but from every act, nay from every word, wish, or thought of a malicious character. For the security of his domestic peace and comfort, we are not only required to abstain from the act of adultery, but are also warned, that even to "look on a woman" with criminal desires is sinful in the sight of God. And to the same effect, for the security of another's property, of whatever kind it be, the commandment is absolute ; not only in forbidding the action, but in forbidding also the inclination, of dishonesty not only in enjoining upon us, "Thou shalt not steal," but in enjoining also, "Thou shalt not covet nor desire another man's goods." How wise and how benevolent this precaution is, on the part of our gracious Lawgiver, is best perceived by those, who are best acquainted with the deceitfulness and the evil propensities of the human heart; and who are well aware how rapidly the seeds of wickedness, which are congenial to that corrupt soil, will thrive and grow to maturity, if they are not carefully rooted out : in plain language, how rapidly criminal desires, unless they are repressed with the utmost circumspec

tion, produce criminal purposes and resolutions, and so in the end ripen into criminal actions; until they totally cloud the understanding, and destroy all the better feelings of the soul; until (as the Prophet emphatically expresses it)" the whole head becomes sick and the whole heart faint

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Of the necessity of laying a check upon irregular desires at their first commencement, and of the danger which ensues from their being permitted to thrive upon indulgence, a memorable instance lately passed before us in the conduct of David; an instance the more memorable indeed, on account of the exalted character for virtue and piety of him, who was so lamentably seduced by criminal self-indulgence into the grossest and blackest sins. Another remarkable instance of the like danger is offered to our meditations in the case of Ahab, king of Samaria. Different from David in his general character, of Ahab it is recorded, that "there was none like unto him, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord;" and

that "he did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger, than all the kings of Israel that were before him." Of his wickedness in general, the case, that is at present to call our attention, may serve as a sufficient specimen :-a case, wherein we shall perceive an alarming example of the extent of depravity to which the human heart can go, when it follows its own evil suggestions for the gratification of its own sinful desires; however trifling at first may have been the object of them, and however capable they may appear, by the divine grace, of having been controlled, had they been at first resisted with becoming resolution.

Let us however look to the particulars of the narrative. "It came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem

good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money." Now thus far, upon a general view of the subject, and examining it by the general rules of equity, there appears at first nothing sinful in the desire or the proposal of Ahab. Peculiar circumstances made a particular piece of ground, contiguous to his own possessions, convenient to him for the purposes either of use or of recreation; and he accordingly proposed to purchase it of the owner at a reasonable price. Hitherto there appears nothing but what might innocently pass between man and man.

But although, as far as we have yet seen, it does not appear, why Ahab might not desire to purchase the vineyard of Naboth, it is to be considered whether Naboth might not have had sufficient cause for declining the purchase. And first, the property was his own: his own right in it was unquestionable, and in the disposal of it, his own inclination and convenience were first of all to be consulted. But suppose that out of a due respect to his sovereign, and a laudable wish to gratify his desire,

Naboth had been disposed to wave the regard to his own convenience; a difficulty still stood in the way of his compliance. The vineyard was not a purchase of his own; a property, of which as he had made himself the master, so he might consider that he had full right to dispose of it to another: it was an hereditary possession; it had been long enjoyed by his family; it had been transmitted to him by his ancestors; and it was consequently his wish, a wish natural to the feelings of man, to retain it in his own possession, a memorial of respect and affection for those who had gone before him; and so to transmit it to his posterity in due and regular succession. All this is implied in the answer, which he made to the proposal of the king, and all this is agreeable to the attachment which men commonly feel for hereditary possessions; "And Naboth said unto Ahab, The Lord forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee !"

But this is by no means the whole of what is implied in the answer of Naboth. The