6. 6. 1 Cor. 9. 13, 14. Heb. 13. 17. || and 13. 7. Deut. 17. 9—11. 1 Cor. 16. 16. Phil. 2. 29, 30. Mal. 3. 8-10.

152. Are we required to pray for ministers of the Gospel?

Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he will send forth labourers into his harvest. Now I beseech you brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to GOD for me. And FOR ME, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my inouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the Gospel. Finally brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you. And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men for all men have not faith. Mat. 9. 28. Rom. 15. 30. Eph. 6. 19. 2 Thes. 3. 1, 2. || 2Cor. 1. 10, 11. Phil. 1. 19. Acts 12, 5-7. 1 Thes. 5. 25. Heb. 13. 18, 19.

153. Are consequences of infinite importance to immortal souls connected with a preached Goshel?

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? & how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach except they be sent ? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishnes;

but unto us which are saved it is the power of GOD. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of GOD the world by wisdom knew not GOD, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Grecks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of GOD, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. Rom. 10. 13-15. 1 Cor. 1. 18-25. ||1 Thes. 1. 5. 2 Cor. 2. 15, 16. and 5. 20. Eph. 4. 11-13.

154. What are the consequences of contemning, or even neglecting the instructions of faithful ministers ?

But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear. Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the Lord of hosts hath sent in his Spirit by the former prophets; therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of hosts. Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried and they would not hear; so they cried and I would not hear, saith the Lord of hosts. And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily I

158. Does the benign Godlike spirit of Christianity require us to exercise love and kindness towards our very enemies?

Ye have heard that it hath been said, thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy: But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven; for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing; but contrarywise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. Mat.5. 43-45. Rom. 12.20,21. 1 Pet. 3. 9. Luke 6. 35. Prov. 25. 21, 22. Ex.

23. 4, 5. Ps. 35. 12-14.

159. What is the sentence of God's law against MURDER?

Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of GOD made he man. Thou shalt not kill. Whoso kileth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die. Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death; but he shall be surely put to death. So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are; for blood it de

fileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it. Gen. 9. 6. Ex. 20. 13. Num. 35. 30, 31, 33. || Deut. 19. 10, 13. Lev. 24. 17. 1 Kin. 2. 5, 6, 29-34. 1 John 3. 15. Rev. 21. 8.

160. Are we not warned against sinful anger as highly criminal, and tending to murder?

Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated. He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls. An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression. Ps. 37. 8. Prov. 14. 17. and 25. 28. and 29. 22. || and 16. 32. and 19. 11. Eccl. 7. 9. || Mat. 5, 22. Eph. 4. 31. 1 John 3. 15.

161. How is manslaughter defined and treated by the law of God?

And this is the case of the slayer which shall flee thither, that he may live; Whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past. As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die, he shall flée unto one of these cities and live. But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon him any thing without laying of wait; Or with any stone wherewith a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon him that he die; and

was not his enemy, neither sought his harm : Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood according to these judgments: And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil. Deut. 19. 4, 5. Num. 35. 22–25. || Ex. 21. 13. Josh. 20. 3, 5.

162. "Who hath wo? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes ?" (x)

They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink. Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them! Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure; and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it. The Lord will not spare him, but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousy, shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the Lord shall blot (x) See Appendix, Note X.