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Mosaic regulations respecting female slaves, with the universal and abominable licentiousness which polluted every ancient nation in their intercourse with slaves. Observe, on one side, the rebellions of this wretched class of beings in Greece and Rome, which, while they proved the misery of the individuals, endangered the safety of the state-and on the other side, the uniform public tranquillity in this instance among the Jews; and then decide, whether such regulations at that early period, in an Asiatic nation, do not bespeak a wisdom and benevolence far superior to what we could rationally expect from a mere human Legislator.†

It may confirm us in this conclusion, to observe other cir cumstances connected with the administration of penal justice amongst the Jews. Their trials were public, in the gates of the city. Their Judges, the Elders and Levites, were taken as our jurors, from the general mass of citizens, and therefore, like them, likely to be thoroughly acquainted with the character of the parties, the credit of the witnesses, and every circumstance which ought to be considered in determining the crime and estimating the punishment. No torture before conviction, no cruelty after it, was permitted by the Mosaic code; the law

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In the two servile wars in Sicily against the Romans, it is computed a million of slaves were destroyed, and several Roman generals were defeated. Vide Hook's Roman History, Book VII. ch. iv. Vol. VII. p. 133. Vide also the Jew's Letters to Voltaire, Part III. Letter iv. Vol. ii. p. 40.-Montesquieu observes, "That in the 'degenerate age of the Romans, they lived among their slaves as among enemies; "they made the Syllanian Senatus Consultum, and other laws, which decreed, that "when a master was murdered, all the slaves under the same roof, or in any place so near the house as to be within the hearing of a man's voice, should without distinc❝tion be condemned to die." Spirit of Laws, Book XV. ch. xvi.

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Unhappily, we may illustrate the superiority of the Jewish institution as to slaves, by comparing them with the atrocious crimes and cruelties committed in obtaining and managing slaves by the enlightened nations of Europe in our own times; who, disregarding the benevolent spirit and clear authority of that religion they profess, persevere to accumulate on themselves and their countries such aggravated guilt, as fills the minds of the pious and reflecting with the most alarming expectation, that the signal judgments of God will awfully chastise such depravity, publicly known and nationally tolerated! May the numerous and illustrious advocates in the cause of mercy and Christianity, so violently outraged by the miseries of the wretched Afrícans, every where speedily and completely effect their glorious purpose; and especially in England, where the principles of civil liberty and true religion, so generally and strongly felt, seem only to aggravate the guilt of their violation in this melancholy instance! I rejoice that the merchants of Ireland have not (at least as far as I can

limited the number of stripes which might be inflicted on a criminal. "Thou shalt not punish thy brother with more than "forty stripes, lest he seem vile unto thee."* was its injunc tion, at once humane and wise. It guarded innocence against the insidious attacks of false accusers, by directing that no man should be capitally convicted, except by the concurrent testimony of two unimpeached witnesses;† as well as by inflicting on the witnesses convicted of falsehood, whatever punishment or loss his testimony, if credited, would have brought down upon the innocent.

Such was the Penal code of the Jewish Legislator. And do we not perceive that it is founded on the same principles as his moral and religious system, and that both display a spirit of wisdom, rectitude and piety, far superior to any which could naturally be expected at that early period, in an Eastern people, long debased by slavery, and exhibiting in their national character no traces of superior natural ingenuity, or intellectual refinement? Yet at that period, and in that nation, a system of morals and religion was established, which promulgated the admirable summary of moral precepts enforced in the Decalogue; which inculcated love to God, love to our neighbour, kindness even to enemies; which taught the necessity of repentance for offences, and of restitution for injuries; which declared that God could not be conciliated by mere external observances,

discover) disgraced themselves by engaging in this dreadful traffic. It was, I understand, once proposed in a northern town of Ireland, but it was indignantly rejected.

