these words from him viz. whereas he saith I doe well to bee angry even vnto death However it is a most intemperate speech and for the meaning thereof respecting either the intention or effect of Ionah's anger If we expound it of the intention it then importeth thus much that Ionah was exceeding angry so angry that he was full bigge with anger so bigge that he was ready to breake with anger And if so then fixe this Epitaph vpon his grave stone Here lyes the man who did both raging Sea and Whale disdaine His anger worse then Sea or Whale his anger hath him slaine And why yea why should not that anger which hath destroyed many in iustice turne the point sometimes vpon that breast which bred it Truly the anger of Ionah in this place conceived yea expressed against the Almighty must needs be very great For we are not angry with our superiours but for causes extraordinary suppressing commonly those motions provoking to this passion towards them which towards inferiours is presently exprest For example that is tolerable in an equall which is not to be borne with in a servant that in a Lord which not in a Knight that in a Prince which not in a Lord that in a King which not in a Prince and lastly that is to be borne with patience from God Almighty which is not to be brooked from any mortall creature besides O then when the heate of our anger ascendeth thus high as to be angry not with Kings and Princes and Potentates of the earth but with the God of heaven King of kings and Lord over all lords this is a fire that eates into the bones consuming the marrow and the moisture and must wee not either burne in our owne cinders or else daring to breake out bee incountred and consumed with that all devouring fire that flame of Gods displeasure of his vnquenchable anger Admire and wonder that Ionah is angry with the great God exceeding angry with the most puissant Lord he telles this God and Lord so to his face yet is not consumed admire and wonder But I doe rather vnderstand it for the effect of Ionah's anger the effect conceived in a manner and ready for the birth yet strangled in the wombe which had it beene brought forth would vnto Ionah have brought most certaine death In the old Law he that cursed father or mother was to be put to death much more he that should curse the Father of spirits and great Creator of mankinde this was expressely charged with present death Levit. 24. Therefore wee reade Naboth hath cursed God and the King let him be stoned therefore did Iobs wife tempt her husband to this sinne Curse God and dye saith shee This I conceive to be Ionah's case He is come almost to the actuall sinne of blasphemie against the second Person in the Trinitie the which in thought he hath committed already For he saith he hath iust cause to be angry and if he doe well to be angry then sure God hath done him great wrong and if so why should he not heare of it yea though I dye for it I will speake my minde saith Ionah For I doe well to be angry We may supply the fuller meaning of Ionah's minde partly out of Iob and partly out of Ieremy men subiect to the same passions and wrastling with the same assaults as here They were both carryed away with this mis-conceit that God did vse his power as a law exercising herein little better then a Tyrannicall government and therefore saith Iob in one place is it good for thee that thou should'st oppresse c and Ieremy saith plainely that the Lord by his great might or strength did overbeare him as is to be seene in the place before cited Thus thinkes Ionah and to this effect hee reasons in his over-cast imaginations My soule is even full of anxietie and I want vtterance of my complaint Thy hand is over powerfull for mee thy counsels are vnsearchable I know not what to say to it this is the summe I am weary of my life for I see no fruite no end of all my vexing labours O yet that God would grant mee this request before I open my lippes against the Holy one and reproach my Maker and by mans law deserve to be stoned that hee would cut mee off and destroy mee or hide mee in the grave For sure I have most iust cause to be offended yea sure I doe well to be angry angry even to death death to mee is better farre then life I have touched I suppose vpon the highest string of Saints impatiencie wherevnto the perfectest of men during yet their mortall condition are most subiect and beyond which is no remission but to fall into that sinne vnpardonable which holds no concord with Gods mercy Let vs now but make a cord to draw Ionah out of the pit and preserve all Ionasses from sinking in this mire and mudde and I will make the vses and generall conclusion of the whole matter specially this second generall part of Ionah's answer and herein the last specially in this generall the point yet in hand Ionah's anger vnto death The floods are risen O God the floods are risen might Ionah well here say and all else brought vnto the same brinke of despaire or desperate fury with Ionah here O God the floods are risen the floods O God have lift vp the waves And this not so much in regard of the tyde of vngodlines flowing from without as the violent streames of inraged anger from within Save me O God for the waters are come in even into my soule These these are the waters which drowne the soule to be feared more then those waters which