26. In the second place, God's hand is mighty to raise, to comfort
and strengthen the humbled and the fearful, and, as Peter says here,
to exalt them. Those who in terror have been cast down should not,
therefore, despair, or flee before God, but rise again, and be
comforted in God. God wants it preached and published that he never
lays his hand upon us in order that we may perish and be damned. But
he must pursue this course in order to lead us to repentance;
otherwise we would never inquire about his Word and will. And if we
seek grace, he is ready to help us up again, to grant us forgiveness
of sins, the Holy Spirit, and eternal life. The Psalms and the
Prophets here and there speak of this. "Jehovah hath chastened me
sore; but he hath not given me over unto death," Ps 118, 18. "Jehovah
raiseth up them that are bowed down," Ps 146, 8.
27. God will "exalt you in due time," says Peter. Though God's help
be delayed, and the humbled and suffering seem to lie oppressed all
too long under God's hand, and on that account to languish,
nevertheless, let them hold to the promise Paul has given: God "will
not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able," 1 Cor 10, 13,
but he will hear your cry, and will, at the right time, help; and
with this let them be comforted. But again, let the proud fear, even
though he permit them to go unpunished and to continue in their
boastful course for a time. He watches their lives, and, when the
proper time comes, he will descend all too heavily upon them, so that
they cannot bear it. He has already stretched forth his mighty hand,
both to cast down the godless and to exalt the humble.