conquest, a portion of the evil is removed; the sinful indination grows less and less, and at length is purged away altogether.
So, again, the young man finds himself tempted to deceive or take advantage of his neighbor, in buying or selling, or other business transaction; for such inclination is the natural offspring of Self-love in the heart, which urges man to wealth, and disposes him to gain it at any cost, even at the expense of his fellow-man and of truth. But when just about giving way to the temptation, he calls to mind the Divine command, "Thou shalt not steal:" and stealing includes every species of fraud and deception, by which goods or property are wrongly obtained. He remembers, also, the words, "Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbor;" "ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another."[1] As these injunctions, called up by some good angel, present themselves to his mind,—he pauses. "I was about to commit a sin," he says to himself, "away! away! the base suggestion." And' with an effort, he compels himself to speak the truth,—to show the goods just as they are, with whatever defects they may have—to take no advantage, but to be just and honest in the transaction, whether he gain or lose. This is doing as he would be done by. He has nobly conquered himself; he has the reward of a clear conscience and inward self-respect; he has the still deeper joy of peace with God. What are the paltry pounds, shillings, and pence,—to these treasures of the soul? The one may be lost to-morrow: the other remains for ever.
It is in this way, that the spirit of selfishness and
