Gods Three Arrows, Section 9 – Section 11
§. 9. Of the interpretation and obſervations of Moſes his charge to Ioſhua.
EXOD. XVII. IX.
And Moſes ſaid unto Ioſhua, Chooſe us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek, &c.
THe relation of the *§ 1.Defence which was made againſt Moyſes de aquâ nomen accepit. Amb Hexaem. lib cap. 2. Verum nomen ſignificat ex aquâ ſervatum Moyſen. Nam aquam Aegyptij Moy vocant. Flav. Ioſeph cont. Apion l 1. foreign ſervare. liberare. foreign Iehoſua. Num 13. 16. Nati nomina à parentibus accipiebant, non quidem ex ſe, ſed à Deo mente impellebantur, Qui antequam fiant praeſeij ſuturorum, quales poſt crementum aetatis ſuae futuri eſſent poſteriori tempore vegeti in nominibus Hebr. deſignabantur. Cypr. Tract. de Sinâ & Sion.Amaleks aſſault here beginneth. Wherein the Externall Means, as they are laid downe in a charge, are firſt expreſſed, and that ſo, as both the Perſons giving and receiving the charge, and alſo the matter given in charge are mentioned.
The Perſon that gave the charge was Moſes. (And Moſes ſaid.)
aAct 7. 35.Moſes at that time was the Prince, and chiefe Governour over Iſrael. bExo 2. 10.He was called Moſes becauſe he was drawne out of the waters. For the *foreign axit.Hebrew root ſignifieth to draw out. Ioſephus the Iew rendreth another reaſon of the name Moyſes; For, ſaith he, the Egyptians call water moy.
The Perſon to whom the charge was given was Ioſhua (Moſes ſaid to Ioſhua.)
The word whence Ioſhua, or Iehoſhua is derived according to the proper notation thereof ſignifieth to ſave, or deliver. Certainly by divine inſtinct this name was given to the man that is here meant. For children of old received names from their parents by divine inſtinct. They having knowledge of things to come before they were, by Hebrew ſignificant names declared to future ages what they ſhould be after ſome increaſe of age. For this particular perſon Ioſhua, here in this place he was the Generall of that army whereby Iſrael was ſaved and delivered from the Amalakites. And after Moſes death, he was the chiefe Governour and Generall that ſaued Iſrael from the Canaanites, and other nations that were rooted out by him. Wherein he was a type of Ieſus, whoſe name if it were written in Hebrew, would be the very ſame, namely Iehoſhua. The Greeks therefore for Ioſhua or Iehoſhua write Ieſus, Acts 7. 45. Hebr. 4. 8.
At this time, when Moſes gave this charge, Ioſhua was none of the chiefe Princes of the Tribes. For the chiefe Prince of Ephraim (of which Tribe Ioſhua was) was eNum 1. 10.Eliſhama. Indeed f—13 2, 3, 8.Ioſhua is reckoned among thoſe that were ſent to ſearch the land of Canaan, who are called Rulers and Heads: but they were not the chiefe Rulers and Heads, but gExo. 18. 21, 25ſuch as are mentioned to be made by Iethroes advice, Heads over the people, Rulers of thouſands, Rulers of Hundreds, &c. As for Ioſhua, he was after this, Moſes his Miniſter, Exo. 24. 13. Numb. 11. 28. Yet at this time was he appointed the Generall of the Lords army: partly becauſe of his valour, and partly becauſe of that high calling whereunto he was to be deputed to conquer the Canaanites.
Ob. After, this Ioſhua is ſtiled a young man. (Exod. 33. 11. Numb. 11. 28.)
Anſw. 1. The latter place may word for word be thus tranſlated, Ioſhua the ſonne of Nun the ſervant of Moſes from his youth: that is, who had ſerved Moſes from his youth.foreign à juvenlute ſuâ. Trem & Iun. Ita etiam Chald. Paraphr. 2. Senior is aetatis ſervuli dicuneur pueri à Dominis: non aetatem exprimentes, ſed conditionem. Amb. de Abr. l. 1. c. 9.
2. Servants of elder age are called lads, or youths, or young men: as ſome of the Lord Majors ſervants are called. So as this title doth oft ſignifie rather the condition of men, then their age.
The Matter of the charge containeth in it words of preparation, (Chooſe us out men) and execution, (Go out, fight with Amalek.)
The firſt word of the preparation (*foreign chooſe) implieth a carefull and diligent choice upon good triall and proofe. iIſa. 48. 10. foreignWhere God ſaith, *foreignI have choſen (or proved thee) in the fornace of affliction, this word is uſed: as alſo, k2 Sam. 6. 1.where it is ſaid that David gathered together all the *foreignchoſen (or choice, or chiefe) men of Iſrael. This particle (lforeign. us) is an uſuall redundancy in the Hebrew tongue. Yet is it not without an Emphaſis, implying thus much, chooſe for us, for our uſe, for our good, for the better ſucceſſe to us.
