the furious flame of anger be kindled in our harts Couetousnesse 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 see in their example who beeing 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 and by them also who despise the meanes of their saluation in compaparison of a small worldly trifle and yet anger beeing 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 enemie are content to forfeit their goods though they be neuer so couetous besides the double hazard of their liues which they incurre both in their priuate quarrell and in satisfying by deserued punishment publick iustice The like also may be sayd of them who by anger beeing incired to reuenge are content to spend all their substance by prosecuting wrangling sutes in law of little or no importance to the end they may impouerish him also with vvhom they are offended and so are content to pull the house vpon their owne heades that they may ouerwhelme another vnder the waighte of of the same rume Feare also is an affection of no small force and violence for oftentimes it compelleth men to thrust themselues into imminent daungers that they may auoyde daungers and to kill themselues for feare o◠greater torments and yet anger vanquisheth feare many tymes causing them who vvould tremble to see anothers wound 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 other 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 Sect. 3. Considering therefore that this turbulent vice of vniust anger is in the eyes of God so haynous in regarde of vs so generall and in respect of it owne nature so strong and violent I purpose to intreate of it at large to the end vvee maye learne the better to preuent it or the more easily to subdue it And to this purpose I will first shewe vvhat it is and vvhat 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 Vniust anger is a wrongfull and an vnreasonable desire of reuenge The definition of vniust anger stirred vp in vs by vniust causes wherby we hauing no respect of the glory of God nor the good of our selues or our brethren are after an iniust and immoderate maner angry with them with whom we ought not to be angry That vniust anger is a desire of reuenge it is so euident that it needeeh no Anger an vnreasonable desire of reueng proufe for we know by dayly 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 conceyued of it If he be iniured by a scornfull looke he seeketh to reuenge it with a disdaynfull 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 reasō causeth smal iniuries seeme great according to that false opinion inciteth men to take reuenge without all proportion For an angry looke with angry words for angrye words with blowes and for blowes with death according to the violence of the affection and not the qualitie of the iniurie receaued Sect. 4. Now that this desire of reuenge is vniust and vnreasonable it appeareth by that which followeth in the definition And first because the causes therof are vniust The causes of vniust anger are eyther self- The causes of vniust anger 1. internall 1. self-selfloue internall or externall The internall causes are diuers as first selfe loue whereby we so immoderately loue our selues that we neuer thinke of the iniuries and indignities which we offer others or els suppose them to be 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 mole-hils it causeth the hart easilie to apprehend the wrong busie in meditating of it being apprehended eager in seeking reuenge after meditation and the hand no lesse forwarde in acting those tragedies which the hart hath inuented For by selfe loue men are induced to thinke themselues worthie of all loue and honour and therefore if a small iniurie be offered vnto them they suppose that death is too small a reuenge for so great an indignitie offered to such worthie personages Yea if they be not so much respected as their haughtie ambition desireth or if others be preferred before them and that deseruedlie this is matter enough to prouoke them to furious rage not onelye 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 vvho because God respected the offering of Abell more then his was incensed to wrath and had his anger so inflamed that nothing could quenche it Gen 4. but the bloud of his deare brother and in Saule who could with no patience endure that the praises of Dauid should surmount his in the sight and audience 1. Sam. 18. 8. of the people but was enraged with deadly anger against him who for his merits deserued to be aduaunced And thus doth selfe loue make a man wincke at those iniuries which he offereth others and to put on the spectacies of affection when he looketh on those wronges which are offered to himselfe whereby it commeth to passe that euerie small iniurie seemeth great and prouoketh to great anger Whereas if we thought meanelie of our selues and loued our neighbours as our selues wee would not suffer our iudgement to be so ouer balanced vvith the weight of affection in iudging of the iniurie nor giue the raynes to our anger in persuing it with reuenge Sest 5. The second internall cause of vniust Anger is pride and arrogancie The second cause of vniust anger pride of spirit which is a fruite of selfe loue 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 be more sharp sighted in discryeng wrong and more furiouslie insolent in taking reuenge The reason hereof is apparant proude men being iealous of their
