Spiritual Physic to Cure the Diseases of the Soul, Chapter 10
The remedies to cure anger in others. Cap. 10.
Sect. 1.
ANd ſo much for the remedies which ſerue to cure anger in our ſelues: now we are to ſpeake of the remedies wherby wee may cure it in others. The firſt meanes to mitigate anger in another, is The firſt meanes is ſilence.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 be not multiplyed: wheras on the other ſide, croſſe ſpeeches and peruerſe replies, make the chollericke man proceed from anger to rage, from folly, to fury and madneſſe. And this the wiſe man teacheth vsus Pro: 26. 21. As the Pro. 62. 21coale maketh burning coales and wood a fire, ſo the contentious man is apt to kindle ſtrife. So chap. the 30. and the laſt verſe. As he that wringeth his noſe cauſeth bloud to Pro. 30. 33.come out: ſo he that forceth wrath bringeth forth ſtrife. By ſilent yeelding therfore thou mayeſt eaſely abate anothers anger, whereas croſſe anſweres make it ragingly violēt. For as the Cannō ſhot looſeth his force if it light in ſoft earth or Wool, but daſheth the ſtony wal 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 minde, vvhichwhich are intended and made ſtiffe, with ſharpneſſe & bitterneſſe, but ſlacke and eaſie, with curteſie and gentleneſſe. If therefore thou wouldeſt pacifie an others wrath, follow the counſaile of Ieſus the ſonne of Syrach, Cap. 8. 4. Ecclus. 8. 4Contend 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.
Sect. 2.
But ſilence is not alwayes expedient, eſpecially when men hauehave a iuſt cauſe, The ſecōd meanes a ſoft anſwere.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 anſwer. And therefore the ſecond remedy, namely a ſoft and milde anſwere, eyther excuſing their faulte by ſhewing their innocencie, or in all humbleneſſe, confeſſing it, and crauing pardon, is more fit phyſick to cure anger in ſome natures and diſpoſitions. And this medicine the wiſe Phyſition preſcribeth vsus. Pro. 15. 1. A ſoft anſwere putteth away Pro. 15. 1.wrath: but greeuous words ſtir vp anger. So Pr. 25. 15. a prince is pacified by ſtaying āger, & 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 ſtife and obdurate. An example hereof we hauehave in Abigaile: who by her milde and diſcreet ſpeeches, quickly appeaſed Dauids furious anger. 1. Sam. 25. 24.1 Sam. 25 24.
As therefore Iron which is red hotte, being dipped in colde water, preſently looſeth all his heate, and returneth to his naturall coldneſſe: ſo is the heate of the hotteſt anger, ſoone mitigated with a colde & milde anſwere. Wheras on the otherſide, croſſe and vntoward ſpeeches, maketh the leaſt ſparke of anger flame out into fury: as we may ſee in the example of Moyſes, who though he were the meekeſt man liuing on the earth, as it is Num. 12. 3. yet by the contentious Nū. 12. 3.wrangling of the people, he was ſo prouoked to wrath, that he grieuouſly offended God, by ſpeaking vnaduiſedlye with his lips; as may appeare by comparing the twentith chapter of Numbers, Num. 20. 10. 11. Pſal. 106. 32. 33.the 10. & 11. verſes, with the 106. Pſal. the 32 & 33. ver. As therfore if a man blowe vppō a ſparke, he maketh it increaſe to a flame, but if he ſpit vpō it he quencheth it, and both proceede out of the mouth: ſo he that vttereth croſſe anſweres, doth make the leaſt ſparke of anger become furious rage, whereas milde and ſoft anſweres do eaſily appeaſe it.
Sect. 3.
The laſt meanes is after his anger is ouerpaſt to geue him wholeſome counſayle The 3. meanes diſcreete admonition.and good admonitions, wherby he may be taught the great euils which follow anger. For as it is not fit to miniſter Phyſicke to a ſicke patient while he is in a fit of an ague, and therefore diſcreete Phyſitions rather make choiſe of their patients good day: ſo it is in vayne for a man to ſeeke the curing of anger by good counſaile, vnleſſe he ſtay till the fit be paſſed ouer, and the heate of anger ſomwhat 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 ſayd 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 fury 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 be preſented to their more ſober meditations.
