Page 594
VERSE 29.
WHY? he is our kinde, loving and mercifull GOD: but as Hee is a GOD of mercy, so of vengeance too.
GOD is ignis communiens, consumens & purgans, * 1.1 Hee is a preserving fire to them that serve Him aright, Zach. 2.5. Hee is a consuming fire to them that rebell against him, that cast His Com∣mandements behinde their backes. He was a consuming fire to the Israelites, when he sent fiery Serpents among them to kill them: to the Sodomites, when He sent fire and brimstone to destroy them: to the two Captaines that went for Elias, when Hee sent fire from Heaven to spoyle them: Hee consumes, with Consumptions and diseases, with the Pestilence, inundations of waters, with fires in many Townes.
There be two fires: the one temporall, the other eternall: Hee will be a consuming fire to all impenitent sinners,* 1.2 when they shall bee with the rich Glutton in the lake, burning with fire and brimstone for ever. Therefore let us feare this God: Kisse the Sonne, least, if His wrath be kindled but a little, yee perish from the way.
We flatter our selves too much in the mercies of God. God is mercifull. As a Father pittyeth his children, &c. His mercie reach∣eth to the heavens. Though we be adulterers, drunkards, proud, malicious: yet God is mercifull. I but as He is demulcens Pater, so he is animadvertens judex: with an axe ready to cut our heads. Because God doth not alwayes shew Himselfe in the likenesse of fire, a ter∣rible God, powring downe the coales of his wrath upon us, because he beareth with us, and doth not by and by punish us for our sins; we thinke we may contemne him, we may serve him as we list, any service will content him. I but remember likewise, that our God is a consuming fire. It is long peradventure before a fire breakes forth, it may lye lurking a great while and not be seene: but if it begin to flame, to set upon a Towne; without great prevention it will burne up the whole Towne. So God is patient, His wrath is long a kindling: but if wee provoke him too much, Hee will breake forth as a fire and consume us all. He is a fearefull God with whom wee have to deale: therefore let us serve Him with feare and reverence, in holinesse and righteousnesse all our dayes: that wee may not onely avoyde this fire, but enjoy the light of the heavenly Ierusalem for ever.