HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST IS A CHRISTIAN PRIVILEGE. WORK OF GRACE.

Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.-Psalm xxxi. 24.

As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God? Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.-Psalm xlii. 10, 11.

Let Israel hope in the Lord for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.—Psalm cxxx. 7, 8.

Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. Jeremiah xvii. 7.

And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us.— Romans v. 5.

Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.I Colossians i. 26. 27.

Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath; that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the vail; whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedec. -Hebrews vi. 17-20.

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, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you.-1 Peter i. 3, 4.

Beloved, now are we the sons of God; and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. - 1 John iii. 3, 4.

HOPE, FALSE, ITS VANITY, DANGER, AND UNSCRIPTURAL FOUNDATION.

So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish: whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider's web. He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure.-Job viii. 13-15.

For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?—Job xxvii. 8.

The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.-Proverbs x. 28.

When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth.—Proverbs xi. 7.

And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.-Matthew vii. 26, 27.

Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.—Matthew xxv. II, 12.

to us.

Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.-Mark x. 19-22.

For I bear them record, that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they, being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.Romans x. 2, 3.

Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.—1 Timothy vi. 17.

HOSPITALITY, HUMAN KINDNESS, AND GENEROSITY
COMMENDED. GOOD EXAMPLES.

And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: let a little water, Í pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree and I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.-Genesis xviii. 3-5.

And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock. And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? why is it that ye have left the man? call him that he may eat bread.Exodus ii. 19, 20.

And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.—Luke xxiv. 28, 29.

So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. -John iv. 40.

And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.—Acts xvi. 15.

And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita. And the barbarous people showed us no little kindness for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.-Acts xxviii. 1, 2.

Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Romans xii. 12, 13.

For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; but a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate.-Titus i. 7, 8.

Let brotherly love continue. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.— Hebrews xiii. 1-3.

HOSPITALITY, SPIRITUAL.

GOSPEL GENEROSITY SHOULD BE.

HIGHLY VALUED.

Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars; she hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table. She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city, Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled.-Proverbs ix. 1-5.

He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love. Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples: for I am sick of love. His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me.-Song of Solomon ii. 4-6.

Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.-Isaiah lv. 1, 2.

Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many and sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the Lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.-Luke xiv. 16, 17, 22, 23.

But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: and bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it: and let us eat, and be merry: for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.- Luke xv. 22-24.

In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.— John vii. 37.

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.—Revelation iii. 20.

HOUSE, OR HOME OF CHRISTIANS, IS A PLACE TO PROMOTE RELIGION BY BIBLE MEANS, PRIVATELY.

Six days shall work be done : but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein : it is the sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings.-Leviticus xxiii. 3.

And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.-Deuteronomy vi. 6, 7.

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.—Joshua xxiv. 15.

Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me. -Psalm ci. 6.

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But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.— Matthew vi. 6.

Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but said unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.-Mark v. 19.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.—Ephesians vi. 1-6.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom: teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.-Colossians iii. 16.