sion of Him whom the Father heareth always. While we are chargeable with no outward idolatry, let us see to it that no heart idolatry can be laid to our charge. Is it not the case with

most remarkable that any professing to be Chris- | shaken, reliance on the mediation and intercestians, with all the Jewish idolatries before them, with all the fearful denunciations of heaven sounding in their ears, with the view of all the dread threatenings of the Almighty carried into effect, and professing a religion that is simple and spirit-many-is it not the case with us that the ual in its worship, should have been led into the same, and even grosser delusion; yet this is the case with the church of Rome. The time was when that church was distinguished for its purity and stedfastness; but now it has, through lapse of time, degenerated and sunk so fearfully, that its impurity and corruption is every where spoken of.

God has, however, expressed his abhorrence of all such practices as are inconsistent with spiritual worship. He is a Spirit, and must be worshipped in spirit and truth, and has told us that men worship him in vain when they teach for doctrines the commandments of men. He is a jealous God, his name is Jealous. The covenant he made with Israel was a marriage covenant. He regarded idolatry as adultery-his glory he would not give to another. We know what has befallen the Jews on account of their idolatry, and we know from the divine record what judgments are in store for the idolatrous church of Rome. 'Her plagues shall come in one day, death and mourning and famine; and she shall be utterly burnt with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.'

creature does usurp, and has obtained, in our affections, the place to which the Creator and Redeemer has a righteous claim? Pleasure in one form or other is hunted after as the chief good, the world in its different avenues is sought after as the better inheritance; and are not friends and children idolized and worshipped, while God is neglected, and neither loved nor adored supremely?

And oh, let it ever be remembered, that of the idolatry of the heart the Lord is most jealousthat he is grievously displeased with the giving that to another which he is most solicitous to retain! Has not the wrath of God been seen going forth against such idolaters? Neglect, and shame, and contempt, following those in a present life, who were worshippers of earthly honour and fame; poverty and want often assailing those who bowed at the shrine of mammon; disease and wretchedness covering those who made a god of their belly and gloried in their shame? And how often have we heard the mourner bewail that his gourd was smittenthat the idolized object of his affections, which stole away his heart from God, has been taken? Such is the manner in which the jealous God testifies his displeasure here; but, alas! if there is not a return to the living God, this is nothing but the prelude-the warning shower before the coming storm. Idolaters shall not inherit the kingdom of God-nay, they shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.

TWENTY-SECOND DAY.-EVENING.

We pretend not to worship any other God, save the Lord Jehovah; we profess not to seek to God through the mediation of any other, save the one Mediator betwixt God and man, the man Jesus Christ; we are not characterised by that idolatry that is chargeable on Jews, and the votaries of a degrading superstition. But is it not matter of deep lamentation, that, in this land of bibles and churches, on which the light of the Reformation has dawned, there are multitudes who pay to God no homage, who neither worship him in private nor in public, neither adore him in one form or other? Though there is a false worship to be avoided, there is a true 'But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy; and in thy fear will worship to be given. And oh, let not such I worship toward thy holy temple,' Ps. v. 7. neglecters, such despisers, imagine that they shall escape the righteous displeasure of God. THE house of prayer is the place to which the But then, while we do profess to honour God, longing eyes of the godly are directed, and their and worship him in the way he hath appointed ardent desires drawn. Whatever others may in his word, it is for us to inquire whether, in the do, says the pious soul, whatever may be their worship of God, the homage of the heart is given sources of enjoyment, whatever their places of -whether we draw near to him with a true heart, resort let them repair to the haunts of pleaand in the full assurance of faith-whether under sure, to the scenes of amusement, to the tents a deep sense of our own utter unworthiness and of wickedness, as for me, I will come into thy sinfulness, we do cherish an undivided, an un-house, I will worship towards thy holy temple.

