The works of the Rev. William Thom, late minister ... - waughfamily.ca

what he hath done.SERMONS.if the "CvTong were only on one fide •, and13^But quarrels would not kft longin fa£t itoften happens, that foon after the war hsgiris, it becomesdiilicult to fay which of the belligerent partiesisthe moil injurious, and deferves the greateO; biaiTie jbut it for ever happens, that in the courfe and progrefsof the war both the parties are wretched andmiferable.I will therefore in the next place,3. Take fonie notice of the mifery of thofe nationswhich are engaged in war.—In war, rnifery is the.lot of the weaked party, and the ftrongeft is commonlymiferable alfo. The weaker party, or thepeople whofe country hath become the theatre of thewar, are furely miferable : In their niofb fertile territoriesthe armies of the enemy are encamped , theoiHcers are lodged in their bed towns ; the iick, the*aged, are dragged from their beds ; the rich are drivenfrom their houfes to make way for the eafe ofthe rapacious hoftile foldiers ; the corn which the.harmlefs induflrious peafant had laid up to feed hischildren, the clothes he had got to cover them, aregreedily feized upan ; his llicep and cattle are drivenfrom the paftures, the keepers who attempted to conveythem quietly to a hiding-place, are called thieves,and maiTicred, and left dead upon the fpot •, one provinceis over-run, one city is conquei'ed after another—the inhabitants are cooped up in narrow bounds—famine purfues them—the furious enemy overtakesthem—a fiege is formed—a battle is il ruck—nothingis to be feen but fights of v/oe.— " If I go forth intothe field, then behold the llain with the fword •, if Ienter into the city, then behold them that are fickwith famine." Many thoufands are killed on eachfide— " ^y'i'^g groans are heard—limbs are feen flyingin tjie air—there is fmokc, noife, confuuon;trampling to death under the horfes feet— flight, purfuit,victory— fields flrewed with carcafes, left forfood to dogs, and wolves, and birds of prey — plun«M Z