4. The Scriptures present several examples of persons interdicted from the use of any kind of intoxicating liquor, intended by the Almighty, to be specially devoted to his service, or to perform some important end.

Samuel abstained from intoxicating liquors, from his birth. His mother made a vow, that if the Lord "would give her a man-child, a razor should not come upon his head;" in other words, that he should be a Nazarite, or entirely devoted to the service of God. Samuel was eminently a "man of God," and highly favoured with the divine approbation and protection. Samson the strongest man ever known, by command of the Almighty, was a Nazarite from the womb. The mother of Sampson during the period of her pregnancy, was also commanded to abstain from the use of any kind of intoxicating liquor, and every unclean thing. Samson through divine influence, was appointed to effect the deliverance of Israel from the hands of the Philistines. John the Baptist was also a Nazarite from his birth. The angel of the Lord, who appeared to his mother, predicted that he should be great in the sight of the Lord, and should drink neither wine nor strong drink; and should be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.' These examples exhibit very forcibly, the light in which all kinds of intoxicating liquor were viewed by divine wisdom. Men of superior holiness and piety, were commanded entirely to abstain from them. The inference is obvious—the use of inebriating stimulants was equally dangerous to health and to piety.

2D. VOLUNTARY ABSTINENCE FROM THE USE OF INTOXICATING LIQUORS.-The Jews frequently observed voluntary fasts. At these times, they abstained altogether from the use of wine, and all other incitements to fleshly lusts. Several examples of this practice, are recorded in the Scriptures. The heathen philosophers probably derived their notions of abstinence, from these as well as other similar practices of the Hebrews.

The most interesting, and extraordinary instance on record, of voluntary abstinence from intoxicating liquor, is that related of the Rechabites, in the book of Jeremiah. The cause and circumstances attending this remarkable event, are highly important.

In the time of Isaiah, the people of Israel had become

• Luke i. 15.

ensnared by luxurious practices. At this period, there was an intimate connexion between idolatry and sensual indulgence. In Hosea, the Israelites were said to "look to other gods," and to "love flagons of wine."* Also, in Isaiah, "They have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the people have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine." About a year after this declaration had been made, it is related, that "Ahab made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem, and in every city of Judah, he made high places to burn incense unto other gods." Jonadab, a man of great penetration and piety, perceived that strong drink had been the cause of this apostacy from the true religion. He determined therefore, to provide against the introduction of idolatry among his own family, by persuading them, among other things, to abstain altogether from the use of wine. His persuasions were attended with success. His sons, and their descendants, consented to perform his request.§ About three hundred years afterward, the Lord directed Jeremiah to try their fidelity, by offering them wine to drink. They said, however, we will drink no wine; for Jonadab, the son of Rechab, our father commanded us, saying, ye shall drink no wine, neither ye, nor your sons, for ever. The Lord approved of their fidelity, and declared, that because they had obeyed the commandment of their father, and kept all his precepts, they should not want a man to stand before him for ever. Although the commendation of the Almighty was bestowed upon them for their fidelity to their engagement as such, yet, divine wisdom, evidently approved also of their selfdenial, and the cause for which it was exercised. Hence, is found acknowledged therein, the important principle of self-denial, as the principal means of preventing injurious contamination in times of danger and temptation.||

Hosea iii. 4.

† Isaiah xxviii. 7.

‡ Diodorus Siculus (lib. 19, cap. 94,) relates the following concerning the Nabathæans, a people who resided in Arabia. "Their laws prohibit the sowing of corn, or anything else that bears fruit, the planting of trees or vines, the drinking of wine, and the building of houses; and the transgression of them is punished capitally, (i. e. by death;) and the reason is, their thinking, that those who are possessed of such property, can be easily forced to submit to the authority of their more powerful brethren."

§ Jeremiah xxxv. 2, 19.

Recent events show the extraordinary fulfilment, to the present time at least, of this remarkable prophecy. The Rev. Joseph Woolfe, a missionary of great celebrity, in the course of his travels, had the good fortune to meet with evidence of the existence and prosperity of the Rechabites, even in the present day. "On my arrival at Mesopotamia," writes that missionary,

The fidelity and self-denying conduct of these interesting men, at the present period in particular, forms a humiliating subject for Christian reflection. Perhaps in no age of the world, has there ever been witnessed effects so generally injurious resulting from the use of strong drink, either in regard to the spiritual or temporal concerns of mankind, as have disgraced the British dominions and America, for the last half century; at least down to the auspicious period, at which the salutary operation of "Temperance Societies," began to check the growing evil.*

