Judges 8

REFLECTIONS UPON CHAP. VIII.—Only by pride cometh contention. Evil persons are extremely jealous of their carnal honours, and apt to reckon the just exaltation of every body else an injury done to themselves. It is common for cowards to pretend valour when the danger is over or distant; but humility disposes a man to think mealy of his own works, and to put honour from himself to his neighbour; and meanwhile adds a double lustre to all his gifts, graces, or attainments. Soft words most effectually turn away wrath: nor must we count it strange to be abused by the tongues of those whose lives we have saved at the hazard of our own. Having begun a good work, we must go on with it: notwithstanding the most heavy and unnatural discouragements, perseverance will be infallibly crowned with success. The security of sinners most certainly proves their ruin; and it meets them when and where they thought it was quite over: for men’s pride brings them low; and the insolence of their tongues renders them miserable.—It is just and proper for magistrates sharply to correct those who are barbarous or abusive; and men’s distress often occasions new discoveries of their guilt. Though hand should join in hand, sinners shall not pass unpunished. If one agent fear, another will dare to execute the vengeance of God upon them. It is much better to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. Ambition to exalt one’s family is ordinarily a ruinous snare. But it is very dangerous for rulers, in church or state, to humour people in matters of religion, or to indulge their carnal case or honour in that point. What appears innocent at first may soon become a dangerous snare. Small beginnings of superstition or idolatry lend to still greater abominations: and, when God removes the restraints, men will quickly relapse to their wonted or worse idolatries. It is hard to make base minds grateful, either to God or to their human benefactors; but it is easy to decoy them into one form of wickedness after another. But in this Hebrew judge let Jesus, the great deliverer, be discerned. His condition on earth was mean and debased; his call to his work express, solemn, seasonable, and necessary; and miraculous the repeated confirmations of it. Being the mighty God, and endowed with the Spirit above measure, he, with burning zeal, offered his sacrifice of himself, overthrew idolatry, and restored the true worship of God, beginning in his own country of Juden. By a few weak and unarmed preachers, sounding the gospel trumpet, and displaying its light and fire from their earthen vessels, he did, and shall, foil Satan, the world, and death, with their innumerable agents. And at the last day, being revealed in flaming fire, and attended with the trump of God, he shall spread terror and ruin among all his opposers. Kindly he invites his brethren of mankind to share in his victories, and to follow after him only to spoil. Meekly he pacifies his proud and unreasonable friends: but the most terrible vengeance he did and will execute upon his despisers of Judah and of Rome, and upon all such as refuse his people or ministers their necessary supplies