of, when it is considered, that such has been the practice of all nations in all ages, whenever they were engaged, or intended to engage, in war. Of this we have an early example in the Book of Judges (too pertinent to our case, and therefore I must beg leave a little to enlarge upon it), where we are told, (Chap. xviii. v. 2,) that the children of Dan sent of their family five men from their coasts to spy out the land, and search it, saying, Go, search the land. These Danites, it seems, were at this time not very orthodox in their religion, and their spies met with a certain idolatrous priest of their own persuasion, (v. 3,) and they said to him, Who brought thee hither? What makest thou in this place? And what hast thou here? [Would to God no such priests were to be found among us.] And they said unto him, (v. 5,) Ask counsel of God, that we may know, whether our way which we go shall be prosperous; and the priest said unto them, Go in peace; before the Lord is your way wherein you go. [Are there no priests among us, think you, that might, in the like case, give an enemy as good encouragement? It is well known, that we have numbers of the same religion with those, who of late encouraged the French to invade our mother country.] And they came, (v. 7,) to Laish, and saw the people that were therein, how they dwelt CARELESS, after the manner of the Zidonians, QUIET and SECURE. They thought themselves secure, no doubt; and as they never had been disturbed, vainly imagined they never should. It is not unlikely, that some might see the danger they were exposed to by living in that careless manner; but that, if these publicly expressed their apprehensions, the rest reproached them as timorous persons, wanting courage or confidence in their gods, who (they might say) had hitherto protected them.

But the spies, (v. 8,) returned, and said to their countrymen, (v. 9,) Arise, that we may go up against them; for we have seen the land, and behold it is very good. And are ye still? Be not slothful to go. (Verse 10,) When ye go, ye shall come to a people SECURE, [that is, a people that apprehend no danger, and therefore have made no provision against it; great encouragement this!] and to a large land, and a place where there is no want of any thing. What could they desire more? Accordingly, we find in the following verses, that six hundred men only, appointed with weapons of war, undertook the conquest of this large land; knowing that six hundred men, armed and disciplined, would be an overmatch perhaps for sixty thousand unarmed, undisciplined, and off their guard. And when they went against it, the idolatrous priest, (v. 17,) with his graven image, and his ephod, and his teraphim, and his molten image, (plenty of superstitious trinkets,) joined with them, and, no doubt, gave them all the intelligence and assistance in his power; his heart, as the text assures us, being glad, perhaps for reasons more than one. And now, what was the fate of poor Laish? The six hundred men, being arrived, found, as the spies had reported, a people QUIET and SECURE, (vv. 27, 28.) And they smote them with the edge of the sword, and burnt the city with FIRE; and there was no DELIVERER, because it was far from Zidon.-Not so far from Zidon, however, as Pennsylvania is from Britain; and yet we are, if possible, more careless than the people of Laish! As the Scriptures are given for our reproof, instruction, and warning, may we make a due use of this example, before it be too late!*

* This argument from the Scriptures was answered by the author of NECESSARY TRUTH as follows.

"The children of Dan were at this time departed from the true faith,

And is our country, any more than our city, altogether free from danger? Perhaps not. We have, it is true, had a long peace with the Indians; but it is a long peace indeed, as well as a long lane, that has no ending, The French know the power and importance of the Six Nations, and spare no artifice, pains, or expense to gain them to their interest. By their priests they have converted many to their religion, and these* have openly espoused their cause. The rest appear irresolute what part to take; no persuasions, though enforced with costly presents, having yet been able to engage them generally on our side,

had forsaken the God of their fathers, and were gone into idolatry; from hence may be easily accounted their covetous disposition of invading their neighbours.

