The Good Samaritan, Part 5
[Iericho. Text. ]
Doct. A figure of this world and that fitly. It comes of Iareach, Aug. Tom. 4. Queſt. L. 2. Evang c. 19. Revel. 12.1.the Moone, and the world is like the Moone.
Firſt, for her Mutability: The Moone never lookes upon us with the ſame face; ſtill in her increaſings or decreaſings; now ſhe is in her Full, anon in her Waine. Secondly, And when ſhe is at the Fulleſt ſhe is not without her Spots; ſomething we meet with in the world that doth imbitter her ſweeteſt delights unto us. Thirdly, Beſides, all the Light the Moone hath is but Borrowed from the Sunne; no comfort in any thing here to be had, further then it is beſtowed upon us in Chriſt.
Secondly, Iericho for Situation was low; and low Country ground is wet ground; it was moiſt and watery: ſo is this World; low indeed in compariſon of Heaven, and hath a wet bottome; every eye is full of teares, ſtill cauſe of lamentation and mourning whilſt here we are.
Thirdly, the waters of Iericho were bitter, and the ground barren. 2 King. 2.19. So this World, no content can we find in it, it is but as a dry and barren land, even a land of famin, as you read, Luk. 15.
Fourthly, Iericho was unkind to Gods ſpies. Ioſh. 2. So is this World to Gods ſervants his Embaſſodors. 2 Cor. 6.4, 5 and 11.23.
Fifthly, Yet in Iericho there was one Rahab to entertaine them, and to hide them: So in this World God hath ſome to give Gods Servants entertainement.
Sixthly, Ieriche was execrable and to be deſtroyed: So is this World, Ioſh 6.17.it is reſerved for fire againſt the laſt day.
Seventhly, in Ier cho ſome were ſpared, even as many as got under the red Flag, which was the ſigne. Ioſh. 2. Thus,Joſ. 6.23, 25. Cap 2.18. ſo many as get under Chriſts colours, and are ſprinkled with his bloo… ſhall not periſh.
Eighthly,Ioſh 6.18, 26 a heavy curſe lay upon him that ſhould take of the accurſed thing, or go to raiſe up the Walls, or bui…d the City. So is it with thoſe who do affect this World, who indeavour to maintaine it and the works of it, Ioh. 2.15, 16. Iam. 4
Vſe Be we then better enformed of the World then we have bin; the errour of our Iudgement is a cauſe of the errour in our Affections; queſtionleſſe if we did rightly underſtand what the world is, we would not ſet our affections upon it, ſo eagerly, even as the Bee ſets on her ſting, with all our might.
You may remember in the Law; thoſe Fiſh which had fins, and did float aloft, were counted cleane, and might be eaten; but Eeles might not be eaten of, they were eſteemed as uncleane. The Fins (as ſome of the Ancient have thought) ſignified Faith and Hope. The Eele having no Fins, ſignified the Worldling, who is alwayes grubling in the Earth: How ever (theſe things be applyable, yet) this we reſt aſſured of, Worldlings are in Gods eſteeme Idolaters, Col. 3. With Achan they take of the accurſed thing, and hide it in their hearts, as he did in his Tent; yet they will acknowledge it no more then Achan did his wedge, but God will diſcover ſuch in the end, as he did that Achan. And thus much of the termes.
Now his travaile from Ieruſalem to Iericho was a more Remote cauſe of this his Miſery, whence obſerve.
Doct. In our travels we are lyable to many perills, Iudg 19 25. 2 Cor. 11.26. Yea to death it ſelfe, 1 King. 20.30 Gen. 25.19.
Vſe And this ſhould teach us, firſt to commend our ſelves and others unto Gods protection in our journies, Gen. 28.20, 21, 22.24.12. St. Iames doth wittily taunt thoſe who ſay to day or to morrow we will goe, &c. Iames 4.13. The Succeſſe of our travels depend upon Gods bleſſing, therefore the godly ſpeake with a limitation, St Dominus voluerit, If God will, or if God bleſſe me, &c. And his bleſſing may be expected while we are in our wayes; having a warrantable calling, and right affection in ſuch undertakinge; ſeeking unto him alſo by Prayer and Invocation that it may be proſperous.Pſa. 91.11. A journy thus undertaken in Faith and ſanctified by Prayer cannot but have good ſucceſſe. To the neglect hereof we may juſtly impute thoſe many damages that we ſuffer from Theeves and robbers and other croſſe accidents which we meet withall in our travels.
Vſe 2 And when we are preſerved, let us not forget to give God the praiſe, he it is to whom we are beholding for preſervation, his praiſe may not be forgotten.