The laſt word of the preparation (*foreign plurali numero ponitur pro foreign See the Dignity of Chivalry §. 3. men) importeth the kind of men that were to be choſen, namely, ſuch as might truly be called MEN, Valiant and valorous men.
The Charge for execution conſiſteth of two clauſes. The firſt, (go out.) He meaneth, out from the congregation of the Iſraelites, or from the camp where they were, into the open field where the enemies were.
Two weighty reaſons may be given hereof.
1. To prevent the enemy, and to keepe him from entring in among all the people.
2. To pitch where Moſes (that intended to pray for them) might the better ſee them: that ſo by ſight of them his ſpirit might be the more quickned, and his prayer the more ſharpned.
The laſt clauſe of the execution (fight with Amalek) ſheweth the maine action to be done, (fight) and the object or perſon with whom, (with Amalek.)
The action is expreſſed in the very ſame word that was *§ 4.before applied to the enemy; but the circumſtances give evidence that there it is uſed in one reſpect, here in another.
1. There for aſſault, here for defence.
2. There for offering wrong, here for maintaining right.
3. There for an effect of malice, here of juſtice.
4. There for an action without good warrant, here with the beſt warrant that can be, Divine precept.
Thus the ſame thing for ſubſtance may be done lawfully, or unlawfully. Warre may lawfully be waged: and warre may unlawfully be waged. Circumſtances make much to the goodneſſe or badneſſe of an action.
Who are compriſed under this laſt word Amalek hath beene ſhewed *§. 2.before.
The maine ſcope and drift of this charge is to uſe fit means for preventing that miſchiefe which Amalek yet further intended againſt them. The means was to ſend out a well furniſhed army againſt him.
This Charge then commendeth to us ſeven obſervations.
I. Princes muſt provide for their peoples protection. Moſes ſaidSo did Moſes whom God made a Ruler over Iſrael: he provided temporall and ſpirituall meanes. He ſent forth an army, and he himſelfe lift up his hands for Iſraels protection.
to Ioſhua,II. Men deputed to weighty works ought to be prepared thereto before hand. Ioſhua was to be the man that ſhould conquer the Canaanites; He therefore is here made Generall forty yeares before.
Chooſe us out men,III. Military men must be choice men. The charge here given for chooſing men importeth as much.
And go out,IIII. Enemies muſt, as much as may be, be kept out. The charge here given is to go out, namely to meet the enemy before he enter.
FightV. Warre is warrantable. It is here commanded by him that ordered his commands by ſpeciall warrant from God.
with Amalek.VI. Violence with violence may be reſiſted. Amalek with open hoſtility fought againſt Iſrael: Iſrael therefore is commanded with open hoſtility to fight againſt Amalek.
VII. Approved means are to be uſed for attaining our deſired ends. This is a generall doctrine ariſing from the principall intent of this charge, whereunto all the fore-named particulars do tend. Moſes here deſiring to have the Iſraelites freed from theſe miſchievous Amalakites, giveth order for uſing the beſt ordinary meanes, which was by force of armes to vanquiſh them.
§. 10. Of Princes protecting their people.
Sicut obedientes oportet eſſe qui reguntur, ſic etiam Rectores & Principes vigilantes eſſe decet. Chryſ. Hom. 34. in Heb. 13.I. PRinces muſt provide for their peoples protection. As they who are under government muſt be ſubject, ſo it becommeth Governours and Princes to be watchfull for the good of thoſe that are under their charge. So was Moſes here: and ſo all good Kings, Princes, Iudges, and other ſupreme Rulers and Governours have beene from time to time. Many have put their owne ſafety in hazzard to ſave their people. Inſtance thoſe who in their owne perſons have gone to warre, and beene Generals themſelves over the armies which they have gathered together for their peoples protection. Thus have done, not onelyonly Iudges who were extraordinarily and purpoſely ſtirred up to deliver the people, as Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, Barak, Gideon, Iephthah, Sampſon, and ſuch others: but alſo Kings, both ſuch as were immediately choſen of God, and ſuch as by lineall deſcent came to the crowne, as Saul, David, Abijah, Aſa, Iehoſaphat, and others. Kings of old were wont to be Generalls in warre. In this reſpect it may be ſaid of them, as Iephthah ſaid of himſelfe, They put their ſoules in their hands, that is, they jeoparded Iudg 12. 4.their lives. It was the protection of her people wherby Eſther was moved to attempt that which made her ſay, If I periſh I periſh. It was alſo the like cauſe that made Nehemiah undertake a long journey from Shuſhan to Ieruſalem, Eſt. 4. 16. Neh. 2. &c.and there to oppoſe himſelfe to the envy and malice of the Iewes enemies. That which the Bramble is feigned to Iudg. 9. 16.ſay, is a ſpeech proper to a King, and it properly appertaineth to him to ſay, If in truth ye annoint me King over you, then come and put your truſt under my ſhadow. A King ought to be as a ſhadow under which his people may put their truſt. Read Pſal. 72. 4, &c. Lam. 4. 20.
