by your kindness or unkindness? And what kind of anger have you indulged in the family? Has it not often been unreasonable and sinful, not only in its nature, but in its occasions, where those with whom you were angry were not in fault, or when the fault was trifling or unintended, or where, perhaps, you were yourself in part to blame for it; and even where there might have been just cause, has not your wrath been continued, and led you to be sullen, or severe, to an extent that your own conscience disapproved? And have you not been angry with your neighbors who live by you, and with whom you have to do daily; and on trifling occasions, and for little things, have you not allowed yourself in anger toward them? In all these points it becomes us to examine ourselves, and know what manner of spirit we are of, and wherein we come short of the spirit of Christ.

2. The subject dissuades from, and warns against, all undue and sinful anger.-The heart of man is exceeding prone to undue and sinful anger, being naturally full of pride and selfishness; and we live in a world that is full of occasions that tend to stir up this corruption that is within us, so that we cannot

expect to live in any tolerable measure as Christians would do, in this respect, without constant watchfulness and prayer. And we should not only watch against the exercises, but fight against the principle of anger, and seek earnestly to have that mortified in our hearts, by the establishment and increase of the spirit of divine love and humility in our souls. And to this end, several things may be considered. And,

First, Consider frequently your own failings, by which you have given both God and man occasion to be displeased with you. All your life-time you have come short of God's requirements, and thus justly incurred his dreadful wrath; and constantly you have occasion to pray God that he will not be angry with you, but will show you mercy. And your failings have also been numerous toward your fellow-men, and have often given them occasion to be angry with you. Your faults are as great perhaps as theirs; and this thought should lead you not to spend so much of your time in fretting at the motes in their eyes, but rather to occupy it in pulling the beams out of your own. Very often those that are most ready to be angry with others, and to carry

their resentments highest for their faults, are equally, or still more guilty of the same faults. And so those that are most apt to be angry with others for speaking evil of them, are often most frequent in speaking evil of others, and even in their anger to vilify and abuse them. If others then provoke us, instead of being angry with them, let our first thoughts be turned to ourselves, and let it put us on self-reflection, and lead us to inquire whether we have not been guilty of the very same things that excite our anger, or even of worse. Thus thinking of our own failings and errors, would tend to keep us from undue anger with others. And consider, also,

ocean.

Second, How such undue anger destroys the comfort of him that indulges it. It troubles the soul in which it is, as a storm troubles the Such anger is inconsistent with a man's enjoying himself, or having any true peace, or self-respect in his own spirit. Men of an angry and wrathful temper, whose minds are always in a fret, are the most miserable sort of men, and live a most miserable life; so that a regard to our own happiness should lead us to shun all undue and sinful anger. Consider, again,

Third, How much such a spirit unfits persons for the duties of religion. All undue anger indisposes us for the pious exercises, and the active duties of religion. It puts the soul far from that sweet and excellent frame of spirit, in which we most enjoy communion with God, and which makes truth and ordinances most profitable to us. And hence it is, that God commands us not to approach his altars while we are at enmity with others, but "first to be reconciled to our brother, and then come and offer our gift," Matt. v. 24; and that by the Apostle it is said, “I will, therefore, that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting;" 1 Timothy ii. 8. And, once more, consider,

Fourth, That angry men are spoken of in the Bible, as unfit for human society. The express direction of God is, "Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man thou shalt not go, lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul," Proverbs xxii. 24, 25. Such a man is accursed as a pest of society, who disturbs and disquiets it, and puts everything into confusion. "An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression," Proverbs xxix.

22. Every one is uncomfortable about him; his example is evil; and his conduct disapproved alike by God and men. Let these considerations, then, prevail with all, and lead them to avoid an angry spirit and temper, and to cultivate the spirit of gentleness, and kindness, and love, which is the spirit of heaven.