Gods Three Arrows, Section 61 – Section 66
§. 61. Of the meaning, method, and matter of the foureteenth Verſe.
EXOD. XVII. XIIII.
And the LORD ſaid unto Moſes, Write this for a memoriall in a booke, rehearſe it in the eares of Ioſhua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.
THe *See §. 1.Event following on the fore-named victory, remaineth to be handled. It was a Memoriall thereof: and that of two kinds. One enjoyned by God. The other made by Moſes. The former of theſe is here noted in this 14. verſe: which conſiſteth of two parts.
1. To make a Memoriall of it.
2. To rehearſe it before Ioſhua.
The primary and principall Authour of the memoriall here mentioned, is Iehovah, the LORD; The Miniſter is Moſes, of whom we have ſpoken on the 9. Verſe.
This charge was here given to him, becauſe he was the Lords Prophet to the people, and the Recorder of Canonicall Scripture at that time.
The meanes of making this a memoriall is writing it in a Benefits of writing thingsbooke. Things written remaine. Herein lieth a difference betwixt ſpeaking and writing, that things uttered by Vox audita perit, littera ſcripta manet.ſpeech, if they be not at the time of uttering faſt laid up in a ſtrong memory, they vaniſh in the aire; or if they be not remembred, they onelyonly who are then preſent when they are uttered, have the benefit of that uttering. But things written remaine againe and againe to be read: to be read by thoſe that are preſent at the writing, or farre abſent: yea, not only at that time but in future ages. Thus, that the covenant which the Iſraelites made with God might not vaniſh with the making of it, bNeh. 9. 38.they write it. And that all people neare at hand and farre off might take notice of the decree both for deſtroying, and alſo for reſcuing the Iewes, the cEst. 3. 12.one, and the d—8. 9.other decree were both written. And that future ages might reape benefit by the mercy of God manifeſted in former ages, it is ſaid, ePſal. 102. 18.This ſhalbe written for the generation to come.
Writing is then eſpecially of uſe in the fore-named reſpects, when things are written in a booke. Looſe papers are like looſe broomes: ſoone ſcattered and of little uſe. But bookes are of ſheets of paper rolled, and bound up together: ſo as they may eaſily, and are ordinarily kept yeare after yeare, age after age.
Q. What booke may this be thought to be?
Anſw. Becauſe it is not expreſly ſet downe, mens conjectures thereabouts are various. fToſtatus Quaeſt. in hunc loc.Some think that it was the book of the warres of God, mentioned, Num. 21. 14. Or the book of Iaſher, mentioned 2 Sam. 1. 18. which they ſuppoſe to be one and the ſame booke. gOſian deOthers, that it was a booke then extant, but now loſt. The notes in the former Engliſh tranſlation take it to be the book of the law: meaning therby, as I take it, this very booke of Exodus. So do hTuis Commentarijs de rebus iſtis: ut infr. 34. 27. & Deut. 31. 9. Trem. & Iun. in annot. in hunc loc. Sic ferè Calvin Simler. & alij.other judicious Expoſitors take it. This expoſition carieth moſt probability.
VnderUnder this particle, *foreignthis, the whole hiſtory before mentioned is compriſed.
This word, *foreignmemoriall is added to ſhew the end why God would have this hiſtory written: namely, to be read of their poſterity: that thereby they might have before them an evidence of Amaleks malice againſt them: and of Gods goodneſſe towards them.
The other part of Gods charge is to rehearſe that which was to be regiſtred before Ioſhua. foreign Inſere in aures Iehoſchuae. Trem. &. Iun.Word for word, Put into the eares of Ioſhua; meaning thereby that Moſes ſhould oft inſtruct Ioſhua in this evidence of Gods protection of his people from ſuch a malicious enemy as Amalek was. For, God would that Ioſhua ſhould ſucceed Moſes: and that Ioſhua ſhould root out the nations which inhabited the land that God gave to the Iſraelites: and therefore for his encouragement he would have him oft to ſet before him this victory.
