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So far is the case otherwise, that our Lord includes under this, the being angry with another without a cause, the not agreeing quickly with our adversary, the not being easily reconciled with our brother; and St. John marks the Commandment in its extent and principle, when he says, Whoso hateth his brother is a murderer."* A similar mode of interpreting the other Commandments has thus the sanction of our Lord and his Apostles. SECONDLY.-Where any sin is forbidden by a Commandment, there the opposite virtue is enjoined. Thus, when in the second Commandment, we are forbidden to worship God in an improper way, by visible representation, we are, enjoined the proper worship of him "in spirit and in truth:" for the reasoning of the Commandment goes not against worship, but against those modes of it that are false and dangerous. When we are, in the eighth Commandment, forbidden to use dishonest modes of acquiring support, the necessity of supplying our various wants proves it to be our duty diligently to labour to acquire it, in whatever honest vocation may be open to our industry. How opposite is that admonition of St. Paul, connecting this duty with the eighth Commandment! "Let him that stole steal no more, but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth."†

* 1 John iii. 15. † Ephesians iv. 28.

THIRDLY.-Where a Commandment prescribes a duty to persons in any one relation, it prescribes similar duties towards any other persons under relations that are similar: all duties in short which have the same nature, and come under the same general reason, are enjoined by it. Thus the reason of the fifth Commandment, which states the duty of children towards their parents, obviously extends to those who stand in the place of parents, to guardians, to instructors, and more remotely points out the duty of servants to masters, and of subjects to those in authority. All who from their superior wisdom or power, or from their connection and influence, are to decide and to act for others, stand in the place of those who are named in the Commandment: their solicitude should be, that of parental tenderness and regard, and they are in return entitled to filial obedience, respect, and support.

FOURTHLY.-What we are forbidden to do ourselves, we are in like manner forbidden to encourage in others to solicit, stimulate, or tempt others to do-to abet or to sanction by any act of ours when done. Any person who knows that the act which he induces breaks the Commandment, is guilty of that Commandment, though the act be that of another person which other person is also guilty, as far forth as he knows or has the means of knowing the criminal nature of the act. Thus

he who in a matter of property, stands forward for another to swear what he knows to be untrue, is guilty of perjury: but no less so is he, who enticed or bribed him to commit it. And the family who partake of and consume the goods acquired by any member of it, using with their privity means that are unlawful, are all guilty of the sin of stealing them. Whoever sits in the seat of the scorner, whoever frequents the tables of those who are in the known habit of taking the name of God in vain, will certainly not stand clear of the offence, to which he lends an unreproving countenance, and a tacit acquiescence.

FIFTHLY.-Where any sin is forbidden, it is expected that we shall avoid all temptations and incentives to it: where a duty is commanded, it is expected that we study and make use of all the natural means, which may make its practice easy and habitual. What are called duties to ourselves, are among these means, and to this connection they owe much of their obligation; for undoubtedly without self-government, without a due regulation of the heart and its affections, we should be perpetually liable to commit offences against God, and to yield readily to temptations to transgress against our neighbour. Thus drunkenness is a vice, not expressly in words forbidden in the decalogue; and yet it is evidently against the Spirit of the whole moral law,

putting to hazard and to casualty the observance of every part of it. There is no one vice to which a drunken man has not gone half-way, and if he does not complete the course, on him rests no part of the praise of forbearance.

The Sixth, and last observation I shall make is, that the violation of the Commandment does not depend on the act being accomplished which it forbids: the crime is in the intention, whether the external act follows or fails. "Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts."* Human laws can only take cognizance of overt acts, but he who knows the secrets of the heart judges by it and its counsels of what defiles the man. The purity of the Gospel morality identifies the very thought of the crime with the crime itself. The tenth Commandment is introduced, more strongly to fortify man against those injuries which some of the other Commandments had forbidden, by forbidding even the desire to commit them. Our Lord gives that Commandment universally, and incorporates in equal crime, the desire to break the Commandment and its actual violation. "It has been said by them of old time thou shalt not commit adultery, but I say unto you," says our Lord, "that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her,

* Matthew xiv. 19.

in his heart."* Who will say that the hired assassin will at the great tribunal, stand clear of the charge of murder, because by chance his victim did not pass through the street, in which he lay in wait to kill him?

These now are the Commandments given by the mouth of the Lord to his people, and explained to the Christian Church by the comments of its founder. Ye are, my beloved brethren, the Israel of God: the promise which was to Abraham through the righteousness of faith, is through faith in Christ Jesus yours also, my brethren. If ye are followers in the faith with faithful Abraham, so be ye also followers of him in his obedience. If are the Israel of God, keep the Commandments which God hath given you. "These words," saith the Lord, "which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart, and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them, when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up."†

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“Lord have mercy upon us, and write all these thy laws in our hearts we beseech thee."

* Matthew v. 28. + Deuteronomy vi. 6, 7.