Do all things without murmurings or disputings, that ye may be blameless, and harmless (or sincere), and without rebuke, &c. All seek their own things, not the things which are Jesus Christ's.-Phil. ii. 14, 15. 21.

If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead; not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend, &c. This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before; I press towards the mark, &c.—Phil. iii. 11-14. 2 Cor. vii. 1. 2 Thess. i. 3.

Epaphras, &c. always labouring (or striving) fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God; for I bear him record that he hath a great zeal for you.-Col. iv. 12, 13.

They received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.— 2 Thess. ii. 10.

I charge you before God, &c. that you observe these things without preferring (or prejudice) one before another, doing nothing by partiality. -1 Tim. v. 21.

No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. 2 Tim. ii. 4.

In all things shewing thyself a pattern: &c. in doctrine, shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, &c. who gave himself for us, that he might, &c. purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works.-Titus ii. 7. 14.

We ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip (or they slide from us) -Heb. ii. 1.

All things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.-Heb. iv. 13. Luke xii. 1, 2.

tance from dead works, &c. We desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence, to the full assurance of hope unto the end: that ye be not slothful, but followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Heb. vi. 1. 11, 12.

Make strait (or even) paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way.-Heb. xii. 13.

The wisdom which is from above is pure, &c. without partiality, and without hypocrisy, &c.-James iii. 17.

Know ye not, that the friendship of the world is enmity with God: whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world, is the enemy of God. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you, &c. Purify your hearts, ye double minded.-James iv. 4. 8.

Seeing you have purified your souls in obeying, &c. unto unfeigned love of the brethren. See that ye love one another with a pure heart, fervently.-1 Pet. i. 22.

Let us go on unto perfection, not laying again the foundation of repen

thy children sincerely walking in truth.-2 John 4.

The brethren by their testimony did commend thy sincerity as thou walkest sincerely, &c. I have no greater joy, than to hear my children walk in truth. Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren and to strangers.3 John 3-5. But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, &c.Jude 20.

Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.-Rev. ii. 10.

Thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead; be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain: I have not found thy works perfect before God, &c. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments, &c. I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot; I would thou wert cold or hot; so then, because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth; because thou sayest I am rich, &c. and knowest not that thou art wretched, &c. As many as I love, I rebuke, &c. be zealous therefore, &c.-Rev. iii. 14. 15-17. 19.

These are they which were not defiled with women, for they are virgins; these are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth.-Rev. xiv. 4.

Let every man prove his own work, &c. for every man shall bear his own burden, &c. Be not deceived, God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap, &c. .—Gal. vi. 3—5. 7.

SECT.XVII. To stick fast to God, and not to depart from him: to abide in the faith and practice of his Will, and persevere to the end. The Reasons, I. To persevere and abide with God in Faith and Practice.

appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. -1 Tim. vi. 14.

Enoch walked with God, and he was not; for God took him.Gen. v. 24. But ye

Your eyes have seen, &c. that did cleave unto the Lord your God, are alive every one of you this day.-Deut. iv. 3,4.

Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation, &c. Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee; and when the Lord saw it, he abhorred them.-Deut. xxxii. 15. 18, 19. Ps. lxxviii. 56-59. Jer. vi. 28. 30.

Cleave unto the Lord your God, as ye have done unto this day.—Josh. xxiii. 8. Deut. x. 20. xxx. 20.

THAT thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the

Choose you whom ye will serve, &c. but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.--Josh, xxiv. 15.

Israel departed from God after Joshua and all that generation were dead.-Judges ii. 8, &c.

Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his face continually.--1 Chron. xvi. 11.

Thou Solomon, my son, know thou the God of thy father, &c. If thou seek him he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for ever.-1 Chron. xxviii. 9.

Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah, and Benjamin; the Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you. -2 Chron. xv. 2. Ye cannot prosper; because ye have forsaken the Lord, he hath forsaken you.-2 Chron. xxiv. 20. xxvi. 5. The righteous also shall hold on his way.-Job xvii. 9.

I have kept the ways of the Lord: and have not wickedly departed from my God, &c. I did not put away his statutes from me.-Ps. xviii. 21, 22. Job xxiii. 11, 12. 2 Sam. xxii. 22, 23. Ps. xxvi. 3. 2 Kings xviii. 6.

