What is there that can justify any man in casting off the fear of God ? Can we deny that he hath roared as a lion ? or are we stronger than he, that we dare to provoke him to jea- lousyq? Or can we elude his search, when he shall summon us to his judgment-seat r ? Or have we any reason to doubt whether he will execute his threatenings8 ?
Let every one rest assured, that it were far better ' that a roaring lion should rush out of a thicket to devour him, or that the artillery of a whole army should be pointed at him, than that one single threatening of Almighty God should be in force against him : for as his destruction is more certain, so will it be infinitely more tremendous.]
Address —
1. Be not averse to hear the terrors of God's law —
[Though, of themselves, the threatenings of God's word will never produce true contrition, yet it is necessary that all should know what the Lord God saith concerning them, in order that they may feel their need of a Saviour. In this re- spect, the law is a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ1 : and if, by hearing of the wrath to come, we be induced to flee from it, we shall have reason to bless the watchman that sounded the alarm."]
2. Be thankful to God for the promises of the Gospel —
[Blessed be God, the Gospel is full of " exceeding great and precious promises :" and " to him that trembleth at God's word" these promises are madeu. Let not then a slavish dread of God's wrath keep us from embracing the overtures of his mercy. Let us rather flee to Christ the more earnestly, in proportion as we see our guilt and danger. The Israelites were commended by God himself for making this improvement of his terrors x. And, if we have Christ as our mediator and advocate, we have nothing to fear from heaven, earth, or hell.]
i 1 Cor. x. 22.
r Jer. xxiii. 24. and Job xxxiv. 22. and Ps. cxxxix. 7 — 12. s Ezek. xxiv. 14. l Gal. hi. 24. u Isai. lxvi. 2.
x Deut. v. 25, 26, 28.
xMCLXXXIX.