Gods Three Arrows, Section 33 – Section 36
§. 33. Of ſtrengthening faith by Gods former works.
VII. *See § 26.COnſideration of Gods former workes is of ſpeciall uſe to ſtrengthen faith. Hereby was Iacobs faith much ſupported, and therefore he thus pleadeth and preſſeth Gods former works, when he was in danger, aGen. 32, 9, 10,O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Iſaac, the Lord which ſaidst unto me, returne unto thy country, &c. I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies, and of all the truth which thou haſt ſhewed unto thy ſeruant, &c. So b2 Chro. 20. 7.Iehoſaphat, cNeh. 9. 6. &c.the Levites in Nehemiahs time, and many others. This was d1 Sam. 17. 34, &c. Pſal. 22. 4.—77. 11, 12.—143. 5.Davids uſuall practice. Therefore e—105. 5.he exhorts others to remember the marvellous workes which God hath done, his wonders, and the judgements of his mouth.
Gods former works give evident demonſtration, as of his power, what he is able to do, (for what he hath ſometimes done he is able alwaies to do) ſo of his will, what he is willing, as he ſeeth occaſion to do. For the Lord never doth what he is unwilling to do. Now evidence of theſe two, Gods power and will, are two ſtrong props to ſupport our faith.
Ob. It followeth not that becauſe God ſometimes did How Gods former extraordinary works ſtrengthen our faith.ſuch and ſuch things, he will ever do the ſame. Never did he in any nation the wonders that he did in Egypt and in the wilderneſſe.
Anſw. Though he do not by the ſame viſible, extraordinary, and miraculous means ſuccour his Church and People, yet thereby his Church is taught to believe that he ſeeth and obſerveth his peoples diſtreſſes, that his compaſſion is moved thereat, that though in his wiſdome he ſuffereth them to lie ſome time therein, yet it is not his will that they ſhould utterly periſh: and therefore he will aſſuredly deliver them. Thus the Apoſtle preſſing the promiſe which God in particular made to Ioſhua, I will never leave thee nor forſake thee, maketh this generall inference thereupon, So that we, (we Chriſtians that live ſo many yeares after Ioſhuaes time) we may boldly ſay the Lord is my helper, I will not feare, &c. Heb. 13. 5, 6. Though we cannot therefore expect the ſame particular Quis eſt qui conſiderat opera Dei, quibus regitur & adminiſtratur totus hic mundus, & non obſtupeſcit obruitur que miraculis. Aug in Ioh. 2. Tract 8. Faciem quodam modo ponentes ad ea quae fecit, dorſum ponimus ad artificem qui fecit. Ibid.works of God to be done for us, that of old were done for others, yet the generals we may and ought to believe, that that God which provided for, and delivered of old ſuch as truſted in him, is ſtill able, and willing to provide for and deliver ſuch as now truſt in him. Theſe generals expect from God. As for the means and manner of doing it, referre them to his wiſdome. He ever remaineth the ſame God, as in his power, ſo in his will, affection, and compaſſion towards ſuch as truſt in him. He can by ſundry means bring things to the ſame iſſue. If thorowly and adviſedly the uſuall works of God were conſidered, even thoſe whereby the whole world is ruled and governed, who would not be aſtoniſhed, even as at miracles, and by the miraculouſneſſe of them be ſtrengthened in faith? But many turning their faces to the works that are done, turne their backes to him that did them. Whence it comes to paſſe, that neither God hath the glory which belongs to him, nor man that profit which otherwiſe he might reape from the works of God.
