Yt>rs. 1::l-30.-Chasfily. The Mosaic Law is strict and stern in its requirement of purity in all that pertains to the marriage relation. Its strictness, however, is united with n fine sense of justice, and its shield is, as usual, extended for the prutection ol the innocent. I. '1'1m DEFAMED WIFE. (Vcrs. 13-19.) No act can be conceived ir.ore cruel or ,bslardly than that of a man who groundlessly assails his wife's character, accusing her of ante-nuptial unchastity. As the matter was one proof of which was not directly possible, and the man's word was all that could be adduced on his side, the Law threw the onus of clearing herself upon the woman through her parents, and· indicated the mode of doing so. The "forty stripes save one" was a punishment not too heavy for this sorl of false accusation. JI. THE CNCHASTE WIFE. (Vers. 20-24.) Three cases arc distinguished, each punish- able with death. 1. A woman found to be unchaste at time of marriage (vers. 20, 21). 2. Adultery after marriage (,·er. 22). 3. A betrothed woman ravished with her implied cnnsen t (,·crs. 23, 24). In the last two cases, the partner in guilt dies also, . In the first, he onl.,· escapes, because he is unknown. Yet that unknown seducer, the cause of the \\·oma11's fall-a fall which shame subsequently tempted her to conceal-was not lost to tbe eye of him who sees secret crime, and will repay it. Little do such seducers think or the life-long shame and sin and misery to which they may be dooming the unfortunate ,ictims of their wiles. God knows it, and will bring them to account. The severe penalties attached to conjngal unfaithfulness place in a startling light the gravity of the offence in the Divine esteem, and form a striking contrast to the light tone adopted about such matters in society. • lll. 'l'rrn woMAN RAVISIIED. (Vers. 25-29.) The cases specified are those of rape, 1. If the woman was betrothed, and could not save herself, she was to be held innocent, but her ,·iolator was to be punished with death. 2. If she was not betrothed, the man who had injured her was heavily fined, and was compelled to take !:\er to wife, with no right of subsequent divorce. Possibly our own law might fitly imitate that of Yer. 29.-J. 0.
Vers. 1-4.-0onsideration for man and beast, We have here such express direc- tions given as should have made of the Israelites a most neighbourly people. The finding of lost oxen, or sheep, or asses, or raiment, is here made to carry with it the obligation of brotherly kindness; the animals or lost property must be restored to the owner, if he be known, or kept until he makes himself known. It is the law of love in practice. I. THERE IS A NATURAL INCLINATION TO SIIIRK ALL P0SSIDLE TROUBLE. There is e. drop of laziness in all of us, e.nd, if indulged, it will lead to many an unbrotherly act, In the case supposed there is no wil,ness present; the lost property is unexpectedly found; how much trouble it will save to pass on and leave it to its chances in the hands of others! And so we are tempted to array ourselves in the cloak of selfishness, and to spare ourselves all possible trouble. II. THE CASUAL DISCOVERIES OF DAILY LIFE CONSTITUTE DUTIBS LAID BY THE O.MSISCI.ENT ONE TO OUR RA1'"DB. There is no such thing as chance so far as God is concerned. Much has the appearance of chance to us, but, when reconsidered, it is the all-wise arrangement of God. "For what is this chance?" says a very able writer, "It either has a real existence or not. If it has no existence, then when you say that a lot is determined by chance, you say that it is determined by nothing ; that is, yon say, Here is a sensible effect produced by no cause at all. This is pure nonsense. If your chance is a real being, what sort of being? Either it bas life, intelligence, and power, or not. If not, then you say that millions of effects (for there are millions of lots in the world) are produced by a cause which has neither power, nor intelligence, oor life; that is, you say that millions of actions are performed by an agency which is essentially iucupable of any action whatever. And this is as pure absurdity as the former. If you say that your chance is a living, intelligent, and active being, I ask who it is? and how you get your knowledge of it? You certainly imagine it to possess omnipresence and omnipotence; for you suppose it capable of producing, at the same moment, millions of effects in millions of places ; and thus you have found out a being ~at displayH perfectiom of God, and yet is not God. This conclusiou is as blaspbemoUB Oh, XXII. 1-30.1 THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY. 361
ns the others are insane. There ls no retreat. Survey the subject in any possible light, and you nre driven to this issue, that the lot is, by the very nature of the case, a direct appeal to the living God, as Governor of the world" (Dr. J. M. Mason's ' Con- siderations on Lots'). Hence discoveries, however casual, which throw us into new relations to persons, animals, or things, shobld be accepted as Divine duties laid to our hands. God's ea.II is in them to be faithful and brotherly. 111, 'l'IIE BBlilJUNG OF RESPONSIDILITY AND TROUBLE IS REALLY REBELLING AGAINST AN ORDINANCE OF Goo. If we have found the missing property, we have really been sent of God to be its stewards. 'l'o hide ourselv~s in our self-care is to rebel against his ordinance, and do despite to his gracious arrangements. It is to make self-pleasin" the rule of life, instead of the pleasing of God. And as a rule it will be found that th; person who thus candles himself and passes on trouble to others becomes heir of unexpected vexations himself. IV, A THOROUGHLY OBLIGING AND HELPFUL SPIRIT BAS A WORLD OF COlIPE:N'SA- TION IN THE APPROVAL OF BIS OWN CONSCIENCE, IF NOT IN THE GRATITUDE OF MANKIND. Benevolence is its own reward. '!'he kindness lavished on man and beast carries its own compensation with it. The sense of being brought to the opportunity of brotherly kindness by a gracious God, and of being his servant in showing his spirit, is surely worth all the trouble our kindness costs. So that, even supposing the re- cipients of our kindness were ungrateful, the kindness would still be well worth doing for its own sake. But then gratitude is not so rare a thing as people would suppose. It is entertained often when not very eloquently expressed. It is s01:netimes too deep for utterance. And to think that we have become creditors of our fellows, so as to deserve their 11:ratitude, is satisfaction indeed. "For merit lives from man to man, And not from man, 0 Lord, to thee.n
If we have any wisdom, therefore, we shall gladly cultivate the brotherly kindness here inculcated, for life becomes by it more blessed and more noble.-R. M. E.