N01597:20
Febrifugium. An essay for the cure of ungoverned anger: in a sermon preached, at the proposal and on the occasion, of a man under a sentence of death, for a murder committed by him in his anger. At Boston, 23. d. III. m. 1717. : [Two lines of quotation in Latin]
Boston: printed by J. Allen for Benjamin Gray, 1717
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
There was a Caution once given; Judg. XVIII. 25. Let not thy Voice be heard among us, lest Angry Folks run upon thee. But I don't use to be afraid of the Fools. It is now Especially to Angry Folks, that my Voice is to be directed. But the whole Auditory is deeply concerned. Let every Person in it, be flow to wrath, and receive with Meekness, the Word, which, Oh! how well would it be for us, if it might be Engrafted into our Souls!
There was a Caution once given; Judg. XVIII. 25. Let not thy Voice be heard among us, lest Angry Folks run upon thee. But I don't use to be afraid of the Fools. It is now Especially to Angry Folks, that my Voice is to be directed. But the whole Auditory is deeply concern'd. Let every Person in it, be flow to wrath, and receive with Meekness, the Word, which, Oh! how well would it be for us, if it might be Engrafted into our Souls!
I. 'Tis the Grace of MEEKNESS, which is to deliver us from the Follies of UNGOVERNED ANGER; A Grace how much to be wished for, to be studied for, to be laboured for! — The meekness of Wisdom. An Ornament often and highly Commended in the Oracles of GOD! — Glorious Things are spoken of thee, O thou Ornament of Christianity!
The meekness to be desired is, that whereof we read; Gal. V. 22, ⟨p. 10⟩23, The Fruit of the Spirit, is meekness. And it being a Grace which is a Fruit of the Holy Spirit, it is peculiar to them, whom the Holy Spirit has Renewed and Quickened; and who have begun to live unto GOD. It is the meekness, which is put on by the Elect of GOD, who are become Holy and Beloved. My Friend, Until a Principle of PIETY have animated thy Soul, it will be a Stranger to the True, Right, Genuine Meekness; UNGOVERNED ANGER will be one of thy unhealed Maladies.
There is a Meekness of Complexion, wherewith some are advantaged. They are of a more stayed, a more settled, a more composed Humour than other Men; and so Phlegmatic is their Complexion, that they be not soon Enraged. There is also a Meekness of Morality, wherewith some are Beautified. Rational Contemplations of pure Philosophy, have mightily composed their Souls; and the Lessons of Morality have ⟨p. 11⟩sweetly tempered them. Yea, But the Meekness after which we are to aspire, should be of an Higher elevation in Christianity; It should be nothing short of that; Jam. III. 17. The Wisdom that is from above, which is Peaceable, Gentle, Easy to be Entreated.
There is a Meekness of Complexion, wherewith some are advantaged. They are of a more stayed, a more settled, a more composed Humour than other Men; and so Phlegmatick is their Complexion, that they be not soon Enraged. There is also a Meekness of Morality, wherewith some are Beautified. Rational Contemplations of pure Philosophy, have mightily composed their Souls; and the Lessons of Morality have ⟨p. 11⟩sweetly tempered them. Yea, But the Meekness after which we are to aspire, should be of an Higher elevation in Christianity; It should be nothing short of that; Jam. III. 17. The Wisdom that is from above, which is Peaceable, Gentle, Easy to be Entreated.
I will give one Remarkable Difference, between the Meekness of mere Nature; and that more Spiritual Meekness which a Mind Rectified by the Holy Spirit of GOD arrives unto. The Meekness of mere Nature is equally Insensible under all sorts of Provocations. But the Meekness of a Sanctified Mind is not so. In the former Meekness Men are as unconcerned about Abuses offered unto GOD, as they are about Abuses offered unto themselves. But in the latter Meekness it is not so. We are to be Easy, when Abuses are offered unto our selves. And this from a Principle of Obedience and Submission unto GOD. At the same Time, when ⟨p. 12⟩Abuses are offered unto our glorious GOD, Now a Certain Commotion of Zeal should-be raised in us. Now we should be Zealous, be Troubled, be grieved. Now with an Holy Anger we should let it be seen, Things are not, as we should have them to be! A Meek Man should say, In aliis Mansuetus ero; at in Injuriis contra Christum non ita. No Injuries but what are offered unto GOD, shall make any Impressions on my Mansuetude.
