engage in. Men are often grofsly negligent of their affairs: and afterwards furiously angry at those disorders in them, for which they themselves are almoft, if not quite, as much to blame, as others. Now regular care would have prevented mifmanagement: which alternate fits of remiffness and rage will never do. Indeed we should obviate, as far as we can, every thing, that we find apt to ruffle our minds and carry the precaution down even to our diverfions and amusements. For fome of these have often fo very bad an effect upon the temper, that not to apply fo eafy a remedy as laying them afide, is really inexcufable. Another material thing to be shunned, is familiarity with paffionate perfons: not only for the very plain reafon, left they should provoke us, but also left their example fhould infect us. Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man thou shalt not go left thou learn his ways, and get a fnare to thy foul*. But to converse with thofe, who are of mild difpofitions, to observe how they take things, and be advised by them how we should take them, will be of unfpeakable fervice. These are preparations before danger. When it approaches near, the main point is, to recollect, how dreadful it would be to give way and lofe ourselves, and to refolve that we will not. Towards keeping this refolution, we shall find it one great préfervative, though it may seem a flight matter, not to let the accent of our speech, or any one of our geftures be vehement. For these things excite paffion mechanically: whereas a soft anfwer, the scripture tells us, turneth away wrath+: composes the spirit of the giver himself, as well as the receiver of it. Alfo making ufe of the gentleft and leaft grating terms, that we can, will be extremely beneficial: and accordingly it follows there, that grievous words ftir up anger. But if fuch begin to prefent themselves, and struggle for vent, we must resolve to utter as few of any fort as poffible: or, if it become requifite, none at all: but shut faft the door of our lips, till the maftiff within hath done barking, as is related to have been the practice of Socratest. It is a painful reVOL. I. X x * Prov. xxii. 24. + Prov. xv. i. ftraint: * Προς δε το μη συναρπάθηναι συνεργει τα μέγιςα επιθήναι-σιωπαν έως αν της ένδοθεν αναζέσεως αιθώμεθα καταςάλεσης, και ο εν ημιν κυων μεκετι υλακτή. Λέγεται γεν και Σωκράτης, οποτε θυμωθειν, παντως σιωπάν Simpl. in Εpict. c. 28. p. 135. Comp. Cie, ad Quintum fratrem, 1. 1. ep. 1. §. 13. ftraint: but if we will remain mafters of ourselves, it is abfolutely neceffary. For one hafty expreffion bursting out, makes freer way for another: till at laft the banks are levelled, and the torrent carries all before it. A patient man therefore will bear for a time, and afterwards joy shall spring up unto him. He will bide his words for a time, and the lips of many fhall declare his wifdom*. But above all, we fhould inviolably observe never to act in a heat. Thoughts, alas, will be too quick for us: a few improper words may efcape: but actions are much more in our power. We may be too angry at present to venture upon acting at all: a little delay can do no harm, and may do a great deal of good. Only when we take time, we fhould make a right use of it:, not revolve an infignificant offence in our minds, interpret little incidents with perverse acutenefs, and lay stress upon groundless fancies, till we work it up to a heinous crime. The best understandings, without good tempers, can go the greatest lengths in this way: and employing their reflection to excite the difpleasure, which it ought to restrain, the longer they ruminate, the more untractable they grow. Now paffion may be trufted very fafely to fuggeft all the aggravating circumftances. Reason therefore fhould be called in, only to reprefent the alleviating confiderations: of which we perpetually overlook fo many and fo important ones, that we should give those about us all poffible encouragement to remind us of them. And if the person, by whom we think ourfelves aggrieved, be one, with whom we have any clofe connection, or of whom we have ground to think advantageoufly; laying our complaint mildly before him, and hearkening impartially to his answer, may very poffibly fet all right, and place us on a better footing, than ever we were before. Admonish a friend: it may be he hath not done it; and if he have done it, that he do it no more. Admonish thy friend: it may be he hath not faid it: and if he have, that he speak it not again. Admonish a friend: for many times it is a flander : and believe not every tale. There is one, that flippeth in his fpeech; but not from his heart: and who is he, that hath not offended with