-

A day spent there is better than a thousand any nothing but reverence and godly fear. What is where else. And why is it so? Just because it but a poor worm of the earth, a fallen, guilty, God is made known there; because the exercises that occupy him there, and the enjoyments that are tasted there, are suited to his renewed nature, and grateful to his spiritual taste.

upon

them to

polluted rebel falling prostrate before the great, the self-existent I AM, recognising its own nothingness, and Jehovah's greatness and glory? what is it but an acknowledging mercies, which There are different exercises and duties, in are wholly unmerited; confessing sins, which, but which we engage in the house of prayer, all need- for divine mercy, must have sunk it in perdition; ful, all important and essential, but worship is entreating for pardon and forgiveness, for which, the chief. Many may imagine that the preaching in itself, it has no plea; and, as a needy beggar, of the word, and listening to the words of life, are supplicating favours wholly of grace, and for the special duties of sabbath-day and sanctuary which it has nothing to give in return? Does service. They are imperative duties, and too this view of things bespeak any thing but the highly we cannot prize them. If we would most profound humility and godly fear? There grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord can be no worship without this frame of mind. and Saviour Jesus Christ, we must wait on God Devotion, without it, is a perfect contradiction. for the purpose of hearing what the Lord will 'God resisteth the proud, he seeth them afar off.' say to us; if we would hope to be sanctified and It may be the case, it is the case, that fools ripened for heaven, it must be by a preached rush in where angels fear to tread. Thoughtless gospel, by the operation of the truth on the inconsiderates, proud self-righteous spirits, come heart. These are duties, and eternally impor-into the divine presence, and take tant duties, but they are not the chief, the leading, duties of temple service. It is prayer and praise that form the acts of worship; and, therefore, they must be regarded as the chief and the most solemn duties to which we are summoned. In the reading and hearing of the word, God addresses us; we listen to him: but in the acts of prayer and praise, we lift our souls to God, we speak to the divine Majesty, we solicit the ear of the Hearer of prayer. And oh, in what an interesting and exalted position is the creature of a day placed, in these sacred exercises! He is, in this way, brought into close contact with the Almighty; he comes as into the immediate presence of God; if he feels aught, he realizes the divine presence, he places himself before God. He prays, and God hears; he asks, and God bestows; he confesses, and God forgives; he entreats, and God blesses.

speak unto the Lord in all the pride and vanity of their heart, without any feeling of solemnity. Such individuals are rejected, their sacrifices are an abomination in the sight of God! Oh, may I ever stand in awe, when sisted in God's immediate presence; and when brought into God's house of prayer, may I be enabled to make Jacob's words my own, How dreadful is this place, this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.

But who may venture into the divine presence who has confidence to come before God in the hope of acceptance? No man, relying on what he is, or what he has done, may stand in the holy place, and lift his eyes heavenward. Except we had seen a way to the holiest of all opened up, which was shut, we had no more dared to take one step into the awful presence of God, than to rush into the devouring flame. Our But in order that our worship may be profit- encouragement lies wholly out of ourselves— able and acceptable, we must take good heed to it is to be found in the mercy of God-'I will the spirit and frame of mind by which we are come in the multitude of thy mercy.' The mercy animated. Keep thy foot when thou goest to that is unbounded, the mercy that passeth all the house of God.' The spirit of reverence and understanding, is the foundation of our hope, godly fear must possess us, if we would serve and the source of our comfort, in every thing God with acceptance. 'In thy fear will I wor- wherein we have to do with God. Still, unlimited, ship,' says the Psalmist. If men were fully unmeasurable, as that mercy is in the divine aware what is meant by worship-if they bore mind, it can only be exercised in a righteous in mind what they themselves are, or if they way, it can only flow in a righteous channel, and reflected on the nature of that Being with whom that channel is Christ. Mercy, in all its various they have to do in worship, it would be impos- manifestations, reaches the sinner only through sible for any thing but humility, and reverence, Christ-Christ has sheathed the sword that and awe, to possess the heart in the acts of devo- guarded the approach to the tree of life-Christ tion. Prayer, in its varied acts, of adoration, hath opened up the way to the holiest of allthanksgiving, confession, and petition, bespeaks Christ has removed every obstacle, every middle

