Quote 4039
there is a holy kind of anger, which the scripture does not disallow; so that, unless a man is angry in that way, he will never be a good and godly man. For a good man has a zeal for God, and in that godly zeal he is angry at the iniquity and naughtiness of mankind.
Heinrich Bullinger
The Decades https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook13.6K
Other Quotes from the Author & Topic
the gospel is the most evident sentence of the eternal God, brought down from heaven, absolving all believers from all their sins, and that is freely too, for Christ's sake, with a promise of eternal life.
the Ten Commandments are the very absolute and everlasting rule of true righteousness and all virtues, set down for all places, men, and ages, to frame themselves by. For the sum of the Ten Commandments is this: to show our love to God, and to love one another. And the Lord requires this at all times, and everywhere, of all kinds of men. The Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
though some are not at all zealous, and hardly drawn to hearing sermons in the church, that springs out of no other fountain than this: it is because they neither understand rightly, nor weigh diligently enough, the virtue and true force of the word of GodThe Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
Many there are that suffer the sun not only to go down upon their anger, but to run his whole race— yes, many races—ere they can be reconciled, whereby their anger becomes inveterate and turns into malice, for anger and malice differ but in age.
Anger is a tender virtue and such as by reason of our unskillfulness may be easily corrupted and made dangerous. He that in his anger would not sin must not be angry at anything but sin.
It is the great duty of all Christians to put off anger. It unfits for duty. A little jogging puts a clock or watch out of frame, so a little passion the heart. A man cannot wrestle with God and wrangle with his neighbor at the same time. Short sins often cost us long and sad sorrow. An angry man is like one in a crowd that hath sore bile; every one thrusts him and troubles him." With the froward thou wilt shew thys[elf] froward," a dreadful scripture to a peevish, froward man. Those that are too merry when pleased are commonly too angry when crossed. Blessed Lord, subdue this lust in my heart; I am very weak there. Lord, there strengthen me, turn the stream of my anger [against] self and sin. O how doth my anger at men make God angry at me! Lord, pardon in Christ
Thou a Christian and carry hellfire about thee! How can it be? When we see a child furious and revengeful who comes of merciful parents, we…say we wonder of whom he got his currish, churlish disposition; his father and mother were not so. Who learns thee, O Christian, to be so revengeful and unmerciful? Thou hast it not of thy heavenly Father, I am sure.Gems, 19
Anger may kindle in the breast of a wise man, but rests only in the bosom of a fool.Works, 101
Anger is a short madness; whensoever it displaces reason, it is sinful.Commentary, 1:603
If you take a candle out of a lantern, you have taken the light from the lantern, but you have not put out the candle. Truly, because the candle is taken away, the lantern remains full of darkness; but the candle feels so little hurt by removing it, that being taken away from the lantern, it then shines more clearly, and casts forth the beams of its light more at large. So truly, being separated from its earthly or slimy body, the soul feels so little discommodity, that being delivered from the trouble and burden of the body, it lives more at liberty, and works more effectually. But the common sort do not understand thisThe Decades
But let no man so understand these things, as if the devil were able to do all things, and that whatever he wills, he can also do later. For his power is definite, or limited and restrained, so that he cannot do as much as he would: otherwise all things would have been overthrown and perished long ago.The Decades
Nevertheless we must take heed here lest, contrary to the nature of true religion, we attribute too much to angels. We must take heed that we not worship them; that we not call upon them, nor serve them. Indeed, when men hear that angels are given to them by God as ministers, and that God does good to us by them, they later think that some honour is to be ascribed and given to them. But sincere religion teaches us to acknowledge God as the author of all good things; that the angels are the ministers of God, and instruments as it were, by whom God works — just as we see the sun, the moon, and the stars, the patriarchs, the prophets, and the apostles, to be and to have been.The Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
we must further see what manner of creatures angels are: they are heavenly spirits, and incorruptible and most swift substances. The Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
For the Father works all things by the Spirit. By him God creates, sustains, moves, gives life, strengthens, and preserves all things. By the self-same Spirit, he regenerates his faithful people, sanctifies them, and endues them with diverse kinds of graces. Thus, in the description of him mentioned above, his principal powers and effects which show themselves by their working in men, are comprised in four members. I said that he illuminates, regenerates, sanctifies, and fulfils the faithful with all good graces.The Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
the Holy Ghost in man increases or fills, and diminishes or departs: not that there is any change to be found in God (who, as commonly and truly said, neither receives more or less); but because man, according to his capacity, either receives the Spirit plentifully and liberally, or else measurably and sparingly, even as it pleases the Holy Ghost.The Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
The Holy Ghost is the third person in Trinity, to be worshipped, very God, proceeding from the Father and the Son. He enlightens, regenerates, sanctifies, and fulfills the faithful with all good graces. The Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
kings can serve their Lord and King in no other way than as kings — that is, in doing those things which kings ought to do; namely, to execute judgment and justice.The Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
because our Lord is a king, he must therefore have a kingdom. The realm and dominion subject to a king is called a kingdom, as well as principality, empire, power, and the manner of government itself. Therefore the church, the communion or fellowship of saints, being obedient and subject to their king Christ, is called the kingdom of GodThe Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
in Isaiah, the people of God cry out: "You, God, are our Father. Though Abraham is ignorant of us, and Israel does not know us; You, O Lord, are our Father, and our Redeemer." Isa 63.16 iv.212 If, then, the patriarchs — so studious and careful for their people — did not know what they did, which of the saints (I ask you) would we grant or point out, who knows what we do, and intermeddles with the affairs of the living?The Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
As for the "heavenly patrons," as these men call them, they neither know the thoughts of men; nor is their power spread throughout the heaven, the earth, and the seas; nor do they know all things; nor yet are they everywhere present, or omnipotent. For if it were so with them, then they would be transformed and changed into a divine nature, and would cease to be creatures anymore. But although they enjoy everlasting blessedness by Christ, yet notwithstanding, they remain creatures still; nor do they know all things, nor are they almighty. And therefore they are to be called upon at no one's hand. The Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
it is most certain that it belongs to God only to give good things, and to turn away evil things. It consequently follows that God only and alone must be called upon. For if those patrons who are called upon as helpers and succourers, are able either to give those things that are good, or to turn away those things that are evil, then certainly there is not one God only; for those would likewise be gods. But they are not gods, because there is but one GodThe Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
We make our confession to GOD privately, when we disburden our hearts before God, open the secrets of our hearts to him alone, and, in acknowledging the sins that are in us, we earnestly beseech him to have mercy upon us. This confession is necessary to obtain pardon for our sins. The Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
repentance is a turning to God which, even though he stirs it up in us by his word and other means, is so wrought in us, notwithstanding, especially by the Holy Ghost, that with fear we love, and with love we fear our just God and merciful Lord, from whom we were turned back, being sorry now with all our hearts that with our sins, we ever offended so gracious a Father.The Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
This is the sum and breviary of the whole gospel: that we are justified — that is to say, we are absolved from sins, from the definitive sentence of death and damnation; and we are sanctified and adopted into the number of the sons of God — by faith, that is, by an assured confidence in the name of Christ, which is given by the Father to be our only Saviour. And here works are excluded, to the end that there should be given to us no occasion to entangle faith with works, or to attribute to works the glory and title due to faith alone — or rather to Christ, upon whom our faith is grounded and upheldThe Decades, https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
eternal salvation is seeing and enjoying the eternal God. Consequently, it is an inseparable joining or knitting to himThe Decades https://www.monergism.com/decades-ebook
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2. Charles Spurgeon (135)
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