Puslapio vaizdai
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Anger dwells in the bofom of fools.'-And obferves,

Seeft thou a man that is hafty in his words, there is more hope of a fool than of him.

A foft answer turneth away wrath, but grievous words ftir up anger.'

If you have sense enough to diftinguish ever so little of good and evil, you will find more comfort to yourself, and reputation with the reft of the world, from gentleness towards others, and a real and fincere affection for them, than in any fatisfaction you can have in their fufferings, though you could punish them ever fo feverely, whenever they offend you. Nothing is fo foolish as enmity.

Remember thy end, and let enmity cease.' Good men are always constant to their friends, and moderate in their refentments towards their enemies but the angry, or the envious man, will not give himself time to confider what is right, but being proud and self-conceited, continually devifes froward things, and is always bringing mischief to pafs.'

12. Malice.

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Let no malice find entrance into your heart, be the provocation what it may. He has the most courage, as well as the nobleft fpirit, who fooneft

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forgives his friends, or his enemies, his companion, or a ftranger. Solomon fays, He that revengeth shall find vengeance from the Lord, and he will furely keep his fins in remembrance.'

We are all creatures of one common nature; under one God and Father of all; and he who loveth not his brother, whom he hath feen, how can he love God, whom he hath not feen?

Let no corrupt communication, or evil word proceed out of your mouth. Be kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Chrift's fake will, if you obferve these rules, forgive you.

If you are angry, fin not; be not provoked to utter cruel or indecent words, which is to give place to the devil; but let all bitternefs and wrath, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away far from you.

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Rebuke gently; it is a christian duty : and above all things, let not the fun go down upon your wrath; in other words, bear no malice, hatred, or revenge, no not for an hour, not for a minute, if you can avoid it.

13. Pride.

Of all the vices which grow up in the mind, as men grow in ftature, there is none more common

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or more dangerous than pride: it fhews itself among the poor, as well as the rich; it appears in a thoufand forms; and lurks in the heart with the greatest fecrefy. The fame which I told you of anger, I now tell you of pride: For pride was not made for man, more than furious anger for them that are born of a woman.'-That you may know when it is you are proud, obferve this rule, that the beginning of pride is when one departeth from God, and his heart is turned from his Maker.' And this you may be sure of, that mockery, reproach, and contempt of others, fullennefs, unwillingness to learn your duty or to work, cruelty, and want of forgiveness, are all fo many figns of being proud': Solomon fays, Vengeance, as a lion, shall lie in wait for the proud.' Whereas Humility and the fear of the Lord, are riches, and honor, and life. Pride is also a proof that a man is ignorant; that is, ignorant of himself, and ignorant of what other men think of him; in fhort, he is a fool, and one of thofe fools who is the leaft to be pitied. To avoid being in any degree proud or revengeful, and fhun falling yourself into the very faults which you discover in others, you should compaffionate every one, and fet them in the right way, whenever you can. You may be affured that the proud are hated of God, and they that plow

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Be not impatient when you are chastised, but learn how to avoid chastisement, and remember the wife man's faying,

That he that being often reproved hardeneth his heart, shall fuddenly be destroyed, and that .without remedy.'

This wife man alfo informs us of what is easy enough to understand.

That as vinegar is to the teeth, and smoke to the eyes, fo is the fluggard to them that fend him.'

15. Honesty in Apprenticeship, and in all other States and Conditions of Life.

Whatever have learnt from your parents and

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fchool-mafters, you will now have the more occafion for. As you are entered into the world, for God's fake, that is, for the fake of your own foul, fet out honestly; honefty is the best policy. If you mean to thrive, be honeft; remember that, An boneft man's the nobleft work of God, no matter whether he be rich or poor. You are by the providence of

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God fo far provided for; learn how to value your own good fortune. Be true to yourself, and you will never be falfe to any man. But honefly not founded on the fear of God, is a very uncertain thing. He who has no fuch fear may be easily overcome by a temptation, when he thinks he can pafs without punishment in this world. You must constantly call to mind, that God fent his only Son Jefus Chrift into the world, to teach us his will: that Saviour, who died upon the cross for you and all mankind, fealed the truth of what he has told us in his gospel, with his blood; then arofe from the dead, and afcended in triumphant glory into heaven, as you find in your Belief. The book called the New Teftament, contains the hiftory of his life, and what he would have us do therein, he recommends you to love God with all your heart, and with all your foul, and to fhew it by loving your neighbor as yourself. He appeals to your own heart, the heart which he framed to good. requires that you should do to all men, as you would they should do to you. Now if you detain from your neighbor what is his due, or in any respect defraud another, you are dishonest; you hate him inftead of loving him; you rebel against the law of Chrift, as well as the law of the land, and will probably fuffer in both worlds.

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16, Fidelity

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