But they who admoniſh are to remember, that they vſe al al mildeneſſe and Mildenes required in admoniſhing an angry mā.diſcretion in their admonition, leaſt while they go about to preuēt anger for the time to come, they preſently prouoke it. For if they bee too auſtere and and rough in vſing too inſolent inuectiues and bitter reprehenſions, they do not onelyonly commit them ſelues a great abſurdity, while in reprouing anger they ſhew their owne ſpleene; but alſo make their admonition altogether vnprofitable. Becauſe the angry man (if he ſee them ſo ſharpe and ſeuere) will rather thinke how he may defend his fault by aggrauating the iniuries which he hath receaued, 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, & a hard hart, neyther will any patient commit himſelfe to the cure of a froward and mercileſſe Phyſition: ſo no man can abide (and therefore much leſſe an angry man) to hauehave his gauled faults, too much rubbed, or the woundes and diſeaſes of his minde, healed and cured, with too ſharpe a corraſiue and lothſome potion of inſolent and bitter vvordes. They therefore who vvill angerly reproue anger, are no fit Phyſitions for them vvho are ſubiect to this paſſion. For to ſuch they vvill eyther hide and diſſemble their imperfections, rather fayning themſelues vvell, then they will diſcouer their diſeaſe to ſuch a crabbed Phyſition; or els they will iuſtifie, and defend them as lawfull and neceſſarie. And as the feareful ſnake, when he hath noe meanes to flye away, vvill turne agayne, and deſperately leape into the face of him that purſueth him: or as the tymorous Stagge, vvhen he can eſcape noe 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 pity by confeſſing it, doth as it were flye into the fare of the reprouer, by obiecting his greater faults, that they may ſerue to extenuate his, which are leſſe, You (wil he ſay) who ſo ſharpely reproue me for my choller, hauehave other faultes as great as this, and therefore you may do well to cure your ſelfe before you become anothers Phyſition. Yea in this you would ſhew your ſelf no more innocēt, if you had the like occaſion to ſhew your anger. And howſoeuer you ſeeme in your conuerſation ſweet & harmles, yet he that ſhould taſt you would not finde you free frō gaule, hee that ſhould handle you ſomewhat roughly, would ſoone perceiue by his owne ſmart that you hauehave a ſting, though you do not thruſt it out being not prouoked. In a word the angry man wil neuer cry peccaui, vnleſſe afterwardes with ſome confidence he may adde miſcrere neyther will he ſuffer his wounds to be cured by ſuch an one, who by his rough handling will more vex him, then pleaſure him by the cure.
Sect. 4.
And ſo much for the remedies and The concluſion.medicines which we are to vſe for the curing of anger, eyther in our ſelues or others, which I would wiſh eueryevery one who finde themſelues ſubiect to this vnruly paſſiō carefully to apply vntounto thē ſelues: for as it will not benefit a ſicke man to reade his Phyſitions preſcript, or to carry the medicine in his pocket, vnleſſe he take and receiue it according to his direction: ſo will this Phyſicke of the ſoule little auayle for the curing of anger vnleſſe it be applied to the heart and conſcience. But ſeeing we are not able ſo much as once to think a good 2. Co. 3. 5. Phi. 2. 13.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 who is the onelyonly true Phyſition, that he will not onelyonly vouchſafe to anoynt the blinde eyes of our vnderſtanding with the precious eye ſalue of his holy ſpirit, that we may ſee the deformities of this and all other diſordered affections. And alſo that hee will with the ſame ſpirite inable vsus, to reforme and renue them; that theyr violence and fury beeing abated, and the corruption and filthyneſſe of them being purged, cleanſed, and ſanctified, they may become fit and ſeruiceable, for the ſetting foorth of his glory, the good of our bretheren, and the furthering of our eternall ſaluation. Which grace he vouchſaufe vntounto vsus, who died for vsus, Ieſus Chriſt the righteous, to vvhom vvith the father and the holy ghoſt, be aſcribed all honour and glory, principalitie, power and dominion, for euer and euer.
Amen.
FINIS.
Faultes eſcaped.
Epiſt. to the reader. page 2. line. 19. for he reade the.
Ibi. li. 23. for doth, reade doe.
Pa. 2. b. li. 27. for foreign, reade foreign.
Pa. 63. a. li. 23. for is, reade his.
pa. 71. 1. li. 22. reade roaring Lion.
pa. 72. b. li. 16. read the firſt meanes.
End of the text · John Downame, Spiritual Physic to Cure the Diseases of the Soul (1600)