The Good Samaritan, Part 6
[Theeves] Text
Doct. Firſt you ſee here in Scripture language that A Theefe is a Theefe; It give names ſutable to Natures, it calls not blacke white, nor white blacke, light darkneſſe, nor darkeneſſe light. Iſa. 5.20.
Vſe 1 Such (then) as caſt a varniſh upon ſin and ſinners; calling proud ones neat and handſome, Drunkards Goodfellows, &c. have not learnt of Scripture to ſpeake rightly; who in theſe daies dares call a ſpade a ſpade? Yet you ſee Scripture dares and doth.
Vſe 2 And for thee who by fraudulent and deceitfull dealing getteſt what is another man…, though man dare not name thee, yet know (as ſometimes Luther told one that perſwaded him to recant) God hath named thee, and branded thee for a Theife.
Doct. Theives] There is (then you ſee) a combination amongſt them; there are many of them, not one alone, Pro. 1.10, 11 hand joynes in hand, and heart in heart. Pro. 11.21.
Reaſon. They are of a like affection and diſpoſition: Now it is ſmne (ſaith Salomon) that makes fooles to agree, Pro. 14 9.
Vſe Shall not we then bind our hearts together in the Communion of Saints? Surely all our united forces will be little enough to make head againſt the league of cruell ones.
It was a good ſpeech of Iudah unto Simeon his brother, Come up with me unto my lot, that we may fight againſt the Canaanites, Iud. 1.3.and I will alſo goe up with thee into thy lot, So Simeon went up. Thus ſhould good Chriſtians joyne hands and hearts and purſes againſt the common adverſary.
But alas! For our diviſions which cauſe great thoughts of heart; whilſt Drunkards hang upon a ſtring; Swearers ſhake hands; Theives are ſworne brethren; we that profeſſe better things ſhrinke one from another, which is our ſin and ſhame.
Theeves] you may eaſily collect then hence,
Doct. That Theeves were abroad many a day agone as well as now. Iudg. 18.17, 24. Iob. 1. Ier. 3.2. Hab. 1.6. Mat. 27.38. and that Theeves are yet abroad needs no proofe. I might ſend you to High-wayes, Faires, Markets, Shops, &c. If you doubt hereof: For further confirmation forget not the precept, Exo. 20 15. which being morall ſhewes, that as there hath bin, ſo ſtill there will be, uſe thereof.
Vſe 1 It ſhould admoniſh us not to judge too hardly of our lawes, as if they were Dracoes, exceeding Moſes Iudicialls in puniſhing Theft with Death; Exod. 22.1.In former times there was required but reſtitution foure for one or five for one at moſt.
Vſe 2 But that judiciall Law did belong to the regiment of the Jewes, and bindeth not the Magiſtrate now: For creſcentibus delictis exaſperantur poenae, whence it was that even amongſt the Jewes in after times the Judge awarded reſtitution in a greater proportion than foure fold:Pro. 6.30. Lyra. Now under the Goſpell, theft is a greater ſin, than under the Law (like Runnet the older it is, the ſtronger it is) and the neceſſity of ſo ſharpe a remedy is greater amongſt us (generally) than it was amongſt them: So that a Theefe at Gallowes looking through a halter is none of the worſt ſights in a Countrey.
But who are theſe Theives, or what did they? See in the Text, They ſtrippe the poore traveller of his rayment, they ſor…ly wound him, and leave him halfe dead.
Firſt we may inferre,
Doct. Who ſpoyle others of their goods and take what they have no right unto, are Theeves. Exod. 20.15. Prov. 12.27. and 21.6, 7. Mich. 2.2. Luk. 3.14. Epheſ. 4.28.
So is Theft defined, to be the unlawfull uſurpation of another mans goods againſt his will; and therfore unlawfull, becauſe the owner was unwilling: And it is committed either in Ablato or in Depoſito.
If another take from mee, what belongeth to me, this is Theft, whither it be done without my knowledge, by fraud and cloſe couſenage, or with my privity (but againſt my conſent) as by violence and oppreſſion: Or with any conſent in part, as in the exaction of covenanted intereſt from diſtreſſed debters.
