八月二十九日[mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/08/0829.mp3″]
经文: 在一切离俗的日子，凡葡萄树上结的，自核至皮所作的物，都不可吃。（民数记六：4）
拿细耳人所许的愿中有一条就是不准喝酒。这规定说得更清楚是：他们不可能沾未发酵的葡萄汁，甚至不可吃葡萄，无论是新鲜的或晒干的。为了保证所许之愿的诚笃完整，不准许他们吃喝任何与葡萄有关之物，乃是为了避免罪恶。这确实是给那些为主分别出来的人的功课，教导他们要远离任何形式的罪恶。上帝呼召我们要远离的，不仅是各式各样的不顺服，甚至要远离它的精神和与它相似之事物。现今世代中，要严格行事是不受欢迎的，但却是最安全和最快乐的生活方式。向世界让步些许的人是处于可怕的危险之中。吃所多玛所产之葡萄的人，不久就会喝蛾摩拉所产的酒。与世界作任何程度的妥协都是灵魂的陷阱，会让他更有犯僭越之罪的倾向。喝葡萄汁的拿细耳人不能肯定它曾否经过发酵，所以，他不能肯定是否损害他所许的愿。我们必不能与试探嬉戏，反要快速逃避。情愿被人讥评为清教徒，也勿使人蔑视为假冒为善的人。谨慎行事可能包含更多的舍己，但自有乐趣在其中，那是比丰富赐更丰富的。
Evening, August 29
Scripture: “All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk.”(Numbers 6:4)
Nazarites had taken, among other vows, one which debarred them from the use of wine. In order that they might not violate the obligation, they were forbidden to drink the vinegar of wine or strong liquors, and to make the rule still more clear, they were not to touch the unfermented juice of grapes, nor even to eat the fruit either fresh or dried. In order, altogether, to secure the integrity of the vow, they were not even allowed anything that had to do with the vine; they were, in fact, to avoid the appearance of evil. Surely this is a lesson to the Lord’s separated ones, teaching them to come away from sin in every form, to avoid not merely its grosser shapes, but even its spirit and similitude. Strict walking is much despised in these days, but rest assured, dear reader, it is both the safest and the happiest. He who yields a point or two to the world is in fearful peril; he who eats the grapes of Sodom will soon drink the wine of Gomorrah. A little crevice in the sea-bank in Holland lets in the sea, and the gap speedily swells till a province is drowned. Worldly conformity, in any degree, is a snare to the soul, and makes it more and more liable to presumptuous sins. Moreover, as the Nazarite who drank grape juice could not be quite sure whether it might not have endured a degree of fermentation, and consequently could not be clear in heart that his vow was intact, so the yielding, temporizing Christian cannot wear a conscience void of offence, but must feel that the inward monitor is in doubt of him. Things doubtful we need not doubt about; they are wrong to us. Things tempting we must not dally with, but flee from them with speed. Better be sneered at as a Puritan than be despised as a hypocrite. Careful walking may involve much self-denial, but it has pleasures of its own which are more than a sufficient recompense.
