precise notions which the ancient Jewish people formed concerning the state of departed souls, and the place into which they are received at death. Windet asserts, that Sheol, or Hades, contains Paradise, and Gehenna, or Hell; "tam Paradisum quam Gehennam in Sheol contineri certum est;" (De Vita Functorum, cap. 6;) but this and other circumstances mentioned by him are collected out of the later Rabbins, who cannot be admitted as evidence of the belief of the primitive Jews.

That there is an intermediate state between death and the general resurrection, where departed souls are reserved till their reunion with their bodies at the final judgment, is the doctrine of Christianity, and of the Established Church. The declaration of our Lord to the penitent thief upon the cross; the words of St. Paul, (2 Cor. v. 8,) "we are desirous rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord," which imply, that this presence takes place during the period of absence from the body; the story of the rich man and Lazarus; and the numerous passages in which the soul is supposed to exist separately from the body; are satisfactory evidence of an intermediate state between death and the general resurrection. The same tenet is maintained in the public Formularies of the Established Church. (See Bishops Burnet and Tomline on Church Art. 3.) We must not, however, represent Christian ideas, any more than modern Rabbinical notions, as the opinions of the ancient Jewish church; an error into which we are apt to fall, in discussing the faith and doctrines of the Hebrews; but they ought to be collected from the Old Testament judiciously interpreted. Though this is a subject of much importance, it would require too great a space to institute an inquiry into it: I must therefore refer, for more ample information, to the following works: Durell on Job, xxvi. 5; Horsley's Hosea, p. 46, 157, and Sermon; Campbell's Prel. Diss. 6; Pearson on the Creed, Art. 3;

M M

Parkhurst, Lex. sw; Wetstein on Luke, xvi. 23; Lawrence on the Unitarian Version; Lowth, de Sac. Poes. Heb. Præl. 7; Magee on Atonement, vol. ii. p. 153; Vitringa on Isaiah, tom. i. p. 432; Bishop Bull's Sermons, 2d and 3d; Peters on Job, part iii. § 6; Burnet, de Statu Mortuorum, cap. 4; Windet, de Vita Functorum.

13. A merry heart, &c.]-The antithesis would lead us to understand by 17, in the second line, the breath; for as a merry heart renders the countenance cheerful, so does a sorrowing heart produce sobbing, and a difficulty of breathing; yet, as the meaning is excellent in the sense of mind or spirit, and as means a troubled or afflicted mind ch. xvii. 22, xviii. 14, I have adhered to the received translation.

14. But the mouth]-Instead of ', I follow the Keri, which has '; it is supported by all the ancient versions and many MSS. (Kennicott.) The image is the same in both readings, implying that fools addict themselves to and delight in folly.-Compare Isaiah, xliv. 20; Hos. xii. 2, Heb.

15. All the days, &c.]—It is not true, that all the days of the afflicted are, strictly speaking, evil. It is often asserted in Scripture, that it is good for us to be in trouble and affliction. Evil" must, therefore, mean painful, grievous, difficult to be borne; or 'y may mean the self-afflicted, those who murmur and repine. The Vulg. Syr. Targ. and Sym. render it "all the days of the poor," i. e. are full of pain and trouble. The Hebrew will certainly admit this interpretation.

17. Better is a repast, &c.]—Better is a repast of the most humble provision where love prevails, than a banquet of the choicest delicacies accompanied with hatred and contention. This is peculiarly applicable to the marriage state, in which

an union, sweetened by mutual affection and endearment, is far preferable to the greatest wealth, or the most splendid station, without the solace of love. Marriages from pecuniary motives never yet produced solid happiness, and are, moreover, productive of the most pernicious effects. Where disgust or dissatisfaction exist at home, it is common to search for pleasure abroad; the spring and source of that criminal dissipation, which brings in its train the decay of every generous sentiment, and the corruption of the moral principle. Should interested marriages become universal, it would require no superior sagacity to predict the speedy ruin of the country. л occurs, besides this place, 2 Kings, xxv. 30; Jer. xl. 5, lii. 34, which clearly determine its meaning to be a fixed portion, a stated allowance of food; not viaticum, provision for a journey, as Castell, Taylor, and others explain it, being led into this notion by its relation to iter facere. See Harmer's Observations, vol. ii. p. 230 et seq. ed. Clarke, Lond. 1808; and Burder's Oriental Customs in loc.

