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THE MISERIES OF WAR
THE propriety of setting apart days for national humiliation is questioned by none, except those who despise all religion, or those whose extravagant principles of liberty lead them to set at nought all human authorities. The most pious of the Jewish kings endeavoured to unite their subjects in prayer and supplication, as the best means of averting the judgments which they either felt or feared: and even heathen monarchs have resorted to it, as that which their own consciences taught them was the most likely way to obtain favour with the Most High. We have reason to be thankful that this nation is now called in the most solemn manner to humble itself before God, and to implore help from him under its present difficulties: and happy would it be for us, if the people at large laid to heart, as they ought, the calamities which we suffer, or the sins which have brought them upon us!
In the words before us, we may see what ought to be our feelings on this occasion [Note: Fast-Day in 1809.], and what our conduct.
I. What should be our feelings—
That we may estimate aright the feelings which a state of warfare requires, let us view it,
1. As a calamity endured—
[Those who are at a distance from the scene of war, and hear of it only by battles gained or lost, are apt to overlook the miseries of their fellow-creatures, and to think of nothing but the general effects which the events may have on their national aggrandisement. But if we would form a correct judgment of this matter, let us endeavour to realize the horrors of war. Let us think of a hostile army now in our neighbourhood, and marching to attack the very place wherein we live. How would fear seize hold upon us, and “all faces gather blackness!” Read the menacing descriptions given of an advancing army by the Prophets Ezekiel [Note: Eze_21:8-17.] and Joel [Note: Joe_2:4-11.]: think, from the first tidings of their approach, till you behold them just ready to spread desolation and slaughter all around them; think, I say, what your feelings would be: does the prophet exaggerate, when he compares them to the pangs of a woman travailing with her first-born child [Note: ver. 29, 31.]? See your dearest relatives weltering in their blood; your houses spoiled; the objects of your tenderest affection treated with the most shocking indignities; and you yourselves driven, without food, without raiment, to wander in the open fields, till your exhausted nature sinks under its accumulated woes. Well may we tremble at the bare possibility of such events. Reflect, then, on a whole kingdom thus desolated; the hostile armies carrying fire and sword through all the towns and villages of a populous country; “A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness: yea, and nothing doth escape them:” “What a day of darkness and of gloominess” must that be to the people visited with such awful calamities [Note: Joe_2:1-3.]! Say, then, Brethren, what your feelings should be at this time! What if these scenes have not been acted before our eyes; are they the less to be deplored? And who can tell how soon they may be brought home to our own doors! We entreat you, then, to lay these things to heart, and no longer to indulge a stupid insensibility to the calamities of war.]
2. As a judgment inflicted—
[War is one of God’s “four sore judgments,” wherewith he visiteth a guilty land. It is he who giveth the sword a charge against this or that country [Note: Jer_47:6-7.], and says, “Sword, pass through the land [Note: Eze_14:17.]” And as he stirred up enemies against Solomon [Note: 1Ki_11:9; 1Ki_11:14; 1Ki_11:23; 1Ki_11:26,], on purpose to “avenge the quarrel of his covenant [Note: Lev_26:25.], so it is on account of sin that he is now laying upon us his chastising rod [Note: ver, 17, 18, 22.] — — — Nor can we doubt but that his anger has waxed hot against us, when the judgments inflicted for our sins are so various and of so long continuance. See in what terms he describes his anger against the people of old [Note: Deu_32:23-25.]! and consider whether, when its effects are so visible on us, it be not high time for us to tremble. Yes, surely, the prophet’s direction is exactly such as we are now called to follow [Note: ver. 8.]: and, if we refuse to follow it, we may well expect that our judgments will be multiplied, till they have wrought either our humiliation or destruction [Note: Lev_26:27-28.]. We must be stupid indeed if we do not see reason to “cry, when he is so binding us;” and to “humble ourselves under his mighty hand,” when he is so correcting us.]
