They are waxen fat, they shine; yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked.-Jer. v. 28. According to their pasture so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted: therefore, have they forgotten me.-Hos. xiii. 6. Give a man luck and throw him into the sea.-Fielding's proverbs. Virtue strengthens in prosperity.—Serj. Palmer's aphorisms and maxims. Prosperity hath always been the cause of far greater evils to men than adversity; and it is easier for a man to bear the latter patiently, than not to forget himself in the former.-Serj. Palmer's aphorisms and maxims. Corn is cleansed with the wind, and the soul with adversity.-Ray's proverbs. Crosses are ladders that lead to heaven.-Ray's proverbs. When the danger is past God is forgotten.-Ray's proverbs. The chamber of sorrow is the house of God.-Ray's proverbs. Vent au visage rend un homme sage. Vexatio dat intellectum. Bona rerum secundarum optabilia, adversarum mirabilia.-Seneca. THEME XC. Envy is Rottenness of the Bones. INTRODUCTION. 1ST REASON. Because it wastes away a man's health, like a diseased bone. 2ND REASON.-It breaks down his energy and strength. 3RD REASON. It is as painful as a rotten bone. It is beyond the skill of man to cure. It is concealed from sight, like a dis 6TH REASON. The disease of envy spreads, like caries in a bone. 7TH REASON. It is both the cause and effect of its own torment. 8TH REASON.-It is no accidental malady, but a radical or organic disease. 9TH REASON.-Its torment is not recurrent or periodical, but chronic and inveterate. QUOTATIONS.-Wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one. Job, v. 2. Envy and wrath shorten life.-Eccles. xxx. 24. The envious man hath a wicked eye. . . and the iniquity of the wicked drieth up his soul.-Eccles. xiv. 8. 9.. If envy, like anger, did not burn itself in its own fire, and consume and destroy those persons it possesses, before it can destroy those it wishes worst to, it would set the whole world on fire, and leave the most excellent persons the most miserable.-Clarendon. Envy shoots at others and wounds herself.-Fielding's proverbs. Envy, like a vulture, preyeth on itself.-Maunder's proverbs. Envy is the rack of the soul, and the torture of the body.-Maunder's proverbs. Excess and envy waste both the flesh and spirit.— Maunder's proverbs. Envy, which the Scriptures call "an evil eye," hath something in it of witchcraft.-Lord Bacon. Envy is a disease like an infection, which spreadeth upon that which is sound, and tainteth it. . . it is also noted that love and envy do make men pine away.Lord Bacon. Envious people are doubly miserable; they are first afflicted with others' prosperity, and next with their own adversity.-Serj. Palmer's aphorisms and maxims. I have seen Envy described “as defiled with blood; stretched in a dark dungeon; shut from the light of heaven; groaning at the sight of heavenly cheerfulness; pining and sickening at another's merit; and unable to refrain from tears when no object can be found on which to light."-Jonas Hanwell, Esq. Invidia festos dies non agit. Invidia Siculi non invenere tyranni tormentum majus. THEME XCI. A righteous Man regardeth the Life of his Beast. INTRODUCTION. 1ST REASON.-Because he is merciful, "as his Father in heaven is merciful." 2ND REASON. He feels that the "love of God is over all his works," and if the Creator takes so great an interest in his creation, as "to number the hairs of our head," and notice "the fall of a sparrow," a righteous man would feel he was 66 'reproaching his Maker" by abusing his creatures. 3RD REASON.-The temper of a righteous man is under his control, because he has learned by grace "to keep it under." 66 4TH REASON.-Righteousness has a humanising influence, for the fruit of the Spirit is love, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness."-Gal. v. 22. 5TH REASON.-A man of God would be ashamed of his inconsistency, were he to profess love, and practise cruelty. 6TH REASON. The same God that made man and made him righteous, made the birds of the air and the beasts of the field: A righteous man is aware of this, although another "may not well consider it." SIMILES. HISTORICAL ILLUSTRATIONS. QUOTATIONS. Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn.-Deut. xxv. 4. Mar. Alas, my lord, I have but killed a fly. Tit. But how, if that fly had a father and mother? How would he hang his slender gilded wings, And buzz lamenting doings in the air? Poor harmless fly! That with his pretty buzzing melody Came here to make us merry: And thou hast The Governor of all, himself to all The poor beetle, that we tread upon, In corporal sufferance finds a pang as great I would not enter on my list of friends (Tho' graced with polished manners and fine sense, Who needlessly sets foot upon a worm. Ye who love mercy, teach your sons . The Turks are very kind to all dumb animals, in so much that they give alms to dogs and birds. Busbechius makes mention of a Christian lad in Constantinople, who gagged in boyish sport a long-billed fowl, and was stoned to death. Shakspeare seems to refer to this contrariety of character in the Duke's speech to Shylock, who called Antonio a dog. If Antonio be a dog, argues the Duke, his present losses and misfortunes are enough to "Pluck commiseration of his state From brassy bosoms and rough hearts of flint ; CONCLUSION. THEME XCII. He that oppresseth the Poor reproacheth his Maker. INTRODUCTION. 1ST REASON. Because God made the poor as well as the rich. 2ND REASON. He designed them to be poor, in his inscrutable wisdom. |