Solution. If you resolve to consult flesh and blood in such cases, and do no more but what that will enable you to do ; never pretend to religion : Christians must do singular and supernatural things.
Object. % But if I put up siich abuses, I shall be reckoned a Jboly and every one will trample upon me.
Sol. (L) You may be reckoned so among fools, but God and good men will account it your wisdom, and the excellency of your spirits. (2.) It must be a base spirit indeed that will trample upon a meek and forgiving Christian : and thus learn to keep your hearts from re- venge under all provocations.
Season 8. ' The next season in which we are in danger of losing our ' hearts is, when we meet with great crosses and provocations ; then ' sinful passion is apt to transport the heart. It is the fault of many ' good men to be of hasty and quick spirits, when provoked, though ' they dare not concoct anger into malice ; for that would be a note ' of wickedness : yet are they very incident to sudden anger, which * is a sign of weakness." * Beza, in the life of Calvin, observes,
* B«a. in Vit. Cal. p. 100.
4)74} HOW TO KEEP THE HEART FROM KEVEXGEFUL M0TI017S*
' that he was of a keen and hasty sphit ;' and he that writes the hfe of the great Cameron, *saith, * that his anger was soon stirred to- « wards his near and familiar friends, but then he would easily de- < pose it and acknowledge his weakness/ Alas ! when provocations and trials of our patience come, we know not what spirit we are of. The eighth case therefore is this,
Case 8. Hoza the heart may he kept meelc and patient under great crosses and provocations.
There are three sorts of anger, natural^ Wy^ and sinful anger. (1.) Natural^ which is nothing else but the motion of the irascible appe- tive towards an offensive object ; and this in itself is no sin, they are propassions, rather than passions ; the infelicities, rather than the sins of nature, as Jerom calls them. Reason, saith Plutarch, is the driver, the soul is the chai'iot, and the two horses that draw it on in all its motions, are the concupiscible and irascible appetites ; whilst these are rightly managed by reason, they are not only lawful, but very useful to the soul. God would not have us to be stupid and insensate, though he would have us to be meek and patient. In Eph. i. 26. he allows the natural motion, but forbids the sinful ex- orbitancy. (2.) Holy anger, which is a pure flame, kindled by an heavenly spark of love to God, and in scripture is called zeal, which is, as one saith, the dagger which love draws in God''s quarrel. Such was Lot's against the Sodomites, and that of Moses against the idolatrous Israelites. When Scrvetus condemned Zuinglius for his harshness, his answer was. In aliis mansuetus ero, in hlasphemiis in Christum, non ita ; In other cases I will be mild, but in the cause of Christ not so. That which the world calls moderation and mildness here, is in God''s account stupidity and cowardliness ; neither of these are that which I am now persuading you to keep your hearts against. But, (3.) There is a sinful passion, that is the thing which endangers you. Now anger becomes sinful when it is either causeless. Mat. v. 22. or excessive ; and that either in measure or time, exceeding the value of the impulsive cause, be it more transient or abiding; yet it is a sin, and it is matter of humiliation before God. Now the means to keep the heart from it under provocations, are these :
Means 1. Get low and humhle thoughts of yourselves, and then you will have meek spirits, and peaceable deportments towards others. The humble is ever the patient man ; pride is the root of passion; a lofty will be a surly spirit ; bladders blown up with wind, will not lie close together ; but prick them, and you may pack a thousand in a little room : " Only by pride cometh contention," Prov. xiii. 10. When we over-rate ourselves, then we think we are unworthily treat- ed by others, and that provokes ; and here, by the way, take notice of one greatbenefitof acquaintance with your own hearts, even the meek- ening and calming of your spirits. Christian, methinks thou wouldst
HOW TO KEEP THE HEART FEOM REVENGEFUL MOTIONS. 475
know SO much of thyself, that it is impossible any should lay thee lower, or have baser thoughts of thee than thou hast of thyself. Some render the original of that text, Hab. ii. 5. thus : " The proud " man is as he that transgresseth by wine ;" and drunkards, you know, are quarrelsome. O get more humility, and that will bring you more peace.
Means 2. Be often sweetening your spirits in communion icitli God^ and they wiU not easily be imbittered with wrath towards men.
A quiet conscience never produced an unquiet conversation : the peace of God doth ^^cc^ivsiv, rule in the heart, as an vunpire appeas- ing strifes ; for so much that word, Col. iii. 15. imports. Wrath and strife are hugely 9pposite to the frame and temper of a spiritual heart, because inconsistent with the delight and contentment of that dove-like spirit which loves a sedate and quiet breast. O ! saith the soul that feeds upon the sweet communion of the Spirit, shall the sparks of provoca^ tions now catch in my passions, and raise such a smoke in my soul, as will offend and drive away the Comforter from me ? This is so effec-» tual a remedy against passion, that I durst almost venture, in a Chris- tian of a hasty nature, to make long-suffering a sign of communion with God. Seest thou such a Christian quiet and calm under provo- cations, it is very like his soul feeds upon such sweetness in God as he is loth to leave ; and on the other side, seest thou a Christian turbulent and clamorous, doubtless, all is not well within ; his spirit is like a bone out of joint, which cannot move without pain and trouble.
Means 3. Get due apprehensions of the evil nature and effects of sinful anger: Ira furor brevis ; anger is a short madness, (saith one;) Iraanimae febris (saith another ;) anger is the fever of the soul; It is the interregnum and eclipse of reason, (saith a third).
The effects of it are also very sad.