again the third day, and ascended into heaven; from whence he shall come to judge the world at the day of resurrection; saving and rewarding the good, and condemning and punishing the bad; and that we can only be saved through him, and by him; and that we should obey the law he has given us in the Scriptures.

This, and this only, is what we are called upon to believe under pain of perishing everlastingly; the remainder of the creed being only an explanation of the nature of the Trinity, written by some divine, (though not by the one to whom it is ascribed by name ;) and unbelief in it is not included in the damnatory clause: of which we may assure ourselves, when we consider that we are no where in Scripture called upon, under pain of perishing everlastingly, to understand the nature of the Trinity, but to believe in it.

The sin against the Holy Ghost is a fearful sin; but as long as you sincerely endeavour to worship God, you

cannot commit this sin; which consists in opposing, and (like Satan) defying and braving God's Holy Spirit. More than one interpretation of its nature has been given one is that a man, to commit this sin, must have been a Christian, in the true sense of the word; and, falling from his faith, not only have plunged into licentiousness, but endeavoured to prevent the progress of the Christian faith, and treated the operations of the Holy Spirit with contempt. Julian the apostate, the Emperor of Rome, committed this sin, in the foregoing manner; for, after profes sing and practising Christianity, he abjured and ridiculed it, as well as persecuted the Christians. Another interpretation is, in the case of a man who lives wholly a reprobate life, and sets all the laws of God at defiance, till he is in such a state of hardness of heart as to be past repentance, or has gone beyond the day of grace. A profound religious hypocrite may, probably, commit this sin; because, al

though he openly professes to acknowledge the Holy Spirit, he insults that spirit in all his professions of veneration. for it; in the same manner as the prayers of the wicked are said to be "an abomination to the Lord." But any person, at all piously disposed, may be sure he has not committed this sin; nor those who have led reprobate lives, if they feel remorse for their sins, (which can only be through the operation of God's grace upon them) and fly to Christ to save them, who will in no wise cast out those who sincerely call upon him.

SECOND COMMANDMENT.

"Thou shall not make to thyself any graven image, &c."---(See Catechism.)

This commandment prohibits idolatry; and there is other idolatry besides worshipping graven images, &c. for any per

son, any thing, any passion, or any propensity, to which we devote our hearts instead of God, is our idol and graven image; thus, the idol of a miser is his gold; that of a prodigal his pleasure; that of a proud man himself; that of a person sacrificing all to dress and appearance vanity; those of the glutton, drunkard, and debauchee, sensuality, &c. &c.

St. Paul says, "Whether, therefore, ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."-1 Cor. c. 11, v. 31. "If we take our food and drink, as the gifts of an all gracious and all bountiful God, with a view to keep our bodies and minds in a state of health and vigour, which shall best enable us to discharge our respective duties in this world, returning hearty thanks to God for his favour, and begging his blessing upon them to that end. If dress be used for the purposes of decent covering, or defence from cold and heat; if we do not, in superfluous ornaments, waste that which might have

been spared for those who have no garment to cover them; and if we do not suffer it to administer to vanity.-In the amusements of life, if there be nothing contrary to the duties we owe to mankind, and to the duties we owe to the animals placed under our care for our use; if they be not of too expensive a nature, nor occupy too much of our time, but be merely taken as a relaxation from labour, to enable both the body and mind to return to their duties with renewed vigour; and lastly, if they can be made subservient to assist us in moral and religious improvement, then-in these three articles-we administer to, and effectually promote the glory of God."-Rev. J. Plumptre. To do any thing to the glory of God, is to do it in such a manner as is consistent with the commandments he has given ns; that is, we are to keep him in our minds, and in every thing we do, to consider before we do it, whether it be, or be not, contrary to his will; if it be