400 DOCTRINE OF THE PASSIONS. divine. This one piece of conduct will raise our reputation for wisdom among men, morethan a hundred fine speeches, or supe- rior airs, and will greatly adornour character as persons of piety. The wisdom,that is from above is peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated ; James iii. 17. 3. Consider how unfit you are for every duty of religion and worship, while you are under the power of this uneasy passion. With what face, or courage, or comfort can you draw near to God, while you cherish undue wrath in your heart ? The sinful ferment of your nature indisposes you for worship, the guilt thereof makes your service unacceptable ; and a defiled conscience makes you unwilling to come near to a God of holi- liness ; Mat. v. 23. If there be a quarrel between thee and thy brother, leave thygift at the altar, goand be reconciled to thy bro- ther, and then return and offer thy' gift. 4. Think of the dreadful effects of-ungoverned anger in the world. What tragical scenes has it introduced ! What impious mischief! How has it broken all the dearest bonds of friendship and kindred! Howhas it divided and ruined families, and cities, and nations ! It has filled the earth with private and public mur- ders and cruelties. Blood, ruin, and destruction, have attended it from the days of Cain andAbel, to this day. It is the wrath ofprinces that bathmade such vast slaughters among men, hath turned beautiful cities into heaps of rubbish, hathunpeopled nations, and sent multitudes of souls into eternity by untimely death. And it must be acknowledged too, with shame, that the wrath of priests and people bath torn churches to pieces, and joinedwith kings to erect bloody inquisitions, those sacred slaughter-houses, to kindlefires of martyrdom, and mur- dermillions under pretence of zeal for God. 5. Considerthat it is a glorious singularity of the religion of Christ, that it commands and teaches us t oforgiveour enemies, and to love them that hate us ;Mat. v. 44. But for a man that pretends to be a christian, to indulge a resenting humour, and to be ever fretful and angry, and meditating revenge, what a shame and- dishonour does it cast upon the religion that we profess, and upon the sacred name of Jesus, whom we adore ? Wrathful christians are ascandal to their master, the prince of peace. 6. Think with yourself how many greater crimes has the blessed God forgiven you, if you are achristian indeed ; and will you not forgive your brother his petty offences? 11as the Maker and Lord of heaven and earth forgiven you ten thousand talents, andwill you not forgive your brother a hundred pence? Did the Son of God make himself a sacrifice for your offences, that you might be pardoned, and will you make your brother, Who has offended you, a sacrifice to your fury ? 7. But consider farther, that if you donot forgiveyour bro
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