Four Treatises Dissuading from Four Heinous and Common Sins, Treatise 5 · Chapter 10
CHAP. X. The remedyes to cure Anger in others.
ANd ſo much for the remedies which ſerue to cure anger in our ſelues:Sect. 1. The firſt means is ſilence. now we are to ſpeake of the remedies whereby we may cure it in others. The firſt meanes to mitigate anger in another, is to vſe ſilence: for as the fire cannot long continue if the wood be taken from it, ſo anger cannot long indure, if words and croſſe anſweres bee not multiplyed: whereas on the other ſide, croſſe ſpeeches and peruerſe replies, make the chollericke man proceede from anger to rage, from folly to fury and madneſſe. And this the wiſe man teacheth vsus. Prou. 26.21.Prou. 62.21 As the coale maketh burning coales and wood a fire, ſo the contentious man is apt to kindle ſtrife. Prou. 30.33So Chap. 30. and the laſt verſe. As he that wringeth his noſe cauſeth bloud to come out: ſo hee that forceth wrath bringeth forth ſtrife. By ſilent yeelding therefore thou maiſt eaſily abate anothers anger, whereas croſſe anſwers make it ragingly violent. For as the cannon ſhot looſeth his force, if it light in ſoft earth or wooll, but daſheth the ſtony wall in peeces: ſo the violence of the moſt furious anger is abated when it is not reſiſted, but furiouſly rageth, where it findeth any oppoſition. And hence it is that Plato calleth anger Neruos animi, qui & intenderentur acerbitate, & laxarentur manſuetudine: The nerues or ſinewes of the mind, which are intended & made ſtiffe, with ſharpneſſe and bitterneſſe, but ſlacke and eaſie, with curteſie and gentleneſſe. If therefore thou wouldeſt pacifie anothers wrath, follow the counſaile of Ieſus the Sonne of Syrach, Eclus. 8.4.Chap. 8.4. Contend not with a man full of words, neither heape vp wood on his fire. Where he noteth, that as the wood increaſeth the fire, ſo multiplying of words increaſeth anger.
But ſilence is not alwayes expedient,Sect. 2. The ſecond meanes a ſoft anſwere. eſpecially when men hauehave a iuſt cauſe, and an honeſt excuſe: for oftentimes the angry man will imagine, that ſilence argueth contempt; as though they were ſilent becauſe they ſcorned to returne an anſwere. And therefore the ſecond remedy; namely a ſoft and milde anſwere, eyther excuſing their fault by ſhewing their innocency, or in all humbleneſſe confeſsing it, and crauing pardon, is more fit phiſicke to cure anger in ſome natures and diſpoſitions. And this medicine the wiſe Phiſition preſcribeth vsus,Prou. 15.1. Prou. 15.1. A ſoft anſwere putteth away wrath: but grieuous words ſtir vp anger. Prou. 25.15So Prou. 25.15. A prince is pacified by ſtaying anger, and a ſoft tongue breaketh the bones, or as it is in the originall, a man of bone, that is, ſuch an one as is moſt ſtiffe and obdurate. An example hereof we hauehave in Abigaile: 1 Sam. 25.24.who by her milde and diſcreet ſpeeches quickly appeaſed Dauids furious anger.
As therefore Iron which is red hot, being dipped in cold water, preſently looſeth all his heate, and returneth to his naturall coldneſſe: ſo is the heate of the hotteſt anger ſoone mittigated with a colde and milde anſwere. Whereas on the otherſide, croſſe and vntoward ſpeeches, maketh the leaſt ſparke of anger flame out into furie: as we may ſee in the example of Moſes, who though he were the meekeſt man liuing on the earth,Num. 12.3. as it is Num. 12.3. yet by the contentious wrangling of the people, he was ſo prouoked to wrath, that he grieuouſly offended God, by ſpeaking vnaduiſedly with his lips, as may appeare by comparing the twentith chapter of Numbers, the 10 and 11 verſes,Num. 20.10 11. Pſal. 106.32 33. with the 106 Pſal. the 32 and 33 verſes. As therefore if a man blow vponupon a ſpark he maketh it increaſe to a flame, but if he ſpit vponupon it hee quencheth it, and both proceede out of the mouth: ſo hee that vttereth croſſe anſweres, doth make the leaſt ſpark of anger become furious rage, whereas milde and ſoft anſweres doe eaſily appeaſe it.
The laſt meanes,Sect. 3. The third meanes diſcreet admonition. is after his anger is ouerpaſt to giuegive him wholeſome counſayle and good admonitions, whereby he may be taught the great euils which follow anger. For as it is not fit to miniſter Phiſicke to a ſicke patient, while hee is in a fit of an ague, and therefore diſcreet Phiſitions rather make choiſe of their patients good day: ſo it is in vaine for a man to ſeeke the curing of anger by good counſayle, vnles he ſtay till the fit be paſſed ouer, and the heat of anger ſomewhat aſſwaged. For a man cannot; nor will not hearken to another mans reaſons, while he is ſubiect to his owne paſſions. And as a man heareth nothing almoſt which is ſaid when his houſe is on fire, for the noyſe of the multitude, the crackling of the flame, and the perturbation of his owne minde: ſo the violence of this affection, and furie of this paſſion, doth make a man while he is in a fit of rage, deafe to all reaſon. And therefore they are to be admoniſhed when the fury hath ſomewhat ſpent it ſelfe, and the great euils of anger both in reſpect of their ſoules and bodies, their neighbours and friends, the Church and common wealth, are as it were in one view, to bee preſented to their more ſober meditations.
