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All the first-born of the

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EXODUS.

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Egyptians are slain.

And it came to pass, that was in the dungeon; and all the An. Exod. Isr. 1. at midnight P the LORD Smote all first-born of cattle.

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the first-born in the land of Egypt,

30 And Pharaoh rose up in

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a from the first-born of Pharaoh that sat on his the night, he, and all his servants, and all throne, unto the first-born of the captive that the Egyptians; and there was a great cry xviii. 11. - Heb. house of the pit. — Chap. xi. 6; Prov. xxí. 13; Amos v. 17; James ii. 13.

joined to another that signifies any kind of misery or disgrace, it then signifies the depth of misery, the utmost disgrace. So the FIRST-BORN of the poor, Isa. xiv. 30, signifies the most abject, destitute, and im

The FIRST-BORN of death, Job. xviii. 13, means the most horrible kind of death. So in the threatening against Pharaoh, chap. xi. 5, where he informs him that he will slay all the first-born, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon the throne, to the first-born of the maid-servant that is behind the mill, he takes in the very highest and lowest conditions of life. As there was no state in Egypt superior to the throne, so there was none inferior to that of the female slave that ground at the mill. The Prophet Habakkuk seems to fix this as the sense in which the word is used here; for speaking of the

God afforded his people, he says, chap. iii. 13: Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people—thou woundedst` the HEAD (UN◄ rosh, the chief, the most excellent) of the house of the wicked-of Pharaoh and the Egyptians. And the author of the book of Wisdom understood it in the same way: The master and the servant were punished after one manner; and like as the king, so suffered the common people-for in one

Chap. xi. 4.—P Num. viii. 17; xxxiii. 4; Psa. lxxviii. 51; cv. 36; cxxxv. 8; cxxxvi. 10.- - Chap. iv. 23; xi. 5; Wisd. Verse 29. Smote all the first-born] If we take the term first-born in its literal sense only, we shall be led to conclude that in a vast number of the houses of the Egyptians there could have been no death, as it is not at all likely that every first-born child of every Egyp-poverished. tian fanrily was still alive, and that all the first-born of their cattle still remained. And yet it is said, ver. 30, that there was not a house where there was not one dead. The word therefore must not be taken in its literal sense only. From its use in a great variety of places in the Scriptures it is evident that it means the chief, most excellent, best beloved, most distinguished, &c. In this sense our blessed Lord is called the FIRSTBORN of every creature, Col. i. 15, and the FIRST-BORN among many brethren, Rom. viii. 29; that is, he is more excellent than all creatures, and greater than all the children of men. In the same sense.we may un-plagues of Egypt in general, and the salvation which derstand Rev. i. 5, where CHRIST is called the FIRSTBEGOTTEN from the dead, i. e., the chief of all that have ever visited the empire of death, and on whom death has had any power; and the only one who by his own might quickened himself, In the same sense wisdom is represented as being brought forth before all the creatures, and being possessed by the Lord in the beginning of his ways, Prov. viii. 22-30; that is, the wisdom of God is peculiarly conspicuous in the produc-moment the NOBLEST OFFSPRING of them was destroyed; tion, arrangement, and government of every part of the creation. So Ephraim is called the Lord's FIRSTBORN, Jer. xxxi. 9. And the people of Israel are often called by the same name, see Exod. iv. 22: Israel is my son, my FIRST-BORN; that is, the people in whom I particularly delight, and whom I will especially support and defend, And because the first-born are in general peculiarly dear to their parents, and because among the Jews they had especial and peculiar privileges, whatever was most dear, most valuable, and most prized, was thus denominated. So Micah vi. 7: Shall I give my FIRST-BORN for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? Shall I give up the most beloved child I have, he that is most dear and most necessary to me, in order to make an atonement Verse 30. There was a great cry] No people in for my sins! In like manner the Prophet Zechariah, the universe were more remarkable for their mournspeaking of the conversion of the Jews to the Gos-ings than the Egyptians, especially in matters of relipel of Christ, represents them as looking on him whom they have pierced, and being as one that is in bitterness for his FIRST-BORN; that is, they shall feel distress and anguish as those who had lost their most beloved child. So the Church triumphant in the kingdom of God are called, Heb. xii. 23, the general assembly and Church of the FIRST-BORN, i. e., the most noble and excellent of all human if not created beings. So Homer, Il. iv., ver. 102: Aрvwv πрwτоyоvwv peželv kheitŋv kaTouẞny "A hecatomb of lambs all firstlings of the flock." That is, the most excellent of their kind.