swallow vp the bodies of men Now two things there be which support Ionah and the one implies the other one thing which the Lord doth overpasse the other which he doeth worke the one proceeding from his Mercy the other from his Loue. First His Mercy it is which doeth cover Ionah's imperfections which at this time were risen to a very great height For how if the Lord should have entred contention with thee Ionah and set his anger against thine what would have become of thee The like may we say to Iob to Ieremy what Iob doeth the Lord oppresse Is it without reason the Lords dealing so and so with thee Ieremy and doest thou well indeede to bee angry Jonah dare wee thus to challenge the Holy one of Israel O no Take Ionah in his right temper and he is of another minde so is Iob so is Jeremy I said I will no more make mention of thy name within my lippes said Ieremy in his heate he spake it but a contrary stronger heate expelled that by and by thy word was a fire shut vp within my bones and I was weary with forbearing immediately after saith he So Iob Chap. 40. once have I spoken yea twise but I will say no more I abhorre my selfe in
good nature I would intreat thee for the Author thus to iudge That he fell not by his hap-hazard vpon his text or that hee hath not had a feeling of the same What learning call you that which doth carry in hir bosome a sense or feeling of hir knowen principles It hath the name of knowledge experimentall which cannot be attained by all the search of meere study and is to bee preferred before all humane learning acquired by the documents and precepts of men Who can describe the image of God the father or pourtray out the shape of the holy Ghost or expresse the glory of the blessed Trinity The meanest Christian who hath God in his heart doth retaine a sounder knowledge of his maker by those hidden operations felt within then the stoutest Philosopher in the height and sublimity of his soring speculation or those better learned clearkes who can dispute subtilly aboue the Trinity yet want power to please the holy Trinity O but that knowledge is full of danger my text speaks of and who would wish to be possessed with such a feeling as Ionah was not I not thou nor any man yet take heede thou maiest be over-rash in iudging For why anger doeth sometimes and that ordinarily presuppose love O fearefull case is Ionah angry with God saist thou an other is of this minde is it possible in a fraile man to conceive anger against the great God whence springs this familiarity betweene heaven and earth aut quam nuper è coelo descendisti Ionah how lately camest thou out of heaven O Ionah yea sure by the very nature of the speech must be implyed a certaine intercourse of favour and loving commerce betweene the heavenly God and vs. Why els is any man angry with his fellow but in a conceyt that he hath bin requited euill for good and the fruits of hate where hee looked for the effects of loue Why then euen hence in like manner arise those manifold heart-burnings and great disturbances of the Saints quiet since they have bin assured of Gods love but want all signes thereof in their distresses Is this the part of a loving father think his misbeleeving children to neglect their suites who call day and night vnto him what 's become of his promises and those mervailous workes our forefathers have told vs of wherefore doth he not arise and helpe vs and that early O my God I cry in the day time and thou hearest not and and in the night season also my soule refuseth comfort Here our faith begins to stagger for what hath God forgotten to be gracious and will he be no more intreated and is his mercy cleane gone for evermore Then the spirit is almost tyred with waiting and the flesh growes monstrous vnruly God is not so good as his word for he hath promised if in trouble we call vpon him he will helpe vs but he regards neither our calling nor cryes nor teares O now the spirit waxeth hot and the blood doth boyle within the veines and thus our anger ariseth against God a thing not impossible as you see nor yet allowable to the Saints most incident and to the best of Saints more ordinarily then to the worst of hypocrites or any other to the state of grace not yet called Indeede for these I doe not reade of many or any examples in this kinde to have entred Contestation with the Lord as Ionah here hath done nor is it the Nabals of the world but the Davids who mourne in their prayer and are vexed For vpon what grounds can they challenge God of his promise and expostulate where hath God bound himselfe vnto these with an oath that he will be their God and of their seede for ever how oft have they called vpon him in faith and wept vnto him in zeale what love to his ordinances what trust to his Word what assurance of his mercies what consolation in his promises hath beene at any time in their hearts residing I am not angry with the Sunne when it shineth to the Antipodes nor with the Starres because they runne round I am not angry with the Windes at Sea when my house by fire is burnt at home or lastly why should the Malefactor who cryes guiltie at the Barre be angry with the Iudge who gives sentence according to the law vpon his offence Even so truly the wicked foolish who say in their hearts there is no God and doe impute their good and bad hap to blinde