Gods Three Arrows, Section 54 – Section 59
§. 54. Of ordering obedience in circumſtances aright.
II. *See §. 52. Obedite ad omne opus bonum. Si bonum eſt quod praecipit praeſes jubentis obſequere voluntati. Sin malum, &c. Hier Cōment. in Tit. 3.OBedience is to be yeelded according to the charge given. In ſuch charges as God giveth, or by faithfull Miniſters are given from God, this holdeth good without any limitation. In charges given by men it muſt be limited and reſtrained by ſuch circumſtances as are not againſt God and his Word.
For the former kind of charges and directions which are Divine, theſe phraſes of aDeut. 5. 32.—17. 20.—28. 14. Ioſ. 1. 7.—23. 6. Pro. 4. 27.Not turning to the right hand or the left: of bNum. 22. 18.not going beyond the word of the Lord to do leſſe or more, or c—24. 13.to do good or bad of ones owne mind, imply a preciſe cleaving, and cloſe holding to Gods Word, ſo as we ſwarve from it in nothing, no not in circumſtances. That firſt phraſe of not turning to the right hand or to the left, implieth that Gods Word is as a right way wherein onelyonly we muſt walke to attaine unto happineſſe: and that being in that way, we may not turne out of it on any ſide, any whither. The phraſe is uſed in that promiſe which the Iſraelites made to Edom when they deſired to paſſe thorow his land. dNumb. 20 17.Let us paſſe (ſay they) thorow thy country: we will not paſſe thorow the fields or thorow the vineyards, neitherwill we drinke of the water of the wells: we will go by the Kings high way: we will not turne to the right hand nor to the left, untill we have paſſed thy borders. They hereby profeſſe to keepe themſelves onelyonly in the high-way: and not at any time any where to ſtep out of it, no not with mind of returning into it againe. Thus it imports that it is not enough in ſome things to follow Gods direction, and ſo to walke in his way: and in other things to ſwerve from his direction, and ſo to walke out of it; but in all things we muſt follow it. Yea though there be occaſions of ſundry ſorts, ſome enticing us one way, others another way, ſome to the right hand, ſome to the left, ſome more faire in ſhew then others, yet ought we not to yeeld to any of them. This charge given to Moſes (eExo 25. 40 Looke that thou make them after their patterne, which was ſhewed thee in the mount) hath reſpect not only to the generall matter and ſubſtance, but alſo to particular manner and circumſtances. So do all thoſe Epithites which in Divine directions and commandements are uſed to ſet out the manner of performing things required.
Ioſiah did herein teſtifie his reſpect to God and his Word, f2 King. 22. 2.He did that which was right in the ſight of the Lord, and turned not aſide to the right hand or to the left: which is g—23. 25.afterward thus more fully expreſſed, He turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his ſoule, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moſes.
For directions and charges which men that are in authority over us, do give, the forementioned phraſe is applied to them. Where God appointed Iudges over his people to decide matters of controverſie, he ordained that his people ſhould do hDeut. 17. 11.according to the judgement of thoſe Iudges, and not decline from the ſentence which they ſhould ſhew, to the right hand or to the left. iIoſ. 1. 17.The Iſraelites profeſſe that they had hearkened unto Moſes in all things: and promiſe ſo to hearken unto Ioſhua.
To yeeld ſuch obedience to Gods charge, in the matter and manner, in the ſubſtance and circumſtances thereof, is a reall acknowledgement, not of his Soveraignty onelyonly, and power to command, but of his wiſdome alſo in ordering of his commands ſo as good heed is to be given to every circumſtance thereof: not one, no not the leaſt of them being in vaine.
This alſo manifeſteth a very dutifull reſpect to God, to be conſcionable in performing whatſoever he manifeſteth to be Ne tractemus quare Deus unumquod que praeceperit; ſed quodcun que viderit eſſe mandatum, hoc pia mens hominis implere feſtinet. Hier Cōment. in Eccl. 8.his will: whether to us it ſeeme ſubſtantiall or circumſtantiall. It ſhewes that we humbly can ſubmit our thoughts to the counſell of God, when we queſtion not his charge, but readily do whatſoever is commanded.
