2. If the wish could be obtained, it would be an unspeakable injury to all, even in this world —
[Men are led, even by the faintest hopes of impunity, to live in sin ; and how much more would they yield themselves up to its dominion, if they coukl once be sure that God would never call them into judgment for it! This, as it respects i?idividuals, would greatly embitter this present life. The gratification of their lusts would indeed afford them a transient pleasure : but who that considers how soon such enjoyments cloy; who that knows how many evils they bring in their train ; who that has seen the effects of unbridled passions, of pride, envy, wrath, malice, of lewdness, covetousness, or any other inordinate affection ; who that has the least knowledge of these things can doubt, but that sin and misery are indissolu- bly connected, and that, in proportion as we give the rein to appetite, we undermine our own happiness? And what would be the consequence to the comnmnity at large ? Men, even now, " bite and devour one another " like wild beasts, the very instant that God withdraws his restraint fi'om them ! Who was it that overruled the purposes of a lewd Abimelech, of a covetous Laban, and of a revengeful Esau ? It was God alone : and it is the same God that now keeps the world in any measure of peace and quiet. And if once the world were bereft of his providence, it would instantly resemble that world, where the dispositions of men are suffered to rage with- out controul, and all incessantly to torment themselves, and all around them. Is it not then the extremest folly to entertain a wish, that would involve in it such tremendous consequences ?]
3. It would be productive of still greater evil as it respects the world to come.
[Doubtless, if there were no moral governor of the uni- verse, there would be no fear of hell ; and the thought of this would be a great acquisition to ungodly men. But they, on the other hand, entertain no hope of heaven ; their brightest prospect would be annihilation. Melancholy prospect indeed ! How much better, even for the most ungodly, to have a God to flee unto ; a God to pardon their iniquities ; a God to sanc- tify and renew their souls ; a God to bless them with immor- tality and glory ! They need not to wish for the cessation of his agency, or the extinction of their own existence, seeing that he is rich in mercy unto all that call upon him, and ready to receive returning prodigals. And is it not for the interest of all that there should be such a God ? Is not the prospect of obtaining his favour, and participating his glory better than annihilation, more especially when the terms of our accept- ance with him are so easy ? He requires nothing but that we