himselfe when his anger was passed ouer The Grecians did especially vse two names to expresse this affection which did containe in them the very nature of Anger The first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth the perturbation it selfe or the heating of the bloud by the apprehension of the iniurie offered the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth the appetite or desire of reuenge which followeth the perturbation So that these two names containe in them both the materiall and formall cause of anger for the materiall cause is the heating of the bloud about the heart which is signified by the first name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the formall cause is the appetite or desire of reuenging the iniury offered which is vnderstood by the other name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The most vsuall name vsed by the Hebrewes to signifie anger is Aph which signifieth also the Nose and by a synecdoche the whole face which name is giuen vnto it eyther because in a mans anger the breath doth more vehemently and often issue out of the nose which is as it were the smoke issuing from the flame kindled about the heart or else because in the face anger is soonest discerned by the often entercourse and change of colours Our English word anger is deriued from the latine word Angor which either signifieth throtling and choking or vexation and griefe because anger worketh both these effects if it be immoderate for it stops the throate leauing no passage for words and it vexeth and tormenteth both the body and the minde And so much for the name The definition explaned now wee will speake of the definition First I say it is an affection for the whole essence of a man consisteth of these three things body soule and affections which doe participate of both the other now anger cannot bee said to bee a qualitie or propertie of the soule alone for the materiall cause thereof is the boyling of the bloud about the hart nor of the body alone for the formall cause namely the appetite and desire of reuenge stirred vp by the apprehension of the iniurie offered doth more properly belong to the soule and therefore I call it a mixt affection proceeding from them both I adde the materiall cause namely the heating of the bloud about the hart which heate or inflamation is caused by the apprehension of the iniurie offered or the dislike which the heart conceiueth of the iniurie apprehended which is either in truth an iniurie or but in opinion and appearance onely for anger hath not alwayes a true cause but sometime fained imaginary and this materiall cause namely the heating of the bloud by apprehension of the iniurie the formall cause followeth that is to say an appetite or desire of reuenge for before wee desire to reuenge the iniurie we first apprehend and feele it which desire is either iust or vniust iust if we be angry for a iust cause with those with whom we ought to be angry after a iust maner obseruing a fit time and to a good end vniust if these circumstances be not obserued Furthermore in this definition the cause of anger is expressed namely iniurie offered for anger alwayes presupposeth iniury and the subiect thereof which is the hart as also the obiect to wit reuenge of the iniurie And so much for the generall definition of anger Sect. 2. The kindes of anger Natural anger Corrupt anger Sanctified anger The Stoikes confuted now we are to shew the diuers sorts thereof or rather the diuers acceptation of the same affection First it is taken for the naturall affection of anger as it was created of God and had his being in man before the fall Secondly as it is corrupted since the fall by originall sinne Thirdly as it is renewed and sanctified by Gods spirit We are not therefore with the Stoikes to confound these three together and and without difference to condemne them all for howsoeuer this affection as it is corrupted is most turbulent and of all others most pernicious yet wee are to hould that the naturall affection considered either as it was created by God or so farre forth as it is renewed and sanctified by Gods spirit is iust holy and lawfull And this may easily be prooued by diuers reasons That the affection of anger is in it owne nature lawfull first because it was created by God and was in man before the fall and before any euill entred into the world being therefore the Lords owne workmanship which by his owne testimonie was approoued to be very good Gen. 1.31 Gen. 1.31 and of greater antiquitie then euill it selfe it followeth that the affection in it owne nature is to be esteemed as good and lawfull Secondly because in many places of the Scriptures it is attributed to God himselfe Rom. 1 18. Ioh. 3.36 Rom. 1.18 the anger of God is made manifest from heauen against all impietie Ioh. 3.36 he that beleeueth not in the sonne shall not see life but the anger of God shall abide vpon him Seeing therefore it is ascribed vnto God to whose most perfect and iust nature nothing agreeth but that which is iust holy it followeth that this affection it selfe is so to be esteemed True it is that neither this nor any other affection is in God if we speake properly but onely attributed vnto him that our weake capacities may better conceiue how he exerciseth his workes and eternall counsailes toward his creatures But yet forasmuch as nothing is attributed ascribed vnto him which is not good and iust so far forth as it is ascribed it euidently sheweth that anger in it owne nature is not euill Lastly this manifestly appeareth in that this affection was truely and naturally in our Sauiour Christ himselfe as hee was man Mark 3.5 as it is euident Mark. 3.5 where it is saide that hee looked angerly vpon the Scribes and Pharises mourning for the hardnesse of their hearts so likewise being incited with an holy anger to see his Fathers house turned into a market he driueth the buyers and sellers out of the Temple Iohn 2.17 Pet. 2.22 Iohn 2.17 Seeing then Christ was angry and yet free from all sinne it followeth that Anger in it owne nature is iust and holy Obiection 1. But it may be obiected that anger is in many places of the Scriptures condemned and forbidden Mat. 5.22 as Mat. 5.22 He that is angry with his brother vnaduisedly is culpable of iudgement Answere I answere that not anger simply but vnaduised anger is there condemned and in a word all other places where this affection is forbidden are to be vnderstood not of the affection it selfe as it was created or is renewed by Gods spirit but as it is corrupted and depraued with originall sinne for anger being sanctified is not onely iust and lawfull but also commendable profitable and very necessary as being the whetstone of true fortitude whereby wee are stirred vp
Let not the Sunne goe downe on your wrath And so much for the meaning of the words Now I will intreate of their seuerall parts Sect. 4. Of iust anger And first concerning iust anger what it is and what is required in our anger that it may be iust and holy The definition of iust anger T this anger is an holy and reasonable desire of reuenge stirred vp in vs vpon iust waightie and necessary causes whereby wee being after a lawfull manner angry with our owne and others vices sinnes rather then with the persons doe desire iustly to punish and reuenge the vices and sinnes to the end God may be glorified the parties amended and that the anger of God being pacified may be auerted not onely from the party offending but also the Church and common wealth First then it is required to holy and lawfull anger that the cause thereof be iust now the iust causes of anger are diuers First when wee are moued therevnto with a zeale of Gods glory The first cause of iust anger the glory of God for when we see God dishonoured and his glory defaced it is not onely lawfull to be angry with the offenders but also necessary for we professe our selues to be Gods subiects now we know that no good subiect can with patience endure to heare or see the glory of his Soueraigne impeached wee professe our selues Gods seruants and what good seruant can abide to see his maister disgraced wee professe our selues Gods children and good children are more grieued offended when they perceiue that their parents are any wayes abused or iniured then if the iniuries were offred to themselues if therefore we be loyall subiects faithfull seruants and louing children wee cannot choose but bee incited to a holy anger if we see our glorious Soueraigne our good maister and gratious father by any meanes dishonoured When Moses saw that the children of Israell had contrary to Gods expresse commandement reserued Manna till the next morning Example hee could not containe himselfe from shewing this holy anger when hee saw his Lord and maisters will not obserued Exod. 16.20 Num. 12.3 Exod. 16.20 So that though Moses were the meekest man that was on earth yet could he not with patience endure to see Gods ordinance contemned In like manner when he saw that honour and glory which was due onely to God almightie deriued to a base and brutish Idoll he was prouoked to an holy anger and so wholy possessed with a diuine and heauenly rage that hee not onely breaketh the two Tables written by Gods owne hand but sharpely reuengeth this idolatry with the death of three thousand of the offenders Exod. 32. So that though the people were dearer to him then his owne life yea then the saluation of his owne soule Verse 32. Num. 25.7.8 yet was the glory of God more deare and precious vnto him then eyther of both Phinees also when he saw God dishonoured with that shamelesse sinne of Zimry and Cozby being prouoked with an holy anger he reuenged this dishonour with the death of both the offenders Thus also was Elias zealous for Gods glory 1 Kin. 19.14 because the Children of Israell had forsaken his couenant cast downe his alters and slaine his Prophets And thus was our Sauiour Christ possessed with a feruent zeale of his fathers glory Iohn 2.17 Iohn 2.17 If therefore we would approue our selues to be Gods Children wee must follow their example and for as much as nothing more dishonoureth God then sin nothing should offend and displease vs more then sinne whether it be in our selues or in our neighbour When therefore wee fall into sinne wee are to be offended with our selues 1 Cor. 11.31 that so we may auert the Lords anger from vs for as they which iudge themselues shall not be iudged of the Lord so they who are angry with themselues for sinne shall escape the Lords anger And this our anger must proceed to a holy reuenge Those who haue offended by surfetting and drunkennesse are to punish themselues with fasting and abstinence Those that haue wallowed themselues in voluptuous pleasures are to subdue and mortifie them though they bee as deare and precious vnto them as their right hand and eie Those who haue defrauded their neighbor by purloyning away his goods are with Zacheus to make restitution foure fold Luke 19.8 And as we are bound by the law of charitie to loue our neighbours as our selues so also to bee angry with them as with our selues namely with this holy kinde of anger for sinne Whensoeuer therefore wee see them by their sinnes dishonour God we are to bee displeased therewith and so farre forth as the limits of our callings extend to shew our selues offended according to the example of the Prophet Ieremie who because the people would not heare the word of the Lord was euen filled with diuine wrath Ier. 6.10.11 Ieremie 6.10.11 But how cold mens zeale of Gods glory is in this age frozen in the dregs of sin too lamentable experience sheweth for first who almost is angry with himselfe for his sins in this respect because he hath by them dishonoured God euery one sheweth spleene enough if his sinnes receiue condigne punishment but hauing to do with themselues in respect of the sinne it selfe they are like milde doues without gaule The adulterer is much displeased if for his sinne he be enioyned to maske in a white sheete though therby he haue deserued death but the poyson of his sinne is most sweet to his enuenomed appetite The couetous extortioner is much offended if hee bee iustly depriued of that riches which hee hath vniustly gotten but he is not angry with his sinne into which hee is fallen by vniust comming by them The blasphemer is enraged if he be but reproued for his blasphemy though by the law of God he deserueth to die for it but he is nothing displeased with himselfe for dishonouring the Maiestie of God In a word euery one is angry with the smallest punishment yet not moued with the greatest sin but if we would be angry and sin not we must not be so much displeased for incurring that punishment which we haue iustly deserued as that by our sinnes we haue dishonoured God And the like abuse there is of our anger towards others men are soone stirred vp to choller against their neighbours vpon euery slight occasion and shew of iniury offered to themselues though it be but an vnkinde word or a mistaken speach or but a strange countenance but when God is dishonoured his name blasphemed his religion derided his Sabaths prophaned his whole worship and seruice contemned they can looke vpon the offenders with a smiling countenance and so confirme them in their sinne or if they be angry they will eyther not be seene in it at all or else they will shew it after so cold a manner that it shall hardly be discerned Whereas if
there be the least iniury offered to themselues they can containe their fury in no limits till it be satisfied with reuenge euen vnto bloud But if we would approue our selues to be Gods Children and seruants we must be as truly zealous of his honour and glory as of our owne credit and reputation The second cause of iust anger is when iniurie is vniustly offered vnto our selues Sect. 5. The second cause of iust anger is iniury offered to a mans selfe for by the law of God we are bound to seeke the preseruation of our owne good name and state and therfore when either of them is violated or impeached we may iustly vse the aide of this holy anger in defending our selues repelling iniurie yea also in taking such reuenge as is fit in respect of our callings that is by vnsheathing the Sword of iustice if it be committed into our hands or by seeking the help of the Magistrate if our priuate estate will not admit vs to be our own caruers Many examples might be brought to cleare this point if it were necessary Though Moses were the meekest man liuing yet when hee was contumeliously abused by Corah and his companions it is said he waxed very angry Num. 16.15 and prayed vnto the Lord that he should not respect their offerings Num. 16.15 though the Apostle Paul were of more then an admirable patience yet being vniustly smitten by the commaundement of the high Priest he sheweth his anger by a sharp reproofe Act. 23.2 Act. 23.2 yea our Sauiour Christ the liuely picture of true patience when contrary to all iustice hee was stroken by the high Priests seruant he sheweth himselfe displeased by his reprehension Iohn 18.23 though at that time he offered himself as it were to suffer all contumelious iniuries which pride assisted with malice could imagine or impose Obiection But here it may be obiected that our Sauiour hath taught vs if wee haue receiued a blow on the one cheeke to turne the other Mat. 5.39 Answere I answere that Christs meainng is not that wee should expose our selues to all iniuries but that we should refraine from priuate reuenge without any calling thereunto which he would haue so farre from vs that rather we should be ready to receiue a new iniurie then vniustly reuenge that which we haue receiued The third cause of iust anger is when iniurie is offered to our brethren Sect. 6 The third cause of iust anger is iniurie offered to our neighbour Act. 7.24 2 Sam. 13.21 for as by the law of charitie we are bound to loue them as our selues so the same law bindeth vs to be angry for those iniuries which are offered vnto them as if they were offered vnto our selues And thus was Moses angry with the Egiptian who wronged the Israelite Act. 7.24 Thus was Dauid angry with Ammon for deflowring his sister 2 Sam. 13.21 and with Absalon for his cruell murthering of Ammon And thus was good Nehemie prouoked to anger when he saw the people oppressed Neh. 5.6 Neh. 5.6 And this anger is not onely lawfull but also necessary and the neglect thereof a grieuous sin in Gods sight as we may see in the example of Elie for when his sonnes abused the Lords people and he would not for their sinne shew his anger in correcting them otherwise then by mild and louing admonitions his indulgencie moued the Lord to inflict vpon him a most heauie punishment Bernard Et quia ira Eli tepuit in filios ira Dei exarsit in ipsum Because Elie his anger was luke-warme towards his sons the anger of God waxed fire hot against him and that iustly Gregorie for as one saith Non irasci cum oportet est nolle peccatum emendare Not to bee angrie when iust cause is offered is to nill the amendment of sinne and not to hinder sinne when a man hath good opportunitie and a lawfull calling therevnto is to be come accessarie But as they offend against the partie who is iniured so also against him who doth the iniurie For by not shewing themselues offended they giue approbation and by giuing approbation they countenance and confirme him in his sinne Whereas if they shewed their displeasure it might bee a notable meanes to reclaime him by working in his hart a consideration of his offence for which hee is reproued And in this respect Salomon saith that anger is better then laughter for by a sad countenance the hart is made better Eccles 7.5 Eccles 7.5 And so much for the iust causes of anger Sect. 7 The cause of iust anger must be waightie but there is further required to holy and lawfull anger not onely that the cause be iust but also waightie and of some importance for if euery small trifle be sufficient to prouoke vs to anger well may wee manifest great iustice but without question wee shall shew little loue for loue suffereth long it is not easily prouoked to anger it suffereth all things 1 Cor. 13.4.5.7 1 Pet. 4.8 1 Cor. 13.4.5.7 it couereth a multitude of sinnes 1 Pet. 4.8 how little loue therefore haue they who are angry vpon euery small and trifling occasion how iust so euer it bee Let vs then before wee let the raynes loose to anger consider not onely of the iustnesse of the cause but also whether it bee light or waightie and if we finde that it is but a trifle we are either wisely to dissemble it or mildely to passe it ouer knowing that in many things we offend all Iam. 3.2 if waightie then we may not onely iustly but also necessarily wee are bound to shew our anger for it is no lesse a sinne to shew mildenes where the Lord requireth anger then anger where he requireth mildenesse And so much for the causes of our anger Sect. 8 What is required to iust anger in respect of the manner 1 Moderation now we are to speake of the manner wherein first this generall rule is to be obserued that we vse moderation least we mingle therewith our corrupt carnall anger and so it degenerates into fleshly anger and from that to fury Let vs therefore herein imitate the Lord himselfe who in wrath remembreth mercie and not so bee carried away with the violence of anger that in the meane time we forget loue And on the other side we are not with Ely to be altogether remisse and milde when either Gods glory or our neighbours good requireth that we should shew iust anger so by approuing the sin for his sake that offendeth make our selues accessary to the sin and consequently subiect to the punishment but we must keepe the meane if we will approue our anger to be iust and holy The neglect of moderation The neglect whereof causeth many to fall into sinne for some if they can maske their deformed anger vnder the faire visard of a iust pretence they thinke they may lawfully shew all
