A Brighter Day Begins with His Word.

PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK

Expository Thoughts on the Gospels — St. Luke — Volume 1

Ryle, J. C. (John Charles), 1816–1900 · 151,572 words · 360 reading sections

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LUKE, CHAP. X. VER. 1 — 7. 345

apostles. We do not know the names of any of these disciples. Their subsequent history has not been revealed to us. But the instructions with which they are sent forth are deeply interesting, and deserve the close atten- tion of all ministers and teachers of the Gospel. The first point in our Lord's charge to the seve…

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leges may educate meiL Bishops may ordain them. Patrons may give them livings. But God alone can raise up and send forth " labourers '' who will do work among souls. For a constant supply of such labourers let us daily pray. The second point in our Lord's charge to the seventy disciples, is the perilom nature of the w…

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LUKE, CHAP. X* VBB. 1 — 7. 347

« enjoins upon them. They were to abstain even from the aj^earance of covetousness, or love of money, or luxury : " Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes." — They were to behave like men who had no time to waste on the empiy compliments and conventional courtesies of the world : " Salute no man by the way." These…

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348 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.

life an idol, before which everything else must bow down. Let us declare plainly that we seek a country beyond the grave, and that we have no time for that incessant round of eating, and drinking, and dressing, and civility, and exchange of compliments, in which so many try to find their happiness, but evidently try in…

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LUKE, CHAP. X. VER. 1 — T, 349

consciences of all believers, of all who are called by the Holy Ghost and made priests to God. They ought to re- mind us of the necessity of simplicity and unworldliness in our daily life. We must beware of thinking too much about our meals, and our furniture, ani our houses, and all those many things which concern the…

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2. — [Send forth.'] The Greek word so rendered is peculiar. It signifies literally " to cast forth/' or, " send forth with a degree of force." It implies that nothing hut God's powerful and con- straining call will ever move men to become ministers and labourers in the Gospel harvest. 3. — [Oo your ways.] The Greek he…

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LUKE, CHAP. X. VER. 1 T, 351

loins, and take thy staff in thine hand, and go thy way . if thou meet any man, salute him not, and if any man salute thee answer him not again." (2 Kings iv. 29.) The plain practical lesson to ministers ought never to be for- gotten. They should be careful not to waste their time in leaving cards, and paying unmeanin…

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EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.

Scougal on the duties of ministers, which throw some light on the general lessons of the whole verse. Cecil says, " It is one thing to he humhle and' condescending: it is another to make yourself common, cheap, and contemptible. The men of the world know when a minister is out of his place." Scougal says, "Another occ…

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LUKE X. 8—16.

8 And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you : 9 And heal the sick that are there- in, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. 10 But into whatsoever city ye en- ter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and s…

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LUKE, CHAP. X. VBIU 8 — 16. 353

These words we should probably regard as the key- note to all that the seventy disciples said. We can hardly suppose that they said nothing else but this single sentence. The words no doubt implied far more to a Jewish hearer at the time when they were spoken, than they convey to our minds at the present day. To a well…

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statements of simple Gospel truths. We may safely leave such statements to work and take care of them- selves. They are arrows from God's own quiver, and will often pierce hearts which have not been touched by the most eloquent sermon. The second point we should notice in these verses is the great sinfulness of those …

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LUKE, CHAP. X. VER. 8 — 16. 355

Let us lay these things to heart, and beware of un- belief. It is not open sin and flagrant profligacy alone which ruin souls. We have only to sit still and do nothing, when the Gospel is pressed on our acceptance, and we shall find ourselves one day in the pit. We need not run into any excess of riot. We need not open…

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doing an injury not so much to them as to their Ejng. When Hanun, king of Ammon, iU-used the ambassadors of Bayid, the insult wos resented as if it had been done to David himself. (2 Sam. x. 1 — 19.) Let us remember these things, in order that we may form a right estimate of the position of a minister of the Gos- pel.…

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LUKE, CHAP. X. VER. 8 — 16. 357

affectation. If a missionary, a pastor, or a preacher do not show a great indifferency towards everything which relates to bodily wants, he will never be able much to advance the work of God." 11. — [Be ye sure of this.'] The literal translation of the Greek expression used here, would be, " Know this." 12. — [It sha…

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seventy disciples, of whose names and subsequent history we know nothing. Scott remarks, *' To reject an ambassador, or to treat him with contempt, is an affront to the piince who com- missioned and sent him, and whom he represents. The apostles and seventy disciples were the ambassadors and representatives of Christ; …

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LUKE X. 17—20.

