breach of an express command, and offends against the very letter of that law which says, in so many words, Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.' It offends against politeness and good breeding, for those who commit it little think of the pain they are inflicting on the sober mind, which is deeply wounded when it hears the holy name it loves dishonoured: and it is as contrary to good breeding to give pain, as it is to true piety to be profane. It is astonishing that the refined and elegant should not reprobate this practice for its coarseness and vulgarity, as much as the pious abhor it for its sinfulness.

ark to the field of battle, to render |ness is not only swearing, but, perthem successful against the Phi-haps, in some respects, swearing listines, 1st Sam. iv, 3, 5.-4. of the worst sort; as it is a direct Wantonly, in swearing by him, or creatures in his stead, Matt. v, 34, 37.-5. Angrily, or sportfully cursing, and devoting ourselves or others to mischief and damnation. -6. Perjuring ourselves, attesting that which is false, Mal. iii, 5. -7. Blasphemously reviling God, or causing others to do so, Rom. ii, 24. Perhaps. there is no sin more common as to the practice, and less thought of as to the guilt of it, than this. Nor is it thus common with the vulgar only, but with those who call themselves wise, humane, and moral. They tremble at the idea of murder, theft, adultery, &c., while they forget that the same law which prohibits the commission of these "I would endeavour to give crimes, does, with equal force, for- some faint idea of the grossness bid that of profaning his name. of this offence by an analogy, (oh! No man, therefore, whatever his how inadequate!) with which the sense, abilities, or profession may feeling heart, even though not seabe, can be held guiltless, or be ex-soned with religion, may yet be onerated from the charge of being touched. To such I would eara wicked man, while he lives in nestly say-Suppose you had some the habitual violation of this part beloved friend,-to put the case of God's sacred law. A very ce- still more strongly, a departed lebrated female writer justly ob-friend, a revered parent, perserves, that "It is utterly INEX-haps,-whose image never occurs CUSABLE; it has none of the pal-without awaking in your bosom liatives of temptation which other sentiments of tender love and livevices plead, and in that respect ly gratitude; how would you feel stands distinguished from all oth-if you heard this honoured name ers both in its nature and degree bandied about with unfeeling faoff guilt. Like many other sins, however, it is at once cause and effect; it proceeds from want of love and reverence to the best of Beings, and causes the want of that love both in themselves and others. This species of profane- Benefactor, your heavenly Fa

miliarity and indecent levity; or, at best, thrust into every pause of speech as a vulgar expletive ? Does not your affectionate heart recoil at the thought? And yet the hallowed name of your truest

ther, your best Friend, to whom always our duty to pray that you are indebted for all you enjoy; | Christ's kingdom may be advancwho gives you those very friends in ed in the world, and to profess whom you so much delight, those our daily dependence on God's very talents with which you dis-providential care. Nevertheless, honour him, those very organs of there is no reason to believe that speech with which you blaspheme Christ meant that his people him, is treated with an irreve- should always use this as a set rence, a contempt, a wantonness, form; for if that had been the with which you cannot bear the case, it would not have been varivery thought or mention of treat- ed as it is by the two evangelists, ing a human friend. His name Matt. vi, Luke xi. It is true, inis impiously, is unfeelingly, is un-deed, that they both agree in the gratefully singled out as the ob- main, as to the sense, yet not in ject of decided irreverence, of sys- the express words; and the doxotematic contempt, of thoughtless logy which Matthew gives at large levity. His sacred name is used is wholly left out in Luke. And, indiscriminately to express anger, besides, we do not find that the joy, grief, surprise, impatience; disciples ever used it as a form. and what is almost still more un- It is, however, a most excellent pardonable than all, it is wanton-summary of prayer, for its brevity, ly used as a mere unmeaning ex-order, and matter; and it is very pletive, which, being excited by lawful and laudable to make use no temptation, can have nothing of any single petition, or the whole to extenuate it; which, causing of it, provided a formal and superno emotion can have nothing to stitious use of it be avoided. That recommend it, unless it be the great zeal, as one observes, which pleasure of the sin." Mrs. Moore is to be found in some Christians on Education, vol. ii, page 87; either for or against it, is to be laGill's Body of Div., vol. iii, page mented as a weakness; and it will 427; Brown's Syst. of Relig., p. become us to do all that we can to promote on each side more moLORD'S PRAYER, is that derate sentiments concerning the which our Lord gave to his disci-use of it. See Doddridge's Lecples on the Mount. According to tures, lec. 194; Barrow's Works, what is said in the sixth chapter vol. i, p. 48: Archbishop Leighof Matthew, it was given as a di-ton's Explanation of it; West on the rectory; but from Luke xi, 1.|| Lord's Prayer; Gill's body of Disome argue that it was given as a form. Some have urged that the second and fourth petition of that prayer could be intended only for temporary use; but it is answered, that such a sense may be put upon those petitions as shall suit all Christians in all ages; for it is VOL. II.

526.

vinity, vol. iii, p. 362, 8vo. ; Fordyce on Edification by Public Instruction, page 11, 12; Mendam's Exposition of the Lord's Prayer.