violence and fury in their affections but let such men know that though the cause of their anger be neuer so iust yet in the manner they grieuously sinne against the rule of Charitie in respect whereof they may fitly be compared to cruell hangmen who hauing a iust cause to execute their office namely the Iudges lawfull commaundement doe in the execution thereof vse all barbarous crueltie so they being commaunded by God to bee angry with the sinnes of their brethren seeme glad they haue gotten such an occasion to shew their rage and fury But howsoeuer such men pretend the goodly title of iustice yet if they bee vnmasked there will appeare nothing but rancour and malice disguised vnder this faire pretext for let their friend to whom they are and must bee much beholden commit offences farre more notorious and they who seemed almost choaked with a small gnatte can finde roome in their consciences to swallow a pill of sinne as bigge as a Camell if it bee sugered ouer with the sweet title of friendship Others vnder pretence of a milde or patient nature are content to heare God dishonoured his seruants scorned all religion disgraced but cursed be such mildenesse as causeth vs to betray the glory of God and his truth by holding our peace and wincking at the offenders These men who are so milde and modest in defending Gods cause that they are readie to blush if they but in a word shew their dislike of sinne as though they had done that whereof they might be ashamed will blush and swell for anger if their owne credit be but touched or their reputation suffer any disparagement and whence doth this proceed but from the ouer much loue of themselues and ouer little loue of God whence is this bastard mildnesse but from pride the mother of euill which causeth them to seeke the prayse of humanitie and curtesie by betraying Gods glory The second thing required in the manner Sect. 9. 2 Christian modestie and charitie is that we obserue Christian modestie and charitie in abstayning from malicious and wicked speeches or vniust and spightfull actions in expressing our anger and to this purpose wee are alwaies to remember of what spirit we are for vndoubtedly how iust so euer our cause be if we defend it with spitefull and bitter speeches it is not the spirit of God which speaketh in vs. Iohn 18.23 Let vs rather follow the example of our Sauiour Christ who when he was buffeted and grosely abused reproued the offender with great mildnesse and of Michaell Tharchangell who when hee stroue with the Diuell himselfe about the body of Moses Iude 9 durst not blame him with cursed speaking but said the Lord rebuke thee The third thing required is Sect. 10. 3. A fit decorū and due respect of the parties that in our anger there bee obserued a fit decorum and due respect and that both in regard of the partie himselfe who is prouoked to anger and also the other with whom hee is angry for first in respect of the partie himselfe he is not to behaue himselfe alike in what place and calling soeuer he be for if he be a Magistrate he is to shew his anger not onely in countenance and word but also in action if hee be a father hee is not with Elie to shew his displeasure to his rebellious sonnes onely by milde admonition but also by discreet correction on the other side it is sufficient for him who is a priuate man if he manifest his anger in word or countenance Nay it is vnlawfull for him to proceede any further vnlesse his calling warrant him thereunto Againe the offenders are not to be vsed all alike a meane priuate man is not to shew his anger in the same manner to a noble man or a Magistrate as he would to his equall or inferior for though hee may iustly be angry with his sinne yet he is to reuerence his place and calling The Sonne must not shew his anger towards his father as the father sheweth his towards his sonne for he is bound to feare and reuerence his person though hee iustly hate his sinne And both these points haue the Saints from time to time duely obserued Examples Moses a Magistrate to whom the sword of iustice was committed when hee was prouoked to anger by the sinne of the people did not onely shew his anger in countenance or by a milde admonition but by vnsheathing the sword of iustice Exod. 32.27 and iustly punishing the offenders for their execrable idolatry Iohn Baptist hauing onely authoritie to vse the sword of the Spirit being offended with the hypocrisie of the Scribes and Pharises Mat 3.7 expresseth his anger by sharpe and vehement reprehensions Iacob being a priuate man Gen. 31.36 sheweth his anger towards churlish Laban his father in law by milde and gentle admonitions Ionathan being iustly incensed by the barbarous tyranny of his mercilesse father 1 Sam. 20.34 Dan. 3.16 signified his anger onely by rising from the table and departing The three Children though with a godly zeale they abhorred the Kings prophane Idolatry yet they shewed their displeasure in humble and respectiue words And so though Paul detested the gentilisme of Festus and Agrippa Acts 25 yet he vsed them with all due respect as it beseemed their high calling By all which examples it is manifest that we are to vse Christian seemelinesse and discretion if we would haue our anger approued as iust and holy And so much for the manner of our anger Sect. 11 The obiect of iust anger in the next place we are to speake of the obiect therof that must not be the person of our neighbour but his vice sin iniustice For though wee are to be angry at yea to hate the vices of men yet we are to loue their persons and in the middest of our anger to seek their good especially the saluation of their soules in regard hereof we ought to grieue more for their sin then for the iniuries which by their sins they haue offered vs and thus was holy Dauid affected whose zeale did euen consume him because his enimies had forgotten the word of the Lord. Psal 119.139 Mark 3.5 Ps 119.139 such was the anger of our Sauiour Christ who in the midst therof did mourne for the hardnes of their harts Mar. 3.5 But on the other side we are to take heed that we do not approue of the sin for the offenders sake for we ought to hate sin in our friends parents yea in our own harts or whersoeuer els we find it in no wise to loue this deadly poison though it be brought to vs in a vessel of gold neuer so precious in our eyes Here therefore wee must auoyde two extreames the one to hate the person for the sinnes sake the other to loue the sinne for the persons sake for as we would condemne his folly who would loath an exquisite
vnlawfull when as in our anger wee propound vnto our selues no lawfull end as the glorie of God the publicke good of the Church or common-wealth or the priuate benefit of our selues or of our neighboures but rather priuate reuenge and satisfying of our tumultuous affections by the hurt or destruction of him with whom we are displeased And this is alwaies to be obserued in all examples of vniust anger as in Caines anger towards Abel Sauls towards Dauid Nabuchadnezers towards the three children the Scribes and Pharises towards our Sauiour Christ And so much for the causes of vniust anger Now wee are to speake of the properties thereof CHAP. IIII. Of the properties of vniust anger THe first propertie of vniust anger is §. Sect. 1. The first propertie want of moderation that it is immoderate for though our anger haue neuer so iust a cause yet if it grow violent and degenerate from anger to wrath and furie it is vniust for it sauoureth not of the spirit of God who is mercifull and easie to be intreated but rather of the flesh and the corruption thereof And therefore wrath that is violent anger is numbred amongst the works of the flesh the doers whereof shall not inherit the kingdome of God Gal. 5.20.21 Now if we would know how to discerne when our anger is immoderate it is easilie knowne by the fruites thereof As first when it prouoketh vs to vtter words dishonorable to God either by prophane blaspheming of his holy name or wicked cursing and imprecations whereby wee desire that he should be the executioner of our malice or opprobrious to our neighbours as when our anger bursteth out into bitter and reuiling speeches tending onely to his disgrace An example whereof wee haue in Shemei 2. Sam. 16.5 who reprouing Dauid for his sinnes vseth such gall and bitternes that it cleerely appeareth his anger proceeded not from the hatred of his sinne but rather of his person Secondly 2. By the want of fit decorum when we haue no regard of any decorum or order either in respect of our selues or those with whom wee are angrie Not in respect of our selues as when by anger we are prouoked to take reuenge being but priuate men whereas reuenge belongeth onely to God and to the Magistrate who is the Lords deputie Rom. 12.19 according to that Rom. 12.19 Auenge not your selues but giue place to anger that is to Gods anger and reuenge For it is written vengeance is mine and I will repay it Deut. 32.35 saith the Lord. They therefore who take vpon them reuenge hauing no lawfull calling thereunto violate Gods ordinance by arrogating to themselues one of Gods royall priuiledges and so make themselues guiltie of high treason against God as they are guiltie of treason against an earthly Prince who intermeddle with any of their royall prerogatiues So also our anger is immoderate when we haue no respect of the partie with whom wee are angry as when the sonne being prouoked to anger against his father though it be for a iust cause doth not vse him with that respect and reuerence which becommeth him but bursteth out into vndutifull and insolent speeches quite contrarie to the example of Iacob who being but a sonne in law did not in his anger forget his dutie but vsed all discretion and moderation Gen. 31.36 And of Ionathan Gen. 31.36 who though he had iust cause to be angrie with his father Saul yet he onely shewed it by rising from the table and departing 1. Sam. 20.34 1. Sam. 20.34 And the like may be said of the seruants anger towards his master the subiects towards the Magistrate and of all inferiors towards their superiors For howsoeuer the law of God bindeth vs to be angrie when iust cause is offred yet it also tieth vs to moderation and discretion For it is the author of order and not confusion The second propertie of vniust anger §. Sect. 2. The second propertie of vniust anger is in respect of the obiect is in respect of the obiect for whereas iust anger opposeth it selfe only against sinne and iniustice vniust anger is incensed against the person of the offender yea oftentimes of them who are innocent nay because they are innocent as appeareth by those examples which before I rehearsed But if we will be Christs Disciples wee must follow his doctrine and example Matth. 5 44. His doctrine Math. 5.44 Loue your enemies doe good to those that hate you c. That you may be the sonnes of your father which is in heauen Where he plainly intimateth that they are not the sonnes of God who doe not loue the persons of their verie enemies we must follow also his example who prayed for his enemies euen while he was vpon the crosse subiect to their outragious iniuries Luk. 23.34 Luk. 23.34 Act. 7.66 Which blessed president holy Stephen imitated Act. 7.66 But many are not onely incensed against the persons of their enemies who are men like vnto themselues but also with brute beasts which are not capable thereof as wee may see in the example of Balaam Num. 24.10 Num. 24.10 Yea euen with things which want both sense and life and so was Xerxes angry with the riuers Plutarch de cobib iracun and sent letters full of menacing threatnings to the hils And manie such are subiect to continuall view who if any thing in their hands displease them will not sticke to dash it against the ground though after they are faine to take it vp againe or to spoile and breake it in peeces though afterwards they must be glad to bestow great labour in repairing that which by greater folly they haue defaced But these men may fitly bee compared vnto children who hauing gotten a fall beate the earth so they hauing receiued some hurt through their owne folly or negligence are angry with those things which are ruled by them as bare instruments The last propertie of vniust anger respecteth the time §. Sect. 3. when as it being long retained becommeth hatred And this happeneth not onely when men are prouoked vnto anger vpon waightie causes but also when it is grounded on the most slight occasions for when vaine trifles haue stirred them vp to wrath they perseuere in it lest they might seem to haue begun without cause and so against all reason the vniustice of their anger makes them persist in it with greater obstinacie For therefore they retaine it yea increase it that the greatnesse of their anger may make men beleeue that it could not chuse but arise from some waightie occasion and iust cause and so they chuse rather to seeme iust then to bee iust But more of this afterwards when I come to speake of the restraint of vniust anger CHAP. V. Of the kinds of vniust anger ANd so much concerning the causes and properties of vniust anger §. Sect. 1. Now we are to speake of the kinds thereof It admitteth of a
and encouraged to maintaine the glory of God and our owne persons and states against the impietie and iniustice of men Though anger therefore be but a bad Mistresse to commaund yet it is a good seruant to obey though it be but an ill Captaine to lead our forces into the field against our spirituall and temporall enimies yet it is a good souldier so long as it subiecteth it selfe to the gouernment and discipline of sanctified reason Obiection 2. But it is further obiected by the Stoikes that anger is a perturbation of the minde and therefore euill To this I answer Answere that as the perturbation of the minde which is moued vpon vniust causes is also vniust and euill so that which is caused vpon iust and necessary occasions is iust and commendable as for example when a man seeth God dishonoured Religion disgraced wickednesse vnpunished If therefore his minde be perturbed and troubled this perturbation is not to be condemned nay to be commended and they rather to be condemned who are not so troubled Thus was our Sauiour perturbed when he saw Gods house dishonoured Iohn 2.17 and 11.23 Nom. 24.7 King 19. as also when hee raised vp Lazarus thus was Phinees disturbed and troubled in minde when he saw that shamelesse sinne of Zimry and Cozby and Elias when religion was contemned idolatrie erected and the Lords true Prophets destroyed Though therefore anger be a perturbation of the mind it doth not follow that it is euill for not the perturbation it selfe but the cause thereof maketh it good if it be good and euill if it be euill 3. Obiection Furthermore whereas they obiect that anger blindeth and confoundeth reason Answere I answere first that if anger bee temperate and moderate it doth seruiceably waite vpon reason and not imperiously ouer rule it and rather maketh a man more constant and resolute in walking the path of truth which hee hath discryed with the eie of a cleare iudgement then any wayes dazell or offend the sight whereby hee should be caused to stumble in the way or else turne aside into by pathes of error Secondly though it should be graunted that for the instant Reason is somewhat disturbed with the passion it doth not follow that it is euill or vnprofitable for before the affection is inflamed the reason apprehendeth and iudgeth of the iniury and so as it were first kindleth the flame which being kindled doth for the instant perturbe the minde but the perturbation being quickly ouer passed and the minde quieted Reason is made no lesse fit thereby to iudge of the iniury and much more fit to reuenge it And therefore moderate and sanctified anger is so farre from hurting and hindering the iudgement of Reason that it rather seruiceably aydeth and supporteth it by inciting and incouraging it couragiously to execute that which Reason hath iustly decreed and resolued as therefore the most precious eye-salue doth presently after it is put into the eye dim and dazell the sight but afterwards causeth it to see much more clearely so this affection of moderate and holy anger doth at the first somewhat perturbe reason but afterward it maketh it much more actiue in executing and performing all good designes And so much for the lawfulnesse of Anger both in respect of the first creation thereof and as it is renewed and sanctified by Gods spirit as also concerning the diuers sorts of Anger Now in the next place we are to consider which of these is commanded or forbidden in my text What anger is commaunded and what forbidden First for the affection as it was created by God howsoeuer it was iust and holy in it selfe yet now the beauty and excellency thereof is defaced with the foule spots of originall sinne so that there remaine onely some reliques of the perfection wherein it was created till it be againe renewed and restored by Gods sanctifying spirit This therefore is not here commanded or forbidden but onely that we labour asmuch as may bee that it may come neare his former excellencie The other two