Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-05-29

men when the waves thereftoss tn iF' x
s.lves, they threaten destruction; when
they roar, they strike panic TO the heart
Equally formidable are the ELECTS OF un-
restrained passion. But there isa pew
er which sets bounds to the stormy o.
cean, and 10 the unrestraiaed passion.
:. Thus far shalt thou go, and no farther,
here shall thy proud waves be stayed.
g The wrath men shall praise thee and
the remainder of wrath shalt thou re-
strain" g.
Sennacherib invaded the land OF Judea
and determined to add shat land 20 his
deminions but a superior power ruined
him in the midst Of bis furious sareer'
Pharaoh of Egypt oppressed tho sons
of Jacob, and daily multiplied his OPP
pressive acts; the helpless sheep were
prey to the wolf, until power every
where efficient broke the jaws OF the
wicked, and plucked the spoil out o.
his teeth.
The passions. of men when infa'ned
produce world of mischief. They get
on FIRE the Course of nature, and are set
in fire of hell. The rage is dreadful
"Simeon and Levi are brethren instru-
ments of cruelty are in their habitations
0 my soul, come not thou into their Sc
cret unto their assembly my honor be
not thou united for in their anger they
slew a man, & in their self. will they dig
| ged down wall. Cursed be heir aNeer for
it was fierce; and their wrsth for it was
cruel" Circumstances highly rrovok-
| ing occur, which are pleaded III apelo-
gy for the ssverest steps, rs III Esau's
! hatred of Jacob, and the Patriarch's IT.
ritetion against Joseph, Some are pos.
sessed naturally Of All ungracious surly
disposition, which appears on every oc-
| casion, whether provocations occur or
not even good Offices and prudent con-
| duct cannot suppress the outrage. This
was Nabals charaetsr-Iie was such
son of Belisl, that a man could not speak
20 him. Under great obligatien to Da-
| vid, he felt not the obligation but treat
| ed reasonable message sent by his be-
nclactor, wren in need, with wanton a.
buse.
God can direct the operations of the
human mind, with the same ease, as WEI
opening channels, can direct the course
OF waters in Our gardens. He sooths
the troubles, and rsstrains the outrage
Gus; nc brings good cut Of evil. The
wicked, even when their conduct is
most violent and perverse, and nothing
more distant from their intention, at
complish and bring to perfection whate-
YER he has determined.
The best illustration Of this doctrine
is derived from examples. Such the
history of Joseph. The prevailing dis
position in the father, in the younger
son, and in the brethren, which gave
rise to IS hat afterwards happened, can
in neither of them be justified. A pa
rent eugh. to pay equal attention to his
children except when good o. bad con-
duct demands marks IF appreciation or
censure. Jacobs partially excited the
envy OF the rest /: Joseph was at no pains
TO lessen that envy, rather he took plea
sure in adding fuel to the flame (: The
brethren in revenge sold Joseph to mer'
chants who were going TO Egypt, and
thereby exposed him to all the hardships
which u stranger and slave might ex-
pect. For wise and good purposes God
permitted such dangerous and guilty
passions SO far to prevail Joseph was
thus advanced to the first honors in E.
sypt Jacob and his family were pro-
yided for In famine, In which they
must otherwise have persisted: Egypt
had supply efbread, and alt the neigh
boring countries Joseph reviewing
the adjective Providence which reduced
him to slavery, with the issue thereof,
exclaimed, for tho relief of his peRitsnt
breshren-It was not of ysu, but Of God.
The wrath of man, in this instance, prais.