* EBHiHSKiSSP iHiilii VHHT LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. E -91 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THE BIBLE READER, Designed for the Public Schools. BY \<; Guide. BJUt. En^dx ' IfcTff BOSTON: D. LOTHROP & COMPANY, FRANKLIN STREET, CORNER OF HAWLEY. Copyright by D. LOTHROP & CO. 1877. PREFACE The following work contains, arranged in consecutive order and under appropriate Headings, those portions of the Holy Scriptures, which, either in direct terms or by example, teach the great moral lessons, on which mankind are gen- erally agreed. By its freedom from all that is either doctrinal or eccle- siastical, while at the same time, it preserves the unrivalled moral teaching of the Bible, it seeks to fill a delicate, though important office in the work of popular education. The arrangement of the different texts according to sub- jects, is believed to be in full accord with the present ad- vanced stage of mental culture in our Public Schools. The book is made up of portions selected from " The Unerring Guide," or " Scripture Precepts Topically Ar- ranged," and, so far as it goes, is, in all respects, identical with the larger work, A small edition only is now published, but if found desir- able for introduction into our Public Schools it will be issued in improved form, and to whatever extent may be needed. The Publishers. Boston, Sept. 1S7T. PART I. DUTIES TO GOD. I. — TO LOVE GOD. Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the Dent. 6: i. Judgments, which the Lord your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them hi the land whither ye go to possess it : Hear therefore, <> [srael, and observe to do It, that it " 6:3- may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily as the Lobd God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey. Hear, <> [srael, the Lobd our God is one Lord. And thou shall LOVE the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and witli all thy BOUl, and with all thy might. And these words which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a ques- Matt. 22:35. tion, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the Law ? 8 THE UNERRING GUIDE. Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt LOYE the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. Matt. 12: 33. And to LOYE him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. Josh. 22 : 5. But take diligent heed, to do the Commandment and the Law, which Moses, the servant of the Lord charged you, to LOYE the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his Commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart, and with all your soul. Deut. 11:22. For if ye shall diligently keep all these command- ments which I command you, to do them, to LOYE the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him : Then will the Lord drive out all these nations from before you, and ye shall possess greater nations, and might- ier than yourselves. Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread, shall be yours: from the wilderness, and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea, shall your coast be. There shall no man be able to stand before you : for the Lord your God shall lay the fear of you, and the dread of you upon all the land that ye shall tread upon, as he hath said unto you. Deut. 10:12. And now Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to LOYE him, and to serve the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, To keep the commandments of the Lord, and his sta- tutes, which I command thee this day for thy good ? Ps. 18: 1. I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer: DUTIES TO GOD. 9 my God. my strength in whom I will trust, my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. Whom have I in heaven but thee ? and there is none p s# 73 . 25 . upon earth that I desire besides thee. IT._TO OBEY GOD. NOW therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and Deut. 4: 1. unto the judgments which I teach yon, for to DO them, that ye may live, and go in and 0088088 the land, which the Lobd God of your fathers giveth you. Know therefore, this day, and consider it in thine heart, «« 4: 39 that the Lobd he is in heaven above, and upon the earth ath : there is none else. Thou Bhall KEEP therefore his Statutes, and his Com- mandments, which I command thee this day; that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the Lobd thy God giveth thee, for ever. Ye shall not tempt the Loud your God, as ye tempted « 6: l6 . him in Massah. Ye Bhall diligently KEEP the commandments of the Lobd your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the Loud: that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest go in, and possess the good land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers; To cast out all thine enemies from hefore thee, as the LOBD hath spoken. Behold, I send an Angel hefore thee to keep thee in g x< 23 . 20# the way, and to hring thee into the place which I have pre- pared. 10 THE UNERRING GUIDE. Beware of hirn, and OBEY liis voice, provoke him not : for he will not pardon your transgressions : for my name is in him. But if thou shalt indeed OBEY his voice, and do all that I speak, then I will he an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries. Deut.n:8. Therefore shall ye KEEP all the commandments which I command you this day, that ye may he strong and go in, and possess the land whither ye go to possess it: And that you may prolong your days in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give unto them, and to their seed, a land that floweth with milk and honey. Ps. i : i. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is the Law of the Lord, and in his Law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall he like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season, his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth, shall prosper. Jer. 42: 6. Whether it be good or whether it be evil, we will OBEY the voice of the Lord our God, to whom we send thee, that it may be well with us, when we OBEY the voice of the Lord our God. Heb. n:8. By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed, and he went out, not knowing whither he went. Gen. 22 : 1. And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham. And he said, Be- hold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah: and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and DUTIES TO GOD. 11 Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide you here with the ass, and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son: and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife: and they went both of them together. And Isaac Bpake unto Abraham his father, and -aid. My father: and he said. Sere am I, my son. And he said, Be- hold the fire and wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering ? And Abraham Bald, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: SO they went both of them to- gether. And they came to the place which God had told him of, and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in Order, and bound Isaac hifl son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to >lay Ills son. And the Angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham. And he said, Here am I. And he said. Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou est God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter Matt. 7: 21, into the kingdom of heaven: but lie that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day. Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name ? and in thy name have cast 12 THE UNERRING GUIDE. out devils ? and in thy name have done many wonderful works ? iSam.i 5 :i9- Wherefore then didst thou not OBEY the voice of the Lord, hut didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the Lord ? And Saul said unto Samuel : Yea, I have oheyed the voice of the Lord, and have gone the way which the Lord sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in GilgaL And Samuel said, Hath the Loud as great delight in burnt offerings, as in obeying the voice of the Lord ? Be- hold, to obey, is better than sacrifice: and to hearken, than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubborn- ness is as iniquity and idolatry: because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king. John 7: 17. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doc- trine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. Matt. 7: 24. Therefore, whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock : And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house: and it fell not, for it was founded on a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand : And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it. DUTIES TO GOD. 13 III.— TO FEAR GOD. IF there Slide among you a prophet, or a dreamer of Deuti3:i, dream?, and giveth th- . or a wonder: d or the wonder come to pass, whereof lie spake unto ther gods (which tin m nasi not known I and ' m : Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or thai dreamer of dreams: for the Lobd yonr God proveth you, to know whether you love the Lobd your (rod with all your heart, and with all your BOUL ^ liall walk after the Lobd your God, and FLAK him, and 1; d obey his VOiee, and you shall serve him, and cleave onto him. Thon shall FEAB the Lobd thy God; him shall thou u »:a* . and to him shall thon cleai wear by his Dame. He la thy praise, and he Is thy God thai hath done for Ihee Ui it and terrible things, which thii have seen. Now therefore, FEAB -i ind serve him in sin- josh. 24: 14. ccrity, and in truth, and put away the gods whieh your he other side of the flood, and In Egypt: and serve ye the Lobd. And fear not them which kill the body, bnl are not able Matt. k>:*8. to kill the soul: but rather PEAB him which is able to roy both soul and body in hell, not wise in thine own eye-: PEAB the Lord, ami de- Prov. 3 : 7- part from evil. O FEAR the Lobd ye his saints: for there is no want Ps.34: 9. to them that fear him. Who Is among you that FEAKETH the Loud, that obey- j sa# 5o: IO> eth the voice of hi- servant, that walketh in darkness and hath no light '? let him trust in the Xauie of the Loud, and stay upon his God. 14 THE UNERRIXG GUIDE. Ps. 33 : 8. Let all the earth FEAK the Lord : let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. Rev. 14: 6. And I saw another Angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel, to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people. Saying with a loud voice, FEAK God, and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven and earth, and the sea, and the foun- tains of waters. Rev. 15:3. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty, just and true are thy ways, thou king of saints. Who shall not FEAE thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name ? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee, for thy judgments are made manifest. Eccl. 12:13. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: FEAR God, and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. IV. — TO SERVE GOD. Deut. 10:20. nrHOU shalt fear the Lord thy God; him shalt thou 1 SERVE, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name. Josh. 24: 14. Now therefore, fear the Lord, and SERVE him in sin- cerity, and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt: and SERVE ye the Lord. DUTIES TO GOD. 15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: hut as for me and my house, we will SERVE the Lord. And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the Lord, to serve other gods. For the Lord our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we wont, and among all the people through whom we passed. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he hath visited Luke i: 68* and redeemed his people, That we should he saved from our enemies, and from " i: 7 i. the hand of all that hate us, To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy Covenant, The oath which he BWare to our father Abraham, That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, might SERVE him with- out fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. And thou, Solomon, my son, know thou the God of iChr. 28:9. thy father, and SERVE him with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and un- derstandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee, but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever. But take diligent heed, to do the Commandment and the josh. 22: 5. Law, which Moses the servant of the Lord charged you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his Commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to SERVE him with all your heart, and with all your soul. 16 THE UNERRING GUIDE. Lukei6: 13. ]S T o servant can SERVE two masters, for either he will hate the one, and love the other: or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other: ye cannot SERVE God and mammon. 1 Sam. 7 : 3. And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods, and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and SERVE him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philis- tines. Deut. 11:13. And it shall come to pass, if you shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the Lord your God, and to SERVE him with all your heart, and with all your soul; That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil. And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full. Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and SERVE other gods, and worship them : And then the Lord's wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, and there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit, and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the Lord giveth you. Is. 60: 12. For the nation and kingdom that will not SERVE thee, shall perish, yea those nations shall be utterly wasted. Mai. 3: 10. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, ifcl will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes: and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground, neither shall DUTIES TO GOD. 17 your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed : for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts. And Samuel said unto the people Fear not: (ye have done i Sam. 12: 20 all this wickedness, yet turn not aside from following the Lord, but SERVE the Loud with all your heart: And turn ye not aside, for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit, nor deliver, for they are vain.) For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great Name's sake: because it hath pleased the Loud to make you his people. Only fear the LoBD, and SERVE him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you. And one of the Ehh-r- answered, saying unto me. What Rev. 7: 13. are these which an; arrayed in white robes ? and whence came they ? And I said unto him. Sir. thou kimwost. * And he said to me, r rhe-<' are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and SERVE him day and night In his temple: and he that Bittetb on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger 110 more, neither thirst any more, neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb, which is in the midst of the throne, shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and (rod shall wipe away all tears from their ej And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of Rev.22: 3. God, and of the Lamb shall be in it. and his servants shall SERVE him. 18 THE UNERRING GUIDE. V. — TO TRUST IN GOD. jer. i 7 : 5. 'THUS saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that TRUST- 1 heart departeth from the Lord. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inbabited. Blessed is the man that TRUSTETH in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadetb out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green, and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. TRUST in the Lord, and do good, so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Ps. 37=3- Delight also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord: TRUST also in him, and he shall bring it to pass. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee; because he TRUSTETH in thee, isa. 26: 3. TRUST ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Je- hovah is everlasting strength. Job 19: 25. For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day, upon the earth: And though after my skin, worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall be- DUTIES TO GOD. 19 hold, and not another, though my reins be consumed within me. Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit Hab. 3 : * 7 . he in the vines: the labor of tlie olive shall fail and the fields shall yield no meat, the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: I will rejoice in the Lord: I will joy in the God of my salvation. Though he slay me, yel will I trust in him: but I will Job 13: 15. maintain mine own ways before him. And I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard rs. 3:4. me out of his holy hill. Selah. I laid me down and slept; I awaked, for the Lobd tained me. It a man die, shall he live again? All the day- of my job 14: 14. appointed time will I wait, till my change come. Put not your TRUST in Princes: nor in tin- son of man, Ps. 146:3. in whom there is no help. Now behold, thou trustesl upon the statT of this bruised a Kg.. 1S: ai .reed, even upon Egypt, on which it" a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: SO i> Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him. Bui if ye say unto me, We TRUST In the Lord our God: is not thai he whose higb places, and whose altars Hezekial) hath taken away, and hath said to Judah and Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem? It is better to TRUST in the Loud, than to put confi- p s . ns:8. dence in man. It is better to TRUST in the Loud, than to put confi- dence in Princes. I waited patiently for the Loud, and he inclined unto me, p s . 4o: 1. and heard my cry. lie brought me up also ou1 of a horrible pit, out of the 20 THE UNERRING GUIDE. miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall TRUST in the Lord. Blessed is the man that maketh the Lord his TRUST: and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. VI. — TO SEEK GOD. Acts i 7 : 24. /^OD that made the world, and all things therein, seeing V_J that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands: Neither is worshipped with men's hands as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all, life and breath, and all things. And hath made of one blood all nations of men, for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation: That they should SEEK the Lord, if haply they might feel after him and find him, though he be not far from every one of us. 2 Chr. 15 : 1. And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded. And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him. 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, lie will forsake yon. 2 Chr. 31:20. And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the Lord his God. And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments to DUTIES TO GOD. 21 SEEK his God, lie did it with all his heart, and prospered. SEEK ye the Lord, while he may be found, and call ye Isa. 55: 6. upon hiiu while he is near. Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the p s . 123: 1. h<*a\ ■ Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and a- the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress: bo our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, un- til that he have mercy upon OS. By nighl on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth. Sol.Song 3 :i Lghf him, but I found him not. I will rise now. and go about the city in th< . and in the broad way- 1 will SEEK him whom my soul loveth: Ight him. but I f<»und him not. The watchmen that u r " about the city, found me: to whom J said, Saw ye him whom my BOuJ loveth ? It was hut a little that I passed from them, hut I found him whom my soul loveth: 1 held him, and would not let him go, until I brought him into my mother'- house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me. But if from thenee thou -halt SEEK the LOBD thy Hod. Deut# 4: 29# thou shalt find him, if thou SEEK him with all thy heart, and with all thy bouL VII. — TO ACKNOWLEDGE GOD. In all thy ways ACKNOWLEDGE him, and he shall direct Pror. 3 : 6. thy paths. / And Jacob awaked up out of his sleep, and he said, Surely Gen. 28: 16. the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not. 22 THE UXERRING GUIDE. And lie was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place ? this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pil- lar, and poured oil upon the top of it. And he called the name of that place Beth-el : but the name of that city was called Luz, at the first. And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, So that I come again to my father's house in peace : then shall the Loud be my God. And this stone which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me, 1 will surely give a tenth unto thee. Gen. 35: 13. And God went up from him, in the place where he talked with him. And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon. And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him, Bethel. 1 Sam. 17: 45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand, and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee, and I . will give the carcasses of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear (for the battle is the Lord's) and he will give you into our hands. DUTIES TO GOD. 23 Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night Dan. 2: 19. vision: then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel answered and said ; Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the Beasons: he remov- eth Kings, and setteth up Kings : he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know under- standing. II'- revealeth the deep and secret things : he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. I thank thee and praise thee, thou God of my fathers, who fa me wisdom and might, and hasl made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us tin' kirn;'- matl Then -aid Daniel unto the king, king, live for ever, " 6: 21. My (rod hath Bent hi- Angel, and hath shut the lion-' mouth- that they have not hint me: forasmuch a- before him innocency was found in me; and also before tic- king, have I done no hurt. 1 Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, John 6: u. he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down, and likewise of the fishes a3 much as they would. And upon a set day Herod arrayed in royal apparel sat Acts 12: 21. upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. Ami the people gave a shout, Baying, it is the voice of a god and not of a man. And immediately the Angel of the Lord smote him, be- cause he gave not God the glory, and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost. All this came upon the King Nebuchadnezzar. Dan. 4: 28. At the end of twelvemonths he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. The King spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that 24 THE UNERRING GUIDE. I have built for the kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty ? While the word was in the King's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O King Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken ; Thy kingdom is departed from thee. And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field; they shall make thee eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. Dan. 4: 31. And a t ^he en( j f ^ ne ^ays j Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored him that liveth forever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation : And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou ? At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness re- turned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excel- lent majesty was added unto me. Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose w r orks are truth, and his ways judgment : and those who walk in pride he is able to abase. VIII. — TO PRAISE GOD. Ps. 92: i. TT is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to i sing PKAISES unto thy Name, O Most High: DUTIES TO GOD. 25 To show forth thy loving kindness in the morning, and thy faitlif ulness every night: Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery: upon the harp with a solemn sound. Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the Congre- iChr.29: 10 gation: and David said, Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth, is thine: thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches, and honor come of thee, and thou reignest over all, and in thine hand is power and might, and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and PRAISE thy glorious Name. But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort ? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. PRAISE ye the Lord. Praise God in his Sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. PRAISE him for his mighty acts: praise him according to -> , . & Ps. 150: I. his excellent greatness. PRAISE him with the sound of the Trumpet: praise him with the Psaltery and Harp. PRAISE him with the timbrel and dance : praise him with stringed instruments and organs. PRAISE him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. Let every thing that hath breath PRAISE the Lord. PRAISE YE THE LORD. And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will PRAISE fsa. 12: 1. thee : though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me. 26 THE UNERRING GUIDE. Behold, God is my salvation : I will trust, and not be afraid ; for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song, he also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. Ps. 99 : 1. The Lord reigneth, let the people tremble: he sitteth be- tween the Cherubim, let the earth be moved. The Lord is great in Zion : and he is high above all people. Let them PRAISE thy great and terrible Name: for it is holy. The King's strength also loveth judgment, thou dost es- tablish equity: thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob. Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at his footstool : for he is holy. Moses and Aaron among his Priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his Name: they called upon the Lord, and he answered them. He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his Testimonies, and the Ordinance that he gave them. Thou answeredst them, O Lord our God : thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions. Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy hill: for the Lord our God is holy. Ps. 107:21. O that men would PRAISE the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works, to the children of men. Luke 19: 37. And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples be- gan to rejoice and PRAISE God with a loud voice, for all the mighty works that they had seen; Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord, peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. Ps 6 Let the people PRAISE thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. DUTIES TO GOD. 27 let the nations be glad, and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously; and govern the nations upon earth. Selah. Let the people PRAISE thee, O God, let all the people PRAISE thee. 1 will PRAISE the name of God with a song, and will ^69:30. magnify him with thanksgiving. This also shall please the Loud better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoof-. The humble shall >ec this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that od. For the Loud heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners. Let the heaven and earth PRAISE him, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein. PRAISE ye the Lord. PRAISE ye the Loud from the " I4 s : 1. heavens: PRAISE him in the heights. PRAISE ye him all his Angels: PRAISE ye him all his PRAISE him sun and moon: PRAISE ye him all ye Btars of light. PRAISE ye him ye heavens of heavens : and ye waters that be above the heav< Let them PRAISE tin- Name of the Lord: for he com- manded, and they were created. He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pa--. PRAISE the Loud from the earth: ye dragons and all deeps : Fire and hail, snow and vapour: stormy wind fulfilling his word : Mountains and all hills: fruitful trees, and all cedars: Beasts and all cattle: creeping things, and flying fowl : Kings of the earth, and all the people: Princes and all Judges of the earth: 28 THE UNERRING GUIDE. Both young men and maidens : old men and children : Let them PRAISE the Name of the Lord, for his Name alone is excellent : his glory is above the earth and heaven. IX. — TO WORSHIP GOD. Matt. 2: 1. A TOW when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the 1\ days of Herod the king, behold there came wise men from the East to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews ? for we have seen his Star in the East, and are come to WOR- SHIP him. 11 4 ' 23 ' But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worship- ers shall W x ORSHIP the Father in spirit, and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit, and they that WORSHIP him, must wor- ship him in spirit, and in truth. Ex.4: 29. And Moses and Aaron went, and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel. And Aaron spake all the words which the Lord had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people. And the people believed: And when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and WORSHIPPED. Matt. 4: 8. Again the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them: And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and WORSHIP me. DUTIES TO GOD. 29 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. The four and twenty Elders fall down before him that sat Rev. 4 : on the throne, and WORSHIP him that livelli for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, savin-, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive honor, and glory, and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are, and were created. 