the description given of the war-horse in the book of Job : " He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength : he goeth forth to meet the armed men. He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted; neither turneth he back from the sword. The quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and the shield. He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage ; neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet. He saith among the trumpets, Ha, ha ; and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains and the shouting1." What a lively representation is this of sinful man! he heareth of God's judgments, but laugheth at them : he in a measure feels them ; and is only stirred up by them to a more resolute defi- ance of them. Destructive as his sin is, he " makes a mock at it," and accounts it sport : and, whatever his ways have been, whether those of a proud self-righteousness, or open profane- ness, he " turns to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle."]
In these respects they act a more irrational part than even the brute creation —
[" The stork, the turtle, the crane, the swallow, observe " invariably the approach of summer or of winter ; and adopt measures either to escape the impending calamities, or to secure the blessings which God has prepared for them. They loiter not till the season for action is past, but avail themselves of the first intimations which they receive, to avoid the evil, and obtain the good. But sinful men possess not that wis- dom; they " know not the judgment of the Lord:" God tells them of approaching blessings, but they labour not to possess them : he warns them also of approaching miseries, but they use no means to escape them : though they feel in themselves, and behold in all around them, striking intimations of the way in which God will ultimately proceed with men, they take not one step to avert his wrath, or to conciliate his favour.]
To complete the whole, they persuade themselves that they are safe and happy —
[They call their own ways wisdom, and the conduct of those who differ from them, folly. Surprising! " We are wise!" Would they account any one wise that should pursue a similar conduct in reference to the things of this world ? Would it be wise in a merchant never to inquire into the state of his affairs ? Would it be wise in a person to reject wholesome food, and to eat nothing but what was sure to bring upon him disorders and death ? Yet the folly of such persons would not be worthy to be compared with that which the inconsiderate world are guilty of, in reference to their everlasting concerns. And
1 Job xxxix. 21 — 25.