to apply yourself directly to God? I went to muckle Sawney Gordon, and to little Sawney Gordon; but if I had not come to your good Grace's self, I could not have got my discharge, and both I and my bairns had been turned out from house and home.'

Q. 52. What are the reasons annexed to the second commandment?

A. The reasons annexed to the second commandment are, God's sovereignty over us, his propriety in us, and the zeal he hath to his own worship.

When certain persons attempted to persuade Stephen, king of Poland, to constrain some of his subjects, who were of a different religion, to embrace his, he said to them, I am king of men, and not of consciences. The dominion of consciences belongs exclusively to God."

Two men of learning were conversing together, about the method they should take, in reference to a certain regulation imposed upon them by the higher powers, and to which they had conscientious scruples. One of them thoughtlessly and impiously swore, "By my faith" said he, “I must live." The other calmly and pleasantly replied,

I hope to live by my faith too, though I dare not swear by it." The result was that the man who resolved by grace, to venture his temporal interest for conscience-sake, lived in prosperity to see the other begging, and to contribute to his relief.

A Spanish boy, who was a Roman Catholic, having a silver crucifix hanging in his bosom, was asked by a person in his company to sell it for a half dollar, at which he shook his head. He was then offered a dollar, to which he replied in broken

accents, "No, not for tousands of tousands." Is not this a keen reproof to children of protestant countries. who live in the awful neglect of God's unspeakable gift?"

Q. 53. Which is the third commandment?

A. The third commandment is, Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Q. 54. What is required in the third commandment? A. The third commandment requireth the holy and reverend use of God's names, titles, attributes, ordinances, word, and works.

''

In the year 1796, when the ship Duff was preparing to take out the missionaries from the London Missionary Society, Mr. Cox, one of the Directors, was one day. walking in the street; he was there met by a very fine looking boy, about 14 years of age, who, stopping him, said, "Pray, sir, have not you some management in the ship that is going out with the missionaries ?" "Yes, I have, my young man," said Mr. Cox. "I should like very much, sir, to go out with her as a cabinboy," "Would you" said Mr. Cox, "have you any parents?" I have a mother," said the boy, "but no father." "And is your mother willing you should go "O yes, sir, very willing." Mr. Cox then desired the boy to call at his house, and to bring his mother along with him, that she might speak for herself. At the time appointed, the boy and his mother came, who, having de clared her willingness that her son should go, the matter was accordingly settled. In the course of the conversation, a gentleman who was present, in order to try the boy, said to him, "So you wish to go to sea?" "Yes, sir, in the missionary ship." “And you can swear a good round hand,

I suppose?" Shocked at the very idea of such a thing, the ingenuous little fellow burst into tears, and exclaimed. "If I thought there would be swearing aboard at all, I would not go."

A man that was addicted to a very wicked course of life, going one Sabbath morning to buy a game cock for fighting, was met by a good man on his way to a meeting, who asked him where he was going. He related the whole to him, and after much entreaty, was prevailed on to go with him to the meeting, where it pleased God to convince him of his misery. On the Monday morning he went to his work, where he was beset by the rest of the colliers, who swore at him, told him he was going mad, and upbraided him, by saying, that before a month was at an end, he would. swear as bad as ever. On hearing this, he kneeled down before them all, and earnestly prayed that God would sooner take him out of the world, than suffer him to blaspheme his holy name; on which he immediately expired. The person who was the instrument of bringing him to the knowledge of the truth, died in a few days afterwards.

Mr. John Howe being at dinner with some per sons of fashion, a gentleman expatiated largely in praise of Charles I. and made some disagreeable reflections upon others. Mr. Howe observing that he mixed many horrid oaths with his discourse, took the liberty to say, that in his humble opinion, he had omitted one great excellence in the character of that prince; which, when the gentleman had pressed him to mention, and waited with impatience to hear it, he told him it was this: "that he was never heard to swear an oath

in common conversation." The gentleman took the reproof, and promised to break off the practice.

Q. 55. What is forbidden in the third commandment? A. The third commandment forbiddeth all profaning or abusing of any thing whereby God maketh himself

known.

The late Rev. John Brown of Haddington, once passing the Frith of Forth, between Leith and Kinghorn, had for a fellow-passenger one who appeared to be a Highland nobleman. Mr. B. observed with grief, that he frequently took the name of God in vain; but suspecting, that to reprove him in the presence of the other passengers, might tend only to irritate him, he forbore saying any thing till he reached the opposite shore. After landing, Mr. B. observing the nobleman walking alone, stepped up to him, and said, Sir, I was sorry to hear you swearing while on our passage. You know it is written, Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.' On this the nobleman, lifting his hat, and bowing to Mr. B. made the following reply:

Sir, I return you thanks for the reproof you have now given me, and shall endeavour to attend to it in future; but," added he, “had you said this to me while in the boat. I believe I should have run you through with my sword.”

The Rev. John Maclaurin of Glasgow, well known to the Christian world by his valuable writings, in passing one day along the street, was disturbed by the noise of some disorderly soldiers. One of them particularly, just as Mr. Maclaurin approached them uttered this awful imprecation, "God damn my soul, for Christ's sake!" The good man, shocked with hearing such blaspher

mous language, went up to him, and laying his hand on the shoulder of the man, said to him with peculiar mildness and solemnity, "Friend, God has already done much for Christ's sake; suppose he should do that too, what would become of you?" It was a word in season, and it came with power. The conscience of the soldier sunk under the reproof. He was led not only to reform the evil habit of swearing, to which he had been long addicted, but to reflect on his ways, and to turn to the Lord. He became a real Christian; and proved the soundness of his conversion by maintaining to the end of his life, a conversation becoming the gospel.

A minister of the gospel one day finding a servant beating his master's horses, and taking the name of God in vain, he stood still and reproved him sharply. The servant made no reply; but, prompted by curiosity, came next Lord's day to hear his reprover preach. "Swear not at all," said the preacher, when concluding his discourse, "is a divine command that binds both master and servant. I knew a man, not long ago, who surprised one of the swearing tribe of servants, in the very act of damning his master's horses. The son of Belial, though challenged, durst not open his mouth for his father's interest; but hung down his head like a coward in the devil's service. He passed by, and had not the manners to thank his reprover, or grace to promise amendment. Is he here?-Do I see him ?-Shall I name him?" After some pause, he added, "We shall rather pray for him?" The servant was sitting trem

bling before him; and it may be proper to add,

that he came afterward to the minister, confess