17 And the seyenty returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the dev- ils are subject unto us through thy name. 18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. 19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy : and nothing shaU by any …

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LUKE, CHAP. X. VBR. 17 — 20. 369

The lesson is one which all who work for Christ should mark and remember. Success is what all faithful labourers in the Gospel field desire. The minister at home and the missionary abroad, the district visitor and the city missionary, the tract distributor and the Sunday-school teacher, all alike long for success. All …

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tians wbo can canj a fall cup with a steady hand. There are few whose souk prosper in their days of uninterrupted success. We are all inclined to sacrifice to our net, and bum incense to our own drag. (Hab. i 16.) We are ready to think that our own might and our own wisdom have procured us the victory. The caution of t…

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ever splendid his gifts may be. But he thai has grace without gifts is alive to God, however unlearned and ignorant he may appear to man. And " a living dog is better than a dead lion." (Eccles. ix. 4.) Let the religion which we aim to possess be a religion in which grace is the main thing. Let it not content us to be…

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LUKE, CHAP. X. VER. 21 — ^24. 363

that his agents partake of his nature, and that there is a promise in Genesis iii. 15, that " the seed of the woman shall hruise the serpent's head," in which all Christ's members are interested (See also Psalm xli. 14.) [Scorj[)ion.'] A scorpion is a poisonous insect about four inches long, with a sting in its tail, …

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LUKE X. 21—24.

21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced ui spirit and said, I thank thee, Fa- ther, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes : even so, Father ; for 80 it seemed good in thy sight. 22 All things are delivered to me of my Father : and no man knowetti …

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LUKE, CHAP. X. VEB. 21 — 24. 365

whom saJyation is " hidden." There are others to whom salvation is " revealed." The truth here laid down is deep and mysterious. "It is high as heaven : what can we do ? It is deep aa hell : what do we know ? " Why some around us are converted and others remain dead in sins, we cannot possibly explain. Why England is …

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these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes." We must not gather from these words a wrong lesson. We must not infer that any persons on earth are naturaUy more deserving of God's grace and salvation than others. All are alike sinners, and merit nothing but wrath and condemnation. We must s…

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LUKE, CHAP. X. VER. 21 — 24. 367

These are the words of one who was very God of very God, and no mere man. We read of no patriarch, or prophet, or apostle, or saint, of any age, who ever used words like these. They reveal to our wondering eyes a little of the mighty mystery of our Lord's nature and person. They show Him to us, as the Head over all thi…

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LUKE, GHAF. X. VEU. 25 — ^28. 369

NoTBS. LuKs X. 21—24. 21. — [7 tJiank thee^ O Father ^ dc] The meaning of this remajrkabk expression appears to be, *' I thank thee, that, having hid these things from the wise and prudent, thou hast revealed them imto babes." — ^The same kind of expression is found in Bom. vi. 17. " God be thanked, that ye were the s…

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LUKE X. 25—28.

25 And, behold, a certain Lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life ? 26 He said unto him, What is writ- ten in the law ? how readest thou ? 27 And he answering said, Thou ahalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength,…

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We stould notice in this passage, the solemn question which was addressed to our Lord Jesus Christ, We are told that a certain lawyer asked Him, " What shall I do to inherit eternal life P " The motive of this man was evidently not right. He only asked this question to " tempt *' our Lord, and to provoke Him to say som…

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question to our own souls. Lotus rather ponder it, think about it, and never be content till it fills the first place in our minds. Let us seek to have the witness of the Spirit within us, that we repent us truly of sin, that we have a lively faith in God's mercy through Christ, and that we are really walking with God.…

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dear head-knowledge a person may possess, while his heart is full of wickedness. Here is a man who talks of loving God with all his soul, and loving his neighbour as himself, while he is actually "tempting" Christ, and trying to do Him harm, and anxious to justify himself and make himself out a charitable man ! Let us …

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member that the " Lawyers " spoken of in the Gospels were men who devoted themselves to the study of the law of God. [What shall I do, dtc.'] The literal rendering of the Greek would be, "What having done, shall I inherit eternal life?" Let us note that this kind of question was asked of our Lord three times. Once it …

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LUKE X. 29—37.

29 But he, willing to justify him- self, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour ? 30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusa- lem to Jericho, and fell among thieyes, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded Atm, and departed, leav- ing him half dead. 31 And hy chance there came down a ce…

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dead on the road. He then tells us of a priest and a Levite, who, one after the other, came travelling that way, and saw the poor wounded man, but gave him no he^/ Both were men, who from their of&ce and profes- sion, ought to have been ready and willing to do good to one in distress. But both, in succession, were too …

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ouglit to be that the Lord Jesas Christ is. not like man ! His kindness and love are unfailing. He never dis- appoints any of His friends. Happy are they who have learned to say, " my soul, wait thou only upon God ; ^y expectation is from Imn." (Psalm Ixii. 5.) We are taught, secondly, in this parable, who they are to…

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LUKE, CHAP. X. VER. 29 — 37. 379