"The People of Laish, we are told in the same Chapter, verse 7, dwelt careless, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure, and there was no magistrate in the land, that might put them to shame in any thing. This appears to be the real state of the case. They had thrown off all restraint, and were arrived to that degree of extravagance as to be quite shameless; and therefore no wonder they were liable every moment to be destroyed, and to be smole with the edge of the sword, and the city to be burned with fire, for there was no deliverer, because it was far from Zidon. This, I presume, cannot allude to the beforementioned Zidon, because, according to the comparison there introduced, they, like themselves, 'dwelt careless.' Nor can it be reasonably supposed to be any other Zidon then upon the earth, because an evident absurdity would follow, in supposing that any such could afford a deliverer. We are therefore under the necessity to extend the application, and to suppose the deliverer, here alluded to, to be that from Mount Sion, a deliverer infinite in power, and the only deliverer that could then, or can now, do the business effectually. But this deliverer, it seems, was out of the question. They possibly thought it 'timorous and womanish' to expect it, and therefore neglected the suitable means to obtain it, and the consequence was desolation and ruin."

The remainder of the writer's argument proceeds on the same ground, namely, that war is unjustifiable, and not to be guarded against by "arms, ammunition, and a feasible posture of defence," but by cultivating the peaceful virtues, and a Christian temper, and relying on assistance from Heaven to avert the calamities brought upon the world EDITOR. by the evil designs of men.

* The Praying Indians.

though we had numerous forces on their borders, ready to second and support them. What then may be expected, now those forces are, by orders from the crown, to be disbanded; when our boasted expedition is laid aside, through want (as it may appear to them) either of strength or courage; when they see, that the French and their Indians, boldly and with impunity, ravage the frontiers of New York and scalp the inhabitants; when those few Indians, that engaged with us against the French, are left exposed to their resentment ? When they consider these things, is there no danger that, through disgust at our usage, joined with fear of the French power, and greater confidence in their promises and protection than in ours, they may be wholly gained over by our enemies, and join in the war against us? If such should be the case, which God forbid, how soon may the mischief spread to our frontier counties? And what may we expect to be the consequence, but desertion of plantations, ruin, bloodshed, and confusion?

Perhaps some in the city, towns, and plantations near the river, may say to themselves, "An Indian war on the frontiers will not affect us; the enemy will never come near our habitations; let those concerned take care of themselves." And others who live in the country, when they are told of the danger the city is in from attempts by sea, may say, "What is that to us? The enemy will be satisfied with the plunder of the town, and never think it worth his while to visit our plantations; let the town take care of itself." These are not mere suppositions, for I have heard some talk in this strange manner. But are these the sentiments of true Pennsylvanians, of fellow-countrymen, or even of men that have common sense or goodness? Is not the whole province one body, united by living under

the same laws, and enjoying the same privileges? Are not the people of city and country connected as relations, both by blood and marriage, and in friendships equally dear? Are they not likewise united in interest, and mutually useful and necessary to each other? When the feet are wounded, shall the head say, "It is not me; I will not trouble myself to contrive relief!" Or if the head is in danger, shall the hands say, "We are not affected, and therefore will lend no assistance!" No. For so would the body be easily destroyed; but when all parts join their endeavours for its security, it is often preserved. And such should be the union between the country and the town; and such their mutual endeavours for the safety of the whole. When New England, a distant colony, involved itself in a grievous debt to reduce Cape Breton, we freely gave four thousand pounds for their relief. And at another time, remembering that Great Britain, still more distant, groaned under heavy taxes in supporting the war, we threw in our mite to their assistance, by a free gift of three thousand pounds; and shall country and town join in helping strangers (as those comparatively are), and yet refuse to assist each other?

But whatever different opinions we have of our security in other respects, our TRADE, all seem to agree, is in danger of being ruined in another year. The great success of our enemies, in two different cruises this last summer in our bay, must give them the greatest encouragement to repeat more frequently their visits, the profit being almost certain, and the risk next to nothing. Will not the first effect of this be, an enhancing of the price of all foreign goods to the tradesman and farmer, who use or consume them? For the rate of insurance will increase, in proportion to the hazard of importing them; and in the same propor