of character; it promotes softness and civility of manners; it brings together the rich and the poor upon one common level in the house of prayer; it purifies and strengthens the social affections, and makes the family circle the center of allurement and the source of instruction, comfort, and happiness.  Like its own divine religion, “it has the promise of the life that now is and that which is to come,” for men can not put themselves beyond the reach of hope and heaven so long as they treasure up this one command, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.”

Notes.—­Sir William Blackstone (b. 1723, d. 1780) was the son of a London silk mercer.  He is celebrated as the author of the “Commentaries on the Laws of England,” now universally used by law students both in England and America.  He once retired from the law through failure to secure a practice, but afterwards attained the highest honors in his profession.  See biographical notice on page 410.

Sir Matthew Hale (b. 1609, d. 1676), was Lord Chief Justice of England from 1671 to 1676.

XLVI.  GOD’S GOODNESS TO SUCH AS FEAR HIM. (189)

Fret not thyself because of evil doers,
Neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity;
For they shall soon be cut down like the grass,
And wither as the green herb. 
Trust in the Lord, and do good;
So shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. 
Delight thyself also in the Lord,
And he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 
Commit thy way unto the Lord;
Trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass. 
And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light,
And thy judgment as the noonday. 
Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him.

Fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way,
Because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. 
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: 
Fret not thyself in any wise to do evil,
For evil doers shall be cut off: 
But those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. 
For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be;
Yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. 
But the meek shall inherit the earth,
And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

A little that a righteous man hath
Is better than the riches of many wicked;
For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,
But the Lord upholdeth the righteous. 
The Lord knoweth the days of the upright,
And their inheritance shall be forever;
They shall not be ashamed in the evil time,
And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

But the wicked shall perish,
And the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs;
They shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away. 
The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again;
But the righteous sheweth mercy and giveth. 
For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth.