The Good Samaritan, Part 24
And on the morrow. Text.
Prima dies ſuit dies paſſionis, altera reſurrectionis. Quis eſt ille alter dies niſi for te ille dominicae r…ſurrectionis, de quo d…ctum eſt, hic eſt dies quem ſecit Dominus Ambr. in loc.(To handle the words as they lye in order.) The time when he departed is here expreſſed: It was no long ſtay he made in this ſame Inn: So ſoone as conveniently he might, he departed thence. From the Hiſtory firſt obſerve,
Victualing houſes are not for reſidence of Travellers; gueſts are to make no longer ſtay at ſuch houſes than urgent occaſion requires (with the ſpies) in the morning they muſt be gone at furtheſt, Ioſh. 2
Doct. Such then as ſit from morning to night, from day to day, yea from weeks end to weeks end, tipling and gaming, turne the lawfull uſe of Ins into abuſe:
Vſe. To prevent which officers ſhould make conſcience of their duties, and ſee that ſuch diſorders be reformed, we having the edge of the ſword of Juſtice backt by laws and wholſome ſtatutes; So the poore that are, would be better provided for in moſt Pariſhes, and the increaſe of poore much abated, if the penalties impoſed, on ſuch diſordered perſons, by the Statute, were duely required and inflicted.
Myſt. Myſtically, the departure of this Samaritane from the Inn teacheth us,
Doct. That this world was no place for Chriſts aboade, longer then while he had finiſhed his worke. So ſoone as his buſineſſe was over, Chriſt made no longer ſtay upon earth, then needs muſt.he departed hence on the morrow (as it were) and tarried not, Ioh. 13.33. & 14.3.4. & 16 7, 8. Luk. 24.5, 6. Act. 1.9, 10.
Reaſon For, 1. His Kingdome was not of this world, as he himſelfe avoucheth.
2. He had buſineſſe elſe where, Ioh. 16.7. It was expedient that he left the Church on Earth (in regard of carnall preſence) and that for us, not for himſelfe, firſt to open Heaven for us, Heb. 10.19. Ioh. 14.2. & 10.20. Ezek. 44.1. Epheſ. 2.6. Next to ſe…d the Holy Ghoſt unto us, Iohn 16.7. Had he not left the Earth, the Holy Ghoſt in ſuch a meaſure had not bin ſent nor given, Iohn 7.30.
Laſtly, That he might lead captivity captive, Epheſ. 4.8. and ſo make a perfect triumph over thoſe ſpirits whom he had conquered on the croſſe, Col. 2.
Vſe. The doctrine of the bodily preſence of Chriſt in the Sacrament, taught and maintained by Papists, cannot ſtand with this now delivered; what buſineſſe hath he now upon the Earth?
Object. But Mat. 28. ult. I am with you to the end of the world?
Reſp. True, Spiritually, by the aſſiſtance of his Spirit: What is this concerning his corporall preſence, which is in the Heavens, and there muſt be contained till his comming unto Judgement.
Vſe 2 Next conclude we hence, if it were no place for him who is our Head, then it cannot be any place of continuance for us who are his members: We, ſo ſoone as we have finiſhed our courſe, muſt depart hence too. It ſhall be our wiſdome then ſo to thinke, and accordingly prepare. Say not with Peter, It is good for us to be here, let us build here our Tabernacles; But ſay and judge with Paul, If wee heere had onelyonly our hope, wee were of all men moſt miſerable.
Vſe 3 And while we are here let our hearts be in Heaven, our affections, longings, converſation, as we are willed, Coloſ. 3.1. Like a wheele (ſaith Hilary) which though it continually roule upon the Earth, yet it hath its greateſt part from of the Earth. You ſee in nature every member will have recourſe to the head, becauſe that gives life and motion to the reſt of the body: So ſeeing Chriſt our Head hath left this world, and is now in Heaven ſitting at the right hand of God his Father, let us deſire to be with him: And when we ſee death comming towards us by the harbingers that go before (as aches, pains, ſickneſſes, gray-haires) let our ſpirit revive within us, as old Father Iacobs did, when he ſaw the Chariots and Horſes that his ſon Ioſeph ſent for him to come into Aegypt.
Vſe 4 Laſtly, If we would find Chriſt indeed, ſeek him not in this world nor in the things of this world, in ſo doing we ſeek the living amongſt the dead, Surrexit non est hic, He is riſen, he is not here.