in both we may serve the Lord." Indeed our relative duties are, in flict, religious ; because they are enjoined by God, and may be performed as unto God : nor are they less acceptable unto him in their place than the more spiritual services of prayer and praise. While therefore we would exhort all to an imme- diate, earnest, diligent, patient, unremitted attention to the concerns of their souls, and encourage them to disregard all the persecutions which they may endure for righteousness sake, we would entreat them also to " walk wisely in a perfect way ;" and to shew by their conduct that religion is as conducive to the interests of society, as it is to the welfare of the soul.]
WISDOM NOTIONALLY APPROVED, BUT PRACTICALLY DIS- REGARDED.
Eccl. ix. 14 — 16. There tvas a little city, and feio men loithin it : and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it. Now there was found in it a poor wise man : and he by his tvisdom delivered the city : yet no man remembered that same poor man. Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor mans wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
WHETHER the account here given us was an actual occurrence, or only a parabohc representation, we will not undertake to determine : but certainly the event described may easily be supposed to have taken place, and to have come to the knowledge of Solomon. In fact, a precisely similar event had taken place within the memory of Solomon ; the only difference being, that the city was saved by " a wise woman," instead of " a poor wise man." After the rebellion of Absalom had been suppressed, a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, caused the defection of all the tribes of Israel. David therefore sent an army to pursue Sheba, and to besiege any city in which he should have taken refuge. Joab finding that Sheba was shut up in a city called Abel, went and ^' battered the wall of the city, to throw it down." Then " a wise woman" called to Joab, and remon- strated with him on the subject of the assault which he was making; and undertook, that, if he would suspend his assault, the object of liis indignation