The Disabled Debtor Discharged, Part 47
They that ſat at meat with him. Text. ]
Doct. Our bleſſed Saviour was ſociable. We do not find that he ever refuſed to goe to any Table wherto he was invited, Luk. 5.29. & 14.1. Nay ſometimes he invites himſelfe, as he did to Zacheus his houſe and Table, Luke 19.5. Reade before our Text, Ʋerſe 33, 34. They in this reſpect eſteemed Chriſt a Winebibber.
Reaſon The Reaſon I noted to you in the beginning of this Parable. It was not for love of the diſhes, but out of a deſire to do his Fathers will,Chriſtus omnibus omnia factus eſt, pauper pauperibus, dives divitibus—cum Maria flet, cum Apoſtolis epulatur, cum Samaritana ſitit, &c. Amb. ſup. Luc. l. 4 (which was meate and drinke to Him) in ſeeking up, and ſaving what was loſt. In which regard Hee was content, to become all things to all men, that He might win ſome.
Catch not at this, O yea licentious Libertines: Men of all howres (as one tearmes you well) that can eate with Gluttons, drinke with Drunkards; ſing with Ribaulds; ſcoffe with prophane Scorners, and yet talke holely with the Religious. Our Saviour never ſinned for any mans ſake, though for our ſakes he was thus Sociable, that he might keepe us fr… ſinning. At whoſe board did he ever ſit, where he made not better cheare than he found? If he ſat with Sinners, he converted them. If with Converts, he confirmed them. If with the Poore, he fed them: If with the Rich in ſubſtance, he made them richer in Grace; and if Simon will entertain him, his Table ſhall be honoured with the heavenly Doctrin of Remiſſion and with the publike Remiſſion of a Penitent woman.
Can you thus converſe with lewd good-fellowes; as to repreſſe their ſinnes, redreſſe their exorbitances? win them to God? Then indeed you w…ke in the ſtepps of him that ſtucke not to ſit downe and eat with Sinners. That which Politiques and Time-ſervers do for earthly advantages, we ought to do for ſpirituall: Frame our ſelves to all company, not in evill but in good yea and in indifferent things.
Vſe Such as do thus ſhould not be cenſured for ſo doing: Man (as I have ſhewed on Luk. 15.1, 2.) is animal politicum, a ſociable Creature: every mans foreign, carries him to Society, nor are they more perfect, but more extravagant, who affect loneneſſe.
The Papiſts ſhall not be able to prove their auſtere vows of a ſolitary life, &c. to be preferred before Communion and Society, unleſſe they will firſt proove Iohn better than Chriſt, and his auſtere way more winning than our Saviours ſociable carriage. Aves praedaria, flock not together, they love to fly alone; and in long experience we have ſound it true, that thoſe ſolitaries of the Romiſh Church, (and of our own) under pretence of more ſanctity and contempt of the world have but gaped after the prey, and are grown fatter by not dividing the ſpoyle.
Object. Malorum conſortia ſugere debemus, quoad privatā conſuetudinem, non quoad publicam converſationē; corde, non corpore, Am…roſ. offic lib …c. o. A malis corde ſemper diſjunginimi ad tem …us cautè corpo. re copulemini, Aug l de Salat locumentisYou may object the Apoſtles Canon, 2 Theſ. 3 6. We command you Brethren in the name of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt that ye withdraw your ſelves from every Brother that walketh diſorderly?
Reſp. But th…ſwer's ready, that muſt be underſtood of Familiar Converſation, and with ſuch as are ſcandalouſly and contumaciouſly exorbitant: From the friendly Familiarity of ſuch withdraw thy ſelfe; it cannot be underſtood of all kind of converſing with Sinners (in generall) for then we muſt go out of the World, as the Apoſtle ſhews, 1 Cor. 5.10. But in reſpect of private Fellowſhip, and inward Familiarity ſuch as that was betwixt Iehoſhaphat and Ahab, 2 Chron. 18.1. & 20.35.37. Not ſo much in our Bodies and outward Actions, as with our Hearts and Affections.
Thus than conceive, 1. Society in evill, we may not hold (no not with the beſt men) Epheſ. 5.7, 11. Have no fellowſhip with the unfruitfull workes of darkneſſe, Si cum malis non tamen in malis, againſt this communicating in evill David prayes, Pſal. 141.4. and Salomon dehorts, Prov. 1.15. & 4.15. & 13.20. This in S. Auſtins judgement is that,Aug. de verb Dom Serm. 18 in ſi…e. Comming out from amongſt them and touching no uncleane thing, Iſa. 52.11. 1 Cor. 6.