I will give one Remarable Difference, between the Meekness of meer Nature; and that more Spiritual Meekness which a Mind Rectified by the Holy Spirit of GOD arrives unto. The Meekness of meer Nature is equally Insensible under all sorts of Provocations. But the Meekness of a Sanctified Mind is not so. In the former Meekness Men are as unconcerned about Abuses offered unto GOD, as they are about Abuses offered unto themselves. But in the latter Meekness it is not so. We are to be Easy, when Abuses are offered unto our selves. And this from a Principle of Obedience and Submission unto GOD. At the same Time, when ⟨p. 12⟩Abuses are offered unto our glorious GOD, Now a Certain Commotion of Zeal should-be raised in us. Now we should be Zealous, be Troubled, be grieved. Now with an Holy Anger we should let it be seen, Things are not, as we should have them to be! A Meek Man should say, In aliis Mansuetus ero; at in Injuriis contra Christum non ita. No Injuries but what are offered unto GOD, shall make any Impressions on my Mansuetude.
Briefly. 'Tis prescribed, Eph. IV. 26. Be Angry, but do not Sin. The Rule for this would be, Be Angry at nothing but Sin. I humbly conceive, That this may be fairly maintained, as the Golden Rule of Meekness. If you would not Sin in your Anger, let nothing but Sin be the Object of your Anger. If Anger begin to boil, Examine, Is there any Sin against GOD committed, in what I am going to be Angry at? If there be None, it will be Meekness of Wisdom to throw away no Anger ⟨p. 13⟩upon it. That so a Gracious Meekness may adorn us;
Briefly. 'Tis praescribed, Eph. IV. 26. Be Angry, but do not Sin. The Rule for this would be, Be Angry at nothing but Sin. I humbly conceive, That this may be fairly maintained, as the Golden Rule of Meckness. If you would not Sin in your Anger, let nothing but Sin be the Object of your Anger. If Anger begin to boil, Examine, Is there any Sin against GOD committed, in what I am going to be Angry at? If there be None, it will be Meekness of Wisdom to throw away no Anger ⟨p. 13⟩upon it. That so a Gracious Meekness may adorn us;
First. We are to make our Supplications and Resignations, unto the Holy SPIRIT of GOD our SAVIOUR; to obtain the Grace of Meekness from Him. It was Enjoined of old, Seek ye the Lord, All ye Meek of the Earth. 'Tis now to be the Injunction laid upon us all, Seek ye the Lord, That ye may be made the Meek of the Earth Yea, Seek Meekness, is the Thing Expressly directed to. When Meekness is called for, there is that Direction given for the obtaining of it; Jam. 1.5. If any of you lack Wisdom, let him ask of GOD, and it shall be given him;—The Wisdom to steer clear of UNGOVERNED ANGER, with a Spirit of Meekness. My Angry Brother, Carry that Froward Heart of thine unto the Holy SPIRIT of GOD thy SAVIOUR, and plead, O my GOD, I have the Heart of a fierce Tiger in me, but thou canst change my Heart, and make ⟨p. 14⟩me as meek as a Lamb. I put my Heart into thy Hand; O do Thou take possession of it, and keep down and put out those Hellish Fires, that are too Easily kindled there! When Eliphaz imagined, that Job was too fretful, he told him, I doubt, Thou Restrainest Prayer. Certainly, If our Fretting don't kill our Praying, our Praying will do much to Cure our Fretting. We are bidden, to List up Holy Hands without Wrath. Let us do it Against Wrath, and anon we shall not only Pray without Wrath, but also Live without it. But if a Man have a Choleric Devil obstinately infesting of him;—it may be, The Kind will not go out without Fasting and Prayer. Certainly, That Extraordinary Method, may be worth taking, rather than have such a Devil resting in our Bosom.
First. We are to make our Supplications and Resignations, unto the Holy SPIRIT of GOD our SAVIOUR; to obtain the Grace of Meekness from Him. It was Enjoyned of old, Seek ye the Lord, All ye Meek of the Earth. 'Tis now to be the Injunction laid upon us all, Seek ye the Lord, That ye may be made the Meek of the Earth Yea, Seek Meekness, is the Thing Expresly directed to. When Meekness is called for, there is that Direction given for the obtaining of it; Jam. 1.5. If any of you lack Wisdom, let him ask of GOD, and it shall be given him;—The Wisdom to steer clear of UNGOVERNED ANGER, with a Spirit of Meekness. My Angry Brother, Carry that Froward Heart of thine unto the Holy SPIRIT of GOD thy SAVIOUR, and plead, O my GOD, I have the Heart of a fierce Tyger in me, but thou canst change my Heart, and make
Secondly. Having so sought Meekness, let us now proceed unto the Exercises of it.
