Who can stand before his wrath? or Who can abide in the fiercenes of his wrath? his wrath is powred out like fire, and the rockes are broken by him.
* 1.1THe conclusion. Therfore nothing can stand against the so mighty power of God, being angry with the Assyrians. No∣thing can abide before him in his wrath. Finally, nothing can euer lift it selfe vp, when as he presseth downe. Wherfore those forces of the Assyrians fearfull vnto the world, and at the which it is asto∣nied, shall not let, but that they, and their Empire shall be ouer∣throwen by God, and fall. So Dauid speaketh of God his power to bring his enemies to nothing Psal. 68. ver. 2. As the smoke vanish∣eth, so shalt thou driue them away: and as wax melteth before the fire, so shall the wicked perish at the presence of God. And Psal. 130. ver. 3. he crieth out, If thou, O Lord, straitly markest iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
* 1.2Moreouer this conclusion is confirmed by a similitude. For the anger of God is most like vnto fire and a flame, the which beeing kindled, forthwith is scattered abroad on euery side, breaketh forth and raungeth, so that many times but one little sparke of it consu∣meth and burneth an whole wood, as Iames speaketh cap. 3. ver. 5. Behold how great a thing a little fire kindleth. Lastly, God is called a consuming fire, Deut. 4. ver. 24.* 1.3 Againe, this selfe-same is proo∣ued by the effects. For the rocks themselues (which are the hardest kinds of thinges) do leape and melt and cleaue a sunder, when God is angry, and so commaundeth. Example in the death of Christ, Mat. 27. ver▪ 51. And at other times also, and ages, in the which the selfe-same thing hath come to passe, that is to say, the rocks haue bin clouen by God, and by his lightning.