A Mirror both for Saints and Sinners, Treatise · Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII. Examples of Anger, Wrath, Malice, Hatred, Revenge.
Anger is sometimes lawfull, yea a duty, when a man is angry at his own sinnes, or others, or at whatsoever hindreth the glory of God: this is commanded, Eph. 4. 26. 2 Cor. 7. 11.
Examples of it: Moses, Exod. 16. 20. and 11. 8. and 32. 19. Lev. 10. 16. Numb. 16. 15. Elijah, 1 Kings 19. 14. Nehemiah, Nehem. 5. 6. Jeremiah, Jer. 6. 11. David, 2 Sam. 12. 5. Christ, Mat. 16. 23. Mark 3. 5. Peter, Act. 5. 3. Jacob, Gen. 30. 2.
But most commonly it's sinfull, and therefore forbidden by God, Eccles. 7. 9. Mat. 5. 22. Eph. 4. 26. Col. 3. 8. Tit. 1. 7.
The evils of it, Prov. 14. 17. and 21. 19. and 22. 24. and 25. 8. 23. and 29. 20, 22. and 27. 4. Jam. 1. 26.
It's condemned, and threatened, Gen. 49. 7. Psal. 37. 8. Eccles. 7. 9. Eph. 4. 31. Col. 3. 8. Rom. 12. 19. Jam. 1. 19. 20.
Examples of it out of Scripture: Simeon, and Levi, Gen. 49. 6. Ahashuerus, Esther 1. 12. Ahab, 1 King. 22. 26. Ahaziah, 2 King. 1. 9. Asa, 2 Chron. 16. 10. Absalon, 2 Sam. 14. 30. Balaam, Num. 22. 27. Balak, Num. 24 10. Eliab, 1 Sam. 17. 28. Haman, Est. 3. 5, &c. Jehoram, 2 King. 6. 31. Cain, Gen. 4. 5 &c. Naaman, 2 King. 5. 11. Potiphar, Gen 39. 19. Pharaoh, Exod. 10. 28. Saul, 1 Sam. 18. 8. & 20 30. Uzziah, 2 Chron. 26. 19. Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 2. 12. & 3. 13, 19. the elder brother, Luk. 15. 28.
Examples of godly men that have thus sinned, Jacob, Gen. 31. 36. David, 1 Sam. 25. 21, 22. 2 Sam. 6. 8. Elijah, 1 King. 19. 4. Job, Chap. 3. 1, &c. Jeremiah, Jer. 20. 14, &c. Sarai. Gen. 16. 5. Rachel, Gen. 30. 1. Moses, Num. 20. 10. Jonah, Chap. 4. 8. Iames, and Iohn, Luk. 9. 54. Paul, and Barnabas, Act. 15. …9.
Examples out of other Authors: Athenodorus, the Philosopher when he went to take his leave of Augustus Caesar, left him this rule: O Caesar, saith he, remember that when thou art angry, thou neither speakest, nor doest ought till thou hast repeated over destinctly the Greek Alphabet. Eras. Lib. 4. Apophth.
Cotys King of Thrace, having many curious vessels, but very brittle, presented to him, he gave the man that brought them a great reward, and presently brake all the vessels in pieces, and being asked the reason of it he answered: Because knowing that I am soon angry, I may prevent being angry with those that might hereafter break them. Eras. Lib. 5. Adag.
Alexander Magnus, being of a cholerick disposition obscured three of his greatest victories, with the death of three of his friends, causing Lysimachus to be cast to a Lion, Clitus to be slaine with a speare, and Calisthenes to be put to death. Theat. vitae hum.
King Perses being overcome by Paulus AEmilius, grew into such a passion, that he slew two of his Nobles which came to comfort him; which so provoked the rest that they all forsooke him. Theat. vitae hum.
L. Sylla, who in his anger had spilt the blood of many, at last in his fury, raging, and crying out against one that had broken promise with him, thereby brake a veine within him, vomiting out his blood, soul, and anger together. Val. Max. lib. 9.