You are aware; That Meekness does not propose to Destroy our ⟨p. 15⟩Anger, but only to Govern it. It may sometimes be not only Lawful, but also Needful, to be Angry. That most Consummate Pattern and Fountain of all Goodness, our SAVIOUR Himself, when he had some Sinful People about Him, we read, Mar. III. 5. He looked round about on them with Anger. Goodness it self may have Anger in it; Meekness it self may be Angry. But then, First; Meekness must Govern our Anger, as to the Reasons of it. You must be well-advised by Meekness, against that Weakness, of being, Angry without a Cause; Lest you be pleased no otherwise than,—you know how! Particularly; Be sure, To be Angry at a Good Thing; This cannot be Good. When the words of GOD in Sound Doctrines, or in Just Reproofs are brought unto us, 'tis a Wicked Thing to be Angry at them. A Wickedness exemplified by the Hearers of our […]; Act. VII. 54. When they heard these thing, they gnashed on ⟨p. 16⟩him with their Teeth. Nor is it any Better to be Angry at the Works of GOD, either in our own Adversity, or in the Prosperity of others, or suppose, the Accidents of the Weather disappointing of us. Jonah has the leaves of his Alcherva failing him; And now, Dost thou well to be Angry, Jonah? Hush; Do not say, Thou Dost! But then, I will go on with my Limitations, Take these Two; Be not Angry for Nothing; and, Be not Angry for Every Thing. Both of these are Exorbitances. Your Anger should not be for Nothing. If you are Angry you should be Able to give a sufficient, and a significant Account, why you are so! Not fret and fume for you know not what your selves: Nor upon a mere mistake, a mere Fancy, and ungrounded suspicion; some wrong Information. Over all your Anger, and all that you do or speak in your Anger be able to say with him; I Sam. XVII. 29. Is there not a Cause? Nor should ⟨p. 17⟩Anger be for Every Thing. What? For the Landing of every little Skiff, to set the Beacons on Fire? By no means. To be Angry, for every Trifle: Upon the breaking of a Glass, the spilling of a Cup, every little Blunder of a Servant, some small Disrespect shown to our Character, presently an uproar to be made in our Souls! By no means. About your Anger take that Advice;
Secondly. Meekness must Govern our Anger as to the Seasons of it. If you are Angry out of Time, Verily, your Spirit is out of Tune. You make wretched Jars, if you don't keep Time in your Anger. There are Two Cautions to be tendered you.
Secondly. Meekness must Govern our Anger as to the Seasons of it. If you are Angry out of Time, Verily, your Spirit is out of Tune. You make wretched Jars, if you don't keep Time in your Anger. There are Two Cautions to be tendred you.
One Caution is this; You must not be Angry too Soon. What a Reprimand have our short-winded, hasty, huffy People, given to them! In Prov. XIV. 17. He that is soon Angry, dealeth foolishly. Sirs, My ⟨p. 18⟩proposal is worth hearkening to; Never be Angry without first Pausing a little, and Thinking, Will my Anger be proper here? There was an Heathen Emperor, who would not permit his Anger to break forth at any thing, until he had made such a pause, as to recite the Letters of the Alphabet. There was a Christian Emperor, who would not permit the Indignations of Anger at any thing to boil within him, until he had made such a pause as to recite, The Lords Prayer. Thus the Brave Men, that had Rule over other Men, in this gave a Demonstration that they could […] themselves also. A Glorious Dominion, and that without which, Be it known to you, O Men of Quality, No Dominion will be Glorious. A Delay of Anger, until the fittest minute for the working of it; How Profitable, how Serviceable, would it be; what Precipitations would it save us from! The Discretion of a Man, is never more Conspicuous, ⟨p. 19⟩than when he Deferreth his Anger. I question, Whether any Man ever found himself a Loser by doing so. This I am sure of; He that is slow to Anger is better than the mighty.
