Expositions Upon Matthew 1-10, Treatise · Chapter 5 · Section 20
Remedies againſt unjuſt anger.
1 Take heed we be not abuſed by falſe imaginations, as to be angry for a mans not ſaluting us when perhaps he never ſaw us, or to think a man bears us no good will when he diſcovers no ill will againſt us. To think a man loves us not becauſe he comes not ſo oft to our houſe when perhaps his buſineſs will not permit, or becauſe we ſee a man laugh, to think, he laughs at us.
2 Conſider thy own vileneſs. Carry meekly to others, for thou waſt as bad as they, Tit. 3.3. Jam. 3.2.
3 Conſider Gods patience, how many imperfections he patiently bears in us, 10000 talents, let us bear with pence, Matth. 18. ult. He is over thee, as thou art over others.
4 Avoid occaſions of anger, as contentious companions, Prov. 22.24. drunken company, Prov. 23.29. too much affecting any thing; for when we loſe it, it will cauſe much anger. As we keep gunpowder and tow far from fire, let us avoid occaſions of anger.
5 Conſider nothing befals thee but by the providence of God. This kept David from anger when Shimei curſt, 2 Sam. 16. and Job, c. 1.22. he raged not againſt the devil, nor the Sabeans, but lookt at God and quieted his heart; and though you have not deſerved it at their hands, yet have you deſerved much more at Gods hand, Gen. 50.20, 21. it was not ye but God ſent me hither.
6 Behold anger in another how odious it is. Should a man ſee himſelf in a looking-glaſs when he is in a Bedlam fit, how ugly would he look to himſelf?
7 It makes us unfit to duties, as to prayer, 1 Tim. 2.8. Lift up holy hands without wrath, to hearing, receive with meekneſs the ingrafted word, Jam. 1.21. to receiving, 1 Cor. 11.17, 18. to Church-communion, 1 Cor. 1.10. to mutual edifying, hence Paul and Barnabas parted companies, Acts 15.
8 Angry men take that which is proper to God, which is vengeance, Rom. 12.19. Vengeance is mine, and not thine. An angry man makes himſelf to be Judge, and would have God to be his Executioner.
9 Interpoſe reaſon and deliberation; without this the ſoul is like a ſhip without Compaſs or Pilot, let reaſon teach thee not to be haſty in thy anſwers. Theodoſius was taught by Ambroſe to take thirty days reſpit before he puniſht any offence, becauſe in that ſpace his anger might be aſſwaged, and his judgement rectified. It's as abſurd for paſſions to lord over reaſon, as for an intemperate ſcold to juſtle out a reverend Judge. It's not comely to be angry, for it is a kinde of madneſs, but if it ſhall ſeize upon us, let us ſo uſe it, that it be for the correction and amendment of our neighbour: he that uſes it beſides reaſon hates himſelf and his neighbour, by troubling himſelf and grieving his neighbour, Juſtin. ad Zen. & Seren. p. 395.
10 Conſider the lovelineſs of a meek ſpirit both with God and man, 1 Pet. 3.4. it's an ornament of great price. It's the ſinews of all delightfull ſocietie, and drawes (like a Loadſtone the iron) the ſpirits of men to it.
11 The ſcandal. Every blinde man can ſee the evil of a waſpiſh cholerick ſpirit, this made Jacob and his ſons to ſtink, Gen. 34. ult.
12 Get out of the company of thoſe who have offended us, as Jonathan did, 1 Sam. 20.34. beſides thou ſhalt hereby cover thy ſin, which moves thy adverſary to ſcorn and laughter, and thy friends to ſorrow and pity. Alſo hereby ſhalt thou appeaſe thy anger, by removing the object. Prov. 12.16.