sorts namely corrupt and sanctified anger the one in these wordes is commanded the other forbidden These words therefore may be deuided into two generall parts The generall diuision The first an exhortation or commaundement wherein iust and holy anger is inioyned or commended vnto vs in the first words Be angry the second a prohibition or dehortation from vniust and corrupt anger in the next words but sinne not and because by reason of our corruption we are prone to fall into it the Apostle in the words following limiteth and restrayneth it to a short time least it should turne into mallice Let not the Sunne goe downe c. as though he should say though through infirmitie ye fall into rash and vnaduised anger yet continue not in your sin Let not the Sunne goe downe on your wrath The most of our new interpreters thinke that the first words are rather a permission then a precept That iust anger is here commaunded and therefore to be vnderstood thus If you be angry sinne not or thus Are you angry sinne not that is though through infirmity yee fall into anger yet adde not sinne vnto sinne by continuing in it But I see no reason why the words should be thus wrested seeing there followeth no absurditie or inconuenience if they be plainely vnderstood without any alteration which cannot be auoyded if wee admit of their exposition for I would aske of them whether is here meant a lawful and iust anger or that which is vnlawfull and vniust if lawfull and iust why may it not be commaunded seeing it is as necessary and profitable to the furthering of Gods glory and our good as any other sanctified affection if vniust and vnlawfull as they vnderstand it I would know how wee can be angry and sinne not But say they if a holy anger were here ment what needeth the constraint Let not the Sun c. Seing the longer it lasted the rather it were to be commended if it were iust and holy I answere these words are to be referred not to the precept be angry but to the prohition but sinne not where vniust anger is forbidden as before iust anger was commaunded and this is manifest in the text for he doth not say Let not the Sunne goe downe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vpon your anger but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vpon your Wrath or vniust and inueterate anger as this word is commonly vsed So that the sence of these words is briefly thus much The meaning of the words be angry and spare not so that your anger be iust and holy but seeing by reason of your infirmitie and corruption your iust anger may easily degenerate and become vniust if due time place person and other circumstances bee not obserued therefore take heede you sinne not by being vniustly angry yet if through infirmitie ye fall into this sinne doe not harbour it no not one day
vniust anger Vniust anger is a wrongfull and an vnreasonable desire of reuenge stirred vp in vs by vniust causes whereby we hauing no respect of the glory of God nor the good of our selues or our brethren are after an vniust immoderate manner angry with them with whom we ought not to be angry That vniust anger is a desire of reuenge Anger an vnresonable desire of reuenge it is so euident that it needeth no proofe for we know by daily experience that he who is prouoked vnto anger by an iniury offered in truth or in his opinion desireth reuenge according to the nature of the iniury receiued or the opinion which he hath conceiued of it If he be iniured by a scornful looke he seeketh to reuenge it with a disdainfull countenance if by words he reuengeth by words if in deeds he desireth to reuenge by deeds yea oftentimes the fury of anger casting a mist before the sight of reason causeth smal iniuries to seem great according to that false opinion inciteth men to take reuenge without all proportion For an angry looke with angry words for angry words with blowes and for blowes with death according to the violence of the affection and not the qualitie of the iniury receiued Now that this desire of reuenge is vniust and vnreasonable Sect. 4. it appeareth by that which followeth in the definition And first because the causes thereof are vniust The causes of vniust anger are eyther internall or externall The causes of vniust anger 1. Internall 1. Selfe loue The internall causes are diuers as first selfe loue wherby we so immoderately loue our selues that we neuer thinke of the iniuries indignities which we offer others or els suppose them to bee none or els lightly esteeme of them as not worthy the recitall but on the other side it maketh men hainously aggrauate iniuries offered vnto themselues and so to make huge mountaines of small molehils it causeth the heart easily to apprehend the wrong busie in meditating of it being apprehended eager in seeking reuenge after meditation and the hand no lesse forward in acting those tragedyes which the heart hath inuented For by selfe loue men are induced to thinke themselues worthy of al loue and honour and therefore if a small iniury be offered vnto them they suppose that death is too small a reuenge for so great an indignitie offered to such worthy personages Yea if they be not so much respected as their hautie ambition desireth or if others be preferred before them and that deseruedly this is matter enough to prouoke them to furious rage not onely against them of whom they are not regarded but them also who are preferred in others iudgement And this is euident in the example of Caine who because God respected the offering of Abell more then his Gen. 4. was incensed to wrath and had his anger so inflamed that nothing could quench it but the bloud of his deare brother and in Saul who could with no patience endure that the praises of Dauid should surmount his in the sight and audience of the people 1. Sam. 19.8 but was enraged with deadly anger against him who for his merits deserued to be aduanced And thus doth selfe loue make a man winck at those iniuryes which he offereth others and to put on the spectacles of affection when he looketh on those wrongs which are offered to himselfe whereby it commeth to passe that euery small iniurie seemeth great and prouoketh to great anger Whereas if we thought meanly of our selues and loued our neighbors as our selues we would not suffer our iudgement to be so ouer balanced with the weight of affection in iudging of the iniury nor giue the reines to our anger in persuing it with reuenge The second internall cause of vniust anger is pride and arrogancy of spirit which is a fruite of selfe loue Sect. 5. The second cause of vniust anger Pride for selfe loue it is which maketh vs haue an high opinion of our selues this high opinion causeth arrogancie and pride and pride causeth men to bee more sharp sighted in discrying wrong and more furiously insolent in taking reuenge The reason hereof is apparant proude men being iealous of their honour and reputation are also very suspicious of contempt so that the least iniurie prouoketh them to choller and disdaine because they are ready to imagine that thereby they are exposed to contempt And this is the reason why proud men doe more impatiently suffer an iniury offered in company wher they would be respected because they thinke it a great disparagement to their credit and reputation An example hereof wee haue in Nebuchadnezzer Dan. 3.19 who waxed pale for anger because he thought himselfe disgraced in the sight of all his princes and people by the repulse which he receiued of the three children who refused to obey his wicked commaundement Esthe 3.5.6 And in Haman who was so inraged with fury because Mordecay would not in the sight of the people doe him that reuerence which his proud heart desired that he thought his death too small a reuenge for such an indignitie vnlesse also for his sake he vtterly rooted out his whole kindred and nation So that the least sparke of anger kindled with the smallest occasion bursteth out into a raging flame of fury if it be blowed with the wind of vain-glory Whereas on the other side he that is humble is not prouoked to anger though he be neglected because his lowly conceit maketh him think that he is not worthy to be much esteemed nor yet though he haue receiued an iniury because he is ready to think that he hath deserued it either by like falts committed against men or more hainous sins against God The third internall cause of vniust anger is couetousnes Sect. 6. The third cause of vniust anger Couetousnesse for this vice maketh men desire much riches and if their hopes faile them and be not correspondent to their desires their vnquiet and turbulent thoughts are fit harbingers to prepare a lodging in their harts to entertaine anger It maketh them vndertake great matters which when they are not able to compasse their harts are filled with vexation and they become more wayward then children or else if their couelous desires carried with the wings of ambition mount not so high a pitch they basely stoope euen to the most sordidous pray and finding themselues vnable to compasse great matters abroad they entermeddle with euery domesticall trifle at home and if they see any thing miscarry through the default of wife childe or seruant though it bee of no value their anger can containe it selfe in no bounds of reason So that these men are angry abroad but madde at home chollericke with euery man which hinders or doth not further their commoditie but outragious to their wiues children and seruants if they sustaine the least losse The fourth internall cause of vniust anger Sect.
which hangeth before them whereinto they are alwayes curiously prying The externall causes of vniust Anger CHAP. III. AND so much for the internall causes of vniust anger Sect. 1. 1 Vertuous actions demenor now we are to speake of the externall by which I vnderstand all outward occasions which are vniustly taken as first when we are angry with our neighbour for his vertuous actions For some there are whose malignant eyes doe abhorre nothing more then the bright beames of vertue eyther because they thinke that the beauty of others perfection causeth the deformitie of their vices to seeme more vggly that their degenerated natures are become like vnto Sathans Examples who hateth vertue because it is vertue An example hereof we haue in Cain whose anger was kindled against his brother because hee was accepted in Gods sight as being more holy then himselfe Gen 4.5 Gen. 4.5 As also in Saul who was incensed against Ionathan for his vertuous demeanour towards Dauid 1. Sam. 20.30 1 Sam. 20.30 In Asa who was offended with the Prophet the Ambassadour of the Lord for deliuering faithfully that ambassage which the Lord had put in his mouth 2 Chro. 16.10 Dan. 3.13 2. Chron. 16.10 In Nabuchadnezzer who was enraged against the three Children because they refused to commit Idolatry Dan. 3.13 and in the Iewes who were filled with wrath because our Sauiour Christ made a true exposition of the Scriptures and rightly applyed it vnto them Luke 4.28 Luk. 4.28 and too many examples we haue in these dayes of such as cannot with any patience indure to heare their duties taught them and their vices publikely reproued out of Gods word or yet any priuate admonition but they are ready like those that are in a raging fit of a burning ague to despight the Physition that endeauoureth to cure them So that in our times he is like to incurre more anger yea and danger also that reproueth sinne then he that committeth sin he that reprehendeth Atheisme and prophanenesse then hee that liueth in them Yea so desperate is the disease of this declining age sursetted with sinne that the Physition may sooner incur hurt and dammage by the fury of his patient then the patient help and health by the skill of the most exquisite Physition Secondly Sect. 2 the cause of our anger is vniust when it is onely imaginary hauing no other ground but our owne suspition And thus was Eliab angry with his brother Dauid because hee suspected him to be proud whereas in truth his owne pride was the cause of his suspition 1 Sam 17.28 1 Sam. 17.28 and this is the most common cause of Anger in these dayes for want of loue causeth men to interpret the actions of others in the worst sense and vpon their false surmises they ground their anger One is angry because saluting his neighbour hee did not resalute him whereas perhaps he did not see him or at the least hauing his minde otherwise occupied did not obserue him another is offended if any in his company is merry thinking that hee maketh himselfe sport with his infirmities another because hee is too sad imagining that it is because his company displeaseth him In a word as mens surmises are innumerable so also are the causes of vniust anger Yea so prone men are to inuent causes where none is that oftentimes they are sore displeased because they haue receiued small benefits not answerable to their expectation or not equall to those which they see bestowed vpon others and so they are prouoked to anger with small gifts as though they had receiued great iniuries but let vs be ashamed of such follie and learne to leaue it Hath thy friend giuen more to another then thee why it may bee hee hath deferued more and though hee hath not yet that which thou hast receiued might content thee if thou wouldst make no comparisons Nunquam erit foelix quem torquebit foelicior Seneca de ira lib. 3. cap. 30. hee will neuer be happie who is vexed when he seeth one more happie Hath hee giuen thee lesse then thou didst hope for why perhaps thou didst hope for more then thou didst deserue or then thy friend could conueniently giue but if thou wouldest not be vngratefull consider rather what thou hast receiued then what thou hast not receiued before how many thou art preferred rather then how many are preferred before thee Thirdly the cause of our anger is vniust Sect. 3. Thirdly when the cause is light and of no moment 1 Cor. 13.7 when wee are prouoked therevnto by euery small and trifling occasion because hereby loue and charitie is notably violated when euery slight cause incenseth vs to anger for loue suffereth all things 1 Cor. 13.7 and therefore their loue is small who will suffer nothing Loue couereth a multitude of sinnes Pro. 10.12 they therefore who rather finde causes where they are not then couer them where they are doe plainly shew their want of loue and their too great pronenesse to anger it is the nature of loue to make great faultes seeme little and little faultes none at all but anger maketh euery small slip a capitall offence and euery word of disgrace worthie a stabbe And as when wee behould the Sunne rising through thicke and foggie vapours we imagine it to bee of a farre greater quantitie then when the ayre is pure and cleare so when the soggie mists of anger doe ouershadow reason we suppose euery fault to be greater then it would appeare if this turbulent affection were dispelled with the liuely heate of ardent loue Some are angry at the imperfections of nature which being not in the parties power to amend should rather moue compassion then prouoke anger Others are angry at faults committed at vnawares vnwillingly and vnwittingly whereas they might with as great reason bee angry with a traueller for going out of his way or with one who stumbleth in the dark for not keeping footing or with a blind man for iustling or rushing against them For as the want of bodely sight causeth the one so ignorance which is nothing els but the blindenes of the mind causeth the other or with one who is sicke because hee is sicke for what is ignorance but the mindes maladie but hee whose hart is seasoned with true wisedome is not easily prouoked with faultes of ignorance vnlesse it bee wilfull or extreamely rechlesse considering that while we continue in this vale of miserie our mindes are shadowed with more then Cimerian darknesse And therefore these small trifling errours whereinto wee fall for want of knowledge will in them rather moue laughter or at least pittie then prouoke anger For as the vnhappie speaches and shrewd turnes of little children are excused because they proceed from want of wit so should the same excuse serue for them who commit faults through ignorance and simplicitie Lastly our anger is vnlawfull §. Sect. 4. 4. When the end is
