red together
in concord with one another; as
it were with one mouth, cry,
earnestly unto him, that he would
make us partakers of his great and
glorious promises.

8 For he saith, a Eye hath not
seen, nor ear heard, neither have
entered into the heart of man, the
things which God has prepared for
them that wait for him,

CHAPTER XVII.

1 We must attain the gifts of God by faith and obedience,
which we must carry on in an orderly pursuing of the
duties of our several stations, without envy or contention.
24 The necessity of different orders among men.
33 We have none of us anything but what we received of God:
whom therefore we ought in every condition thankfully to obey.

HOW blessed and wonderful,
beloved, are the gifts of God.

2 Life in immortality! brightness
in righteousness! truth in full
assurance! faith in confidence!
temperance in holiness!

3 And all this has God subjected
to our understandings:

4 What therefore shall those
things be which he has prepared
for them that wait for him?

5 The Creator and Father of
spirits, the Most Holy; he only
knows both the greatness and
beauty of them,

6 Let us therefore strive with
all earnestness, that we may be
found in the number of those that
wait for him, that so we may
receive the reward which he has
promised.

7 But how, beloved, shall we do
this? We must fix our minds by
faith towards God, and seek those
things that are pleasing and
acceptable unto him.

8 We must act conformably to
his holy will; and follow the way
of truth, casting off from us all
unrighteousness and iniquity,
together with all covetousness,
strife, evil manners, deceit,
whispering, detractions; all
hatred of God, pride and boasting;
vain-glory and ambition;

9 For they that do these things
are odious to God; and not only
they that do them, but also all
such as approve of those that do
them.

10 For thus saith the Scripture,
But unto the wicked, God said,
What hast thou to do to declare
my statute, or that thou shouldst
take my covenant in thy mouth?
Seeing that thou hatest instruction,
and castest my words behind thee.

11 When thou sawest a thief,
then thou consentedst with him;
thou hast been partaker with
adulterers, Thou givest thy mouth
to evil, and thy tongue frameth
deceit. Thou sittest and speakest
against thy brother; thou slanderest
thine own mother's son.

12 These things hast thou done
and