15: 2. And I saw as it were a sea of -lass, mingled with fire, and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing tin- song of Moses ill- servant of God, and I he son- of the Lamb, saying, Greal and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty, just and tiueare ihy ways, thou king of saints. Who shall not fear thee, o Lord, and glorify thy name ? for thou only an holy: for all nations shall come and WOR- SHIP before [bee, foi thy judgments are made manifest And I John saw these things, and heard ihem. And when 1. 22 . 8 1 had heard and seen, I fell down, to worship before the feet of the Angel, which -shewed me these things. Then saith lie unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the Prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: WORSHIP God. But as forme, I will come into thy house in the multitude p s . 5 - 7 of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I WOJUSII1P toward thy holy temple. And now behold, I have brought the first fruits of the „ eut 26 . I0 hind, which thou, O Loud, hast given me: and thou shalt set it before the Lokd thy God, and WORSHIP before the Loud thy God. And it shall come to pass, that from one new Moon to is. 66: 23. 30 , THE UNERRING GUIDE. another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to WORSHIP before me, saith the Lord. Ps 132: 7 . We will go into his tabernacles: we will WORSHIP at his footstool. iChr. 16:29. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his Name: bring an offering and come before him, WORSHIP the Lord in the beauty of holiness. Ps. 95: 1. q C ome, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving: and make a joyful sound unto him with psalms. For the Lord is a great God : and a great king above all gods. In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also. The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land. O come, let us WORSHIP and bow down: let us kneel be- fore the Lord our maker. X. — TO CONFESS TO GOD. IN the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans: In the first year of his reign, I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the Prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. And I set. my face unto the Lord God to seek by prayer, and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes. DUTIES TO GOD. 31 And I prayed unto the Lord my God, and made my CON- FESSION", and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant, and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his Commandments: We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts, and from thy judgments. her rftive we hearkened unto thy servants the Prophets, which spake in thy Name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day: to the nun of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast, driven them, because of their trespass, that they have trespassed againsl thee, o Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our prince.-, ami to our fathers ; because we have Binned against thee. To the LORD our God belong mercies and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against him. Neither have we obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in his Laws which he set before US, by his servants the Prophi And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give I pray thee, Josh. 7: 19. glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make CONFESSION unto him, and tell me now, what thou hast done, hide it not from me. And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done. » Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month, the Neh. 9: f. children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, and earth upon them. And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all 32 THE UNERRING GUIDE. strangers, and stood and CONFESSED their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers. And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the Law of the Lord their God, one fourth of the day, and another fourth part they CONFESSED and worshipped the Lord their God. Ez. 10: i. Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had CON- FESSED, weeping, and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel, a very great congregation of men, and women, and children : for the people wept very soie. And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives, of the peo- ple of the land: yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing. ' Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God, to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, ac- cording to the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God, and let it be done accord- ing to the Law. Jer. 14: 20. We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickedness, and the ini- quity of our fathers: for we have sinned against thee. Do not abhor us, for thy Name's sake, do not disgrace the Throne of thy glory: remember, break not thy Covenant with us. Ps. 51: 1. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mer- cies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mighest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. DUTIES TO GOD. 33 Blessed is lie whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is Ps. 32: i. covered. Blessed is the man nnto whom the Loed impnteth not iniquity: and in whose spirit there is no guile. When I kept silence, my bones waxed old ; through my roaring all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah. I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid: I said. I will CONFESS my transgressions unto the Loud; and thou forgave^t the iniquity of my sin. Selah. XI.— TO SUBMIT TO GOD. AXD Mose> said unto the Lobd, O my Lord, I am not Ex.4: 10. eloquent, neither heretofore, nor >inre thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb or deaf, or the seeing or the blind ? have not I the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say. And he said, O my Loud, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send. But when David saw that his servants whispered, David 2 Sam. 12: 19 perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? and they said, He is dead. Then David arose from the earth and washed, and anoint- ed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the Lord, an*. worshipped: then he came to his own house, and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat. 34 THE UNERRING GUIDE. Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done ? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive, but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread. And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept : for I said, Who can tell, whether God will be gracious to me, that the child may live ? But now he is dead, Wherefore should I fast ? Can I bring him back again ? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me. job i : 20. Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground and worshipped. And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Loud gave and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the Name of the Lokd. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. Job 2: 9. Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity ? Curse God, and die. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh; what? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil ? In all this did not Job sin with his lips. Jno. iS: 10. Then Simon Peter having a sword, drew it, and smote the high Priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The ser- vant's name was Malchus. Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my father hath given me, shall I not drink it ? Mark 14:35 And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed, that if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, Abba, Father, all tilings are possible unto thee, take away this cup from me: nevertheless, not what I will, but what thou wilt. DUTIES TO GOD. 3o He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, Matt. 26: 42. O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, ex- cept I drink it, thy will he done. What shall we say then ? Is there unrighteousness with Rom. 9: 14. God ? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that run- neth, but of God that sheweth mercy. For the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my Name might be declared throughout all irth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will, he hardeneth. Thou wilt say theu unto me; Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will ? Nay but <> man, who art thou that replies! against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it. Why hast thou made me thus ? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump, to make 1 unto honor, and another unto dis- honor ? What if (rod, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long Buffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unlo glory? 36 THE UNERRING GUIDE. XII. — TO PRAY TO GOD. Luke 18: i. A ND he spake a parable unto thern, to this end, that men l\ ought always to PRAY, and not to faint, Saying, There was in a city a Judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man. And there was a widow in that city, and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary : And he would not for a while. But afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man, Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming, she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them ? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Neverthe- less, when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth ? And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others : Two men went up into the temple to PRAY, the one a Pharisee, and the other a Publican. The Pharisee stood and PRAYED thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust adulterers, or even as this Publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the Publican standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven : but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other, for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased : and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted. 'duties to god. 37 I will therefore that men PRAY every where, lifting up i Tim. 2: 8. holy hands without wrath and doubting. And it came to pass, that as he was PRAYING in a cer- Luke n: . 1. tain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to PRAY, as John also taught his dis- ciples. And he said unto them, When ye PRAY, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done as in heaven, so in earth. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins: for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves. For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him. And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not, the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed : I cannot rise and give thee. I say unto you, Though he will not rise, and give him, because he is his friend : yet because of his importunity, he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and ye shall find: knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh, receiveth: and he that seeketh, findeth: and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone ? Or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent ? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion ? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children : how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him ? 38 THE UNERRING GUIDE. Matt. 6:' 5. And when thou PRAYEST, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the Syna- gogues, and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. But thou when thou PRAYEST, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut tby door, PRAY to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. But when ye PRAY, use not vain repetitions, as the hea- then do. For they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them : for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. After this manner therefore PRAY ye: Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: for thine iS*the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. Dan. 6: 10. No w when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house, and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and PRAYED, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. Then these men assembled, and found Daniel PRAYING and making supplication before his God. Ps. 5s : 16. As for me, I will call upon God : and the Lord shall save me. Evening and morning, and at noon will I PRAY, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. Jam. 1:5. if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth DUTIES TO GOD. 39 to all men liberally, and upbraideth not: and it shall be given him. But let him. ask in faith, nothing wavering: for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind, and tossed. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Heb.io: 22. faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed w T ith pure water. And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into Luke 6: 12. a mountain to PRAY, and continued all night in prayer to God. Then cometh Jesus with thorn unto a place called Geth-. M att. 26: 36. semane, and saith unlo the disciples, .Sit ye here, while I go and PRAY yonder. And be took with him Feter, and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful, and very heavy. Then saith he unto them, My soul Is exceeding sorrow- ful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. And he went a little further, and fell (hi his face, and PRAYED, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour ? Watch and PRAY that ye enter not into temptation: The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. He went away again the second time, and PRAYED, say- ing, O my Eather, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy. And he left them, and went away again, and PRAYED the third time, saying the same words. PRAY without ceasing. xThesss:i7 40 THE UNERRING GUIDE. Ps. n6: i. I love the Loeb, because lie hath heard my voice, and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. 5:2. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I PRAY. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord ; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. Ps. 115 : 1. XIII. — TO GLORIFY GOD. T unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name GIVE GLORY: for thy mercy and for thy truth's sake. Matt. 25: 14. -pov the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods: And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to every man according to his several ability, and straight-way took his journey. Then he that bad received the five talents, went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also had gained other two. But he that had received one, went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. After a long time, the lord of these servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents, came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me DUTIES TO GOD. 41 five talents, behold I have gained besides them, five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faith- ful servant, thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents, came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents besides them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Then he which had received the one talent, came and said, Lord I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strewed : And I was afraid, and wont and hid thy talent in the earth: Jo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered, and said unto him. Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewesl that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strewed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the ex- changers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and surper- scription ? They say unto him, Cesar's. Then saith he unto them, Matt. 22: 20. Kender therefore unto Cesar, the things which are Cesar's: and unto God, the things that are God's. Herein is my Father GLORIFIED, that ye bear much Jno.i 5 :8. fruit, so shall ye be my disciples. For ye are bought with a price: therefore GLORIFY God lCor - 6: 2 °- in your body, and in your spirit which are God's. Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, " 10: 31. do all to the GLORY of God. 42 THE UNERRING GUIDE. Ps. 50:23. Who so offereth praise, GLORIFIETH ine: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright, will 1 shew the salva- tion of God. " 36: 9. All nations whom thou hast made, shall come and wor- ship before thee, O Lord, and shall GLORIFY thy Name. For thou art great and doest wondrous things : thou art God alone. Teach me thy way, O Lord my God, I will walk in thy truth : unite my heart to fear thy Name. I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will GLORIFY thy Name for evermore. Rom. 15: 5. Now the God of patience grant you to be like minded one towards another, according to Christ Jesus : That ye may with one mind and one mouth GLORIFY God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us, to the glory of God. Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circum- cision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: And that the Gentiles may GLORIFY God for his mercy. DUTIES TO OURSELVES. 43 DUTIES TO OURSELVES. I. — TO BE GOOD. AND the word of the Loud came unto me again, saying, Ezek. 18: i. Behold, all souls are mine, as the soul of the father, so " ^ 4 . also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, Matt. 6: 25. what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat ? and the body than raiment ? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they ? Which of you by taking thought, can add one cubit unto his stature ? And why take ye thought for raiment ? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they toil not, neither do they spin. And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 44 THE UNERRING GUIDE. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven: shall he not mnch more clothe you, O ye of little faith ? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat ? or, what shall we drink ? or wherewithal shall we be clothed ? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek: ) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteous- ness, and all these things shall he added unto you. Mark 10:28. Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. And Jesus answered, and said : Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my sake, and the Gospel's, But he shall receive a hundred fold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and chil- dren, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. Matt. 16: 24. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life, shall lose it: and whoso- ever will lose his life for my sake, shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul ? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father, with his Angels : and then he shall reward every man ac- cording to his works. Luke 2! : 36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be ac- counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. " 13 : 24. Strive to enter in at the straight gate : for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. DUTIES TO OURSELVES. 45 Because straight is the gate, and narrow is the way which Matt. 7 : 14. leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath Luke 13: 25 shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us, and he shall answer, and say unto you, I know you not whence you are : Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence you are; depart from me all ye workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the Prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. And they shall come from the East, and from the West, and from the North, and from the South, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall John 12:24. into the ground, and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it brin geth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life, shall lose it: and he that hateth his life in this world, shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me, and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my father honor. Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man Heb. 4: n. fall after the same example of unbelief. II. — TO BE WISE. THEN shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten Matt. 25 : 1. virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 46 THE UNERRING GUIDE. And five of them were wise and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them : But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bride- groom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil ; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, ISTot so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they w r ent to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Yerily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know not the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. Prov.28:26. He that trusteth in his own heart, is a fool: but whoso walketh WISELY, he shall be delivered, i Cor. 3:18. Let no man deceive himself: If any man among you seemeth to be WISE in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be WISE. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God : for it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. P1-0V.9; 12. If thou be WISE, thoushalt be WISE for thyself; but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it. " 21 : 23. Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth his soul from troubles. " 26:17. He that passeth by, and meddleth with . strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears. DUTIES TO OURSELVES. 47 He that answeretk a matter before lie heareth it, it is folly Prov. 18: 13. and shame unto him. And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when Luke 17: 22. ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it. And they shall say to you, See here, or see there: go not after them, nor follow them. For as the lightning that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven: so shall also the Son of man be in his day. But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation. And as it was in the days of Xoah: so shall it be also ill the days of the Son of man. Theywdid eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Xoah entered into the ark: and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot, they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded: But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. Therefore, whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and Matt. 7:24. doeth them, I will liken him unto a WISE man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house: and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended,, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it. 48 THE UNERRING GUIDE. III. — TO BE TEMPERATE. Prov. 20: 1. TT JUSTE is a mocker, strong drink is raging : and whosoever VV is deceived thereby is not wise. si: 19. He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich. 1 Cor. 9:25. And every man that striveth for the mastery, is. TEM- PERATE in all things : Now they do it to obtain a corrupt- ible crown, but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly: so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. 1 Cor. 6:9. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God ? Be not deceived : neither fornicators, nor idolators, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. Matt. 18: 8. Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee : it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into everlasting fire. Luke 21: 34. And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. DUTIES TO OURSELVES. 49 IV. — TO BE DILIGENT. (^O to the ant, thou sluggard, consider her ways and be Prov. 6: 6. J wise. Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard ? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep ? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep. So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread ? isa. 55: 2. and your labor for that which satisfied) not? hearken dili- gently unto me, and cat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in far The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful Prov. 12: 24. shall be under tribute. ist thou a man diligent in hi* business ? he shall stand " 22: 29. before kings, he shall not stand before mean men. Wherefore, the rather, brethren, give diligence to make 2 Pet. 1 : 10. your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fail. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he Heb. n:b. that cometh to God, must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that, diligently seek him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is Jno. 6 : 4 day: the night cometh when no man can work. Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom: pride, Ez. 16: 16. 4 50 THE UNERKING GUIDE. fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. Matt. 20: 3. And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the market place, And said unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right, I will give you. And they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour, he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle ? Luke 13 : 31. The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence ; for Herod will kill thee. And he said unto them, Go ye and tell that fox, behold, I cast out devils and do cures to-day and to-morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected. Nevertheless, I must walk to-day and to-morrow, and the day following, for it cannot be that a Prophet perish out of Jerusalem. Eccl.9: 10. Whatsoever thy hand flndeth to do, do it with thy might: for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave, whither thou goest. 2Pet.3:i4. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be DILIGENT that ye may be found of him in peace, with- out spot, and blameless. DUTIES TO OURSELVES. 51 V. — TO SHUN EVIL. HE that being often reproved, hardenetli his neek, shall Prov.29: 1. suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. The soul that sinneth, it shall die: the son shall not bear Ez - lS: 2 °- the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son; the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die, " iS: 23. saith the Loud God ? And not that he should return from his ways and live ? But when the righteous turneth away from his righteous- ness, and committeth iniquity, and doth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doth, shall he live? all his righteousness that he hath done, shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. Though a sinner do evil a hundred times, and his days be Eccl.S: 12. prolonged; yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him. But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days w T hich are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it, but w r hoso- Mark 8:35- ever shall lose his life for my sake and the Gospel's, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a tnan, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul ? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul ? 52 THE UNERRING GUIDE. Prov. 14: 12. There is a way winch, seemeth right unto a man: hut the end thereof are the ways of death. Matt. 7: 13. Enter ye in at the strait gate, for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat : Prov. 1 : 10. My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. If they say, Come with us, let us. lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause: Let us swallow them up alive, as the grave, and whole, as those that go down into the pit: We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil : Cast in thy lot among us, let us all have one purse: My son, walk not thou in the way with them ; refrain thy foot from their path : For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood. " 4:5. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. For they sleep not except they have done mischief: and their sleep is taken away unless they cause some one to fall. For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. But the path of the just is as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. Acts 13 : 40. Beware therefore, lest that come upon you which is spoken of in the Prophets ; Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish : for I work a work in your days, a work which you shall in no wise be- lieve, though a man declare it unto you. Heb.2: 1. Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by Angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense and reward: How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation, which DUTIES TO OURSELVES. 53 at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was con- firmed unto us by them that heard him. Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us, of enter, Heb. 4: 1. ing into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. H VI. — TO GOVERN OURSELVES. E that hath no rule over his own spirit, is like a city Prov.25: 2S that is broken down, and without walls. And when the ass saw the Angel of the Lord, she fell Num. 22:27 down under Balaam, and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff. And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times ? And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee. And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine, unto this day ? was I ever wont to do so unto thee ? And he said, Kay. Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head and fell flat on his face. And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the Eccl. 32:29. camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger was waxed hot, and he cast the Tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount. 54 THE UNERRING GUIDE. And lie took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strewed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it. And Moses said unto Aaron, What did these people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them ? And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief. * Kgs. 5:10. And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me and stand, and call on the Xame of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel ? May I not wash in them, and be clean ? So he turned, and went away in a rage. Rom.6: 12. ^et n °t s * n reign therefore in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Keither yield ye your members as instruments of unright- eousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instru- ments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under the Law, but under Grace. VJL — TO PROVIDE FOR OURSELVES. 2 Kgs. 7:3. \ KD there were four leprous men at the entering in of A the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die ? DUTIES TO OURSELVES. 55 If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit still here, we shall die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, Ave shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die. And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the Syrians: and when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold, there was no man there. For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noir<<><, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and tied for their life. And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and did cat, and drink, and carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it, and came again, and entered into another tent, and carried thence also, and went and hid it. And he said unto him, Thou kno west how I have served Gen. 30: 29. thee, and how thy cattle was with me. For it was little which thou hadst before I came: and it is now increased unto a multitude; and the Lord hath blessed thee since my coming: and now when shall I provide for mine own house also ? Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat j no .S: 27. which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Phil. 3: 7. Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss, for the ex- cellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for 56 THE UNERRING GUIDE. whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them hut dung, that I may win Christ, And he found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the Law r , hut that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God hy faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, heing made conform- able unto his death. If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Luke 16 : i. And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man which had a Steward, and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods. And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? Give an account of thy stewardship: for thou mayest be no longer Steward. Then the Steward said within himself, What shall I do, for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship ? I cannot dig, to beg I am ashamed. I am resolved what to do, that when I am *put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much ow r est thou unto my lord ? And he said, A hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. Then said he to another, And how much owest thou ? And he said, A hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill and wuite fourscore. And the lord commended the unjust Steward, beeause he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light. And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, that when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. DUTIES TO OUKSELYES. 57 Sell that ye have, and give alms: provide yourselves bags Luke 12:33- which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens which faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. VIII. — TO ENJOY OURSELVES. BEHOLD that which I have seen: It is good and comely Eccl. 5: 18. for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor that he taketh under the sun, all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion, * For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be re- 1 Tim. 4 -.4. fused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, x Cor. 10: 3.1. do all to the glory of God. And thou shalt rejoice in every good thing, which the Deut.26: n. Lord thy God hath given thee, and unto thine house, thou and the Levite, and the stranger that is among you. Rejoice in the Lord ahvay: and again I say, Rejoice. Phil. 4: 4 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season (if 1 Pet. 1 : 6. need be) ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise, and honor, and glory, at the ap- pearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love, in whom though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory. But unto the place whic^i the Loud your God shall choose Deut. 12: 5. out of all your tribes, to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come: 58 THE UNERRING GUIDE. And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your free will offerings, and the firstlings of your herds, and of your flocks. And there ye shall eat before the Lord your God, and ye shal] rejoice in all that you put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein the Lord thy God hath blessed thee. DUTIES TO PARENTS. 59 DUTIES TO PARENTS. f. — TO SHOW THEM AFFECTIONATE KINDNESS. AND Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; Doth Gen - *s- 3- my father yet live ? and his brethren could not answer him: for they were troubled at his presence. And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus " 65: 9. saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not. And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou slialt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy chil- dren's children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast: And there will I nouris-h thee; for yet there are five years of famine; lest thou and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty. 60 THE UNERRIXG GUIDE. And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my month that speaketh unto you. And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall haste and bring down my father hither. Gen. 46: 29. And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him: and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while. m 4 g . E< And it came to pass after these things, that one told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick: and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. And one told Jacob, and said. Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed. " -48 : 21. ^ na * Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers. And Joseph fell upon his father's face, and wept upon him, and kissed him. And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father: and the physicians embalmed Israel. And forty days were fulfilled for him, (for so are fulfilled the days of those which are embalmed) and the Egyptians mourned for him threescore and ten days. And Joseph went up to bury his father: and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, And all the house of Joseph, and his brethren, and his father's house: only their little ones, and their flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen. And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen: and it was a very great company. And they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond Jordan, and there they mourned with a great and 50 DUTIES TO PARENTS. 61 very sore lamentation : and he made a mourning for his father seven days. And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaan ites saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, they said, This is a griev- ous mourning to the Egyptians: wherefore the name of it was called, Abel Mizraim, which is beyond Jordan. And his sons did unto him according as he commanded them. For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the : the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field ; n of a burying place, of Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre. And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, re- Ruth ,: s. turn each to her mother's house: the Loud deal kindly with . as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me*. The Lord grant you, that you may find rest each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voice and wept. And they said unto her. Surely we will return with thee, unto thy people. And Naomi said. Turn again, my daughters: why will you go with me ? And Until said. Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return " i: x 6. from following thee: for whither thou goest, I will go: and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Loud do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me. When she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her. Now Elisha was fallen sick, of his sickness whereof he died, 2 Kg s. 13 : 4. and Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. 62 THE UNERRING GUIDE. II._TO HONOR OUR PARENTS. Deut.5: 16. TTONOR thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God 1 1 hath commanded thee, that thy days may he prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. iKgs.2:i 9 . Bathsheha therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah: and the king rose up to meet her, and ho wed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to he set for the King's mother, and she sat on his right hand. Lev. 19:3. Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my Sabbaths: I am the Lord your God. Prov. 30: n. There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother. Job 19: 18. Yea, young children despised me; I arose, and they spake against me. All my inward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved, are turned against me. Isa. 45: 10. Wo unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, what hast thou brought forth ? Prov. 20: 20. Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness. Deut.27: 16. Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother: and all the people shall say, Amen. Prov.28:24. Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, and saith, it is no transgression, the same is the companion of a destroyer. " 30: 17. The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it. " 15: 4. For God commanded, saying, HOISTOK thy father and mother: And he that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. DUTIES TO PARENTS. 63 in. — TO HEAR THIER COUNSELS. AND Jacob called unto his sons, and said. Gather your- Gen. 49:1. selves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days. Gather yourselves together, and IIEAB, ye sons of Jacob, and hearken unto Israel your father. HEAR, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend Prov. 4: 1. to know understanding. Fori give you good doctrine: forsake you not my law. For I was my father's ^on, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. lie taught me also, and said unto me, Let thy heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. So Moses ITEAEKEXED to the voice of his father in law, Ex. iS: 24. and did all that he bad said. And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of ten-. And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves. And Moses let his father in law depart, and he went his way into his own land. Then Eli called Samuel, and said, my son. And he * Sam. 3 : 16. answered, Here am I. And he said, What is thy thing that the Lord hath said unto thee ? I pray thee hide it not from me : God do so to 64 THE UXERRIXG GUIDE. thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me, of all the things that he said unto thee. And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the Lord: let him do what seein- eth him good. Gen. 49: 29. And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite. " 49: 33- And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people. Prov. 2: 1. My son, If thou wilt receive my words, and hide my com- mandments with thee: So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding: Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding: If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her, as for hid treasures: Then shaltthou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge, and understanding. " 23 : 19. HEAR thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way. Be not amongst wine-bibbers ; amongst riotous eaters of flesh. For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty; and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags. Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old. " 1:8. My son, HEAR the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother. For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck. DUTIES TO PARENTS. 65 IV. — TO OBEY OUR PARENTS. CHILDREN, OBEY your parents in the Lord: for this Eph. 6:1. is right. And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down i Sam. 3: *. in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see ; And the lamp of God went out in the Temple of the Lord, where the Ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep; That the Lord called Samuel, and he answered, Here am I. And he ran unto Eli, and said. Here am I, for thou callest me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down. And the Loud called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose, and went to Eli, and said, Here am I, for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again. Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him. And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I, for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child. Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down, and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak Lord, for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went, and lay down in his place. And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his Luke 2 :4s. mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with 5 66 THE UNERRING GUIDE. us ? Behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And lie said unto them, How is it that ye sought me ? Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business ? And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was SUBJECT unto them' but his mother kept. all these things in her heart. Col. 3 : 20. Children OBEY your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Prov.7:i. My son? ] iee p m y WO rds, and lay up my commandments with thee. Keep my commandments and live: and my law as the apple of thine eye. Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart. " 23: 22. HEARKEN unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old. 1 Sam. 2: 23. A fool despiseth his father's instruction: but he that re- gardeth reproof is prudent. And he said unto them, Why do ye such things ? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people. Nay my sons : for it is no good report that I hear; ye make the Lord's people to transgress. If one man sin against another, the Judge shall judge him : but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall entreat for him ? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them. Matt. 21: 28. But what think you ? A certain man had two sons, and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered, and said, I will not, but afterward he -re- pented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise; and he answered, and said, I go sir, and went not. DUTIES TO PAEENTS. 67 Whether of them twain did the will of his father ? They say unto him, The first. V. — TO COMFORT OUR PARENTS. AND Lamech lived a hundred eighty and two years: and Gen. 5 : 28. begat a son. And he called his name Noah, saying; This same shall COMFORT us, concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground, which the Lord hath cursed. And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his " 37: 34. loins, and mourned for his son many days. And all his sons, and all his daughters rose up to comfort Lini: but he refused to be comforted: For I will go down into the grave unto my son, mourning; thus his father wept for him. Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and " 44: 30. the lad be not with us; (seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life,) It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die, and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave. For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee then I shall bear the . blame to my father for ever. Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad, a bondman to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brethren. For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me, lest peradventure J see the evil that shall come on my father ? 68 THE UNERRING GUIDE. i Sam. 22: 3, And David went thence to Mizpeh of Mo'ab; and lie said unto the king of Moab, Let my father, and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, and be with you, till 1 know what God will do for me. And he brought them before the king of Moab: and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the hold. Jno. 19: 25. Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary, the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Mag- dalene. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciples standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son. Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother. And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home. Matt. 7 : 9. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the command- ment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. For Moses said, Honor thy father and thy mother: and whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me : he shall be free. And ye suffer him no more to do aught for his father, or his mother : Making the word of God of none effect through your tra- dition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. 76 THE UNERRING GUIDE. DUTIES TO BRETHREN. I.—TO LOVE OUR BRETHREN. i Jno. 4: 21. AND this commandment have we from him, that he who J\ loveth God, LOVE his brother also. He that LOYETH his brother, abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. 1 " 2: 10. But he that hateth his brother, is in darkness, and walk- eth in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes. Gen. 33: 1. And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men: and he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Kachel, and unto the two handmaids. And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Kachel and Joseph hinderniost. And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, and he came near to his brother. And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him, and they wept. DUTIES TO BRETHREN. 77 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women, and the children, and said, Who are those with thee ? And he said, The children which God hath graciously given thy servant. Then the handmaidens came near; they and their children, and they bowed themselves. And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves. And he said, What meanest thou by all this drove, which I met ? And he said, These are to find grace in the sight of my lord. And Esau said, I have enough, my brother, keep that thou hast unto thyself. And when Joseph came home, they brought him the Gen. 43 : 26. Present which was in their hand, in the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth. And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me ? and he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son. And Joseph made haste: for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought where to weep, and he entered into his chamber, and wept there. Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he 1 Sam. 18: 3. LOYED him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sw T ord, and to his bow, and to his girdle. And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down Esth * 8: 3 * at his feet, and besought him with tears, to put away the mischief of Hainan the Agagite, and his device, that he had devised against the Jews. Then the king held out the golden sceptre towards Esther. So Esther arose and stood before the king, 78 THE UNERRING GUIDE. And said, If it please the king, and if I have found favor in his sight, and the thing seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews, which are in all the king's provinces. For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people ? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred ? Rom.io: i. Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. 9 : i. I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, That I have great heaviness, and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ, for my brethren my kinsmen according to the flesh : Who are Israelites: to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the Law, and the service of God, and the promises : Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. ijno. 3:14. We know that we have passed from death unto life, be- cause we love the brethren : he that loveth not his brother, abide th in death. Whosoever hateth his brother, is a murderer, and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother: and wherefore slew he him ? because his own works w T ere evil, and his brother' s righteous. Jno. 1 : 40. One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. DUTIES TO BRETHREN. 79 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messiah, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. And he brought him to Jesus, And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon, the son of Jona, thou shalt be called Cephas, which is, by interpretation, a stone. Philip findeth Nathaniel, and saith unto him, We have jno. i : 45. found him of whom Moses in the Law, and the Prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth the son of Joseph. IT. — TO AID OUR BRETHREN. AN D when Abram heard that his brother was taken cap- Gen. 14: 14. tive, he armed his trained servants born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan. And he divided himself against them, he and his servants by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus : And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people. And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy 1 Sam. 17:17 brethren an ephah of this parched corn, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp of thy brethren. And carry these ten cheeses unto the Captain of their thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge. And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into " 23:16. the wood, and strengthened his hand in God. And he said unto him, Fear not ; for the hand of Saul my 80 THE UNERRING GUIDE. father shall not find thee, and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee: and that also Saul my father knoweth. And they two made a covenant before the Lord: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house, i Sam. 20: 42 And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as -we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, The Lord be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever. And he arose, and departed: and Jonathan went into the city. ActsxS: 24. And a certain Jew, named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord, and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. And he began to speak boldly in the Synagogue : whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more per- fectly. And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the breth- ren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him : who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace. For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly, shewing by the scriptures, that Jesus was Christ. Rom. 24 : 1. Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubt- ful disputations. For one believeth that he may eat all things: another who is weak, eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not: and let not him that eateth not, judge him that eateth. For God hath received him. Who art thou that judgest another man's servant ? to his own master he standeth or f alleth ; yea he shall be holden up : for God is able to make him stand. DUTIES TO BKETHREN. 81 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because be laid down i Jno. 3 : 16. his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother hath need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him ; how dwelleth the love of God in him ? III. — TO FAVOR OUR BRETHREN. THOU shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of Deut.23: 19. money, usury of victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury. Unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury, but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon usury: that the Lord thy God may bless thee, in all that thou settest thine hand to, in the land whither thou goest to possess it. Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the Nobles, Neh. 5:7. and the rulers, and said unto them You exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them ; And I said unto them, We, after our ability, have re- deemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen ; and will you even sell your brethren ? or shall they be sold unto us ? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer. Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God, because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies ? I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn : t pray you let us leave off this usury. 6 82 THE UNERRING GUIDE. Luke 22 : 24. And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. And he said unto them, the kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and they that exercise authority upon them, are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so ; but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serve th ? Is not he that sitteth at meat ? But I am among you as he that serveth. Acts 28 : 13. And from thence we fetched a compass, and came to Rhe- gium, and after one day the south wind blew, and we came the next day to Puteoli : Where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry with them: and so we went toward Rome. And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii-forum, and the Three Taverns : whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage. Matt. 18 : 29. And his fellow servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not : but went and cast him into prison, till lie should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came, and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt because thou desiredst me : Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fel- low-servant, even as I had pity on thee ? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to his torment- ors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. DUTIES TO BRETHREN. 83 IV. — TO FORGIVE OUR BRETHREN. SO shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive I pray thee now, the Gen. 50: 17. trespass of thy brethren, and their sin: for they did unto thee evil: And now we pray thee, FORGIVE the tres- pass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept, when they spake unto him. And his brethren also went and fell down before his face, and they said, Behold, we be thy servants. And Joseph said unto them, Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your " 5 o: 2I - little ones. And he comforted them, and .spake kindly unto them. Then came Peter to him, and said. Lord, how oft shall Matt 18: 21. my brother sin against me, and I FORGIVE him ? till seven times ? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but until seventy seven times seven. Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against L " k e 17: 3. thee, rebuke him, and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent, thou shalt FORGIVE him. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, Matt. 18: 32. O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow- servant, even as I had pity 011 thee ? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tor- mentors, till he should pay aM that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if 84 THE UNERRING GUIDE. ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. Col. 3: 12. Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long suffering, Forbearing one another, and FORGIVING- one another, if any man have a quarrel against any : even as Christ for- gave you, so also do ye. Eph. 4: 32. j^ n ^ k e y e kj n ci one to another, tender hearted, FOR- GIVING one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. V. — TO BE AT PEACE WITH THEM. Gen. r 3 : 8. \ N D Abram said unto Lot, Let there be NO STRIFE, pray thee, between me and thee, and between my 8. A ND A 1 r herdmen and thy herdmen : for we be brethren. 1 Sam. 20: 16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let the Lord even require it at the hand of David's enemies. And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him : for he loved him as he loved his own soul. Ps. 113: 1. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in UNITY. It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments. As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion, for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore. 88 THE UNERRING GUIDE. DUTIES TO STRANGERS. I. — TO TREAT THEM WITH HOSPI- TALITY. Gen. 18: i. A ND the Lord appeared unto him in the plains of l\ Mamre : and he sat in the tent door, in the heat of the day. And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, And said, My Lord, If now I have found favor in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant : Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: And I will fetch a morsel of bread ; and comfort ye your hearts, after that, you shall pass on : for therefore are you come to your servant. And they said : So do, as thou hast said. And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said; Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth. And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf, ten- DUTIES TO STRANGERS. 89 der and good, and gave it unto a young man: and he hasted to dress it. And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat. And there came two angels to Sodom at even, and Lot sat Gen * *9 : x in the gate of Sodom : and Lot seeing them, rose up to meet them, and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground. And he said, Behold now my Lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early and go on your ways. And they said, Nay: but we will abide in the street all night. And he pressed upon them greatly, and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house: and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat. And it came to pass before he had done speaking, that " *4 S f S- behold, Rebecca came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder. And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her; and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up. And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher. And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink. And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drink- ing. And she hasted and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels. And behold, there came an old man from his work out of J u d- '9 *• 16. 90 THE UNERRING GJJIDE. the field at even, which was also of mount Ephraim; and he sojourned in Gibeah, but the men of the place were Benja- mites. And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a way-faring man in the street of the city: and the old man said, Whither goest thou ? and whence com est thou ? And he said unto him, We are passing from Bethlehem Judah, toward the side of mount Ephraim, from thence am I; and I went to Bethlehem Judah, but I am now going to the house of the Lord, and there is no man that receiveth me to house. Yet there is both straw and provender for our asses, and there is bread and wine also for me and for thy handmaid, and for the young man which is with thy servants: there is no want of any thing. And the old man said, Peace be with thee; howsoever, let all thy wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street. So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the asses: and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink. Jud. 13 : 15. And Manoah said unto the Angel of the Lord, I pray thee let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee. And the Angel of the Lord said unto Manaoh, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread : and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the Lord : for Manaoh knew not that he was an Angel of the Lord. And Manaoh said unto the Angel of the Lord, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass, we may do thee honor ? Heb. 13: 2. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained Angels unawares. ?3 DUTIES TO STRANGERS. 91 II. — NOT TO OPPRESS AND TROUBLE THEM. ALSO thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the Ex « 2 3 : 9- heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall Lev. 19:33. not vex him. But the stranger that dwelleth with you, shall be as one born amongst you, and thou shalt love him as thyself, for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not " I 9 : 9- wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest. And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the Loud your God. III. — TO PRAY FOR AND AID THEM. MOREOVER, concerning a stranger that is not of thy iKgs.8:4i. people Israel, but cometh out of a far country, for thy Name's sake; (For they shall hear of thy great Name, and of thy strong hand, and of thy stretched out arm) when he shall come and pray towards this house: Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for: that all people of the earth may know thy Name, to fear thee, as do thy people Israel, and that they may know that this house which I have builded, is called by thy Name. 92 THE UNERRING GUIDE. DUTIES TO ENEMIES. 2 Sam. 9: 3. AND the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of ill Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him ? and Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet. And the king said unto him, Where is he ? and Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lodebar. Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house . of Machir the son of Ammiel from Lodebar. Now when Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did rev- erence : and David said, Mephibosheth ! And he answered, Behold thy servant. And David said unto him, Fear not ; for I will surely shew thee kindness, for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will re- store thee all the land of Saul thy father, and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually. " 4:8. And they brought the head of Ishbosheth unto David to Hebron, and said to the King, Behold the head of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, thine enemy, which sought thy life, and the Lokd hath avenged my lord the king this day of Saul and his seed. And David answered Kechab and Baanah his brother, the DUTIES TO ENEMIES. 93 sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said unto them, As the Lord liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all ad- versity, When one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, (think- ing to have brought good tidings) I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, who thought that I would have given him a reward for his tidings : How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person, in his own house, upon his bed ? Shall I not there- fore now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth ? If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably Rom. 12 : 18. with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him : if he thirst, give him drink. If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat: and if Prov.25: 21. he be thirsty, give him water to drink. For thou shalt heap coals of tire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee. Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth: let not thine heart " 2 -* : f 7« be glad when he stumbleth : Lest the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him. Ye have heard, that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy Matt. 5: 43. neighbor, and hate thine enemy: But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which 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. For if ye love them w'lich love you, what reward have ye ? Do not even the publicans the same ? 94 THE UNERRING GUIDE. And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others ? Do not even the publicans so ? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father, which is in heaven, is perfect. Luke 6: 29. And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek, offer also the other ; and him that taketh away thy cloak, forbid not to take thy coat also. Give to every man that asketh of thee, and of him that taketh away thy goods, ask them not again. And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye ? for sinners also love those that love them. " 23 : 34. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. Acts 7: 59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus receive my spirit. Aud he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this he fell asleep. DUTIES TO THE POOR. Ill DUTIES TO THE POOR. I. — NOT TO OPPRESS THEM. MY brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ Jas- 2: x » the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly- apparel, and there come in also a poor man, in vile raiment: And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place: and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts ? Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom, which he hath promised to them that love him ? Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child. Ex. 22: 22. If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry; And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword: and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless. x Behold, the hire of the laborers which have reaped down Jas. 5- -. 112 THE UNERRING GUIDE. your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped, are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. Amos 8 : 4- Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail, Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn ? and the Sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the Ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsify- ing the balances by deceit ? That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes ; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat ? The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their works. Prov.22: 22 Rob not the poor because he is poor, neither oppress the afflicted in the gate. For the Lord will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them. " 14: 31. He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoreth him hath mercy on the poor: " 21 : 13. Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard. Deut 10: 17. For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward. He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless, and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment. IL_TO CONSIDER AND AID THEM. P3.41 : 1. TJLESSED is he that considereth the poor; the Lord will D deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive, and he DUTIES TO THE POOR. 113 shall be blessed upon the earth ; and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languish- ing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness. And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy Isa.58: 10. the afflicted soul : then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day. And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not And they that shall be of thee, shall build the old waste places: thou shalt rai>e up tin* foundations of many genera- tions; and thou shalt be called, the repairer of the breach, the restorer of paths to dwell in. And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself Ex.2: 5. at the river, and her maidens walked along by the riverside: and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and be- hold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said. This is one of the Hebrews' children. Then said his Bister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go, and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee ? And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go: and the maid went and called the child's mother. And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. Ami the woman took the child and nursed it. And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water. And Boaz answered ana said unto her, It hath fully been Ruth 2:11. shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law 8 114 THE UNERRING GUIDE. • since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people, which thou knewest not heretofore. The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust. Then she said, Let me find favor in thy sight, my lord, for thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid, though 1 be not like unto one of thy handmaidens. And Boaz said unto her, At meal time come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers : and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left. And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not. And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them that she may glean them, and rebuke her not. So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley. 2 Kgs. 4: 1. Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the Prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my hus- band is dead, and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the Lord: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen. And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee ? Tell me, what hast thou in the house ? And she said, Thine "handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil. Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad, of ail thy neighbors ; even empty vessels, borrow not a few. And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee, and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full. So she went from him, and shut the door upon her : - 7 DUTIES TO THE POOR. 115 upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out. And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed. Then she came, and told the man of God: and he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest. And Jesus when he came out, saw much people, and was Mark 6: 34. moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many thin And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed. Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have DOthing to eat. He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat? He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye ? go and see. And when they knew, they say. Five, and two fishes. And he commanded them to make all sit down by com- panies upon the green grass. And they sat down in ranks by hundreds and by fifties. And when he had taken the live loaves, and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all. And they did all eat and were filled. Then said he also to him that bade him, when thou makest Luke 14: 12 a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbors, lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee. 116 THE UNERRING GUIDE. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, And thou shalt be blessed, for they cannot recompense thee ; for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just. Deut.15: 7. If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates, in thy land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thy heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother : But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth. Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release is at hand, and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought, and he cry unto the Lord against thee, and it be sin unto thee. Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the Lord thy God will surely bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto. For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy in the land. Jas. 2: 15. If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled : notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body: what doth it profit ? Job 31 : 16. If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widows to fail : Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof: (For from my youth he was brought up with me as with -/v3 DUTIES TO THE POOR. 117 a father, and I have guided her from my mother's womb: ) If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering: If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep: If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate: Then let my arm fall from my shoulder-blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone. PART II. <* 7 DUTIES OF EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYES. 205 DUTIES OF EMPLOYEES AND EM- PLOYES. I. — TO KEEP THEIR CONTRACTS. AND Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These daugh-Gen.31 : 43. ters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou seest is mine : and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have borne ? Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou: and let it be for a witness between me and thee. And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar. And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones : and they took stones, and made a heap, and they did eat there upon the heap. And Laban called it Jegar-Sahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed. And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed, And Mizpah : for he said, The Lord watch between me and thee when we are absent one from another. And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold " 31: s*« this pillar, which I have cast between me and thee. 206 THE UNERRING GUIDE. This heap be witness, and this pillar be witness, that I do not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap, and this pillar unto me, for harm. The God of Abraham, and the God of Kahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac. Matt. 20: 1. For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a householder, which went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the laborers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the market place, And he said unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right, I will give you. And they went their way. And again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour, he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle ? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard: and whatso- ever is right, that shall ye receive. So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the laborers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last, unto the first. And Avhen they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more, and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the good man of the house, Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and the heat of the day. /7 DUTIES OF EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYES. 207 But he answered one of them and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with ine for a penny ? Take that thine is, and go thy way, I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own ? Is thine eye evil, because I am good ? Then began he to speak to the people this parable: A cer- Luke 20: 9. tain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husband- men, and went into a far country for a long time. And at the season, he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard; but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty. And again he sent another servant, and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty. And again he sent the third, and they wounded him also, and cast him out. Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do ? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him. But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir, come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours. So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them ? II. — EMPLOYERS TO BE JUST AND REASONABLE. MASTERS give unto your servants that which is just and Col « 4 : f « equal, knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven. For the laborer is worthy^ of his hire. Luke 10: 7. And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob Gen. 31 : 36. 208 TIIE UNERRING GUIDE. answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass ? What is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me ? Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff ? set it here before my brethren, and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both. This twenty years have I been with thee: thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten. That which was torn of beasts, I brought not unto thee: I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night. Thus I was ; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night, and my sleep departed from mine eyes. Thus have I been twenty years in thy house: I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle; and thou hast changed my wages ten times. Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty: God hath seen my affliction, and the labor of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight. Ex. i : 7. ^ n( j £ ne children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty, and the land was filled with them. Now there arose up a new King over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we. Come on, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply, and it come to pass that when there falleth out any war, they join also our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land. Therefore they did set over them task-masters, to afflict them with their burdens: And they built for Pharaoh treas- ure-cities, Pithom and Eaamses. But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied / * f DUTIES OF EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYES. 209 and grew: and they were grieved because of the children of Israel. And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor. And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in mortar, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service wherein they made them serve, was with rigor. Behold, the hire of the laborers who have reaped down Jas. 5: 4. your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped, are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton: ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter: Ye have condemned and killed the just, and he doth not resist you. And I will come near to you to judgment, and I will be a Mai. 3: 5. swift* witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulter- ers, and against false swearers, and against those that op- press the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the father- less, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts. Render therefore to all men their dues; tribute to whom Rom. 13: 7. tribute is due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. III. -EMPLOYES TO BE HONEST AND FAITHFUL. MOREOVER, it is required in stewards, that a man be i Cor. 4:2. found faithful. 210 THE UNERRING GUIDE. Luke 16:1. And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man which had a Steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods. And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee ? Give an account of thy stewardship : for thoumayest be no longer Steward. Then the Steward said within himself, What shall I do, for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig, to beg I am ashamed. I am resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord ? And he said, A hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. Then said he to another, And how much owest thou ? And he said, A hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill and write fourscore. Tit. 2: 9. Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things, not answering again: Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. Luke 16 : 10 He that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in much. And he that is unjust in the least, is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches ? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own ? Eph. 6 : s . Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters accord- ing to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ: Not with eye service as men pleasers, but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart: With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men : / 03 DUTIES OF EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYES. 211 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the Col. 3: 22. flesh: not with eye service as men pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God : And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men: Knowing, that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only iPet.2: 18. to the good and gentle, but also to tin 1 froward. For this is thank-worthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, it when ye be buffeted foryour faults, ye shall take it patiently ? but if when ye do veil, and suffer lor it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. Let as many servants as are under the yoke, count their 1 Tim. 6:1. own masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God, and his doctrine be not blasphemed. And they that have believing masters, let them not des- pise them, because they are brethren: but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort. 212 THE UNERRING GUIDE. DUTIES OF NEIGHBORS. L — TO LOVE EACH OTHER AS THEM- SELVES. Matt. 22 : 35 HHHEN one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a ques- 1 tion, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the Law ? # Jesns said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neigh- bor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets. Rom. 13: 9. For this, thou shalt not commit adultery,. Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet: and if there be any other command- ment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt Love thy neighbor as thyself. /*4T DUTIES OF NEIGHBORS. 213 Love worketh no ill to his neighbor ; therefore love is the fulfillng of the Law. And to love Him with all the heart, and with all the un- Mark 12 : 33 derstanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. Thou sh alt not avenge nor bear any grudge against the Lev. 19: 18. children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am the Lokd. II.— TO SHOW EACH OTHER KINDNESS. BUT he willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And Luke 10:29 who is my neighbor ? And Jesus answering, said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain Priest that way; and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan as he journeyed, came where he was ; and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an Inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him,, and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again I will repay thee. 214 THE UNERRING GUIDE. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves ? And he said, He that showed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise. Luke 14 : 12 Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbors, lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind; And thou shalt be blessed, for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just. Prov. 14: 20. The poor is hated even of his own neighbor: but the rich hath many friends. He that despiseth his neighbor sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he. Lev. 25: 35. And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee, then thou shall relieve him, yea though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee. Take thou no usury of him, or increase: but fear thy God, that thy brother may live with thee. Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury, nor lend him thy victuals for increase. isa. 41 : 6. They helped every one his neighbor, and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage. So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and he that smootheth with the hammer him that smote the anvil, saying, It is ready for the soldering: and he fastened it with nails that it should not be moved. Rom. 15 : 2. J jet every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edi- fication. For even Christ pleased not himself, but as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee, fell on me. /*? DUTIES OF NEIGHBORS. 215 III. — TO DEAL JUSTLY WITH ONE ANOTHER. IF a man shall deliver unto his neighbor money or stuff to Ex.22: 7. keep, and it be stolen out of the man's house; if the thief be found, let him pay double. If tbe thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought unto the Judges, to see whether he have put his hand unto his neighbor's goods. For all manner of trespass, whether it be for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of lost thing, which another challengeth to be his: the cause of both par- ti-- shall come before the Judges, and whom the Judges shall condemn, he shall nay double unto his neighbor. If a man deliver unto bis neighbor an ass, or an ox, or a sheep, or any beast to keep, and it die, or be hurt, or driven away, no man seeing it; Then shall an oath of the LOBD be between them both, that he hath not put his hand unto bis neighbor's goods: and the owner of it shall accept thereof, and he shall not make it good. And if it be stolen from him, he shall make restitution unto the owner thereof. If it be torn in pieces, then let him bring it for witness, and he shall not make good that which was torn. And if a man borrow aught of his neighbor, and it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof being not with it, he shall surely make it good. But if the owner thereof be with it, he shall not make it good: if it be a hired thing, it came for his hire. Thou shalt not remove thy neighbor's land-mark, which Deut. 19: 14. they of oid time have set in thine inheritance, which thou 216 THE UNERRING GUIDE. shalt inherit, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it. Deut. 27: 17 Cursed be he who removeth his neighbor's land-mark: and all the people shall say. Amen. Lev. 25 : 14. And if thou sell aught unto thy neighbor, or buyest aught of thy neighbor's hand, ye shall not oppress one another. " 19- *3- Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbor, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired, shall not abide with thee all night, until the morning. Prov. 3 : 29. Devise not evil against thy neighbor, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee. Deut. 5 : 19. Neither shalt thou steal. " 5:21. Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbor's wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbor's house, his field, or his man ser- vant, or his maid servant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbor's. Hab. 2: 15. Wo unto him that giveth his neighbor drink: that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also; that thou mayest look on their nakedness. IV.— TO SPEAK TRUTHFULLY OF, AND TO ONE ANOTHER. Deut. 5: 20. TV [EITHER shalt thou bear false witness against thy neigh- JN bor. Prov. 25 : 18. A man that beareth false witness against his neighbor, is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow. " 24 : 28. Be not a witness against thy neighbor without cause ; and deceive not with thy lips. Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me; I will render to the man according to his work. " 29: 5. A man that flattereth his neighbor, spreadeth a net for his feet. DUTIES OF NEIGHBORS. 217 Whoso privily slandereth his neighbor, him will I cut off: p s# IOI . s> him that hath a high look, and a proud heart, will not I suffer. As a mad man, who casteth fire-brands, arrows, and death: Prov.26: 18. So is the man that deceiveth his neighbor, and saith, Am not I in sport ? Debate thy cause with thy neighbor himself; and discover " 25: 9. not a secret to another. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with Eph. 4: 25. his neighbor: for we are members one of another. These are the things that ye shall do; Sp< j ak ye every man Zech. 8: 16. the truth with his neighbor; execute the judgment of truth in your gates. And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbor, and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the Lord. Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers Ps. 28: 3. of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbors, but mis- chief is in their hearts. 218 THE UNERRING GUIDE. DUTIES OF CITIZENS. I.— TO CHOOSE ABLE AND GOOD MEN FOR RULERS. Ex. 18: 21. ji MOREOVER thou shalt provide out of all the people able 1V1 men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetous- ness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. And let them judge the people at all seasons ; and it shall be that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge; so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee. If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace. So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said. And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hun- dreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. And they judged the people at all seasons : the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves. * DUTIES OF CITIZENS. 219 And I spake unto you at that time, saying, I am not able Deut. i : 9. to bear you myself alone: The Lord your God hath multipled you, and behold, you are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude. (The Lord God of your fathers make you a thousand times so many more as ye are, and bless you as he hath promised you.) How can I myself alone bear your cumbrance, and your burden and your strife ? Take ye wise men, and understanding, and known among your tribes, and I will make them rulers over you. And ye answered me, and said, The thing which thou hast spoken, is good for us to do. So I took the chief of your tribes, wise men, and known, and made them heads over you, captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes. Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Kule thou over Jud. 8: 22. us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian. And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the Lord shall rule over you. Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, 2 Sam. 5: 1. and spake, saying. Behold, we are thy bone, and thy flesh. Also in time past when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel ; and the Lord said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel . So all the Elders of Israel came to Hebron, and King David made a league with them in Hebron before the Lord: and they anointed David King over Israel. 220 THE UNERRING GUIDE. II. — TO RESPECT AND SUBMIT TO THOSE IN AUTHORITY. Rom. 13 : i. t ET every soul be subject unto the higher powers; For Yj there is no power but of God. The powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordi- nance of God: and they that resist, shall receive to them- selves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power ? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same. For he is the minister of God to thee for good ; but if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain ; for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience' sake. 1 Pet. 2 : 13. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether it be to the King, as supreme, Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him, for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. Tit. 3 : 1. p u t them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work. Acts 23 : 1. And Paul earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. And the high Priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him, to smite him on the mouth. Then saith Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou DUTIES OP CITIZENS. 221 whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the Law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the Law ? And they that stood by, said, Revilest thou God's high Priest ? Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high Priest ; for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people. Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made Judge in the 2 Sam. 15: 4. land, that every man which hath any suit or cause, might come unto me, and I would do him justice. And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him, to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him. And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel, that came to the King for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the people of Israel. But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, " 15: 10. saying, as soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom reigneth in Hebron. And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusa- lem, that were called; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew not anything. And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices: and the conspiracy was strong, for the people in- creased continually with Absalom. Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he " 18: 14. took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he w r as yet alive in the midst of the oak. And ten young m£h that bare Joab's armor, compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him. And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: and Joab held back the people. 222 THE UNERRING GUIDE. And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid a very great heap of stones upon him : and all Israel fled every one to his tent. III.— TO OBEY THE LAWS. Deut. 17: 9. AND thou shalt come unto the Priests and Levites, and l\ unto the Judge that shall be in those days, and inquire; and they shall show thee the sentence of judgment. And thou shalt do according to the sentence which they of that place (which the Lord shall choose). shall shew thee, and thou shalt observe to do according to all that they in- form thee: According to the sentence of the Law which they shall teach thee, and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee, thou shalt do: thou shalt not decline from the sen- tence which they shall shew thee, to the right hand, or to the left. And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the Priest, that standeth to minister there be- fore the Lord thy God, or unto the Judge, even that man shall die, and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel. And all the people shall hear, and fear, and do no more presumptuously. Josh. 1 : 16. And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou com- mandest us, we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go. According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee : only the Lord thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses. Rom. 13 : 6. Yor, for this cause pay you tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. // DUTIES OF CITIZENS. 223 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due, custom "to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. And they asked him, saying. Master, we know that thou Luke 20:21 sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, bat teachest the way of God truly. Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Cesar, or no ? But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, "Why tempt ye me ? Shew me a penny: whose image and superscription hath it ? They answered, and said. Cesar'-. And be said unto them, Render therefore unto Cesar the things which be Cesar's, and unto God the things which be God's. And when they were come to Capernaum, they that re- Matt. 17: 24 ceived tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute ? He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him saying. What thinkest thou. Simon ? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute ? of their own children, or of strangers ? Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Tli en are the children free. Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first Com- eth up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money; that take, and give unto them for me and thee. 224 THE UNERRING GUIDE. DUTIES OF RULERS. I. — TO RULE IN THE FEAR OF GOD. Ps. 29: 1. /^IYE unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lord Vj glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his Name; wor- ship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. iKgs-3:6. And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant King instead of David my father; and I am but a little child; I know not how to go out or come in. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chose]i, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart, to judge in DUTIES OF RULERS. 225 thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people ? And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah 2 K s s - l8 : *• king of Israel, that Hezakiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah, began to reign. Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign, and lie reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Abi, the daughter of Zacha- riah. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that David his father did. He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the -brazen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it; and he called it Xehushtan. He trusted in the Lord God of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Jndah, nor any that were before him. For he clave to the Lord, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the Lord com- manded Moses. And the Lord was with him, and he prospered whither- soever he went. Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy Dan. 5 : 17. gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known the in- terpretation. O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honor. And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him: whom he would, he slew, and whom he would, he kept alive, and whom he would he set up, and whom he would he put down. 15 226 THE UNERRING GUIDE. But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him. And he was driven from the sons of men, and his heart was made like the heasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his hody was wet with the dew of heaven, till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appoint- eth over it whomsoever he will. And thou, his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this : But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven, and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou and thy lords, thy wives and thy concubines have drunk wine in them ; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know : and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are thy ways, hast thou not glorified. Ps. 2: 10. Be wise now therefore, O ye Kings: be instructed ye Judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little: Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. II. —TO RULE RIGHTEOUSLY. "*N Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the Anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet Psalmist of Is- rael, said, The spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me: //? DUTIES OF RULERS. 227 lie that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God: And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain. Sol took the chief of your tribes, wise men, and known, Deut. i: 15. and made them heads over you, captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes. And I charged your Judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously be- tween every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him. Ye shall not respect persons in judgment, but you shall hear the small as well as the great: you shall not be afraid of the face of man, for the* judgment is God's: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it. Wo unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that isa. 10: 1. write grievousness which they have prescribed: To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless. Thou shalt not wrest judgment, thou shalt not respect per- Deut. 16: 19. sons, neither take a gift; for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous. That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened x Sam. 12: 1. unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a King over you. And now behold, the \King walketh before you: and I am old, and gray headed ; and behold, my sons are with you ; and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day. 228 THE UNERRING GUIDE. Behold, here I am : witness against me before the Lord, and before his Anointed: Whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken ? or whom have I defrauded ? whom have I oppressed ? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith ? and I will restore it you. And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man's hand. And he said unto them, The Lord is witness against you, and his Anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found aught in my hand. And they answered, He is witness. Lev. 19: 15. Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment; thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty: but in righteousness thou shalt judge thy neighbor. Prov. 29: 14. The King that faithfully judgeth the poor, his throne shall be established for ever. Dan. 4: 27. Wherefore, O King, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine ini- quities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a length- ening of thy tranquility. III. — TO SEEK THE GOOD OF THE PEOPLE. Prov. 29: 4. HTHE king by judgment stablisheth the land: but he that 1 receiveth gifts overthroweth it. Isa. 52 : 5. Now therefore, what have I here, saith the Lord, that my people is taken away for nought ? they that rule over them, make them to howl, saith the Lord, and my Name contin- ually every day is blasphemed. Matt. 23 : 4. For they bind heavy burdens, and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders, but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. DUTIES OF RULERS. 229 Wo to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy Eccl. 10 : 16. princes eat in the morning. Blessed art thon, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness. Go and say unto David, Thus saith the Lord, I .offer thee 2 Sam. 24: 12 three things ; choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee. So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land ? or wilt thou flee three mouths before thine enemies, while they pursue thee ? or that there be three days' pestilence in thy land ? Now advise, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me. And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait; let us fall now into the hand of the Lord (for his mercies are great,) and let me not fall into the hand of man. So the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel, from the morn- ing, even to the time appointed; and there died of the peo- ple from Dan to Beersheba, seventy thousand men. And when the Angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusa- lem to destroy it, the Lord repented him of the evil, and said to the Angel that destroyed the people, It is enough; stay now thine hand. And the Angel of the Lord was by the threshing place of Araunah the Jebusite. And David spake unto the Lord when he saw the Angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done ? Let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's house. Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he 2 Chr. 34: *. reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways ol David his father, and declined neither to the right hand nor to the left. 230 THE UNERRING GUIDE. For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young he began to seek after the God of David his father ; and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images. And they brake down the altars of Baalim in his presence, and the images that were on high above them, he cut down, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images he brake in pieces, and made dust of them, and strewed it upon the graves of them, that had sacrificed unto them. Prov. 29:2. When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn. IV. — TO BE EXAMPLES TO THE PEOPLE. 31: 4. jx is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink 1 wine, nor for princes, strong drink; Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judg- ment of any of the afflicted. Josh. 1 : 7. Only be thou strong, and very courageous, that thou may- est observe to do according to all the Law, which Moses my servant commanded thee; turn not from it to the right hand, or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein; for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Isa. 37: 14. And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up unto the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed unto the Lord, saying, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the 12 3 DUTIES OF RULERS. 231 Cherubim, tliou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth, thou hast made heaven and earth. Incline thine ear, O Lord, and hear, open thine eyes, O Lord, and see, and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent to reproach the living God. Of a truth, Lord, the Kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations and their countries, And have cast their gods into the fire; for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone; therefore they have destroyed them. Xow therefore, O Lord our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know, that thou art the Lord, even thou only. Xow in the first year of Cyrus King of Persia, that the Ezra l ' «• word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be ful- filled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying; Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven Lath given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he hath charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people ? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord God of Israel (He is the God) which is in Jerusalem. And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourn- eth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, besides the free-will offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem. And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of " 7 : 2 o. thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow; bestow it out of the king's treasure house. And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe df the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily, 232 THE UNERRING GUIDE. Unto a hundred talents of silver, and to a hundred meas- ures of wheat, and to a hundred baths of wine, and to a hun- dred baths of oil, and salt, without prescribing how much. Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven ; for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons ? iKgs. 10:4. And when the Queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the house that he had built, And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cup-bearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the Lord : there was no more spirit in her. And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land, of thy acts and of thy wisdom. Howbeit, I believed not the words, until I came and mine- eyes had seen it; and behold, the half was not told me; thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which 1 heard. Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom. /-is DUTIES OP NATIONS. 233 DUTIES OF NATIONS. I. — TO REMEMBER GOD IN PAST MERCIES. NOW therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes, and Deut. 4: 1. unto the judgments which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land, which the Lord God of your fathers giveth you. Keep therefore, and do them; for this is your wisdom and " 4:6. your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Loud our God is in all things, that we call upon him for ? And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous, as all this Law which I set before you this day ? Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all ^the days of thy life : but teach them thy sons, and thy son's sons: 234 THE UNERRING GUIDE. Specially, the day that thou stoodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb, when the Lord said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children. Deut. 4 : 32. For ask now of the days that are past, which were before thee, since the day that God created man upon earth, and ask from the one side of heaven unto the other, Whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is, or hath been heard like it ? Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, and live ? Or hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation, by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes ? Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know, that the Lord he is God ; there is none else besides him. " 8: 11. Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes which I command thee this day: Lest when thou hast eaten and are full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein ; And when thy herds and thy* flocks multiply, and thy sil- ver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is mul- tiplied: Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy god, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage ; Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water ; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint; Who fed thee in the wilderness with Manna, which thy A 7 DUTIES OF NATIONS. 235 fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end : And thou say in thine heart. My power, and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God ; for it is he that giveth thee power to" get wealth, that he may establish his covenant, which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day. And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them; I- testify against you this day, that ye shall surely perish. As the nations which the Lord destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish ; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God. II.— TO ACKNOWLEDGE GOD IN PROS- PERITY. SPEAK not thou in thine heart, after that the Lord thy Deut. 9: 4. God hath cast them out from before thee, saying, For my righteousness the Lord hath brought me in to possess this land: but for the wickedness of these nations, the Lord doth drive them out from before thee. Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess their land: but for the wicked- ness of these nations, the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee, that he may perform the word which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Understand therefore, that the Lord thy God giveth thee not this good land to possess it, for thy righteousness ; for thou art a stiff-necked people. And David the king came and sat before the Lord, and J Clir - 1 7'- * 6 236 THE UNERRING GUIDE. said, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto ? And yet this was a small thing in thine eyes, O God : for thou hast also spoken of thy servant's house, for a great while to come, and hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, O Lord God. What can David speak more to thee for the honor of thy servant ? lor thou knowest thy servant. i Chr. 16 : 7 . Then on that day, David delivered first this Psalm to thank the Lord, into the hand of Asaph and his brethren: Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk you of all his wondrous works. Glory ye in his holy Name, let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. " 16 : 24. Declare his glory among the heathen : his marvellous works among all nations. " 16: 34. O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy Name, and glory in thy praise. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for ever and ever: and all the people said, Amen, and praised the Lord. P s .6 7: 3 . Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. O let the nations be glad, and sing for joy; for thou shalt judge the nations righteously; and govern the nations upon earth. Let the people praise thee,*0 God; let all the people praise thee. Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us. God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him. " 33: 12. Blessed is the nation, who.^e God is the Lord; and the people, whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance. 121 DUTIES OF NATIONS. 237 III.— TO HUMBLE THEMSELVES UN- DER JUDGMENTS. COME near ye nations to hear, and hearken ye people: let Is *- 34: *• the earth hear, and all that is therein ; the world, and all things that come forth of it. For the indignation of the Lord is upon all nations, and his fury upon all their armies: he hath utterly destroyed them ; he hath delivered them to the slaughter. Their slain also shall be cast out, and their stink shall come up out of their carcasses, and the mountains shall be melted with their blood. And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree. Therefore hear ye nations, and know, O Congregation, what Jer. 6 : 18. is among them. Hear, O earth ; behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it. Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my Joel 2 : 1. holy mountain ; let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand : A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the moun- tains : a great people and a strong ; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations. Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me " 2 : 12. with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning. 238 THE UNERRING GUIDE. And rend your heart and not your garments; and turn unto the Lord your God : for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him, even a meat offering and a drink offer- ing unto the Lord your God ? Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly. Gather the people; sanctify the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the children, and those that suck the breasts ; let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say : Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach; that the heathen should rule over them. Wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God ? Jonah 3:5. So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth from the greatest of them even to the least of them. For word came unto the King of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh, by the decree of the King and his nobles, saying: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock taste anything; let them not feed, nor drink water. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God; yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not ? Deut. 10: 12. And now Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, >3/ DUTIES OF NATIONS. 