Gods Three Arrows, Section 30 – Section 31
§. 30. Of performing things warrantable with due circumſtances.
III. *See § 25.THings warrantable in their ſubſtance muſt be performed with warrantable circumſtances. The many circumſtances which God preſcribed for doing the things which he enjoyned, give proofe hereof. For why ſhould the Divine wiſdome be ſo carefull in preſcribing circumſtances, if man might be careleſſe in obſerving them. Where the Lord enjoyneth the celebration of the Paſſeover, he thus expreſſeth it, aNum. 9. 3.In the foureteenth day of this monethmonth, at even, ye ſhall keepe it in his appointed ſeaſon: according to all the rites of it, and according to all the ceremonies thereof ſhall ye keepe it. If men failed in circumſtances, they were puniſhed as if they had neglected the circumſtance. Inſtance bLev. 10. 1.Nadab and Abihu, that offered incenſe with ſtrange fire: and David and the Prieſts in his time that c2 Sam. 6. 3.caried the Arke in a cart which dNum. 7. 9. Exo. 25. 14. Num. 4. 15. Deut. 10. 8. Ioſ 3. 3.ſhould have beene caried on mens ſhoulders. Wherefore David being better inſtructed by the viſible evidence of Gods diſpleaſure on Vzzah, ſaith afterwards, e1 Chro. 15. 13The Lord made a breach upon us, for that we ſought him not after the due order, &c.
God having preſcribed circumſtances as well as ſubſtances, to neglect the one or the other is to croſſe his ſacred will. Yea to do things otherwiſe then he hath appointed, when he hath appointed the rites and manner of doing any thing, is to make our ſelves wiſer then God.
Papiſts failings in mateall circumſtances.In this reſpect we have juſt cauſe to ſeparate from the Remiſh Church, though it be granted, that for ſubſtance they hold many of Chriſts ordinances. They have the Word read, and prayers in their Churches, but in an unknowne tongue, which takes away the benefit thereof. They acknowledge Chriſt their Mediatour, High-Prieſt, Head, and Prophet: but in that they joyne Saints in heaven as Mediatours, men on earth as true, proper, ſacrificing Prieſts, their Pope a Spirituall head over the whole Church, and give him power to coine new articles of faith, they over-throw the forenamed Orthodoxall ſubſtances by theſe hereticall circumſtances. So the ſubſtance of Baptiſme which they retaine, they impeach by their additions of creame, ſpittle, and other like fooliſh inventions, and by their falſe poſitions about the abſolute neceſſity, and operative efficacy of the externall worke. The like might be exemplified in other ordinances. What warrant have they for creeping to images, proſtrating their bodies before them, offering to them, going on pilgrimages, wearing haire-ſhirts, going barefoot, whipping themſelves: mewing themſelves up in cloiſters, caves, Hermitages, with an infinite number of their owne inventions. Is God pacified with theſe? Can ſuch things appeaſe his wrath? What then can be expected for the performance of their ordinances, but this doome of the high Indge, Mat. 159.In vaine they do worſhip me, teaching for doctrines the commandements of men. And this, Iſa. 1. 12.who hath required this of your hand?
Goſpellers failings in mate riall circumſtances.I would to God there were no occaſion among us given to feare the like doome. True it is that we have by the Divine providence more and better light then Papiſts have, whereby the vanity of their unwarrantable additions to Gods ordinances are diſcovered and abandoned, yet many offer up their incenſe without fetching fire from the Lords altar. For ſome that draw nigh unto God with their mouth, and honour him with their lips, have their heart farre from him. Sincerity of heart is the fire of the Lord, with which the incenſe of prayer muſt be offered up. Others in performing duties of piety ſo reſt in that which they do, as they looke not at all to Chriſt, who is the Lords altar from whence alone ſuch fire as is acceptable unto God, can be taken. Others ſo ſet their minds on mans lawes, and the penalty thereof, as God, his will, his honour, conſcience to him is not at all reſpected. In theſe and other like caſes doe men offer their incenſe with ſtrange fire.