Secondly, we note,
Doct. That the way from Hieruſalem to Iericho is full of dangers.
This is true in the Hiſtory: For betwixt Hieruſalem and Iericho there was a Deſert, where paſſengers were ſpoyled by theeves and robbers, and much blood there ſhed, in which reſpect it was called Adomim, from the ſtore of blood there ſhed by them.Quod interpretatur ſanguineum Hier. in epiſt Paul. There alſo was Zedechias the King taken by the Captaines of the King of Babell when he fled from Ieruſalem.
This is true likewiſe in the Myſtery; we are never in more danger to be made a prey on then when we deſcend to Iericho, Si non deſcendiſſet, fortaſſe in latrones non incidiſſet, ſaith St. Aug.and travell to the World-ward. See Iob. 18.8 1 Tim. 6.10. In this way it was that Eſau. Achan, Gehezi Ahab, Ananias and Saphira, Demas (with many other) have bin ſpoyled: Some bound hand and foot, ſo as that they could do nothing: Some gagged, ſo that they could neither cry nor call: Thouſands mortally Wounded, ſo as that never after they could bee recovered.
Vſe Which ſhould teach us all, to be very wary how we go this way; Read 1 Ioh, 2.15. A neceſſary exhortation for us, to whom it is as naturall to love the world, as for ſmoake to aſcend; and hence it is that God doth ſo often admoniſh us to take good heed, when we walk that way, l…ſt we be enſnared, Deut. 7.25.
Should a Sayler ſee a Ship before him caſt away upon ſome Rock he would ſteere his courſe with the greater care: How many have we known, whoſe love hath bin cool'd, Zeale quenched, &c. through the love of this world? How many young ſervants have prooved (through the purſuit of this) irreligious Maſters? Young Saints in ſhew, but Divells in truth? In their former time they have like Thamar (King Davids Daughter) bin apparrelled in Virgins roabes, 2 Sam. 13.18.(A garment of divers colours, ſuch as Kings daughters uſe to weare) But in after time, their garments have bin torne; (Charity rent, Faith broake, Patience tatterd) ſo that as Abſolon ſpake to her, his Siſter; ver. 20.Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee, we may ſay to theſe, hath not the World bin with you, &c. Alas for us who follow after this world and feare not, when as indeed it is but as the wood and deſert, and the pleaſures therof the buſhes wherin the theiſe and ſpoyler lyes lurking to make us a prey.
Queſt. Muſt we have no doings with the world then? May it not be uſed at all nor followed?
Reſp. Surely then we muſt get out of the world (as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh) Why hath God placed us here, but to be imployed in it? Our callings neceſſarily require that we ſometimes take a journy towards Iericho, as to the Market-Towne; where and whence it is, that proviſion for our bodies muſt be made. But (notwithſtanding) we muſt travell as he doth who is to paſſe ſome dangerous road, having a great charge about him.
Firſt, have our eye in every corner or croſſe-way: He who travels a dangerous road is very circumſpect, and wiſely ſuſpitious of every one he meets withall: So ſhould we in following the world; ſtill looking upon theſe things, as ſnares and nets, laid to entrap us: So ſpeaketh St. Ambroſe, There is a ſnare in gold; Birdlime in ſilver; entangling ne…s and grins in lands and Lordſhips: yea this lower Hemiſpheare or viſible part of the world (as ſaith an other) is but the Divels Chesboard, wherin hardly can our ſoules moove, either backward or forward, but he ſets out one creature or another to attach us, nor have we any other meanes to avoid his ſubtilty and ſnare then by looking up unto the hills from whence commeth our helpe, Pſal. 121.1.as 2 King. 6.15.
The Bird when ſhe is affraid, mounteth up to Heaven and ſo eſcapes the net; thus ſhould we doe; For in vaine is the net ſpread for all that have wings. Prov. 1.17. They have power to eſcape by flight. Thus David, Pſal. 25.15. Mine eyes are ever towards the Lord, for hee ſhall plucke my feet out of the net. Learne a new way to eſcape taking.
The ſnare (you know) is laid on Earth, and the wiſeſt courſe would be (as a man would thinke) to have the eye thereabout where we ſuſpect the ſnare is: But (ſaith David) I will looke up; while we looke up the feet are gathered up the better. A wiſe mans eyes (ſaith Salomon) are in his head, but a fooles eyes are in every corner of the world: Let us be as that wiſe man and have our eyes in Christ our Head, and not as the Foole, but with the Sayler, who though he be upon the Sea, yet lookes more to the Heavens then to the Sea: So do we.
