Ba 3, 14

Pv 1, 33

Ro 6, 2223

Jn 8, 51

17

1. PRAISE OF VIRTUE AND ITS FRUITS.

Learn where is wisdom, If any man minister to Me, Jn 12, 26 where is strength, where is let him follow Me: and understanding, that thou where I am, there also shall mayst know also where is My minister be. If any man length of days and life, where minister to Me, him will My is the light of the eyes and Father honour. peace.

They shall go from virtue Ps 83, 8 He that shall hear Me shall to virtue: the God of gods rest without terror, and shall be seen in Sion. shall enjoy abundance with- His power, when it is tried, out fear of evils. reproveth the unwise.

W 1,3

Now being made free from We fools have been able W5,13-14 sin, and become servants to to show no mark of virtue, God, you have your first- but are consumed in our fruits unto sanctification, and wickedness.-Such things as the end Life Everlasting.-these the sinners said in For the wages of sin is death, hell.

but the grace of God Life Rich men in virtue, lovers Eci 44,6-7 Everlasting, in Christ Jesus of beautifulness, living at

our Lord.

Amen, amen I say to you, if any man keep My word, he shall not see death for ever.

peace in their houses :-All
these have gained glory in
their generations, and were
praised in their days.

2.-EXHORTATION TO AIM AT VIRTUE.

Eci 14, 16- Give and take and justify having compassion one of
thy soul.- Before thy death another, being lovers of the
work justice, for in hell there brotherhood, merciful, mo-
is no finding food.
dest, humble.

Pv 16, 16

Jn 6, 27

Ph 4,8

1 Pt 3,8

Get wisdom, because it is You, employing all care, 2 Pt 1,5-7 better than gold: and pur- minister in your faith, virtue: chase prudence, for it is more and in virtue, knowledge :precious than silver.

And in knowledge,abstinence: Labour not for the meat and in abstinence, patience: which perisheth, but for that and in patience, godliness:which endureth unto Life And in godliness, love of the Everlasting, which the Son brotherhood: and in love of of man will give you. the brotherhood, charity. Whatsoever things are Decline not to the right Pv4, 27 true, whatsoever modest, nor to the left.

14

whatsoever just, whatsoever| Eat honey, my son, because Po 24, 13-
holy, whatsoever lovely, it is good, and the honey-
whatsoever of good fame, if comb most sweet to thy
there be any virtue, if any throat. So also is the doc-
praise of discipline, think on trine of wisdom to thy soul:
these things.
-Which when thou hast
Be ye all of one mind, found, thou shalt have hope

Eci 41, 16

To 14, 1011

1J2,5

1 J4, 12

1J4, 17

Eci 7, 29

Ph 3, 1214

Ge 17, 1

Dt 18, 13

Js 24, 14

Mt 5, 48

Jn 11, 16

Lu 18, 28

Mt 10, 38

in the end, and thy hope that please Him:-And com-
shall not perish.
mand your children that they
A good life hath its number do justice and alms-deeds,
of days, but a good name and that they be mindful of
shall continue for ever. God, and bless Him at all
Serve the Lord in truth, times in truth, and with all
and seek to do the things their power.

3. PERFECTION OF VIRTUE.

He that keepeth His if I may by any means appre-
Word, in him in very deed hend, and wherein I am also
the charity of God is per-apprehended by Christ Jesus.
fected: and by this we know-Brethren, I do not count
that we are in Him.
myself to have apprehended.

If we love one another, But one thing I do: forget-
God abideth in us, and His ting the things that are
charity is perfected in us. behind, and stretching forth

In this is the charity of myself to those that are
God perfected with us, that before,-I press towards the
we may have confidence in mark, to the Prize of the
the Day of Judgment: be- supernal vocation of God in
cause as He is, so also are Christ Jesus.
we in this world.

Fear is not in charity: but 174, 18 One man among a thousand perfect charity casteth out I have found. fear, because fear hath pain. Not as though I had already And he that feareth is not attained, or were already perfected in charity. perfect

but I follow after,

4.-COUNSELS OF PERFECTION.

