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WEDNESDAY NOON.

The practice of Christian holiness enforced from a consideration of the excellency and advantages of the Christian religion:

1. in that it contains a full and clear revelation of all those truths and doctrines that are necessary to be known and believed by us, in order to our attaining everlasting salvation.

GOD, Who at sundry times, and in divers manners, spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, Whom He hath appointed Heir of all things, by Whom also He made the worlds".

In Him was life: and the life was the light of men'.

That was the true light, that lighteth every man that cometh into the world".

For the law was given by Moses: but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man hath seen God at any time: the only-begotten Son, Which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him d.

a Heb. i. 1, 2.

b John i. 4.
d John i. 17, 18.

c Ibid. ver. 9.

All things are delivered unto Me of My Father; and no man knoweth the Son but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him.

I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by Me. If ye had known Me, ye should have known the Father also; and from henceforth ye know Him, and have seen Him f.

For he that hath seen Me, hath seen the Fathers.

Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doth but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of My Father, I have made known unto you ".

Blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear: For verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them, and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them'.

But unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven *.

Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither

• Matt. xi. 27. h John xv. 15.

8 Ibid. ver. 9.

f John xiv. 6, 7.

i Matt. xiii. 16. 17.

k Ibid. ver. 11.

have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him; But God hath revealed them unto us, by His Spirit".

Having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself; That in the dispensation of the fullness of times, He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are in earth; even in Him; In Whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him; Who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will'.

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son; In Whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins m.

For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time ".

To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light; and from the power of Satan unto God: that they might receive for

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giveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified, by faith that is in Him.

2. in that it gives us a plain and perfect law for the direction of our practice, and the government of our lives.

Think not that I am come to destroy the law and the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil❜.

For I say unto you, that except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill, shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause, shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, thou fool, shall be in danger of hellfire.

Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart'.

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Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths":

But I say unto you, swear not at all';

But let your communication be yea, yea; nay, nay; for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. Ye have heard that it hath been said, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil".

Love your enemies; bless them that curse you; do good to them that hate you; and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you: That ye may be the children of your Father Which is in heaven; for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil, and on the good; and sendeth rain on the just, and on the unjust*.

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father Which is in heaven is perfect v.

Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness; and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying: But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof". t Ibid. ver. 34. " Ibid. ver. 37, 38, 39. y Ibid. ver. 48. z Rom. xiii. 12-15.

• Matt. v. 33, 34.
* Ibid. ver. 44, 45.

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