exercises of prayer and praise have we not, in numberless instances, taken his holy name on our lips, while our hearts have been far from him? With no small grief I add, that with daring effrontery the blessed name of God is frequently coupled with horrid imprecations, uttered against a fellow-creature, or even a poor dumb animal. Yes! I speak it with tears, the Almighty God is frequently called upon by many, with blaspheming boldness, to damn their own and others' souls, limbs, and bodies, and to destroy the very cattle, which render them all the service in their power! I cannot help remarking also, that because of taking false oaths, in which the eternal Being is appealed to, to witness a lie, this commandment is most heinously violated throughout our land.

Here I pause.-Review, my brethren, the remarks we have made; and ask yourselves seriously, as in God's sight, if you have not in almost numberless instances broken this sacred precept. And while you are constrained to make this acknowledgement, be covered with shame, and presume not, we beseech you, to indulge in such a conduct hereafter; how much soever custom, and company and length of time, may have habituated you to it. Remember that the GREAT AND MAJESTIC GOD, at whose holy name condemned spirits are filled with terrific awe, and before whom angels veil their

faces, declares that "He will not hold him guiltless, that taketh his name in vain.'

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IV. The fourth commandment requires us to "keep the sabbath day holy." This implies that we should spend it in holy meditations, holy conversation, and holy exercises. It concerns us also to esteem this day an invaluable privilege; as appointed, in great mercy, to give us an opportunity of attending to our souls. According to the Prophet Isaiah, it becomes us to "call the Sabbath a delight; the holy of the Lord, honourable; and to honour him, not doing our own ways, nor finding our own pleasure, nor speaking our own words.". Now, my brethren, have we always thus regarded the Sabbath? Have the sacred hours of this day been valued by us as an estimable privilege for our souls? Have we laid aside "our own ways". e. all our worldly concerns, and renounced our own earthly pleasures, and not spoken our own words? Has the whole of every Sabbath, which we have spent on earth, been improved for our eternal good in spiritual exercises?-in private prayer?in public worship?-in devout meditations?-in holy discourse?-in instructing our dependants?-in self-examination? in reading the scriptures, &c.? Alas! instead of spending the whole of every Sabbath thus, have we not wasted the greater part of each, in worldly thoughts, worldly con

versation, worldly company, worldly pleasures, and worldly exercises? We may rest assured, however, that such abuses of a positive institution of the Most High, will not be overlooked by him. If we remember not to keep it holy, he will certainly remember to punish our neglect. How much does it become us, therefore, again to acknowledge, "The Law is spiritual, but I am carnal, &c."

V. The fifth and following commandments treat of moral duties; but they are nevertheless" spiritual" in their signification. Nothing can appear more reasonable, than that children should "Honour their father and mother." Love, submission, and obedience, children ought always to manifest towards their parents. This precept also requires deference to our superiorsaffection and respect to our equals-and kindness and condescension to our inferiors. Thus the whole of our behaviour towards each other, may be referred to this command. When, therefore, the impertinent, insubordinate, and disobedient conduct of children toward their parents; and the neglect of an affectionate deportment, good instruction, and becoming authority, on the part of parents towards their children :-when our proneness to indulge in a spirit of independence, contrary to the influence of those who are in legal authority when our dis

position to envy the prosperity of those who were once our equals ;-and our inclination to behave with haughtiness and unkindness toward our inferiors: when, I say, all these things are duly considered, we cannot but plead exceedingly guilty of violating this fifth commandment.

VI. The sixth commandment, "Thou shalt do no murder," is very extensive. It not only considers the outward act to be a breach of it, but reaches to the thoughts and intents of the heart. Our Lord declares that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause, shall be in danger of the judgment. His Apostle St. John informs us, that "He who loveth not his brother abideth in death; and that whosoever hateth his brother is a murderert." Now have you, my brethren, never experienced the risings of a passionate temper, and the workings of causeless anger, of hatred, malice, or revenge? Have your hearts never been void of love to your fellow-creatures; but always disposed to treat them with af fection and kindness? Unless you can answer these questions satisfactorily, you have assuredly been guilty of murder in the sight of God.

You may probably fancy that self-murder

Matthew, ch. v. ver. 22.

↑ John, ch. iii. ver. 4 and 5.

is not very common: but, alas! it awfully prevails! What is the drunkard, but a selfmurderer; since he destroys both his mental and bodily powers, and shortens his days by his intemperate conduct? What is the sensualist but a self-murderer also; since he undermines his constitution by the use of unlawful gratifications and pleasures? What is the miser, and every discontented charac. ter, but men of the same class; since their fretful and uneasy disposition preys upon their spirits, and tends to bring them to an untimely grave?

But the greatest breach of this command is soul-murder, And whenever we seduce our fellow-creatures into sin, by precept, example, or alluring temptations:-whenever we deter them from attending to true religion, by ridicule or persecution:-whenever we are instrumental in poisoning their minds by pernicious principles; or wilfully suffer them to remain in ignorance, when we have it in our power to instruct them, the heinous offence of soul-murder, may justly be charged upon us. Who then, seriously considering the subject, can plead guiltless, even with respect to this command? or avoid again exclaiming, "The Law is spiritual, but I am carnal ?"

VII. In the seventh commandment the commission of adultery is forbidden. Al