and acceptably, and so rise to the life immortal.

Without it, J might, so far as I know, have sunk in the second death. Το God be all the glory.

Surely the bare possibility of such a result should be enough to stimulate our diligence, and cause us to abound in the work of the Lord. If faithful to the light we Now enjoy, with what exceeding joy shall we look back on the promises fulfilled, and say, "All are come to pass; not one hath failed," Josh, xxiii. 14. How thankfully shall we then look back, and say, “And it was so," Gen. i. 9, &c.

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.

IV.

THE brief prohibition expressed in the Eighth Commandment "Thou shalt not steal," merely indicates the mind of God, elsewhere distinctly declared to us, in respect to the important duty devolving upon us all, of rightly obtaining the worldly substance necessary for the sustenance of our lives, and of those dependent upon us. It stands next in order to the commandments regarding the preservation of man's life, and the purity of his nature; for to the violation of this law, and the neglect of its implied obligations, much of the misery, strife, and wickedness in the world must be attributed.

The command implies that it is lawful to have worldly possessions; if not, and all things were common, there could be no theft. Of old time, increase of temporal prosperity was the sign of the Divine bles sing; under the law, the land of promise was divided into portions as the possession of the chosen people, Gen. xxiv. 35, 36; and though in the early days of the Gospel dispensation, men gave up their right in their property for the good of the little family of believers, yet it was a voluntary act (Acts v. 3, 4,) and not an obligation. The very duty of alms-giving implies the right over that which we possess, and the liberty to give of it or not as we please. And the frequent warnings given both by our Lord and His apostles against the abuse of riches indicates that a divine law prescribes the right employment of them. (Matt. vi. 19-34, Luke xii. 13-21, 1 Tim. vi. 17-19, 1 John iii. 17.)

It is plainly our duty, however, to obtain earthly possessions only by lawful means, and without thereby doing injury to others. “To be true and just in all my dealings," to be faithful in our engage ments and contracts in business, not to seek our own advantage at the expense or injury of others, by fraud or deceit, is the first duty

taught by this commandment, see Zech. viii. 16, 17; Ps. xxxvii. 21; Luke xvi. 10—12; Ezek. xxii. 12. The next is that we regard our property as a trust from God to be used for Him. So shall we be led to employ it for His service, and for the help of those who need our assistance. Matt. xxv. 40; Luke vi. 30, 38; Gal. vi. 10. It is likewise implied by this command that we shall labour diligently to maintain ourselves-" to learn and labour truly to get mine own living, and to do my duty in that state of life unto which it shall please God to call me,"-lest by idleness, or waste, or extravagance, we become a burden to others (Prov. vi. 10, 11; 2 Thess. iii. 6, 10-12; 1 Tim. v. 8).

But the sins forbidden by this law will perhaps enable us to see, the more readily, how it ought to be fulfilled. To "steal" is not simply the taking by force that which is not our own, but any act by which intentionally we deprive others of their property, 1 Thess. iv. 6. Incurring debts by extravagance or imprudence which we cannot pay, (Prov. xxiii. 20) or are unable, or never even thought to discharge-covetously seeking gain by speculation or games of chance (Hab. ii. 9)-dealing with false weights and balances, or the scant measure, Levit. xix. 35, 36; Prov. xi. 1; Micah vi. 10; Deut. IXV. 13-16; seeking to depreciate the value of that which we wish to buy, and to exaggerate the worth of that we offer for sale, (Prov. II. 14) connivance at the frauds of others, or the reception of that which we know to be stolen; taking advantage of the calamity of the distressed to exact from them more than is just, (Ps. xv. 5) refusing or evading the payment of lawful taxes to the state, (Rom. xiii. 7) or tithes to the Church, (Mal. iii. 8, 9) withholding the hire or wages of those employed by us, James v. 4; Deut. xxiv. 14, 15;— the omission to restore to the rightful owner that which we have found belonging to him, and not to make restitution to those whom we have injured, (Lev. vi. 2-5; Luke xix. 8.) or the neglect to endeavour to do that for the preservation of the property of others which we should wish done for our own. Deut. xxii. 1-4: in all these ways is this law broken. To act up to the teaching of the commandment, the spirit of our Lord's summary of all human obligations is necessary, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself" (Matt. xxii. 39) and obedience to the injunction of the apostle "Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others." (Phil. ii. 4.)

