y, that if any nation were publicly to determine to
relinquish the practice if war, or to act on the policy of the Gospel,
it would be overrun by other nations which might act on the policy of
the world.

This argument is neither more nor less than that of the Pagan Celsus,
who said in the second century, that, if the rest of the Roman empire
were Christians, it would be overrun by the Barbarians.

Independently of the protection, which such a nation might count upon
from the moral Governor of the world, let us enquire, upon rational
principles, what would be likely to be its fate.

Armies, we know, are kept up by one nation, principally because they are
kept up by another.

And in proportion as one rival nation adds to its standing armies, it is
thought by the other to be consistent with the policy of the world to do
the same. But if one nation were to decline keeping any armies at all,
where would be the violence, to reason to suppose, that the other would
follow the example? Who would not be glad to get rid of the expence of
keeping them, if they could do it with safety? Nor is it likely, that
any powerful nation, professing to relinquish war, would experience the
calamities of it. Its care to avoid provocation would be so great, and
its language would be so temperate, and reasonable, and just, and
conciliatory, in the case of any dispute which might arise, that it
could hardly fail of obtaining an accommodation. And the probability is,
that such a nation would grow so high in esteem with other nations, that
they would have recourse to it in their disputes with one another, and
would abide by its decision. "Add the general influence, says the great
Bishop Butler in his Analogy, which each a kingdom would have over the
face of the earth, by way of example particularly, and the reverence
which would be paid to it. It would plainly be superior to all others,
and the world must gradually come under its empire, not by means of
lawless violence, but partly by what must be allowed to be just
conquest, and partly by other kingdoms submitting themselves voluntarily
to it, throughout a course of ages, and claiming its protection one
after another in successive exigencies. The head of it would be an
universal monarch in another sense than any other mortal has yet been,
and the eastern style would be literally applicable to him, "that all
people, nations, and languages, should serve him." Now Bishop Butler
supposes this woul