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Call ye upon him while* he is near:
Let the wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man his thoughts:
And let him return unto the LORD,
And he will have mercy upon him ;
And to our God,

For he will abundantly pardon.†

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

Neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

For as the heavens are higher than

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And my thoughts than your thoughts.

-Isa. lv. 6-9.

XII.

Exhortations to Christian

excellences.

Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things

*Unduly anxious. as in a strong castle. Tit. ii. 2.

+ The Greek word means,

Or, grave, 1 Tim. iii. 8;

are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.-Phil. iv. 4-9.

XIII. The blessed effects of God's word. As the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven,

And returneth not thither,

But watereth the earth,

And maketh it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

So shall my word be that goeth forth out my mouth:

It shall not return unto me void,

But it shall accomplish that which I please,

And it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

For ye shall go out with joy, And be led forth with peace:

The mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.*

Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree,

And instead of the brier shall come the myrtle tree :

up

And it shall be to the LORD for a

name,

For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.-Isa. lv. 10—13.

*These are fine poetical images.

XIV. The love of God, and the duty of love. Beloved, let us love one another : for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and

knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.-1 John iv. 7-13.

*Manifested. See 2 Cor. xii. 9.

XV. Hardened sinners threatened.

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil;

That put darkness for light, and light for darkness;

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