The rule and exercises of holy living. In which are described the means and instruments of obtaining every vertue, and the remedies against every vice, and considerations serving to the resisting all temptations. Together with prayers containing the whole duty of a Christian, and the parts of devotion fitted to all occasions, and furnish'd for all necessities.

Remedies against unmercifulnesse, and uncharitablenesse.

1. Against Envy: by way of consideration.

Against Envy I shall use the same argument I would use to perswade a man from the Fever or the dropsie. 1. Because it is a disease, it is so far from having pleasure in it, or a temptati∣on to it, that it is full of pain, a great instru∣ment of vexation; it eats the flesh, and dries up the marrow, and makes hollow eyes, and lean cheeks, and a pale face. 2. It is nothing but a direct resolution never to enter into Hea∣ven by the way of noble pleasure taken in the good of others. 3. It is most contrary to God. 4. And a just contrary state to the felicities and actions of Heaven, where every star encreases the light of the other, and the multitude of guests at the supper of the Lamb makes the eternal meal more festival. 5. It is perfectly the state of Hell, and the passion of Devils: for they do nothing but despair in themselves, * 1.1and envy others quiet or safety, and yet cannot rejoyce either in their good, or in their evil, although they endeavour to hinder that, and procure this, with all the devices and arts of malice and of a great understanding. 6. Envy can serve no end in the world; it cannot please any thing, nor do any thing, nor hinder any thing, but the content and felicity of him that hath it. 7. Envy can never pretend to justice, as hatred and uncharitableness sometimes may: for there may be causes of hatred, and I may have wrong done me, and then hatred hath some pretence, though no just argument: But no man

is unjust or injurious for being prosperous or wise. 8. And therefore many men prosesse to hate another, but no man owns envy, as being an enmity and displeasure for no cause but good∣nesse or felicity: Envious men be∣ing like Cantharides and Caterpil∣lars,* 1.2 that delight most to devour ripe and most excellent fruits. 9. It is of all crimes the basest: for malice and anger are appeased with benefits, but envy is exasperated, as envying to fortunate persons both their power and their will to do good: and never leaves murmuring till the envied person be le velled, and then onely the Unltur leaves to eat the liver: for if his Neighbour be made miserable the envious man is apt to be troubled: like him that is so long unbuilding the turrets till all the roof is low or flat, or that the stones fall upon the lower buildings, and do a mischief that the man repents of.

2. Remedies against anger by way of exercise.

The next enemy to mercifulnes and the grace of Almes is Anger, against which there are pro∣per instruments both in prudence and religion.

1. Prayer is the great remedy against anger: for it must suppose it in some degree removed before we pray, and then it is the more likely it will be finished when the prayer is done: We must lay aside the act of anger, as a prepa∣tory to prayer, and the curing the habit will be the effect and blessing of prayer: so that if a man to cure his anger, resolves to addresse himself to God by prayer, it is first necessary that by his own observation & diligence he lay the anger aside, before his prayer can be fit to be presented; and when we so pray, and so en∣deavour,

we have all the blessings of prayer which God hath promised to it, to be our se∣curity for successe.

2. If Anger arises in thy breast, instantly seal up thy lips, and let it not go forth:* 1.3 for like fire when it wants vent, it will suppresse it self. It is good in a fever to have a tender and a smooth tongue; but it is better that it be so in anger; for if it be rough and distempered, there it is an ill signe, but here it is an ill cause. Angry passion is a fire, and angry words are like breath to fan them; together they are like steel and flint sending out fire by mutual collision: some men will discourse themselves into passion, and if their neighbour be enkindled too, together they flame with rage and violence.

3. Humility is the most excellent natural cure for anger in the world: for he that by daily considering his own infirmities and failings makes the errour of his neighbour or servant to be his own case, and remembers that he daily needs Gods pardon, and his brothers charity, will not be apt to rage at the levities or mis∣fortunes, or indiscretions of another; greater then which he considers that he is very fre∣quently, and more inexcusably guilty of.

4. Consider the example of the ever blessed Jesus, who suffered all the contradictions of sin∣ners, and received all affronts and reproaches of malicious, rash and foolish persons, and yet in all them was as dispassionate and gentle as the morning sun in Autumn: and in this also he pro∣pounded himself imitable by us. For if inno∣cence it self did suffer so great injuries and dis∣graces, it is no great matter for us quietly to re∣ceive

al the calamities of fortune & indiscretion of servants, and mistakes of friends, and un∣kindnesses of kinred, and rudenesses of ene∣mies, since we have deserved these and worse, even Hell it self.

