Commentary on the Epistles and Revelation of John, Part 6
Anger.
EPHES. 4.26.
Be ye angry, and ſin not: let not the Sun go down upon your wrath, &c.
COnceſſit quod naturae eſt, negavit quod culpae, ſaith Ambroſe upon theſe words,M. Gataker. and after him Caſſiodore. It is not evil (ſaith one) to marry, but good to be wary: So neither is it a ſin to be angry, but hard not to ſinne, when we are angry. Anger is a tender vertue: and ſuch as by reaſon of our unskilfulneſſe may be eaſily corrupted and made dangerous.Mat. 16.23. Mark 3.5. He that in his anger would not ſinne, muſt not be angry at any thing, but ſinne. Our Saviour was angry with Peter, and angry with the Phariſees for the hardneſſe of their hearts. Moſes was even blown up with holy anger at the people, for the golden Calf: and Gods bleſſing on every good heart, that, in ſuch a caſe, hath a ſtomack for God. Meekneſſe, ſurely, here would be no better then mopiſhneſſe, and not ſo good as madneſſe,Pſal 139. Doe not I hate them that hate thee? I hate them with a perfect hatred, ſaith David, I count them mine enemies. This is the anger of zeal, found in Phineas, Elias, Eliſha, our Saviour: and ſhould have been found in Adam toward his wife, in Eli toward his ſons,Iohn 2.17. Gen. 13.7. Radicem bonam & finem bonū. in Lot toward his ſervants, &c. It muſt have a good riſe, and a good-end, ſaith Bucer: elſe it becomes a mortall, not a veniall ſin, as the Papiſts fonely conclude from Mat. 5.22. Whoſoever is angry with his brother without a cauſe, &c. There is a juſt cauſe then of anger: ſinne, as an offence to God (here Nebuchadnezzar was out, Dan. 3.19.) And there muſt be a juſt meaſure obſerved,Mark 35. foreign ſignificat eam tia offenſum, ut evrum etiam miſe…cretur. &c. Ira ſmor brevis eſt. Horat Lib 2. de fide ortho lexa c 10. that our anger for ſin render us not unfit either to pity the ſinner (as our Saviour in his anger did the obſtinate Phariſees) or to pray for him (as Moſes for thoſe idolaters, he was ſo enraged at, Exod. 32.31, 32.) Anger that is not thus bounded is but a momentary madnes, ſaith the Heathen, it reſtreth in the boſome of fools, ſaith Solomon, whether it be Bilis, iracundia, aut infenſio (for into thoſe three degrees Damaſcene diſtinguiſheth it) A…ger, Wrath, and Hatred, The one (ſaith he) hath beginning and motion, but preſently ceaſeth: the other taketh deep hold in the memory: the third deſisteth not without revenge. Clichtoveus compareth the firſt to fire in ſtubble: the ſecond to fire in iron: the third to fire that is hid,foreign and never bewraieth it felf, but with the ruine of the matter wherein it hath caught. Some are ſharp, ſome are bitter, a third kinde are implacable, ſaith Aristotle. The firſt are the beſt, that as children are ſoon angry,Melch. Adam. in vit. and as ſoon pleaſed again. Be ye children in malice, 1 Cor. 14.20. Ʋrſinus was of ſomewhat a haſty nature: So alſo was Calvin, Ʋt fit in ejuſmodi ingeniis, ſaith he that writes their lives. For as any man is more induſtrious and ingenious, ſo he teacheth more teachily and painfully. Yet had they ſo learned to moderate their anger, as not to utter a word, in their paſſion,Bezae collegae ſaepè dicebant eunt fine ſelle vivere Melch. Adam. unbeſeeming a Chriſtian. But of Zeza, his Colleagues would often ſay, That like the Dove he was foreign, without a gall. And it ſhould ſeem ſo by that which he writes of himſelf in a certain Epiſtle to Mr Calvin: The Jeſuite (ſaith he) diſputing about the Euchariſt, called us, Vulpes & ſerpentes & ſimias, foxes, ſerpents, apes, &c. My anſwer was this, Nos non magis credere, quàm Tranſubstantiationem, That we believed all that, as much as we did Tranſubſtantiation. So Giles of Bruſſels Martyr,Act. and Mon. fol. 811. when the