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maid servant's tooth; he shall let him go free for his tooth's sake. This was designed to prevent cruelty, and to make men cautious not to exceed in due correction, or do any thing in a passion.

If an ox gore a man or a woman, that they die : then the ox shall be surely stoned, to prevent his doing further mischief, and his flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of 29 the ox [shall be] quit. But if the ox were wont to push with his horn in time past, and it hath been testified to his owner, and he hath not kept him in, but that he hath killed a man or woman; the ox shall be stoned, and his owner also shall be put to death, because he did not take proper care to 30 prevent this.* If there be laid on him a sum of money, then he shall give for the ransom of his life whatsoever is 31 laid upon him. Whether he have gored a son, or have gor

ed a daughter, according to this judgment shall it be done 32 unto him. If the ox shall push a man servant, or maid servant; he shall give unto their master thirty shekels of silver, three pounds eight shillings sterling, and the ox shall be stoned.

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And if a man shall open a pit in the highway or unenclosed grounds, or if a man shall dig a pit, and not cover it, and an 34 ox or an ass fall therein; The owner of the pit shall make [it] good, [and] give money unto the owner of them; and the dead [beast] shall be his.

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And if one man's ox hurt another's, that he die; then they shall sell the live ox, and divide the money of it; and the 36 dead [ox] also they shall divide. Or if it be known that the ox hath used to push in time past, and his owner hath not kept him in; he shall surely pay ox for ox; and the dead shall be his own.

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REFLECTIONS.

ET us be thankful for the good laws by which our lives and properties are preserved; that we are not subject to the malice and violence of wicked and unreasonable men; that we are not like the fish of the sea, where the greater devour the less. We live under a good government, where our lives and property are secure; and those who by violence or fraud take it away, will receive just punishment. Blessed be God, who hath so well fixed the bounds of our habitation; that we live in a free land; are not subject to bondage, nor at the mercy of merciless tyrants; the lines are fallen to us in pleasant places.

2. How observant should christians be of all the rules of equity and law! Many of these laws are happily superseded and laid

• There is an old English law that makes it felony to let a mischievous beast go loose.

aside, by the laws of our country and the rules of the gospel : but they teach us this important lesson, to do justice, and love mercy; to render unto all their due; and to be careful that we do not injure any, even by negligence. Let masters and mistresses learn to treat their servants with all gentleness and humanity. If these directions were given with relation to slaves, who were their master's property, being bought and sold; how much more reasonable is it that we should observe them to servants who become so by their own voluntary choice and consent! God will not allow his people to trample even on slaves. It becomes us to be courteous to all men, but especially to servants, that the burden of their situation may become as easy as possible. Let christian masters, according to Paul's directions, give to their servants that which is right, forbearing threatening; knowing they have a master in heaven, with whom there is no respect of persons. Let those who tyrannize over their servants, or treat their domes. tics roughly, or cruelly, ask themselves that striking question, which Job did himself, and gives it as a reason for tenderness to his servants, What shall I do when God riseth up? When he visiteth, what shall I answer?

CHAP. XXII.

Contains many other political laws for the government of the Is

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raelites.

F a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, or goat, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.* This was a necessary law, considering how 2 much their wealth lay in cattle. If a thief be found breaking up a house by night, and be smitten that he die, [there shall] no blood [be shed] for him; it shall not be considered as mur3 der. If the sun be risen upon him, [there shall be] blood [shed] for him; it shall then be reckoned murder, because the master of the house might see who he was, be able to pursue him, and bring him to judgment; [for] he should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft, 4 for six years. If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall restore double, namely, that which was stolen, and anothor as good, or the full value of it.

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If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall put in his beast, or through neglect suffer him to trespass,

The general law of restitution was to be double, if the beast was found alive; but if slain or sold, four or five fold, because it was more difficult to prove the property. There was to be an ox more than a sheep, because the owner lost his labour while detained.

and shall feed in another man's field; of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make restitution. This was very proper, considering their circumstances in the wilderness.

6 If fire break out, and catch in thorns, so that the stacks of corn, or the standing corn, or the field, be consumed [therewith ;] he that kindled the fire shall surely make restitution. This was designed to make them watchful and cautious, especially with so dangerous an element.

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If a man shall deliver unto his neighbour money or stuff to keep, on trust, and for no reward, but out of friendship, and it be stolen out of the man's house; if the thief be found, let him pay double.

If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought unto the judges, [to see] whether he have put his hand unto his neighbour's goods, or was any way access9ary to the loss of them. For all manner of trespass about matters deposited upon trust, and lost, [whether it be] for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, [or] for any manner of lost thing, which [another] challengeth to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges; [and] whom the judges shall conto demn, he shall pay double unto his neighbour. If a man deliver unto his neighbour for hire, an ass, or an ox, or a sheep, or any beast, to keep; and it die, or be hurt, or driven away, 11 no man seeing [it] [Then] shall an oath of the LORD be between them both, there shall be a solemn appeal to God, that he hath not put his hand unto his neighbour's goods, to injure or destroy them; and the owner of it shall accept [thereof,] 12 and he shall not make [it] good. And if it be stolen from him, through his neglect, he shall make restitution unto the 13 owner thereof. If it be torn in pieces, [then] let him bring some part or limb of it [for] witness,* [and] he shall not make good that which was torn.

