Four Treatises Dissuading from Four Heinous and Common Sins, Treatise 5 · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. The remedyes of vniuſt Anger.
THe remedies againſt anger are of two ſorts: firſt,Sect. 1. 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 vsus from falling into it: ſecondly, ſuch as free vsus from it after it hath taken place. For anger is a diſeaſe of the minde: as therefore wiſe Phiſitions thinke it the better & ſafer courſe to preſerue health and preuent ſickneſſe, then to remoue the diſeaſe after it hath taken poſſeſsion of the body;We muſt firſt ſeek to preuent anger. Sen. epi. 119 ſo the beſt courſe in miniſtring ſpirituall Phiſick, 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 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 law, and poſſeſsion is as good as eleauen of them. If therefore anger hauehave gotten poſſeſsion, we ſhall hardly diſpoſſeſſe it: It is our ſoules mortall enimie; as therefore we firſt ſeeke to keepe the enimie from entring the frontires of our country, but if hee be entred, as ſoone as we can to expell him, ſo we muſt firſt endeauour to repel anger by ſtopping the paſſages of our harts, that it may hauehave no entrance, but if it hauehave taken place, quickly to expell and remoue it. For if we ſuffer it to fortifie it ſelfe, it will grow ſo ſtrong and violent, that we ſhall be vnable to diſlodge it. And as in a ſiege of a Cittie the Citizens prouide all things neceſſary for their defence before the aſſault, that the enimie when he approcheth the wals, may not take them vnprouided; ſo if we will repell anger when it commeth, wee are to fortifie and arme our ſelues againſt it before it comes: for if it take vsus vnprouided, it will eaſily make entrance, and more eaſily ouercome vsus.
Let vsus therfore firſt of all endeuour to vſe all good means by which we may preuent anger: for if it hauehave once gotten hold of vsus, it will eaſily plunge vsus headlong into violence and fury, whereas we may with greater facillity preuent the danger before we fall into it. For as experience teacheth vsus, a man may eaſily contayne himſelfe from running downe the hill, while hee is on the toppe, but after he is entred into a full race, hee cannot ſtay himſelfe before he commeth to the bottome: ſo it is more eaſie for any to abſtaine from running into anger, then to containe himſelfe when he is in the race, from falling into the bottome of fury.
Let vsus then ſee the meanes how to preuent anger:Sect. 2 The meanes to preuent vniuſt anger. the firſt remedy is by taking away the cauſes therof, for ſublatâ cauſâ tollitur effectum; The cauſes thereof are to be remoued. 1 Selfe-louelove.The cauſe being taken away the effect ceaſeth.
The firſt cauſe of anger, is ſelfe louelove: if therefore wee would not fall into anger, we muſt labour to banniſh ſelfe louelove, and to follow the rule of charitie; LoueLove our neighbours as our ſelues, and doe nothing vntounto them, which wee would not hauehave them do vntounto vsus. Before therefore we let the reines loofe vntounto our anger, let vsus ſet our ſelues in the place of him with whom we are angry, 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 iniuries which are offered vsus, and extenuate thoſe which we offer others, ſo ſhall we not hauehave our iudgement ouer-ballanced with an vnequall affection, ſo ſhall wee not bee incenſed for ſuffering that, which wee hauehave often offered.
The ſecond cauſe of anger is pride and hautineſſe of ſpirit: if therefore we would not fall into anger,Sect. 3. 2 Pride. we are to ſubdue pride, and labour for the contrary grace of humilitie. For they who would bee meeke with our Sauiour Chriſt, muſt alſo learne of him the leſſon of true humilitie, Math. 11.29. Learne of me, for I am meeke and lowly of hart. Mat. 11.29.If we would lay aſide that arrogant conceit which we hauehave of our ſelues, and the ouerweening opinion of our owne excellencies, if we would conſider with Abraham that we are but duſt and aſhes, and with Dauid, Gen. 18.17. Pſal. 22.6. Iob. 17.14.that wee are wormes and no men; or if we would in ſincerity of hart ſay with Iob, VntoUnto corruption, thou art my father, and vntounto the worme, thou art my mother, and my ſiſter. If wee would but remember that by our ſinnes committed againſt God and our neighbour, we hauehave deſerued not onelyonly contumelies and wrongs, but alſo eternall death of body and ſoule; we would not ſo eaſely bee prouoked to anger vponupon eueryevery trifting occaſion, nor thinke it any great diſparagement to endure leſſer iniuries, ſeeing we hauehave deſerued farre greater.
The third cauſe is Couetouſneſſe,Sect. 4. 3 Couetouſnes. which vice wee muſt baniſh out of our hearts, if we would not be ouercome with vniuſt anger, ſo ſhall wee not gape after great preferments, nor expect much; and conſequently, we ſhall not be diſturbed with vnquietneſſe, nor incenſed with anger, when vvee come ſhort of our hopes. So ſhall we not intermeddle with eueryevery domeſticall trifle, but commit ſome thing to the care of Seruants, ſome thing to Children, and moſt of all to the Wife, who is a ioynt gouernour in this little common wealth. And if any thing miſcarry vnderunder any of their hands, we will not ſo much looke to the meanes, as to the ſupreame cauſe, the prouidence of God, conſidering that if he build not the houſe, they labour in vaine that build it, if he bleſſe not their labours they cannot proſper.Pſal: 127.1
The fourth cauſe is luxuriouſneſſe and curious niceneſſe;Sect. 5. 4. Luxurious niceneſſe. if therefore we would ſubdue anger, we muſt ſubdue this vice alſo, and labour to attaine vntounto decent homelines, the Nurſe of good hoſpitality, and the preſeruer of peace and quietneſſe, for if with our firſt parents Adam and Eue, we were clothed with skinnes, that is, with meane attyre, wee would not be ſo eaſily prouoked to anger if a ſpotte or wrinckle be found vponupon our garments, if with them wee did feed vponupon roots and hearbs, we would not eate with ſurfetted and cloyed appetites, and conſequently (our meates being ſauſed with hunger) our taſtes would not bee ſo want only curious, that no ordinary cookery can pleaſe them. If with Abraham we dwelled in tents like Pilgrimes, we would not be ſo nice in decking our houſes, nor ſo angry for a copwed: If with Iacob we had the earth for our bed, a ſtone for our pillow, and the skye for our Canopy, wee would not be ſo much diſpleaſed for the hardneſſe of a fetherbed, or vneaſineſſe of a doune lodging: take away therefore luxurious niceneſſe, and you ſhall take away alſo the moſt common cauſe of vniuſt anger.
