Heirs of Grace

1Admonish them to be subject to princes and to magistrates, to obey their orders, and to exert their virtue and loyalty upon all occasions. 2to speak evil of no man, to avoid contention, to be moderate and entirely inoffensive to all men.

3for even we ourselves were once inconsiderate, disobedient, deluded, addicted to variety of passions and pleasures, living in malice and envy, the deserving objects of mutual hatred. 4but when the kindness and love of God our saviour display'd itself to mankind, 5he saved us not in consideration of any virtuous actions which we had done, but out of his meer mercy, by the baptism of regeneration, he form'd us anew, by the plentiful effusion of the holy spirit, 6thro' Jesus Christ our saviour: 7that being justified by his favour, we should have the inheritance of eternal life, according to our hopes. 8This is a secure rule, and what I would have you constantly maintain, that they who have believed in God, should take care to be examples of virtue, for that is commendable and useful to mankind.

Avoid Divisions
(Romans 16:17–20)

9but avoid frivolous enquiries about genealogies, and vexatious disputes about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. 10A man that is an heretick, after the first and second admonition, avoid: 11it being plain that such a person is perverted, and knows in his own conscience that his tenets are false.

Final Remarks and Greetings

12When I shall send you Artemas, or Tychicus, endeavour to meet me at Nicopolis: for I have determined to winter there. 13dispatch Zenas the lawyer, and Apollos, and take care that nothing be wanting to their journey. 14Let our brethren too learn some honest profession to supply their occasions, that they may not be destitute of an income.

15All that are with me salute you, salute our christian friends, grace be with you all. AMEN.