none of the least, that many of the elect are to spring from their loins; when this, and other ends are accomplished, they will then be driven away in their wickedness, Prov. xiv. 32.

And as the death of fuch bees after the breeding season, whether it be natural or accidental, is but little regarded or resented by the workers; so when fuch wicked drones perish, the wife man tells us there is shouting, Prov. xi. 10. Such live undefired, and die unregretted.

Owners of bees, in order to afcertain nearly what quantity of honey is in the hives, are often poizing them: in like manner the people of God, that they may know the strength and truth of their graces, ought frequently to be weighing their principles, lives, and conversations in the balance of the sanctuary: If this were done, I am afraid on many fair profeffors Tekel. might be written, Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting, Dan. v. 27.

A man cannot approach with fafety a hive of bees in the swarming season, without being equipped with a fuitable dress, to defend him against their venomous stings : So no believer need think to be in safety while furrounded by the world, the devil, and the flesh, without having on a dress of defence, even the Lord Jesus Christ, Rom. xiii. 14. and the whole armour of God, Eph. vi. 13. The benefit of fuch a dress the royal Pfalmist declareth he experienced, when speaking of his enemies, saying, "They compassed me about like bees, they " are quenched as the fire of thorns; for "in the name of the Lord I will destroy "them," Pfal.cxviii. 12.

O that I may be thus arrayed and accoutered, fo that in the name of the Lord I may destroy and root out those swarms of idle and wicked thoughts, that continually, as it were, like bees encompass my heart; and so overcome my spiritual foes.

In windy weather bees are very irritable, and apt to fting any person who approaches near their hive; but in doing so they often do more harm to themselves than those on whom they inflict the venomous fmart; as they frequently thereby lose their sting, for which they are difcarded the hive, and treated as members unfit for society : The same it is with respect to many men, when pride blows up the passion of anger : O how ready are they then to resent injuries ! never confidering that thereby they often hurt themselves most; for without timely repentance, their unlawful anger will bring down the wrath of the Almighty upon themselves, and debar them of the peaceful society above.

O that I and all men may then cheerfully submit to the teaching of him, "who taught " as never man taught," and hath said, " Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in " heart," Matt. xi. 29. "This is my com" mandment, that ye love one another as " I have loved you," John xV. 12. "that ruleth his spirit, faith Solomon, is " better than he that taketh a city," Prov. xvi. 32.

"He

O that men would shew their courage and valour this way, and not in hafty and angry paffions at one another: be this my study and conftant care, well knowing what evils hafty anger hath done to many of the people of God themselves: Did it not exclude the meek Mofes from entering into the land of promife? make Jonah infolently juftify his unwarrantable paffion to his Maker? and Paul and Barnabas part from one another, Num. xx. 10---12. Deut. iii. 25, 26. Pfal. cvi. 32, 33. Jon. iv. 8, 9. Acts xv. 39.

How seasonable then is that admonition, Ceafe from anger, and forsake wrath; fret not thyself in any wife to do evil, Pfal. xxxvii. 8. that passion was implanted in man for a noble purpose, even to shew his zeal for the glory of his maker, in ardently testifying against sin: but O! how much is it abused when used in a finful manner! then, instead of glorifying God, we dishonour him with his own gift: "Be ye angry, and fin "not:" "Let not the fun go down upon

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your wrath, neither give place to the de"vil," faith the apostle, Eph. iv. 26, 27. And indeed being angry at any thing but fin, is an inviting the devil to take poffeffion of our hearts, and what pleaseth him well..

May I therefore for the future keep a stricter watch over my spirit than I have done in times past, knowing that the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God, James i. 28. "The discretion of a " man deferreth his anger, and it is his

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glory to pass over a tranfgreffion," Prov. xix. 11.

These little insects in their society are not without a kind of monarchial government, for there is only one female in every hive, which naturalists denominate the queen. She is not only remarkable for fecundity, being the breeder of all the workers, but maintains a fuperiority over the whole, being more grave in her deportment, feldomer feen, and armed differently from the rest. It is she that gives them the signal when to swarm, when to cluster, and where to hive.

Say now, my foul, doth not the wisdom of the Creator greatly appear in the economy of these feeble infects? in fubordinating the workers to the dominion of the queen bee, and in enduing her with fuperiority over them? and no less confpi