mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever". Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die : if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right: if the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life without committing iniquity; he shall even live, he shall not die. None of his sins that he hath committed, shall be mentioned unto him; he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live". Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin; but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. I speak after the manner of men, because of the infirmity of your flesh for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness, and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness". Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ, that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held, that we should serve in the newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter P. And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly as in the m Isa. lix. 20, 21. Rom. vi. 6. 11-13. 18, 19. n Ezek. xxxiii. 14-16. day, not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. For behold, this selfsame thing that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehe ment desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge? In all things have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter'. ye For the love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then all were dead. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become news. That ye put off, concerning the former conversation, the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts: and be renewed in the spirit of your mind. And that ye put on that new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things, cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord, walk as children of light. For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, and righteousness, and truth. Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord: and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise: redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is " If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ 4 Rom, xiii. 11-13. 2 Cor. vii. 1. 10, 11. 2 Cor. v. 15. 17. in God. Mortify therefore your members, which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry. But now, ye also put off all these, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men, teaching us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world: looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works". Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us: looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness, springing up, trouble you, and thereby many be defiled", Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the ingrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your ownselves". Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to pa * Col. iii. 1-3. 5. 8-10, y Tit. ii. 11-14. ftence, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly-kindness; and to brotherly-kindness, charity: for if these things be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, But he that lacketh these things, is blind, and cannot see far off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins". Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end, for the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance. But as he which hath called you, is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy ". Who his ownself bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed ". The indispensable Necessity of a good Life, represented in the following Scriptures. WHOSOEVER breaketh one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven". And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?? Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, that acceptable and perfect will of God". Who will render to every man according to his deeds: to them, who by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for glory, and honour, and immortality, eternal life. But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness; indignation and wrath, tribulation b 2 Pet. i. 4-9. c 1 Pet. i. 13-16. f Luke, vi. 46. d 1 Pet. ii. 24. John, xv. 14. h Rom. xii. 1, 2. 1 and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile '. Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. Therefore my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord'. . For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature m. For in Jesus Christ, neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love", For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained, that we should walk in them. And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment: that ye may approve things that are excellent, that ye may be sincere, and without offence till the day of Christ: being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God P. Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk, and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. For For ye know what commandments we gave by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification. As you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you (as a father doth his children); that ye should walk worthy, of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because when ye received the word of God, which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but (as it is in truth) the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe'. How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works, to serve the living Gods? And having a high-priest over the house of God, let us |