Since the publication of the first edition of this Work, Providence has blessed the Advocates for the abolition of the Slave Trade with that success, which their truly Christian perseverance in this cause of mercy so eminently merited. The English Parliament has wiped off this foul stain from their country, and the sons of Britain are in every part of the world the guardians of freedom, and seem prepared to be the instruments for diffusing civilization, Christianity, and happiness. The continued exertions of the Society which combined to abolish the Slave Trade, and now watches to secure the execution of that glorious measure, and to repair the injuries which Europe has inflicted on Africa, by promoting the civilization and happiness of its inhabitants-The Sierra Leone Company, labouring for the same beneficent purpose→→ The various Societies for disseminating the Scriptures, and establishing Missions for spreading the light of the Gospel through the remotest lands-The Society for promot ing Christianity amongst the Jews both in England and Ireland-all these supply instances of this most gratifying truth-and seem like the dawning of a brighter day now opening on those regions of the earth, which had been so long darkened by infidelity and barbarism.

*Deut. xxv. 3.

+ Ib. xvii. 6.

Vide the last two Lectures.

but that all ceremonies were intended to excite, and ought to be accompauied by, sincere purity and piety, by obedience and benevolence; and that the love of God was not to rest in mere outward worship, or even in religious feelings and devotion alone, but to operate as a practical principle, inspiring moral virtue, and rousing to active benevolence, particularly towards the stranger and the poor, the fatherless and the widow, to whom the Deity was declared to bear the relation of peculiar protector and friend.

In addition to these general religious commands and moral principles, we have examined into the PENAL CODE of the Jews. And it has, I trust, appeared, that this equally tends to guard true religion, and enforce virtuous conduct; punishing capitally idolatry, with its train of profanations and crimes-adultery and impurity in all its pollutions, with a rigour unexampled in any nation of Asiatic origin, and yet uncultivated minds—murder-obstinate disobedience to parents-presumptuous defiance of the divine Law, and resistance to the supreme authority of the state. We have observed, that while the Jewish constitution allowed no asylum for atrocious criminals, it provided with admirable wisdom for the fair trial of those who were only guilty of manslaughter. That it punished inferior offences, whether against the person or property, with mildness and equity. That it protected the slave as well as the freeman. That in its judges, the form of its trials, and its regulations as to witnesses, it was admirably calculated to promote justice, and to guard innocence; and that the whole scheme and universal spirit of its penal code, and its judicial system, was strictly conformable to the tenor of the religion which was taught, and the moral principles which were inculcated from divine authority. This conformity seems to me to supply a strong presumption in favour of the sacred original of the Jewish constitution, both religious and civil. A system so pious, so pure, so strict, so wise, so equitable, so humane, so superior to every thing which could naturally be expected at such a period, in such a climate, and amongst such a people, seems unaccountable, if we reject the opinion of its sacred original, and attribute it merely to human artifice and pious fraud. This conclusion will, I trust, derive additional support from examining into the political principles of the Jewish government, and inquiring how far these were calculated to promote

virtue, freedom, and union, in the state, and secure to every rank in society their just and natural rights. This. therefore, shall be the subject of our next inquiry.

LECTURE IV.

The political principles of the Jewish Law. Importance of the mode in which property is distributed in a state-Agrarian Law of Lycurgus, &c.-Defects of the Spartan constitution in this point—Agrarian Law among the Jews-how guarded-promoted agriculture and attachment to rural life. Jewish nobility and gentry. Jewish yeomanry sufficient for defensive war-Offensive wars effectually discouraged by the Jewish constitution. Constitution of the tribe of Levi peculiar to the Jewish scheme Its great utility. Jewish Law guarded the rights and comforts of the very lowest classes of the stranger—the poor—the aged and infirm. Recapitulation.

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NUMBERS, XXXiii. 50, 54.

"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Ye shall divide the land by lot for an inheritance among 'your famliies; to the more ye shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer ye shall give "he less inheritance: according to the tribes of your fathers ye shall inherit."

As the Scriptures ascribe not only the religious and moral part of the Jewish Law to a divine original, but also the civil code and political constitution of the Jewish government; which, it has been proved,* was a direct theocracy; it becomes necessary to examine how far this constitution was calculated to guard the freedom and union of the Jewish state, to secure to its subjects of every rank their just and natural rights, and to diffuse a universal spirit of industry, virtue, and peace. This, therefore, shall be the object of our inquiry in this Lecture; and if it leads me to reflections which shall at first appear rather historical and political, than theological and religious, yet the close connexion of the topic with the vindication of so important a part of Revelation, as that which describes the Jewish economy, will, I trust, plead my excuse.

The mode in which property is distributed has, perhaps, the chief influence in every state in determining the character and

Viae supra, p. 25, and the last Lecture.

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