but it is not too much to expect from the promised succour of the Holy Spirit, since it is expressly said, that "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, and meek

ness."

What are these attractive

excellencies of character, but the very elements of the Christian temper? If these, then, are the communications of the Holy Spirit, surely the most direct and the most effectual method of attaining the government of the temper, is to seek, by earnest prayer, the indwelling of the Spirit of God. Distinguished in a high degree has been the success of some Christians, who have combined persevering prayer with persevering effort, to acquire an habitual command of

temper. A very remarkable and edifying instance of this success is presented to our view, in the character of the eminently holy and useful Mr. Fletcher of Madeley. "He was meek," says his biographer, "like his Master, as well as lowly in heart. Not that he was so by nature, but a man of strong passions, and prone to anger in particular; insomuch that he has frequently spent the greater part of the night, bathed in tears, imploring victory over his own spirit. And he did not strive in vain. He did obtain the victory, in a very eminent degree. Yea, so thoroughly had grace subdued nature,- -so fully was he renewed in the spirit of his mind,-that for many years before his death, I

believe he was never observed by any one, friend or foe, to be out of temper, on any provocation whatever. The testimony that Bishop Burnet bears of Archbishop Leighton might be borne of him with equal propriety :—' After an intimate acquaintance with the Archbishop for many years, and after being with him by night and by day, at home and abroad, in public and in private; I must say, I never heard an idle word drop from his lips :-I never saw him in any temper in which I myself would not have wished to be found at death!'"'

Secondly, Let us guard against the very first tendencies to the workings of an evil Temper.

There are two descriptions of evil

temper which are equally to be deprecated and repressed. The one is the sullen temper, and the other the irascible. The former, if less violent, is more lasting; assuming too often the character of a gloomy, morose, and discontented habit of mind, effectually disqualifying the individual for all enjoyment, unfitting him for all society and rendering him perfectly intractable. The latter, if less permanent, has an aspect still more alarming. How it distorts the expression of the countenance; how it disturbs the cxercise of reason; how it degrades the character of a Christian; how it quenches and grieves the Spirit of love; how it amasses materials for self-reproach; how it exposes to

consequences the most tremendous! In its fearful progress, it resembles the movement of a ponderous mass from the summit of a hill: at first, the motion is gradual and subject to some control; but the velocity is every instant accelerated, till the force it acquires in its desent bears down every interposing barrier, and bids defiance to all resistance. Seize then the golden opportunity while reason retains its power. Let an instantaneous ejaculation of the heart ascend to Him who heareth prayer, for the succour which he can promptly impart. Let there be, at least, the delay of a moment, before indulgence be conceded to the spirit of rising anger; and if even this brief interval be