Walk before Me, and be For whosoever will save Mt 18, 25 perfect.

his life shall lose it: and he

that shall lose his life for My

Thou shalt be perfect, and
without spot before the Lord sake shall find it.
thy God.

46

The Kingdom of Heaven Mt 13, 44Fear the Lord, and serve is like unto a treasure hidHim with a perfect and most den in a field: which when a sincere heart. man hath found, he hideth, Be you therefore perfect, and for joy thereof goeth as also your Heavenly Father and selleth all that he hath, is perfect. and buyeth that field.-Again, Let us also go, that we the Kingdom of Heaven is may die with Him. like to a merchant seeking Behold, we have left all good pearls :-Who, when he things, and have followed had found one pearl of great Thee. price, went his way, and He that taketh not up his sold all that he had, and cross, and followeth Me, is bought it.

not worthy of Me.

Q

Lu 14, 26- If any man come to Me, things do not edify.
27,33 and hate not his father and For none of us liveth to
mother, and wife and chil- himself, and no man dieth
dren, and brethren and sis- to himself. For whether
ters, yea and his own life we live, we live to the Lord;
also, he cannot be My disci- or whether we die, we die to
ple. And whosoever doth the Lord. Therefore, whether
not carry his cross and come we live or whether we die,
after Me cannot be My dis- we are the Lord's.
ciple. - So likewise every With Christ I am nailed to
one of you that doth not re-the Cross. And I live: now
nounce all that he possesseth not I, but Christ liveth in
cannot be My disciple.
me. And that I live now in

23

1 C 10, 24, Let no man seek his own, the flesh, I live in the faith but that which is for the wel- of the Son of God, Who loved fare of another. All things me, and delivered Himself are lawful to me, but all for me.

Eci 1, 16,

Eci 1, 25

26

5. THE FEAR OF THE LORD THE FIRST STEP TO
WISDOM AND VIRTUE.

The fear of the Lord is ordinance which it shall not
the beginning of wisdom, au pass over.
was created with the faithful

'The fear of the Lord is the

in the womb: it walketh beginning of wisdom.

Ro 14,7

8

Ga 2, 19

20

Pv 1, 7

with chosen women, and is I will give them one heart Je 32, 39
known with the just anand one way, that they may
faithful.-To fear God is the feas Me all days, and that it
may be well with them and
with their children after

fulness of wisdom, and ful
ness is from the fruits there

of.

The root of wisdom is to

them.

The fear of the Lord is Pu 15, 33

fear the Lord: and the the lesson of wisdom.

branches thereof are long I will give My fear in Je 32, 40
lived. In the treasures of their heart, that they may
wisdom is understanding, and not revolt from Me. u

religiousness of knowledge: Be thou in the fear of the Pv 23,17-
but to sinners wisdom is an Lord all the day long-Be-
abomination.
cause thou shalt have hope

Eci 19, 18 Give place to the fear of in the latter end, and th v
the Most High: for the fear expectation

Je 5, 22

of God is all wisdom, and taken away.

shall not be

18

therein is to fear God, and Serve ye the Lord with Ps 2, 11
the disposition of the law is fear.
in all wisdom.

In the fear of the Lord is Pv 14, 26

Will not you then fear Me? confidence of strength, and saith the Lord: and will you there shall be hope for His not repent at My Presence? children.

I have set the sand a bound The fear of the Lord is Eci 1, 11for the sea, an everlasting honour, and glory, and glad- 12, 27

Eci 2, 18

21

Ecl 12, 13

Eci 1, 13, 20-21

Eci 33, 1

ness, and a crown of joy.-have patience even until His
The fear of the Lord shall visitation.

delight the heart, and shall He that feareth the Lord Eci 34, 16 give joy and gladness, and shall tremble at nothing, and

length of days.-The fear of shall not be afraid: for He

the Lord driveth out sin. is his hope.