Friers (ſent to reduce him) did any time miſcall him, he ever held his peace; inſomuch that thoſe blaſphemers would ſay abroad, that he had a dumb devil in him. Caſſianus reports, that when a certain Chriſtian was held captive of infidels, tormented with divers pains and ignominious taunts, being demanded by way of ſcorn and reproach, Tell us what miracle thy Chriſt hath done? He anſwered, He hath done what you ſee, that I am not moved at all the cruelties and contumelies you caſt upon me. This was indeed to walk as Chriſt walked, who did not ſtrive, nor cry, nor did any man hear his voice in the ſtreets, who when he was reviled,Mat. 12.19 Pet. 2.23. reviled not again, when he ſuffered, he threatned not, but committed himſelf to him that judgeth righteouſly. So did Moſes, when murmured againſt by Aaron and Miriam. He was meek and complained not: therefore without any delation of his, the Lord ſtruck in for him. The leſſe any man ſtrives for himſelf, the more is God his Champion. But the wrath of man as it worketh not the righteouſneſſe of God,Jam. 1.19, 20. Rom. 12.18 Give place to wrath. 1. To the wrath of God, which by revenge ye prevent. Brevis daemon ſo it prevents his juſtice: Wherefore be ſlow to wrath, ſaith S. James, as God is; not fretfull and froward as the devil is, Anger is a ſhort devil, ſaith Chryſoſtome, the fury of the unclean ſpirit, Qui ſuis follibus & flatibus intendit, who enflames the heart, ſets the tongue on fire from hell, makes it hotter then Nebuchadnezzars oven, ſo that he cares not what he ſpeaks, as Jonas; what he does, as Saul: who falling into a rage, the devil poſſeſt him, and kindled ſuch a fire, as could not be quenched, till he fell into the unquenchable lake. So true is that of Eliphaz, Wrath killeth the folliſh man, Iob 5.2.delivers him up to the deſtroier, if it reſt in his boſome eſpecially, and lodge a night with him, which is the ſecond degree above mentioned.
Let not therefore the Sunne go down upon your wrath: for that is all one as to give place to the devil, Epheſ, 4.26. Pythagorici ſiquandò per irā ad maledict a prorupiſsent, arte ſolu occubitum, dextris, mutuò datis, gratiam redirt graverunt. 1 Joh. 3. Numb 28.29. M Wherely in his Prototypes.who hereby entreth the heart, and takes poſſeſſion. Many there are that ſuffer the Sunne not only to go down upon their anger, but to run his whole race, yea many races, ere they can be reconciled: whereby their anger becomes inveterate, and turns into malice: for anger and malice differ but in age. Now curſed be this anger for it is fierce, and this wrath for it is cruell, Gen. 49 7. it is the murder of the heart, Mat. 5.21, &c. the fountain of the murder both of the tongue and hand. Hence it is ſaid, He that hateth his brother is a man-ſlaier. He is ſo in deſire, he would be ſo indeed, if he durſt, Were there a ſword in my hand, I would ſurely ſlay thee. There is a paſſion of hatred (ſaith one) and there is the habit of it. The former is a kinde of averſneſſe and riſing of the heart againſt a man, when one ſees him, ſo that he cannot away with him, nor speak to, nor look courteouſly or peaceably upon him; but ones countenance fals when he ſees him, and he even turns away, and, by his good-will, would have nothing to doe with him: This is the paſſion of hatred. The habit of it is, when the heart is ſo ſetled in this alienation and eſtrangement, that it grows to wiſh and deſire, and ſeek his hurt, yea to rejoyce and glory when it can effect it: as Joſephs brethren, who ſate down to eat and drink, when they had caſt him into, the pit: as Lamech, who boaſted of his man-hood this way (dogge-hood rather, for revenge is no better) as Alexander Phereus, Plutarch.who conſecrated the J…velin, wherewith he ſlew Polyphron.
