10. My brethren, take the prophets who spoke in the Lord's name for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. 11. Behold, we count them happy who endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and seen what the Lord did in the end; that he is very pitiful and merciful. (Job xlii. 10.)

12. But above all things, my brethren, swear not; neither by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath; but let your yea be yea; and your nay nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.

14.

13. Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any cheerful? let him sing praise to God. Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church, to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the Lord's name, (by miraculous faith): 15. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

16. Confess your offences one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

17. Elias was a man of like infirmities with us, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain; so it rained not during three years and six months. 18. Then he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brough forth its fruits.

19. Brethren, if any of you err from the truth, and one convert him; 20. Let him know, that he who converts the sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death, and so shall cover a multitude of sins.

VOL. III.

3 X

35

S. PETER'S

FIRST GENERAL EPISTLE.

PETER,

CHAP. I.

OF CHRISTIAN GRACES.

ETER, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. 2. Chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, thro' sanctification of the Spirit, to obedience with (remission by) sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied to you.

3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to his abundant mercy, hath regenerated us to a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4. Even to that of an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and unfading, reserved in heaven for you, 5. Who are kept by the power of God, thro' faith to salvation, ready to be revealed at the time of the end, 6. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, tho' now for a sea. son (if needful) ye are grieved amidst manifold trials; 7. That the trial of your faith, which is much more precious than gold that perisheth, tho' it be tried with fire, might be found to praise, and honour, and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 8. Whom, tho' ye have not seen, ye love; yea, tho' ye see him not now, yet believing in him, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory; 9. Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

io. Concerning which salvation the prophets, who prophesied of the grace that should come to you, enquired, and searched diligently; 11. Searching concerning what people, or what kind of time, the Spirit of Christ which was in them signified,

when he testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that would follow. 12. To whom it was revealed, that not to themselves, but to us, they ministered the things now related to you, by them that preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven; into which things the angels desire to look.

13. Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end, for the grace to be given to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ: 14. As obedient children, not fashioned to the former lusts in your ignorance: 15. But as he who called you is holy, so be ye holy in the whole course of your life: 16. Because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy.

17. And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear; 18. As ye know ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers, 19. But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, John i. 29. 20. Who was foreknown indeed, before the foundation of the world, but manifested in these last times for you; 21. Who by him believe in God that raised him from the dead, and gave him glory, that your faith and hope might be in God.

22. Having purified your souls, by obedience to the truth thro' the Spirit to unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently; 23. Being regenerated, not by corruptible seed, but by incorruptible, even by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 24. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and its flower falleth off, 25. But the word of the Lord remains for ever. And this is the word which is preached to you in the gospel.

CHAP. II.

CHRIST THE CHIEF CORNER-STONE.

THEREFORE, laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil-speaking, 2. As new born-babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that ye may grow (in grace) thereby. 3. As ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious: 4. To whom coming, as to a living (foundation) stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen of God and precious, 5. Ye also, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual temple, and an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

6. It is also contained in the scripture, Behold I lay in Zion a chief corner-stone, chosen, precious; and he that confideth on it shall not be confounded.

7. To you, therefore, who believe, it is precious; but to the disobedient, the stone which the builders rejected (Psalm cxvii. 22.) is become the head of the corner, 8. And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence to them that stumbled at the word offered to them; they being disobedient.

9. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who called you out of (pagan) darkness into his marvellous (gospel) light; 10. Who in time past were not a people (or church), but are now the people of God; who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

11. Dearly beloved, I beseech you, as strangers and pilgrims here, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 12. Having your behaviour good among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evil-doers, they may by beholding your good works, glorify God in the day of their

visitation.

13. Submit to every appointment of man for the Lord's sake; whether it be to the king, as supreme; 14. Or to governors, as sent by him for the punishment of evil-doers, and for the praise of them that do well. 15. For it is the will of God, that with doing good ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men's falsehood. 16. As free, but not using your liberty for a vail of wickedness, but the servants of God.

17. Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

18. Servants be subject to your masters with all reverence; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. 19. For this is graceful, if a man for (the sake of) conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. 20. For what glory is it, to take it patiently, when buffeted for your faults? but when ye do well, and suffer for

it, if ye bear it patiently, this is graceful before

God. 21. For to this were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow his steps; 22. Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth; 23. Who, being reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously; 24. Who himself bare our sins on his own body on the cross, that we should die to sins and live to righteousness; by whose stripcs we are healed. 25. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned to the Shepherd and guardian of your souls.

CHAP. III.

WIVES' AND HUSBANDS' DUTIES.

LIKEWISE, ye wives, be subject to your husbands; that, if any disobey the word, they may even without the word be won by the behaviour of the wives, 2. While they behold your chaste con