Verse 4
4. By judgment Administrative justice.
He that receiveth gifts “A man of exactions, or of oblations, exacts tribute.” Conant. “Is fond of bribes.” Zockler. The idea seems to be, that such a man sits upon the throne to receive oblations rather than to dispense justice that he makes himself a god to be appeased by offerings, and sells favours to the highest bidder. Such, indeed, was and is the character of many of the eastern despots. Nor has this form of iniquity been confined to the East. Dr. Clarke says: “I have met with cases in our ancient records where, in order to get his right, a man was obliged almost to ruin himself in presents to the king, queen, and their favourites.” One of the articles of the Magna Charta is:
Nulli vendemus justitiam; “We will sell justice to no one.” Under our system of government, and in our times, perhaps the most likely place to find the development of this evil is in the legislative department national and local. Legislators who receive, directly or indirectly, a compensation for their votes, are acting on the principle condemned in this proverb, and are contributing their share to the ruin of their country. Compare Ezekiel 45:9.
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