But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
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George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
We trust better things of you That is, though I have admonished you in this manner, I hope the best, especially knowing how charitable many of you have been to your Christian brethren. (Witham)
Faith begins the work of salvation; good works from a principle of charity continue it; perseverance in virtue, and patience under afflictions complete it. To assert the contrary is not to derogate so much from the work of man, as from the grace of God, which is the cause and ground of all that is good in man. "Mark "says St. Augustine, "that he to whom our Lord gave grace, hath our Lord, also his debtor. He found him a giver in the time of mercy: he that him his debtor in the time of judgment. "(In Psalm vi.)
It is certain God, who is not unjust, will reward these good works, if you continue in the same, to the accomplishing of hope even to the end. for the obtaining the happiness you hope for. Be not therefore slothful, and negligent; it is by faith, patience, and perseverance, that you will...
Moreover he did not say, We think, or, we conjecture, or, we expect, or, we hope, but what? Hebrews 6:9 But beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. Which word he also used in writing to the Galatians: But I am persuaded of you in the Lord, that you will be none otherwise minded. Galatians 5:10 For in that instance, inasmuch as they were greatly to be condemned, and he could not praise them from things present, he does it from things future (that you will be none otherwise minded, he says): he said not, you are, but ye will be none otherwise minded. But here he encourages them from things present. We are persuaded better things of you, beloved, and things that accompany to salvation, though we thus speak. And since he was not able to say so much from things present, he confirms his consolation from things past; and says,