One Caution is this; You must not be Angry too Soon. What a Reprimand have our short-winded, hasty, huffy People, given to them! In Prov. XIV. 17. He that is soon Angry, dealeth foolishly. Syrs, My ⟨p. 18⟩proposal is worth hearkening to; Never be Angry without first Pausing a little, and Thinking, Will my Anger be proper here? There was an Heathen Emperor, who would not permit his Anger to break forth at any thing, until he had made such a pause, as to recite the Letters of the Alphabet. There was a Christian Emperor, who would not permit the Indignations of Anger at any thing to boil within him, until he had made such a pause as to recite, The Lords Prayer. Thus the Brave Men, that had Rule over other Men, in this gave a Demonstration that they could 〈…〉 themselves also. A Glorious Dominion, and that without which, Be it known to you, O Men of Quality, No Dominion will be Glorious. A Delay of Anger, until the fittest minute for the working of it; How Profitable, how Serviceable, would it be; what Praecipitations would it save us from! The Discretion of a Man, is never more Conspicuous,
Another Caution is this; You must not be Angry too Long. It is the Apostolical Charge; Eph. IV. 26. Let not the Sun go down in your Wrath. I hope, you would not have the Sun carry such a story of you, to the People of the other Hemisphere, That you are Implacable. Our Anger, like the Manna of old, will stink, if it be kept until the next Morning: But in this thing otherwise than the Manna, That it Stinks worst of all, when kept until the Sabbath. We should not give such an Evil Spirit leave to stay a Night under the Roof with us. The Apostle in this passage, may allude unto the Law; If a Man have Committed a Sin worthy of Death, and he be put to Death, and they hang him on a Tree, his Body shall not remain all night upon the Tree; thou ⟨p. 20⟩must bury him in any wise that very Day. Even so; If a Man have Committed a Sin worthy of thy Wrath, yet thy Angry Resentment thereof, must not remain all night; Thou shalt bury it in any wise, that very Day. Yea, There is a Cursed Carcass hanging in thy Soul, as long as Anger is discomposing of thee. Sirs, I have another proposal, which will be worth hearkening to; going to Rest, every Night, make it a Rest indeed, by being able to say, There is no body in the World, but what my mind is in an Easy Frame unto! This I will affirm Constantly. An Immortal Anger very ill becomes Mortal People.
Another Caution is this; You must not be Angry too Long. It is the Apostolical Charge; Eph. IV. 26. Let not the Sun go down in your Wrath. I hope, you would not have the Sun carry such a story of you, to the People of the other Haemisphaere, That you are Implacable. Our Anger, like the Manna of old, will stink, if it be kept until the next Morning: But in this thing otherwise than the Manna, That it Stinks worst of all, when kept until the Sabbath. We should not give such an Evil Spirit leave to stay a Night under the Roof with us. The Apostle in this passage, may allude unto the Law; If a Man have Committed a Sin worthy of Death, and he be put to Death, and they hang him on a Tree, his Body shall not remain all night upon the Tree; thou ⟨p. 20⟩must bury him in any wise that very Day. Even so; If a Man have Committed a Sin worthy of thy Wrath, yet thy Angry Resentment thereof, must not remain all night; Thou shalt bury it in any wise, that very Day. Yea, There is a Cursed Carcase hanging in thy Soul, as long as Anger is discomposing of thee. Syrs, I have another proposal, which will be worth hearkening to; going to Rest, every Night, make it a Rest indeed, by being able to say, There is no body in the World, but what my mind is in an Easy Frame unto! This I will affirm Constantly. An Immortal Anger very ill becomes Mortal People.
Thirdly. Meekness must Govern our Anger, as to the Measures of it. If we must be Angry, yet, why Raving? Why Frantic? Why like a slated House on Flame, so violent that there shall be no coming anear you! If Angry, yet what need of being Transported into a Fury? and Flinging Things to and fro, ⟨p. 21⟩as if you were mad? Fie, for shame! Why must you fall to Railing, why to Revenge, on the Person whom your Anger is pointed at? I'll show you a picture of this Anger! 'Tis in I Sam. XX. 30. Then Sauls Anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou Son of the Perverse, Rebellious Woman! What a madman is here? He calls his own Son, A Whores-bird?— The Anger is unbounded, when it breaks forth into Reproaching, into Reviling, into Taunts and unmannerly Expressions. But what, when into Blows, from a Fist of Wickedness? Blows; and it may be a poor Beast must feel them too. Brutish, Anger, and such as degrades the Man down into the very Class that he quarrels with! So Balaam; his Anger was Kindled, and he Smote the Ass with a Staff! An Anger that will spend it self in outrages upon an Horse, upon a Dog, upon a Tool that fails us; how worse than C•••dish is it! I may say, Cursed ⟨p. 22⟩is their Anger, for it is fierce; and their wrath, for it is cruel! One thing more is to be spoken. Beware of making any Vows, in your Anger; Vows dictated by Anger; The worst Counsellor in the World! Vows, wherein the Third Commandment is horribly Violated ! And, Oh! Beware of all Angry Imprecations; All Wishes that carry Curses in them: All Wishes of any Damage to your selves or others. An Elijah himself had need keep a Watch over himself, when Anger shall indispose him. Especially, let provoked Parents […] such Ebullitions. Parents, […] undutiful Children give you any Provocations? Take heed that your Anger do not throw out any imprecations upon them. 'Tis a Thousand to One, that a Righteous GOD will say, Amen, unto them; and you may see Things done, that when you are cool, you would have greatly deprecated.