tame and gentle as the Cowe or Calfe Esa 11.6.7 according to the prophecie Esa 11.6.7 The Woolfe shall lie with the Lambe and the Leopard shall lie with the Kid and the Calfe and the Lion and the fat beasts together and a little child shall leade them and the Beare shall feede with the Cowe and their young ones shall lie together not that regeneration doth take away nature and the affections but because it doth partly subdue their violence and furie and partly sanctifieth and reformeth them so that whereas they were hurtfull and pernicious now they are good and profitable to themselues and others the qualitie and the obiect of them being altered Their loue which was immoderately set on the world and the pleasures of the flesh is now fixed vpon God their neighbour and spirituall things Their ambtious hope which expected nothing but honors and riches now longeth after the presence of God and fulnesse of ioy in the heauenly Ierusalem Their timorous feare wherby they were restrained from doing good and constrained to doe that which was euill because they would not displease men is now a notable bridle to curbe in their vnlawfull desires and a sharpe spurre to pricke them forward in the course of godlinesse because they would not offend God and whereas before it was a corrupt fountaine from which nothing did spring but polluted streames of sinne whose descent is into the deepe gulfe of eternall perdition now it is become the Welspring of life to make vs auoid the snares of death Prou. 14.27 as it is Prou. 14.27 So likewise rash and vnbridled anger which before regeneration caused men to rage against the person of their neighbour doth now oppose it selfe against sinne and vniustice only whereby God is dishonored and the Church and common-wealth damnified Do not therfore hereafter excuse thy furious rash anger by alleaging thy nature for thou mightest as wel say I cānot abstaine from it because I am carnall and vnregenerate as because I am hastie by nature for those who haue laid aside the old man and are renewed by Gods spirit haue this affection partly tamed and subdued and partly sanctified reformed and made fit for necessarie profitable vses whereas on the other side they that let the raines loose to this corrupt affection were neuer washed with the water of Gods spirit and consequently while they continue in this state cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen Ioh. 3.5 Iohn 3.5 But that we may neuer alleage this vaine excuse let vs consider further that it is no better then Lazers ragges to couer the deepe festred sores of our corruption or then Adams fig leaues to hide the nakednesse of sinne which may be as fit a vizour to disguise euen the most vglie vices as this of anger for nature corrupted prouoketh not onely to rash anger but also to all outrages And therefore the murtherer by as great shew of reason might excuse his murther because he is by nature cruell or the adulterer his adulterie because he is by nature lecherous or the theefe his theft because he is by nature couetous as the hastie man his anger because he is by nature cholericke As therefore if a murtherer or theefe should come before a Iudge and excuse his fact by saying it was his nature and therefore he could not chuse but commit it the Iudge would answere that it was his destinie also that he should be hanged So when wee shall bee arraigned before the Lord chiefe Iustice of heauen and earth the alleadging of our corrupted nature wil be so farre from excusing vs that it alone will bee sufficient to condemne vs. And so much for the first sort of anger which is to be seen in angry and cholericke men The second sort is of such as are slow to anger §. Sect. 2. 2. Anger which is slovvly entertained but long retained but being incensed are hardly pacified And these are like vnto more solid timber which is long before it be kindled but being kindled continueth long in burning As these are better then the other in respect of their slownesse to wrath so they are farre worse because they continue in it for anger retained becommeth hatred which is an affection farre more pernicious then anger it selfe and much more incorrigible for as rash anger is most commonly ioyned with repentance so this inueterate anger is alwaies ioyned with perseuerance in euill And he that is subiect thereunto doth not onely fall into sinne but also is resolued to continue in it yea he taketh delight therein oft times by meditating on reuenge as we may see in Esau who was resolued to retaine his anger against Iacob till his fathers death and in the meane time comforted himselfe by thinking on reuenge Gen. 27.41.42 Gen. 27.41.42 But if wee would bee the children of our heauenly father we must resemble him not onely in slownesse to anger but also in swiftnesse to forgiue and though our brother offend vs seuentie times seuen times yet must we continually bee readie to imbrace reconciliation Mat. 18.22 Matth. 18.22 and so wee shall not be ouercome of euill but ouercome euill with goodnesse as the Apostle exhorteth vs Rom. 12.21 Rom. 12.21 Whereas if we continue in malice we shall make our selues like vnto Satan and subiect to Gods wrath Matth. 7.2 For with what measure wee mete it shall bee measured vnto vs againe Matth. 7.2 And as we forgiue men their trespasses so will our heauenly father forgiue vs Mat. 6.14.15 §. Sect. 9. Hastinesse to anger and slovvnes to reconciliation Matth. 6.14.15 And so much for the second sort The third sort is of them who are easilie prouoked vnto anger and being prouoked will neuer be reconciled These men are monsters in nature and flat opposite to the Lord for whereas he is slowe to anger and readie to forgiue they are most slowe to forgiue and most prone to anger This anger I know not how to expresse nor to what I may compare it seeing naturall things cannot resemble it because it is monstrous and against the nature of all things sauing man For the most fierce Lions and cruell Tigers haue some cause which incenseth them to anger and some measure and end of their furie after it is prouoked and therefore they are far worse who are angrie without a cause and know not how to make an end Seeing therefore naturall things are not fit to resemble them let vs consider artificiall They are like vnto tinder which being kindled with the least sparke will also retaine the fire till it be consumed But herein they are vnlike the tinder may easilie be extinguished but their anger can by no meanes bee mitigated the tinder doth but consume it selfe or at the least those things which are neere about it but those that are frō them furthest distant are often scorched with the burning heat of their furious passion It is like vnto wild fire which
wheras they by suspecting our word without cause do hereby but proclaime their owne practise of lying and falshood for who is more readie to suspect vnknowne euill in another then he who is guiltie to himselfe of his owne naughtinesse CHAP. VII Of the meanes to weane vs from vaine and customable swearing ANd so much for answere vnto such excuses as are vsually alleadged for customable swearing Now to the end that all those who are mooued with that which hath been said to a holie resolution of forsaking this wicked practise may the better bee enabled to attaine vnto their desire I will breefly for a conclusion set downe the meanes by the carefull vse whereof we may breake off this wicked custome of vaine swearing And first as in the curing of bodilie diseases the best course is to take away the causes thereof so if wee would haue our soules cured of this sinfull sicknesse of vaine swearing §. Sect. 1. 1. VVe must shun impatiencie and furious anger we must endeuour to remooue the causes from which it chiefly ariseth And these are principally foure the first is impatiencie furious anger which being a short madnes maketh vs to forget for the time not only al humanitie towards men but all dutie and respect which we owe vnto God and in barbarous and despitefull manner to loade his holy name with blasphemies as though he were the onely cause of our discontentment either by inflicting or not auerting the euils which vexe and grieue vs. For the purging away of which franticke humours I referre the reader to the perusing and vse of those spirituall receits which I haue prescribed for these impatient patients in my treatise of Anger The second cause of vaine swearing to bee remooued §. Sect. 2. The second cause of vaine swearing to be remooued is pride and vaine glorie is pride and vaine glorie which maketh men to vnderualue their oathes lest they themselues should be vnderualued for therefore they sweare in their ordinarie communication either he cause they would appeare gallants full of spirit and valour and gaine the reputation of Gentlemen and men of worth or because they would haue euerie word which commeth out of their mouth respected and beleeued as an oracle of infallible truth The third cause of vaine swearing is greedie couetousnes §. Sect. 3. The third cause greedie couetousnesse for when as men haue resolued with themselues that they will be rich they dare not depend vpon God in the vse of lawfull meanes but take all indirect courses for the increasing of their wealth as lying and dissembling bribing and oppression all manner of fraud and deceit and among the rest swearing and forswearing in their ordinarie trading buying and selling that thereby gaining credit vnto themselues they may either buy or put off their wares at a better rate Those therfore who would auoide vaine swearing they must first remooue this speciall cause therof greedie auarice and learne to rest and depend vpon the prouidence of God whose blessing alone maketh rich and giueth vnto men being enriched the comfortable fruition of that which they doe possesse The fourth cause of vaine swearing is externall namely §. Sect. 4. The fourth cause of vaine swearing others incredulitie the suspition and incredulitie of others who will not beleeue a bare assertion or promise vnlesse it bee confirmed with an oath for the remouing whereof we are to obserue the Apostles practise indeuouring to haue alway a cleere conscience not only towards Gods but also towards men Act. 24.16 For if we walk vnblameably in our liues and conuersation if wee so highlie value truth that wee will sell it at no rate if wee keepe touch and obserue our promises not onely when they are aduantageable but also when they be to our owne hindrance our word euen in waightie businesses will be credited and need no superiour testimonie or confirmation The second meanes to auoid vaine swearing §. Sect. 5. The second meanes to auoide vaine svvearing is to keep a vvatch before our lips is with Dauid to set a narrow watch before our lips that we may not thus offend with our tongues and to bridle and curbe in this vnruly euill with the bit of Gods feare that it burst not out into vaine oathes which otherwise will runne at randome and fall into this vice euen before wee be aware And if long custome hath so confirmed it in vs that wee haue no hope to breake it off at once Psal 39.1 Iam. 1.26 We must break off custome with custome let vs labour at least to bring it into a consumption and by an antidote of a contrarie custome to disinure our tongues from the vse thereof Let vs resolue whatsoeuer occasion bee offered to keepe such a straight watch ouer our tongue that we will not sweare for the space of a whole day and when we haue thus farre preuailed ouer our selues let vs take a longer time and so taking as it were a truce with Gods glorious name from time to time binding our selues in the meane while that wee will not offer against it any abuse or violence it will in a small space grow vnto a firme and inuiolable peace and vaine oathes which were as familiar as our ordinarie speech will sticke in our teeth like an vnknowne language and become of neere acquaintance which would vsually rush in without bidding meere strangers which will not come within the doore of our lips vnlesse vpon extraordinarie occasion they be inuited The third meanes to auoid vaine swearing § Sect. 6. The 3. meanes is to be sparing in the vse of asseuerations is to be sparing in the vse of earnest asseuerations and protestations for these are as it were the outward and next adioyning fences the vse whereof is to preserue Gods glorious name from being prophaned and trampled vpon by common vse and therefore so long as we sparingly and reuerently approch vnto them wee will be much more respectiue in vsing the name of God by an oath whereas if wee vsually leape ouer the fence and by prophane and common vse tread it downe and trample it vnder foote then the fence being taken away the holy name of God himselfe lieth open to be prophaned by vaine swearing Asseuerations are as it were the banke and brinke of the water and vaine swearing like a deepe mischieuous pit fit to swallow and drowne vs if wee fall into it So long therefore as we walke aloofe and doe not approch the banke but vpon waightie occasion and with great care and circumspection we keepe our selues out of all danger but if wee be still leaping vpon the banck and carelesly dancing vpon the very brinck it is a thousand to one we shall slip in and perish vnlesse we rise again and recouer our selues by true repentance Again if it be obserued that we are sparing in the vse of these asseuerations vnlesse it be in waightie affaires and with great reuerence and
constrained in their old age to drinke water So it is said Prou. 21.17 He that loueth pastime shall be but a poore man and he that loueth wine and oyle shall not be rich And Pro. 23.21 Pro. 21.17.23.21 The drunkard and the glutton shal be poore and the sleeper shall be clothed with rags And these §. Sect. 6. The drunkard sinneth against his seuerall parts and first against his soule with many more euils this vice bringeth to the whole man Besides which common mischiefes it is also pernitious to his seuerall parts for first it infatuateth the vnderstanding peruerteth the will and corrupteth all the affections To this purpose one saith Vbi regnat ebrietas ratio exulat intellectus obtunditur consilia deuiant iudicia subuertuntur Where drunkennesse raigneth as King there reason is banished as an exile the vnderstanding is dulled counsell wandreth and iudgement is ouerthrowne With this accordeth Seneca his definition of drunkennesse Nihil aliud est ebrietas quà m voluntaria insania Drunkennesse is nothing else but a voluntarie madnesse Extende in plures dies illum ebrium habitum nunquid de furore dubitabis If this drunken habite bee continued for many daies together who would make any doubt but that the partie were out of his wits Nunc quoque non est minor sed breuior But take it as it is and it is no lesse madnesse then frenzie but only shorter Although then drunkennesse be not direct madnesse yet to speake the best it is a temporarie forfeiture of the wits and in this it must needes be confessed to be worse then frenzie in that this is violent that voluntarie this the euill of punishment but that the euill of sinne Yea this vice doth not only rob men of reason but also of common sense so as they can neither preuent future danger nor feele present smart And this the Wise man in liuely manner expresseth Prou. 23.24 where hee saith Prou. 23.34.35 that the drunkard shall be as one that sleepeth in the middest of the sea and as he that sleepeth in the top of the mast 35. They haue stricken me shall he say but I was not sicke they haue beaten me but I knew not when I awoke therefore I will seeke it yet still A notable example hereof wee haue in Lot who was so besotted with drinke and depriued of sense and reason that vnwittingly he committed incest with his owne daughters Gen. 19.35 neither knowing when they lay downe nor when they rose vp So that whilest drunkennesse lasteth it hath the same operation with deadly poison for it intoxicateth the braine benummeth the senses infeebleth the ioints and sinewes and bringeth a man into a temporarie lethargie Hence it is that Cyrus in his childhood being asked by his grandfather Astiages Xenoph. in padia Cyri. lib. 1. why at the feast hee did not drinke wine returned this answere full of wittie simplicitie Because said he I tooke it to bee poison for at the last feast I obserued that those who drunke of it were soone after depriued of their vnderstanding and senses Whereby appeareth the odiousnesse of this sinne for if it bee a hatefull thing for a man to wound his owne flesh and wilfully to maime the members of his bodie how abominable is it to wound the minde it selfe and to offer violence against our reason and vnderstanding If it be a crime to offer violence against the subiects then surely to lay violent hands vpon the King himselfe and to pull him out of his regall throne must needes be condemned as outragious wickednesse And thus the drunkard sinneth against his owne soule §. Sect. 7. How the drunkard sinneth against his body 1. by deforming it Propert. lib. 2. eleg vlt. Neither is he a better friend or lesse iniurious to his bodie for first he deformeth it and defaceth that goodly feature in which it was created according to that Vino forma perit vino corrumpitur aetas By wine beautie perisheth and the vigour of age is disabled Neither is there almost any part of the bodie which is not disordered and deformed with this vice of drunkennesse their eyes become red their face is inflamed their breath noisome their speech stammering their bodies staggering their gestures apish and all their actions foolish And hence it was that the Lacedemonians vsed to shew vnto their children their Helots and slaues in the time of their drunkennesse thinking that their vgly deformitie both in bodie and minde would be an effectuall argument to make them lothe this vice which euen at the first view shewed so odious Secondly §. Sect. 8. 2. It disableth and weakneth the bodie as it deformeth the bodie so also it disableth it turning strength into weaknesse and health into sicknesse For as the earth it selfe with too much moisture is turned into bogges and quagmires so also is the bodie thereby wholly corrupted and through the redundance of humours the naturall heate being extinguished is brought vnto grieuous diseases as dropsies gouts palsies apoplexie and such like So that euen in this respect the drunkard buyeth his beastly pleasure at a high rate Senec. epist 59. for as one saith Ebrietas vnius horae hilaram insaniam longi temporis taedio pensat Drunkennesse requiteth one houres merry madnesse with a long and tedious time of sorrow and repentance As therefore sobrietie and temperance is the best nurse to preserue health and continue strength so drunkennesse excesse and surfetting are the speediest meanes to ouerthrow thē and the readiest way which a man can take to come with posting haste to immature age and vnnaturall weaknes Lastly it shortneth the life and bringeth vntimely death §. Sect. 9. Drunkennesse shorteneth the life and bringeth vntimely death For to say nothing of those dangers vnto which they expose themselues by quarelling and brauling in the time of their drunkennes in which many haue perished and to passe them ouer who hauing lost the sterne of reason wherewith they should guide themselues haue as it were dashed against vnhappie accidents and so made shipwrack of their liues some on the land some in the water some in the streetes and some in the ditches how many are there who haue drunke themselues dead and haue presently died with the weapon as it were in their bellie so that there needed not any Iurie to go vpon them to finde out the cause of their death it being no more sudden then the cause apparant Whose deaths charitie it selfe must needes iudge most miserable seeing they die in their sins and are taken away in Gods iust wrath euen whilest they are sacrificing their soules vnto Satan But yet small is the number of those who perish in this apoplexie of drunkennesse in comparison of those multitudes whom it linggringly consumeth for it doth by little and little quench the naturall heate and drowne the vitall spirits and so leadeth men though not by so direct a passage yet but a little way
