The Good Samaritan, Part 37
Likewiſe Text.
Not as the Levit and Prieſt, but as the good Samaritane did, ſo do thou.
Whence we learn firſt,
Doct. Examples are Inſtructions. God teacheth as well by them as by Precepts, Mat. 5.12. & chap. 12.
Hence it is that Scripture is ſo ſtored with Examples of all ſorts, we may reduce them to two heads: Such as concerne God or man.
Thoſe that concern God, reſpect either his Iustice or his Mercy.
Examples of his Iuſtice are written for our profit, 1 Cor. 10.11. 2 Pet. 2.6. Luk. 17.32.
So alſo thoſe that are of MercieMercy, Pſalme 32 6. Iam. 5.11.
Examples of Men, are either of Saints or Sinners; if of Saints, then either of Virtue or of Vice, the one ſort is propounded for imitation, as Rom. 4.22, 23. Mat. 12.42.
The other for Caution, being ſet up as Rocks in a Map to be avoided.
Examples of the wicked, theſe muſt likewiſe teach. See Mat. 12 41. 1 Cor 10.6, 7, 8.
Reaſon. The Reaſon is evident, Rom. 15.4. If every thing written be written for our learning, then Examples (queſtionleſſe) Scriptae ſunt etiam ruinae priorum ad cautelam poſteriorum.Ardeus.
Vſe 1 Firſt, Take notice of Gods goodneſſe to us in providing ſo many helps for us neceſſary to Salvation. Two Senſes there are of learning, ſeeing, hearing: Neither of theſe you ſee are without meanes of Inſtruction. To our ſight he hath laid open the book of the Scriptures, and the great book of the creatures, wherin we may read his Power, Wiſdome, Juſtice, Mercy; he hath both deſcribed a way to life, and ſet up leaders and guides in that way: Not a vertue commended, not a vice forbidden; but God hath exemplified in ſome patterne, both for the better direction of the faithfull and greater condemnation of the wicked: An help it is to have a coppy, but a greater help, to ſee the Maſter make the letter.
Vſe 2 Let us learne by Examples, Iob 8.7. and not ſleightly paſſe over thoſe recorded in the Word, and daily brought to light (as we do ſtrange Countries in a Map) but ſo read and obſerve, as if we did ſee acted before our eyes, what in Scripture is recorded to have bin done by or befallen others.
Good Examples of the Saints, God ſets up like lights to direct us in the way of Piety. Thou haſt a good Neighbour by thee, a godly man dwelling neare thee thou ſhouldeſt be better by him and profit by his Example; as the contempt of the Word, ſo the contempt of Example, makes us liable to Gods wrath.
Object. But ſay he is an ill one?
Reſp. Something muſt be learned notwithſtanding: How often in Scriptures are the Examples of Heathens (in ſome actions) propounded for Inſtruction? If Good to ſhame and provoke us, Ier. 2.11. Mal. 3.8. 1 Cor. 5.1. If Bad to worke deteſtation in us, Deut 18.9. Epheſ. 4.17. Something ſtill muſt be learned out of the ſinners Schoole. As Cato ſenior did ſometimes ſay, Wiſemen have more to learne of fooles, then fooles of wiſemen.
Secondly, we learn hence,
Doct. 2 It was not the Prieſt and Levite he muſt imitate, but the Samaritane. Hence the Example of Angells is propounded, Mat. 6. And of the Saints, Iam. 5.10. Heb. 11. & 12.1. 1 Theſ. 1.6. Phil 3.17. yea of Chriſt himſelfe, Heb. 12 2. 1 Pet. 2.21. Epheſ. 5.2. nor would Paul himſelfe be followed further then he was a follower of Chriſt, 1 Cor. 11.1.
Reaſon. They are leaſt faulty; now every fault in a ſet coppy is important, and may prove a rule of error.
Vſe 1 This condemnes ſuch as ſtill are following the worſt; they can imitate none but ſuch as have beene graceleſſe. The complaint in Seneca well ſuites the times; Men commonly live not ad rationem, but ad ſimilitudinem: and through the vicious diſpoſitions of our heartes it comes to paſſe, that the worſt examples have our greateſt allowance.
As for the practiſe of Saints commended to our imitation we can give their practiſe the praiſe, Laudamus veteres ſed noſtris utimur annis. Abrahams obedience; Sarahs modeſty, &c. ſhall have commendation, but every Ieſabell, or courtly Herodias; every Saul or Achitophell ſhall rather be followed. What is this, but to be like the Dogge or Swine; to imitate them in their beaſt…y practiſes.
Or if we do follow them, it ſhall be in their erring, Noah in his drunkenneſſe; Lot in his inceſt; Iacob in his lying; Abraham in his doubting; David in his adultery; Peter in his backeſliding, loving that in the Saints, which the Saints never loved in themſelves, (their vices:) Like flyes we ſlip over all the ſound parts of the body, and light upon ſoares and ulcers; making the Saints foyle, to be our jewell; their ſhame, our glory. Thus Theodoſius excuſed a fowle fact, becauſe David had done the like, to whom S. Ambroſe makes this anſwer, qui ſequutus es errantem, ſequere paenitentem: But this we cannot hit on. A light penſill can draw the wharts, and wrinkles of the face, but not the viſage to the life.
Lapſus ſanctorum, ut non cadamus, non ut cadamus prebentur exempla: Such as paſſe by the good examples of the godly, and imitate them in their ſin, I cannot better reſemble then to the Aegyptians, who beheld the Sun, the Moone and all the glories of nature without admiration; but if they meet with a Cat or Crockodile, they ſtrait bow their knees, and fall downe to worſhip.
