[4393] Jer. x. 2.
[4394] Rev. xviii. 4-9. The Oxford text reads "deliciis" instead of "delictis,"--making the last clause, "and have walked in delicacies."
[4395] Isa. lii. 11.
35. That God is patient for this end, that we may repent of our sin, and be reformed.
In Solomon, in Ecclesiasticus: "Say not, I have sinned, and what sorrow hath happened to me? For the Highest is a patient repayer." [4396] Also Paul to the Romans: "Or despisest thou the riches of His goodness, and forbearance, and patience, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But, according to thy hardness and impenitent heart, thou treasurest up to thyself wrath in the day of wrath and of revelation of the just judgment of God, who will render to every man according to his deeds." [4397]
[4396] Ecclus. v. 4.
[4397] Rom. ii. 4-6.
36. That a woman ought not to be adorned in a worldly fashion.
In the Apocalypse: "And there came one of the seven angels having vials, and approached me, saying, Come, I will show thee the condemnation of the great whore, who sitteth upon many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication. And I saw a woman who sate upon a beast. And that woman was clothed with a purple and scarlet robe; and she was adorned with gold, and precious stones, and pearls, holding a golden cup in her hand full of curses, and impurity, and fornication of the whole earth." [4398] Also to Timothy: "Let your women be such as adorn themselves with shamefacedness and modesty, not with twisted hair, nor with gold, nor with pearls, or precious garments, but as becometh women professing chastity, with a good conversation." [4399] Of this same thing in the Epistle of Peter to the people at Pontus: "Let there be in a woman not the outward adorning of ornament, or of gold, or of apparel, but the adorning of the heart." [4400] Also in Genesis: "Thamar covered herself with a cloak, and adorned herself; and when Judah beheld her, she appeared to him to be a harlot." [4401]
[4398] Rev. xvii. 1-4.
[4399] 1 Tim. ii. 9, 10.
[4400] 1 Pet. iii. 4. [This limitation to "Pontus" is curious.]
[4401] Gen. xxxviii. 14, 15.
37. That the believer ought not to be punished for other offences, except for the name he bears.
In the Epistle of Peter to them of Pontus: "Nor let any of you suffer as a thief, or a murderer, or as an evil-doer, or as a minder of other people's business, [4402] but as a Christian." [4403]
[4402] [Gr. hos allotrioepiskopos; a strange expression. This is St. Paul's canon (Greek) of jurisdiction, which he expounds, 2 Cor. x. 13, 14. Comp. Gal. ii. 9. Showing, by the way, the limits of Peter's jurisdiction, "measure," or metron tou kanonos. Note 15, p. 544, supra.]
[4403] 1 Pet. iv. 15, 16.
38. That the servant of God ought to be innocent, lest he fall into secular punishment.
In the Epistle of Paul to the Romans: "Wilt thou not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of it." [4404]
[4404] Rom. xiii. 3.
39. That there is given to us an example of living in Christ.
In the Epistle of Peter to them of Pontus: "For Christ suffered for us, leaving you an example, that ye may follow His steps; who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth; who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, threatened not, but gave Himself up to him that judgeth unrighteously." [4405] Also Paul to the Philippians: "Who, being appointed in the figure of God, thought it not robbery that He was equal with God; but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, He was made in the likeness of man, and was found in fashion as a man. He humbled Himself, becoming obedient even unto death, and the death of the cross. For which cause also God hath exalted Him, and hath given Him a name, that it may be above every name, that in the name of Jesus every knee should be bowed, of things heavenly, and earthly, and infernal; and that every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in glory of God the Father." [4406] Of this same thing in the Gospel according to John: "If I have washed your feet, being your Master and Lord, ye also ought to wash the feet of others. For I have given you an example, that as I have done, ye also should do to others." [4407]
[4405] 1 Pet. ii. 21-23.
[4406] Phil. ii. 6-11.
[4407] John xiii. 14, 15.
40. That we must not labour noisily nor boastfully.
In the Gospel according to Matthew: "Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth, that thine alms may be in secret; and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall render to thee." [4408] Also in the same place: "When thou doest an alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the streets and in the synagogues, that they may be glorified of men. Verily I say unto you, They have fulfilled their reward." [4409]
[4408] Matt. vi. 3, 4.
[4409] Matt. vi. 2.
41. That we must not speak foolishly and offensively.
In Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians: "Foolish speaking and scurrility, which are not fitting for the occasion, let them not be even named among you." [4410]
[4410] Eph. v. 4.
42. That faith is of advantage altogether, and that we can do as much as we believe.
In Genesis: "And Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness." [4411] Also in Isaiah: "And if ye do not believe, neither shall ye understand." [4412] Also in the Gospel according to Matthew: "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" [4413] Also in the same place: "If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say to this mountain, Pass over from here to that place, and it shall pass over; and nothing shall be impossible unto you." [4414] Also according to Mark: "All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye shall receive them, and they shall be yours." [4415] Also in the same place: "All things are possible to him that believeth." [4416] In Habakkuk: "But the righteous liveth by my faith." [4417] Also in Daniel: "Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, trusting in God, were delivered from the fiery flame."
[4411] Gen. xv. 6.
[4412] Isa. vii. 9.
[4413] Matt. xiv. 31.
[4414] Matt. xvii. 20.
[4415] Mark xi. 24.
[4416] Mark ix. 22.
[4417] Hab. ii. 4.
