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American Sunday School Union,
Depository , 13 North 4th Stre> t
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THE
TE1T 0OMMANBM1NTS.
There is a law which Cod has writ,
To teach us all what we must do;
My soul lo his commands submit,
For they are holy, just, and true
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American Sunday School Union,
PHILADELPHIA
Depository, 148 Cheonut Street.
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Jesus said, “ Think not that I am come
to destroy the law or the prophets: f a .n
no. come to destroy, but to fulfil. For veri-
ly I say unto you, Till heaven and earth
pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise
pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Whoever therefore shall break one of these
least commandments, and shall teach men
so, he shall be called the least in the king¬
dom of heaven: but whosoever shall do
and teach them, the same shall be called
f^ e fo 1B ,n he kln S dom of heaven. Matt. v.
* *1 lo} ly,
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse
of the law. G«/.iii. 13.
I.
Thou shalt have no other gods
before me.
When we love any thing more than
doing the will of God, we break this com¬
mand. “Covetousness is Idolatry.*' Col.
in. 5.
There is a God that reigns above.
Lord of the heavens, earth and seas, ?
I fear his wrath, I ask his love,
, And with my lips 1 sing his prake.
II.
Thou shalt not make unto thee
any graven image, or any likeness
o| an v tiling that is in heaven above,
or that is in the earth beneath, or
tnar is in the water under the earth:
thou shalt not bow down thyself to
diem, nor serve them: for I the Lord
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thy God am a jealous God, visiting
the iniquity of the fathers upon the
children unto the third and fourth
generation of them that hate me;
and shewing mercy unto thousands
of them that love me, and keep my
commandments.
We are to worship God as Lord over all
things here and every where.—We are not
to worship saints or images, but to look to
Jesus Christ our Lord, who is one with the
Father, for pardon and salvation.
How glad the heathens would have been
That worshipp’d idols, wood, and stone.
If they the book of God had seen,
Or Jesus and his gospel known.
Then if this gospel I refuse,
flow shall I e'er lift up mine eyes,
For all the Gentiles and the Jews,
Against me will in judgment rise.
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III.
Thou shalt not take the name of
the Lord thy God in vain; for the
Lord will not hold him guiltless
that taketh his name in vain.
We arc forbidden to take the name of
Cod in vain. This means not only profane
cursing; and swearing, and false oaths, but
also a light and irreverent way of repeating
tiic name of the Lord, which is a breach of
tins command, and 44 the Lord will not hold
lnm guiltless that taketh his name in vain.”
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Alas! how wicked children dare
Abuse God's dreadful, glorious name;
And when they’re angry how they swear.
And curse their fellows and blaspheme.
How will they stand before thy face
Who treated thee with such disdain,
When thou shalt doom them to the place
Of everlasting fire and pain ?
If my companions grow profane,
111 leave their friendship when I hear
Young sinners take thy name ic vain,.
And learn to aur«e and learn to swear.
IV.
Remember the sabbath-day, to
keep it holy. Six days slialt thou
labour, and do all thy work: but
the seventh day is the sabbath of the
Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not
do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor
thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor
thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle,
nor thy stranger that is within thy
gates: for in six days the Lord
made heaven and earth, the sea, and
all that in them is, and rested the
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\ seventh day; wherefore the Lord
' blessed the seventh day, and hal¬
lowed it.
The Sabbath-day is to be kept as a day
of rest from earthly cares and worldly em¬
ployments, that we may attend to the con*
( cerns of our souls. In this “ one thing
needful” the day should be spent, and as
much as possible every thing of a contrary
nature should be abstained from.
This is the day when Jesus broke
The pow’rs of death and hell,
And shall I still wear Satan's yoke,
And love my sins so well ?
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V.
Honour thy father and thy mo¬
ther; that thy days may be long in
the land which the Lord thy God
giveth thee.
This is a commandment 44 with promise
for a blowing is promised to those who
honour their parents. If we behave un¬
kindly, or without due respect to them, we
break this command.
Let children that would fear the Lord,
Hear what their teachers say ;
With rev'rencc meet their parents’ word,
And with delight obey.
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VI.
Thoushalt not kill.
We are told to love our neighbour as
ourselves.
Anger, selfishness, envy, revenge, pride,
railing words, with many other like things,
lead to quarrels and even to murder. They
are all forbidden by this command.
Hard names at first, and threatening words,
That are but noisy breath.
May grow to clubs and naked swords,
To murder and to death.
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VII. |
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
By this commandment all filthy words
and actions are forbidden, and all improper
books. The more we read the Bible the
less we shall like foolish or wicked books.
1 hate to hear a wanton song,
Their words offend my ears ;
I should not dare defile my tongue,
With language such as theirs.
VIII.
Thou shalt not steal.
By tills commandment, not only open
violence and secret theft are forbidden,
but also all fraud and deceit. “ Therefore,
all things whatsoever ye would that men
should do to you, do ye even so to them ”
Matt. vii. 12. '
1 is u foolish self-deceiving,
!>y such tricks to hope (or gain;
AH that’s ever got by thieving,
Turns to sorrow, shame and pain..
14
Thou shalt not bear false witness
against thy neighbour.
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This commandment forbids all deceit,
lies and falsehood, all slander, evil speaking*,
and evil reports.
Our tongues were made to bless the Lord,
And not speak ill of men ;
When others give a railing word,
We must not rail again.
I
15
Thou shalt not covet thy neigh¬
bour’s house, thou shalt not covet
thy neighbour’s wife, nor Iris man¬
servant, nor his maid-servant, nor
his ox, nor his ass, ner any thing
that is thy neighbour’s.
We are not only forbidden to do wrong,
but we must not evon desire what is not
our own.
Godliness with contentment is great gain.
1 Tim . vi. 6.
Guard my heart, O God of heaven,
Lest 1 covet what’s not mine.
Lest I take what is not given;
Guard my heart and hands from sin.
1G
l'he Ten Commandments.
I. Thou shalt have no God but me.
Before no idol bow thy knee.
3. Take not the name oi God in vain.
4. Nor dare the Sabbath-day profane.
5. Give both thy parents honour due.
t>. Take heed that thou no murder do.
7. Abstain from words and deeds unclean.
3. Nor steal, though thou art poor and
mean.
9. Make not a wilful lie, nor love it.
10. \\ hat is thy neighbour's dare not covet,
The Sum of the Commandments.
With all thy soul love God above,
And as thyself thy neighbour love.
A LARGE ASSORTMENT
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