Gather now, ye that truſt in the Lord, gather what evidences Obſerve Gods former works.ye can by Gods former works of his power, and will. Oft meditate thereon; plead them in prayer before God. In your catalogue of Gods former works be ſure you leave not out ſuch as are done in your daies, and to your ſelves in particular, whereof upon experimentall evidence you may ſay to God, marvellous are thy works, and that my ſoule knoweth Pſal. 139. 14.right well. The works which were brought to Moſes his mind by holding up this rod were ſuch as were done in his daies, before his eyes, by his miniſtry. Such works as are done in our daies, and to our ſelves, make the deepeſt impreſſion: and have the moſt effectuall and mighty operation. Such were they whereby Iacob and David were ſtrengthened Gen. 32. 10. 1 Sam. 17. 56.in their faith. Though we have not ſuch a viſible ſigne of Gods former works, as this rod was which Moſes held up, yet we have as good and ſure ſtaies for our faith to reſt upon. For, we have Gods works recorded in Gods Word, a Word of truth. And we may ſay, as the Pſalmiſt doth, We have heard with our eares, O God, our fathers have told us Pſal. 44. 1.what works thou diddeſt in their daies, in the times of old. And God hath in our dayes, and before our eyes done ſuch works, as give us ſufficient ground to truſt in him. We have memories to retaine them. We have minds to meditate on them. We may (if we will) regiſter and record them. What could Moſes his rod do more then al theſe? Though we want that externall ſigne, yet we have the ſubſtance. And by a right uſe of what we have, our faith in God may be ſtrengthened, as Moſes was by the uſe of this rod. Ruminate therfore on Gods bringing in the Goſpell in King Henry the 8 daies. On eſtabliſhing it in King Edward the 6 daies. On the courage, comfort, and conſtancy that he gave to Martyrs in Queene Maries daies. On the reſtoring of the Goſpell in bleſſed Queene Elizabeths daies. On the many victories then given: eſpecially in 88. On the many deliverances from Papiſts treaſons: eſpecially in 605. As occaſion is offered ſeriouſly ponder and meditate on theſe and other like works of God, and thereby ſhalt thou find much vigour infuſed into thy faith. Withall well note the promiſes of God. For, this rod which Moſes tooke up to the hill was a ſigne of Gods promiſe. Take this rod in thine hand (ſaith God) wherewith Exo. 4. 17.thou ſhalt do ſignes. Gods promiſes are the moſt proper ground-worke of faith: as I have *The whole Armour of God, on Eph. 6, 16. Treat. 2. Part. 6 § 71, &c.elſwhere ſhewed.
§. 34. Of the benefit of a perſwaſion of others prayers.
VIII. *See §. 26.PErſwaſion of others prayers addeth much courage in dangerous imployments. This was one reaſon why aNum. 10. 9.God in his Law ordred that his Prieſts ſhould go with their ſilver trumpets into the armies of his people, that by that ſigne his people might be aſſured of the Prieſts prayers, and be thereby the more encouraged. b2 Chro. 13. 14Thus were the people in Abijahs time much encouraged. This queſtionleſſe was the reaſon why cIudg. 4. 8.Barak was ſo importunate to have Deborah go with him to the warre. Her ſex might make him thinke that ſhe was not fit to lead an army, or to fight. But he knowing her to be a Propheteſſe, did alſo know that her prayers would be availeable with the Lord: and withall he thought that the ſight of the battell would extend her ſpirit the more earneſtly to call upon the Lord for them. Did not this perſwaſion encourage him, who ſpeaking of his troubles, ſaid, dPhil. 1. 19.I know that this ſhall turne to my ſalvation thorow your prayer.
Gods people being acquainted with Gods Word, thereby know that God is the fountaine of all bleſſing, and that prayer is the means of receiving all needfull bleſſing from him, and that the prayers of others are availeable with God Muliùm valent preces in communi multorum. Hier. Commēt. in Rom. 15.as well as their owne, and that when others prayers are joyned with theirs, they are ſo much the more powerfull. How can they then but be the more incouraged by their perſwaſion of others prayers for them.Of craving others prayers, See The whole Armour of God, on Eph. 6. 19. Treat. 3 §. 137.
Good cauſe there is for this very cauſe, when any go about any weighty, difficult, or dangerous worke, or when they are in any dangers or feares, to crave the prayers of ſuch as they count faithfull: as e2 King. 19. 4.Hezekiah did of Iſayah. And for them of whom this duty is deſired, by ſolemne promiſe to bind themſelves to do it, as f1 Sam. 12. 23.Samuel did, that ſo they who deſire it may have the more cauſe to believe that it ſhall be performed. And if the worke enterpriſed be publique, meet it is that a faſt be proclaimed, and publique prayers enjoyned for their good ſucceſſe. By theſe publique prayers more notice may be taken of the many prayers that by many perſons are made for them, and ſo they be the more encouraged.
By a ſound and good argument from the leſſe to the greater A minori. Chriſts interceſſion a ground of encouragement. Meritò mihi ſpes valida eſt in eo qui ſedet ad dextram tuam, & te interpellat pro nobis: alioquin deſperarem. Aug. Confeſſ. l. 11. c 43.it followeth, that they who are well inſtructed in the articles of the Chriſtian faith, and anſwerably do believe in Chriſt, cannot but have much comfort and encouragement in all their lawfull enterpriſes, be they never ſo difficult or dangerous, becauſe they cannot be ignorant that Chriſt, in whom they believe, is on an higher hill then Moſes here was, even in heaven at Gods right hand, making interceſſion for them. Whom, though he be inviſible, they may ſee with the eye of faith, as Moſes by faith ſaw him who is inviſible, He. 11 27. Now Chriſts interceſſion is more then al the praiers of all ye Saints, though their ſpirits were all joined together, in preſenting one and the ſame petition to God. For Chriſts interceſſion is that ſweet incenſe that is in it ſelfe acceptable to God, and that, mixed with the prayers of the Saints, makes them acceptable, Rev. 8. 3, 4. Let us therefore have our eye of faith fixed on Chriſt at Gods right hand in heaven, holding up his hands continually, and making interceſſion for us. The eye of faith may in this kind work as much boldneſſe, as the ſight of Stephens bodily eye did, when he ſaw Ieſus ſtanding on the right hand of God, Acts 7. 55.