43. That he who believes can immediately obtain (i.e., pardon and peace).
In the Acts of the Apostles: "Lo, here is water; what is there which hinders me from being baptized? Then said Philip, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest." [4418]
[4418] Acts viii. 36, 37.
44. That believers who differ among themselves ought not to refer to a Gentile judge. [4419]
In the first Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians: "Dares any of you, having a matter against another, to discuss it among the unrighteous, and not among the saints? Know ye not that the saints shall judge this world?" [4420] And again: "Now indeed there is altogether a fault among you, because ye have judgments one against another. Wherefore do ye not rather suffer injury? or wherefore are ye not rather defrauded? But ye do wrong, and defraud, and this your brethren. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not obtain the kingdom of God?" [4421]
[4419] [The oath on the Bible in our courts, and other Christian forms, are important in Christian morals, as bearing upon our right to seek redress at the law, while it is Christian law.]
[4420] 1 Cor. vi. 1, 2.
[4421] 1 Cor. vi. 7-9.
45. That hope is of future things, and therefore that our faith concerning those things which are promised ought to be patient.
In the Epistle of Paul to the Romans: "We are saved by hope. But hope that is seen is not hope; for what a man seeth, why doth he hope for? But if we hope for what we see not, we hope [4422] for it in patience."
[4422] Some read" exspectamus," "we wait for it."
[4423] Rom. viii. 24, 25.
46. That a woman ought to be silent in the church.
In the first Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians: "Let women be silent in the church. But if any wish to learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home." [4424] Also to Timothy: "Let a woman learn with silence, in all subjection. But I permit not a woman to teach, nor to be set over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve; and Adam was not seduced, but the woman was seduced." [4425]
[4424] 1 Cor. xiv. 34, 35. [Women might have spiritual gifts, like the daughters of Philip, Acts xxi. 9; but even such are here forbidden to use them in the public worship of the Church.]
[4425] 1 Tim. ii. 11-14.
47. That it arises from our fault and our desert that we suffer, and do not perceive God's help in everything.
In Hosea: "Hear ye the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel: because judgment is from the Lord against the inhabitants of the earth, because there is neither mercy nor truth, nor acknowledgment of God upon the earth; but cursing, and lying, and slaughter, and theft, and adultery is scattered abroad upon the earth: they mingle blood to blood. Therefore the land shall mourn, with all its inhabitants, with the beasts of the field, with the creeping things of the earth, with the birds of heaven; and the fishes of the sea shall fail: so that no man may judge, no man may refute." [4426] Of this same thing in Isaiah: "Is not the Lord's hand strong to save, or has He weighed down His ear that He may not hear? But your sins separate between you and God; and on account of your iniquities He turns away His face from you, lest He should pity. For your hands are polluted with blood, and your fingers with sins; and your lips have spoken wickedness, and your tongue devises unrighteousness. No one speaks true things, neither is judgment true. They trust in vanity, and speak emptiness, who conceive sorrow, and bring forth wickedness." [4427] Also in Zephaniah: "In failing, let it fail from the face of the earth, saith the Lord. Let man fail, and cattle; let the birds of heaven fail, and the fishes of the sea; and I will take away the unrighteous from the face of the earth."
[4426] Hos. iv. 1-4.
[4427] Isa. lix. 1-4.
[4428] Zeph. i. 2, 3.
48. That we must not take usury.
In the thirteenth Psalm: [4429] "He that hath not given his money upon usury, and has not received gifts concerning the innocent. He who doeth these things shall not be moved for ever." [4430] Also in Ezekiel: "But the man who will be righteous, shall not oppress a man, and shall return the pledge of the debtor, and shall not commit rapine, and shall give his bread to the hungry, and shall cover the naked, and shall not give his money for usury." [4431] Also in Deuteronomy: "Thou shalt not lend to thy brother with usury of money, and with usury of victuals."
[4429] The Oxford edition has "the fourteenth." [Elucidation XIII.]
[4430] Ps. xv. 6.
[4431] Ezek. xviii. 7, 8.
[4432] Deut. xxiii. 19.
49. That even our enemies must be loved.
In the Gospel according to Luke: "If ye love those who love you, what thank have ye? For even sinners love those who love them." [4433] Also according to Matthew: "Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that ye may be the children of your Father who is in heaven, who maketh His sun to rise upon the good and the evil, and giveth rain upon the righteous and the unrighteous." [4434]
[4433] Luke vi. 32.
[4434] Matt. v. 44, 45.
50. That the sacrament of faith must not be profaned.
In Solomon, in the Proverbs: "Say not anything in the ears of a foolish man; lest, when he hears it, he may mock at thy wise words." [4435] Also in the Gospel according to Matthew: "Give not that which is holy to dogs; neither cast ye your pearls before the swine, lest perchance they trample them down with their feet, and turn again and crush you."
[4435] Prov. xxiii. 9.
[4436] Matt. vii. 6.
51. That no one should be uplifted in his labour. [4437]
In Solomon, in Ecclesiasticus: "Extol not thyself in doing thy work." [4438] Also in the Gospel according to Luke: "Which of you, having a servant ploughing, or a shepherd, says to him when he cometh from the field, Pass forward and recline? But he says to him, Make ready somewhat that I may sup, and gird thyself, and minister to me, until I eat and drink; and afterwards thou shalt eat and drink? Does he thank that servant because he has done what was commanded him? So also ye, when ye shall have done that which is commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we had to do." [4439]