A20760:532
Four treatises tending to dissuade all Christians from four no less heinous then common…Foure treatises tending to disswade all Christians from foure no lesse hainous then common…
Four treatises tending to dissuade all Christians from four no less heinous then common sins; namely, the abuses of swearing, drunkenness, whoredom, and bribery. Wherein the greatness and odiousness of these vices is discovered; and the means and remedies, which may either preserve, or wean men from them, are propounded. Whereunto is annexed a treatise of anger. By John Downame Bachelor in Divinity, and preacher of Gods word.Foure treatises tending to disswade all Christians from foure no lesse hainous then common sinnes; namely, the abuses of swearing, drunkennesse, whoredome, and briberie. Wherein the greatnes and odiousnesse of these vices is discouered; and the meanes and remedies, which may either preserue, or weane men from them, are propounded. Whereunto is annexed a treatise of anger. By Iohn Dovvname Batcheler in Diuinitie, and preacher of Gods word.
London: printed by Felix Kyngston for William Welby, 1609
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Considering therefore that this turbulent vice of unjust anger is in the eyes of God so heinous,1 in regard of us so general, and in respect of it own nature so strong & violent, I purpose to entreat of it at large, to the end we may learn the better to prevent it, or the more easily to subdue it. And to this purpose I will first show what it is, and what are the causes and properties thereof; secondly, the kinds of it; and lastly, I will prescribe the preservatives and medicines, whereby we may cure this vice in our selves, or in others.
Considering therefore that this turbulent vice of vniust anger is in the eyes of God so hainous,1 in regard of vs so generall, and in respect of it owne nature so strong & violent, I purpose to intreat of it at large, to the end we may learne the better to preuent it, or the more easily to subdue it. And to this purpose I will first shew what it is, and what are the causes and properties thereof; secondly, the kindes of it; and lastly, I will prescribe the preseruatiues and medicines, whereby we may cure this vice in our selues, or in others.
- 1Sect. 3.
For the first.1 Unjust anger is a wrongful and an unreasonable desire of revenge, stirred up in us by unjust causes, whereby we having no respect of the glory of God, nor the good of our selves or our brethren, are after an unjust & immoderate manner, angry with them with whom we ought not to be angry. That unjust anger is a desire of revenge,2 it is so evident that it needeth no proof: for we know by daily experience, that he who is provoked unto anger by an injury offered in truth or in his opinion, desireth revenge according to the nature of the injury received, or the opinion which he hath conceived of it. If he be injured by a scornful look he seeketh to revenge it with a disdainful countenance: if by words he revengeth by words; if in deeds he desireth to revenge by deeds; yea oftentimes the fury of anger casting a mist before the sight of reason, causeth small injuries to seem great, & according to that false opinion, inciteth men to take revenge without all proportion. For an angry look with angry words, for angry words with blows, and for blows with death, according to the violence of the affection, and not the quality of the injury received.