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Divine judgment

13 passages · search this phrase →

Often appears with: the fear of death · justice as a virtue · equity, mercy, and pardon · judgment, heaven, and hell · sin, guilt, and repentance · pride, vanity, and humility · humility · fear of god · duty, conscience, and obligation · wartime inflation in philadelphia · warning to rejecters · warning to deniers

Usually: exhortation (10) · argument (8) · injustice endured (5) · reverence (4) · confronting death (3) · crisis of belief (3) · the test or trial (3) · censure (3) · detachment (3) · reflection (2)

Quotable
“But it is wonderful, with what temerity and presumption this is commonly decided; and it is even observable, that no men give us more confident or pompous declamations concerning the righteousness of works, than those who are notoriously guilty of open sins or addicted to secret vices.” Jean Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion (Vol. 1 of 2) · observation
“It is easy for any one in the cloisters of the schools, to indulge himself in idle speculations on the merit of works to justify men; but when he comes into the presence of God, he must bid farewell to these amusements, for there the business is transacted with seriousness, and no ludicrous logomachy practised.” Jean Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion (Vol. 1 of 2) · vivid
“Let not the Infidels think that they can weaken God on His own Earth: their dwelling place shall be the Fire! and right wretched the journey!” G. Margoliouth (George), The Koran (Al-Qur'an) · observation
“Thus doth God make clear to you His signs: and God is Knowing, Wise!” G. Margoliouth (George), The Koran (Al-Qur'an) · precept
“And when ye enter houses, salute one another with a good and blessed greeting as from God. Thus doth God make clear to you His signs, that haply ye may comprehend them.” G. Margoliouth (George), The Koran (Al-Qur'an) · precept

The Koran (Al-Qur'an) secondary

G. Margoliouth (George) · 610-632 CE (revelations compiled progressively; book published after the prophet’s death)
Book carefully concocted from various sources, and with much extraneous aid, and published as a divine oracle, then it would seem that the author is at once open to the charge of the grossest imposture, and even of impious blasphemy. The evidence rather shews, that in all he did and wrote, Muhammad was actuated by a sincere desire to deliver his countrymen from the grossness of its debasing idolatries-that he was urged on by an intense desire to proclaim that great truth of the Unity of the Godhead which had taken full possession of his own soul-that the end to be attained justified to his mind the means he adopted in the production of his Suras-that he worked himself up into a belief that he had received a divine call-and that he was carried on by the force of circumstances, and by gradually increasing successes, to believe himself the accredited messenger of Heaven. The earnestness of those convictions which at Mecca sustained him under persecution, and which perhaps led him, at any price as it were, and by any means, not even excluding deceit and falsehood, to endeavour to rescue his countrymen from idolatry,-naturally stiffened at Medina into tyranny and unscrupulous violence. At the same time, he was probably, more or less, throughout his whole career, the victim of a certain amount of self-deception. A cataleptic13 subject from his early youth, born-according to the traditions-of a highly nervous and excitable mother, he would be peculiarly liable to morbid and fantastic hallucinations, and alternations of excitement and depression, which would win for him, in the eyes of his ignorant countrymen, the credit of being inspired. It would be easy for him to persuade himself that he was "the seal of the Prophets," > Book had believed, it had surely been better for them! Believers there are among them, but most of them are perverse. (38/73)

Believers must not depart from the Prophet until they seek his leave on shared matters; God warns against disobedience, and teaches that all creation belongs to God and humans will be assembled to be judged.

Let not the Infidels think that they can weaken God on His own Earth: their dwelling place shall be the Fire! and right wretched the journey! O ye who believe! let your slaves, and those of you who have not come of age, ask leave of you, three times a day, ere they come into your presence;-before the morning prayer, and when ye lay aside your garments at mid-day, and after the evening prayer. These are your three ti…

