A Supplement to Knowledge and Practice, Part 2 · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. Of Anger.
IN treating of this Subject I ſhall proceed in this Method.
1. I ſhall ſpeak of the nature of Anger.
2. Of the kinds of it.
3. Give ſome directions for the right regulating of it, that we may not offend therein.
4. Anſwer the vain excuſes that angry perſons are apt to make for themſelves.
For the firſt. Anger is an affection by which the blood and ſpirits are heated upon the apprehenſion of ſome injury or wrong offered to us or thoſe for whom we are concerned. Or Anger is the riſing up of the heart in a paſſionate diſpleaſure againſt an evil which we apprehend will croſs or hinder us of ſome deſired good.
2. Anger is either good or evil according to the circumſtances with which it is attended. It is good.
1. When the cauſe for which we are angry is good and warrantable and ſuch as we can give a good account of to God, Mark 3.5. Jeſus looked round about on them with anger, being grieved at the hardneſs of their hearts. When we are angry, (and our anger is accompanied with grief) becauſe God is diſhonoured, or becauſe we ſee people offend againſt Piety, Juſtice, Humanity, or becauſe we ſee them neglect their duties and hurt their own ſouls, or the Souls of others, or do that which is wicked and ſinful or prejudicial and hurtful to us or others. This is a juſt cauſe of Anger.
2. When the object is right. The object of our anger muſt not be the Perſon offending, but his offence, his vice, his ſin, his immorality, his folly, his fault. Theſe we may be angry at, yea hate, but not the offenders perſon.
3. When the End is right. When the end of our anger and diſpleaſure is, that the fault we are angry with may be amended, and the Perſon offending for the future may be warned not to offend in the like kind again.
4. When there is no exceſs in the meaſure of our anger or the time when our anger is only a rational and temperate diſpleaſure; when reaſon commands it, thus far it ſhall go and no farther, when it neither is too hot nor too long.
Now Anger is good when it is thus qualified and circumſtantiated, namely, when it ariſes upon a good and juſtifiable ground; when it is directed upon the right object, the ſin and fault of the offender; when it aims at the right end, the reformation of the Perſon offending; and when it is neither too hot nor too long, but when it fails in theſe circumſtances, it is evil.
3. I am come now in the third place to give ſome directions for the right regulating of our anger that we may not offend therein.
1. Make account every day that you may meet with many occaſions that will be apt to provoke you to anger,*Praeſume animo multa tibi eſſe patienda, Sen. de ira. if you be not very watchful over your ſelf. Every morning think with your ſelf that you may that day meet with ſome croſs and finiſter accidents, ſome unexpected injuries, troubles or inconveniencies, which (without great care and taking heed to your ſelf) may diſorder and diſcompoſe you.
2. Conſider that you your ſelf are ſubject to manifold errors and failings, and you muſt not expect to meet with or converſe with any that are totally free from failings and infirmities. Who is there alſo who hath not a blind ſide on which he doth not ſee? In many things we offend *Tangat memoriam communis fragilitas.all ſayes the Apoſtle, Jam. 3.2. Keep alive therefore a ſenſe of your own weakneſs and what need you have of forgiveneſs both from God and Man, and that will more diſpoſe you to patience towards others.
3. Take heed of being ſoon angry; *Multos abſolvemus ſi prius coeperimus judicare, quam iraſci. Sen. de Ira.He that is ſoon angry dealeth fooliſhly, Prov. 14.17. Give leave to your judgement to conſider before you be angry. The diſcretion of a man deferreth his anger, Prov. 19.11. Auguſtus was adviſed not to be angry at any time till he had firſt ſaid over the Greek Alphabet. 'Tis a ſhame that we that are Chriſtians ſhould not preſcribe as good Rules to our ſelves to keep us from falling too ſuddenly into Paſſion as the Heathens did. Shall their Morality do ſo much towards the curing the irregularities of practice, and ſhall not our Chriſtianity do much more? Solomon tells us, Prov. 16.37. He that is ſlow to anger is better than the mighty, and he that ruleth his ſpirit than he that taketh a City. And the Apoſtle Jam. 1.19. adviſeth us to be ſlow to anger.
4. Be not angry upon every trivial occaſion. He that is angry without cauſe (ſayes our Saviour) is in danger of the judgment, Matth. 5.22. We ſhould not be angry for any thing that is not material in it ſelf, or in its conſequents. We ſhould not be angry for meer involuntary and caſual offences, ſuch as without great care could not have been prevented. To be angry for every toy debaſes the value of our anger. A man muſt not (as one ſayes) fire the Beacon of his Soul for the landing of every Cockboat.