19. The way of the slothful man, &c.]-Either the way of the slothful, whatever repose they aim at, is rough, mazy, perplexed; full of briars and thorns, which sting and lacerate them on every side: or, every little difficulty appears insuperable to the sluggard, at least as arduous as breaking through a thorn-fence.-To this effect Aben Ezra: but the first interpretation appears to be supported by ch. xxii. 5; the LXX, οδοι αεργων εστρωμέναι ακανθαις; and the Syriac, which is, "The ways of the slothful are full of thorns."

10 can

22. Without counsel]—, infinitive used for a noun, as is frequently the case.-(Glassii Phil. Sac. p. 292.) not here mean a secret, but an assembly met for the purpose of deliberation, or rather, the counsel or deliberation itself.See ch. iii. 32, note. Compare ch. xi. 14, xx. 18, xxiv. 6.

verse:

But in the multitude]-Dr. Hales thus translates this

"Without a privy counsel, measures fail;

But in a Master of the Counsellors, they shall stand.”

6

He adds, "The phrase rr an is improperly rendered in the English Bible a multitude of counsellors,' than which, in state affairs, nothing can be more ruinous; for, according to a trite English proverb, 'too many cooks spoil the broth.' Rab, in the Chaldean and Persic languages, signified a 'master' or 'chief;' as Rab Mag, Master of the Magi,' or the ' Archimagus,' Jer. xxxix. 3. Rab Shakeh, chief butler,' Isa. xxxvi. 2. Hence the Jewish title Rabbi, my master."-(New Analysis, vol. iii. p. 175, note.) So also he renders the phrase ch. xi. 14, xxiv. 6: but 27 very often occurs in Proverbs, and always in the sense of multitude, much, abundance, &c.; it is so rendered by all the ancient versions, never master; it is here joined with ", plural, which seems to demand the rendering, "in the multitude of counsellors;" besides, what meaning is there in "Master of the Counsellors"? Was there ever such an officer? Or is any such title mentioned or alluded to elsewhere in holy writ? To this we may add, that 17 does not appear ever to denote master, except in proper names, most probably of Chaldaic origin. For these reasons, I must reject the interpretation proposed by the learned author of the New Analysis!

24. The way of life above, &c.]-"The way of life above," being opposed to "Hades beneath," may mean a long, prosperous, and happy life in this world. Such a life is destined for the prudent, that they may avoid Hades beneath, that they may avoid a sudden and immature death.-(Warburton, Div. Leg. lib. vi. sect. 3.) Yet it is not to be denied, that by "the way of life above," heaven and immortality may be

signified; and, therefore, that the sense may be, that the prudent shall inherit immortality, and avoid the place of punishment, namely, those mansions of Hades, where the spirits of the wicked are confined. The verse may also admit another interpretation; that "the way of life above is to the prudent man," namely, his hopes and dependence are placed upon the almighty Power above, and he endeavours, in all his conduct, to please God, in order to attain the way of life, and avoid Hades beneath. "Homo sapiens in omnibus actionibus suis Deum respicit, ut a periculo servetur."-Grotius.

25. the border of the widow]-Namely, her property and -possessions.

26. But the words of the pure, &c.]-This is the authorized version; but I am inclined to believe, that '77 means things, not words, and that the clause should be rendered, "But those (the thoughts) of the pure are pleasant, (or pleasant things,") i. e. to Jehovah.-(See Poli Synop.) According to this explication, the antithesis is perfect. Some take pure, for "pleasing to God."-Michalis, (Not. Uber.) Dathe, who renders it, "Placent ei sermones suavi." Durell's version is, "But the pure speak what is acceptable to him." Hodgson's is," But pleasing are the words of the innocent."

27. But he that hateth gifts]—These must be such as are bestowed for the purpose of perverting right and justice; for it cannot be wrong to receive the gifts of friendship, charity, and gratitude; it might, therefore, be properly translated "bribes," as Hodgson's version. As ", in Kal, denotes not only to live, but to cause to live, to preserve alive," (Parkhurst's Lex.) this hemistich may be rendered, "But he that hateth gifts shall preserve it," i. e. his house; he shall preserve his family in prosperity. The antithesis seems to