CHRIST inftructs thofe that come to him, to perfevere in their Duty, and carefully avoid all Delays. OR ye know the Luke AND it came to (a) 2 Cor. GRACE of our ix. 57. 59. And he faid unto an- 60. Fefus faid unto him, let the Dead bury the Dead, but go thou and preach the KINGDOM of God. 61. And another alfo faid, Lord, I will follow thee: but let me first go bid them farewel which are at home at my Houfe. 62. And (b) Jefus faid unto him, No Man having put his Hand to the Plough, and looking back, is fit for the KINGDOM of GOD. viii. 9. Lord Jefu Chrift, that though he 60. I made hafte, and delayed not to keep thy COMMANDMENTS. Pf.cxxv. 5. As for fuch as turn afide unto their CROOKED WAYS, the Lord fhall lead them forth with the Workers of INIQUITY: but Peace fhall be upon Ifrael. Prov. i. 22. How long, yc fimple ones, will ye love Simplicity? and the Scorners delight in their Scorning, and Fools hate Know ledge? Chap. xiv. 16. A wife Man feareth, and departeth from EVIL: but the Fool rageth, and is confident. Chap. xxvii. 1. Boaft not thy felf of to-morrow; for thou knowet not what a Day may bring forth. Ecclef. ix. io. Whatfoever thy Hand findeth to do, do it with thy Might; for there is no Work, nor Device, nor Knowledge, nor Wifdom in the Grave whither thou goelt. Isaiah lv. 6. SEEK ye the Lord while he may be found, CALL ye upon him while he is near. Jer. vii. 13. And now, because ye have done all thefe Works, faith the Lord, and I spake unto you, rifing up early, and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye anfwered not. Hofca xii. 6. Therefore TURN then to thy GOD, keep MERCY and JUDGMENT, and WAIT on thy God continually. Acts xi. 22. And they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch, 23. Who when hecame, and had seen the GRACE of GOD, was glad, and and exhorted them all, that with Purpose of Heart they would CLEAVE unto the Lord. Rom. xiii. 11. And that, knowing the Time, that now it is high time to awake out of Sleep: for now is our SALVATION nearer than when we believed. 12. The NIGHT is far fpent, the DAY is at hand: let us therefore caft off the Works of DARKNESS, and let us put on the Armour of LIGHT. 1 Cor. vii. 29. But this I fay, Brethren, the Time is fhort. 31. They that ufe this World, fhould not abuse it: for the Fashion of this World paffeth away. 1 Cor. ix. 24. Know ye not that they which RUN in a RACE, run all, but one receiveth the PRIZE? fo run, that ye may OBTAIN. 25. And every Man that STRIVETH for the Maftery, is temperate in all things: Now they do it to obtain a corruptible CROWN, but we an incorruptible. Chap. xvi. 13. Watch ye, stand fast in the FAITH, quit you like Men, be ftrong. 2 Cor. vi. 2. For he faith, I have heard thee in a Time accepted, and in the Day of SALVATION have I fuccoured thee: behold, now is the accepted Time; behold, now is the DAY of SALVATION. Gal. vi. 9. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due Seafon we fhall reap, if we FAINT not. 1 Theff. iv. 1. Furthermore then we beseech you, Brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jefus, that as ye have received of us, how ye ought to walk, and to please Gon, fo ye would abound more and more. 2 Tim. iii. 14. But continue thou in the Things which thou haft learned, and haft been affured of, knowing of whom thou haft learned them. 15. And that from a Child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wife unto SALVATION, through FAITH which is in Chrifi Fefus. Heb. ii. 1. Therefore we ought to give the more earnest Heed to the Things which we have heard, left at any time we fhould let them flip. 2. For if the Word fpoken by Angels was ftedfaft, and every Tranfgreffion and Difobedience received a juft Recompence of Reward; 3. How fhall we efcape if we neglect fo great SALVATION, which at the firft began to be fpoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him. Chap. iii. 7. Wherefore as the HOLY GHOST faith, To DAY, if ye will hear his VOICE, 8. Harden not your Hearts, as in the PROVOCATION, in the Day of TEMPTATION in the Wilderness: 9. When your Fathers tempted me, proved me, and faw my Works forty Years. 