Page:Sermons preached in the African Protestant Episcopal Church of St. Thomas', Philadelphia.djvu/117

Rh anger, generally take steps to avenge themselves upon their enemies, so, when God executes the sentence of His righteous laws upon the rebels against His government, He is said to be avenged, not that He, like man, takes a malignant pleasure in the destruction of His enemies, but He is said to be avenged, because in such a case, His mode of procedure resembles the steps that men take when they are under the influence of anger. With these preliminary remarks, we shall enter upon the consideration of the several propositions contained in the text in the order in which they are presented. First:—"The Lord is slow to anger." That is, He is slow to execute punishment upon the transgressors of His law. We have a striking illustration of the truth of this proposition. 1. In the case of our fore-parents. That eventful period, when they