hundred of the dancing daughters of Shiloh in one night. Judges xxi. 21. This was cafting the net on the right fide of the fhip with a witnefs, and this late converfion of the Jews ended fomewhat in the fame way in appearance; only with this difference-the struggle with the Benjamites was, who fhould catch the dancing ladies; but the fcuffle among our dancing girls was, who fhould catch the Benjamite. However time and effects, as well as their own prefumption, hath fhewn us that none but the devil sent both these.

We may come a little nigher home yet. Not a few of various denominations, yea among the dignified and among the decent, are nothing else but falfe prophets; yea, the nation fwarms with them, and who are not at all afraid to speak evil of dignities; their looks and words both tell you that they neither fear God, nor honour the king. Thefe help forward the calamity; they preach rebellion against the Lord, and are the fnares and traps of Satan in this hour of temptation; and fo it will appear in the end, whoever lives to fee it. For if those who refift the civil powers fhall receive to themselves damnation, for this is the threatening of God in this hour of temptation, then what can become of the profelytes of those men who enforce and encourage little elfe, and whose profelytes breathe out fuch malice, revenge, blood, and flaughter? What spirit is this? Why, the fame that influenced the high-priest and people of the Jews against Christ. And what spirit

was

was that? The Saviour tells them, this is your bour, and the power of darkness. Luke xxii. 53. Whereever this spirit dwells, there the devil reigns. If ye were the children of Abraham (as all believers are), ye would do the works of Abraham; that is, they would obey the Saviour's voice, keep his word, and love his name. But now ye feek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. Ye do the deeds of your father: for ye are of your father the devil, and the lufts of your father ye will do: he was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, be Speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. John viii. In this paffage Chrift excludes all the fpiritual children of Abraham from thefe works of darkness. I tell you the truth (fays Chrift), and ye believe me not. They rejected the word of the Lord, and trufted in a lie, and fought to kill the Lord of life; and fuch are of their father the devil, for no lie is of the truth, no liar enters the heavenly Jerufalem; and he that is angry with his brother without a caufe, is a murderer; and no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. Why are the higher powers hated? Why; because they are the higher powers. Who made them fo? Why, God. Then he that refifteth the power refifteth the ordinances of God, and fights against him, and they that refift fhall receive to themfelves damnation.

The

The next thing, in the ancient story of the Jews, which I fhall confider is, that most dreadful fin of perjury, which at that time was one of their leading national crimes. God orders the Jews, by Jeremiah, to proclaim deliverance to every bond-man and bond-maid among them that were Jews, according to the law of releafe, which was to be proclaimed on the year of jubilee; and at this time the king of Babylon's army was against Jerufalem, and against all the cities of Judah. This they obeyed; they made a covenant in the house of God, and confirmed it by cutting a calf in twain, and passing between the two parts of it, and let their Hebrew fervants go free, and, I think, they fwore to it; for they are charged with fwearing falfely, Will ye Steal, murder, and commit adultery, and fear falfely, —and come and stand before me in this houfe, which is called by my name? &c. Jer. vii. 9, 10. When they had set their fervants at liberty, the Chaldeans went away and left the city; and as foon as this was done, they returned and took all their fervants back again into bondage.

The king likewife had perjured himself; for when the king of Babylon fet him on the throne, he swore allegiance to him, but afterwards rebelled, and hired the forces of Egypt to affift him. Hence the heavy charge-But he rebelled against him in fending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him borfes and much people. Shall be profper? fball be efcape that doeth fuch things? or ball he break

the

the covenant, and be delivered? As I live, faith the Lord, Jurely in the place where the king dwelleth that made him king; whofe oath he defpifed, aud whofe covenant he brake, even with him in the midst of Babylon be hall die. Neither fhall Pharaoh, with his mighty army, make for him in the war. Seeing be defpifed the oath by breaking the covenant, when, lo, be bad given his hand, and hath done all these things, be fhall not escape. Ezek. xvii. 15-18. Falfe fwearing feems to be the crying crime of their nation; and the fame is the leading crime of ours, in this hour of temptation which is come upon us. No fmali number among us, who have taken oaths to be true and faithful to our present sovereign, are now moft falfe, unfaithful to him, and filled with a fpirit of rebellion against him; this is exactly the fame crime as that of the Jews of old.

Our oaths are as follow.-The oath of allegiance runs thus:

"I do fincerely promise and swear, that I will be faithful, and bear true allegiance to his majefty King George. So help me God."--The oath of fupremacy thus:

"I do fwear, that I do from my heart abhor, deteft, and abjure, as impious and heretical, that damnable doctrine and pofition, that princes, excommunicated or deprived by the pope, or any authority of the fee of Rome, may be depofed or murdered by their fubjects, or any other whatfoever. And I do declare, that no foreign prince, perfon,

perfon, prelate, ftate, or potentate, hath, or ought to have, pre-eminence or authority, ecclefiaftical or spiritual, within this realm. So help me God." The oath of abjuration is after the following manner:

"I do truly and fincerely acknowledge, profefs, testify, and declare, in my confcience, before God and the world, that our fovereign lord King George is lawful and rightful king of this realm, and all' other his majefty's dominions thereunto belonging. And I do folemnly and fincerely declare, that I do believe, in my confcience, that not any of the defcendants of the perfon who pretended to be Prince of Wales during the life of the late King James the Second, and fince his decease pretended to be, and took upon himself the ftile and title of King of England, by the name of King James the Third; or of Scotland, by the name of James the Eighth; or the ftile and title of King of Great Britain; hath any right or title whatfoever to the crown of this realm, or any other of the dominions thereunto belonging. And I do renounce, refuse, and abjure, any allegiance or obedience to any of them. And I do fwear, that I will bear faith and true allegiance to his majefly king George, and him I will defend to the utmost of my power, against all traitorous confpiracies and attempts whatfoever, which fhall be made against his perfon, crown, and dignity. And I will do my utmost endeavour to disclose and make known to his majefty,

and