The Disabled Debtor Discharged, Part 27
Thou.
Simon is the Perſon on whom the Duty is impoſed. He was a learned Phariſee, one of thoſe who were noted for wiſe and learned men, yet he is put to ſchoole to learn of this ſilly woman, who was weak, unlearned, and (as yet) untutor'd in the Schoole of Chriſt, ſhe becomes (as it were) a Doctor and Maſter in Iſrael to teach him Repentance. Which tels us.
Doct. That God by weake and ſilly inſtruments makes the wiſdome of the world to appeare fooliſhneſſe. (According to that of the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 1.20) Where is the wiſe, and learned Phariſee, where is the Scribe, where is the diſputer of this world? The deepe Philoſopher? All ſeeme great knowers and deepe Schollers; hath not God made fooliſh the wiſdome of this world? in reſpect of divine Myſteries, and Verſe 27, 28. More poſitively and peremptorily, God hath choſen the fooliſh things of the world to confound the wiſe, and God hath choſen the weake things of the world to confound the things that are mighty, and baſe things of the world, and things which are deſpiſed hath God choſen, yea and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: Reaſon. The Reaſon is added by the Apoſtle, Verſ. 29. That no fleſh ſhould glory in his preſence, (i. e.) That no man (being no better then baſe and contemptible fleſh) ſhould arrogat ought to himſelfe or boaſt of his Parts and Priviledges before the Almighty.
Vſe 1 Take heed then, leaſt any of us murmur againſt the meanes God uſeth for our good in reſpect of their outward meaneneſſe and baſeneſſe: It is a thing that fleſh and blood is apt to ſtomacke, and yet a way that GOD delights to take. By the mouth of Babes and Sucklings he perfects his owne praiſe, Pſal. 8.2.and ſtils the enemy and the avenger.
It was a poore Iſraelitiſh captive maid that he choſe to teach Naaman that mighty man;2 King. 5.2. through that little chink did God let in light, whereby Naaman came to know there was a Prophet in Iſrael which could cure him of his Leproſie. Iudg. 6.15.It was a poore mans ſonne in Manaſſe, and hee the leaſt in all his Fathers houſe, whom God choſe to conquer Midian a great and a mighty army. It was a poore ſinnefull woeman going to fetch water at Iaakobs well that he made choice off to goe to the Samaritans and acquiant them of the Meſſiah. Ioh. 4.There were a company of poore Fiſhermen, tent-makers, tole-gatherers, and ſuch like; Men of meane condition and eſtate whom he called to follow him, and whom he ſent abroad to convert the world: And here you ſee he makes choice of a weake and ſinnefull veſſell to teach the Grave; the Rich, and learned of the world a Leſſon which a world of wits (out of fleſh and blood) were never able to comprehend.
You may read that when the lot was caſt for an Apoſtle to ſupply Iudas his roome,Act. 1.23. two were appointed; Ioſeph and Matthias, Ioſeph was Frater Domini, the Brother of our Lord, Math. 13.55. And he was trinominis, of three Appellations, Ioſeph, Barſabas and Iuſtus. Matthias is but twice named in the Scriptures (both times in that one Chap. Act. 1.) and ſignifies a little one; who would not imagine, but Ioſeph would carry it from Matthias, and yet for all Ioſephs priviledges and great titles the lot falls on Matthias the litle one.
Thus the great God (who by Birth made himſelfe little) delighteth much to make little things great. So went his Mothers Song, Luke 1.48. He hath regarded the low estate of his Hand-maid, & 51, 53. He hath exalted them of low degree, Judg 13.9.22, 23. 2 King. 4.8, 9.and filled the hungry with good things, but ſent the rich empty away. The weaker veſſell many times holds the liquor, as Manoahs wife had more Knowledge, Faith, and Reſolution then himſelfe (though he likewiſe was a good and holy man) And that noble Shunamite had more Zeale then her husband: Priſcilla may teach Apollos: Act. 18.26. Mat. 15.28. Luk. 24.8, 9, 11And the Apoſtles themſelves muſt be content to heare Mary and other women, whoſe Faith was ſtronger in them, then in any men we read off.
