now without faith it is impossible to be acceptable to him: for he that presents himself to God, cannot but believe he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who make their addresses to him.

(of whom the world was not worthy) they wandred in desarts, and in mountains, having no retreat but the dens and caves of the earth.

but if you were exempted from that discipline which others are subject to, then are you bastards, and not sons.

but you are come to mount Sion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable congress of angels, to the general assembly,

whose voice then shook the earth: but he has promised to do it now, saying, " yet once more I will shake, not the earth only, but heaven too."

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

for we have. no settled corporation here, but are in expectation of that which is approaching.

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

but constancy should be brought to its perfection, that you may be entirely accomplished, without any defect.

but let him be fully persuaded of the lawfulness of what he asks: for he that is diffident about that, is like the waves that fluctuate with the wind.

Don't delusively content your selves with being of the audience, but put what you hear in practice:

whereas, he that attentively considers the perfect law of liberty, and is attach'd thereto, he is not a forgetful hearer, but reduces it to practice, and his conduct is crown'd with hapiness.

but you, who despise the poor, are not you oppress'd by the rich? is it not they who drag you to their tribunals?

but partiality is iniquity; and the law will convict the offender of transgression.

for he that violates but one precept of the whole law, is as obnoxious to punishment, as if he had broke thro' all the rest.

it will be said, "you have a speculative faith, but mine is practical. where is your faith, if no effects appear? as for me, my actions will vouch for my faith.

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

so the tongue is but a small part of the body, yet how grand are its pretensions. a spark of fire! what quantities of timber will it blow into a flame?

the tongue is a brand that sets the world in a combustion: it is but one of the numerous organs of the body, yet it can blast whole assemblies: tipp'd with infernal sulphur it sets the whole train of life in a blaze.

but who could ever tame the tongue? arm'd with deadly poison, the mischief scorns restraint.

but if envy and contention imbitter your minds, don't think your false pretences can stand against the truth:

such wisdom is not derived from heaven; but is terrestrial, sensual, demoniacal.

but wisdom deriv'd from heaven is first dispassionate, then pacific, equitable, and obsequious: full of beneficence, and all social virtue, free from partiality, and hypocrisy.

you quarrel and go to war, but without success, because you don't petition for it: and if you did,

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

there is but one legislator, and judge, he that has the power of life and death: who art thou, to pass sentence upon another?

you triumph in your vain projects, but your presumption is vicious.

Above all things, my brethren, don't swear, neither by the heaven, nor by the earth, nor use any other oath; but let your affirmation, or negation, be sincere, lest you fall under condemnation.

and were answer'd, that it was not they, but we, who were concern'd in the events which they predicted, events which have been now represented to you by those, whom the holy spirit from heaven inspired to preach the gospel to you: a secret which the angels desire to penetrate into.

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

but by the precious blood of Christ, who is the lamb without spot, and without blemish:

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

but the word of the Lord remains for ever: and that is the gospel, which has been preached to you.

trusts thereon shall not be confounded. it will prove an honour to you, who believe; but to the incredulous, the same stone, which is the chief of the angle,

and this they were destin'd to. but you are the chosen race, you are kings and priests, the holy nation, the peculiar people, that you might display his glory, who called you out

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,

but at present have obtain'd it. I exhort you, my dear brethren, as strangers and travellers to avoid all sensual passions, as destructive to your

men. You are free, don't let your liberty serve as a pretext for vice: but act as the servants

but even to the morose. for it is a recommendation to the divine favour, to suffer unjust persecution

from a principle of conscience. what glory is there in suffering corporal punishment for real offences? but if you meet with ill usage for doing your duty, and bear it with constancy,

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.

for you were as sheep going astray, but now you are brought back to the pastor and overseer of your souls.

but in the internal qualities of the mind, in that purity, in that mild and dispassionate temper, which is so acceptable to the divine being.

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

thus baptism, which corresponds to the deluge, does now save us, not as it is a cleansing from external filth, but as it is an engagement to lead a divine life, from the belief of the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

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.

but they will be call'd to account by him, who is ready to judge both the living and the dead.

but above all, let your mutual benevolence be intense, for benevolence cancels a multitude of offences.

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.

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

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;

not to domineer over the laity, but to be examples for their imitation;

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.

but he that is destitute of them is blind or short-sighted, having forgot he was purified from his past sins.

