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 The causes of vniust anger 1. internall 1. 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
Ios 7. some of them fell before the men of Ai but vvhen the malefactour vvas iustlie punished Gods anger vvas appeased Iudge 21. Because the Beniamites did not punish but rather countenance the synne of those vvho so shamelesly did abuse the Leuites concubine vve know vvhat followed not onely the offenders but also the vvhole tribe some fewe excepted vvere attached by Gods heauie iudgement If therefore Magistrates would haue the Lords anger auerted either from themselues or the commonwealth they are to shevv their anger in punishing synne and if in drawing out the sworde of Iustice against iniquitie they propound vnto themselues the good of the Church and common-vvealth their end is iust and holie and their anger also The third end of iust anger is the good 3. The good of the party who suffered the iniury of the party who suffreth the iniurie for hereby the offendour is restrained from committing the like when either priuate men sharpelie reprooue him or Magistrates seuerelie punish him for his offence whereas if neither priuate men do by their anger shew their dislike nor magistrates inflict punishment for his misdemeanour he is readie to redouble his iniuries The last end is the good of the party 4. The good of the party who offered the iniury who by offering the iniurie prouoketh vs to anger For priuate men are to be angrie with their neighbour not because they maligne him or seeke his hurt but because they may discourage him in his sinne and so worke his amendment And in like maner Magistrates must shevv their anger in punishing offenders not to reuenge themselues on their persons but that they may seeke their good in reforming their vices For what greater good can a man doe his brother then to reclayme him from his sinne vvhich otherwise vvould destroy both body and soule by remaining in it But heere it may be demaunded how he seeketh his good and amendment Obiectiō vvhen the punishment is capitall I answere first in those cases there is a comparison Answere of the publick good of the common wealth with the priuate good of the partie offending which is to be neglected in respect of the other if therefore his offence bee such as deserueth death he is to be punished with death that the burthen do not lie vpō the land Secondly I answere he doth the partie good by bringing him to the sight of his sinne and repentance by apprehending the paine of the punishment wheras otherwise he would desperatly runne on in his sinnes and so cast away both bodie and soule To preuent therefore and cure this desperate disease it is necessarie to apply desperate physicke and to destroy the bodie that both bodie 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 necessarie both for the setting forth of the glory of God and also for the good of our selues and of our neighbours Of vniust anger Chap. 2. Sect. 1. ANd so much for the first part of my text wherein iust anger is commaunded now I am to speake of vniust anger forbidden in the wordes following But sinne not that is by falling into corrupt and vniust anger Which Vniust anger condemned as a great sinne 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 and anger and wrath and euill speaking be put away from you with all maliciousnesse So Col. 3. 8. Put ye away all these things wrath anger maliciousnesse Col. 3 8. c. and in the 5. Chapter of the Gala. verse 20. 21. it is reckoned among the Cal. 5. 20. 21. workes of the flesh which who so follow shall no inherit the kingdome of God It is forbidden also in the sixt commaundement vnder the name of murther both because it is the chiefe meanes and cause which mooueth men therevnto as also because it is the murther of the hart and therefore 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 slayne his neighbour if his hart haue not consented thereunto as appeareth in the old law where Cities of refuge were appoynted for such by the Lordes owne commandement but if the hart haue consented and desired any way to violate the person of our neighbour which vniust anger alwaies affecteth though our hands are free from the act vve are guiltie of murther in the sight of God And this our sauiour Christ teacheth vs in the exposition of the sixt commaundement Math. 5. 22. Whosoeuer is angry with his Mat. 5. 22 brother vnaduisedly is culpable of iudgement By these places it is euident that anger is forbidden and condemned as a great sinne and therefore it is to be auoyded of vs as a most dangerous enemie to our soules health Which The generalitie of this vice of vniust anger 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 young nor any so olde none so wise nor any so foolish neyther male nor Female which do not carrie this fire in their bosome and therefore vnlesse they quench dayly this fiery dart of Sathan with the water of Gods spirite and the sheild of fayth they wil be in danger of burning for who can carie fire in his bosome and not be burnt Pro. 6. 