I have sinned, and what harm hath happened unto me? for the Lord is longsuffering, he will in no wise let thee go. without fear to add sin unto sin: and say not, His mercy is great; he will be pacified for the multitude of my sins: for mercy and wrath come from him, and his indignation resteth upon sinners. Make no tarrying to turn to the Lord, and put not off from day to day: for suddenly shall the wrath of the Lord come forth, and in thy security thou shalt be destroyed, and perish in the day of vengeance. • Set not thine 8 Honest trading has God's blessing. heart upon goods unjustly patient and forbearing, is convincing evidence that a just God will give sure recompense hereafter. Concerning propitiation, be not 6 It is an awful daring-" to sin that grace may abound." 10 8 gotten: for they shall not profit thee in the day of calamity. 9 Winnow not with every wind, and go not into every way for so doth the sinner that hath a double tongue. Be stedfast in thy understanding; and let thy word be the same. Be swift to hear; and let thy life be sincere; and with patience give answer. If thou hast understanding, answer thy neighbour; if not, lay thy hand upon thy mouth. Honour and shame is in talk: and the tongue of man is his fall. Be not called a whisperer, and lie not in wait with thy tongue: for a foul shame is upon the thief, and double tongue. Be not ignorant of any thing in a great matter or a small. 9 Be not carried about by every wind of doctrine. Hold fast thy profession. (Ephes. iv. 14.) 10 In Christian character consistency stands conspicuous. 13 14 The whisperer in society is not only wicked, he is what perhaps he will still more shrink from-contemptible. Shame doth rest upon him. an evil condemnation upon the 15 Do not remain in wilful ignorance of any thing connected with thy duty to God or man; nor consider the most trivial of such things beneath thy notice and inquiry. St. Philip and St. James's Day. MORNING. 1 Do no evil, so shall no harm come unto thee. De ECCLESIASTICUs vii. 1 God will save thee from harm, if thou doest good. part from the unjust, and iniquity shall turn away from thee. My son, sow not upon the furrows of unrighteousness, and thou shalt not reap them sevenfold. Seek not of the 3 The sinner soweth what will bring sorrow. 4 Avoid worldly ambition. Lord preeminence, neither of the king the seat of honour. Justify not thyself before the Lord; and boast not of thy wisdom before the king. Seek not to be judge, being not able to take away iniquity; lest at any time thou fear the person of the mighty, and lay a stumblingblock in the way of thy uprightness. Offend not against the multitude of a city, and then thou shalt not cast thyself down among the people. Bind not one sin upon another; for in one thou shalt not be unpunished. Say not, God will look upon the multitude of my oblations, and when I offer to the most high God, he will accept it. 10 Be not faint- 10 Pray without doubting. (1 Tim. hearted when thou makest ii. 8. Mark xi. 24.) thy prayer, and neglect not to give alms. Laugh no man to scorn in the bitterness of his soul: for there is one which humbleth and exalteth. Devise not a lie against thy brother; neither do the like to thy friend. 13 Use not to make any manner of lie: for the custom thereof is not good. titude of elders, and make prayest. Hate not laborious work, neither husbandry, which the most High hath ordained. Number not thyself among the multitude 13 Speak not an untruth, even lightly, lest untruth become a habit. 15 Use not many words in a mulnot much babbling when thou 15 The Christian dare not be slothful in any business. "Whatever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might." Activity produces cheer fulness. of sinners, but remember that wrath will not tarry long. "Humble thy soul greatly: for the vengeance of the ungodly is fire and worms. Change not a friend for any good by no means; neither a faithful brother for the gold of Ophir. Forego not a grace is above gold. 20 Whereas thy servant worketh truly, entreat him not evil, nor the hireling that bestoweth himself wholly for thee. Let thy soul love a good servant, and defraud him not of liberty. "Hast thou cattle? have an 17 As for the impenitent, "their worm dieth not, and their fire is not quenched." (Mark ix. 46.) : 18 Friendship, by sharing our sorrows and our joys, relieves the one, as she brightens the other. wise and good woman: for her 20 Masters, remember that ye also have a Master in heaven. (Col. iv. 1. Eccl. iv. 30.) 22 The merciful man is merciful to his beast. eye to them and if they be for thy profit, keep them with thee. 23 Hast thou children? instruct them, and bow down their neck from their youth. Hast thou daughters? have a 23 Parents, be not over-indulgent to your children. care of their body, and shew not thyself cheerful toward them. Marry thy daughter, and so shalt thou have performed a weighty matter but give her to a man of understanding. Hast thou a wife after thy mind? forsake her not but give not thyself over to a light woman. Honour thy father with thy whole heart, and forget not the sorrows of thy mother. 