But you must above all consider, that no prophecy of the scripture did proceed

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

By their artful discourses they will make you the tools of their avarice; but their condemnation has been a long time advancing, and their ruin is far from lingring.

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:

But as for these, they have no more reason than brute beasts that are naturally made for hunting, and slaughter: so these who calumniate what they do not understand, shall receive the reward of their iniquity by perishing in their own corruption.

but he was rebuked for his transgression: for an ass, as dumb as it was, spoke with an articulate voice, and reprimanded the extravagance of the prophet.

but the proverb is exactly verified in them, "the dog is return'd to his own vomit: the sow that was wash'd, is wallowing in the mire."

but they are wilfully ignorant, that the heavens were originally form'd by the divine Logos, and likewise the earth, which was separated from the water, and still subsists upon it.

but the heavens and the earth now existing are kept in store by his Logos, reserv'd for the conflagration of doomsday, when the impious shall be involv'd in perdition.

But there is one thing, my brethren, you ought to be appriz'd of, which is this, that "with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day."

the Lord does not delay the accomplishment of his promise, as some do imagine. but he waits with patience upon our account, as being unwilling that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have society one with another, and the blood of his son Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin.

My dear children, these things I write unto you, that ye may avoid sin. but if any man has failed, we have an advocate with the father, Jesus Christ the just.

he is the the victim that has expiated our sins: and not ours only, but likewise the sins of the whole world.

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

My brethren, I don't prescribe you any new commandment, but the antient precept which you had from the beginning: and that is no other than the word which was originally delivered.

but he that hates his brother, is in darkness, he walks in darkness, and knows not whither he is going, because the darkness hath blinded his eyes.

for what the world is so full of, sensuality, avarice, and pride, is not deriv'd from the creator, but is the offspring of a vicious world.

and the world is passing away, with all its vices: but he that obeys the divine will, shall enjoy a life of immortality.

they went out from us, but they were not of us: for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that it might be manifest, that they were not all of us.

I have not written to you, as to people unacquainted with the truth of the gospel: but as to such who know it, and know that it cannot give rise to any imposture.

but as the unction which ye have received from him, abides in you, you don't need any instruction: being then fully instructed by his unction, which is true and not fallacious, adhere to what that has taught you.

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.

not acting like Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother: but why did he slay him? because his own actions were evil, and his brother's were virtuous.

my dear children, let not our love be only in the language of our lips, but in the real effects of the heart.

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

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.

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

it appear'd by the water, and by the blood, who he was, even Jesus the Messiah; not by the water only, but by the water and by the blood: besides, the spirit is a witness too, now the spirit is truth itself.

every thing that is contrary to virtue, is a sin: but every sin is not a mortal sin:

The PRESBYTER to the lady ECLECTA and her children, whom I sincerely love, and not only I, but all true christians,

and now, my lady, I beg our love may be mutual, since what I write, is no new prescription, but what was originally enjoin'd.

be upon your guard, that we may not lose the fruit of our labours, but that we may receive our full reward.

I had many things to write to you, but I don't think it proper to commit them to paper and ink, because I hope to make you a visit, and deliver them by word of mouth; that so our joy may be compleat.

I have writ to the church: but Diotrephes, who affects the superiority, has no regard to our representations.

for which reason, when I come, I shall animadvert upon his conduct, and the malicious aspersions he casts upon us: not contented with this, he will neither receive the brethren himself, nor suffer those who are better inclin'd, to do it; but drives them out of the church.

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.

and the angels which kept not their original dignity, but deserted their proper abode, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness, to the judgment of the great day.

whereas Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil, he disputed about the body of Moses, did not take the liberty to inveigh against him, but said, "the Lord rebuke thee."

but you, my brethren, improve yourselves in your most holy faith, present your addresses by the holy spirit,

as soon as I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead: but he laid his right hand upon me, and said, "Fear not; I am the first and the last:

I am he that liveth; I was dead; but now you see I am alive for all eternity, amen; and I have the keys of the grave, and of death."

I know thy works, thy labour, and thy patience, and that thou canst not bear those who are evil: thou hast tried those who say they are apostles, but are not; and hast found them lyars:

but in this thou art right, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

"I know thy works, thy tribulation and poverty (tho' thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of satan.

but I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there those that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who counselled Balac to ensnare the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication.