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. 4.

And so much for those means and remedies, whereby we may prevent and repel anger before we fall into it. Now in the next place I will set down, how we are to behave our selves after that anger hath made an entrance, and taken place in us. And this the Apostle teacheth us in the restraint: Let not the Sun go down on your wrath. That is, if thorough infirmity ye fall into unjust anger, yet continue not in it, but rather abandon this corrupt affection with all possible speed. So that our anger must not sleep with us, and after we awake, awake also; we must not use it like our garments, lay it aside overnight, with a purpose to take it again the next day: but rather we are to put it off like the old man, with full resolution never again to entertain or assume it, or like some polluted rags which are not worth ⟨p. 71⟩the wearing. And this must we do not once or twice, but if every day with the sun anger arise in our harts, we are every day to dislodge and expel it, before the sun going down. And as the night doth cool the heat which in the day time the sun hath made; so must it also quench the flames of anger kindled in our harts. And not without ¹great reason he requireth that before night cometh, we abandon anger, for otherwise we shall give place to the devils tentations, as he intimateth in the words following: for having exhorted, us not to let the sun go down on our wrath he presently addeth: Neither give place to the devil. Noting thereby that they who do not only entertain anger in the day, but also lodge it in the night, do thereby lay them selves open to the fiery darts of Satan. For he continually goeth about like a roaring seeking ²