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are the frequent theme of prophetic warning, remonstrance, and denunciation, throughout every part of the Mosaic dispensation.

But Hebrew morality is not yet exhausted, and is worthy of still further illustration. The fifteenth Psalm contains a summary of personal duty so excellent, that it has drawn forth the admiration of some, who have not admired many other parts of the sacred writings. The Book of Proverbs is an extremely valuable collection of moral and prudential maxims and sentiments, the result of the enlarged experience of the wisest of men, and applicable to every situation and exigency of human life. The cautions against suretiship will be most commended by those who have had most experience in human affairs. Nowhere do we find stronger commendations of industry, frugality, chastity, temperance, and integrity, or more serious warnings against idleness, strife, envy, drunkenness, and rioting. Nowhere are the ruinous courses of the wicked more impressively depicted, or the inevitable consequences to which they lead, more graphically delineated. Nowhere are pride, covetousness, selfishness, the indulgence of rash anger, and the abuse of the tongue in the manifold ways of falsehood, slander, secret calumny, false witness, and blasphemy, more forcibly reproved. Nowhere are the wiles, the cunning, and the hardened front of the woman, "who forsaketh the guide of her youth and forgetteth the covenant of her God," and "whose house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death," more vividly described. All authors, ancient and modern, cannot furnish such a picture of the virtuous woman. * Every duty in life is enjoined and skilfully commended to our notice, and not only every vice, but every species of folly and even indiscretion, is guarded against.

But it is in his concern for the young, and in his commendation of wisdom, that the wisest of men has put forth all the strength of his persuasive wisdom and eloquence. "Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more

* Prov. xxxi. 10-31.

precious than rubies; and all the things thou canst desire, are not to be compared unto her. Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her; and happy is every one that retaineth her. The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens."*

Moreover, the books usually termed Apocryphal in reference to their origin, must not be entirely omitted, even in a very brief review of the moral writings of the Hebrews. They are partly historical and partly moral, and may well be read, as St. Jerome says, "for example of life and instruction of manners." They are written in the peculiar style of the Hebrew Scriptures, and manifestly by men of distinguished piety. It will not be necessary to advert to any but the moral part of these writings. "The Wisdom of Solomon "consists of two parts; the first, which is written in the name of Solomon, contains a description or encomium of Wisdom; by which comprehensive term the ancient Hebrews understood prudence and foresight, knowledge and understanding, and chiefly a high sense of religion and of moral obligation. Of virtue the author says, "The memorial thereof is immortal; because it is known with God and with man. When it is pres

ent, men take example at it; and when it is gone, they desire it; it weareth a crown, and triumpheth for ever, having gotten the victory, striving for undefiled rewards." Of old age he says, "Honorable age is not that which standeth in length of time, nor that is measured by number of years; but wisdom is the gray hair unto men, and an unspotted life is old age."‡ The other part contains a variety of subjects, reflections on the history and conduct of the Hebrews, &c. The ancients admired this book for its elegance, and for its admirable moral precepts, and some of them styled it "the treasury of virtue."

"The Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach, or Ecclesiasticus," opens with an exhortation to the pursuit of wisdom. To this succeeds a collection of moral sentences or maxims, arranged very much after the manner of the Proverbs of Solomon,

* Prov. iii. 13-19. + Wisdom of Solomon, iv. 1, 2. + Ch. iv. 8, 9.

and continuing to the end of the forty-third chapter. Here the author commences a eulogy of the patriarchs, prophets, and other celebrated men among the Hebrews, which is continued through the fiftieth chapter. The book concludes with a prayer. Except the inspired writings, a collection of purer moral precepts does not exist.

The unrivalled description of the power and majesty of Truth, contained in 1 Esdras, iv. 34, &c., has been universally admired. "Great is the earth, high is the heaven, swift is the sun in his course, for he compasseth the heavens round about, and fetcheth his course again to his own place in one day. Is he not great that maketh these things? Therefore, great is the truth, and stronger than all things. All the earth calleth upon the truth, and the heaven blesseth it; all works shake and tremble at it, and with it is no unrighteous thing. Wine is wicked, the king is wicked, women are wicked, all the children of men are wicked, and such are all their wicked works; and there is no truth in them; in their unrighteousness also they shall perish. As for the truth, it endureth, and is always strong; it liveth and conquereth for evermore. With her, there is no accepting of persons or rewards; but she doeth the things that are just, and refraineth from all unjust and wicked things; and all men do well like of her works. Neither in her judgment is any unrighteousness; and she is the strength, kingdom, power, and majesty of all ages.'

