being applied to an useful purpose. John vi. 12. 'gather up the fragments that remain.'

The opposite of this is penuriousness. 1 Sam. xxv. 3. 'the man was churlish.' v. 11. shall I then take my bread, and my water.... and give it unto men?' Eccles. vi. 2. a man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it.'

Industry is that by which we honestly provide for ourselves the means of comfortable living. Gen. ii. 15. 'to dress it and to keep it.' iii. 19. 'in the sweat of thy face thou shalt eat bread.' Prov. x. 4. ‘he becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand.' v. 5. 'he that gathereth in summer is a wise son.' xii. 11. 'he that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread.' xiv. 23. 'in all labour there is profit.' xxi. 5. 'the thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness, but of every one that is hasty only to want.' xxii. 29. 'seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings.' 1 Thess. iv. 11, 12. 'work with your own hands, as we commanded you; that ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.' 2 Thess. iii. 12. 'we exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.'

The opposite of this is remissness in making provision for the necessaries of life. Prov. vi. 6. 'go to the ant, thou sluggard.' x. 5. 'he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.' xiii. 4. the soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing.' xix. 24. a slothful man hideth his hand in his bosom.'

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xx. 4. the sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest and have nothing.' xxi. 25. 'the desire of the slothful killeth him, for his hands refuse to labour.' xxii. 13. the slothful man says, There is a lion in the streets.' xxiv. 30. 'I went by the field of the slothful.' xxvi. 14. as the door turneth upon his hinges,' &c. xxviii. 19. 'he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.' Eccles. iv. 5, 6. 'the fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.' 2 Thess. iii. 10. if any would not work, neither should he eat.'

Liberality is a temperate use of our honest acquisitions in the provision of food and raiment, and of the elegancies of life.

'Abraham

In the provision of food. Gen. xxi. 8. made a great feast.' Job i. 5. it was so when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them.' Psal. xxiii. 5. thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; thou anointest mine head with oil; my cup runneth over.' civ. 15. wine that maketh glad the heart of

man, and oil to make his face to shine-.' Prov. xxxi. 6. 'give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish.' Dan. x. 3. I ate no pleasant bread.' Luke v. 29. 'Levi made him a great feast.' John xii. 2, 3. 'there they made him a supper. . . . .. then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly.' Acts xiv. 17. filling our hearts with food and gladness.'

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Of the elegancies of life. Gen. xxiv. 22. the man took a golden ear-ring of half a shekel weight—.' 2 Sam. i. 24. 'who clothed you in scarlet, with other

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delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel.' Prov. xiv. 24. the crown of the wise is their riches.' xxxi. 22, 25. she maketh herself coverings of tapestry-' Eccles. ix. 8. 'let thy garments be always white, and let thy head lack no ointment.' The opposite of this is luxury. Prov. xxi. 17. 'he that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man; he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.' Luke xvi. 19. 'there was a certain rich man which was clothed in

purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day.'

The virtues more peculiarly appropriate to a high station are lowliness of mind and magnanimity.

Lowliness of mind consists in thinking humbly of ourselves, and in abstaining from self-commendation, except where occasion requires it. Exod. iii. 11.

who am I, that I should go unto Pharoah? Psal. cxxxi. 1. my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty, neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.' Prov. xi. 2. with the lowly is wisdom.' xii. 9. 'a man that is despised and hath a servant, is better than he that honoureth himself.' xv. 33. 'before honour is humility.' See also xviii. 12. xvi. 19. better is it to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.' xxix. 23. honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.' Jer. i. 6, 7. ah Lord. . . . I am a child.' Dan. ii. 31. this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living.' Matt. xxiii. 12. he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.' Rom. xii. 10. in honour preferring one another.' 2 Cor. x. 13. we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule,'

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&c. v. 15. not boasting of things without our measure-' Eph. iii. 8.

least of all saints-.'

unto me who am less than the

v. 21. 'submitting yourselves

one to another in the fear of God.' Philipp. ii. 3. ' in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.'

In abstaining from self-commendation, except where occasion requires it. Job xii. 3. 'I have understanding as well as you, I am not inferior to you.' xiii. 2. 'what ye know, the same do I know also.' xxix. 8, &c. the young men saw me, and hid themselves, and the aged arose and stood up.' Judges v. 7. 'until I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.' Eccles. i. 16. 'lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me.'

Prov. xx. 6.

Opposed to this are, first, arrogance. 'most men will proclaim every one his own goodness.' xxvi. 16. 'the sluggard is wiser in his own conceit, than seven men that can render a reason.' James iii. 1. 'be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.'

Secondly, a desire of vain glory. Matt. xxiii. 12. 'whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased.' John v. 41. I receive not honour from men.' v. 44. how can ye believe, which receive honour one of another?" xii. 42, 43. they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.' Gal. v. 26. let us not be desirous of vain glory.' 1 Thess. ii. 6. nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others.'

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Thirdly, boasting. Prov. xxv. 14. 'whoso boasteth himself of a false gift, is like clouds and wind without rain."

司

Fourthly, a crafty or hypocritical extenuation of

our own merits, for the purpose of extorting greater

praises.

Fifthly, a glorying in iniquity and misdeeds. Psal. lii. 1. why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O thou mighty man?' Isai. iii. 9. they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not; woe unto their soul, for they have rewarded evil unto themselves.'

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Allied to lowliness is the love of an unspotted reputation, and of the praises of good men, with a proportionate contempt for those of the wicked. Psal. cxix. 22. remove from me reproach and contempt; for I have kept thy testimonies.' v. 39. 'turn away my reproach, which I fear.' Prov. xxii. 1. a good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.' Eccles. vii. 1. 'a good name is better than precious ointment.' 1 Kings xviii. 13. was it not told my lord what I did, when Jezebel slew the prophets of Jehovah ?' Neh. v. 14, 15. so did not I, because of the fear of God.' Matt. v. 11. 'blessed are ye when men....shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake.' 2 Cor. vi. 8. by honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report, as deceivers and yet true.' Heb. xi. 24-26. esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt.' xiii. 13. let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.'

Opposed to this is a shameless disregard of reputation. Luke xviii, 2. 'which feared not God, neither regarded man.'

Secondly, an excessive and indiscriminate passion for esteem and praise, from whatever quarter. Prov.