chance or fortune who are men of an other world and strangers to godlinesse I see no reason their anger should reach whether their beleefe doth not Yea truly when they are haled before Gods iudgement Seat as Malefactors arraigned their guiltie consciences proclaime woe immediately but then begins their anger and desperate rage when the scalding plagues of Gods wrath doe begin to torment their bodies and the horrour of deadly darkenesse doth cease vpon their soules for their wilfull blindnesse and folly and their rage is not only against God but in a remarkeable kinde of iustice against their owne members they gnawed their tongues and blasphemed Rev. 16. But if their malice breake out against God or his Saints sooner as oft it doth it is then a fearefull preparation to these eternall woes mentioned and hath more properly the name of malice then of anger For what difference is there betweene the anger of Gods Saints and of his enemies even such as I have shewed as is the anger betweene two friends and two most contrary enemies These things gentle Reader I have more deepely searcht into by occasion of my Text not that I presume herein to commend vnto thee any rare point of skill for that which may fall out to be rare in the course of my studies may have beene more soundly noted in the labours of other men and perhaps is not new vnto thy iudgement nor to this end doe I it to commend the feeling of this knowledge vnto any not so farre experimented in this kinde of learning which wee have from Ionah but to this end rather that wee may bee wise to put a difference and be suspended from rash iudgement concerning the state of divers Gods Elect wrastling here in this vale of misery falling and rising foyled and sometimes foyling like prevailers and that herein we studie true thankfulnesse to the sole-worker of our salvation who preserveth the soules of his Saints from going downe into the pit of desperation For my selfe Christian Reader I was angry with my God and knewit not very angry but did not well consider it How manifold are thy tryalls O how various and wonderfull art thou in the exercising of vs thy fraile creatures Vsque quo Domine vsque quo shal not my griefes and groanes my deepe sighings and often teares and strong cryes be full effectuall in thy fight to manifest thy power within to vtter thy praise abroad O those hills of peace where are they why hast thou caused me to hope in thy word hast nor furnisht me vnto the battel why was I called but returne now vnto thy rest O my soule and hope yet confidently I was angry and mourned in my prayer and was vexed was it not in thy temple O God in thy temple that my soule was exceedingly cast downe and troubled in thy temple therefore will I praise thee because there thou spakest peace vnto my troubled soule and did'st allay the heat of all my discontented passions saying as sometime thou didst vnto thy servant Ionah Doest thou well to be angry Thus even thus thou rebukedst the windes and the waves of all my inward commotions and there followed immediately a great calme praise the Lord O my soule and all that is within me praise his holy name For it was not flesh nor blood then which then was in the strength of impariency and stamped with the foot it was not flesh and blood that did reveale that did put this good motion into my breast but my father in heaven therefore praise the Lord O my soule At this time I was assigned to the Crosse had not yet chosen the Text I meant to treat of the choise was soone made For what more acceptable service to our God more pleasing to his Church more effectual for the preachers of his word to deale in then to expresse their minds vpon those Themes the power whereof hauing first subdued their owne affections doth with greater force from them flow forth vnto others and procure more ample glory to his name vnto whom the whole action and efficacy of the worke is in speciall wise to be referred Thus have I made my selfe a foole in glorying but it is in my infirmityes and if for this I be disdained of the Michals of the world I will study to become yet viler in their eyes that Gods power by my weaknes may be exalted Is not this the end of all our beings and ought we not by all meanes whether by precept or example or however labour here vnto whether we be besides our selues saith S. Paul to the Corinthians it is to God or whether wee bee sober it is for your cause and hee is no follower of Paul as hee followed Christ in this who will not thus indeavour to become all things to all men that of all sorts he may gaine some to God and he that respecteth his owne credit private opinion and speeches of others before the winning of souls he is ashamed of the Gospell of Christ a shame of all others most shamefull and one most vnworthy to be a minister of the new Testament Thus Christian and friendly Reader and one of the houshold of faith whose love I doe onely imbrace have I not made my selfe strange vnto thee and for this cause desire the fruit of thy prayes to be assistant vnto me that I may open my mouth with boldnesse in the cause of the Gospel whervnto I have traviled and am yet in paine I beleeved and therefore did I speake saith David but I was sore greived I also beleeved the same have I preached the same againe have I penned Now to all those who love the Lord Iesus I conclude Grace be vnto them and Mercy and vpon the Israel of God FINIS
