are in this way adverfe to cultivation and im provement, none is fo noxious as that of tithes. A claimant here enters into the produce, who contributed no affiftance whatever to the production. When years, perhaps, of care and toil have matured an improvement; when the hufbandman fees new corps ripening to his skill and industry; the moment he is ready to put his fickle to the grain, he finds himself compelled to divide his harveft with a ftranger. Tithes are a tax not only upon industry, but upon that induftry which feeds mankind; upon that spe'cies of exertion which it is the aim of all wife laws to cherish and promote; and to uphold and excite which, compofes, as we have seen, the main benefit that the commuuity receives from the whole fyftem of trade, and the success of commerce. And, together with the more general inconveniency that attends the exaction of tithes, there is this additional evil, in the mode at least according to which they are collected at present, that they operate as a bounty upon pafturage. The burthen of the tax falls with its chief, if not with its whole weight, upon tillage; that is to fay, upon that precife mode of cultivation which, as hath been fhewn above, it is the bu finefs of the ftate to relieve and remunerate,

in

in preference to every other. No measure of fuch extenfive concern appears to me fo practicable, nor any fingle alteration fo beneficial, as the converfion of tithes into corn rents. This commutation, I am convinced, might be fo adjufted, as to fecure to the tithe-holder a complete and perpetual equivalent for his intereft, and to leave to induftry its full operation and entire reward.

СНА Р. XII.

OF WAR, AND OF MILITARY ESTABLISH

MENTS.

ECAUSE the Chriftian fcriptures describe wars, as what they are, as crimes or judg ments, fome have been led to believe that it is unlawful for a Chriftian to bear arms. But it should be remembered, that it may be neceffary for individuals to unite their force, and for this end to refign themselves to the direction of a common will; and yet it may be true that that will is often actuated by criminal motives, and often determined to deftructive purposes. Hence, although the origin of wars be afcribed in fcripture to the operation of lawless and malignant paffions; and though war itfelf be enumerated amongst the foreft calamities with which a land can be vifited, the profeffion cf a foldier is nowhere forbidden or condemned. When the fol

66

diers demanded of John the Baptist what they fhould do, he faid unto them, "Do violence to neither accufe any falfely, and be content with your wages." In which anfwer. we do not find that, in order to prepare themfelves for the reception of the kingdom of God, it was required of foldiers to relinquish their profeffion, but only that they fhould beware of the vices of which, that profeffion was accufed. The precept which follows, "Be content with

no man, neither accufe

your wages," fuppofed them to continue in their fituation. It was of a Roman centurion that Chrift pronounced that memorable eulogy, "I have not found fo great faith, no not in If"rael t." The firft gentile convert who was received into the Chriftian church, and to whom the gofpel was imparted by the immediate and efpecial direction of Heaven, held the fame ftation and in the hiftory of this tranfaction we discover not the fmalleft intimation, that Cornelius, upon becoming a Chriftian, quitted the fervice of the Roman legion; that his profeffion was objected to, or his continuance in it confidered as in any wife inconfiftent with his new

character.

* Luke, iii. 14.

+ Luke, vii. 9.

Acts, x, 1.

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In applying the principles of morality to the affairs of nations, the difficulty which meets us arises from hence," that the particular confe66 quence fometimes appears to exceed the va "lue of the general rule." In this circumftance is founded the only distinction that exifts between the case of independent states, and of independent individuals. In the tranfactions of private persons, no advantage that results from the breach of a general law of juftice, can compenfate to the public for the violation of the law: in the concerns of empire, this may fometimes be doubted. Thus, that the faith of promises ought to be maintained, as far as is lawful, and as far as was intended by the parties, whatever inconveniency either of them may fuffer by his fidelity, in the intercourfe of private life, is feldom difputed; because it is evident to almoft every man who reflects upon the subject, that the common happiness gains more by the prefervation of the rule, than it could do by the removal of the inconveniency. But when the adherence to a public treaty would enflave a whole people, would block up feas, rivers, or harbours, depopulate cities, condemn fertile regions to eternal defolation, cut off a country from its fources of provifion, or deprive it of

thofe