Four Treatises Dissuading from Four Heinous and Common Sins, Treatise 5 · Chapter 8
The ſecond meanes to ſubdue anger, is to labour for patience. CHAP. VIII.
THe ſecond meanes to ſubdue anger,Sect. 1. All things happen by Gods owne prouidence. Rom. 8.20. is to labour for the contrary vertue of patience and long ſuffering. And to this end we are firſt to confider that nothing happeneth vntounto vsus without Gods all ſeeing prouidence, who if wee bee his children will diſpoſe of eueryevery thing for our good. Why therefore ſhould we vexe our ſelues with anger, ſeeing God will turne the iniuries of men into bleſſings? let vsus rather when any wrong is offered vsus, which we cannot by iuſt and lawfull meanes auoyde, ſay with our ſauiour Chriſt,Ioh. 18.11. Iohn. 18.11. ſhould not I drinke of the cup which my father hath prouided for me? ſhould I be angry with the cup becauſe the Phiſicke is bitter? or with the hand whereby it is conuayed vntounto me? My heauenly father correcteth me for my good and amendment, I will not therefore bee angry with the rod wherewith I am beate, but rather looke to the hand which inflicteth the chaſtiſement, and I will ſay with Dauid. Pſa. 139.10Pſal. 139.10. I am dumbe and doe not open my mouth becauſe thou doeſt it. Otherwiſe I ſhould commit as great folly as he who is angry with the ſtaffe wherewith he is beaten, and neuer regardeth the ſmiter, and ſhew my ſelfe as mad as the dogge, who looketh not to the caſter, but wreaketh his anger by biting the ſtone.
Secondly,Sect. 2. Our iniuries receiued leſſe then our ſinnes hauehave deſerued. we are to conſider that the iniuries which we hauehave receiued are much leſſe then by our ſinnes wee hauehave deſerued; for they are but light, or if not light yet momentary, but our ſinnes hauehave deſerued infinite and eternall puniſhments. If therefore the Lord vſe theſe earthly rods to correct our ſinnes, wee are rather to admire his mercy then to be angry at ſo gentle chaſtizement; let vsus therefore looke vponupon our ſinnes and not vponupon our puniſhment, and ſo ſhall we 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 bee ready to follow the example of Dauid, who when hee was iniuriouſly abuſed by Shemei, was not prouoked by anger to take reuenge, becauſe he looked not vponupon Shemei, 1 Sam. 16.10.11. Sect. 3. 3. Meanes to meditate on Chriſts paſsionas being but the inſtrument, but vponupon God who was the author. 2 Sam. 16.10.11.
The third meanes to ſubdue anger by arming vsus with patience, is to call continually to remembrance the bitter paſsion and ſufferings of Chriſt for our ſinnes. For if wee conſider how patiently he indured ſcoffes and reproaches, rayling and reuiling, buffeting and ſcourging, 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 vntounto vsus by men,Mat. 5.39. Num. 21.8. at our ſauiour Chriſts requeſt, ſeeing vve hauehave deſerued far greater. As therefore thoſe vvhichwhich vvere ſlung vvith the fiery ſerpents, vvere healed if they did looke vp to the braſen ſerpent, vvhichwhich vvas erected to this end: ſo if this fiery ſerpent of vniuſt anger hauehave ſtung vsus, and the burning poyſon thereof hath inflamed vsus, let vsus caſt the eyes of our ſoules vponupon the true braſen ſerpent our ſauiour Chriſt, hanging vponupon the croſſe, and ſuffering the vvrath of God due to our ſinnes, and ſo the heate of our vvrath and anger vvill ſoone be cured and cooled.
The fourth meanes to vvorke patience and repell anger,Sect. 4 4 The neceſſity of this duty. is to conſider the neceſsitie hereof, for if the louelove of our brethren be not of more force to reſtraine vsus from reuenge, then anger to prouoke vsus thereunto, vve can hauehave no aſſurance that we are the Children of God, 1 Iohn 3.10.1 Iohn 3.10 15 In this are the children of God knowne, and the children of the diuell, whoſoeuer doth not righteouſneſſe, is not of God, neyther he that loueth not his brother. So Verſe 15. Whoſoeuer hateth his brother is a man-ſlayer, and no man-ſlayer hath eternall life abiding in him.