13 Suffer not anger to lodg with you. We cannot ſometimes keep it from entering, but from lodging, Eccleſ. 7.9. anger reſts, what in a wiſe mans heart? no, in the beſome of fools; though we be ſometimes touchy, let us not be heavily diſpoſed as Abſalom, 2 Sam. 13.23. Let anger be like a fire of thorns, quickly extinct. A ſpark or coal of fire if it light on us it will not hurt us, if it be preſently ſhook off, but if it lye ſtill it cauſeth burning; ſo will our anger, if we let it alone we give place to the devil, who will boil it into malice, by amplifying the indignity done to us, and the unworthineſs of the perſon. Uſually the devil chuſes an angry paſſionate heart to act his deſignes, as we ſee in Saul and Cain. Anger is a young twig, envy is a tree and a great beam. Luth.
14 Look on the bad effects in nature; it caſts into a fever, dries up radical moiſture, haſtens conſumptions; It makes the minde drunk. In paſſion reaſon that ſhould govern us, is like a key to a lock that is jumbled, it makes men to be angry with the bruits, as Balaam with his Aſs, Num. 24.10. to throw things out of their hand, which after they are forced to take up.
15 Suppreſs anger in thine heart; though it do not boil out, many are like rivers which are moſt dangerouſly deep, where they run ſmootheſt, retaining that principle to be abhorred, that profeſt hatreds loſe their place of revenge. If this inward anger be not ſuppreſſed in the heart we know not to what exceſs it may break out, as in Cain, and Haman.
Obj. But I am naturally angry and cholerick.
Anſw. By this reaſon might the adulterer, murtherer, thief, excuſe their letchery, theft and murther.
V. 23. Therefore, if thou bringeſt thy gift to the Altar, and there remembreſt thy brother hath ought againſt thee;
V. 24. Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, firſt go and be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
Q What is meant by offering?
Anſw. A free will offering mentioned, Levit. 1.2.
Chriſt herein ſhowes that this Commandment againſt murder is not fulfilled, if there be any grudge betwixt us and our neighbour, and we do not return into good will with him, and herein Chriſt ſhowes two things:
1 That unleſs we be reconciled to our brother, all duties of godlineſs, as prayers, hearing, receiving are nothing worth; therefore as oft as we come to the worſhip of God, we muſt cleanſe our hearts from theſe. So the Apoſtle commands, 1 Tim. 2.8. 1 Pet. 2.1, 2. Malice, and wrath, and calling a perſon Racha doth no leſs diſable from prayer, then from the ſupper. This ſhould be a ground of humiliation for all ſuch carriages, when we come before the Lord. No voluntary offerings, whether coſtly or of free-will, that are offered with an angry heart do pleaſe God. And therefore fooliſhly did the Phariſees ſuppoſe that gifts offered in the Temple did expiate ſins, which the Judges did not puniſh, though there were no amendment of heart.
2 That in vain perſons profeſs themſelves to be worſhippers of God, who offend their brethren, and after proudly contemn them, for under one kinde Chriſt points out all outward exerciſes of worſhip, wherein men counterfeit godlineſs, rather then truly witneſs it. If we give all our goods to the poor and have not charity, it profits not.
If thou bringeſt thy gift to the Altar] Chriſt ſpeaks of the worſhip of the Chriſtians, in words applied to the worſhip of the Jews, when they offered ſacrifices and gifts on the Altar of the Temple, though I grant foreign was the name often given to the Lords Table, ſo called in reference to the ſacrifice there ſignified, which was Chriſt, Heb. 13.10. We have an Altar whereof they have no right to eat that ſerve the Tabernacle, yet was it not called foreign, which was proper onelyonly to heathen Altars: beſides it appears by the Apoſtles Canons, that Chriſtians brought gifts and laid them upon the Altar or Communion-Table, for the uſe of the Miniſters and poor, and for the uſe of the Ordinances, Canon 3. and Canon 5.
And there remembereſt thy Brother hath ought againſt thee] That is, any juſt complaint concerning wrong done to him, though thou haſt nothing againſt him, yet if he have any thing juſtly againſt thee, yet oughteſt thou to conſider hereof. This is needfull, 1 In reſpect of God, who looks not ſo much upon the Gift, as upon the Heart clean from Hatred and Malice, Iſai 1.15. When you make many Pra…ers I will not hear; your hands are full of Bloud.
