View it, where it first commenced :
1. On man's part —
[Ungodly men neither seek to please Godb, nor are at all grieved at having displeased himc: they like not to speak, hear, or even think of himd; they cannot endure (a melan- choly proof of their aversion to him!) to be with him alone e ; they hate every thing in proportion as it exhibits God to them, or would lead them to Godf; they even wish there were no Godg; yea, when God actually put himself into their power, they sold him at the price of a slave, and crucified and slew himh.
What abundant proof is here, that " the carnal mind is enmity against God1!" And what an evidence of that ab- horrence in which, according to the Scriptures, our adorable Saviour was to be heldM]
2. On God's part —
[Towards penitent sinners (as we shall have occasion to shew) God is reconciled : but, while they continue obstinate in their sins, he " lothes them," nor can even look upon them without the utmost abhorrence1. He will not vouchsafe them the smallest taste of those blessings which he imparts to others in the richest abundance111: he gives them up into the hands of their greatest enemies, to Satan and their own hearts' lusts n; he prepares his instruments of vengeance against the time when they shall have filled up the measure of their iniquities0; he even comforts himself' with the prospect of pouring out his wrath upon them to the uttermost p.
What awful evidences are these of the truth in question!
b Job xxxv. 10. c Jer. viii. 6. d Ps. x. 4.
e As men can meet their bitterest enemy in a crowd, but would be uneasy to be left alone with him ; so the ungodly can meet God in his house, but cannot bear to commune with him in their secret chamber.
f Hence faithful ministers, and godly people, and searching dis- courses, yea, and the Bible itself, are neglected and despised.
s Ps. xiv. 1. This is a wish. The words, " there is," are not in the original.
h ver. 11, 12. with Matt, xxvii. 9, 10. J Rom. viii. 7.
k Isai. xlix. 7. » Hab. i. 13.
m Compare Ps. cxix. 165. with Isai. lvii. 21. and 1 Pet. i. 8. with Prov. xiv. 10.
n 2 Tim. h. 26. Ps. lxxxi. 12. Rom. i. 24, 26, 28.
0 Ps. vii. 12, 13. Deut. xxxii. 19, 20, 35, 41, 42. He even kindles with his own breath the fire that is to consume them. Isai. xxx. 33.
P Isai. i. 24. Ezek. xxi. 15. and v. 13.