4i e:HAf5TiA24 MÓRALITV, viz. JVSTÌ &C. [mtg. xxv:: not the ancient land-marks, nor enter into the field of the fatherless : for their Redeemer is mighty, and he shall plead their cause with thee. Prove. xxiii. 10, II." If we review the records of the Jewish history, we shall find the cruel and the covetous, the tyrant and the oppressor, made terrible examples of the vengeance of God against unrighteousness. Survey the plagues of Egypt, and the dreadful desolations of that fruitful coun- try, with thedestruction of the first-born by the midnight pestilence, and the armies of Pharaoh drowned -ïn the Red-sea, and you may read there the wrath of God against the unrighteousness of men, written in dreadful characters. They treated the race of Israel with cruelty and sore oppression ; they destroyed their male- children, and provoked God to bring swift destruction upon themselves. Behold Adonibezek, king of thé Canaa- nites, with his thumbs and his great toes cut off by Joshua, and confessing the justice of the great God. " Threescore and ten kings, said he, with their great toes and their thumbs cut off, have gathered their meat under my table : As I have done, so God hath requited nie, Judges i. 7. " See the dogs licking up the blood of Ahab in the place where he slew Naboth the Jezreelite, in order to take unjust possession of his vineyard, 1 Kings, xxi. 19. These things which werewritten of old time, remain upon record for our instruction in the days . of christianity. But let us take more special notice what influences may be derived from the gospel, and from the name of Christ, to enforce the practice ofjustice among men. I. Ifwe look to our Lord Jesus Christ as a law-giver, how various and how plain are his solemn and repeated commands, not only in his sermon upon the mount, but upon other occasions too, that justice be practised be- tween man and man. Ile bath explained to us that glo- rious rule of equity, on purpose to make the practice of justice easy, plain, and universal, " love your neighbour as .yourself; that is, do to others, as ye would that others do to you." We cannot but think that the holy soul of our Lord Jesus was concerned to secure the practice of justiceand righteousness among his followers, when we read his ter- rible rebuke to the pharisees for the neglect of it : and a 4
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