An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-fifth, thirty-sixth, and thirty-seventh chapters of…

Sixthly, I answer, Though some wicked men are commonly preserved, as other men, yet many by their wickedness, hasten their ruin, and shorten the number of their days. We may distinguish of wicked men; First, wicked men may be taken in a General notion, for all that are unconverted, and unregenerate. Many persons pass for honest and good men in the world, who yet are wicked, being carnal, and abiding in a state of nature: wicked men of this sort, are ordinarily preserved. Secondly, Take wicked men (and such I conceive the Text especially intends) for notorious wicked men, such as are murderers, blasphemers, &c. the Lord doth not preserve the lives of such, but lets mans Justice seize upon them, or divine vengeance overtake them (Psal. 55.23.) The blood-thirsty and deceitful man shall not live out half his days; that is, he shall not live half so long as he might, according to the course of Nature, because of his nefarious sinful courses. Histories are full of dreadful Tragedies, sealing to this Truth, with the blood and untimely death of gross offenders. How often have we seen or heard of the Vengeance of God following and falling upon those that were (signanter) notoriously wicked; and of ••ese we are especially to understand the Point and Text, He preserveth not the life of the wicked. Take this Inference from all that hath been said about this awakening Observation,

Sixthly, I answer, Though some wicked men are commonly preserved, as other men, yet many by their wickedness, hasten their ruine, and shorten the number of their dayes. We may distinguish of wicked men; First, wicked men may be taken in a General notion, for all that are unconverted, and unregenerate. Many persons pass for honest and good men in the world, who yet are wicked, being carnal, and abiding in a state of nature: wicked men of this sort, are ordinarily preserved. Secondly, Take wicked men (and such I conceive the Text especially intends) for notorious wicked men, such as are murderers, blasphemers, &c. the Lord doth not preserve the lives of such, but lets mans Justice seize upon them, or divine vengeance overtake them (Psal. 55.23.) The blood-thirsty and deceitful man shall not live out half his dayes; that is, he shall not live half so long as he might, according to the course of Nature, because of his nefarious sinful courses. Histories are full of dreadful Tragedies, sealing to this Truth, with the blood and untimely death of gross offenders. How often have we seen or heard of the Vegeance of God following and falling upon those that were (signanter) notoriously wicked; and of ese we are especially to understand the Poynt and Text, He preserveth not the life of the wicked. Take this Inference from all that hath been said about this awakening Observation,