A. N AN T H R 0 P 0 P AT H Y. Book I. the cha~ge of Things is fignified, the Divine Prefcience remaining immutable; and when he is f1id not to repent, it is to be underft0pd, that Things¥< unchanged. Polanus" fays, that the Repentance of God is not a Perturbation or Grief ariling from any Senla of Error in his Counfel or Divine Ooeree, which is immmable, I s,mt. XV. 29. But the Change of his Works, the Divine Will remaining unchanged, &c. Its Ca•J[es are the Sins or 1\epc;ntance of Men, &c. .tf!f.C.F.R. REVEN(;j;;, HA'JR!f.I), when attributed to God, are by fame referred to this !clead. W!Jere we are w note, that thefe Words are not afcribed to God by Way of Allthropopathy, for God molt truly, properly, and for iniinite Reafons, is jl!l\ly angry with Sinners, takes Vengeance on them, or affliCts them, Jer. ix. 9· l;lahum i. 2, &c. He truly hates Sinners and Hypocrites, Pfal. v. vi. Ija. i. 14, &c. (t although thefe Things are afcribed to him without any Perturbation, Confufion or ImperfeCtion) yet there is an Anthropopathy in certain Words and Phrafes by which thefe Affec– tions are wont to be expreffed. Thus Breath, or to breathe do fometimes note the Ancrer of God, by a Metaphor taken from Men, who in the vehement Commotion of An:er, do draw their Breath more firongly than ordinary, Exo4. xv. 8. Job iv. 9· lfa. xxxiii. 3 '. Ezek. xxi. 30, &c. ·where it is faid, Deut. xxviii. 63. :j: '!"he Lo1·d will rejoice over you to dejlroy you, &c. It denotes his Alacrity to infliCt J:'unifhrnenr, anfwering to his rejoicing over them to da them good. When a Thing is faid to be burdenfome or wearifome to the Lord, Ifa. i. 14. it notes his Averfation ancl Hatred.. He is f.1id to rueive Confolation, when he avenged himfdf of his Enemies, as Re·venge is wont to be fweet to abufeo;l and angry Pcrfons, IJa. i. 24. and lvii. 6. Ezek. v. •J· ZEAL or J E/ILOUSY is afcribed to God, to dcnot~ his m0fi ardent love to Be– litver,, and his Care of their Safety joined with an Indignation againft their Enemies, Jj1. ix. 7· Zech. i. •+• 15. Joelii. 18. It alfq fometimes notes God's vehement Anger againft fiubborn, rebellious Sinners, who violating that Faith, by which God efpoufed them to himfelf, commit fpiritual Adul<ery, Exod. xx. 5· Numb. xxv. 1 I. Zech. viii, 2 . $q in liiphil, Men arc faid to provoke God tO Jealoufy by their Idolatry and. $.ins, l)eut. xxxii. 16, 21. 1 KiJ;g<xiv. 22. Ezek. viii. 3• &c. Human Afl:ions afcribed. to God. THESE we fhall difiribute according to thofe more eminent Faculties. . ( 1.) That which is Intelligen~ and Rational. (2.) That which is Smtimt or Animal. Afl:ions which refpeCl: the lntelletl and Reafon, and from which (as from the fir~ Pfinciples) Things flow, are either inte;wal or cx_ternQI, the imemal which by Anthro, popathy. are attributed to God, are KNOWLEDGE, which muft not be gmerical!y underfiood, for that moll: properly, and moll: perfeCtly belongs to the Omnifcient God, but fuch a Knowledge as is experi– mental, and arrived unto, by fome fpecial AEts, or new Acquifitions, as Gen. xviii. 2 r. J will go down IZOW, and fee whether they have done altogether according to the Cry of it, which is come unto me, and if not, I will know. The Omnifcient Jehovah fpeaks of himfelf after the Manner of Men, who when they would know a Thing, repair to the Place where it was done, that by Antopjj § or perfonal Sight, and other Mediums, they may be affured that it is fo. Gm. xxii. 12. }or JZow do I know that thou feareft God, &c. God knew it before, and had a moll: exaft ProfpeCl: into Abraham's Heart, but fuch an illuftrious Exampie o( Faith and Obedience, was never externally fhewn ; which done Jehovah fays by the • InJYntag. 'Th"l. P· '94• t Lictt ahjqJte ulla perturbatiQnt, «':'.:t~l« aut imptrftRiolft h4c jint Deo trilnmu!a. t In this Text there is a Figure called Antarwulafs, which is when the f<~.me Word is repeated in a various er contrary Signification; here is a Rtjoicing to do Good, and a rtjoicing to dcftroy. ; At~1o-.}l"t aliifirwmetiJ'iscerti de tafiunt. Angel,
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