66

66

verence ourselves was recommended by the greatest masters of morality among the heathens, as a compendium of their philosophy, and the highest pitch of wisdom; and one of them has these excellent words: "It is the ignorance of our own nature "that lays us open to the irruption of all sorts of "wickedness upon us; and would we but attend to "that as our rule, we should discern what is decent "and becoming us in every thing, and lead our "lives agreeable to the dignity of our nature, and according to the guidance and direction of right reason "." And the holy scriptures likewise teach us the same wise lesson, when they tell us we are the image of God, made after his own likeness; that we are his temple, members of his eternal Son, and coheirs with him of the kingdom of heaven, and fellow citizens with the saints, and the like. And accordingly we are exhorted to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called, to be holy as God is holy, pure as he is pure, and perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect; that is, not to dishonour and defile our excellent nature, or do any thing unworthy of the relation we stand in to God and his divine Son, and the title we have to that glorious inheritance above; but live up to that dignity, which by God's great goodness and mercy is conferred upon us. And therefore the most honourable appellations are given to Christians in scripture, and arguments against the pollutions of vice, as the expression frequently is, are taken from the dignity of our nature and holy profession, that the sense of shame, and the indecorum of a Christian's being

o Hierocl. in Aur. Carm. Pythag. p. 99. Lond. edit.

wicked, might prevail with us to walk circumspectly, and as becomes the gospel of Christ.

Now, that he who keeps under due government this equally violent, surprising, and, when excessive, indecent passion of anger, which is so suddenly excited, and so hard to be repressed, must be supposed thus to know and to revere himself, will appear when we consider how differently this passion works, as there is or is not this apprehension of the unbecomingness of the irregularities of it, to the condition or circumstances we are in.

Thus to a hot, inconsiderate child, or ignorant, mean, ill-bred person, the loss of a trifle, or any the least thing that goes awry, is intolerable, and fires him into an extravagant passion, and he is not ashamed of it, and does not endeavour to suppress it, but rather stands in its justification; whereas a prince, or an ambassador, or a bishop, or a judge, knowing what character he bears, is sensible how much below him it would be to be disturbed by little matters, and how unseemly to wrangle for things of no value, and therefore is either but little moved by them, or else immediately stifles the indecent passion.

When therefore we see a man but little concerned at the cross accidents of life, keeping a calm in his breast, and a becoming sedateness and temper in his discourse and behaviour, notwithstanding the provocations he may meet with, and the disagreeable things which every day give occasion to his discomposure; it naturally gives us a venerable notion of him, as one that is so wise as to know and understand himself, and that reflects upon the dignity of his nature, and the excellency of his religion,

and thinks it much below him to be ruffled and disturbed, and much more to grow frantic and raving for such inconsiderable matters as we meet with here below. And none more undervalue themselves than those to whom every thing seems considerable enough to deserve a great passion, and like tinder take fire at every the least spark, and suffer it to burn on, and apprehend no unseemliness in it, and then say it is natural to them, and they cannot help it.

2. But, secondly, he that duly governs this passion shews that he understands his own true interest, and does not overvalue these lower goods; which likewise is a great argument of wisdom. For otherwise, if he mistook his true interest, and thought it lay here in this world, he could not but be disturbed and angry when any thing crossed and hindered him in the pursuit of that wherein he placed his happiness. This would touch him in the tenderest part, and he could not but be very sensible of and discomposed by it, as every one is that thus overprizes the good things of this world.

When therefore a man stands firm, amidst those violences and tempests which our present state is full of, and remains quiet and calm, though injured and unfortunate, as we call it; or though a little stirred at first, yet soon composeth himself again, and reduceth his passion to due order and obedience this man gives sufficient proof of his being above the world, and that his treasure is placed out of the reach of all the turns and changes that are here below; that he esteems of every thing here, not as the ingredients of his happiness, but only as little conveniences for the present; and therefore

can bear with very little disturbance those disappointments and that ill usage which at any time he shall happen to meet with; as one whose mind and thoughts and affections are chiefly fixed elsewhere. And I believe nobody will question the wisdom of him that can do thus.

3. But further yet, he that commands this passion is very wise, because he is become master of a truly Christian temper and disposition, and has learned to resemble the blessed Jesus in a grace which he most of all esteemed, and especially recommended by his own example, as well as doctrine, when he was here upon earth. Thus the poor in spirit are first of all pronounced blessed by him in his sermon on the mount; and soon after, the meek; and soon after them, the peaceable and peacemakers; all which are virtues very near of kin to each other, and must be supposed in him that can rule the passion of anger: and to the first of these is promised the kingdom of heaven; to the next, the inheritance of the earth; and to the last, the high honour of being called the children of God. And agreeably St. James tells us, that the wisdom which is from above is peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, and without partiality, or a humour of wrangling and contention. And our blessed Lord, we read, when his fiery disciples, those sons of thunder, as he called them, were for destroying the inhospitable Samaritans, that refused him entertainment, with fire from heaven; he rebuked them, and told them they knew not what manner of spirit they were of. They forgot they were followers of him who was meek and lowly of heart, and whose whole life was a continual practice of this virtue; and that the contrary

spirit of destruction and revenge was too near an imitation of him who is the great destroyer. They forgot that no indignity of those many and great ones which he met with, though heightened with all possible aggravations, could ever move him to any degree of anger, but what had a prevailing mixture of pity and commiseration. And even when . he went to the slaughter, he went like a lamb, and opened not his mouth; when he was reviled, he reviled not again; when he suffered, in the most barbarous and provoking manner, he threatened not; and with his last breath prayed for his cruel enemies' forgiveness.

Well therefore may he be deemed a man of great wisdom, and more than ordinary understanding, who in so difficult an instance can imitate so excellent an example, though it be but at a great distance, (and who can pretend to more?) and has learned to practise the peculiar precept of the most holy religion, and which doth so directly tend to his own rest and quiet in this world, and to his eternal happiness in heaven.

But, on the other hand, what egregious folly is it for a man so little to understand and value himself and his best interest, as by indulging this fierceness of temper, to put it into the power of every, though never so frivolous thing, to take his quiet from him, and expose him to continual vexation, and all the ill consequences of ungoverned heat! and there is no doubt to be made but that we often rob ourselves of that peace which we might easily have preserved if we would, and for the most of our disquietudes may thank our own ill temper.

Now what can be more shamefully silly and