5. Take heed you be not angry too often. For when a man is frequently and often angry, his anger grows into contempt and works no good effect. Anger muſt be uſed as a medicine, only now and then, and that only upon juſt occaſion.
6. Take heed your anger be not too hot nor too vehement and exceſſive. It muſt be ſerious indeed, and have ſome life and warmth in it, that it may be effectual for the reformation and amendment of the offending Perſon, and may be a warning to him to avoid the like faults for the future. But yet we muſt take heed of all exceſſes, and tranſports of this Paſſion.*Ira ſic dicta quia hominem facit ex ſe ire, & non eſſe apudſe.
7. In your anger make no raſh vows or reſolutions. Make no irrevocable decrees like the Laws of the Medes and Perſians. Say not you will never truſt, or never have to do with ſuch or ſuch a man again, &c. Sudden, raſh and deſperate reſolutions are very dangerous, and uſually men have cauſe to repent of them very quickly after.
8. In your anger be ſure to reveal no ſecrets formerly committed to your truſt. For that makes a man a Bankrupt for ſociety ever after. No man will care to have any thing to do with him, who hath ſo little wit or honeſty in his anger as to reveal what was before committed to him under the ſeal of ſecreſie.
9. Take heed of bitter provoking ſpeeches when you are angry. When you find your heart to begin to be hot within you, then watch over your ſelf eſpecially, and either be ſilent (which is a good way to preſerve your innocence) or elſe give a ſoft anſwer. For as Solomon ſayes, Prov. 15.1. A ſoft anſwer putteth away wrath, but grievous words ſtir up anger, Prov. 17.27. He that hath underſtanding ſpareth his words and is of a cool ſpirit. I know people are apt to ſay words are but wind. But wind you know many times kindles a fire and increaſes it being once kindled, Prov. 21.23. The wiſe man tells us, as coals be to burning coals and wood to fire, ſo is a contentious man to kindle ſtrife. Fire cannot long continue, if the wood and fewel be taken from it, ſo neither will anger long endure if words and croſs anſwers be not multiplied. For ſuch kind of ſpeeches and perverſe and provoking replies, uſually make a Cholerick man to proceed from anger to rage, Prov. 25.15. A ſoft tongue breaketh the bones (or as the original will bear it,) a man of bone, that is, ſuch an one as is ſtiff and hard, *Virum duriſſimum & ri…idiſſimum. Jun.an eminent example hereof we have in Abigail who by her diſcreet and ſoft ſpeeches quickly appeaſed Davids furious anger, 1 Sam. 25.24. And therefore well might the ſame wiſe man ſay, Prov. 21.23. Whoſo keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his Soul from troubles. The Counſel of the Son of Syrac is here alſo worthy to be conſidered, Chap. 8. Verſe 4. Contend not with a man full of words, neither heap up wood on his fire. For as the heaping up of wood increaſeth the fire, ſo multiplying of words increaſeth anger.
10. Do not peremptorily break off any buſineſs in a fit of anger. Conſider that nothing can be done in paſſion but may be done better without it. For Paſſion is no good counſellor. It uſually blinds the mind and hinders due conſideration, and ſo expoſes a man to do things very unreaſonable.
11. Ponder beforehand with your ſelf what are the uſual cauſes of anger, that ſo you may take heed of them. And they are ſuch as theſe.
1. Pride. This is a great cauſe of anger. Proud and high minded men are uſually apt to be very angry and to conceive a great indignation, if their judgements and underſtandings be not vailed unto, and their wills and pleaſures complied with, Prov. 13.10. Only by Pride cometh contention, Prov. 21.24. Proud and haughty Scorner is his name who deals in fierce wrath.
2. An opinion of being contemned either in word or deed. A ſenſe of contempt, or that the injury received had much of contempt in it doth uſually more ſtir up anger than the injury it ſelf, and ſo the manner aggravates the matter. Therefore when men ſtudy to find out circumſtances of contempt in an injury received, they kindle their anger to a great height. If you would therefore prevent anger, ſever the injuries you receive (as much as you can) from contempt or malice, and impute them to raſhneſs, weakneſs, inconſiderateneſs, to any thing rather than contempt, which the nature of man can ſo hardly bear.