But ſome vvill ſay, though I am raſhly angry, yet may I louelove my brother. I anſwer vvith the Apoſtle.1 Cor 1.3.4.7 1 Cor. 13.4.7. that louelove both ſuffereth long and ſuffereth all things: and therefore they want this louelove vvho vvill ſuffer nothing, and be prouoked eueryevery minute; nay he ſaith expreſly in the fift verſe, that louelove is not prouoked to anger, that is, to raſh and vniuſt anger; and therefore they are deſtitute of louelove vvho are ſo eaſily prouoked.
Secondly, it is moſt neceſſary to ſubdue anger, becauſe vvhile vve remaine therein vve can hauehave no aſſurance that our prayers are acceptably heard of God; not onelyonly becauſe vve pray ſo to be forgiuen as we forgiue, and therefore if we retaine our anger towards our brethren, vve pray that God will retaine his towards vsus; but alſo becauſe our Sauiour expreſly telleth vsus, That if we doe not remit men their treſpaſſes, our heauenly Father will not forgiue vsus our ſinnes. Mat. 6.15Mat. 6.15 And that with what meaſure we mete vntounto others, it ſhall be meaſured vntounto vsus again. Mat. 7.2.Mat. 7.2. Let vsus remember the parable of the ſeruant, vvho being forgiuen ten thouſand talents, and after exacting with all crueltie of his fellow ſeruant an hundred pence, vvas caſt into the priſon of vtter darkenes.Mat. 18.23 Mat. 18.23.Mat. 18.23. Whereby thus much is vnderſtood, that if vve vvill not forgiue iniuries to our brethren, ſeeing the Lord hath forgiuen our infinite hainous ſinnes, we ſhall be vſed like that mercileſſe and cruell ſeruant. And therefore let vsus follow the counſell of the Apoſtle Epheſ. 4.32.Eph. 4.32. Be curteous one to another and tender hearted, freely forgiuing one another, euen as God for Chriſts ſake freely forgaue you. And ſo much for the neceſsity of this duty.
The fift meanes to arme vsus with patience againſt the aſſaults of anger,Sect. 5. The examples of patience in others. is that we propound vntounto our ſelues the examples of others: for the looking vponupon greene coulour is not more ſoueraigne for thoſe who are troubled with inflamation of the eyes, then the beholding of the clemency and patience of others, is for thoſe whoſe hearts are inflamed with anger. Firſt therefore, let vsus ſet before vsus the example of God himſelfe, who is mercifull, gratious, and ſlow to anger, Exod. 34.6as himſelfe deſcribeth himſelfe, Exod. 34.6. And hereof the Prophet Dauid taſted by often experience, and therfore he ſaith likewiſe,Pſal. 103.8 9 Pſal. 103.8. The Lord is full of compaſſion and mercy, ſlow to anger and of great kindneſſe. And as he is not eaſily prouoked to anger, ſo being prouoked his anger laſteth not long; for he will not alway chide, nor keepe his anger for euer, as it is verſe 9. Nay no ſooner can wee knock at the gate of his mercy, but he is ready to open, as he hath promiſed.Mat. 7.7. Mat. 7.7. If therefore we would reſemble our heauenly father, and ſo approue our ſelues to be his children, we muſt learne to imitate his patience and long ſuffering.
Secondly, we are to propound vntounto vsus the example of our Sauiour Chriſt, the liuely character and expreſſe image of his father,Mat. 11.29 as he exhorteth vsus. Mat. 11.29. Learne of me for I am meeke and lowly of hart, and you ſhall finde reſt to your ſoules. 1 Pet. 2.22What this meekneſſe was, Peter telleth vsus. 1 Peter 2.22. Though he were free from ſinne, and had no guile found in his mouth, yet when he was reuiled, he reuiled not againe, and when he ſuffered he threatned not. Though in reſpect of his infinite power, he was able not onelyonly to hauehave threatned, but alſo to hauehave vtterly deſtroyed his enimies. If therfore Chriſt was ſo milde and patient, who vvas free from ſinne, ſurely much more ſhould we be (if it were poſsible) who by our ſinnes hauehave deſerued the greateſt iniuries, yea, eternall death.