— ^not merely in his profession, bnt in his practice. He should think it no misspent time to work as hard in doing good to those who need help, as others work in trjring to get money. He should not be ashamed to toil as much to make the misery of this world rather smaller, as those toil who hunt or shoot all day long. …

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in mind, body, or estate? There are many such in tbis world. There, are always some near our own doors. What are we doing for them P Anything, or nothing at all P May God help us to answer these questions ! The world would be a happier world if there was more practical Christianity. Notes. Lukb X. 29 — 37. 29. — [He …

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LUKE, CHAP. X. VBR. 29 37. 381

appointed fot the residence of Priests and Levites. No less than 12,000 of them, according to Lightfoot, lived there. At Jeitisa- lem was the temple, which Priests and Levites had to attend in monthly courses. Tliese circumstances make it quite natural for a Priest and a Levite to he on the road. [Passed by on the oth…

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The question is one which the great majority of Commentators at once answer in the affirmative. According to them, the traveller represents human nature, — ^the falling among thieves, Adam's fall, — the lying naked, wounded, and half dead, the condition of mankind, — and the failure of the priest and Levite to help, th…

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LUKE X. 38—42.

38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village : and a certain woman named Martha received Tiim into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. 40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost tho…

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never to be forgotten. Taken together with the eleventh chapter of St. John's Gospel, it throws a most instructive Kght on the inner life of the family which Jesus loved. Let us observe, for one thing, how different the cha- racters and temperaments of true Christians may be. The two sisters of whom we read in this pa…

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LTJKB, CHAP. X. VER. 38 42. 386

widely. Let not one despise another on this account. There will be Marthas and there will be Marys in the Church until the Lord comes again. Let us observe, for another thing, what a mare to our souk the cares of this world may be, if cUlowed to take up too much attention. It is plain from the tone of the passage befo…

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God's commandments alone, which lead men to eternal ruin. It is far more frequently an excessive attention to things in themselves lawful, and the being " cumbered about much serving." It seems so right to provide for our own ! It seems so proper to attend to the duties of our station ! It is just here that our danger …

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erring child had fallen, and did not spare the chastening which was required. "Martha, Martha," He said, " thou art careM and troubled about many things : but one thing is needful.'' Faithful are the wounds of a friend ! That little sentence was a precious babn indeed ! It contained a volume of practical divinity in a …

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388 EXFOBITORT THOUGHTS,

shall not be taken from her." There was a deep meaning in these words. They were spoken not for Mary's sake only, but for the sake of all Christ's believing people in every part of the world. They were meant to encourage all true Ohristians to be single-eyed and whole-hearted, — 'to follow the Lord folly, and to walk d…

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LUKS, CHAP. X. TER. 38 42. 389

chose P Have we chosen it for ourselyes P Can we say with truth that it is ours P Let us never rest till we can. Lotus " choose life/' while Christ offers it to us without money and without price. Let us seek treasure in heaven, lest we awake to find that we are paupers for evermore. Notes. Ltjxb X. 38—42. 38. — [As …

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of salvation, there is necessity." That this is His meaning His subsequent words about Mary appear abundantly to prove. If "one thing is needful" means only "one dish," we might just as well say, that the "good part" which Mary chose, was the good portion of the feast which she had selected for herself! Doddridge rema…

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AUGUST, 1868.

r All the Publications in this Oatalosme are X torwarded hy Post, or other oonveirance, FBEE LOF CABBIAaE, by the Publisher, at Ipswloh.…

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WILLIAM HUNT,

STE-A.:fi^ I»K,3SS, T-A.^V-JH3I2,I5r STItEET, II'S'STVIOia:. By the Eev. J. C. Eyle, B. A., Beotor of Helmingham, Suffolk. Expository Thoughts on the Gk>8pel8. Designed especially for Family and Private Reading, with the Text complete. St. Matthew. Extra cloth, price 68. St. TWy vyl^ , Uniform with the above. Price…

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St. Peter at Antioch. A Tract for the Times. 4th edition, 20th thousand.

Strive. Thoughts on Luke xvi. 24. 4th edition, 20th thousand. The Beading: which is Blessed. Thoughts on Bev. i. 1—3^ 3rd edition, Idth thousand. Watch I Thoughts on the Parable of the Ten Virgins. 10th edition, 501h thousand. Wheat or Chaff P A Question for Everybody. 13th edition, 65th thousand. What is Your Hope…

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TRANSLATIONS.

liiving' or Dead P Rendered in French, by J. D. 32pp., F'cap 8vo, 3d. each or 28. 6d. per dozen. lilvingr or Dead P Rendered into German. 3d. each or 28. 6d. per dozen. Only One Way. Rendered in French. 3d. each or 2s. 6d. per dozen.…

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BT THE BEV. FRANCIS STOBK, H.A.,

Vicar of BreneMey^ Kent. Tlie Christian Farmer. A Memoir of Mr. John Last, of Otiey, Soffolk. Cloth lettered, Is., or stiff cover, 8d. Scripture Characters. Practical Sermons for Home. 2nd thousand. Cloth lettered, 38. 6d. Contents. — Balaam tampering with sin — Balaam reckless in sin — ^Balaam's death — ^Micaiah th…

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BY THE REV. W. W. WOODHOXTSE, M.A.