changeth not though chang'd be we Then doe thy office but consider The Gourd that spring's from'th ground will wither IONAH'S CONTESTATION ABOVT HIS GOVRD IN A SERMON DELIVERED AT Pauls Crosse Septemb. 19. 1624. IONAH 4. vers 9. And God said to IONAH Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd and he said I doe well to be angry even vnto death THIS whole Prophesie or Booke of Ionah may well for the state thereof be so conceived as to be borne forth by way of Dialogue or Interlocution betweene the Lord and Him the Argument maintained sometimes directly sometimes indirectly by Word by Signe by Practise by Example The Lord begins The word of the Lord came vnto Ionah the sonne of Amittai c. Ionah answeres disobediently The Lords sends him to one place hee goeth to another Then the Lord speaketh againe but by his creatures opposing his practise against Ionah's and maintaines his Argument by the Windes the Marriners the Whale-fish and so the controvesie descendeth into the bottome of the Sea At the third Chapter Behold A new Scaene of trouble beginneth The word of the Lord came vnto Ionah the second time saying Arise Goe vnto Nineveh that great Citie and Preach vnto it the preaching that I bid thee Here Ionah answeres like an obedient seruant conforming his practise to the Lords command But soone after his Message according to the tenour thereof not taking effect he showes his discontented minde and the same expressed in angry tearmes inwardly conceived by way of expostulation in the beginning of the fourth Chapter Then the Lord enters parley with Ionah after a friendly manner Doest thou well to be angry the Lord replies vpon Ionah by a loving signe and the Lord prepared a gourd c. and thereof Ionah was exceeding glad But now Iterum saeuiunt irae Anger breakes out againe The gourd withers Ionah frets the Lord speakes Ionah answeres the one friendly as before the other frowardly Ionah Doest thou well to be angry yea saith Ionah I doe well to bee angry even vnto death The next words conclude the prophefie and whole disputation directly against Ionah And thus may be conceived the frame and structure of the whole Booke This Text is a plaine part of the Dialogue disputation contestation or contention which you will and herein more particularly are obserueable the parties contending the Lord and Ionah the manner how the contention or controversie is carryed and it is by word or saying God said to Ionah and againe Ionah said to God The matter in question is expressed in the word angry and therein I shall speake of anger somewhat largely the question in speciall is concerning Ionah his anger and therein I shall deale more strictly And thus far on the Lords part The answere of Ionah hath likewise in it these three specialties answerable to the three parts of the former Quere which may easily bee apprehended in the question by the Lord specially directed to Ionah First here is a simple affirmation on Ionah's part the Lords question first implying thus much Ionah art thou angry yea saith Ionah I am angry Secondly a peremptory affirmation or iustification Doest thou well to be angry Ionah yea I doe well to be angry Thirdly a deepe aggravation Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd yea I doe well to be angry vnto death The first Circumstance The parties contending are the Lord and Ionah Impar congressus a most vnequall match and yet Ionah farre the weaker hath also the weaker cause in hand Tu domine fundasticaelos Thou Lord in the beginning hast established the heavens and laide the foundation of the earth and formed the spirit of man within him Great is our God and great is his power his wisedome is infinite Now looke vpon Ionah and who or what is he at the best but a weake and mortall creature a man borne of a woman of few dayes and full of misery hee commeth vp and is cut down like a flower he fleeth as a shadow and abideth not And doest thou open thine eyes vpon such an one bring such one into iudgement with thee saith Iob in the same place Here is instruction for all in places of Superiority let them learne from this one example of the Lord here how to carry themselues towards their inferiours Doth the Lord vouchsafe to reason with Ionah and give him account of his doings who then art thou that doest swell against thy brother and disdainest to answere thy fellow-seruant Drop downe yee heavens from above and let the skies powre downe righteousnesse Woe be to him that striveth with his maker For wee may not search into the Lords counsell further then he hath revealed it is farre more dangerous then to meddle in mans matters but there admire where he hath concealed Howbeit we see to the shame of our pride and scorne of our haughtie stomackes the Lord full often doth not refuse to commit himselfe to the tryall the Iudge to be iudged by vs his vassals Therefore hath he appointed a day wherein he will iudge the world in righteousnesse and the consciences of wicked men who refuse his iudgements now shall be made to acknowledge his iustice then Thus speakes the Apostle and he alleadgeth it out of the Psalmes that thou mightest be instified in thy sayings and overcome when thou art iudged Let then all petty gods take example from this great God whether