contentious discorde Sect. 10. Secondly it prouoketh to offer all 2. It prouoketh men to offer iniury 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 bene offered for angry wordes they will giue blowes for blowes vvounds and for vvounds death And therefore the vviseman sayth That anger is cruell and wrath is raging Pro. 27. 4. Yea it prouoketh Pro. 27. 4 men not onely to reuenge small iniuries but also no iniuries for anger rageth euen against the innocents 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 agaynst Abell Saules agaynst Ionathan and Dauid Nebuchadnezers agaynst the three children Herods against the innocents the Scribes and Phariseis agaynst Christ as before I proued But as anger causeth men to be hurtfull to all others so especially to those Anger most hurtful to a maÌ„s owne family vvhom they should most loue cherish and defend that is they who are of a mans owne familie Who because they are necessarily conuersant with them are continually subiect and euen exposed to their fury and outrage the wife to their bitter speaches if they do not worse that is like madde men beate their owne flesh the children to furious and vnreasonable correction the seruants not onely to reuiling speaches but also to cruell stripes and blowes so that as one sayth vvell we may know an angry Plutarch decohib irac man if we but looke in the faces of his seruantes namely by their scarres and bruises Sect. 11. And so much for the priuate euils which The euils which anger bringeth to common wealther accompanie vniust anger now we are to speake of the publick Vniust aÌ„ger is the cause of all tumâ—â—â—s and vproares sediâ—ions and conspiracies massakers and bloudy warres yea the ouerthrow and confusion of all cities and common wealthes It is the cause which inciteth the magistrate agaynst the subiect and the subiect agaynst the magistrate the prince against the people and the people against the prince kingdome against kingdome and nation agaynst nation and that not onely vppon waightie causes but also vppon trifling occasions For as to make a farious and vnquenchable flame it is not materiall how small the fire is that kindleth it so the matter be apt to receaue it wherein it is kindled for one coale is mough to burne a whole city if it fall among flax one sparke if it light in tinder or guÌ„powder so it mattereth not how small the cause is which inflameth anger for if the minde which receaueth it be subiect to be inflamed it is sufficient to set on fire and consume vvhole kingdomes common wealths especially if power be correspondent to the violence of the affection Infinite examples might be brought Examples to make this manifest as of Simeon and Leuie vvho in their anger put a vvhole Gen. 34. city to the sword though their quarell were but to one man Of Abimilech who Iudg. 9. in his fury destroyed all the city of Sichem of Saul destroying Nob of Hamon 1. Sam. 2â— Hest 3 vvho being incensed onely agaynst Mordecay layd a plot for the destruction of the whole nation of the Iewes But I shall not neede to stand vppon it seenot onely the booke of God but also auncient histories yea euen our owne cronicles and dayly experience do make this but too euident You see then the manifold euils which waite vppon 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 contagious plague which destroieth whole peoples and commoÌ„wealthes with how greate care therefore should we vse all good meanes and wholesome remedies to preuent or cure such a daungerous disease The remedies of vniust anger Cap. 7. Sect. 1. The remedies against Anger are of two sorts first 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 vvise Physitions thinke it the We must first seeke to preuent anger better saufer course to preserue health and preuent sicknesse then to remoue the disease after it hath taken possession of the body so the best course in ministring spirituall Physick 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 Sen. epist 119. 