5. If we be tempted to anger in the actions of Government and Discipline to our inferi∣ours (in which case anger is permitted so far as it is prudently instrumental to Government, and onely is a sin when it is excessive and un∣reasonable, and apt to disturbe our own dis∣course, or to expresse it self in imprudent words or violent actions) let us propound to our selves the example of God the Father, who at the same time, and with the same tran∣quillity decreed Heaven and Hell, the joyes of blessed Angels and souls, and the torments of Devils and accursed spirits: and at the day of judgement when all the World shall burn under his feet, God shall not be at all in∣flam'd, or shaken in his essential seat and cen∣tre of tranquillity and joy. And if at first the cause seems reasonable, yet defer to execute thy anger till thou mayest better judge. For as Phocion told the Athenians, who upon the first news of the death of Alexander were ready to revolt, stay awhile, for if the King be not dead, your haste will ruine you. But if he be dead, your stay cannot prejudice your affairs, for he will be dead to morrow as well as to day: so if thy servant or inferiour deserve pu∣nishment, staying till to morrow will not make him innocent, but it may possibly preserve thee so, by preventing thy striking a guiltlesse person, or being furious for a trifle.

6. Remove from thy self all provocations and incentives to anger; especially 1. Games

of chance, and great wagers, petty curiosities and worldly businesse and carefulnesse about it; but manage thy self with indifferency, or contempt of those external things, and do not spend a passion upon them, for it is more then they are worth.* 1.4 But they that desire but few things can be crossed but in a few. 2. In not heaping up with an ambitious or curious pro∣digality, any very curious or choice Utensils, Seals, Jewels, Glasses, precious stones, because those very many accidents which happen in the spoiling or losse of these rarities, is in e∣vent, an irresistable cause of violent anger. 3. Do not entertain nor suffer talebearers: for they abuse our ears first, and then our credu∣lity, and then steal our patience, and it may be for a lye; and if it be true, the matter is not considerable; or if it be, yet it is par∣donable: and we may alwayes escape with patience at one of these out-lets: either ¹ By not hearing slanders, or ² By not be∣lieving them, or ³ By not regarding the thing, or ⁴ By forgiving the person. 4. To this pur∣pose also it may serve well if we choose (as much as we can) to live with peaceable per∣sons, for that prevents the occasions of confusi∣on: and if we live with prudent persons they will not easily occasion our disturbance. But because these things are not in many Mens power, therefore I propound this rather as a felicity then a remedy or a duty; and an art of prevention rather then of cure.

7. Be not inquisitive into the affairs of o∣ther Men, nor the faults of thy servants, nor the mistakes of thy friends; but what is offered to you, use according to the former rules but do not thou go out to gather sticks to kindle a

fire to burn thy own house. And adde this; if my friend said or did well in that for which I am angry, I am in the fault, not he: But if he did amisse, he is in the misery, not I: for ei∣ther he was deceiv'd, or he was malitious, and either of them both is all one with a mise∣rable person; and that is an object of pity, no•• of anger.

8. Use all reasonable discourses to e••cuse the faults of others, considering that there are many circumstances of time, of person, of ac∣cident, of inadvertency, of infrequency, of apt∣nesse to amend, of sorrow for doing it; and it is well that we take any good in exchange for the evil is done or suffered.

9. Upon the arising of anger instantly enter into a deep consideration of the joyes of Hea∣ven, or the pains of Hell: for fear and joy are naturally apt to appease this violence.* 1.5

10. In contentions be alwayes passive, ne∣ver active; upon the defensive, not the as∣saulting part, and then also give a gentle an∣swer, receiving the furies and indiscretions of the other like a stone into a bed of Mosse and soft compliance; and you shall finde it sit down quietly; whereas anger and violence makes the contention loud, and long and in∣jurious to both the parties.

11. In the actions of Religion be careful to temper all thy instances with meeknesse, and the proper instruments of it: and if thou beest apt to be angry, neither fast violently, nor en∣tertain the too forward heats of zeal: but secure thy duty with constant and regular actions, and a good temper of body with convenient refresh∣ments and recreations.

12. If anger rises suddenly and violently, first

restrain it with consideration, and then let it end in a hearty prayer for him that did the real or seeming injury: The former of the two stops its growth, and the latter quite kils it, and makes amends for its monstrous and invo∣luntary birth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Nemo alienae vi••tuti invid••t qui satis confidit 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Cic. contr. M. Anth.
• * 1.2

  ••omera•• Th••r••••tis malo•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 descri••••n, ••aliti•• ••ummam 〈…〉〈…〉.

  Pelid•• mptimi•• e••at, ••t{que} inimicus Uly s••i.
• * 1.3

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 cum rectus ra••ida ••••∣cupavit Futiles linguae jubeo ca∣vere Vana latratus j••cula••tis ••ap••no▪ Turbatus sum & n••n sum l••cutus. Psal. 76.
• * 1.4

  ••ui pan∣••a ••••q••i∣••unt non multis ex∣••••unt. Plut.
• * 1.5

  〈◊〉〈◊〉