Christ," was made for man"-made for his happiness and his improvement. When we

deprive others of the means of employing and enjoying the Sabbath, we cause them to disobey God.

12. Honour thy father and mother, &c. Honour thy parents, here means, maintain them, if their necessities require it. It has a more extended meaning. Respect every one who in any manner sustains a relation like a parent. Respect all virtuous old age, and all wise men. In your childhood obey those who have the care of your person and your education, but more particularly love your own parents, those who have given you life, who have watched over your infancy, toiled for your support, prayed for your happiness, cultivated your mind, endured your faults, and che rished your virtues.

13. If your parents are not good and kind you cannot love their vices and bad dispositions, but you can forgive them, you need not imitate them. The discipline and the failings of parents which require the patience and forbearance of children, are thus described by Dr. Paley.

14. "There is an interval of eight or nine years between the dawning and the maturity of reason, in which it is necessary to subject the inclination of children to many restraints, and direct their application to many employments, of the tendency and use of which they cannot judge; for which cause the submission of children during this period must be ready and implicit, with an exception, however, of any manifest crime which may e commanded them.

15. "If children, when they are grown up,

voluntarily continue members of their father's family, they are bound, beside the general duty of gratitude to their parents, to observe such regulations of the family as the father shall appoint; contribute their labour to its support, if required; and confine themselves to such expenses as he shall allow. The obligation would be the same if they were admitted into any other family, or received support from any other hand.

16. "The services and attentions, by which filial gratitude may be testified, can be comprised within no enumeration. Filial gratitude will show itself in compliances with the will of the parents, however contrary to the child's own taste or judg ment, provided it be neither criminal, nor totally inconsistent with his happiness; in a constant endeavour to promote their enjoyments, prevent their wishes, and soften their anxieties, in small matters as well as in great; in assisting them in their business; in contributing to their support, ease, or better accommodation, when their circumstances require it; in affording them our company, in preference to more amusing engagements; in waiting upon their sickness or decrepitude; in bearing with the infirmities of their health or temper, with the peevishness and complaints, the unfashionable, negligent, austere manners, and offensive habits, which often attend upon advanced years: for where must old age find indulgence, if it do not meet with it in the piety and partiality of children?"

17. The commandment says, Honour thy father and mother, that thy days may be long upon the land, &c. This does not mean that all persons will live long who honour their parents. It

declared to the Israelites, that if they performed this duty in an exemplary manner, they would possess other virtues the righteousness that exalteth a nation ;"-and that they would, in the strength of their virtues, long endure as a people, in that land they were about to possess. This intimates the prosperity of all persons and all states, which fulfil the domestic duties. The blessing of God is upon such persons, and they are long preserved in the felicity which proceeds from their goodness.

18. Thou shalt not kill. It is a pleasant thing to be alive, and all life of men and animals is to be regarded with care and tenderness. The life of animals is sometimes necessary to be destroyed for the food of man; but the life of every human being is to be spared and cherished. Men some

times commit crimes which make it unsafe for others that they should live in society; the laws therefore condemn them to die but unless our life is in danger from a fellow creature, we must never raise our hand against his life. The commandment against murder may be extended to the refraining from all injury to others, in thought, word, or deed.

Thou

19. Thou shalt not bear false witness. shalt not tell any thing false to the hurt of any one. All lies are wrong. Even the "lie which flatters," which makes a man think more highly of himself than he ought to think, is a deception, and corrupts the mind like all other deceit.

20. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt respect thy neighbour's husband or wife. This commandment does not relate to children.

21. Thou shalt not covet. Thou shalt not envy

the wife, house, wealth or talents of another. Covetousness is excessive desire to possess the property of another. The covetous generally feel ill-will to those who possess the object of their desires. This is a bad passion, and directly opposed to the benevolence or charity which the gospel enjoins.

22. The commandments were engraved on tables of stone, and were kept among the sacred things of the Jews-they were often recited to the people, and they were instructed in them. The spirit of them, that is, the whole meaning, was comprehended by Christ in these words: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy mind, with all thy heart, and with all thy strength, and thy neighbour as thyself: on these two hang all the Law and the Prophets." This means that all the moral meaning of the Jewish law, and all the moral injunctions of the prophets, only taught these universal duties.

He

23. The authority of these commandments among the Jews, is shown in the gospel of St. Matthew. "And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, honour thy father and thy mother: and Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. The young man said unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Jesus

said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come and follow

me."

24. The admonition of Christ to the young man, to sell all that he had, and give to the poor, does not apply to all people. Christ was about establishing his own religion,-it was necessary that his followers should make great sacrifices and partake of his humble lot, that they might prove their sincerity, and become fellow workers with him. The man who sought cternal life seems to have asked how he might obtain it with a selfish heart; he had not learned that "no man liveth to himself alone."

25. The commandments which relate to the social duties that all men owe to all others with whom they live in society, are prohibitory rather than positive. The commandment, Honour thy father and mother, is positive-it expressly enjoins a duty. The four following commandments are prohibitions-they forbid evil acts and unworthy dispositions; but the forgiveness of enemies, the charity" which suffereth long and is kind," and the generosity in the service of mankind, which are taught by the example of Christ and the first teachers of Christianity, were not inculcated by the commandments. This perfection of virtue was only exhibited by the Son of God.