A Key to Open Scripture Metaphors, Book 1 · Chapter 7 · Part 2
Humane Affections ascribed to God.
HEre we must note the difference of humane Affections, for some are attributed to God, as being truly in him, yet not in that imperfect manner or *per modum accidentis.way of accident, as they are in Man, but far more purely and eminently, and that†per modum essentiae seu substantiae Tom. 4. lib. 2. ad Simplicianum quest. 2. Misericordia, quasi miseria cordis. essentially and substantially too. And so all words which express humane Affections, are first to be separated from all in perfections, and then understood of God. The words of Augustine are notable— The Anger of a man (says he) causes a disturbance and a torment in his mind; but the VVrath of God executes its vengeance with a perfect equity and tranquillity, void of all disturbance; the mercy of man has some mixture of heart misery, and from thence in the Latin Tongue hath its derivation— The Apostle exhorts not only to rejoyce with the rejoycing, but also to weep with them that weep. But what man of a sound mind can say that God can be touched with any anxiety or torture of mind, the Scripture every where affirming him to be full of mercy. The zeal of men is often tainted with a mixture of spite, envy, or some other disorderly passion; but 'tis not so with God, for though his zeal is exprest by the same word, yet 'tis not in the same manner with the Sons of Men.
The words of Chemnitius deserve notice, Scholars (saith he) by a depraved application of that Rule, that *In deum non cadit accidens.accidents have no place in God,In loc. Theolog. p. 29. have taken away all Affections from him; and that most sweet consolation (Hos. 11.8, 9. My Heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together. I will not execute the fierceness of mine Anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim, for I am God and not Man) they affirm should be taken according to effection not affection. It is true indeed, that accidents having no place in God his commiseration, is not such an affection as ours, but in regard his Mercy is not distinguished from his Essence, it is certain, that it must be much more ardently in God, then we are able to think, &c.
When [Joy] or rejoycing are attributed to God, it either denotes his delight and pleasure in his Creatures,Joy. Psal. 104.31. The Lord shall rejoyce in his Works. Or else his gracious favour and propensity to his Church, as men take Joy in things very dear to them, Esa. 62.5. As the Bridegroom rejoyceth over the Bride, so shall thy God rejoyce over thee. So Deut. 28.63. and 30.9. Jer. 32.41. &c. There is a Joy in God, which exerts it self in gracious effects, but that is infinitely greater then it is in men, or can be thought by them.
2. There are certain humane Affections, which according to their descriptions in a proper way of speaking are not in God, but are used by way of similitude to signifie something Divine (as we said about humane Members) end for that and are ascribed to God, of which kind in order.
Sadness.[Sadness and Grief] of mind is attributed to God, by which his displeasure, and the withdrawings of his grace and favour are signified, Esa. 63.10. But they rebelled and vexed his Holy Spirit: Therefore he was turned to be their Enemy, and he fought against them, that is, they have perpetrated such wickedness against their proper Consciences, that the Holy Spirit has forsaken them, and justly withdrawn his grace. The like is said Ps. 78.40. How often did they provoke him in the Wilderness, foreign, &c. ne contristetis spiritum sanctum, &c. Et dixit verbo suo, se confracturum potentiam eorum secundum voluntatem suam.and grieve him in the Desart? So Eph. 4.30. Greive not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of Redemption, that is, speak not so corruptly and prophanely as to provoke the Holy Spirit to withdraw his gracious gifts and operations from you, and instead thereof to inflict wrath and punishment upon you. So Gen. 6.6. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the Earth, and it griev'd him at his Heart, that is, their malignity so displeased him, that he manifested his Divine Decree to punish them. The Chaldee renders it, And he said in his word, that he would break their power according to his Will.
So Judges 10.16. And his Soul was *or shortned, so 'tis in the Hebrew. Repentance.grieved for the misery of Israel, that is as the Chaldee renders it, he greived or his Soul was affected with anguish, by which greif the Commiseration and Compassion of God, for the Afflictions and Calamities of Israel is noted. The like phrase of the indignation and averseness of God is used Zach. 11.8. The word [broken] when ascribed to God is also of the same …ence, as Ezek. 6.9. I am broken with their whorish heart which hath departed from me, that is, I am affected with grief, and as it were compelled to Decree their Punishment, as verse the 10th.