This is that third and worſt ſort of anger, which, being ſmoothered, will languiſh: but let out, will flame into further miſchief, as we ſee in Eſau, who vowed his brothers death, and Cain who wrought it.Act. and Mon. fol 914. But that I believe and know (ſaid Frier Bruſierd in a conference with Bilney) that God and all his Saints will take revengement everlasting on thee, I would ſurely with theſe nails of mine be thy death. We read alſo of a like ſaying of another Frier Auguſtine of Antwerp, teſtified by Eraſmus in his Epiſtles: who openly in the Pulpit at Antwerp, preaching to the people, wiſhed that Luther were there,Eraſm. epiſt. l. 10. ad …btrect atorem This Story was he that adviſed not to lop off the twigs, but to ſtrike at the root the L. Elizabeth. Act. and Mon. fol. 1925. Camd Elizab tra…fl. fol. 141. Dan hiſt. 42. that he might bite out his throat with his teeth. So doing he would nothing doubt to reſort to the altar with the ſame bloudy teeth, and receive the body of Chriſt. Dr Story (that bloudy perſecutour of the Saints in Queen Maries daies) when Queen Elizabeth came to the Crown, could not forbear to curſe her daily in his grace at board, and was worthily hang'd for his treaſon, anno 1571. Being herein like the fooliſh Bee, who loſeth her life to get revenge. Valerius Maximus could not tell, whether Sylla or his anger were firſt extinguiſhed. William the Conquerour to be revenged on the King of France (who being young and luſty jeaſted at his great belly, whereof he ſaid he lay in at Roven) entered France in the chiefeſt time of their fruits, making ſpoil of all in his way, till he came even to Paris (where the King of France then was) to ſhew him of his up ſitting. And from thence he marches to the City of Mants, which he utterly fackt, and in the deſtruction thereof gat his own by the ſtrain of his horſe among the breaches, ſo ending his wars, and his life together. His ſucceſſour Edward the firſt did not ſo: For going againſt Bruce King of Scots, Idem, ibidem. fol. 201.he adjured his ſon and Nobles, that if he died in his journey they ſhould carry his corps with them about Scotland, and not ſuffer it to be interred, till they had vanquiſhed the uſurper, and abſolutely ſubdued the Countrey. A deſire more martiall then Chriſtian, ſhewing a minde ſo bent to the world, that he would not make an end, when he had done with it: and ſo ſet upon revenge,Lib 9.… 3. that he deſignes it beyond his life. Sedira mortalium debet eſſe mortalis, ſaith Lactantius. Are we mortall, and ſhall our anger be immortall? the rude rage of the rebels in Kets conſpiracy was ſuch, that ſome, being diſabled almoſt to hold up their we…pons, would ſtrive what they could to ſtrike their enemies.The life of K. Edward 6. by Sir Ioh. Hoyw, p. 71. Others being thruſt thorow the body with a ſpear, would run themſelves further, to reach thoſe that wounded them deadly. So ſweet is revenge to corrupt nature: Tamar will defile her ſelf with inceſt, to be even with her father in ſaw Iudah: Abſolom will run any hazard to have his peny-worths on Amnon: David deſperately ſwore the death of Nabal, and his houſhold by ſuch an hour. To be revenged is more honourable then to be reconciled,Inim…cot u…ciſct pottùs quam illis reconciliari, boneſtun cenſe. tur. Rhetor. l. 9. cap. 1. Iam. 4.5. 1 Sam. 25, 31. Iſa. 28. Mat. 5.48. 1 Sam. 24.19. ſaith Aristotle. This is the voice of nature, and thus the ſpirit that is in us luſteth to envy: but the Scripture giveth more grace, teacheth better things, ſpeaketh to us, as Abigail did to David, when he was marching furiouſly, Then ſhall it be no grief unto thee, nor offence of minde to have brideled thy paſſions, and to have held thy hand from bloud. Nay, it ſhall be a ſingular comfort to have conquered thy paſſions (For the meek ſhall encreaſe their joy in the Lord) and a ſweet ſeal of our ſpirituall ſonſhip, that we are the children of our heavenly Father, yea that we are perfect as he is perfect, and can do that which a naturall man cannot, as Saul acknowledgeth. Eliſha feaſteth his enemies, and is freed of them; the bands of Syria come no more into the bounds of I…ael. Abſolom invites Ammon, and Alexander Philotas to a feaſt, to kill them thereat. But Iſaac expoſtulates the wrong with Abimelech and his company, forgives them, fcaſts them,Gen. 26.…0. and hath them his friends for ever. This was a noble revenge, and fit for Chriſtian imitation. Ioſhuah marcheth all day, and fights all night for the Gibeonites, that had ſo deceived him. Cranmers gentleneſſe in pardoning wrongs was ſuch, that it grew to a Proverb,Act. and Mon. fol. 1…92. Doe my Lord of Canterbury aſhrewd turn, and then you ſhall be ſure to have him your friend, whiles he liveth. He never raged ſo far with any of his houſhold ſervants, as once to call the meaneſt of them varlet or kuave in anger, much leſſe to reprove a ſtranger with any reproachfull word. Here was a perfect man, Iam. 3 2.as S. Iames defines him that can rule his tongue, in his paſſions eſpecially, which once affote are very violent, and (like heavy bodiesdown ſteep hils) once in motion move themſelves, and know no ground but the bottome.
