The Good Samaritan, Part 18
[And went to him. Text. ]
Obſerve here,
Doct. A Compaſſionate heart will carry us to them who are diſabled from comming unto us, and yet want our helpe. See Matthew 25.36, 43. Iames 1.27. 2 Tim. 1.17.
Vſe 1 In this particular of viſiting the ſicke, and ſuch as are in miſery let our compaſſion be manifeſted as well as in any other particular whatſoever; it being a Chriſtian duty, and one of the chief points our bleſſed Saviour will examine us about at the laſt day, Mat. 25.
You know the Scholler that muſt paſſe under a ſtrict examination before he take his degree in Schooles,Amb. or otherwiſe will ſtudy well the Queſtion in which he is to be examined and tried: Our Saviour hath before hand told us, what it is that we are to be examined about at the Judgement day; It is our wiſdome to be aboundant therin, that we may yeeld a comfortable anſwer therunto.
As this concerns all, ſo ſome in ſpeciall, Over-ſeers of the poore, whoſe duty it is to go from houſe to houſe, from family to family, and take ſpeciall notice of the earnings and expences of the poore and needy. A…d to encourage both them and others to this duty: It may not be forgot that,
Firſt, we ſhall hereby the better know whom to relieve, and how to proportion out our Charity, according to the kind of want and neceſſity of the poore: What the Queene of Sheba ſpake of Salomons wiſdome, It was a true word which I heard of thy ſayings and of thy wiſdome in my owne land, 1 King. 10.6, 7howbeit I beleeeved not this report till I came and ſaw it with mine eyes; but loe the one halfe was not told me, for thou haſt more wiſdome and proſperity then I have heard by report, &c. So ſhall we be forced to ſay of the condition of m…ny poore and needy; we heare much yet the tenth part of their poverty and miſery is not known, except we go and ſee it.
Secondly, much good we ſhal do unto our ſelves hereby, we ſhould not be ſo often viſited, nor have ſo many at our doors if we viſited oftner.
Yea we ſhould learn Temperance and Sobriety, and juſt occaſion would hereby be adminiſtred unto us of thankfulnes, ſeeing God hath dealt ſo bountifully with us above many of our Brethren.
Laſtly, it would not be forgotten how in viſiting the poore, we viſit Chriſt himſelfe in them, who hath done the like for us, that were in a far baſer and meaner eſtate, as the next point ſhews.
In the Myſtery is ſet forth unto us Chriſts further love, in that he came not only where we were,Myſt. Expoſ. but
Doct. He came unto us as a viſitour, not to ſee the world, but … ſave the world, Ezek. 16.6, 7. Luk. 1.68, 78.
More particularly, you know a viſitour comes before he be ſent for, freely of his own accord and mind. Thus did our Saviour; we ſought not after him, before we ſought him, he was found. True it is now and then we might heare ſome holy man or other cry, Make haſte O Lord and let thy tender mercy prevent us; Pſ. 12.1.84.9 Gen. 49.18.for we are in miſery and brought very low: Helpe us O God of our Salvation, for the glory of thy name, and deliver us and purge away our ſins for the names ſake. Pſal. 79.8, 9. O that thou wouldeſt bow the Heavens and come down, Iſa. 64.1. But theſe very groanes and cries came from his Spirit, of our ſelves none could ask nor ſeek for help.
2. A Viſitour comes with ſome reliefe and comfort to the diſ…reſſed; he will ſpeak comfort and do ſomething that may added unto it. Thus did Chriſt, how lovingly and gently did he ſpeak unto us, eaſing the anguiſh and ſorrow of our languiſhing and diſtreſſed ſpirits, Math. 11.29. & 5.2. & 9.2, 22. Marke 6.50. Iohn 16.33. Nor was he wanting in praying for us, Luke 22.32. Heb. 5.7. Like a good Viſitour his hand ſeconded his tongue; He felt the pulſe and touched the ſoare, taking poore infants in his armes, Putting his hands upon them and bleſſing them, Mark. 10.4. he laid a plaiſter to the eyes of the blind, Ioh. 9.6. touched the ſtammering tongue and put his finger in the deafe mans eare, Mark 7.33.
All of us might truly ſay, My wounds ſtinke and are corrupt, Pſ. 30.5. yet that hindred not. Yea like a gratious Viſitor, he comes with his ſalves and oyles to heale our wounds, who were at point of death, and in no one point of a gratious viſitor was hee wanting, as wee ſhall after ſee.
Vſe. Should not this then put us on, as to break forth into the acknowledgment of his mercy, ſo by way of thankfulneſſe to viſit thoſe who are in diſtreſſe and miſery? How can we ſay the love of Chriſt dwelleth in us, when this duty is neglected? To urge then what was before exhorted too, be we never ſo rich and honourable, let us not diſdaine to viſit the diſtreſſed though poore and loathſome.
It was a noble ſpeech of Placilla, Nicephor Cal l. 2.6.42.the moſt devout wife of Theodoſius the Emperour, who being blamed for viſiting the ſick, and miniſtering unto them with her owne hands, anſwered; It well became her to conſecrate the miniſtery of her hands to him who had beſtowed the Empire on her husband, and done more for her. None can be ſo baſe and loathſome as we by nature, nor any on Earth ſo rich and glorious as was our Saviour (God equall with his Father) Therfore ſeeing he thus abaſed himſelfe for our ſakes; let us for his not diſdain to performe the meaneſt office to the pooreſt Chriſtian.
Object. But they are viſited with ſtrange and noyſome diſeaſes?
Reſp. The greater their miſery, the greater need of thy hand of mercy.
Object. But I indanger my owne life in viſiting of others?
Reſp. If thou beeſt a publike Perſon, thou art not bound to hazard thy life in particular mens caſes: Publike perſons are the common good and cannot make their lives peculiar to one without injury to many: A good Father may not ſpend his ſubſtance on one child, and leave the reſt beggars.
If a private Perſon and tied by ſpeciall bond unto the viſited: As the husband is unto the wife, the wife unto the husband, &c. ſuch may, ye muſt in their place and calling expoſe themſelves to danger, for performing of that worke which by virtue of their place belongeth to them; which (if in caſe the diſeaſe be contagious and infectious, yet) may be ſupplyed by others, ſubſtituted in their place, who are able and willing to performe the duties whereto they are deputed. It is not neceſſary, that Darius ſhould enter into the Lions Den, and ſalute Daniel there amongſt thoſe fierce companions; it is enough that he ſpeaks comfort to him through the grate, as before was ſhewed.