The Good Samaritan, Part 36
Goe and doe.]
Here is the Charge, where,
1. The Duty.
2. The Perſon on whom it is impoſed.
In the former we have two Particulars.
1. Goe.
2. Doe.
Both theſe require action, and we will handle both as one in this Obſervation.
Doct. Our knowledge muſt be practicall. It is not a verball profeſſion, nor a formall ſhew, but action that muſt prove a good Chriſtian.
This Lawyer, who was of the ſort and ſect of the Phariſees, as you have heard, had queſtioned and diſcourſed much about eternall life, and our Saviour had before called upon him really to practiſe what he did profeſſe, verſ. 28. But that would not beate him of; Still hee goes on (being deſirous to juſtifie himſelfe) and ſo falles into a new diſcourſe; which (as you ſee) our Saviour thus concludes, Goe thou and doe likewiſe. q. d. If thou wouldeſt be as thou ſhouldeſt, leave talking, fall to walking; forbeare diſcourſing, fall to doing: like as that Samaritane hath done before thee, Goe, doe thou.
As Chriſt ſaid of himſelfe, ſo may it be ſaid of this Doctrine, In the whole volume of thy booke it is written of mee that I ſhould doe thy will ô God: Law and Goſpell, Prophets and Apostles, yea and Chriſt himſelfe when he was upon the earth required action, Deut. 4.1. & 8.1. Ioh. 13.17. Mat. 7.26. Iam. 1.22. Pſ. 15. & 106.3 2 Pet. 1.10. Phil. 4.9.
Reaſon. In true Godlineſſe there is a Forme and a Power, 2 Tim. 5.3. Now the Forme is taken up by many, but will not prove a Chriſtian: Power is the life of Chriſtianity, and that conſiſts in doing. Chriſtian Religion is more practicall than Theoricall, rather an Ocoupation than a meere Profeſſion dwelling (as we ſay) like the Artiſans wit at his fingers ends.
Vſe. This ſerves to the Confutation, yea Confuſion of formal Profeſſors and Hypocrites, whoſe Religion is all outſide, no lining: Profeſſion of many is only talk and diſcourſe, it is turned into a very vizard by this age, it hath mouth and Eyes, and Noſe, but all painted.
Of the Heathen Idols it was ſaid, They have mouthes but they ſpeake not, Eyes but they ſee not, &c. Pſa. 115.5. It cannot be ſaid ſo of theſe kind of Profeſſors, for they have mouthes and they ſpeake; Eyes and they ſee; Noſes and they ſmell; but in this one thing they are like, they have hands and they do not worke, Feet and they walke not; this is a ſhame to the Calling, a diſgrace to the Profeſſion; better it were that we would ſay leſſe and do more. It argues a dead Faith, a dead Profeſſion.Revel. 3.1. Jam. 2.26.
Vſe 2 As Chriſt ſpake of himſelf, Opera teſtantur de me. Iohn 10.25. So let our deeds of us. It is not enough to ſay as it is in the Pſalme, Credidi & ideo locutus ſum, I beleeved, therefore I ſpake, but Credidi & ideo operatus ſum, J believed and therfore I wrought; No man can work unleſſe he believes, no man can believe unleſſe he works.
To ſtir us up to walking and doing, let not theſe things be forgotten.
1. Bare Profeſſion (though a thing excellent yet) it is no characteriſticall difference to diſcriminate a ſound Chriſtian from a reprobate; we do not judge of the health of the body ſo much by talke as by the pulſe, S. Paul ſpeaks of a poſſibility to have all knowledge yet bee nothing, 1 Cor. 13.2. So to know as we ought to know is to practiſe that we know, 2 Cor. 8.1. this ſeek after, Goe and Doe.
2. Conſider the end of our Profeſſion is not idle ſpeculation, but practiſe: God gave us his precepts not to know but do; wherfore ſerves the Sun, but that man may go forth unto his labour? So for the ſame end the light of Knowledge, God lends to us, Epheſ. 5.8. Philip. 2 15. Tit. 1.1. It muſt be knowledge after Godlineſſe, it muſt help forward that work; while Knowledge ſwimmeth only in the brain, it hath not attained his end; the ſcope of Chriſtianity being not to know, but the ſcope of Knowledge is to be a good Chriſtian. This graceth Profeſſion; as the managing of a trade honours it above the Knowledge of it. You may remember that paſſage, Chriſt knew no ſinne, why ſo? Surely becauſe he did no ſinne: So much as we do, ſo much we know and no more: In Muſick we have learned that Leſſon when we have practiſed: So is it in Chriſtianity; therfore ſee you Goe and Doe.
3. The ſweet of Chriſtianity is in Practice. What is it that makes the ſtudy of Law ſweet to ſo many (as is well obſerved by one) but the practice of it? Is there not difference betwixt hearing of the ſweetneſſe of Sugar and hony, and the taſt of the ſweetneſſe? So it is and ſuch it is, betwixt the diſcourſe of godlineſſe and the practiſe therof. Beſides the Retribution is for doing, Math. 11.28. Revel, 1.3. Mat. 25.21. and that is the ſweet indeed, wherfore Goe and Doe.
4. The danger is great if we practiſe not. Ignorance doth not take away ſin, but knowledge (without practiſe) takes away all excuſe, Ioh. 9.43. this the Apoſtle ſheweth, 1 Tim. 1 13. as if he ſhould ſay, had his ſin of Blaſphemy and Perſecution bin joyned with Knowledge, he ſhould not have received mercy.
Theſe things amongſt many other ſhould prevaile ſo far with us as to cauſe us to walke and act. And thus much for the matter here injoyned. The Perſon is next conſiderable on whom this duty is impoſed [Thou] Hence learn.
Doct. That the duties of Charity and ſuch other Chriſtian ſervices are actually and perſonally to be performed by ones ſelf.
The Charge you ſee is, [Doe Thou] as well as others: Others have bin Charitable, Mercifull, be thou ſo too.
A Doctrine ſtrongly confirmed in Scripture, which injoyning the duties either of firſt or ſecond Table, ſpeaks ſingularly and particularly in the ſecond Perſon as to one man. So was the Law delivered, [Thou] ſhalt have no other Gods, &c. So the Goſpell. If [Thou] beleeveſt, he it unto thee as [Thou] beleevest, &c.
Reaſon And no wonder, ſeeing the Prophet giveth it for ſound Doctrin. Hab. 2.4. The juſt ſhall live by his own Faith.
2. And the Queſtion at the laſt ſhall be, what haſt thou done, not what have others, Mat. 25. Every man muſt be countable for himſelfe to God.
Vſe See that we have matter of rejoycing in our ſelves, not in others; this we ſhall when we put our hands to thoſe holy duties God requireth of us, not being like theſe Phariſees which would bind heavie burthens to lay on others ſhoulders.
There be ſome duties that belong to men in their particular ſtations or places, as to the Magiſtrats, Miniſters, &c. which concern not others, of which we may ſay, as Chriſt to Peter, what is that to thee.
But there is no duty that belongs to a Christian as he is a Chriſtian, but belongs to every Chriſtian, Mat. 28.20. Teach them to obſerve all things, Phil. 4.8. Whatſoever things, &c. 2 Cor. 8.7. In every thing, 2 Theſ. 2.17. both word and workes. See then thou getteſt into thy ſoule the conſcience of every Commandement, Legall, Evangelicall, and keep thy ſelf in a readines to the duty within the compaſſe of thy Calling and ability.