LORD'S SUPPER is an ordinance which our Saviour instituted as a commemoration of his death and sufferings. I. It is called a E

clares that he is our's, and we by it declare to be his.-5. A stand

sacrament, that is, a sign, and an oath. An outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace;ing ordinance, for it is to be ob

served to the end of time, 1st Cor. xi, 26. It seems to be quite an indifferent thing, what bread is used in this ordinance, or what

the wine being always connected in Christ's example, they ought never to be separated: wherever one is given, the other should not

an oath, by which we bind our souls with a bond unto the Lord. Some, however, reject this term as not being scriptural; as likewise the idea of swearing or vow-coloured wine, for Christ took ing to the Lord. See Vow.-2. that which was readiest. The eatIt is called the Lord's supper, be-ing of the bread and drinking of cause it was first instituted in the evening, and at the close of the Passover supper; and because we therein feed upon Christ, the bread of life, Rev. iii, 20. 1st Cor. xi.-be withheld. This bread and wine 3. It is called the communion, as herein we have communion with Christ, and with his people, 1st Cor. xii, 13. 1st Cor. x, 17.-4. It is called the eucharist, a thanksgiving; because Christ, in the institution of it, gave thanks, 1st Cor. xi, 24. and because we in the participation of it, must give thanks likewise.-5. It is called a feast, and by some a feast upon a sacrifice (though not a sacrifice itself,) in allusion to the custom of the Jews' feasting upon their sacrifices, 1st Cor. x, 18.

are not changed into the real body and blood of Christ, but are only emblems thereof. See TRANSUBSTANTIATION.

The subjects of this ordinance should be such as make a credible profession of the gospel: the ignorant, and those whose lives are immoral, have no right to it; nor should it ever be administered as a test of civil obedience, for this is perverting the design of it. None but true believers can approach it with profit; yet we cannot exclude any who make a credible profession, for God only is the judge of the heart, while we can only act according to outward ap

As to the nature of this ordinance, we may observe, that, in participating of the bread and wine, we do not consider it as ex-pearances. piatory, but, 1. As a commemora- Much has been said respecting ting ordinance. We are here to the time of administering it. Some remember the person, love, and plead for the morning, others the death of Christ, 1st Cor. xi, 24. afternoon, and some for the even2. A confessing ordinance. We ing; which latter, indeed, was hereby profess our esteem for the time of the first celebration Christ, and dependence upon him. of it, and is most suitable to a -3. A communicating ordinance: supper. How often it is to be obblessings of grace are here com-served, cannot be precisely ascermunicated to us.-4. A covenant-tained from scripture. Some have ing ordinance. God, in and by been for keeping it every day in this ordinance, as it were, de- the week; others four times a

ry, Earle, Doolittle, Grove and -2. Love of benevolence, which is Robertson, on the Lord's Supper; an inclination to seek the happiDr. Owen's Charnock's, Dr. Cud-ness or welfare of any being.-3. worth's, Mr. Willett's, Dr. Wor-Love of complacence, which arises thington's, Dr. Watts's, Bishop from the consideration of any obWarburton's, Bishop Cleaver's, and ject agreeable to us, and calcuDr. Bell's, Pieces on the Subject. lated to afford us pleasure. A variety of other treatises, explanatory of the nature and design of the Lord's supper, may be seen almost in any catalogue.

LOVE TO GOD is a divine principle implanted in the mind. by the Holy Spirit, whereby we reverence, esteem, desire, and delight in Him as the chief good. It includes a knowledge of his natural excellences, Psal. viii, 1. and a consideration of his goodness to

LOT is a mutual agreement to determine an uncertain event, no other ways determinable, by an appeal to the providence of God, on casting or throwing something.us, 1st John iv, 19. Nor can these This is a decisory lot, Prov. xvi, 33. Prov. xviii, 18. The matter, therefore, to be determined, in order to avoid guilt, should be important, and no other possible way left to determine it; and the manner of making the appeal solemn and grave if we would escape the guilt of taking the name of God in vain. Wantonly, without necessity, and in a ludicrous manner, to make this appeal, must be therefore highly blameable. And if thus the decisory lot, when wantonly and unnecessarily employed, be criminal, equally, if not more so, must the divinatory lot be, which is employed for discovering the will of God: this, being no mean of God's appointment, must be superstitious, and the height of presumption.

two ideas, I think, be well separated; for, however some may argue that genuine love to God should arise only from a sense of his amiableness, yet I think it will be difficult to conceive how it can exist, abstracted from the idea of his relative goodness. The pas|sage last referred to is to the point, and the representation given us of the praises of the saints in heaven accord with the same sentiment : " Thou art worthy, for thou hast redeemed us by thy blood," Rev. v, 9. See SELF-LOVE. "Love to God is a subject," says bishop Porteus, "which concerns us to enquire carefully into the true nature of. And it concerns us the more, because it has been unhappily brought into disrepute by the extravagant conceits of a few deLOVE consists in approbation vout enthusiasts concerning it. Of of, and inclination towards an ob- these, some have treated the love ject that appears to us as good. of God in so refined a way, and It has been distinguished into, 1. carried it to such heights of seLove of esteem, which arises from raphic ecstacy and rapture, that the mere consideration of some common minds must for ever deexcellency in an object, and be-spair either of following or underJongs either to persons or things. standing them; whilst others have