The Ninth Commandment follows in order and connexion with those which have preceded it, and declares our duty to our neighbour in another and most important particular. His life, his honour, his goods have already been referred to: now we are taught the duty of guarding his good name and character among his fellow men;

'Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour." It is by sins of the tongue that we break this Divine law, and we have the authority of an apostle, added to our common experience, to show that this is a trial of obedience of no mean sort; see St. James' description of the tongue in his Epistle (James iii. 5-10). The gift of speech is indeed a marvellous one-a distinguishing mark of the human creature over others, but it is one which more than any other faculty has been terribly misapplied. Prov. xv. 1, 2, 4, 7. In this Commandment we are taught the value of the utterance of truth and sincerity, as it affects the well-being of those about us. Prov. xxii. 1.

"Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour," primarily warns us against the sin of perjury-making a false statement on oath before the magistrate, when called as a witness in a controversy, whereby one, by our malice to him or favour to his adversary, is deprived of his right, or unjustly punished, through our untrue testimony. See Exod. xxiii. 1,2; and also Deut. xix. 18,-21, where the punishment of such wickedness under the law is described. The obvious duty of a faithful and sincere man in such a case would be to speak the truth from the heart, (Ps. xv. 2) to plead all that could advance the good of the accused, (1 Sam. xix. 4) to state plainly what he knew, (2 Sam. xiv. 18-20) and not to allow rank or influence, liking or aversion, to affect his testimony (Lev. xix. 15). At all other times and on all occasions the same sincerity is due to our neighbour in our ordinary conversation respecting him-for "to keep my tongue from evil speaking, lying or slandering," is the obvious duty of every lover of the truth, or follower of the Saviour.

Yet there is scarcely any kind of sin against the laws of truth and charity more frequent than that which this commandment condemns. The false statement uttered to damage the reputation of another (Ps. ci. 5)-the effort to depreciate the good attributed to him,the habit of so relating the truth as to make it appear different from what it really is, by tincturing it with falsehood,-the practise of exaggerating what we have heard or seen, these are all opposed to the spirit of this law. While the vices of tale-bearing (Prov. xxvi. 22, 25) of backbiting and whispering evil of others unknown to them (Ps. xv. 3; Luke iii. 14) of encouraging bad thoughts and suggesting suspicions (Matt. vii. 1,-4: 1 Cor. xiii. 5,) are all condemned by it. Another form of untruthfulness is equivocation, arising it may be from the want of courage to tell the direct falsehood, lest it should be detected and exposed, and the practice of flattery (Prov. xxvi. 24, 25) as well as the falsehood, not spoken to do ill to our neighbour but to screen him from the consequences of his error, or as we may think to effect a good purpose. Instances of such untruthfulness we

may find related in

Exodus i. 17-19; Josh. ii. 4-6; 1 Sam. xix. 13, 14; xx. 28, 29. On the other hand, it is not a violation of this law of charity and truth to condemn openly the vices which we know to exist, and which are to be reproved. Eccles. vii. 5.

We learn, then, that the God of holiness and truth requires us neither to speak nor think any false or unjust thing of our neighbour; but to think well of others (1 Cor. xiii. 7) so far as truth will justify us in doing so, and to preserve their reputation untouched, to our uttermost ability (Prov. xvii. 9). In all our doings we must bring everything to the light of truth, and both maintain and defend it; nor may we by our words, or by writing, nor yet by our silence or assent in holding our peace, once allow that which is falsely spoken by others to remain uncontradicted. God has declared His hatred of lying in all its forms and has enjoined His people to avoid it, see Prov. xii. 22; Zech. viii. 16; Matt. xii. 36, 37; Col. iii. 9, 10; Ephes. iv. 22, 25. Let it be our care, then, to watch the utterances of our lips, (James i. 26) to cultivate a reverence for truth in trifles, as well as in great matters, in ourselves, and among the children committed to our care (for the habit of lying is too frequently formed in early youth) and endeavour to realize that the gift of speech is a talent given to us by God that it may be used, as it so often is, for the promotion of His glory and for the good of our fellow-creatures. See Ps. XV. 1,-3; xxxiv. 12, 13; cxix. 163.