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chap. xviii. 11, 12. And in no other sense can we understand the word in Psa. Ixxxix. 27, where, among the promises of God to David, we find the following: Also I will make him my FIRST-BORN, higher than the kings of the earth; in which passage the latter clause explains the former; David, as king, should be the FIRST-BORN of God, i. e., he should be higher than the kings of the earth-the MOST EMINENT potentate in the universe. In this sense, therefore, we should understand the passage in question; the most eminent person in every family in Egypt, as well as those who were literally the first-born, being slain in this plague. Calmet and some other critics particularly contend for this sense.

gion; they whipped, beat, tore themselves, and howled in all the excess of grief. When a relative died, the people left the house, ran into the streets, and howled in the most lamentable and frantic manner. See Diod. Sicul., lib. i., and Herod., lib. ii., c. 85, 86. And this latter author happening to be in Egypt on ore of their solemnities, saw myriads of people whipping and beating themselves in this manner, lib. ii., c. 60; and see Mr. Bryant on the Plagues of Egypt, where many examples are given, p. 162, &c. How dreadful then must the scene of horror and distress appear, when there was not one house or family in Egypt ( 24* )

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where there was not one dead; and according to their custom, all the family running out into the streets be wailing this calamity!

Verse 31. Called for Moses and Aaron] That is, he sent the message here mentioned to them; for it does not appear that he had any farther interview with Moses and Aaron, after what is mentioned chap. x. 28, 29, and xi. 8. See the notes there.

Verse 33. The Egyptians were urgent upon the people] They felt much, they feared more; and therefore wished to get immediately rid of a people on whose account they found they were smitten with so many and such dreadful plagues.

Verse 34. The people took their dough before it was leavened, &c.] There was no time now to make any regular preparation for their departure, such was the universal hurry and confusion. The Israelites could carry but little of their household utensils with them; but some, such as they kneaded their bread and kept their meal in, they were obliged to carry with them. The kneading troughs of the Arabs are comparatively small wooden bowls, which, after kneading their bread in, serve them as dishes out of which they eat their victuals. And as to these being bound up in their clothes, no more may be intended than their wrapping them up in their long, loose garments, or in what is still used among the Arabs, and called hykes, which is a long kind of blanket, something resembling a highland plaid, in which they often carry their provision, wrap themselves by day, and sleep at night. Dr. Shaw has been particular in his description of this almost entire wardrobe of an Arab. He says they are of different sizes and of different qualities, but generally about six yards in length, and five or six feet broad. He supposes that what we call Ruth's veil, Ruth ni. 15, was a hyke, and that the same is to be understood of the clothes of the Israelites mentioned in this verse. See his Travels, p. 224, 4to edition.

Verse 35. They borrowed of the Egyptians] See the note on chap. iii. 22, where the very exceptionable term borrow is largely explained.

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34 And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading-troughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders.

35 And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses: and they borrowed of the Egyptians a jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment :

36 And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.

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37 And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hun

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Chap. iii. 21; xi. 3. c Gen. xv. 14; chap. iii. 22; Psa. cv. 37.- Num. xxxiii. 3, 5.- eGen. xlvii. 11. Gen. xii. 2; xlvi. 3; chap. xxxviii. 26; Num. i. 46; xi. 21.