they be Kings or Rulers or Magistrates or Officers or Masters or Fathers of Families since God is equall towards vs and that the heavens will one day declare let vs learne equitie and faire dealing one towards another This lesson had Iob learnt Chap. 3.13 If I did despise the cause of Man-seruant or Maide-seruant when they contended with mee what shall I doe when God riseth vp and when hee visiteth what shall I answere him Thus shall we walke worthy the title of Gods otherwise breake the teeth of the vngodly and malicious smite out the Iaw-bones of the Lyons O Lord. For such who walke not according to this rule retaine no longer the image of their Maker but are degenerated into Lyons Beares Tygers evening Woolues and so are they called in Scripture The second Circumstance Here the question is how the saying came to Ionah againe how Ionah spake to the Lord. Was it facie ad faciem face to face not so It was a Priviledge of Moses alone Exod. 12. That the Lord would speake to him face to face and this but in a figure too there being intended thereby but only a more familiar kinde of presence or dealing with Moses then with any other the Prophets vntill Christ came for when Moses desired to see the glory of God and his very countenance it was permitted to him only to haue a sight of his Backe-parts while his glory passed by This being a received truth That no man can see God and live I meane the life of Nature more then the waxe can indure the heate of
the fire without melting And for this cause neyther was it the voyce of the Lord proceeding immediately from his spirit which spake to Ionah here or to any of his Prophets elsewhere For as no man hath seene his shape so neyther hath any man heard his voyce at any time as sayth our Saviour Ioh. 5.37 The voyce of the Lord sayth David is powerfull the voyce of the Lord is full of maiestie c. but in his Temple doth everie man speake of his glory And truly vnlesse wee first take comfort in hearing the Lords voyce in his Temple and that by the Ministery of man daily delivered wee shall take little pleasure in hearing the Lords owne voyce which shall shake both heaven and earth much more the consciences of all sinners when he shall show himselfe in farre more dreadfull manner then once he did vpon Mount Sinai But how came the voyce to Ionah I have showen you negatively how not was it then in audible manner from without audible or rather intelligible it was to Ionah but in secret and from within like that still small voyce that came to Eliah The Lord spake vnto Iob but out of the whirl-winde and Job therewith grew humbled before a man most daring And I thinke had there to this voyce in what kinde soever it came to Jonah beene ioyned but some powerfull signe of the Lords presence Ionah durst not then have carryed himselfe so petulantly if the Lord had spoken to him whither out of the whirlewinde as to Iob or out of the flaming bush as to Moses or out of the storme as to Eliah or in a more excelling vision as vnto Daniel as vnto Iohn Rev. 1. He durst not then have replyed as he doeth much lesse if as he is in his owne ineffable existency had God spoken durst he once to have muttered It is true the Lord doeth sometimes speake audibly striking the outward sense of man as by the Trumpet which called vnto Iohn Revel 4. Againe sometimes hee hath revealed himselfe visibly to the eye of mans body and so he did to the young man with Elisha the Prophet 2. Kings 6.17 and to Paul Actes the 9.3 Sometimes againe and that very vsually vnder the time of the old Law he hath revealed his will to the fantasie or imagination and that by a dreame in the night Lastly and that most specially and most inwardly of all hath the Lord made knowen his purpose to the minde of man his intellective or vnderstanding part as the most essentiall part of man and most capable of Divine revelation But this last hath not happened alwayes after one kinde and manner but sometimes after a more abstracting and ravishing sort the man for the present being so disposed that hee knowes not whether his spirit bee in or out of his body at the lestwise the spirit being for the time deprived the vse of any the senses that it may attend the better to heavenly visions Thus was Ezekiel carryed out of himselfe into the valley of dry bones Paul into the third heavens thus fell Peter into his trance Sometimes againe to come to the question in hand and this most commonly to his Seruants the Prophets the Lord hath given his word or his signe by a secret instinct or inspiration Thus was the manner of olde and that thus it was with Ionah in this place may appeare by the context in comparing this speech with the precedent verse where is set downe that Ionah fainting wished in himselfe to die and said it was better for him to die then live This wish or speech of Jonah was secret within himselfe no eare heard it but the Lord and so the Lord in secret againe doth answer him and hee againe answers to the Lord. The Lord saide to Ionah and Ionah saide to the Lord the manner and carriage of which saying and interchange of speech as it was secret and silent so no thoughts could vnderstand but the heart of Ionah and the Lord only Shall we now apply this the Author to the Hebrewes hath done it in these words God who did in times past at divers times and sundry waies