They that fear the Lord The fear of the Lord is Eci 40,28
will not be incredulous to like a paradise of blessing,
His word, and they that love and they have covered it
Him will keep His way.-above all glory.

They that fear the Lord They that remain shall. Eci 23, 37
will seek after the things know that there is nothing
that are well pleasing to better than the fear of God:
Him: and they that love and that there is nothing
Him shall be filled with sweeter than to have regard
His Law. They that fear to the Commandments of the
the Lord will prepare their Lord.
hearts, and in His sight will The fear of the Lord is the Eci 25, 16
sanctify their souls.-They beginning of His love: and
that fear the Lord keep His the beginning of faith is to
Commandments, and will be fast joined unto it.

6.-EFFECTS OF THE FEAR OF THE LORD.

Let us all hear together the conclusion of the discourse. Fear God and keep His Commandments: for this is all

man.

eyes of God are upon them
that love Him.

There is no want in the Eci 40, 27
fear of the Lord, and it need-
eth not to seek for help.

With him that feareth the Lord it shall be well in the latter end, and in the day of his death he shall be blessed. Blessed is the man to Eci 25, 15 -To fear God is the fulness whom it is given to have the of wisdom, and fulness is fear of God: he that holdfrom the fruits thereof.-She eth it, to whom shall he be shall fill all her house with likened? her increase, and the storehouses with her treasures.

Fear the Lord, all ye His Ps 33, 10 saints: for there is no want to them that fear Him.

The fear of the Lord is a Pv 14, 27 fountain of life, to decline from the ruin of death.

No evils shall happen to him that feareth the Lord: Blessed is the man that is Pv 28, 14 but in temptation God will always fearful: but he that keep him, and deliver him is hardened in mind shall from evils.

Eci 34, 14- The spirit of those that

15

fall into evil.

Blessed is the man that Ps 111, 1 fear God is sought after, and feareth the Lord: he shall by His regard shall be blessed. delight exceedingly in His -For their hope is on Him Commandments. His seed that saveth them, and the shall be mighty upon earth.

7.-F

-FRUITS OF THE FEAR OF THE LORD.

Ps 102, 17 The mercy of the Lord is Lord thy house shall quick-
from Eternity and unto ly be overthrown.
Eternity, upon them
fear Him.

Ps 33, 8

Ps 102, 11

Jd 16, 19

Ps 111, 3

that These are the precepts,- Dt 6, 1-2
That thou mayst fear the Lord
Lord thy God, and keep all His com-
about mandments and precepts
and which I command thee and
thy sons and thy grandsons,
His all the days of thy life, that

The Angel of the
shall encamp round
them that fear Hin,
shall deliver them.
He hath strengthened
mercy towards them that thy days may be prolonged.
fear Him.
Examples of God-fearing

They that fear Thee shall be great with Thee in all things.

Glory and wealth shall be in his house: and his justice remaineth for ever and ever. Eci 25, 13- How great is he that findeth wisdom and knowledge! but there is none above him that feareth the Lord.-The fear of God hath set itself above all things.

14

Pv 22, 4

Ps 102, 13

Is 50, 10

Ps 111, 2

Is 33, 6

Eci 27,4

1 C 10, 12

The fruit of humility is the fear of the Lord, riches and glory and life.

As the father hath compassion on his children, so hath the Lord compassion on them that fear Him.

Who is there among you that feareth the Lord? Let him hope in the Name of the Lord, and lean upon his God.

His seed shall be mighty upon earth; the generation of the righteous shall be blessed.

The fear of the Lord is his treasure.

Unless thou hold thyself diligently in the fear of the

men:

8. EVEN THE JUST MAN MUST TAKE HEED LEST

HE FALL.

2 E5, 15

Ma 2,5

2 E7, 3

Ac 9, 31

He that thinketh himself He that contemneth small Eci 19, 1 to stand, let him take heed things shall fall by little and