marriage? How was she regarded by law and custom during this interval? When the time of marriage arrived what took place? How long did the marriage festival continue? What instances are mentioned as proof of this? How were the parties disposed of during this time? What method of amusement was practised at Samson's wedding? Can you give the substance of the riddle?

7. 8. 9. What occurred on the last day or evening of the festival? In what parable is this scene well set forth? Can you give the substance of the extract illustrative of this parable? What took place after the procession reached the house? What is said respecting the dress of those who partook of this? By whom was this furnished? In what light was the conduct of those who entered without a wedding garment regarded? Will you explain the reason of the confusion of the man who had not on a wedding garment in the parable of the marriage supper? Why was he treated with such severity? What is meant by outer darkness? What is the meaning of the phrase "weeping and gnashing of teeth"? Who are represented by the man without a wedding garment? Can you give a modern example of furnishing guests with dresses? Among what ancient nation beside the Jews was this common?

10. What is said of the expense of these festivals? What is said of a marriage at Constantinople in 1612? What is the substance of the extract touching marriages in India? What passage in Scripture seems to furnish an explanation of this? What custom among the Arabs is similar to this? What do the facts mentioned teach us respecting hospitality and charity?

11. 12. What of allegories and figures derived from marriage? Give an example. How does this seem to

explain the accusations brought by God against the Jews of breaking the marriage vows, playing the harlot, &c. Give the quotation from Jeremiah. What is the meaning of the passage from Jer. iii. 1? What is meant by Israel's being divorced? How is the marriage relation employed in the New Testament, in the way of figure? Give some passages. What does the marriage supper represent in Rev. xix. 9. Matt. xxii. 2-13? What should we learn from this?

CHAPTER XIII.

The Condition of Children and Slaves.

1. SOMETHING has already been said touching the reproach of being childless, and the sin of remaining unmarried. This feeling received strength also from the fact, that it was considered highly honorable to have one's name handed down, in a long succession of sons, from generation to generation. It became, therefore, a matter of great importance to every one, that the genealogy of the house or family should not stop in his person, and thus disappoint the hopes of his ancestors, and cut off the glory of their name. From this feeling, also, came in part the strange custom, which required a man to marry his brother's widow, if he died without children. Deut. xxv. 5-10: Matt. xxii. 28 - 27.

2. The ceremonies observed on the birth of a child, may be learned from Levit. xii. After a certain period, the mother was required to make an offering of a lamb, and a young pigeon, or a turtle-dove; or, if she were not able to offer a lamb, then two turtle-doves, or two pigeons. It was an evidence of the poverty of Joseph and Mary, that they brought as an offering, on the birth of the child Jesus, only "a pair of turtle doves, or two young pigeons." Luke ii. 22 - 24.

3. The first-born was entitled to peculiar privileges. He received a double portion of his father's estate. Deut. xxi. 17. He possessed an authority similar to that of the father over the younger portion of the family. That this was of consequence, may be gathered from the history of Jacob and Esau, especially from the strong desire, and cruel conduct, of the former to obtain his brother's birthright. Gen. xxv. 27-34. See also 2 Chron. xxi. 3.

4. These facts will readily explain the manner in which first-born came to be used figuratively, to signify a person of the highest dignity, or to designate any thing of especial importance in its kind. The first-born of death (Job xviii. 13), is a death of extreme painfulness and suffering. The firstborn of the poor (Isa. xiv. 30), are the exceedingly poor. So to set forth the superiority of Christ, he is called the first-begotten of God (Heb. i. 6); and the first-born of every creature. Col. i. 15. And for the same reason his followers are called the church of the first-born. Heb. xii. 23.

5. The authority of the father over his children was very great (Gen. xxxviii. 24); and the laws of Moses, touching the respect and obedience due from the child to the parent, are very severe. "And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death." "And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death." Exod. xxi. 15, 17. And "a stubborn and rebellious" child might be put to death, with the

knowledge and consent of the elders. Deut. xxi. 18-21. This respect toward parents is recognised as one of the requirements of the Decalogue, or Ten Commandments. Exod. xx. 12.

6. Servants and slaves. These might be acquired, by being taken captive in war (Deut. xx. 14); by purchase (Levit. xxv. 44, 45); by debt (2 Kings iv. 1; Matt. xviii. 25); and by birth, these last being the children of slaves, and termed "homeborn" (Jer. ii. 14; Gen. xv. 3. xvii. 23). There was a law respecting the stealing of slaves to this effect: "He that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death." Exod. xxi. 16.

7. Gentile slaves might be kept in continual bondage, and be transferred in the same manner as other property. Levit. xxv. 44-46. But no Hebrew slave could be held in bondage for life. At the expiration of 6 years he might "go out free for nothing" (Exod. xxi. 2); unless he preferred continuing with his master; in which case, he went before the judges, and made declaration that he waived the right granted him by the law, and in token of this, had his ear bored; after which, he could not recover his liberty until the year of jubilee. Exod. xxi. 5, 6. When the year of jubilee came, all Hebrew slaves went out free, whatever he cause of their bondage; and all service, therere, was valued accordingly, as it was more or ess near to this period. Levit. xxv. 40 – 42, 50 – 52. If a man entered into servitude with a wife, at the