But the God of all majesty, as Isaiah saith, is the Lord of all the kingdoms and kings of the earth. He, as Daniel saith, removes and establishes kingdoms. That monarch of heaven and earth also taketh down one king and sitteth up another. And he it is, who, in the time of peace, curbs the wills and holds the minds of the multitude, and stills all civil commotions like the waves of the sea, against all the raised winds of the devil. And it is the same God also, who, in the time of war, terrifieth the enemies of a nation, and maketh their hearts to tremble, when he thunders in the heavens, when he touches the mountains and great hills of nations and of peoples: he is terrible; and who can stand before him? When he strikes the hearts of the enemy with fear, it is easy for us to conquer. But what human wisdom or power can strike this terror, or do or ordain such mighty things? David then prays against the deeds of his own people, and rebukes their ungodliness. The Israelites, because they had that especial honour and glory of being the people of God, were above all people of a stiff-neck; proud, seditious, avaricious, envious, unbelieving, and disobedient; and all these things they manifested in their conduct to Moses, to David himself, and to other godly kings. And although they saw David, in the same manner as Moses before him, with the manifest presence of God, and with great and divine miracles, governing the state, and conducting wars successfully, in the midst of the assaults of enemies on every side; yet falling into pride and security, from a confidence in their high title, as the people of God; they showed themselves to be no better than those of their forefathers, of whom Moses saith, “Ye have always been a rebellious and stiff-necked people before the Lord, from the day that I first knew you.” For the people of David were carnally affected and ungodly; and were as if they had said, ‘Command, and command again, if thou wilt; expect, and expect still; and why dost thou preach unto us faith, whereas we all the while continue in affliction? Those whom God favors, and to whom he shows mercy, he blesses: to them he gives wives, children, riches, houses, lands, and all things, and happiness in all things; and happy are the people that are in such a case.’ Nor were false prophets wanting, to dwell upon temporal promises in their preaching, and to withstand the true prophets; denying that those were the favorites of God who were not blessed with temporal prosperities; and saying that all the saints of God were so blessed.