ed, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll. And he said unto me, What seest thou? And I answered, I see a flying roll; the length thereof is twenty cubits and the breadth thereof ten cubits, Then said he unto mc, this is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth: for every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it; and every one that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it. I will bring it forth, saith the Lord of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof. They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant: thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field. Shall I not visit for these things? saith the Lord and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation AS THIS? Ex 20. 16. Lev. 19. 12. Zech. 8. 16, 17. and 5. 2-4. Hos. 10. 4. Jer. 5. 9. Hos. 4. 1, 2. Jer. 23. 10. Mal. 3. 5.

115. What saith the law and the testimony respecting blasphemy ?

And the son of an Israelitish woman, whose fi.ther was an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel; and this son of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel strove together in the camp: And the Israelitish woman's son blasphemed the name of the Lord, and cursed. And they brought him unto Moses; And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp, and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let

all the congregation stone him. And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his GoD shall bear his sin. And he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the Lord, shall be put to death. And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphe my against GoD, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? Shall the enemy blaspheme thy name forever? Lev. 24. 10, 11, 13-16. Rev. 13. 1, 5, 6. Ps. 74. 10. || Rev. 16. 10, 11. Mark 3 2, 3, 29. Jam. 2.7.

116. Is not PROFANE CURSING AND SWEARING exceedingly criminal and highly offensive in the sight of GOD, as well as unnecessary, inexcusable, and disreputable in the estimation of every considerate man? (t)

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. But I say unto you swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne. Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool, neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou (t) See Appendix, Note T.

swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay; for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. But above

all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation. Ex 20. 7. Mat. 5. 34-37. Jam. 5. 12. || Hos. 4. 2. Mat. 23. 16-22. Ps. 59. 12. and 109. 17, 18.

117. Why is it that so many indulge in profaneness ?

Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips. Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: There is no fear of God before their eyes. This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all Yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead. (u) Eccl. 8. 11. Rom. 3. 13, 14, 18. Eccl. 9. 3. || Jer. 17. 9. Ps. 36. 1, 3. Jam. 3. 8-10.

Profaneness affords neither honour, profit nam pleasure, unless it can afford pleasure to destroy the souls of children and others under the influence of such examples-to degrade the man below the brute and imitate apostate spirits ?

118. What general directions are given with respect to the sabbath?

(u) See Appendix, Note U.

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work : but the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day : wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. And on the seventh day GOD ended his work which he had made: and he rested on the seventh day, from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of Gop. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as GOD did from his. Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, (ready to depart on the morrow ;) and continued his speech until midnight. Ex, 20. 8 -11. Gen. 2. 2, 3. Heb. 4. 9, 10. Cor. 16. 1, 2. Acts 20. 7. || Ex. 16. 25–28. Jer. 17. 21, 22. Lev. 23. 3. Mark 2. 27.

119. What authority have we from scriptural precepts and examples for attending publick worship on the sabbath?

Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my

sanctuary: I am the Lord. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord. Likewise the people of the land shall worship at the door of this gate before the Lord, in the sabbaths, and in the new moons. And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days. And they were astonished at his doctrine, for his word was with power. And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures; Opening and alleging that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead: and that this Jesus whom I preach unto you, is Christ. Lev. 19. 30. Is. 66. 23. Ez. 46. 3. Luke 4. 14-16. 31, 32. Acts 17. 2, 3. || and 13. 1416, 26, 42, 44. and 15, 21. and 18. 4.

120. Is praise to God an important and animating part of publick and private worship? (v) Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men. Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders. Sing praises to the Lord, which dwelleth in Zion: declare a(v) See Appendix, Note V.

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