whom though you have not seen, you love: and though he is not now the object of your view, yet you believe in him, and triumph with such a laudable transport, as cannot be express'd:

but as he, who has called you, is holy: let your whole conduct be an imitation of his holiness.

who was destin'd before the creation of the world, tho' 'tis of late only that he has appear'd, upon your account:

which is without any mixture, and will make you thrive. Since you have tasted how good the Lord is,

wherefore it is said in the scripture, I lay in Sion the principal stone of the angle, a choice one of great value: he that

leaving an example for your exact imitation, he who never offended, and from whose lips no fallacy was ever utter'd,

who, when he was reviled, did not revile again: when he was in his sufferings, he did not threat, but referr'd his cause to the righteous judge.

he himself cancel'd our sins by the crucifixion of his body, that we being set free from sin, might live in the service of virtue. it is by his bruises that you were healed:

" He that desires to live in prosperity, must restrain his tongue from detraction, and his lips from uttering falsehood:

he must avoid vice, practise virtue, seek peace, and persevere in the enquiry.

for the eyes of the Lord are upon the virtuous, and his ears attend to their prayers, but the wicked he discountenances."

for Jesus Christ himself has already suffer'd for our sins, the innocent for the guilty, to bring us to God: who, tho' he died with respect to his body, was rais'd to life by that spirit,

by which he went with guardian spirits to preach to

Since then Christ has with respect to his mortal nature died for us, arm yourselves with this reflection, that he, who is dead with respect to sensuality, has renounced sin;

so that for the future he does not pass the rest of this life in gratifying his sensual passions, but in conformity to the divine precepts.

on the contrary, rejoice at the share you have of sufferings, as well as Christ: that you may likewise triumph, when he shall appear in his glory.

for now is the time when God will begin his judgments with his own church. now if he begins with us, what will the conclusion be to those who do not obey the divine gospel?

submit yourselves therefore to the divine jurisdiction, that he may exalt you in due time.

Be temperate, be vigilant: for your adversary the Devil goes about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.