man endureth griefs, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye sin, and are buffeted for it, ye shall take it patiently? But if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye shall take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For hereunto were ye called because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps.' If it be asked, Why were not these directions given with equal copiousness in the Mosaic Law? it must be owned that we cannot always explain the actions of the Most High; but it may be suggested, at the same time, that previously to the propitiatory death of Christ there had not been so clear a discovery of the reconciliation between hatred of sin and compassion for the sinner, so that if the same unlimited forgiveness of wrong-doing had then been unreservedly enjoined, it might have led men to think too lightly of the terribleness and malignity of moral and spiritual evil. Still, whatever the cause may have been, there must be recognized in this respect a moral advance in the New Testament as compared with the Old.

5. On the subject of Slavery.

There is every reason to believe that, amongst the Israelites, slaves enjoyed much more consideration and protection than amongst the heathen; for they were not only allowed but enjoined to abstain from work on the Sabbath (see Deut. v. 14), and to participate in the religious festival of the nation (Exod. xii. 44; Deut. xvi. 10-11). The murder

of a slave was punishable by law (Exod. xxi. 10); and if any master so severely chastised a slave as to cause him a bodily injury, he was bound to give him his liberty (Exod. xxi. 26-7). In general, the Israelites were recommended, in their dealings with their slaves, to remember that they themselves had been bondmen in Egypt (Deut. xv. 12). Nevertheless, the Law of Moses did never bring about the abolishment of slavery as an institution, but rather tolerated it, and allowed the bondage of aliens to be severer than that of Israelites (Lev. xxv. 39-46). The whole spirit and tendency of the gospel, on the other hand, is opposed to slavery, and directly tends to its abolition; for whilst it makes man free in the highest sense of the word, as Christ said to the Jews, 'If therefore the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed' (John viii. 36); it also enjoins the rule, 'All things therefore whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye also unto them' (Matt. vii. 12). No rank or position is to exclude a man from the blessings of the gospel, which are equally attainable to all who believe and are baptized, as we read in Gal. iii. 26-8, 'Ye are all sons of God, through faith, in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ. There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither bond nor free, there can be no male and female: for ye all are one man in Christ Jesus.' Although it was no purpose of Christ to