therefore we would not fall into anger 1. 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
of our corruption we are prone to fall into it the aposttle in the words following limiteth and restrayneth it to a short time least it should turne into malice Let not the Sunne go downe c. as though he should say though through infirmitie yee fall into rashe and vnaduised Anger yet continue not in your sinne Let not the Sunne go downe On your wrath The most of our new interpreters think That iust Anger is here commaunded that the first words are rather a permission thē a precept therfore to be vnderstood thus If you be angry sin not or thus Are you āgri sin not that is though through infirmity ye fall into āger yet ad not sin vnto sin by continuing in it but I see no reasō why the words shuld be thus wrested seeing there followeth no absurditie or incōuenience if they be playnely vnderstood without any alteration which cannot be avoided if we admit of their expositiō for I wold ask of thē whether is here ment a lawfull iust āger or that which is vnlawful vniust if lawful iust why may it not be cōmanded seing it is as necessary 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 we cā be angery sin not But say they if a holy āger were here ment what needeth the restraynt Let not the Sun c. seeing the longer it lasted the rather it were to be cōmended if it were iust holy I answer these words are to be referred not to the precept Be angry but to the prohibition But sinne not where vniust Anger is forbidden as before iust Anger was commanded 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 The meaning of the words breefely thus much be angrie and spare not so that your anger be iust and holy but seeing by reason of your infyrmity and corruption your iust Anger may easily degenerate and become vniust if due time place person and other circumstances be not obserued therefore take heede you sin not by being vniustly angry yet if through infyrmitie yee fall in to this sinne do not harbour it no not one day Let not the Sunne go downe on your wrath Sect. 4. And somuch for the meaning of the Of iust Anger words now I will intreate of their seuerall parts And fyrst concerning iust anger what it is what is required in our Anger that it may be iust and holy this The definition of iust Anger Anger is an holy and reasonable desire of reuenge stirred vp in vs vppon iust waightie and necessarie causes wherby we being after a lawfull maner angry with our owne and others vices and sins rather then with the persons do desire iustly to punish and reuenge the vices sins to the end God may be glorified the parties amended and that the anger of God being pacyfied 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 therof be iust now the iust causes of Anger are diuers First when we are moued thervnto with The first cause of iust Anger the glory of God a zeale of Gods glorie for when we see God dishonoured and his glory defaced it is not onely lawfull to be angry with the offendors but also necessarie 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 we professe our selues Gods seruants and what good seruant can abide to see his maister disgraced we professe our selues Gods children and good children are more grieued and offended when they perceiue that their parents are any wayes abused or iniured then if the iniuries were offered to themselues if therefore we be loyall subiects faythfull seruants and louing children wee cannot choose but be incited to a holy anger if we see our glorious soueraigne our good maister and gratious father by any meanes dishonoured When Moyses sawe that the children Example of Israell had contrarie to Gods expresse commaundement reserued Manna till the next morning he could not contayne himselfe from shewing this holy Anger when he saw his Lord and maisters will not obserued Exo. 16. 20. So that thogh Moses were the meekest man Ex. 16. 20. Num. 12. 3 that was on earth yet could he not with patience endure to see gods ordinance contemned In like maner when he saw that honor and glorie 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 deuine and heauenly rage that he not onely breaketh the two tables written Exo 32. by Gods owne hand but sharply reuengeth this idolatry with the death of three thousand of the offendors So that though the people were dearer to him thē his owne life nay then the saluation of his owne soule yet was the glory of God Verse 3◠more deare and pretious vnto him then eyther of both Phinees also when he saw God dishonoured with that shamelesse sinne of zimry and Cozby beeing prouoked Num. 2◠7. 8. with an holy anger he reuenged this dishonour vvith the death of both the offendors Thus also vvas Elias zealous for Gods glory because the Children of 1. Kings 19. 14. Israell had forsaken his couenant cast downe his alters slaine his Prophets And thus vvas our sauiour Christ possessed vvith a feruent zeale of his fathers Iohn 2. 17 glory Iohn 2. 17. If therefore vvee vvould approue our selues to be Gods children vve must follow their example and for as much as nothing more dishonoureth God then sinne nothing should Offend displease vs more then sin whether it be in our selues or in our neighbour When therefore vve fall into sinne vve are to be offended vvith our selues that so vvee may diuert the Lords Anger from vs for as they vvhich 1. Cor 11. 31. iudge themselues shal not be iudged of the Lord so they vvho are angry vvith themselues for sin shal escape the Lords anger And this our anger must proceed to a holy reuenge Those who haue offended by surfeting and drunkennesse are to punish themselues with fasting abstinence Those that haue wallowed them selues in voluptuous pleasures are to subdue and mortifie them though they be as deare and precious vnto them as their right hand and eye Those who haue defrauded their neighbour by purloyning away his goods are with Zacheus to make restitution foure fold Luke 19. 8. And as we are bound by the lawe of charitie to loue our
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
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