affections are suddenly kindled by tempting objects. The neglect of this duty fills the world with so many incorrigible sinners, and hell with so many lost souls. Men venture to walk among snares and serpents without fear, and perish for the neglect of circumspection.

4. Do not presume that you will forsake those sins hereafter, which you are unwilling to forsake at present. There is in many a conflict between conviction and corruption: they love sin, and hate it; they delight in it, and are sorry for it; they cannot live without it, nor with it, in several respects. Now to quiet conscience and indulge their lusts, they please themselves with resolutions of a future reformation. The tempter often excites men to consent for once, and obtains his aim. But it is a voluntary distraction to think men may, without apparent danger, yield to a present temptation, resolving to resist future temptations: for if when the strength is entire, a temptation captivates a person, how much more easily will he be kept in bondage when the enemy is more tyrannous and usurping, more bold and powerful, treads upon his neck, and he is more disabled to rescue himself? The enlightened natural conscience is armed against sin; and if men regarded its dictates, if they believed and valued eternity, they might preserve themselves from many defilements. But God has never promised to recover sinners by special grace, who have neglected to make use of common grace. In short, consider what is more tormenting than all the pleasures of sin, which are but for a season, can be delightful; the reflection of the guilty accusing conscience, and the terrible impression of an angry God for ever.

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CHAPTER II.

2. ANGER is another lust of the flesh. Of all the passions none is less capable of counsel, nor more rebellious against the empire of reason. It darkens the mind; and it causes such a fierce agitation of the spirits, as when a storm fills the air with black clouds and terrible flashes of lightning. It often breaks forth so suddenly, that (as some acute diseases which, if checked at first, become more violent,) there is no time for remedy nor place for cure; so there is such an irrevocable precipitancy of the passions, that the endeavour to repress their fury, enrages them. It is astonishing what enor mous excesses and mischiefs are caused by it! How many houses are turned into dens of dragons, how many kingdoms into fields of blood, by this fierce passion?

1. To prevent its rise and reign, the most necessary counsel is, if possible, to quench the first sparks that appear, which are seeds pregnant with fire. But if it be kindled, do not feed the fire by exasperating words. A prudent silence will be more effectual to end a quarrel, than the most sharp and piercing reply that confounds the adversary. Julius Cæsar would never assault those enemies with arms, whom he could subdue by hunger.' He that injuriously reviles us, if we revile not

"Nescio utrum magis detestabile vitium sit, ac deforme." Sen. de Ir.

2

Idem esse sibi consilium adversus hostem, quod plerisque medicis contra vitia corporum, fame potius quam ferro

again and he has not a word from us to feed his rage, will cease of himself; and, like those who die with pure hunger, will tear himself. Hezekiah commanded his counsellors not to say a word to Rabshakeh.

2. Try by gentle and meek addresses to compose the ruffled minds of those who are provoked. It is the observation of the wisest of men, that 'a soft answer breaks the bones.' It is usually successful to make stubborn spirits compliant. Indeed some are so perverse in their passions, that the mildest words will incense them; no submission, no satisfaction will be accepted; their anger causes mortal and immortal hatred. But these are so far from being Christians that they are not heathens; but divested of all humanity.

3. If anger has rushed into the bosam, that it may not rest there cancel the remembrance of the provocation. The continual reflecting in the thoughts upon an injury, hinders reconciliation. The art of oblivion, if practised, would prevent those resentments that eternalize quarrels. For this end, let us consider what may lessen the offence in our esteem. In particular, if very injurious words are spoken against us by one in a transport of anger, they should be more easily despised when they seem more justly provoking; for they proceed from rage not from reason;1 and no person, that is of a

superandi." He adopted against an enemy the plan which many physicians adopt for the cure of diseases; famishing rather than the sword.

1 Quare fers ægri rabiem et phrenetici verba?-Nempe quia nescire videntur quid faciant." Sen. lib. iii. 26. de Ira. Why do you find no difficulty in bearing the raging of a delirious patient or the revilings of a maniac ?-Because you are aware that they know not what they do.

wise and sober mind, will regard them, but as words spoken by a sick man in the height of a burning fever.

Now, to make us careful to prevent or allay this passion, it will be requisite to consider the inclination and sway of our natures. Some as soon take fire as dry thorns, and retain it as knotty wood. Now it is a fundamental rule of life, that our weakest part must be guarded with the most jealousy, and fortified with the strongest defence. There we must expect the most dangerous and frequent assaults of Satan. There he will direct his battery, and place his scaling-ladders. Let therefore the following considerations settle in our hearts. How becoming an understanding creature it is, to defer anger? For the passions are blind and brutish, and without a severe command of them a man forfeits his natural dignity. What is more unreasonable, than for a man deeply to wound himself, that he may have an imaginary satisfaction in revenging an injury? Into what a fierce disorder is the body put by anger? The heart is inflamed, and the boiling spirits fly up into the head, the eyes sparkle, the mouth foams, and the other symptoms of madness follow. Inwardly, the angry man suffers more torments than the most cruel enemy can inflict upon him. A man of understanding is of a cool spirit. It was the wise advice of Pyrrhus, to those whom he instructed in the art of defence, that they would not be angry; for anger would make them rash, and expose them to their adversary.' 'He that hath not rule over his

"Ne irascarentur. Ira enim perturbat artem: Et qua noceat tantum, non qua careat aspicit."-Sen. de Ira.

own spirit, is like a city broken down, and without walls; and consequently exposed to rapine and spoil by every enemy. Satan hath an easy entrance into them, and brings along with him a train of evils. We are therefore directed to watch against anger, and 'not to give place to the devil.' Consider how honourable it is to pass by an offence: it is a royalty of spirit; an imitation of God, in whose eyes 'the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit is of great price.' The greater the offence, the greater the glory of pardoning it. How pleasant it is! The soul is possessed in patience; it is cool and quiet; there is a divine and heavenly concord of the mind, the will, and the affections. The breast of a dispassionate man is the temple of peace. Besides, let us frequently remember our want of the divine compassion. There is no man so innocent, unless he absolutely forgets that he is a man, and his many frailties, but desires that the cause of his life, in the day of judgment, may be tried by the tribunal of clemency; for no man can then be saved but by pardon.' The due consideration of this will make us more hardly provoked, and more easily appeased with those who offend us.

Let us pray for the descent of the dove-like spirit into our bosoms, to moderate and temper our passions. Meekness is the fruit of the spirit.' There is a natural meekness, the product of the bodily temperament; this is a rare felicity. There

1 "Nec est quisquam cui tam valde innocentia sua placeat, ut non stare in conspectu clementiam, paratam humanis erroribus, gaudeat."-Sen. de Clem. lib. i. 1.—There is no man so confident of his own innocence, but that he is glad at the thought of mercy presenting herself to his view, prompt to pity the failings of men.