The Ten Commandments Illustrated and Enforced on Christian Principles

Book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1825. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... commandment brings us under the eye of an omniscient Ruler, under the authority of a spiritual government. It teaches us that our thoughts and wishes are minutely inspected. It pursues us to our secrecy. It pierces the veil of external appearances. It lays open the foldings of self-delusion. It scrutinizes our very souls. It makes us feel the omnipresence of the Deity. It brings the sanctions of his law to bear directly on our present consciousness. It links the moments of our existence to the throne of the last judgment; and pours into the inmost chambers of the spirit the light of a future world. "I had not known sin, except the law had said, 'Thou shalt not covet.'" It is not necessary, here, to enlarge on the specifications contained in this commandment, because in the five preceding commandments they have already been purposely considered. We may, however, offer a few remarks, suggested by the language of this commandment, and urging our obedience to it. We are so constituted, that whatever appears to us likely to contribute to our happiness becomes an object of desire. In this part of our nature originates every effort for the attainment of those advantages, whether physical or intellectual, moral or domestic, or political, personal or relative, transient or permanent, real or imaginary, which are the allurements of human contrivance, industry, or ambition. From the depraved selfishness of our race, these desires, so far from being regulated by a supreme regard to the will of God, and balanced by benevolent affections towards the myriads of our fellow-creatures all urged by the same tendencies, and all roving in pursuit of happiness through the same varieties of enjoyment, are continually drawing us into sin. This sin is an evil, both as infinitely hateful to ...