Opening the library…
A Treatise on the Anger of God Addressed to Donatus
Lactantius
A philosophical and theological argument that divine anger is compatible with divine goodness because providence, moral law, reward, and punishment require God’s active concern for human conduct.
This is what I had to say
Authors of great number and weight have made mention of the Sibyls; of the Greeks, Aristo the Chian, and Apollodorus the Erythræan; of our writers, Varro and Fenestella. All these relate that the Erythræan Sibyl was distinguished and noble beyond the rest. Apollodorus, indeed, boasts of her as his own citizen and countrywoman. But Fenestella also relates that ambassadors were sent by the senate to Erythræ, that the verses of this Sibyl might be conveyed to Rome, and that the consuls Curio and Octavius might take care that they should be placed in the Capitol, which had then been restored under the care of Quintus Catulus. In her writings, verses of this kind are found respecting the Supreme God and Maker of the world:—
“The incorruptible and eternal Maker who dwells in the heaven, holding forth good to the good, a much greater reward, but stirring up anger and rage against the evil and unjust.”
Again, in another place, enumerating the deeds by which God is especially moved to anger, she introduced these things:—
“Avoid unlawful services, and serve the living God. Abstain from adultery and impurity; bring up a pure generation of children; do not kill: for the Immortal will be angry with every one who may sin.”
Therefore He is angry with sinners.
Immobilem.
[Book i. concluding chapters.]
The philosophers wore long hair and cloaks. See Instit., iii. 25. [Needlessly repeated. See p. 95, supra; also 137.]
Præpostere, i.e., in a reversed order, putting the last first.