moved away from the hope of the who shall make a prey of you gospel, which ye heard.

through philosophy and vain deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the rudiments of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him dwelleth the complete measure of the Godhead in bodily form, and ye are made full in him,

8 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh on behalf of his body, which is the congregation, that which is wanting of the afflictions of Christ; of whom I became a minister, according to the stewardship which God entrusted who is the head of all principality to me, for you, to fulfil the word of and power. God, the mystery which hath been. hidden for ages and generations, but hath been now revealed to his saints.

3 And with him, through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead, were ye also raised to life; and to you who were dead in 9 To whom it was the will of your trespasses and the lusts of God to make known what is the your flesh, hath he given life together riches of the glory of this mystery with him, having forgiven us all our among the Gentiles, which is Christ trespasses. He hath blotted out the in you, the hope of glory; whom handwriting in ordinances that was we preach, warning every man, and against us, which was opposed to us, teaching every man in all wisdom, and hath taken it out of the way, that we may present every man per- and nailed it to the cross. fect in Christ; to which end I also am laboring, striving earnestly through his working, which worketh within me mightily.

SELECTION II.

Of the Divine fulness that was in Christ, we also should partake; and thus, like him, be raised up above the world, from the power of transgression and death into enduring spiritual life.

THO

4 Let no one then call you to account about food or drink, or a feastday, or a new moon, or sabbaths; which are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance is in Christ.

5 Let no one defraud you of the prize, desiring you to prostrate yourselves and worship angels; for they intrude into things which they have not seen, being puffed up without reason HOUGH I am absent in body, by the carnal mind, instead of holdyet in the spirit I am with you, ing fast the Head, from which rejoicing and beholding your order, the whole body, supported and and the steadfastness of your faith in compacted by means of the joints Christ. As therefore ye have re- and ligaments, groweth with an inceived Christ Jesus the Master, walk crease wrought by God. in him, rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

6 If ye died with Christ to the rudiments of the world, why, as still living in the world, do ye subject yourselves to such ordinances, as

2 Beware lest there be some one" Handle not, Taste not, Touch

not, the things which are to perish long-suffering; bearing with each with the using," according to the other, and forgiving each other, if commandments and teachings of any one have a complaint against anmen; these things have indeed a other; even as Christ freely forgave, show of wisdom in will-worship and so do ye also freely forgive. humiliation and severity to the body; but for the subjugation of the flesh they are not of any value.

7 If, then, ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on things on the earth; for ye are dead to the earth, and your life is hidden with Christ in God; when Christ, our life, shall be manifested, then will we also be manifested with him in glory.

II And over all these things put on the robe of love, which is the bond of perfectness; and let the peace of Christ, to which ye were called in one body, rule in your hearts; and be ye thankful.

12 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, in grace singing in your hearts to God. And whatever ye do, in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father, through him.

13 Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.

8 Put to death, therefore, your carnal passions, such as fornication, uncleanness, lust, evil desire, and covetousness (which is idolatry); on account of which things cometh the indignation of God. In which things ye also once walked, when ye lived in them; but now put ye away all these; as also such things as anger, wrath, malice, evil-speaking, obscene aged. language out of your mouth.

9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, who is renewed unto knowledge after the image of him that created him; where there is no Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman; but Christ is all, and in all.

14 Children, obey your parents in all things; for this is well-pleasing in the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children, lest they be discour

15 Servants, obey in all things those who are your masters according to the flesh, not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord.

16 Whatever ye do, do it from the heart, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that it is from the Lord that ye will receive the recompense of the inheritance. Ye serve the Master, Christ.

10 Clothe yourselves, therefore, as 17 He that doeth wrong, shall rethe chosen of God, holy and beloved, ceive back the wrong which he hath with compassionate affections, kind-done; and there is no respect of perness, lowliness of mind, meekness, sons.

18 Masters, deal out to your in bonds; that I may speak it, as I servants justice and equity, knowing ought to speak.

that ye also have a master in heaven. 20 Walk in wisdom toward them 19 Persevere in prayer, being that are without, redeeming the watchful therein with thanksgiving; time. praying at the same time for us also, that God may open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for the sake of which I am also

21 Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every one.

LETTERS TO THE THESSALONIANS.

SELECTION I.

you, we preached to you the gospel of

The plainness and truthfulness of teach-God.

ing which all faithful and wise instructors 4 Ye are witnesses, and so is God, will be constrained to use.

YE E yourselves know, brethren, that our coming among you hath not been in vain; but we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict. For our teaching is not from error, nor from impurity, nor in guile; but as we have been regarded by God as worthy to be intrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God, who trieth our hearts. 2 And neither at any time did we use flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness, God is witness; nor from men sought we glory, either from you or from others.

how holily, and righteously, and unblamably we conducted ourselves toward you that believe; as ye know how we exhorted, and encouraged, and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children, that ye should walk in a manner worthy of God, who is calling you to his own kingdom and glory.

