since then we are entring into a kingdom which cannot be changed, let us maintain the divine favour, whereby we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and fear.

for "our God is a consuming fire."

Marriage is every where honourable, and that state is innocent: but the licentious and adulterers God will punish.

Remember those who have the rule over you, who have preach'd to you the word of God: imitate their faith; consider their conduct, and the exit they made.

for Jesus likewise suffered without the gate, to show he was the expiatory victim for the people.

Let our sacrifice then, which we are to offer to God by Jesus Christ, be that of incessant praises, the offering of our lips, which celebrate his name:

but don't forget to be beneficent to the community; for such sacrifice is acceptable to God.

May the God of peace, who has raised from the dead our Lord Jesus (who by the blood of the eternal covenant is become the grand pastor of

James a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the TWELVE TRIBES dispers'd thro' the world, sends greeting.

If any of you is deficient in prudence, let him ask it of God, who liberally gives to all without upbraiding: and he will give it.

Let no man under temptation, say, it is God that tempts him; for as he is incapable of moral evil, he can't influence any one thereto.

pure and unadulterated religion, in the eye of God our father, consists in taking care of orphans and widows in their distress: and in keeping clear of the vices of the age.

consider, my dear brethren, has not God chose the poor of this world to be rich by faith, and to inherit the kingdom he has promised to those who love him?

you believe there is but one God, very well: the demons believe as much, and tremble."

it was then, that those words of scripture were accomplished, "Abraham believed God, and he was regarded for it as a man of virtue, and was the favourite of God."

By that we give praises to God the father: and that pronounces curses even against men, who are form'd after the divine resemblance.

Degenerate race, don't you know that friendship with vice is hostility against heaven. he that is a friend to the vicious world, is an enemy to God.

on the contrary, he heaps his favours upon you. wherefore 'tis said, "God defeats the proud, but is gracious to the humble."

Surrender therefore to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

address your selves to God, and you will find him present with you: cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, you that are diffident.

don't repine, my brethren, against one another, for fear you should be condemn'd. behold, the judge is at the gate.

PETER an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the foreigners dispers'd thro' Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, whom God the father has chosen in pursuance of his decree,

Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy has regenerated us, and given us by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the expectation of immortal life,

it is by him that you believe in God, who has raised him from the dead, and invested him with glory, that your faith and your hope might be in God.

since your regeneration is not owing to any corruptible principles, but to the unchangeable word of the immortal God.

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

which however rejected it is by men, is the precious stone, which God has chosen: and

you your selves are as so many living stones, you are the edifice, the spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, agreeable to God by Jesus Christ.

of darkness into his marvellous light: you, who formerly were not a people, but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy,

and glorify God in the times of distress. be subject therefore, for the Lord's sake to every human establishment: whether it be to the king,

and to encourage those who do well. for such is the divine pleasure, that by your good conduct you obviate the cavils of inconsiderate

of God. Be respectful to all, love your brethren, fear God, and honour the king.

adore the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready to show with modesty and respect to every one that asks it, what ground there is for the expectations you have:

always maintaining a good conscience, that instead of inveighing against you as evildoers, they may be cover'd with confusion, who traduce your virtuous behaviour as Christians.

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,

who being ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of God, where angels, dominations, and potentates have been subjected to him.

for to this end was the gospel preach'd to those, who are now dead, that after having suffer'd the loss of this frail life from men, they might enjoy an immortal life with God.

as good economists of the different dispensations of God, communicate to one another the gifts you have receiv'd.

let a speaker deliver nothing but what is agreeable to the divine oracles: and let him that attends the poor, be active in proportion to the strength God has given him. amen.

if you suffer indignities in the cause of Christ, you are happy: for the glorious spirit of God rests upon you.

but whoever suffers as a christian, let him not be asham'd, but rather give thanks to God upon that account.

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?

let those then, whom God calls to sufferings, by virtue recommend their souls to him, as to a creator, who will make good his promise.

to exhort you to feed the flock of God, which is among you: to take care of it, voluntarily, without reluctance, not from any view to sordid gain, but out of real affection;

As for you that are young, be you submissive to those of a more advanc'd age: and do you all of you pay a becoming deference to one another: be cloak'd with humility, for " God opposes the proud, and shows favour to the humble."

but may the all-gracious God, who has called us to eternal glory, perfect, confirm, fortify, and settle you, during the short interval of your sufferings.

I formerly writ to you a short epistle, by Silvanus, I think, a faithful brother, to declare and testify to you, that the true dispensation of God is that to which you are attach'd.