Rector of St. Clements and St. Helen's, Ipswich. Ijife's liOSSOns. A Funeral Sermon preached to the Young, at St. Helen's Church. 18mo, glazed cover, 2nd edition. 4d. Do ITou Intend to Give Tourself to Gkxl P A Pastor's Appeal to the Young of his Flock, at the season of Confirmation. 2nd edition. 2d. Safety in liife…

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BT THE BEV. J. K TUCKBS, B.A.,

Rector qf Ptttaugh^ St^ffblk. The Catechism of the Church of Enprland Explained and Dlnstrated by Scripture References and Historical and other Anecdotes. Limp cloth. Is. A Short Catechiflm. on Confirmation. 3rd edition, 2d. The Tsrpes of Scripture and their Antitype. In two parts, 9d. PvhUshed by W. Hunty Ipswich.…

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TO THE WOBK.

Rev. W. Cadman, m.a.. Incumbent of St. George's, Sonthwark. Rev. F. Cunningham, Vicar of Lowestoft. Rev. W. Champneys, Rector of St. Mary's Whitechapel. Rev. G. Fisk, l.l.b.. Minister of Clirist's Gliapel, St. Jolin's Wood, London. Rev. A. Hewlett, Incumbent of Astley. Rev. E. J. Moor, Rector of Great Bealings. R…

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Part 354

Common things regarding the bringing up of our Girls. Is. Btmbtiry. — A Visit to the Catacombs, or First Christian Cemeteries at Rome ; and a Midnight Visit to Mount Vesuvius. BySELiNA Bunbuby. 6d. , By the same^ Fanny the Flower Girl. With an Engraving, fld. ; or cloth Is. The Castle and Hovel. 6d. ; or cloth Is. …

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Part 355

Lewis. — Landmarks of Faith. Chapters intended for the comfort of the Doubt- ing, the Fearful, and the Bereaved. By the Rev. W. S. Lewis, M.A. 12mo, cloth, 28. 6d. liifirht at Eveninar Time. By a Sunday School Teacher. Third Edition. 4d. Linton. — A Paraphrase and Notes on the Epistles of St. Paul. By Bev. JIenry Lin…

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FOB SECULAB INSTBX7CTI0N.

The Circle of Knqivledge. The Lesson Books for the Pupils. Gradation I., comprising 2U0 Lessons, in easy sentences for the youngest class of readers, and 38 simple Poems. 9d. ; cloth. Is. Gradation II., comprising 200 Lessons, in longer sentences, for a middle class of readers, and 30 Poems and Fables. 9d. ; cloth, I…

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BY ROBERT MIMPRI8S.

One Hundred Easy Lessons.— The Gospel History of Our Lord's Life and Ministry, for Classes in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Grades, mixed, per 100, 20b. Ditto, Easy Lessonsj 18mo., cloth. 2nd and 3rd Grades, 6d. each. Manuals for Teachers, ist and 2Qd Grades, Is. 6d. Ditto 3rd Grade, Is. 6d. Ditto ditto, with poaket and Cl…

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TRACTS ON THE LOBD'S SUPFEB.

"How shall I come to the Table of the LordP" 15th Edition. Price 2d. The Neerleoted Command. " This do in Remembrance of Me." Id. The Lord's Invitation to his Table. By the Author of " Your Place in Church is Empty." 2d. The Lord's Supper. By the Rev. CD. Marston. Id. ''This Do ; " or, a Command that few People obe…

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ON CONFIRMATION.

Confirmation; or, Are you ready to serve Christ? By the Rev. A. Oxenden. 3d., or 2s. 6d. per dozen. Confirmation ; or, Whom will you serve. Id. Confirmation; — What is it? Some Conversation on the Sabject between Plain People. Id. Confirmation ; or, a Scene from the Organ Gallery. Price Id. Confirmation ; or. Thoug…

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ON BAPTISK.

Hath this Child been already Baptized or Ko P or, Friendly Instractions to Parents about to bring their Children to Baptism. By the Author of " Yoar Place in Church is Empty." 2d., or Is. 6d. per dozen. Parents GKxI'b Nurses, a Gift at the Font. By the Bev. Fraxcis Mobse, M.A. 2d. Have you been Baptised P Is. 9d. per…

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Source & rights

Public-domain historical edition (1858). Text from OCR of an original Internet Archive scan; OCR may contain recognition errors.

Project Gutenberg source record →

Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.