10. Wherefore I was grieved with that Generation, and faid, They do alway err in their Heart; and they have not known my ways. Chap. vi. 11. And we defire that every one of you do fhew the fame Diligence to the full Aflurance of HOPE unto the End : 12. That ye be not SLOTHFUL, but Followers of them, who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises. Chap. x. 38. Now the JUST fhall live by FAITH but if any Man DRAW back, my Soul fhall have no Pleafure in him. 39. But we are not of them who draw back unto PERDITION; but of them that believe, to the SAVING of the SOUL. Chap. xii. 1. Wherefore feeing we alfo are compaffed about with fo great a CLOUD of Witneffes, let us lay afide every WEIGHT, and the SIN which doth fo eafily befet us, and let us RUN with PATIENCE the RACE that is fet before us, G 2. Looking 2. Looking unto Jefus, the Author and Finisher of our FAITH; who for the Joy that was fet before him, endured the CROSS, defpiling the SHAME, and is fet down at the right Hand of the Throne of GOD. 2 John 8. Look to your felves, that we lose not thofe Things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full Reward. 9. Whofoever tianfgreffeth, and abideth not in the DOCTRINE of Chrift, hath not GOD: he that abideth in the Doctrine of Chrift, he hath both the Father and the Son. How hard it is for them that trust in Riches, to enter into the Kingdom of God. Matt. xix. 16. Mark x. 17. Luke xviii. 18. [M]AND behold, [Mr.] when he was gone forth into the Way, there came running a certain Ruler, [Mr.] and kneeled to him, and asked him, [M.] and faid unto him, [L.] faying, Good Master, [M.] what good Thing fhall I do, that I may [Mr.] INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE? And Jefus faid unto him, Why calleft thou me GOOD? there is none good but one, that is GoD: [M.] But if thou wilt enter into LIFE, keep the COMMANDMENTS. He faith unto him, Which? Jefus faid, [Mr.] Thou knoweft the COMMANDMENTS. Do not commit Adultery; Do not kill; Do not fteal; Do not bear falfe Witnefs; Defraud not; Honour thy Father [M.] and thy Mother and, Thou shalt LOVE thy NEIGHBOUR as thy felf. [L.] And he, [M] the young Man faith unto him, [Mr.] Mafter, [M] All thefe Things have I kept from my Youth up: What lack I yet? [.] Now when Jefus heard thefe Things, [Mr.] then beholding him, he loved him. [M] And Fefus faid unto him, [L.] Yet lackest thou one thing: [M] If thou wilt be perfect, [Mr.] go thy way, [L.] fell all that thou haft, and diftribute unto the Poor, and thou fhalt have TREASURE in HEAVEN; and come [Mr.] take up thy CROSS, and follow me. [M] But when the young Man heard that Saying, [L.] he was very forrowful, [Mr.] and fad at that Saying, and [M.] went away forrowful, [L.] for he was very RICH ; [M] for for he had GREAT POSSESSIONS. [L.] And when Fefus faw that he was very forrowful; [Mr.] and Jefus, when he had looked round about, [L.] he faid [Mr.] unto his Difciples, How hardly fhall they that have (4) RICHES enter into the KINGDOM of GOD! [M] Verily I fay unto you, that a RICH Man fhall hardly enter into the KINGDOM of HEAVEN. [Mr.] And the Disciples were aftonished at his Words. But Jefus anfwereth again, and faith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in RICHES to enter into the KINGDOM of GOD! [M.] And again I fay unto you, It is easier for a Camel to go through the Eye of a Needle, than for a rich Man to enter into the KINGDOM of GOD. When his Difciples heard it, they were exceed ingly amazed, [L.] and they that heard it, faid [Mr.] among themselves, [L.] Who then can be SAVED? [Mr.] And Fefus looking upon them, faith [M.] unto them, With Men this is impoffible, [Mr.] but not with GoD for [M]all Things [L.] which are impoffible with Men, are poffible with God. [Mr.] And [M.] then anfwered Peter and faid unto him, Behold, we have forfaken all, and followed thee, what fhall we have therefore? [Mr.] And Fefus anfwered and (a) Job xxvii. 8. For what is the Hope of the HYPOCRITE, though he hath GAINED, when God taketh away his SOUL? 9. Will God hear his Cry when Trouble cometh upon him?" Chap. xxxi. 24. If I have made GOLD my HOPE, or have faid to the fine Gold, thou art my CONFIDENCE: 25. If I rejoiced because my WEALTH was great, and because mine Hand had gotten much: 28. This alfo were an INIQUITY to be punifhed by the Judge: for I fhould have denied the GOD that is above. Pfalm xxxvii. 