And as we should do nothing to provoke wrath, so we should do every thing which may prevent wrath (Psal. 2.12.) Kiss the Son, why? lest he be angry, and his wrath kindle. Who is the Son, and what's this kissing of the Son which prevents wrath? The Son is Christ, he is the Son of God; this kissing is a kiss of homage, an humble submission to Jesus Christ by faith and obedience; it is a Gospel receiving of Christ: to kiss the son is to receive Christ as ou• King, as our P•iest, as our Prophet, to receive Christ in the whole manifestation of his Mediatorship. Do this to prevent wrath, kiss the Son. And consider how terrible he reports that wrath to be; If his wrath be kindled but a little, blessed are they that put their trust in him. On then take heed that you do not provoke the wrath of God, and do your utmost to prevent it; ⟨p. 299⟩which nothing can do but kissing the Son, that will and that only can do it; submit to Jesus Christ, receive Jesus Christ, without him it is impossible to prevent wrath. H• that believes not, the wrath of God abideth on him, (John 3.36.) Jesus Christ alone is he which delivereth us from the wra h to come, (1 Thes. 1.10.) And if we further consider this wrath from the expression, both of the Psalm and of the Text, it should make us (who are so fearful of, and who so shift from the wrath of men) exceedingly afraid of the wrath of God. The word, as was showed before, comes from a root which signifieth the heat of fire, implying that the wrath of God is fire, and (Heb. 10.27.) it is called fiery indignation; yea, God himself (Heb. 12.29.) is called a consuming fire. Why doth the Scripture express him and his wrath, by fire? Surely because fire is well known to us, and we are well able to conceive how dreadful a thing fire is, when it is in its rage and fury, when it hath got the mastery; Fire is a comfortable servant, but a dreadful master. Now as fire is the most dreadful element, so wrath is the most dreadful attribute of God; yet I may say, that elementary fire which (as to our sense) is so dreadful, is but a sun-shine compared to the wrath of God; as will appear if we consider it in two things.
And as we should do nothing to provoke wrath, so we should do every thing which may prevent wrath (Psal. 2.12.) Kiss the Son, why? lest he be angry, and his wrath kindle. Who is the Son, and what's this kissing of the Son which p•events wrath? The Son is Christ, he is the Son of God; this kissing is a kiss of homage, an humble submission to Jesus Christ by fai•h and obedience; it is a Gospel receiving of Ch•ist: to kiss the son is to receive Christ as ou• King, as our P•iest, as our P•ophe•, to receive Christ in the whole manifestation of his Mediatorship. Do this to prevent wrath, kiss the Son. And consider how terrible he repo•ts that wrath to be; If his wrath be kindled but a little, blessed are they that put their trust in him. On then take heed that you do not provoke the wrath of God, and do your utmost to prevent it; ⟨p. 299⟩which nothing can do but kissing the Son, that will and that only can do it; submit to Jesus Christ, receive Jesus Christ, without him it is impossible to prevent wrath. H• that believes not, the wrath of God abideth on him, (Johs 3.36.) Jesus Christ alone is he which delivereth us from the wra h to come, (1 Thes. 1.10.) And if we further consider this wrath from the expression, both of the Psalm and of the Text, it should make us (who are so fearful of, and who so shift from the wrath of men) exceedingly afraid of the wrath of God. The word, as was shewed before, comes from a root which signifieth the heat of fire, implying that the wrath of God is fire, and (Heb. 10.27.) it is called fiery indignation; yea, God himself (Heb. 12.29.) is called a consuming fire. Why doth the Scripture express him and his wrath, by fire? Surely because fire is well known to us, and we are well able to conceive how dreadful a thing fire is, when it is in its rage and fury, when it hath got the mastery; Fire is a comfortable servant, but a dreadful master. Now as fire is the most dreadful element, so wrath is the most dreadful attribute of God; yet I may say, that elementary fire which (as to our sence) is so dreadful, is but a sun-shine compared to the wrath of God; as will appear if we consider it in two things.
