33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,



Ver. 33. Wrought righteousness] Civil and military, spiritualized by faith and heightened to its full worth. The Scripture maketh it a great matter, that Abraham should have a child when he was a hundred years old, whereas Torah his father was 130 when he begat Abraham. But because Abraham had his child by faith, therefore it was a great matter. And so in all things whatsoever that we have, do, or suffer, if they be by faith, they are great things indeed.



Obtained promises] Faith winds itself into the promises, and makes benefit thereof. A bee can suck honey out of a flower, so cannot a fly do. Faith will extract abundance of comfort in most desperate distresses out of the precious promises, and gather one contrary out of another, honey out of the rock, &c., Deu_32:37.