Quote of the Day: Stephen Charnock on Anthropomorphisms in Scripture

"As God is said to repent, when he changes things according to his counsel beyond the expectation of men, so he is said to forget, when he defers the making good his promise to the godly, or his threatenings to the wicked; this is not a defect of memory belonging to his mind, but an act of his will."  Stephen Charnock

The Puritan writers are extremely detailed and their writing style is often tedious to read because they rehash every point of doctrine from every possible angle of understanding.  But this is also why the Puritans are so important to read and carefully study for theological understanding.  Although these are 17th century writings, the brilliance of these men is immeasurable.  Stephen Charnock makes the following observation in his writings on the knowledge of God:

. . . And though God be said to forget in Scripture, and his people pray to him to remember them, as if he had forgotten them (Psalm 119:49), this is improperly ascribed to God.  As God is said to repent, when he changes things according to his counsel beyond the expectation of men, so he is said to forget, when he defers the making good his promise to the godly, or his threatenings to the wicked; this is not a defect of memory belonging to his mind, but an act of his will.  When he is said to remember his covenant, it is to will grace according to his covenant; when he is said to forget his covenant, it is to intercept the influences of it, whereby to punish the sin of his people; and when he is said not to know his people, it is not an absolute forgetfulness of them, but withdrawing from them the testimonies of his kindness, and clouding the signs of his favor; so God in pardon is said to forget sin, not that he ceaseth to know it, but ceaseth to punish it.  It is not to be meant of a simple forgetfulness, or a lapse of his memory, but of a judicial forgetfulness; so when his people in Scripture pray, Lord remember thy word unto thy servant, no more is to be understood but, Lord, fulfil thy word and promise to thy servant.

Stephen Charnock.  The Existence and Attributes of God.  First edition 1682.  (Baker Books:  Grand Rapids, 1996).  P. 421.

This ought to put to rest any idea that God is like a human being in any respect.  I could post numerous other quotes from Charnock that are equally insightful.  This book is the best information available for rebutting the arguments of Arminians and Open Theists and others who argue against the logic of an infinitely immeasurable God who is equally omniscient and whose knowledge also is without measure.

 33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
 34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
 35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
 36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen. (Rom. 11:33-36 KJV)