a

2. Ye were all of you humble-minded, not boasting of any thing, desiring rather to be subject than to govern; to give, than to receive; being content with the portion which God had dispensed unto you: and hearkening diligently to his word, ye were enlarged in your bowels, having his sufferings always before your eyes. Thus a deep and fruitful peaced was given to you all, and an insatiable desire of doing good; and a plentiful effusion of the HOLY GHOST was upon all of you. And, being full of holy counsel, ye did, with great readiness of mind, and religious confidence, stretch forth your hands to ALMIGHTY GOD, beseeching him to be merciful, if in any thing ye had unwillingly sinned. Ye contended day and night for the whole brotherhood, that with compassion and a good conscience the number of his elect might be saved. Ye were sincere and without offence: not mindful of injuries one toward another. All sedition and all schism was an abomination unto you. Ye mourned over the sins of your neighbors, esteeming their defects your own. Ye were kind one to another without grudging; ready to every good work. Ye were adorned with a conversation entirely virtuous and religious; and did all things in the fear of GOD. The commandments of the LORD were written upon the tables of your heart.

3. All honor and enlargement was given unto you. Then was fulfilled that which is written: "My beloved did eat and drink, he was enlarged, and waxed fat, and kicked."f Hence arose envy, and strife, and sedition; persecution and disorder, war and captivity. Thus they that were of no renown lifted up themselves against the honorable; those of no reputation against those that were in respect; the foolish against the wise; the young against the elders. Therefore righteousness and peace are departed from you, because every one of you hath forsaken the fear of GOD, and is become blind in his faith, and walks not by the rule of God's com

a 1 Pet. v. 5.

>

c 2 Cor. vi. 11, 12.

b Acts xx. 35. ὰ εἰρήνη βαθεῖα καὶ λιπαρά. The metaphor appears to refer to a soil which is deep and fertile. Thus CHRYSOSTOM, Hom. 52 on Genesis-cidores örɩ ov Karà ñεтρшv σπείρομεν, ἀλλ ̓ εἰς λιπαρὰν καὶ βαθύγεων καταβάλλομεν τὰ σπέρματα.—Vol. I. p. 420. 37. Savile.

• Prov. vii. 3. 2 Cor. iii. 3.

f Deut. xxxii. 15.

1

mandments, nor regulates himself as is fitting in CHRIST. But every one follows his own wicked lusts, having taken up unjust and wicked envy, by which even death entered into the world.

4. For thus it is written; "And it came to pass, after certain days, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel he also brought of the firstlings of his flock, and of the fat thereof. And GOD had respect unto Abel and unto his offering; but unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very sorrowful, and his countenance fell. And God said unto Cain, Why art thou sorrowful? And why is thy countenance fallen? If thou shalt offer aright, but not divide aright, hast thou not sinned? Hold thy peace. Unto thee shall be his desire; and thou shalt rule over him. And Cain said unto Abel his brother, Let us go aside into the field. And it came to pass as they were in the field that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him." i Ye see, brethren, envy and jealousy wrought the murder of a brother. Through envy, our father Jacob fled from the face of his brother Esau. Envy caused Joseph to be persecuted even unto death, and to come into bondage.' Envy compelled Moses to flee from the face of Pharaoh king of Egypt; when he heard his own countryman say, Who made thee a judge and a ruler over us? wilt thou kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian yesterday? Through envy, Aaron and Miriam were shut out of the camp. Envy sent Dathan and Abiram quick into the grave, because they raised up a sedition against Moses the servant of GOD. Through envy, David was not only hated of strangers, but persecuted even by Saul, the king of Israel.

m

5. But not to dwell upon ancient examples, let us come to those who in these last days have wrestled

c. 34.

According to the version of the Septuagint. So IRENÆUS, Lib. iv.

h The Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint, Vulgate and other Versions supply these words, which are wanting in the Hebrew copies, i Gen. iv. 3-8. k Gen. xxviii.

n Miriam is said to have been shut out from the camp, Numb. xii. 14, 15, but not Aaron.

• Num, xii. 14, 15.

? Num. xvi. 33.

1 Sam. xix.

manfully for the faith; let us take the noble examples of our own age. Through envy and jealousy, the faithful and most righteous pillars of the Church have been persecuted even to the most dreadful deaths. Let us place before our eyes the good apostles. Peter, byunjust envy, underwent not one or two but many labors; and thus having borne testimony unto death, he went unto the place of glory which was due to him. Through envy, Paul obtained the reward of patience. Seven times was he in bonds; he was scourged; was stoned." He preached both in the east and in the west, leaving behind him the glorious report of his faith. And thus, having taught the whole world righteousness, and reached the furthest extremity of the west, he suffered martyrdom, by the command of the governors,' and departed out of this world, and went to the holy place, having become a most exemplary pattern of patience.

