tous matters, but in the exercise of renovated intellectual powers, they should attain a thorough knowledge, and clear understanding of them.- -Beware of that rashness and precipitancy, from which the perfons fpoken of derived their character, left it may betray you into innumerable inconveniences, fins, and dangers. Maturely confider the various fubjects that demand your attention; and study to think, and speak, and act, with prudence and deliberation. He that believeth fhall not make hafte to form his fentiments, to exprefs his judgment, or to adopt the measures he is to pursue.

The tongue of the ftammerers fhall be ready to speak plainly. Those who ftammer, or have an impediment in their speech, exprefs themselves with fome difficulty, they cannot utter their fentiments plainly and fluently, and fometimes are hardly underftood by those with whom they converse. By this defect and embaraffinent in fpeech, the perfons here intended are characterised. They are incapable of fpeaking diftinctly and intelligibly on matters even of the greatest moment; and when they attempt to fay any thing on topics of this nature, they communicate their thoughts with much perplexity and confufion. In difcourfing on the attributes, words, and providence of God, they cannot fpeak plainly and with perfpicuity; but in an undigefted, diforderly, and uncertain manner.Concerning people of this description, when brought into fubjection to him who reigneth in righteousness, it is foretold, that they fhall be ready to speak plainly. Contemplating the divine glory, partaking of divine grace, having their defects removed, their faculties renewed and invigorated; they were to become very different perfons from what they had been in times past. Not only their eyes and ears were to be o◄ pened, but they were to become intelligent people, whofe tongues fhould no longer faulter through ignorance and uncertainty; but exprefs with clearness and facility, yea, with beauty and propriety, the wonderful

wonderful works of Jehovah. As it is written in David's Pfalins of praife, They fhall fpeak of the might of thy terrible acts-they fhall abundantly ⚫ utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall fing of thy righteousness *.'-Permit me to call upon you in the words of the apostle Paul, to use great plainnefs of fpeech,' in your communications one with another, efpecially when you treat of the oracles of God. Take heed that you do not darken counfel by words without knowledge, and incur the cenfure paffed upon an obfcure writer, That he did 'not wish to be understood.' Speak your mind with opennefs, candour, and freedom; in words of determined fignification, that may not perplex, but elucidate the fubject, and ferve to the ufe of edifying, and of miniftering grace to the hearers.

5 The vile perfon fhall be no more called liberal, nor the churl faid to be bountiful.

At the period to which this prophecy refers, the true character of thofe who had affumed delufive. appearances was to be discovered, and thenceforward they were to be called by their proper names. Impiety and wickednefs were not to be covered by hypocrify, nor to wear undetected the mask of diffimulation. Men were to be estimated according to a juft ftandard, proper difcrimination was to be made betwixt virtue and vice, betwixt good and bad people. The vile perfon of whom our Prophet fpeaks, is impious, wicked, and profane; poffeffing a mean, fordid difpofition: Having imbibed pernicious fentiments concerning God, his word and providence; he treats things facred with derifion and contempt; he fpeaks lies, and works deceit; endeavouring to do all the mifchief to fociety that is in his power. It is unneceffary at prefent to draw the portrait at greater length, as I fhall have occafion more fully to delineate the character, when difcourfing

*Pfal. cxlv. 6, 7.,

courfing from the fixth verfe.-Such a one fhall
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 whatfoever is
good, and generous, and laudable. I referve the far-
ther illuftration of this character until I fhall confi-
der ver. 8. where it is more fully defcribed. I only
observe at prefent, 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 amafs wealth, and averfe to part
with any thing that he poffeffes. Such a one was
Nabal, of whom it is written, that he was churlifh
' and evil in his doings *. So accurate was to be
the difcrimination of characters, that a perfon of this
temper fhould not be reckoned bountiful, generous,
and munificent, open hearted and open handed,
willing to diftribute according to his ability and op-
portunity, and ready to communicate to fupply the
neceflities of the indigent.

Thefe feveral claffes of people were not to be mifrepresented, or mistaken the one for the other. Falfe reports concerning fome of them might notwithftanding be fpread abroad by the flatterers of the worfe fort, who foothed them in their folly. Nabal, though extremely parfimonious, held a feaft in his houfe, like the feast of a king; and it is not improbable that thofe 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 fhould 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

I 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 just estimate formed of the real ftate and temper of the individuals compofing the kingdom of God.

In the reign of Hezekiah king of Judah, the prophecy contained in this and the two preceding verfes received a partial fulfilment. Under the administration of that upright prince, especially after Almighty God had given clear demonftrations of his favour for Jerufalem, and of his righteoufnefs in the deftruction of their enemies-The eyes of them who poffeffed fpiritual discernment 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 promises of God would be happily confirmed. The ears of them that heard thefe teftimonies of divine regard fairly reprefented, must have liftened to them with attention, admiration, and gratitude. Those who had formerly been haity 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 juft 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 mistakes 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, clearly

clearly difcerned and contemplated with increafing pleasure, the spiritual objects prefented to their view. Their ears were also open to attend diligently to the things fpoken concerning the falvation of God. They well understood, and could fpeak 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 verfes which immediately follow, the characters mentioned in the preceding verse are more fully delineated.-As to the converfation of the vile perfon, he will speak villany. Wickednefs is fo odious, that it often affumes a mafk; it retires into fecrecy, and feeks the cover of darkness. The greatest 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 restraint, and impudently boafts of his criminal actions.With refpect to his heart, it will work iniquity; all its powers and faculties are employed in this detestable bufinefs. In itself deceitful and defperately wicked, it devifes 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 praclife 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 flage, who puts on the drefs and the air of a prince, and, though himfelf mean and indigent, fuf

tains