3. Covetouſneſs. They that are eager upon the world, and have their hearts ſet upon earthly things, are apt to be very angry and cholerick when things fall out croſs to their minds. They are uſually very angry abroad when they meet with loſſes and diſappointments, but almoſt mad at home; diſpleaſed with Wife, Children, and Servants; ſcarce any thing can pleaſe a covetous man when his profit and commodity is croſſed. Every little treſpaſs or loſs toucheth him to the quick and maketh him impatient.
4. Overmuch niceneſs and delicateneſs. *Nulla res magis iracundiam alit quam luxuria.Tender and delicate perſons are ſubject to be angry. Any little thing is apt to put ſuch perſons into a fit of choler. Thoſe that are rich and great in this world many times take liberty from their greatneſs to give ſcope to their Paſſions, and ſo not only diſturb themſelves but diſquiet thoſe about them, and make their lives uneaſie to them.
5. Weakneſs and over much tenderneſs of Spirit. We ſee that anger uſually reigns moſt in weak perſons, as in old folks and ſick folks, in women and children. A great imbecility certainly it is, for a man to have too tender a ſenſe,*Dure tractandus eſt animus, ut ictum non ſentiat niſi grav…m. Proprium eſt magnitudinis verae non ſentire ſe eſſe percuſſum. like a man whoſe arms and ſhoulders have the skin flay'd off, every thing that touches him makes him winch and cry out. Take heed therefore that your mind be not too delicate and tender and womaniſh and apt to be moved at every toy. We ſhould harden our minds that they may not have too quick a ſenſe of injuries. A man ſhould not think his credit or reputation in danger by every idle word ſpoken againſt him. The remedy of this is (as a learned man obſerves) to get telam honoris craſſiorem; a thicker web of honour that will not ſo eaſily ravel out.
6. Gecundleſs ſuſpitions. *Suſpitioſi omnia ad contumeliam acc piunt.They that are apt to be jealous and ſuſpitious are alſo very apt to be angry, though commonly when matters are well examined they find no true cauſe or ground for it.
7. Credulity and an eaſie belief of reports and liſtning to Tale-bearers is another cauſe of anger. He that is very inquiſitive and hath an itch to know what people*Non vis eſſe iracundus? ne ſis curioſus ſay of him, will ſometimes hear things that will diſpoſe him to anger. They therefore that deſire to keep themſelves from this diſquieting paſſion muſt take heed of this, and the other forementioned cauſes of anger.
12. A twelfth direction is this. Repreſent to thy ſelf the odiouſneſs and deformity of Anger.*Quibuſdam iratis profuit aſpexiſſe ſ…eculum. Difficile dictu an magis deteſtabice vitium, an deforme. Some of the Ancients adviſed an angry man to look himſelf in a glaſs. O what a deformed ſight is a man in a great fit of anger or rage? His tongue ſtammering, his eyes flaming, his mouth foaming, his heart panting, his teeth gnaſhing, his fiſts knocking, his voice loud and clamorous. Did an angry man with Narciſſus ſee his face in a glaſs, ſurely he would never fall in love with himſelf.
13. Repreſent to thy ſelf the miſchievous nature and hurtfulneſs of intemperate Anger.
1. 'Tis a great enemy both to the mind and to the body. It fills the mind with vexation and a bitter diſcontent. It unfits it for any holy duty, for prayer, meditation, hearing the word, receiving the Sacrament, or any communion with God. And ſhould not that be very odious to us which unfits us for the worſhip of God, or receiving any benefit by his ordinances? And for the body, it inflameth the blood and ſtirreth up and awakeneth ill humors and ſo cauſeth diſeaſes. Nothing doth ſooner cut the thread of life than the ſharpneſs of fretting anger and grief. So true is that common ſaying, an angry man ſeldom wanteth woe.
2. 'Tis a great diſquieter of private families and ſocieties of men. 'Tis the Devils bellows to kindle mens corruptions and ſet the World on fire. O how many dreadful ſins do ſome angry men commit in one hour? A high fit of paſſion makes men like Lyons and Tygers. It may well be called a ſhort madneſs. It diſarms the Soul of its chief defence which is reaſon and conſideration. It ſets the tongue on fire, cauſing it to vent it ſelf in ſwearing, curſing, railing, reviling, and ſometimes it flyes out even into Blaſphemy. An angry man aboundeth with tranſgreſſions ſayes Solomon, Chap. 29.22. How many thouſands hath intemperate anger wronged and injured, hurt and wounded? Yea, how many thouſands hath it deſtroyed and murdered? What villany hath not ſinful anger at one time or other been guilty of?
