whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. Mat. 5. 39.

But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies; do good to them which hate you: bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek, offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak, forbid not to take thy coat also. Luke 6. 27 to 29.

Q. What saith the apostles?

A. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Rom. 12. 17. Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing; but contrary wise, blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. 1 Pet. 3. 9.

See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. 1 Thes. 5. 15.

Q. It was lawful of old to swear; and an oath for confirmation was to them an end of all strife: Is it not lawful for Christians also to swear?

A. Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths. But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; neither by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King: neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be yea, yea; nay, nay; for whatsoever is more than these, cometh of evil. Mat. 5. 33 to 37.

But above all things, my brethren, swear not; neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath; but let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation. James 5. 12.

Q. Is it fit for Christians or believers to receive carnal and worldly honour one from another?

A. How can ye believe which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? John 5. 44.

Q. Doth God allow us to give flattering titles to men? A. Let me not, I pray you, accept any man's person; neither let me give flattering titles unto man; for I know

not to give flattering titles; in so doing my Maker would soon take me away. Job 32. 21, 22.

Q. What should we say to such as quarrel with us for speaking proper sound words, as thou to one, you to many; which is Christ's and the saints' language in the scripture?

A. If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; he is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evilsurmisings. 1 Tim. 6. 3, 4.

Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love, which is in Christ Jesus. 2 Tim. 1. 13.

Q. What is the great commandment given by Christ to his disciples, as that which even declareth them to be such, and is also pressed by his apostles?

A. A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one an other. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. John 13. 34, 35. This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you. These things I command you, that ye love one another. John 15. 12, 17.

Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour. Eph. 5. 1, 2.

If any man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar; for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? and this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God, loveth his brother also. 1 John 4. 20, 21.

Q. Is humility very needful to Christians? like what must we be ere we can enter the kingdom?

A. And Jesus, said, Verily, I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Mat. 18. 3, 4.

Q. Ought Christians to lord over one another? what rule giveth Christ in this case?

A. But Jesus called them unto him and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them; and they that are great, exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you; but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister. And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your ser vant. Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. Mat. 20. 25 to 28.

Q. How then are Christians in this world?

A. Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves; be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. Mat. 10. 16.

Go your ways; behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. Luke 10. 3.

Q. Are we then to expect affliction and persecution here? A. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake; but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. Mat. 10. 42.—Mark 13. 13.

And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. Luke 21. 17.

If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you; if ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. John 15. 18, 19.

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. John 16. 33.

And all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 2 Tim. 3. 12.

Q. Ought we then to fear persecution?

A. Fear them not which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Mat. 10. 28.

And I say unto you, my friends, be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that, have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear;

Fear him which after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell, yea, I say unto you, fear him. Luke 12. 4, 5.

Q. What advantage is to them that suffer persecution cheerfully, and hazard to them that shun it?

A. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Mat. 5. 10.

But if ye suffer for righteousness sake, happy are ye; and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled. 1 Pet. 3. 14.

Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it, and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. Mat. 10. 32, 33, 37 to 39.

Also, I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God. But he that denies me before men, shall be denied before the angels of God. Luke 12. 8, 9.

Then saith Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. Mat. 16. 24, 25.

If we suffer, we shall also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny, us. 2 Tim. 2. 12. If any man come to me, and hate not his father and mother, and wife and children, and brethren and sisters, yea, and his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Luke 14. 26. And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whosoever will save his life, shall lose it; but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. Luke 9. 23, 24.

And when he had called the people to him, with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and

follow me. For whosoever will save his life, shall lose it· but whosoever shall lose his life, for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. Mark 8. 34, 35.

Q. There is nothing more certain, according to these scriptures, than that Christians must suffer persecution in this world, even in their persons and estates; but shall they not also suffer in their good names, in being accounted blasphemers, hereticks and deceivers ?

A. The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple, that he be as his master, and the servant, as his lord: if they have called the master of the house Beelzebub; how much more shall they call them of his household? Mat. 10. 24, 25.

Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. Mat. 5. 11.

Then they suborned men which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council. Acts 6. 11, 12.

And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren, to the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down, are come hither also. Acts 17. 6.

But this I confess unto thee, that after the way, which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers; believing all things which are written in the law and the prophets. Acts 24, 14.

Being defamed, we entreat; we are made as the filth of the world, and are the off-scouring of all things unto this day. 1 Cor. 4. 13.

By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report, as deceivers, and yet true. 2 Cor. 6. 8.

Q. It is easily apparent from what is mentioned, that Christians are to expect persecution and tribulation; and that they are always the sheep, and never the wolves; the persecuted, and never the persecutors; the afflicted, and not the afflicters; the reproached, and not the reproach. ers: Is it not fit then that Christians be so far from per