REV. 2: 1. Unto the Angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil; and thou hast tried them which say they are Apostles, and are not; and hast found them liars: and hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast labored, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate. He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. ¶ 3: 1. And unto the Angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come upon thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his Angels. 3: 14. And unto the Angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art nei ther 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, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked; I counsel thee to buy of me gold, tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve that thou mayest see. As many as I love I rebuke and chasten : be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock. If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh, will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. HEB. 6: 4. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come; if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance: seeing they crucify un to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. 11. We desire that every one of you do show 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. MAT. 5: 13. Ye are the salt of the earth; but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out, and trodden under foot of men. CHAPTER II. CHRISTIAN DEPORTMENT AND DUTIES. § 1. OF THE TONGUE. MAT. 12: 37. By thy words thou shalt be justified.—35. A good man, out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things. 5:37. Let your communications be yea, yea, nay, nay. LUKE 4: 22. All bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. JOB 2: 10. In all this Job sinned not with his lips. 27 4. My lips shall not speak wickedness. 33: 3. My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart. Ps. 39: 1. I will take heed to my ways that I sin not with my tongue; I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me. 141: 3. Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth. 63: 3. My lips shall praise thee. 37: S0. The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment. PROV. 10: 11. The mouth of the righteous is a well of life.-20. The tongue of the just is as choice silver. The lips of the righteous feed many.-31. The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom. 12: 6. The mouth of the upright shall deliver them.-18. The tongue of the wise is health. 14: 3. The lips of the wise shall preserve them. 15: 1. A soft answer turneth away wrath. 4. A wholesome tongue is a tree of life.-7. The lips of the wise disperse knowledge. 16: 24. Pleasant words are as an honey-comb... sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. 18: 21. Death and life are in the power of the tongue. ECCL. 9: 17. The words of the wise are heard in quiet, more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools. EPH. 4: 29. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers. COL. 4: 6. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. HEB. 13: 15. Let us offer the fruit of our lips: giving thanks to his name. JAMES 1: 26. If any man seem to be religious and bridleth not his tongue, that man's religion is vain. 3: 2. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. MARK 3: 28. Verily, I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: but he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost, hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation because they said, He hath an unclean spirit. (See Morality of the Gospel, Government of the Tongue.) § 2. DUTIES ARISING FROM THE SO CIAL RELATIONS. I. The Marriage Relation. HEB. 13: 4. Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled. 1 COR. 7: 2. To avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. 1 TIM. 5: 3. Honor widows that are widows indeed. But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to show piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God. Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day : but she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth. And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless, But if any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man, well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work. But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry; having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith. And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also, and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not. I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully. For some are already turned aside after Satan. If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed. MAT. 19: 3. The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning, made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? He saith unto them, Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away, doth commit adultery. His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry. But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given. For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb; and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men ; and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it. T 1 COR. 7: 25. Now concerning virgins, I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful. I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress; I say, that it is good for a man so to be. Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife. But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned: and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless, such shall have trouble in the flesh; but I spare you. But this I say, brethren, The time is short. It remaineth, that both they that have wives, be as though they had none; and they that weep, 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. But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried, careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: but he that is married, careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife. There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy, both in body and in spirit: but she that is married, careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband. And this I speak for your own profit ; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction. But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not let them marry. Nevertheless, he that standeth steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well. So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in | ROM. 7: 2. The woman, which hath a husband, is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth: but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. Duties resulting from it. 1 COR. 7: 8. Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence, and likewise also, the wife unto the husband. ray, but (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works. Let the women learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding, she shall be saved in child-bearing, if they continue in faith, and charity, and holiness, with sobriety. 1 PETER 3: 1. Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey_not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives, while they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. Whose adorning, let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands, even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord; whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement. Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. EPH. 5: 21. Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the Savior of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it. 28. So ought men to love their wives, as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself, for no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church. For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless, let every one of you in particular so love his wife TITUS 2: 4. That the aged woeven as himself: and the wife see men teach the younger women to be that she reverence her husband. sober, to love their husbands, to COL. 3: 18. Wives, submit your-love their children; to be discreet, selves unto your own husbands, as chaste, keepers at home, good, obeit is fit in the Lord. Husbands, love dient to their own husbands, that your wives, and be not bitter against the word of God, be not blasthem. phemed. 1 TIM. 2: 9. In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broidered 1 TIM. 5: 14. I will that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully. Duties in Regard to Unbelievers. 1 COR. 7: 10. Unto the married hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly ar- I command, yet not I, but the Lord, let not the wife depart from her husband; but and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband. And let not the husband put away his wife. If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And the woman that hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or sister is not bound in such cases: but God hath called us to peace. For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt not save thy husbsnd? and how knowest thou, O husband, whether thou shalt save thy wife? 39. The wife is bound by the law, as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will, only in the Lord. DEUT. 7: S. Neither shalt thou make marriages with them [the heathen] thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son; nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods. (See the Transgression of Solomon. 1 Kings 11: I. Of Israel. Ezra 9: 2-12. Neh. 13: 23.) Fornication. PROV. 5:3. For the lips of a strange woman drop as a honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil. But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell. Lest thou shouldest find the path of life, her ways are movable; thou canst not know them.-8. Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house; lest thou give thy honor unto others and thy years unto the cruel.... And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed, and say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof! 6: 23. The commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life; to keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue af a strange woman. Lust not after her beauty in thine heart, neither let her take thee with her eyelids. For by means of a whorish woman, a man is brought to a piece of bread; and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life. Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burnt? So he that goeth in to his neighbor's wife; whoso toucheth her shall not be innocent. 7: 4. Say unto wisdom, thou art my sister, and call understanding thy kinswoman, that they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words. For at the window of my house, I looked through my casement, and beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding, passing through the street, near her corner; and he went the way to her house; in the twilight, in the dark and black night. And behold, there met him a woman with the attire of a harlot, and subtle of heart. So she caught him and kissed him and with an impudent face said unto him, I have peace offerings with me; this day have I paid my vows; therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and Í have found thee.-21. With much fair speech she caused him to yield ; with the flattering of her lips she forced him. He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks, till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not, that it is for his life.-26. She hath cast down many wounded; yea many strong men have been slain by her: her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death. 9: 13. A foolish woman is clam orous; she is simple and knoweth nothing. For she sitteth at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places in the city, to call passengers, who go right on their way, whoso is simple, let him turn in hither; and as for him that wanteth understand |