Spiritual physic to cure the diseases of the soul, arising from superfluity of choler,…Spiritual physicke to cure the diseases of the soule, arising from superfluitie of choller,…

Sect. 9.

The third sort is of them who are ¹easily provoked unto anger, and being provoked will never be reconciled. These men are monsters in nature, and flat opposite to the Lord: for whereas he is slow to anger and ready to forgive, they are most slow to forgive and most prone to anger. This anger I know not how to express, nor to what I may compare it, seeing natural things cannot resemble it, because it is monstrous and against the nature of all things saving man. For the most fierce Lions & cruel Tigers have some cause which incenseth them to anger, and some measure and end of their fury after it is provoked: and therefore they are far worse who are angry without a cause and know not how to make an end. Seeing therefore natural things are not fit to resemble ⟨p. 45⟩them, let us consider artificial. they are like unto tinder, which being kindled with the least spark will also retain the fire till it be consumed: but herein they are unlike; the tinder may easily be extinguished but their anger can by no means be mitigated, the tinder doth but consume it self, or at the least those things which are near about it, but those that are from them furthest distant are often scorched with the burning heat of their furious passion. It is like unto vvild fire which most easily taketh hold of every thing and is most hardly quenched, but herein it is far more violent and pernicious, that whereas wild fire may be extinguished with Vinegar or Milk, this can be quenched only with blood yea with the heart blood. There is nothing therefore in the world natural or artificial, which doth sufficiently express this vile affection; it only can be resembled by the malice of Satan, who for no cause maligned God and us, and yet his malice will never have end, unless therefore we would be worse then all things natural or artificial, yea as bad as the