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 lawe and possession is as good as eleauen of them If therefore anger haue gotten possession vve shall hardlye dispossesse it It is our soules mortall enemie as therefore vve first seeke to keepe the enemie from entring the frontires of our countrey but if he be entred as soone as we can to expell him so wee must first endeauour to repell anger by stopping the passages of our harts that it may haue no entrance but if it haue taken place quickly to expell and remooue it For if we suffer it to fortifie it selfe it will growe so strong and violent that wee shall be vnable to dislodge it And as in a siedge of a City the Citizens prouide all things necessary for their defence before the assault that the enemie when hee approacheth the walles may not take them vnprouided so if we will repell anger when it commeth we are to fortifie and arme our selues against it before it comes for if it take vs vnprouided it will easely make entrance and more easely ouercome vs. Let vs therefore first of allendeauour to vse all good meanes by which we may preuent anger for if it haue once gotten hould of vs it will easelie plunge vs headlong into vyolence and furie whereas wee may with greater facillity preuent the daunger before we fall into it For as experience teacheth vs a man may easelye contayne himselfe from running downe the hill while hee is on the toppe but after he is entred into a full race hee cannot stave himselfe before he commeth to the bottome so it is more easie for any to abstaine from running into anger then to containe vvhen he is in the race from falling into the bottome of furie Sect. 2. Let vs then see the meanes how to The meanes to preuent anger The causes therof are to be remoued preuent anger the first remedy is by taking away the causes thereof for sublat â caus â tollitur effectum The cause being taken away the effect ceaseth The first cause of anger is selfe loue If
neighbours as our selues so also to be 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 be displeased therewith and so farre forth as the limits of our callings extende to shewe our selues offended according to the example of the prophet Ieremie who because the people would not heare the worde of the Lord was euen filled with diuine wrath Jeremie 6. 10. 11. But how colde Ier. 6. 10. 11. mens zeale of Gods glory is in this age fro sen in the dregs of sinne too lamentable experience sheweth for first who almost is angry with himself for his sins in this respect because he hath by them dishonoured God euery one sheweth spleene inough if his sinnes receiue condigne punishment but hauing to doe with them selues in respect of the sinne it selfe they are like mild doues without gaule The adulterer is much displeased if for his sin he be enioyned to maske in a white sheete though thereby he haue deserued death but the poison of his sin is most sweet to his eÌ„uenomed appetite The couetous extortioner is much offended if he be iustly depriued of that riches which he hath vniustly gotten but he is not angry with his sin into which he is fallen by vniust comming by them The blasphemer is enraged if he be but reproued for his blasphemie 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 sinne but if we would be angry and sinne not we must not be so much displeased for incurring that punishment which we haue iustly deserued as that by our sinnes we haue dishohonoured God And the like abuse there is of our Anger towards others men are soone stirred vp to choller agaynst their neighboures vpon euery slight occasion and shew of iniury offered to themeslues though it be but an vnkind worde or a mistaken speach or but a strange countenance but when God is dishonoured his name blasphemed his religion derided his Sabaoths prophaned his whole worship and seruice contemned they can looke vppon the offendors with a smiling countenance and so confirme them in their sinne or if they be angery they will either nor be seene in it at all or ells they will shew it after so colde a manner that it shal hardly be discerned Whereas if there be the least iniury offered to themselues they can contayne their fury in nolymites till it be satisfied with reuenge euen vnto bloud But if we would approue our selues to be be Gods childern seruants vve must be as truly zealous of his honour glory as of our ovvne credit and reputation Sect. 5. The second cause of iust anger is vvhen iniury is vniustly offred vnto our selues for by the lavv of God vve are bound The second cause of iust anger is iniury offered to a mans self to seeke the preseruation of our ovvne good name state therfore vvhen either of them is violated or impeached vve may iustly vse aide of the holy anger in defending our selus and repelling iniury yea also in taking such reuenge as is fit in respect of our callings that is by vnsheathing the Svvord of iustice if it be committed into our hands or by seeking the help of the magistrate if our priuate estate vvill not admit vs to be our ovvne caruers Many examples might be brought to cleare this point if it vvere necessary Though Moises vvere the meekest man liuing yet vvhen he was Nom 16. 