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 not bear the truth, therefore the Jews (2 Chron. xxiv. 20, 21), conspired against him, and slew him; and there are those who, in the spiritual sense of the word, are in the constant endeavour to pervert and destroy the truth as it is in Jesus. It will be well if we are not of the number, for the crime is still committed, and the blood so shed will be required of this generation. Abel represents a state of love and charity; and to shed the blood of Abel, is to destroy the life of charity in the soul. Zacharias, as a teacher of truth, and abstractedly truth itself, has more immediate reference to the understanding; to shed the blood of Zacharias, therefore, is to destroy the life of truth in the soul. Now, the life which man receives from the Lord is twofold. The life of goodness, or charity, is represented by the blood of Abel; and the life of truth, or wisdom, is represented by the blood of Zacharias. Man has no greater enemies than his own evils and falses, and these reside with him; for "a man's greatest enemies are those of his own household." He reads the Word of divine Truth, and this Word convinces him of his evils; discovers their hideousness, and at the same time shews him how to dislodge them. But if he neglect the warning, and continue to cherish his evils, all the kindly affections, from the highest to the lowest, become gradually destroyed and slain, and wickedness reigns predominant in him. Then his evils seek for specious reasons to indulge themselves, and join with them falsehood and error; and thus is slain Abel, and all the good of love; Zacharias, and all the truth of doctrine; and the affections and thoughts, the will and the understanding, will be held responsible—required of this