right, and so it is applicable to the latter sense. "This is also vanity." All the power and pomp of wicked men, in their life and funerals, is mere vanity; since, when they are departed, their names and memorials perish with them.

11. Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

The reason is here assigned why wicked rulers go on without remorse or controul all their life, in their tyranny and oppression; because the judgments of God threatened against them are not immediately inflicted. The prosperity of sinners exceedingly strengthens and hardens them in their wickedness. This proceeds from infidelity, and a root of atheism in their hearts, on which account they are insensible to future punishment; or, because evil appears far from them, they go on in security, presumptuously abusing the goodness and long-suffering of God, which should have led them on to repentance, Rom. ii. 4. We may hence infer, first, that sentence is pronounced against every evil work, Isai. iii. 11. Secondly, that the Lord is slow in putting that sentence in execution, not willing that any should perish, but that all should

come to repentance, 2 Pet. iii. 9. Thirdly, that the sentence being pronounced, though it advance slowly, it will come surely against ungodly men. It approaches every day nearer and nearer; and the longer it delays, the more heavy it will fall: it comes with feet of wool, but it will strike with hands of lead, Gen. vi. 3. Fourthly, that wicked men are prone to abuse God's patience into presumption; and because every thing for the present is well with them, they despise his threatenings to their own destruction, Isai. v. 19; Jer. v. 12; and xvii. 15; 2 Pet. iii. 4; Ezek. xii. 22; Ps. lv. 19. Fifthly, that impunity renders sin more excessive and outrageous, and the heart is emboldened to the practice of it, in proportion to the sinner's experience of the long-suffering of God, Mať. xxiv. 48, 49; Prov. vii. 18, 19, 20; 2 Pet. iii. 3, 4.-" Therefore the heart of the sons of men is full in them," or, "is fully set in them to do evil; is bold in them:" so Aquila. Therefore the sons of men do evil, ày xxędíx," with a fearless and presumptuous heart:" so Symmacus. The phrase denotes an height of confidence and resolvedness upon sinful courses; called in scripture, madness, excess, greediness, rushing, breaking forth, superfluity, &c. Esth. vii. 5; Acts v. 3; Gen. vi. 12, 13; Luke vi. 11; Jer. 1. 38; 1 Pet iv. 4; Ephes. iv. 19; Jer. vi. 7; and viii. 6; Hos. iv. 2; Jam. i. 21.

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12. Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him.

13. But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.

Though a sinner do evil an hundred times," &c. Here is an answer to the temptation by which good men are apt to be offended at the prosperity of the wicked, Ps. lxxiii. 23; Jer. xii. 1: and the wicked take occasion to harden themselves in their sins. Admitting that a sinner may continue to do evil, and escape punishment an hundred times, i. e. ever so frequently, as ch. vi. 3. "and his days be prolonged,' or his punishment be delayed, God putting off his anger, and not immediately executing it upon him, ch. vii. 15; Isai. xlvii. 9; Deut. iv. 40; Exod. xx. 12. " yet surely I know," and do confidently affirm, "that it shall be well with them that fear God," Isai. iii, 10, 11, The order of the consequence is inverted, and the remuneration of good men is mentioned before the punishment of the evil, to strengthen their faith, and to comfort them against the

oppressions and injuries of their potent adversaries, because the rage of tyrants usually vents itself against those that fear God." Which fear before him." This is the character of all the godly; they fear God sincerely, they tremble at his presence, they labour to commend their hearts and consciences to him in well doing, Isai. viii. 13. When wicked men prosper and rage, they fret not, nor do they feel their cruelty, but they still hold fast their integrity, and steadily persevere in obedience and patient waiting on God." But it shall not be well with the wicked," : e. it shall be very ill with him, less being expressed than is intended, as Exod. xx. 7; Ps. xxxiv. 5; Rom. i. 16; Ps. lxxxiv. 12; Isai. xlii. 3; Rom. iv. 19; Rev. xii. 11.

"Neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow," &c. Long life is frequently promised as a blessing, Prov xxviii. 16; Exod. xx. 12; Ps. xci. 16; Prov. iii. 2; and the contrary is threatened as a curse, Ps. lv. 23. But though a wicked man seems to live long, his most protracted term of years is only as a shadow that suddenly disappears, Ps. cxliv. 4; and then, at last, wrath overtakes him.

14. There is a vanity which is done upon the earth, and there be just men unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the

wicked; again, there be wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that this also is vanity.

The inspired penman does not pass this censure on the wise and righteous providence of God, who orders all the seeming confusions and disorders which are in the world, and who is pleased, after an apparent inequality, to dispense good and evil to mankind, contrary to what our reason judges to be most equitable, Job ix. 22. and xxi. 7, 8; but, first, he speaks according to the verdict of flesh and blood, which is apt to form a severe conclusion from so strange a distribution, Ps. lxxiii. 13, 14. Secondly, he lays down this sentiment, to shew the vanity of all outward things, which, being variously distributed, sometimes what is evil to good men, and what is good to evil men, leads us necessarily to think meanly of them, and to expect a future period of retribution, when rewards and punishments shall be dispensed in a more exact and conspicuous manner, ch. vii. 15; 1 Cor. xv. 19. And even in this distribution, abundant goodness is manifested to some in their sufferings, by which their graces are exercised, as well as deserved wrath inflicted on others in their prosperity,