27. Pro 6. 27. Sect. 2. But the dangerousnes of this affection will more euidently appeare if we consider the violence thereof for there is The violence of this turbulent affection Cant 8. 6. scarce any other affection so strong which it doth not easily subdue Loue is sayd to be stronger then death Cant. 8. 6. and yet anger if it be once admitted easily ouercommeth it 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 childe and the childe to his father the husband to his wife the wife to her husband and causeth them in stead of duties of loue to bring foorth the fruites of hatred yea it maketh a man to forget the loue of himselfe as appeareth by those men who to satisfie their anger violently thrust thēselues into imminent dangers of death Nay it maketh a man offer raging violence agaynst such a friend as is more deare to him then his owne life as it is euident in the example of Alexander who in his anger slew his freind Clitus whom he loued so intirely that he needes would haue reuenged his murther by putting himselfe to a wilfull death As therefore we cannot discerne the heate of the sunne when wee are neare vnto a scorching fire so the heauenly heate of diuine loue is not felt if
honour and reputation are also very suspitious of contempt so that the least iniurie prouoketh them to choller and disdaine because they are readie to imagine that thereby they are exposed to contempt And this is the reason why proud men do more impatientlie suffer an iniurie offered in companie vvhere they would be respected because they thinke it a great disparagement to their credit and reputation An example hereof we haue in Nebuchadnezer who waxed pale for anger because he thought himselfe disgraced Dan 3. 19 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 And in Haman who was so inraged with furie because Mordecay would not in the Esthe 3. 5 6. sight of the people doe him that reuerence which his proud hart desired that he thought his death too small a reuenge for such an indignitie vnlesse also for his sake he vtterlie rooted out his whole kindled and nation So that the least sparke of anger kindled with the smallest occasion bursteth out into a raging flame of furie if it be blowed with the winde of vaineglorie Whereas on the other side he that is humble is not prouoked to anger though he be neglected because his lowlie conceit maketh him thinke that he is not worthy to be much esteemed nor yet though he haue receiued an iniurie because he is readie to thinke that he hath deserued it eyther by like faults committed against men or more haynous sinnes against God Sest 6. The third internall cause of vniust The third cause of vniust anger couetuousnesse anger is couetousnesse for this vice maketh men desire much riches and if their hopes faile them and be not correspondent to their desyres 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 way warde then children or els if their couetous desires carried with the wings of ambition mount not so high a pitche they baselie stoope euen to the most sordidous pray and finding themselues vnable to compasse great matters abroade they entermeddle with euery domesticall trifle at home and if they see any thing miscarrie through the default of wife childe or seruant though it be of no value their anger can containe it selfe in no bounds of reason So that these men are angrie abroade but madde at home chollericke with euerie man which hinders or doth not further their commoditie but outragious to their wiues children and seruants if they susteine the least losse Sect. 7. The fourth internall cause of vniust The fourth cause nice luxuriousnesse anger is nice luxuriousnesse or luxuriouse nicenesse which commonly being the fault of weomen or at least a womanish fault is especiallie to be seene in domesticall matters For if you come into the house of one who is nice and curious you shall easilie perceiue how soone they are incited to great anger vppon little cause If the decking and adorning of their house be not fullie answerable to their mindes if their costly eates be not so daintelie cooked that they may delight their curious-learned taste 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 noice though it be but by some chance they are so enraged with anger that the house will scarce houlde them or at least not containe their clamorous voyces These curious folkes are not onely offended with iniuries but also with shadowes and apparances Nam vbi animum simul et corpus voluptates corrupère nihil tolerabile videtur non quia dura sed quia molles patiuntur for when volouptuous pleasures Senec. deira lib. 2. c. 25. 