sound. And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and entreated him. And he, answering, said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment; and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends; but as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad : for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found. CHAP. LX. PATIENCE. Be patient towards all men. In your patience possess ye your souls. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit Be patient in tribulation. Tribulation worketh patience; and patience experience; and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed. If we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. What glory is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? But if when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. Ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. Be patient, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts; for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Take my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. Seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race set before us: looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing that the trying of your faith worketh patience: but let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. CHAP. LXI. PEACE. LOVE peace. Seek peace, and pursue it. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. Live in peace, and the God of love and peace shall be with you. To the counsellors of peace is joy. Blessed are the peace makers: for they shall be called the children of God. Can two walk together, except they be agreed? See that ye fall not out by the way.. Mark them which cause divisions. Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand. Avoid contentions. Leave off contention. As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife. A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife. Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm. Hatred stirreth up strifes. A wicked man deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord. We beseech you, brethren, that ye study to > be quiet. Be of the same mind one towards another. Have peace one with another; and warn them that are unruly. Follow peace with all men. Let us follow after the things which make for peace. I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war. From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not from hence, even of your lusts ? Every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood. Scatter thou the people that delight in war. To be spiritually minded is life and peace. God hath called us to peace. When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble ? When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. Acquaint now thyself with the Almighty, and be at peace thereby good shall come unto thee. Great peace have they which love thy law. The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Let the peace of God rule in your hearts. Peace I (Jesus) leave with you, my peace I give unto you. The fruit of the Spirit is peace. The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked. CHAP. LXII. PERSEVERANCE. PE not weary in well-doing. No man having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. Let us fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. Beloved, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stosfastness. Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall. Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought. 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 casta way. Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 1 press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. pow It is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the ers of the world to come, if they shall fall awag, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify, to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. If after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life which the Lord hath promised to thera that love him. We are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end. He that endureth to the end shall be saved. Him that overcometh will I make a pillan |