A more particular reaſon of the foreſaid memoriall is rendred by God himſelfe in the words following, as the firſt particle being a cauſall conjunction importeth (*foreign FOR) For I will utterly put out, &c.
The word tranſlated *foreignput out, is applied to ſuch things as being oilie or greaſie, or otherwiſe foule, are cleane wiped. The *foreign.Greeke words whereby the LXX do ordinarily interpret it, import alſo as much. This word is uſed where the Lord thus ſetteth out the deſolation of Ieruſalem: f2 King. 21. 13.I will wipe Ieruſalem, as a man wipeth a diſh: wiping it, and turning it up ſide downe. Here the city is reſembled to a diſh, the inhabitants thereof to the filth that cleaveth therto, when ſuch inhabitants are deſtroyed, the city is ſaid to be wiped of them. gGen. 7. 23.It is alſo applied to Gods wiping or ſweeping away the whole world with the floud. And to hIſa. 43. 25.Gods wiping away our ſinnes: which are as thorowly taken away as any thing can be. The word therefore it ſelfe implieth an utter extirpation, or deſolation. But the kind of phraſe addeth much emphaſis thereto, which is this, in wiping away I will foreignwipe away. Our Engliſh not unfitly thus expreſſeth it, I will utterly put out.
What is it that ſhall ſo utterly be put out? Not ſome of the meaner ſort: not ſuch as riſe up in armes: not ſome of the chiefeſt: not ſome of one ſort, or ſome of another onelyonly: but Amalek: the whole ſtock, the whole nation: and that ſo thorowly, ſo utterly, as none ſhalbe preſerved to reſerve and raiſe up their name againe. Therefore God ſaith, I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek. And that not only out of that part of the earth where they then lived, but *foreign Vbivú terrarum ſuerit, quàm laté patet coelum, Trem &. Iun. in hunc loc.from under heaven, that is, from every part of the earth that is any where under the cope of heaven. iDeut. 25. 19.In this very ſenſe is this phraſe uſed of Amalek in another place: and of k—9. 14.—29. 20.others in other places.
Here have we in Summe, A manifeſtation of Gods indignation againſt malicious enemies of his Church.
This is further ſet out by the
Certenty
Extremity
thereof.
The regiſtring ſhewes the Certenty.
Their utter ruine the extremity.
The regiſtring of it is done two wayes.
1. By writing it.
2. By rehearſing it.
In ſetting downe the former are noted the
Perſons.
Matter.
The Perſons are
Principall. The LORD.
Miniſteriall. Moſes.
The Matter declares
1. The Thing enjoyned. Write in a booke.
2. The End thereof. For a memoriall.
In ſetting downe the latter are alſo noted the
Thing to be done. Rehearſe it,
Perſon before whom. In the eares of Ioſhua.
In declaring the extremity of the judgement, he noteth
1. The Revenger. I will, ſaith the Lord.
2. The Revenge.
The Revenge is aggravated by the
Kind. Put out the remembrance.
Extent. From under heaven.
From this Manifeſtation of Gods indignation, as it is here deſcribed, ten eſpeciall points of inſtruction may be collected.
1. The Principall Perſon that firſt appointeth this Record, the LORD, ſheweth, that,
I. God of old was the authour of records.
2. The Miniſter, Moſes, giveth inſtance, that,
II. God uſeth mans Miniſtry in preſerving records for his Church.
3. The action enjoyned, Write this, proveth, that,
III. Memorable matters are to be registred.
4. The Instrument wherein it was to be written, a booke, declares, that,
IIII. Publique records are to be ſafe kept.
5. The End why this is to be written, (for a memoriall) argueth, that,
V. Iudgements on enemies of the Church are to be kept in memory.
6. The other part of the charge, concerning the rehearſing of that which was regiſtred, implieth, that,
VI. Matters worth record must be rehearſed.
7. The Perſon to whom that which was written muſt be rehearſed (in the eares of Ioſhua) intimateth, that,
VII. Governours of Gods Church muſt eſpecially be acquainted with Gods former dealings.
8. The chiefe Author of the judgement here mentioned (I will, ſaith the Lord) giveth evidence, that,
VIII. It is God that avengeth.
9. The kind of judgement (put out the remembrance) importeth, that,
IX. God may be provoked to the utter ruine of a people.
10. The extent of this judgement (from under heaven) evinceth, that,
X. There is no place of ſafety from Gods revenge.
§. 62. Of Gods cauſing records.