The fift cauſe of vniuſt anger,Sect. 6. 5. Curioſitie. is vaine curioſitie in deſiring to heare and ſee all things. If therefore we would auoid anger, we are to abandon this troubleſome companion needleſſe curioſitie. For many things will neither grieue nor hurt vsus, if we neuer heare nor ſee them. Whereas he that buſily inquireth what is ſaid againſt him in eueryevery company, he that liſtneth at eueryevery doore, and vnderunder eueryevery wall, he that rippeth vp ill words ſpoken againſt him in ſecret, doth both diſquiet himſelfe with anger, and make his owne faults more publike. Antigonus when he heard two of his ſubiects ſpeaking euill of him in the night neare his Tent, called vntounto them, willing them to go further off leaſt the king ſhould heare them. Whoſe example if we would follow, our anger would not ſo much vexe our ſelues, nor trouble others.
The ſixt cauſe is to hauehave open eares to eueryevery tale-bearer,Sect. 7. 6. Credulitie. and credulous hearts to beleeue them. For it is the nature of men, to be moſt deſirous of hearing that which moſt diſpleaſeth them, Et libenter credere quae inuitè audiunt, Senec. de ira. lib. 2. cap. 22.willingly to beleeue thoſe things which they are moſt ſorry to heare. But if we would auoid vniuſt anger, wee muſt auoyd this vice alſo:Senec. de ira lib. 3. cap. 29. Multos abſoluemus ſi caeperimus ante iudicare quam iraſci, wee ſhall acquit many, if vve will not be angry before we iudge. Let vsus not therefore ſuffer execution to goe before iudgement, but rather deferre our more ſeuere cenſure, till time hauehave reuealed the truth, conſidering that it is moſt vſuall with men to report vntruthes, ſome that they may deceiue thee; ſome becauſe they are deceiued themſelues; ſome becauſe they would ſet friends at variance; ſome in their accuſation will faine an iuiury offered vsus, that they may take occaſion to ſhew their ſorrow, becauſe it was offered; but ſcarce any of them will ſtand to that which they hauehave ſpoken. And therefore let vsus not be angry before wee iudge, nor iudge before we heare both parties: for what iniuſtice is it to hauehave both eares open to an accuſation, and both ſhut to an excuſe? to proceed to ſentence of condemnation before we aske the party accuſed, what he can ſay for himſelfe? what greater wrong then to beleeue in ſecret, and to be angry openly?
The laſt cauſe of vniuſt anger,Sect. 8. is want of meditation concerning humaine infirmities,7. Want of meditatiō 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 reſtrained from anger, we muſt often thinke of this contagious leproſie of originall ſinne, which hath ſo generally infected all the ſonnes of Adam, that there remaineth nothing in vsus but pollution and filthines. And then as one 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 pittie and compaſsion behold the ſores of his fellow: ſo the plague and ſore of ſinne which wee ſee in another, will not make vsus angry with the party vvhichwhich is infected and viſited, but rather in commiſeration and pittie to vſe all good meanes vvherby he may be cured, if vve conſider that this plague and ſore of ſinne is ſo vniuerſall that it hath infected all mankinde.
When vvord vvas brought to Anaxagoras that his ſon vvas dead,Plutarch de cohib. irac. he vvas not much moued with the newes, becauſe (as hee ſaid) he knew and had conſidered long before that his ſonne vvas mortall: ſo if vve vvould conſider and meditate on humane frailtie and infirmities, wee ſhould not bee ſo much vexed: when they ſhew themſelues, becauſe they vvould not happen beyond our expectation. If he that hyreth a ſeruant, vvould thinke with himſelfe, that he hireth one vvho is not free from faults, if he that choſeth a friend vvould then conſider that he hath his wants and imperfections: If he that marryeth a vvife vvould remember that he marryeth a woman, and therefore one ſubiect to infirmities: neither the ſmall faults of his ſeruants, nor imperfections of his friends, nor infirmities of his vvife vvould eaſily prouoke him to choller and fury, ſeeing he did not come ſhort of his reckoning.
Moreouer vve are to meditate vponupon our owne peculiar infirmities and vvants, and before wee are angry with another to enter into our ſelues,Plutarch de cohib. irac. and to ſay vvith Plato: Nuncubi & ego talis? hauehave not I alſo offended in this or in that which is worſe? am I cleare from offering the like iniuries or greater to my brethren? Alas no, but though I were, yet how often hauehave I prouoked God to anger by my ſinnes? for which great debt how can I craue pardon, if I cruelly exact eueryevery trifle of my fellow ſeruant? Thus if we would ſpeake vntounto 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 vponupon them: for no man without bluſhing could extreamely puniſh thoſe faults in his neighbour, for which he ſhall neede to craue pardon himſelfe.
And ſo much concerning the firſt remedie of anger, which is by remouing the cauſes thereof.