who will pay the penalty: eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might,
      (1.) The certainty of it, proved by the righteousness and justice of God: It is a righteous thing with God (2 Thessalonians 1:6; 2 Thessalonians 1:6) to render to every man according to his works. The thoughts of this should be terrible to wicked men and persecutors, and the great support of the righteous and such as are persecuted; for, seeing there is a righteous God, there will be a righteous recompence. God's suffering people will lose nothing by their sufferings, and their enemies will gain nothing by their advantages against them.