That dignity and authority which Governours have over Governours dignity is for their ſubjects welfare. Deus pro utilitate communi principatus inſtituit. Chryſ. Hom 6. in 1 Tim 6.their people, is not ſimply and onelyonly for their owne exaltation, but for the preſervation and protection of them over whom they are ſet. They are Miniſters of God to them for good, Rom. 13 4. Of David (whom God made King over Iſrael) it is ſaid, The Lord brought him to feed Iacob his people, &c. Pſal. 78. 71. And to Saul (whom the Lord anointed King over Iſrael) it was ſaid, Go, and utterly deſtroy the ſinners, the Amalakites, and fight againſt them, &c. 1 Sam. 15. 17, 18. They muſt therefore feed their people, and fight for them: if not in their owne perſons, yet by uſing their power and authority to leavy armies, to ſend forth armies, to furniſh armies with all things needfull for them, and to give ſuch directions as ſhalbe meet. So did Moſes here, who went not out in his owne perſon: So David, when he ſaw it meet for himſelfe to tary at home, ſometimes he ſent forth Ioab, and all the hoſt of the ſtrong men; other times he ſent forth others, and gave directions what to do, 2 Sam. 10. 7. & 18. 2. & 20. 4, 6. The very order of nature accommodated to the peace Ordo naturalis mortalium paci accommodatus, hoc poſcit ut ſuſcipiendi belli authoritas & conſilium penes principes ſit. Aug cont. Fauſt. Manic. l, 22. c. 75.of men, requireth thus much, that the authority and counſell of undertaking warre ſhould be in the power of Princes.
Happy are thoſe people and polities that have ſuch Princes; that like Mordecai, ſeeke the wealth of their people, (Eſt. 10. 3.) that preſerve them in peace, that protect them from perill.
Pray for ſuch. Be thankfull for ſuch. Be ſubject and obedient to ſuch. Give to ſuch their due. Such are worthy of double honour: and the double honour of maintenance and reverence is to be yeelded to ſuch.
§. 11. Of preparing men to great exploits.
II. *§. 9.MEn deputed to weighty works ought to be prepared thereto before hand. Thus Ionathan, the heire to the crowne of Iſrael, if his fathers wickedneſſe had not forfeited it, was in his fathers time much exerciſed to warre. 1 Sam. 14 4.—31. 2.Becauſe God intended that David ſhould be King over Iſrael, and ſubdue many enemies, his imployments were ſuch before hand, as he could not but be much better thereby prepared to do what he did when he was King. For firſt he had occaſion given him to a1 Sam 17. 34, 48.graple with a Lion and a Beare: then with a Giant: after that with the b—18. 27.—23. 5.Philiſtines, c—27. 8.and the Geſhurites, and the Gezrites, and the d—30. 17.Amalakites. Yea, Sauls fierce perſecuting him was no ſmall meanes to prepare him the better for his kingdome. e2 Chro. 11. 22.Rehoboam ſhewed himſelfe wiſe in making his ſonne Abijah whom he deputed to the kingdome, Ruler among his brethren. The reaſon that moved fIudg. 8. 20.Gideon to carry his firſt borne ſonne Iether to the warre, and to put him to ſlay the kings that were taken, was without all queſtion to prepare him for future exploits, and to put boldneſſe, courage, and ſpirit into him.
To this end tend all ſeminaries and meanes of education, as, Schooles, Colledges, Vniverſities, Innes of Court, Incorporations, Companies, and other ſuch like Societies, ſo Artilery and Military gardens, and all ſorts of trainings and exerciſing of armes, yea and ſuch kind of recreations as make men fitter for warre; ſuch as the Olympian and Iſthmian games: and ſhooting, playing at waſters and foines, all manner of fencings, and other like in uſe among us.
Preparation before hand enableth men much better to manage matters then otherwiſe they could. Experience makes expert. Of thoſe that came to eſtabliſh David in his kingdome, it is ſaid, that being expert in warre they could Vſus promptos facit. 1 Chro 12. 33, 38.ſet a battell in array, and lead an army.
They who intend to do their country ſervice by ſtanding for the defence thereof againſt enemies, may here learne to take occaſion betimes of acquainting themſelves with the warre. And in caſe there be not enemies, by fighting with whom experience may be learned, to exerciſe themſelves in trainings at home. *See The Dignity of Chivalry §. 7, 16, 17, &cFor which purpoſe Artilery gardens and Military fields are uſefull: and therefore to be maintained, and frequented.