imputes to us, " The Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil^?"]
2. As a wish —
[The words " There is" are not in the original, and may therefore be omitted : the text will then stand thus ; The fool hath said in his heart, No God ! that is, I wish there were none. And how common a wish is this ! When men are fully convinced in their minds that God notices every trans- action of their lives, and records it in the book of his remem- brance, they are still unwilhng to give up their lusts, and determined to continue in sin at all events. But are they easy in such a state? No: they shrink back at the prospect of death and judgment, and wish that they could elude the summons that will be given them in the last day. Gladly would they sleep an eternal sleep, and barter their immortality for an exemption from appearing at the tribunal of God. What satisfaction would they feel if they could be certified on un- questionable grounds, that God did not notice their actions, or that, notwithstanding he be the Governor and Judge of all, he hath decreed to bestow on them the favour of annihilation ! Instantly they would exclaim, Now I may dismiss my fears; now I may take my fill of pleasure, and " drink iniquity like water," without any dread of future consequences. We may appeal to the consciences of all, whether such have not been frequently the thoughts of their hearts, or, at least, whether their dread of death and judgment do not justly admit of tliis construction ?]
Such being the thoughts and desires of the heart, we proceed to shew,
II. The folly of entertaining them —
This will appear in a striking point of view, if we take into consideration the three following truths —
1. The thing wished for is absolutely impossible —
[God can no more cease to inspect the ways of men with a view to a final retribution, than he can cease to exist. As his superintending care is necessary for the preservation of the universe, so the continual exercise of his moral government is necessary for the vindication of his own honour. How absurd then is it to indulge a wish, when it is not possible for that wish ever to be gratified, and when the indulging of it makes us act as though it would be gratified! How much better were it to say at once. There is a God, and I must fear him ; there is a judgment, and I must prepare for it !]
^ Zepli. i. 12.