The Good Samaritan, Part 10
A certain Prieſt, Text. &c.]
Our Saviour doth inſtance in a Prieſt and Levite (rather then in any other perſon) the better to convince this Lawyer, who conceited that the Iewes were no way wanting in works of mercy; Our Saviour by this Parable ſhewes, that the beſt, and thoſe moſt noted for workes of Charity (even theſe ſpirituall perſons the Prieſts and Levites) were herein much wanting, and ſo no wonder if others were from whom was leſſe expected. Our Obſervation is,
Doct. Firſt, Spirituall perſons in a ſpeciall manner ſhould bee pittifull. See Tit. 1.7, 8. 1 Tim. 3.2. You may read 2 Kings 4.1. The diſtreſſed widdow comes to a Prophet to bemoane her condition; every one would not be ſenſible of her A…fliction; if they did pity her, yet little hopes there was that they would relieve her; A Prophet ſhe hopes will do both: Into Eliſhaes eare ſhe unloades her griefes. The like courſe takes David and flies unto Abiathar the High-Prieſt when he was an hungry and in diſtreſſe, 1 Sam. 22.
Reaſon. And no wonder: For they are Gods Chaplaines in ordinary: they ſerve that Maſter who is mercifull; him they ſhould imitate, and learne to be mercifull as he is mercifull, Luk 6.36. What Scholler but will imitate his Maſters exerciſe?
2. They have received more mercy, and drunke deeper in that cup then others have, 2 Cor. 4.1, 2. Who ever (then) are, it is expected they ſhould not be wanting in this duty.
3. In every good duty Miniſters ſhould be Examples unto others, in Word, in Converſation, in Charity, &c. 1 Tim. 4.12. The Miniſter is to the people as the ſhadow to the body, if the body ſtoop to the Earth the ſhadow will not be upright towards Heaven; thus we ſee there is good reaſon for the point delivered.
Vſe This concernes both us, and you. Firſt we who are Miniſters muſt be carefull that we be not wanting in this duty, nor give any juſt cauſe to the world to follow us with their out-cryes that we of all other be moſt cruell, covetous hearted, &c. Charity becomes all men, but above all men, the men of God: If we want bowels in us where ſhall men find them: If Mercy be a lampe in others, it muſt be a bright Starre in our Breaſts. A Jewell more precious then all the Stones in Aarons breaſtplate.
For 1. We are men of God, 1 Tim. 6.11.and therfore ſhould ſly all covetous and earthly practiſes. Fiſhes love the Salt-waters, yet birds of the aire fly upwards towards Heaven, and whilſt the Ant (a creature houſed in the Earth) makes aboundant proviſion for her ſelfe; the Fowles of Heaven neither ſow, nor reape, nor carry into Barnes. O! How unnaturall is it that they, next Heaven by Vocation, ſhould yet in reſpect of Converſation be furtheſt off! Nothing further from Heaven, nor more unlike God then Ʋncharitableneſſe.
2. We preach Charity and Mercy, that is the Summe and maine Scope of all our Sermons: It being the abridgment of the Law, and the Tenor of the Goſpell. Faith is the Center, Love the Circle. All our Doctrines and Concluſions are but lines drawne from the Center to the Circumference. To come without Charity is to come into the Pulpit without our Compas; and ſhall we commend that cheare to others we refuſe to eat our ſelves? Or lay out a way for them to walke in which we refuſe to tread our ſelves? Bilhah and Zilpah brought forth children to Iacob and they were free, yet their mothers ſtill remained bond-women: Shall we infranchiſe our Auditory in the liberties of Charity, and ſuffer out own hearts to be bound with the ſhackles of uncharitableneſſe? Nay, as wee preach Charity, profeſſe Charity, and pray for Charity: So we muſt open our doores to Charity and give it entertainment.
3. We in a ſpeciall manner are commanded to entertaine it: Simon loveſt thou me, then feed my ſheep, feed my Lambs, &c. David knows not whither to goe for bread, but to the Priest in the Sanctuary of the Lord. Where ſhould the Beaſts of the Forreſt drink? And the wild Aſſes quench their thirſt, if not at theſe Fountains?
Object. But non habemus unde, we want wherwithall?
Reſpon. Habet ſemper unde det qui plenum pectus habet Charitatis (ſaith S. Auſtin) Some way or other we may be comfortable to diſtreſſed ones. S. Paul ſhewes, 1 Tim. 5.10. wherein poore widdows might be hoſpitable. If with S. Peter and S. Iohn we want mony and meat, yet wee may and muſt by our Prayers and counſell ſuccor thoſe that are in need.
