An Expojition upon the For we are comm.mdt:cl. ro lif r up fioly J-/and$, without Wt·arb, r· Tim. 2. 8. Forcer· rainly Dill~m ion and An imoliry wi th .Men is no fir Temper ro prepare us ro bold Communion with GrJcl. And th t; refOre though thy Gift be ready to be laid upon the Alrar1 remen'lb..: r thy fdf, look inward, and fee whether all he qui(: t and calm there; if rh<:: re bt: no Grndgt: , n~ Anger, ~g~infl thy_ Brother: If rhou fi ndeU: any, ei· tber go_fidt , and aLlually rtconc1le thy ft:lf unto h1m, or tf Opportun iry will not fuffi.~e f?r dn5 , purge om the Lca\:en of Wrath and Malice, and reconcile thy felfun· to tnm 1n _rh me own Hi.!a rt; frJ r ur,dCr the Law no Offiring of the l. rJrd was ro be mingled wu!J L.ct~vw ; and now UHder the Gofpel God will accepr of no Oblations that a_re o~red up unto _him with the Ferment of Wrarh. ~nd Paffion: Alrhough it may furpnze us\ yet let !t nor poffds us. See what the Wilt Man counfels us Eccl. 7· 9. £3.c n/Jt btJfly in tby Spir~·t to be a11gry: Or if through Hafte and lncogira'ncy it ~ay fe1ze upon you, y t·t lt:r It nor dw<:ll ther~; for he adds, tbgcr d(IJcilrJb in tbe Bofom of 'tOols. And certainly thecal m and peaceable Spirit of God will not dwell in that Houft: wh: re there ? ~e pt:rpetual Tumulr~ and Dik~r ~s, and where our unruly P<~ ffions make fucb a Node and Uproar rhat h1s fecrer V1'111rp.:rs and Suggefiions can· not be heard. And thus you fee vo. bar ki nd of Anger is finrui; that which is caufld\ and that which is imrnod: r;a:, eil h:r in Degrees, or in Duration: And likewife what Anger is lawful; that whiCh IS ze:J ious fer God 's Glory, aud that which isr igh! ly tempered for our own and our Ndghbour's Good. Let us in the next PI:!cc confider whence fi nful and unwarran tahle Anger doth ufually proceed. You fhall find this bitCer Fruit ro ha ve li kewi fe its Roor ot Bitternefs. The Caures of u are commonly thefe. Firfi1 Pride, and an over.weening Conceit of our felves. Pride isr he ftuitfUl Mother of many Vites, but it nurfeth none with more Care and Tenderne fs than th is of Jlnger1 and therefore the Wife Man tells us) Prov. q. 10. That only fromPride com· " 'H On,n ctb Conlention; and indeed~ as the Philbfopher >f ohferves, AngeruiU.alJy arifeth from fs l, ~r e ~'" an Opinion that we are defpifed and comemned. Now the proud M:J n thinks every p.~Td. AJ- one contemns him that doth not value him as bighly as be values himfClf ; that is, :;;~ ;~~v~= beyond alll~cafon ; and if he cannot meer with filch Fool_s he grows angty, and difPMKf Jltr~.' conrenred wnh all rhe World. Proud FJdh about a Sore IS always render, and cannot ,tUropJ.,/nr bear the lealt Touch; and fo proud Perfons, if they be ne\•er fo little touch 'd, preciMy:"cl~ fCntly grow enraged, and think they have a great Injury done rhem, if orhers do f *' f., «~- nor as much adm ire and refpe£t them as they do themfelves. Whofoevcr is much a :S.;; ~~~J Self. lover cannot fJil of frequent Occafions to make him angry. Now the proud p.U Te;~u· Man is tbe greatt:A:. Self-lover in the World; and the Mifery is, that he ufually loves x~ ~ rf<l~. himfdf without a Rival ; and if all do not veil to him, to fly what he fhall A~ift:• 1 diClate, and to think whJr he fball determine, and to do what he fball prefcribe, he ~ 2~t. • 2 ' takes it for an high Afti-ont; and as he bath given himfelf an Aurhoriry over 'AM' crhers, looks 1hat they fhould. fubmir to it) and acknowledge it : And others, per· d.tir'il>, y£ baps, having no lefs Pride, or poffibl y more Reafon, refufing to grat ifie his vain d~~~Z.~f and arrogant Humour, Quarrels and DiiT"emions arif~, and endlefS Jars and Difp~v rliv cords, ~~::11J-;r' $,)..}1.(<)V a.lrtZv ~ ~.,. i w-?o v/a., ~i; aJ/!I v Ji ~f(<) V oi; ;11"1ftXZ> 1/:-:roqt Jl '.;"- rb u7aipe;v<':i<S-ru 1!:/ i.,u.«AH<S-,;u 11'«~).Av~ra.. Plu.t. de Iu cohib. , &condly, Another Caufe of this Paffion is the Weaknefs and Fceblenefs of_Nature: t "' ' '"'And thetefore it is truly obfervcd by Plurarcb, t that thofe who are of the mfirmeft -~h .. p.apt.,-0 Natures, and weakefl: Confiitutions, are moft harrafs'd with it ; as Children more ,.,:(o~@- than Men, Old Age more than the 1laid Pan of Life, and Sick Perfons more than thofe ~~;~~~;~-that are in Heahh: For l!nge~ is a great W~knefs, and therefore lodgeth .moft i.n .-r:Ux.u r.lY- the weakeft; lints, and Ptfmrres, and fuch ltttle Creatures, are moO: bufie Wtth tbeu <~,.;,;,,_,:Stings, whe1ea5 llroog and generous Creatures mull be much provok'd bef01e theJ, >\ rS:_ffi:U,~ will be injurious. ~;;:;t;'T"'"'~ ,..,6Y7H lixp.ll{hr(<)Y1 ~ x.«~{ 'lref,r/oyn~ ilrox¥Pn-'1· Plat. De lra cobib. There are many other Caufts of the violent ftirring of this exorbitant Patlion, as over·much Love of vain Trifies; wh.icb, if they come to any Mifcbance, as ufually they do, we are apt to bo dillurbed at it; eafinefs to believe at the firll Re· 'ommcndanoa,
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