be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without; and that ye may have lack of nothing. The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much; but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep. Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase. 2 Thes. 3. 10–12. 1 Thes. 4. 11, 12. Eccl. 5. 12. Prov. 13. 11. ||Gen. 3. 19. Ex. 20. 9. Prov. 12. 11, 24, 27. and 22. 29. Eph. 4. 28.

173. What are some of the consequences of idleness?

The sluggard will not plough by reason of the cold therefore shall he beg in harvest,and have nothing. The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour. I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding. And lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep. So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth : and thy want as an armed nian. Prov 20. 4. and 21. 25. and 24. 30-34. Ez. 16. 49. Prov. 22. 13. and 18. 9. Eccl. 10. 18. Prov. 6. 611.

174. What is the conduct, language, and condemnation of the proud?

The wicked, through the pride of his counte

nance will not seek after GoD: GOD is not in all his thoughts. Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment. They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth. And they say, How doth God know? and is their knowledge in the Most High? And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the Synagogues. And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: though hand join in hand he shall not be unpunished. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every. one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low. Ps. 10. 4. and 73. 6, 9, 11. Mat. 23. 6, 7. Rom. 10. 3. Prov. 16. 5. Is. 2. 11, 12. || 1 Sam. 2. 3, Prov. 11. 2, and 16. 18, 19. and 21. 4. and 29. 23. Jer. 13. 15, 16. Luke 14. 11.

175. Are not mankind prone to be unmindful of their CREATOR who is ever mindful of his creatures for good?

Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the Lord. For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cis

L

ferns, that can hold no water.

Can a maid for get her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me days without number. A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping and supplications of the children of Israel; for they have perverted their way, and they have forgotten the Lord their GOD. The wicked

shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. Now consider this, ye that forget GOD, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. Jer. 2. 12, 13, 32. and 3. 21. Ps. 9. 17. and 50. 22. || Is. 1. 2, 3. Ps. 44. 20, 21. Deut. 8. 1, 19. Hos. 13. 6.

176. What is the sum of man's duty ?

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law & the prophets. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole inatter; Fear GoD and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For GoD shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil. Mat. 22. 37–40. and 7. 12. Eccl. 12. 13, 14.

177. Who prepares the heart to love and serve GOD?

O Lord, I know that the way of man is not

in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord. Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear. Thus saith the Lord God; I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a flock. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments and do them. Jer. 10. 23. Prov. 16. 1. Ps. 10. 17. Ez. 36. 37, 26, 27. Jer. 32. 39, 40. Phil. 2. Ezra 7. 27. 2 Cor. 8. 16.

Ps. 119. 32, 65, 33. 13 Jam. 1, 16-18. Nch. 2. 12.

178. Do the prayers of God's people acknowledge their entire dependance on him?

The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers let him not leave us, nor forsake us: That he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my GOD. Create in me a clean heart, O God: and renew a right spirit within me. 1 Kings 8. 57, 58. Jer. 31. 18. Ps. 51. 10. | Heb. 13. 20, 21. 2 Thes. 2. 16, 17.

179. Does their language express their dependance ?

Not that we are sufficient of yourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of GOD. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of GoD which was with me. 2 Cor. 3. 5. Phil. 4. 13. 1 Cor. 15. 10. Eph. 6. 10. 2 Tim. 2. 1. Is. 26. 12.

180. What Scripture directions manifestly imply free-agency and require activity in the creature ?

Submit yourselves therefore to God, Resist the devil; and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded, Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before inine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Therefore I will judge you house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions whereby ye have transgressed: and make you a new heart, and a new spirit;