some which walk disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies: now them that are such, we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus, that with quietness they work and eat their own bread. If any man will not work, neither should he eat." "Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings, he shall not stand before mean men." "Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord 10." Contentment. "Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, ' Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain." "A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked." "Better is a little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure and trouble therewith." He that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent." "Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased: for though while he lived he blessed his soul; yet when he dieth he shall carry nothing away; his glory shall not descend after him." "Seekest thou great things for thyself, seek them not." "I know both how to be abased and how to abound. I have learnt in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." "Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. Art thou called, being a servant (a slave dovλos)? care not for it but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather." "I would have you without anxiety; that they which weep may be as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; and they that use this world, as not abusing it. For the fashion of this world passeth away." Godliness with contentment is great gain." Having food and raiment, let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish Heb. vi. 12. Eph. iv. 28. Rom. xii. 11. 10 Eccles. xi. 6. 2 Thes. iii. 10-12. 66 Prov. vi. 7, 8: 66 and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For avarice is the root of all evils, which, some grasping at, have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves all around with many sorrows." Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is there will your heart be also." "Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have; for He hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee"" Religious Joy and Cheerfulness. "Rejoice in the Lord, O_ye righteous, for praise is comely for the upright." "Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.” "Rejoice in hope of the glory of God." "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice." Believing in Jesus Christ, "ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." "Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted; but the rich in that he is made low." "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus, concerning you." "Be always cheerful." (ПavтOTE XαιрETE. Semper gaudete.) "And the ransomed of the Lord shall come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.' In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer 12" Self-Denial, &c. "If any man (saith Jesus Christ) will come after me, let him deny his cross daily, and follow me." 66 himself, and take up Put off the old man 11 Prov. xxx. 8, 9. Ps. xxxvii. 16. Prov. xv. 16; xxviii. 20. Ps. xlix. 16-18. Jer. xlv. 5. Phil. iv. 11, 12. 1 Cor. vii. 21, 30-32. 1 Tim. vi. 6, 8-10. Matt. vi. 19-21. Heb. xiii. 5. It will be perceived, that I have taken the liberty of translating 1 Tim. vi. 10, so as to preserve the metaphor, which has always appeared to me to be very beautiful and striking. 12 Ps. xxxiii. 1; xcvii. 11. Rom. v. 2. Phil. iv. 4. 1 Pet. i. 8. James, i. 9, 10. 1 Thes. v. 16, 18. Is. xxxv. 10. John, xvi. 33. with his deeds; knowing this that our old man is crucified with Christ, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." "If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." " 'They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth: keep under your bodies, and bring them into subjection. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh." "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal; but mighty through God, to the pulling down of strong holds, casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God." "Be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind 13." 66 Edification. 'Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding." "For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared with it." 'He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul; but he is in the way of life that keepeth instruction." “The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein." Build up yourselves in your most holy faith." "As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby." "Give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine." If any man have ears to hear, let him hear." "Take heed what ye hear." "Believe not every spirit: but try the spirits whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world." "Prove all things, hold fast that which is good." "Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines: for it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace. Take heed unto thyself, and unto thy doctrine; continue in them; meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them, that thy profiting may appear 13 Luke, ix. 23. Eph. iv. 22. Col. iii. 9. Rom. vi. 5; viii. 13. Gal. v. 24. Col. iii. 5. 1 Cor. 9, 27. 2 Cor. x. 3. Rom. xii. 2. unto all." "See that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise; redeeming the time, because the days are evil 14 ❞ RELATIVE OR SOCIAL DUTIES. The duties a man owes to society are all comprised under the general terms " doing justly" and " loving mercy," and all emanate from that most comprehensive and admirable precept given by our Lord," Do ye unto others, as ye would they should do unto you." Thus it is that we are enjoined to abstain from offering the least wrong or injury to others, in their person, their property, or their reputation: we are exhorted to "render to all their due," to be sincere and upright in all our words and actions, to speak truth invariably, to abide by our promise though it be to our hurt, to "provide things honest in the sight of all men." All fraud and falsehood in our professions and dealings, all injustice and violence, all malignity and envy, are expressly and repeatedly forbidden. We are cautioned against being angry at others without cause; we are commanded most forcibly to abstain from slander: being exhorted "to speak evil of no man," and neither to raise evil reports ourselves against our neighbours, nor to promulgate them when they have been raised by others. Not only are we forbidden to injure others in any respect whatever; but we are taught that it is our bounden duty "to do good to all men" as far as we have ability and opportunity, having however a still more forcible command with respect " to them who are of the household of faith." We are required to assist others in their necessities and distresses, to sympathize with them in their afflictions, to rejoice in their prosperity; when it is necessary, to distribute to them of our worldly substance for the supply of their wants; to aim at converting such of them as are unbelievers, either in theory or practice, from "the error of their 14 Prov. iii. 13; viii. 11; x. 17; xv. 32. Ps. cxi. 2. Jude, 20. 1 Pet. ii. 2. 1 Tim. iv. 13. Mark, iv. 23, 24. 1 John, iv. 1. Heb. xiii. 9. 1 Tim. iv. 15, 16. Eph. v. 15, 16. 1 Thes. v. 21. way" to reprove them, when it is requisite, in the spirit of meekness, and use every effort, consistent with other duties, to promote their welfare, temporal and spiritual. With regard to enemies, we are commanded to "love" them. Not only is the " rendering evil for evil" forbidden, but we are commanded to return good for evil: "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you." "If thine enemy hunger, feed him if he thirst, give him drink for by so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head 15" that is, as Parnell correctly explains the metaphor, in his " Hermit," "Thus artists melt the sullen ore of lead, Intercession in worship is also an essential, though much neglected branch of our duty to others. The mutual love of the first Christians seems to have been principally kept alive by prayers for each other: and in all times this duty of intercession, properly exercised, raises Christian brotherhood as much above the common class of human friendships, as heaven is above earth. "I thank my God (said the apostle Paul to his friend Timothy), that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day." And thus did all the primitive Christians; drawing down mercies from heaven through the appointed medium, and causing a confluence of spiritual blessings to flow upon each, in answer to the united supplications of all. Christians are, in like manner, exhorted to "pray for kings, and all that are in authority;" and indeed, by fair inference, if not by express command, every individual in each class of society, is required to pray for the welfare and happiness of all other persons. And this duty is not only binding, but manifestly beneficial: for sincere and fervent intercession would evidently be 15 Prov. xxv. 21, 22. Rom. xii. 20. |