2. Society in good, ſpecially (in ſacris) in Goda worſhip, we are to hold with the worſt ment. For this we have Chriſts warrant, Matth. 23.1, 2. And both his and the Saints example, frequenting, reſorting to the publike worſhip of God in Hieruſalem, when both in Prieſts, people, and the worſhip it ſelfe great corruptions were found, Matth. 21.12, 13. Luk. 2.21, 22, 46. & 4.16.
3. Society in things indifferent we may have with all men: As in caſe of Negotiation and civill Commerce, ſo had Abraham with the children of Heth, Gen. 23. And in caſe of Naturall or Civill Obligation. Thus wives, Children, Servants, Subjects, may not withdraw their attendance and ſervice: So when humane Society or neceſſary offices of Humanity do require it. There is no living amongſt men if Rules of Civility be not obſerved.
St. Paul gives liberty to goe to an Infidels houſe to feaſt if he be invited, 1 Cor. 10.27.Menſa quaſimeſa, Varro. The Fellowſhip of the Table is a ſymbole of Love and Friendſhip, and (like a mediatrix) conſerves humanity, only he makes it ſo one of thoſe things that are lawfull, as that it muſt be by Circumſtances deliberated off, concerning Expediency and edification, whether it be ſafer to avoid a danger and ſcandall to ſtay at home, or whither there may not be hoped for ſome good fruit, in going, and that without offence. If by our converſing with the wicked the glory of God be not advanced, but endangered; and the Goſpell evill ſpoken off, we muſt abſtaine, v. 31. If by admitting their Perſons we cannot avoid their vices, we muſt deny both.
Still you ſee a Chriſtian liberty is beſt, and therfore take heed how we raſhly cenſure any for Society. It is a fault of theſe dayes, preſently to conclude that Perſon wicked whom we ſee in company with a wicked man. Thus much of Chriſts ſitting with this company. Now in that this company which ſate with CHRIST murmured againſt him and tooke exceptions at him for what he did. We may Obſerve yet further,
Doct. It ſometimes happens that thoſe who dip in the ſame diſh with us, are enemies unto us.
Iob found this true, Cap. 19.14. So did David, Pſ. 41.9. So did Ieremiah, cap. 20.10. So our bleſſed Saviour himſelf Mat. 26.23.
Vſe We ſhould do well not to be over-confident of ſuch: There is a great difference betwixt Acquaintance and true Friendſhip: Friendſhip is a speciall obligation of amity, or good will uniting the hearts of men together in a greater neareneſſe and dearneſſe then ordinarily is to be found, or is required of all men. This holds firme and lies faſt under greateſt preſſures.
Acquaintance is another thing; that in ordinary uſe is but a ſharing of talke, newes, meate, complement, &c. It is the firſt draught of Friendſhip but is not it; That is the Herd, Friendſhip is the Paire choſen out of it; a thing eaſily created, once being in company does it; Now here is our miſtake (as Guevarra truly notes) we think we have Friends when we have but Acquaintance. Theſe faile us and prove deceitfull like thoſe water-brookes Iob ſpeaks of, and ſtrait we complaine of Friendſhip.Tuta frequenſ que via eſt, &c.
Indeed it is an ordinary way and much beaten under the name and title of a Friend to deceive, but they are not true Friends who doe ſo whatever they pretend. And becauſe there are ſo few faithfull ones, it ſhall be our wiſdome to try before we truſt. Nakedneſſe in mind is as well a blemiſh, as nakedneſſe in body. Every ſmooth face is not to be truſted, many a mans ave threatens a vae; with his Tongue he may ſay, All-hayle, when his Heart ſaith, Take heed, wherefore that counſell would be hearkened unto which is given us by the Prophet Micha 7.5. For we ſhall find that a truth which our Saviour hath delivered, The brother ſhall betray the brother to death, and a mans worſt enemies ſhall be they of his owne houſe, Matth. 10.21, 36.
From the Perſons excepting, Come we now to the thing they doe except againſt, and there we have, firſt, the Manner, 2. The Matter conſiderable. For the firſt, the Text ſaith.