often a great noise, both by word and deed, against God and his people; for, "lo! thine "enemies make a tumult," saith David, " and they that hate thee have lifted up the head," Psal. lxxxiii. 2. They return at evening, they make a noise like a dog. "Behold! they belch with their mouth, "swords are in their lips," Psal. lix. 6, 7.

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But it is a great comfort for believers that their Lord, who is on high, stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumults of the people, Psal. lxv. 7. that such wicked drones should be so long preserved in the world, may at first view seem strange, yet it is highly necessary; for, among other reasons, best known to the Divine Being, this is 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 such bees, after the breeding season, whether it be natural or accidental, is but little regarded or resented by the workers; so, when such wicked drones perish, the wise man telleth us there is shout

ing, Prov. xi. 10. die unregretted.

Such live undesired, and

Owners of bees, in order to ascertain 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 that, on many fair professors, Tekel might be written, "Thou "art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting," Dan. v. 27.

A man cannot approach with safety a hive of bees in the swarming season, without being equipped with a suitable dress, to defend him against their venomous stings: So no believer need think to be in safety while surrounded 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 such a dress the royal Psalmist 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," Psal. cxviii.

12.

O that I may be thus arrayed and accoutered, so 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 sting 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 smart; as they frequently thereby lose their stings, for which they are discarded the hive, and treated as members unfit for society: The same it is with respect to many men, when pride bloweth up the passion of anger: O how ready are they then to resent injuries! never considering 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. "He

"that ruleth his spirit," saith Solomon, “is "better than he that taketh a city," Prov.

xvi. 32.

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

How seasonable then is that admonition, "Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; fret "not thyself in any wise to do evil," Psal. xxxvii. 8. This 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 sinful manner! then, instead of glorifying God, we dishonour him with his own gift: "Be ye angry, " and sin not:" "Let not the sun go down

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upon your wrath, neither give place to the "devil," saith the apostle, Eph. iv. 26, 27. And, indeed, being angry at any thing but sin, is an inviting the devil to take possession 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 'glory to pass over a transgression," Prov. xix. 11.

These 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