courfing from the fixth verfe.-Such a one shall no more be called liberal: The word denotes a man of an upright heart and good confcience, who forms honourable fentiments refpecting the works and ways of God, who loves and practices whatsoever is good, and generous, and laudable. I referve the farther illuftration of this character until I shall confider ver. 8. where it is more fully defcribed. I only observe at present, that it forms a perfect contrast to that which is first mentioned. It is added, nor the churl faid to be bountiful. The churl is a fordid, illiberal, niggardly creature, who is penurious in the extreme, anxious to amass wealth, and averse to part with any thing that he poffeffes. Such a one was Nabal, of whom it is written, that he was churlish ⚫ and evil in his doings *.' So accurate was to be the discrimination of characters, that a person of this temper fhould not be reckoned bountiful, generous, and munificent, open hearted and open handed, willing to diftribute according to his ability and opportunity, and ready to communicate to supply the neceffities of the indigent.

These several claffes of people were not to be mifrepresented, or mistaken the one for the other. Falfe reports concerning fome of them might notwithftanding be spread abroad by the flatterers of the worfe fort, who foothed them in their folly. Nabal, though extremely parfimonious, held a feaft in his house, like the feaft of a king; and it is not improbable that those who fhared in the magnificent entertainment, might extol him for his liberality, and exhibit him in an improper light. Though particular inftances of this fort might occur on fome occafions, the prediction plainly declares what in general was to take place when it should be fulfilled. And a most important, defirable benefit it foretels; for many of the troubles and calamities which embitter human life, and poifon its comforts, arife from mistaken views of those with whom we are connected

1 Sam. xxv. 3.

nected in fociety. It must therefore be of great moment to the happiness of the church, that these errors be rectified, and a juft eftimate formed of the real state and temper of the individuals compofing the kingdom of God.

In the reign of Hezekiah king of Judah, the pro→ phecy contained in this and the two preceding verfes received a partial fulfilment. Under the adminiftration of that upright prince, especially after Almighty God had given clear demonftrations of his favour for Jerufalem, and of his righteousness in the deftruction of their enemies-The eyes of them who poffeffed fpiritual difcernment could not fail to perceive the convincing proofs exhibited of the paternal care, and gracious protection, which the Lord exerciseth over his peculiar people; and thus their faith in the providence and promifes of God would be happily confirmed. The ears of them that heard thefe teftimonies of divine regard fairly reprefented, must have listened to them with attention, admiration, and gratitude. Those who had formerly been hafty and precipitate in delivering their opinions of the conduct of Providence toward his people, about the time of the Affyrian invafion, would adopt a more fober and just judgment of the wisdom and goodness of the divine procedure. In the moft intelligible and explicit manner, they would declare the wonderful works of Jehovah, and celebrate the praises of their great deliverer. Under the government of a monarch renowned for piety and virtue, a proper diftinction would be made between men of oppofite characters, fo as to prevent fatal miftakes on a fubject in which the public welfare was deeply interested.-Thefe events, to which this prophecy had probably an immediate reference, were more fully accomplished, after the potent adverfaries of the kingdom of Jefus Chrift were vanquished by his merciful interpofition, and his church delivered from the hands of their enemies. Then the eyes of those who had their understandings opened,

1

clearly

clearly difcerned and contemplated with increafing pleasure, the spiritual objects prefented to their view. Their ears were alfo open to attend diligently to the things fpoken concerning the falvation of God. They well underftood, and could speak plainly, the great things which God had done, that relate to the myfteries of his kingdom. And to this day is this prophecy fulfilled in our ears.

6 For the vile perfon will speak villany, and his heart will work iniquity, to practife hypocrify, and to utter error against the LORD, to make empty the foul of the hungry; and he will caufe the drink of the thirsty to fail.