If another with-held from me what is committed to his truſt for my uſe and benefit, this is no better, Exod. 22.12. Levit. 6.2.
Vſe Let us beware of all unjuſt practiſes, if we would not be counted Theeves, 1 Theſ. 4.6. There are Nimrods, mighty hunters of the Earth, who when they oppreſſe, have their helpe at the gate in the place of Judicature, and dare ſtare the Law in the face, who come like Elies ſons with their fleſh-hooke in their hands, and ſay,1 Sam. 2. give it me, if thou wilt not I will have it. The Theefe ſteales (ſaith Salomon) to ſatisfie his hunger, Pro. 6.30.but theſe can plead in themſelves no neceſſity, for they are great men, Iſay. 1.23. Hoſ. 4.18 nor is there any ſuperfluity in thoſe they rob, for they rob the poore.
Believe it all Theives are not High-way-Cutters; there are more Theeves than thoſe who ſcowre the plains: There is a kind of Theife who hath a houſe, and that of his owne in which he dwels: In domum furis, the flying roule ſhall enter, Zach. 5.4. and commonly it is one of the faireſt and ſtatelieſt, being built with bloud: Thoſe that lye in itinerant ambuſhments ſhall in compariſon of theſe be counted as no Theeves. Theſe be poore ſhallow theeves, ſoone taken and clapt up in chains of yron, when the other walke (like Aldermen) in chains of Gold. Theſe great Theeves are a terrour unto little ones.
A poore Sea-Captaine being brought before Alexander for Piracie, thus confeſſed his fault: Indeed I am a Pirat, becauſe I robbed ſome poore Fiſhermen in a Cock-boate, but if I had ſcowred the Seas as thou haſt done, and ſpoyled all the world with a Navie, I had beene no Pirat, I had beene an Emperour. Thus ſome Malefactors dye for ſome petty theeveries, but if they had robbed the Church by Simony, or Sacriledge, or the Common-wealth by ingroſſings or inhauncings: The City by diminiſhing quantities, corrupting qualities, taking advantages, ſharking Sophiſtications: The Countrey by racking rents, encloſing Commons, they might have bin Senators, Inſtices, Gentlemen, and eſcaped the Gallows. As pertly and ſtately as many beare their heads, if they were ſtripped of that pompe, wherwith injuſtice hath cloathed them, they would be inforced to begge their bread in the World, and ſcarce find any to be bound for their truth and honeſty.
To conclude, the univerſall practiſes of injuſtice makes me become a ſuiter to you all of what rank ſoever, that you would not diſdain the commendation of being no theeves: For may I not ſay in the Prophets ſenſe, All men are lyers, ſo All men are theiveſt the Oppreſſor hath a theeviſh hand: The Covetous hath a theeviſh eye: The Slanderer hath a theeviſh tongue: The Drunkard hath a theeviſh throat: The Harlot hath a theeviſh lip: The Flatterer hath a theeviſh knee: Every Sinner hath a theeviſh heart. Do not hold it impoſſible for you to diſcover and attach a theefe in your own boſoms: Examine thy corrupt luſts within thee narrowly; thou wilt find thou had had a theofe at bed and board, arraign it, condemne it, puniſh it with an impartiall execution.
Next we may gather from this poore mans loſſe,
Doct. That the things of this life are tranſitory, and ſubject to innumerable caſualties: See Mat. 6.19. Moth may eat them; Ruſt may conſume them; theeves may rob us of them: To day we may be (with Iob) the richeſt in all the Eaſt, and to morrow the pooreſt, being left as naked as he was borne: 1 Tim. 6.17.In regard of which the Apostle calleth them, Divitias incertas, uncertaine riches, and the Wiſeman, the riches of vanity; Pro. 13.11.becauſe they are continually ready to vaniſh and come to nothing.
