Word, how far they are from feeling and obeying its precepts. It shows, indeed, a depraved state of society; it shows that there is a murderous spirit in the midst of us, when a man, for some trifling offence offered to his honor (as it is termed) is ready to stand before another, and coolly point at his breast the weapon of death. What spirit is it which glares in hjs eye? Is it not the murderer's? Is it not the spirit of revenge even unto death? And does it matter, in God's sight, that he is arrayed in an elegant garb, or that he stands respectably before the world? It is written, "Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." Before the Divine Eye, that man appears as he is in spirit: and he will go to his place, hereafter, accordingly.
But let us proceed now to consider the other significations of this Commandment. It may seem, perhaps, at the first thought, that the precept, "Thou shalt not kill," has but little to do with us; that we are in very little danger of breaking it; that the inclination to the commission of such a crime is far from our hearts, and the very thought of it abhorrent to our minds. Ha! is it so? Perhaps we do not know ourselves. Remember what the Divine Word declares—that "the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked." Have we never broken this Commandment? How many of us are there, think you, that have not broken it? Let us inquire into the full meaning of the Command, and we shall then be able to answer this question to ourselves.
We all understand well, that it is not merely the
