Review: The Cure of Unjust Anger by John Downame

Aug 29

The Cure for Unjust Anger by John Downame

Life: Received his education at Christ’s College, Cambridge, where he received his Bachelor of Divinity. On August 4, 1599, he was installed as vicar. After preaching at two other churches, he resigned from his post in 1618. In 1630, he became Rector of Great Allhallows, Thomas Street, which he continued until his death. In the 1630s, Downame began giving lectures which were very popular. He also became a book publisher and printed Thomas Sutton’s Lectures on Romans, Ussher’s Body of Divinity, edited several works, and cowrote some titles. He also wrote ten of his own books. J. I. Packer described him by saying that he, “stands with Perkins, Greenham, and Richard Rogers as one of the architects of the Puritan theology of Godliness.”

General info about author: Downame was a pastor, theologian, author, publisher, husband, and father of 3 sons and several daughters.

This is a very small book (as all the books in this series are), but its value is massive. This is also Downames first book, so it is simple and sweet. Edited by Brian Hedges, this book is updated for the modern reader. As he says, “xii”

This book defines what anger is in a concise and clear manner (p. 5). He does so by comparing anger to the health of the body (p. 1, 2, 88).

While discouraging unjust and sinful anger, he condones what he calls, “sanctified anger”. (p. 9, 16, 20)

This is a book that I had a love-hate relationship with because I needed to hear its message, but I also truly disliked what it meant in my life.

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