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2.
1
REJOICE, thou barren, that bearest not, break forth and cry thou that travailest not; for she that is desolate hath many more children than she that hath an husband. [*140:4]
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2
In that he said, Rejoice thou barren that bearest not, he spake of us: for our church was barren before that children were given unto it.
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3
And again; when he said, Cry thou that travailest not; he implied thus much: That after the manner of women in travail, we should not cease to put up our prayers unto God [*140:5] abundantly.
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4
And for what follows, because she that is desolate hath more children than she that hath an husband: it was therefore added, because our people which seem to have been forsaken by God, now believing in him, are become more than they who seemed to have God.
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2.
5
And another Scripture saith, [*140:6] I came not to call the righteous but sinners (to repentance). The meaning of which is this: that those who were lost must be saved.
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6
For that is, indeed, truly great and wonderful, not to confirm those things that are yet standing, but those which are falling.
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7
Even so did it seem good to Christ to save what was lost; and when he came into the world, he saved many, and called us who were already lost.
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8
Seeing then he has shewed so great mercy towards us; and chiefly for that, we who are alive, do now no longer sacrifice to dead Gods, nor pay any worship to them, but have by him been brought to the knowledge of the Father of truth.
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9
[*141:1] Whereby shall we shew that we do indeed know him, but by not denying him by whom we have come to the knowledge of him?
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10
For even he himself saith, [*141:2] Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I confess before my Father. This therefore is our reward if we shall confess him by whom we have been saved.
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2.
11
But, wherein must we confess him?--Namely, in doing those things which he saith, and not disobeying his commandments: by worshipping him not with our lips only, but with all our heart, and with all our mind. For he saith in Isaiah: [*141:3] This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
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2.
12
Let us then not only call him Lord; for that will not save us. For he saith: [*141:4] Not every one that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall be saved, but he that doeth righteousness.
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2.
13
Wherefore, brethren, let us confess him by our works; by loving one another; in not committing adultery, not speaking evil against each other, not envying one another; but by being temperate, merciful, good.
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2.
14
Let us also have a mutual sense of one another's sufferings; and not be covetous of money: but let us, by our good works, confess God, and not by those that are otherwise.
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2.
15
Also let us not fear men: but rather God. [*141:5] Wherefore, if we should do such wicked things, the Lord hath said: Though ye should be joined unto me, even in my very bosom, and not keep my commandments, I would cast you off, and say unto you: [*141:6] Depart from me; I know not whence you are, ye workers of iniquity.
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2.
Footnotes ^140:4 Isaiah liv. 1.
^140:5 Aplus. See St. James i. 5. Compare Rom. xii. 8. 2 Cor. viii. 2, ix. 11, 13.
^140:6 Matt. ix. 13.
^141:1 What is the knowledge which is towards him.
^141:2 Matt. x. 32.
^141:3 Isaiah xxix. 13.
^141:4 Matt. vii. 21.
^141:5 Wherefore we doing these things.
^141:6 Matt. xii. 23; Luke xiii. 27.
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