reasonably suppose, that if the centurion continued firm in his attachment to the Christian religion, he abandoned his military life. At any rate, the filence of the facred hiftorian cannot, with propriety, be brought forward as an argument in support of war; or as fhowing it to be confiftent with the Chriftian difpenfation. It is further argued, that the expreffion of the apostle Paul, who fays refpecting the magistrate, "He beareth not the sword in vain," † is an implied acknowledgment of the propriety of using the fword in a military manner. This argument, I conceive, arifes from a misapplication of the paffage.. The fword here alluded to, we have reason to fuppofe, was only an emblem of civil power. We are informed that one of the chief magiftrates in Rome (and it is to the Romans the apoftle ufeth this expreffion) had a fword hung up in his court, as an emblem of his power ;* and we know that in this country, especially in corporate towns, the chief magistrates have a fword borne before them on particular occafions, as an emblem of office. But if the fword was even ufed in the punishment of offenders, it would be no fair argument in favour of ufing it for the purposes of war, and those devastations attendant on this lamentable evil. Thefe, and fuch as thefe, are the arguments used by many in fupport of an evil, which, in its confequences, fhocks humanity, destroys morality, weakens the influence of religion, and entails on man + Rom. xiii. 4. * See Godwin's Roman Antiquities, p. 164. kind miferies incalculable and indefcribable. Were the ingenuity of man as much exercised to put an end to this calamity, as his ambition is to fupport it, we should foon find the benefits refulting from this difpofition. But it is religion, it is the Chriftian religion, which alone provides an adequate remedy for this malignant diforder; and when mankind are willing to receive it, in the love, the meekness, and the humility, which its divine author inculcated, this with other fimilar predictions refpecting him will be fulfilled: "He fhall judge among the nations, and work conviction* among · many people: and they fhall beat their fwords into plough-fhares, and their fpears into pruning hooks nation fhall not lift up fword against nation; neither shall they learn war any more.”+ * See Lowth's Translation of Isaiah. CHAPTER IX. ON AMUSEMENTS. General Remarks on Amusements.-Rules refpecting them. Dancing and Mufic.-Neceffity of properly regulating Amusements for Youth.-Propriety of avoiding Temptations. : THE little benefit, and great injury, which attend most of those enjoyments, that go under the name of amusements, have induced us to bring them into lefs compafs, than the generality of Christians do not that we are averse to fuch relaxations from bodily or mental exercife, as become rational beings, and true Chriftians: but the repugnancy of a great part of thofe pleasures to religion and virtue, and the avidity with which they are pursued, are caufes of forrow to thofe who have at heart the real interests, temporal and fpiritual, of their fellow creatures. There are three rules relating to amufements, by which our conduct fhould be regulated. 1. To avoid all those which tend needlessly to opprefs and injure any part of the animal creation. Of this class are cock-fighting and horfe-racing; also hunting, &c. when engaged in for diverfion and pleasure. 2. To abftain from fuch as are connected with a fpirit of hazardous enterprize; by which the property and temporal happiness of individuals and families, are often made to depend on the most precarious circumftances; and the gain of one frequently entails mifery on many. Of this clafs are all games in which property is ftaked. 3. To avoid fuch as expofe us to unneceffary temptations, with refpect to our virtue; or which diffipate the mind, so as to render a return to civil and religious duties ungrateful. Of this kind, ftage entertainments are peculiarly to be avoided; with various other places of public amufements, which have a tendency to corrupt the heart, or to alienate it from the love and fear of God. The amufements of dancing and mufic, we think, alfo come within this clafs. It may be alleged, that these might be practised in such a manner, as not to fall under the definition given. Our fociety, however, thinks it right to abftain from those amusements; both because of their frequent connexion with places and circumstances, which are highly objectionable; and becaufe we conceive they can scarcely be entered into, without an improper employment of that time which we are required not to waste, but to pass in fear, and to redeem. Were our minds rightly regulated, and our affections set on things above, very little, which is called amusement, would be thought neceffary for those who are arrived at mature age. With refpect to youth, it peculiarly behoves thofe who have the care of them, to fee that fuch amufements only be adopted, as may not prove injurious to their religion or virtue; but which may tend to promote their poffeffing a found mind in a found body. Were amusements thus reftrained and re gulated, great would be the benefit arifing from fuch restrictions: but when we fee how ardently many, not only of the youth, but even of those who are confiderably advanced in years, rush into diffipating and corrupting pleasures, it is not to be wondered at, that vice and irreligion fhould prevail to an alarming degree. We ought ever to retain a fense of our Own weakness, and of our aptitude to fall into temptations, when they are prefented to us. Were we properly concerned for our own most important intereft, that of our immortal fouls, this fenfe would lead us to avoid, and not to run into temptation. How much thofe amusements are either evils themselves, or temptations to evil, it cannot be neceffary to point out at large to those who exercise serious reflection. How neceffary is it, therefore, to attend to the apoftolic exhortation : "See then that ye walk circumfpectly, not as fools, but as wife, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”* * Ephef. v. 15, 16. |