496 b0CTRIICE OF TILE PASSIO1I. designed to be a strong and sensible rebuke to iniquity of ever kind, and ameans to prevent the repetition of it. Our blessed Lord himself, who was meek, and holy, and humble in perfec- tion, yet found reason sometimes, here on earth, to give a loose to his sacred resentments : We also are expressly permitted to be angry, if we take heed of sin ; Eph. iv. 26. But, alas ! our natures are so perverse and corrupt, that it is very hard for us to give a loose to any angry passion against men, without running into some sentiments of malice or revenge, and thereby sinning against God. Our anger is very apt to kin- dle about trifles, or upon mere suspicion, without just cause ; or sometimes it rises too high where the cause may be just; or it continues too long, and it turns into hatred : And in either of these three cases it becomes sinful. It is therefore with the utmost caution that this passion should ever be suffered t o arise : And unless wequickly suppress it again, we shall be in great danger of bringing guilt upon our souls. The blessed apostle therefore wisely connects the per- mission, the caution, and the restraint together, Eph. iv. 26. Be angry, and sin not : Let not the sun go down upon your wrath. The violent efforts of this passionare so frequent and dangerous, that I shall dwell longer upon the regulation of it. Let me first lay down directions to moderate and restrain our anger, and then . propose some considerations, to enforce the practiceof them. Directions to moderate and restrain anger : 1. Be not nice or humorous in the common things of life, viz. meats, drinks, clothes, forms of civility, attendance, &c. If we indulge excessive niceness and curiosity in these things, we shall meet with daily and hourly vexations. Be not therefore greatly pleased or greatly displeasedwith little things. These are the most frequent occasions of sudden and violent resentments, therefore gain a wise indifference to them all. Let your desires and your aversions to the common objects and occurrences in this life, be but few and feeble. Make it your daily business to mo- derate your aversions and desires, and to govern them by reason. This will guard you against many a ruffle of spirit, both of anger and sorrow. 2. Subdue pride. This is theparent and the nurse of wrath and resentment : It is this that makes us suspect injuries and affronts perpetually ; this makes us take offence wherenone is given, and aggravatesevery real injury beyond all measure of truth or justice. Pride is a most impatient vice, and can bear nothing ; but the humble soul is meek and patient, and meets with few affronts, or it believes but few. Let us remember we live in a world, where every person has his own opinions, and his own desires, as well as we ; and if we would. be easy and calm, we must learn to bear opposition and contradiction, for
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