Secondly, he that travels in a dangerous way is carefull to provide himſelfe of weapons, for feare of Robbers; a good Staffe, or a good Sword, or both: So here in this our travell. Faith may not be wanting. David ſaid of Goliahs ſword, none like to that, ſo ſay we of this, it is a weapon offenſive, by it we overcome the world, 1 Iohn 5.4. and Divell, 1 Pet. 5.9. Iames 4.1. It is as a Piſtoll againſt a Theife, if our enemies ſee us furniſhed with that they will not haſtily venter on us.
It is alſo Defenſive, in which reſpect it is compared to a Target or Shield. 1 Theſ. 5.8. Epheſ 6.16. It defends us from the fiery darts of the evill one.
It is a good Staffe likewiſe to reſt upon. With it (in his hand) St. Peter could walke upon the Sea; we ſtand and are ſtabliſhed by it (as ſpeaketh the Apoſtle to the Coloſſians.) Therfore (if we be wiſe) provide we our ſelves of ſuch weapons, 2 Cor. 10.4.
Thirdly; he that is to travell in ſuch a way will be inquiring after good Company: For Vae ſoli, Woe to him that is alons; Eccleſ. 4 9.10.good ſociety takes away all tediouſneſſe from a journy: Get we into the company of the Saints, delight we in them that excell in vertue,Pſ. 16.9. they will helpe thee and aſſiſt thee by their Prayers, and examples: Their ſtrength ſhall be imployed for thy good, and thou better inabled to walk Heaven-ward: Two are better than one. (yet better one then a bad companion.)
Fourthly, he that travels ſome dangerous way will not be running into every by-lane; they will keep the beaten road: the Kings High way is held to be the ſafeſt way: So we, while we keepe our ſelves within the compaſſe of our calling (Generall or Particular) have promiſe of Protection, Pſal. 91.11. Otherwiſe we are as a Bird that wanderech from her neſt, Prov. 27.8. While it ſits brooding of her eggs, God took order that none ſhould hurt it, but being off, if any kil'd it, it was no offence: So is it with us; Balaam ſhall meet an Angell with a naked Sword, when he wanders out of his path, Numb. 22. the Prophet with a Lyon, 1 King. 13. Shime… ſhall looſe his life, when he paſſeth the bounds that are ſet him by the King.
If the Deere, leape over the pale and will be ſtragling into the fields not keeping within the compaſſe of the Parke, every dog ſhall ſet upon it, to hunt it in again. So the world, Divell, Conſcience, All, ſhall be let looſe againſt us, and a thouſand inconveniences ſhall befall us, to make our paths uncomfortable, to drive us to Repentance, and bring us back again. As God therfore hath diſtributed to every man, 1 Cor. 7.17.as the Lord hath called every one, ſo let him walke.
Fifthly, he that walketh in a perillous way will travell betweene Sunne and Sunne. Thus ſhould wee have the light of the Word for that wee doe: Before that Sunne riſeth ſtirre not out; nor be you ſeene upon the way after the ſetting of it. Gods word muſt be the light unto our feet, and a lanthorne unto our pathes; Like the Cloud that went before Iſraell; ſo muſt it be to us; all our actions are to be ordered and directed by it.
The arrow (you know) is put into the nick by the hand, and ſo ſent to the marke: Gods Word is that hand that muſt ſet us about our workes, So wee walking according unto rule Peace will bee upon us.Gal. 6.
Laſtly, he that is to travell in ſuch a way as is full of danger, will carry his Purſe or Treaſure cloſe and hide it in ſome ſecret place about him: It is not wiſdome to be boaſting of our Treaſure, as Hezekiah did, this is but to lay a bait for a villaine, as he did for gold thirſtie Babell. It is enough in your journey to make ſhew of a little, not all: There is Proviſion for the way; the full ſacks of Corne need not be opened, Gen. 42 25.
You ſhall heare ſome young women boaſt much of their conception,Iſay. 39. when in the end it prooves but, a tympany to their ſhame: Better, if with old Elizabeth, they would hide themſelves five monthes,Luk. 1 24. and be ſure they have (indeed) conceived before they be ſeen abroad. So in things ſpirituall.
Theſe are the Directions I commend to you, to obſerve when your occaſions require your travell towards Iericho, leaſt you become a prey to thoſe, who lye (like Arabians) in the way to ſpoyle you. It is not running to Mountaines, nor to Caces; flying from all ſociety and company, (as ſome have done) that will helpe us: For the world is every where, and theives are every where in the world. Poverty is a theife to ſteale away wealth: Sickneſſe is a theife to ſteale away health: Death is a thiefe to ſteale away life: The World it ſelfe is a theife to ſteale away the Word. But thanke we God for that which ſo overcomes us, as that it overcomes the love of the World in us: Our Faith.