The Koran (Al-Qur'an) primary

Muhammad (Al-Qur'an content traditionally attributed; Rodwell as translator) · c. 610–632 CE (revelations compiled into the Qur'an after the prophet’s death)
Book carefully concocted from various sources, and with much extraneous aid, and published as a divine oracle, then it would seem that the author is at once open to the charge of the grossest imposture, and even of impious blasphemy. The evidence rather shews, that in all he did and wrote, Muhammad was actuated by a sincere desire to deliver his countrymen from the grossness of its debasing idolatries–that he was urged on by an intense desire to proclaim that great truth of the Unity of the Godhead which had taken full possession of his own soul–that the end to be attained justified to his mind the means he adopted in the production of his Suras–that he worked himself up into a belief that he had received a divine call–and that he was carried on by the force of circumstances, and by gradually increasing successes, to believe himself the accredited messenger of Heaven. The earnestness of those convictions which at Mecca sustained him under persecution, and which perhaps led him, at any price as it were, and by any means, not even excluding deceit and falsehood, to endeavour to rescue his countrymen from idolatry,–naturally stiffened at Medina into tyranny and unscrupulous violence. At the same time, he was probably, more or less, throughout his whole career, the victim of a certain amount of self-deception. A cataleptic13 subject from his early youth, born–according to the traditions–of a highly nervous and excitable mother, he would be peculiarly liable to morbid and fantastic hallucinations, and alternations of excitement and depression, which would win for him, in the eyes of his ignorant countrymen, the credit of being inspired. It would be easy for him to persuade himself that he was "the seal of the Prophets," > Book," "the Seven Verses of Repetition." The Muhammadans always say "Amen" (8/56)

A Meccan sura warns against rejecting resurrection and describes humans being raised and judged, with salvation for believers and condemnation for those who deny God’s authority.

Once more. Who shall teach thee what the day of doom is? It is a day when one soul shall be powerless for another soul: all sovereignty on that day shall be with God. _______________________ 1 Salt water and fresh water. SURA LXXXI.–THE FOLDED UP [XXXII.] MECCA.–29 Verses In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful WHEN the sun shall be FOLDED UP,1 And when the stars shall fall, And when the mountain…

The Koran (Al-Qur'an) primary

Muhammad (Al-Qur'an content traditionally attributed; Rodwell as translator) · c. 610–632 CE (revelations compiled into the Qur'an after the prophet’s death)
Book carefully concocted from various sources, and with much extraneous aid, and published as a divine oracle, then it would seem that the author is at once open to the charge of the grossest imposture, and even of impious blasphemy. The evidence rather shews, that in all he did and wrote, Muhammad was actuated by a sincere desire to deliver his countrymen from the grossness of its debasing idolatries–that he was urged on by an intense desire to proclaim that great truth of the Unity of the Godhead which had taken full possession of his own soul–that the end to be attained justified to his mind the means he adopted in the production of his Suras–that he worked himself up into a belief that he had received a divine call–and that he was carried on by the force of circumstances, and by gradually increasing successes, to believe himself the accredited messenger of Heaven. The earnestness of those convictions which at Mecca sustained him under persecution, and which perhaps led him, at any price as it were, and by any means, not even excluding deceit and falsehood, to endeavour to rescue his countrymen from idolatry,–naturally stiffened at Medina into tyranny and unscrupulous violence. At the same time, he was probably, more or less, throughout his whole career, the victim of a certain amount of self-deception. A cataleptic13 subject from his early youth, born–according to the traditions–of a highly nervous and excitable mother, he would be peculiarly liable to morbid and fantastic hallucinations, and alternations of excitement and depression, which would win for him, in the eyes of his ignorant countrymen, the credit of being inspired. It would be easy for him to persuade himself that he was "the seal of the Prophets," > Book is no other than a warning and a clear Koran, (15/104)

The passage concludes Surah-themed proclamations—one God, divine mercy, and final warning—while emphasizing that people will face trial and that truth must be judged rightly.

SAY: Verily it hath been revealed to me that your God is one God; are ye then resigned to Him? (Muslims.) But if they turn their backs, then SAY: I have warned you all alike; but I know not whether that with which ye are threatened be nigh or distant. God truly knoweth what is spoken aloud, and He also knoweth that which ye hide. And I know not whether haply this delay be not for your trial, and that ye may enjoy …

Familiar Letters of John Adams and His Wife Abigail Adams During the Revolution primary