Secondly; may we rot be wanting in this duty? Then much leſſe, cruell: God complaines, Hoſ. 6.9. that as troopes of robbers wait for a man: So the company of Prieſts murther in the way by conſent. 1. There were many robbers and ſo not ſo eaſily avoided. 2. They joyned in troopes and ſo hardly to be conquered. 3. They fell not only to robbery (which had bin farre enough,) but to mutther. 4. They were not Theeves, who did all this, ſuch as profeſſed not God; but Apoſtated Prieſts, ſuch as robbed under an holy garment or Prophets mantle. It may be ſome ſuch one may bee found, one Iudas amongſt the twelve Apoſtles. 5. They do it by conſent, yea Agendo agunt, They commit it, it is their practiſe.
Now if the Prieſt and Levite are, as you ſee here in our Text, condemned for not ſuccouring the wounded man, what ſhall become of thoſe who give wounds, and that murtherous ones; ſo do Heretiques, Schiſmatiques, and falſe Teachers? The Damnation of theſe men ſlumbers not.
Vſe 2 Next this concernes you the People: It was an order and cuſtome in S Auguſtines time, that the poore ſhould beg of none but the Prieſt, and if he had not wherwithall to relieve them, they might exclaime againſt him for not more effectually mooving the people; for from them muſt the Prieſt receive that he may give. Indeed all the Charity of the world is put upon us; other men rid their hands of it and conceive it only a miniſteriall duty, as if we only were bound to do all things: But what receive we? Let us demand but recompence for our labours, we are counted covetous; if we give not, we are deemed unmercifull; whileſt in the meane time you are guilty of iniquity, and abridge the Prieſt and Levite of his meanes, by Cuſtomes, Impropriations, forged Cavillations, &c. Such is the injury of the world; yea ſuch is the Pride of many Pariſhes, that the Miniſter muſt be alwaies the pooreſt man in it: For by this means the poore Miniſter may not dare to reproove his rich Benefactours, leaſt he looſe his contribution.
Would you have the Pot of Charity ſeeth and yet allow no ſire to put under? Or would you have fire in the Sanctuary and yet allow no Fewell? Can the Lamps burne without Oyle? That the Altar ſhould have maintenance, for her ſervants, none but thoſe, who wiſh there were neither Altar, nor Miniſter; no Goſpell, nor Preacher; rather then their heires ſhou…d want a Perſonage, or their Horſe-heeles litter, wi…l, or can deny. Read Gal. 6.6. 1 Tim. 5.17, 18. 1 Cor. 9.7. and ſee how the Apoſtle labours about this point; who having laid downe for a Poſition, that none goeth to warrefare at his owne charge, nor plants a Vineyard, but eats of the fruit. &c. He then meeteth with this objection, you ſpeake in your owne cauſe and are partiall. No ſaith St. Paul, the Law ſaith what I do; for there it is written, thou ſhalt not muzzle the mouth of the Oxe, &c. And why was that? Surely to incourage Miniſters; for, for our ſakes no doubt this was written, that he who ploweth ſhould plow in hope, &c. God having made a Statute of proviſion for his Clergy, that we might not be left to the wills and allowances of thoſe men, whoſe ſins we muſt reproove, nor feed upon arbitrary Contributions, or Benevolences: Having anſwered this objection he prooves the point, and brings an argument drawne from equity: If we have ſowen unto you ſpirituall things, is it a great thing if we do reape your carnall things? Doe you not receive farr more from us than we from you whilſt we bring Salvation unto you and receive ſome ſmall portion of food and rayment from you? beſides, they that miniſter about holy things, live of holy things as you well know. Nor was this a Statute and Law in Iacob concerning the Levite only, but in Iſrael alſo and concerneth the Miniſter of the Goſpell; for even ſo hath the Lord ordained; what can be ſaid more fully for Miniſters maintenance? And yet how many thinke it arbitrary at their choice whither they will give the Miniſter any thing or not? You ſhall have ſome give more for a Licenſe to keep a dog, to eat fleſh in Lent, &c. than to the Miniſter for feeding his ſoule all the yeare.
Object. But the Clergie is rich?
Reſp. It is truly anſwered, there are but few that are ſo, and thoſe that are, are ſuch, 1. As have bin inriched by ſome Patrimony, Dowry, or Gift of Freinds, 2. As have lighted on the unruined things of the Land, which ſtood out of the Popes way, and in the ſickneſſe of Superſtition eſcaped of Impropriation, or that which Sacriledge hath not let blood by Cuſtome, Compoſition, Depopulation, &c. 3. Or thoſe, Antiqui Heroes nati melioribus annis, that came to their livings when that good Queene Elizabeth came firſt to her Crowne, at which time Benefices were not at ſo high a purchaſe, as afterwards they were; they went a begging then, as Miniſters do now. 4. Or laſtly, Such as deſtill a dry Roſe cake for water; by Parſimony and miſerableneſſe get ſomething out of Gentlemens leavings, and threſh over the ſtraw againe for a few graines of wheat: But notwithſtanding ſcarce one of a thouſand is called by any other title than a poore Prieſt or Miniſter.
