us from repentance; for it would be the most unpardonable of all misdeeds, to despair of God's mercy, which he has promised us through all his prophets. As sure as I live, speaks * חי אני נאם ה' אלהים אם אחפץ במות הרשע כי אם בשוב רשע מדרכו וחיה : the Eternal God, I have no pleasure in the death of the sinner; but I desire, that he may return from his wicked way and live." (Ezek. 33 ch. 11 v.) 66 Surely, I desire not the * כי לא אחפץ במות המת נאם ה' אלהים והשיבו וחיו • death of the dead (i. e. one deserving death-a sinner), speaks the Lord God; return therefore to good ways and live." (Ezek. 18 ch. 32 v.) 121. Can you state, in general terms, the duties we owe to God? This we are told briefly in the following verse from Holy Writ (Deut. 10 ch. 12 v.): what does the ,And now, Israel * ועתה ישראל מה ה' אלהיך שאל מעמך כי אם ליראה את ה' אלהיך ללכת בכל דרכיו ולאהבה אתו ולעבד את ה' אלהיך בכל לבבך ובכל נפשך • Eternal thy God (after having done all this for thee) demand of thee, but to fear him, the Lord thy God, with all thy heart and with all thy soul, to walk in all his ways, to love and to serve him?" אם צדקת מה תתן לו או מה מידך יקח ? 122. What do you call—to serve God? needs he our service? "If thou art even ever so pious, what canst thou give him by it? or what can he receive from thy hand?" (Job, 35 ch. 7 v.) This is explained to us in the verse immediately following: -Thou namely must ob * לשמר את מצות ה' ואת חקתיו אשר אנכי מצוך היום לטוב לך הן לה' אלהיך השמים ושמי השמים הארץ וכל אשר בה serve the precepts and the statutes of the Lord, which I command thee this day, for thy own benefit ; for behold, the heaven, and the heaven of heavens, the earth, and all things upon it, belong to the Eternal thy God!" (He therefore needs not thy offerings, nor thy service.) 123. How are we now to understand the expressions-Honour to God, service of God, and others of the same kind? The terms, service, honour to God, have a quite different meaning from that, which they have in reference to man. Divine service, is not a service, which I render to God; honour to God, is not honour, which I show him. The All-good desires but the welfare of his creatures-(which we are to acquire through the practice of piety and virtue)-and that we should be thankful for the good we may receive from his hands. 66 He, who offers me » זבח תודה יכבדנני ושם דרך אראנו בישע אלהים • thanks, honours me; and him, who is watchful over his course of life, I will cause to find divine happiness" (happiness emanating from me-God). (Psalm 50, v. 23.) 124. In how many classes is the worship of God, by obeying his commandments, divided? It consists of the following two kinds : the inward and the outward service of God. 125. What is meant by the INWARD veneration of God? Reverence, confidence, and ready obedience, arising from an undivided love to God, and from gratefulness to him for his innumerable benefits, bestowed upon us; the acquirement of a knowledge of God, by contemplating his works, and considering, how he has regulated them by his power and wisdom and goodness, and how he preserves them through his infinite mercy and paternal love. Whosoever fills his heart with love and reverence to wards this great and holy God, who is nigh unto us, wherever we may be, remarks our actions and thoughts, and governs all our destinies-will also endeavour to lead undeviatingly a pious and god-pleasing life, and strive to imitate his beneficent ways, as far as his limited power will permit him. This David also recommended to his son in the following words: -Thou, my son Solo * ואתה שלמה בני דע את אלהי אביך ועבדהו בלב שלם ובנפש חפצה כי כל לבבות דורש ה' וכל יצר מחשבות מבין mon, know the God of thy father, and thou wilt then serve him with an undivided heart and a willing mind; for the Eternal searches all hearts, and discovers all inclinations and thoughts." (1 Chron. 28 ch. 9 v.) 126. What do you call OUTWARD worship? Those acts of piety, through which we prove our love of God by words and deeds. This worship however does not merely consist in the exercise of acts of benevolence and charity, but also in private and public prayers, and the observance of the ceremonial laws. And say our wise men (Aboth, i): אלא המעשה • Contemplation and study alone » לא המדרש הוא עקר are not sufficient; but we must also fulfil our duties, and prove our inward religion through outward works." 127. Why are we bound to honour God both INWARDLY and OUTWARDLY? Because man, owing to his infirmities and multifarious wants, cannot always reflect upon the sublime truths of religion, nor is he able to have them on every occasion before his eyes, unless he is often reminded of them through actions and words. And then again, it is the repeated exhibition of pious feelings only, which can make a man truly virtuous; for he acquires by these means the facility of practising the good willingly on all occasions, and of always shunning the evil. We read therefore (Deut. 6 ch. 24 v.): Therefore did the * ויצונו ה' לעשות את כל החקים האלה ליראה את ה' אלהינו וגו' - וצדקה תהיה לנו כי נשמר לעשות את כל המצוה הזאת לפני ה' אלהינו כאשר צונו • Eternal com mand us to do according to all these statutes, that we may always fear the Eternal our God, &c. And it will be reckoned to us as piety, if we observe to do all these precepts before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us." 128. Are there any other motives, which should induce us to worship God publicly? Yes, since our feelings already teach us the necessity of it. We delight to speak often of the person, whom we dearly love; we like also to praise him often, and this, wherever an opportunity offers; for the mouth will always speak of which the heart is full; and whatever has a strong influence upon the heart, will always incite a man to a greater degree of activity to act in such a manner, as may best correspond with the state of his feelings. And as every good man must and does love God, should not this love induce him to speak of him, and act up to those laws, which He hath given to us as his will? And again, whilst we praise God publicly, proclaim his benefits, read aloud his wholesome laws, and execute his commandments amidst the assembled multitude: we edify and instruct at the same time our neighbours, and obey thereby the word of God; ונקדשתי בתוך בני ישראל "And I will be sanctified in the midst of the children of Israel," i. e. publicly. (Lev. 22 ch. 32 v.) 129. But, can the outward worship be pleasing to God, without INWARD piety? By no means; a heartless prayer, a ceremonial act without meaning or object, can be of no use to man, and avails him nothing; for, to use the words of the Talmud: •ya xa xp "The Merciful requires the heart." Each observance of a ceremonial law is to remind us of the favours of God, of which we hourly participate, and make us thankful for what we receive. But if we do not reflect upon the object and intent of such a law, it is written: The prayer of that man is * מסיר אזנו משמע תורה גם תפלתו תועבה • an abomination, who will not listen to the instruction" (of the law). (Prov. 28 ch. 9 v.) יען כי נגש העם הזה בפיו ובשפתיו כבדוני ולבו רחק ממני. mouth, and honour me with their lips, me." (Is. 29 ch. 13 v.) "Because this people come nigh unto me with their but their heart is far from 130. How does Holy Writ show us the relation between outward and inward worship? By the very appropriate figure of a lantern, in which a burning light is placed, but which would be extinguished by wind and rain without the former; whereas the lantern, without the light inside, would be entirely useless, nay, even a burden to the bearer. Both, however combined, illumine the path, and conduct a man safely to the place of his destination. -For the command * כי נר מצוה ותורה אור ודרך חיים תוכחות מוסר ment is the lantern, the law the light therein; and moral instruction points out the way to life." (Prov. 6 ch. 23 v.) 131. But, are not sacrifices also indispensably necessary at public worship? Sacrifices are not a necessary requisite to our worship. Only when the temple yet stood, and the Israelites lived together in their own land, sacrifices were ordered to be brought at the |