I. *See § 6.GOD of old was the Author of records. This is true of the moſt ancient, admirable, approved, and every way the beſt records that ever were: which aforeign.by an excellency and ſuper-eminency are called bMat. 21. 42.Scriptures, cRom. 1. 2.Holy Scriptures. For of them ſaith an Apoſtle, d2 Tim. 3. 16.All Scripture is given by inſpiration of God: and another, e2 Pet. 1. 19, 21No propheſie in Scripture is of any private motion, &c. but holy men of God ſpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
God would have, not the preſent age onelyonly, but alſo all ſucceeding ages to reape benefit by the evidences of his wiſdome, power, mercy, juſtice, and other his divine properties: and therefore cauſed the records of them to be written. This the Holy Ghoſt expreſly noteth, ſaying, fRom 4 23, 24.It was written for us. g1 Cor. 10 11All theſe things are written for our admonition. hRom. 15. 4.Whatſoever things were written afore-time were written for our learning.
They too too ungratefully ſleight this evidence of the divine providence, who ſeeke to conceale from the people theſe Records, as Papiſts do, or they which may, but will not ſearch them, as too many careleſſe Proteſtants.
It is Chriſts charge, iIoh. 5. 39.Search the Scriptures. It was Timothies commendation, that k2 Tim. 3. 15.from a child he had knowne the holy Scriptures. There are no records more worthy to be ſearched. They are able to make thee wiſe unto ſalvation.
§. 63. Of mans miniſtry in writing divine records.
II. *See §. 61.GOD uſeth mans ministry in preſerving records for his Church. To omit the particular mention of the ſeverall penmen of ſeverall Scriptures, St. Peter indefinitely ſaith of them all, a2 Pet. 1. 21.Men ſpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoſt. His meaning is, that men wrote the holy Scriptures. bExo 31. 18.One onelyonly record God himſelfe wrote with his owne finger; namely, the Law. Yet therein he uſed cExo. 34. 1.mans miniſtry, both in preparing the tables whereon he wrote it, and in dDeut. 10 4, 5.ſhewing them to the people, and preſerving them.
Thus would God honour our nature, in making men penmen of that which he indited. And thus would he draw us on to give due heed to mans miniſtry in diſpenſing his Word.
To object againſt the Scriptures, that they were written by men, and thereupon the leſſe to eſteeme them, is to croſſe the wiſdome of God, and to pervert that which for our good he hath ordered. The Theſſalonians are commended for receiving the word preached not as the word of men, but as it is indeed, the word of God. So will it be our commendation 1 Theſſ. 2, 13.to receive the holy Scriptures, not as regiſters and records of men, though they were written by men; but, as they are indeed, the records of God himſelfe.
§. 64. Of regiſtring matters of moment.
III. *See §. 61.MEmorable matters are to be regiſtred. Beſides the great number of ſuch memorable matters as are regiſtred in the holy Scriptures which the Church now hath, it is evident that many more were recorded. Inſtance the things recorded in the aNum. 21. 14.booke of the warres of the Lord: in the b2 Sam. 1. 18. Ioſ. 10. 13.booke of Iaſher: in the c1 King. 14. 19booke of the Chronicles of the Kings of Iſrael: d—4. 33. Prima hiſtoriae lex eſt, ne quid falſi dicere audeat, deinde ne quid veri non audeat, &c.in the booke of Salomons philoſophy: and in other like publique records.
Thus will they be uſefull to poſterity.
In this reſpect the paines of ſuch as write Chronicles and Hiſtories is commendable: if at leaſt they be conſcionable in recording nothing but truth; and all the truth: and wiſe in Vide plura apud Cic. de Orat. lib. 2. de legibus hiſtoriae conſriben doe. Vide item Voſſium de Arte hiſt. cap. 9, 10.putting difference betwixt ſleight and weighty matters: that they ſtuffe not their hiſtories with triviall things. Thus ſhall the worthy works of men done in one age be preſidents for many ages. The names of worthy ones ſhall live after their bodies are dead: and they who are born after their departure receive much benefit by them.
