Spiritual Physic to Cure the Diseases of the Soul, Chapter 8
The ſecond meanes to ſubdue anger is to labour for patience. Cap. 8.
Sect. 1.
THe ſecond meanes to ſubdue anger is to labour for the contrarie vertue of patience and long ſuffering. And to All things happen by Gods owne prouidence. Rom 8. …this end we are firſt to conſider that nothing happeneth vntounto vsus without Gods al ſeeing prouidence, who if we be his children will diſpoſe of eueryevery thing for our good. Why therefore ſhould we vex 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 auoyd, ſay with our ſauiour Chriſt Iohn. 18. 11. ſhould not I drinke of the cup which my father hath Ioh. 18. 11prouided for me? ſhould I be angry with the cup becauſe the phyſicke is bitter? or with the hand whereby it is conuayghed vntounto me? My heauenly father correcteth me for my good and amendment, I will not therefore be angry with the rod wherwith I am beatē, but rather looke to the hand vvhichwhich inflicteth the chaſtiſment, and I vvill ſay vvith Dauid. Pſal. 139. 10. I am dumbe and do not Pſa: 139. 20.open my mouth becauſe thou doeſt it. Otherwiſe I ſhould commit as great folly as he, who is angry vvith the ſtaffe wherewith he is beaten, and neuer regardeth the ſmiter, and ſhewe my ſelfe as madde as the dogge, vvho looketh not to the caſter, but vvreaketh his anger by biting …the ſtone.
Sect. 2.
Secondly we are to conſider that the iniuries which we hauehave receiued are much Our iniuries receaued leſſe then our ſinnes hauehave deſerued.leſſe then by our ſinnes vve 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; vve are rather to admire his merciemercy then to be angry at ſo gentle chaſtizemenr. let vsus therfore looke vppon our ſinnes and not vppon our puniſhment, and ſo ſhall vve 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 be readie to follow the example of Dauid, vvho vvhen he vvas iniuriouſly abuſed by Shemei, vvas not prouoked by anger to take reuenge, becauſe he looked not vppon Shemei, as being but▪ the inſtrument, but vppon God vvho vvas the author. 2. Sam. 16. 10. 11.2. Sam. 16. 10. 11.
Sect. 3.
The third meanes to ſubdue anger 3. Meanes to meditate on Chriſts Paſsion.by arming vsus with patience, is to call continually to rememberance the bitter paſſion and ſufferings of Chriſt for our ſinnes. For if we conſider how patiently he indured ſcoffes and reproches, rayling and reuiling, buffeting and ſcurging, 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, at our ſauiour Chriſtes requeſt, ſeeing we Mat. …. …9. Nū. 21. 6hauehave deſerued farre greater. As therefore thoſe which were ſtong with the fiery ſerpentes, were healed if they did looke vp to the braſen ſerpent which was erected for this end: ſo if this fiery ſerpent of vniuſt anger hauehave ſtong vsus, and the burning poyſon thereof hath inflamed vsus, let vsus caſt the eyes of our ſoules vppon the true braſen ſerpent, our ſauiour Chriſt hanging vppon the croſſe, and ſuffering the wrath of God due to our ſinnes, and ſo the heate of our wrath and anger vvill ſoone be cured and cooled.
Sect. 4.
The fourth meanes to worke patience 4. The neceſſity of this dutie.and repell anger is to conſider the neceſſitie hereof, for if the louelove of our bretheren be not of more force to reſtraine vsus frō reuenge, then anger to prouoke vsus thereunto, we can hauehave no aſſurance that we are the children of God. 1. Iohn 3. 10. In this are the children of God 1. Ioh. 3. 10. 15.knowne and the children of the deuill, whoſoeuer doth not righteouſneſſe, is not of God neither be that loueth not his brother▪ ſo verſe 15. Whoſoeuer hateth his brother is a man ſlayer, and no manſlayer hath eternall life abiding in him.
But ſome wil ſay, though I am raſhly angry, yet may I louelove my brother. I anſwer with the Apoſtle 1. Cor. 13. 4. 7. that louelove 1. Cor. 13 4. 7.both ſuffereth long & ſuffreth al things: and therefore they want this louelove who will ſuffer nothing, and be prouoked eueryevery minute, nay he ſayth 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 neceſſarie to ſubdue anger, becauſe while we remayne therein vve can hauehave no aſſurance that our praiers are acceptably hard of God; not onelyonly becauſe we pray ſo to be forgiuen as vve forgiue, and therefore if vve retayne our anger towards our bretheren, vve pray that God vvill retayne his towardes vsus; but alſo becauſe our ſauiour expreſly telleth vsus, That if we do not remit men their treſpaſſes our heauenly father will not forgiue vsus our ſinnes. Ma. Math. 6. 15.6. 15. And that with what meaſure we mete vntounto others it ſhalbe meaſured vntounto vsus agayne. Math. 7. 2. Let vsus remember the Math. 7. 2parable of the ſeruant vvho beeing forgiuen ten thouſand talents, and after exacting vvith all crueltie of his fellow ſeruant an hundreth pence, vvas caſt into the priſon of vtter darkeneſſe. Math. 18. 23. Whereby thus much is vnderſtood Mat, 11. 23that if vve vvill not fogiue ſmall iniuries to our bretheren, ſeeing the Lord hath forgiuen our infinite haynous ſinnes, vve ſhall be vſed like that mercileſſe and cruell ſeruant. And therfore let vsus follow the counſell of the Apoſtle. Eph. 4. 32. Be courtcous one to another and tender harted, freely forgiuing one Eph. 4. 32another, euen as God for Chriſts ſake freelye forgaue you. And ſo much for the neceſſitie of this dutie.
Sect. 5.