Let us not dare to deſpiſe the day of ſmall things; it ſcarce will downe with proud fleſh and blood to be taught by a meane Miniſter, adviſed by a ſimple woman; and yet the Kingdome of Heaven is like a woman laying leaven, Math. 13.
You know we are ſent to the Ant and Piſmire to learn Providence; to the Oxe and Aſſe to learne Thankfullneſſe: Pro. 6.6. Iſa. 1.3. Jer. 8.7. 1 Cor. 14.34, 35.to the Swallow, Crane, &c. to obſerve our appointed Seaſons: And are not theſe much better then they? Women indeed are not permitted to ſpeake in the Church but let them aske at home (ſaith the Apoſtle) yet by their reverend behaviour and carriage in Gods-houſe they may teach as well at Church as at home. See Exod. 38.8. Luk. 8.3 & 10.39. Act. 16.13.
So farre ſhould we be from taking offence at Gods proceedings in this kinde, that we ſhould rather be ſtirred up to a holy emulation (as S. Paul ſpeakes in another kind of the Iewes, Rom. 11.11.who ſhould be provoked to jealouſie by the Gentiles forwardneſſe.Eu quomodo maxima cum laude vobis licet emulari, &c. Beza in 1 Cor. 12.31.) This is, foreign (ſaith Heſiod) a holy and good contention; you may contend with praiſe and comfort who ſhall lead the beſt life, give beſt Examples, expreſſe moſt holineſſe in your converſations, &c.
Plutarch reports of Themiſtocles, that when he heard how Miltiades had got great honour in the Marathenian battle, he was not able to ſleepe becauſe he came ſo farre ſhort of him in honour: It ſhould be thus with us in ſpirituall things: To heare Chriſt ſay to a Canaanite, I have not found ſo great Faith in Iſraell: And to a Simon, Seeſt thou this woman, &c. ſhould fill the faces of men with ſhame, and ſpurre us on after a greater meaſure of Grace. Other Uſes of this Doctrine, ſee on the good Samaritane, pag. 81, 82. This ſhall ſerve for the Interrogation or Queſtion made to Simon, we now come to Chriſts expoſtulation with him.
Text, I entered into thine houſe, thou gaveſt me no water for my Feet; but ſhe hath waſhed my Feet with teares, and wiped them with the haires of her head, &c.
In which Conteſtation had or Expoſtulation made with Simon, we have conſiderable. Firſt, a Preference (For comparing Simon and the Woman, he preferres the Woman before Simon) In theſe words read to verſ. 47. Secondly, an Inference, Wherefore I ſay unto thee, &c. verſ. 47.
In the Preference, there is, Firſt, a Reprehenſion of Simon for his Defects; and they were three-fold: Firſt, ex defectu Civilitatis, of the want of Civility, in that he gave him No water for his Feet (which was the uſe and cuſtome of the Countrey:) Secondly, Ex defectu charitatis; of the want of Love and Charity, Thou gavest me no kiſſe. ver. 45. this was wont to be given as a pledge of the gueſts welcome. Thirdly, Ex defectu Hilaritatis, of the want of Hilarity and Chearefullneſſe, Mine head with oyle thou didſt not annoynt, verſ. 46. As was the uſe of thoſe times to doe, thereby to cheare up the ſpirits of their gueſts; all theſe were failings againſt a good hoſpitable entertainment.
Secondly, We have a Commendation of the Woman for her Reſpects and Performances (which are laid downe Antithetically and by way of Oppoſition to the other) Simon failed in not bringing water to waſh Chriſts Feet, this Defect ſhe ſupplies with her Teares; She hath waſhed my Feet with Teares, and wiped them with the haires of her head, verſ. 44. Simon failed in giving him no kiſſe, this Defect ſhe aboundantly ſupplies; Since the time I came in ſhe hath not ceaſed to kiſſe my Feet, verſe 45. Simon failed in that he annoynted not Chriſts head with oyle; this Defect was ſupplied by this Penitent creature; She hath annoynted my Feet with oyntment, ver. 46. And thus as they are laid downe by way of Oppoſition one to the other, I ſhall crave leave to handle them. Firſt, ſomething in Generall would be noted from Simons failing in his entertainment, viz.
