feelings would revolt from the disrespect and familiarity. And yet, how few feel this towards the Name of God, in whom every blessing is comprehended, and from whom every vengeance may be inflicted! How deceitfully has our desperately wicked heart brought us to a pitch of indifference and ignorance on this subject; and how artfully has satan, the great blasphemer, insinuated his temptations, and by firing our evil tongues, made them to flame forth in this hateful offence. It is the flame of hell-It is the language of hell, the boiling lake of which heaves with blasphemy and curses, which it would dash against heaven itself, and were it possible, interrupt the acclamations of angels, and the blessings of God, and the happiness of the redeemed, whilst they in everlasting peace and joy, bow the admiring head, and repeat the unceasing chorus, Holy! holy! holy!

If we were to compare ourselves to the different states of the spirits in heaven and the spirits in hell, we might gain a lesson; and by examining to which we were most like, gain a timely warning.

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Those who swear and profane God's name, should remember the sentence, I will not hold him GUILTLESS," saith the

LORD OF SINAI. He spake it in a voice of thunder, and in the fire of his glory, under which the mountains trembled and smoked!

I suppose my friend's mind was engaged in a manner similar to my own, for I at length perceived we were walking at an amazing rate, urged by the impetuosity of our thoughts, and in consequence we were sooner at our friend's house than we expected.

She rose with lively pleasure to welcome us, as soon as our names were announced, and when we were seated, said,

I have felt the day short, although you have disappointed me by being so late; but I assure you I have felt the whole time as if you had been actually in my company. You have given such a new turn to my thoughts by what passed this morning, that I have been unconsciously led into a criticising examination of all my usual expressions, and am ashamed to say, that I find myself frightfully self condemned. It seemed as if all my words were set in array before me, and such an accumulated witness against me, whether it proceeded from a proper operation of conscience, or from that evil

spirit, if we do but remember first to pull out the beam which is in our own eye, and then we shall see clearly to pull out the mote which is in our brother's eye.

I own I am comforted by a hope of being useful, and if we were but faithful to that injunction, Not to suffer sin upon a brother, we should often be blessed with success in stopping the course of vice, and be saved from the contamination which cleaves to us, when we have heard and seen open offences without rebuking them. When we testify against them, it is like shaking off the dust from ourselves, but when we check the dictate of conscience, it is not to be wondered at that we should grow less alive to offences, and therefore more prone to fall into them ourselves.

CHAPTER II.

We were not long before we commenced our walk. It was a beautiful day, and the lovely prospect all around of blooming country, with the happy turn of the preceding event, contributed to cheer the mind of my friend, and to relieve his. brow from the contraction which had given it so austere an expression. The feelings of his heart rose in ardent admiration of the works of God, which were displayed before us.

Look around, Henry, he said, see the beautiful fields, rich in luxuriant promise,

-see that field white, as our Lord said, already to the harvest; look beyond, and see the blossomed beans; see here the green pastures filled with thriving cattle, see there the heath studded with the golden whin and spotted with the whitened flock; beyond is the hanging wood darkly shaded with the thick foliage of beech and oak; below the silver rill with the light willow marking its course, and the young plantation on its banks; there the

spirit which is called the Accuser. However, be that as it may, I take it thankfully, that before I stand in judgment before my God, of whom I have so lightly spoken, I have time given me for better thoughts, and for a reformation in my habits.

My dear cousin, said my friend, though my heart has felt to-day as if it had been pierced through with the arrows of the Almighty, I have a sweet and soothing consolation in hearing what you now say. May the Lord work in your heart by his transforming grace, renewing your mind and perfecting your conviction. It is written, for every idle word we must give an account; but of profane words against God's holy Name, it is written in terms of death, we shall not be held guiltless: there is something so tremendous in this addition which concludes the third commandment, that could I not turn to the voice of mercy which flowed from Jesus the Redeemer's lips, my soul would seem to die within me. But He has said, all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men. To that word I flee for refuge and hope.

But, I interrupted, it must be found in the way of cleansing, as well as in