DRUNKENNESS.

ITS SINFULNESS AND DISGRACE INDICATED. IT LEADS NOT TO HEAVEN, BUT TO HELL.

And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst: the Lord will not spare him, but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven.-Deuteronomy xxix. 19, 20.

Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household: for he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him. And Abigail came to Nabal: and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light. But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became as a stone. And it came to pass about ten days after, that the Lord smote Nabal, and he died.—1 Samuel xxv. 17, 36-38.

Be not among wine-bibbers; among riotous eaters of the flesh : for the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty; and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.-Proverbs xxiii. 20, 21.

Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them! and the harp and the viol, the tabret and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts but they regard not the work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of his hands.—Isaiah v. 11, 12.

Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.-Isaiah lvi. 12.

Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!-Habakkuk ii. 15.

Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.Galatians v. 21.

DRUNKENNESS.

BIBLE REMEDY IS TRUST IN CHRIST.

DEDICATION TO GOD. SELF-DENIAL, TEMPERANCE.

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?—Matthew xvi. 24-26.

Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.-Romans vi. 13.

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. 1 Corinthians vi. 9-12.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts.-Galatians v. 22-24.

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.-Ephesians v. 18, 19.

Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep, sleep in the night; and they that be drunken, are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for an helmet the hope of salvation.--1 Thessalonians v. 6-8.

For bodily exercise profiteth little; but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.-1 Timothy iv. 8.

DUTIES TO GOD DEMAND OUR FIRST ATTENTION. HE IS THE LORD OUR GOD.

Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.-Deuteronomy vi. 4, 5

Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.-Psalm c. 2-5.

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.— Ecclesiastes xii. 13.

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?-Micah vi. 8.

Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.-Matthew xxii. 36-38.

That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.-John v. 23.

Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.-Acts v. 29-32.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.-Romans xii. I.

Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God.-1 Corinthians x. 31.

Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.—Revelation xv. 4.

DUTIES TO SELF, REQUIRE SPECIAL ATTENTION TO ALL PERSONAL AFFAIRS.

And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain: escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. -Genesis xix. 17.

And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldst bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldst keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested. -1 Chronicles iv. 10.

Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds. Proverbs xxvii. 23.

And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.-Matthew vii. 3-5.

For

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?— Matthew xvi. 24, 26.

But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.-Luke x. 42.

And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.-Luke xviii. 13.

Peter, seeing him, saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me.-John xxi. 21, 22.

For it is written, as I live saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.-Romans xiv. 11, 12.

For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.— Galatians vi. 3, 4.

But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.— I Timothy v. 8.

DUTIES TO OUR NEIGHBOURS, OR FELLOW-MEN IN GENERAL. CHRISTIAN CHARACTER.

Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord. -Leviticus xix. 17, 18.

A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.-Proverbs xviii. 24.

Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity: for better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.-Proverbs xxvii. 10.

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.— Matthew v. 43, 44.

Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.— Matthew vii. 12.

Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.— Luke x. 36, 37.

Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. - Romans xii. 15.

Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.-Rom. xiii. 8, 9.

As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.-Gal. vi. 10.

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Philippians ii. 3, 4.

Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.-1 Peter ii. 17, 18.