Pv 13,9,

25

Pv 14, 11

Le 19, 35

Dt 25, 1316

Le 19, 13

Ecl 5, 7-8

Is 9,5

Jb 15, 34

The light of the just giv- tabernacles of the just shall

eth joy, but the lamp of the flourish.

wicked shall be put out.- The Lord is far from the Pv 15, 29

The just eateth and filleth wicked: and He will hear

his soul: but the belly of the the prayers of the just.
wicked is never to be filled.

To do mercy and judgment Pv 21,3
The house of the wicked pleaseth the Lord more than
shall be destroyed: but the victims.

3.

ALL SINS OF INJUSTICE FORBIDDEN BY GOD. Do not any unjust thing in him by violence. The wages judgment, in rule, in weight, of him that hath been hired by thee shall not abide with Thou shalt not have divers thee until the morning. weights in thy bag, a greater It is no good thing to do Pv 17, 26 and a less : :- Neither shall hurt to the just.

or in measure.

there be in thy house a greater Be not pleased with the Ecl 9,17 bushel and a less. - Thou wrong done by the unjust,

shalt have a just and a true knowing that even to hell

weight, and thy bushel shall the wicked shall not please.

be equal and true: that thou Cursed be he that removeth Dt 27, 17
mayst live a long time upon his neighbour's landmarks:
the land which the Lord thy and all the people shall say:

God shall give thee. For Amen.

the Lord thy God abhorreth Oppress not the widow, Za7,10
him that doth these things, and the fatherless, and the
and He hateth all injustice. stranger, and the poor; and
Thou shalt not calumniate let not a man devise evil in
thy neighbour, nor oppress his heart against his brother.

4.

INJUSTICE JUDGED AND PUNISHED BY GOD.

If thou shalt see the op- tabernacles who love to take
pressions of the poor, and bribes.

violent judgments, and jus- A kingdom is translated Eci 10,8
tice perverted in the province, from one people to another,
wonder not at this matter: because of injustices, and
for he that is high hath an- wrongs, and injuries, and
other higher, and there are divers deceits.

others still higher than these. He that buildeth his house Eci 21,9
-Moreover there is the king, at other men's charges is as
that reigneth over all the he that gathereth himself
land subject to him.
stones to build in the winter.

Every violent taking of If thou do well, shalt thou
spoils, with tumult, and gar- not receive? but if ill, shall
ment mingled with blood, not sin forthwith be present
shall be burnt, and be fuel at the door?
for the fire.

Ge 4, 7

I am the Lord, Who search Je 17,10 Fire shall devour their the heart and prove the

Je 32, 18

Ez 7, 3

reins: Who give to every one
Wo to thee that spoilest! Is 33, 1
according to his way, and shalt not thou be spoiled?
according to the fruit of his and thou that despiseth, shalt
devices.
not thyself also be despised?

Thine eyes are open upon When thou shalt have made
all the ways of the children an end of spoiling, thou shalt
of Adam, to render unto be spoiled: when, being wear-
every one according to his ied, thou shalt cease to
ways, and according to the despise, thou shalt be de-
fruit of his devices.

spised.

14

I will judge thee according They shall serve them four Ge 15, 13to thy ways: and I will set hundred years. But I will all thy abominations against judge the nation which they thee.

shall serve.

5. INJUSTICE OF JUDGES AND MAGISTRATES

ESPECIALLY VISITED BY GOD'S JUSTICE.

Is 1, 23-24 Thy princes are faithless, people, that widows might be
companions of thieves: they their prey, and that they
all love bribes, they run after night rob the fatherless.-
rewards. They judge not What will you do in the day
for the fatherless: and the of visitation, and of the ca-
widow's cause cometh not in lamity which cometh from
to them.-Therefore saith the afar? To whom will ye flee
Lord the God of Hosts, the for help? and where will ye
Mighty One of Israel: Ah! I leave your glory?

will comfort Myself over My The Lord will enter into Is 3,14-15
adversaries; and I will be re-judgment with the ancients
of His people, and its princes;

venged of My enemies.

