Spiritual Physic to Cure the Diseases of the Soul, Chapter 4
Of the properties of vniuſt anger. Cap. 4.
Sect. 1.
THe firſt propertie of vniuſt anger, is The firſt propertie, want of moderation.that it is immoderate; for though our anger hauehave neuer ſo iuſt a cauſe, yet if it growe 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 Gal. 5. 20▪ 21. How to diſeeme immoderate anger 1. by the fruites.of God: Gal. 5. 20. 21.
Now if we would know how to diſcerne when our anger is immoderate, it is eaſelie knowne by the fruites thereof. As firſt when it prouoketh vsus to vtter wordes diſhonourable to God, either by prophane blaſpheming of his holy name; or wicked curſing and imprecations, whereby we 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 onelie to his diſgrace. An example whereof we hauehave in Shemei 2. Sam. 16. 5. who reprouing Dauid 2. Sam. 16. 5.for his ſinnes, vſeth ſuch gaule and bitternes, that it clearelie appeareth his anger proceeded not from the hatred of his ſinne, but rather of his perſon.
Secondly vvhen vve hauehave no regarde of any decorum or order, eyther in reſpect … By the want of fit decorū.of our ſelues or thoſe with vvhom vvee are angry. Not in reſpect of our ſolues, as vvhen by anger vve are prouoked to take reuenge being but priuate men, vvhereas reuenge belongeth only to God, and to the Magiſtrate vvho is the Lords deputie, according to that Rom. 12. 19. Auenge not your ſelues but giuegive Rom. …2. 19.place to anger: (that is to Gods anger and reuenge) For it is written, vengeance is mine and I will repaye it ſaith the Lorde. They Deut. 32. 35.therefore vvho take vponupon them reuenge hauing no lawfull calling therevnto, violate Gods ordinance by arrogating to themſelues one of Gods royall priuiledges, & ſo make themſelues guilty of high treaſon againſt God, as they are guilty of treaſon againſt an earthly prince, vvho intermeddle with any of their royall prerogatiues.
So alſo our anger is immoderate when vve hauehave no reſpect of the party vvith whom we are angrie, as when the ſonne being prouoked to anger againſt his father, though it be for a iuſt cauſe, doth not vſe him vvith that reſpect and reuerence vvhichwhich becommeth him, but burſteth out into vndutifull and inſolent ſpeeches: quite contrarie to the example of Iacob, who being but a ſonne in lawe did not in his anger forget his dutie, but vſed all diſcretion and moderation, Gen. 31. 36. and of Ionathan vvho though he had iuſt cauſe to be angry vvith his Gen. 31. …6.father Saule, yet he onelyonly ſhewed it by riſing from the table and departing. … 34. and the like may be ſaid of 1. Sam. 20 34.the … anger towards his maiſter, the ſubiects towards the Magiſtrate, and of all inferiours towards their ſuperiours. For howſoeuer the law of God bindeth vsus, to be angrie when iuſt cauſe is offered yet it alſo tyeth vsus to moderation and diſcretion: For it is the author of order and not confuſion.
Sect. 2.
The ſecond propertie of vniuſt anger, The ſecōd propertye of vniuſt anger is in reſpect of the obiectis in reſpect of the obiect, for wheras iuſt anger oppoſeth it ſelfe onelie againſt ſinne and iniuſtice, vniuſt anger is incenſed againſt the perſon of the offendour, yea oftentimes of them who are innocent, nay becauſe they are innocent, as appeareth by thoſe examples which before I rehearſed: But if wee will be Chriſts diſciples we muſt follow his doctrine and example. His doctrine Math. 5. 44. LoueLove your enemies, doe good to thoſe that hate you, &c. that you may be the Mat. 5. 44ſonnes of your father which is in heauen. Where he plainely intimateth, that they are not the ſonnes of God, who doe not louelove the perſons of their very enemies: we muſt follow alſo his example, who prayed for his enemies euen while hee was vppon the croſſe ſubiect to their outragious iniuries. Luke. 23. 34. which Luke. 23. 34.bleſſed preſident holy Stephen imitated. Act. 7. 66.Acts. 7. 66
But many are not only incenſed againſt the perſons of their enemies who are men like vntounto themſelues, but alſo with bruite beaſts, which are not capable thereof, as we may ſee in the example of Balaam. Num. 24. 10. yea euen with Nū. 24. 10things vvhichwhich want both ſence and life, and ſo was Xerxes angry with the riuers, Plutarch. de cohib. wacun.and ſent letters full of menacing threatnings to the hils. And many ſuch are ſubiect to continuall view, vvho if any thing in their hands diſpleaſe them, will not ſticke to daſh it agaynſt the ground, though after they are fayne to take it vp againe, or to ſpoyle and breake it in peeces though afterwardes they muſt be glad to beſtow great labour in repayring that which by greater folly they hauehave defaced. But theſe men may fitly be 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.
Sect. 3.
The laſt propertie of vniuſt anger reſpecteth the time when as it beeing long retayned becommeth hatred. And this happeneth not onelyonly when men are prouoked vntounto anger vppon waightie cauſes, but alſo whē it is groūded on the moſt ſlight occaſions: for when vayne trifles hauehave ſtirred them vp to wrath they perſeuer in it, leaſt they might ſeeme to hauehave begunne without cauſe, and ſo agaynſt all reaſon the vniuſtice of their anger makes thē perſiſt in it with greater obſtinacie. For therfore they retayne it yea increaſe it, that the greatnes of their anger may make men beleeue that it could not chooſe but ariſe from ſome waightie occaſion & iuſt cauſe: & ſo they chuiſe rather to ſeeme iuſt then to be iuſt. But more of this afterwardes when I come to ſpeake of the reſtraynt of vniuſt anger.