62.
They who have seen that merely human properties are unworthy of God, and yet are attributed to Him, in order to defend the system of justification once conceived, and to veil that appearance, have said
that anger, revenge, damnation, and the like, are predicated of His justice, and are therefore mentioned in many parts of the Word, and as it were appropriated to God. But by the anger of God in the
Word, is signified evil in man, which, because it is against God, is called the anger of God; not that God is angry with man, but that man from his evil is angry with God; and because there is in evil
its own punishment, as in good its own reward, therefore while evil punishes the evil-doer, it appears as if God did it. For this is like a criminal, who attributes his punishment to the law, or like
one who blames the fire for burning him when he puts his hand into it, or a drawn sword for wounding him when he rushes upon the point of it, while in the hand of one defending himself. Such is the
justice of God. But of this more may be seen in The Apocalypse Revealed, where it treats of justice and judgment in God and from God (n. 668). That anger is ascribed to Him, may be seen (n. 635); as
likewise revenge (n. 658); but this is in the sense of the letter, because that sense is written by appearances and correspondences, yet not in the spiritual sense, wherein truth is in its own light.
This I can affirm, that whenever the angels hear anyone say, that God from anger determined on the damnation of the human race, and as an enemy was reconciled by His Son, as by another God begotten from
Himself, they are affected in a manner similar to those, who from an uneasiness in their bowels and stomach are excited to vomiting; saying, What can be more insane than to affirm such things of God?
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