Let us
cleave then to His blessing, and consider what are the means of possessing it.
Let us think over the things which have taken place from the beginning. For
what reason was our father Abraham blessed? Was it not because he wrought righteousness
and truth through faith? Isaac, with perfect confidence, as if knowing what was
to happen, cheerfully yielded himself as a sacrifice. Jacob, through reason of
his brother, went forth with humility from his own land, and came to Laban and
served him; and there was given to him the scepter of the twelve tribes of
Israel. …
All
these, therefore, were highly honored, and made great, not for their own sake,
or for their own works, or for the righteousness which they wrought, but
through the operation of His will. And we, too, being called by His will in
Christ Jesus, are not justified by ourselves, nor by our own wisdom, or
understanding, or godliness, or works which we have wrought in holiness of
heart; but by that faith through which, from the beginning, Almighty God has
justified all men; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
What
shall we do, then, brethren? Shall we become slothful in well-doing, and cease
from the practice of love? God forbid that any such course should be followed
by us! But rather let us hasten with all energy and readiness of mind to
perform every good work. For the Creator and Lord of all Himself rejoices in
His works. … We see, then, how all righteous men have been adorned with good
works, and how the Lord Himself, adorning Himself with His works, rejoiced.
Having therefore such an example, let us without delay consent to His will, and
let us work the work of righteousness with our whole strength.
The good
servant receives the bread of his labor with confidence; the lazy and slothful
cannot look his employer in the face. It is requisite, therefore, that we be
prompt in the practice of well-doing; for of Him are all things. And thus He
forewarns us: “Behold, the Lord [comes], and His reward is before His face, to
render to every man according to his work.” He exhorts us, therefore, with our
whole heart to attend to this, that we not be lazy or slothful in any good
work. Let our boasting and our confidence be in Him. Let us submit ourselves to
His will.
Let us
consider the whole multitude of His angels, how they stand ever ready to
minister to His will. For the Scripture says, “Ten thousand times ten thousand
stood around Him, and thousands of thousands ministered unto Him, and cried,
Holy, holy, holy, [is] the Lord of Sabaoth; the whole creation is full of His
glory.” And let us therefore, conscientiously gathering together in harmony,
cry to Him earnestly, as with one mouth, that we may be made partakers of His
great and glorious promises. For [the Scripture] says, “Eye has not seen, nor
ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which He has
prepared for them that wait for Him.”
How blessed
and wonderful, beloved, are the gifts of God! Life in immortality, splendor in
righteousness, truth in perfect confidence, faith in assurance, self-control in
holiness! And all these fall under the cognizance of our understandings [now];
what then shall those things be which are prepared for such as wait for Him?
The Creator and Father of all worlds, the Most Holy, alone knows their amount
and their beauty.
Let us
therefore earnestly strive to be found in the number of those that wait for
Him, in order that we may share in His promised gifts. But how, beloved, shall
this be done? If our understanding is fixed by faith towards God; if we
earnestly seek the things which are pleasing and acceptable to Him; if we do
the things which are in harmony with His blameless will; and if we follow the
way of truth, casting away from us all unrighteousness and iniquity, along with
all covetousness, strife, evil practices, deceit, whispering, and
evil-speaking, all hatred of God, pride and haughtiness, vainglory and
ambition.
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