But if theſe examples be too high for our imitation, let vsus caſt the eyes of our mindes vponupon the patience and long ſuffering of our fellow brethren. As of Abraham, vvho when iuſt cauſe of offence was offered by Lot and his ſhepheards, was rather content to part from his right, then hee would hauehave any diſcord and diſſention. Gen. 13.8.Gen. 23.8 Of Moſes, who then was ready to pray for the people, when they were ready to ſtone him, Exod. 17.4.11.Exod. 17.4.11. Of Dauid who hauing reuenge in his owne hand, when he was prouoked by the outragious iniuries of Shemei did notwithſtanding containe himſelfe, 2 Sam. 16.10. and of Stephen, 2 Sam. 16.10who when the ſtones flew about his eares, prayed for his enimies that threw them at him, Acts 7.60.Acts. 7.60. The example of others being in their fury.
Or if theſe examples will not moue vsus to the louelove of mildnes and patience, let vsus ſet before our eyes thoſe men which are ſubiect to the fury of anger, and ſo ſhall wee eaſily diſcerne in others what an vgly and brutiſh vice it is in our ſelues. One ſaith,Sen. lib. 2. de ira, cap. 36. that if an angry man would looke himſelfe in a glaſſe in the middeſt of his fury, hee would appeare ſo horrible in his owne ſight, that it would be a notable means to worke an hatred in his heart, of ſo deformed a vice; but for as much as angry men will hardly bee brought to this while they continue in their rage, or if they could, they hauehave ſomewhat relented already, and ſo the coppy of their countenance is chaunged; or though it were not, the fury of their affection ſo cloudeth the iudgement of reaſon, that they thinke all things become them which they doe in their paſſion: Let vsus therefore follow the example of the Spartanes, who would cauſe their children to looke vponupon their Hellots and ſlaues when they were drunken, that they might bee brought into deteſtation of ſo vggly a vice, when they beheld the beaſtlineſſe thereof in others: So let vsus ſet before our eyes other men, while they be in their furie, and conſider how it deformeth the body, and diſableth the minde, the lamentable tragedies which it acteth, and follies which it committeth; and the vggly deformitie, ioyned with brutiſh folly, muſt needes moue vsus to hate ſo foule a vice.
The ſixt meanes,Sect. 6. 6 To abſtaine from multitude of buſineſſe. is to abſtayne from multitude of buſineſſe, becauſe not onelyonly the minde is diſtracted and diſturbed therwith, & ſo made a fit Inne for anger to lodge in, but alſo becauſe in ſuch aboundance of buſineſſe, ſome things of neceſsity will miſcarry, & among ſuch a multitude of Irons, ſome will burne, and ſo inflame the minde to anger.
The ſeaueth meanes,Sect. 7. 7. To abſtaine from contentious controuerſies. is to auoide contentious controuerſies; for facilius eſt a certamine abſtinere quam abducere, howſoeuer it bee very eaſie to abſtaine from them before they are begunne, yet after a man is entred into them, he cannot eaſilie giuegive them ouer. Becauſe he thinketh that it will derogate from his wit and iudgement,Seneca. lib. 3. de ira. cap. 8. if he be forced to yeeld though it be to a truth: and beſides men naturally deſire to bring others to be of their opinion, and therefore they will vſe great earneſtneſſe to perſwade, and oftentimes burſt out into anger and furie, if they cannot obtayne their deſire.
The eight meanes,Sect. 8. 8. To auoyde the company of chollerick men to preuent anger, is to auoyde the company of thoſe who are angry and chollericke: becauſe men will eaſily be infected with their contagion. And this Salomon teacheth vsus. Pro. 22.24. Make no friendſhip with an angry man, Prou. 22.24.neither goe with the furious man, leaſt thou learne his wayes, and receiue deſtruction to thy ſoule. And alſo becauſe they are likely to be prouoked by them, and to receiue the heat of their flame. For as one ſticke of wood being ſet on fire, doth kindle that alſo which is next vntounto it: So one man being inflamed with anger, inflameth them alſo who are neere about him, with his prouocations.
Laſtly,Sect. 9. 9. To bridle anger for a day. thoſe who finde themſelues by nature prone to anger, are to labour, and as it were to vow vvith themſelues, that they will containe their furie for one day, whatſoeuer occaſion ſhall be offered, and after that another, and a third, and ſo by little and little they ſhall attaine vntounto an habit of patience, and cuſtome will alter nature.