Surely he will call it taking His Name in vain. Then this brings us upon the Third Commandment, for breaking of which we shall die. It is not then a little thing to take that Name in vain, against which there is a special command. No; besides, the Lord, as if to remind us doubly of the penalty, adds to this more than to the others, " For the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His Name in vain." Now it seems to me, that the Lord is very jealous of His great Name, and that it must be a great commandment to have this double denunciation of wrath upon it, and is certainly comprehended in what the Lord Jesus himself called the greatest commandment of all-To love the Lord, our God with all our heart and mind, and soul and strength.

Again he paused and at last, raising his eyes, and looking at me, he said, Henry, a thought just occurs to me, that this important commandment stands placed in a very peculiar situation :observe the order of the commandments. The First commands us to have none other gods but He; and the Second commands that we shall not make any representations for worship of such

things, because I the Lord thy God am a jealous God: and then comes the Third, following these as a warning to those who own no other God, neither make to themselves idols, but confessing the one only True God, and chastely adhering to the worship of Him alone, shall yet be warned to take heed that that Name be not lightly, profanely, or blasphemously, used, for if they who broke the two first were guilty, neither should he be held guiltless who, though owning One only Name, should use it without reverence and devotion. Thus they seem to say-First, Thou shalt have but one God-Second, Therefore beware of making to thyself other gods-and Third, Be mindful also that my Name be held in sacred remembrance, for we are to sanctify the Lord God in our hearts.

The idea was striking, and seemed to have interested the attention of our friend intensely; for though Charles now paused, as if he had concluded his remarks, he seemed to wait in eager expectation for what more might be said. As we all remained silent, Charles turned to him, and said, Forgive me, my dear Sir, if I call a remark of yours to your

recollection. Did you not say you wished you might never have a worse sin to answer for? I believe you did. But if you take my view of the subject, I think you will no longer place it in a comparative light, with the object of making it better, or no worse, than others.

This direct application seemed to excite a little commotion, for the prophet's conviction, "Thou art the man, is strongly repugnant to us all, being by nature self-justifying, and too proud to confess a fault. But as my friend continued to fix his eye upon him, as expressive of waiting an answer, he rather awkwardly said, as he played with his fork,

I really do not know-I-suppose not. But, assuming a higher tone, he added, I cannot help thinking you are a little hard upon me, for you must remember

this is the first time I have had the sub- ́ ject presented to my mind, and not meaning harm, I still think I may be

excused.

Pardon me, he replied, I would not offend-I speak merely as a matter of conscience, upon the plain meaning of the command of God, without any pre

suming intention to sit as a judge on any man; but I cannot help thinking, when we say we mean no harm, or we mean nothing, or we use the sacred Name merely as a rhetorical ornament, we condemn ourselves out of our own mouth, and make a positive acknowledgment without intending it, that we are absolutely breaking the Third Commandment —that is, using the Name of God in vain.

Enough, enough, he answered, You are a good preacher, and, Felix like, I could say, I will hear thee further on this matter when I have a convenient

season.

The asperity of the tone with which this was said, led me to think the subject had been pressed far enough at that moment, and I was sure an arrow had fixed from the quiver of the Lord, which, however painful at first, would afterwards prove a wholesome discipline, for made too deep an impression to be tily forgott versatic

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Then why, dear child, when surprised, did you immediately after say, "My goodness!" You contradicted me directly, and set up your goodness, as though you would not believe God's word.

O, I did not mean to contradict you, did I, mamma? Do not we often say so? Were you angry with me for that?

I cannot say I was angry, Harriet, but I was grieved in my heart, because I love God's holy Name, and I love your soul, and I do not like to hear you either speaking a lie, or breaking the Third Commandment.

How did I do that?

You spoke a lie if you meant to talk of your goodness, of which you have none, for in you, the Scripture says, that is, in your flesh, dwelleth no good thing. Or if you did you ought to know it, is a title given to God, that Name in vain, for think of God.

but know it, and "My Goodness" and so you took you did not even

I never thought of that, Charles, said her mamma. But now you mention it, I recollect David's beautiful address to God, in the 144th Psalm, where he blesses God.