3. 'Tis a great diſquieter of the Church. The anger that is vented about matters of Learning or Religion is commonly the moſt irreligious, moſt outragious and worſt of all. The contentions about points of Learning or Religion are uſually very hot and fierce and yet one would think Learning ſhould civilize the minds of men. 'Twas ſaid ſo of it of old Emollit mores nec ſinit eſſe feros. But alas! who are they that write againſt one another with greater ſharpneſs and keenneſs, who are there that mingle more gall with their ink than learned men do? And for Religion, certainly where it is in reality it is the beſt principled and beſt natured thing in the world. It breaths in meekneſs, patience, forbearance, and forgiveneſs, and yet ſo powerful is the Pride and Corruption of mans heart, that there are no controverſies managed with ſo much bitterneſs, ſharpneſs, and exaſperation as the controverſies about Religion are. Let any man look into the books that are witten by the Papiſts againſt the Proteſtants, by the Lutherans againſt the Calviniſts, by the Arminians againſt the Anti-arminians; or look into the ſeveral Sects and Parties that not long ſince prevailed in theſe Nations; or let him caſt his eye on the late diſputes between the Conformiſts and Diſſenters, and he ſhall quickly ſee what abundance of intemperate heat and anger, what abundance of diſingenuity and incivility, what abundance of ill will and uncharitableneſs doth appear in theſe writings. No man cares to go to a Phyſitian who will rail upon him and revile him and tell him that he is not worthy to live, and 'twere better the world were rid of him. And yet thus do ſome men treat their adverſaries who pretend to write books for their information, and to reduce them into the right way. Certainly 'tis the duty of all real Chriſtians who agree in the main fundamentals of Religion to forbear one another in matters of leſs moment, and which belong not to the vitals of Chriſtianity. For we are all apt to err and miſtake in ſome things, and we cannot ſee with any bodies eyes but our own. And 'tis a horrible uncharitableneſs to ſay that any man is wilfully blind, who opens his eyes as wide as he can. We muſt all ſee for our ſelves and judge for our ſelves and our own practice, and make account to anſwer to God for our ſelves. And therefore ſurely it would become us to be more charitable one towards another than uſually we are. But 'tis a vain thing to complain in this matter. I ſhall rather turn my complaint into a fervent prayer unto God, that he would pleaſe by the all-powerfull influence of his grace to change the hearts of men, and to give them a better frame of Spirit.
14. Let not anger reſt in your boſom leſt it putrify and turn into malice and hatred. Anger reſteth in the boſom of fools ſayes Solomon, Eccleſ. 7.9. Anger lodged in the heart all night is very like to become malice by the morning. Anger kept in the heart till next day doth putrify and corrupt like Manna, ſave only that Manna corrupted not at all, and anger doth moſt of all if kept to the next Sabbath. Therefore ſayes the Apoſtle, Let not the Sun go down on your wrath, neither give place to the Devil. You need not open the door to him, who is ſo apt to intrude himſelf. Take heed therefore that thine anger by continuance do not turn into hatred. For hatred is nothing but an old anger or grudge ariſing from ſeveral provocations and continuing long. Anger is a ſudden Paſſion, and hath (many times) but a ſhort courſe; but hatred is more durable and laſting. Anger often flies at the offence not at the perſon, but hatred flies at the perſon, whoſe hurt it earneſtly deſires.
15. Take heed eſpecially that your anger do not ſour into revenge. God challenges revenge as peculiarly belonging unto himſelf, Vengeance is mine I will repay ſaith the Lord. Rom. 12.19. For a creature to avenge himſelf is a plain intrenchment upon Gods Prerogative. For he is the Judge as well as the Creator of the World. Remember, we all ſtand in need of Gods pardon and forgiveneſs, and except we forgive we cannot expect to be forgiven, Mat. 6.14, 15. If ye forgive men their treſpaſſes, your heavenly Father will alſo forgive you, but if ye forgive not men their treſpaſſes, neither will your Heavenly Father forgive you, There are ſome men that are ſlow to anger, but being once incenſed are hardly ever reconciled. An irreconcileable temper is a dangerous ſign or mark that a man is in a bad ſtate towards God. I have heard of a man lying upon his death-bed whom his Miniſter perſwaded to be reconciled unto, and to forgive a perſon whom he knew he had a great diſpleaſure againſt. The ſick man anſwered, yea, I forgive him with all my heart if I dye, but if I live I will be revenged of him. I wiſh this wretched man did not ſpeak the ſenſe of too many others. Our Saviour, Mat. 18.23. ſhews us the neceſſity of forgiving one another by the Parable of a Servant to whom his Lord had forgiven Ten thouſand Talents, and yet took his fellow-ſervant by the throat for an hundred pence, at which his Lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors till he ſhould pay all that was due. Even ſo likewiſe (ſayes our Saviour) ſhall my Heavenly Father do unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his Brother their treſpaſſes. One of the Ancients upon this Parable, makes this remark. Servi Parabolam utinam nos non faceremus hiſtoriam. I wiſh (ſayes he) that this that is related of the Servant in the Goſpel were only a Parable, and that our practice did not give too much occaſion to have it related of us as a true hiſtory and a thing really done by us.