Wait on the Lord and keep his

All this is come upon us, yet have we not forgotten thee, &c. Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way: though thou hast sore broken us, &c. If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god: shall not God search it out? Ps. xliv. 17-21. cxix. 157.

He will speak peace unto his people; but let them not turn again to folly.-Ps. lxxxv. 8.

Then believed they his words: they sang his praise: they soon forgat his works: they waited not for his counsel, &c. they forgat God their Saviour, which had done great things. -Ps. evi. 12, 13. 21. lxxviii. 10, 11. 37. 41. 56-59.

As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity.-Ps. cxxv. 5.

My son, forget not my law. Prov. iii. 1.

The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways.-Prov. xiv. 14.

He that keepeth his way, preserveth his soul.-Prov. xvi. 17.

My son give me thine heart; and let thine eyes observe my ways. Prov. xxiii. 26.

I have nourished and brought up children, &c. they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger; they are gone away backward. Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more, &c. They that forsake the Lord shall be consumed. -Isa. i. 2. 4. 28.

There shall be desolation, because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, &c. Isa. xvii. 9, 10.

This people have I formed for myself, &c. but thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel: thou hast not brought me, &c.-Isa. xliii. 21-23.

He feedeth upon ashes; and a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul; nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand-Isa. xliv. 20.

I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, &c. when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, &c. Thus saith the Lord, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain ? &c. Pass over the isles, &c. Hath a nation changed their gods? &c. But my people have changed their glory, &c. Be astonished, O ye heavens, &c. for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters; hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water, &c. Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the Lord? &c. Thy backsliding shall reprove thee: know therefore, and see, that it is an evil and a bitter thing, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, &c. I had planted thee a noble vine, &c. how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me? &c. They have turned their back unto me, and not their face, &c. Have I been a barren wilderness unto Israel, a land of darkness? Wherefore say my people, We are lords, we will come no more unto thee? Can a maid forget her ornaments? bride her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me, days without number.

or a

Jer. ii. 2. 5. 10–13. 17. 19. 21. 27. 31, 32. Hosea xiii. 6.

Weeping and supplications of the children of Israel; for they have perverted their way, and they have forgotten the Lord, &c.-Jer. iii. 21.

How shall I pardon thee for this? Thy children have forsaken me, &c.

ordinances as I delivered them to you. -1 Cor. xi. 2.

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Be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. -1 Cor. xv. 58.

Stand fast in the faith; quit you like men, and be strong.-1 Cor. xvi. 13.

Having therefore these promises, &c. let us cleanse ourselves, &c. perfecting holiness in the fear of God.2 Cor. vii. 1.

I am jealous over you, &c. lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve, &c. so your mind should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.-2 Cor. xi. 2, 3.

I marvel that you are so soon removed from him that called you, &c. But though we or an angel, &c.Gal. i. 6-8.

Paul blames the Galatians, for turning back to circumcision, and beggarly elements; and exhorts them to hold the faith, and to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free.-Gal. iii. iv. v. ii. 4,5.

Let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.-Gal. vi. 9.

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, &c. Let him who stole steal no more.-Eph. iv. 14. 28.

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil: for we wrestle not with flesh, &c. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all, to stand, &c. Praying and watching with all perseverance.--Eph. vi.

:

11-13. 18.

Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. -Phil. iii. 16.

Stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.-Phil. iv. 1.

from the hope of the gospel which ye have heard, &c.—Col. i. 23.

If ye continue in the faith, grounded and settled, and be not moved away

Brethren, be not weary (or faint not) in well doing.-2 Thess. iii. 13.

Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away, concerning faith, have made shipwreck of whom is Hymeneus, &c.—1 Tim. i. 19, 20.

She shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith, and charity, and holiness, with sobriety.-1 Tim. ii. 15.

I give thee charge, &c. that thou keep this commandment, &c. until the appearing of our Lord, &c.— 1 Tim. vi. 13, 14.

In the latter times, some shall depart from the faith, &c. Some are already turned aside after Satan.1 Tim. iv. 1. v. 15. i. 5, 6. 18, 19. vi. 10. 21. 2 Tim. ii. 17, 18. iv. 10.

If we deny him, he also will deny us.-2 Tim. ii. 12.

But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned, and hast been assured of, &c.-2 Tim. iii. 14–16. i. 13, 14.

I have fought a good fight, I have