old, is on the subject
of war. They believe it unlawful for Christians to engage in the
profession of arms, or indeed to bear arms under any circumstances of
hostility whatever. Hence there is no such character as that of a Quaker
soldier. A Quaker is always able to avoid the regular army, because the
circumstance of entering into it is a matter of choice. But where he has
no such choice, as is the case in the militia, he either submits, if he
has property, to distraints upon it, or, if he has not, to prison.[4]

[Footnote 4: The Quakers have been charged with inconsistency in
refusing military service, and yet in paying those taxes, which are
expressly for the support of wars. To this charge they reply, that they
believe it to be their duty to render to Caesar the things which are
Caesar's, and to leave the application of them to Caesar himself, as he
judges best for the support of government. This duty they collect from
the example of Jesus Christ, who paid the tribute money himself, and
ordered his disciples to do it, and this to a government, not only
professedly military, but distinguished for its idolatry and despotism.
Personal service, however, they conceive to militate against a positive
command by our Saviour, as will be explained in this chapter.]

The Quakers ground the illicitness of war on several passages, which are
to be found in the New Testament. I shall not quote all the texts they
bring forward, but shall make a selection of them on this occasion.

Jesus Christ, in the famous sermon, which he preached upon the Mount,
took occasion to mention specifically some of the precepts of the Jewish
law, and to inform his hearers, that he expected of those, who were to
be his true disciples, that they would carry these to a much higher
extent in their practice under the new dispensation, which he was then
affording them. Christianity required a greater perfection of the human
character than under the law. Men were not only not to kill, but not
even to cherish the passion of revenge.[5] And "whereas it was said of
old, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, I say unto you, says
Christ, that ye resist not evil; but whosoever shall smite thee on thy
right cheek, turn to him the other also." And farther on in the same
chapter, he says, "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love
thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy: But I say unto you, love your
enemies,[6] bless them that curse you, do good to them