[3.] He will do so, tread them down all.
(1.) Because of his invariable justice : ' God is but one,' Gal. iii. 20 ; that is, one always consonant unto himself, what he hath done he will do ; his justice is the same that ever it was, and his power the same ; and therefore in all his dispensations he is one ; that is, ever like himself, is as ready to take vengeance on the insolences of men now as before, and keepeth a proportion in his proceedings : he is of one mind, and who can turn him ?
(2.) Because of the suitableness between judgment and sin. They trample all that is holy and sacred under their feet, therefore God treadeth them under foot; they despise God, therefore are despised, 1 Sam. ii. 30 ; they trample upon the grace of God in Christ, therefore are said, Heb. X. 29, 'to tread the blood of the covenant under foot;' they trample upon the law of God : Amos ii. 4, 'I will not turn away the punishment there- of, because they have despised my law ; ' they trample upon all godly admonitions and reproofs: Mat. vii. 6, 'Cast not your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you ; ' and they trample the servants of God under foot, and make his saints bow down for them to go over, Isa. Ii. 23 ; and therefore are they themselves trodden under foot. They despised God, and he therefore despiseth them, and poureth contempt upon them ; and the more they esteem themselves, of the less reckoning are they with God.
(3.) For the undeceiving the world, who usually look to sensible things. While their ways are prosperous, we make another manner of judgment upon them than we d6 when they are under contempt and disgrace : Mai. iii. 15, ' We call the proud happy ; yea they that work wickedness are set up, and they that tempt God are even de- livered.' We dote too much upon outward things, insomuch that things wicked, if prosperous, seem good and holy. Our affections bribe our judgments, and those things that we would otherwise loathe have a fair gloss and varnish put upon them. It is a mighty tempta- tion, even to good men, and they begin to have other thoughts of things when to appearance they are befriended by God's providence and succeed beyond expectation ; therefore God will tread them down.
(4.) To undeceive sinners themselves, that are hardened by their own prosperity and success, and make God's providence and forbear- ing punishment to be an approbation of their actions against his law. So Ps. 1. 21, ' These things hast thou done, and 1 kept silence ; thou thoughtest I was altogether such an one as thyself, but I will re- prove thee.' God may for a long time endure very horrible provoea- tions without any act or mark of vengeance, till sinners flatter them- selves that the things they do are pleasing to God ; but they shall find they have erred when they read their sins in their punishment : Mai. ii. 9, ' Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base be-
212 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [Sl5R. CXXIX.
fore all the people, according:: as ye have not kept my ways, but have Leeii partial in the law.' The ^YQnt God aims at the repentance of men, both in his forbearance and his punishment. In his forbear- ance : Ptom. ii. 4, ' Not Icnowinp; that the forbearance of God leadeth to repentance.' He is pleased to suffer them that oflcnd him grie- vously to taste the goodness of his providence, and have their turn in this world's felicity, to see if that will better them ; if not, then he poureth contempt and shame upon them, that by his frowns he may further their conviction. When i)rosperity is a temptation, God will change the dispensation, and instead of general favour and respect, they meet with shame and diseslimation and disgrace. This is the punishment of those that are partial in his law. It is true this is not to be taken singly without the foregoing provocation. It was the lot of Christ and his prophets and apostles to be disrespected in a wicked world, and such a trial may befall his faithful messengers. Yet when this is the fruit of foregoing unfaithfulness, and men that had nothing to commend them to the woidd but their height and grandeur, that only had a testimony in men's carnal aifections because of their great- ness, and not a testimony in men's consciences because of their purity and holiness and good fruits, as good men have been in the consciences of those that hate them, it is to them a judgment. But, however, when those tliat in the main are faithful are by a righteous providence ex- })0sed to ignominy and contempt, they ought the more to search their ways, and to see whether they have been throughout with God in the conscience of their duty to him, and whether some neglect and par- tiality of theirs hath not brought this judgment upon them.
(5.) To give a check to the insolency of men who abuse their power, and think they may do what they please when they have no hindrance and rub in the way : Micah ii. 1, ' They do evil because it is in the power of their hands.' Restraints of conscience prevail not with many, but only restraints of providence. It is no thanks to them if they are not worse than they are ; it is not because they want will, but because they want power. Therefore God cuts them short, and treads them down like mire.