Moses's

picable meanness, in the eyes of those who are not to be influenced by any thing but their fears of falling under the scourge of justice, or the lash of the law. The abominations of hardened transgressors, committed against God, should excite our holy resentment. I beheld transgressors, and was grieved because they kept not thy law. anger was kindled when he saw the people given to idolatry. Thus Lot's righteous soul was vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: and he who is glorious in holiness, by a strong figure, is said to have been grieved at his heart, when he saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth.

3. With the disorders found in the house of God. In the Corinthian church there was a notorious offender, an incestuous person. Christianity being but in its infancy among them, the members of that church did not see the evil of this conduct, till the apostle laid it open before them. They immediately, on receiving proper information, took the necessary measures to express their detestation of the offender's conduct: they put away from them that wicked person; and the apostle commends their holy indignation and zeal. (2 Cor. vii. 11.) The ancient Jews were censured that they were not grieved for the afflictions of Joseph; the sins, the disorders, and consequent calamities of the people professing to be the chosen of God. (Amos vi. 6.) Moses was the meekest man of all

the earth; yet when God's honour was concerned, none more warm and resolute than he. Hence his resentment of the golden calf, when in holy indignation at that abominable instance of apostacy in a people so remarkably favoured and distinguished by the Almighty, he deliberately broke the tables at the foot of the mount. And when Korah and his company presumptuously offended, Moses, in pious displeasure, said unto God, Respect not thou their offering. When the house of prayer was profaned, and made a house of merchandize, a den of thieves, the precious Redeemer of mankind, who was meek and lowly in heart, corrected the abuse with holy resentment: he made a scourge of small cords, and drove them out of the temple. The apostle Paul was a pattern of meekness: he bore the greatest injuries and indignities with astonishing patience, both among heathens, Jews, and false brethren; yet in the government of the church, whenever there was occasion, he zealously used the rod of discipline.

4. With the disorders of our own families.To preserve due authority in our families, so as to prevent or suppress disorder, negligence and vice, without forfeiting our own peace of mind, is, perhaps, in our present state of imperfection, as difficult a branch of duty as any assigned us by Providence. To train up our children in the way in which they should go, to have them in subjection with all gravity, to teach our households the way of

the Lord, and command them to keep it, is enjoined upon us as heads of families, by the Sovereign of the universe. To put away iniquity from our tabernacles, to stir up the slothful and negligent, to rouse the inattentive, and to restrain and correct the vicious and unruly, is absolutely necessary. This cannot be done without manly resolution, constant circumspection, sobriety and gravity. Without a certain degree of courage in insisting on what is right, and in resenting and opposing what is wrong, a family would soon be ruined with licentiousness and disorder. The censure passed on Eli was very heavy: his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not. In a family where no just authority is maintained by those whom God has placed at the head of it, every one will walk in the way of his own heart; and confusion, mischief, and ruin, will inevitably follow. The great secret of family-government lies in maintaining authority without moroseness, discipline without tyranny, and resentment of disorder without rash anger; in preserving decorum and regularity without wounding our own peace of mind. The wise and virtuous parent or master is armed with sedate resolution, and a proper firmness of soul. He knows that if his children and servants once conclude him to be incapable of resentment, they will deny him that regard which is his due, and indulge themselves in such liberties as good order forbids. The words of the royal Psalmist are so apt to our purpose, that to omit the

recital of them could hardly be excused. I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way: O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart: I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside, it shall not cleave to me. A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person. He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight. Psalm ci.

We conclude then, that it is lawful for us to be angry with our own sin—with the vices and follies of others with the disorder found in the house of God-and with the irregularities of our own families.

CHAP III.

WHAT RESTRICTIONS SHOULD

ATTEND OUR

ANGER, THAT WE SIN NOT AGAINST GOD.

THOUGH we are not absolutely forbidden to be angry, yet happy is he who has the least occasion for it. When the affairs of life seem to require a just resentment, we should consider it as a dangerous moment, and watch against such an excess of it as would be displeasing to God, hurtful · to ourselves, and injurious to our fellow-creatures. The word of God spends its curse on those whose wrathful passions lead them on to cruel practices.-That our anger may not be offensive to God,

1. It should not be partial. We should hate every false way. To resent some branches of vice, and connive at others equally pernicious, would be to incur the censure passed on the ancient Jews, who were partial in the law. To frown upon one offender, and spare another altogether as deep in guilt, would be to have respect to persons; and to be a respecter of persons, we are assured is not good. (Prov. xxviii.) Such a conduct would leave ground of suspicion with regard to our sin