punishment of other sinnes BVt as whoredome is in it selfe a grieuous sin §. Sect. 1. That vvhoredome is in it selfe the punishment of other sinnes and the cause of much other wickednesse so likewise it is accompanied with many grieuous punishments and that both as it is in it selfe a punishment of other sinnes or as it is punished by God with many fearefull iudgements In it selfe it is the punishment of other wickednesse for the harlot as the Wise man saith is like a deepe pit of destruction hee with whom the Lord is angrie namely for their other sinnes shall fall therein as it is Prou. 22.14 and 23.27 So Eccles 7.28 Pro. 22.14 and 23.27 Eccl. 7.28 I find more bitter then death the woman whose heart is as nets and snares and her hands as bands hee that is good before God shall be deliuered from her but the sinner shall be taken by her By which places is implied that whoredome is like a deepe pit or dungeon into which sinners fall in Gods iust displeasure and the harlot like a strong and mercilesse iaylour which holdeth men in thraldome with whom God is angrie in the chaines of lust out of which they cannot nor desire not to escape Yea in truth the fornicator is in farre worse case then such a miserable captiue for the dungeon taketh away the comfortable light of the Sun and so depriueth him of the vse of bodily sight but fornication blindeth the vnderstanding which is the eie of the soule and taketh away the light of reason as hath been shewed In the dungeon he is stripped of his goods liueth in penurie but by this sin the fornicator strippeth himselfe and like an vnnatural theefe robbeth and spoileth his own state to bestow it vpon harlots til he be brought vnto extreame pouertie Out of the dungeon the captiue cannot escape though hee much desire his libertie out of this lothsome pit he will not escape but remaineth a voluntarie slaue to an odious strumpet and his owne filthie lusts till by death he is brought forth to the bar of Gods iudgemēt to receiue the sentence of eternall condemnation More especiallie whoredome is the punishment of idolatrie §. Sect. 2. VVhoredome is the punishment of idolatrie as it plainly appeareth Rom. 1.23.24 For because the idolatrous Gentiles turned the glory of the incorruptible God into the similitude of the image of a corruptible man and of birds and foure footed beasts and of creeping things therefore also God gaue them vp to their harts lusts Rom. 1.23.24 vnto vncleannesse to defile their owne bodies betweene themselues c. So because the Israelites went a whoring after idols therfore the Lord gaue ouer their daughters and spouses to their owne filthie lusts to become harlots and whores and would not restraine them from their whordomes by his fatherlie chastisements Hos 4.12.13 The like experience we haue at this day in the Papists Hos 4.12.13 who because they are the most shamefull idolaters of the whole world therefore being giuen vp of God to their owne vncleannesse they doe also exceede in fornication whoredome and filthie Sodomie as the histories of all times doe plainely testifie and as common fame at this day soundeth their infamie in this behalfe in euery mans eares Secondly §. Sect. 3. VVhoredome is the punishment of the contempt of Gods vvord whoredome is inflicted as a punishment vpon those who are contemners of Gods word and oppose themselues against the Preachers thereof for because men will not suffer themselues to be guided with the light of Gods truth therefore the Lord giueth ouer both them and theirs to be blinded with their owne filthie lusts and to be ouerruled and mislead by their vncleane passions till they fall vnrecouerablie into the sinne of whoredome and because they dishonour the Lord by despising his word hee will cause their wiues and daughters to dishonour them with their fornications and adulterie Of the former we haue an example in the Israelites who when they most contemned Gods word and despised his Prophets did also most exceede in filthie whoredome and in the haters and persecutors of Gods true religion faithfull seruants at this day as namely the Turks Papists and Familists who as they aboue all others contemne the pure and vndefiled word of God so also are they of all other men most stained and defiled with whoredome and all manner of vncleannesse as not onlie Turkie with the large dominions thereof but also Spaine and Italie doe sufficiently testifie and prooue Of the other we haue an example in Amaziah the Priest who because he despised Gods word and opposed against the Prophet Amos had this heauie punishment denounced against him Amos 7.16 Thou saist Amos 7.16 Prophecie not against Israel and speake nothing against the house of Ishak 17. Therefore thus saith the Lord thy wife shall bee an harlot in the citie c. And thus it appeareth that whoredome is the punishment of other sinnes and that no small punishment §. Sect. 4. That whoredome is a fearefull punishment seeing thereby such great sinnes as idolatrie and contempt of religion are punished by the Lord who holdeth some proportion betweene the punishment and the sinne And as it is great in it selfe so in this respect it is more grieuous in that the whoremonger rather esteemeth it his chiefe delight then his punishment and so securely continueth vnder the bondage of it and his other sinnes without sense of smart and consequently without remorse of conscience for when the paine of the punishment exceedeth not the pleasure of the sinne the pleasure doth more delight the malefactors then the punishment doth terrifie them whereof it commeth to passe that hauing a prosperous gale in their opinion to blow them on forwards in their euil courses they are giuen ouer to a reprobate mind and continue in their sinne without griefe or wearinesse CHAP. X. That whoredome is the cause of many grieuous punishments BVt as whoredome is the punishment of other sinnes §. Sect. 1. That God himselfe punisheth whoredome when men winke at it so also it selfe as a grieuous sinne is punished with Gods heauy iudgements And because men who are Gods deputies doe oftentimes winke at it and carelessely passe ouer the due executiō of iustice in the punishment of this sin therefore the Lord oftentimes taketh the cause into his owne hands and proceedeth against these filthy persons not onely as a Iudge and witnesse against them but as the executioner of that iust sentence which himselfe hath pronounced So he saith that he would come neere vnto the Israelites to iudgement and be a swift witnesse against the whoremongers Mal. 3.5 Heb 13.4 Mal. 3.5 and Heb. 13.4 it is said that whoremongers and adulterers God himselfe will iudge Yea so odious is this sinne in the sight of this vpright Iudge that though he bee infinite in mercie yet hee professeth that he could not in his iustice let
against the aduerse partie ioyning their helping hands with such theeues as would rob them of their right and spoile them of their iust possessions They sinne against their owne client either by taking his monie to doe him no good his cause being apparantly euill or when it is more hidden and intricate by strengthening him in euill countenancing him in his bad course and by selling vnto him for his fees an vniust bargaine which he hath no more right to buy then the other to sell which one day will be a clogge to his mind and a corrasiue to his conscience And lastly they sinne against their owne soules both by scraping out the signe of one who is an inheritour of Gods kingdome and by taking vpon them a marke of reprobation and damnation namely the receiuing of a reward against the innocent as it is Psal 15.5 Psalm 15 and whilest they call good euill and euill good wrong right and right wrong iustifie the wicked for a reward and take away the righteousnesse of the righteous from him they make themselues subiect to a double woe denounced against them Esa 5.20.23 Esa 5.20.23 Secondly they are guiltie of this sinne of bribing §. Sect. 4. 2. By exacting extraordinarie fees for ordinarie businesse who exact extraordinarie fees for ordinarie labour and excessiue rewards for small paines to themselues and as little profit to their clients The which is a common fault of these times wherein some lawyers so much ouerualue their labours aboue their worth that scarce ten times so much as their ordinarie fee will bring them to the barre or cause them to open their lippes in the behalse of their client if they be men of any note But wee are to know that by the rule of iustice there ought to be a proportion betweene the worke and reward betweene the seruice and the wages respect being had of the dignitie and state of the person who taketh the paines and whatsoeuer exceedeth this iust proportion is no better then briberie extorsion and theft in Gods sight Neither must this proportion be measured according to their owne conceit which is commonly vnequall and partiall through ouerweening pride and bewitching selfe-loue but according to the lawes of the land and limitation of the State whereby all such things are to bee ordered and determined Besides as this taking of excessiue fees is bad in it selfe and full of iniustice and corruption so is it of worse consequence for if none of worth can bee entertained but at these high rates then those who are of low condition and meane estate are through their necessity debarred of their helpe and counsell and onely those who abound in wealth and haue full purses haue the benefit of it whereof it must needs follow that through the great skil and perswading eloquence which is vsed in the defence of their cause who are rich through the weake and insufficient handling of the poore mans cause though neuer so iust powerful iniustice wil get the vpper hand oftentimes of weak right and truth hauing no patrons but her own naked simplicitie to maintaine her against the vnresistable violence of bold eloquence and cunning insinuations and surmizes doth not seldome in these daies take the foile But much more doe they offend §. Sect. 5. 3. VVhen hauing receiued their fees they will not speake in their clients cause who receiuing their fees sometimes double and treble will not vouchsafe when the cause of their clients is to be heard to come vnto the barre or to open their lippes in defence of their right Whereby they greatly iniure their clients in betraying their cause vnder colour of patronage withholding their promised counsell and helpe when the necessitie of the cause most requireth it whereof it must needs follow that the aduerse partie will obtaine an easie victorie when being armed at all points for the incounter he findeth no aduersarie in the lists to make resistance And also hereby they make themselues guiltie of shamefull theft in that they take those fees which of right doe not belong vnto them for the reward is not absolutely giuen vnto them but vpon the condition of their best assistance the which condition being not performed they haue no iust title vnto the gift no more then the seruant hath right to his wages who doth no worke or spendeth his whole time in following his owne businesse The causes of the former sin 1. The couetousnes of the lawyer Now the cause hereof principally is their griping couetousnesse which maketh them thinke all the water lost which runneth besides their mill and therefore they greedily vndertake as many businesses as are commended vnto them by assured hope of large gaine though it be impossible that they should carefully prosecute one of three as the causes require And so they not onely emptie their clients purses of their mony but also their hearts of all comfort when they find their cause betraied by those who should haue defended it and perceiue to their griefe that these broken staues haue failed them when they most relied on them 2. The importunitie of the client And secondarily this commeth to passe through the importunitie of the client who looking more into the skill of his counsellours then into the goodnesse of his cause is in policie contented to giue a large fee to one of whom he hath conceiued a great opinion rather to hinder his aduersarie then to helpe himselfe For hauing no hope of entertaining him to speake in his owne cause he putteth into his mouth this goldē gagge to restraine him from speaking against him in the behalfe of the aduerse party Wherin they behaue themselues like the poore Indians who offer sacrifice to the diuels not because they looke to obtaine from them any good but because they would restraine them from doing them any hurt so these not for hope of receiuing any helpe but to keepe them from hurting their cause fee them with large gifts whereby it commeth to passe that they who in this corrupt ranke are of greatest fame are more inriched by their silence then others by their laboured speeches and haue more and greater fees to keepe them sitting stil and doing nothing then others for trudging to the courts and taking all the paines Lastly they offend by making tedious delaies §. Sect. 6. 4. By making tedious delaies and protracting suites and protracting of suits from terme to terme and yeere to yeere diuising a thousand quirkes and shifts to keepe the cause from comming to a iust triall to the end that together with the suite their fees may be continued and become of extraordinarie rewards annuall rents to bee paid vnto them quarterly at euery Terme So that in these daies the execution of iustice is farre vnlike vnto that it was in the time of Moses Exod. 18.14 for then Iethro complained that the peoples suites were too tediously delaied because they were faine to waite from morning to night
likewise appeareth by examples §. Sect. 4. The former point cleared by examples When Samuels sons would not walke in their fathers waies which was to administer iustice indifferently without respect of persons or taking bribes 1. Sam. 12.3 as himselfe protesteth to the people 1. Sam. 12.3 but did turne aside after lucre and tooke rewards then they also peruerted iudgement as it is 1. Sam 8.3 1. Sam 8.3 So the Magistrates of Israel being corrupted with greedie couetousnesse made rewards the verie end and maine scope of their iudgement Mich. 3.11 Yea euen righteous Dauid Mich. 3.11 a man according to Gods owne hart was so intangled and corrupted with Zibaes bribe that he vniustly condemned innocent Mephibosheth before his cause was euer heard and when the iniustice of this sentence appeared by that iust apologie which he made for himselfe 2. Sam. 16.1.2 and 19.29 yet was hee so possessed with Ziba his gift and false report that neither the loue which himselfe bare to iustice nor the remembrance of the vnmatchable kindnesse and manifold benefits which he had receiued from his deare Ionathan could moue him to reuoke wholly his vnrighteous iudgement nor to inflict vpon this insinuating vassall deserued punishment for his treacherie towards his innocent master So hard a thing it is to intertaine vnpartiall iustice when the heart is forestalled with rewards or to walke in the narrow path of righteousnesse when the eie of iudgement is hoodwinckt with bribes But this will better appeare §. Sect. 5. Bribing Judges iustifie the wicked for a reward if we more particularly examine the vniust cariage of those who being in authoritie suffer themselues to be corrupted with bribes for when preiudice of the cause is wrought in their minds through the perswasion of golden eloquence there is none so wicked whom they will not iustifie nor any so innocent whom they are not readie to condemne Neither doe they in determining of causes consider what is iust but onely remember what they haue receiued not what in equitie and conscience they ought to doe but what they haue promised to doe for their reward And of these the Prophet speaketh Esa 5.23 Esa 5.23 Which iustifie the wicked for a reward and take away the righteousnesse of the righteous from him For the former when a cause is to bee handled and determined before a corrupt Iudge who loueth gifts and hath his hand open to receiue rewards then the prouerbe is alwaies verified Pecuniosus damnari non potest A monied man cannot be condemned nay scarcelie reprooued for his greatest faults for as one saith Ambr. in 1. Cor. Libertatem arguendi amittit peccat qui ab eo accipit qus ideo dat ne corrigatur He loseth his libertie of reprouing and thereby greatly offendeth which doth receiue a gift from him who therefore bestoweth it that hee may not bee corrected For how can he freely rebuke such an one for his faults whom before he hath made priuie to his owne grosse corruptions Or what power hath he to draw out the sword of iustice for the punishment of sin when as he hath suffred his hands to be manacled with bribes Or how can he in triall of right administer righteous iudgement without respect of persons who hath made fale of both his eares eyes and tongue for a reward and vpon earnest receiued hath obliged himselfe to vse all fauour to the one partie before the cause is examined And as he is readie for reward to iustifie the wicked §. Sect. 6. Bribing Judges oppresse the innocent so also to wrong the innocent for if their cause be so cleere and manifest that it cannot with any colourable shew of reason goe against them then doe they so tire them with delayes and so discourage them with endlesse paines and excessiue charges they being vnable to counterpoise the gifts of their aduersaries that they are faine to giue it ouer before they can haue a day of hearing or come to a lawfull triall So the Lord complaineth of the bribing Iudges of Israel Esa 1.23 Esa 1.23 Euerie one loueth gifts and followeth after rewards they iudge not the fatherlesse neither doth the widowes cause come before them But if the cause of the poore man haue in it any difficultie then though it be neuer so iust yet hee were better to giue it ouer and spare his cost and saue his further labour then to prosecute his right before a bribing Iudge for hee shall as the prouerbe is but cast the helue after the hatchet and enter into an endlesse labyrinth in which when hee hath long trauailed he shall find himselfe as farre from his hoped issue as in the first houre of his entrance wanting the golden thread which should guide him in his way And if in the prosecution of his cause for want of counsell hee giueth the least aduantage to his aduerfarie though it do not concerne the equitie of the matter but onely the error of the forme and faultinesse of his plea he is sure to bee crushed and to haue the cause though neuer so iust to goe against him And of this corruption the Lord accuseth the corrupt Iudges of Israel Amos 5.12 They afflict the iust they take rewards Amos 5.12 and they oppresse the poore in the gate that is sitting vpon the seats of iudgement which in those times were placed in the gates of their cities Yea so greedie of gaine is the bribing Iudge §. Sect. 7. Bribing Iudges sticke not to betray the liues of the innocent that for a reward he will betray the liues of the innocent and to inrich his chests set to sale the deerest blood of righteous persons not caring so he may haue gold to purchase large possessions though his fields bee called Aceldama fields of blood With such wicked Iudges the Lord expostulateth Ezech. 13.19 Ezech. 13.19 and 22.12 And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread to slay the soules of them that should not die and to giue life to the soules that should not liue c. And such hee accuseth and condemneth Ezech. 22.12 In thee they haue taken gifts to shed blood And thus haue I shewed how many mischiefes the briberie of the Magistrates and Iudges brings vpon a State §. Sect. 8. Bribing Judges answered who pretend that they onely take giftes to doe iustice through the peruerting of iustice of all which some will thinke themselues acquitted who can truely say in their owne defence that howsoeuer they receiue many gifts yet it is not for peruerting of righteous iudgement but onely they take rewards and gratuities for the doing of iustice and for the righting of mens wrongs For as amongst Sorcerers there are some called good and some bad witches the one curing those diseases which the other hath caused and helping what the other hath hurt and yet howsoeuer they differ in name yet in truth