Vſe 1 Such are to be reprooved as judge otherwiſe; dreaming of certainties and perpetuities, Their houſes ſhall continue for ever, Pſal. 49.11.and their dwelling places to all generations; but how ſoon doth the wheele turne downe Prince and up Peaſant, down Rich man, up Poore man; down wiſe man, up foold? Ad…ibezeke, Nebuchadnezer, Haman, Belſhazzar, Acham, Naboath, Iob, Herod, with many more might be called in as witneſſes. What can we caſt our eyes on, that is not taken with a Palſy (as it were) ſo ſhaking as that the joynts cannot hold together; one mans inheritance ſhakes into another mans purchaſe, from them that have riches to them that are covetous; ſtill there is a continuall ſhaking, much wealth is eſcheated for want of heirs; much is confiſcated for ſome offences; much is rioted and made away by unthriſts; and much is taken from us by the violence of wicked ones. At the beſt eſtate all is vanity, and at the worſt vexation. Could we injoy our wealth ſo long as we enjoy our life, yet that were uncertain: For what is our life, but a drsame, a ſhadow, a vapour, a thing of nothing? With life all goes: Body and goods are both in a bottome, and caſt away together, Pſal. 49.17. But of the two life is of the longer continuance (oftentimes;) that is as the Tree, Riches as the leaves or fruit; the leaves will fall, the fruit is plucked off, when the Tree ſtands ſtill: Every theefe takes not our lives that takes our purſes; nor are there ſo many wayes in our paenall laws to forfeit our lives as our goods.
Dyoniſius the ſecond was Lord of foure hundred ſhips, had an army of an hundred thouſand foot-men, and nine thouſand horſmen, he had beſides the richeſt Magazine of any Prince in the world; yet he lived to ſee himſelf diſ-throned; his Sons cruelly butchered; his daughters, firſt raviſhed, and then maſſacred, and all his Allyes deſtroyed.
Gelener, that potent King of the Vandals, was ſo low brought, that he intreated his friend to ſend him a harpe, a ſpunge, and a loafe of broad; the one to make him merry; the other to dry up his teares, and the laſt to ſatisfie his hunger.
Bellizarius a great Captaine of the Goths, ſoone after his victory ſitts begging by the way, of the paſſenger, for one halfe penny. To come nearer home, not fewer then nine Kings in our owne Iſland have begun their Glory in a Throne, and ended it in a Cell.
Vſe 2 If than we make this world our center, how mooveable and uncertaine are our hopes? Wherfore be exhorted not to ſet our affections on theſe things, But lay up treaſure in Heaven, where no theefe can come, Mat. 6.20. It is a vaine thing, to reſt upon that which is ſo vain; being ſubject to ruſt, ſubject to fire, ſubject to man, ſubject to time.
That was never perfectly good which might be loſt, of this nature you ſee riches are. Alas ſilly things that they ſhould have one dramme of our confidence: Let God be our confidence, ſo, though we looſe divitias Dei, yet we ſhall never looſe, Deum divitiarum.
Theſe things being then (as you ſee they are) uncertaine and apt to run away as a wheele, let us be like a wheele too: The wheele (ſaith S. Hilary) though it roale upon the Earth, yet it hath its greateſt part from the Earth: So ſhould we have our converſations in Heaven, though we are here below. And when it doth fall out that we ſuffer any loſſe in theſe earthly things, never lay it much to heart, but know that then the world hath ſhewed it ſelfe to be like it ſelfe, and that God as a wiſe captaine hath rid thee of ſome luggage, that thou mayeſt purſue thine enemies the better, and mind Heaven the more, give God the thanks, Iob 1.21.
This was not all that this poore Travellour ſuffered from the hands of Theeves; For beſides this, They ſtripped him] They alſo ſorely wounded him even neare to death, So that hence wee learne
Doct. Who are unrighteous are alſo bloody, 1 King. 21. Mich. 3.2 Zeph. 3.3. Hoſ. 4.4. Pſ. 10.10. & 14.4.
Hence is it (as ſay the Learned in our Lawes) that Theeves are called Fellons, of our ancient word Fell or Fierce, becauſe they commit their theevery with a cruell and miſchievous mind. Sure I am that the Theefe breaketh the ſixt Commandement in breaking of the eight; for when he taketh away his Neighbours goods, he taketh away his Life, and therfore their goods are called their life, Luk. 8.43. She ſpent upon the Phyſitions all her goods, in the Greeke it is called, foreign, omnem vitam, her whole life, called ſo, becauſe they were the meanes to maintain her life.
Vſe Learne hence to bewaile the Fall of man, who by it is become a Beaſt, nay Divell unto his like. Beares agree with Beares, Tigers with Tigers, they will not make a prey of their own kind, but ſeeme to condole the miſery of their own nature. But man ſeeketh the ruin.Home homini Daemon. and deſtruction of man, like himſelf; yea taketh pleaſure and delight in the project, when it is effected:1 Cor. 15.32. Such Men-beaſts there are at Epheſus, yea every where tobe found, who if they ſpare the life, ſhed no bloud▪ &c. though they prey on the goods and carry away all that is portable, than facilis jactura, it is but an eaſie loſſe, Iudg. 18.24. As a Captaine ſometimes told a Traveller, who complained that his Souldiers had rob'd him and left him nothing but his cloathes, had they (ſaid he) bin my Souldiers they would not have left thee cloathes upon thy backe, nor life in thy body, for they ſeldome rob'd but they killed: ſo is it with theſe.
Vſe 2 Yea ſo deſperate are ſome, as that they do not only ſteale and kill; but likewiſe deflowre Virgins, raviſh Matrones, commit Adulteries, and ſo bind three tranſgreſſions together, breaking at once three of Gods divine precepts; The damnation of ſuch ſleepes not.
It may admoniſh us to be wary of all unrighteous perſons let them pretend love, make ſhew of friendſhip; yet being Theeves they ſeeke to draw you into ſome by-path, that they may the better have their wills of you: It ſhall be your wiſdome not to truſt them. True Religion is the band that ties us faſt, as to God, ſo one unto another; where that is not, hard meaſure may be expected.
Theſe Obſervations the Hiſtory affords,Myſtery. the Myſtery is as fruitfull, which teacheth us.
Doct. Firſt, Divels are the Theeves, See Mat. 13.19. Mark. 4 15 Luk. 8.12.
Reaſon. They ſeek to get that which is not theirs, the ſoule is Gods, and for that they eſpecially ſeeke to ſpoyle.
They have many names (like Theeves) and Proteus-like, they turne themſelves into all formes and ſhapes to hurt,2 Cor. 11.14. they love not to be known by their owne names; nor ſeene in their own colours: Sometimes indeed they rob without a vizard; with an open and high hand he commits his robbery and that both by Sea and Land, Rev. 12.12. Thus they come like Nimrod, that cruell hunter or oppreſſor, Gen. 10.8. and by their ſtrong temptations, horrible apparitions, put on to helliſh impieties, and cauſeth us to run into deſperate courſes.
But moſt commonly they caſt a cloake (as it were) upon their Theft, and come diſguiſed: Sometimes like a Divine, the Theefe comes with a Pſalter in his hand, colouring his Theft under pretence of Religion, Mat. 4.6. So thoſe who brought Cattell and Doves to the Temple to be ſold, and there changed their monies, pretending it was a furtherance to Gods ſervice, (the people having Sacrifices ready at hand;) but this was theft, Math. 21.13. Sometimes they come like Lawyers and take away mens goods per foreign by forged cavillations, as did Zacheus the Publican. Luk. 19.9. who juſtified his action by Statute, and if any did ſpeak againſt him, he was ready to accurſe them to be wrongers of the Law.
Sometimes they come like a Merchant in his ruffe and ſtake downe, haec dabo, ready mony, Mat. 4.9. Mat. 26.15. But theſe are Canaanites, and the ballance of deceit is in their hands, Hoſ. 12.7. They have a weight and a weight. Now God is all mercy, than he is all juſtice; they ſell by one meaſure to a wicked man, and by another to the godly.
Sometimes they come like one of the family of love, and rob with a demure countenance, as did Iudas, what needeth this waſte, why was it not ſold for ſo much and bin given to the Poore, But this he ſaid not for that he cared for the poore, but becauſe he was a theefe and had the bagge and bore what was put therein, Math. 12 5, 6.
Sometimes they ſeeme to be like Iuglers and with falſe duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page dice, couzen men of their monies, which the Apoſtle alludes unto, Epheſ. 4.14. Be not carried away with every wind of Doctrine foreign, with ſuch ſleights as men uſe at Dice: with extenuations, mitigations, qualifications, diſtinctions, they caſt a falſe dice at every throw.
