is it very similar to what occurs continually before our eyes. Is an injury done, or an affront offered to us? we feel our- selves called upon by a regard for our own honour to seek the life of the offender. Is a slight encroachment made on the rights of a nation ? it is deemed a just cause of war ; and the lives of thousands are sacrificed in order to avenge it. But Jacob formed a just estimate of his children's conduct, when he said, " Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce ; and their wrath, for it was cruel."]
2. Invincible obduracy —
[We might well expect that, after a moment's reflection, these bloody murderers should relent, and be filled with re- morse. But all sense of guilt, yea, and all regard for their own and their father's safety, seemed to be totally banished from their minds. Instead of regretting that they had acted so treacherous and cruel a part, they vindicate themselves without hesitation, and even tacitly condemn their father, as manifesting less concern for his daughter than they had shewn for their sister. We can scarcely conceive a more awful in- stance than this of the power of sin to blind the understanding and to harden the heart. But daily experience shews, that, when once the conscience is seared, there is no evil which we will not palliate, no iniquity which we will not justify.]
Infer,
1. How astonishingly may the judgment of men be warped by partiality and self-love !
[These men could see evil in the conduct of Shechem, and yet justify their own; though theirs was beyond all compa- rison more vile and horrible than his. And is it not thus with us ? If the world behold any thing amiss in the conduct of a person professing religion, with what severity will they condemn it, even though they themselves are living in the unrestrained commission of ten thousand sins ! And even professors of reli- gion too are apt to be officious in pulling out a mote from their brother's eye, while they are inattentive to the beam that is in their own eye. But let us learn rather to exercise forbearance towards the faults of others, and severity towards our own.]
2. How certainly will there be a day of future retribution !
[Here we behold a whole city of innocent men put to death, and their murderers going away unpunished. But let us not on this account arraign the dispensations of Providence. In the last day all these apparent inequalities will be rectified. It will then infallibly go well with the righteous, and ill with the wicked. The excuses which men now make, will be of
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