Such a ſubjection to our Governours is an outward demonſtration of the reſpect we beare to that place wherein God hath ſet them over us, and to that authority which he hath given them. They that obey onelyonly in ſuch things as themſelves thinke ſubſtantiall and weighty, may ſeeme to obey rather for the matter, then for authority ſake: and they that neglect or refuſe to obſerve the circumſtances given in charge, ſhew that they thinke themſelves wiſer then their Governours; and better know how to diſtinguiſh betwixt needfull, and not-needfull matters, then their Governours; which favoureth too rankely of pride and preſumption.
§. 55. Of the danger of ſcanty obedience.
1. MAny mens obedience is hereby diſcovered to be very ſcanty and faulty, eſpecially in relation to Divine directions and commandements: even the obedience of ſuch as think highly of that they have done. Inſtance Sauls obedience. He, it ſeemes, was well conceited of his obedience, when he met Samuel with this congratulation, a1 Sam. 15. 13.Bleſſed be thou of the Lord: I have performed the comman dement of the Lord. Yet Samuel challengeth him of b—19.diſobedience, and of c—23.rebellion. Saul performed the d—3.ſubſtance of Gods charge: for he e—7.ſmote the Amalakites. But he failed in the f—3.extent of that charge, he did not utterly deſtroy all that they had: he g—15.ſpared the beſt of the ſheepe and of the oxen. This tooke away the glory, comfort, and benefit of his generall obedience. His reward was the reward of rebellion. h1 Sam. 15. 23.It coſt him his kingdome. Gods indignation againſt failing in ſuch things as fooliſh man may count circumſtances, is manifeſted in the example of that i1 King. 13. 1, &c.Man of God which was ſent to Ieroboam. He faithfully delivered his whole meſſage: and though the King invited him to tarry and refreſh himſelfe, yet he would not, becauſe the Lord had forbidden him ſo to do. Yet becauſe afterwards he believed another Prophet againſt that part of Gods charge, and went back with him to eat and to drink in his houſe, it coſt him his life: a Lion met him, and ſlew him.
Both the ſubſtance and circumſtances of a charge are grounded on the ſame authority. To faile in either of them is to tranſgreſſe his will that enjoyned the one as well as the other. No marvell then that the doing of one be blemiſhed by omitting the other.
§. 56. Of due reſpect to every branch of that which is given us in charge.
2. IT behoveth us wiſely and heedfully to take due and diligent notice of every charge that is given us in charge, of the particular branches thereof, and of all the circumſtances appertaining thereto, that by a conſcionable obſervation of them all, we may ſhew our ſelves aHeb. 3. 2.faithfull to him that hath appointed us, as God ſaith of Moſes: bNumb. 12. 7.He was faithfull in all mine houſe. This is honourable to him that giveth the charge, to be in every part and particle thereof obeyed. This therefore will alſo be acceptable to him. In which reſpects it cannot but be very comfortable and advantageable to the party himſelfe that performeth the obedience. This was it wherewith Hezekiah comforted himſelfe on his ſicke Iſa 38. 3.bed: and whereby he was emboldened to call upon God even to reverſe that ſentence of death which he had given out againſt him. For the perfect heart which he mentioned in his prayer, was that impartiall reſpect which he had to every thing given him in charge by the Lord. A perfect heart in Scripture phraſe is an entire heart, or the whole heart. And that heart which hath reſpect to the whole will of God, ſo farre as it is made knowne unto him, is moſt properly the whole heart. If any object that a perfect heart implieth a ſincere heart: I anſwer, that an eſpeciall point of ſincerity conſiſteth in the fore-ſaid intireneſſe.
§. 57. Of ſpeed in relieving the diſtreſſed.
