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with Patience the Race that is fet before us.

are shall be righteous before God; working that which is Good, and Right, and Truth, before the Lord; following him fully; and walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless.

b Follow after Righteoufnefs, Godliness, Faith, Love, Patience, Meekness: Fight the good Fight of Faith; lay hold on eternal Life: that ye may ftand perfect, and compleat in all the Will of God.

c Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honeft, whatfoever things are juft, whatfoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any Virtue; if there be any Praife; think on these things. For he that in these things ferveth Chrift, is acceptable to God, and approved of Men.

d Whether ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the Glory of God.

as

e As God hath diftributed to every Man, the Lord hath called every one, fo let him walk; caring for the things of the Lord, that he may be holy both in Body and Spirit.

f Let your Speech be always with Grace, feafoned with Salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every Man.

g If any Man among you feem to be religious, and bridleth not his Tongue, but deceiveth his own Heart, this Man's Religion is vain.

-Heb. 12. 1.

Luke 1. 6.

b

a Luke 1. 6. 2 Chr. 31. 20. Num, 14. 24.

1 Tim. 6. 11, 12. Col. 4. 12.

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df Cor. 1o. 31.

8 Jam. 1. 26.

CHAP. IX.

Concerning the PERFECTION

of HOLINESS.

The Perfection of a Chriftian confifts in using his utmoft Endeavours to perform, with Sincerity and Zeal, the whole Will of God; to grow in Grace, and excel in all manner of Virtue; and to perfevere in the Ways of Piety and Holiness, to the End of his Life.

'A'

UNIVERSAL OBEDIENCE.

Bhor that which is Evil; cleave to that which is good. Cleanfe your felves from all Filthinefs both of Flesh and Spirit, perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God.

Lay apart all Filthinefs, and Superfluity of Naughtiness: And, keep your felves unspotted from the World.

c Whatever is an Abomination to the Lord thy God thou shalt utterly deteft, and thou fhalt utterly abhor it: For it is a curfed thing.

Let thine Eyes look right on, and let thine Eye-lids look ftreight before thee: Ponder the Path of thy Feet, and let all thy Ways be eftablished: Turn not to the right Hand, nor to the left: Remove thy Foot from Evil.

eLet us lay afide every Weight, and the Sin which doth fo eafily befet us; and let us run

a Rom. 12. 9. 2 Cor. 7. I. c Deut. 7. 25, 26.

C Heb. 12. I.

b Jam. 1. 21, 27.

4 Prov. 4. 25, 26, 27.

with Patience the Race that is fet before us.

are shall be righteous before God; working that which is Good, and Right, and Truth, before the Lord; following him fully; and walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless.

b Follow after Righteousness, Godliness, Faith, Love, Patience, Meekness: Fight the good Fight of Faith; lay hold on eternal Life: that ye may ftand perfect, and compleat in all the Will of God.

c Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honeft, whatfoever things are juft, whatfoever things are pure, whatfoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any Virtue; if there be any Praife; think on these things. For he that in these things ferveth Chrift, is acceptable to God, and approved of Men.

or

d Whether ye eat, or drink, ye do, do all to the Glory of God.

whatsoever

as

e As God hath diftributed to every Man, the Lord hath called every one, fo let him walk; caring for the things of the Lord, that he may be holy both in Body and Spirit.

f Let your Speech be always with Grace, feafoned with Salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every Man.

8 If any Man among you feem to be religious, and bridleth not his Tongue, but deceiveth his own Heart, this Man's Religion is vain.

-Heb. 12. 1.

Luke 1. 6.

b

a Luke 1. 6. 2 Chr. 31. 20. Num, 14. 24. 1 Tim. 6. 11, 12. Col. 4. 12.

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di Cor. 10. 31.

8 Jam. 1. 26.

Curfed be he that doth the Work of the Lord deceitfully; who holdeth the Truth in Unrighteousness; who fecretly doth those things that are not right, against the Lord; and hath not turned unto him with his whole Heart, but feignedly.

b Woe unto you, Hypocrites; which ftrain at a Gnat, and fwallow a Camel; which devour Widows Houses, and for a pretence make long Prayer.

Ye are they which justify your felves before Men; but God knoweth your Hearts: For that which is highly esteemed amongst Men, is oftentimes Abomination in the Sight of God.

d Ye fit before the Lord as his People, and ye hear his Words; but ye will not do them: For with your Mouth ye fhew much Love; but your Heart goeth after your Covetousness.

e Ye are like unto whited Sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead Men's Bones, and all Uncleanness; even fo ye alfo outwardly appear righteous unto Men; but within ye are full of Hypocrify and Iniquity.

f But what is the Hope of the Hypocrite, tho' he hath gained, when God taketh away his Soul? Will God hear his Cry, when Trouble cometh upon him Will he delight himfelf 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?

a Jer. 48. ro. Rom. 1. 18. 2 Kings 17. 9. Jer. 3. 10.

Mat. 23. 23, 24, 14.

a Eztk. 33. 31.

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Luke 16. 15.

e Mat. 23. 27, 28.

Job 27. 8, 9, 10. Job 20. 5. Job 27. 12.

a He

juft, Adulterers; when they are, at the fame time, guilty of as great Sins.

a Shall we continue in Sin, that Grace may abound? God forbid. Shall we fin, because we are not under the Law, but under Grace? God forbid. Let us not do Evil that Good may come. For, if the Truth of God hath more abounded, through my Lie, unto his Glory, yet I am juftly judged as a Sinner.

b Let every one that nameth the Name of Chrift, not only depart from Iniquity; but abftain from all appearance of Evil.

c Let not your Good be evil fpoken of: Provide things honeft, not only in the Sight of the Lord, but in the Sight of Men. Cut off occafion from them which defire occafion: that they may be ashamed, which speak Evil of you, and falfly accufe your good Converfation in Chrift. For fo is the Will of God, that by well-doing, ye may put to filence the Ignorance of foolish Men.

d'All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient. All things are lawful for me; but I will not be brought under the power of any.

e Whofoever fhall keep the whole Law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all: For he that faid, Do not commit Adultery, faid alfo, Do not kill. Now, if thou commit no Adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a Tranfgreffor of the Law.

f So fpeak ye, and fo do, as they that shall be judged by the Law of Liberty.

Luke 18. 11.

Rom. 6. 1, 2, 5. Rom. 3. 8, 7.

bz Tim. 2. 19. 1 Theff. s. zz.

Rom. 14. 16. Rom. 12. 17. 2 Cor. 8. 21. 2 Cor. 11. 12. 1 Pet. 3. 16. I Pet. 2. 1S. d I Cor. 10. 23. I Cor. 6. 12.

Jam. 2.10, II.

f Jam. 2. 12.

a A

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