“In malitia sua expelletur impius : sperat autem justus in morte sua.”
“The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death.”
“The wicked man is thrown down by his own sin, but the righteous man has a refuge even in death.”
“The wicked is brought down in his calamity, but in death, the righteous has a refuge.”
“The wicked is thrust down in his evil-doing; But the righteous hath a refuge in his death.”
Note, 1. Holy fear is an excellent guard upon every holy thing, and against every thing that is unholy. It is wisdom to depart from evil, from the evil of sin, and thereby from all other evil; and therefore it is wisdom to fear, that is, to be jealous over ourselves with a godly jealousy, to keep up a dread of God's wrath, to be afraid of coming near the borders of sin or dallying with the beginnings of it. A wise man, for fear of harm, keeps out of harm's way, and starts back in a fright when he finds himself entering into temptation. 2. Presumption is folly. He who, when he is warned of his danger, rages and is confident, furiously pushes on, cannot bear to be checked, bids defiance to the wrath and curse of God, and, fearless of danger, persists in his rebellion, makes bold with the occasions of sin, and plays upon the precipice, he is a fool, for he acts against his reason and his interest, and his ruin will quickly be the proof of his folly.