Amilcar the Carthaginian did so extreamly hate the Romanes, that having four sons, he used to say that he bred up those foure Lions whelps for the destruction of the Romane Empire. Probus in vita.
Semiramis as she was dressing her head, newes being brought that Babylon rebelled against her: she was so incensed, that in that habit, her haire halfe tied up, and half hanging loose, she hastened to reduce it, and never dressed up her head till she had subdued that great City. Polyb.
Tomyris Queen of Scythia, having overcome, and taken Cyrus King of Persia, caused his head to be cut off, and thrown into a bowle of blood, bidding him to drink his fill, for that he had so much thirsted after blood, and had slaine her sonne in the Warres: Val. Max.
Lysander the Lacedemonian was noted to be of such an implacable disposition, tbat nothing could appease his malice, but the death of the person with whom he was angry: whereupon it grew to a proverb, That Greece could not bear two Lysanders. Pez: Mel. Hist.
Alexander M in a drunken feast that he made after his conquest of Persia, began to boast of his great victories, and atchievments to the distaste of his own Captaines, insomuch as one of them called Clitus, speaking to another, said, He boasts of those victories which were purchased with other mens blood: Alexander suspecting that he spake against him, asked what he said? and when all were silent, Clitus spake of the great victories which Philip his father had gotten in Greece, preferring them before these: which so incensed Alexander, that he bade him be gone out of his presence: and when Clitus hastened not, but multiplied words, the King rose up in a great fury, and snatching a lance out of his Squires hand, therewith he thrust Clitus thorow, and killed him: This Clitus had formerly saved the Kings life in the battel against Darius: He was an old souldier of King Philips, and had performed many excellent exploits. Besides, his mother had nursed Alexander, and he was brought up with him as his foster-brother: So that Alexander when the heat of his anger was over, was so enraged against himselfe for this murther, that he was about with the same lance to have murthered himself, if he had not been violently restrained by his servants. Q. Cur.
Caius Caligula was of a most malicious disposition, for which end he kept two books, which he called his sword and dagger, wherein he wrote the names of all such as he had appointed to death. He had such a chest of all sorts of the most exquisite poisons, that when afterwards it was thrown into the sea by his successor Claudius, it poisoned a great multitude of fishes. Sueto.
Amilcar the Carthaginian, at what time he did sacrifice, being ready to take his journey into Spaine, called his young son Hannibal, being then but nine years old, and caused him to lay his hand upon the Altar, and to sweare that being come to mans estate, he should pursue the Romanes with immortal hatred, and work them all the mischief that possibly he could. Sir. W. Raw.
King Edward the first of England going against Bruce King of Scotland, caused his eldest sonne, and all his Nobles to swear, that if he died in his journey, they should carry his corps about Scotland with them, and not suffer it to be interred till they had vanquished the Scots, and subdued the whole Kingdom. Sed ira mortalium debet esse mortalis, saith Lactantius.
Darius being offended with the Athenians for assisting his enemies, he called for a bowe, wherewith he shot up an arrow towards heaven, saying, O Jupiter, grant that I may be revenged upon the Athenians: He appointed also one of his servants every night when he was at supper to say to him: Here, memento Atheniensium: Master, remember the Athenians. Pez. Mel. Hist.
Camillus a Noble Romane, after many great services done for the Common-wealth, was, at the instigation of a wicked detractor, condemned by the common people to pay a greater summe of money then he was able: But he, scorning such an open shame, resolved to go into voluntary exile; and so taking leave of his wife, children, and friends, he went out of the City-gate, but then turning again, and lifting up his hands towards the Capitol, he said, O ye gods, if it be of spite, and malice that the common people thus drive me away, then let them have quickly cause to repent, and stand in need of me. Put.
Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart,
Leviticus 19. 17.
Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce: and their wrath, for it was cruel,
Gen. 49. 7.