15. contumeliously abused by Corah and his companions it is said he waxed very angry and prayed vnto the Lord that he shuld not respect their offerings Nom 16 15. thogh the Apostle Paule were of more theÌ„ an admirable patience yet being vniustly smitten by the commaundement of the high Priest he shevveth his Anger by a sharpe reproufe Act 23. 2. yea our sauiour Christ the lyuely e picture of true patience vvhen contrarie Act. 23. 2. to all iustice he was stroken by the high Preists seruant he sheweth himself displeased by his reprehensioÌ„ though at that time he offered himselfe as it were Iohn 18. 23. to suffer all coÌ„tumelious iniuries which pride assisted with malice could imagin or impose But here it may be obiected that our ObiectioÌ„ sauiour hath taught vs if wee haue Math. 5. 39. receiued a blowe on the one cheeke to turne the other I answer that Christs Answere meaning is not that we should expose our selues to all iniuries but that wee should refrayne from priuate reuenge without any calling thereunto which he would haue so farre from vs that rather we should be readie to receiue a new iniury then vniustly reuenge that which we haue receiued Sect. 6. The third cause of iust anger is when iniurie is offered to our bretheren for The third cause of iust Anger is iniury offered to our neighbour as by the law of charity 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 Egyptian who wronged the Israelite Act. 7. 24. Act. 7. 24. 2. Sam. 13. â—1 Thus was Dauid angry with Ammon for deflowring his sister 2. Sam. 13. 21. and with Absolon for his cruell murthering of Ammon And thus was good Nehemie prouoked to anger wheÌ„ he saw the people oppressed Neh. 5. 6. And this anger Neh. 5. 6 is not onely lawfull but also necessarie and the neglect thereof a greiuous sinne 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 shewe his anger in correcting them otherwise theÌ„ by milde and louing admonitions his indulcencie moued the Lord to inflict vpon him a most heauie punishment Et quia ira Eli Bernard tepuit in filios ira Dei exarsit in ipsum Because Elie his anger was luke warme towardes his sonnes the anger of God waxed fire hotte agaynst him and that iustly for as one sayth Non irasci cum oportet est nolle peccatum emendare Not to Gregorie be 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 thereunto is to be come accessarie But as they offend agaynst the partie who is iniured so also agaynst him who doth the iniurie For by not shewing themselues offended they giue approbation and by geuing approbation they countenance and confirme him in his sinne Whereas if they shewed their displeasure it might be a notable meanes to reclayme him by working in his hart a consideration of his offence for which he is reproued And in this respect
therefore we would not fall into anger self- 1. self-Selfe-loue we must labour to banish selfe loue and to follow the rule of charitie Loue our neighbours as our selues and do nothing vnto them which we would not haue them do vnto vs. Before therefore wee let the raines loose vnto our anger let vs set our selues in the place of him with whome we are angrie 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 iâ—iuries vvhich are offered vs extenuate those which we offer others so shall we not haue our iudgement ouer ballanced with an vnequall affection so shall we not be incensed for suffring that which we haue often offred Sect. 3 The second cause of anger is pride and 2. Pride haughtinesse of spirit if therefore we would not fall into anger we are to subdue pride and labour for the contrarie grace of humilitie For they who would be meeke with our Sauiour Christ must also learne of him the lesson of true humility Math. 11. 29. Learne of me for I Math. 11. 29. am meeke and lowlie of hart If we would lay aside that arrogant conceipt vvhich we haue of our selues and the ouerweening opinion of our owne excellencies if we would consider with Abraham that Gen. 18. 27. Psa 22. 6. vve are but dust and ashes and with Dauid that vve are wormes and no men or if we vvould in sincerity of hart say with Iob Vnto corruption thou art my father and vnto the worme thou art my mother and my Iob. 17. 