despise. Seneca justly observes, that this passion indicates weakness. Little children, aged men, and such as are infected by disease, are most subject to it.

4. Covetousness is likewise a cause of sinful anger. When the covetous man is crossed in his designs, blasted in his hopes, or disappointed in his wishes, he sinks into impatience and fretfulness. Ahab coveted his neighbour's vineyard; and on Naboth's refusing to comply with his unreasonable desire, he came to his house, heavy and sore displeased, laid him down on his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread. (1 Kings xxi. 1—4.) He had all the delights of Canaan at his command, all the wealth, the honour and the power of a kingdom, and a throne in his possession: but the covetous man, like the grave, never saith, " It is enough." Inordinate desire is never satisfied. Ahab is sick with vexation, he pines away with resentment, and breathes revenge and slaughter. In his anger he slew the man, in his self-will he digged through the wall, and took possession of his innocent neighbour's estate: but the curse of God blasted his enjoyment. He pierced himself through with many sorrows, being caught in those temptations and snares which drown men in destruction and perdition. If we attach ourselves to present objects as if we were to derive our whole felicity from them, it is no wonder we are thrown into frequent distraction; because we are sure to meet with

continual disappointment.

We easily grow im

patient when we are crossed in the pursuit of those things of which we are over fond. Jonah's excessive pleasure in his gourd laid the foundation for his grief and anger when he was deprived of it. He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house with impatience and fretfulness, when he cannot obtain what his soul lusteth after, or when he loses what he has already gained.

5. Not duly watching over our own spirits.The word of command given us by the captain of our salvation is, Take heed to your spirit. (Mal. ii. 15.) They that would be kept from sin, must keep a jealous eye upon their hearts; for there all sin begins. Take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, was the charge which God gave to his ancient people. (Deut. iv. 9.) The motions of the inward man should be carefully and constantly guarded. Out of the heart are the issues of life. Our lives will be regular or irregular, comfortable or otherwise, according as our tempers and passions are guarded or not. This is the reason the wise man gives, why we should keep our hearts with all diligence. (Prov. iv. 23.) It is not enough to guard our eyes, our ears, our tongues, our hands or feet; the heart itself should be carefully guarded and kept with all keeping, as the word there signifies. There are many ways of keeping things; as by care, by strength, by calling in assistance; and all are necessary to be used in keeping the heart

from violent and angry passions. The man of moderation is certainly of a more amiable character than he who is rash, unguarded, and inconsiderate.

He who is of a testy humour, who takes no care to govern his own spirit, is boisterous and gentle by turns he is either all storm, or all sun-shine; and as such, his life is divided between guilt and repentance; one moment he is affronting and abusing you, the next he is asking you a thousand pardons. In conversation with his associates, his jealousy suspects some insult to be offered where all is perfectly innocent; he is up in arms in an instant, without any opponent but his own suspicions. He answers the matter with hasty resentment before he hears it; and this is folly and shame to him.

Those who are particularly addicted to this weakness, should watch and pray that they enter not into temptation. If at any time, when an affront is given, they find themselves unable to govern their own spirits, it may be best to leave the ground, to withdraw from the company, and retire into their closets. Let them there bewail their pride and ungovernable passion, ask forgiveness of God, and implore the sanctifying influences of the Holy Spirit, to subdue their irregular tempers, and teach them to imitate their divine Redeemer in meekness and lowliness of heart.

6. Not considering the evil of sinful anger.-A meek and quiet spirit of such real value, that God himself beholds it with delight, and puts a high value upon it: it is in the sight of God of great price. (1 Pet. iii. 4.) Rash anger, as Seneca observes, is the most outrageous, brutal, intractable, and dangerous of all passions.-Homer represents the wrath of Achilles as the source of unnumbered woes to the Greeks.

We always blame rash anger in others; and though we are prone to think too favourably of our own conduct, we are frequently ashamed of this passion in ourselves. It is therefore very common to hear men exculpate themselves, and solemnly declare, they are not angry, when they give undeniable proofs that they are. Scarcely any thing lessens us more in the eyes of those about us, than violent anger. It exposes us to the derision of those who are not in our power, and to the hatred of our inferiors and dependents. If the angry man gains any influence by his bluster and noise, he pays dear for his power. He forfeits his own tranquillity, he loses the friendship of his equals, and incurs the hatred of his dependents. Solomon's counsel is in this, as in other things, highly worthy of attention. Make no friendship with an angry man; he is a churl, a Nabal, a man cannot speak to him with safety; and with a furious man thou shalt not go, lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.

The torment attending this passion is strongly expressed in Scripture. A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment. He not only affronts his neighbour, and disquiets his family, but he teareth himself, his own heart, his own bowels, in his anger. He taketh his flesh in his teeth, and putteth his life in his hand. Now did we consider these, and such like bitter fruits of anger, we should take more care to watch and pray against it.

An all-wise Providence has so ordered the succession of causes and effects, that the wrath which was meant to be poured forth upon others, frequently recoils, by its effects, on the wrathful persons themselves. In the net which they had laid for others is their own foot taken; they fall into the pit which they had digged. This is evidently seen in the case of Haman: he is hanged on the gallows which his furious heart had prepared for the destruction of Mordecai.

7. Not duly considering the object which provokes us. The circumstances of that which we apprehend to be a provocation, should always be attentively viewed. Nothing can be a stronger proof of a man's weakness, than his suffering his fiery passions to rise and flame before he knows whether there be any occasion. We should never be angry at a child, a servant, or a friend, till we see from a clear and impartial survey of circum