I will, therefore, that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands". For the Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him; to all that call upon Him in truth °. Pray to thy Father Which is in secret; and thy Father Which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly P. Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever; for wisdom and might are His". I thank Thee, and praise Thee, O God of my fathers, Who hast given us wisdom and might'. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out! To the only wise God our Saviour be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and evert. 4. in that God is most pure and holy, most just and righteous, most true and faithful. The Lord is righteous in all His ways; and holy in all His works ". There is none holy as the Lord *. Behold, He putteth no trust in His saints: yea the heavens are not clean in His sight". Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity". Surely God will not hear vanity; neither will the Almighty regard it". The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord; but the prayer of the upright is His delight. The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear Him; in those that hope in His mercy ©. For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness; His countenance will behold the thing that is just. Thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men, to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. He is the rock: His work is perfect for all His ways are judgment; a God of truth, and without iniquity; just and right is He. Whatsoever good thing any man doth, the same shall he receive of the Lord". But he that doth wrong, shall receive for the wrong which he hath done; and there is no respect of persons 1. God accepteth not the persons of princes; nor regardeth the rich more than the poor; for they are all the work of His hands'. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, unto such as keep His covenant and His testimonies. God is not a man that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent: hath He said, and shall He not do it? Or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good1? If we believe not, yet He abideth faithful; He cannot deny Himself". Heaven and earth shall pass away; but My words shall not pass away ". My covenant will I not break; nor alter the thing that is gone out of My lips. Practical inferences from the foregoing. Know therefore that the Lord thy God, He is God, the faithful God, Which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him, and keep His commandments to a thousand generations; And repayeth them that hate Him to their face, to destroy them: He will not be slack to him that hateth Him; He will repay him to his face. Thou shalt therefore keep the i Job xxxiv. 19. m2 Tim. ii. 13. * Psal. xxv. 10. Numb. xxiii. 19. • Psal. lxxxix. 34. commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments which I command thee this day to do them. And He will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: He will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land; thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil; the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep'. And ye shall be holy; for I (the Lord your God) am holy'. As He Which hath called you is holy; so be ye holy in all manner of conversation". Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness; but rather reprove them". Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith; having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for He is faithful That promised *. Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator". For God is faithful, Who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it". Faithful is He that calleth you, Who also will do it ". And if ye call on the Father, Who, without respect of persons, judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear ". I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against Him ©. 5. in that God is most gracious, long-suffering and merciful. Who is a God like unto Thee, That pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He retaineth not His anger for ever, because He delighteth in mercy. He will turn again; He will have compassion upon us: He will subdue our iniquities, and Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea". As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn 21 Cor. x. 13. b 1 Pet. i. 17. 19. C Micah vii. 9. a 1 Thess. v. 24. |