arifes from indifcretion and prejudice. Thus the Apostle testifies of the Jews, that they had a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. And we ourselves cannot be ignorant what abominations have been committed under the pretence of doing God fervice. It is therefore a necessary precaution to fift thoroughly the matter, and likewife to examine our own heart with all diligence, before we fuffer it to be fired with a paffion, which, if erroneous, may hurry us into the most extravagant and uncharitable actions.Proeed we then in the fecond place to enquire what kinds and degrees of anger are to be avoided as finful.

2. And here the firft that offers is that which is conceived without a cause. This is what our Lord fo feverely threatens as liable to the fame judgment with actual murder; and it is indeed too often a forerunner of it, and gave occasion to

the

the first inftance of that devilish fin. To be angry without a cause, is to be fo without any reasonable provocation; for there is a real though hidden caufe of every man's anger. Pride and vanity, a jealous and credulous temper, with diverse other corruptions of the mind, are usually the fources of unjust wrath. It was the envy of Cain that moved him to flay his brother; not because there was any unrighteousness in Him, but because the Lord had respect unto Abel, and to his offering; but unto Cain, and to his offering, he had not respect. Another remarkable ftory to this purpose is recorded of Jonah, who though a holy man, yet out of a fecret pride left he fhould lofe his character as a Prophet, is angry even at God's mercy toward the repenting Ninevites, after that he had threatened their deftruction. - The extreme folly and rafhnefs of fuch behaviour must needs appear to every confi

derate

derate perfon; and fince there is no knowing to what lengths an unjustifiable paffion may lead a man, it cannot be too much guarded against and fuppreffed.

The next kind of finful anger is that which is immoderate, whatever be the cause of it. For though there may have been offence given enough to excite refentment in a man of reason and deliberation; yet if it work him up into an excess of heat, the degree of it will render it vicious. Befides, there are many concomitant vices which exceffive. anger feldom fails to produce: Clamour, oaths and execrations, evil speaking, bitterness and revenge, are almost the neceffary effects of it; for indeed how is it poffible for a man to govern his words or actions when he has loft the use of that reason whofe province alone it is to moderate and correct them? Rage will furnish itself with weapons; the tongue

being the most ready one, is generally the first that is made use of; and truly mifchief enough may be done with this little member, when it is thus (as St. James fpeaks) "fet on fire of Hell."But intemperate wrath (fuch is the prevalence of the evil one) is not always vented in bare words; it frequently bursts into acts of violence, and therefore the first rifings of a malevolent difpofition are to be fuppreffed with the most attentive care, as we would efcape the guilt of murdering our brother, at leaft in our heart.

Thus dangerous and finful are any ungovernable fits of paffion: And yet if we indulge our anger, and fuffer it to be immoderate not in degree only, but in continuance alfo, it has ftill more of danger and of fin in it. Hence that admonition of the Apostle, "let not the

fun

go down upon your wrath;" that is,

VOL. II.

let it not harbour in thy breaft, nor fo much as lodge with thee one night: For this is to give place to the Devil, who will not fail to improve a vice which is fo fondly entertained. He that lies down to reft with anger boiling in his veins, will certainly rife with malice and rancour in his heart. The fpiritual Adverfary will be very bufy to infinuate evil fuggeftions and malicious devices into a mind fo fitly disposed to receive them. And what is still worfe, whilft we nourish refentment, and are full of revengeful imaginations, we must be utterly deprived of that intercourfe with Heaven in prayer and fupplication, which is our greatest comfort and defence in this state of infirmity. A man cannot have the affurance to offer up his petitions unto Almighty God, whom he daily provokes, whilft he feels himfelf inflamed by a spirit of revenge against his Neighbour. Efpecially too confidering that our for