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 goute are angrie if a man come but towardes them and crie out if they be but touched So but a shew of iniurie moueth these voluptuous wantons to choller and anger and the least iniury offred in truth inciteth them to rage and furie Wheras others who haue not their mindes effeminated with this luxurious curiositie they can easelie passe ouer such trifling imperfections and repell anger in farre more violent assaults If any thinke these A prolepsis 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 synne who are so easelie prouoked and the rather they deserue a sharpe reprehension for that anger which is incited by euerie light and trifling cause then if it vvere waightie 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 thereunto is but little especially considering that the same parties who are fire-hot in these trifles which concerne themselues are key â—old in those things which much concerne Gods glory and their owne spirituall good For I appeale vnto their owne consciences whether they are not prouoked vnto more violent anger for these trifling toyes then when they dishonour God by most greiuous 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 Physition which desireth to cure them Sect. 8. The fift internall cause of vniust anger The fift cause of vniust anger curiosity is curiosity whereby men are tickled with a vayne desire and itching appetite to see and heare all things how their friends behaue themselues in their priuate meetings what their aduersaries do and say behind their backs how their seruants bestow them selues in euery corner whereof it commeth to passe that desiring to know all things they also know many things which displease them prouoke them to anger for which they may thanke 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 counsayle Eccl. 7. 23. Giue not thine hart to Pro. 19. 11 Eccl. 7. 23. all the woordes that men speake least thou do heare thy seruant cursing thee They might haue lesse cause of anger more contentation of minde Whereas by inquisitiue inquirie after euery rumor and curious prying into small domesticall faultes they inflame their harts with great anger for as the looking vppon a small print doth more offend the sight then a greater because we hould it nearer our eyes and more intentiuely behould it the letters standing thicke and neare together so oft times it commeth to passe that these small domesticall faultes beeing curiously pried into do more offend
reconciled to the first we are exhorted Iam 1. 19. Be slow to wratb to the Iam. 1. 19. latter Math 5. 25. Agree with thine aduersarie quicklie and that not onely when Math. 5. 25. thou hast offended him but also when he hath offered the iniurie vnto thee and that not once or twise or till seauen times but vnto seuentie times seauen times as our Sauiour exhorteth Math. Math. 18. 22. 18. 22. Sect. 5. But least we should content our selues Hasty anger forbidden with this nature which of naturall men is thought commendable let vs consider first that it is condemned and forbidden in the word of God Eccl. 7. 11. be Eccle. 7. 11 thou not of an hastie spirit to be angry for anger resteth in the bosom of fooles Yea our Sauiour condemneth it as murther in Gods sight Math. 5. 22. Math. 5. 22. Secondly we are to consider that this hastines to anger is a foolish vice for as Hastinesse to Anger a foolish and dangerous vice it alwayes beginneth with rashnesse so it most commonly endeth with repentance for after the hastie man hath iniured his neighbour by vnaduised words or iniurious deeds then he sheweth himselfe sorie for it and so like a foolish Surgeon first he breaketh his head and after giues him a plaister which though it heale the wound yet oftentimes it leaues a scarre And yet I speake of the least euils which accompany rash anger for how many haue there been who in their furie haue reuealed their friends secrets more deere vnto them then their owne liues yea how many thorough this rashe anger haue violated the persons nay murthered them with whom they were linked in the straightest bond of friendship so haue done that in a moment which they haue with bitternes repented the whole course of their liues then the which no greater follie can be committed And therefore it is well said of the wise man Pro. 14. 17. He that is hastie to Pro. 14. 17. anger committeth follie and verse 29. Hee that is slow to anger is of great wisdome but vers 29 be that is of an hastie minde exalteth follie And least we should thinke that he seldome thus offendeth he telleth vs. Pro. Pro. 29. 22. 29. 22. that a furious man aboundeth in transgression Pro. 12. 16. Eccl. 7. 10. Sect. 6. But here the chollerick mā wil alleadge for himselfe that he is hastie by nature Obiect and therefore to be borne with I answere Answer that wee haue not this nature by creation for we were created according to Gods owne image who is slowe to anger but this corruption hath taken hould of vs by reason of our originall sinne and therfore we are not to excuse one sinne by another but rather earnestlie to labour that this pollution may be washed away with the water of Gods spirit who by his grace doth reforme nature For those who are regenerate by the holy Ghost though naturallie they be as rauenous and cruell as the Woolfe and Leopard they shal be made as milde and innocent as the Lambe and Kid and though they be as fierce and furious as the Lion or Beare they shall become as tame and gentle as the Cowe or Calfe according to the Prophecie Esa 11. 