but who will assert, that there is any pleasure in an oath ?-Or that, in the whole extent of language, the only words capable of communicating satisfaction, are those which are not only coarse, and vulgar, but shocking not only shocking, but irreligious, blasphemous, and bad. To take the Lord's name in vain, is to incur guilt without delight; and to violate a solemn commandment of God, merely that every one who hears us may conceive a low opinion of our manners, our education, and our understanding.

It is with small vices as with trifling complaints of the body; they become dangerous, only because they are neglected. From the age of innocence, when we look at the extremes of human depravity, the distance appears immense; we say, there is a great gulph between us ;-my soul can never be darkened with such crimes as these; I shall go down to my grave in innocence and peace.--In the mean time, the descent from one step to another is short, and gentle, and we arrive at the dis

tant goal, betrayed by the artful transition. We should take up the task of amendment, where it is most likely to be attended with success; to struggle with great vices is always difficult, sometimes, I am afraid, hopeless; in checking the vice of swearing, we are destroying the seeds of unrighteousness, and cherishing that feeling of sanctity which is the parent of every good; hereafter, when our religious feelings are blunted and worn away, when our minds are prepared for the reception of every vice, we shall find it too late to keep holy the name of the Lord our God;-too late to remember, that they are not guiltless who take his name in vain.

Whatever rules any man may chuse to apply to himself, he will not deny, that it is his duty to watch, with the most pious care, the first appearances of this dangerous vice in the minds of children; that a young person, at least, should be taught never to pronounce the name of God, but with feelings of pious gratitude, and unbounded veneration; never, without remembering that God breathed into him the breath

of life; that, at his will, that breath still hangs in his nostrils; that in a moment, his soul may be taken from him; and that he may be called before the throne of that being, whose power nothing can resist; and from whose wisdom nothing remains concealed. The youth who has these feelings, is safe from all flagrant, and enormous crimes; in the moment of temptation, he flies to them as to the horns of the altar; and, in the day of his adversity, they are his stoney rock, his buckler, and his shield.

4

It is very striking, in our perusal of the scriptures, to remark the awful manner in which the name of God is mentioned; and the noble images, and allusions, with which it is surrounded, and hallowed: Moses says, that it is eternal, everlasting, not to be changed. Solomon, calls it the frontlet to his eyes; Isaiah says, it is the tower of his heart.-Zechariah, calls it a wall of fire.-Joel, and Amos, and Haggai,

say

it is a miracle, and a glory, and a burning light. Prophets, lawgivers, and sacred kings bless it; the worst only, and the lowest of men, revile it, and trample it in the

dust. This is the way that common minds speak of the first and great cause of all; but David says, that when he called upon God, the earth shook, and trembled; that the very foundations of the hills were shaken. He bowed the Heavens, and came down; darkness was under his feet; he rode upon a cherubin;-he did fly upon the wings of the wind; he made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him was dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies. The Lord also thundered in the Heavens, and the highest gave his voice. Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered. At thy rebuke, oh God; at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.-This is not mere imagination, but wise, and instructive piety; the loftiest flight, and the boldest epithet has its use; whatever exalts the Deity, enforces obedience to his laws; whatever degrades his name, renders it more probable, that his commandments will not be observed.

It is a vast advantage to keep in the heart a pure image to look at,-something which is free from every stain of mortal

frailty; and which we may follow, though at a distance immeasurable, and imitate, though in dimness, and obscurity; for this reason, the thought of God is to be fenced about with every care; it is not to be called forth for the purposes of any evil passion, or to gratify rash intemperance, or to give dignity to insignificance. It is to be reserved for stupendous affliction, poured forth in eminent distress, appealed to before grave tribunals, and pronounced with solemn devotion, when the dearest interests of mankind are at stake. God has given us his name as a support to human laws, as a security to human happiness; it is so great and serious a possession, the use of it is of such vast importance, that the law takes it to itself, and pronounces it to be an offence against the public to use it, but in prayer. And the law does this very justly, reasoning after this manner; that by the use of God's name contracts are ratified; by that pledge, men bind themselves to the performance of high duties; recompence is awarded; and crimes are punished. From a confidence that the name of God will not be taken in vain ; so to take it, is to weaken one of the props