Scope, as to be made subservient to any worldly End or Purpose, a
Politician can have Occasion for.

Hor. I love to hear you; and to shew you, that I have not been
altogether inattentive, I believe I can repeat to you most of the
Heads of your Discourse, since you finish'd what you had to say
concerning the Origin of Honour. You have proved to my Satisfaction,
that no Preaching of the Gospel, or strict Adherence to the Precepts
of it, will make men good Soldiers, any more than they will make them
good Painters, or any thing else the most remote from the Design of
it. That good Christians, strictly speaking, can never presume or
submit to be Soldiers. That Clergymen under Pretence of Preaching the
Gospel, by a small Deviation from it, may easily misguide their
Hearers, and not only make them fight in a just Cause, and against the
Enemies of their Country, but likewise incite them to civil Discord
and all Manner of Mischief. That by the Artifices of such Divines,
even honest and well-meaning Men have often been seduced from their
Duty, and, tho' they were sincere in their Religion, been made to act
quite contrary to the Precepts of it. You have given me a full View of
the Latitude, that may be taken in Preaching, by putting me in Mind of
an undeniable Truth; _viz_. That in all the Quarrels among Christians,
there never yet was a Cause so bad, but, if it could find an Army to
back it, there were always Clergymen ready to justify and maintain it.
You have made it plain to me, that Divine Service and Religious
Exercises may be ordered and strictly enjoin'd with no other than
Political Views; that by Preaching and Praying, bad Christians may be
inspired with Hatred to their Enemies, and Confidence in the Divine
Favour; that in order to obtain the Victory, Godliness and an outward
Shew of Piety among Soldiers may be made serviceble to the greatest
Profligates, who never join in Prayer, have no Thoughts of Religion,