ness, he shall not stand before mean men." "Go to the ant thou sluggard, consider her ways and be wise." "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging, and whoever is deceived thereby is not wise." "Be not thou among the wine-bibbers, among the riotous eaters of flesh; for the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty. Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contention? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without a cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine. They that go to seek mixt wine." "The lips of a strange woman drop as an honey comb, and her mouth is smoother than oil, but her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword." "Say unto wisdom thou art my sister, and call understanding thy kinswoman; that they may keep thee from the stranger that flattereth with her words."

The social virtues of Discretion, Justice, and Benevolence, in their various ramifications, are frequently inculcated, with no less energy of thought and expression. "A soft answer turneth away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger." "The beginning of strife is as one letting out water, therefore leave off contention before it be meddled with." "He that answers a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him." "A tale bearer revealeth

secrets, but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter." "A fool uttereth all his mind, but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards." Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself, and discover not a secret to another." "Withdraw thy feet from thy neighhour's house, lest he be weary of thee, and say I hate thee."

Integrity, and Veracity are strongly enforced: "The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayers of the upright are his delight." "Diverse weights and diverse measures, both of them are an abomination to the Lord." "It is not good to be a respecter of persons in judgment." "He that sayeth to the wicked thou art righteous, him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him." "The lips of truth shall be established for ever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment." "Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but they that deal truely are his delight." "I am God, walk before me." "He that walketh uprightly walketh surely," &c.

* Withhold

Benevolence and Compassion. not good from him to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it." "A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." "Rejoice not when thine ene

my falls, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth, lest the Lord see it, and it displeaseth him." "If thy neighbour be hungry give him bread to eat, and if he thirst give him drink, for thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee." "Thine own friend and thy father's friend forsake not." "He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker, but he that honoureth him hath compassion on the poor." giveth to the poor, shall not lack." giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord." "A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel," &c.

"He that

"He that

In every command a promise or a threat is implied, which distinguishes a command from advice, persuasion, or intreaty. Commands are issued by those alone who have power and authority to enforce; which, as we have already shewn, operate upon the passions of hope and fear. Whoever obeys, expects some future recompense for his obedience; and whoever disobeys, has to expect certain pernicious consequences resulting from his disobedience. Under the Jewish œconomy, the most powerful argu

ments to the practice of Virtue were not deduced from its conformity to reason, or the beauty of virtue; nor was a confidence placed in a natural love of justice, a benevolent disposition, or the great conveniences it affords to the social intercourse. The grand principle inculcated was the FEAR OF GOD. "Ye shall walk after the Lord your God and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him." "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," "Stand in awe and sin not." is nigh unto them that fear him." inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him." "Unto the wicked God saith, what hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant into thy mouth ?"

Salvation

"Let the

It clearly appears from the above extracts, that, according to the just conceptions of the Jewish Moralists, wickedness was not confined to the neglect of the Divine ordinances, or to open profaneness, but it extended to the neglect of moral duties also. All Vice in Scripture language is wickedness, and it is considered as an immediate offence against the supreme Legisla

tor.

The promises or threats to the Obedient or Disobedient had, in the Jewish Dispensation, a double reference. Being a people under an hierarchical government, and the subjects of a Sovereign who has all nature under his controul, and can direct every event according to the good pleasure of his will, national prosperity and national adversity were continually placed before them, as the rewards or punishments of obedience or rebellion. After Moses, the chosen servant of the Lord, had instructed the people, by divine appointment, in the moral, civil, and ceremonial law, in a minute and circumstantial manner, so that no one could offend through ignorance, he promises in the name of the universal Sovereign, "If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments to do them, then will I give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time, and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely. And I will give peace in the land, ye shall lie down and none make you afraid; and I will rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land; and. ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall

and