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faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

XII. WHEREFORE seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, s the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run wit patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was s before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consi him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himse lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not resisted unto blood, striving against sin. And ye have forgot the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, M son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor f when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which correcte us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For t verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasur but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holines Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, b grievous; nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fr of righteousness unto them which are exercised there Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the fee knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that wh is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be heale Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of th» grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trout you, and thereby many be defiled; For ye are come unto the mount that might be touched, and that bur with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which ve they that heard intreated that the word should not be spe to them any more: (For they could not endure that which commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountai shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: And so terr was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and qua But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumers"

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company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

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XIII. LET brotherly love continue. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember them that are in bonds as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. .. Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation: Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls as they that

must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly. But I beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner. Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words. Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you. Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you. Grace be with you all. Amen.

JAMES.

I. JAMES, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth 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. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. 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 them that love him. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn

away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. 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 lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

II. My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, 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? But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called? If ye fulfil the royal law according the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. Fe he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy and mercy rejoiceth against judgment. What doth profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unt them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwith standing ye give them not those things which are needful the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath no I works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou has i faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy work | and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believes! that there is one God; thou doest well: . thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dea Was not Abraham our father justisfied by works, when had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou ho faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith ma perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraha believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how the by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without! works is dead also.

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III. My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that w shall receive the greater condemnation. For in many thir we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is: perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. Beho we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce wines yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whitherse ever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a litt fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity! so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth t whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankin But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father and therewith curse we men, which are made after the sin

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