Four Treatises Dissuading from Four Heinous and Common Sins, Treatise 5 · Chapter 4
CHAP. IIII. Of the properties of vniust anger
THe firſt propertie of vniuſt anger, is,§. Sect. 1. The firſt propertie, want of moderation. that it is immoderate; for though our anger hauehave neuer ſo iuſt a cauſe, yet if it grow violent, and degenerate from anger to wrath and furie, it is vniuſt, for it ſauoureth not of the ſpirit of God who is mercifull and eaſie to be intreated, but rather of the fleſh and the corruption thereof. And therefore wrath (that is, violent anger) is numbred amongſt the works of the fleſh, the doers whereof ſhall not inherit the kingdome of God: Gal. 5.20.21.
Now if we would know how to diſcerne when our anger is immoderate, it is eaſilie knowne by the fruites thereof. As firſt, when it prouoketh vsus to vtter words diſhonorable to God, either by prophane blaſpheming of his holy name, or wicked curſing and imprecations; whereby wee deſire that he ſhould be the executioner of our malice; or opprobrious to our neighbours, as when our anger burſteth out into bitter and reuiling ſpeeches tending onelyonly to his diſgrace. An example whereof wee hauehave in Shemei, 2. Sam. 16.5: who reprouing Dauid for his ſinnes, vſeth ſuch gall and bitternes, that it cleerely appeareth his anger proceeded not from the hatred of his ſinne, but rather of his perſon.
Secondly,2. By the want of fit decorum. when we hauehave no regard of any decorum or order, either in reſpect of our ſelues, or thoſe with whom wee are angrie. Not in reſpect of our ſelues, as when by anger we are prouoked to take reuenge being but priuate men, whereas reuenge belongeth onelyonly to God, and to the Magiſtrate who is the Lords deputie,Rom. 12.19. according to that Rom. 12.19. Auenge not your ſelues, but giuegive place to anger: (that is, to Gods anger and reuenge) For it is written, vengeance is mine, and I will repay it, Deut. 32.35.ſaith the Lord. They therefore who take vponupon them reuenge hauing no lawfull calling thereunto, violate Gods ordinance by arrogating to themſelues one of Gods royall priuiledges, and ſo make themſelues guiltie of high treaſon againſt God, as they are guiltie of treaſon againſt an earthly Prince, who intermeddle with any of their royall prerogatiues.
So alſo our anger is immoderate when we hauehave no reſpect of the partie with whom wee are angry; as when the ſonne being prouoked to anger againſt his father, though it be for a iuſt cauſe, doth not vſe him with that reſpect and reuerence which becommeth him, but burſteth out into vndutifull and inſolent ſpeeches: quite contrarie to the example of Iacob, who being but a ſonne in law did not in his anger forget his dutie, but vſed all diſcretion and moderation: Gen. 31.36. And of Ionathan, Gen. 31.36.who though he had iuſt cauſe to be angrie with his father Saul, yet he onelyonly ſhewed it by riſing from the table and departing:1. Sam. 20.34. 1. Sam. 20.34. And the like may be ſaid of the ſeruants anger towards his maſter, the ſubiects towards the Magiſtrate, and of all inferiors towards their ſuperiors. For howſoeuer the law of God bindeth vsus, to be angrie when iuſt cauſe is offred, yet it alſo tieth vsus to moderation and diſcretion: For it is the author of order and not confuſion.
The ſecond propertie of vniuſt anger,§. Sect. 2. The ſecond propertie of vniuſt anger is in reſpect of the obiect. is in reſpect of the obiect; for whereas iuſt anger oppoſeth it ſelfe only againſt ſinne and iniuſtice, vniuſt anger is incenſed againſt the perſon of the offender, yea oftentimes of them who are innocent, nay becauſe they are innocent, as appeareth by thoſe examples which before I rehearſed. But if we will be Chriſts Diſciples, wee muſt follow his doctrine and example.Matth. 5 44. His doctrine, Math. 5.44. LoueLove your enemies, doe good to thoſe that hate you, &c. That you may be the ſonnes of your father which is in heauen. Where he plainly intimateth, that they are not the ſonnes of God, who doe not louelove the perſons of their verie enemies: we muſt follow alſo his example, who prayed for his enemies euen while he was vponupon the croſſe ſubiect to their outragious iniuries: Luk. 23.34.Luk. 23.34. Act. 7.66. Which bleſſed preſident holy Stephen imitated: Act. 7.66.
But many are not onelyonly incenſed againſt the perſons of their enemies who are men like vntounto themſelues, but alſo with brute beaſts, which are not capable thereof, as wee may ſee in the example of Balaam, Num. 24.10.Num. 24.10. Yea euen with things which want both ſenſe and life: and ſo was Xerxes angry with the riuers,Plutarch. de cobib. iracun. and ſent letters full of menacing threatnings to the hils. And manie ſuch are ſubiect to continuall view, who if any thing in their hands diſpleaſe them, will not ſticke to daſh it againſt the ground, though after, they are faine to take it vp againe: or to ſpoile and breake it in peeces, though afterwards they muſt be glad to beſtow great labour in repairing that which by greater folly they hauehave defaced. But theſe men may fitly bee compared vntounto children, who hauing gotten a fall beate the earth; ſo they hauing receiued ſome hurt through their owne folly or negligence, are angry with thoſe things which are ruled by them as bare inſtruments.
The laſt propertie of vniuſt anger reſpecteth the time,§. Sect. 3. when as it being long retained becommeth hatred. And this happeneth not onelyonly when men are prouoked vntounto anger vponupon waightie cauſes, but alſo when it is grounded on the moſt ſlight occaſions: for when vaine trifles hauehave ſtirred them vp to wrath they perſeuere in it, leſt they might ſeem to hauehave begun without cauſe, and ſo againſt all reaſon the vniuſtice of their anger makes them perſiſt in it with greater obſtinacie. For therefore they retaine it, yea increaſe it, that the greatneſſe of their anger may make men beleeue that it could not chuſe, but ariſe from ſome waightie occaſion and iuſt cauſe: and ſo they chuſe rather to ſeeme iuſt, then to bee iuſt. But more of this afterwards when I come to ſpeake of the reſtraint of vniuſt anger.