Gods Three Arrows, Section 42
§. 42. Of anger attributed to God.
Of the kinds of affections, See The Saints Sacrifice on Pſ. 116. ver. 1 §. 4. Iſta verba in Scripturis poſita non ſunt ut aliquam Dei perturbationem ſignificent: ſed quia nihil dignum de Dco dici poteſt, propterea uſ que ad ca perventum eſt. Aug. contr. Adi mant. c 13. What anger is, in man. Ira eſt motus naturalis concept us ex cauſis, qui ſolet ad profectum pertinere Delinquentis. Amb. Comment. in Eph. 4.Quest. IS anger in God?
Anſw. Not properly, as in a man, a paſſion diſtinct from the Eſſence. For God is a moſt ſimple and pure Eſſence. He is all Eſſence. There is nothing in him different from his Eſſence. The things that are attributed unto him, are ſpoken of him onelyonly by way of reſemblance, for teaching ſake: to make us ſomewhat more diſtinctly conceive Gods dealing with us. Anger in man is a paſſion whereby upon apprehenſion of ſome evill done, he is ſtirred up to puniſh him that hath done it. The evill that ſtirreth up anger is either a true evill that juſtly deſerveth to be puniſhed, and in that reſpect anger is deſervedly provoked: as aExo. 11. 8.Moſes his anger was provoked at Pharaohs obſtinacy: Or only an evill in appearance, or in the apprehenſion of him that is angry: and in that reſpect unjuſtly incenſed: as b1 Sam. 20. 30 Si off…nditur debet iroſci: ſi iraſcitur debet ulciſci. Nam & ultic fructus eſt irae: & ira debitum offē ſae. Tertul, adverſ. Marciō. l. 1Sauls anger againſt Ionathan.
Anger attributed to God ſetteth out his diſlike of evill and his reſolution to puniſh evill doers. God can not miſtake: the evill at which he is at any time angry is indeed evill. When any way God manifeſteth his diſlike and his reſolution to puniſh, he is ſaid to be angry. Thus cRom. 1. 18.the wrath of God is revealed from heaven againſt all ungodlineſſe: that is, God who is in heaven manifeſteth from thence his diſlike of ungodlineſſe, and his purpoſe to take vengeance thereof. And becauſe that diſlike and purpoſe to puniſh uſeth to be manifeſted ſometimes by threatning ſo to do, and ſomtimes by putting his purpoſe into execution, and performing it, ſuch his threatning and executing of judgement is called the anger or wrath of God. Who can tell (ſaith the King of Nineveh) if God will turne away from his fierce anger? By Ion 3. 9.anger he meaneth Ionahs threatning of vengeance: for no puniſhment was then inflicted. But where eRom. 25.the Apoſtle ſaith, Thou treaſurest up to thy ſelfe wrath, he meaneth judgement: as is further evident by this phraſe, fRom. 35. foreign Qui infert iram.God inflicteth wrath, that is, taketh vengcance, as our Engliſh turnes it.
To apply theſe, as to diſlike, and to purpoſe to puniſh ſinners, or to threaten vengeance, or to execute judgement may be attributed to God, ſo to be angry. And as Gods threatning, and execution of judgement is leſſe or more terrible, ſo his wrath: therefore to manifeſt and aggravate the terrours thereof, ſundry Metaphors and Epithites are added thereto: as gPſal. 69. 24.wrathfull anger, hDeut. 29 24.Heate of great anger, i2 King 23. 26Fierceneſſe of great wrath, kIſa. 42. 25.Fury of anger; and his anger is ſaid to lExo 32. 11.waxe hot, mNumb 11 10to be kindled greatly, nDeut. 29. 20.to ſmoke, o—32. 22. Difference betwixt Gods anger on Saints and others.to burne unto the loweſt hell.
According to the perſons with whom God is angry, may his anger be diſtinguiſhed:
1. By reaſon of the fleſh in his beſt Saints on earth, they oft provoke his wrath, as pExo. 4. 14. Deut. 3. 26.Maſes did, againſt whom the anger of the Lord is ſaid to be kindled. This anger is as a Fathers compaſſion. Of this it is ſaid qPſal. 103. 9. Cum iratus ſuerit, m ſericordiae recordabitur. Immò verò & ipſa indignatio non aliundè quam de miſericordia eſt. Bern. de verb. Hab. Serm.He will not keepe it for ever. This anger ariſeth from his mercy.
2. By reaſon of their rebellious diſpoſition others do ſo farre incenſe his wrath, as it proves implacable. Againſt ſuch, ſaith the Lord, r2 King 22. 17My wrath ſhalbe kindled, and ſhall not be quenched. sPſal. 21. 9. Dominum ctiam bonis ſuis ſervis ſuccenſintem intelligi datur. Aug Quaeſt. ſuper Ioſ. lib. 6The Lord will ſwallow up ſuch in his wrath. This anger is as the paſſion of a Iudge.
From all theſe premiſſes this concluſion followeth.
Wrath may come from God. He may be provoked thereto: and that by all ſorts, Saints and others, as hath beene ſhewed before. Scarce any other thing is more frequently attributed to God, then anger. Not by reaſon of any forwardneſſe in him to anger. For tIon 42.The Lord is ſlow to anger, uExo. 34. 6.Long-ſuffering, xNeh. 9 17.Ready to pardon: and when he hath threatned, or begun to inflict judgement, he is ſoone brought to yIon. 4. 2. 2 Sam. 24. 16.repent him of the evill. But by reaſon of mans provoking diſpoſition: By ſinne (whereunto men are exceedingly addicted) Gods wrath is kindled: by aggravation of ſinne, the fire of Gods wrath is inflamed: and by obſtinate continuance the rein, and impenitenty, that flame becomes unquenchable. Now ſinne, being contrary to the righteouſneſſe of his will, his juſtice, his truth, his wiſdome and other like Divine excellencies, will not ſuffer the fire of his wrath to lie alwayes ſmothered: but rather ſtirre him up to ſend it out againſt Sublimitas ineffabilis, ut hominibus congruat; humanis ſonis ſignificanda eſt. Aug, contr. Adimat. cap. 13.ſinners, to ſcorch them, to burne them, to conſume them, if at leaſt they repent not. Thus an ineffable ſublimity, that it may be the more agreeable to man, is to be ſet out by words appertaining to man.