[Repentance] is ascribed to God, by which likewise his Divine displeasure against-mens iniquities, and the infliction of punishment is noted. Gen. 6.6. 1 Sam. 15.35. Jer. 18.10.
Sometimes (if the speech be with reference to men, that by serious Repentance are converted to God) it denotes Divine Commiseration, and a taking away of punishment, Exod. 32.12, 14. 2 Sam. 24.16. Psal. 106.45. Jer. 18.8. and 26.3. Hos. 11.8. Joel. 2.13, 14. Upon which place Tarnovius thus expresses himself. The Condition of men being changed, the immutable God is not changed, but the thing it self? For he willeth always, that it should go ill with the obstinate, and that they should perish eternally, but that the Holy and Regenerate should be truly happy in this and the other World. When God, to converted Souls, remits that punishment; which he denounced to wicked and nesarious sinners, he is said to Repent of the Evil by an Anthropopathy, because he seems to do that which repenting men do, otherwise cannot properly repent because he is not a man, 1 Sam. 15.29.
Augustine says, that the Repentance of God is not after any error, but the change of Things and Constitutions in his Power is noted,lib. 17. de Civit. Dei as when it is said, that he Repents, the change of things is signified, the Divine praescience remaining immutable, and when he is said not to Repent, it is to be understood, that things are unchanged.
In syntag. Theol. p. 194.Polanus says, that the Repentance of God is not a perturbation or greif arising from any sence of error in his Counsel or Divine decree, which is immutable, 1 Sam. 15.29. But the change of his Works, the Divine Will remaining unchanged, &c. Its causes are the sins or Repentance of men, &c.
[Anger, Revenge, Hatred] when attributed to God,Anger, Revenge, Hatred. are by some refer'd to this head. Where we are to note, that these words are not ascribed to God by way of Anthropopathy, for God most truly, properly, and for infinite Reasons, is justly angry with sinners, takes vengeance on them, or afflicts them, Jer. 9.9. Nahum. 1.2. &c. He truly hates sinners and hypocrites, Psal. 5.6. Esa. 1.14. &c. (although these things are ascribed to him without any perturbation,Licet absque ulla perturbatione, foreign aut imperfectione haec sint Deo tribuenda. confusion or imperfection) yet there is an Anthropopathy in certain words and phrases by which these affections are wont to be expressed. Thus breath, or to breath do sometimes note the Anger of God, by a Metaphor taken from men, who in the vehement commotion of Anger, do draw their breath more strongly then ordinary, Exod. 15.8. Job 4.9. Esa. 33.31. Ezek. 21.30. &c.
Where it is said, Deut. 28.63. *In this text there is a figure call'd Antanaclasis, which is when the same word is repeated in a various or contrary signification; here is a Rejoycing to do good, and a Rejoycing to destroy. Zeal or JealousieThe Lord will Rejoyce over you to destroy you, &c. It denotes his alacrity to inflict punishment, answering to his rejoycing over them to do them good. When a thing is said to be burdensome or wearisome to the Lord, Esa. 1.14. It notes his aversation and hatred. He is said to receive consolation, when he avenged himself of his Enemies, as Revenge is wont to be sweet to abused and Angry persons, Esa. 1.24. and 57.6. Ezek. 5.13.
[Zeal or Jealousie] is ascribed to God, to denote his most ardent Love to Beleivers, and his care of their safety joyned with an indignation against their Enemies, Esa. 9.7. Zach. 1.14, 15. Joel 2.18. It also sometimes notes Gods vehement Anger against stubborn, rebellious, sinners, who violating that Faith, by which God espoused them to himself, commit spiritual Adultery, Exod. 20.5. Num. 25.11. Zach. 8.2. So in Hiphil, men are said to provoke God to Jealousie by their Idolatry and sins. Deut. 32.16.21. 1 King. 14.22. Ezek. 8.3. &c.