tremble before the majesty of God, and the powers and principalities prostrate themselves in awe before His throne. If these pure spirits, confirmed in bliss, and in no manner doubting of their happiness, but only through admiration of the Divine Perfections, tremble before His power, what should be the terror of the sinner who has made himself the object of His wrath? It is the power of our Sovereign Judge which is most appalling in the punishment of sin. Speaking of God's punishments, St. John says: "Babylon's plagues shall come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine, and she shall be burnt with fire, because God is strong, Who shall judge her."[1] The great Apostle, filled with awe of this power, exclaims: "It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God."[2] We have not such reason to fear the hands of men, from whom we can escape, and who at least cannot thrust the soul into hell. Hence our Saviour tells His disciples: "And fear ye not them that kill the body and are not able to kill the soul. But rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body into hell."[3] The author of Ecclesiasticus, impressed with the might of this power, thus warns us: "Unless we do penance we shall fall into the hands of the Lord, and not into the hands of men."[4] This united testimony proves, as we have said, that as God is great in His mercy and rewards, so will He be great in His justice and punishments.