35. I have feen the Wicked in great POWER, and fpreading himself like a green Bay tree. 36. Yet he paffed away, and lo, he was not: yea, I fought him, but he could not be found. Pf. xlix. 6. They that TRUST in their WEALTH, and BOAST themfelves in the Multitude of their RICHES: Means redeem his Brother, nor give 7. None of them can by any to God a Ranfom for him. 11. Their inward Thought is, that their Houfe fhall continue for ever, and their Dwelling-Places to all Generations; they call their Lands after their own Names. 12. Nevertheless, Man being in Honour, abideth not: he is like the BEASTS that perifh. Pf. lii. 7. Lo, this is the Man that trufted in the Abundance of his made not GoD his Strength: but RICHES, and ftrengthned himself in his Wickedness. Pf. lxii. 10. Truft not in Oppreffion, and become not vain in Rob bery : if RICHES increase, set not your HEART upon them. Pf. cxix. 36. Incline my Heart unto thy Teftimonies, and not to COVETOUSNESS. Prov. xi. 4. RICHES profit not in the Day of WRATH but Righteoufnefs delivereth from DEATH. Chap. xv. 16. Better is little with the Fear of the Lord, than great Treafure and trouble therewith. Gg 2 Chap. and faid [M.] unto them, Verily I fay unto you, that ye which have followed me in the Regeneration, when the Son of Man fhall fit in the Throne of his Glory, ye alfo fhall fit upon twelve Thrones, judging the twelve Tribes of Ifrael. And every one that hath forfaken Houfes, or Brethren, or Sifters, or Father, or Mother, or Wife, or Children,or Lands for my Name's fake, fhall receive an hundred fold, and fhall inherit everlafting Life. [Mr.]Verily I fay unto you, [L.]that [Mr.] there is no Man that hath left Houfe, or Brethren, or Sifters, or Father, or Mother, or Wife, or Children, or Lands, for my fake and the Gofpel's, and [L.] for the Kingdom of God's fake; [Mr.] but he fhall receive [L.] manifold more [Mr.] now in this Time, Houfes, and Brethren, and Sifters, and Mothers, and Children, and Lands, with Perfecutions; and in the World to come ETERNAL LIFE. But many that are first fhall be laft, and the laft first. Chap. xviii. 11. The rich Man's WEALTH is his ftrong City, and as an high Wall in his own Conceit. Chap. xxiii. 4. Labour not to be RICH: Cease from thine own Wis DOM. 5. Wilt thou fet thine EYES upon that which is not? For RICHES certainly make themselves Wings, they fly away as an Eagle towards Heaven. Jer. ix. 23. Thus faith the Lord, Let not the wife Man glory in his Wifdom, neither let the migh ty Man glory in his Might, let not the rich Man glory in his Riches. Ezek. vii. 19. They fhall cast their Silver in the Streets, and their Gold fhall be removed: Their Sil. ver and their Gold fhall not be able to deliver them in the Day of the WRATH of the Lord. Rom. viii. 13. For if ye LIVE after the FLESH, ye fhall DIE: but if ye through the SPIRIT do MORTIFY the Deeds of the BODY, ye fhall LIVE. 1 Tim. vi. 6. GODLINESS with Contentment is great GAIN. 7. For we brought nothing into this World, and it is certain we can carry NOTHING out. 8. And having FooD and RAIMENT, let us be therewith content. fall into Temptation, and a Snare, 9. But they that will be RICH, and into many foolish and hurtful Lufts, which drown Men in Deftruction and Perdition. 10. For the LOVE of MONEY is the Roor of all EvIL: which while fome coveted after, they have erred from the Faith, and pierced themselves through with many Sorrows. Heb. x. 34. For ye had Compaffion of me in my Bonds, knowing in your felves that ye have in Heaven a better and an enduring Subftance. Chap xi. 24. By Faith Mofes when he was come to Years, refused to be called the Son of Pharaoh's Daughter; 25. Choofing rather to fuffer AFFLICTION with the People of GOD, than to enjoy the Pleasure of SIN for a Seafon ; 26. Efteeming the REPROACH of Chrift greater RICHES than the Treafures in Egypt: for he had refpect unto the Recompence of the Re ward. James is. Hearken, my beloved Brethren, Hath not God chosen the Poor of this World, RICH in FAITH, and Heirs of the KINGDOM which he hath promifed to them that love him? |