Doubtless the wicked can never stand before God —
[God is a holy Being, that " cannot look upon iniquity" without the utmost abhorrence of it. The profane sinner, however he may " contemn God," and " puff at his judg- ments," will have far other thoughts of God when once he begins to feel, either in liis body or in his mind, the effects of his displeasure. Behold, how changed was the voice of Ne- buchadnezzar, when he recovered from the malady which God had inflicted on him^! and what a contemptible "god" did Herod appear, when worms were devouring his vitals M Or look at Belshazzar, with his knees smiting together at the sight of the hand- writing on the wall''; or at Felix, when Paul " reasoned with him of righteousness, temperance, and the judgment to come':" how little were these persons able to stand before the Majesty of heaven ! And shall it be thought, that when they shall be summoned before his tribunal in the last day, they will be able to make good their cause ? No : they will wish for rocks and mountains to fall upon them and to " cover them from the wrath of the Lamb." Now they may justify themselves, and condemn the righteous ; but in that day, we are assured, " The ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous™." Nor will the presumptuous and disohedient professor stand
h Dan. iv. 30, 34, 35. * Acts xii. 21—23. " Dan. v. 6.
1 Acts xxiv. 25. ™ Ps. i. 5.