Sabbath "holiness?") the required dedication of one day in seven to the God in "whose hand are," and might have remained, "all our days?" But setting even our Creator and his claims aside, do we thus fulfil the gracious declaration of our Lord, that the "Sabbath was made for man ?” Made! and for what? To lift one day in seven off his emancipated soul, the weight of this world's leaden atmosphere, which presses him down to earth, and clogs the wings of his immortal spirit, -to let in upon his prison-house some rays, though feeble and distant ones, of the heavenly light which can alone guide him through time, and will one day burst on him in eternity,to let him breathe for a short and blessed interval that "breath of life" which a thousand noxious influences are ever at work to weaken, and, but for such seasonable "times of refreshing from the Lord," would infallibly extinguish. My dear Mary, let such be our Sabbath privileges and Sabbath enjoyments! "Holy let us be," (to borrow the words of Moses in his dying blessing on those who keep all God's commandments,) "in the city, and in the field, and in our going out, and coming in," on this "day of the Lord;" and "blessed" shall we no doubt be also, with the same comprehensive and irrevocable blessing.

We have now gone through that first partfirst, remember, Mary, in precedence and importance of the moral law, which relates to our duty to God. That to our neighbour we must dismiss more briefly; though without for a moment overlooking the gracious result of its various wise and benign provisions-were they but partially observed-viz: "peace on earth and goodwill to men." In this division of the law, it becomes more than ever important to observe that every prohibition of sin implies the cultivation of the opposite temper. Murder, adultery, and stealing, are vices, abstinence from which, in your class of society, hardly amounts to virtue; but not only are the malice, levity, and covetousness from which these odious actions spring, to be diligently searched for, and in God's strength extirpated -but positive benevolence, sobriety, and liberality, as imperatively enjoined. "Cease to do evil," and "learn to do well," are terms inseparable in Scripture. Were their connexion more attended to, mere negative freedom from gross sins would not speak "peace where there is no peace" to so many a deceived heart." But can even this be pleaded where the ninth commandment is concerned? How does it run?

MARY. "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour." Mama, we may never

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be called on to "bear witness" at all, and I am sure if we were, we should speak truth. I saw a man sworn once, and it is so awful!

MAMA. Would to God that thousands who are sworn and forsworn every day, thought it so, my dear! But are you sure you are not of the number? You are sworn to God in your baptismal vow to "renounce the devil and all his works," of these we know falsehood to be the chief; and of the "lies," of which he is the "father," malicious, or even thoughtless ones, to our neighbours' prejudice, must ever rank highest. From these, my child, are any of us entirely free ? Have we never, in haste or passion, exaggerated or misrepresented a fellow-creature's conduct? Nay, have we never, in wanton levity of speech, repeated the slander it was our duty to have shamed into silence? Till we can say this, we are "verily guilty concerning our brother," and must humbly pray for forgiveness, and the cure of "this evil also." The final commandment of the law, I fear, will find us equally faulty. What does it forbid ?

MARY. Coveting our neighbours' goods. I used to long for every thing I saw, Mama, but I hope I am not so silly now.

MAMA. Say so wicked, my dear, and you will speak more truly. Advancing years have

cured the folly, see that growing religion convinces you of the sin! Covet no man's rank, for the " powers that be are of God,”—nor his personal advantages, for it is "God that maketh you to differ,"-nor his talents, for "wisdom is not always to men of understanding;" but, "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all things" (really needful)" shall be added unto you!"

112

MORNING TENTH.

LESSON.-Exodus, Chapters xxxii. xxxiii. and xxxiv. to

MARY.

ver. 10.

Mama; why have you made me pass, in reading, from the 20th to the 32d chapter? I suppose because what we left out was only about the Jews' particular laws and customs.

MAMA. Yes, my dear. We omitted these chapters, that in compliance with your own request, and for reasons in which I concurred, you might follow up the history of the chosen people of God, apart, for the present, from their peculiar institutions. And though it has not been without regret that I have deferred pointing out to you the many excellent general precepts of equity and mercy, both to man and beast, which suffice to lend permanent interest to the ritual observances with which they are mixed up, yet I am reconciled to the omission by the advantage of presenting to you the last sad historical fact contained in the book of Exodus, the making of the golden calf, in immediate connexion with the