The unthankful are the unholy. 2 Tim. iii. 2. Offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually. Heb. xiii. 15. Bless God for your "creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all, for his inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ;" and "show forth his praise not only with your lips, but in your lives." 3. "To call upon him." Isa. lv. 6. A great many promises that our prayers shall be heard are contained in the Scriptures. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer. Isa. lviii. 9. Before they call I will answer. Isa. lxv. 24. Call unto me, and I will answer thee. Jer. xxxiii. 3. Ask, and it shall be given you. Matt. vii. 7. Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Rom. x. 13. Adopt David's determination. I will call upon him as long as I live. Ps. cxvi. 2. 4. "To honour his holy word." Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. Ps.cxxxviii, 2. Thy word is truth. John xvii. 17. How are we to honour God's holy word? By hearing it. I will hear what God the Lord will speak. Ps. lxxxv. 8. By reading it. Search the Scriptures. John v. 39. By meditating on it. Thy word have I hid in my heart. Ps. cxix. 11. That I might meditate in thy word. Ps. cxix. 148. 5. "To serve him truly all the days of our life.' 99 Ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him. Deut. xiii. 4. Serve him in sincerity and in truth-as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. Josh. xxiv. 14, 15. Serve the Lord with all your heart, serve him in truth. 1 Sam. xii. 20. 24. Serve him with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind. 1 Chron. xxviii. 9. Serve the Lord with fear. Ps. ii. 11. If any man serve me, him will my Father honour. John xii. 26. His servants shall serve him. Rev. xxii. 3. How is this Commandment enforced? 1. God reminds us of his sovereignty-"I the Lord." 2. He mentions his right over us-"Thy God." He is our God; and we are the people of his pasture. Ps. Xcv. 6, 7. Thy Maker is thy husband. Isa. liv. 5. 3. He professes himself "a jealous God;" and as he will not give, neither will he suffer us to give, his praise to images. The Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God. Exod. xxxiv. 14. Deut. iv. 24. They provoked him to jealousy, and he abhorred them. Deut. Xxxii. 16-19. If we have stretched out our hands to a strange God, shall not God search this out? Ps. xliv. 20, 21. Idolaters are called haters of God, in the same way that a wife would be supposed to hate her husband, when she preferred any worthless stranger to him. And God declares, that he so hates idolatry, that he not only visits this sin on those that commit it, but upon their children to the third and fourth generation, by sending them poverty, and sickness, and other afflictions. And this is perfectly consistent with his justice: for as children are partakers of the temporal blessings which God frequently bestows on parents for their obedience to his commandments; it is but right that they should also be made to share in those temporal privations and afflictions which the disobedience of their parents has brought upon them. But God will by no means visit children with eternal punishment for any sins of their parents. Indeed, such corrections may eventually be blessings, by reminding them continually of the sins of their forefathers, and leading them to forsake them. This may also be considered as an appeal to the compassion of parents, in order to prevent them from committing sin, by reminding them of the consequences they may thereby justly expect to bring upon their offspring. God declared to Abram, that in the fourth generation his seed should come to Canaan again; for the iniquity of the Amorites was not yet full. Gen. xv. 16. I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt, (Exod. xvii. 8-16,) now (viz. 450 years afterwards) Saul was ordered to go and smite Amalek. 1 Sam. xv. 2, 3.-See also Deut. xxv. 17-19. God struck David's child with death for the father's sin. 2 Sam. xii. 14. Vengeance on Ahab's family on account of their father's guilt, foretold by Elijah. 1 Kings xxi. 21, 22. 2 Kings ix. 7, 8. Hezekiah's sons were sent into captivity for their father's sin. Isa. xxxix. 2. 7. The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked. Prov. iii. 33. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father. Ezek. xviii. 20. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. Matt. xxiii. 32. The blood of all the prophets shall be required of this generation. Luke xi. 50, 51. 