14 sister If vve would but remember that by our sinnes committed against God our neighbour we haue deserued not onely contumelies and wrongs but also eternall death of body and soule wee would not so easely be prouoked to anger vppon euery trifling occasion nor thinke it any great disparagement to endure lesser iniuries seeing we haue deserued farre greater Sect. 4. The third cause is couetousnesse which uice we must banish out of our harts if 3. Couetuousnesse we would not be ouercome with vniust anger so shall wee not gape after great preferments nor expect much and consequentlie wee shall not be disturbed with vnquietnesse nor incensed with anger vvhen vve come not shorte of our hopes So shall wee 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 wyfe who is a ioynte gouernour in thy little common wealth And if any thing miscarry vnder any of theyr handes wee will not so much looke to the meanes as to the supreame cause the prouidence of God considering that if he builde not the house they labour in vaine that builde it if he blesse Psa 127. 1 not their labours they cannot prosper Sect. 5. The fourth cause is luxuriousnesse and curious nicenesse if therefore we Luxurious nicenesse would subdue anger we must subdue this vice also and labour to attaine vnto decent homelinesse the Nurse of good hospitallity and the preseruer of peace and quietnesse for if with our first parents Adam and Eue wee were clothed vvith skinnes that is with meane attyre we would not be so easilye prouoked to anger if a spotte or wrinckle bee found vppon our garments if with them we did feede vppon rootes and hearbes vve vvould not eate with surfeyted and cloyed appetites and consequently our meates being sauced with hunger our tastes would not be so wantonly curious that no ordinary cookery can please them If with Abraham we dwelled in tents like Pilgrimes we vvould not be so nice in decking our houses nor so angry for a Copweb If vvith Iacob vve had the earth for our bed a stone for our pillo we and the skye for our Canopie vve vvould not be so much displeased for the hardnesse of a featherbed or vneasinesse of a doune lodging take away therefore luxurious nicenesse and you shall take away also the most common cause of vniust anger Sect. 6. The fift cause of vniust anger is vaine curiositie in desiring to heare and see all 5 Curiositie things If therefore we vvould auoyde anger vve are to abandon this troublesome companion needlesse curiositie For many things will neither grieue nor hurte vs if we neuer see nor heare them Whereas hee that busilye enquireth vvhat is said against him in euery company hee that listeneth at euery doore and vnder euery vvall he that rippeth vp ill words spoken against him in secret doth both disquiet himselfe vvith anger and make his owne faultes more publicke Antigonus vvhen he heard two of his subiects speaking euill of him in the night neare his Tent he called vnto them vvilling them to goe further off least the King should heare them Whose example if vve vvould follow our anger vvould not so much vexe our selues nor trouble others Sect. 7. The sixt cause is to haue open cares to euery tale-bearer and credulous harts 6 Credulitie to belieue them For it is the nature of men to be most desirous of hearing that vvhich most displeaseth them Et libenter credere quae inuitè audiunt vvillinglye Senec. de ira lib. 2. cap. 22. to beleeue those things vvhich they are most sorie to heare But if vvee vvould auoide vniust anger vve must auoide this vice also Multos absoluemus Senec de ira lib. 3 cap. 29. si caeperimus ante iudicare quam irasci wee shall acquit many if vve vvill not bee angrye before vve 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 reporte vntruthes some that they may deceiue thee some because they are deceiued themseues some because they would set friends at variance some in their accusation will faine an iniurye offered vs that they may take occasion to shewe their sorrow because it was offred but scarce any of them will stand to that vvhich they haue spoken And therefore let vs not be angry before wee iudge nor iudge before vve heare both parties For vvhat iniustice is it to haue both eares open to an accusation and both shut to an excuse to proceede to sentence of condemnation before vve aske the party accused vvhat he can say for himselfe vvhat greater vvronge then to beleeue in secret and to be angry openly Sect. 8. The last cause of vniust anger is want 7. Want of meditaon concerning humaine infirmities of meditation 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 restravned from anger we must often thinke of this contagious leprosie of originall sin which hath so generally infected al the the sonnes of Adam that their remayneth nothing in vs but pollution and filthinesse And theÌ„ as one