Sect. 1.

And so much for the first part of my text, wherein just anger is commanded: now I am to speak of unjust anger forbidden in the words following But sin not, that is by falling into corrupt and unjust anger. Which ¹vicious affection is not only here condemned but also in other places of the scripture, as in the 31. verse of this Chapter, Let all bitterness, and anger, and wrath, and evil speaking, be put away from you with all maliciousness. So Col. 3. 8. Put ye away all these things, wrath, anger, maliciousness, ²&c. and in the 5. Chapter of the Gala. verse 20. 21. it is reckoned among the ³works of the flesh which who so follow shall no inherit the kingdom of God. It is forbidden also in the sixth commandment under the name of murder; both because it is the chief means and cause which moveth men thereunto, as also because it is the murder of the hart, and therefore murder in truth in Gods sight, who more respecteth the hart then the hands, for a ⟨p. 22⟩man may be innocent before him, though his hands have slain his neighbour if his hart have not consented thereunto, as appeareth in the old law, where Cities of refuge were appointed for such by the Lords own commandment: but if the hart have consented and desired any way to violate the person of our neighbour (which unjust anger always affecteth) though our hands are free from the act, we are guilty of murder in the sight of God. And this our saviour Christ teacheth us in the exposition of the sixth commandment Math. 5. 22. Whosoever is angry with his ⁴brother unadvisedly is culpable of judgement. By these places it is evident that anger is forbidden and condemned as a great sin, and therefore it is to be avoided of us as a most dangerous enemy to our souls health. Which