Firſt, Ceaſe therefore from anger, and refrain ſtrife, free not thy ſelf in any wiſe to doe evil, Pſal. 37.8. Thou doſt evil in fretting,Helps to repreſſe raſh anger. thou ſhalt doe worſe in venting, and ſuffering the fire to break out as David did, Pſal. 39. When therefore thou findeſt thy ſelf incenſed and chafing ripe,Prov. 30.32, 33 If thou haſt done fooliſhly in lifting up thy ſelf (by any froward look or geſture) r…f thou haſt thou, he evil (by medi…ating revenge, yet) lay thy hand upon thy mouth, ſilence thy ſelf. Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter; and the wringing of the noſe bringeth forth bloud; ſo the forting of wrath (the uttering of it) bringeth forth ſtrife, Iraſera eſt furibunda incantemus cam di vinae Scripturae carminibus. Chryſoſt. Iob 15.4. Act. 15.9. Luk. 1.5. Iſa 17. 1 Sam. 25. 2 Sam. 12.30, 31. preſently lay a neceſſity of ſilence upon thy ſelf, till thou be able to ſpeak quietly and compoſedly, till the heat be ſomewhat over: As Ahaſhueroſh walked a while in his garden, ere he would paſſe ſentence upon Haman. Another repeated the Greek Alphabet, ere he would ſay or do any thing in his anger. He doth better that repeateth ſome grave ſentences of Scripture, ſuch as is this, Be angry: but ſin not: Be ſlow to wrath: Avenge not your ſelves, but give place to wrath: Submit to God: reſiſt the devil and he will ſlie from you. This devil of anger, if thus reſiſted by Scripture, will ſurely ſlie, he cannot bide by it, Mat. 4. Eſpecially, if we ſet our ſelves to pray it down, as David did, Pſ, 39. When Iob brake out and was waſpiſh, Surely, ſaid Eliphaz, thou reſtraineſt praier, elſe it would never be thus with thee.
Secondly, Get thy heart purified by faith. For faith makes patience. When the Diſciples heard that they muſt forgive till ſeventy times ſeven times in a day, Lord, ſay they, encreaſe our faith, The wiſdome from above is firſt pure, and then peaceable, Jam. 3. 17. But, from whence are wars and contentions amongſt you? (as it is in the next verſe) Are they not hence, even of your luſts that war in your members? Theſe make you unquiet and out of order within: and hence it is that you are ſo froward and diſcontented with others. The wicked are as the raging ſea, troubleſome and tumultuous; the covetous perſon troubleth his whole houſe, Nabal was ſuch a ſon of Belial, ſo fierce and furious that there was no ſpeaking to him: Yea, David when he had defiled his conſcience, and not yet repented of his adultery and murder, how rigid was he, or rather cruell in his handling of the Ammonites, in recking his teen upon them for the miſuſage of his Embaſſadours? He put them under ſaws and harrows of iron, he made them paſſe thorow the brick-kilne, &c. The devils are moſt impure and therefore moſt malicious: Chriſt on the other ſide, moſt pure, and therefore moſt gentle. Of the encreaſe of his government and peace there ſhall be no end, ſaith Iſaiah: teaching us, that the more Chriſts government encreaſeth in the ſoul, the more peace and peaceableneſſe.Iſa. 9 7. But perverſneſſe argues a breach in the ſpirit, Prov. 15.4.
