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they were fair, and they took them-.' 1 Sam. xvi. 7, 8. 'look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature.' Esth. ii. 15. Esther obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her.' Prov. vi. 25. lust not after her beauty in thy heart.' xi. 22. as a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.' Rom. xii. 9. abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.' 1 Cor. x. 6. we should not lust after evil things.'

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Our joy ought to be so regulated, that we may delight in things essentially good in proportion to their excellence, and in things indifferent so far only as is consistent with reason. The same rule is to be observed with regard to sorrow. Deut. xii. 7. 'there shall ye eat before Jehovah your God, and ye shall rejoice-.' See also v. 12, 18. xxvi. 11. thou shalt rejoice in every good thing which Jehovah thy God hath given unto thee.' Job xxii. 19. 'the righteous see it, and are glad; and the innocent laugh them to scorn.' Psal. iv. 6-8. 'lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us; my heart more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.' xxx. 11, 12. thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing.' lviii. 10. 'the righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance; he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.' cxxvi. 2. then was our mouth filled with laughter.' Luke ii. 10. I bring you good tidings of great joy.' xxiv. 52. they returned to Jerusalem with great joy ;' and to the same effect in many other passages. Prov. x. 23. 'it is as sport to a fool to do mischief; but a man of understanding hath wisdom.' xv. 21. folly

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thou hast put gladness in

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is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom; but a man of understanding walketh uprightly.' xvii. 5. 'whoso mocketh the poor, reproacheth his maker.' v. 22. ' a merry heart doeth good like a medicine; but a broken spirit drieth the bones.' See also xviii. 14. xxvi. 19. 'so is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport?' Eccles. ii. 2. I said of laughter, It is mad; and of mirth, What doeth it?" vii. 2-4. 'it is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting; for that is the end of all men.' Isai. xxii. 12, &c. 'in that day did the Lord God of hosts call to weeping and to mourning....and behold joy and gladness-.' Jer. xxxi. 4. 'thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry.' v. 13. 'then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together, for I will turn their mourning into joy.' Lam. v. 15. the joy of our heart is ceased, our dance is turned into mourning.' Amos vi. 6. 'that drink wine in bowls....but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.' There are occasions on which tears are not unbecoming even a wise man. Gen. xlii. 24. Joseph turned himself about from them, and wept.' Psal. cxix. 136. rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law.'

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In the proper regulation of hope and fear, the cause, the object, and the degree of excitation are chiefly to be considered. Concerning hope, see above; concerning fear, Matt. x. 28. fear not them which kill the body.' Isai. viii. 12, 13. compared with 1 Pet. iii. 14. be not afraid of their terror.' Even the bravest may occasionally be influenced by fear. Gen. xxxii. 7. 'then Jacob was greatly afraid.' Exod. ii.

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14. Moses feared.'

1 Kings xix. 3. 'when he saw that, he arose and went for his life.' Psal. lv. 5—7. 'because of the voice of the enemy....fearfulness and trembling are come upon me.' 2 Chron. xx. 3. Jehoshaphat feared.' Nehem. ii. 2. then I was very sore afraid.'

In anger, we are to consider the motive for the passion, its degree, and duration. Prov. xvi. 32. he that is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.' xix. 11. 'the discretion of a man deferreth his anger, and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.' Mark iii. 5. when he had looked round upon them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts-.' Eph. iv. 2. with long-suffering.' v. 26. 'be ye angry, and sin not; let not the sun go down upon your wrath.' Col. i. 11. unto all patience and long-suffering.'

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Prov. xii. 16.

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The excess of anger is irascibility. 'a fool's wrath is presently known.' xiv. 17. 'he that is soon angry dealeth foolishly, and a man of wicked devices is hated.' xxii. 24, 25. make no friendship with an angry man-.' xxvii. 3. a stone is heavy....but a fool's wrath is heavier.' xxix. 22. 'an angry man stirreth up strife.' Eccles. vii. 9. be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.' Matt. v. 22. 'whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause, shall be in danger of the judgment.' Eph. iv. 31. let all wrath and anger....be put away from you.' From this infirmity even the best of men are not always exempt. Acts xv. 38, 39. 'the contention was so sharp between them, that,' &c.—.

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From well-regulated affections proceeds the proper government of the tongue. Prov. xi. 9. an hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour; but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.' v. 11. by the blessing of the upright the city is exalted; but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.' xii. 14. ‘a man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth.' xiii. 2. a man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth; but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence.' xv. 2, 4, 7. 'the tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright; but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.' v. 23. ‘a man hath joy by the answer of his mouth, and a word spoken in due season how good is it!' v. 28. 'the heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things.' tongue is from Jehovah.'

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xvi. 1. the answer of the

v. 23, 27. 'the heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.' xviii. 13. he that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.' xix. 28. an ungodly witness scorneth judgment, and the mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity.' xxix. 20. seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him.' Matt. xii. 34, 36, 37.how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.' James iii. 2, &c. if any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man.' Psal. cxli. 3. set a watch, O Jehovah, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.' Prov. xviii. 21. ‘death and life are in the power of the tongue.' xxi. 23. 'whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth his soul from troubles.'

CHAPTER IX.

OF THE FIRST CLASS OF SPECIAL VIRTUES CONNECTED WITH THE DUTY OF MAN TOWARDS HIMSELF.

THE special virtues which regulate our desire of external advantages, have reference either to bodily gratifications, or to the possessions which enrich and adorn life.

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The virtue which prescribes bounds to the desire of bodily gratification, is called temperance. Tit. ii. 11, 12. the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men, teaching us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.' 1 Pet. ii. 11. as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.' 2 Pet. ii. 9. 'the Lord knoweth how . . . to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished; but chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness.'

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Under temperance are comprehended sobriety and chastity, modesty and decency.

Sobriety consists in abstinence from immoderate eating and drinking.* 1 Thess. v. 8. let us, who

* Abstinence in diet, says a biographer of Milton, was one of his favourite virtues, which he practised invariably through life, and availed himself

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