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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; that we have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered us; and that we have walked uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel.

Trust not in lying words that cannot profit;_saying, The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are we. And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father; for they are not all Israel which are of Israel; neither because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children. But he is an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile.

3 In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but a new creature.

They who profess that they know God, but in works deny him, having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof, are abominable and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. For the kingdom of God is not in word' but in power.

• The vile person will speak villainy; and his heart will work iniquity, to practise hypocrisy, and to utter error against the Lord.

6 Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord deceitfully; who holdeth the truth in unrighteousness; who secretly doeth those things that are not right against the Lord; and hath not turned unto him with his whole heart, but feignedly,

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1 2 Cor. i. 12. Rom. vi. 17. Gal. ii. 14.

2 Jer, vii. 4. 8. 4. Matt. iii, 9. Rom. ix, 6, 7. John i. 47.

3 Gal. vi. 15. 4 Titus i. 16. 2 Tim, iji. 5. Titus i. 16. 1 Cor. iv, 20. xxxii. 6.

6 Jer. xlviii. 10. Rom. i. 18. 2 Kings xvii. 9. Jer. iii. 10.

5 Isa.

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· Woe unto you, hypocrites; which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel; which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers.

? Ye are they which justify yourselves before men, but God knoweth your hearts. For that which is highly esteemed amongst men, is oftentimes abomination in the sight of God.

3 Ye sit before the Lord as his people, and ye hear his words; but ye will not do them: for with your mouth ye show much love; but your heart goeth after your covetousness.

* Ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and all uncleanness; even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

But what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul? Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him? Will he delight himself in the Almighty? Will he always call upon God? Behold the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment; why then are ye thus altogether vain ?

• He that walketh uprightly, walketh surely: but a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.

If there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.

8 Let my heart, O Lord, be sound in thy statutes, that I be not ashamed; for the upright shall dwell in thy presence.

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* Matt. xxiii, 23, 24. 14.

2 Luke xvi. 15.

3 Ezek. xxiji. 31. * Matt. xxiii. 27, 28.

5 Job xxvii. 8, 9, 10. Job xx. 5. Job xvii. 12. 6 Prov. x. 9. James i. 8. 7 2 Cor.

ZEAL.

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Strive to enter in at the strait gate : for many will strive to enter in, and shall not be able.

* Neglect not the gifts that are in you; but exercise yourselves unto godliness, and give diligence to make your calling and election sure.

* Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord. Stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. For it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing. Be

ye very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of law; and be ye valiant for the truth upon

the earth. Take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day; and having done all to stand. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood; but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

• Do all things without murmurings or disputings. Be ready to every good work; and be diligent, that ye may be found of God without spot and blameless.

'Be not slothful, but be ye followers of them who, through faith and patience, inherit the promises.

Stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving

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1 Luke xiii. 24. 2 1 Tim. iv. 14. 7. 2 Pet. i. 10.

3 Luke xii. 35, 36. 1 Cor. xvi. 13. Gal. iv. 18.

4 Joshua xxiii. 6. Jer. ix. 3. 5 Eph. vi. 13. 12.

6 Phil. ii. 14. Titus iü. 1. 2 Pet. iii. 14. 7 Heb. vi. 12.

8 Phil. i. 27.

together for the faith of the Gospel; and in nothing terrified by your adversaries.

1 Contend earnestly for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

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Be zealous towards God, but let your zeal be according to knowledge.

* Herein do I exercise myself to have always a conscience void of offence towards God and towards

men.

* Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.

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Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

GROWTH AND EXCELLENCE.

Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, (saith St. Paul) and exhort you by the Lord Jesus that as ye have received of us how you ought to walk and to please God, so you would abound more and more.

"Ye that are nourished up in the words of faith, and of good doctrine, take care that ye grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

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 patience 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

1 Jude 3.

2 Acts xxii. 3. Rom. x. 2.

7 1 Tim. iv. 6. 2 Pet. iii. 18.

3 Acts xxiv. 16.

82 Pet. i. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.

these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

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1 Walk as children of light, proving what is acceptable unto the Lord; and always abounding in the work of the Lord: forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

2 We exhort and charge every one of you, that ye would walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called; worthy of God, who hath called you to his kingdom and glory; worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing; being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.

3 Let your love abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment, that ye may be filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

* Herein (saith Christ) is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit, so shall ye be my disciples.

5 Let us therefore go on unto perfection; and forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, let us press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

* Seek that ye may excel. Approve things that are excellent: covet earnestly the best gifts.

Let your conversation be as it becometh the Gospel of Christ; and so that ye may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.

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He who saith he abideth in Christ, ought himself also to walk, even as he walked.

1 Eph. v. 8. 10. 1 Thess. ii. 12. xv. 8.

Phil. i. 10.

1 Cor. xv. 58. 21 Thess. ii. 11. Eph. iv. 1. Col. i. 10. 3 Phil. i. 9, 10, 11. 4 John Phil. ifi. 13, 14. 61 Cor. xiv. 12.

Heb. vi. 1.

1 Cor. xii. 31.

1 John ii. 6.

7 Phil. i. 27.

Titus ii. 10.

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