he that taketh a reward to put to death innocent blood It maketh them subiect to that fearefull woe denounced Esa 5.20 Woe vnto them that speake good of euill and euill of good Which put light for darkenesse and darkenesse for light c. 23. Which iustifie the wicked for a reward and take away the righteousnesse of the righteous from him Yea it bringeth vpon them vtter destruction For as the fire deuoureth the stubble and as the flame consumeth chaffe so their roote shall be as rottennesse and their bud shall rise vp like dust because they haue cast off the law of the Lord of hosts and contemned the word of the holie one of Israel As it is vers 24. Lastlie §. Sect. 6. Briberie disinheriteth men of heauen by these bribing courses they disinherite themselues of their heauenly patrimonie and set to sale the kingdome of heauen for earthly and base prifes for they that take rewards against the innocent shall neuer dwell in Gods holy mountaine Psal 15.5 as it is Psalm 15.5 So the question being asked who should dwel with the deuouring fire and with the euerlasting burnings that is with the Lord who is called a consuming fire Deut. 4.24 Heb. 22.29 Deut. 4.24 Heb. 12.29 answere is made Hee that walketh in iustice and speaketh righteous things refusing gaine of oppression shaking his hands from taking of gifts c. Hee shal dwel on high Esa 13.15.16 c. as it is Esa 33.15.16 So that he who gaineth by oppression and filleth his hands with bribes can neuer indure Gods glorious presence but shall be consumed like stubble with this deuouring fire To the same purpose is that Pro. 15.27 Prou. 15.27 He that hateth bribes shall line whereby contrariwise is implied that he who loueth bribes shall not liue neither the life of grace in this world nor the life of glorie in the world to come By all which it is cleare and manifest that the briber loseth in his greatest gaine for whilest by his wicked and vniust courses he compasseth some earthly trifles he forgoeth all his title and intrest in Gods glorious kingdome and through his worldly prophanenesse and sottish follie he doth with Esau make sale of his spirituall birthright for a messe of pottage or such like transitorie vanities of like value and lesse necessitie Whilest he prouideth for his bodie hee destroyeth his soule whilest he laboureth after earthly things which are vaine and momentany he loseth heauenly things euen that superexcellent and eternall waight of glorie 2. Cor. 4.17 And whilest he hourdeth vp the rewards of iniquitie and gold which shall perish with him he forgoeth the fruition of the immortall God in whose presence is fulnesse of ioy and at whose right hand are pleasures for euermore Psalm 16.11 Psal 16.11 §. Sect. 7. The conclusion And thus haue I shewed the greatnesse of this sinne of briberie and the manifold euils which it bringeth both to priuate persons and societies to whole cōmon-wealths and to the briber himselfe Now as this sinne is of extraordinarie strength to hold men in subiection vnto it both in regard of the corruption of mans nature which is most prone to intertaine it and in respect of the vniuersalitie of this sinne and the mightie patrons which both countenance it with their practise and defend it with their power so my earnest prayer vnto almightie God is that he wil ioyne with my labours a more then vsuall blessing and an extraordinarie vertue and power of his holy spirit to beate downe this strong hold of sinue and to bring vs in subiection to his will not onelie in things profitable and gaineful but also in those which seeme accompanied with losse and hindrance That so respecting not our owne particular gaine but his glorie and doing him faithfull seruice in this life we may raigne with him in eternall glorie in the life to come The which mercie hee vouchsafe for his Christs sake to whom with the Father and the holie Spirit bee all honour and glorie praise power and dominion now and for euermore Amen FINIS Faults escaped Pag. 84. line 31. reade deridetur p. 101. l. 35. r. sinners p. 111. l. 34. marg r. their p. 124. l. vlt. r. our owne p. 129. l. 36. r. run secretly p. 131. l. 35. r. and labour p. 138. l 6. r. stop p. 144. l. 2. r. theft euen in theft p. 150. l. 5. r. example for the same sin the. p. 174. l. 19. r. by inflicting p. 197. l. 3. r. that they be not p. 200. l. 11. marg r. Eccles 3.4 p. 201. l. 35.36 r. whom they see outwardly p. 203. l. 25. r. vultus A TREATISE OF ANGER VVherein is shewed the lawfull laudable and necessarie vse of iust and holy Anger and what is required thereunto AND AFTERWARDS IS DECLARED what corrupt and vniust Anger is the kindes causes effects and properties thereof together with the preseruatiues and remedies whereby it may be eyther preuented or cured and expelled By IOHN DOVVNAME Batchelar in Diuinitie and Preacher of Gods Word PROV 26.31 Hee that is slow to Anger is better then the mightie man and hee that ruleth his owne minde is better then hee that winneth a Citie LONDON Printed by T. E. for William Welby dwelling in Paules-Church-yard at the signe of the Grayhound 1609. TO THE RIGHT Honourable Sir Thomas Egerton Knight BARON of Ellesmere Lord Chancellor of England and one of his Maiesties most honorable priuie Counsell my very good Lord health and prosperitie with increase of all spirituall graces in this life and eternall happinesse in the life to come HAuing had through your Honourable bountie a part of the Lords Vineyarde allotted vnto mee his most vnworthy woorkeman by your Honour his most worthie Steward to the end I should plant and water purge and prune it I thought it my part not onely to performe my duetie in this behalfe in such measure as God enableth mee but also to present vnto your Honour the first fruites of my labour which haue yet offered themselues to publike view to the end that I might thereby both shew my selfe not altogether negligent in our great Lord and Maisters businesse and also giue some token of most obliged dutie and humble thankfulnesse to you his Honourable Steward by whose appointment I haue obtained a place wherein I may imploy my paines whereas otherwise I should eyther haue stood idle in the market place or else beene compelled to haue digged in another mans ground with great labour and little fruite If these my first fruites seeme vnpleasant in your most learned and iudiciall taste eyther impute it to the immaturitie caused by their short time of grouth and small-experienced skill of the Vintager or else consider that they are destinated to a physicall vse for the purging away of choller and therefore though they bee not pleasant in taste yet may they bee profitable in operation Such as they are in all humilitie
7 The fourth cause nice luxuriousnesse is nice luxuriousnes or luxurious nicenes which cōmonly being the fualt of women or at least a womanish fault is especially to be seene in domestical matters For if you come into the house of one who is nice and curious you shal easily perceiue how soone they are incited to great anger vpon little cause If the decking and adorning of their house bee not fullie answerable to their mindes if their costly cates be not so daintely cooked that they may delight their curious-learned tast and cloyed appetite if a spot or wrinckle be vpon their garments or but a glasse broken if their nice eares be offended with the least displeasing noyce though it bee but by some chance they are so enraged with anger that the house will scarce hould them or at least not containe their clamorous voyces These curious folkes are not onely offended with iniuries Seneca de ira li. 2. cap. 5 but also with shadowes and apparances Nam vbi animum simul corpus voluptates corrupère nihil tolerabile videtur non quia dura sed quia molles patiuntur for when voluptuous pleasures haue corrupted both minde and bodie nothing seemeth tolerable not that the things which they suffer are grieuous but because they that suffer them are nicely effeminate And like as they who are tormented with the gout are angry if a man come but towards them cry out if they be but touched so but a shew of iniury moueth these voluptuous wantons to choller and anger and the least iniury offered in truth inciteth them to rage and furie Whereas others who haue not their mindes effeminated with this luxurious curiositie they can easily passe ouer such trifling imperfections A Prolepsis and repell anger in far more violent assaults If any thinke these toyes too small to vndergoe a publicke censure I would haue such know that the lesser the occasion is which prouoketh to anger the greater is their sinne who are so easilie prouoked and the rather they deserue a sharp reprehension for that anger which is incited by euery light and trifling cause then if it were waighty and of some importance for howsoeuer the occasions are but small yet their sinne is not small nay their sinne is therefore great seeing the occasion which moueth them therevnto is but little especially considering that the same parties who are fire-hot in these trifles which concerne themselues are key cold in those things which much concerne Gods glory and their own spirituall good For I appeale vnto their own consciences whether they are not prouoked vnto more violent anger for these trifling toyes then when they dishonor God by most grieuous sinne or see him dishonoured by others and if their consciences plead guiltie let them rather bee offended with their owne corruptions then with the Phisicion which desireth to cure them The fift internall cause of vniust anger is curiositie Sect. 8. The fift cause of vniust anger Curiositie whereby men are tickled with a vaine desire itching appetite to see and heare all things how their friends behaue themselues in their priuate meetings what their aduersaries doe and say behind their backes how their seruants bestow themselues in euery corner whereof it commeth to passe that desiring to know all things they know many things which displease them and prouoke them to anger for which they may thank their vaine curiositie for if with the wise man they would thinke it their glory to passe by infirmities Pro. 19.11 or follow his counsaile Prou. 19.11 Eccle. 7.23 Eccl. 7.23 Giue not thine hart to all the words that men speake least thou doe heare thy seruant cursing thee They might haue lesse cause of anger more contentation of minde Whereas by inquisitiue inquirie after euery rumour and curious prying into small domesticall faults they inflame their hearts with great anger For as the looking vpon a small Print doth more offend the fight then a greater because we hold it nearer our eyes and more intentiuely behold it the Letters standing thick and neare together so oft times it commeth to passe that these small domesticall faults being curiously pryed into do more offend and anger vs because they are neere vnto vs and fall out thicke and as it were one in the neck of another then greater iniuries offered abroad which fal out more seldome and are not so much subiect to our view The sixt internall cause Sect. 9. The sixt cause credulitie and listning to tale-bearers is to haue an open eare to euery tale-bearer and a credulous heart to beleeue them Pro. 26.20 Without wood the fire is quenched and without a tale-bearer strife ceaseth So that as wood is the fires fit nourishment so is a tale-bearer fit to nourish anger Prou. 26.20 An example hereof we haue in Saul who giuing a credulous eare to those lying suggestions of that pickthank Doeg was incensed to such raging anger that the bloud of the innocent Priests was not sufficient to quench the heate therof vnlesse he spilt also the bloud of all the inhabitants of Nob 1 Sam. 22.19 yea of the Oxen Asses and Sheep with more then brutish fury And therefore Dauid speaking of Doegs tongue Psal 120.4 Psal 120.4 compareth it to coales of Iuniper that is to hot burning coales because it so furiously inflamed Sauls anger 2. Sam. 16 Yea Dauid himselfe giuing eare to the false report of Ziba was moued to vniust anger against innocent Mephibosheth and therefore hauing experience of those manifold euils which followed credulitie and listning after tale-bearers he professeth that he will destroy him that priuily slandereth his neighbour Psal 101. 5 7 Psal 101 5.7 And hence it is that Iames compareth the tongue to a fire because nothing more inflameth the hart to furious anger Iames. 3.6 Iam. 3.6 The last internall cause of vniust anger Sect. 10. The last cause want of meditation concerning humane infirmities is want of meditation concerning the common imperfections wherunto we are all by nature subiect for if we did but consider that in many things wee offend all and that we our selues haue the same faults or greater then those which we espye in others wee would not hastely be moued to choller vpon euery trifling occasion Iam 3.2 But it is the custome of men addicted to anger to imitate the Lamiae who as the Poets faine vse their eyes abroad and put them into a box when they come home so these are but too quick-fighted abroad in spying the faults of others but starke blinde at home in discerning their owne faults and though they haue a great beame in their owne eyes yet they can easily discerne a small more in the eye of another And the reason is because they put their owne faults into that part of the wallet which they cast behinde their backs and therefore neuer looke vpon them but the faults of others into that part
fallen into them For anger casting a mist of perturbation before the sight of reason maketh men vnable to iudge of good or euill right or wrong and whereas reason in it owne nature iudgeth that which is right anger maketh that seeme right which it iudgeth If therefore wee auoide those things most carefully which hurt the eyes or if they bee hurt vse such medicines as are fit to cure them because the eye is the light and guide of the whole bodie with how much more attentiue care ought wee auoide anger that blindeth reason seeing it is the light and guide of the soule which onelie eye of humane direction being put out like Polyphemus wee wander in the desarts of sinne and wickednesse If men abhorre drunkennesse and that worthilie because it maketh them differ from brute beasts onely in shape of the bodie why should they not for the same cause hate this vice of anger which like a burning ague doth so distemper disturbe the mind that while the fit lasteth it vttereth nothing but rauing Secondly §. Sect. 8. 2. Jt inflameth the soule with the heat of surie as anger hurteth the soule by blinding reason so also it doth macerate and vex it by inflaming it with furie for what greater torment can bee imagined then to haue the minde distracted vpon the racke of rage As therefore wee would account him a madde man who with his owne hands should set his house on fire and consume it so alike mad is hee to bee thought who will set his soule on fire with the raging flames of anger wherein it is not onely tormented in this life but also without repentance in the life to come it shall bee tormented euerlastingly because vniust anger is murther in Gods sight as appeareth Matth. 5.12 Matth. 5.22 and murtherers shall not inherite the kingdome of God but haue their portion in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Reuel 21.8 Reuel 21.8 Seeing therefore anger inflicteth on the soule the wound of sinne and sinne vnlesse it be cured with the soueraigne salue of Christs merit causeth death let vs carefully arme our selues against the violence of this passion and manfully repell this fierie dart with the shield of faith Yea let vs so strongly curbe it in with the raines of reason that no outward iniurie pricke it forward to seeke vniust reuenge For as we would condemne him of follie who when a wrong were offred him by another should in reuenge wound his owne bodie so more foolish is hee to bee esteemed who when another offereth him iniurie doth in seeking cruell and vniust reuenge wound his soule with sin And so much for the euils which anger bringeth to a mans selfe §. Sect. 9. The euils which anger bringeth to our neighbour 1. It ouerthroweth all friendship Now wee are to intreate of the euils which it bringeth to our neighbour First it ouerthroweth that excellent and comfortable vertue to mankind true friendship for there was neuer any friendship so inuiolable which anger if it were admitted hath not violated And hence it is that wise Salomon counselleth vs not to make friendship with an angrie man because he will bee sure to breake it Pro. 22.24 Prou. 22.24 Well therfore may that speech of Inno to Alecto be applied to anger Tu potes vnanimes armare in praelia fratres atque odijs versare domos Virg. Aeneid lib. 7. Thou it is who canst arme most louing brethren one against the other and ouerthrow whole houses and families with contentious discord Secondly §. Sect. 10. 2. It prouoketh men to offer iniurie it prouoketh to offer all indignities and wrongs to a mans neighbour as also to reuenge the smallest iniuries without all proportion For men incensed with anger will wittingly and willingly reuenge those iniuries which haue vnwittingly and vnwillingly been offered for angry words they will giue blowes for blowes wounds and for wounds death And therefore the Wise man saith That anger is cruell and wrath is raging Prou. 27.4 Prou. 27.4 Yea it prouoketh men not onely to reuenge small iniuries but also no iniuries for anger rageth euen against the innocents and that oftentimes because they are innocent and but too vertuous as the furious man imagineth And this is euident in the example of Cains anger against Abel Sauls against Ionathan and Dauid Nebuchadnezzars against the three children Herods against the innocents the Scribes and Pharises against Christ as before I prooued But as anger causeth men to be hurtfull to all others Anger most hurtfull to a mans owne familie so especially to those whom they should most loue cherish and defend that is they who are of a mans owne familie who because they are necessarilie conuersant with them are continnallie subiect and euen exposed to their furie and outrage the wife to their bitter speeches if they doe not worse that is like mad men beate their owne flesh the children to furious and vnreasonable correction the seruants not onelie to reuiling speeches but also to cruell stripes and blowes so that as one saith well we may know an angrie man if wee but looke in the faces of his seruants Plutarch de cohib irac §. Sect. 11. The euils which anger bringeth to common-wealth namely by their scarres and bruises And so much for the priuate euils which accompanie vniust anger Now we are to speake of the publike Vniust anger is the cause of all tumults and vprores seditions and conspiracies massacres and bloodie wars yea the ouerthrow and confusion of all cities and common-wealths It is the cause which inciteth the Magistrate against the subiect and the subiect against the Magistrate the Prince against the people and the people against the Prince kingdome against kingdome and nation against nation and that not onely vpon waightie causes but also vpon trifling occasions For as to make a furious and vnquenchable flame it is not materiall how small the fire is that kindleth it so the matter bee apt to receiue it wherein it is kindled for one coale is enough to burne a whole citie if it fall among flaxe and one sparke if it light in tinder or gunpowder so it mattereth not how small the cause is which inflameth anger for if the minde which receiueth it be subiect to be inflamed it is sufficient to set on fire and consume whole Kingdomes and Common wealths especially if power be correspondent to the violence of the affection Infinite examples might be brought to make this manifest Examples Gen. 34. as of Simeon and Leuie who in their anger put a whole Cittie to the sword though their quarrell were but to one man Of Abimelech Iudg. 9. 1 Sam. 22. Hest 3. who in his fury destroyed all the cittie of Sichem of Saul destroying Nob of Haman who being incensed onely against Mordecay laide a plot for the destruction of the whole nation of the Iewes But I shall