6. 7. Esay 11. 6. 7. The Woolfe shall lye with the Lambe and the Leopard shall lye with the Kid and the Calfe and the Lyon the fatte beast togeather and a little childe shall leade them and the Beare shall feede with the Cowe and their young ones shall lye togeather not that regeneration doth take away nature and the affections but because it doth partlie subdue their violence and furie and partly sanctifieth and reformeth them so that whereas they were hurtfull and and pernicious now they are good and profitable to themselues and others the qualitye and the obiect of them beeing altered Their loue which vvas immoderately set on the world and the pleasures of the flesh is now fixed vppon God their neighbour and spirituall things Their ambitious hope vvhich expected nothing but honours and riches now longeth after the presence of God and fullnesse of ioy in the heauenly Ierusalem Their timorous feare wherby they were restrained from doing good and constrained to do that which was euill because they would not displease men is now a notable bridle to curbe in their vnlavvfull desires and a sharpe spurre to prick them forvvarde in the course of Godlynesse because they would not offend God and whereas before it was a corrupt fountaine from which nothing did spring but polluted streams of sinne whose descent is into the deepe gulph of eternall perdition now it is become the Welspring of life to make vs auoide the snares of death as it is Pro. 14 27. So Pro. 14. 27. likewise rashe and vnbrideled anger which before regeneration caused men to rage against the person of their neighbour doth now oppose it selfe against sinne and vniustice onely whereby God is dishonoured and the church and common wealth damnified Sect. 7. Do not therefore hereafter excuse thy furious and rashe anger by alleadging thy nature for thou mightest as well say I cannot abstaine from it because I am carnall and vnregenerate as because I am hastie by nature for those who haue laide aside the olde man and are renewed by Gods spirit haue this affection partly tamed and subdued and partly sanctified reformed and made fit for necessary and profitable vses whereas on the other side they that let the raynes 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. But that we may neuer alleadge this Ioh. 3. 5. 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 vgly vices as this of anger for nature corrupted prouoketh not onely to rash anger but also to all outrages And therfore the murtherer by as great shewe of reasō might excuse his murther because he is by nature cruell or the adulterer his adultery because he is by nature lecherous or the theese his theft because he is by nature couetous as the hastie mā his anger because he is by nature chollericke As therefore if a muttherer or theefe should come before a iudge and excuse his fact by saying it was his nature and therefore he could not choose but commit it the Iudge would answere that it was his destinie also that hee should bee hanged so when vve shal be arraigned before the Lord chiefe iustice of heauen and earth the alleadging of our corrupted nature will be so farre from excusing vs that it alone wil be sufficient to condemne vs. And so much for the first sort of anger which is to
short madnesse because it differs not from madnesse but in time Sauing that herein it is farre worse in that hee vvho is possessed with madnesse is necessarilie will he nill he subiect to that furie but this passion is entered into wittinglie and willinglye Madnesse is the euill of punishment but anger the euill of sinne also madnes as it were thrusts reason from it imperiall throne but anger abuseth reason by forcing it with all violence to be a slaue to passion And in this respect it may fitly bee compared vnto a cruell tyrant who hauing inuaded the gouernment of the common-wealth doth ouerthrow counsaile lawe and order and ouer ruleth all by force and furie so anger hauing obtayned soueraigntie ouer the minde taketh away all iudgement counsaile and reason and ouerswayeth all by foolish affection and raging passion And therefore Salomon saith well that Anger resteth Eccle. 7. 11 in the bosome of fooles for either fooles it findeth them or fooles it maketh them The reason is apparant because anger maketh men rashe and vnaduised in their deliberations and so their counsayles and designes prooue imperfect and without lyfe lyke abortiue byrthes which are borne before theyr time Examples hereof we haue in Symeon Examples Gen. 34. 25. and Leuy vvho like madde men imbrued their handes in the bloud of manye innocents to reuenge the iniurie of one offendour In Saule who for an imaginarie fault of one man put to death man woman and childe in the Citie of Nob and not satisfied herewith 1. Sam. 22 19. hee raged also against the beasts with more then beastly cruelty Yea Dauid himselfe beeing haunted with this furie vowed the death not onely of churlish Naball but also of all his innocent 1 Sam. 25 13. 