come to the full, and
sometimes in the beginning of an evil habit, be so fierce in His
anger, what can we imagine it to be in that day when the wicked are
to drink the dregs of that horrid potion, and count over all the
particulars of their whole treasure of wrath? "This is the day of
wrath, and God shall reveal, or bring forth, His righteous judgments."
The expression is taken from Deut. xxxii., 34: "Is not this laid up in
store with me, and sealed up among my treasures? I will restore it in
the day of vengeance, for the Lord shall judge His people, and repent
Himself for His servants." For so did the Lybian lion that was brought
up under discipline, and taught to endure blows, and eat the meat
of order and regular provision, and to suffer gentle usages and
the familiarities of societies; but once He brake out into His own
wildness, and killed two Roman boys; but those that forage in the
Lybian mountains tread down and devour all that they meet or master;
and when they have fasted two days, lay up an anger great as is their
appetite, and bring certain death to all that can be overcome. God is
pleased to compare himself to a lion; and though in this life He hath
confined Himself with promises and gracious emanations of an infinite
goodness, and limits himself by conditions and covenants, and suffers
Himself to be overcome by prayers, and Himself hath invented ways of
atonement and expiation; yet when He is provoked by our unhandsome and
unworthy actions, He makes sudden breaches, and tears some of us in
pieces, and of others He breaks their bones or affrights their hopes
and secular gaieties, and fills their house with mourning and cypress,
and groans and death. But when this Lion of the tribe of Judah shall
appear upon His own mountain, the mountain of the Lord, in His natural
dress of majesty, and that justice shall have her chain and golden
fetters taken off, then justice shall strike, and mercy shall hold her
hands; she shall strike sore strokes, and pity shall not break the
blow; and God shall account with us by minutes, and for words, and for
thoughts, and then He shall be severe to mark what is done amiss;
and that justice may reign entirely, God shall open the wicked man's
treasure, and tell the sums, and weigh grains and scruples. Said Philo
upon the place of Deuteronomy before quoted: As there are treasures of
good things, and God has crowns and scepters in store for His saints
and servants, and coronets for ma