An exposition upon the Epistle to the Colossians Wherein, not only the text is…An exposition vpon the Epistle to the Colossians Wherein, not onely the text is…

¹Now for the second, anger may be considered as laudable and good: for that there is such an anger, I will not stand upon the distinction of the schoolmen, that there is anger of zeal, and anger of vice: the Scripture manifestly shows there may be good anger. The Apostle saith, Be angry and sin not^c. And Solomon saith, Anger is better then laughter^d, and the Evangelist saith, ⟨p. 55⟩our Saviour looked about upon them angerly^e, and Saint Matthew saith, he that is angry with his brother without a cause^f, as if he would acknowledge a just anger, when there was a just cause of anger. Now this good anger, is a godly passion of just zeal, of justice, conceived against sin in our selves or others, that desireth just revenge, to the saving of the person, appeasing of Gods anger, or the promoting of the kingdom of Christ. I say, it is a godly passion. For there are two sorts of natural passions: Some are so evil, they can never be good, as envy. Some are so natural, as they may be either good or evil as they agree or disagree with the law of God, and such is anger. I say just zeal, for I know that every zeal hath not always either good cause or good effect. I add against sin, because it must not be our indignation at the person. And we may be angry and vexed at our own sins, as Paul was^g, aswell as at the sins of others. And revenge also is the end of anger: for so may a Christian be revenged on himself as a fruit of godly sorrow^h; as also he may desire the just revenge of the Magistrate upon others, the end must be to save the person, not to express our spleens, and to appease Gods wrath, as Phinehas did, and others of Gods servants: And lastly, to promote Christs kingdom, by saving a soul from sinⁱ