THE THIRD CLASS. THE POLITICAL LAW. The magistrate is the keeper of the precepts of both tables, and to have respect to human society; therefore the POLITICAL LAWS of the Israelites are referred to both the tables, and are to be reduced to the several precepts of THE MORAL LAW. Laws referred to the First Table; namely, I. To the First and Second Commandments, viz. Political Laws referred to the Second Table, namely, I. To the Fifth Commandment, viz. IN the morning the master of the house laid in a stock of earth; which was carried up, and spread evenly on the top of the house, which is flat. The whole roof is thus formed of mere earth, laid on and rolled hard and flat. On the top of every house is a large stone roller, for the purpose of hardening and flattening this layer of rude soil, so that the rain may not penetrate: but upon this surface, as may be supposed, grass and weeds grow freely. It is to such grass that the Psalmist alludes, as useless and bad "Let them be as the grass upon the house-tops, which withereth afore it groweth up."JOWETT'S "Researches in Syria," &c. p. 89. ORIENTAL DRESS. ISA. lii. 2. 10. - The use of the Oriental dress, which I now wear, brings to the mind various Scriptural Illustrations, of which I will only men tion two. The figure in Isaiah lii. 10, The Lord hath made bare his holy arm, is most lively for the loose sleeve of the Arab shirt, as well as that of the outer garment, leaves the arm so completely free, that, in an instant, the left hand passing up the right arm makes it bare; and this is done when a person-a soldier, for example, about to strike with the sword-intends to give his right arm full play. The image represents Jehovah as suddenly prepared to inflict some tremendous, yet righteous judgment-so effectual, that all the ends of the world shall see the Salvation of God. The other point illustrated occurs in the second verse of the same chapter where the sense of the last expressions is, to an Oriental, extremely natural-Shake thyself from the dust-arise-sit down, O Jerusalem. It is no uncommon thing to see an individual, or a groupe of persons, even when very well-dressed, sitting, with their feet drawn under them, upon the bare earth, passing whole hours in idle conversation. Europeans would require a chair; but the Natives here prefer the ground. In the heat of summer and autumn, it is pleasant to them to while away their time in this manner, under the shade of a tree. Richly-adorned females, as well as men, may often be seen thus amusing themselves. As may naturally be expected, with whatever care they may, at first sitting down, choose their place, yet the flowing dress by degrees gathers up the dust: as this occurs, they, from time to time, arise, adjust themselves, shake off the dust, and then sit down again. The captive daughter of Zion, therefore, brought down to the dust of suffering and oppression, is commanded to arise and shake herself from that dust; and then, with grace and dignity, and composure and security, to sit down; to take, as it were, again, her seat and her rank amid the company of the nations of the earth, which had before afflicted her, and trampled her to the earth. It may be proper to notice, that Bishop Lowth gives another rendering-Arise, ascend thy lofty seat-and quotes Eastern customs, to justify the version: but I see no necessity for the alteration, although to English ears it may sound more appropriate. A person of rank in the East often sits down upon the ground, with his attendants about him. - Ibid, p. 282. To communicate the substance of such works, through the medium of the Scripture Magazine, will require no small labour; but it will be duly appreciated by every intelligent reader, and will, it is hoped, contribute towards a most important end.-Finally, we may conclude at present, with that beautiful description of Wisdom, in the Epistle of James; thus rendered in The Catholic Version, of 1582 and 1752. JAMES III. 13-18. "Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you?— Let him shew, by a good conversation, his work in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter zeal, and there be contentions in your hearts, glory not, and be not liars against the truth. For this is not wisdom, descending from above: but earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and contention is, there is inconstancy, and every evil work. But the wisdom, that is from above, first indeed is chaste, then peaceable, modest, easy to be persuaded, consenting to the good, full of mercy and good fruits, without judging, without dissimulation. And the fruit of justice, is sown in peace, to them that make peace." Poetry. Μαθητης. Mrs. W LINES, TO THE MEMORY OF of Nottingham, who died in the Summer of 1825. "I SHALL go to him at last, He will not return to me!" And sure that we must meet again |