men of quick and sudden tempers have need to be peculiarly on their guard. It is, of all men, the most dangerous for them to indulge the appetite. Indulgence inflames their spirits, and divests them of the power of self command. When they have given the passions supreme dominion, there is no extravagance from which they are secure, and no mischief to which they are not exposed. Nabal inflamed with wine, by a rash and passionate speech, involved himself and his family in a danger, which would have issued fatally, had not the prudence of his wife diverted it. "Who hath woe ?" says Solomon, "Who hath sorrow? Who hath contentions? Who hath babblings? Who hath wounds without cause? Who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek miked wine. Look not on the wine, when it is red

at the last, it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth. like an adder. Thine heart shall utter perverse things: Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth on the top of a mast."-Once more;

6. This Nabal was as infamous for his pusillanimity as for the violence of his passions and the rudeness of his manners.

When Abigail related to him David's high resentment and bloody resolution, and the manner in which she had prevented the approaching evil, "his, heart died within him and became as a stone." Such a fatal shock did the story give him, that he survived it only ten days. Though he could rail on David at a distance, in haughty and blustering language, yet he had not fortitude to meet a danger when it was coming, nor even to bear the recital of it after it was past. His soul, enfeebled by passion and intemperance, immediately sunk under the thought of calamity. A firmness to meet danger VOL. II.

E

and bear adversity, is seldom found in those, whe give indulgence to appetite and passion. "This takes away the heart."

If we would be prepared for the vicissitudes of an inconstant world, we must habituate ourselves to sobriety and selfgovernment. If we would enjoy the blessings of friendship, and the comforts of our worldly possessions, we must restrain our appetites, rectify our tempers and rule our tongues. The greatest affluence can never make a man hap. py, without a virtuous mind and prudent man

ners.

Nabal was blessed with a plentiful fortune, and an amiable companion. But what could these desirable circumstances avail the churlish wretch, 'who was void of the feelings of benevolence, and a stranger to the sentiments of gratitude-who knew not when to do a favour, nor how to acknowledge a courtesy-whose rough passions and rude language alienated his friends, and made strangers his enemies-whose wanton government excited the contempt of his servants-whose unsocial manners extinguished the affections of his wife-whose excessive indulgence obliterated the feeble traces of reason, which passion had left, and who, at last, died from a mere depression of spirit, at the thought of a danger, in which his own mad conduct had involved him?

Such a character, in the greatest affluence, appears contemptible in every eye.

Let us not be solicitous for worldly wealth; Our only solicitude should be to approve ourselves to God by rectitude of heart, and piety of life. Riches can make no man happy without virtue. The ⚫ virtuous man may be happy without riches. Worldly wealth is a curse when it falls to the share of one, who knows neither how to use it, nor how to enjoy it.

'Had Nabal lived in poverty, instead of plenty, he might have acted more discreetly, and died less infamously. The natural haughtiness of his temper was probably increased by the idea of his worldly importance; and his affluent substance afforded him the means of destroying himself by intemper

ance.

Providence gives us some instances of men ruined and undone by their affluence, to teach us that it is neither to be envied in others, nor coveted for ourselves. We sometimes see those, who, having acted with propriety, and acquitted themselves with reputation, in the lower grades of life, grow haughty, insolent and vain, on a sudden elevation. Let us then have our conversation without covetousness, and be content with such things as we have.

That we may enjoy ourselves, let us rule our spirits. He who is a slave to his own passions, is subject to perpetual torment within, and exposed to a thousand vexations from without.

That we may enjoy the world, let us use it with sobriety; for all excess is as inconsistent with enjoyment, as it is with virtue. That we may prevent injuries, let us do none ourselves; for Who will harm us, if we are followers of that which is good? If we would have friends we must shew ourselves friendly. Friendship is a delicate flower; it may be blasted by the frequent winds of passion, or be nipped by the frost of indifference.

If we wish for respect from our children and domesticks let us rule them by the laws of kindness and love, forbearing menaces and not provoking them to anger, lest they be discouraged. A passionate government brings contempt; wanton severity excites rebellion.

If we would know the steady pleasures of domestick union, let us be pitiful and courteous, kind in our language, and obliging in our manners.

Smooth language prevents, and soft answers turn away wrath. Love is the happiness of domestick connexions. Better is a dinner of herbs where love

is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.

The different effects of a similar Education illustrated in Herod and Manaen.

....

ACTS, xiii, 1.

Now there were, in the church that was at Antioch, certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch.

WE here see two men educated in the same family, and probably in much the same manner, and yet pursuing a very different course of life." Manaen was brought up with Herod the

tetrarch."

It would be natural to expect, that children, who grew up together under similar examples and instructions, should appear in the same moral and religious character, when they came forward into publick life. But in the instance before us, the event was otherwise. We find one among the ministers, and the other among the persecutors of the church of Christ.

The whole family of the Herods are stigmatised in history for their lust and ambition, and especially