John Adams (as compiled/edited by Charles Francis Adams) · 1770-1783 (composition of the correspondence selected; ordering and selection described by the 1876 edition)
Act, which was in some measure regarded and stemmed the torrent of oppression, is now no more heeded than if it had never been made. Indian corn at five shillings; rye, eleven and twelve shillings, but scarcely any to be had even at that price; beef, eightpence; veal, sixpence and eightpence; butter, one and sixpence; mutton, none; lamb, none; pork, none; mean sugar, four pounds per hundred; molasses, none; cotton-wool, none; New England rum, eight shillings per gallon; coffee, two and sixpence per pound; chocolate, three shillings. (13/96)

John Adams reflects on rising food and commodity prices in Philadelphia in July 1777, then expresses confidence that divine judgment and moral resolve will outlast the oppression of British and allied tyrants.

to all the insolence of unfeeling, impious tyrants! Yet I can appeal to my final Judge, the horrid vision has never for one moment shaken the resolution of my heart. 189. JOHN ADAMS. Philadelphia, 11 July, 1777. This letter will go by the hand of the Honorable Joseph Hewes, Esquire, one of the delegates in Congress from North Carolina from the month of September, 1774, until 1777. I had the honor to serve with him…

Summa Theologica, Part I-II (Pars Prima Secundae) primary

Thomas, Aquinas, Saint · c. 1265–1273
PART I-II ("Prima Secundae") > i.e. in the Holy Ghost. But the Holy Ghost, since He is God, is the last end. Therefore the last end can be the object of use. (51/53)

In Question 21, Aquinas argues that all human actions merit or incur demerit before God because God is the universe’s governor and last end, even when actions are self-directed.

. . . And if thou do justly, what shalt thou give Him?" Therefore a human action, good or evil, is not meritorious or demeritorious in the sight of God. Obj. 2: Further, an instrument acquires no merit or demerit in the sight of him that uses it; because the entire action of the instrument belongs to the user. Now when man acts he is the instrument of the Divine power which is the principal cause of his action; henc…

Bede's Ecclesiastical History of England primary

Bede, the Venerable, Saint · composed as a church history in Latin
Book I > BOOK IV (42/50)

Bede says the episode was told by Aedgils, and he inserts it as a warning that God’s judgment can suddenly strike people for sin, causing temporal loss or eternal damnation.

the abbess they returned to their former defilement, nay, they committed worse sins; and when they said “Peace and safety,” the doom of the aforesaid judgement came suddenly upon them. That all this fell out after this manner, was told me by my most reverend fellow-priest, Aedgils, who then lived in that monastery. Afterwards, when many of the inhabitants had departed thence, on account of the destruction, he lived …

Institutes of the Christian Religion (Vol. 1 of 2) primary

Jean Calvin · 1541 (initial publication of the Institutes; this record is for a later 1559/French-collated edition, but the work’s composition spans Calvin’s revisions after earlier versions)
Book I. On The Knowledge Of God The Creator. > Chapter I. The Fall And Defection Of Adam The Cause Of The Curse Inflicted (3/10)

Calvin contrasts carnal self-knowledge with self-examination by divine judgment, arguing that examining oneself properly produces dejection rather than pride, while still preserving hope through reflection on creation’s end.

such teachers as amuse us with a mere exhibition of our virtues, will make no progress in the knowledge of himself, but will be absorbed in the most pernicious ignorance. III. Therefore, whilst the truth of God agrees in this point with the common consent of all mankind, that the second branch of wisdom consists in the knowledge of ourselves, yet with respect to the knowledge itself there is no small disagreement. F…

Institutes of the Christian Religion (Vol. 1 of 2) primary

Jean Calvin · 1541 (initial publication of the Institutes; this record is for a later 1559/French-collated edition, but the work’s composition spans Calvin’s revisions after earlier versions)
Book I. On The Knowledge Of God The Creator. > Chapter VIII. An Exposition Of The Moral Law (3/47)

He argues the law drives believers to self-examination, leads them to fear divine judgment and death, and therefore pushes them to seek God’s mercy for salvation.

only port of salvation; and perceiving his inability to fulfil the commands of the law, and feeling nothing but despair in himself, he implores and expects assistance from another quarter. IV. But not contented with having conciliated a reverence for his righteousness, the Lord has also subjoined promises and threatenings, in order that our hearts might imbibe a love for him, and at the same time a hatred to iniquit…