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3. As the Gospel of Christ is, in all respects, more perfect than the Mosaic dispensation,* "for the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did," it may be expected that its morals will partake of this superior perfection. This higher morality consists not merely, nor perhaps principally, in the particular precepts dispersed through the writings of the New Testament, but much more in the spirit which pervades these writings, in the universality of the design of the Gospel, in the moral sanctions which this Gospel establishes, in the moral qualities, habits, and sentiments displayed in the lives, conversation, and instruction of its inspired teachers and primitive

*Heb. i. 1-3; iii. 1-6.

+ Heb. vii. 19.

disciples; and, above all, in the divine character of the Saviour himself. It may be useful to give a very rapid sketch of the qualities and characteristics of the morals of the Gospel, before proceeding to expand, illustrate, and apply the system in its details.

The works

(1.) The Mosaic dispensation was a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things; * but life and immortality are, in a preeminent sense, brought to light through the Gospel. The writings of the Old Testament were less clear and definite in regard to a future life than might be wished; and one chief design of Christianity, as a revelation, was to influence the conduct of human life, by giving unquestionable proof of a future state of rewards and punishments. The direct object, therefore, of the design was to furnish motives to moral conduct rather than rules; sanctions rather than precepts. And mankind stood most in need of motives and sanctions. of the Greek and Roman moralists show, that the members of society can, in all ordinary cases, judge very well what their duty is; but, without a future state, or, what is the same thing, without accredited evidence of such a state, they want a motive to their duty; at least they want strength of motive sufficient to bear up against the force of passion and the temptation of immediate interest. The rules of the ancient moralists were without sanctions and authority. In conveying to the world, therefore, unquestionable assurances of a future existence, Christianity supplied precisely what was most needed by mankind, and rendered the very service, which it might have been expected à priori would be, so far as morals were concerned, the chief end and office of a revelation from God.‡

(2.) Again; Christianity is the only religion, which has ever contemplated extending itself and its blessings through the earth by peaceable means; which has made its duties and obligations universally binding; and which has imparted its encouragements, its hopes, its prospects, its consolations, and its renovating and purifying power, to men of all conditions and circumstances of life.§

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"Effigies solida et expressa." — Cicero, De Officiis, Lib. III. c. 17. See See Paley's Evidences of Christianity, p. 224.

also Heb. x. 1.

† 2 Tim. i. 10.

§ See Mat. viii. 11; x. 18; xiii. 38; xxviii. 19, 20; Mark, xvi. 15, 16; John, x. 16.

Mahomet and his successors contemplated making his religion universal; but they relied for success on the power of the sword. A brief historical review will convince us, that this characteristic of the Gospel is much more extraordinary than we are accustomed to suppose; and that, before the time of Christ, it had not entered into the mind of any one, that the extension of a single religion throughout the earth was either possible or desirable; much less, that it could become the duty of each individual to contribute to this extension according to his ability, or that it was the moral duty of each one to regard the whole human race as his brethren, and to consult their welfare and interest as occasion might occur and opportunity be presented. The Jewish religion was exclusive and even repulsive in its spirit, and several of its provisions unfitted it to extend over more than a small tract of country.*

Before the coming of Christ, as well as since, almost no age has been destitute of individuals, who, looking beyond mere kindred and self-interest, have been willing to contribute the fruit of their labor and genius to the good of mankind. The number of such men, with whom Providence has from time to time blessed the earth, has been considerable, and they shed a lustre over the ages to which they respectively belong. But as disinterested as was the aim of these individuals, as exalted as was their purpose, and as expansive as their benevolence might be ; they never reached more than a part, and usually a very small part of mankind. No one, even in the utmost ardor of his zeal, ever thought of embracing all men within the ample sphere of his good-will, and still less entertained a serious design of benefiting, either morally or physically, the entire human race. We may understand, indeed, how far such a design was from being entertained even by the best men, from the saying of Cicero, himself, next to Socrates, the most perfect example of expansive good-will up to his time; to wit, that a man's country embraced all the affections of every man. This he says, not by way of censure, but of approbation, and as the utmost stretch to which the good-will of any man ought to expand itself. Probably even De Officiis, Lib. I. c. 17.

* Exod. xxiii. 14, 17; Deut. xvi. 16.

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