The fift meanes to arme vsus with patience againſt the aſſaults of anger, is 5. The examples of patience in others.that we propound vntounto our ſelues the examples of others: for the looking vppon greene collour is not more ſoueraigne, for thoſe who are troubled with inflamatiō of the eyes, then the behoulding of the clemencie and patience of others, is for thoſe whoſe harts are inflamed with anger. Firſt therefore let vsus ſet before vsus the example of God himſelfe, who is mercifull, gratious, and ſlowe to anger, as himſelfe deſcribeth himſelfe, Exod. 34. 6. And hereof the Prophet Exo. 34. 6.Dauid taſted by often experience, and therefore hee ſaith likewiſe, Pſal. 103. 8. The Lorde is full of compaſsion Pſa: 163. 8 9and merciemercy, ſlowe to anger and of great kindneſſe. And as hee is not eaſely prouoked to anger, ſo beeing prouoked his anger laſteth not long; for Hee will not alway chide, nor keepe his anger for euer, as it is verſe 9. Nay no ſooner can we knock at the gate of his mercy, but he is ready to open, as he hath promiſed, Math. 7. 7. If therefore wee would reſemble our heauenly Father, and ſo approoue Math. 7. 7our ſelues to be his children, we muſt learne to imitate his patience and long ſuffering.
Secondly wee are to propound vntounto vsus the example of our Sauiour Chriſt, the liuelie character & expreſſe Image of his father, as he exhorteth vsus. Math. 11. 29. Math. 11. 29.Learne of me for I am meeke and lowlie of hart, and you ſhall finde reſt to your ſoules. What this meekeneſſe was, Peter telleth vsus. 1. Peter 2. 22. Though he were free from ſinne, and had no guile found in his mouthe, 1 Pet. 2. 22yet when hee was reuiled, he reuiled not againe, and when hee ſuffered hee threatned not. Though in reſpect of his infinite power, he vvas able not onelyonly to hauehave threatned, but alſo to hauehave vtterly deſtroyed his enemies. If therefore Chriſt was ſo milde and patient, vvho vvas free from ſinne, ſurely much more ſhould wee be (if it vvere 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 vppon the patience and long ſuffering of our fellow bretheren. As of Abraham, vvho vvhen iuſt cauſe of offence was offered by Lot and his Shepheards, vvas rather content to part from his right, then hee would hauehave any diſcorde and diſſention. Gen. 13. 8. Of Moyſes, who then Gen. 13. 8was ready to pray for the people, vvhen they were ready to ſtone him, Exod. 17. Exo. 17. 4 11.4. 11. Of Dauid who hauing reuendge in his owne hand, vvhen hee vvas prouoked by the out-ragious iniuries of Shemei, did notwithſtanding containe himſelfe, 2. Samu. 16. 10. and of 2. Sam. 16 10.Steuen, vvho vvhen the ſtones ſlewe about his eares, prayed for his enemies that threw them at him, Acts Act. 7. 60 The example of others being in their fur…7. 60.
Or if theſe examples will not moue vsus to the louelove of myldeneſſe and patience, let vsus ſet before our eyes thoſe men which are ſubiect to the furie of anger, and ſo ſhall we eaſely diſcerne in others what an vglie and brutiſh vice it is in our ſelues. One ſaith, that if an angrye man would looke himſelfe in a Glaſſe Senec. lib. 2. de ira cap. 36.in the middeſt of his furie, he would appeare ſo horrible in his own ſight, that it would be a notable meanes to worke an hatred in his hart, of ſo deformed a vice; but for as much as angry men will hardly be 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 furie of their affection ſo cloudeth the iudgement of reaſon, that they thinke all things become them vvhichwhich they do in theyr paſſion: Let vsus therefore followe the example of the Spartanes, vvho vvould cauſe their children to looke vppon their Hellottes and ſlaues vvhen they were drunken, that they might be brought into deteſtation of ſo vglie a vice, vvhen 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 vvhichwhich it committeth; and the vglie deformitie, ioyned with brutiſh follye, muſt needes mooue vsus to hate ſo foule a vice.
Sect. 6.
The ſixt meanes is to abſtayne from multitude of buſineſſe, becauſe not 6. To abſtaine frō multitude of buſines.onelie the minde is diſtracted and diſturbed therewith, and ſo made a fitte Inne for anger to lodge in, but alſo becauſe in ſuch aboundance of buſineſſe, ſome things of neceſſitye will miſcarrie, and among ſuch a multitude of Irons, ſome will burne, and ſo inflame the minde to anger.
Sect. 7.
The ſeauenth meanes, is to auoide 7. To abſtaine frō cōtentious controuerſies. Senec. lib. 3. de ira Cap. 8.contentious controuerſies; for facilius eſt a certamine abstinere quam abducere, howſoeuer it be 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 witte and iudgement, if he be forced to yeelde 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 often times burſt out into anger and furie, if they cannot obtayne their deſire.
Sect. 8.
The eyght meanes to preuent anger, 8. To auoyde the companie of collerick men. Pro. 22. 24is to auoyde the company of thoſe who are angrie and chollerick: becauſe men will eaſilie bee infected with their contagion. And this Salomon teacheth vsus. Pro. 22. 24. Make no friendſhip with an angrie man, neither go with the furious man, least thou learne his wayes and receaue diſtruction to thy ſoule. And alſo becauſe they are likely to be prouoked by them, and to receaue the heate of their flame. For as one ſticke of wood beeing ſet on fire, doth kindle that alſo which is next vntounto it: So one man beeing inflamed with anger, inflameth them alſo who are neere about him with his prouocations.
Sect. 9.
Laſtly, thoſe who finde themſelues 9. To bridle anger for a day.by nature prone to anger, are to labour, and as it were to vow with themſelues, that they will containe their furie for one day, whatſoeuer occaſion ſhall bee 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.