wall of partition, betwixt God and the believer | never to be heard or uttered but with feelings of -he is the way to the Father-through his profound reverence and awe. Accordingly it has blood we have boldness to enter into the holiest been recorded to the credit of a very eminent of all. Let our trust be placed on Christ-of Christian and learned philosopher, the honourable his righteousness let us make mention-and Mr Boyle, that the name of God was never with this way before us, sprinkled with Christ's uttered by him in conversation without his makblood, never let us doubt our being heard. The ing a pause before it, that he might thereby keep name of Christ is all-sufficient, all-prevalent. It alive in his own mind, and awaken in the minds has a charm that is resistless in heaven and on of others, the veneration that was due to the earth. Let us then come boldly to the throne of great Majesty of heaven and earth. Would that grace—let us draw near with true hearts in the we were similarly impressed, and that such a full assurance of faith. spirit was cherished by all. Whether such feelings and sentiments exist or not, Jehovah has a righteous claim to them; and if they do not exist, in as far as we are personally concerned, the Almighty has made himself known in vain. His character and attributes are revealed for the

TWENTY-THIRD DAY.-MORNING.

• 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,' Exod.

xx. 7.

THE first commandment respects the object of
worship, and guards the glory of Jehovah's
throne; the second respects the mode of worship,
and preserves the purity of the temple in which
he is adored; and the third respects the spirit of
worship, and secures the reverence due to Je-
hovah's name.
"Thou shalt not take the name
of the Lord in vain. By the name of God is
not meant any one special designation, but refers
to the various titles, attributes, and perfections
that he is pleased to assume. We know nothing
of God but as he has been pleased to reveal him-
self, and the ineffable glories of his name, his
nature and character, can only be discovered
by the contemplation and study of these in the
different ways by which he has made him-
self known. The divine excellencies are, indeed,
far above the full understanding and conception
of the finite mind, whether of angels or men; but
although this is the case, still God has not left
himself without a witness, both in regard to his
nature, his will, and his name.

Whatever be the names, the titles, the attri-
butes that God claims to himself, and by which
he is made known, he requires the holy and
reverend use of them all, and we ought to trem-
ble at the very thought of taking any of them
in vain. The Jews seem to have been peculiarly
solemnized by this commandment, although their
veneration for the name of Jehovah has been
marked by glaring superstition. It is said that
even to this day they never venture to utter the
name Jehovah.
Without entering into the views
of the Jews, that name, or any other by which this
glorious and awful Being is designated, ought

express purpose of interesting our minds and
affecting our hearts; and that in a way befitting
these perfections. Why is Jehovah revealed to
us as the Almighty, the all-glorious, the spot-
lessly pure God, but that we should be hum-
bled in his presence, and tremble at the very
thought of offending him. Why is he revealed as
the all-gracious, the all-faithful and true God, but
that we might be filled with gratitude and love,
with confidence and trust.
Spirit, who quickens and enlightens whom he
will, awaken in us those sentiments that are
becoming the creatures of Almighty power, the
monuments of divine mercy, and the subjects of
unmerited grace and love!

O may the divine

It might naturally be expected that the name of the supreme Being, and in whatever way made known, would be held in the greatest veneration by creatures who are privileged to call him Father, and who are entirely dependent upon him for everything connected with the life which now is, and that which is to come. But alas, alas! this is not the case; the Almighty may well say, in regard to many, 'If I then be a Father, where is mine honour? and if I be a Master, where is my fear? By everything is man attracted, but that in which the divine glory and his own eternal weal are concerned; to every idle tale will he lend a greedy ear, but he will not listen to that in which his everlasting peace is involved; to every object he will turn his eye with eager gaze, but that which raises the soul heavenward. The creature is venerated, but the Creator is disregarded. Innumerable are the ways in which this commandment is violated. Men profane the name of God when, adjured by the living God, they declare that to be truth which they know to be false-tney do abuse God's name, who in common conversation