§. 65. Of ſafe keeping publique records.
IIII. *See §. 61.PVblique records are to be ſafe kept. For this end aDeut. 10. 5.the tables, in which the ten commandements were written, were put into the arke. And b—31. 26.other lawes alſo, yea and the curſes added to the tranſgreſſions thereof were put in the ſide of the arke: c2 King. 22. 8, 11, 10.where being found many hundred yeares after, an excellent uſe was made of them. And dIer. 52. 14.Ieremiah commanded thoſe evidences, which were for aſſurances of the peoples returne out of captivity, to be put in an earthen veſſell. They were wont of old to annoint their rolles in which they recorded their monuments, eNec titulus nimio, nec cedro charta notetur. Ovid de Triſt. l. 1. Eleg 1.with a liquour that came out of cedar trees, which kept them from rotting, and made them laſt the longer. f1 Tim. 3. 15. Veritatem facili eſt ab Eccleſiâ ſumere, cum Apoſtoli, quaſi in depoſitorium dives, pleniſſimè in tam contulerint omnia quae veritatis ſunt, uti omni… quicun que velit, ſumat ex câ potum vitae Iren. de Haer. l. 3. c. 4. Polid or. Virg. de rerum inventoribus. lib. 9. cap. 7.The Church for this end is ſtiled the pillar and ground of truth, becauſe it is a faithfull keeper and preſerver of the Oracles of God. So as truth may eaſily be fetcht from it. For, the Apoſtles have laid up in it as in a rich treaſure, all truth moſt fully. So as any that will may fetch from thence drinke of life.
The benefit of records is loſt, if they be not ſafely kept. That which is not, cannot be of uſe.
We have in this reſpect great cauſe to bleſſe God for the benefit of printing. An act very admirable in it ſelfe; and very advantageous to Church and Common-wealth. Thereby are all ſorts of monuments ſafely kept. Few things put once to print, eſpecially if they be of any ſpeciall account, are utterly loſt. For ſo much may by a few be printed in a day, as hardly can be written by many in a yeare: whereby ſuch ſtore of books of all manner of learning are to be had, as none may ſeeme to be wanting. Yea all ſorts of authors are thereby preſerved. The memory therefore of Iohn Cuthemberg a German, who firſt invented this art in Maguntia, is worthy of all honour.
§. 66. Of Memorialls of Gods judgements.
V. *See §. 61. See A Plaiſter for the Plague, on Num. 16. 47. §. 63.IVdgements on enemies of the Church are to be kept in memory. So many judgements as are recorded in Scripture are ſo many proofs hereof. More particularly the viſible monuments and memorials of them. As aGen. 19. 26.the pillar of ſalt whereinto Lots wife was turned: bExo. 12. 27.The Paſſeover, and c—13. 14.dedicating of the firſt-borne to God: dNum. 16. 38, &c.The broad plates which were made of the Cenſors of Corah and the other conſpirators with him: The ſundry names which thereupon were given to places, as, eGen. 11. 9.Babel, or confuſion: fNum 11. 3.Taberah, or burning: g—21. 3.Hormah, or deſtruction: hIoſ. 7. 27.The vallie of Acher, or trouble: iCompare 2 King. 14. 7. with 2 Chro. 25. 12.Iocktheel or rock; kEſt. 9. 26.Purim, or lots: lEzek 39. 11.The vallie of Hamon Gog, or multitude of Gog, with other the like.
By ſuch memorials, ground of courage, and that, generation after generation, is given to Gods Church againſt all that their enemies plot or practice againſt them: and matter of terrour is by them given to enemies. For, they give evidence of that which God hath done for his Church againſt the enemies: and ſo make the Church expect, and their enemies feare the like. For, both the one and the other know that God is ever like himſelfe.
Hence as an uſe of this point followeth the next obſervation.