3. A third sign of our growth is, if ive find ourselves able, like Samson, to break the (jrcen cords of pleasure and profits, that they cannot bind us, and to run lightly away with a heavy load of aftlictions, as Samson did with the city gates of Gaza, counting them light and momentary, as the apostle calls them, 2 Cor. iv. 17.
4. Lastly, our growth of grace is seen in our performance of duties ; if they be strongly, readily, and cheerfully performed ; an example whereof we have in the apostle, Phil. iv. 12, who could abound and suffer want, vea, could do all things through Christ that strengthened him : and this is in all Christians more or less, to content themselves in the will of God, and to run the race of God's commandments with a large and cheerful heart.
Ver. 3, ' And ye shall tread down the wicked, and they shall be as dust.
This is another promise made to the church, and in it to every member thereof, of victory over their enemies. God's children and the wicked are like scales, when the one is up, the other is down.si Therefore, as this is a promise to the children of God, so is it a threatening to the wicked ; for it is the happiness of the church ' to tread down the wicked,' which words must have a large interpretation ; for the wicked generally seem to tread down the godly, and therefore we must know that these words were spoken to the Jews, and in them to all other Christians analogically ; and it was fulfilled, first, when the good Jews saw the confusion of all the rebellious
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Jews under Vespasian, when the temple and the city was destroyed, and they made a by-word unto the nations. Secondly, the words may have reference to the conversion of the Jews, whenas all the enemies of their glorious conversion shall be trodden down, as it is in Micah iv. 13, 'Arise, 0 Zion : thou shalt beat in pieces many people ; ' for undoubtedly there is a glorious conversion of the Jews to come, in w^hat manner and at what time we hope ere long to know ; for ever since this prophecy their estate and condition hath been very low and mean, and there must come a time of restoring. In the next place, these words may be intended as a promise to all God's church ; for while they gloriously and powerfully profess the truth, they are the head and not the tail, ruling and not ruled, as appear- eth by the Jews' example.
1. First, AVhile they obeyed God, theij icere a terror to the whole earth, but once fallen from God, they were and remain a scorn to all people ; and thus is it now where the white horse goes before, the red horse follows after, as it is in the Revelation, Rev. vi. 4. So long as the church keeps good terms with God, none so terrible as they, and their enemies knoweth this full well : ' Let us take him, God hath forsaken him, and he shall fall into our net,' Ps. Ixxi. 11.
2. Secondly, The church treadeth down its enemies in regard of true judr/ment and discerninr/ of their estates : for they do think and account of
the wicked as a vile and abominable thing, and as of an object of pity; and this the wicked do know, and thi? makes them hate God's children.
3. Thirdly, The church of God tramples on all things that rule icicked men, as riches, honours, and the like ; and therefore, in the Apocalypse, it is said to 'tread on the moon,' Rev, xii. 1; that is, putting all earthly, worldly things under it ; and thus did Moses, Daniel, and Paul. All is dross and dung in comparison of Christ ; and thus is the church and child of God a spiritual king.
4. Fourthly, The church and children of God tread down the wicked in regard of their exam2)le,for by it and by the word they subdue the spirits of the world, and bind kings in chains, bringing down their mighty strong corruptions and hard hearts to obedience, and if not, yet by making them inexcusable, we fasten a censure and a sentence of condemnation which hereafter is executed on them ; and thus the saints in old time were said to condemn the world, and the white horse to go forth conquering ; and there is no man but he must either yield or he is condemned already ; and the arrows of God stick fast in him even here, and the liberty they seem to have is no other but as the liberty of the Tower.*
5. But lastly, this promise is accomplished at the last day of judgment, when we shall sit with Christ as kings, ruling with him, and as judges of the twelve tribes of Israel, judges of the world. We are here conquerors of the world, flesh, and devil ; but then all things shall be put under our feet. And this should comfort us in our sufierings under wicked men; for at that time those that now triumph over us shall be trodden down as dust. And again, we should learn not to fret to see the prosperity of the wicked, Ps. xxxvii. 1. They are but flowers of a day's continuance. Who env:es the estate or happiness of a base person that in a play acts the person of a king ? This world is no other than a stage play. Let the wicked be in never so great a place, he must return to his rags ; and the good man, though he acts the part of a beggar here for a while, he shall be a king