The due consideration of Gods justice is an heavenly though bitter pill.
A second sharp and bitter pill to purge out spirituall corruption, is a due and serious pondering of the nature, of the justice of the most High; notwithstanding all the infinite sweetnesse of the Ocean of his mercy, and notwithstanding all the colours and pretences which we poor sinners invent to our selves, to hide from our eyes, the greatnesse and dreadfulnesse and terrours of it.
Well therefore might Job say: therefore am I troubled at his presence, and when I consider I am afraid of him; and David, Psal. 119. My Flesh trembleth for fear of thee, and I am afraid of thy judgements.
Object. But John saith, perfect love casteth out fear.
I answer, The true love of God, never casteth out the true feare of God, but only that which is false and counterfeit, that which is the fear of a Beast of slaves and Devils.
Hence it is that the Spirit of the fear of the Lord was poured upon the Lord Jesus himself.
This feare is an holy awe or reverence proper to a true and heavenly ingenuous child of God, even (first and chiefly) to Christ Jesus, the elder Brother (in a sence) of all the children of God. To cherish which holy fear of God, let us cast our eyes upon the fiery flashes of his severe justice revealed unto us in a three-fold time, the time past, present, and to come.
The dreadfull rejection of the Angels
For the time past, how dreadfull is that we finde of the rejection and ejection of so many glorious heavenly Spirits the Angels, tumbled down for their sin of Pride, from the heighth of Heaven, and their glorious attendance upon God, to the depth of Hell in horrible slavery to everlasting sinnes and torments.
The dreadfull sentence upon all mankind.