1The remedies against malice follow: and they are of two sorts. For malice is to be medicined in our own hearts, or avoided; or it is to be compounded, or prevented in others. Now to take order that malice might not infect us, these rules are to be observed. First, we must take heed of the causes of malice, and they are either within us or without us; within us there is prides, and impatience, and envy, and in some nature a very lust to contend, a kind of petulancy, and a very spirit of contradiction; now unless we keep out or subdue these, it cannot be, but grudge and malicious discords will transport us. Again, without us, there is the tale-bearer and scorner, and the froward person, and the busy-body, called the man of imaginations, all these must be shunned, and avoided, if we would live without malice or contention: for where no wood is, there the fire goeth out, and so where there is no tale-bearer strife ceasetht. And the like may be said of contentious and froward persons, for as coals are to burning coals, so is a contentious man to kindle strifeu. If a man fi••e himself apt to grudge or strife, it is his best way, to keep out of the way of froward persons, that may soon fire him. The like counsel must be given concerning the scorner; for, saith the Wise man, cast out the scorner and contention shall go out*: and it is sure, that he that would not be infected with hatred, his best way will be to hate the busy-body. Now if this direction will not serve the turn, then in the second place, thou must mortify thy rising malice, and confess it with grief unto God, till by prayer thou get some victory over it. Thirdly, much malice and grudge would be avoided, if we did but observe that counsel, Levit. 19.17. namely, that when we did conceive dislike of any thing in our brother, for which we did fear we should hate him, we should go to him, and reprove him, rebuking him plainly for his sin: many times a seasonable reproof draws out the poison of beginning grudge and malice. Fourthly, it is good to meditate upon the passion of Christ, and of his readiness to forgive ⟨p. 59⟩even upon the cross great wrongs, & worser enemies:
1The remedies against malice follow: and they are of two sorts. For malice is to be medicined in our owne hearts, or auoided; or it is to be compounded, or preuented in others. Now to take order that malice might not infect vs, these rules are to be obserued. First, we must take heede of the causes of malice, and they are either within vs or without vs; within vs there is prides, and impatience, and enuy, and in some nature a very lust to contend, a kinde of petulancie, and a very spirit of contradiction; now vnlesse we keepe out or subdue these, it cannot be, but grudge and malicious discords will transport vs. Againe, without vs, there is the tale-bearer and scorner, and the froward person, and the busie-body, called the man of imaginations, all these must be shunned, and auoided, if we would liue without malice or contention: for where no wood is, there the fire goeth out, and so where there is no tale-bearer strife ceasetht. And the like may be said of contentious and froward persons, for as coles are to burning coles, so is a contentious man to kindle strifeu. If a man fi••e himselfe apt to grudge or strife, it is his best way, to keep out of the way of froward persons, that may soone fire him. The like counsell must be giuen concerning the scorner; for, saith the Wiseman, cast out the scorner and contention shall goe out*: and it is sure, that he that would not be infected with hatred, his best way will be to hate the busie-body. Now if this direction will not serue the turne, then in the second place, thou must mortifie thy rising malice, and confesse it with griefe vnto God, till by prayer thou get some victory ouer it. Thirdly, much malice and grudge would be auoided, if we did but obserue that counsell, Leuit. 19.17. namely, that when we did conceiue dislike of any thing in our brother, for which we did feare we should hate him, we should go to him, and reproue him, rebuking him plainely for his sinne: many times a seasonable reproofe drawes out the poyson of beginning grudge and malice. Fourthly, it is good to meditate vpon the passion of Christ, and of his readinesse to forgiue ⟨p. 59⟩euen vpon the crosse great wrongs, & worser enemies:
- 1The remedies against malice in our selves.The remedies against malice in our selues.
- sPro. 13.10.
- tProu. 26.20.
- uProu. 26.21.
- *Pro. 22.10.
