Ch. XIV. Of meekness in opposition to anger

AS young men are extremely addicted to ſenſuality, ſo they are exceſſively impatient under the leaſt contradiction. Theſe two predominant paſſions of youth, precipitate them into all kinds of diſorder. Take a view of all the vices and extravagances of youth, conſider all the misfortunes that befal them, and you will find they ſpring from one of theſe two cauſes, either from the love of pleaſures, or from anger, and often from both together. Theſe are the two means the Devil employs to deſtroy young men, being well aſſured, that if one ſucceeds not, the other will never fail. It is frequently ſeen, that he ruins by anger thoſe he cannot gain by pleaſures, hurrying them by that impetuous paſſion into moſt deplorable misfortunes.

Wherefore, Theotime, as it is moſt important for you to moderate this love of pleaſures, ſo natural to your age, of which we have hitherto ſpoken; ſo it is neceſſary for you to labour to repreſs thoſe motions of anger, according to that excellent precept the wiſe man gives you; Remove anger from thy heart, and put away evil from thy fleſh, that is to ſay,-pleaſure.

There are ſo many reaſons that induce us to fly anger, that it is truly ſurpriſing to ſee it ſo common among men. I beſeech you, Theotime, weigh attentively theſe which follow.

1. Anger is a brutiſh paſſion, which renders men like beaſts: for what is there liker a brute, than a man who cannot ſuffer the leaſt thing? Beaſts fly at every thing that hurts them, becauſe they have no reaſon; and if you ſtir up yourſelf againſt every thing that diſpleaſes you, in what are you different from a beaſt? and what does your reaſon avail you?

2. Anger uſually proceeds from a want of wiſdom, or from a weakneſs of mind, which can ſuffer or diſſemble nothing, and diſ- cerns not the things which deſerve anger, from thoſe which do not. If then you be inclined to anger, you betray a weak mind, and more folly than diſcretion. This is the judgment of the wiſe man, who ſays, A fool immediately ſheweth his anger: He therefore gives you this excellent admonition, be not quickly angry: for anger reſteth in the boſom of a fool; that is, anger is ſuitable and natural to ill-bred minds.

3. Anger clouds the judgment and reaſon, and renders a man incapable of diſcerning good from bad, true from falſe, uſeful from unprofitable. It makes one frequently take the one for the other, ſo that a man in anger has nothing but the exterior ſhape and figure of a man.

4. The exterior itſelf is in ſuch a manner changed, that it disfigures a man; his eyes ſtrike fire, his countenance pale, his ſpeech interrupted, his body trembling, his clamours, and other like alterations, are the effects of anger, which makes a man as it were outragious.

5. From thence it comes, that a man in anger is inſupportable to all the world, every one dreads and abandons him, even his friends fly from him. A ſpirit that is eaſily angered, ſays the wiſe man, who can bear? A ſtone is heavy and ſand weighty: but the anger of a fool is heavier than them both.

6. How many are the ſad effects of anger?

from thence quarrels, injuries, detractions, enmities, deſires of revenge, oaths, blaſphemies, and a thouſand other ſins which it occaſions. He that is eaſily ſtirred up to wrath, ſhall be more prone to ſin. From thence the ruin of friendſhip among friends, inward grudges, irreconcileable diſcords; from thence many misfortunes, revenge, blows, duels, dreadful and miſerable deaths.

Laſtly, Anger is abſolutely contrary to the ſpirit of Chriſtianity. Whoſoever is angry with his brother ſhall be in danger of the judgment. Learn of me, becauſe I am meek and humble of heart. Charity, ſays St. Paul, is patient, is kind, is not provoked to anger. Let all bitterneſs and anger, and indignation and clamour, and blaſphemy be put away from you.

Remedies againſt anger.

If you be poſſeſſed by this paſſion, Theotime, uſe all your endeavours to moderate it: and for this intent read attentively the following maxims, and endeavour to practiſe them.

1. Never be provoked upon ſmall occaſions: for example, if one ſays ſome ſlighting words to you, or does ſomething that diſpleaſes you; if a ſervant be wanting to wait on you punctually; to be enraged on ſuch occaſions is an indiſcretion, and the effect of an irregular mind.

2. If the ill you have received be conſiderable, before you be troubled for it, ſee whether your anger will ſerve to remedy it, and you will very frequently find that it will be abſolutely uſeleſs for that purpoſe; and if it be unprofitable, it is a folly to vex yourſelf. For example, one has given you injurious words, or ſpoken ill of you; if you fall into a paſſion you will not repair the injury nor the detraction; you muſt then ſeek ſome other means, among which contempt is often the beſt.

3. Suppoſe it be fitting ſometimes to manifeſt ſome diſcontent for the evil another has done you, to hinder him from doing the ſame again, becauſe, according to the wiſe man, By the ſadneſs of the countenance the mind of the offender is corrected; yet it can never be profitable, either to conceive anger in one's heart, or to brawl, ſtorm, affront, or reproach. On the contrary, it leſſens your reaſon for complaint, if you have any; and it is againſt virtue, becauſe in all this you offend God.

4. Be then always upon your guard to prevent anger when you ſee it approaching. But if it ſhould ſometimes get the ſtart, before you have been able to avoid it, endeavour to return quickly to yourſelf, and to be eaſily appeaſed. Generous minds are ſoon pacified.

St. Jerome obſerves, " That it is natural to a man to be angry, " but it is the property of a Chriſtian to keep it within bounds." St. Ambroſe relates of the Emperor Theodoſius the Great, " That " he was ſo much inclined to meekneſs, that he eſteemed himſelf " obliged very much when one aſked pardon, and when he was " moſt angry, he was moſt ready to pardon; ſo that one deſired " in him, what was feared in others, viz. that he ſhould be an" gry." O what an excellent example is this, and how deſerving of our imitation!

5. When you have given way to paſſion, impoſe ſome puniſhment upon yourſelf, as prayer, alms, or other things; and expreſs a trouble for it to thoſe who ſaw you.

6. There is ſcarce any perſon but ſays or does ſomething in his anger of which he repents afterwards. When therefore you ſhall be in choler, reſtrain yourſelf as much as you can from ſaying or doing any thing which paſſion ſuggeſts. Never believe yourſelf when you are in a paſſion; wait till it be paſt, to judge whether a thing be ill ſpoken or done, and you will often find that it was not.

7. Entertain not your thoughts with the ſubject of your diſpleaſure, to perſuade yourſelf that you have juſt cauſe to be angry; this is but to cheriſh your paſſion: there is none but thinks he has a juſt reaſon to indulge paſſion. On the contrary, perſuade yourſelf that you may be deceived, and turn your mind to ſomething elſe. When your paſſion is over, your judgment will be leſs prejudiced, and often far different from what it was during your anger.

8. If you deſire to have an averſion for anger, conſider another attentively when he is in paſſion; you will ſee nothing in him and his actions, but what will diſpleaſe you. The ſame happens to you in reſpect of others when you are angry: and if you ſhould ſee yourſelf in a looking-glaſs, you would be vexed at yourſelf, and would not endure yourſelf in that condition.

9. Fly the converſation of impatient and choleric men, according to that excellent precept of the wiſe man, Be not a friend to an angry man, leſt perhaps thou learn his ways.

In a word, accuſtom yourſelf to be affable and mild towards others, to excuſe their faults, to forget injuries, to pardon eaſily, not to be exceptious and peeviſh, but to ſpeak mildly to all. Learn in good time, Theotime, the practice of that divine ſentence of Jeſus Chriſt, Learn of me, becauſe I am meek, and humble of heart.