exercise the liberty which he arrogates to himself''. To what an extent this domineering principle will prevail, we may see in the instance of Nebuchadnezzar ; who, because of the con- scientious refusal of the Hebrew youths to bow down to his idol, " was full of fury; and the form of his \asage was changed against them ; and he ordered the furnace to be made seven times hotter than usual," in order to destroy them^. Truly there is no principle in the heart more adverse to the peace and happiness of mankind than this.]
2. From envy at others —
[Great honour accrued to Gideon and the Abi-ezrites from the victory that had been gained : and the Ephraimites were grieved that others should possess a glory, in which them- selves had no share. Hence they broke forth into revilings against Gideon. The same principle also prevails more or less in all : " The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy^:" and how nearly it is allied with wrath, we see from those words of Eliphaz, " Wrath killeth the foolish man ; and envy slayeth the silly one^." The examples of Cain'^, and Joseph's bre- thren', and Saul"^, sufficiently mark the murderous tendency of this malignant passion. One evil peculiar to it is, that it makes excellence itself the object of its attack; as Solomon has observed, " For every right work a man is envied of his neighbour'." Hence that pointed question, " Who can stand before envy™?" Not the benevolence of the Apostles, nor the blameless conduct of our Lord himself, could ward off its ma- lignant shafts : and wherever it exists, it will be attended wdth " strife, railings, evil surmisings, and perverse dispu tings"."]
3. From impetuosity of spirit —
[The Ephraimites would not give themselves any time for reflection or inquiry, but instantly began with violent invec- tives. It should seem that they were a hasty people, full of pride and wrath : and on another occasion precisely similar to this, they suffered for it in no slight degree ; for no less than two and forty thousand of them were slain in consequence of it". Had they been at the pains of making inquiry, they would have found that Gideon had committed no offence at all : he had acted altogether by the direction of God : and so far was he from being at liberty to increase his army by the accession of the Ephraimites, that he was necessitated to reduce the thirty-two thousand troops which he had raised to
"^ Prov. xxviii. 2.5. ^ Dan. iii. 19. ^ Jam. iv. 5.
g Job V. 2. 1' Gen. iv, 5. ' Gen. xxxvii, 11, 18,
^ 1 Sam. xviii, 8, 9, ' Eccl, iv, 4. '" Prov, xxvii. 4,
" 1 Tim, vi. 4. Jam. iii, 16. ° Judg. xii. 1 — 7.
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