There is no convincing others with wrath; The wrath of man (saith the Apostle) works not the righteousness of God, (James 1.20.) That is, wrath will never bring about nor effect those righteous things, or ends, which God would have us aim at. The wrath of man puts him quite out of the way of righteousness, both out of the way of right speaking, and of right acting. To show much reason, and little passion, is our wisdom. So the Apostle gives the rule (2 Tim: 2.26.) The servant of the Lord must not strive; he doth not mean it of bodily striving; As if he had said, he must not be a fighter. As when the Apostle saith (1 Tim: 3.3.) A Minister must not be a striker; It can hardly be thought he should intend only, if at all, that Ministers should not be like grossly boisterous men, who are not so much as Civill in their behaviour; surely such are far enough off from a fitness to be received into the Ministry; therefore some expound the Apostle to the point in hand, he must be no striker with his tongue in passion, anger, and wrath, no word-striker. There is great striking, yea, wounding with words. Though Ministers must strike and wound with the authority of God, yet not with their own animosities. They must wound the consciences of sinners, with the Word and Spirit of God, but not with their own wrathful spirits; such strikers they may not be, nor may the servant of the Lord strive thus, but be gentle to all men, apt to teach, yea, patient in teaching. It is a great exercise of patience to teach, with line upon line, precept upon precept; When we see little received or heeded, yet to insist upon it, this is patience; In meekness instructing such as oppose themselves, if God peradventure will give repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth. As the Apostle James exhorts (Chap. 1.21.) to receive the word with meekness; that's a most necessary rule in hearing the word; for many times the hearer is in a passion, there is ⟨p. 101⟩such a storm in his bowels that he cannot hear to purpose, therefore if any would receive the engrafted word, they must receive it with meekness. I say also the word should be given out or spoken in meekness, though not with coldness; I do not say with coldness or with a slightness of spirit, but with meekness.
There is no convincing others with wrath; The wrath of man (saith the Apostle) works not the righteousnesse of God, (James 1.20.) That is, wrath will never bring about nor effect those righteous things, or ends, which God would have us ayme at. The wrath of man puts him quite out of the way of righteousnesse, both out of the way of right speaking, and of right acting. To shew much reason, and little passion, is our wisdome. So the Apostle gives the rule (2 Tim: 2.26.) The servant of the Lord must not strive; he doth not meane it of bodily striving; As if he had said, he must not be a fighter. As when the Apostle saith (1 Tim: 3.3.) A Minister must not be a striker; It can hardly be thought he should intend only, if at all, that Ministers should not be like grossly boysterous men, who are not so much as Civill in their behaviour; surely such are farre enough off from a fitness to be received into the Ministry; therefore some expound the Apostle to the poynt in hand, he must be no striker with his tongue in passion, anger, and wrath, no word-striker. There is great striking, yea, wounding with words. Though Ministers must strike and wound with the authority of God, yet not with their owne animosities. They must wound the consciences of sinners, with the Word and Spirit of God, but not with their own wrathfull spirits; such strikers they may not be, nor may the servant of the Lord strive thus, but be gentle to all men, apt to teach, yea, patient in teaching. It is a great exercise of patience to teach, with line upon line, precept upon precept; When we see little received or heeded, yet to insist upon it, this is patience; In meeknesse instructing such as oppose themselves, if God peradventure will give repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth. As the Apostle James exhorts (Chap. 1.21.) to receive the word with meeknesse; that's a most necessary rule in hearing the word; for many times the hearer is in a passion, there is ⟨p. 101⟩such a storme in his bowels that he cannot heare to purpose, therefore if any would receive the ingraffed word, they must receive it with meeknesse. I say also the word should be given out or spoken in meekness, though not with coldnesse; I doe not say with coldnesse or with a slightness of spirit, but with meeknesse.
