Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

And slowness to anger is here expressed by the phrase of long or wide Nostrils: Because in a vehement anger the blood boiling about the heart, exhales mens Spirits, which fume up, and break out in dilated Nostrils. But where the passages ⟨p. 789⟩are straiter, the spirits have not so quick a vent; and therefore raise more motions within. Or because, the wider the Nostrils are the more cool Air is drawn in, to temper the heat of the heart; where the angry spirits are gathered. And so the passion is allayed, and sooner calmed. God speaks of himself in Scripture often after the rate of Men, Jeremiah prays. Jer. 15.15. That God would not take him away in his long-suffering, Heb. in the length of his Nostrils. i. e. Be not slow and backward in thy anger against my Persecutors, as to give them time, and opportunity to destroy me. The Nostrils as well as other members of a humane Body are ascribed to God. He is slow to anger, he hath anger in his nature, but is not always in the execution of it.

And slowness to anger is here exprest by the phrase of long or wide Nostrils: Because in a vehement anger the blood boyling about the heart, exhales mens Spirits, which fume up, and break out in dilated Nostrils. But where the passages ⟨p. 789⟩are straiter, the spirits have not so quick a vent; and therefore raise more motions within. Or because, the wider the Nostrils are the more cool Air is drawn in, to temper the heat of the heart; where the angry spirits are gather'd. And so the passion is allay'd, and sooner calm'd. God speaks of himself in Scripture often after the rate of Men, Jeremy prays. Jer. 15.15. That God would not take him away in his long-suffering, Heb. in the length of his Nostrils. i. e. Be not slow and backward in thy anger against my Persecutors, as to give them time, and opportunity to destroy me. The Nostrils as well as other members of a humane Body are ascribed to God. He is slow to anger, he hath anger in his nature, but is not always in the execution of it.