Direction for matter and manner to be fetcht from Gods Word. Eph. 5. 17. Rom. 12. 2. Iſa. 8. 20.It behoveth us therefore diligently to ſearch the Scriptures, thereby to underſtand what the will of the Lord is: and to prove what is good and acceptable unto him. Therein we may have ſufficient warrant for matter and manner, for ſubſtance and circumſtance. To the Law and to the teſtimony: if they ſpeake not according to this word it is becauſe there is no light in them, But what is done according to the warrant and preſcript of it, may comfortably and confidently be done; and that in aſſured expectation of Gods gracious acceptation, and bounteous remuneration.
On this ground we may expect a bleſſing on the duties that we now performe. For our extraordinary humbling of our ſelves with faſting and prayer is as warrantable for pacifying Gods anger, as incenſe under the Law. Let us from the Lords altar, his Sonne Ieſus Chriſt, thorow faith in him take the fire of zeale, ſincerity, and integrity, and therewith offer our incenſe; of the efficacy hereof we ſhall have occaſion afterwards to ſpeake.
§. 31. Of ſhewing mercy to ſuch as wrong us.
IIII. *See §. 25. Of praying for enemies. See The whole armo of God on Eph. 6. 18. §. 51.DVties of mercy muſt be performed to ſuch as wrong us. This did he, who tooke all occaſions to do ſo himſelfe, give us in expreſſe charge, aMat. 5. 44.Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you. The Law exemplifieth this generall in theſe particulars. bExod. 23. 4, 5.If thou meet thine enemies oxe or his aſſe going aſtray, thou ſhalt ſurely bring it back to him againe. If thou ſee the aſſe of him that hatcth thee lying under his burden, thou ſhalt ſurely helpe him. If mercy muſt be ſhewed to the beaſts of our enemies, how much more to their perſons? In this reſpect the Wiſeman thus further adviſeth, ePro. 25. 21.If thine enemy be hungry give him bread: and if he be thirſty give him water to drinke. In like manner, if they have pulled any judgement upon their owne pates, our endeavour muſt be to helpe them, to heale them.
1. Thus ſhall we ſhew our ſelves to be children of our Father which is in heaven. For he maketh his Sonne to ſhine on the evill and on the good, Mat. 5. 45.
Ad omnes faciamus bonum Chriſtus non pro ſanctis tantum paſſus eſt, ſed pro peccatoribus, &c Aug. de Salutar. Dei. c. 46.2. Thus ſhall we be like-minded to him that let ſlip no opportunity of doing good to us his enemies, even Ieſus Christ our Saviour, Phil. 2. 5.
3. Thus ſhall we give evidence of the holy Spirits abode in us. For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodneſſe, Eph. 5. 9.
4. Thus ſhall we Overcome evill with good: which is a Divine property: thus ſhall we mollifie their hardneſſe, and bow their incenſed mind to mildnes & kindnes, Rom. 12. 21.
Quando inimicis noſtris praebemus beneficia, malitiam eorum bonitate noſtra ſuperamus, & mollimus duritiam, iratum que animam ad molliciem, & benevolentiam flectimus. Hier. Hedib. quaeſt, 15. And whereas corrupt nature is too too much addicted to revenge, by theſe meanes ſhall we leave our implacable enemies to Gods revenge, which the Wiſeman thus expreſſeth, Thou ſhalt heape coals of fire upon his head, Pro. 25. 22
So farre therefore we ought to be from with-holding our hands from doing mercy, becauſe he, to whom mercy is to be ſhewed, hath wronged us, as ſo much the rather to take that opportunity of doing good, that it may appeare we do good for goodneſſe ſake, without reſpect of perſons, without any partiality. Woe were it to children of men if God did not do good to his enemies. If we could overcome our ſelves, we alſo ſhould ſo do. They who are borne againe, whoſe corrupt nature is altered, will ſo do.