28 Remember that thou wast begotten of them; and how canst thou recompense them the things that they have done for thee? 29 Fear the Lord with all thy soul, and reverence his priests. Love him that made thee with all thy strength, and forsake not his ministers. Fear the Lord, and honour the priest; and give him his portion, as it is commanded thee; the firstfruits, and the trespass offering, and the gift of the shoulders, and the sacrifice of sanctification, and the firstfruits of the holy things. And stretch thine hand unto the poor, that thy blessing may be perfected. 33 A gift hath grace in the sight of every man living; and for the dead detain it not. 34 Fail not to be with them that weep, and mourn with them that mourn. for that shall make thee to be beloved. 36 Whatsoever thou takest in hand, remember the end, and thou shalt never do amiss. 28 Children, remember all the selfdenial your parents exercised, that you might be fed, and clothed, and educated. You can never make them amends but you can be grateful. 29 He who really loves God and his Christ, will love the ministers of Christ, for their Master's sake. 1 33 Piety delights to pay the last offices to the dead with all due reverence. (Jer. xvi. 7. Mark xiv. 8.) 34 Christian sympathy! How does it sweeten the bitterest cup! Be not slow to visit the sick: 36 When troubles press hard, and disappointments accumulate, then, 0 my soul, arouse thee to patient continuance in well-doing; remembering that the end is not yet, and that to them who look for glory, and honour, and immortality, God will at last render eternal life. 4 EVENING. 1 BE not jealous over the wife 5 ECCLESIASTICUs ix. 1 Mutual trust and confidence form the firmest and brightest links in the sacred band of marriage. a woman to set her foot upon an harlot, lest thou fall into This caution refers to the licentious singing and dancing which, in former ages as now, distinguished public exhibitions in the East. is, to guard against running into The object of these admonitions temptation. precious in her. 10 Old and tried friendship is beyond price. Give not thy soul unto harlots, that thou lose not thine inheritance. Look not round about thee in the streets of the city, neither wander thou in the solitary places thereof. Turn away thine eye from a beautiful woman, and look not upon another's beauty; for many have been deceived by the beauty of a woman; for herewith love is kindled as a fire. Sit not at all with another man's wife, nor sit down with her in thine arms, and spend not thy money with her at the wine; lest thine heart incline unto her, and so through thy desire thou fall into destruction. 10 Forsake not an old friend; for the new is not comparable to him: a new friend is as new drink it with pleasure. " Envy not the glory of a sinner: for thou knowest not what shall be his end. Delight not in the thing that the ungodly have pleasure in : but remember they shall not go unpunished unto their grave. 13 Keep thee far from the man that perious and tyrannical rulers. 13 Avoid, as much as you can, imhath power to kill; so shalt wine; when it is old thou shalt 11 The end of the wicked is destruction ; the end of the righteous, peace, and joy, and glory. thou not doubt the fear of death: and if thou come unto him, make no fault, lest he take away thy life presently: remember that thou goest in the midst of snares, and that thou walkest upon the battlements of the city. As near as thou canst, guess at thy neighbour, and consult with the wise. 15 Let thy talk be with the wise, and all thy communication in the law of the most High. And let just men eat and drink with thee; and let thy glorying be in the fear of the Lord. For the hand of the artificer the work shall be commended: and the wise ruler of the people for his speech. 18 A man of an ill tongue is dangerous in his city; and he that is rash in his talk shall be hated. 15 In choosing your society,seek out the wise and the good. 18 There is not a more dangerous and hateful pest to society, than a man who is of an ill tongue, and rash in his talk. He stirreth up strife even throughout a city. The Ascension-day. MORNING. DEUTERONOMY X. Ar that time the LORD said unto me, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first, and come up unto me into the mount, And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Beth-el. 3 3 And the sons of the prophets that were at Beth-el came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho. And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the LORD hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on. And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan. And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground. 'And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be 11 And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And 3 These were youths trained up specially to religious learning, that they might be fitted for the solemn office of the ministry. So. 9 What a noble spirituality! what a glorious heavenly-mindedness! no thought of riches, or power, or worldly influence, enters into the heart of Elisha! All his aim is an increase of spiritual gifts. 11 Enoch before the law, and Elijah under the law, passed with their bodies into heaven without death. They were types of the ascension of our blessed Lord under the Gospel. Thus, under each dispensation, has been vouchsafed a proof, that a better world than this awaits the faithful servants of God; that their bodies shall be glorified; and themselves be admitted, in the body, to the glories and bliss of heaven. |