He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want. If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee? I will be a swift witness against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, saith the Lord of hosts. Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery. Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways. Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light they practice it, because it is in the power of their hand. And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away : so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage. Do violence to no man. Let them turn every one from the violence that is in their hands. The Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitful man. The wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and establisheth a city by iniquity! A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person shall flee to the pit; let no man stay him. Surely your blood of your lives will I require : at the hand of every beast will I require it: and at the hand of man, at the hand of every man's brother, will I require the life of man. sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed. Whoso CHAP. XXXVII. FRIENDSHIP. MAKE sure thy friend. A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is börn for adversity. Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not. A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly; and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. To him that is affiicted, pity should be shewed from his friend. Have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Make no friendship with an angry man. He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising up early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him He that speaketh flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children shall fail. The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends. Wealth maketh many friends: but the poor is separated from his neighbour. My familiar friends have forgotten me. All my inward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned against me. Mine own familiar friend in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me. Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house. Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. CHAP. XXXVIII. FUTURE HAPPINESS AND MISERY. THERE remaineth a rest to the people of God. Let us labour to enter into that rest. Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be that go in thereat; because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth; yea saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours, and their works do follow them. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.. He that walketh righteously, 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; 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. In my Father's house are many mansions. Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have, entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you. These are they which came out of great tribu lation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him cay and night in his temple: and he that sitteta on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. 'There shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain. God will render to every man according to his deeds; to them who, by patient continuance in well doing, seek for glory, and honour, and immortality, eternal life; but unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath; tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doeth evil. The time is come, that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Our God is a consuming fire. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. The sinners in Zion are afraid, fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings ? What part hath he that believethwith an infidel? The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. The axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. He will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. Their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. The smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever. There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day. And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, Ell of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crents which fell from the rich man's table: awweover, the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was curied by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; and in |