July 25

17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind. 18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: 19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanliness with great men. 20 But ye have not so learned Christ; 21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every

man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. 26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27 Neither give place to the devil. 28 Let him first stole steal no more; but rather let him abour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him the needeth. 29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the heaviest. 30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32 And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

This chapter treats of the calling and conduct of the Christian. Let us specially note verse 26.

"He angry and sin not:—the easiest charge under the hardest condition that can be. He that will be angry and not sin, let him be angry at nothing but sin."—J. Trapp.

"Forgiveness before sundown! He who never feels the throb of indignation is imbecile. He who can walk among the injustices of the world inflicted upon himself and others, without flush of cheek, or flash of eye, or agitation of nature, is either in sympathy with wrong or semi-idiotic. It all depends on what you are angry at, and how long the feeling lasts, whether anger is right or wrong."—Dr. Talmage.

"Anger in itself is no sin, but it has a tendency to become so rapidly if it be harbored too long. Like the manna, it corrupts and breeds worms if kept over night in the close chamber of the heart. Then it will appear in the morbid shapes of spite, malice, revenge. The Christian rule is to throw it all away before the fermentation commences."—Dean Goulburn.

Closet Promise.—Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth.—Matt. v. 5.

Be angry and sin not. All anger is not sinful. We are to lay aside anger because it will give place to the devil. Anger is involuntary. Jesus was angry. God is said to become angry. It is natural and right, but it becomes sinful if wrongly directed, or if there be an inadequate cause for it. Too often we cultivate anger; we nurse our wrath to keep it warm. A natural manifestation of wrath or indignation is manly, and is often absolutely necessary to resent an injury. It should not be violent nor long continued. Old Thomas Fuller said, As we put out the fire to go to bed, so let us put out the fire of wrath. Let not the sun go down upon our wrath, otherwise the gates of the soul will be open to the Prince of Evil. An angry man is liable to become the prey to many sinful indulgences. As the apostle puts it, he gives place to the devil. Thousands are in prison for what they have done in moments of anger.