2 In reſpect of our ſelves, becauſe unleſs we be reconciled to our Brother, we pray againſt our ſelves, when we deſire forgiveneſs of God as we forgive others, Col. 3.13. Forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel againſt any one.
Queſt. But what if the perſon will not be reconciled?
Anſw. This may comfort thee, thou haſt done thy duty; Bleſſed are they that hunger and thirſt after Righteouſneſs. Chriſt abſolves thee, if thou ſeek Reconciliation and canſt not obtain it.
Moreover, if the Supper of the Lord be here meant, and I know no abſurdity in including of it, how neceſſary is it for Brethren to be united, hence it's called a Communion, that is a common union betwixt Chriſt and Believers: and indeed this Unity and Love is the Badg of Chriſt's Diſciples, we tell an apparant Ly when we come to this Communion, and have not an Union with our Brethren, 1 Cor. 10.16. We being many are one Bread and one Body; in token of vvhichwhich Union Chriſtians before the Supper gave an holy kiſs one to another, as Lapide obſerves.
This muſt be limited to reſpect time and place, for if the perſon offended be far from thee, then let thy affection go to him, and give ſatisfaction as ſoon as thou canſt, onelyonly we may ſee how unholy a thing Diſcord and Strife is, that it unhallovvs every ſervice.
Alſo Chriſt condemns ſelfiſhneſs, whereby too oft we ſtand too much upon our own right, even to loſs of Charity, contrary to Phil. 4.4. Let your moderation in remitting of your right, foreign, be known unto all men.
V. 24. Agree with thine Adverſary quickly, whileſt thou art in the way with him, leſt at any time the Judg deliver thee to the Officer, and the Officer caſt thee in Priſon.
V. 25. Verily thou ſhalt not come out thence, till thou haſt paid the uttermoſt Farthing.
Chriſt goes on further to commend unto us Reconciliation, and the ſcope of theſe words is, 1 that we ſhould endeavour to be reconciled with that perſon whom we have offended, this is done,
1 By confeſſing our evil, Luke 17.3, 4.
2 By profeſſing our ſorrow for it, Luke 17.4.
3 By declaring that we would willingly that the thing we have done were undone; and if it were to do again we would not in any vviſe do it; this is ſatisfaction, 2 Cor. 2.7, 8.
4 By making a juſt apology to our Adverſary, Joſh. 22.26. The two Tribes and an half made an Altar beyond Jordan, but not for burnt-offering, nor for ſacrifice, with which apology, that the Altar was made onelyonly for civil uſe, the reſt of the Tribes were ſatisfied, for want of which apology the Benjamites were deſtroyed, Judges 20.43.
2 That the perſon offended ſhould accept ſatisfaction, and not ſhew himſelf irreconcilable, or hard to forgive a Wrong, Mark 11.25. Forgive if ye have ought againſt any, that your heavenly Father may forgive you your treſpaſſes. Col. 3.13. Much more bear offences in Wives, and Freinds, and Servants, which are made up with ſo many benefits.
Now this Forgiveneſs contains,
1 A removal of inward grudg and diſpleaſure, Levit. 19.18.
2 Forbearance of all manner of Revenge, Rom. 12 19.
3 To be lovingly affected and ready to do good, as if we had not been offended at this perſon, ſo Joſeph towards his Brethren.
Queſt. But muſt we forgive all offences?
Anſw. In offences done againſt us are two things,
1 The Injury. 2. The Damage. For example,
A man ſtrikes a Tradeſman or a labouring man, ſo that he keeps his bed, and is at expences for the cure of the Wound, beſides he hath loſt what he might have earned, and ſpent that he might have ſaved. Exod. 21.18, 19. The Injury muſt be forgiven, that is, that want of love my Neighbour oweth me, but the damage is to be forgiven, when Wiſdom and Charity requires, for we are not to ſtand upon our right in every trifle, 1 Cor. 6.7.
Queſt. In what order are we to forgive?
Anſw. We are to forgive if a perſon do not ask pardon, Mark 11.25. but we are not to profeſs our forgiveneſs unleſs he profeſs his repentance, Luke 17.4.