Verſ. 2 Seeing we are given naturally to apiſh imitation; let us ſuffer Chriſtian prudence to make choice patternes. Chriſt he is the patterne of patternes; the rule and meaſure of examples, he gave us an enſample that we ſhould follow his ſteps, 1 Pet. 2.21. The Saints are next: and their examples bind us to imitation: now how farre we may make their practiſe our patterne would be enquired.
And here that uſuall diſtinction of Actions, Ordinary and Extraordinary, would be remembred.
Some of their Actions were Extraordinary: being done by vertue, or Extraordinary calling, as Gen. 12.1, 2. & 22.10. or Extraordinary instinct: as Eliah calling for fire from Heaven, 2 King. 1.10. ſo Num. 25.7, 8.
Or occaſioned by ſpeciall neceſſity of times, as Act. 4.32. & Act. 20.34.
Other of their Actions were Ordinary: and thoſe admit of a threefold diſtinction: ſome were good, others bad, others of an indifferent nature.
As for thoſe which are noted as ſinfull, wherein they bewray humane infirmity, they are as the darke part of the cloud which waited on the Campe of Iſrael; which while the Egyptians followed, they were deceived, and in the end drowned. Theſe are ſpectacles of humane frailty, not examples for like practiſe.
Their good Actions were their practiſes, according with the Law of God: as their meekeneſſe, obedience, patience, &c. which is like the firſt part of the cloud that was towards the Iſraelites themſelves, to guide them: herein we muſt follow and imitate them.
Their Indifferent Actions are thoſe, which in themſelves (conſidered without circumſtances) were neither commanded nor forbidden: In Actions of this nature, we may, or may not follow them: For this is an undeniable rule; an example doth no farther bind, then it is backt with a precept. In it ſelfe it hath but the power of illuſtration of what is in the precept, and it doth conteine in it the force of the rule. So that an example of ſome good man (in ſuch Actions as are not contradictory to precepts,) onelyonly warrant the ſame Action in an other; (as Abrahams making a feaſt at his childes weaning; Chriſts cloſing the booke after hee had read the Text, &c.) but doth not charge conſcience with the doing of it. For where is no Law, can be no tranſgreſſion. In this caſe we are not to eſteeme of any above what is written, ſo as to clog our conſciences with duties onelyonly upon bare examples.
Vſe 3 In the third place, it may be a ſpurre to put us on to give good examples, ſeeing in ſo doing we ſhall have the honour to become preſidents and patternes for future ages: (the greateſt honour that can be given to the Saints in this life.)
This doth not onelyonly make Religion to be well ſpoken of, but it profits many, even a world of people, 1 Theſ. 1.7. Rom. 16. A good example is like fire, many candles are lighted at it, and it ſelfe neither the worſe, nor the leſſe. Or like a ſtone throwne into the water, which though of it ſelfe it makes but one circle, yet it begets a 100. Ioh 5.50. When Chriſt told that noble petitioner, thy ſonne liveth; at the firſt hearing hee beleeved, but when he came home and waighed the m…tter, not onelyonly himſelfe, but his whole houſe beleeved. Yea many that we know not, may receive good from our good example given, Vibis ad exemplum.and left, 1 Pet. 5.5. It will not onelyonly like Aarons oyntment, run downe to the skirts of our owne garments, but it will run like Nilus over all the Country. Yea the vertue of good Examples, ſhall laſt when we are dead and rotten, and doe good for a long time after (in ſome caſes) to the worlds end, keeping the ſent ſo long as no other perfume can: (as you ſee here this example of the Samaritane did.) It ſhall be upon record while the world ſtands. You may remember what Ioab ſaid of Rabba, It will be called after my name. So it is true of many exemplary ſins, as Ieroboams, Onans, Balaams, Corahs, Sodoms, &c. They are called by the Founders owne names; and though few men will confeſſe their ſins, yet many mens ſins will confeſſe their maſter. To be a preſident of vice, is like the ſetting ones houſe on fire, which burnes many of the neighbours, and ſo he that doth it is to anſwer for all their ruines: Such a bitter root muſt anſwer for it ſelfe, and for all the corrupt branches. On the other ſide, in virtuous Actions, (both wayes) a man lives when he is dead, and is working to the worlds end: ſo that thoſe deeds we have done while wee were living on the earth, wee ſhall not onelyonly receive for, but thoſe alſo done through our example in future ages. Great need then have wee to be good preſidents, ſeeing it is a thing of ſo great conſequence.
Vſe 4 And let ſuch as ſhine by good example, be much made of in every place. Good examples are like Common Schooles, and they are the better, becauſe they are Free. Such a priviledge how well do we to like off, for our childrens good? Then highly regard this, which ſo much concernes thy ſoules good: And as you will ſpread abroad the fame of one, ſo by the humble acknowledgement of the praiſes of others, ſpread abroad the light of good Example, ſo farre as may be, 1 Theſ. 1.7, 8. As for thoſe, who by ſlanders and calumnies, do indeavour to blemiſh the good converſation of the godly, and ſo rob the world of the profit of their examples, they ſhall beare their ſin.
Further obſerve, in that we are willed to do as this Samaritane, (whom we heard before was hated as an enemy.)
Doct. No matter who it is that gives examples; the example being good muſt be followed.
Some will not doe good works, becauſe Papiſts do them; ſome not heare Sermons, becauſe Preciſians do ſo: but doe thou likewiſe: looke on the worke, no matter for the perſon.
Againe in that we are willed to doe likewiſe as he did, Obſerve,
Doct. Works of charity muſt be ſo done, as this Samaritane did them.
Now then as the Traveller having got up the hill, lookes backe on the Towne hee hath left behind him, ſo doe you, Conſider well what hath beene ſaid, and the Lord give us understanding in all things.
FINIS.