Verse 37. From Rameses to Succoth] Rameses appears to have been another name for Goshen, though it is probable that there might have been a chief city or village in that land, where the children of Israel rendezvoused previously to their departure, called Rameses. As the term Succoth signifies booths or tents, it is probable that this place was so named from its being the place of the first encampment of the Israelites.

Six hundred thousand] That is, There was this number of effective men, twenty years old and upwards, who were able to go out to war. But this was not the whole number, and therefore the sacred writer says they were about 600,000; for when the numbers were taken about thirteen months after this they were found to be six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty, without reckoning those under twenty years of age, or any of the tribe of Levi; see Num. i. 45, 46. But besides those on foot, or footmen, there were no doubt many old and comparatively infirm persons, who rode on camels, horses, or asses, besides the immense number of women and children, which must have been at least three to one of the others; and the mixed multitude, ver. 38, probably of refugees in Egypt, who came to sojourn there, because of the dearth which had obliged them to emigrate from their own countries; and who now, seeing that the hand of Jehovah was against the Egyptians and with the Israelites, availed themselves of the general consternation, and took their leave of Egypt, choosing Israel's God for their portion, and his people for their companions. Such a company moving at once, and emigrating from their own country, the world never before nor since witnessed; no doubt upwards of two millions of souls, besides their flocks and herds, even very much cattle; and what but the mere providence of God could support such a multitude, and in the wilderness, too, where to this day the necessaries of life are not to be found?

Suppose we take them at a rough calculation thus, two millions will be found too small a number.

Israelites' journey from Rameses.

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An. Exod. Isr. 1. men, besides children.

Abib or Nisan.

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dred thousand on foot that were not tarry, neither had they pre-
pared for themselves any victual.
40 Now the sojourning of the
children of Israel, who dwelt in
four hundred and thirty years.

38 And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle.

-39 And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought forth out of Egypt, for it was not leavened; because h they were thrust out of Egypt, and could Heb. a great mixture; Numbers xi. 4.- h Chapter vi. 1; xi. 1; ver. 33.

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Effective men, 20 years old and upward Two-thirds of whom we may suppose were married, in which case their wives would amount to . These, on an average, might have 5 children under 20 years of age, an estimate which falls considerably short of the number of children each family must have averaged in order to produce from 75 persons, in A. M, 2298, upwards of 600,000 effective men in A. M. 2494, a period of only 196 years The Levites, who probably were not included among the effective men

Their wives.

Their children

The mixed multitude probably not less than

Total

i

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An. Exod. Isr. 1.
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Egypt, was

41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. Gen. xv. 13; Acts vii. 6 Gal. iii. 17.- Chapter vii. 4;

ver. 51.

600,000 such a general conviction that he had this authority, that they implicitly followed his directions, and received their law from his mouth.

400,000

2,000,000

Verse 40. Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, &c.] The statement in this verse is allowed on all hands to be extremely difficult, and therefore the passage stands in especial need of illustration. "That the descendants of Israel did not dwell 430 years in Egypt," says Dr. Kennicott, "may be easily proved, and has often been demonstrated. Some therefore imagine that by Egypt here both it and Canaan are to be understood. But this greater latitude of place will not solve the difficulty, since the Israel45,000 ites, including Israel their father, did not sojourn 430, 33,000 years in both countries previous to their departure 165,000 from Egypt. Others, sensible of the still remaining 20,000 deficiency, would not only have Egypt in the text to signify it and Canaan, but by a figure more compre hensive would, have the children of Israel to mean Israel's children, and Israel their father, and Isaac the father of Israel, and part of the life of Abraham, the father of Isaac.

3,263,000 Besides a multitude of old and infirm persons who would be obliged to ride on camels and asses, &c., and who must, from the proportion that such bear to the young and healthy, amount to many thousands more! Exclude even the Levites and their families, and upwards of three millions will be left.