Thirdly, Study to be quiet, and do your own buſineſſe. 1 Thell. 4.12.Meddle not with the ſtrife that belongs not to you, loſt you take a dog by the ears, Prov. 26.17. Shun contentious company, Prov. 22.34. for, like mad dogs, they bite and make others as made as themſelves. Drink not, game not, leſt thou meet with contentions, Prov. 23.29, 30. Liſten not to the tale-bearer,Prov. 17.9. for he ſeparates even very friends. Enquire not into other folks faults. Seldome is a patient man inquiſitive, or an inquiſitive man patient.Non vis eſſe iracundus? ne ſi… curioſus Sen. Solomon would not have one lay his ear as an eveſdropper, to every word is ſpoken, leſt he hear his ſervant curſing him, Eccleſ. 7.21. and ſo he ſhould fall to hate him, and vex himſelf to no purpoſe. Preſume in thy minde, that many things are to be ſuffered, while we are here: which whoſo cannot frame to do, its but time for him to make up his pack, and be gone out of the world; for here's no being for him. Many things alſo are to be diſſembled and winked at, as the lion takes no notice of the barking of curs,Non indignantur agrotu, ſed morbos ſanant. Eraſm. as Phyſicians paſſe by the petulancies of their patients. Pils muſt be ſwallowed down whole, not chewed: ſo injuries. Thus, by the meekneſſe of wiſdome, prevent occaſions of anger: it doth require much ſtudy to live quietly.
Fourthly, Conſider, 1. The deformity of anger. 2. The diſgrace. And 3. The danger of it. Firſt, What an ugly thing is anger, diſpoſſeſſing a man of his ſoul (which is poſſeſſed by patience) and diſ-figuring his body with fierineſſe of the eyes,Luk. 21.19. Turpis aſpectus; quid antma? furiouſneſſe of the looks, diſtortion of the face, inflammation of the noſtrils. The Hebrews call anger Aph, becauſe therein the noſe riſeth, the colour changeth, the tongue ſtammereth, the teeth gnaſh, the hands clap (as Balaac's, Numb. 24.10.) the feet ſtamp, the pulſe beats, the heart pants, the whole man ſwels like a toad glows like a devil, tormenting himſelf before his time.Plato, Seneca. Sextius. Prov. 14.9. & 11.16, & 19. E. cleſ.7.11. Prov 21.4. foreign, 1 Pet 2 18. ab Hebrae… foreign Stultus. foreign. 1 Cor. 6 7. Invalidum oncne naturâ querulum. Sen. Whence many Heathens have adviſed the angry man to look his face in a glaſſe, and ſo grow aſhamed of his diſtemper. Next, for the diſgrace: The holy Ghoſt hath ſtigmatized the angry perſon for a fool in grain, ſuch an one as exalts folly, ſets it up on high to be ſeen of all, and proclaims himſelf a Fool; yea the worſt of fools; for, Proud, haughty, ſcorner is his name that dealeth in proud wrath, That's his title. Thus God loads ſuch a man with diſgrace. And whereas he thinks by his big looks and high tearms to carry it among men (as Lamech did) when he hath gotten revenge eſpecially. The Apoſtles purpoſely diſgraceth revenge of injury by a word that ſignifies diſgrace, loſſe of victory, or impotency of minde. And indeed it is unmanlineſſe of ſpirit, and little wit in the head, that cauſeth a great deal of paſſion in the heart, as we ſee in infants and ſick people.Nibil tolerabile videtur, nō qu…a dura, ſed quia molles pa…imur. 6.2. Thunder, hail, tempeſt, neither trouble nor hurt celeſtiall bodies: no more doth anger great mindes. The tops of ſome mountains are ſaid to be ſo high above the middle region of the air, that not ſo much as the duſt upon them is moved out of the place from years end to years end: So is it here. Great ſpirits, and men of underſtanding are like the upper region, in a perpetuall ſerenity: or at leaſt, like the higheſt planets, that of all the reſt, are thought to be ſloweſt in courſe: or like a diamond that is neither bruiſed nor cut. And laſtly, for the danger of anger, it conſumes the body, it confounds the ſoul. Fevers, colicks, palſies,Plus nocet ira quam injoria. pluriſies, apoplexies, inflammations, conſumptions are cauſed by it, whiles it dries up the radicall moiſture (that balſome of the body) boils the heart into brine, and viper like, makes an end of the owner: who as he lived undeſired, ſo he dies unlamented, as Nerva, Valentinian, and other cholerike Kings and perſons of great note, who hereby have wrought their own ruth and ruine.… Pet. 3.7. Jam 1.19, 20, 21 Ep. 4.30, 31. And for the poor ſoul, it is indiſpoſed, by unadviſed anger, for praier or any other duty to God or man. He is laid open, as an unwalled City, to many ſinnes, miſchiefs and miſeries (Jam. 3.16. Prov. 3.32. and 7.13. and 29.22. Pſalme 37.8.) temporall, ſpirituall and eternall, Prov. 17.10. Mat. 5.21. He that lives and dies in this fury, becomes a prey to the furies of hell.
