The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy?
Ver. 8. The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord God hath spoken, who can but prophesy?] Who that knoweth the terror of the Lord can dare to do otherwise, when he commandeth it? Shall men fear fire, water, bears, lions, &c., and not the great and terrible God? If he roar upon his servants and say, as to Jeremiah he once did, "Thou therefore, gird up the loins of thy mind, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them," Jeremiah 1:17. We must roar against men's sins, and be instant, though they roar against us for so doing, and threaten never so much. Micaiah will not budge for a king's authority when once he had seen the Lord in his majesty; nor Paul for an angel's, Galatians 1:8, the rest of the apostles for the Sanhedrim's, Acts 4:19; Acts 5:25. When the emperor threatened Basil with imprisonment, banishment, death, he answered: Let him threaten boys with such spectres; I am resolved: neither menaces nor flatteries shall silence me, or draw me to betray a good cause or conscience. If I deal not plainly and faithfully with your souls, said Bernard, vobis erit damnosum, mihi periculosum. Timeo itaque damnum vestrum, timeo damnationem meam si tacuero: i.e. it will be ill for you, and worse for me. The truth is, you would be betrayed, and I should be damned, if I should hold my peace. Let me be accounted proud, pragmatic, anything rather than found guilty of sinful silence when the Lord calleth me to speak, saith Luther. These were men whose hearts were fraught with the reverential fear of God; and therefore found themselves necessitated to be faithful; besides the love of Christ constraineth them, 2 Corinthians 5:14, so that they could do no less, they could not but speak, Acts 4:19 .