not neede to stand vpon it seeing not onely the booke of God but also auncient histories yea euen our owne Chronicles and daily experience doe make this but too euident You see then the manifold euils which waite vpon this raging disease of the minde vniust anger for it is not onely a deadly impostume breaking out in our selues but also an infectious and contagious plague which destroyeth whole peoples and common wealths With how great care therefore should wee vse all good meanes and wholesome remedies to preuent or cure such a dangerous disease CHAP. VII The remedyes of vniust Anger THe remedies against anger are of two sorts first Sect. 1. those which cure anger in our selues secondly those which cure it in others and they both are of two kindes first such as preuent anger and preserue vs from falling into it secondly such as free vs from it after it hath taken place For anger is a disease of the minde as therefore wise Phisitions thinke it the better safer course to preserue health and preuent sicknesse then to remoue the disease after it hath taken possession of the body We must first seek to preuent anger Sen. epi. 119 so the best course in ministring spirituall Phisick is to preserue the soule from vice rather then to purge it away after it hath infected it for Vitia facilius repelluntur quam expelluntur Vices are more easily kept from entrance then thrust out after they are entred for as the common prouerbe is there are but twelue points in the law and possession is as good as eleauen of them If therefore anger haue gotten possession we shall hardly dispossesse it It is our soules mortall enimie as therefore we first seeke to keepe the enimie from entring the frontires of our country but if hee be entred as soone as we can to expell him so we must first endeauour to repel anger by stopping the passages of our harts that it may haue no entrance but if it haue taken place quickly to expell and remoue it For if we suffer it to fortifie it selfe it will grow so strong and violent that we shall be vnable to dislodge it And as in a siege of a Cittie the Citizens prouide all things necessary for their defence before the assault that the enimie when he approcheth the wals may not take them vnprouided so if we will repell anger when it commeth wee are to fortifie and arme our selues against it before it comes for if it take vs vnprouided it will easily make entrance and more easily ouercome vs. Let vs therfore first of all endeuour to vse all good means by which we may preuent anger for if it haue once gotten hold of vs it will easily plunge vs headlong into violence and fury whereas we may with greater facillity preuent the danger before we fall into it For as experience teacheth vs a man may easily contayne himselfe from running downe the hill while hee is on the toppe but after he is entred into a full race hee cannot stay himselfe before he commeth to the bottome so it is more easie for any to abstaine from running into anger then to containe himselfe when he is in the race from falling into the bottome of fury Let vs then see the meanes how to preuent anger Sect. 2 The meanes to preuent vniust anger the first remedy is by taking away the causes therof for sublatâ causâ tollitur effectum The causes thereof are to be remoued 1 Selfe-loue The cause being taken away the effect ceaseth The first cause of anger is selfe loue if therefore wee would not fall into anger we must labour to bannish selfe loue and to follow the rule of charitie Loue our neighbours as our selues and doe nothing vnto them which wee would not haue them do vnto vs. Before therefore we let the reines loofe vnto our anger let vs set our selues in the place of him with whom we are angry and consider how we would desire to be vsed if we had so offended and in like manner are we to behaue our selues towards him So shall we not aggrauate those iniuries which are offered vs and extenuate those which we offer others so shall we not haue our iudgement ouer-ballanced with an vnequall affection so shall wee not bee incensed for suffering that which wee haue often offered The second cause of anger is pride and hautinesse of spirit if therefore we would not fall into anger Sect. 3. 2 Pride we are to subdue pride and labour for the contrary grace of humilitie For they who would bee meeke with our Sauiour Christ must also learne of him the lesson of true humilitie Math. 11.29 Learne of me for I am meeke and lowly of hart Mat. 11.29 If we would lay aside that arrogant conceit which we haue of our selues and the ouerweening opinion of our owne excellencies if we would consider with Abraham that we are but dust and ashes and with Dauid Gen. 18.17 Psal 22.6 Iob. 17.14 that wee are wormes and no men or if we would in sincerity of hart say with Iob Vnto corruption thou art my father and vnto the worme thou art my mother and my sister If wee would but remember that by our sinnes committed against God and our neighbour we haue deserued not onely contumelies and wrongs but also eternall death of body and soule we would not so easely bee prouoked to anger vpon euery trifting occasion nor thinke it any great disparagement to endure lesser iniuries seeing we haue deserued farre greater The third cause is Couetousnesse Sect. 4. 3 Couetousnes which vice wee must banish out of our hearts if we would not be ouercome with vniust anger so shall wee not gape after great preferments nor expect much and consequently we shall not be disturbed with vnquietnesse nor incensed with anger when vvee come short of our hopes So shall we not intermeddle with euery domesticall trifle but commit some thing to the care of Seruants some thing to Children and most of all to the Wife who is a ioynt gouernour in this little common wealth And if any thing miscarry vnder any of their hands we will not so much looke to the meanes as to the supreame cause the prouidence of God considering that if he build not the house they labour in vaine that build it if he blesse not their labours they cannot prosper Psal 127.1 The fourth cause is luxuriousnesse and curious nicenesse Sect. 5. 4. Luxurious nicenesse if therefore we would subdue anger we must subdue this vice also and labour to attaine vnto decent homelines the Nurse of good hospitality and the preseruer of peace and quietnesse for if with our first parents Adam and Eue we were clothed with skinnes that is with meane attyre wee would not be so easily prouoked to anger if a spotte or wrinckle be found vpon our garments if with them wee did feed vpon roots and hearbs we would not eate with surfetted
and cloyed appetites and consequently our meates being saused with hunger our tastes would not bee so want only curious that no ordinary cookery can please them If with Abraham we dwelled in tents like Pilgrimes we would not be so nice in decking our houses nor so angry for a copwed If with Iacob we had the earth for our bed a stone for our pillow and the skye for our Canopy wee would not be so much displeased for the hardnesse of a fetherbed or vneasinesse of a doune lodging take away therefore luxurious nicenesse and you shall take away also the most common cause of vniust anger The fift cause of vniust anger Sect. 6. 5. Curiositie is vaine curiositie in desiring to heare and see all things If therefore we would auoid anger we are to abandon this troublesome companion needlesse curiositie For many things will neither grieue nor hurt vs if we neuer heare nor see them Whereas he that busily inquireth what is said against him in euery company he that listneth at euery doore and vnder euery wall he that rippeth vp ill words spoken against him in secret doth both disquiet himselfe with anger and make his owne faults more publike Antigonus when he heard two of his subiects speaking euill of him in the night neare his Tent called vnto them willing them to go further off least the king should heare them Whose example if we would follow our anger would not so much vexe our selues nor trouble others The sixt cause is to haue open eares to euery tale-bearer Sect. 7. 6. Credulitie and credulous hearts to beleeue them For it is the nature of men to be most desirous of hearing that which most displeaseth them Et libenter credere quae inuitè audiunt Senec. de ira lib. 2. cap. 22. willingly to beleeue those things which they are most sorry to heare But if we would auoid vniust anger wee must auoyd this vice also Senec. de ira lib. 3. cap. 29. Multos absoluemus si caeperimus ante iudicare quam irasci wee shall acquit many if vve will not be angry before we iudge Let vs not therefore suffer execution to goe before iudgement but rather deferre our more seuere censure till time haue reuealed the truth considering that it is most vsuall with men to report vntruthes some that they may deceiue thee some because they are deceiued themselues some because they would set friends at variance some in their accusation will faine an iuiury offered vs that they may take occasion to shew their sorrow because it was offered but scarce any of them will stand to that which they haue spoken And therefore let vs not be angry before wee iudge nor iudge before we heare both parties for what iniustice is it to haue both eares open to an accusation and both shut to an excuse to proceed to sentence of condemnation before we aske the party accused what he can say for himselfe what greater wrong then to beleeue in secret and to be angry openly The last cause of vniust anger Sect. 8. is want of meditation concerning humaine infirmities 7. Want of meditatiō concerning humaine infirmities eyther those which are common to all mankinde or those which are more proper and peculiar to our selues If therefore we would be restrained from anger we must often thinke of this contagious leprosie of originall sinne which hath so generally infected all the sonnes of Adam that there remaineth nothing in vs but pollution and filthines And then as one infected with the plague is not offended with him that is subiect to the same infection As the Lazar doth neyther with scorne nor choller but rather with pittie and compassion behold the sores of his fellow so the plague and sore of sinne which wee see in another will not make vs angry with the party vvhich is infected and visited but rather in commiseration and pittie to vse all good meanes vvherby he may be cured if vve consider that this plague and sore of sinne is so vniuersall that it hath infected all mankinde When vvord vvas brought to Anaxagoras that his son vvas dead Plutarch de cohib irac he vvas not much moued with the newes because as hee said he knew and had considered long before that his sonne vvas mortall so if vve vvould consider and meditate on humane frailtie and infirmities wee should not bee so much vexed when they shew themselues because they vvould not happen beyond our expectation If he that hyreth a seruant vvould thinke with himselfe that he hireth one vvho is not free from faults if he that choseth a friend vvould then consider that he hath his wants and imperfections If he that marryeth a vvife vvould remember that he marryeth a woman and therefore one subiect to infirmities neither the small faults of his seruants nor imperfections of his friends nor infirmities of his vvife vvould easily prouoke him to choller and fury seeing he did not come short of his reckoning Moreouer vve are to meditate vpon our owne peculiar infirmities and vvants and before wee are angry with another to enter into our selues Plutarch de cohib irac and to say vvith Plato Nuncubi ego talis haue not I also offended in this or in that which is worse am I cleare from offering the like iniuries or greater to my brethren Alas no but though I were yet how often haue I prouoked God to anger by my sinnes for which great debt how can I craue pardon if I cruelly exact euery trifle of my fellow seruant Thus if we would speake vnto our owne consciences in the presence of God we would not so easily be incited to anger and reuenge seeing we our selues doe many things which neede pardon and our greater faultes might serue to excuse those which are lesse in others if we would but looke vpon them for no man without blushing could extreamely punish those faults in his neighbour for which he shall neede to craue pardon himselfe And so much concerning the first remedie of anger which is by remouing the causes thereof The second meanes to subdue anger is to labour for patience CHAP. VIII THe second meanes to subdue anger Sect. 1. All things happen by Gods owne prouidence Rom. 8.20 is to labour for the contrary vertue of patience and long suffering And to this end we are first to confider that nothing happeneth vnto vs without Gods all seeing prouidence who if wee bee his children will dispose of euery thing for our good Why therefore should we vexe our selues with anger seeing God will turne the iniuries of men into blessings let vs rather when any wrong is offered vs which we cannot by iust and lawfull meanes auoyde say with our sauiour Christ Ioh. 18.11 Iohn 18.11 should not I drinke of the cup which my father hath prouided for me should I be angry with the cup because the Phisicke is bitter or with the hand whereby it is conuayed vnto me
