fact and continuedly doing that you dare not resolve to do; the past year proves it, and the present hath not produced, nor is likely to produce, anything to the contrary.

What use shall we make now of past experience? Shall we not humble our souls? and shall not what lies so immediately behind and before us quicken us to do so? Let us proceed then in the work proposed. The two first commandments have been already opened and applied in the method designed. Proceed we now to the

Third commandment, 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.' -The name of the Lord, though it signify properly and strictly any of his titles, such as Jehovah, Lord, God, yet, inasmuch as names only serve to distinguish persons, we must understand hereby God himself, his majesty, being, and perfections. Thou shalt not take his name, that is, thou shalt not touch or meddle with God, or anything whereby he is known as persons are by their names. Thou shalt not touch and meddle therewith in vain, in a vain manner, for no cause, and upon light occasion. The sense of the commandment is this: "We must not in our ordinary conduct and conversation behave ourselves dishonourably to that God whom we solemnly take to be our God, according to the first commandment, and whom we profess to be our God by the public worship we pay him, according to the second commandment; but our whole conduct and conversation in the world must be such as doth reverently set forth and tend to promote his glory." In short, in word and deed we must behave in such manner as shall be to the glory of God's name: when we do not say and do everything which may promote God's honour, as well as when we say or do anything contrary to his honour, we are guilty of taking his name in vain. Let us come therefore to inquiry under these two heads, whether in word or conduct we have taken God's name in vain. And,

I. In word. Has our conversation been always such, as that therein there was never anything dishonourable to his glory, and always everything suited to do him honour?

First. Has there been nothing dishonourable to God upon our lips? The Apostle St. James saith, The tongue is

world of iniquity, an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.' Let us look into the use we have made of this member.-Have we profaned God's name, taking it in our mouths lightly, irreverently, and without design of doing him honour? This is the manner of too many to abuse that sacred name in horrid imprecations, and curses, and appeals to God, in every and no cause; as it is also the manner of many more to use familiarly God's name in almost every sentence they speak; and in the mean time both are ready with excuse, the one is provoked or does it inconsiderately, the other insists there is no great harm in it; how truly, let this third commandment determine.-Have you never treated irreligiously God's word, and the truths it contains? And this, whether by disputing against what it saith, or by indecently using the expressions of it? It is the way of some to dispute against what, for manifest reasons, they care not to believe; and of others, with as great ill manners as ungodliness, to clothe their idle jests over a glass in Scripture language. — Have you never spoken lightly of God's ordinances, his day, sacraments, and other parts of his worship, and especially the preaching of the word, wherein we are most apt to offend, because it comes to us through the hands of men? But it must be remembered that as the word is God's, so is the ministration of it God's ordinance. And therefore Christ saith, He that despiseth you despiseth me. To speak against what a minister saith from God's word is not to speak against the man, but directly against God;† and to speak against the free enforcements, exhortations, and applications he makes of God's word, is directly to speak against the faithful execution of God's ordinance. -Have you never spoken rashly of God's people; too hastily judging and censuring them; too readily receiving and propagating evil reports concerning them; running them down for their infirmities, and giving a malicious turn to their graces; and so miscalling the profession of Christ and his word by the odious name of hypocrisy, as to discourage and discountenance it ?— Have you never spoken disrespectfully of God's providence and grace; in the day of your distress cursing the day you were ↑ See 1 Thess. iv. 8.

* Luke x. 16.

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born,* and complaining with Cain that your punishment was more than you could bear,† contending that none was ever visited as you; and in the day of your prosperity ascribing all to yourself, saying, in the forbidden language, My power and the might of my hand hath gotten me this wealth,' or 'for my righteousness' hath the Lord done such and such things for me?— Have you never spoken dishonourably of God's promises? Faith brings glory to God, when our expressions are full of confidence in his care and protection, according to his word. Perhaps there is hardly a greater instance of this than in that of Job, Though he slay me, yet will I put my trust in him ?'S Whereas, when we are crying out, Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore ?' we bring disrepute on his faithfulness and truth in the face of those that hear us. From such circumstances as these we may see if we have not spoken unadvisedly and dishonourably to God with our lips. But further,