allow their tongues to utter hideous oaths and
imprecations-they do abuse God's name who
employ any of his attributes, without any awe
of him upon their minds-they do abuse God's
name who think slightly and irreverently of it
without any suitable affection of soul-they do
abuse God's name who even in prayer make use
of it without reverential and solemn feeling of
heart-the name of God is profaned when his
ordinances are engaged in without becoming
humility, and not improved for the purpose for
which they were given-and they do grievously
profane God's name who hold up piety to ridi-
cule, and treat all that is sacred with contempt.
Such and many other things are what this
commandment prohibits. Fearful is the demerit
and criminality of this sin in its every form. No
guilt can be conceived greater, or even equal;
it is directed immediately against the great
I AM; it is an open contempt of his authority,
a dishonour done to his name, a disregard of his
every perfection, a setting the Almighty at de-
fiance, and a saying openly and fearlessly, Who
is the Lord, that we should fear, that we should
obey him?
O what heart does not bleed for the
prevalence of this sin! and what Christian does
not pray for the restraining of it? Awake,
awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord,
awake as in the ancient days, in the generations
of old.' This is a sin little thought of among
men, but highly criminal in the sight of God,
and he has taken the avenging of it into his own
hands: "The Lord will not hold him guiltless that
taketh his name in vain.'

TWENTY-THIRD DAY.-EVENING.

For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord,' Gen. xviii. 19. Of all duties, that of parents towards their offspring is the most important. It is the groundwork of after life, for good or for evil, for weal or for woe. It tells on the future prospects, the after happiness of the individuals of the rising generation; it tells on the interests of religion in coming time; it tells on the peace, and prosperity, and well-being of society of future days. Let parental tuition, parental instruction and example, be neglected, let the religion of the fire-side be suspended and disregarded; and to the extent that it is set aside will be the evil consequences flowing from it felt and visible in the domestic circle. Yea, as wave propels wave, and generation succeeds generation, the one influencing the other, so will the baneful effects of the neglect be transmitted and carried forward to latest time. By the disuse and deficiency of this first of means for impregnating the young mind, for the implanting, and spreading, and advancing the growth of religion and virtue, families that might have been the seed-plots of all that is holy, and pleasant, and beautiful, and blessed, have become the nurseries of vice, and wickedness, and misery. Whereas when children have been trained up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; have been taught to keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; when the principles of religion have been implanted in the youthful There are many, alas, who perceive not the mind; when the dwelling has become a Bethel, malignity and fearful criminality of this sin, and whence issue the voice of rejoicing and salvation, in their estimation little guilt attaches to it. It and when every thing that meets the eye and the is not so viewed by a holy, a righteous, and sin-ear is fitted to raise the thoughts heavenward, avenging God. Here, and in many parts of then the effect is most blessed and permanent. Scripture, he has expressed his abhorrence of it, and written over it the most dread denunciations. Human laws cannot reach all the profanations of God's name, and seldom are the laws against it put in execution. It shall not be so, however, with God. Even in a present life, the hand of God has made the blasphemer a signal monument of that power which he has defied, and that wrath he has insulted, and though the Almighty may bear and forbear here, yet the sinner shall not escape that wrath and indignation which he is treasuring up for himself against the day of wrath. Let blasphemers kiss the Son, lest he be angry and they perish; when his wrath is kindled but a little, blessed are all they that put their trust in him.'

We have recorded instances of the pernicious effects attending paternal neglect, and the want of parental restraint, in the case of Lot and Eli, when divine judgments overtook both parent and child, for the criminal failure in parental duty.

One of the leading sources whence have issued that overwhelming tide of insubordination, profligacy, and crime, against which all the terrors of law are but feeble restraints, is just the disregard of family religion, the neglect and letting down of family instruction and government, the grievous inattention of parents to their children, not caring for them in any other way than mere creatures of sense, entirely overlooking the training them up for the service of God here, and the enjoyment of God hereafter. O! what can be

expected of children in coming years, if there are that enriches must be sought, the sacrifice must not efforts made to eradicate those noxious weeds which grow so rank in the natural soil; nay, are not merely not uprooted, but cherished and strengthened by a mother's neglect, and a father's example; what can be expected but that these weeds shall grow up, and gain strength, and blossom, and bear seed, and shed their seed far and wide.