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Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever.

22 And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words. Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you.

Amen.

22❝Suffer the word of exhortation" -that is, listen patiently, as you are exhorted to holiness. Reader, remember thy teacher must give account-a strict and solemn account! So must thou. God grant that ye may both give it with joy.

Salute all them that have the rule

over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute be with you all. Amen.

you. Grace

Written to the Hebrews from Italy by Timothy.

This Epistle is the harmony of the Old and New Testament. It shows how Christ was prefigured in the one, and revealed in the other; forming a key to the types of the ceremonial law. The Apostle admirably sets forth the nature, and exalts the excellency of Christ's priesthood; and that too, in a manner forcibly calculated to convince the Hebrews.

The general Epistle of James.

CHAPTER I.

APRIL 12, AUGUST 11, DEC. 8.

St. James the less, a near relation of our blessed Lord, was bishop of Jerusalem. He addresses this Epistle to his dispersed Jewish countrymen, and animates them patiently to endure the persecutions awaiting them.

JAMES, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scat- 2 Whenever God leads us into tered abroad, greeting. My temptation, or trial, He willeth our brethren, count it all joy higher spiritual improvement.

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when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For

+ Patience bringeth its own sweet recompence.

ye may be perfect and entire,

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5 Even reason might teach us to ask wisdom of God! He made us, What have we that we receive not

from Him?

6 Whatsoever we ask the Father in Christ's name shall not be asked in vain.

he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind

and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

8 A double minded man is unstable in all his 9 Let ways. the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: 10 but the rich, in that he is made low because as the flower of the grass he shall For the sun is

pass away.

8 Wretched state, when a man hesi
tates between good and evil-be
tween God and mammon.
9 The Gospel exalts the poor,
making them rich towards God.
10 The rich are blessed by the Gos
pel; for it gives them grace to re-
ceive the bounty of God thankfully,
and to use it rightfully; reminding
them, that the rich taketh nothing
away with him when he dieth.

grass, and the flower thereof
fashion of it perisheth: so also
12 In all thy trials, whether publie
or private, endure! Remember the
end. Look to the crown!

no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the falleth, and the grace of the shall the rich man fade away in his ways. 12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning. 18 Of his own 18 The Gospel was preached first to will begat he us with the the Jews.

21 Where the word of God is received with meekness, it is indeed the word of salvation.

word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: for the wrath of man worketh not the right21 Whereeousness of God. fore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any be a 23 The law of God shows us our hearer of the word, and not faults, as a glass our features.

a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the

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to

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work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the

26 The peace of society and of domestic life, how often is it broken and destroyed by a reckless selfwilled tongue! What availeth to such that they profess to be religious?

27 Unworldliness and charity—in their full and extended sense-constitute no small part of christian duty.

Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

CHAPTER II.

APRIL 13, AUGust 12, Dec. 9.

1 As God loveth equally the souls of the poor and the souls of the rich, so ought we.

'My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; and ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become. judges of evil thoughts? Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? Do not rich men oppress you, ment seats? Do not they the which ye are called? If

5 Our Church, in the celebration of

her services and ordinances, presents the beautiful spectacle of rich and poor united with one accord in common supplication, drinking the same spiritual cup of blessing, eating the same spiritual bread of blessing.

But ye have despised the poor. and draw you before the judgblaspheme that worthy name by

8 This is a royal law; being the law of Christ, our King. It is also of universal application, from the palace to the cottage, through all the several gradations of society. commit sin, and are convinced

ye
fulfil the royal law accord-
ing to the scripture, Thou
shalt love thy neighbour as
thyself, ye do well: but if ye
have respect to persons, ye
of the law as transgressors.
10 For whosoever shall keep
the whole law, and yet offend
in one point, he is guilty of all.
commit adultery, said also, Do not kill.

10 Wilfully to disobey any one law of God, is a defiance of the authority which frameth the whole law.

For he that said, Do not
Now if thou commit

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no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be

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12 Prepare for that judgment! So thou wilt not dare wilfully to sin. 13 Be very careful not to judge thy neighbour harshly.

judged by the law of liberty. For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment. What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of 16 As benevolence consists in action, you say unto them, Depart so profession of duty is vain without peace, be warmed and ye

in

works.

filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness; and he was called the Friend of God. 24 This reasoning is as plain as it is conclusive.

24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body

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without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

26 A living faith will have works, as a living body will have actions. Were it otherwise, where would be the test of the christian course! where the struggles of the christian

warfare? where the burden of the christian cross?

CHAPTER III.

APRIL 14, AUGUST 13, DEC. 10.

'My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. 2 For in many

1 Be not ambitious of the office of teacher: nor judge thou others. 2 A sense of humility is an admirable check against uncharitableness.

things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same

is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

6 The tongue of the selfwilled makes And the tongue is a fire, a life wretched, stirs up strife in soworld of iniquity: so is the ciety, constantly excites domestic tongue among our members, jars, and spreads misery all around. that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: but the tongue can no man tame: it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? 12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear

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12" By their fruits ye shall know them," was the declaration of our Lord himself.

olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meek

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ness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not sensual, devilish.

16 For

14 Boast not because of your christian privileges, neither by unchristian conduct belie your christian profession; for that would be to lie against the truth.

from above, but is earthly, 16 This is true with respect to kingdoms, and neighbourhoods, and fami

lies.

where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18 And the fruit

17 O seek this wisdom. It leadeth here, to peace-hereafter, to glory.

of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make

peace.

18 Be not impatient under distress. Remember, the sower waits patiently for the harvest. (See ch. i. 12.)

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