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And if a man borrow [aught] any beast of his neighbour, and it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof [being] not with it, 15 he shall surely make [it] good. [But] if the owner thereof [be] with it, and was careful about it, he shall not make [it] good if it [be] an hired [thing,] it came for his hire, and he shall pay that and no more.

16 And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie 17 with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife. If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins, according to his estate and circumstances, as dowries used to be given with maids of like condition.

Or, as ancient versions render it. He shall bring a witness to prove that some wild beast was thereabouts, or, that he had always been careful about it in time past.

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Thou shalt not suffer a witch, a person who pretends to have commerce with evil spirits, to live.*

Whosoever lieth with a beast, shall surely be put to death. He that sacrificeth unto [any] god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed, be under a solemn execration, and be put to death.†

Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him, neither reproach nor taunt him, nor oppress him in his dealings, but let him live peaceably among you for ye were strangers 22 in the land of Egypt. Ye shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child, shall give them no trouble in thought, word, or 23 deed, in this their helpless condition. If thou afflict them in

any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their 24 cry, and plead their cause; And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.

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If thou lend money to [any of] my people [that is] poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury. This was designed to promote love and benevolence among them.

If thou at all take thy neighbour's raiment that is poor tọ pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth 27 down For that [is] his covering only, it [is] his raiment for his skin, his bedquilt or coverlet ; wherein shall he sleep? the want of it may endanger his health, or his life and it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I [am] gracious, and would have you be like me.

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Thou shalt not revile the gods, or judges, nor curse the ruler of thy people, not speak evil of them falsely, or expose them to the contempt of the people; not breed divisions, or stir up sedition.

Thou shalt not delay beyond the time appointed [to offer] the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors, thy wine and oil; the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me, that is, 30 the price of their redemption. Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, [and] with thy sheep: seven days it shall be with his dam; on the eighth day thou shalt give it me.

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And ye shall be holy men unto me, shall lead holier lives

Whether there was any thing real in their pretensions or not, they were justly punished, because they were a kind of idolaters, and paid that honour to evil spirits which was due only to God. It is most probable that it was all a cheat and juggle; bus in this view they were punishable.

God was in an extraordinary manner their king and governor idolaters were his rivals: to have tolerated them would have defeated the end for which they were separated from other nations; it would have been encouraging rebellion; and therefore they were as justly punished, as traitors in other countries.

Usury, or interest for money, is not unlawful in itself. There is no reason why a man may not take money for the use of money, as well as for oxen, horses, or land. The Jews might do this from strangers, but not from their poor neighbours and brethren.

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than others neither shall ye eat [any] flesh [that is] torm of beasts in the field, because there was blood in it, and to teach them to abhor cruelty; ye shall cast it to the dogs.. We are not concerned in many of these laws, but the chapter affords us the following

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REFLECTIONS.

T should be our care to avoid the occasion of undesigned mischief; this people seldom think of. If a man injures, his neighbour carelessly, he is chargeable with guilt in the sight of God. Persons are apt to make light of imprudences; but it becomes us to be cautious, to be tender of our neighbour's property and reputation, and to walk circumspectly.

2. It is of the greatest importance, that we keep up a reverence for an oath. The want of this is one of the crying sins of our land, it is a national iniquity. Nothing is more common than for persons to forswear themselves on almost any occasion. An oath before a magistrate is lawful; but should always be taken with the greatest seriousness. Let us lament that oaths are so much trifled with in our country. Appealing to God is a most solemn thing; and our brethren in Scotland are worthy of praise, where oaths are administered with the greatest seriousness and solemnity, and so are most likely to answer the end designed by them.

3. Let us learn to be gentle and compassionate to all, especially to the afflicted and distressed. Gentle to servants, not treating them hardly for a mischance, as if it were a fault, and make them accountable for what they could not help. v. 10, 11. If a man deliver to his neighbour an ass, or an ox, or a sheep, or any beast, to keep; and it die, or be hurt, or driven away, no man seeing it: then shall an oath of the Lord be between them both, that he hath not put his hand unto his neighbour's goods; and the owner of it shall accept thereof, and he shall not make it good. There are some accidents, which the greatest care cannot prevent. Let us also learn to be compassionate to strangers: the reason which is too often given for not pitying and relieving them is, because they are strangers; we do not know who they are;' but this is a reason why we should show compassion. The motive urged upon Israel, is equally binding upon us. We were once strangers and foreigners, but now fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God. Let us sympathize with, and help the fatherless and the widow. It is not sufficient that we do not oppress them; we should pity, and relieve them. God is the father of the fatherless, and the judge of the widow he will plead their cause, and hear their cry. Learn therefore to value their prayers; for, on the same principle, if they pray for, and recommend their benefactors.

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