§. 35. Of Ioſhuaes obedience.
EXOD. XVII. X.
So Ioſhua did as Moſes had ſaid unto him, and fought with Amalek.
*See §. 1.THe obedience of Ioſhua to Moſes his charge is firſt generally propounded, and then distinctly exemplified: both of them in the former part of the tenth verſe, which is ſo expreſly ſet downe, as there is no ambiguity at all. For all the materiall words, as a§ 9.Moſes, bIbid.Ioſhua, c§ 2.fought, d§. 4.Amalek, have been before explaned.
Out of the two parts of this text naturally ariſe theſe two obſervations.
I. Obedience is to be yeelded to Governours. Moſes was at this time a Prince; the ſupreme Governour over all Iſrael. Ioſhua therefore who was one of Iſrael, and under his command, did as Moſes had ſaid unto him.
II. They who are ſent by lawfull authority unto a lawfull warre, muſt go. Moſes his charge was a lawfull authority. Warre (for defence of a people againſt a malicious and injurious enemy) is a lawfull warre. Therefore Ioſhua goeth. He fought with Amalek.
§. 36. Of yeelding obedience to Governours.
See The Plaiſter for a Plague, on Numb. 16. 47. §. 53, 54, 55, 56I. OBedience is to be yeelded to Governours. This is a principall branch of that Honour which is required in the fift commandement. It is particularly and expreſly enjoyned to all ſorts of inferiours under authority: as to aEph 6. 5.Servants, b—1.Children, c—5. 22.Wives, dHeb. 13. 7.People in relation to their Paſtors, eAct. 10. 7.Souldiers to their Generals and Captaines, and f1 Pet. 2. 13, 14 Rom. 13. 1.Subjects in relation to ſupreme and ſubordinate Magiſtrates.
The Apoſtle much preſſeth this point, and inforceth it by foure ſpeciall arguments, Rom. 13. 1, 2, &c.
1. The Authour of Government, and Ordainer of Governours. (The powers that be are ordained of God.) Though it be true which the Prophet ſaith, (Hoſ. 8. 4.) They have ſet up Kings but not by me: they have made Princes and I knew it not: namely in regard of particular perſons ſet up, and in regard of the manner of ſetting them up: yet the Power it ſelfe, and Government, is of God.
2. The good or benefit of Government. (He is the Miniſter of God to thee for good.) Governours therefore are advanced to their eminent places, not ſimply for their owne honour, but for the good of their ſubjects. They who rightly and duly ſubject themſelves, procure good to themſelves. Such as are rebellious, are injurious to themſelves.
3. The evill of ſin in reſiſting Government. Whoſoever reſiſteth the power reſiſteth the ordinance of God. He doth therfore offend thereby not men onelyonly, but God alſo, which is a ſinne.
4. The evill of puniſhment following thereon. They that reſiſt ſhall receive to themſelves damnation. A fearfull doome. Take for inſtance the examples of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, Numb. 16. VponUpon theſe and other like grounds Chriſtians are exhorted to be ſubject for conſcience ſake, Rom. 13. 5. and for the Lords ſake, 1 Pet. 2. 13. Both which intend one and the ſame thing. For the conſcience is ſubject to God alone: ſo as that which is done for conſcience ſake is done for the Lords ſake.
This for the generall of yeelding obedience to Governours, may ſuffice. For if theſe motives, Gods ordinance, Our owne good, Avoiding ſinne, and, The puniſhment of ſinne, be not ſufficient, what can be ſufficient? I haſten to the particular, of ſouldiers obedience to their Governours charge about going to In militiâ diſciplina non deeſt, obedientia nequaquam contemnitur. Ber. ad Mil. Temp. c. 4.warre, which is here in ſpeciall expreſſed and intended. For among them diſcipline is moſt neceſſary. Therefore in well ordered armies diſcipline is not wanting, nor obedience deſpiſed.