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…

The causes of unjust anger are either internal or external.¹ The internal causes are divers, as first, self love, whereby we so immoderately love our selves, that we never think of the injuries & indignities which we offer others, or else suppose them to be none; or else lightly esteem of them, as not worthy the recital; but on the other side, it maketh men heinously aggravate injuries offered unto themselves: and so to make huge mountains of small molehills; it causeth the heart easily to apprehend the wrong, busy in meditating of it being apprehended, eager in seeking revenge after meditation, and the hand no less forward in acting those tragedies which the heart hath invented. For by self love men are induced to think themselves worthy of all love and honour, and therefore if a small injury be offered unto them, they suppose that death is too small a revenge for so great an indignity offered to such worthy personages. Yea, if they be not so much respected as their haughty ambition desireth, or if others be preferred before them, and that deservedly, this is matter enough to provoke them to furious rage, not only against them of whom they are not regarded, but them also who are preferred in others judgement. And this is evident in the example of Cain, who because God respected the offering of Abel more then his,² was incensed to wrath, and had his anger so inflamed that nothing could quench it but the blood of his dear brother; and in Saul who could with no patience endure, that the praises of David should surmount his in the sight and audience of the people,³ but was enraged with deadly anger against him, who for his merits deserved to be advanced.

The causes of vniust anger are eyther internall or externall.¹ The internall causes are diuers, as first, selfe loue, wherby we so immoderately loue our selues, that we neuer thinke of the iniuries & indignities which we offer others, or els suppose them to bee none; or els lightly esteeme of them, as not worthy the recitall; but on the other side, it maketh men hainously aggrauate iniuries offered vnto themselues: and so to make huge mountaines of small molehils; it causeth the heart easily to apprehend the wrong, busie in meditating of it being apprehended, eager in seeking reuenge after meditation, and the hand no lesse forward in acting those tragedyes which the heart hath inuented. For by selfe loue men are induced to thinke themselues worthy of al loue and honour, and therefore if a small iniury be offered vnto them, they suppose that death is too small a reuenge for so great an indignitie offered to such worthy personages. Yea, if they be not so much respected as their hautie ambition desireth, or if others be preferred before them, and that deseruedly, this is matter enough to prouoke them to furious rage, not onely against them of whom they are not regarded, but them also who are preferred in others iudgement. And this is euident in the example of Caine, who because God respected the offering of Abell more then his,