Institutes of the Christian Religion (Vol. 1 of 2) primary

Jean Calvin · 1541 (initial publication of the Institutes; this record is for a later 1559/French-collated edition, but the work’s composition spans Calvin’s revisions after earlier versions)
Book I. On The Knowledge Of God The Creator. > Chapter III. On Repentance. (7/23)

Calvin says repentance involves transformation of the heart, fear rooted in God’s judgment, and a turning that produces obedience rather than hypocrisy, supported by biblical examples and exhortations.

time were not concerned “to loose the bands of wickedness,”(1625) with which they oppressed the poor. In that passage he also beautifully shows, in what duties unfeigned repentance properly consists. VII. In the second place, we represented repentance as proceeding from a serious fear of God. For before the mind of a sinner can be inclined to repentance, it must be excited by a knowledge of the Divine judgment. But …

Institutes of the Christian Religion (Vol. 1 of 2) primary

Jean Calvin · 1541 (initial publication of the Institutes; this record is for a later 1559/French-collated edition, but the work’s composition spans Calvin’s revisions after earlier versions)
Book I. On The Knowledge Of God The Creator. > Chapter XII. A Consideration Of The Divine Tribunal, Necessary To A (2/7)

Calvin argues that people misjudge righteousness by human standards, insisting that God’s tribunal requires complete, immaculate justice that fallen people cannot supply, so believers must humble themselves and fear God’s scrutiny.

Serious Conviction Of Gratuitous Justification. Though it appears, from the plainest testimonies, that all these things are strictly true, yet we shall not clearly discover how necessary they are, till we shall have taken a view of what ought to be the foundation of all this argument. In the first place, therefore, we should reflect that we are not treating of the righteousness of a human court, but of that of the h…

Institutes of the Christian Religion (Vol. 1 of 2) primary

Jean Calvin · 1541 (initial publication of the Institutes; this record is for a later 1559/French-collated edition, but the work’s composition spans Calvin’s revisions after earlier versions)
Book I. On The Knowledge Of God The Creator. > Chapter XIII. Two Things Necessary To Be Observed In Gratuitous (20/20)

The final passage continues with additional citations (including a note to “see particularly the Book of Job”) to underline that God judges and humbles human pride while saving by grace.

1954 Rom. v. 8‐10. 1955 2 Cor. v. 19. 1956 2 Cor. v. 21. 1957 Rom. iv. 6‐8. 1958 Luke i. 77. 1959 Acts xiii. 38, 39. 1960 2 Cor. v. 21. 1961 Rom. viii. 3, 4. 1962 Rom. v. 19. 1963 See particularly the Book of Job. 1964 Isaiah xxxiii. 14, 15. 1965 Psalm cxxx. 3. 1966 Job iv. 17‐20. 1967 Job xv. 15, 16. 1968 Deut. xxvii. 26. 1969 Luke xvi. 15. 1970 Psalm cxliii. 2. 1971 Job ix. 2, 3. 1972 Acts ix. 15.…

Dialogue of Comfort Against Tribulation primary

Sir Thomas More · 1534
BOOK ONE > BOOK TWO (50/64)

A Christian should see wealth as temporary, weigh divine judgment and hell/heaven, keep humility through confession and solitary prayer, and then use prosperity steadily without dreading temptation’s “arrow.”

methinketh this rich man much more than mad if, for the wealth of a little while--haply less than one week--he reckon himself in earnest any better than the beggar's fellow. And less than thus can no man think, who hath any natural wit and well useth it. But now a Christian man, cousin, who hath the light of faith, he cannot fail to think much further in this thing. For he will think not only upon his bare coming hi…

Hippolytus; The Bacchae primary

Euripides · 429 BCE (first performed)
(22/47)

Theseus and the Chorus react to the news, then Artemis’ divine messenger appearance condemns Theseus for believing Phaedra’s lies, recasts Hippolytus as innocent, and demands that Theseus hear the full story.

son hath died in sin. All women born may hang themselves, for me, And swing their dying words from every tree On Ida! For I know that he was true! LEADER O God, so cometh new disaster, new Despair! And no escape from what must be! THESEUS Hate of the man thus stricken lifted me At first to joy at hearing of thy tale; But now, some shame before the Gods, some pale Pity for mine own blood, hath o'er me co…