish every assailing force. This is an evidence of

weakness, instead of strength. It shows that the whole scope of the gospel is found to be at variance with the dogma respecting governments which men entertain; else, would they not freely quote that gospel in support of their views? He who pertinaciously clings to a particular passage of scripture to uphold a favorite theory, and is always dwelling upon it, and refuses to compare scripture with scripture, so that that which is hard to be understood,' or is of doubtful interpretation, may be clearly apprehended, does virtually acknowledge that the mass of evidence is against him. Hence it is that so many divisions exist in the nominal church, and so many foolish heresies obtain in the world. In this manner do the advocates of slavery run to the pas sage, ' And they shall be your bondmen and bond-maids for ever,' to justify that atrocious system. So, also, do the lov. ers of wine invariably adduce the advice of Paul to Timothy, 'to take a little wine for the stomach's sake,' as authority to prove the unsoundness of the doctrine of total abstinence. In like manner have the champions of despotic governments, in various ages, urged the 13th chapter of Romans, to prove the divine authority of the powers that be,' and the duty of the people to obey them in all cases. So, too, is the same portion of scripture relied upon by those who cannot adopt the principles of non-resistance, to sanction the infliction of pains and penalties upon enemies.

The object of the apostle was two-fold in his allusion to 'the powers that be.' The first was, simply, to recognise their existence, as a matter of fact; and the second was, to inculcate upon Christians their obligation to lead quiet and peaceable lives,—not to be seditious, ' patriotic,' or revengeful, however cruel the despot or tyrannical the control. He recognised them as ministers of God for good,' in a providential sense; just as the Lord makes the wrath of man to praise him, and the remainder he restrains. But, let the

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dead bury their dead.' If the wicked will not cease from their wickedness, for self-preservation they will establish governments to rule over them, with more or less severity, according to their deserts. But, to every disciple, the language of Christ is, 'What is that to thee? Follow thou me!' Let the potsherds of the earth strive together, if they will; out of their violence good shall be educed; but be thou wise as a serpent, and harmless as a dove. The kingdom to which thou belongest is one in which no carnal weapons are allowed to be wielded, no detriment to the mind, body or estate of thine enemy is lawful. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.' It is objected, that, in the present state of the world, it would not be safe to let transgressors go without punishment. They must be punished, in order to arrest the direful progress of human guilt and disorder. state of the world, that Christ has of enemies. In a different state, there can be no opportunity for forgiveness; because all crime will have ceased, and there will be none to molest or to make afraid, The principles and obligations of Christianity belong not to a future age, but are of present and immutable application.

But it is in the present enjoined the forgiveness

The existing governments of the world are the consequence of disobedience to the commands of God. But Christ came to bring men back to obedience, by a new and living way. When the cause is taken away, must not the effect cease? And in suffering and dying, that the cause might be destroyed, has He not aimed to destroy the effect? 'Governments cannot beallowed, if that which is necessary to the existence of government is prohibited.' Prisons, swords, muskets and soldiers are necessary to uphold governments which punish evil-doers by fines, imprisonment, and death. But these are prohibited by Christ; therefore, governments of force are prohibited to his followers.

CXFORDR

Boly Time.

O THOU, by whom Eternal Life is given,
Through Jesus Christ, thy well-belovèd Son;
As is thy will obeyed by all in heaven,
So let it now by all on earth be done!
Not by th' observance of one day in seven
As holy time, but of ALL DAYS AS ONE;
The soul set free - all legal fetters riven -
Vanished the law the reign of grace begun!
Dear is the Christian Sabbath to my heart,

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Bound by no forms - from times and seasons free ;
The whole of life absorbing- not a part;

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Perpetual rest and perfect liberty:—

Who keeps not this steers by a Jewish chart,
And sails in peril on a storm-tossed sea!

Penal Obseruance of the Sabbath.

The right of every man to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience is inherent, inalienable, selfevident. Yet it is notorious, that in all the States, excepting Louisiana, there are laws enforcing the religious observance of the FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK AS THE SABBATH, and punishing as criminals such as attempt to pursue their usual avocations on that day — avocations which even Sabbatarians recognise as innocent and laudable on all other days. It is true, some exceptions are made to the rigorous operation of these laws, in favor of the Seventh Day Baptists, Jews, and others, who keep the seventh day of the week as the Sabbath; but this freedom is granted in condescension to the scruples of a particular sect, as a privilege, and not

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