239 and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, To keep the commandments of the Lokd, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good ? Wherefore, behold, I send unto you Prophets, and wise Matt. 23 134. men, and Scribes, and some of them ye shall kill and .crucify, and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city : That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel, unto the tin; blood of Zechariah, son of Barachiah, whom ye slew be- tween the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, all these things shall come upon this generation. O Jerusalem. Jerusalem, thou that killest the Prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how of ten would I have gathered thy children together, even as the hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not? Behold your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. IV.— TO DEAL JUSTLY WITH OTHER NATIONS. RIGHTEOUSNESS exalteth a nation, but sin is a re- p r ov. 14 : 34. proach to any people. And it came to pass when Hiram heard the words of Sol- ' K s s - 5.* 7. omon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be the 240 THE UNERRING GUIDE. Lord this day, which hath given unto David a wise son* over this great people. And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have considered the things which thou sentest to me for: and I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of fir. My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea: and I will convey them by sea in floats, unto the place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be discharged there, and thou shalt receive them; and thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household. So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees, and fir trees, according to all his desire. And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil ; thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year. And the Lord gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and they made a league together. Isa. 2 : 2. And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the moun- tain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills ; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say: Come ye and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths ; for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people : and they shall beat their swords into plough- shares, and their spears into pruning hooks ; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. Ps.72: 7. Li his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth. He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river, unto the ends of the earth. DUTIES OF NATIONS. 241 His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be contin- ued as long as the sun; and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed. Blessed be the Lokd God, the God of Israel, who only doth wondrous things. And blessed be his glorious name for ever; and let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen, and Amen. 16 Ps. 72: 17. 242 THE UNERRING GUIDE. DUTIES OF THE YOUNG. I.— TO HONOR THE AGED. Lev. 19 : 32. rpHOU shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honor the 1 face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the Lord. Job 29: 7. When I went out to the gate, through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street, The young men saw me, and hid themselves : and the aged arose, and stood up. The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth. The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth. " 30 : x. But now they that are younger than I, have me in derision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my nock. 2 Kgs.2 : 23. And he went up from thence unto Bethel; and as he was going by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up thou bald head, Go up thou bald head. And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them 12? DUTIES OF THE YOUNG. 243 in the name of the Loed : and there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them. Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder; iPet. 5: 5. yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Children's children are the crown of old men: and the Prov. 17: 6. glory of children are their fathers. II.— TO SOW THE SEEDS OF FUTURE HAPPINESS. BOAST not thyself of to-morrow; for thou knowest not Prov. 27: 1. what a day may bring forth. ( thy bread upon the water-: for thou shalt find it after Eccl. 11: 1. many days. Give a portion to seven and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. In the morning sow thy >eed, Mid In the evening withhold " IX : 6 - not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good. Be not deceived, God is not mocked; for whatsoever a Gal. 6:7. man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh, shall of the flesh reap cor- ruption : but he that soweth to the spirit, shall of the spirit reap, life everlasting. Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. Tit. 2: 6. In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works; in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, siucerity; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation 1 Tim. 6: 19* against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. 244 THE UNERRING GUIDE. 2 Tim. 3 : 14. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned, and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them. And that from a child thou hast known the holy Scrip- tures, which are ahle to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 1 Jno.2: 12. I write unto you, little children, because your sins are for- given you for his Name's sake. I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, be- cause ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. III.— TO BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD. , A jND behold, one came and said unto him, Good master, A what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good ? there is none good but one, that is God : but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. /37 DUTIES OF THE YOUNG. 245 He saith unto him, Which ? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honor thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up; what lack I yet ? Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions. Wherewithall shall a young man cleanse his way? By Ps. 119: 9. taking heed thereto according to thy word. Little children, let no man deceive you; he that doeth ijno. 3:7. righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. Flee also youthful lusts; but follow righteousness, faith 2 Tim. 2: 22. charity, peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. I love them that love me, and those that seek me early Prov. 8: 17. shall find me. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, Bed. 12 : 1. while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them: While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain: In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease, because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened: And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low. And when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall nourish, 246 THE UNERRING GUIDE. and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail ; because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets : Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was : and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. PART m. w/ THE SABBATH. 249 CONCEKNING THE SABBATH. I. — TO KEEP IT HOLY. AND on the seventh day God ended his work, which he Gen. 2: 2. had made: And he rested on the seventh day from all his work, which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it; be- cause that in it he had rested from all his work, which God created and made. Kemember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Ex. 20: 8. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, " 31 : 12. Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep ; for it is a sign between me and you, throughout your generations, that ye may know that I am the Lord, that doth sanctify you. Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: Every one that defileth it, shall surely be put to death; for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six days may work be done, but in the seventh is the Sab- bath of rest, holy to the Lord ; whosoever doeth any work in the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. 250 THE UNERRING GUIDE. Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. isa. 58: 13. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable, and shalt honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord, and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. Deut. 5: 12. Keep the Sabbath day to sanctify it, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee. II. — TO ABSTAIN FROM SECULAR PURSUITS. Deut. 5: 13. Six days thou shalt labor, and do all thy work. But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man servant, nor thy maid servant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates, that thy man servant and thy maid servant may rest as well as thou. Ex. 35: 3. Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the Sabbath day. Num. 15: 32. And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the Sabbath day. And they that found him gathering sticks, brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the Congregation. And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him. H3 THE SABBATH. 251 And the Lord said unto Closes, The man shall be surely- put to death: all the Congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp. And all the Congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died as the Lord com- manded Moses. And it came to pass that on the sixth day they gathered Ex. 16: 22. twice as much bread, two Omers for one man; and all the rulers of the Congregation came and told Moses. And he said unto them, This is that which the Lord hath said, To-morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord; bake that which ye will bake, to-day, and seethe that ye will seethe, and that which remaineth over, lay up for you to be kept until the morning. And Moses said, Eat that to-day, for to-day is a Sabbath unto the Lord; to-day ye shall not find it in the field. Six days ye shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, in it there shall be none. In those days saw I in Judah, some treading wine presses Neh. 13 : 15. on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses, as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day; and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals. There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish and all manner of ware, and sold on the Sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. Then I contended with the Nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the Sabbath day ? Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city ? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel, by profaning the Sabbath. And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem be- gan to be dark before the Sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the Sabbath; and some of my servants set I 252 THE UNERRING GUIDE. at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the Sabbath day. So the merchants, and sellers of all kind of ware, lodged without Jerusalem once or twice. Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall ? If ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the Sabbath. Eze. 20: 13. But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilder- ness ; they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and my Sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them: But I wrought for my name's sake, that I should not be polluted before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out. Yet also I lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands. Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my Sabbaths : for their heart went after their idols. III. — TO DEVOTE IT TO RELIGIOUS PURPOSES. 46: 1. nnHUS saith the Lord God, The gate of the inner court, that 1 looketh toward the East, shall be shut the six working days ; but on the Sabbath it shall be opened, and in the day of the new moon it shall be opened. And the Prince shall enter by the way of the porch of that ; Hf THE SABBATH. 253 gate without,, and shall stand by the post of the gate, and the Priests shall prepare his burnt offering, and his peace offer- ings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate; then he shall go forth, but the gate shall not be shut until the evening. Likewise the people of the land shall worship at the door of this gate before the Lord, in the Sabbaths, and in the new moons. And the burnt offering that the Prince shall offer unto the D in the Sabbath day. shall be six lambs without blem- ish, and a ram without blemish. And he was teaching in one of the Synagogues on the Luke 13: 10 Sabbath. And when the Jews were gone out of the Synagogue, the Acts 13: 42. Gentiles besought that thea might be preached to them the next Sabbath. And the next Sabbath day came almost the whole city to- « i 3:44l gether to hear the word Xow when Jesus was risen early the first day of the Mark 16: 9. week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast sewn devil-. And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept. And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not. Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the Jno. 20:19. . when the dour- were shut, where the disciples were .bled for tear of the Jews, came Jesus, and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be 1 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. Then sai ra. again, Peace you: as my ler hath sent me. even so send I you. 254 THE UNERRING GUIDE. And when lie said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Keceive ye the Holy Ghost. Ac. 13 : 14- But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down. And after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying; Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on. " 16 : 13. And on the Sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made, and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us; whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And when she was baptized, and her household, she be- sought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she con- strained us. " 20: 6 And we sailed away from Philippi, after the days of un- leavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days, where we abode seven days. And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow, and continued his speech until midnight. " 17: 1. Now when they had passed through Amphipolis, and Ap- oJlonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures, Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suf- fered and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus whom I preach unto you, is Christ. THE SABBATH. 255 IV. — DEEDS OF MERCY REQUIRED. AND behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of in- Luke 13 : h firmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thy infirmity. And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. And the ruler of the Synagogue answered with indigna- tion, because that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work; in them therefore come and be healed, and not 011 the Sabbath day. The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering ? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day ? And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed; and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him. And he entered again into the Synagogue, and there was a Mark 3: 1. man there which had a withered hand: And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the Sabbath day, that they might accuse him.' And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth. And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath days, or to do evil ? to save life, or to kill ? but they held their peace. And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, He saith unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he stretched it out; and his hand was restored whole as the other. 256 THE UNERRING GUIDE. Tno. 7 : 22. Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers) and ye on the Sabbath day circumcise a man. If a man on the Sabbath day receive circumcision, that the Law of Moses should not be broken ; are ye angry at me, be- cause I have made a man every whit whole on the Sabbath day ? Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous Judgment. . V. — ACTS OF NECESSITY ALLOWED. Matt. 12: i. A T that time, Jesus went on the Sabbath day through the l\ corn, and his disciples were a hungered, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Be- hold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the Sabbath day. But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did when he was a hungered, and they that were with him ; How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shew bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the Priests ? Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the Sabbath days the Priests ill the Temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless ? But I say unto you, that in this place is one greater than the Temple. But if ye had known what this raeaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day. " 12: 1 r. And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit 011 the Sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out. " 12 : 12. Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath days. vows. 267 CONCERNING VOWS. I. _VOWS TO BE ASSUMED ONLY ON IMPORTANT OCCASIONS. AND the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Num. 6: i. When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a NTazarite, to separate themselves unto the Loud: He shall separate himself from wine, and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried. So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and i Sam. 1:9. after they had drunk; (now Eli the Priest sat upon a seat hy a post of the Temple of the Lord,) And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore. And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and re- member ine, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head. Ye stand this day all of you before the Lord your God: Deut.29: 10. 268 THE UNERRING GUIDE. your captains of your tribes, your Elders, and your officers, with all the men of Israel, Tour little ones, your wives, and the stranger that is in thy camp, from the hewer of thy wood unto the drawer of thy water: That thou shouldest enter into covenant with the Lord thy God, and into his oath which the Lord thy God maketh with thee this day: That he may establish thee to-day for a people unto him- self, and that he may be unto thee a God, as he hath said unto thee, and as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, to Abra- ham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. Josh. 24: 25. So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a Statute, and an Ordinance in Shechem. And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the Law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there, under an oak, that was by the Sanctuary of the Lord. And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone sliall be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the Lord which he spake unto us; it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God. So Joshua let the people depart, every man unto his in- heritance. Deut. 26 : 16 This day the Lord thy God hath commanded thee to do these statutes and judgments : thou shalt therefore keep and do them with all thine heart, and with all thy soul. Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God, and to walk in his ways, and to keep his statutes, and his com- mandments, and his judgments, and to hearken unto his voice. And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his pecu- liar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou should- est keep all his commandments: And to make thee high above all nations which he hath made, in praise and in name, and in honor; and that thou mayest be a holy people unto the Lord thy God, as he hath spoken. JS\ vows. 269 II. _ VOWS TO BE SACEEDLY KEPT. AND Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and be- Jud. n: 34. hold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances; and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter. And it came to pass when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter, thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the Lord, and I cannot go back. And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the Loud, do unto me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth ; forasmuch as the Lord hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Amnion. If a man vow a vow unto the Lord, or swear an oath to Num. 30: 2. bind his soul with a bond: he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedelh out of his mouth. When thou Shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God, thou D eut. 23: 21 shalt not slack to pay it; for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee: and it would be sin in thee. But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee. That which is gone out of thy lips, thou shalt keep and perform; even a free will offering according as thou hast vowed unto the Lord thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth. Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of Matt. 5: 33. old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself; but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths. When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; Eccl. 5: 4 . for he hath no pleasure in fools; pay that which thou hast vowed. 270 THE UNERRING GUIDE. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Ps. 76: 11. Yow, and pay unto the Lord your God. Heb. 10: 23. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without waver- ing. " 10 : 26. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery in- dignation, which shall devour the adversaries. " 10: 35. Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live "by faith; but if any man draw back, my soul shall have 110 pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe, to the saving of the soul. Ps. 65: 1. Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Zion; and unto thee shall the vow be performed. /r? PROFANITY, 271 CONCERNING PROFANITY. I.— ITS GREAT WICKEDNESS. AND the son of an Israelitisk woman, whose father was Lev. 24: 10. A an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel; and this son of the Israelitish woman, and a man of Israel strove together in the camp. And the Israelitish woman's son blasphemed the name of the Lord, and cursed, and they brought him unto Moses; and his mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan. And they put him in ward, that the mind of the Lord might be showed them. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Bring forth him that hath cursed, without the camp, and let all that heard, lay their hands upon his head, and let all the Congregation stone him. And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whoso curseth his God, shall bear his sin. And he that blasphemeth the Name of the Lord, he shall surely be put to death, and all the Congregation shall certainly 272 THE UNERRING GUIDE. stone him ; as well the stranger as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the Name of the Lord, shall be put to death. Matt. 26: 6 9 . Now Peter sat without in the palace; and a damsel came unto him saying, Thou also was with Jesus of Galilee. But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them, for thy speech bewrayeth thee. Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. And Peter remembered the words of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out and wept bitterly. Job 1 : 5. And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually. " 2:9. Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity ? Curse God, and die. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh ; what ? shall we receive good at the hands of God, and shall we not receive evil ? In all this did not Job sin with his lips. Matt. 23 : 16. Wo unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor. fsr PROFANITY. 273 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold ? And whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing ; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. Ye fools and blind : for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift ? Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon. And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein. And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon. II.— ITS STRICT PROHIBITION. THOU shalt not take the Xame of the Lord thy God in vai n ; Ex. 20 : 7. for the Lord will not hold him guiltless, that taketh his Name in vain. And ye shall not swear by my Xame falsely, neither shalt Lev. 19: 12. thou profane the Xame of thy God : for I am the Lord. Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old Matt. 5 : 33. time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shall perform unto the Lord thine oaths. But I say unto you, Swear not at all, neither by heaven, for it is God's throne. Nor by the earth, for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusa- lem, for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be Yea, yea: Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these, cometh of evil. But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by Jas. 5: 12. 274 THE UNERRING GUIDE. heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath : hut let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay ; lest ye fall into con- demnation. Matt. 5: 44. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which 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. Rom. 12: 14 Bless them which persecute you; bless and curse not. III. —ITS PREVALENCE AND EVIL CONSEQUENCES. Jer. 23: 9. Tl f IXE heart within me is broken because of the prophets; 1V1 all my bones shake: I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine hath overcome, because of the Lord, and because of the words of his holiness. For the land is full of adulterers ; for because of swearing the land mourneth ; the pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up, and their course is evil, and their force is not right. For both prophet and priest are profane, yea in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the Lord. Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness: they shall be driven on and fall therein; for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the Lord. Hosea 4* *• Hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel; for the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and com- mitting adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood. IS"] PROFANITY. 275 Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwell- eth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, yea, the fishes of the sea also shall he taken away. Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Ezek. 36: 16 Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own way, and by their doings: Wherefore 1 poured my fury upon them for the blood that they had shed upon the land, and for their idols wherewith they had polluted it. And I scattered them among the heathen, and they were dispersed through the countries; according to their way and according to their doings I judged them. And when they entered unto the heathen whither they went, they profaned my holy Name, when they said to them, These are the people of the Lord, and are gone forth out of his land. But I had pity for mine holy Xame, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went. Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God, I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy Xame'^ sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went. And I will sanctify my great Xame which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them, and the heathen shall know, that I am the Lord, saith the Lord God, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes. 276 THE UNERRING GUIDE. CONCERNING SPEECH. I. — AN IMPORTANT FACULTY. Jas. 3: 2. T?OR in. many things we offend all. If any man offend not 1 in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us, and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things; behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth. And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity; so is the tongue amongst our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and all things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of man- kind. But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. SPEECH. 277 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing : my brethren, this ought not so to be. Tour words have been stout against me, saith the Lord : Mai. 3 : 13. yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee ? Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it, that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Loud of hosts ? And now we call the proud happy; yea. they that work wickedness are set up; yea they that tempt God, are even delivered. Then they that feared the Lord, spake often one to an- other: and the Lord hearkened and heard it. and a book of remembrance was written before him. for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels, and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man. Matt. 12 : 32 it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. But I say unto yoit, That every idle word that men shall " 12:36. speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of Judg- ment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before Luke 12 : s. men. him shall the Son of man also confess before the Angels of God. But he that denieth me before men, shall be denied before the Angels of God. 278 THE UNERRING GUIDE. II. — AN INDEX OF THE HEART. ilatt. 