A20760:659
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.
CHAP. X. The remedies to cure Anger in others.
CHAP. X. The remedyes to cure Anger in others.
And so much for the remedies which serve to cure anger in our selves:1 now we are to speak of the remedies whereby we may cure it in others. The first means to mitigate anger in another, is to use silence: for as the fire cannot long continue if the wood be taken from it, so anger cannot long endure, if words and cross answers be not ⟨p. 78⟩multiplied: whereas on the other side, cross speeches and perverse replies, make the choleric man proceed from anger to rage, from folly to fury and madness. And this the wise man teacheth us. Prou. 26.21.2 As the coal maketh burning coals and wood a fire, so the contentious man is apt to kindle strife. 3So Chap. 30. and the last verse. As he that wringeth his nose causeth blood to come out: so he that forceth wrath bringeth forth strife. By silent yielding therefore thou mayest easily abate another's anger, whereas cross answers make it ragingly violent. For as the cannon shot looseth his force, if it light in soft earth or wool, but dasheth the stony wall in pieces: so the violence of the most furious anger is abated when it is not resisted, but furiously rageth, where it findeth any opposition. And hence it is that Plato calleth anger Neruos animi, qui & intenderentur acerbitate, & laxarentur mansuetudine: The nerves or sinews of the mind, which are intended & made stiff, with sharpness and bitterness, but slack and easy, with courtesy and gentleness. If therefore thou wouldest pacify another's wrath, follow the counsel of Jesus the Son of Sirach,