22. familie for his fault You see then that anger peruerteth iudgement ouerthroweth counsaile and putteth out the eyes of reason making it the slaue of passion fitte to execute those workes of darkenesse in vvhich rage imployeth it Lyke vnto the Philistines vvho hauing put out the eyes of Sampson made him to grinde Iudg. 16. 21. in theyr Myll and to doe theyr drudgerie So this raging passion hauing put out the eyes of reason makes it a fit instrument for his owne businesse that is in plotting and deuising that reuenge vvhich is pleasing and acceptable vnto it VVhereby it euidentlye appeareth that furious anger is a notable meanes which Sathan vseth to worke our destruction For when once by rage hee hath blinded the eye of reason he can easelie leade vs into a gulphe of all wickednesse In respect whereof Sathan is compared to a carion Crowe which intending to make the carkasse of some seelie Lambe his greedie praye doth first pick out the eyes that it may not bee able by flight to preuent a further mischiefe so he indeauouring to make a praye of our bodyes and soules doth first seeke to blinde reason which is the eye of the soule with the furie of passion that so not hauing iudgement to discerne his sleights nor wisdome to auoide them he may the more easilie lead vs into the pit of perdition Or he may be likened to a cunning Fisher man who troubleth the water that the Fishe may not discrie his net so Sathan blindeth our reason with this turbulent affection that we should not discerne the sinnes which like nets he hath laide to intangle vs before wee be 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 therfore we auoyde those things most carefully which hurt the eyes or if they be 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 we auoide anger that blindeth reason seeing it is the light and guide of the soule which onely eye of humane direction beeing put out like Poliphemus we wander in the desartes of sinne and wickednesse if men abhorre drunkennesse and that worthely because it maketh them differ from bruite beasts onely in shape of the body why should they not for the same cause hate this vice of anger which like a burning ague doth so distemper and disturbe the minde that while the fit lasteth it vttereth nothing but rauing Sect. 8. Secondly as anger hurteth the soule by blinding reason so also it doth macerate 2. It inflameth the soule with the heate of fury and vex it by inflaming it with fury for what greater torment can be imagined then to haue the minde distracted vppon the rack of rage as therfore we would account him a madde man who with his owne hands should set his house on fire and consume it so alike madde is â—e to be 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 shal be tormented euerlastingly because vniust anger iâ— murther in Gods sight as appeareth Math. 5. 22. and murtherers shal not inherite the kingdome of God but Math. 5 12. haue their portion in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which Reue. 21. 8. is the second death 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 Christes merit causeth death Let vs carefully arme our selues agaynst the violence of this passion and manfully repell this fiery dart with the shield of fayth 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 folly who when a wrong were offered him by another should in reuenge wound his owne body so more foolish is he to be esteemed who when another offereth him iniury doth in seeking cruel vniust reuenge wound his soule with sinne Sect. 9. And so much for the euils which anger The euils which anger bringeth to our neighbour 1. It ouerthroweth all friendship bringeth to a mans selfe now vve are to intreat of the euils which it bringeth to our neighbour First it ouerthoweth that excellent and comfortable vertue to mankinde 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 counsaileth vs not to make friendship with an angry man because he wil be sure to breake it Pro. 22. 24. wel Pro. 22. 24 therefore may that speach of Juno to Alecto be applyed to anger Tu potes vnanimes armare in praelia fratres Virgil Aeneid lib. 7 atque odiis versare domos thou it is who caÌ„starme most louing brethreÌ„ one against the other ouerthrow whole houses and families with
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
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 pitie and compassion behould the sores of his fellowe so the plague and sore of sinne which we see in another wil not make vs angry with the partie which is affected and visited but rather in commiseration and pity to vse all good meanes whereby he may be cured if we consider that this plague and sore of sinne is so vniuersall that it hath infected all mankinde When worde was brought to Anaxagoras Plutarch de cohib irac that is sonne was dead he was not much moued with the newes because as he said he knew and had considered long before that his sonne was mortall so if we would consider and meditate on humane frayltie and infirmities we should not be so much vexed when they did shewe themselues because they would not