out into furious reuenge he aggrauateth the iniury receiued telling them that if they put vp such an indignity they will expose themselues to the like or for suffering this loose all their credit and reputation by incurring the note of cowardize And so hauing wrought in their hearts a full resolution to take reuenge in the next place he putteth into their heads the most fit means and oportunitie of performing it with all rage and cruelty And so often times it commeth to passe that when they arise they put that in practise which they haue deuised lying vpon their pillow To preuent therefore so great an euill if wee cannot altogether repell anger yet let vs soone expell it For though at the first it be but a small sparke yet if it be nourished it will quickly increase to a furious flame As therefore when a house is newly set on fire men labour earnestly and with all speed to quench it before it haue taken hold of the main postes and great beames otherwise it will be too late afterward when it is increased to his full strength so when our hearts are first set on fire with anger we are presently to quench it with the water of the spirit for after we are throughly enflamed it vvill be too late to apply any remedie till the flame haue spent it selfe Obiection But some will say I fall into anger many times when I neuer meane it and it hath ouercome me before I am aware how therefore should I preuent that vvhich I doe not foresee or free my selfe from it seeing it violently ouer-ruleth me Answere To the first I answere that if we carefully vvatch ouer our selues vve shall easily perceiue vvhen vve are inclining to anger for as there are many signes vvhich goe before a storme and many symptomes vvhich discouer diseases before we fall into them so wee may easily discerne in our selues many notes and signes of this tempestuous storme and raging feuer of the minde Vniust Anger To the other I answere that anger doth not presently as soone as it is entered into the heart ouer-rule vs before it be growne to greater strength then it hath at the first for as the greatest fire hath but a small beginning and vvhen it is but begun is easily quenched so the most furious anger attaineth not to his full strength at the first entrance but by little and little increaseth like a flame by taking hold of new matter And therefore howsoeuer after it hath vvholy inflamed a man it is most hardly quenched yet in the beginning thereof it is easily suppressed But let vs see the meanes how vve may subdue anger after it hath giuen the assault Sect. 3. The first means to withdraw the food therof The first meanes is by withdrawing the food from it vvherewith it is nourished for as the greatest fire if new matter be not supplyed vvill of it selfe goe out so the most furious anger vvill soone be mitigated if it bee not continually nourished vvith a nevv supply of matter The chiefe nourishment vvhereby anger is nourished and increased is multiplying of words Multiplying of words the chief food of anger for though the iniury at the first be small yet if either it be aggrauated by him that suffereth it or defended by him that offereth it it incenseth men to great anger Well therefore in this respect may words be said to be but winde for as nothing sooner then winde causeth a small sparke to burst out into a furious flame so nothing sooner doth cause a small sparke of anger increase to a raging flame of reuenge then the vvinde of wordes We are not therefore to imagine with some that we can disgorge our stomackes of anger by vomitting our spleene in bitter words for they do not onely in their owne nature whet and sharpen our owne affections but also prouoke the other with vvhom we are offended to requite vs with the like and so to adde new matter to the old flame As well therefore may we think to quench the fire with wood as anger with words for as wood is the nourishment of the fire so words are the nourishment of anger Let vs rather in our anger imitate the wise Socrates Plutarch de cohib irac vvho vvhen he vvas most angry vsed most modesty mildenesse of speach and lownes of voyce and so withdrawing the nourishment from the fire of anger it vvill soone of it selfe be extinguished The second meanes to subdue anger Sect. 3. The second means to withdraw a mans self out of company is to get out of the company of others especially of them vvho haue offended vs according to the example of Ionathan 1 Sam. 20.34 who being iustly prouoked by his vniust and cruell father rose from the table and departed least by his fathers prouocations he might haue done or said that which did not beseeme him 1 Sam. 20.34 vvhose practise if vve vvould imitate vve shall not onely appease our anger by remouing out of our sight the obiect and cause thereof and preuent further occasions of increasing it but also couer our infirmities which otherwise vve should discouer by the violence of the passion As therefore they who are vexed with the falling sicknes if they cannot by their owne ordinary remedies preuent their fit will go out of the company of others that falling secretly they may haue no vvitnesse of their deformitie so they who are not able to curbe in their anger with the reyne of reason were best to withdraw themselues and to keepe priuate while their fit lasteth that so they may hide the vglinesse of their vice which being seene doth often moue their aduersaries to scorne and laughter and their friends to sorrow and pittie And this is made a note of a vvise man by the vvisest Prou. 12.16 Prou. 12.16 A focle in a day shall be knowne by his anger but he that couereth his shame is wise The third meanes to vanquish anger Sect. 4. The third meanes to restrain it for a while from bursting out into fury is for a while to bridle and restraine it from bursting out into present reuenge For if we resist it in the first encounter we shall finde the strength thereof much weakened and this the wise Athenodorus knew well who being to depart from Augustus was requested by him that hee would leaue behinde him some good instruction for the well gouerning of his Empire Plutarch in Apotheg to whom he gaue this counsaile that he should doe nothing in his anger before hee had numbred on his fingers the letters of the Greeke Alphabet An example hereof vve haue in Socrates Senec. de ira lib. 1. cap. 15. who finding his anger incensed against his seruant deferred to take correction saying I would beat thee if I were not angry And also in Plato who being prouoked to anger by some notable fault committed by his seruant tooke a cudgell into his hands and held
intenderentur acerbitate laxarentur mansuetudine The nerues or sinewes of the mind which are intended made stiffe with sharpnesse and bitternesse but slacke and easie with curtesie and gentlenesse If therefore thou wouldest pacifie anothers wrath follow the counsaile of Iesus the Sonne of Syrach Eclus 8.4 Chap. 8.4 Contend not with a man full of words neither heape vp wood on his fire Where he noteth that as the wood increaseth the fire so multiplying of words increaseth anger But silence is not alwayes expedient Sect. 2. The second meanes a soft answere especially when men haue a iust cause and an honest excuse for oftentimes the angry man will imagine that silence argueth contempt as though they were silent because they scorned to returne an answere And therefore the second remedy namely a soft and milde answere eyther excusing their fault by shewing their innocency or in all humblenesse confessing it and crauing pardon is more fit phisicke to cure anger in some natures and dispositions And this medicine the wise Phisition prescribeth vs Prou. 15.1 Prou. 15.1 A soft answere putteth away wrath but grieuous words stir vp anger Prou. 25.15 So Prou. 25.15 A prince is pacified by staying anger and a soft tongue breaketh the bones or as it is in the originall a man of bone that is such an one as is most stiffe and obdurate An example hereof we haue in Abigaile 1 Sam. 25.24 who by her milde and discreet speeches quickly appeased Dauids furious anger As therefore Iron which is red hot being dipped in cold water presently looseth all his heate and returneth to his naturall coldnesse so is the heate of the hottest anger soone mittigated with a colde and milde answere Whereas on the otherside crosse and vntoward speeches maketh the least sparke of anger flame out into furie as we may see in the example of Moses who though he were the meekest man liuing on the earth Num. 12.3 as it is Num. 12.3 yet by the contentious wrangling of the people he was so prouoked to wrath that he grieuously offended God by speaking vnaduisedly with his lips as may appeare by comparing the twentith chapter of Numbers the 10 and 11 verses Num. 20.10 11. Psal 106.32 33. with the 106 Psal the 32 and 33 verses As therefore if a man blow vpon a spark he maketh it increase to a flame but if he spit vpon it hee quencheth it and both proceede out of the mouth so hee that vttereth crosse answeres doth make the least spark of anger become furious rage whereas milde and soft answeres doe easily appease it The last meanes Sect. 3. The third meanes discreet admonition is after his anger is ouerpast to giue him wholesome counsayle and good admonitions whereby he may be taught the great euils which follow anger For as it is not fit to minister Phisicke to a sicke patient while hee is in a fit of an ague and therefore discreet Phisitions rather make choise of their patients good day so it is in vaine for a man to seeke the curing of anger by good counsayle vnles he stay till the fit be passed ouer and the heat of anger somewhat asswaged For a man cannot nor will not hearken to another mans reasons while he is subiect to his owne passions And as a man heareth nothing almost which is said when his house is on fire for the noyse of the multitude the crackling of the flame and the perturbation of his owne minde so the violence of this affection and furie of this passion doth make a man while he is in a fit of rage deafe to all reason And therefore they are to be admonished when the fury hath somewhat spent it selfe and the great euils of anger both in respect of their soules and bodies their neighbours and friends the Church and common wealth are as it were in one view to bee presented to their more sober meditations But they who admonish are to remember Mildnesse required in admonishing an angry man that they vse all mildenesse and discreation in their admonition least while they goe about to preuent anger for the time to come they presently prouoke it For if they bee too austere and rough in vsing too insolent inuectiues and bitter reprehensions they doe not onely commit themselues a great absurditie while in reprouing anger they shew their own spleene but also make their admonition altogether vnprofitable Because the angry man if he see them so sharp and seuere will rather thinke how hee may defend his fault by aggrauating the iniuries which hee hath receiued then eyther confesse it to such a synick censurer or labour to amend it For as no man will suffer his wound to be searched by such a Surgeon as hath a rough hand and a hard hart neither will any patient commit himselfe to the cure of a froward and mercilesse Phisition so no man can abide and therefore much lesse an angry man to haue his gauled faults too much rubbed or the wounds and diseases of his minde healed and cured with too sharpe a corrasiue and lothsome potion of insolent and bitter words They therefore who will angerly reproue anger are no fit Phisitions for them who are subiect to this passion For to such they will either hide and dissemble their imperfections rather fayning themselues well then they will discouer their disease to such a crabbed Phisition or else they will iustifie and defend them as lawfull and necessarie And as the fearefull Snake when hee hath no meanes to flye away will turne againe and desperately leape into the face of him that pursueth him or as the timerous Stagge when hee can escape no longer by running maketh a stand turning cowardly feare into desperate rage So the angry man being so hardly pursued with sharpe inuectiues and bitter reprehensions that he hath no euasion of excuse to couer his fault nor hope of pittie by confessing it doth as it were flye into the face of the reprouer by obiecting his greater faults that they may serue to extenuate his which are lesse You will hee say who so sharpely reproue me for my choller haue other faults as great as this and therefore you may doe well to cure your selfe before you become anothers Physition Yea in this you would shew you selfe no more innocent if you had the like occasion to shew your anger And howsoeuer you seeme in your conuersation sweet and harmelesse yet hee that should tast you would not finde you free from gaule hee that should handle you somewhat roughly would soone perceiue by his owne smart that you haue a sting though you doe not thurst it out being not prouoked In a word the angry man will neuer cry peccaui vnlesse afterwards with some confidence hee may adde miserere neyther will hee suffer his wounds to be cured by such an one who by his rough handling will more vexe him then pleasure him by the cure And so much for the remedies and medicines which we are to vse for the curing of anger The conclusiō eyther in our selues or others which I would wish euery one who finde themselues subiect to this vnruly passion carefully to apply vnto themselues for as it will not benefite a sicke man to read his Physitions prescript or to carry the medicine in his pocket vnlesse hee take and receiue it according to his direction so will this Physicke of the soule little auaile for the curing of anger vnlesse it bee applyed to the heart and Conscience 2 Cor. 3.5 Phil. 2.13 But seeing wee are not able so much as once to thinke a good thought as of our selues but it is God onely which worketh in vs both the will and the deede let vs intreate the Lord vvho is the onely true Physition that he will not onely vouchsafe to annoynt the blinde eyes of our vnderstanding with the precious eye salue of his holy Spirit that vvee may see the deformities of this and all other disordered affections And also that hee will with the same spirit inable vs to reforme and renewe them that their violence and fury being abated and the corruption and filthynesse of them being purged cleansed and sanctified they may become fit and seruiceable for the setting forth of his glory the good of our brethren and the furthering of our eternall saluation Which grace he vouchsafe vnto vs who dyed for vs Iesus Christ the righteous to whom with the father and the holy Ghost be ascribed all honour and glory principalitie power and dominion for euer and euer Amen FINIS
that both body and soule may be saued And these are the things required in iust and holy anger which if we obserue our anger will be not onely lawfull but also necessary both for the setting forth of the glory of God and also for the good of our selues and of our neighbours CHAP. II. Of vniust Anger ANd so much for the first part of my text Sect. 1. wherein iust anger is commaunded now I am to speake of vniust anger forbidden in the words following but sinne not that is by falling into corrupt and vniust anger Vniust anger condemned as a great sinne Which vicious affection is not onely here condemned but also in other places of the Scripture as in the 31. verse of this Chapter Let all bitternesse Colos 3.8 and anger and wrath and euill speaking bee put away from you with all maliciousnesse So Col. 3.8 Put ye away all these things Gal. 5.20.21 wrath anger maliciousnesse c. and in the 5. Chapter of the Galathians verse 20.21 it is reckoned among the workes of the flesh which who so follow shall not inherit the kingdome of God It is forbidden also in the sixt commaundement vnder the name of murther both be cause it is the chiefe meanes and cause which moueth men therevnto as also because it is the murther of the hart and therfore murther in truth in Gods sight who more respecteth the hart then the hands for a man may be innocent before him though his hands haue slaine his neighbour if his hart haue not consented therevnto as appeareth in the old law where Cities of refuge were appointed for such by the Lords owne commandement but if the hart haue consented and desired any way to violate the person of our neighbor which vniust anger alwaies affecteth though our hands are free from the act we are guiltie of murther in the sight of God And this our Sauiour Christ teacheth vs in the exposition of the sixt commandement Mat. 5.22 Mat. 5.22 Whosoeuer is angry with his brother vnaduisedly is culpable of iudgement By these places it is euident that anger is forbidden condemned as a great sinne and therefore it is to be auoyded of vs as a most dangerous enimie to our soules health The generality of this vice of vniust anger Which that we may performe with so much the more vigilant care Let vs further consider that this vice is generally incident to all by reason of our naturall corruption so that there is none so yong nor any so old none so wise nor any so foolish neither male nor female which do not carry this fire in their bosome therefore vnles they quench daily this fiery dart of Sathan with the water of Gods Spirit and the shield of faith they will be in danger of burning Prou. 6.27 for who can carry fire in his bosome and not be burnt Prou. 6.27 But the dangerousnes of this affection wil more euidently appeare if we consider the violence therof Sect. 2 The violence of this turbulent affection for there is scarce any other affection so strong which it doth not easily subdue Loue is said to be stronger then death Can. 8.6 and yet anger if it be once admitted easily ouercommeth it Can. 8.6 for there was neuer any loue so hartie and entire but anger hath subdued it The Father in his anger forgetteth his loue to his child and the child to his father the husband to his wife the wife to her husband and causeth them in stead of duties of loue to bring forth the fruits of hatred yea it maketh a man to forget the loue of himself as appeareth by those men who to satisfie their anger violently thrust themselues into imminent dangers of death Nay it maketh a man offer raging violence against such a friend as is more deare to him then his own life as it is euident in the example of Alexander who in his anger slew his friend Clitus whō he loued so entirely that he needs would haue reuenged his murther by putting himselfe to a wilfull death As therefore we cannot discerne the heat of the Sunne when we are neare vnto a scorching fire so the heauenly heate of diuine loue is not felt if the furious flame of anger be kindled in our harts Couetousnes also is a most violent and strong vice which nothing almost can vanquish but death and they who are possessed therewith do loue their riches better then their owne liues as we may fee in their example who being depriued of them murther themselues yea they are more deare vnto them then the saluation of their owne soules as may appeare by those who fall into outragious sinnes whereby they plunge their soules headlong into hell that they may get momentarie riches by them also who despise the meanes of their saluation in comparison of a small worldly trifle and yet anger being once admitted doth ouercome couetousnes as it is euident in the example of them who to satisfie their furious anger by the death of their enimie are content to forfeit their goods though they be neuer so couetous besides the double hazard of their liues which they incur both in their priuate quarrell and in satisfying by deserued punishment publike iustice The like also may be said of them who by anger being incited to reuenge are content to spend all their substance by prosecuting wrangling suites in Law of little or no importance to the end they may impouerish him also with whom they are offended and so are content to pull the house vpon their owne heads that they may ouerwhelm another vnder the vvaight of the same ruine Feare also is an affection of no small force and violence for oftentimes it compelleth men to thrust themselues into imminent dangers that they may auoyde dangers and to kill themselues for feare of greater torments and yet anger vanquisheth feare many times causing them who would tremble to see anothers vvound contemne their owne death and so turneth the most cowardly feare into most desperate rage and furious resolution So that other affections lead a man but this drawes him others intice him but this compels him other dazle the sight of reason but this makes it starke blinde other make vs prone vnto euill but this casts vs headlong euen into the gulfe of wickednesse Considering therefore that this turbulent vice of vniust anger is in the eyes of God so hainous Sect. 3. in regard of vs so generall and in respect of it owne nature so strong violent I purpose to intreat of it at large to the end we may learne the better to preuent it or the more easily to subdue it And to this purpose I will first shew what it is and what are the causes and properties thereof secondly the kindes of it and lastly I will prescribe the preseruatiues and medicines whereby we may cure this vice in our selues or in others For the first The definition of