The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?
Ver. 14. The sinners in Zion are afraid.] At the invasion of the Assyrian. Those that formerly fleared and jeered God's prophets and their menaces, now fear and are crest fallen, ready to run into an auger hole, as we say. It is as natural for guilt to breed fear and disquiet, as for putrid matter to breed vermin. Sinners, especially those in Zion, where they might be better, and are therefore the worse a great deal, have galled consciences, and want faith to fortify their hearts against the fear of death or danger; and hence those pitiful perplexities and convulsions of soul in the evil day. What wonder if, when they see all on fire, they ring their bells backwards? If, instead of mourning for their sins and making peace with God, as they ought to do, they mutter and growl against him, as these hypocrites do, for his too great severity?
Fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites.] The Jews were a hypocritical nation. Isa 9:17 Epiphanius, when he left Constantinople, said that he left three great things behind him, viz., a great city, a great palace, et ingentem hypocrisin, and a great deal of hypocrisy. That facies hypocritica hypocritical faces of our nation is that facies hippocratica which physicians speak of, of a spent dying man, that looks ghastly. It is a mortal complexion, a sad prognostic. Oh that these frozen hearts of ours, since they must have a thaw or it will be worse, might melt here, and be unsoldered from hypocrisy, that we might be saved, though so as by fire, rather than to be reserved to be thawed with everlasting burnings, the portion of hypocrites. Mat 24:51 So might we "dwell with everlasting burnings," that is, with the knowledge of God's terrible presence and sight of his great judgments, whereof the hypocrites of the world are afraid, because this fire melteth off their paint, and threateneth to wash off their varnish with rivers of brimstone.
Who among us shall dwell?] Or, Who of us can but fear a devouring fire?