altar, and that all the tribes should offer their sacrifices there3 : It also commanded, that, if any attempt should be made by any part of Israel to establish idolatry among them, the re- mainder, after due inquiry, should cut them off with the sword b. This then was an interference of magistrates in support of the laws: and it was indispensably necessary that they should inter- fere, to prevent so fatal a schism as was likely to arise.
We would not be understood to say, that civil magistrates would be justified in using the sword for the prevention or pu- nishment of schism now. The true Church is not so accurately defined now, as that any one body has a right to assume to itself the exclusive privilege of being called The Church of Christ : nor is there any commission given to magistrates to use carnal weapons in the support of any particular system, either of doctrines or of discipline, in the Church : but where, as in the instance before us, there appears to be a public renun- ciation of all religion, and a profane contempt of all laws, the magistrate is bound to interfere ; and every Christian in the land is bound to give him his support. Opinions are not within the cognizance of the civil magistrate, except when they are manifested in actions, or are so promulged as to endanger the peace and welfare of society : but, when carried to that extent, they justly come under his control. This vigilance however, though sufficiently exercised in relation to the things which concern the State, is but little seen in the suppression of profaneness and iniquity. We have laws against every species of iniquity ; but they are not carried into effect. The fear of divine judgments on the land scarcely ever enters into the bosoms either of magistrates or people : hence, if only there be no flagrant violation of the peace, iniquity may pre- vail almost to any extent, without any one to vindicate the honour of God, or to avert his displeasure from a guilty land. In this respect there is an awful difference between the Is- raelites and us : insomuch that we, with all our superior ad- vantages, are not worthy to be compared with them. Yet we must remember, that whenever we put forth the arm of power for the suppression of vice, our first object must be, by expos- tulation, to reclaim ; nor must we ever inflict punishment, till milder measures have failed of success.]
This history will be yet further useful to us in the
regulation of,
III. Religious zeal —
" It is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing :" but our zeal should particularly exert itself,
a Deut. xii. 5, 7. b Deut. xiii. 12—15.