But it. will be to little purpose to ascertain what our feelings should be, if we do not also consider,
II. What should be our conduct—
Let us make this inquiry, in reference,
1. To Ministers—
[The prophet tells us what was his conduct, to which indeed he was irresistibly impelled; “I cannot hold my peace,” Ministers are watchmen, appointed by God himself to warn the people against his impending judgments. And while it is their duty to “weep between the porch and the altar,” and to intercede with God to spare his heritage [Note: Joe_2:17,], and to “give him no rest” till he vouchsafe mercy to the land, [Note: Isa_62:6-7.] it is also their duty to “lift up their voice as a trumpet, and to shew the house of Israel their sins.” They must “cry aloud, and not spar. [Note: Isa_58:1.]”
Let us not be thought harsh, if we execute our commission with fidelity and earnestness. You yourselves would be the first to condemn a sentinel who did not give you timely notice of an advancing enemy: and you will condemn us also in the eternal world, if by “prophesying smooth things” we contribute to your ruin. We must, then, speak, “whether you will hear or whether you will forbear;” and must warn you, that nothing but present and eternal misery can be expected, whilst you continue impenitent in your sins [Note: Luk_13:3; Luk_13:5.] — — —]
2. To the people—
[Though the text does not particularly specify your duty, the context does, and warns you that an attention to it is the only means of quenching that wrath which is now flaming against you. The advice given you by the prophet may be comprised in three particulars: Seek to have your obstinate hearts softened — — — Put away the evils which have provoked God’s displeasure against you — — — and, Get your hearts thoroughly renewed and sanctified by divine grace [Note: ver. 3, 4, 14. It will be easy to enlarge on the three points In reference to the words of the prophet.] — — —
We accuse not all as manifesting the same obduracy, or as loaded with the same degrees of guilt; but if all would search into their own hearts, they might find much impenitence and unbelief to mourn over, and much worldliness and carnality to put away: even those who make a profession of religion, if they would examine themselves closely as in the presence of God, might rind many evil tempers and dispositions, which obstruct the efficacy of their prayers, and fearfully augment our national guilt. But if we turn not from our wickedness, it is iii vain to hope that God will turn from his fiery indignation — — —]
Address—
1. The careless—
[This comprehends the great bulk of mankind. Whatever calamites are endured by others, they feel nothing, any farther than it immediately affects themselves. “When God’s hand is lifted up, they will not see;” “nor when his judgments are in the earth, will they learn righteousness.” But such indifference is most offensive to God: and they who indulge it are likely to become signal monuments of the Divine displeasure [Note: See Amo_6:3-7. Zep_1:4; Zep_1:6; Zep_1:12-18.] — — —]
2. The self-confident—
[They who see not the hand of God against them are ever leaning on an arm of flesh: if they have failed in ever so many efforts, they still look no higher than to their own exertions for success. What their views are, and what the declarations of God respecting them [Note: Isa_9:8-17.], may be seen in the prophecies of Isaiah. O that we may not thus provoke God to jealousy, and bring accumulated curses on our own heads, when we should be labouring by prayer and supplication to avert them [Note: Jer_17:5-8.]! — — —]
3. The mourners—
[We hope there are some who possess a measure of Jeremiah’s patriotism and piety, and who understand by experience his exclamations in the text, “My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart!” Would to God that we could see such a spirit universally prevailing! There would be no doubt then of a happy termination of our troubles. Such persons indeed are too generally considered as gloomy enthusiasts: but they are the best friends of their country: they are the people who “stand in the gap;” they are the few righteous, for whose sake our Sodom has not long since been destroyed. Go on, beloved, like Nehemiah, Daniel, and other holy men, bewailing your own sins, and the sins of this whole nation: and then, if you should not be so happy as to see your efforts successful in relation to the kingdom at large, you may be assured that your labour will not be lost as it respects your own souls: your payer shall return into your own bosom; and your tears be had in remembrance before God, [Note: Eze_9:4.].]