THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT.

Thou shalt not commit adultery.

The flesh lusteth contrary to the spirit.

The works of the flesh are manifest. Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, drunkenness, revellings, and such like.

Let us not be desirous of vain glory, Gal. v.

This Commandment forbids intemperance, dissipation, gluttony, selfishness, indecency of language, demeanour, and dress, with vanity. Most of these constitute what are styled the pleasures of life, but which only lead to discontent and disease. They are unsatisfying in their nature and doleful in effect: for, when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin; and when sin is finished, it bringeth forth death. These are inherent in our nature, and are only to be hated and put away in the strength of the Lord. "When the conscience and the flesh fight, the flesh conquers; when the spirit and the flesh fight, the spirit conquers.'

What bitter grief David experienced when he sinned against this Commandment. The indulgence of these sins of intemperance is the crying sin of our country; would that people thought and acted as Bishop Taylor, "He that tempts me to drink beyond my pleasure, civilly invites me to

THE TENTH COMMANDMENT.

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his servant, nor his maid, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is his.

Not to covet or desire other men's goods, but to learn and labour truly to get thy own living, and to do thy duty in that state of life unto which it shall please God to call thee.

As the 6th Commandment is a guard to the 9th, so the 10th is a guard to the 7th and 8th, teaching us to avoid the beginning of evil.

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Set your affections on things above not on things on the earth," Col. iii. 1.

"Godliness with contentment is great gain," 1 Tim. v. 8. Mind not high things.

This law forbids desire of all things unlawful, covetousness, discontent, ambition. Achan saw a goodly Babylonish garment; he coveted it, he took it, he hid it, but Israel was discomfited for his sin at Ai: he was detected in spite of his caution and stoned. Judas loved gold, therefore, he betrayed his master; remorse overtook him and he hanged himself.

Israel was discontented through unbelief whenever difficulty occurred in the wilderness, and they were as often severely punished.

Ambition was the curse of the Jews, who desired to be raised to great glory by the Messiah; therefore they rejected the God of their salvation;

their place and kingdom were lost in consequence. Covetousness is admirably pourtrayed by Bunyan, as an old man with his eyes earnestly bent on the ground, collecting eagerly a heap of rubbish, while an angel stands beside him holding a crown of inestimable value over his head, urging him to accept it; but he will not even look up at it, so earnest is he about his despicable employment. Covetousness closes the heart against every noble, generous feeling, against every sentiment of virtue, and despises the glory of heaven itself. Discontent is one of the most fruitful sources of unhappiness; it poisons every pleasure and dashes the sweetest draught from the lips untasted: it is the effect of unbelief, of a want of reliance in the unwearying love of him, who lavishes every good thing upon us with a father's bountiful hand, or of ingratitude for that love. Deprived of all apparent resources, the trusting believer will still unto himself, "All things work together for good to them who love God," and he will with cheerfulness remember how many blessings he enjoys, instead of counting how many evils he endures. Some look at the dark clouds (the discontented); some at the bright sky (the sprightly); some look through the clouds (the contented Christians).

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"There is not a doubt but that health, talents, character, decent competency, respectable friends, are real substantial blessings; and yet do we not daily see those who enjoy many, or all of these things, contrive, notwithstanding, to be as unhappy as those to whose lot few of them have fallen. I believe one great source of this mistake or misconduct, is owing to a certain stimulus with us, called ambition, which goads us up the hill of life; not as we ascend other eminences, for the

laudable purpose of viewing an extended prospect, but rather for the dishonest pride of looking down on others of our fellow-creatures, seemingly diminutive in humbler stations." There may be another cause-a want of reliance on the wisdom and goodness of God, whereby we work out many devices to bless ourselves instead of trusting to him to bless us.

The ambition of the world is a love of excelling -now this love worketh evil; but there is another ambition, the love of excellence; and this worketh good, and is the characteristic of a truly great mind.

Let excellence such as the religion of Christ pourtrays, be our ambition; for in such excellence God delighteth.

GENERAL REMARKS.

The preceding is a sketch of some of the requirements of the law; by no means exaggerated, for each particular has been numerously subdivided. That each virtue can be attained by one individual is not to be expected, and yet each is necessary to perfection: then we conclude there is no perfection on earth. Truly, no. Then what is the use of pourtraying perfection? It shows us we must cast away our own merits and rely on Christ alone. His righteousness was His perfection; clothe thyself with it and be content, that when thy spirit shall be made perfect then thou shalt know the happiness of being like unto Him, perfect. This is what heaven offers; perfect holiness, and the presence of thy God for ever.

Then, if we trust to the righteousness of Christ, why pourtray unattainable perfection? Be conformed to his image. Fix a high standard of virtue for yourself: you cannot reach it, but it is better to fail in attaining perfection than lie grovelling in imperfection. Remember, the ambition to attain excellence is the only ambition worthy of an immortal soul.

But, failure in this aspiration should not discourage but remind you of your frailty; it will make you walk humbly with your God: and fresh supplies of grace will enable you to rise invigorated from defeat, and to pursue your course triumphantly.

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