Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/online/mhcc24/v25000

Text File | 1994-03-01 | 7KB | 114 lines

25003
 #1-3 God's restraints of the appetite only say, Do thyself no
 harm. #4,5|. Be not of those that will be rich. The things of
 this world are not happiness and a portion for a soul; those
 that hold them ever so fast, cannot hold them always, cannot
 hold them long. #6-8|. Do not make thyself burdensome to any,
 especially those not sincere. When we are called by God to his
 feast, and to let our souls delight themselves, #Isa 25:6;
 55:2|, we may safely partake of the Bread of life. #9|. It is
 our duty to take all fit occasions to speak of Divine things;
 but if what a wise man says will not be heard, let him hold his
 peace. #10,11|. The fatherless are taken under God's special
 protection. He is their Redeemer, who will take their part; and
 he is mighty, almighty.

25014
 #12-16 Here is a parent instructing his child to give his mind
 to the Scriptures. Here is a parent correcting his child:
 accompanied with prayer, and blessed of God, it may prove a
 means of preventing his destruction. Here is a parent
 encouraging his child, telling him what would be for his good.
 And what a comfort it would be, if herein he answered his
 expectation! #17,18|. The believer's expectation shall not be
 disappointed; the end of his trials, and of the sinner's
 prosperity, is at hand.

25021
 #19-28 The gracious Saviour who purchased pardon and peace for
 his people, with all the affection of a tender parent, counsels
 us to hear and be wise, and is ready to guide our hearts in his
 way. Here we have an earnest call to young people, to attend to
 the advice of their godly parents. If the heart be guided, the
 steps will be guided. Buy the truth, and sell it not; be willing
 to part with any thing for it. Do not part with it for
 pleasures, honours, riches, or any thing in this world. The
 heart is what the great God requires. We must not think to
 divide the heart between God and the world; he will have all or
 none. Look to the rule of God's word, the conduct of his
 providence, and the good examples of his people. Particular
 cautions are given against sins most destructive to wisdom and
 grace in the soul. It is really a shame to make a god of the
 belly. Drunkenness stupefies men, and then all goes to ruin.
 Licentiousness takes away the heart that should be given to God.
 Take heed of any approaches toward this sin, it is very hard to
 retreat from it. It bewitches men to their ruin.

25031
 #29-35 Solomon warns against drunkenness. Those that would be
 kept from sin, must keep from all the beginnings of it, and fear
 coming within reach of its allurements. Foresee the punishment,
 what it will at last end in, if repentance prevent not. It makes
 men quarrel. Drunkards wilfully make woe and sorrow for
 themselves. It makes men impure and insolent. The tongue grows
 unruly; the heart utters things contrary to reason, religion,
 and common civility. It stupefies and besots men. They are in
 danger of death, of damnation; as much exposed as if they slept
 upon the top of a mast, yet feel secure. They fear no peril when
 the terrors of the Lord are before them; they feel no pain when
 the judgments of God are actually upon them. So lost is a
 drunkard to virtue and honour, so wretchedly is his conscience
 seared, that he is not ashamed to say, I will seek it again.
 With good reason we were bid to stop before the beginning. Who
 that has common sense would contract a habit, or sell himself to
 a sin, which tends to such guilt and misery, and exposes a man
 every day to the danger of dying insensible, and awaking in
 hell? Wisdom seems in these chapters to take up the discourse as
 at the beginning of the book. They must be considered as the
 words of Christ to the sinner.
25038
 #1,2 Envy not sinners. And let not a desire ever come into thy
 mind, Oh that I could shake off restraints! #3-6|. Piety and
 prudence in outward affairs, both go together to complete a wise
 man. By knowledge the soul is filled with the graces and
 comforts of the spirit, those precious and pleasant riches. The
 spirit is strengthened for the spiritual work and the spiritual
 warfare, by true wisdom. #7-9|. A weak man thinks wisdom is too
 high for him, therefore he will take no pains for it. It is bad
 to do evil, but worse to devise it. Even the first risings of
 sin in the heart are sin, and must be repented of. Those that
 strive to make others hateful, make themselves so. #10|. Under
 troubles we are apt to despair of relief. But be of good
 courage, and God shall strengthen thy heart. #11,12|. If a man
 know that his neighbour is in danger by any unjust proceeding,
 he is bound to do all in his power to deliver him. And what is
 it to suffer immortal souls to perish, when our persuasions and
 example may be the means of preventing it? #13,14|. We are
 quickened to the study of wisdom by considering both the
 pleasure and the profit of it. All men relish things that are
 sweet to the palate; but many have no relish for the things that
 are sweet to the purified soul, and that make us wise unto
 salvation. #15,16|. The sincere soul falls as a traveller may
 do, by stumbling at some stone in his path; but gets up, and
 goes on his way with more care and speed. This is rather to be
 understood of falls into affliction, than falls into actual sin.
 #17,18|. The pleasure we are apt to take in the troubles of an
 enemy is forbidden. #19,20|. Envy not the wicked their
 prosperity; be sure there is no true happiness in it. #21,22|.
 The godly in the land, will be quiet in the land. There may be
 cause to change for the better, but have nothing to do with them
 that are given change. #23-26|. The wisdom God giveth, renders a
 man fit for his station. Every one who finds the benefit of the
 right answer, will be attached to him that gave it. #27|. We
 must prefer necessaries before conveniences, and not go in debt.
 #28,29|. There are three defaults in a witness pointed out.
 #30-34|. See what a blessing the husbandman's calling is, and
 what a wilderness this earth would be without it. See what great
 difference there is in the management even of worldly affairs.
 Sloth and self-indulgence are the bane of all good. When we see
 fields overgrown with thorns and thistles, and the fences broken
 down, we see an emblem of the far more deplorable state of many
 souls. Every vile affection grows in men's hearts; yet they
 compose themselves to sleep. Let us show wisdom by doubling our
 diligence in every good thing.