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Secondly. Has our conversation been always not only not dishonourable, but such as in everything was suited to glorify God? Have we always in circumstances required spoken for God? 'I will speak of thy testimonies,' says the Psalmist, 'before kings, and will not be ashamed.'** Hath this been always our case? What! have we never been ashamed, and spoke (to say the most) but by halves, disgracing the truth by not freely and fully declaring it? Have we never spoke more in conformity with the times and the company than we ought ?— Yea, but is there not also such a thing as sinful silence? a holding the peace altogether even from good? and are we not chargeable with it? I read of Christ, that, when himself was reviled, persecuted, accused, he answered not so much as a word; but when God's truth was in question, or the cause of God dishonoured, then it was, Wo unto you Scribes, wo unto you Pharisees, wo unto you lawyers !'++ Just the reverse of what we do, who are warm and contentious for ourselves, and silent for God.-Alas! what day, what hour, what company, doth not convict us of opportunities passed by wherein we might have said something, or something more than we did, for God? And to Job iii. 1-3. + Gen. iv. 13. Deut. viii. 17-ix. 4. § Job xiii. 15. Psalm lxxvii. 8. ** Psalm cxix. 46. ++ Matt. xxiii. 13.

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speak now of the general use of the tongue: what has been your general conversation? Has it not often been trifling, insignificant, unprofitable? Who have been your familiar acquaintance? and what has your conversation together usually turned upon ? Has it been anything to the glory of God, directly or indirectly? If not, are you guilty or not guilty of opposing the design of this commandment? Our Lord saith, We shall give account of every idle word at the day of judgment,** that is, of every unprofitable word, which is inconsistent with the character and conduct of a Christian: and then what cause have we every one to cry out, God be merciful to me a sinner!'-Also, when we have been speaking of God, have we always done it with all that reverence which became us towards him, so as to exalt him, and express a lively sense upon our hearts of his being that glorious God we say he is? When we have spoken of his justice, have our tongues expressed a becoming dread; when of his holiness, a becoming shame; when of his grace and love, a becoming gratitude; when of his faithfulness, a becoming confidence; when of his greatness, a becoming humility? Have we as we ought exalted God in his works, his word, his providence, his judgments, his mercies, while we have been speaking of them, whether they regarded the world in general, or ourselves in particular? Under whatever dispensations we at any time have been, have we made it our endeavour so to speak as to give glory to his justice, or mercy, or patience, as the case was? In a word, have we in all our conversations exalted God as we ought, considered as a great and gracious Maker, Redeemer, and Sanctifier?

These hints may serve to show you what guilt you may have contracted by taking God's name in vain by word. So I go on to inquire,

II. Whether in conduct you have not been guilty of taking God's name in vain. And here also we must search again into the negative and positive side of the question.

First.-Negatively: Has there been nothing in your conduct disgraceful and dishonourable to that Jehovah whose servant you profess yourself to be? You may remember what was Nathan's parting word to David, 'Because by this deed thou

Matt. xii. 36.

hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die."* David's conduct in the matter of Bathsheba had given the enemies of the Lord great handle to speak evil of and run down the good ways of the Lord. The question is, whether we have not done so likewise? Indeed we all have been guilty, as will appear by a review of our conduct, both in our general callings as Christians, and in our special callings in that state of life in which the providence of God hath placed us.

Consider your general calling as Christians; have you done nothing dishonourable to the name of Jesus therein? Looking back on your past years, can you say, I am pure from the blood of all men ;'t my conduct at no time hath strengthened the hands of wickedness, and given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme? Recollect the various periods and passages of your life, your younger and your riper years, the places you have lived in, and the persons who have been privy to your conduct, and try if, with St. Paul, you can appeal to all these things, and say, 'Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily, and justly, and unblamably, I behaved myself among you?' Have you in no instances, at no time, set before the world an example dishonourable to your Lord?. What! did you never show forth any pride, conceit, and vanity; any anger, envy, resentment, malice, or evil speaking; any conformity with the ways and maxims of the wicked, doing as others, following the multitude, and refusing to be particular? Have neither the honour, esteem, nor interest of the world, ever had undue influence on your conduct? Did the world never see you step into indulgence in meat, drink, or apparel? never yielding to sloth, idleness, and pleasure; at no time trespass the bounds of decency and modesty in word or deed? never giving countenance to the abuse of the sabbath and God's worship? What! have you never given encouragement to evil, in all the places where you have been, and among all the persons with whom you have conversed? Search rather and see in how many particulars, perhaps for how many years, your conduct has been inconsistent with, and dishonourable to, that holy name whereby you are called. Nor shall we need look far back; the traces behind us 1 Thess. xi. 10.

* 2 Sam. xii. 14.

† Acts xx. 26.