16. Take heed of envy. Be not angry or diſpleaſed at the proſperity*Nunquam erit foelix qnem torquebit foelicior. Sen. of others. To be pleaſed with another mans happineſs is to increaſe our own. But envy is as rottenneſs to the bones, Prov. 14.13.
17. Repreſent to thy ſelf what a beauty and amiableneſs there is in meekneſs. Divines ſpeak of a three-fold meekneſs.
1. Natural, ſpringing from a good temper.
2. Moral, ſpringing from a good education.
3. Gracious, which is a fruit of the Spirit. Gal. 5.23.
Now this gracious meekneſs hath reference either
to God
or Man.
Meekneſs towards God conſiſts in patiently ſubmitting to his will without murmuring or repining. Meekneſs towards Man conſiſts in having a heart ready to paſs by offences, to forgive wrongs and injuries and to do good againſt evil. And there is not a greater magnetiſm or attractive in nature than ſuch a frame of Spirit.
The great amiableneſs of meekneſs will appear to us if we conſider theſe particulars
1. Meek perſons are like unto our Lord and Saviour, who expreſſed his great meekneſs in ſubmitting to his Fathers will without any repining, and in bearing patiently great injuries from men, Mat. 11.29. Learn of me for I am meek and lowly of heart. Our Saviour ſeems to ſay to us as Gideon to his followers, Judges 7.17. Look on me and do as ye ſee me do. And accordingly the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 10.1. obteſts and beſeeches the Corinthians by the meekneſs and gentleneſs of Chriſt (which he uſes as a powerful motive to them) that they would not interpret his humble and mild carriage among them otherwiſe than they ought.
2. Gracious meekneſs doth plainly ſhew the ſoul to have been under the forming and workmanſhip of the Spirit of God. We may by the work know the workman.
3. 'Tis a temper highly prized by God himſelf, 1 Pet. 3.4. A meek and a quiet Spirit is in the ſight of God of great price, Moſes's meekneſs exalted him ſo highly that God ſpake unto him face to face, as a man ſpeaketh to his friend, Exod. 33.11.
4. 'Tis a temper that much adorns our Chriſtian Profeſſion. 'Tis a walking worthy of our high calling, Eph. 4.1…. I Paul beſeech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called, with all lowlineſs and meekneſs, and long-ſuffering, forbearing one another in love, and Verſe 31, 32. Let all bitterneſs and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil ſpeaking be put away from you, with all malice, and be ye kind one to another, forgiving one another, even as God for Chriſts ſake hath forgiven you. The Apoſtle alſo expreſſes himſelf to the ſame purpoſe, Col. 3.12, 13, 14, 15.
5. 'Tis a temper to which many gracious promiſes are made, Pſal. 25.9. The meek will he guide in judgement, the meek will he teach his way, and Mat. 5.5. The meek ſhall inherit the earth, that is, they ſhall enjoy that which God gives them here with much more Peace, Quietneſs and Comfort than others do. Meek perſons are not given to Lawing and quarrelling as other men are, if they be oppreſſed at any time God does uſually intereſt himſelf in their quarrel, Prov. 16.7. When a mans wayes pleaſe the Lord he maketh his very enemies to be at peace with him. And if God does ſometimes for gracious ends ſuffer the meek to be oppreſſed, (namely, for the exerciſe of their faith and patience) he will recompence them abundantly in the other life.
