Scorn and contempt reprobated.

2 Cor. 8: 23 Whether any do inquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellow-helper concerning you: or our brethren be inquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ.

Ep. 5: 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Col. 1: 21 You, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled, 22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy, and unblamable, and unreprovable, in his sight.

Heb. 12:23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect.

Rev. 1: 6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father. 14: 3 They sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.-21: 9 Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. [See 94, 340, 504, 584-5.]

SCORN AND CONTEMPT.

673. Unhallowed scorn and contempt reprobated.

Pr. 3: 34 Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly. - 9: 12 If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it. 12: 5 For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.-14: 21 He that despiseth his neighbor sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he. 15: 20 A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother. 19: 29 Judgments are prepared for scorners. -22: 10 Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease. 29: 8 Scornful men bring a city into a snare: but wise men turn away wrath.

Mat. 18: 10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones: for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.

Required, exemplified, and encouraged.

SELF-DENIAL.

674. Self-denial required, exemplified and encouraged.

Gen. 22: 10 Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. 12 Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from me.

Mat. 10: 37 He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me. 38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake, shall find it. 16: 24 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. 25 For whosoever will save his life, shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake, shall find it. 26 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? [Mk. 8: 34-37.]

-19: 29 Every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundred-fold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

Mk. 10: 28 Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. 29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, 30 But he shall receive an hundred-fold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come, eternal life. [Lk. 18: 28-30.]

Lk. 14: 26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. 33 Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.-18: 28 Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee. [See 356.]

477

Sensuality forbidden and reproved - Patriarchal servants.

SENSUALITY.

675. Improper sensual indulgences forbidden and reproved.

Am. 6: 3 Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near; 4 That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall; 5 That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of music, like David; 6 That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph. 7 Therefore, now shall they go captive with the first that go captive, and the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed.

Rom. 6: 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.-13: 13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day: not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

2 Cor. 7: 1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Tit. 2: 11 The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us, that denying ungodliness, and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.

1 Pet. 2: 11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you, as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul. [See 366, 698.]

SERVANTS AND SERVITUDE.

676. Were the civil rights and religious privileges of the patriarchal servants so secured, as to gain their confidence?

Gen. 14: 14 When Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.17: 12 He that is eight days old shall be circumcised among. you, every man-child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger which is not of thy seed. 24: 2 Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: 3 And I will make thee swear by the

Mosaic laws, etc.

LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I dwell: 4 But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac. 10 And the servant took ten camels, of the camels of his master, and departed; (for all the goods of his master were in his hand,) and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.

Job 31: 13 If I did despise the cause of my man-servant or of my maid-servant, when they contended with me; 14 What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?

677. Hebrew laws and usages on procuring, holding, and releasing servants. 1. Voluntary servants, and service for life, or for a term, and laws of release.

Ex. 21: 5 If the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: 6 Then his master shall bring him unto the judges: he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door-post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for ever.

Lev. 25: 47 If a sojourner or a stranger wax rich by thee, and thy brother that dwelleth by him wax poor, and sell himself unto the stranger or sojourner by thee, or to the stock of the stranger's family: 48 After that he is sold he may be redeemed again; one of his brethren may redeem him: 49 Either his uncle, or his uncle's son may redeem him, or any that is nigh of kin unto him of his family may redeem him; or if he be able, he may redeem himself. 50 And he shall reckon with him that bought him, from the year that he was sold to him, unto the year of jubilee : and the price of his sale shall be according unto the number of years, according to the time of an hired snrvant shall it be with him. 51 If there be yet many years behind, according unto them he shall give again the price of his redemption out of the money that he was bought for. 52 And if there remain but few years unto the year of jubilee, then he shall count with him, and according unto his years shall he give him again the price of his redemption. 53 And as a yearly hired servant shall he be with him: and the other shall not rule with rigor over him in thy sight. 54 And if he be not redeemed in these years, then he shall go out in the year of jubilee, both he, and his children with him.

Dt. 15: 16 It shall be, if he say unto thee, I will not go away from thee; because he loveth thee and thine house, because he is well with thee; 17 Then thou shalt take an awl and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be

thy servant for ever. shalt do likewise.

etc.

Persons sold for debt, etc.

And also unto thy maid-servant thou

2. Hebrews and their children, sometimes sold for debt-laws of release, of reward,

Ex. 21: 2 If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. 3 If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him. 4 If his master have given him a wife, and she have borne him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself.

Lev. 25: 39 If thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bond-servant: 40 But as an hired servant, and as a sojourner he shall be with thee, and shall serve thee unto the year of jubilee: 41 And then shall he depart from thee, both he and his children with him, and shall return unto his own family, and unto the possession of his fathers shall he return. 42 For they are my servants which I brought forth out of the land of Egypt; they shall not be sold as bond-men. 43 Thou shalt not rule over him with rigor, but shalt fear thy God.

13 And

Dt. 15: 12 If thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee. when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty: 14 Thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy wine-press: of that wherewith the LORD thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him. 15 And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bond-man in the land of Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing to-day. 18 It shall not seem hard unto thee, when thou sendest him away free from thee: for he hath been worth a double hired servant to thee, in serving thee six years: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all that thou doest.

2 K. 4: 1 There cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bond-men.

Neh. 5: 2 There were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live. 5 Our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and lo, we bring into