happen beyond our expectation If he that hireth a seruant would thinke with himselfe that he hireth one who is not free froÌ„ faults if hee that choseth a friend would then consider that he hath his wants and imperfections If he that maryeth a wife would remember that hee maryeth a woman and therefore one subiect to infirmities neyther the small faultes of his seruants nor imperfections of his friendes nor infirmities of his wife would easily prouoke him to choller fury seeing he did not come short of his reckoning More ouer we are to meditate vppon our owne peculiar infirmities and wants and before we are angry with another to enter into our selues and to say with Plutarch de cohib irac Plato Nuncubi et ego talis haue not I also offeÌ„ded in this or in that which is worse am I cleare from offering the like iniuries or greater to my bretheren 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 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 vppon them for no man without blushing could extreamely punish those faultes in his neighbour for vvhich 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 Cap. 8. Sect. 1. THe second meanes to subdue anger is to labour for the contrarie vertue of patience and long suffering And to All things happen by Gods owne prouidence Rom 8. â—â— this end we are first to consider that nothing happeneth vnto vs without Gods al seeing prouidence who if we be his children will dispose of euery thing for our good Why therefore should we vex 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 auoyd say with our sauiour Christ Iohn 18. 11. should not I drinke of the cup which my father hath Ioh. 18. 11 prouided for me should I be angry with the cup because the physicke is bitter or with the hand whereby it is conuayghed vnto me My heauenly father correcteth me for my good and amendment I will not therefore be angry with the rod wherwith I am beateÌ„ but rather looke to the hand vvhich inflicteth the chastisment and I vvill say vvith Dauid Psal 139. 10. I am dumbe and do not Psa 139. 20. open my mouth because thou doest it Otherwise I should commit as great folly as he who is angry vvith the staffe wherewith he is beaten and neuer regardeth the smiter and shewe my selfe as madde as the dogge vvho looketh not to the caster but vvreaketh his anger by biting 〈…〉 the stone Sect. 2. Secondly we are to consider that the iniuries which we haue receiued are much Our iniuries receaued lesse then our sinnes haue deserued lesse then by our sinnes vve haue deserued for they are but light or if not light yet momentary but our sinnes haue deserued infinite and eternall punishments If therefore the Lord vse these earthly rods to correct our sinnes vve are rather to admire his mercie then to be angry at so gentle chastizemenr let vs therfore looke vppon our sinnes and not vppon our punishment and so shall vve patiently beare the iniury offered as sent from God because in respect of him it is no iniury and not as it is inflicted by man and be readie to follow the example of Dauid vvho vvhen he vvas iniuriously abused by Shemei vvas not prouoked by anger to take reuenge because he looked not vppon Shemei as being but the instrument but vppon God vvho vvas the author 2. Sam. 16. 10. 11. 2. Sam. 16. 10. 11. Sect. 3. The third meanes to subdue anger 3. Meanes to meditate on Christs Passion by arming vs with patience is to call continually to rememberance the bitter passion and sufferings of Christ for our sinnes For if we consider how patiently he indured scoffes and reproches rayling and reuiling buffeting and scurging yea death it selfe and the anger of God more grieuous then death not for any demerit of his but for our sakes we may easily suffer such small iniuries as are offered vnto vs by men at our sauiour Christes request seeing we Mat. â— â—9 NuÌ„ 21. 6 haue deserued farre greater As therefore those which were stong with the fiery serpentes were healed if they did looke vp to the brasen serpent which was erected for this end so if this fiery serpent of vniust anger haue stong vs and the burning poyson thereof hath inflamed vs let vs cast the eyes of our soules vppon the true brasen serpent our sauiour Christ hanging vppon the crosse and suffering the wrath of God due to our sinnes and so the heate of our wrath and anger vvill soone be cured and cooled Sect. 4. The fourth meanes to worke patience 4. The necessity of this dutie and repell anger is to consider the necessitie hereof for if the loue of our bretheren be not of more force to restraine vs froÌ„ reuenge then anger to prouoke vs thereunto we can haue no assurance that we are the children of God 1. Iohn 3. 10. In this are the children of God 1. Ioh. 3. 10. 15. knowne and the children of the deuill whosoeuer doth not righteousnesse is not of God neither be that loueth not his brother so verse 15. Whosoeuer hateth his brother is a man slayer and no manslayer hath eternall life abiding in him But some wil say though I am rashly angry yet may I loue my brother I answer with the Apostle 1. Cor. 13. 4. 7. that