6. 'Tis a temper of great benefit and advantage to the life of man. It takes the edge off from ſufferings that they cannot wound and hurt us; Whereas he that frets and rages makes that troubleſome to him which elſe would not be ſo. As in caſe of reproachful words, which in themſelves neither hurt our bodies nor leſſen our eſtates, but the great danger of them is if they drive us into anger. For then our anger may run us into abundance of other ſins. Whereas he that meekly paſſes them by is never the worſe for them, nay the better, (as God orders it) For he ſhall be rewarded for his Patience. And ſo much of the excellency and benefits of meekneſs.
16. Another Direction is this. Be humbled ſeriouſly before the Lord for all former irregular and exorbitant Paſſions thou haſt been guilty of, and ſeek pardon of them in the blood of Chriſt, and pray earneſtly unto the Lord to keep thee from falling into the like again, and to give thee the wiſdom which comes from above which is firſt pure then peaceable, gentle, and eaſie to be intreated, and full of good fruits. And when thou art ſurprized on a ſudden with any unexpected accident or violent temptation that is apt to diſorder thee, then ſend up a fervent ejaculation to heaven as a ſpeedy meſſenger for help and ſuccour in that time of danger.
17. Laſtly, Set a high price and value upon quietneſs, meekneſs, and a calm frame of Soul, 1 Theſ. 4.11. Study to be quiet and to do thy own buſineſs. And ſo much of the directions for the right regulating of our anger.
4. I come to conſider the excuſes *Vitia noſtra quia amamus defendimus & malumus ea excuſare quam excutere. Sen.that thoſe that are prone to be angry do uſe to make for themſelves.
1. They are ready to ſay that their afflictions are ſo great and ſo heavie that they cannot bear them with any patience. And therefore they may ſay as Jonah did, that they do well to be angry, and that it is better for them to dye than to live.
Anſw. Be ſilent all fleſh before God. What art thou O Man, O Worm, that thou replieſt againſt God? Aaron had two Sons deſtroyed at one ſtroke by fire from Heaven. And they both dyed (for ought appears to the contrary) in their ſin, and that is a ſharper affliction than ever thou metteſt with. And yet the text ſayes, Lev. 10.3. Aaron held his peace, he uttered not one word of murmuring or diſcontent againſt the Almighty. To murmur againſt God is to throw a ſtone upward, that will be ſure to fall on his head that threw it. Take heed therefore of inward repining, or outward murmuring againſt the Almighty, how heavy ſoever his hand be upon thee. Shall a living man complain? (ſayes the moanful Prophet, Lam. 3.39.) Man ſuffereth for his ſin. God is alwayes juſt, though his wayes to us are ſometimes amazing and paſt our finding out.
2. They are ready to ſay that the provocation upon which they were angry, was ſo great that fleſh and blood could not bear it.
Anſw. Fleſh and blood neither in a natural nor a moral ſenſe (except it be changed) can enter into the Kingdom of God, 1 Cor. 15.50. And the Apoſtle tells us, that they that live after the fleſh ſhall die, Rom. 8.13. and that not a temporal death only but an eternal. And Gal. 5.24. He tells us that all that are Chriſts have (in ſome good degrees though not all equally) crucified the fleſh with its corrupt affections and luſts*Sanabilibus aegrotamus malis. Sen.
3. They are ready to ſay that they are Cholerick by nature, and therefore they cannot help falling into Paſſion. Alas! how can they (will they ſay) except God give them patience.
Anſw. A Cholerick temper I confeſs may ſtrongly diſpoſe them to anger, but cannot neceſſitate them to it. And if they did pray earneſtly to God for the aſſiſtance of his grace and ſet a watch over themſelves, they might bring themſelves into better order. But ſome people ſeem to expect that God ſhould do all for them and neither earneſtly beg grace from him to help them, nor endeavour ſeriouſly in the power he vouchſafes to them to mortify the corruptions of their hearts. If a great reward were propounded to a Cholerick man on condition he abſtained from falling into any unſeemly paſſion for one day whatever provocation were offered him, ſurely he would do it. And if a man may by great watchfulneſs abſtain one day for a temporal reward, why ſhould he not do it the next day, and the next after that out of obedience unto God? There are ſeveral gracious Chriſtians that are not eaſily, frequently, or furiouſly angry nor miſ-behave themſelves in their anger by word or deed. Do you endeavour to do ſo likewiſe.
4. They are ready to ſay that ſuch a man was exceſſively hot and angry with them, and why ſhould not they be ſo with him?
Anſ. No man muſt go about to cure an evil with an evil or to correct a vice by a vice, fire is not quenched by fire nor anger with anger. 'Tis more Chriſtian-like to give place to wrath, and and overcome evil with good.