Is 5,23-24 Wo to you that justify the for you have devoured the wicked for gifts, and take vineyard, and the spoil of the away the justice of the just poor is in your house. Why from him!-Therefore as the do you consume My people, tongue of the fire devoureth and grind the faces of the the stubble, and the heat of poor? saith the Lord the God the flame consumeth it, so of Hosts.

shall their root be as ashes, Indeed the lying pen of
and their bud shall go up as the scribes hath wrought
dust; for they have cast away falsehood.

Je 8, 8

53

the law of the Lord of Hosts, O thou that art grown old Da 13, 52-
and have blasphemed the in evil days, now are thy sins
Word of the Holy One of come out, which thou hast
Israel.
committed before: The
Wo to them that make judging unjust judgments,
wicked laws, and when they oppressing the innocent, and
write, write injustice!-To letting the guilty to go free;
oppress the poor in judg-whereas the Lord saith:
ment, and do violence to the The innocent and the just
cause of the humble of My thou shalt not kill.

6. UNJUST CONDUCT IN JUDGMENTS AND IN

TAKING BRIBES.

Am 5, 7-8 You that turn judgment Thou shalt not accept per- Dt 16, 19 into wormwood, and forsake son nor gifts; for gifts blind justice in the land,-Seek the eyes of the wise, and Him that turneth darkness change the words of the into morning.

Am 6, 13

Ps 81, 2-4

Am 2, 6-7

Dt 27, 19

just.

Can horses run upon the The wicked man taketh Pv 17, 2
rocks, or can any one plough gifts out of the bosom, that
with buffles? for you have he may pervert the paths of
turned judgment into bitter- judgment.

ness, and the fruit of justice He that hath respect to a Pv 28, 21
into wormwood.
person in judgment doth not
How long will you judge well. Such a man even for
unjustly, and accept the per- a morsel of bread forsaketh
sons of the wicked?-Judge the truth.

for the needy and fatherless: Examples of Bribery :
do justice to the humble and
the poor.-Rescue the poor,
and deliver the needy out of
the hand of the sinner.

For three crimes of Israel,
and for four, I will not con-
vert him, because he hath
sold the just man for silver,
and the poor man for a pair
of shoes. They bruise the
heads of the poor upon the
dust of the earth, and turn
aside the way of the humble
to profane My Holy Name.

(1) The Chief Priests Mt 26, 15
bribe Judas to de-
liver up Jesus to
death.

(2) They bribe the sol- Mt 28, 12
diers at the Holy
Sepulchre.

(3) Felix seeks to bribe Ac 24, 26
St. Paul.

(4) Joel and Abia,Judges
of Israel, bribe the
people.

(5) Aman bribes Assue

rus.

7.—PUNISHMENT OF UNJUST JUDGES.

1K 8, 3

Es 3,9

Cursed be he that pervert-[transgressed My words. They eth the judgment of the have not judged the cause of stranger, of the fatherless, the widow; they have not and the widow; and all the managed the cause of the people shall say: Amen. fatherless; and they have not 5,26-29 Among My people are judged the judgment of the found wicked men, that lie poor.-Shall I not visit for in wait as fowlers, setting these things? saith the Lord; snares and traps to catch or shall not My Soul take remen. As a net is full of venge on such a nation? birds, so their houses are full Judge ye judgment in the Je 21, 12 of deceit therefore are they morning, and deliver him become great and enriched. that is oppressed by violence -They are grown gross and out of the hand of the opfat, and have most wickedly pressor: lest My indignation

Pv 24, 24

Pv 17, 5

W 6, 3-9

Is 11, 3-5

go forth like a fire, and be God will not except any man's
kindled, and there be none person, neither will He stand
to quench it, because of the in awe of any man's great-
evil of your ways.
ness: for He made the little
They that say to the wicked and the great, and He hath
man: Thou art just, shall be equally care of all. But a
cursed by the people, and the greater punishment is ready
tribes shall abhor them. for the more mighty.

