Branch 2. If God be so great a King, let us fear him, Jer. v. 22., " Fear ye not me ? saith the Lord : will ye not tremble at my presence ?" We have enough of fear of men. Fear makes danger appear greater, and sin lesser ; but let us fear the King of kings, who hath power to cast body and soul into hell, Luke xii. 5. As one wedge drives out another, so the fear of God would drive out all base carnal fear. Let us fear that God whose throne is set aboA'e all kings ; they may be mighty, but he is almighty. Kings have no power, but what God hath given them ; their power is limited, his is infinite. Let us fear this king, Avhose eyes, " are as a flame of fire." Rev. i. 14., " The mountains quake .it him ; and the rocks are thrown down by him," Nahum i. 6. If he stamps with his foot, all the creatures are presently up in a battalia to fight for him. O tremble and fear before this God ! Fear is Janitor animcB, it is the door-keeper of the soul ; it keeps sin from entering, Gen. xxxix. 9., " How then can I do this great wicked- ness, and sin against God ^"
Branch 3. If God be so glorious a King, he htiih Jus vitce necisqne, — he hath the power of life and death in his hand. Let all the potentates of the earth take heed how they employ their power against the king of hea- ven ; they employ their power against God, who with their sceptre beat down his truth, Avhich is the most orient pearl of his crown, who crush and persecute his ])eople, who are the apple of his eye, Zech. ii. 8. Who trample upon his laws, .ind royal edicts, whicli he hath set forth, Ps. ii. 3. What is a king without his laws ? Let all that are invested with wordly power and grandeur, take heed how they oj)pose the King of glo- rv ; the Lord will be too hard for all that come against him. Job xl. 9., " Hast thou an arm like God ?" Wilt thou measure arms with the Almighty ? !Sha!l a little child go to fight with jui archangel ? Ezek. xxii. 14.,
at a loss ; there are no impossibilities with J " Can thy heart endure, or can thy hands
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be strong in the days tliat I shall deal with thee?" Christ will put all his enemies at last under his feet, Ps. ex. 1. All the mul- titude of the wicked who set themselves a- gainst God shall be but as so many clusters of ripe grapes, to be cast into the wine press of the wrath of God, and to be trodden by him till their blood come forth. The King of glory will come off victor at last ; men may set up their standard, but God always sets up his trophies of victory. The Lord hath a golden sceptre, and an iron rod, Ps. ii. 9. Those who will not bow to the one, shall be broken by the other.
Branch 4. Is God so great a King having all power in heaven and earth in his hand? Let us learn subjection to him. Such as liavc gone on in sin, and by their impieties hung out a flag of defiance against the King of heaven, O c<»me in quickly, and make your peace, submit to God, Ps. ii. 12., " Kiss the Son, lest he be angry !" Kiss Christ with a kiss of love, and a kiss of o- bedience ; obey the king of heaven, when he speaks to you by his ministers and am- bassadors, 2 Cor. V. 20. When God bids you flee from sin, and espouse holiness, o- beyhini; to obey is better than sacrifice. " To obey God (saith Luther) is better than to work miracles." Obey God willingly, Isa. i. 19. That is the best obedience that is cheerful, as that is the sweetest honey which drops out ,of the comb ; obey God swiftly, Zech. v. 9., " I lift uj) mine eyes, and, behold, two women, and the wind was in their wings." Wings are swift, but wind in the wings denotes great swiftness ; such should our obedience to God be. Obey the King of glory.
Use 3d. Comfort to those who are the subjects of the King of heaven ; God will put forth all the royal power for their suc- cour and comfort.
1. The King of heaven will plead their cause, Jer. H. 36., " I will plead thy cause, and take vengeance for thee."
2. He will protect his people ; he sets an invisible guard about them, Zech. ii. 5., " I will be unto her a wall of fire round about." A wall, that is defensive ; a wall of fire, that is offensive.
3. Wlien it may be for the good of his people, he will raise up deliverance to them,
1 Chron. xi. 14., " The Lord saved them by a great deliverance." God, reigning as a king, can save any way ; by contemptible means, — the blowing of trumpets, — and blazing of lamps. Judges vii. 20.; by con- trary means, — he made the sea a wall to Israel, and the waters were a means to keep them from drowning, — the fish's belly was a ship in which Jonah sailed safe to shore. God will never want ways of saving his peo- ple; rather than fail, the very enemies shall do his work, 2 Chron. xx. 23. He set Ammon .and Mount Seir one against another. And as God will deliver his people from tempo- ral danger, so from spiritual, from sin, and from hell ; " Jesus which delivered us from the wrath to come," 1 Thess. i. 10.