5. He declares that he has abundant mercy in store for them that worship him in sincerity and truth; even mercy for thousands in them that love him and keep his command ments. Because Phinehas was zealous for my sake, he shall have, and his seed after him, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood. Num. xxv. 11-13. The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness upon children's children. Ps. ciii. 17. If ye love me, keep my commandments. John xiv. 15. Keep this commandment by worshipping God in the way he has appointed, both in public and in private, giving him hearty and unfeigned thanks for all his mercies to you, spiritual and temporal; and culling upon him continually and fervently for all things that are necessary both for your souls and bodies. Remember, also, to honour his holy word by listening attentively when it is read and explained at Church, and by your teachers; and by searching the Scriptures, and by meditating on them daily in private. Remember, that mere formal devotion will avail you nothing with God, who is a Spirit, and must be worshipped in spirit and in truth. Give yourselves up to him, therefore, with sincerity of heart, "serving him truly all the days of your life." 13th Sunday after Trinity.-Grant that we may so faithfully serve thee in this life, that we fail not finally to attain thy heavenly promises. ON THE COMMANDMENTS. $ 4. THIRD COMMANDMENT. WHAT is 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 What is meant by the name of God? Not only any of the titles given to God in the Scriptures, but whatever describes his nature and perfections. That thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, The Lord thy God. Deut. xxviii. 58. Blessed be thy glorious name. Neh. ix. 5. Let them that love thy name be joyful in thee. Ps. v. 11. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name. Ps. xxix. 2. Not unto us, O Lord, but unto thy name give glory. Ps. cxv. 1. And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name. Luke xxiv. 47. To them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. John i. 12. What is forbidden by this Commandment? 1. All irreverent use of the sacred name of God. Holy and reverend is his name. Ps. cxi. 9. Thine enemies take thy name in vain. Ps. cxxxix. 20. Where is my fear?-O priests that despise my name. Mal. i. 6. Some people foolishly suppose, that by using other names in their oaths and exclamations, instead of God's, they avoid breaking this commandment. But this is a vain supposition. Swearing by them that are no gods is worse than swearing by God. Make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth. Exod. xxiii. 13. A Christian ought not to swear at all on ordinary occasions his simple declaration is sufficient. Let your communication be, yea, yea; nay, nay; for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil, (or of the evil one.) Matt. v. 37. 2. Blasphemy or speaking evil of God. He that blasphemeth the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death. Lev. xxiv. 16. A blasphemer punished with death. Lev. xxiv. 11. 23. Out of the heart proceed blasphemies. Matt. xv. 19. Mark vii. 22. 9. 11. 21 We are not only to avoid blaspheming ourselves, but many cautions are contained in the Bible against giving others occasion to blaspheme. 3. Perjury, which is the capital transgression of the third commandment. This sin consists in appealing to the omniscient God for the truth of what a person asserts, when he knows it to be false. Ye shall not swear by my name falsely. Lev. xix. 12. shall the land mourn. Hos. iv. 2, 3. Therefore [A curse] shall enter into the house of him that sweareth falsely. Zech. v. 4. I will be a swift witness against false swearers. Mal. iii. 5. 4. Rash swearing, and profane swearing. Because of swearing the land mourneth. Jer. xxiii. 10. Swear not at all: neither by heaven; for it is God's throne; nor by the earth; for it is his footstool. Matt. v. 34-37. Wo unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing, &c. Whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it; and by him that dwelleth therein. And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon. Matt. xxiii 16-22. Above all things, swear not; neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea, be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation. James v. 12. It is shocking to think of the awful frequency of this sin. We can scarcely pass along the streets without hearing it committed and yet its folly is so evident, that we may well wonder how any but a madman can be addicted to it. Those who are guilty of it, pray, in effect, that they may be deprived of eternal happiness, and plunged into eternal misery. The custom is inexcusable: it is irrational and profane, and gives neither pleasure nor profit. 5. Cursing; which consists in calling down mischief upon a person, or wishing evil to him. It is mentioned by the apostle Paul as a proof of an unconverted state. Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Rom. iii. 14. How shall I curse whom God hath not cursed? Num. xxiii. 8. As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him. As he clothed himself with cursing like as with a garment, so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones. Ps. cix. 17, 18. Let them curse; but bless thou. Ps. cix. 28. |