"some Jews that I saw there, pointed me to one of the ancient Rechabites. He stood before me wild, like an Arab, holding the bridle of his horse in his hand. I showed him the Bible in Hebrew and Arabic, which he was much rejoiced to see, as he could read both languages, but had no knowledge of the New Testament. After having proclaimed to him the tidings of salvation, and made him a present of the Hebrew and Arabic Bibles and Testaments, I asked him, "whose descendant are you?" Mousa," " said he, boisterously, "is my name, and I will show you who are my ancestors" on which he immediately began to read from the 5th to the 11th verses of Jeremiah XXXV. Where do you reside? said I, turning to Genesis, x. 27, he replied, at Hadoram, now called Simar by the Arabs; at Usal, now called Sanan, by the Arabs; and again, referring to the same Chapter, v. 30th, he continued, "at Mesha, now called Mecca, in the deserts around those places, We drink no wine, and plant no vineyard, and sow no seed; and live in tents, as Jonadab, our father, commanded us: Hobab was our father too. Come to us, and you will find us 60,000 in number, and you see thus the prophecy has been fulfilled." (C Therefore, thus saith the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, Jonadab, the son of Rechab, shall not want a man to stand before me for ever;" and saying this, Mousa, the Rechabite, mounted his horse and fled away, and left behind a host of evidence in favour of sacred writ." The same respectable missionary describes the Rechabites, as fine healthy looking men, of great simplicity, of kind manners, and very intelligent. * See Appendix D.

CHAPTER XIX.

THE TEMPERANCE OF THE PRIMITIVE CHRISTIANS.

"Look not every man on his own things, but also on the things of others." PHILIPPIANS ii. 4.

"It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor anything whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak."-ROMANS XIV. 2 7. 21.

A KNOWLEDGE of the habits of the Jews and the various heathen nations that became converts to the Christian faith, is necessary, to give a correct interpretation of the principles and practices inculcated under the higher and more. enlightened dispensation of the New Testament. The Jews, at the period of the Saviour's appearance, were a people of temperate habits. The Scriptures do not record a single instance of the Saviour's coming in contact with an intemperate individual, nor do any of his remarks lead us to suppose that the vice of intemperance existed in such a manner as to call for special attention and reprobation. The Jews, indeed, prided themselves in their moral and irreproachable conduct, and were, in fact, distinguished in this respect from the heathens, who, in all their writings, concerning the Jews and the primitive Christians, never, in any form, accuse them of habitual luxury and intemperance. The heathens, on the contrary, commonly indulged in habits of drunkenness and debauchery; and the writings of the Apostles, in reference to the Gentile converts, abound in allusions to their former dissolute and depraved state.

The Saviour, whose labours were entirely devoted to the Jews, had seldom occasion to refer to the subject of temperance. His remarks, therefore, bearing at all on the point, will be found to be general and cautionary. In his memorable and impressive sermon on the mount, he adverts, in forcible language, to the folly of allowing earthly objects and pleasures to interfere with the important concerns of the soul. "Take no thought what ye shall eat and what

ye shall drink, (for after all these things the Gentiles seek ;) but seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness." In other words, do not allow your affections to be engrossed with sensual delights, which are opposed to the more sublime and spiritual enjoyments of religion; and ought to be guarded against as ensnaring and dangerous objects. Soon after this period, the Saviour utters to his disciples a solemn warning against sensual indulgence. "And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and cares of this life; and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth." After this warning and admonition, he goes on to say, "Watch ye, therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man."* These impressive appeals deserve more serious consideration, on account of the period at which they were uttered, and the habits of the people to whom they were addressed. The Saviour made allusion to the dissolute conduct of the Gentile nations; and from the nature of the observation it may be inferred, that the Jews were generally opposed to them in their principles and practices, including, of course, the temperance of their lives.

The apostle Paul, whose labours were principally directed to the conversion of the heathens, with impressive earnestness, enlarges on the subject of sensual indulgence. In his epistle to the Romans, he lays down certain great principles to regulate the conduct of all sincere Christians. Thus he declares, that "they that are after the flesh, mind the things of the flesh. The carnal mind is enmity against God, and is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." The apostle immediately afterward declares, that "they that are in the flesh cannot please God." After the declaration of these general principles, he proceeds to admonish the Romans, (whose former dissolute practices rendered them peculiarly subject to temptations,) on the necessity of preparation for death. "The night is far spent, and the day is at hand; let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light." These evil ways he afterward enumerates:-"let us walk honestly, as in the day, not in rioting and drunkenness, not in cham

*Luke xxi. 34 36.

† Romans viii. 5, 7, 8.