son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction 25 with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the 26 treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of 27 the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. Through 28 faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the first-born should touch them. By faith they 29 passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do, were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell 30 down, after they were compassed about seven days. By faith 31 the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace. And what shall I more 32 say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae, of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought 33 righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 'quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, 34 out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens: women received their dead 35 raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: and 36 others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover, of bonds and imprisonment: they were stoned, they were sawn 37 asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheep-skins, and goat-skins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; '(of whom the world was not worthy :) they 38 wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through 39 faith, received not the promise: God having provided some bet- 40 ter thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so12 great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 'looking unto Jesus, the author and 2 finisher of our faith; who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured 3 such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

YE have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. 4 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you 5 as unto children,

If

My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord,
Nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth,

And scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

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ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons: for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be 8 without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore, we have had fathers of 9 our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence:

shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us 10 after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present 11 seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

WHEREFORE lift up the hands which hang down, and the 12 feeble knees; and make straight paths for your feet, lest that 13 which is lame be turned out of the way: but let it rather be healed. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which 14 no man shall see the Lord: looking diligently, lest any man fail 15 of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up, trouble you, and thereby many be defiled: lest there be any for- 16 nicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he 17 would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and 18 that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; 19 which voice they that heard, entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: (for they could not endure that 20 which was commanded, "And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:" and -so terrible was the sight! - 21 Moses said, "I exceedingly fear and quake:") 'but ye 22 are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the first-born, 23 which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the Media- 24 tor of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. See that ye refuse not 25 him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: whose voice then 26 shook the earth; but now he hath promised, saying

Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.

And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of 27 those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Wherefore 28 we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear; for our God is a consuming fire.

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LET brotherly love continue. 'Be not forgetful to entertain13 strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and 3 them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but 4 whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. Let your conver

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sation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said,

I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee:

so that we may boldly say,

The Lord is my helper,

I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

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Remember them which have the rule over you, who have 7 spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation: Jesus Christ the same yester- 8 day, and to-day, and for ever. Be not carried about with divers 9 and strange doctrines: for it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. We have an altar, 10 whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the 11 sanctuary by the high-priest for sin, are burned without the camp. Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people 12 with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth 13 therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. For 14 here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come. - By 15 him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name. But 16 to do good, and to communicate, forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Obey them that have the rule over 17 you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. Pray for us: for 18 we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly. But I beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be 19 restored to you the sooner.

Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our 20 Lord Jesus Christ, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every 21 good work, to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever! Amen.

AND I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: 22 for I have written a letter unto you in few words. Know ye, 23 that our brother Timothy is set at liberty: with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you. Salute all them that have the rule 24 over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you. 'Grace 25 be with you all. Amen. 282

THE CATHOLIC EPISTLES.

THE EPISTLE OF JAMES.

JAMES, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to 1 the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.

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MY brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers tempta- 2 tions, 'knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience: but let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be 4 perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wis- 5 dom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in 6 faith, nothing wavering; for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man 7 think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double- 8 minded man is unstable in all his ways. Let the brother of low 9 degree rejoice in that he is exalted: but the rich, in that he is 10 made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it 11 withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: 12 for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Let no man say 13 when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man. But every 14 man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed: then, when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin; 15 and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my 16 beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from 17 above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will 18 begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures.

WHEREFORE, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to 19 hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. For the wrath of man work- 20 eth not the righteousness of God. Wherefore lay apart all filthi- 21 ness, and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the ingrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

BUT be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving 22 your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not 23 a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straight- 24 way forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh 25 into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be

blessed in his deed. If any man among you seem to be reli- 26 gious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before 27 God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

MY brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the 2 Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come unto 2 your assembly, a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment, and ye have re- 3 spect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool, ' are ye not then partial in your- 4 selves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? Hearken, my 5 beloved brethren, hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? ! but ye have despised the poor. Do not 6 rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment-seats? Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are 7 called? If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself," ye do well; but if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are 9 convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep 10 the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, "Do not commit adultery," said also, 11 "Do not kill." Now, if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, 12 and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. For he shall have judgment without mercy that hath showed no 13 mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

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WHAT doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath 14 faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or 15 sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 'and one of you say 16 unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not 17 works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast 18 faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. Thou believest 19 that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith with- 20 out works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by 21 works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest 22 thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, 23 "Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness," and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not 24 by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified 25 by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is 26 dead, so faith without works is dead also.