III. *Sec §. 52.HAſte must be made to relieve ſuch as are in diſtreſſe. When aGen. 14. 15.Abraham heard that his brother Lot was taken by the enemies, he quickly gathered an army together before the enemy could eſcape, and not tarying for day light, marched by night. It appeareth that b1 Sam. 11. 11.Saul did ſo for the ſuccour of Iabeſh Gilead. For he came into the middeſt of the hoste of the enemies in the morning watch: ſo as he muſt needs march in the night time. When the Shunemite ſaw her ſonne to be dead, but withall was perſwaded that by the Prophet Eliſha he might be reſtored to life, ſhe ſaith to her husband, c2 King 4. 22. foreign & curram.Send with me I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the aſſes, that I may RVN to the Man of God. dIoh 4. 49.The noble man that ſaid to Chriſt, Sir come downe ere my child die, intended that he ſhould make all the haſte he could. So did he that ſaid, eMar. 9. 22.If thou cauſt do any thing have compaſſion on us and helpe us. fLuk. 15. 20.Thus the Father of the Prodigall ſeeing his ſonne afarre off ragged and ragged, He had compaſſion, and RAN and fell on his necke.
Thus will ſuccour intended come the more ſeaſonably: thus may it be the more profitable and beneficiall. By making haſte much danger (which delaying and putting off helpe cauſeth) is oft prevented. This both Martha and Ioh 11. 21. 32.Mary intended, when they ſaid to Ieſus, Lord if thou hadst beene here my brother had not died. If Chriſt could only have healed the ſick, and not alſo have raiſed the dead, that which they ſaid had beene to purpoſe.
§. 58. Of the danger of delaying ſuccour.
1. GReat is the inhumanity of them that put off opportunities of affoording ſuccour to ſuch as are in diſtreſſe. It is directly againſt the rule of charity, that is ſo affected with a brothers miſery, as it will not ſuffer him to lie therein a moment beyond the time that it is able to releaſe him. The wiſe-man expreſly forbiddeth all delay in ſhewing mercy, ſaying, Say not to thy neighbour, Goe, and come againe, and to morrow I will give: when thou hast it by Pro. 3. 28.thee. Good purpoſes are oft times brought to nought by ſuch delayes. For at firſt ſight, or other knowledge of ones miſery the bowels of another are moved, and thereat he purpoſeth to affoord him that is in miſery the beſt helpe he can. But by putting it off for that preſent, his compaſſion is cooled, and his purpoſe thereupon altered, and ſo no ſuccour affoorded. Yea by delaying helpe, though the purpoſe of doing ones beſt for helpe remaine, helpe may come too late: as a pardon when the malefactour is hang'd, and a medicine when the patient is paſt recovery. To this purpoſe tends foreign Hector. apud Eurip in Rheſo.this proverbe; It is too late to ſhut the ſtable doore when the ſteed is ſtollen. It was worthily ſaid of him, who ſaid, I ſcorne to offer helpe too late.
§. 59. Of ſpeedy ſuccour.
2. THat we may manifeſt our true deſire of relieving our brothers neceſſity according to our ability, let us take the opportunity which by the Divine providence is offered unto us: and upon the firſt notice of need, run, and make all the ſpeed we can to helpe. Thus ſhall we ſhew our ſelves like unto God. *foreign, a currendo. Plato in Crat. Macroſ. l 1. Saturn. c. 13.The ancient Grecians gave God his name from that Divine property, of running to helpe. cMat. 14. 14. Mar. 1. 41. Luk. 7. 13, 14.Of the Sonne of God it is oft noted, that when he ſaw ſuch and ſuch in miſery, he had compaſſion on them, and healed, or otherwiſe helped them: namely then at that inſtant when he firſt ſaw them. He delayed not his ſuccour, he put it not off: but preſently, inſtantly gave outward proofe of his inward compaſſion. dEph 5. 1, 2.Be ye therefore followers of God as deare children: and walke in love as Christ hath loved us. And as God and Chriſt manifeſt their love to us, by a ſpeedy and ſeaſonable ſuccour, ſo let us give proofe of our true love. For this end let us remember thoſe that are in bonds, as bound with them: and them that ſuffer adverſity, as being our ſelves alſo Heb. 13. 3.in the body. Let us make the caſe of them that are in miſery as our owne caſe. As we would not that others which are able to helpe us ſhould ſuffer us to lie ſcorching in the fire of affliction, but with all the ſpeed they can pull us out: ſo let us deale with others. A good turne quickly done is doubly done.Bis dat qui cito dat. Senec. lib. de Benef.