Object. 2. What the Law gives, you have?
Reſp. Gods Law is the beſt Law; give us what that gives, we aske no more. 2. Preſſe not mans Law too farre: Sure I am you expect more from us than humane Law can extort from us; ſhould wee preach no more Sermons in a yeere then Law exacteth at our hands, you would complaine of injurious dealing; Why ſhould you require above ſtatute worke, when you give but ſtatute wages? Beſides know, 3. The Law leaves ſomething to the liberty of thy conſcience to be anſwered in a higher Court.
Object. 3. What would content you? you never have enough.
Reſp. Let God determine that: See 1 Cor. 9.14. we deſire no more then we may live upon.
1. As men, ſo we muſt have for neceſſity and delight.
2. As Beleevers, ſo we muſt have ſufficient to lay up for thoſe whom we are bound by the Law of nature to provide for, 1 Tim. 3.2.
3. As men of God, ſo we are to have wherewith to maintaine the duties of our Callings, and Confirme by Practiſe what by doctrine we teach, 1. Tim. 3.2.
Doct. A ſecond Obſervation I commend unto you hence, is; Where wee looke for moſt, there oftentimes wee find leaſt. This Prieſt and Levite which paſſed by were not onelyonly ſpirituall Perſons, but Countrey men, and fellow Citizens; of the ſame Religion, under the ſame Politicall Government, yet theſe help not.
This dealing God findes from his owne Vineyard, he looked that it ſhould bring forth grapes, for which be had done ſo much, but it brought forth wilde grapes, Iſay 5.4, 7. Iudah dealt treacherouſly with God, and went a whoring from him when other Nations forſook not their gods. Mary ſhall ſpend more teares upon Chriſts feet, then Simon from whom Chriſt deſervedly might challenge more. A Samaritane (who was a ſtranger of all the Lepers cleanſed) he onelyonly is found to returne with thankes;Luke 17.18. Chriſt ſhall have his tyth out of a ſtrange field, when his owne flock and Pariſh pay him none.
This man findes in every Relation, as might be ſhewed betwixt Father and Child, 1 Sam. 20.30. 2 Sam. 15. Huſband and Wife, Ioh 2.9, 10. Gen. 19.26.Judg. 9.5. Betwixt Brother and Brother, Gen. 4 8. Pſal. 105.17. Gal. 4 29. Numb. 12.…. Betwixt Kinſman and Kinſman, Mark. 3.21. Betwixt Countrieman and Countrieman, 1 Cor. 11.24. Betwixt Friend and Friend, 2 Chron. 24.21. Iob 19.13. Pſal. 38.5. & 41.9. & 55.…6. Betwixt People and Miniſters, Cant. 5.7. Iohn 4 44. Betwixt Minister and Miniſter, Mark 6.….Iohn 3.25. Gal. 2. Betwixt Profeſſor and Prof…ſſor, 2 Cor. …1.26.
In all theſe Relations we ſtand faſt bound one u…to another, and ſhould expect more from theſe then from others, yet there (you ſee) leaſt is found; Salomons Proverb is daily verified, Prov. 19 7. All the Brethren of the poore do hate him, when a man is in diſtreſſe his neereſt kindred will deſpiſe him; much more his friends; ſuch as are Companions onelyonly, go farre from him and eſtrange themſelves, and Prov. 27 10. A neighbour neere is better then a Brother farre of, and is ſooner found to help one, then a Brother. And that of a wiſer then Salomon (our bleſſed Saviour himſelfe) who tells us, that a mans foes ſhall be thoſe of his owne houſe, Marke 6.4.
Vſe. When we ſee ſuch things to happen, wonder not, as if ſome new thing befell us; we expect much in ſuch daies as theſe, wherein knowledge doth abound, &c. but we find little fruit; think not this ſtrange. The Inhabitants under the Torrid Zone (as they write) are more troubled with damps then thoſe under the Frigid. The bright Sun of Knowledge ſhining amongſt a people hath ever beene anſwered (through inward coldneſſe of heart and ſpirit) with the damps and ſuffocations of piety and juſtice.
Thou haſt a friend, a child, &c. whom thou haſt done much for, who yet hath dealt treacherouſly with thee; be not too much caſt downe; God (happily) feeth thou didſt place thy hope in man, or too much didſt affect the creature; ſo that God was almoſt forgotten to be thy ſtay.
Whilſt Naomies ſonnes and husband were alive,Ruth 1. we find no motion of her re…yting home to Iudah; but when theſe were remooved and they failed her, then ſhe thinkes preſently of returning unto her Countrey; we cannot ſo heartily think of our home, and God above whilſt we are furniſhed with earthly contentments: But when God ſtrips us of them and cauſeth them to ſaile, then ſtrait way we pitch on him and mind home ward, Pſal. 27.10.