In this and the two verses which immediately follow, the characters mentioned in the preceding verfe are more fully delineated.-As to the converfation of the vile perfon, he will fpeak villany. Wickednefs is fo odious, that it often affumes a mafk; it retires into fecrecy, and feeks the cover of darkness. The greateft crimes have been filently perpetrated in the dark, and afterward have been varnished over with fair pretexts, to prevent their atrocity from being discovered. The vile perfon comes forth from these concealments, breaks through every reftraint, and impudently boafts of his criminal actions. With respect to his heart, it will work iniquity; all its powers and faculties are employed in this deteftable bufinefs. In itself deceitful and defperately wicked, it devises all manner of fin; its defires are excited, its inclinations are determined, to execute its iniquitous projects. Thus employed, it operates all manner of wickedness, in which it becomes daily more habituated and confirmed.-To practife bypocrify. He affumes the appearance of what in truth he is not, and makes unfounded high pretenfions to what he is an entire ftranger. Like an actor upon the ftage, who puts on the drefs and the air of a prince, and, though himself mean and indigent, fuf

tains the character of fome great perfonage; fo the
vile perfon, who hath a divided heart and double
mind, endeavours to conceal his true character, and
oftentatiously pretends to do the good which he ne-
ver did, and to which he is altogether averse.—
And to utter error against the Lord. One fin imper-
ceptibly leads to the commiffion of another. The
heart that worketh iniquity wishes to be fcreened
from deteftation and contempt; under the cover of •
hypocrify and deceit, it naturally leads into errors
respecting the most important topics, fuch as the na-
ture, the attributes, the providence, and the word'
of God; and after errors are prefumptuously adopt-
ed, they are propagated with avidity, and every
where blazed abroad with bad intention.-To make
empty the foul, &c. The word of God is the food
and the refreshment which satisfies the defires, in-
vigorates the minds of the faints, and conveys nou-
rifhment, support, and confolation to their fouls, in
those seasons wherein they are most apt to become
feeble and languid. Now the vile perfon aims, by dif
fimulation and error, to mifrepresent the providence
and the oracles of God, and to deprive his people
of that spiritual provifion which fatisfies their fouls,
and gratifies their defires, which imparts ftrength
and comfort to their hearts. For this purpose, he
endeavours, in various ways, to raise doubts and fuf-
picions concerning the truth of the fcriptures, the
wifdom and equity of the difpenfations of provi-
dence and grace; and confequently to bereave them
of the facred fources of all their confolations in ad-
versity, and to take away what they moft highly va-
lue, and experience to be moft neceffary and use-
ful. Than fuch conduct hardly any thing can be
more flagitious and wicked, more impious and de-
testable.

7 The inftruments alfo of the churl are evil; he deviseth wicked devices, to destroy

the

the poor with lying words, even when the needy fpeaketh right.

The means employed by the niggardly and the covetous, to accomplish their infidious defigns, are truly bad, treacherous, and abominable; deferving to be reprobated in the strongest terms. Such are corrupt principles, delufive reafonings, fpecious pretexts, crafty counfels, whereby they difcover criminal contempt of the word and ways of God, and impofe upon the unfufpecting and the credulous. These, all these, are evil and dangerous.-He devifeth wicked devices. To do evil is bad, to devife evil is ftill worfe; for, as faith the proverb, he that 'deviseth to do evil fhall be called a mifchievous 'perfon *. This is the name he justly deferves; which will more fully appear, when we confider the defign he hath in view, namely, to destroy the poor, &c. It is a heinous crime to injure any perfon, whatever be his circumftances; but it is a proof of ftill greater depravity, to wrong the poor, who have a juft claim to affiftance. This deteftable species of oppreffion becomes exceedingly aggravated, when it deliberately contrives, not merely to hurt, but to accomplish the deftruction of the needy, and that by means of deceit and falfehood. Above all, the atrocity of this outrageous wickednefs, committed by the churlish man, is greatly increafed by the time and place in which it is perpetrated,-when the needy fpeaketh right, or in judgment, as the Hebrew word fignifies; pleading the juftice of their caufe: Even then regardless of truth and equity, he tries by force or fraud to deprive them of their juft rights. From fuch men, good Lord deliver us!

8 But the liberal devifeth liberal things; and by liberal things fhall he ftand.

We now turn to contemplate another, a very different

VOL. III.

F

Prov. xxiv. 8.