These six things doth the Lord hate; yea,

A false witness that speaketh lies.

wicked imaginations, that is acquainted with the
depths of Satan, and knows how to carry on a
covetous, envious, revengeful plot most effectually.
The more there is of craft and management in sin,
the more it is an abomination to God.

V. Vigour and diligence in the prosecution of sin;
fect that are swift in running to mischief, as if they
were afraid of losing time, or were impatient of delay,
in a thing they are so greedy of. The policy and
vigilance, the eagerness and industry, of sinners in
their sinful pursuits, may shame us who go about that
which is good so awkwardly and so coldly.

VI. False-witness bearing, which is one of the greatest mischiefs that the wicked imagination can devise, and against which there is least fence. There cannot be a greater affront to God, to whom in an oath appeal is made, or a greater injury to our neighbour, all whose interests in this world, even the dearest, lie open to an attack of this kind, than knowingly to give in a false testimony. There are seven things that God hates, and lying involves two of them; He hates it and doubly hates it.

VII. Making mischief between relations and neighbours, and using all wicked means possible, not only to alienate their affections one from another, but to irritate their passions one against another. The God of love and peace hates him that sows discord among brethren, for He delights in concord. Those that, by

He that soweth discord among brethren.

Seven are an abomination unto Him.

Get and save, and thou wilt have.

Evil words cut more than swords.

tale-bearing and slandering, by carrying ill-natured
stories, aggravating everything that is said and done,
and suggesting jealousies and evil surmises, blow the
coals of contention, are but preparing for themselves
a fire of the same nature.

MATTHEW HENRY.

PAYING DEbts.

HAT pleasure it is to pay one's debts! I remember to have heard Sir Thomas Lyttleton make this observation. It seems to flow from a combination of circumstances, each of which is productive of pleasure. In the first place, it removes that uneasiness which a true spirit feels from dependence and obligation. It affords pleasure to the creditor, and therefore gratifies our social affection. It promotes that future confidence which is so very interesting to an honest mind. It opens a prospect of being readily supplied with what we want on future occasions. It leaves a consciousness of our own virtue; and it is a measure we know to be right, both in point of justice and sound economy. Finally, it is the main support of

simple reputation.

Debt means danger.

SHENSTONE.

He is rich that hath no debt.

All difficulties are but easy when they

Duty never yet did want its meed.

COLLINGWOOD'S ADVICE.

DMIRAL COLLINGWOOD was an ardent
devotee of duty. "Do your duty to the

best of your ability," was the maxim which
he urged upon young men when setting out
in life. To a midshipman he on one occasion
gave the following manly and sensible advice :—
You may depend upon it, that it is more in your
own power than in anybody else's to promote both your
comfort and advancement. A strict and unwearied
attention to your duty, and a complacent and re-
spectful behaviour, not only to your superiors but to
everybody, will ensure you their regard, and the
reward will surely come; but if it should not, I am
convinced you have too much good sense to let
disappointment sour you. Guard carefully against
letting discontent appear in you. It will be sorrow
to your friends, a triumph to your competitors, and
cannot be productive of any good. Conduct yourself
so as to deserve the best that can come to you, and
the consciousness of your own proper behaviour will
keep you in spirits if it should not come.
your ambition to be foremost in all duty. Do not
be a nice observer of turns, but ever present yourself
ready for everything, and, unless your officers are
very inattentive men, they will not allow others to
impose more duty on you than they should.

Attention to superiors is a duty.

Let it be

Do your duty, come what will.

are known.

The love of money is the root of all evil.

Gold may be bought too dearly.

THE PURSUIT OF WEALTH.

T is not surprising that our young men become easily inflamed with an inordinate desire for property. They see its power in the world; that wealth can hire the strong,

retain the learned, and secure honour, or at least place, in society. Hence pride seeks money, to give it elevation; vanity seeks it, to attract the admiration and excite the envy of others; and avarice seeks it, to fall down and worship it.

Money itself is good-in the words of Solomon, "it answereth all things;" not only luxury, but comfort, convenience, necessity demand it. And yet the acquisition of it is beset with moral perils. In our insane eagerness to be rich, we delude ourselves with the idea that gold can fill and satisfy the soul. We regard no calamity so great as pecuniary want. The boy has his money-box, and learns to hoard as he learns to speak. "The chief end of man," he is taught, is to make a good bargain. He is fired with a passion to set up in business for himself prematurely, and to rush into every path that seems to open out into a boundless accumulation of wealth.

Two tempters stand before the young man, and beckon him to follow them. First, a reckless specula

Money answereth all things.

Many man's wealth is many man's death.

Rather live usefully than die rich.

Money never wants a master.

tion. Under this influence, men are ready to invest
their all in projects, the greater portion of which
are chimerical. Bales of goods and risks of commis-
sions are staked at the table; and even many kinds
of business, once followed with honesty, moderation,
and a healthy success, are now pursued as games of
chance. Not a few merchants thus spread out their
business till it gets beyond their control; they over-
buy goods; they live beyond their means, trusting
that at last everything will come right. So eager are
they for all possible investments that, as one said, "If
it were proposed to build a bridge to Tophet, the
shares would readily be taken up." But soon every
mercantile project so founded totters to its fall, and
great is the fall thereof.

Others, in their passion for sudden accumulation,
practise secret frauds, and imagine that there is no
harm in them, so long as they are undetected. But
in vain will they cover up their transgression, for God
sees it to the very bottom; and let them not hope to
keep it always from man.

In the long web of events, "be sure your sin will find you out." He who is carrying on a course of latent corruption and dishonesty-be he engaged in some mammoth speculation, or involved only in lesser private transactions-is sailing in a ship like that fabled one of old, which comes ever nearer and nearer to a magnetic mountain, that will at last draw every

With all thy getting get understanding.

Desire of having is the sin or covetousness.