"Do Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly with thy God." Micah vi, 8
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"Do Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly with thy God." Micah vi, 8.
By F. M. Bragg
If obedience to this precept was, in the first dispensation, more pleasing in the sight of the Lord than "thousands of rams, and ten thousands of rivers of oil," it is truly so in this more glorious dispensation when all these types have ceased in their great anti-type. The Lord, by the mouth of the prophet gives us a perfect rule. If we fully obey it, it will make us perfect. And if we would attain an humble walk with our God, it is necessary to progress in the order in which this precept is given. First, "do justly." Obedience to this point of the precept, giving all their just due, prepares us to rightly administer to their necessities. And if we follow on we may become perfectly conformed to the whole will of our heavenly Father. But we cannot obey the third point, "Walk humbly with thy God," while neglecting the first and second, "do justly, love mercy," no more than we can live the life of the just before we come to Christ and become freely justified by his blood. This applies with much force in our duties toward those with whom we profess to be striving for the same heavenly home. If we do not act from a principle of justice toward our brethren, and have not a heart to feel their woes, how can it be possible that we are walking humbly with our God? "If we love not our brother whom we have seen how can we love God whom we have not seen." Much is said in the Scriptures on the second point in this precept, "love mercy." It is shown to be a prominent duty of true Christians; and a marked distinction is here made between them and the world. The command is not only to do works of mercy, but "love mercy," as if it had said, Let it be the delight of your hearts to be merciful. Not only in apparently kind and benevolent words, but also in kind and benevolent acts, in providing the things that are needful. The words of Wm. Burleigh are very expressive on this point. "Words, offspring of the brain—
High-sounding, yet not heart-born, are in vain—
The heart turns loathing from them, that hath known
The baptism of the Spirit—turns to find
Its life in DOING—deeming thus his mind
Hath Christ, our Head and great Exemplar, shown." The apostle James says, What profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith and have not works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled, notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body, what doth it profit? Here the Apostle calls benevolent works the fruits of living faith, without which faith is dead. James ii, 17. Again he says, Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, to keep himself unspotted from the world. Chap i, 27. Our Saviour's words to the merciful will be, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. For I was an hungered and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger and ye took me in: naked and ye clothed me: I was sick and ye visited me." The prophet Isaiah also says, Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house, when thou seest the naked that thou cover him," &c. In connection with this are exceeding great and precious promises, which are for the benevolent, as also for the Sabbath-keeper. Shall we receive one part of this prophecy and reject the other? But it is evident that this point in the precept does not complete the duties of the children of God. Works of mercy and benevolence are not sufficient proof of love to God and our neighbor, as they may proceed from selfish motives. The apostle Paul says, "Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and have not charity it profiteth me nothing." The humble walk with God is no less important. It has its place in the precept; is the third and last point; and may truly be said to be the perfecting stroke to the Christian character. F. M. BRAGG.
Cambridge, Wis.