speake vnto the Fathers the Prophets have in these last daies spoken to vs by his owne Sonne whom hee hath appointed heire of all things by whom he made the worlds Now which kinde of speakings had you rather choose whither by seruants in the house or him that hath made the house and is heire of all Some there be who say O that we had lived in the daies of the Prophets or the Prophets now in our daies for then should we be vifited with new revelations and visions from the Lord. Hence spring vp almost in all ages those Anabaptisticall spirits pretending daily new revelations but inspired from hell to leade away vnstable soules which will not content themselues with the sound doctrine of the Gospel delivered by Christ Iesus the only Sonne of God To this end also have the Ministers of Antichrist devised new traditions and vnwritten verities to feed the humour of such men that they all might bee damned saith Saint Paul who beleeve not the truth but have pleasure in vnrighteousnesse in his second Epistle to the Thessalonians O remember the saying before that God spake divers times and diversly to the Fathers the Prophets none of them for the time being able to deliver an absolute forme of doctrine but as expecting daily somethings yet to bee added they waited for further revelations or inspirations from above And shall we expect that doctrine which they left imperfect to be made vp or perfected by the giddy spirits or furious phantasies of such who come like the old Prophets I have dreamed I have dreamed O no God hath spoken to vs in these last dayes by his Sonne the heyre of all who came out of his Fathers bosome and therefore hath revealed his whole will concerning our salvation and the means thereof and the same to remaine without any addition alteration or change to the end of the world he hath also sealed the same by the witnesse of his spirit in the hearts of all beleevers so that we may say with Peter whether shall we goe from thee for thou hast the word of Life c. To conclude since Saint Iohn wrote his revelation which he received from Christ there is to be looked for no other Revelation whether from Angels or men but cursed is he that addeth or taketh away from the words of the Booke of this Prophesie or from the writing of any other the Prophets Euangelists Apostles This word of God saith S. Paul to Timothy is able to make the man of God perfect what neede then any other helpe and furtherance perfection being by this word to bee attained vnto a perfection greater then that the fathers before Christ saw a perfection so farre as is conuenient during the state of our mortall life and Pilgrimage here vntill that glorious day in full strength breake out and the
shadowes clearely be chaced away 3. Particular Anger in generall may bee defined a commotion of the minde for some supposed evill ioyned with an appetite of revenge Let the parts be examined I say first a commotion for that it is not a simple affection but compounded of hate or mislike and hope hate for some conceived iniury hope to be revenged vpon the iniurer yea it drawes the whole man into commotion the head deviseth the hand acteth the feete cannot abide in one place but runne the paths of destruction all the inward powers are like wise troubled our love perplext feare confused desires inflamed our reason peruerted and the whole man doth suffer paine together with the passion and is disordered Therefore not vnfitly doe I call it a commotion So also is it a commotion of the minde not of the humor or complexions principall it being the iudgement of Divines so likewise of true Phylosopy that the passions may bee occasioned from the divers temperatures of the body but doe proceede principally from the disposition of the divine soule according to the truth of this principle that the soule is the prime moover in the body and it were a thing monstrous and absurd to affirme that the humours of the body have any power over the soule to worke vpon it contrary to its immortall and impassible nature impassible of any power save onely from that hand which made and infused it Besides many arguments tending to which purpose receiue this one for all namely that two the most principall affections gouerning in this life loue and ioy are not determined together with the ending of the story of our dayes but doe accompany the soule and are inherent in the same after as without the expression of which two there can bee no happinesse a cleare euidence that both the soule was the prime moover while it dwelt in the body so that it doth retaine the same power and that in a more noble kinde when it is without the body I adde this moreover that it ariseth from some supposed evill For there is not alwayes a reall and subsisting cause of our anger The Pope was angry for his Peacocke the Pope was angry for his Porke and wee are often angry with our very shadowes And lastly I say ioyned with an appetite of reuenge and therefore wee see commonly at the first apprehension of any wrong that the blood doeth recoyle vnto the heart and by and by into the face as a Blood-hound or Mastiffe to flie into the face of the iniurer Among all the passions by God planted in the nature of man there is none more violent then that of anger and for this cause truely because wee are by nature more impatient of euill then