Resentment

It is hardly necessary to say, that the feeling of displeasure, which is but another name for the feeling of resentment, when it exists in its milder or mitigated form, is a state of mind, which by the laws of our nature, is appropriate to wrong-doing. Of the nature of this feeling, it is not necessary to attempt to give any explanation, as it is too well understood in the consciousness of every one; although it may properly be said, that the natural law of its origin and action requires it to be more or less intense, in accordance with the nature and degree of the wrong-doing. Such are the facts and relations of things, and such is the obvious and precise adaptation of the human mind to such facts and relations, that displeased or angry feelings not only come into existence by their own natural laws of origin; but if they arise on their appropriate occasions, and in their appropriate degree, they seem to be justly regarded as right feelings. To look on wrong-doing, knowing it to be truly and deliberately such, without disapprobation and without feeling displeased, would itself be as really a crime, as the wrongdoing which is witnessed. And accordingly the Scriptures, if we rightly understand them, allow of displeased or angry feelings under some circumstances. God himself is represented as being displeased or angry, and as having abundant reason to be displeased or angry, on certain occasions. And there are statements in the Gospel, which either assert or imply the same thing in relation to the Savior.

But it cannot be denied, that the anger of man, vitiated as it is by the influences of inordinate self-love, is a very different thing on many occasions, and perhaps we may say on almost all occasions, from the calm and just anger of God. So much of selfishness has found its way into the human heart, that it is difficult for men, especially for those, who have personally suffered from the erroneous and evil conduct of others, to place themselves in the situation of the culprit, and to estimate with a proper degree of candor and of christian spirit the various unpropitious influences, which may have operated upon him. Continually looking at the wrong done, and especially at the injury which they themselves have suffered, they are in a position of mind, which almost necessarily exaggerates the evil dispositions of the guilty person; and which, reacting upon their own feelings of displeasure and anger, extends them beyond due bounds. So that man’s displeasure, and man’s anger, (anger being merely an increased or more intense degree of the displeased feelings,) are for the most part wrong or unholy; wrong in fact, but not wrong by necessity; wrong, because man is not solicitous and faithful in making them right, but not wrong, because they cannot be otherwise.

There are a number of things necessary to make man’s anger, like God’s anger; or like that holy displeasure, of which we see some instances in the life of Christ, who in his human nature reflected perfectly the divine image. The divine displeasure, on whatever occasion called forth or in whatever degree, never interrupts that beautiful and unchangeable tranquility, which is an unfailing characteristic of the Divine Mind, and of all minds that bear the divine image. And, as implied in this, it never interrupts and disturbs the perceptive act; the clear insight and knowledge of the object, which occupies its attention. When, therefore, our anger is like God’s anger, in other words when it is right anger, it will never be so violent, so uncontrollable, as to perplex the action and to confuse the clearness of the intellectual perception. And there is an obvious law of our nature, which authorizes and requires this view. Such is the structure of the human mind, that it is not possible for us properly to regulate it, without an unperplexed and clear action of our judging powers. Socrates said to his servant on a certain occasion; “I would beat you, if I were not angry.” The reason is obvious. Finding himself agitated, and knowing that agitation is unfavorable to a clear perception of rectitude, and that he could not then inflict punishment without the hazard of injustice, he delayed it, until he could be sure of doing what is right by first disciplining and rectifying himself. “He, that ruleth his spirit,” says the Scripture, “is better than he, that taketh a city.”

— edited from The Life of Faith, Part 2, Chapter 8.