In the Tenth Commandment, which closes the Decalogue, no outward act of duty to our neighbour is enjoined, as in the preceding ones, but it is shown to us that God requires inward and spiritual, as well as outward and practical obedience: not only are we forbidden to act unjustly or unkindly to our neighbour, but in this law we are shown that we must not suffer any selfish desires, be they ever so light, to take possession of our hearts, nor any thought, be it ever so small, to gain a hold of our minds by which we might be tempted to do wrong to others. We are therefore taught the great lesson of Contentment to accept thankfully that which God has bestowed. upon us, and to enjoy what God gives us, without a wish to change our lot with others whom we may think more favoured, and not to murmur because our lot is not so fair as theirs, Is. xxvi. 3. Poverty, disease, affliction of spirit, may be our portion, as it is, in some form, the fate of all; but remembering the promise that "all things work together for good to them that love God," there is no room for complaining, but every reason to be satisfied with just what God gives us. Phil. iv. 11; 1 Tim. iv. 8; vi. 6; 2 Cor. xii. 9.

Opposed to this feeling is the desire to possess unlawfully that which is not ours, but which belongs rightfully to another. "To covet or desire other men's goods," is the first step towards going about to

obtain them for ourselves; to covet our neighbour's wife is in God's sight, who is a Spirit, and looketh at the heart as much as the outward conduct, equivalent to committing adultery: so our Lord has taught us, Matt. v. 27, 28; xv. 19. These evil desires are the fruit of the corruption of our nature, and the temptation of the great Enemy of our souls; if we would save ourselves from the sins to which they would entice us, we must not cherish, but resist them, else will they bring forth bitter fruits of wickedness, and end in death. James i. 13-15.

Two particular forms of evil feelings are specially condemned by this law-covetousness and envy-the one, the longing to desire more than we possess; the other, the jealous anger excited by seeing others in possession of that which we wish ourselves to obtain. The love of money, of gain, and of earthly power, has led to many of the worst crimes which have been committed in the world, and is indeed "the root of all evil." 1 Tim. vi. 9, 10. See its effects on Balaam, Numb. xxii., on Elisha's servant, 2 Kings v. 20-27, on Ananias, Acts v. 1,-10, and on the unhappy Judas, Matt. xxvi. 15. Its consequences on the soul are doubly evil-for it not only closes the heart towards the poor, and makes the hand niggard in its help of them (how different from the spirit of Job xxix. 11-16) but it drives out the love of God from the heart, 1 John ii. 15, and prevents our serving Him acceptably. No wonder therefore that covetousness is everywhere condemned in Scripture; see Isa. lvii. 17; Luke xii. 15. Nor is the other influence of discontent-envy-to be less carefully guarded against; for not only does it engender angry feelings against others as we hear their praise, or watch their success, but it causes bitterness in our own hearts, and a disquietude of spirit marring our enjoyment of all sources of good or of happiness within our reach. Its effects in action may be seen in the first murder committed in the world, Gen. iv. 3, 8, in the sin of Miriam, Numb. xii, of Korah and his company, Numb. xvi. and in the case of the chief priests and Jewish rulers, who were led for envy to conspire to put our Lord to death, Matt. xxvii. 18.

Well may we be humbled, who cannot even think a good thought, or cherish a pure desire of our own free will, without the aid of God's grace, when we look upon this perfect law, and utter the prayer of our Liturgy "Lord have mercy upon us," for all our past transgression against these holy commands, known or unknown by us, but all open to Thee, (Ps. xix. 12, 13) and “write all these Thy laws in our hearts, we beseech Thee," that we may be enabled, by the indwelling power of the Holy Ghost, to think those things that be good, and by Thy merciful guiding to perform the same. For who is sufficient for