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are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Wo unto you; for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead. men's bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. In the mean time he began to say unto his disciples, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known'.

He is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God". A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. Let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord". Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron. This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be truce-breakers, false accusers, traitors; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. Evil men and seducers. shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. With all deceivableness of unrighteousness, in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved'. For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, whose mouth must be stopped; who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake'. They that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. Such are

Mat. xxiii. 25-28.
" James, i. 8, 7.
92 Tim. iii. 13.

Rom. xvi. 18.

1 Luke, xii. 1, 2.
• 1 Tim. iv. 1, 2.
Г 2 Thess. ii. 10.

m Rom. ii. 28, 29. P 2 Tim. iii. 1-5. Tit. i. 10, 11.

false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel, for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing, if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works". I therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you, that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ'. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished'.

SECT. 4. Deceit and iniquity in all their forms, draw down the divine displeasure.

Ephrain compasseth me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit. Her treacherous sister Judah, hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the Lord'. Ephraim is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand; he loveth to oppress. They come unto thee as the people cometh; and they sit before thee as my people; and they hear thy words, but they will not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness". They turned back and dealt unfaithfully; they were turned aside like a deceitful bow. Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour nie, but have removed their heart far from me'; a rebellious people, which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me, for I am holier than thou; behold it is written before me, I will not keep silence, but will recompense, even recompense into their bosom. How is the faithful, city become an harlot! It was full of judg

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ment, righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers. Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves; every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards; they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them". Your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness; none calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth; they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity'. The way of peace they know not, and there is no judgment in their goings; they have made them crooked paths; whosoever goeth therein, shall not know peace. For, from the least of them even unto the greatest of them, every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest, every one dealeth falsely'; they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return"; for they be all an assembly of treacherous men. Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother; for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbour will walk with slanders. And they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth; they have taught their tongues to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity. Thine habitation is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know me, saith the Lord". Will ye steal, and swear falsely, and come and stand before me in this house which is called by my name? Is this house become a den of robbers in your eyes? Wo unto them that justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him". Wo unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed; to turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless. Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is

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abominable? Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights? for the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth'. They are waxen fat, they shine; yea they overpass the deeds of the wicked; they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, and the right of the needy do they not judge'. Their tongue is as an arrow shot out, it speaketh deceit. Shall I not visit them for these things? saith the Lord. Shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

Unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth"? When thou sawest a thief then thou consentedst with him; thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thyself; but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes'. Wo unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbour's service without wages, and giveth him not for his work; that saith, I will build me a wide house, and large chambers; and cutteth him out windows, and it is cieled with cedar, and painted with vermilion. Shalt thou reign because thou enclosest thyself in cedar? Did not thy father eat and drink, and do judgment and justice, and then it was well with him? was not this to know me? saith the Lord. But thine eyes and thine heart are not but for thy covetousness, and for to shed innocent blood, and for oppression, and for violence to do it. Wo to thee that spoilest, and thou wast not spoiled; and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee". Your spoil shall be gathered, like the gathering of the caterpillar; as the running to and fro of locusts shall he run upon them. Hear this, O Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail; saying,

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When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the Sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit? that we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat? The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their works. The curse goeth forth over the face of the whole earth. I will bring it forth, saith the Lord of hosts; and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name; and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof, and the stones thereof. And I will come near to you to judgment, and I will be a swift witness against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless; and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord".

SECT. 5. Solemn calls to the exercise of righteousness and equity.

He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God"? Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and show mercies and compassions every man to his brother, and oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart'. Execute judgment and justice, take away your exactions from my people, saith the Lord God. Ye shall have just balances, a just ephah, and a just bath. Seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Take counsel, execute judgment, hide the outcasts, bewray not him that wandereth. Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in

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