Doct. Circumſtantiall omiſſions in the entertainment of our friends may forfeit much of our thanks.
Hence it is that true Hoſpitall Friends have bin carefull alwaies of a full ſupply: I will content my ſelfe with two inſtances (amongſt many which might be brought.) One is that, 2 King. 4 8.2 King. 4.8. Where we find the Prophet Eliſha to be invited by that noble Shunamite to her houſe to eat bread; who (after his firſt entertainment) perceiving his occaſions to call him to a frequent paſſage that way, mooves her husband to build him a Chamber on the Wall apart (leaſt the tumult of her large Family might diſturbe the quiet Meditations of the Prophet) which accordingly is done: Nor will ſhe bring him to bare walls,Verſe 10. ſhe furniſheth his lodging and ſets ready for him a Bed, a Table, a Stoole and a Candleſtick, and other neceſſary Utenſills fit for his entertainment: This lodging, Verſ. 11 This lodging, the next time the Prophet comes by, he gladly takes up, and is ſo well pleaſed that he ſends his ſervant Gehezi with a treatie of Retribution (by way of thankfullneſſe,) Behold thou haſt bin carefull for us (with all this care) What is to be done for thee? Wouldſt thou be ſpoken for to the King or to the Captaine of the Hoſt? Verſ. 13 An ingenuous Diſpoſition cannot receive Favours without thoughts of Retribution, Probabile eſt aliquem ſuiſſe exconſanguineis Chriſti, qui uxorem duxerit; Ieſus enim matri tanquam comes additur, Cal. in Iob. 2.2. Non eſt nobis hoc loco quaerendum, fueritne tanta ſponſi tenuitas, ut vini copiam convivis exhibere nequiverit, vel uſ que adeo intemperanter initio biberint convivae, &c. Maſcul. in loc.eſpecially where is ſuch a fullneſſe.
The other inſtance I bring for the Confirmation of this truth delivered, is that we read, Iohn 2. At a marriage in Cana of Galilee, whereunto Chriſt and his Diſciples were invited, whereat alſo was Mary the mother of Ieſus (and as it is very likely, the Feaſt was made by ſome of her conſanguinity.) It ſo happened that there was a Defect of Wine (whither occaſioned through the poverty of the couple married) or the Intemperancie of the gueſts invited, or by reaſon of the multitude who came uncalled, is needleſſe at this time for us to diſcuſſe) Mary perceiving this want, was much troubled thereat, being moved (ſaith Calvin) as is likely with the diſgrace or offence that might be taken by the Gueſts (though it were but for the lacke of ſuperfluity) She tells Chriſt of this want, who to manifeſt his glory (eſpecially) and alſo to remoove offence turnes as much water into wine, as would ſuffice one hundred and fifty folke had they bin but newly ſat, Largam vini copiam ſuppeditavit Chriſtus, nempe quae plus centum & quinquaginta hominibus ſufficeret ad hilare convivium, &c. Cal. in loc.and that at a Feaſt. Had Omiſſions of this nature, and at ſuch a time bin of ſmall Conſequence, I cannot ſee why Mary needed ſo much to have perplexed her ſelfe (All having well drunke before) Nor our Saviour needed to have converted ſo much; for had hee turned but one of thoſe Veſſells of Water into Wine, it had beene a ſufficient Proofe of his Power.
Vſe 1 This ſhould teach us not to ſleight Ceremonies of Courteſie: Though in themſelves they be ſleight and arbitrary; yet the neglect of them may in ſome caſes undergoe a dangerous conſtruction.