5 And for this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that when ye received the word of God which ye heard from us, ye received it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also is powerfully working in you that believe.

6 For ye, brethren, became imitators of the congregations of God which are in Judæa in Christ Jesus: for ye also suffered the same thing: from your own countrymen, as they have from the Jews; who both killed Jesus the Master, and the prophets, and drove us out, and sought not

3 And we were gentle in the midst of you, even as a nurse cherisheth her own children; so having a strong affection for you, we were willing to impart to you, not only the gospel of God, but also our own souls, because ye became dear to us. For ye remember, brethren, our labor and toil, how laboring night and day, that we to please God, but set themselves might not be burdensome to any of against all men, hindering us from

speaking for the salvation of the 12 Concerning brotherly love there Gentiles. Thus do they fill up their is no need of writing to you; for ye sins always; and on this account yourselves are taught of God to love the indignation of God is come upon one another; but we exhort you, them to the uttermost. brethren, to abound in love still more.

7 But we, brethren, having been bereaved of you for a short time, 13 Study to be quiet, and to do separated in body, not in heart, used your own business, and to work with the greater endeavors with much your own hands, as we commanded earnestness to see your face. For you; that ye may walk becomingly what is our hope, or joy, or crown of toward those without, and may have glorying? Is it not even ye, in the need of nothing. presence of Jesus our Master at his coming? For ye are our glory and joy.

8 May God himself, our Father, and Jesus our Master, direct our way to you; and the Lord make you to increase and abound in love

toward one another and toward all, even as we do in love toward you.

9 Furthermore then, brethren, we beseech you, and exhort you in Jesus the Master, that, as ye received from us how ye ought to walk and to please God, even as ye are walking, so abound ye still more, for this is the will of God, even your sanctifica

tion.

SELECTION II.

Death is but a falling off of the body, and a rising up of the soul; for this transformation all should be in constant readiness. BUT

UT we would not have you ig

norant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, that ye may not sorrow, as others do, who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and reappeared, then will God, with Jesus, also restore those who have fallen asleep.

2 So, then, comfort one another with these words; but concerning times and seasons there is no need of writing to you; for ye yourselves know full well, that the day of the

10 Abstain from fornication; let every one of you know how to procure for himself his own companion Lord so cometh as a thief in the

in purity and honor, not in the passion of lust, as do the Gentiles who know not God.

II Let no one go beyona and overreach his brother in any matter; because the Lord is the avenger in respect to all these things, as we also told you before and solemnly testified. God did not call us to live in uncleanness, but in purity; and he that rejecteth God's call, rejecteth not man, but God, who also gave to us his Holy Spirit.

night. When they are saying, Peace and safety, then doth sudden destruction come upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

3 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you as a thief; for ye all are sons of light, and sons of the day; we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

4 So, then, let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober; for they that sleep, sleep in the night;

and they that are drunken, are drunken in the night.

12 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run and be glorified, even as it is with you; and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for all have not faith. But faithful is the Lord, who will establish you, and guard you from evil; and in the Lord we have confidence concerning

5 But let us, as we are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation; for God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through Jesus Christ our Master, who died for us, that, whether in life or in death, we should be you, that ye both do and will do the alive together with him. Where- things which we command. May fore, encourage one another, and the Lord direct your hearts to the edify one another, as indeed ye are love of God, and to perseverance in doing. the cause of Christ.

6 And we beseech you, brethren, 13 Now we charge you, brethren, to know those who labor among you, in the name of the Master, Jesus and preside over you in the Lord, Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves and admonish you, and to esteem from every brother that walketh them very highly in love for their disorderly, and not after the tra work's sake. Be at peace among dition which they received of us. yourselves.

7 Moreover we exhort you, brethren, admonish the unruly, comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak, be forbearing to all.

8 See that none render evil for evil to any one; but ever follow that which is good, both toward one another and toward all.

9 Be always joyful. Pray without ceasing, and in every thing give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus in regard to you.

10 Quench not the Spirit; despise not prophesyings, but prove all things; hold fast that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.

For ye know how ye ought to follow us, inasmuch as we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you, neither did we eat any man's bread for nought, but were working with labor and travail night and day, that we might not be burdensome to any of you; not because we had not authority to do otherwise, but to make ourselves an example to you, that ye should follow us.

14 When we were with you, this we commanded you: If any one will not work, neither let him eat. Now we hear of some who walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies; such we II And may the God of peace charge and exhort in the name of himself sanctify you wholly; and Jesus Christ the Master, that with may your spirit, and soul, and body, quietness they work, and eat their be preserved entire, and without own bread. But ye, brethren, be not blame; to the coming of Jesus Christ our Master; faithful is he who calleth you, who also will do it.

weary in well-doing. And if any one obey not our word, mark that man; and keep no company with