Answ. That may strongly dispose you to anger, but cannot necessitate you to any thing that is sinful: reason and will may yet command and master passion, if they do their office. And when you know your disease and danger, you must watch the more.
Object. II. But the provocation was so great, it would have angered any one; who could choose?
Answ. It is your weakness that makes you think that any thing can be great enough to discharge a man's reason, and allow him to break the laws of God. That would have been small or nothing to a prepared mind, which you call so great. You should rather say, God's majesty and dreadfulness are so great, that I durst not offend him for any provocation. Hath not God given you greater cause to obey, than man can give you to sin?
Object. III. But it is so sudden that I have no time of deliberation to prevent it.
Answ. Have you not reason still about you? And should it not be as ready to rule, as passion to rebel? Stop passion at first, and take time of deliberation.
Object. IV. But it is but short, and I am sorry for it when I have done.
Answ. But if it be evil, the shortest is a sin, and to be avoided: and when you know beforehand that you must be sorry after, why will you breed your own sorrow?
Object. V. But there are none that will not be angry sometimes; no, not the best of you all.
Answ. The sin is never the better because many commit it. And yet, if you live not where grace is a stranger, you may see that there are many that will not be angry easily, frequently, furiously, nor misbehave themselves in their anger, by railing, or cursing, or swearing, or ill language, or doing wrong to any.
Object. VI. Doth not the apostle say, "Be angry and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath," Eph. iv. 26. My wrath is down before the sun; therefore I sin not.