"In Num. iii. 39 the male Levites, aged one month and upwards, are reckoned 22,000, perhaps the females did not much exceed this number, say 23,000, and 500 children, under one month, will make 45,500."-Anon. Had not Moses the fullest proof of his Divine mission, he never could have put himself at the head of such an immense concourse of people, who, without . the most especial and effective providence, must all have perished for lack of food. This single circumstance, unconnected with all others, is an ample demonstration of the Divine mission of Moses, and of the authenticity and Divine inspiration of the Pentateuch. To suppose that an impostor, or one pretending only to a Divine call, could have ventured to place himself at the head of such an immense body of people, to lead them through a trackless wilderness, utterly unprovided for such a journey, to a land as yet in the possession of several powerful nations whom they must expel before they could possess the country, would have implied such an extreme of madness and folly as has never been witnessed in an individual, and such a blind credulity in the multitude as is unparalleled in the annals of mankind! The succeeding stupendous events proved that Moses had the authority of God to do what he did; and the people had at least

356

"Thus indeed," says Dr. Kennicott, "we arrive at the exact sum, and by this method of reckoning we might arrive at any thing but truth, which we may presume was never thus conveyed by an inspired writer." But can the difficulty be removed without having re course to such absurd shifts? Certainly it can. The Samaritan Pentateuch, in all its manuscripts and printed copies, reads the place thus:

1943 24g mas guzz aymamy MASK JY MAA

m ༢༩ཡ 7aAt༢ hཡ ༢u༡༥ Umoshab beney Yishrael veabotham asher yashebu baarets Cenaan, ubaarets mitsraim sheloshim shanah vearba meoth shanah.

"Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, and of their fathers, which they sojourned in the land of Canaan and in the land of Egypt, was 430 years." This same sum is given by St. Paul, Gal. iii. 17, who reckons from the promise made to Abraham, when God commanded him to go to Canaan, to the giving of the law, which soon followed the departure from Egypt; and this chronology of the apostle is concordant with the Samaritan Pentateuch, which, by preserving the two passages, they and their fathers, and in the land of Canaan, which are lost out of the present copies of the Hebrew text, has rescued this passage from all obscurity and contradiction. It may be

Who may, and who may

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42 It is a night to be much over: there shall no stranger unto the LORD for eat thereof: bringing them out from the land of Egypt: this is that night of the LORD to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations.

43 And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the pass

m See Deut. xvi. 6.

passover.

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44 But every man's servant that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof. 45 A foreigner and a hired servant shall not eat thereof.

46 In one house shall it be eaten; thou

Num. ix. 14. Gen. xvii. 12, 13.— Lev. xxii. 10.

In treatises on the religious customs of the Jews we frequently meet with the term proselyte, from the Greek рoonλvros, a stranger or foreigner; one who is come from his own people and country to sojourn with another. All who were not descendants of some one of the twelve sons of Jacob, or of Ephraim and Manasseh, the two sons of Joseph, were reputed stran

1 Heb. a night of observation.necessary to observe that the Alexandrian copy of the Septuagint has the same reading as that in the Samaritan. The Samaritan Pentateuch is allowed by many learned men to exhibit the most correct copy of the five books of Moses; and the Alexandrian copy of the Septuagint must also be allowed to be one of the most authentic as well as most ancient copies of this version which we possess. As to St. Paul, no mangers or proselytes among the Jews. But of those will dispute the authenticity of his statement; and thus in the mouth of these three most respectable witnesses the whole account is indubitably established. That these three witnesses have the truth, the chronology itself proves for from Abraham's entry into Canaan to the birth of Isaac was 25 years, Gen. xii. 4, xvii. 1-21; Isaac was 60 years old at the birth of Jacob, Gen. xxv. 26; and Jacob was 130 at his going down into Egypt, Gen. xlvii. 9; which three sums make 215 years. And then Jacob and his children having continued in Egypt 215 years more, the whole sum of 430 years is regularly completed. See Kennicott's Dissertation on the Hebrew Text.