That Paſſage we find in 1 of King. 1.9. would not be forgotten; Adonijah laying claime of Succeſſion to the (not yet vacant) ſeat of his Father David, and intending to under-worke Solomon. He made a Feaſt for all the Kings ſonnes and all the men of Iudah, 1 King. 19.10the Kings Servants that were of his party: But Nathan the Prophet and Benajah and the mighty men and Salomon his Brother (ſaith the Text) he called not: We doe not read that he ſent any threatning meſſage to any of them, only he invited them not to his Feaſt (ſaith the Text) with the reſt of the Kings ſonnes and ſervants; that very omiſſion was a menace and threatning and ſo apprehended by them: Therefore Nathan takes ſpeciall notice of it, and acquaints King David with it; He is gone this day, Verſ 25, 26.and hath ſlaine Oxen and fat cattle and ſheepe in aboundance, and hath called all the Kings ſonnes and Captaines of the Hoſt, and Abiathar the Prieſt, and behold they eat and drink before him: (there is nothing vvanting for ſo royall an entertainment) But me even me thy Servant and Zadock the Prieſt and Benajah the ſon of Iehojada and thy ſon Salomon hath he not called. They could not but conclude that ſince they were not called as Gueſts, they were counted as enemies.
Verſ. 24 And yet Abſoloms perfidious dealing was worſe then Adonijahs Omiſſion, that Story you have,2 Sam. 13.23. 2 Sam. 13. A great Feaſt he makes for his Sheepe-ſhearers, to which he invites the King his Father, out of no other intent thinke ſome, but that his Eyes ſhould beare witneſſe of that bloody execution, which he intended upon his brother Ammon, for that he had defiled his Siſter Thamar, as we read before in the Story; David (being loth to be chargeable to that Sonne (as one ſaith Divinely) who yet cared not to overcharge his Fathers Stomack with a Feaſt of blood) excuſeth himſelfe:Ver. 25, 26, 27. Requeſt is made in ſpeciall for Ammon that he might goe unto the Feaſt, which through Importunity it is obtained. And now whilſt Ammon is feaſting in that houſe (where Thamar is mourning for that folly which before ſhe had committed) and when his heart was merry with Wine, Verſe 28, 29.he is ſuddainly (upon a watch word given by Abſolom to his ſervants) ſtrucke dead; as if this execution had bin no leſſe intended to his Soule, than to his Bodie, which though it were juſt with God, yet by Abſolom treacherouſly and bloodily committed, and not out of any Care of Iuſtice, but in a deſire of Revenge. If bare Omiſſions in entertainment of our Friends looſeth much of our thanks, what think you do ſuch treacherous plots againſt thoſe whom we invite to our Tables?
Vſe 2 And (to Reaſon from the Leſſe to the greater) If rituall Obſervances are requiſite for the full welcome of Friends; D. Hall B. of Exceter Cont. on this paſſage of Scripture.thinke it not enough in entertaining your Saviour that you give him the Subſtance of good uſage neglecting the Complements. Simon (you ſee) here gave him both Meate and Wellcome, yet the neglect of Waſhing, Kiſſing and Annoynting is not well taken. When we come to his Houſe, and to his Ordinances, as to the Word, Sacraments, Prayer, we make him good cheare: he eſteems himſelfe then feaſted; but if we perform not theſe things vvith the decency of outward carriages, we give him neither Water, Kiſſe, nor Oyle.
Believe it, our beſt actions receive either life or bane from their Circumſtances; the Subſtance or matter of a vvorke may be good and yet the vvorke cannot be ſo called, unleſſe it be done, modo & forma. Ʋolvet is good Matter to make a Garment; Timber good matter to build a Houſe; and yet the one may be ſo marred in the cutting and the other in the framing; as that neither the one nor the other ſhall attaine the name of Good. What is good in the Subſtance may be ſin in the circumſtance, and for want of care about the Manner, the beſt worke may be done thankleſly. Now to the Particulars.