and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the highest: For he is kind unto the unthankful, and to the evil. Ver. 37. Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven. 1 Pet. iii. 9. Not rendering evil for evil, nor railing for railing; but contrary wise, blessing: knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. To purity.-Matt. v. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God. Ps. xxiv. 3. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? and who shall stand in the holy place? Ver. 4. He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart. Ps. xviii. 26. With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure. Ps. lxxiii. 1. Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart. 2 Tim. ii. 21. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. Tit. i. 15. Unto the pure all things are pure. XIV. To Diligence. Prov. x. 4. The hand of the diligent maketh rich. Prov. xii. 24. The hand of the diligent shall bear rule; but the slothful shall be under tribute. Ver. 27. The substance of a diligent man is precious. Ver. 11. He that tilleth, his hand shall be satisfied with bread. Prov. xiii. 4. The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing; but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat. Ver. 11. Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished; but he that gathereth by labour shall increase. Prov. xiv. 23. In all labour there is profit. Prov. xxi. 5. The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty, only to want. Prov. xxii. 29. Seest thou a man diligent in his business; he shall stand before kings, he shall not stand before mean men. Prov. xxviii. 19. He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread; but he that followeth after vain persons, shall have poverty enough. To improving our talents. Matt. xxv. 23. Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things; I will make thee ruler over many things: Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. Ver. 29. Unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance. Matt. xiii. 12. XV. To the Just and Honest. Deut. xvi. 20. That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live and inherit the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. Deut. xxv. 15. Thou shalt have a perfect e and just weight; a perfect and just measure shalt thou have; that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. Prov. xi. 1. A false balance is an abomination unto the Lord; but a just weight is his delight. Prov. xv. 27. He that is greedy of gain, troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts, shall live. Prov. xvi. 8. Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues without right. Prov. xxviii. 20. A faithful man abounds with blessings; but he that maketh haste to be rich, shall not be innocent. Prov. xxi. 3. To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. Prov. xii. 21. There shall no evil happen to the just; but the wicked shall be filled with mischief. Is. xxxiii. 15. He that walketh righteous. ly, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil: Ver. 16. He shall dwell on high; his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him, his waters shall be sure. Ezek. xviii. 5. If a man be just, and doth that which is lawful and right: Ver. 17. And hath not oppressed any, but hath re stored to the debtor his pledge; hath spoiled none by violence; hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment: Ver. 8. He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase; that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity; hath executed true judgment between man and man; Ver. 9. Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly: he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord. Ps. xv. 5. He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh a reward against the innocent: he that doth these things shall never be moved. XVI. To Truth. Ps. xv. 1. Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill? Ver. 2. He that speaketh the truth in his heart. Prov. xii. 19. The lip of truth shall be established for ever; but a lying tongue is but for a moment. Ver. 22. Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord; but they that deal truly are his delight. 1 Pet. iii. 10. He that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile. Ps. xxxiv. 12, 13. XVII: To Candour. To judging.-Matt. vii. 1. Judge not, that ye be not judged.-Ver. 2. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. In speaking.-Ps. xv. 1. Lord, who shall dwell, &c. Ver. 3. He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up reproach against his neighbour. XVIII. To Contentment and Mortification. Prov. xiv. 30. A sound heart is the life of the flesh, but envy the rottenness of the bones. Prov. xxiii. 17. Let not thine heart envy sinners; but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long. Ver. 18. For, surely there is an end, and thine expectation shall not be cut off. 1 Tim. vi. 6. Godliness with contentment is great gain. Heb. xiii. 5. Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as you have: For he hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. To mortification. -Rom. vii. 13, If ye |