shadow forth mysteries. Versed in such trains of thought the mind becomes reverential, composed, grave; the heart imbued with such associations becomes steadied and ennobled; and out of the abundance of such a heart the mouth impulsively speaks that which is good and edifying; not corrupt communications, or foolish talking and jesting which are not convenient, or idle words whereof an account will have to be given. A Christian is one whose smooth fair outer surface of manner covers and reveals a transparent depth of character, and whose hidden man of the heart is fairer than are any outward features; he puts away childish things, and that foolishness which is bound up in the heart of a child; he keeps his tongue from evil and his lips that they speak no guile, and because he is privileged to name the Name of Christ he departs from iniquity.

What is it literally to take God's Name, any name, "in vain"? I suppose the primary meaning of the phrase points to indifferentism at least as obviously as to antagonism. "In vain"

suggests not irreverence merely, but voidness, nothingness, the bringing in for no cause but to round a sentence or fill up a gap, that Name which was proclaimed before Moses in Majesty and Mercy (Ex. xxxiv. 4-8); to utter simply for the sake of saying something, that Name which Isaiah (xxx. 27) foresaw as coming from far burning with Divine anger. It is to pronounce the Name as though it were a mere word, not standing for any person; to bring It in where another word would actually serve our purpose as well; to speak as though God Omnipresent were one of those "vanities of the Gentiles," those "nothings in the world" (see 1 Cor. viii. 4) which have ears and hear not. Nevertheless "He that planted the ear, shall He not hear?" To swear deceitfully may be more heinous, but to swear idly is almost more foolish : just as to exchange a soul for the whole world, would be a less absurd transaction than to throw one away gratuitously.

For good or for evil oaths and vows stand recorded; He alone Whose sacred Name has

been invoked has power to loose from their yoke, and absolve from their guilt, if guilt there be (consider Lev. xxvii.; Num. xxx.; Deut. xxiii. 21-23; Mal. i. 14). Abraham's pious servant may have borne this in mind when taking his precaution accordingly (Gen. xxiv. 1−9); so also the spies in their covenant with Rahab (Josh. ii. 12-21). The Lord's Name proved an impregnable tower even to the foredoomed obnoxious Gibeonites (ix. 14-21). Jephthah might rend his clothes and bemoan himself, yet discern no way to recall his vow (Judges xi. 30-40). Jabeshgilead disregarded the oath of Israel, and paid the penalty (xxi. 5–11). Shimei tampered with his oath and forfeited life (1 Kings ii. 36–46). Zedekiah ruined himself and his kingdom when he despised the oath and covenant established between himself and a heathen monarch (2 Chron. xxxvi. 11-13; Ezek. xvii. 11-21). Herod's festive oath was bad to take and worse to keep (St. Mark vi. 16-28). Worst of all perhaps on account of its deliberate purpose, yet (it may be) less reprehensible if taken “ignorantly in

unbelief," was that oath of more than forty Jews who bound themselves under a curse to kill St. Paul (Acts xxiii. 12–21).

All these, good and bad alike, were distinct oaths with some distinct aim. Yet more contemptible even if less odious than the latter sort, is such random cursing and swearing as does not truly mean half it says, often does not mean anything at all. It may be worse to curse with Shimei's rancour than with St. Peter's cowardly collapse (St. Mark xiv. 71), but base and to be abhorred are both courses! And though in cursing and swearing, be the words malicious or dastardly, or simply careless and disproportionate, God's most holy Name be not always directly vilified; yet, underlying all profane speech is the idea of His Power, or His Judgment, or His adversary, or in some guise or other of Himself. Thus all profane speech, including light or unmeaning blessings, and exclamatory invocations, falls under the ban of the Third Commandment.

It may excite in us a godly fear to offend if

we ponder the Divine conception of an oath as revealed to us in the Epistle to the Hebrews (vi. 17, 18): "God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath: that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation;" and, again, if we realise the correspondence between sin and sentence: "As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him. As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment, so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones. Let it be unto him as the garment which covereth him, and for a girdle wherewith he is girded continually" (Ps. cix. 17-19).

Our Lord hath said: "That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned" (St. Matt. xii. 36, 37). This by itself suffices for our warning and