Verse 42. A night to be much observed] A night to be held in everlasting remembrance, because of the peculiar display of the power and goodness of God, the observance of which annually was to be considered a religious precept while the Jewish nation should

continue.

Verse 43. This is the ordinance of the passover] From the last verse of this chapter it appears pretty evident that this, to the 50th verse inclusive, constituted a part of the directions given to Moses relative to the proper observance of the first passover, and should be read conjointly with the preceding account beginning at verse 21. It may be supposed that these latter parts contain such partieular directions as God gave to Moses after he had given those general ones mentioned in the preceding verses, but they seem all to belong to this first passover.

strangers or proselytes there were two kinds, called
among them proselytes of the gate, and proselytes of
justice or of the covenant. The former were such as
wished to dwell among the Jews, but would not sub-
mit to be circumcised; they, however, acknowledged
the true God, avoided all idolatry, and observed the
seven precepts of Noah, but were not obliged to ob-
serve any of the Mosaic institutions. The latter sub-
mitted to be circumcised, obliged themselves to observe
all the rites and ceremonies of the law, and were in
nothing different from the Jews but merely in their
having once been heathens. The former, or proselytes
of the gate, might not eat the passover or partake of
any of the sacred festivals; but the latter, the prose-
lytes of the covenant, had the same rights, spiritual and
secular, as the Jews themselves.
See ver. 48.

Verse 45. A foreigner] toshab, from yashab, to sit down or dwell; one who is a mere sojourner, for the purpose of traffic, merchandise, &c., but who is neither a proselyte of the gate nor of the covenant.

And a hired servant] Who, though he be bought with money, or has indented himself for a certain term to serve a Jew, yet has not become either a proselyte of the gate or of the covenant. None of these shall eat of it, because not circumcised-not brought under the bond of the covenant; and not being under obligation to observe the Mosaic law, had no right to its privileges and blessings. Even under the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, he is the author of eternal salben vation only to them who OBEY him, Heb. v. 9; and those who become Christians are, chosen to salvation through SANCTIFICATION of the Spirit, and belief of the truth, 2 Thess. ii. 13; for the grace of God, that bringeth salvation to all men, hath appeared, teaching us that, DENYING UNGODLINESS and WORLDLY LUSTS, we should live SOBERLY, RIGHTEOUSLY, and GODLY, in this present world; Tit. ij. 11, 12. Such persons only walk worthy of the vocation wherewith they are called. Verse 46. In one house shall it be eaten] family, if that be large enough; if not, a neighbouring family might be invited, ver. 4.

There shall no stranger eat thereof] nechar, the son of a stranger or foreigner, i. e., one who was not of the genuine Hebrew stock, or one who had not received circumcision; for any circumcised person might eat the passover, as the total exclusion extends only to the uncircumcised, see ver. 48. As there are two sorts of strangers mentioned in the sacred writings; one who was admitted to all the Jewish ordinances, and another who, though he dwelt among the Jews, was not permitted to eat the passover or partake of any of their solemn feasts; it may be necessary to show what was the essential point of distinction through which the one was admitted and the other excluded.

In one

Thou shalt not carry forth aught of the flesh] Every family must abide within doors because of the destroy

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All who eat the passover

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EXODUS.

shalt not carry forth aught of the An. Exod. Isr, 1. flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone

Abib or Nisan.

thereof.

8

must be circumcised

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let all his males be circumcised,
and then let him come near and
keep it; and he shall be as one
that is born in the land for no uncircumcised

47All the congregation of Israel shall person shall eat thereof.
keep it.

48 And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD,

Num. ix. 12; John xix. 33, 36. Ver. 6; Num. ix. 13. $ Heb. do it.

Abib or Nisan.

49 One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.

t Numbers ix. 14. Numbers ix. 14; xv. 15, 16; Gal. iii. 28.

ing angel, none being permitted to go out of his house away iniquity by the sacrifice of himself. It is a retill the next day, ver. 22.

