Humanity, wisdom, and goodness at once combine all that can be great and
lovely in man. Inhumanity, folly, and wickedness reverse the picture,
and at once represent all that can be odious and hateful. The former is
the spirit of Heaven, and the latter the offspring of hell. The spirit
of the gospel not only breathes "glory to God in the highest, but on
earth peace, and good will to men." The wisdom from above is first pure,
then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated; but the wisdom from
beneath is earthly, sensual, and devilish.
It is exceedingly strange that any one under the light of the gospel,
professing to be guided by its blessed precepts, with the Bible in his
hand, while the whole creation around him is so often groaning under the
weight and terrors of war, should have doubts whether any kind of wars
under the gospel dispensation, except spiritual warfare, can be the
dictate of any kind of wisdom except that from beneath; and much more
so, to believe that they are the fruit of the Divine Spirit, which is
love, joy, and peace.
An inspired apostle has informed us from whence come wars and fightings.
They come from the lusts of men that war in their members. Ever since
the fall, mankind have had naturally within them a spirit of pride,
avarice, and revenge. The gospel is directly opposed to this spirit. It
teaches humility, it inculcates love, it breathes pity and forgiveness
even to enemies, and forbids rendering evil for evil to any man.
Believing as I do, after much reflection and, as I trust, prayerful
investigation of the subject, that all kinds of carnal warfare are
unlawful upon gospel principles, I shall now endeavor to prove that WAR
is INHUMAN, UNWISE, and CRIMINAL, and then make some general remarks,
and state and answer several objections. In attempting to do this I
shall not always confine myself strictly to this order of the subject,
but shall occasionally make such remarks as may occur, directly or
indirectly, to show that the whole genius of war is contrary to the
spirit and precepts of the gospel.