Fiftly, Conſider wiſely of Gods providence, preſence, patience.
Firſt, That thoſe that wrong us (how malicious or miſchievous ſoever) are the inſtruments of his good providence, for our greateſt good;Iraſci pop. Rō nemo ſpaie…tèr poteſt. I…ac. Nemo me imp… mè ia…eſſit, ſaith the Scottiſh thiſtle. 2 Sam 16.10, 11. Why then ſhould we be angry at them? Is not this to be angry at God? Now if he could ſay, No wiſe man will be angry with the people of Rome, becauſe of their power, how much greater folly is it to rage at God? If he be angry with us, there is hope of mercy, but if we be angry with him, what help is there, let his Wrath be kindled never ſo little? This reyned in Job from letting ſlie at the Caldeans that robb'd him, and David at Shimei that reviled him.Take heed ye be not found fighters againſt God, Act. 5. And had he as well ſeen God in Nabal, as he did in Shimei, he had never been ſo outragious. Reverence therefore Gods providence, and be ſtill, Pſal. 39.10. None could have power againſt thee, except it were given them from above, Job. 19.11. Next, Conſider Gods preſence, and be carefull. Set God before thy paſſions, and they will be ſoon huſht; as unruly fellows that are quarrelling, when once an officer comes in amongſt them. When thy heart boils with wrath and deſire of revenge; ſay as thoſe Diſciples, Luk. 9.54. Wilt thou that we call for fire from heaven? Ask leave of God, ere you dare to doe any thing that way, and preſume not to be thine own carver. We uſe to ſay, If the Magiſtrate be not preſent, we may offend another to defend our ſelves: But if the Magiſtrate be preſent, there is no excuſe.foreign. Jam. 5 …. behold the Judge ſtands before the door (ſaith S. Iames) grudge not therefore, groan not, grunt not one againſt another: You cannot ſhew the leaſt token of impatiency, but he is an eye-witnes of it;Jer 5.22. Now will ye not tremble at my preſence, ſaith the Lord? Iob, though patient at firſt, yet when once wet to the skin, fals a roaring and raving, and there was no hoe with him: Till at length God ſteps forth, as it were from behinde the hangings, over-hearing him, and takes him up roundly, Chap. 38.2 Who is this, ſaies he, that talks thus? how now? After which, Iob laid his hand upon his mouth, and we hear no more of him. Conſider, laſtly,foreign. Act 13.18. Pſal. 103.8, 9. Gods infinite patience and long-ſufferance in bearing mens manners, as he did theirs in the wilderneſſe. How ſlow is he to anger, and plenteous in mercy! He will not alwaies chide, though alwaies provoked: neither will he keep his anger for ever. God judgeth the righteous (but very gently, and in the midst of judgement he remembreth mercy) God alſo is angry with the Wicked (or angered by them) every day. But what will he do in his anger? If he turn not, he will whet his ſword (before it devours fleſh. He firſt takes hold on judgement, before his judgement takes hold on men:) He hath bent his bow and made it ready, &c.Sic patientiam exercet ſuam, dum panitentid expectat tuam. Aug. Amb. in Gen 9 Pſal. 7.12.13. We reade of Gods bow, ſaith Ambroſe, ſet in the cloud, but nothing of his arrow. The how cannot hurt us, but the bow fore-warns us of the arrow; and the string of the bow is to us-Ward, to ſhew how unwilling God is to puniſh even the wicked. He muſt firſt turn the bow, and then he bends his bow, and then his arrow is unprepared too, verſ. 14. So unready and unwilling is he to afflict, to grieve the children of men. Lam. 3.33. Iſa. 28.21. Hithhallech. Gen. 3. foreign Sep. Ad Veſperam d…el. Ambre….He cals it his worke, his ſtrange Worke; he goes not about it, till there be no remedy, 2 Chron. 36.16. When God came to puniſh Adam, he came ſlowly, and in the cool of the day. He ran not upon him, as David did upon Goliah, and cut off his head, but with a ſoftly pace and ſtill voice, and not till the evening. And then convents him, before ſentence (which he would not do for the devil) and promiſeth him a Saviour from the deadly ſting of that old ſerpent. Oh look upon this patern of patience, as they did once upon the brazen ſerpent, and it will cure our hearts when ſtung with impatiency. Adam was the maſter-piece of Gods handy-work, in whom he reſted and rejoyced: adorn'd him with his own image, advanced him to dominion over all other ſublunary creatures, honoured him with the poſſeſſion of Paradiſe, and poſſibility of heaven, held