Temperance. "Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting "and drunkenness." "When thou sittest to eat, "consider diligently what is before thee; and put a "knife to thy throat if thou be a man given to appetite. Be not desirous of dainties, for they are "deceitful meat. Be not amongst wine-bibbers, nor 66 amongst riotous eaters of flesh: for the drunkard and "the glutton shall come to poverty." "They that are "drunken are drunken in the night; but let us who "are of the day be sober." "Let us walk honestly "as in the day: not in rioting and drunkenness." For drunkenness, revellings, and such like, are "works of the flesh;" and "they which do such "( things shall not inherit the kingdom of God:" but "temperance is a fruit of the Spirit." They that "count it pleasure to riot in the day time, sporting "themselves with their own deceivings while they "feast, shall receive the reward of unrighteousness.”(≈) Chastity and Modesty. "This is the will of God, 66 even our sanctification; that we should abstain from "fornication; that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; "not in the lusts of concupiscence, as the Gentiles "which know not God." "God hath not called us "to uncleanness, but unto holiness." "Abstain from "fleshly lusts which war against the soul." "Walk "not as other Gentiles walk; who, being past feeling, "have given themselves over to lasciviousness, to work "to 66 (z) Luke, xxi. 34. Prov. xxiii. 1, 2, 3, 20, 21. 1 Thes. v. 7, 8. Rom. xiii. 13. Gal. v. 19, 21, 22, 23. 2 Pet. ii. 13. "all uncleanness greedily." "Whosoever looketh on a 66 woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery "with her already in his heart." "Put all filthy com"munication out of your mouth; indulge neither "filthiness, nor foolish talking." "Neither fornica"tors, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of "themselves with mankind, shall enter into the king"dom of God." "Know ye not that ye are the temple "of God; and that your body is the temple of the "Holy Ghost which is in you? If any man defile the "temple of God, him shall God destroy. For the "temple of God is holy, which temple are ye." "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see "God." "Let women adorn themselves in modest 66 apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety, not with "broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array: "but (which becometh women professing godliness) "with good works." "Abstain from all appearance "of evil." (a) Diligence. "In the morning sow thy seed, and in "the evening withhold not thine hand; for thou "knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that: "or whether they both shall be alike good." "Go to "the ant, thou sluggard, consider her ways and be "wise; which, having no guide, overseer, nor ruler, "provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth "her food in the harvest." "Be not slothful." Let every man "labour, working with his hands the (a) 1 Thes. iv. 3, 4, 5, 7. 1 Pet. ii. 11. Eph. iv. 17, 19. Matt. ix. 28. Col. iii. 8. Eph. v. 4. 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10, 19. iii. 16. 1 Tim. ii. 9, 10. 1 Thes. v. 22. "thing which is good, that he may have to give to "him that needeth." "There are some which walk disorderly, working not at all, but are busy bodies: now them that are such, we command and exhort by "our Lord Jesus, that with quietness they work and "eat their own bread. If any man will not work, "neither should he eat." "Seest thou a man diligent "in his business? He shall stand before kings, he "shall not stand before mean men." "Not slothful ❝in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord.” (b) Contentment. "Give me neither poverty nor "riches; feed me with food convenient for me: lest I "be full, and deny thee, and say, 'Who is the Lord?' "or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my "God in vain." "A little that a righteous man hath "is better than the riches of many wicked." "Better "is a little with the fear of the Lord, than great "treasure and trouble therewith." "He that maketh "haste to be rich shall not be innocent." "Be not "thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of "his house is increased: for though while he lived he "blessed his soul; yet when he dieth he shall carry "nothing away; his glory shall not descend after "him." "Seekest thou great things for thyself, seek "them not." "I know both how to be abased and how to abound. I have learnt in whatsoever state "I am, therewith to be content. "Let every man "abide in the same calling wherein he was called. "Art thou called, being a servant (a slave douλòs) ? (1) Eccles. xi. 6. 2 Thes. iii. 10-12. Prov. vi. 7, 8. Heb. vi. 12. Eph. iv. 28. Rom. xii. 11. PERSONAL DUTIES. UN 305 "care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, "use it rather." "I would have you without anxiety; "that they which weep may be as though they wept "not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced "not; and they that buy, as though they possessed "not; and they that use this world, as not abusing it. "For the fashion of this world passeth away." "God"liness with contentment is great gain." "Having "food and raiment, let us be therewith content. "But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, "which drown men in destruction and perdition. For "avarice is the root of all evils, which, some grasping 66 at, have wandered away from the faith, and pierced "themselves all around with many sorrows." "Lay "not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where "moth and rust corrupt, and where thieves break "through and steal; but lay up for yourselves trea 66 66 sures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth "corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor "steal: for where your treasure is there will your "heart be also." "Let your conversation be without 66 covetousness, and be content with such things as ye "have; for He hath said, I will never leave thee nor "forsake thee." (c) Religious Joy and Cheerfulness. "Rejoice in the (c) Prov. xxx. 8, 9. Ps. xxxvii. 16. Prov. xv. 16. xxviii. 20. Ps. xlix. 16-18. Jer. xlv. 5. Phil. iv. 11, 12. 1 Cor. vii. 21, 30-32. 1 Tim. vi. 6,8-10. Matt. vi. 19-21. Heb. xiii. 5. It will be perceived, that I have taken the liberty of translating 1 Tim. vi. 10, so as to preserve the metaphor, which has always appeared to me to be very beautiful and striking. .66 66 66 "Lord, O ye righteous, for praise is comely for the upright." "Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart." "Rejoice in hope of the glory of God." "Rejoice in the Lord "always, and again I say rejoice." Believing in Jesus Christ, " ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of "glory." "Let the brother of low degree rejoice in "that he is exalted; but the rich in that he is made "low." "In every thing give thanks: for this is the ❝will of God in Christ Jesus, concerning you." "always cheerful." (IIavтOTE Xαipers. Semper gaudete.) "And the ransomed of the Lord shall come to Zion "with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and 866 .66 "Be sighing shall flee away." "In the world ye shall "have tribulation; but be of good cheer." (d) 66 Self-Denial, &c. If any man (saith Jesus Christ) "will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." "Put off the "old man with his deeds; knowing this that our old 66 man is crucified with Christ, that the body of sin "might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not 66 serve sin." "If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: "but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of "the body, ye shall live.” "They that are Christ's "have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the "earth: keep under your bodies, and bring them into "subjection. For though we walk in the flesh, we do (d) Ps. xxxiii. 1. xcvii. 11. Rom. v. 2. Phil. iv. 4. 1 Pet. i. 8. James, i. 9, 10. 1 Thes. v. 18, 16. Is. xxxv. 10. John, xvi. 33. |