to save your souls. Tremble, brethren, lest these words of mine, if you despise them, should be for you so many swords in hell for all eternity.
SERMON LIII. TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST.
ON BLASPHEMY.
"When, therefore, you shall see the abomination of desolation." MATT. xxiv. 15.
ALL sins are hateful in the sight of God; but the sin of blasphemy ought more properly to be called an abomination to the Lord. Every mortal sin, as the Apostle says, dishonours God. ” By transgression of the law, thou dishonourest God." (Rom. ii. 23.) Other sins dishonour God indirectly by the violation of his law; but blasphemy dishonours him directly by the profanation of his most holy name. Hence St. Chrysostom teaches, that no sin exasperates the Lord so much as the sin of blasphemy against his adorable name. ” Nihil ita exacerbat Deum, sicut quando nomen ejus blasphematur." Dearly beloved Christians, allow me, then, this day, to show you, first, the great enormity of the sin of blasphemy; and secondly, the great rigour with which God punishes it.
First Point. On the great enormity of the sin of blasphemy.
1. What is blasphemy? It is the uttering of language injurious to God; it is, according to the definition of theologians, "contumeliosa in Deum locutio ;" or, contumely against God. God! whom does man assail when he blasphemes? He directly attacks the Lord. "He hath strengthened himself against the Almighty." (Job. xv. 25.) Are you not afraid, blasphemer, says St. Ephrem, that fire will come down from heaven and devour you? or that the earth shall open and swallow you up? ” Non metuis ne forte ignis de cœlo descendat et devoret te, qui sic os adversus