we are coueting of good made senselesse sometimes through the cloying excesse of present delights but too quicke and sensible enough euen of the least supposed euill where against anger doeth chiefely bend its force It is nourished with the most bitter humour a bagge of gall hath angers food it feedeth on the same with greedines yet without all delight and thirsteth after humane blood It is a Serpent that eateth out her owne bowels a wilde beast that scorneth to bee tamed a sacke full of poison a fire pent vp within the bones a flame when it breaketh out to consume others It is a sickenesse of the Soule a Frenzy a Fury a Madnesse Ora tument ira nigrescunt sanguine venae Lumina Gorgonia saevius angue micant The lips swell the blood turnes blacke within the veines The eyes more firie red then are Gorgonian Snakes What have not Poets and heathen Moralists written in the reproach and dispraise of anger Let him that is angry before hee strike his fellow behold his owne countenance in the glasse and then let him beare his anger first which hath thus transformed and disfigured him Notwithstanding hee who hath placed the sand a bound for the sea that intractible and foming Element who hath taught the Vnicorne to abide by his crib hee doeth nurture Beares and teach young Lyons to seeke vnto him for their prey Woolues and Badgers are his obedient slaues Yea the poison of Aspes Scorpions and Toades are tempered by his great hand to the common good of the generall body his hand hath also tempered the passion of anger to the good of the lesser body man-kinde I hold not with the Stoickes who hold a vacuitie of passions Christ our righteousnes was angry sometimes when he lived vpon earth as also he wanted not any other the affections griefe ioy c. In heaven there shall bee perfect peace and ioy without interruption and I see there no cause of anger As the intrailes therefore of the beasts vnder the Law were exempted from the sacrifice so the spleene and gall of our natures which serue here onely to feed our male contented passions shall be exempted it may bee or left at the bottome of the hill when wee ascend that holy Mount which reacheth above the cloudes and the Citie which is the mother of vs all But in the terrene condition of ours so throughly seasoned with euils the onely true obiects of anger God hath seated it among the other affections of the minde as not onely vsefull but necessary in this life and it is that to the soule which the Nerue is to the body a whetstone of fortitude a spurre to vertue and honourable actions Among all the other parts therefore before mentioned in angers description let vs take into a little further view the obiect whereupon it is bent and concerning which it is to be directed The onely obiect of anger is evill whether reall or apparant but most truely reall and therefore Ionah here was much mistaken in that he made God the obiect of his anger who is goodnesse it selfe Others have divided anger according to the obiects into anger inhumane as to be savage against kinde and kindred madde as that of Balaams to be angry with his Asse senselesse as that of Xerxes to bee angry with the Mountaine Aethos to be angry with the River Hellespont I affirme that evill is the onely obiect of anger and is in our selues or others First for our selues for there is a time when wee ought to be angry with our selues An old man there was once heard chiding hee was asked with whom with a certaine old man quoth he who weareth gray-haires but wanteth vnderstanding And so Plato vpon a time went in hast to beate his seruant and taking the scourge of correction in his hand hee stood still for a good space with his hand lifted vp and in the end spake thus exigo paenas ab irato I chastise quoth he my owne anger Thus anger rightly bestowed against our selues the Apostle doeth commend in the 7. Chap. the 2 Epistle to the Corinthians as a noble branch of repentance or godly sorrow For the same that yee sorrowed after a godly sorrow saith hee among other fruites what
the Reformists of our time would the Governours in this our Church and Kingdome appointed for the outward preservation of peace and tranquillitie And this is the way the order every man ought to vse in particular to worke his peace and agreement with his aduersary Not first to runne to the Church to tell the Church as the vsuall manner now adaies is falling at first to suits in law open contentious branglings and ianglings in Courts Ecclesiasticall and Temporall whereof their is no end God iustly punishing contentions minds because they love not peace with dissentions all the daies of their lifes But this is the course we ought to vse if we meane to be directed by Christ his aduise and counsell First goe to thy brother and admonish him of his fault betweene thy selfe and him alone in friendly manner What hurt can come vnto thee by doing so for if thou gaine him to a better minde then blessed shalt thou be of the Lord and he will also blesse God for thee this is to love thine enemie according to the perfect rule of charitie If he regard not this then take with thee one or two more according to the rule in the second place prescribed thou hast cast him before God so before men also if hereby he proove not bettered thou thy selfe thus bridling thine anger hast freed thy owne soule