6. To these holy apostles was added a great number of other godly men, who having through envy undergone many insults and tortures, have left a most excellent example to us. Through envy, women" have been persecuted; and suffering grievous and unutterable torments, have finished the course of their faith with firmness, and, though weak in body, have received a glorious reward. Envy hath alienated the minds of wives from their husbands, and changed that which was spoken by our father Adam, "This is now bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh." Envy and strife have overthrown great cities, and utterly rooted out mighty

nations.

7. These things, beloved, we write unto you, not only to instruct you, but to remind ourselves: for we are enclosed in the same lists, and must engage in the same combat. Wherefore let us lay aside all vain and empty cares, and come up to the glorious and honorable rule of our holy calling. Let us consider what is good, and

2 Cor. xi. 25.

* See note (A) at the end of the Epistle.

Probably of Fenius Rufus and Sofonius Tigellinus, the two præfects of the prætorian cohorts, appointed by Nero in the place of Burrus. TACIT. Annal. xiv. 51.

"The words, "the Danaides and Dirce," here inserted, appear to be an interpolation.

* Gen, ii, 23.

acceptable, and well-pleasing in the sight of him that made us. Let us look steadfastly to the blood of CHRIST, and see how precious his blood is in the sight of GOD, which, being shed for our salvation, hath obtained the grace of repentance to the whole world. Let us look to all past generations, and learn that from age to age the LORD hath given place for repentance to all such as would turn to him. Noah preached repentance : and as many as hearkened to him were saved. Jonah denounced destruction against the Ninevites: and they, repenting of their sins, appeased the wrath of God by their prayers; and received salvation although they were strangers (to the covenant) of GOD.

c

8. The ministers of the grace of GoD have spoken by the HOLY SPIRIT, of repentance: and even the LORD of all hath himself declared with an oath concerning it, "As I live, saith the LORD, I desire not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should repent:" adding also this good exhortation; "Turn from your iniquity, O house of Israel. Say unto the children of my people, though your sins should reach from earth to heaven, and though they should be redder than scarlet and blacker than sackcloth, yet if ye shall turn to me with all your heart, and shall say, Father! I will hearken to you as unto a holy people." And in another place, he saith on this wise: "Wash you, make you clean, put away the evil of your souls from before mine eyes. Cease from your wickedness: learn to do well: seek judgment: relieve the oppressed: judge the fatherless ; and plead for the widow. Come now and let us reason together, (saith the LORD.) Though your sins be as scarlet, I will make them white as snow: though they be like crimson, I will make them white as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land. But if ye refuse and obey not, the sword shall devour you for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken these things." God hath thus appointed by his almighty will, desiring that all his beloved should come to repentance.

y 1 Tim. v. 4.

Jon. iii. 5.

c Ezek. xviii. 30-32.

Jer. iii. 4, 19.

* 2 Pet. ii. 5. Gen. vii.

Ezek. xxxiii. 11.

d Isa. i. 18.

Isa. i. 16-20,

9. Wherefore let us obey his excellent and glorious will and imploring his mercy and goodness, let us fall down before him, and turn ourselves to his mercy, laying aside all labor after vanities, and strife, and envy which leads to death. Let us look earnestly to those who have perfectly ministered to his excellent glory, Let us take Enoch, (for our example,) who being found righteous in obedience was translated, and his death was not known." Noah being found faithful, did by his ministry preach regeneration to the world; and the LORD saved by him all the living creatures, which entered with one accord into the ark.

10. Abraham, who was called the friend (of God), was found faithful, inasmuch as he obeyed the words of GOD. He, in obedience, went out of his own country, and from his kindred, and from his father's house, that by thus forsaking a small country, and a weak kindred, and a mean house, he might inherit the promises of God. For " (GOD) said to him: Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land which I will show thee. And I will make thee a great nation: and I will bless thee, and make thy name great and thou shalt be blessed. And I will bless them that bless thee; and curse them that curse thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed."1 And again, when he separated himself from Lot, GoD said unto him; "Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art, northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward. For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth; so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered." m

And again he saith, "GoD brought forth Abraham and said unto him, Look now toward heaven and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them; so shall thy seed be. And Abraham believed GOD, and it was counted to him for righteousness." Through faith and hospitality a son was given unto him in his old

n

h Gen. vi. vii. viii.

2 Chron. xx. 7. Isa. xli. 8. Ja. ii. 23.

Heb. xi. 8.

Gen. xiii. 14-16.

Gen, xii. 1-3.

* Gen. xv. 5, 6. Rom. iv. 3.