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hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me".

Examples.

"Some remarkable events, recorded in scripture, tend to illustrate this subject; by showing the dreadful, consequences of anger and wrath, and affording bright examples of meekness and patience."

"Of the first we have a very terrible instance, in the slaughter of the Shechemites by the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, which is recorded Gen. xxxiv. 1, &c. Their pious father could never forget their barbarity. When about to die, he says," Simeon and Levi are brethren, instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united; for in their anger they slew a man, and in their self-will they digged down a wall. Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel ".

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Moses the servant of God is honourably distinguished by this testimony:" Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth. "Yet the people of Israel' provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips. "The first instance that we find of his wrath, was on his seeing the Israelites worshipping the golden calf. The cause of his indignation was just; but the manner in which he expressed it was evidently wrong:" Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake. them beneath the mount'. "The next instance of his anger was yet more displeasing to God. When the people murmured for want of water, Moses took the rod, by the divine direction, and said, in too great heat of temper," Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? And Moses lift up his hand, and

Psal. cxxxviii. 7. k Psal. cvi. 33.

Gen. xlix. 5-7. 1 Exod. xxxii. 19.

i Num. xii. 3.

with his rod he smote the rock twice. And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them".

"The anger of David, kindled by the churlish disposition of Nabal, had almost suddenly impelled him to perpetrate a most horrid crime, in massacring all the males of the house of Nabal. The prudence of Abigail prevented the shedding of innocent blood, 1 Sam. xxv. 4-31. On which occasion," he said to Abigail, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, and blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, who hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand".

"There is somewhat terrible in the wrath of the people of Israel against the tribe of Judah:" Ye have slain them (said Oded to the Israelites) in a rage that reacheth up unto heaveno.

"One must feel the utmost horror in reflecting on that degree of cruel wrath which filled the soul of the proud Haman, because" Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence. Then was Haman full of wrath, and he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus".

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"The most criminal wrath sometimes covers itself with an appearance of religious zeal. Thus it was, that the indignant wrath of the chief priests, scribes, and Pharisees, against the Son of God, was disguised. Yea the very disciples of our Lord were ready to deceive themselves in this manner, as we read in the ninth chapter of Luke's Gospel."

D Num. xx. 10-12.
Esther, iii. 5, 6.

A1 Sam. xxv. 32, 33. • 2 Chron. xxviii. 9.

"Moses has been mentioned as a pattern of meekness, but subject to failings. It is in the person of the Son of God that this excellency appears with divine lustre. When he was led to his crucifixion," there followed him a great multitude of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus turning to them, said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children: for behold the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck. And when they were come to the place which is called Calvary, there they crucified him. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do'.

"The Apostle Jude gives us some idea of the meekness and gentleness of heavenly spirits, when he tells us, that' Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil, he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation; but said, The Lord rebuke thee'.

CHAP. III.

OF CHERISHING SPIRITUAL AFFECTIONS, IN OPPOSITION TO COVETOUSNESS, AND THE LOVE OF THE WORLD.

SECT. 1. Covetousness is an evil and hurtful disposition-2. All that the world can bestow is uncertain and unsatisfying.-3. Death will soon separate us from all the enjoyments of this mortal state.-4. A vehement attachment to the enjoyments of this life, stands in direct opposition to a right concern for our greatest interest.-5. Covetousness often issues in disappointment and sorrow.-6. Judgments are denounced against the covetous.-7. The society of

Luke, xxiii. 27, 28, 29. 'Luke, xxiii, 33, 34. * Jude, 9.

covetous men is to be shunned.-8. Dissuasives from covetousness, with exhortations and motives to seek for substantial and lasting good.-9. The example of our Lord Jesus.-10. The example of the Apostle Paul.-11. Though covetousness is sinful, yet a moderate concern about our temporal affairs is necessary, and is expressly enjoined.-12. The sentiments and prayers of the Saints relative to this subject. Illustration by examples.

SECT. 1.

Covetousness is an evil and hurtful disposition.

THOU shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's. Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied". He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance, with increase. When goods increase, they are increased that eat them; and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes? The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit". Labour not to be rich; cease from thine own wisdom *. He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house. They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition: for the love of money is the root of all evil; which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows".

SECT. 2. All that this world can bestow is uncertain and unsatisfying.

Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher, vanity of vanities, all is vanity. What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? The eye is not

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satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. I the preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions, above all that were in Jerusalem before me. I gathered me silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings, and of the provinces ". And whatsoever mine eyes desired, I kept not from them. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do; and behold all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun. Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun. There is one alone, and there is not a second: yea, he hath neither child nor brother; yet is there no end of all his labour, neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity; yea, it is a sore travail. There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men. A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth; yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it; this is vanity, and it is an evil disease". He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye; and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him". Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle towards heaven1.

SECT. 3. Death will soon separate us from all the enjoyments of this mortal state.

There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. But those riches perish by evil travail. As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return, to go as he came; and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand. And this also

b Eccles. i. 8.

e Eccles. ii. 10, 11.

h Prov. xxviii. 22.

§ 3. Eccles. v. 15, 14, 15.

e Eccles. i. 12.
Eccles. iv. 7, 8.
Prov. xxiii. 5.

d Eccles. ii. 7, 8. Eccles. vi. 1, 2.

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