A plain and familiar exposition of the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth chapters of the…A plaine and familiar exposition of the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth chapters of the…

Verse 25. The Lord will destroy the house of the proud: but he will establish the border of the widow.

Verse 25. The Lord will destroy the house of the proud: but hee will establish the border of the widow.

THE drift of this sentence is to show that the safety of no mans state doth stand in his greatness, nor peril of ruin in his smallness; but that Gods displeasure doth cut off the wicked how strong soever; and his favour protecteth the godly though never so feeble. The Lord will destroy] at one time or other, at once or by degrees, either by the wonted means of his plagues and judgements, or by some immediate stroke from his own hand: [he will root out (as the word signifieth) and utterly overthrow: [the house of the proud] themselves, their seed, substance, estimation, and whatsoever belongeth unto them: [but he will establish] defend and maintain [the borders of the widow] those livings and possessions, or whatsoever else pertaineth to poor helpless persons, of any sort, which want power to resist their oppressors. Yet is it not so to be understood, as though they that were without friends, were also always without wrongs, (for we read, and hear, and see the contrary continually) but that it is not in any mans power to spoil them at his pleasure: and when they are oppressed, he will take their cause into his hands, in justice and anger to punish their adversaries, and by grace and providence to recompense them. This is the sense of the opposition.

THE drift of this sentence is to shew that the safety of no mans state doth stand in his greatnesse, nor perill of ruine in his smalnesse; but that Gods displeasure doth cut off the wicked how strong soeuer; and his fauour protecteth the godly though neuer so feeble. The Lord will destroy] at one time or other, at once or by degrees, either by the wonted meanes of his plagues and iudgements, or by some immediate stroke from his owne hand: [hee will root out (as the word signifieth) and vtterly ouerthrow: [the house of the proud] themselues, their seed, substance, estimation, and whatsoeuer belongeth vnto them: [but he will establish] defend and maintaine [the borders of the widow] those liuings and possessions, or whatsoeuer else pertaineth to poore helplesse persons, of any sort, which want power to resist their oppressors. Yet is it not so to be vnderstood, as though they that were without friends, were also alwaies without wrongs, (for we read, and heare, and see the contrary continually) but that it is not in any mans power to spoile them at his pleasure: and when they are oppressed, he will take their cause into his hands, in iustice and anger to punish their aduersaries, and by grace and prouidence to recompence them. This is the sense of the opposition.