Thirdly. Meekness must Govern our Anger, as to the Measures of it. If we must be Angry, yet, why Raving? Why Frantick? Why like a slated House on Flame, so violent that there shall be no coming anear you! If Angry, yet what need of being Transported into a Fury? and Flinging Things to and fro,
The Grace of Meekness, Oh! ⟨p. 23⟩What a Golden Curb, would it keep upon us?
II. There are some Wise Considerations, with which we are to check the Follies of UNGOVERNED ANGER; Things which Well-Considered would lay the Easy Yoke of Meekness upon us. The Truth is, Angry People, are always Inconsiderate. Anger would be marvellously allayed, if People would but Consider a little more. But there are some Considerations, which are special Anger-Quellers; They are Specifics for the Cure of the Malady; Singular, Adapted, Potent Febrifuges.
II. There are some Wise Considerations, with which we are to check the Follies of UNGOVERNED ANGER; Things which Well-Considered would lay the Easy Yoke of Meekness upon us. The Truth is, Angry People, are always Inconsiderate. Anger would be mavellously allay'd, if People would but Consider a little more. But there are some Considerations, which are special Anger-Quellers; They are Specificks for the Cure of the Maladie; Singular, Adapted, Potent Febrifuges.
You are aware; That Meekness does not propose to Destroy our ⟨p. 15⟩Anger, but only to Govern it. It may sometimes be not only Lawful, but also Needful, to be Angry. That most Consummate Pattern and Fountain of all Goodness, our SAVIOUR Himself, when he had some Sinful People about Him, we read, Mar. III. 5. He looked round about on them with Anger. Goodness it self may have Anger in it; Meekness it self may be Angry. But then, First; Meekness must Govern our Anger, as to the Reasons of it. You must be well-advised by Meekness, against that Weakness, of being, Angry without a Cause; Lest you be pleased no otherwise than,—you know how! Particularly; Be sure, To be Angry at a Good Thing; This cannot be Good. When the words of GOD in Sound Doctrines, or in Just Reproofs are brought unto us, 'tis a Wicked Thing to be Angry at them. A Wickedness exemplified by the Hearers of our 〈…〉; Act. VII. 54. When they heard these thing, they gnashed on ⟨p. 16⟩him with their Teeth. Nor is it any Better to be Angry at the Works of GOD, either in our own Adversity, or in the Prosperity of others, or suppose, the Accidents of the Weather disappointing of us. Jonah has the leaves of his Alcherva failing him; And now, Dost thou well to be Angry, Jonah? Hush; Do not say, Thou Dost! But then, I will go on with my Limitations, Take these Two; Be not Angry for Nothing; and, Be not Angry for Every Thing. Both of these are Exorbitances. Your Anger should not be for Nothing. If you are Angry you should be Able to give a sufficient, and a significant Account, why you are so! Not fret and fume for you know not what your selves: Nor upon a meer mistake, a meer Fancy, and ungrounded suspicion; some wrong Information. Over all your Anger, and all that you do or speak in your Anger be able to say with him; I Sam. XVII. 29. Is there not a Cause? Nor should ⟨p. 17⟩Anger be for Every Thing. What? For the Landing of every little Skiff, to set the Becons on Fire? By no means. To be Angry, for every Trifle: Upon the breaking of a Glass, the spilling of a Cup, every little Blunder of a Servant, some small Disrespect shown to our Character, presently an uprore to be made in our Souls! By no means. About your Anger take that Advice; Jam. I. 19. Let every Man be slow to speak, slow to wrath.