his tongue? Admonish thy neighbour, before thou threaten him: and, not being angry, give place to the law of the most Hight. Only this' caution ought to be observed in the cafe, that Ecclus. i. 23, 24. † Ecclus. xix. 13,-17. that fuch, as are naturally warm and impatient, fhould but feldom risk a personal explanation at firft: but rather employ fome common well-wisher; on whofe probity and prudence they can fafely depend, that he will moderate, not inflame, matters by interpoling. And when thus, or any way, the subject of difference is rightly ftated: if the other party be innocent, let us admit it with pleasure; if he own his fault, though not fo fully as he fhould, let us receive his acknowledgement with generosity. And if, in return, he brings a charge against us : let us fay with calmness what we have to fay justly in our own favour; confefs frankly, with due concern, whatever hath been amifs; and where there is no room for a defence, attempt no palliation; but follow the injunction of fcripture: If thou hast done foolishly, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth *. It will be very dishonourable, and very strange in him, to treat us unkindly upon this. But if he doth, we muft fubmit patiently to what we have brought upon our felves; and not be guilty of a fecond misdemeanour, because our first is not handsomely forgiven us. These rules we fhall, every one of us, more or less, violate. But then, through God's grace, we may turn even our transgreflions of them to our benefit, by gaining fuch experimental knowledge of ourfelves, as will fupply us with specific directions fitted to our own cafe; and on that account far furer to be fuccefsful at laft, than any more general ones, that can be prescribed to us by others. And now, after thus delivering rules for the prevention or cure of unwarrantable refentment, both which are works of no Imall difficulty, let me add in conclufion, that all around us ought to affift us in them: and particularly, by confcientiously abstaining from throwing in our way any temptations to that fin. The intemperate heat of the paffionate is very blameable : but the deliberate wickedness of the cool and artful, who rouse them into paffion, is abominable: and even the fportful teazings of malicious mirth, when employed against fuch, deserve no flight cenfure. St. Paul twice admonishes parents, not to provoke their children to wrath: probably because it might be likely to give an early wrong turn to their tender minds. Now, if it be unlawful to excite a fhort-lived anger in these, who X X 2 Prov. xxx. 32. † Eph. vi. 4. Col. iii. 21. who are many of them incapable of doing hurt, be they ever so angry; how great a crime is it to ftir up rage, where the confequence may be unknown mifchief of various forts and how excellent a duty, to take every opportunity, (and we have all of us frequently fuch) for difpofing the hearts of those about us to that spirit of meekness and universal good will, which is the qualification for happiness here and hereafter! The fruit of righteousness is fown in peace of them that make peace*. Sow to yourselves in righteoufnefs, and reap in mercy t t. James iii. 18. † Hof. x. 12 SER. SERMON XXXI. ON OATHS. JAMES V. 12. But above all things, my brethren, swear not; neither by hea-' ven, neither by the earth, neither by any other dath; but let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay; left ye fall into con demnation. THIS precept of St. James is plainly taken from that part of our Saviour's fermon on the mount, where just the same prohibition occurs, only expreffed more at large, in the following words: Ye have heard, that it hath been faid by them of old time, thou shalt not forfwear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths. But I fay unto you, fwear not at all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne ; nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; neither by Jerufalem, for it is the city of the great king; neither shalt thou swear by thy head; for thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be yea, yea; nay, nay: for whatfoever is more than thefe, cometh of evil. These are the only texts of fcripture, where we meet with any command of this kind. And therefore to understand aright, as it greatly concerns us, what the Christian doctrine is in relation to oaths; our business must be to confider well, and compare together these two paffages. There is unquestionably a strong appearance at firft fight, that all oaths without exception are forbidden in them: and it is no wonder, that many have been carried away by that appearance, and held it unlawful to fwear upon any occafion. But whoever will Matth. v. 33,-37. |