they worship God through these things, and that they do not worship the things themselves. But why, we would say to this, use them at all in a way that has all the appearance of idolatry, and a way which in fact leads to idolatry in the case of by far the greater number of worshippers. Is there any thing said in the whole Bible about spiritual worship being helped by these outward things of sense? Do we ever read of the duty of venerating pictures or crosses, or the bones of legs and arms, and fingers, and other parts and belongings of deceased saints? On the contrary what is said about images shows they are hindrances and not helps to faith. Besides, all idolaters of old were wont to justify their idolatry by saying it was not the idol or the image they worshipped, but the God represented by these things. The molten calf made by Aaron and worshipped by the Israelites was justified in this way. It was said "these be thy Gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt." And so even in the case of heathen idolaters, the stock and the stone were first intended as symbols or signs of the Deity, and to bring the real Deity before the senses, but at last they took the place of the Deity itself, and became real objects of worship. No doubt it is to keep us from any temptations

to such idolatry that the Christian worship is of so simple a nature. "God is a spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." Our God is invisible. Faith in the revelation of Himself is the way of approach to Him. Where two or three are met together in the name of Christ, there He is in the midst of them. If we have the Spirit of adoption we want nothing more to bring us into nearness to our High Priest above, who presents our prayers with the incense of His own acceptable merits.

But let us also remember our temptation to idolatry in another way. St. John gives this caution, "Little children, keep yourselves from idols." (1 John v. 21.) As we have said God regards "covetousness as "idolatry." We may never bow our knees in worship to the picture, the relic, or the image, and yet may be breaking this command by bowing the affections to some idol of the heart. Every thing that robs God of the affections, time, thought and attention He should have, is doing the work of an idol in the heart. The great idol set up by the devil in this world is, "Mammon." Thousands and thousands are worshipping this god, riches. This has the first place in their thoughts and desires, and the whole of their labours. Their one desire

is that they may have wealth. Their happiness is wrapt up in this one thing they are so devoted in worshipping.

Besides this there are many other idols that we are tempted to set up in our hearts. Self is another very common idol. We all worship this too much. Self-seeking, self-pleasing, is the beginning and end of some persons' activity in life. Then there is the idol of pleasure. Some being "lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God." Some make an idol of dress. Some of their children. Thus any one of our possessions may become an idol, and while men make a profession of serving God, they may be thus in reality serving strange gods.

What we all want then is that the one true God should be firmly enthroned in the affections of the heart, and when this is the case, and that heart becomes the temple of the Holy Ghost, and the love of Christ becomes the ruling principle, all other idols will, like Dagon in the Philistines' temple, fall to the ground. The Lord alone shall be exalted in such hearts. Let us be sure too that we serve the Lord with undivided hearts. Too many come before the Lord with idols set up in their heart, and so are wanting in sincerity. A solemn caution let us remember is given to such persons. "Thus saith the Lord God, every man of the house of Israel, that setteth up his idols in his

heart, and putteth the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the

prophet, I the Lord will cometh according to the idols." (Ezekiel xiv. 4.)

answer him that multitude of his

PRAYER.

O God, have mercy on me, and incline my heart to keep this law. Enable me to cast out every idol to which I am tempted to give what belongs unto Thee. May I never follow the multitude and bow down to mammon. Instruct me how to be content with such things as I have. May I count godliness with contentment to be the greatest gain, and the best riches. Deliver me also from the worship of self. May I deny myself to serve Christ, and love my neighbour as myself. May Christ have possession of the temple of my heart, and every other idol be cast away.

O Lord, have mercy I pray Thee, on all those, who through ignorance of Thee, or the false teaching of men are guilty of this sin of idolatry. Shew to them that be in error, how that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and cause them to be taught to worship Thee in spirit and truth. Lord, send forth the Spirit of Thy Son, whereby I and all Thy children may call Thee Abba, Father, and whereby we may live on Thee and to Thee, as our Father in Christ Jesus. Amen.

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 his name in vain." EXODUS XX. 7.

THE breach of this commandment is, alas! very common among men; and because it is common it is thought the less of, and many who are guilty of it are quite unmindful of their guilt. But God, it is plain, thinks not lightly of this sin. The commandment, you see, holds its place among the ten. It stands. foremost among those which declare idolatry a sin, and which forbid murder, adultery, and theft.

It is a sin committed only by the tongue, and hence men think it a light one. But sin is not so measured by God. The tongue may offend as grievously as the hands. Besides the heart may break a commandment, and make us guilty, as when wrong desires are a breach of that law which says, "thou shalt not covet."

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