Wesley Corpus

8.) Yea, when God sent unto them, saying, “Take heed unto yourselves, and bear no burden on the Sabbath-day, neither do ye any work, but hallow ye the Sabbath-day, as I commanded your fathers:-- Yet they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive instruction.” (Jer xvii. 21-23.) Neither did they honour their parents, or those whom God, from time to time, appointed to be rulers over them: “In thee” (in Jerusalem, saith the Prophet) “they have set light by father and mother.” (Ezekiel xxii. 7.) And from the very day when God brought them up out of the land of Egypt, their mur murings, chiding, rebellion, and disobedience, against those whom he had chosen to go before them, make the most considerable part of their history. So that had not Moses “stood in the gap,” he had even then destroyed them from the face of the earth. 7. How much more did they afterwards provoke God, by drunkenness, sloth, and luxury ! “They have erred through wine,” saith the Prophet Isaiah, “ and through strong drink they are out of the way: ” (xxviii. 7 :) Which occasioned those vehement and repeated warnings against that reigning sin: “Woe to the drunkards of Ephraim, them that are overcome with wine!” (Verse 1.) “The drunkards of Ephraim shall be trodden under foot.” (Verse 3.) “Woe unto them that rise up early that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them !--But they regard not the work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of his hands.” (v. 11, 12.) “Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink l’’ (Verse 22.) “Woe to them that are at ease in Zion; 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; that chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of music; that drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: But they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.” (Amos vi.