Obrazy na stronie
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fell down at his feet, and besought him saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not; but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow-servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their Lord all that was done. Then his Lord after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt because thou desiredst me; shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow-servant even as I had pity on thee? And his Lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.

He shall have judgment without mercy, that hath showed no mercy. He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him, hath mercy on the poor. Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.

Then shall he also say unto them on his left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was a hungered and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him, and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul: then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness

James 2: 13. Prov. 14: 31. Prov. 21: 13. Matt. 25 41-45. Luke 6: 36.

be as the noon-day. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer: thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters fail not.

Blessed is he that considereth the poor; the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, and he shall be blessed upon the earth; and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness. He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor, his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour. With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful.

The King shall say unto them on his right hand, come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was a hungered and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in naked and ye clothed me: I was sick and ye visited me: I was in prison and ye came unto me. Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these brethren ye have done it unto me

my

:

THE PURE IN HEART

BLESSED.

THE Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. The Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the heart.

If our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things: if our heart condemn us not,

Isaiah 58 9-11. Ps. 41: 1-3. Ps. 112: 9. Ps. 18: 25. Matt. 25; 34-40. 1 Sam. 16: 7.

then have we confidence toward God, and whatsoever we ask, we receive of him.

If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Truly God is good to such as are of a clean heart. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? and who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully: he shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

THE

PEACE MAKERS

BLESSED.

JOSEPH sent his brethren away, and they departed: and he said unto them, See that ye fall not out by the way.

Abram went up out of Egypt, and Lot with him. Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. Lot also, had flocks and herds, and tents. And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle, and the herdmen of Lot's cattle: and Abram said unto Lot, Ps. 66: 18. Ps. 51: 10-2. Ps. 73: 1. Ps. 119: 1,2 Ps. 24: 3-5. 2 Cor. 1: 12.

Let there be no strife I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen for we be brethren. Is not the whole land before thee? Separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right: or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.

If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Let all bitterness and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice.

An angry man stirreth up strife. As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire: so is a contentious. man to kindle strife. But he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife. A soft answer turneth away wrath.

Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. I, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of kind one to peace; and be ye another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Be at peace among yourselves. Follow peace with all men.

Blessed are the peace makers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments. As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion, for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore. Rom. 12: 18. Eph. 4: 31. Prov. 29: 22. Prov. 26: 21. Prov- 15: 18, 1. Rom. 14: 19. Eph. 4: 1, 23, 32. 1 Thes. 5: 13. Heb. 12: 14. Matt. 5: 9. Ps. 133: 1-3.

THOSE

PERSECUTED

FOR

RIGHTEOUSNESS

BLESSED.

IN process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground, an offering unto the Lord. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock: and the Lord had respect unto Abel, and to his offering. But unto Cain, and to his offering he had not respect: and Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him. And wherefore slew he him? because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.

The men of Sodom were wicked, and sinners before the Lord exceedingly. And there came two angels to Sodom, and said unto Lot, whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place for we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord. And God delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: for that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day, with their unlawful deeds.

Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a

season.

Jesus commanded the twelve, saying, Behold I send 'you forth as sheep, in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues: and ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. Remember the

Gen. 4: 3-8. 1 John 3: 12. Gen. 13: 13.

Gen. 19: 1-13. 2 Peter 2: 7, 8.

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