Oaths to confirm - Temperance a Christian Duty.

Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask. 8 And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger. 9 And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath's sake, and them that sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her.

Ac. 23: 12 When it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.

720. Oaths of confirmation — examples.

Dt. 10: 20 Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his

name.

Neh. 5: 12 Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise.

Ps. 15: 1 LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? 4 He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.

Ec. 8:2 I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment, and that in regard to the oath of God.

Mat. 26: 63 The high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ the Son of God. 64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said.

2 Cor. 1: 23 I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth.

Heb. 6: 16 Men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. 17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath.

TEMPERANCE.

721. Temperance required — its importance.

1 Cor. 9: 25 Every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptiible crown; but we an incorruptible.

Gal. 5: 22 The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts.

Temptation common- Not of God-To be resisted-Promises of aid.

Tit. 1: 8 A lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate.

2 Pet. 1: 5 Giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue ; and to virtue, knowledge; 6 And to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness. [See 199, 368.]

TEMPTATION.

722. Temptation, in the sense of trial, common to man.

Gen. 22: 1 It came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. 2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt-offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

Gal. 4: 14 My temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

Heb. 4: 15 We have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities: but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Jam. 1: 2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

723. Temptation, or solicitation to sin, not of God.

Jam. 1: 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. [See 269.]

724. Duty to pray and watch against tempters and temptations.

Pr. 1: 10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. [11-16.]

Mat. 6: 13 Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.-26: 41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak, [See 18, 738 .]

725 Believers shall be helped out of all their temptations — promises.

Ps. 71: 20 Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.-138: 7 Though I walk in the

Short Souhld be improved without Procrastination.

midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.

1 Cor. 10: 13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: But God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Heb. 2: 18 In that he himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted.

2 Pet. 2: 9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.

Rev. 3: 10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. [See 3-6.]

TIME.

726. Time short.

Ps. 89: 47 Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?

1 Cor. 7: 29 This I say, brethren, The time is short. It remaineth, that both they that have wives, be as though they had pone; 30 And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; 31 And they that use this world, as not abusing it. For the fashion of this world passeth away. [See 148.]

727. Time should be improved; or procrastination forbidden.

Job 22: 21 Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.

Ps. 95: 7 He is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To-day if ye will hear his voice, 8 Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: 9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work.

Pr. 27: 1 Boast not thyself of to-morrow: for thou knowest not what a dạy may bring forth.

Ec. 9:10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might, for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

2 Cor. 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time ac

Sins of the Tongue.

cepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

Heb. 2: 1 We ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. [See 156, 553-6, 710.]

TONGUE.

728. The tongue often very injurious and mischievous.

Ps. 52: 2 Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. 4 Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue.-55: 21 The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords:-57: 4 My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.

Pr. 11: 9 A hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbor: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered. 12: 18 There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.-15: 4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.-16: 27 An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire. 28 A froward man soweth strife; and a whisperer separateth chief friends.—17:9 He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter, separateth very friends.—18: 7 A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul. 8 The words of a tale-bearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly. 21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.-25: 18 A man that beareth false witness against his 26: 20 neighbor is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow. Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no tale-bearer, the strife ceaseth.

Jer. 9: 8 Their tongue is as an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth, but in heart he layeth his wait.

Jam. 3: 5 The tongue is a little member, and boasteth great 6 things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. 7

Sins of the Tongue.

For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed, of mankind: 8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. [Pr. 11: 11.] [See 198, 416, 702.]

729. Censoriousness, railing, tale-bearing, whispering, backbiting, slander, and other sins of the tongue forbidden — Threats.

Lev. 19: 16 Thou shalt not go up and down as a tale-bearer among thy people; neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbor; I am the Lord.

Ps. 101: 5 Whoso privily slandereth his neighbor, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.

Pr. 4: 24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.-10: 8 The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall.-24: 28 Be not a witness against thy neighbor without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.

Rom. 14: 10 Why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ.

1 Cor. 5: 11 Now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner: with such a one no not to eat.

Ep. 4: 29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. 31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil-speaking, be put away from you, with all malice. 5: 3 Fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

Col. 3: 8 Now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

2 Tim. 2: 16 Shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

Tit. 3: 1 Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, 2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.

Jam. 4: 11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren.

1 Pet. 2:1 Wherefore, laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil-speakings, 2 As new