Neither shall ye break a bone thereof.] As it was to be eaten in haste, (ver. 11,) there was no time either to separate the bones, or to break them in order to extract the marrow; and lest they should be tempted to consume time in this way, therefore this ordinance was given. It is very likely that, when the whole lamb was brought to table, they cut off the flesh without even separating any of the large joints, leaving the skeleton, with whatever flesh they could not eat, to be consumed with fire, ver. 10. This precept was also given to point out a most remarkable circumstance which 1500 years after was to take place in the crucifixion of the Saviour of mankind, who was the true Paschal Lamb, that Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world; who, though he was crucified as a common malefactor, and it was a universal custom to break the legs of such on the cross, yet so did the providence of God order it that a bone of HIM was not broken. See the fulfilment of this wondrously expressive type, John xix. 33, 36.

Verse 48. And when a stranger-will keep the passover, &c.] Let all who sojourn among you, and who desire to partake of this sacred ordinance, not only be circumcised themselves, but all the males of their families likewise, that they may all have an equal right to the blessings of the covenant.

Verse 49. One law shall be to him that is home-born, &c.] As this is the first place that the term torah or LAW occurs, a term of the greatest importance in Divine revelation, and on the proper understanding of which much depends, I judge it best to give its genuine explanation once for all.

The word torah comes from the root, yarah, which signifies to aim at, teach, point out, direct, lead, guide, make straight, or even; and from these significations of the word (and in all these senses it is used in the Bible) we may see at once the nature, properties, and design of the law of God. It is a system of INSTRUCTION in righteousness; it teaches the difference between moral good and evil; ascertains what is right and fit to be done, and what should be left undone, because improper to be performed. It continually aims at the glory of God, and the happiness of his creatures; teaches the true knowledge of the true God, and the destructive nature of sin; points out the absolute necessity of an atonement as the only means by which God can be reconciled to transgressors; and in its very significant rites and ceremonies points out the Son of God, till he should come to put

velation of God's wisdom and goodness, wonderfully well calculated to direct the hearts of men into the truth, to guide their feet into the path of life, and to make straight, even, and plain that way which leads to God, and in which the soul must walk in order to arrive at eternal life. It is the fountain whence every correct notion relative to God-his perfections, providence, grace, justice, holiness, omniscience, and omnipotence, has been derived. And it has been the origin whence all the true principles of law and justice have been deduced. The pious study of it was the grand means of producing the greatest kings, the most enlightened statesmen, the most accomplished poets, and the most holy and useful men, that ever adorned the world. It is exceeded only by the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is at once the accomplishment of its rites and predictions, and, the fulfilment of its grand plan and outline. As a system of teaching or instruction, it is the most sovereign and most effectual; as by it is the knowledge of sin, and it alone is the schoolmaster, taidaywyos, that leads men to Christ, that they may be justified through faith, Gal. iii. 24. Who can absolutely ascertain the exact quantum of obliquity in a crooked line, without the application of a straight one? And could sin, in all its twistings, windings, and varied involutions, have ever been truly ascertained, had not God given to man this perfect rule to judge by? The nations who acknowledge this revelation of God have, as far as they attained to its dictates, the wisest, purest, most equal, and most beneficial laws. The nations that do not receive it have laws at once extravagantly severe and extravagantly indulgent. The proper distinctions between moral good and evil, in such states, are not known hence the penal sanctions are not founded on the principles of justice, weighing the exact proportion of moral turpitude; but on the most arbitrary caprices, which in many cases show the utmost indulgence to first-rate crimes, while they punish minor offences with rigour and cruelty. What is the consequence? Just what might be reasonably expected; the will and caprice of a man being put in the place of the wisdom of God, the government is oppressive, and the people, frequently goaded to distraction, rise up in a mass and overturn it; so that the monarch, however powerful for a time, seldom lives out half his days. This was the case in Greece, in Rome, in the major part of the Asiatic governments, and is the case in all nations of the world to the present day, where the governor is despotic, and the laws not formed according to the revelation of God.

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