religion, that the third commandment was given. It teaches that the name of the Lord our God ought to be taken, but it must not be taken in vain ;-it also contains the sentence of the Lawgiver and Judge on those who do take his name in vain.

First. THE NAME OF THE LORD OUR GOD OUGHT TO BE TAKEN:-uttered, and solemnly used.

The revelations of God ought to be the theme of reflection; for it is with a view to the holy and happy consequences resulting from such an employment of the thoughts that these revelations have been given. What is the condemnation of the wicked?— "God is not in all his thoughts." What is the character of the devout?-"The desire of our soul is towards thy name." Out of the heart are the issues of life; and it is by having the mind occupied with God as he has revealed himself, that security is provided for the truth and the sanctity of the whole character. But it is especially in our social capacity that we are commanded to use the name of the " Lord our God." This is to be done by conversation,-by worship,-by oaths, by the profession of religion,—and, in some cases, by writings.

I. We are to use the name of the Lord our God in CONVERSATION.

The Hebrews were commanded not only to think of the things which God had revealed to them, but to talk of them. It is the natural consequence of having the heart affected with right views of God to "speak of the glory of his kingdom, and to talk of his mighty power." To "speak on God's behalf" is surely very obvious, and, to those who love him and keep his commandments, a very delightful duty.

In every circle of society, and in all the intercourse of life, opportunities for the discharge of this duty are frequently occurring. It is true that much circumspection, humility, temper, prudent regard to seasons and circumstances are requisite; yet, instead

of regarding this as an excuse for neglect or indifference, these requisites ought to be cultivated for the sake of discharging this duty. When you hear errors advanced, which you know to be dishonourable to God, you must endeavour to correct them. When you hear imputations cast upon the character of God, you must, with the meekness of wisdom, and with zeal according to knowledge, expose their wickedness and falsehood. When you hear inquiries that indicate the openings of a mind that seeks to be acquainted with God, you must attempt to answer them according to the truth of Scripture. When the honest difficulties of another on subjects relating to the divine administrations are laid before you, you must do your utmost to unravel them. If your delight is, as it ought to be, in the "excellent of the earth," you will often listen to the testimonies of their admiration and gratitude,-their veneration and love to the name of God, as endeared to them by their own experience and enjoyment. With the spirit of these you may sympathize: to their testimonies you must add your own; and their hearts and your's must be united, while you take the name of the Lord your God.

If the tongue is the glory of our nature;-if life and death are in its power;-if the gift of speech, and the blessings of social life, to which it is essentially subservient, come from God, and are designed for the promotion of his own honour;-how clear, how solemn, how practicable is the duty now before us! "Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh." Remember what is said of the people who spake often one to another in those degenerate days, in which the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of piety were lingering and expiring together on the threshold of the temple: "And the Lord hearkened, and heard; and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and thought upon his name."

When Jesus talked with the daughter of Samaria

at Jacob's well,-dispelling her ignorance, silencing her prejudices, awakening her convictions, encouraging her inquiries,-it was all on this fundamental principle, the nature, the character, the name of the "Lord our God;"-and while thus employed, he was doing the will of him who sent him ; practically interpreting the law for our instruction, as well as obeying it for the justification of "them that believe." And oh! what enlarged and animating disclosures of "the name of God" were those which he was giving to the favoured two that journeyed with him to Emmaus, when their minds had no repose, and their thoughts no utterance, till he vanished from their sight, and, in mutual ecstacy they said, "Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked with us by the way, and opened to us the Scriptures?"

II. The name of the Lord" must be used in WORSHIP.

The intimate relation of the commandments of the first table to each other is sensibly perceived when we notice how solemn a reference there is in each of them to the obligations of worship. They all proceed upon the principle,—that worship is an essential duty. They require, not only that every being besides the Lord our God should be excluded from that supreme place in our affections, which is to be occupied by the object of our worship, and that no institutions but, those which he appoints, shall be observed in the performance of his worship; but likewise, that in the discharge of this highest of all duties, we should use the name of the Lord our God. To engage with suitable dispositions and desires in his sacred service, is calling on the name of the Lord. It is an acknowledgment of the perfections of his character, and of the relations he sustains to us. It is the avowal of our allegiance to his government. It is the prostration of the soul before him in reverence and with godly fear. It is the surrendering of ourselves to his disposal. It is the

near contemplation of his revealed nature, producing self-abasement, awe, gratitude, penitence, confidence, and devotion. It is the approach of the heart to God, through the medium of his own appointment,—a medium, without which we could not worship ONE who is "glorious in holiness,"-without which our service could not be accepted by Him, "whose name is jealous."

Though it belongs not to our present plan to explain the peculiarities of the Hebrew ritual, it is in this place necessary to remark, that the ritual was a part of God's manifestation of himself. It was intended to promote among the people the most impressive views of the majesty and purity, the truth and benevolence, of his character;-to awaken and to direct their hopes to him who was to come as the Mediator between God and man;-to make them feel that their distinct existence as a nation, and their spiritual interests as individuals, were alike dependent on the mercy of God;-to convince them of their impurity and guilt, in every violation of his righteous law;-to teach them, "that without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins;" that without holiness no man shall see the Lord;and, by all these means, to draw them to himself, in the spirit of repentance, faith, and hope, that they might obtain forgiveness, and be "cleansed from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, and perfect holiness in the fear of God."

66

The same discovery of the mind of God is more fully developed in the "dispensations of the Spirit," under which it is our privilege to be placed. We are encouraged to come boldly to the throne of grace and the apostles of Christ assure us, that 'through him we have access by one spirit to the Father." Now, it is by coming to God, whose name is "LovE," through the faith of Christ, relying on the Spirit which helpeth our infirmities, and cherishing the views, convictions, and feelings, which the revelations of the divine character in the gospel

were intended to excite ;-it is by thus coming to him take the name of the Lord our God" in

that we 66

worship.

We know that social worship is perfectly congenial with the spirit of true religion; and, from its influence on our sympathies and affections, it deepens the principle, and confirms the habits, of personal obedience to the will of God. Its effects, when conducted according to the Scriptures, on the happiness of families, the prosperity of churches, and the peace of society, are so obvious and abundant as to need no illustration.

III. We are to take the name of the Lord our God in OATHS.

An oath is a religious solemnity. The legitimate and reverent use of this solemnity is honourable to God, being an acknowledgment of his presence, his truth, and his supreme authority. To take his name in this final appeal, is to avow that he is the object of our worship, the Lord of our consciences, and the judge of our thoughts. In agreement with these principles, we find God thus commanding his people: "In all things that I have said unto you be circumspect, and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of your mouth. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name." The same principles explain the prophecies," He that sweareth in the earth, shall swear by the God of Truth;" and, "It shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, 'the Lord liveth,' as they taught my people to swear by Baal, then shall they be built in the midst of my people."

On very peculiar occasions, the prophets of the Lord employed this awful method of appeal to him who sent them; and they were moved by the spirit that was in them to represent the MOST HIGH as swearing by himself,-an infinitely decisive confirmation of the most weighty truths.

From the degeneracy of the Jewish people in