But they who admoniſh are to remember,Mildneſſe required in admoniſhing an angry man. that they vſe all mildeneſſe and diſcreation in their admonition, leaſt while they goe about to preuent anger for the time to come, they preſently prouoke it. For if they bee too auſtere and rough in vſing too inſolent inuectiues and bitter reprehenſions, they doe not onelyonly commit themſelues a great abſurditie, while in reprouing anger they ſhew their own ſpleene, but alſo make their admonition altogether vnprofitable. Becauſe the angry man (if he ſee them ſo ſharp and ſeuere) will rather thinke how hee may defend his fault by aggrauating the iniuries which hee hath receiued, then eyther confeſſe it, to ſuch a ſynick cenſurer, or labour to amend it. For as no man will ſuffer his wound to be ſearched by ſuch a Surgeon as hath a rough hand, and a hard hart, neither will any patient commit himſelfe to the cure of a froward and mercileſſe Phiſition: ſo no man can abide (and therefore much leſſe an angry man) to hauehave his gauled faults, too much rubbed, or the wounds and diſeaſes of his minde, healed and cured, with too ſharpe a corraſiue and lothſome potion of inſolent and bitter words. They therefore who will angerly reproue anger, are no fit Phiſitions for them who are ſubiect to this paſsion. For to ſuch they will either hide and diſſemble their imperfections, rather fayning themſelues well, then they will diſcouer their diſeaſe to ſuch a crabbed Phiſition; or elſe they will iuſtifie, and defend them as lawfull and neceſſarie. And as the fearefull Snake, when hee hath no meanes to flye away, will turne againe, and deſperately leape into the face of him that purſueth him: or as the timerous Stagge, when hee can eſcape no longer by running, maketh a ſtand, turning cowardly feare into deſperate rage. So the angry man being ſo hardly purſued with ſharpe inuectiues and bitter reprehenſions, that he hath no euaſion of excuſe to couer his fault, nor hope of pittie by confeſsing it, doth as it were flye into the face of the reprouer, by obiecting his greater faults, that they may ſerue to extenuate his which are leſſe. You (will hee ſay) who ſo ſharpely reproue me for my choller, hauehave other faults as great as this, and therefore you may doe well to cure your ſelfe before you become anothers Phyſition. Yea in this you would ſhew you ſelfe no more innocent, if you had the like occaſion to ſhew your anger. And howſoeuer you ſeeme in your conuerſation ſweet and harmeleſſe, yet hee that ſhould taſt you would not finde you free from gaule, hee that ſhould handle you ſomewhat roughly, would ſoone perceiue by his owne ſmart that you hauehave a ſting, though you doe not thurſt it out being not prouoked. In a word, the angry man will neuer cry peccaui, vnleſſe afterwards with ſome confidence hee may adde miſerere neyther will hee ſuffer his wounds to be cured by ſuch an one, who by his rough handling will more vexe him, then pleaſure him by the cure.
And ſo much for the remedies and medicines which we are to vſe for the curing of anger,The concluſiō eyther in our ſelues or others, which I would wiſh eueryevery one who finde themſelues ſubiect to this vnruly paſsion, carefully to apply vntounto themſelues: for as it will not benefite a ſicke man to read his Phyſitions preſcript, or to carry the medicine in his pocket, vnleſſe hee take and receiue it according to his direction: ſo will this Phyſicke of the ſoule little auaile for the curing of anger, vnleſſe it bee applyed to the heart, and Conſcience.2 Cor. 3.5. Phil. 2.13. But ſeeing wee are not able ſo much as once to thinke a good thought, as of our ſelues, but it is God onelyonly which worketh in vsus both the will and the deede: let vsus intreate the Lord vvho is the onelyonly true Phyſition, that he will not onelyonly vouchſafe to annoynt the blinde eyes of our vnderſtanding with the precious eye ſalue of his holy Spirit, that vvee may ſee the deformities of this and all other diſordered affections. And alſo that hee will with the ſame ſpirit inable vsus, to reforme and renewe them; that their violence and fury being abated, and the corruption and filthyneſſe of them being purged, cleanſed and ſanctified, they may become fit and ſeruiceable for the ſetting forth of his glory, the good of our brethren, and the furthering of our eternall ſaluation. Which grace he vouchſafe vntounto vsus, who dyed for vsus, Ieſus Chriſt the righteous, to whom with the father and the holy Ghoſt, be aſcribed all honour and glory, principalitie, power and dominion, for euer and euer. Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Downame, Four Treatises Dissuading from Four Heinous and Common Sins (1609)