shall he get, and his reproach shall not be wiped away." (Prov. v. 35.) To what extremity must that man be driven, or how void of judgment, who uses the spider's web

as a

source of reliance! Yet Bildad, the Shuhite, says, "The hypocrite's hope shall perish: whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider's web." Is not this text descriptive of all who go about seeking to establish a righteousness of their own, instead of submitting themselves to the righteousness of God? Whosoever lays that as the basis of his hope," He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand; he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure." (Job viii. 13-15.) If used as a covering," their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works." (Isa. lix. 6.) Rather let every convinced sinner build by faith" upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone." Let youth especially "ponder the path of their feet, so shall all their ways be established. ." "Turn not to the right hand, nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil." Amidst the numerous dangers, both seen and unseen,which may await you, "Wilt thou not from this time cry unto God, my Father, thou shalt be the guide of my youth?" Thames Ditton.

ON ANGER.

J. C.

they have given many reasons to induce men to avoid being hurried away by its influence; but it is in the pages of inspiration that we are shown the evil nature of this passion, and furnished with those lessons of instruction which are calculated to restrain the professors of religion, who may be exposed to the temptation. It is evident that they are not sufficiently influenced by these admonitions, and that it may be of use to present to their view some of the maxims which have been laid down by Christian and moral writers, and illustrate and enforce them by some of those lessons and examples, with which the word of God abounds.

This passion operates in the bosom so suddenly, and so involuntarily hurries its victim forward to such rash and dangerous measures, that it cannot be too strongly deprecated. Our remarks on this subject are not only addressed to those who have already too much indulged this headstrong passion, to the great injury of themselves and all around them, but we claim the attention of the young and inexperienced, whose principles and habits are scarcely yet formed. We hope the representations here made will put them on their guard against the earliest and slightest approaches to the indulgence of a hasty and passionate temper, and induce them to cultivate that cool and reflective habit which promotes self-controul, and forms an impenetrable shield against sudden and ungovernable bursts of anger.

SELECT SAYINGS ON ANGER.

I. "When any spoke evil of Titus Vespasian, he was used to say he was above false reports; and, if they were true, he had more reason

to be

angry

with himself than with

the relater."-Spencer.

1

Thus said Shimei, when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man.—

Then said Abishai to the king, Let me go over, and take off his head. Aud: David said to Abishai, Behold, my son,

for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. Eccl. vii. 9: to bob Lêt all

my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? Let him alone, and let him curse; for the Lord hath bidden him.-2 Sam, xvi. 7, 9, 11.

66

II. He that administers either correction or reproof whilst under the influence of passion, is liable to the just and cutting retort, Physician, heal thyself.""-Anonymous.

Thou therefore which teacheth another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost

thou steal?-Rom. ii. 21. III. “ The mind that does not run upon a level, is always in danger of being overturned."-Reid,

I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue.-Psa.

xxxix. 1.

and evil speaking, be

put away from you, with all malice. Eph. w. 31.

as bould bank of La

VII. Anger in dispute is like It raiseth so much an unquiet horse in a dusty road. in the eyes

of the understanding, that it blinds it; and lays the enraged disputant so open, that hit him where you please."-William, E. of Bedford

you

And Laban said to Jacob, What hast. thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword? It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.-Gen. xxxi. 26-29.

VIII." The intoxication of anger, like that of the grape, shews us to others, but hides us from ourselves: we injure our own cause in the opinion of the world when we too eagerly defend it"-Rev. C. Cotton's Many Things.

And Nabal answered David's servants and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? There be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master. Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be?-1 Sam. xxv. 10, 11.

IX. "Prudent counsels, and mild expostulations, often prevent the mischiefs which and reanger venge were on the point of perpetrating."-Anonymous.

Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous. Prov. xxvii. 4.

Now David had said, Surely in vain. have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained to him: and he hath requited me evil for good. So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light. And when Abigail feet, and said, Let not my lord, I pray saw David, she lighted, and fell at his thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal: for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but I thine handmaid saw not the young men. I pray thee forgive the trespass of

thine handmaid. David said to Abigail, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me: And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hath kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand,-7] Sam. xxv.

25. 33. X. It is said, Every man is either

a fool or a physician at a certain age. So every Christian is either a madman or a divine: a madman if he give his passions the rein, a divine if he restrain them." -Spencer.

Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing aud cursing. My brethren, these things ought

not so to be.-James iii. 3. 8. 10. XI. " Anger is a sword with two edges, it wounds the persons whom it strikes, and those who use it: the latter perhaps most fatally."

Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel.-Gen. xlix. 7.

He teareth himself in his anger.--Job

xviii. 4.

