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…

And the first reason may be taken from the vile nature of it. It is a vice so transcendent, that it passeth other vices; it hath been usually said, that to be angry is humane, but to persevere in anger (which is this malice) is devilish: and therefore it is reckoned in the first to the Romans, amongst the monstrous sins, which the monstrous Gentiles fell into: besides, to hate and be hateful, is a dangerous sign of unregeneracy^f, even that a man was never truly converted, for he that saith he is in the light and hateth his brother, is in darkness even till now^g. Thirdly, it is worthy to be repented of and carefully shunned, even for the ill effects of it, for it is like leaven^h, it will sour and spoil whatsoever ⟨p. 58⟩praise-worthy qualities were in a man before: and it is a great let both to the word and prayer; and thence it is that the Apostle Peter exhorts, that if we would grow by the word in affection and practise, we must then lay aside all malice and envyⁱ: and the Apostle James shows in his 4th chapter^k, that many desire, and ask and have not, and he implies that (among other things) their warring, and fighting, and jangling contentions were the cause of it. But our Saviour Christ is expressly plain, that if mens stomachs be so big, they will not forgive, the Lord will not forgive them, though they be never so importunate^l: and besides, men that in their passionate grudges, are so hasty to strife, are many times brought to those straits in the end, that they know not what to do, when they are put to shame by their adversaries^m. Further, Solomon observes, that men that think to hide their grudge and hatred, have their wickedness, many times, showed before the whole congregation