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De la colère de Dieu
VI.
Voilà tout ce que les philosophes ont pensé au sujet de la divinité, aucun d'eux n'ayant rien dit davantage. Que si tout ce qu'ils ont avancé est convaincu de fausseté, il faut que la vérité se trouve dans une proposition qu'ils n'ont jamais avancée ni défendue, savoir : que comme Dieu entre en colère, aussi se laisse-t-il apaiser. C’est ce que nous avons à prouver et à soutenir, comme un des principaux points de notre religion. Car il ne faudrait rendre aucun honneur à Dieu s'il n'en donnait point de récompense, ni appréhender de l'offenser s'il n'entrait point en colère contre ceux qui l'offensent.
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A Treatise on the Anger of God
Chap. VI.--That God is Angry.
These are the opinions entertained by the philosophers respecting God. But if we have discovered that these things which have been spoken are false, there remains that one last resource, in which alone the truth can be found, which has never been embraced by philosophers, nor at any time defended: that it follows that God is angry, since He is moved by kindness. This opinion is to be maintained and asserted by us; for 1 this is the sum and turning-point on which the whole of piety and religion depend: and no honour can be due to God, if He affords nothing to His worshippers; and no fear, if He is not angry with him who does not worship Him. 2
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In eo enim summa omnis et cardo religionis pietatisque versatur. ↩
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[This fear of the Lord is filial, not servile; and this anger is likewise twofold, including fatherly and corrective indignation, and the wrath of the magistrate, which inflicts penalty and retribution. Compare Ps. vii. 11; also p. 104, note 1, supra.] ↩