15: 10 a ^d i ie called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear l\ and understand. Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man: but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended after they heard this saying ? But he answered and said, Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone; they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. Then answered Peter, and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable. And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth, goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught ? But those things which proceed out of the mouth, come forth from the heart, and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adul- teries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man: But to eat with unwashen hands, defileth not a man. " 12: 33. Either make the tree good, and his fruit good: Or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt; for the tree is known by his fruit. O generation of vipers, how can ye being evil, speak good things ? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man. out of the good treasure of the heart, bring- eth forth good things; and an evil man out of the evil treas- ure, bringeth forth evil things. '*>* SPEECH. 279 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth J as - i: 26 « not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's re- ligion is vain. III. — TO BE WrSELY EMPLOYED. UNTO me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at job 29:21. my counsel. After my words they spake not again, and my speech dropped upon them. And they waited for me as for the rain, and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain. Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, Col. 4: 6. that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, Eph. 4: 29. but that which is good to the use ot edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice. Speak not evil one of another, brethren; he that speaketh Jas. 4: n. evil of his brother, and judge th his brother, speaketh evil of the Law, and judgeth the Law: but if thou judge the Law, thou art not a doer of the Law, but a judge. 1: 19. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with Eph. 4: 25. his neighbor; for we are members one of another. Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good man- 1 Cor. 15: 33 ners. For we hear that there are some which walk among you2Thess.3: n disorderly, working not at all, but are busy-bodies. 280 THE UNERRING GUIDE. 2 Pet. 2: 17. These are wells without water, clonds that are carried with a tempest, to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wanton- ness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. 1 Pet. 3: 8. Finally he ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another; love as brethren, he pitiful, he courteous; Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing; but con- trariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him re- frain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil and do good ; let him seek peace and ensue it. " 2: 21. For even hereunto were ye called; because Christ also suf- fered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps. Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again ; when he suf- fered, he threatened not, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously. IV. — ITS ABUSE FORBIDDEN. Lev. 19: 16. rpHOU shaltnot go up and down as a tale-bearer among 1 thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy- neighbor: I am the Lord. Ex. 23: 1. Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil ; neither shalt SPEECH. 281 thou speak in a cause, to decline after many, to wrest judg- ment: A tale-bearer revealeth secrets; but he that is of a faithful Prov. m 13. spirit concealeth the matter. The words of a tale-bearer are as wounds, and they go " lS:8 - down into the innermost parts of the belly. False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things Ps - 35: "• I knew not. They rewarded me evil for good, to the spoiling of my soul. For it was not an enemy that reproached me, then I could " 55: 12. have borne it; neither was it he that hated me, that did mag- nify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him. But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. We took- sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company. For I have hoard the slander of many; fear was on every Ps 3I . ,. side; while they took counsel against me, they devised to. take away my life. Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment, and aE CC i.io:ii. babbler is no better. The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. Let love be without dissimulation: abhor that which is R om . I2 . g# evil, cleave to that which is good. 282 THE UNERRING GUIDE. CONCERNING JUSTICE. L— ITS EXCELLENCE. Ps. 19: 7 . HHHE Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the 1 testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The Statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the Commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever; the Judgments of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. Prov. 19: 1. Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool. Job 6: 25. How forcible are right words ? but what doth your arguing reprove ? Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind ? Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless, and ye dig a pit for your friend. Job 2: 3. And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth; a per- fect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and eschew- eth evil ? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. justice. 283 And the King said, Bring me a sword. And they brought i Kgs. 3 : 24 a sword before the king. And the king said. Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other. Then spake the woman whose the living child was, unto the king, (for her bowels yearned upon her son) and she said, O my Lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it; but the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it. Then the King answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it; she is the mother thereof. And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged, and they feared the king; for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment. To do justice and judgment, is more acceptable to the Ptor.ai:j. Lord than sacrifice. II. — REQUIRED AND REWARDED. 1\HUS saith the Lord, Keep ye judgment, and do justice; Isa - 5&: «• for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. Thus saith the Lord, Execute ye judgment and righteous- Jer. 22: 3- ness, and deliver the spoiler out of the hand of the oppressor; and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the father- nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place. Remove not the old land-mark; and enter not into the P*ov. 23: 10 fields of the fatherless. Let him that stole, steal no more : but rather let him labor, Eph. 4 : 28. working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Te shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, Lev. 19: 35. in weight, or in measure. 284 THE UNERRING GUIDE. Just balances, just weights, a just Ephah, and a just Hin shall ye have : I am the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt. Ps. 82 : 2. How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked ? Defend the poor and fatherless ; do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy; rid them out of the hand of the wicked. Isa. 61 : 8. For I the Lord love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering, and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting Covenant with them. Deut.25 : 13. Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great, and a small. Thou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small. But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have; that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the Lord thy God. Ps. 15: 1. Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle ? who shall dwell in thy holy hill ? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbor, nor taketh up a reproach against his neigh- bor. In whose eyes a vile person is contemned ; but he honoreth them that fear the Lord, he that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not. He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent: he that doeth these things, shall never be moved. Prov. io-6. Blessings are upon the head of the just; but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. "7 justice. 285 The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot. And Joseph was brought down to Egypt: and Potiphar an Gen. 39: 1. officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hand of the Ishmaelites, which had brought him down thither. And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man, and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand. And Joseph found grace in his sight, and lie served him; and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand. But the Loud was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, " 39: 21. and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it. The keeper of the prison looked not to anything, that was under his hand, because the Loud was with him; and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper. And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants. And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one. as this is, a man in whom the spirit of God is ? And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art : Thou shalt he over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne w r ill I be greater than thou. xVnd Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh took oif his ring from his hand, and put it 41 : 37- 286 THE UNERRING GUIDE. upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck. And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had: and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and with- out thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot, in all the land of Egypt. Esther 6: i. o n that night could not the King sleep, and he command- ed to bring the book of Records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king. And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Big- thana, and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, the keep- ers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king Aha- suerus. And the king said, What honor and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this ? Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, There is nothing done for him. " 6: io. Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the King's gate: let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken. Then took Haman the apparel and the horse, and ar- rayed Mordecai, and brought him on horse-back through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him: Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honor. III. — INJUSTICE FORBIDDEN AND PUNISHED. Jer. 22: 13. TT70 unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, VV and his chambers by wrong; thatuseth his neighbor's service without wages, and giveth him not for his work: /6f INJUSTICE. 287 That saith, I will build me a wide house and large cham- bers, and cutteth him out windows, and it is ceiled with ce- dar, and painted with vermilion. Shalt thou reign because thou closest thyself in cedar ? did not thy father eat and drink, and do judgment and jus- tice, and then it was well with him ? He judged the cause of the poor and needy, then it was well with him: was not this to know me, saith the Lord ? But thine eyes and thine heart are not but for thy covet- ousness, and for to shed innocent blood, and for oppression, and for violence, to do it. Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, They shall not lament for him, saying, Ah my brother! or ah sister! they shall not lament for him, saying, Ah Lord! or ah his glory! He shall be buried with the burial of an ass, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem. Wo to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their Micah 2: 1. beds: when the morning is light they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand. And they covet fields and take them by violence: and houses, and take them away; so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage. Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks, neither shall ye go haughtily: for this time is evil. Wo to him that buildeth a town with blood, and stablish- Hab.2: 12. eth a city by iniquity. Thou shalt not steal. E *- 20: 15. Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike p r . 20: 10. abomination to the Lord. He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, " 28: 8. he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor. A false witness shall not be unpunished; and he that " 19:5. speaketh lies shall not escape. 288 THE UNERRING GUIDE. u:i A false balance is abomination to the Lord; but a just weight is his delight. When pride cometh, then cometh shame; but with the lowly is wisdom. The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the per- verseness of transgressors shall destroy them. iThess.4:5 Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God : That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter, because that the Lord is the avenger of all such ; as we also have forewarned you, and testified : For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. Acts 5: 1. But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the Apostles' feet. But Peter said, Ananias, Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land ? While it remained, was it not thine own ? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power ? why hast thou con- ceived this thing in thine heart ? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. And Ananias hearing these words, fell down, and gave up the ghost; and great fear came on all them that heard these things. And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much. And she said, Yea, for so much. And Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together, to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the Ill INJUSTICE. 289 feet of them which have buried thy husband, are at the door, and shall carry thee out. Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost. And the young men came in. and found her dead, and carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. And great fear came upon all the Church, and upon as many as heard these things. But Gehazi the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, 2 K S s 5: 20. Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought; but as the Loud liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him. So Gehazi followed after Naaman; and when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, I- all well ? And he said. All i> well: my master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come tome from mount Ephraim two young men, of the sons of the Prophets, (live them, I pray thee, n talent of silver, and two changes of garments. Ami Naaman said, He content, take two talent-: and lie urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his ser- vants, and thev bare them before him. And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house; and he let the men go, and they departed. But he went in. and stood before his master; and Elisha said unto him, Whence earnest thou, Gehazi ? And he said, Thy servant went no whither. And lie said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee ? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and olive yards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and men servants, and maid servants ? The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow. 290 THE UNERRING GUIDE. 2 Sam. 12: 1. And the Lord sent Nathan unto David: and he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in the city; the one rich, and the other poor. The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds. But the poor man had nothing save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up to- gether with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock, and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him, but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him. And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing, shall surely die. And he shall restore the Lamb four-fold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man: Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul, And I gave thee thy Master's house, and thy Master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the House of Israel and of Judah, and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord,, to do evil in his sight ? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house, because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite, to be thy wife. For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun. m LIBEKALITY. 291 CONCERNING LIBERALITY. I.— EXAMPLES. AND all the Congregation of the children of Israel de- Ex. 35:20. i\ parted from the presence of Mos< 5. And they came every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the Loud's offering to the work of the Tabernacle of the _:egation, and fur all his service, and for the holy gar- ments. And they came both men and women, as many as were willing hearted, and brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold: and every man that offered, offered an offering of gold unto the Lord. The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the " 35: 29- Loud, every man and woman, whose heart made them will- ing to bring for all manner of work, which the Loud had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses. He gave of gold by weight, for things of gold, for all in- ■ Chr. 2S: 14 struments of all manner of service: silver also for all instru- ments of silver, by weight, for all instruments of every kind of service. 292 THE UNERRING GUIDE. Even the weight for the candlesticks of gold, and for their lamps of gold, by weight for every candlestick, and for the lamps thereof: and for the candlesticks of silver by weight, both for the candlestick and also for the lamps thereof, ac- • cording to the use of every candlestick. And by weight he gave gold for the tables of shew-bread, for every table, and likewise silver for the tables of silver. Also pure gold for the flesh-hooks, and the bowls, and the cups ; and for the golden basons he gave gold by weight, for every bason; and likewise silver by weight for every bason of silver. And for the Altar of incense, refined gold by weight; and gold for the pattern of the chariot of the Cherubim, that spread out their wings, and covered the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, i Chr. 29: 3. Moreover, because 1 have set my affection to the house of my God, I have of mine own proper good, of gold and silver, which I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house, Even three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the houses withal. The gold for things of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and for all manner of work to be made by the hands of artificers. And who then is willing to conseceate his ser- vice this day unto the Lord ? Then the chief of the fathers and Princes of the tribes of Israel, and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the rulers over the Kings work, offered willingly, And gave for the service of the house of God, of gold five thousand talents, and ten thousand drams: and of silver, ten thousand talents; and of brass, eighteen thousand talent,-: and one hundred talents of iron. And they with whom precious stones were found, gave them to the treasure of the house of the Lord, by the hand of Jehiel the Gershonite. Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, nr LIBERALITY. 293 because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the Lord; and David the King also rejoiced with great joy. Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced; Neh. 12: 43. for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the wives also and the children rejoiced; so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar of. And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how Mark 12:41 the people cast money into the treasury; and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Yerily I say unto you. that this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury. For all they did cast in of their abundance; hut she of her want, did cast in all that she had, even all of her living. And the multitude of them that believed, were of one Ac. 4:32. heart, and of one soul; neither said any of them, that aught of the things which he possessed, was his own; but they had all things common. And with great power gave the Apostles witness of the re- surrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, And laid them down at the Apostles' feet; and distribu- tion was made unto every man according as he had need. And Joses, who by the Apostles was surnamed Barnabas (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation) a Le- vite, and of the country of Cyprus, Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the Apostles' feet. 294 THE UNERRING GUIDE. II. — LIBERALITY ENJOINED. Ex. 35: 4. A ND Moses spake unto all the Congregation of the cliil- A then of Israel, saying. This is the thing which the Lord commanded, saying, Take ye from amongst you an offering unto the Lord: Whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the Lord, gold, and silver, and brass. Ezra 1 : 2. Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he hath charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people ? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord God of Israel (He is the God) which is in Jerusalem. And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourn- eth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, besides the free-will offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem. Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benja- min, and the Priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised to go up to build the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem. Eccl. 11 : 1. Cast thy bread upon the w T aters: for thou shaltfind it after many days. Give a portion to seven and also to eight; for thou know- esl not what evil shall be upon the earth. Luke 12:33 Still that ye have, and give alms: provide yourselves bags which wax notold, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. ni LIBERALITY. 295 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down I Jno. 3: 16. his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him ; how dwelleth the love of God in him ? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth. Let your conversation be without covetousness: and be Heb. 13 : 5. content with such things as ye have. For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not iTim.6: 17. high minded, nor trust in uncertain rich.--, hut in the living God, who giveth us richly all things t«> enjoy; That they do u r < »>d, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communic Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Rom. 12: 13. III. —LIBERALITY REWARDED. BUT the libera] deviseth liberal things, and by liberal isa. 32:8. things shall he stand. There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is Prov. n : 24. that wilhholdeth more than is meet, hut it tendeth to poverty. The liberal soul shall be made fat; and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him; but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it. But to do good, and to communicate forget not, for with Heb. 13 : 16 such sacrifices God is well pleased. 296 THE UNERRING GUIDE. job 29: 11. When the ear heard me, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me: Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. The blessing of him that was ready to perish, came upon me; and I caused the widows heart to sing for joy. 2 Cor. 9:1. For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is super- fluous for me to write to you. For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many. Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf, that as I said, ye may be ready. Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we, (that we say not you,) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting. Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before to you, and make up before hand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, not of covetousness. But this I say, He which soweth sparingly, shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully, shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound towards you, that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work. (As it is written: He hath dispersed abroad: He hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever. Now he that ministereth seed to the sower, both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and in- crease the fruits of your righteousness), Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. /7? LIBERALITY. 297 For the administration of this service, not only snpplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanks- givings unto God; While by the experiment of this ministration, they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the Gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men : And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you. Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. I have shewed you all things, how that so laboring, ye Ac. 20: 35. ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he -aid, It is more blessed to give, than to receive. Give, and it shall be given unto you, good measure, Luke 6: 38. pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom; for with the same measure that ye mete withal, it shall be measured to you again. IV. — DIRECTIONS. TAKE heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be Matt. 6:1. seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore, when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do, in the Synagogues, and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Yerily, I say unto you, they have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know, what thy right doetli : That thine alms may be in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret, himseli shall reward thee openly. 298 THE UNERRING GUIDE. Luke 3 : 10. And the people asked hira, saying, What shall we do then ? He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none, and he that hath meat, let him do likewise. iCor.16: i. Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the Churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. 2 Cor. 8: i. Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the Churches of Macedonia, How that in a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves: Praying us with much entreaty, that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us, by the will of God. Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you, the same grace also. Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utter- ance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the for- wardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love. For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. And herein I give my advice; for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be for- ward a year ago. Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a LIBERALITY. 299 readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have. For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted accord- ing to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. For I mean not that other men be eased, and you burdened : But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want; that their abundance also may be a supply for your want, that there may be equality; As it is written, He that had gathered much, had nothing over, and he that had gathered little, had no lack. 300 THE UNERRING GUIDE. CONCEKNING TEMPEBANCE. 1.— EXAMPLES. Jer. 35 : 5 • A ND I set before the sons of the house of the Eechabites, A pots full of wine, and cups, and I said unto them, Drink ye wine. But they said, We will drink no wine : for Jonadab the son of Rechab our father, commanded us, saying : Ye shall drink no wine, neither ye, nor your sons, for ever. Neither shall ye build house, nor sow seed, nor plant vine- yard, nor have any; but all your days ye shall dwell in tents, that ye may live many days in the land where ye be strangers. Thus have we obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Re- chab our father, in all that he hath charged us, to drink no wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, nor our daughters. Dan. i : 8. But Daniel purposed in his heart, that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore lie requested of the prince of the eunuchs, that he might not defile himself. Now God had brought Daniel into favor and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs. /ft INTEMPERANCE. 301 And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat, and your drink ; for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort ? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the King. Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Aza- riah, Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days, and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink. Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the King's meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants. So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days. And at the end of ten days, their countenances appeared fairer, and fatter in flesh, than all the children, which did eat the portion of the king's meat. Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse. But the Angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias, for thy Luke i: 13. prayer is heard, and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son. And thou shalt have joy and gladness, and many shall re- joice at his birth: For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine, nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And Noah began to be a husbandman, and he planted a Gen. 9: 20. vineyard. And he drank of the wine, and was drunken. But they also have erred through wine, and through strong i sa . 28: 7. drink are out of the way ; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine; 302 THE UNEKRING GUIDE. they are out of the way through strong drink, they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean. Dan. 5:1. Belshazzar the King made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels, which his father Nubiichad- nezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem, that the king and his princes, his wives, and his concubines might drink therein. Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God, which was at Jerusalem; and the king and his princes, his wives, and his concubines drank in them. They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold and silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the King's palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another. 2 Pet. 2: 12. But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they* understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption: And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own de- ceivings, while they feast with you: Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin, beguiling unstable souls: a heart they have exercised with covetous practices : cursed children : Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, INTEMPERANCE. 303 following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness, But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice, forbade the madness of the prophet. IT. — INCULCATIONS TO, AND BLESS- INGS OF TEMPERANCE. AND the Lord spake unto Aaron, saying, Lev. 10: 8. Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the Tabernacle of the Con- gregation, lest ye die: It shall be a statute for ever, through- out your generations: And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean: And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the sta- tutes which the Lord hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses. For a Bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God: Titus i: 7. not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre. But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine, both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink p ro v. 31: 4.^ wine, nor for princes, strong drink : Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judg- ment of any of the afflicted. 304 THE UNERRING GUIDE. 11 23: 19. Hear tliou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way. Be not amongst wine-bibbers ; amongst riotous eaters of flesh. For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty ; and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags. Gal. 5: 22. But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 1 Cor. 9 : 25. And every man that striveth for the mastery, is temperate in all things : Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. Luke 21 : 34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be over-charged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. 1 Pet. 5: 8. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. Eph. 5 : 18. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess ; but be filled with the Spirit. 1 Thess. 5: 6. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others ; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep, sleep in the night; and they that be drunken, are drunken in the night. But let us who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breast plate of faith and love, and for a helmet, the hope of salvation. Rom. 13: 11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now is our salvation nearer than when Ave believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand; let us therefore cast, off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk honestly as in the day; not in rioting and /*7 IMTEMPERANCE. 305 drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying: But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not pro- vision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith, 2 Pet. 1: 5. virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; And to knowledge, TEMPERANCE; and to temperance, patience: and to patience, godliness; And to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren, nor unfruitful in the knowl- edge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things, is blind, and cannot see far off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober 1 Pet. 4: 7- and watch unto prayer. HI. _ WOES OF, AND DISSUASIVES FROM INTEMPERANCE. \\JO unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, Isa. 5:18. \ V and sin, as it were, with a cart rope: That say, let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it. Wo unto them that call evil good, and good evil ; that put " 5 •' 20. darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter. 306 THE UNERRING GUIDE. Isa. 5: 22. Wo unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink. 5: 11. Wo unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink, that continue until night, till wine inflame them. And the harp and the viol, the tabret and pipe, and wine are in their feasts; but they regard not the work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of his hands. 28: 1. Wo to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine. Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand. The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim shall be trodden under feet. And the glorious beauty which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be a fading flower, and as the hasty fruit before the summer; which when he that looketh upon it, seeth it, while it is yet in his hand, he eateth it up. Hab. 2: 15. Wo unto him that giveth his neighbor drink; that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken. Prov.20: 1. Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging; and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. 1 Cor. 6 : 9. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God ? Be not deceived : neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor DRUNKARDS, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. Prov. 23 : 29 Who hath woe ? who hath sorrow ? who hath contentions ? who hath babbling ? who hath wounds without cause ? who hath redness of eyes ? They that tarry long at the wine, they that go to seek mixed wine. :*i INTEMPERANCE. 307 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when itgiveth his color in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. Yea thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast. They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick : when' shall I awake ? I will seek it yet again. RICHES. 319 CONCERNING RICHES. I. — NOT TO INORDINATELY DESIRE THEM. AND Lot lifted rip his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Gen. 13: 10. Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the gar- den of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as thou eomest unto Zoar. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan: and Lot jour- neyed east; and they separated themselves the one from the other. Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent towards Sodom. But the men of Sodom were wicked, and sinners before the Lord exceedingly. He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor Eccl. 5: 10. he that loveth abundance, with increase; this is also vanity. When goods increase, they are increased that eat them; and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the be- holding of them with their eyes ? The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much; but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep. 320 THE UNERRIXG GUIDE. Prov. 23 : 4. Labor not to be rich ; cease from thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not ? for riches certainly make themselves wings, they fly away as an eagle toward heaven. Mark 8: 36. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul ? Jno. 6: 27. Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you; for him hath God the Father sealed. Ps. 62: 10. Trust not in oppression, become not vain in robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart upon them. 1 Tim. 6: 7. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment, let us be therewith centent. 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 the love of money is the root of all evil, which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced • themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meek- ness. Prov. 30: 8. Remove far from me vanity and lies; give me neither pov- erty 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. II.— TO GUARD AGAINST THEIR COR- RUPTING INFLUENCE. Jas. 5:1. f^O to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries VJ that shall come upon you. RICHES. 321 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments moth eaten: Your gold and silver is cankered, and the rust of them shall be witness against yon. and shall eat your flesh as it were fire: ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. And these are they which are sown among thorns: such Mark 4:1s. as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. • Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, Matt. 19:23. that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. Ami again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of ;i needle, than for a rich man to enter into tlif kingdom of God. But wo unto you that arc rich; for ye have received your Luke6:24. si riation. Wo unto you that are full; for ye shall hunger. Wo unto you that laugh now; for ye shall mourn and weep. For tin' love of money i- the root of all evil; which while 1 Tim. 6: 10. some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorr Ami one of the company said unto him. Master, speak to Luke 12 : 13. my brother, thai he divide the inheritance with me. Ami he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge, or a divider over you ? And he said unto them, Take heed and beware of covet- onsness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the thin u r s which he possesseth. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying. What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits ? And he said, This will I do, I will pull down my barns, ami build greater, and there will I bestow all my fruits, and my goods. 322 THE UNERRING GUIDE. And I will say to roy soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years, take thine ease, eat, drink and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided ? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God. Luke 21 : 34. And take heed to yourselves, -lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. III.— TO ACKNOWLEDGE GOD IN THEM. Dan. 4: 28. * LI. this came upon the King Nebuchadnezzar. i\ At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. The King spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty ? While the word was in the King's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O King Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken ; The kingdom is departed from thee. And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be-with the beasts of the field; they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. Deut.32:g. For the Loed's portion is his people: Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness: he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. / 73 RICHES. 323 As an eagle stirreth Tip her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: So the Lord alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him. He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields, and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock, Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bash an, and goats, with the fat of kid- neys of wheat, and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape. But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: Thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation. Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not Deut. 8: n. keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes which I command thee this day: Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy sil- ver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is mul- tiplied: Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God; And thou say in thine heart, My power, and the might of " 8: r 7 . mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God; for it is lie that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant, which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day. Go to now, ye that say, To-day or to-morrow we will go Jas. 4:13. into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy, and sell, and get gain : Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow; for what is your life ? It is even a vapor that appearelh for a little time, and then vanisheth away. 324 THE UNERRING GUIDE. For that ye ought to say, if the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. IV.— TO MAKE PROPER USE OP THEM. Ecd.5: 13. ^PHEKE is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, 1 namely riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. But those riches perish hy evil travail; and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand. 1 Tim. 6: 17. Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That Uiey do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. Prov. 13 : 7, There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches. 3 Cor. 9: 6. But this I say, He which soweth sparingly, shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully, shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. Deut. 28: 1. And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his Commandments which I command thee this day; that the Loud thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God. /? / RICHES. 3^5 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed slialt tliou be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the frail of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store. Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out. The Loud shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee, to be smitten before thy face; they shall come out against thee one way, and r thee seven way-. The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy store-house, and in all that thoi thine hand unto, and he shall bless thee in the land which the Loud thy God giveth th< The LOBD shall establish thee a holy people unto himself, as lie hath sworn unto thee, if thou shall keep the com- mandments of the LOBD thy God, and walk" in his v, ye know* the mace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that 2 Cor. S: 9. though lie was rich, yel for your sakes he became poor, that )e through his poverty might be rich. 326 THE UNERRING GUIDE. CONCERNING THE SCRIPTURES. L — TO BE RECEIVED AS INSPIRED. Heb. i: i. /^OD, who at sundry times, and in divers manners, spake V.J in time pasl unto the Fathers by the Prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son. 2 Tim. 3: 16. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profit- able for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. Ps. 19: 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The Statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the Commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the Judgments of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. " 119: 89. For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast es- tablished the earth, and it abideth. li 119: 160. Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever. /9f THE SCRIPTURES. 3*27 As lie spake by the mouth of the holy Prophets, which Luke 1:70. have been since the world began. Now these be the last words of David: David the son of 2 Sam. 23: 1. Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet Psalmist of Israel, said, The spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. Then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my month : j e r. 1 : 9. and the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words iu thy mouth. Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, all my words thatEzek. 3: 10. I shall speak unto thee, receive in thine heart, and hear with thine 1 And go, gei thee to them of the Captivity, unto thy people, and speak unto them and tell them, Thus saith the Lord God, whether they will hear, or whether they will forh And it came to pass In the fourth year of Jehoiakim the J cr - 36: 1. son 1 if Josiah king of Judah, that this word came unto Jere- miah from the Lord, saying: Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words thai 1 have spoken unto thee against [srael, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day [ spake unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day. But I certify you, brethren, that the Gospel which was Gal. 1: u. preached of me is not after man. For 1 neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when 2 Pet. 1: 18. we were with him in the holy mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light thai shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 328 THE UNERRING GUIDE. Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, 2 Cor. 2: 17. For we are not as many which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ. Acts 3: 18. But those things which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his Prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled. J no. 12:49. For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting; whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak. " 14:25. These things I have spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Luke 12: 11. And when they bring you unto the Synagogues, and unto Magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour, what ye ought to say. i Cor. 2 : 12. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God ; that we might know the things that are freely given us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; com- paring spiritual things with spiritual. 1 Thess 2: 13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because *o I THE SCRIPTURES. 329 when ye received the word of God, which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, hut (as it is in truth) the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. II. — TO BE TAKEN AS THE RULE OF FAITH AND PRACTICE. I^ITE Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the Ps « J 9 : 7- testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The Statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the Commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the Judgments of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. More to he desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold ; sweeter also than honey, and the honey comb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned; and in keeping of them there is great reward. Great peace have they which love thy law; and nothing " II9 . 165 shall offend them. Lord, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy com- mandments. My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I love them ex- ceedingly. I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies; for ail my ways are hefore thee. Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine " 93:5. house, O Lord, for ever. Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto " 119: 6. all thy commandments. 330 THE UNERRING GUIDE. Isa. 8 : 20. To the Law and to the Testimony: if they speak not ac- cording to this word, it is because, there is no light in them. Ps. 1: 1. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in his Law doth lie meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so; but are like the chaff, which the wind drive th away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the Congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous; but the way of the ungodly shall perish. 2 Pet. 3: 15. And account that the long-suffering of the Lord is salva- tion; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given unto him, hath written unto you. As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures, unto their own destruction. Rem. 15: 4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime, were writ- ten for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scripture might have hope. Matt. 15 : 5. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me, And honor not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the Commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. Mark 7: 7. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doc- trines, the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups; and many other such like things ye do. THE SCRIPTURES. 831 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the command- ment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. For Moses said, Honor thy father and thy mother, and wh«>so curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest he profited !>y me: he -hall be free. And ye suffer him no more to do aught for his father, or his mother: Making the word of God of none effect through your tra- dition, which ye have delivered; and many such like things Beware lest any man -poll you through philosophy and Col. 2: 8. vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. III. — TO BE DILIGENTLY STUDIED. OIIOW love 1 thy Law! it is my meditation all the day. Ps. 119: 97. Thou tli rough thy Commandments hasl made me wiser than mine enemies, for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers; for thy Testimonies are my meditation. Thy testimonies also are my delight, and my counsellors. The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousand- of gold and silver. The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth under- standing unto the simple. I opened my mouth and panted: for I longed for thy Com- mandments. Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me; as thou usesl to do unto those that love thy Name. Order my steps in thy word; and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. Deliver me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy precepts. 119 : 24. 119: : 72. 119: 130. 332 THE UNERRING GUIDE. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant, and teach me thy Statutes. Ps. 119: 14. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statutes; I will not forget thy word. R.ev. 1: 3. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein; for the time is at hand. Acts 17: 11. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Jno. 5: 39- Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eter- nal life, and they are they which testify of me. Deut. 11:18. Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart, and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates: That your days may be multipled, and the days of your children, in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth. IV. — TO BE IMPLICITLY OBEYED. Ps. 119: 1. 13LESSED are the 1111 defiled in the way, who walk in the D Law of the Lord. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. a*r THE SCRIPTURES. 833 mmanded us to keep :' Ps. 119: 4. O that rny ways were dire : itutes ! Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy s: and I shall M u keep it unto the end. r e me understanding, and I shall keep thy Law: yea. I shall observe it with my whole heart. go in the path of thy commandments: for therein do I delight. And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth: " II5: 43> for I have hoped in thy judgments. ip thy Law continually, for ever and ever. With my whole heart I thee: O let me not wander " 119: 10. from thy Commandments. Thy Testiin wonderful: therefore doth my soul " 119: p them. River- of water run down my eyes, beca;. not " 119: 135. thy L Only be thoi ,. and very courageous, that thou Josh. 1:7. may. - . which M< - - I thee: tun hand, or to the left, that thou ma ;»er whithersoever thou go This book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayes ing to all that is written therein: hen thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then U shalt have good succe-s. Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the Keb. 2 : 1. things which we have heard, le?t at any time we should let then: -tify unto every man that heareth the : the Rev. 2: prophecy of this book. If any man shall add unto these things. God shall add unto him the plag tten in tl And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophet .y his parr out o* 334 THE UNERRING GUIDE. the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. He which testifieth these things, saith, Surely, I come quickly. Amen. Even so, Come Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. IKE END. loy ALPHABETICAL INDEX. Page. BRETHREN, duties to 76 I.— To love, 76 EL— To aid, 79 III.— To favor, 81 IV.— To forgive, 83 V. — To be al peace with, 84 CITIZENS, duties of, 218 I. — To choose able and good men for rulers, .... 218 II. — To respect and submit to those in authority, . . . 220 III.— To obey the law.-, . . . . . . .222 EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYES, duties < f. . . . 205 I. — To keep their contracts, 205 II. — Employers to be just and reasonable, 207 III. — Employes to be honest and faithful, 209 ENEMIES, duties to, 92 GOD, duties to, 7 L— To love, 7 II.— To obey, ... 9 III.— To fear, 13 IV. — To serve, 14 Y.— To trust in, 18 VI— To seek,. 20 VH.— To acknowledge, 21 335 336 Index. Page. GOD, duties to, (Continued.) VIIL— To praise, ...... ... 24 IX. — To worship, 28 X.— To confess to, 30 XL— To submit to, .33 XII.— To pray to, 36 XIII.— To glorify, 40 JUSTICE, . . . . . 282 I. — Its excellence, 282 II. — Required and rewarded, 283 III. — Injustice forbidden and punished. 2S6 LIBERALITY, . 291 I. — Examples, 291 IL— Enjoined. .... 294 III.— Rewarded, 295 IV.— Directions, 297 NATIONS, duties of, 233 I. — To remember God in past mereir , 233 II. — To acknowledge God in prosperity, 235 III. — To humble themselves under judgments, .... 237 IY. — To deal justly with other nations, ...... 239 NEIGHBORS, duties of, 212 I. — To love each other- as themseivvs, .- 212 II. — To show each other kindness, ...... 213 III. — To deal justly with one another, 2J5 IY. — To speak truthfully of, and to one another, . . . 216 OURSELVES, duties to, 43 L— To be good, . , 43 II.— To be wise, 45 in.— To be temperate, .48 IY.— To be diligent, . . 49 V.— To shun evil, .... ..... 51 YI. — To govern ourselves, 53 VII. — To provide for ourselves, 54 VIII. — To enjoy ourselves, 57 9*o\ Index. 337 Page. PARENTS, duties to, 59 I. — To show them affectionate kindness, 59 II. — To honor them, ... 62 III. — To hear their counsels, . . 03 IV — To obey them, . 05 V. — To comfort them, 07 POOK, duties to the, Ill I. — Not to oppress them, Ill II. — To consider and to aid them, 112 PROFANITY, 271 I. — Its great wickedness, 271 II. — Its strict prohibition, 273 III. — Its prevalence and evil consequences, 274 RICHES, 319 I. — Not to inordinately desire them, 319 II. — Corrupting influences to be guarded against, . . . 320 III. — God to be acknowledged in, 322 IV. — Proper use to be made of, 324 RULERS, duties of, 224 I. — To rule in the fear of God, 224 II. — To rule righteously, 226 III. — To seek the good of the people, 228 IV. — To be examples to the people, 230 SABBATH, 249 I.— To keep it holy, 249 II. — To abstain from secular pursuits, 250 III. — To be devoted to religious purposes, ...... 252 IV. — Deeds of mercy required, 255 V. — Acts of necessity allowed, • . 256 SCRIPTURES, 32(1 I. — To be received as inspired, 326 II. — To be taken as the rule of faith and practice, . . . 329 III.— To be diligently studied, 331 IV. — To be implicitly obeyed, 332 338 Index. Page. SPEECH, 276 I. — An important faculty, 276 II. — An index of the heart, 278 III. — To be wisely employed, 279 IV. — Its abuse forbidden, . 280 STRANGERS, duties to, 88 I. — To treat with hospitality, 88 II. — Not to oppress and trouble, 91 III. — To pray for and aid, 91 TEMPERANCE, 300 I. — Examples, 300 II. — Inculcations to, and blessings of ,.%... 303 III. — Woes of, and dissuasives from intemperance, . . . 305 VOWS, 267 I. — To be assumed only on important occasions. . . . 267 II. — To be sacredly kept, 269 YOUNG, duties of the, 242 I. — To honor the aged, ... 242 II. — To sow the seeds of future happiness. . 243 III. — To become the children of God, 244 V' . Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide Treatment Date: May 2005 PreservationTechnologies A WORLD LEADER IN PAPER PRESERVATION 1 1 1 Thomson Park Drive Cranberry Township, PA 16066 (724)779-2111 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 014 169 686 5 ■ II 1