He that justifieth the wick-
ed, and he that condemneth
the just, both are abominable proclaiming liberty every
before God.
man to his neighbour and

Thus saith the Lord: You Je 34, 17 have not hearkened to Me, in

38

Give ear, you that rule the every man to his friend. Bepeople, and that please your- hold, I proclaim a liberty for selves in multitudes of na-you, saith the Lord, to the tions. For power is given sword, to the pestilence, and you by the Lord, and strength to the famine; and I will by the Most High, Who will cause you to be removed to examine your works, and all the kingdoms of the earth. search out your thoughts.- To crush under his feet all La 3, 34Because being ministers of the prisoners of the land;His Kingdom you have not To turn aside the judgment judged rightly, nor kept the of a man before the face of law of justice, nor walked the Most High;-To destroy according to the Will of God, a man wrongfully in his -Horribly and speedily will judgment, the Lord hath not He appear to you; for a most approved.-Who is he that severe judgment shall be for commanded a thing to be done them that bear rule.-For to when the Lord commandeth him that is little, mercy is it not?-Shall not both evil granted, but the mighty shall and good proceed out of the be mightily tormented.-For mouth of the Highest?

8.-VIRTUES NECESSARY FOR A JUDGE.

He shall not judge accord- He shall bring forth judg- Is 42, 1-4 ing to the sight of the eyes, ment to the Gentiles.-He nor reprove according to the shall not cry, nor have rehearing of the ears;-But He spect to persons, neither shall shall judge the poor with His voice be heard abroad.justice, and shall reprove The bruised reed He shall with equity for the meek of not break, and smoking flax the earth and He shall He shall not quench: He strike the earth with the rod shall bring forth judgment of His mouth, and with the unto truth.-He shall not be breath of His lips He shall sad nor troublesome till He slay the wicked:-And justice set judgment in the earth; shall be the girdle of His and the islands shall wait for loins, and faith the girdle of His law. His reins.

Provide out of all the peo Ex 18, 21

ple able men, such as fear disposest of us; for Thy
God, in whom there is truth, power is at hand when Thou
and that hate avarice, and wilt.

appoint of them rulers of Then [there were] all the Eci 46, 13-
thousands, and of hundreds, judges, every one by name,

and of fifties, and of tens. whose heart was not corJb 29, 14- I was clad with justice; rupted:-Who turned not 17 and I clothed myself with away from the Lord, that my judgment, as with a robe their memory might be blessand a diadem.-I was an eye ed.

Ps 100, 8

3 K3, 12

W 12, 18

12

14

to the blind, and a foot to The just taketh notice of Pv 29,7
the lame.-I was the father the cause of the poor: the

of the poor, and the cause wicked is void of knowledge.
which I knew not I searched O ye kings, understand; Ps 2, 10-12
out most diligently. I broke receive instruction, you that
the jaws of the wicked man, judge the earth.-Serve ye
and out of his teeth I took the Lord with fear, and re-
away the prey.
joice unto Him with trem-

In the morning I put to bling.-Embrace discipline,
death all the wicked of the lest at any time the Lord be
land, that I might cut off all angry, and you perish from
the workers of iniquity from the just way.
the City of the Lord.

Let the king provide a wise Ge 41, 33
I have given thee a wise and industrious man, and
and understanding heart, in- make him ruler over the land
somuch that there hath been of Egypt.

no one like thee before thee, Love justice, you that are
nor shall arise after thee. judges of the earth. Think
Thou, being master of of the Lord in goodness, and
power, judgest with tran- seek Him in simplicity of
quillity, and with great favour heart.

W1, 1

9.-JUDICIAL ACTS TO BE CAREFULLY CARRIED OUT. Pu 24, 11- Deliver them that are led between blood and blood, to death; and those that are cause and cause, leprosy and drawn to death forbear not leprosy, and thou see that to deliver. If thou say: I the words of the judges withhave not strength enough, in the gates do vary, arise, and He that seeth into the heart go up to the place which the He understandeth, and no- Lord thy God shall choose. thing deceiveth the Keeper When after most diligent Dt 19, 18of thy soul; and He shall inquisition they shall find render to a man according to that the false witness hath his works. told a lie against his brother, Judge ye judgment in the -They shall render to him morning. as he meant to do to his broIf thou perceive that there ther, and thou shalt take be among you a hard and away the evil out of the doubtful matter in judgment midst of thee.

Je 21, 12

Dt 17, 8

19