Simon Peter the servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who equally share with us in the advantages of faith, thro' the veracity of our God, and of Jesus Christ.

may the divine favour and felicity be poured upon you, by the knowledge of God, and of our Lord Jesus Christ.

from the prophet's OWN MOTION; but the holy men of God spoke by the IMPULSE of the holy spirit.

for since God did not spare the angels, who had sinned, but having precipitated them to hell, confin'd them to chains of darkness, where they are reserv'd for judgment:

for whilst this good man was among them, it daily pierc'd his virtuous soul, to see and hear of their detestable behaviour: this consider'd,

This then is the commission we have from him, to declare unto you, that God is light, and in him there is no darkness.

but he that observes his precepts, loves God with a true and perfect love: 'tis by this we know that we are truly christians.

I write to you, fathers, because you have known him that is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked spirit.

since you know that God is the source of virtue, you know that every one who has virtue, derives it from him.

Consider what proof the father has given us of his love, in allowing us to be called the sons of God: therefore the world does not know us, because it knew him not.

beloved, we are now the sons of God, tho' it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know, that when this change shall be, his immediate presence will give us a divine resemblance.

he that lives in sin, imitates the devil; for the devil was a sinner from the beginning. for this purpose the son of God appeared, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

whosoever is born of God, does not commit sin; for the divine principle remaineth in him: he will not sin, because he is born of God.

In this the children of God are distinguished from the children of the devil: he that does not practise virtue, and fraternal benevolence, is not of God.

for if our conscience condemn us, God knows us better than we do our selves, he knoweth all things.

beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we may securely confide in God.

he that observes his commandments, dwelleth in God, and God in him: and hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the spirit which he hath given us.

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

by this you may distinguish the spirit of God: "every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is from God.

and every spirit that does not own that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not from God." this is that anti-christian spirit which you have heard was to come, and even now it appears in the world.

ye are of God, my dear children, and you have overcome them: because he that is in you, is superior to him that is in the world.

we are of God: he that knoweth God, heareth us; he that is not of God, heareth not us. by this we distinguish the spirit of truth from the spirit of imposture.

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth, is born of God, and knoweth God.

he that has not social affection, does not know God; for God is love.

by this was the love of God displayed towards us, in that God sent his only begotten son into the world, that we might live thro' him.

and what heightens his love, was this, that it was not we who first loved God, but it was he that first loved us, and sent his son to expiate our sins.

beloved, if God so loved us, we ought to love one another.

no man hath ever seen God. if we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and our love for him is then sincere.

whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

and we have known, and are convinced that God hath loved us. God is love; and he that cultivates social affection, dwelleth in God, and God in him.

if a man says he loves God, and yet hates his brother, he is a lyar: for he that does not love his brother, who is before his eyes, how can he love God who is invisible?

besides, 'tis a commandment we have receiv'd from him, that he who would love God, must love his brother also.

Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Messiah, is born of God: and every one that loves the father, will likewise be affected with love to his son.

by this we may know that we love the children of God, if we love God, and keep his commandments.

for our love of God consists in the observation of his precepts: precepts that are far from being grievous.

Who is it that overcomes the world, but he that believes that Jesus is the son of God?

if we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater: now this is the testimony, which God has given us of his son.

he that believeth on the son of God, hath the testimony of God thereto: he that does not believe God, impeaches his veracity, because he does not believe the testimony that God gave of his son.

Now what is testified, is this, that God has given to us eternal life: and this life is by his son.

he that receives the son, is intitled to life; and he that does not receive the son of God, has no title to life.

these things have I written to you, that you may know that you have eternal life, by your believing on the name of the son of God.

If any man see his brother commit a sin, which is not a mortal sin, let him pray to God, who will grant him life, for such as do not commit a mortal sin. there is a sin unto death: in which case I do not enjoin any prayer to be made.

we know that a true christian will not commit such a sin, for he that is the child of God keeps upon his guard, so that the wicked spirit does not approach him.

we know that we are the children of God, and the rest of the world are subject to the evil spirit.

We know that the son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding to know him that is true: and we are with him that is true, by his son Jesus Christ. "he is the true God, who is the author of eternal life."

Grace, mercy, and peace be with you from God the father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ the son of the father, in consequence of your sincere piety, and social virtue.

my beloved, don't imitate vice, but virtue. he that does good, is a child of God: he that does evil, is not acquainted with God.

Jude the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those that are sanctified by God the father, and by their vocation are reserved for Jesus Christ.

to God only wise, our saviour, be glory, magnificence, power, and empire, both now and for ever.

The REVELATION of Jesus Christ, which God gave him, to shew to his servants things which must shortly come to pass; this he signified by his angel whom he dispatch'd to his servant John:

who hath made us kings and priests to his God and father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

I JOHN, who am your brother, and partake in the tribulation, in the reign, and in the patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony I gave of Jesus Christ.

he that hath an ear, let him hear what the spirit saith to the churches, to him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of my God."