from the danger of Iudgement and Counsell and hast brought him within the compasse of both that God in due time may revenge as a Iudge men may witnesse his iustice against thy aduersary But lastly continuing still obstinate to bee thine enemie without a cause thou mayest then complaine to the Church of him Dic Ecclesiae Tell the Church of him bring him to the Bench or to the Barre before the Iudge whether Spirituall or Temporall that he may bee openly convicted in Law and then if still hee remaine refractory let him be to thee as an Heathen or Publican as a man excommunicate Thus it ought to be my brethren this is the right order of proceeding Peace be vpon them and vpon the Israel of God peace shall be vpon them and vpon the Israel of God who walke according to this rule But what shall I say the case being farre otherwise I will take vp my complaint with the Prophet Isaiah Iudgement is farre from vs neither doth iustice overtake vs wee waight for light but behold obscuritie for brightnesse but we walke in darkenesse We roare all like Beares and mourne like Doues Citie and Countrey cry out for Iustice Iustice Citie nor Countrey doe take the right course proceeding in that order our Saviour hath left vs therefore are many overthrowne in a rightfull cause Hence springs that generall clamour against Lawyers which howsoever God will not overpasse and a fearefull woe there is belonging to the vniust nourishers of debate to thee also doe I say whose office it is to determine controversies if thou hold them longer in suspence if thou pervertest the cause in iudgement howsoever God may vse thee as an instrument to vexe the contentious and troublesome spirits of some yet this thy rapine and covetousnesse shall in the end sinke thee lower into hell Yet I am perswaded many should have more happy successe in their suits if they did not begin in so rough manner at the first But as I haue shewed or if it succeede well enough with them for the present yet it shall increase their iudgement with God to a greater measure afterward The men of this age if they sustaine the least wrong breath out nothing but law law whereas they ought to remember that the right vse of the law is never separated from charitie and to fall to open pleadings before priuate admonitions in Gods sight is a plaine breach of the sixt commandement whereby such an one doth shew his hatred to his brother Let vs vse all courses before we fall to Law-courses for this is the last meane which Christ hath left for the quieting and ordering of his Church to goe lastly all other waies first tryed to such whom God hath set in publike office in his Church which order because many doe pervert being carryed away rather with a spirit of malice and rancour then of vnitie and loue God doth suffer to winde themselves into many and in inextricable Laberinths of trouble And thus much for anger in generall occasioned from the text rather then intended and how to order and preserve the same within convenient bounds 4. Particular The question in speciall doth concerne Ionah's anger and the cause thereof according to these words Ionah Doest thou well to be angry for the Gourd And here first the manner of correction in this forme of speech which the Lord vseth deserveth to be noted For a man would rather have looked for burning coales to have proceeded from his lippes here is no more but thus Doest thou well to be angry Bowe the heavens O Lord and come downe saith David Touch the mountaines and they shall smoake cast forth hightnings and scatter them shoote out arrowes and destroy them Let Peter be Iudge and he will call for fire from heaven to consume an whole Citie much rather vpon one sinfull man that dareth to contest with the Lord of glory What shall the pot contend with the Potter or the thing formed say to the Former Why hast thou made me thus Note the great clemencie of the Lord to Ionah herein but not without application to our selues For doth he not in as milde and louing manner deale with vs sending his Prophets rising early and sending them in his name to deale with vs by exhortations invitations promises of loue and protestations to receive vs if we will convert and turne vnto him We beseech you by the tender mercies of God saith Sa it Paul We intreate you as his Embassadours to be reconciled vnto God when we are fallen out with him as Ionah heere Heare what God himselfe saith by his servant Moses so oft as we decline his precepts Doe ye thus requite the Lord O foolish people and vnwise is not hee thy Father that hath bought thee hath he not made thee and established thee O Ephraim what shall I doe vnto thee O Iudah what shall I doe vnto thee my bowels are turned within me my repentings are kindled within mee wash thee from thy sinnes O England cleanse thy selfe from thy pollutions O London when will it be Is not our God a consuming fire are not the sinners in Sion afraid of him who shall dwell with everlasting burnings When the offer of mercy will not serue he speakes in the person of revenge and fury for what are we but bryers and thornes to that consuming flame and who would saith he set the bryers and thornes against mee in the day of battell I would goe thorow them I would burne them together Behold I am pressed vnder you saith he by another Prophet as a cart is pressed that is full of