XII. "The only way to be angry without sin, is to be angry at nothing but sin."-Anonymous.

And I was very angry when I heard their cry, and these words.--Neh. v. 6.

Be angry, and sin not; let not the sun go down upon thy wrath. Neither give place to the devil.-Eph. iv. 26, 27.

If there is any thing more needed to expose the odious and mischievous nature of anger, and its baneful influence on the social interests and happiness of man, we need only to recall to our recollection those murderous duels to which it has of late given rise.

J. T.

College, but Mrs. Shirley undertook it, so surely should have it, that I cannot doubt promising you but you have had it before now. The life of our Welsh friends does still enliven all near them, and I think your brethren here promise work is spreading beyond the bounds many blessings to the church. Our of all our hopes; the Lord is powerfully at work by the College in most of the counties of England and Wales, and many precious deaths prove daily the last enemy was vanquished by him who hung at Calvary upon the cross, as the poor sinner's substitute. This gives wings to my faith, and humbles me patiently to bear and suffer my many trials and difficulties for Christ, and his elects' sake. I should write much oftener to you, but my business is both so much and so important to my heart, that I live with my pen in my hand. While my heart is in heaven, begging wisdom and faithfulness from above to follow that blessed Lamb of God, whithersoever he goes, faith can only follow him, and this will lead us into many of those dark hours his own precious soul sustained for us; and, if we are true. followers of him, the path must be the same. I am but too often willing to substitute sight and reason for faith; but I soon find that not one. victory is ever to be obtained by either, that will not do in secret be tween the Lord and us. Plausible appearances may make us hope falsely for a season, but the Babel must come down, and the poverty of our hearts brought to cry to him who only has all power in heaven and in earth; and thus the Christian's God be found to have all the praise in time, and all the glory for eternity. I have often found the greatest sweetness in difficulties both spiritual and temporal, as in these the exertions of his love are

to enter upon the campaign and engage the enemy."

3. But there are certain theories and practices still tenaciously adhered to, which are either directly at variance with the commission of Christ, or which paralyse all missionary energy.

4. Those views of the divine sovereignty which diminish, in the mind of the recipient, all compassion for the unconverted, and every influential impression of the absolute and inseparable connexion between the end and the means, must necessarily produce an indifference to the use of means, where vigorous effort is required, and where expense is to be incurred.

5. Those ideas of the atonement which prevent a minister from pressing the Gospel calls and invitations upon the attention of the unconverted, must in a great degree unfit such a person for the work assigned to ministers in the commission of the Lord Jesus.

6. It is too common to confine the Christian ministry to the building up of the church. Many ministers, I fear, seldom preach but to believers, and about their duties and privileges. Treating the Bible as a text-book, and finding it full of that which is to make the man of God perfect, they imagine that they cannot be wrong while they preach from the Bible and according to it; seldom asking themselves this question, "To accomplish what objects was the Christian ministry instituted?" But ought we not to understand, that the Bible is thus full of instruction to the believer, that he may stand in less need of the labours of him, whose main work is to call sinners to repent and believe the Gospel? Is it any wonder, when the minister makes so small a reference to the unconverted, that the people should feel no concern for the heathen? It cannot be matter of

surprise, that additions to such churches are so rare: the conversion of sinners is not sought after;' it makes no prominent part of the work of the minister. And if he were to devote much of his preaching to the calling of sinners, he would inevitably be placed among those who are mere novices in the knowledge of Christian mysteries. A celebrated preacher in Scotland was spoken of one day, in my hearing, for this very reason, as standing in need of some one to teach him the way of the Lord more perfectly. And thus the Christian ministry is confined to teaching, and the sublime work of preaching is almost laid aside. Hence a vast pulpit preparation is necessary to produce incessant variety, to humour the taste of the people, to keep them satisfied with their state, and to avoid the shadow of an opinion which has not passed the human ordeal. In the cold and dull effects arising out of this system, we see the infliction of that punishment which might be expected to follow such a departure from the charge given at Bethany. Not only are sinners not converted, but these services, except where extraordinary talents are possessed, are, for the most part, exceedingly destitute of interest. A meeting for prayer is often much more edifying. The fact is, that most of the professors in England, &c. labour under a preaching surfeit: hence so many bad humours break out, plainly indicative of the nature of the disease. And yet some ministers are alarmed, lest the engagements of their hearers in Sunday Schools and other exercises should destroy their personal religion. But Gospel blessings are to he expected much more in active engagements, than in a care only for personal enjoyments: see Genesis xii. 2. Prov. xi. 25. And the evident blessing of God resting on those who thus devote themselves