himſelf ſo farre honoured by him, as that he is not called Lord God, till man was created.Gen. 1. Pſal. 49 12. But men being in honour, continued not one night (as it is thought) but became like the beaſts that periſh; nay worſe, like the devils, with whom he ſhould have periſhed, had he not dealt with a ſin-pardoning God, none ever like him, Mic. 7.18.Iſa. 57 7. He ſtill multiplies pardons, as we multiply provocations, and ſtretcheth out his hand all the day long to a rebellious people,2 Cor 5.20. Iſa. 65.2. his grace even kneels to them, beſeeching them to be reconciled, and bearing with ſuch abominable practices, in the mean while, as the meekeſt Moſes that ever breathed would never bear with, if in his room, but even for an hour. If we conſider eſpecially how infinitely great he is and mighty, armed with power at his will. For the Lord your God is God of Gods, and Lord of Lords, a great God, a mighty and a terrible, Deut. 10. 17. Now the higher any perſon is, the leſſe patient of wrongs, How rigidly dealt David with the Ammonites, for the abuſe done to his Embaſſadours? And when the people ſtoned Adoram, … King 12 18, 20.that was over the tribute, Rehoboam gathered all Iudah and Benjamin to fight with them. If God ſhould be as ſhort ſpirited, what would ſoon become of all? Let a man but put up an injury once or twice from another, and he hath himſelf highly in admiration, and in his own conceit deſerves to be chronicled, nay canonized for a Saint, as our Henry the ſixth had like to have been for this very vertue. One of his ſucceſſours (King Henry the ſeventh) laboured it, ſaith the Hiſtorian, and had obtained to have done it, had not the charges thereof, that ſo far exceeded mediocrity, cauſed him to leave it undone. Of this King it is reported, That in both eſtates he ſo demeaned himſelf, that he modeſtly carried the one, and moderately under-went the other: Paſſion at no time drowning his judgement, nor will at any time domineering over his reaſon: yea ſuch was his deportment, that the inconſtancy of his eſtate could not alter the conſtancy of his minde. He was never heard to ſwear oath (which David did in his heat, I Sam. 25.22.) his greateſt aſſeveration being for moſt part, Forſooth, forſooth, or verily, verily. His patience was ſuch, that to one that ſtrook him, when he was taken priſoner, he only ſaid, Forſooth you doe Wrong your ſelf more then me, to ſtrike the Lords anointed. Another that had drawn bloud of him, when he was in priſon, he freely pardoned (when reſtored) ſaying,Continuation of Daniels h…ſt, of England by T…u…g…, ſo. 198 Alas poor ſoul, he ſtruck me more to win favour with others, then of any ill will he bare me. Of that happy memory, that he never forgat any thing but injuries. This was a fair preſident, and hardly matcht again in a man of his place, and living in thoſe dark times of groſſe Popery,Pſal 74.20. Idcò deteriores ſum…s, quia meliores eſſe debemus. M…l. 3.18. For the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty, ſaith the Pſalmiſt. But what is all this to Gods infinite patience in ſuffering wrong and long too? not from the veſſels of wrath only. Rom. 9.22. but his own elect, who ſhould be better, ſpa…ing them as a man ſpares his ſon that ſerves him, forgiving them ſeventy times ſeven times in a day, paſſing by without grievance, a world of infirmities, yea taking advantage of their backſ…dings to ſhew them the more mercy, as Hoſ. 2.13. The deep and due conſideration of this patience in God, will greatly patient our ſpirits, and transform us into the ſame image, as it did that Ethiopian Eunuch, Act. 8.32. and that Earl called Elzearus, of whom it is ſtoried, that being much given to immoderate anger, the means he uſed to cure this diſordered affection, was by ſtudying of Chriſt, and of his patience. This meditation he never ſuffered to paſſe from him,In vita …jus a, pud Suriun. before he found his heart transform'd and conform'd to the heavenly patern.
Laſtly, If to theſe means and meditations you adde a conſtant endeavour to become low in your own eyes, keeping the ſtrict watch of the Lord over your heart, taking your ſelf in the manner, when impatience begins to boil in you: and if you heartily pray down your paſſions, arraigning and condemning them in Gods preſence, and deſiring him to do execution, you ſhall ſoon ſee that this your labour is not in vain in the Lord.