The Inscrutability of Divine Providence and Anger

They had these things from the great God.

So that I may also use a human example, I say, that the grammarian writes grammatically; but not always every writer has it correctly from grammar, but also from luck and habit. It appears therefore according to greatness, that he who is great alone, by doing, does great things; and analogously also according to our power we contemplate God and receive the concept of God Himself.

And he said this so that the friends, those supposing a single cause of labors, might understand that he who does great and fearsome and deep judgments has them also unsearchable, which are also glorious, as to say filled with glory. Paul also writes something similar, saying: 'O depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God; how unsearchable are his judgments and unsearchable are his ways; for who has known the mind of the Lord?' (Rom 11:33). And in the Psalms there is something near: 'Great are your judgments' (Ps 18:49). For who having understood heaven, sun, moon, stars, and the motions of these, will not marvel at the Creator? And if even you were to pass through into each thing even to the smallest of him, as that teaches: 'Go to the ant, you sluggard' (Prov 6:6) and the following, you will marvel at the wisdom of this God. If he surpasses me, I shall not see, and if he passes me by, I have not even known how.

The ungraspable nature of God's judgments is signified here; for for man, and more so by nature born, to grasp these things by private effort is impossible. This is... to him... this the holy one... came to the mind, so that from the inability to grasp the judgments of God they might understand and remember Him, and understand regarding the things happening to Him as not being accidental, and so that they might avoid supposing a single cause regarding the things happening. Whether therefore or whether therefore, he says, whether the Lord surpasses me or passes me by, so that he is even near to me, I am not able to know by...

of my mind regarding what becomes men. For someone wishing something might elude him, and surpassing him and passing by, will not sufficiently grasp it. And it is possible even to say, that if the things concerning the earth were to become near to me, I would be able to know according to our imposition; for how the economy of the heaven and those in it happens is unknown to me; if indeed I should come again to the lands, God passing by me and in some way training me among them, even so I am not self-sufficient in knowing.

If he removes it, who will turn back? Or who will say to him: 'What have you done?'; for he himself has turned away in anger. To remove is possible in every matter upon which God works; for if he wished to dissolve human life, who can turn back his will? If to bring about painful things or to cease these, no one of those things happening from him can promise a hindrance, nor can anyone of strength say to him: 'What have you done?'; according to the apostolic word: 'Shall not the creature say to the creator: Why have you made me thus?' (Romans 9:20).... let those speaking blasphemously to him say: 'What have you done?'; for not... the word, but... of him worthy of... 'What have you done?'; for those calculating the bitter things for a short time, not knowing their purpose, speak blasphemously: 'What have you done?'; according to the fool saying in his own heart: 'There is no God.' And he also brings the reason for not being able to say anything to him: 'What have you done?'; asserting: 'For he himself has turned away in anger'; for by a judgment of anger he has made the turning away. But someone, recognizing this graciously, said: 'I will bear the anger of the Lord, because I have sinned against him' (Psalm 38:18). Therefore he turns away the worthy in anger; but the righteous one does not have the worth of anger, so he has not turned away the righteous. Even if the righteous one suffers, it is not by anger, but he undergoes a struggle. For look, if one is being disciplined as a combatant, and another is being struck, is not the same manner of wounds? Thus even painful things to the righteous and...