Sometimes they rob like a broken Tradeſ-man in withholding that, which he hath been betruſted with: they have taken up for a day or two, or for an houre, the Hand, Eye, Eare, or Heart, and promiſed payment without faile, but what they get they keep till Chancery doe relieve us after a long ſuite (as in Davids caſe:) It is not poſſible to diſcover all the devices of theſe Theeves.
They compaſſe the Earth about like Theeves, Iob 1.7. and they have many ſecret haunts: Sometimes they lye lurking in the Church, and ſometimes in the Market: Sometimes at the bed and ſometimes at the boord: what Saul ſpake of David we may ſay of theſe, They are ſubtill, 1 Sam. 23.23. Sometimes they creepe into the Eare and lye there lurking to rob us of our Religion: Sometimes they get into the Eye ſeeking to ſpoyle us of our Chaſtity; They ſometimes breake into the heart of the proud, covetous, malicious, and wait their time for a booty: Sometimes they lye lurking in the mouthes and under the lips of our friends to doe us a miſchiefe. They are ſly, cunning Theeves; no Barrs nor Barricadoes can keep them out. It is not the Monks cell, nor the Auchorites wall, that will do it; Paradiſe it ſelfe could not, and if that place were not exempt; what place (think we) can be?
As they creepe into all places; ſo into all actions; In the way wherein I walked they have privily laid a ſnare for me, ſaid David, Pſalm. 142.3. Snares of Temptation, Ambuſhes of Deſtruction are prepared by theſe crafty enemies of ours, to ſurprize and take us in every calling; in every action; in every materiall; In cibo, in potu, in vultu, in veſto, as ſaith St. Auſtin.
—Cui nomina mille,
mille concendi artes—
Vſe This being ſo how comes it to paſſe that we take ſuch delight in the company of theſe? What traveller lighting into the company of a ſuſpected perſon doth not ſoone ſhake him off? Better is a blank than an ill filling. Or what wiſe man would invite a Theefe to come unto his houſe, and being come would make him the beſt cheare, ſhew him the beſt roome, lay him in the beſt bed▪ &c. when he is told for certain that he meanes to ſpoyle him? And yet this ontertainment hath Satan from us, when no Theefe ſo miſchievous as he: What Theefe but leaves ſomething behind him? Some gleaning grapes ſhall remaine (as the Prophet ſhews, Ier. 49.9.) They ſteale but till they have enough, but this Theefe carries all away that good is: Not a member of the body, not a power of the ſoul, not a good inſtruction in the head, not a good motion in the heart, but he ſteales away, Mat. 13.4.
Other theeves may be melted with teares and overcome with perſwaſions and intreaties; but Satan will not, he derides us when we mourne, laughes at us when we have loſt all Mat. 27 4.
Other theeves do not ever kill when they ſpoyle; though they take the goods, yet they often ſpare the life: But this Theefe hunts after the life, yea the pretious ſoule of man, that is it hee ſeeketh to devoure, 1 Pet. 5.8.
Other theeves do many times reſtore what they have taken: But what this Theefe ſteales is irrecoverable, never doth he reſtore any part of his booty, unleſſe it be reſcued by an high hand. Indeed if we follow with Hue and Cry, go to God, deſire his aſſiſtance, confeſſe their loſſes, raiſe the country, deſire all to ſend their helpe in Prayer, there is than no doubt but we ſhall recover what is loſt, elſe not.
Next obſerve there was (not one alone, but) many of them; they were the hands of Theeves this man fell into. So than conclude we,
Doct. The number of Divels are many. Epheſ. 6.12. Luk 8.2, 30 Revel. 12.7.
Object. But in Scripture mention is often made but of one, as, 1 Pet. 5.8.
Reſpon. That is, 1. In regard of mind and will; they are not divided amongſt themſelves, for then they could not ſtand.
2. There is one who is the head and principall amongst them; but notwithſtanding they are many in number, though how many cannot be determined; but we may piouſly thinke that there are more Divels in the Aire than there are men (at one time) upon the Earth; for who is free from them at any time? Some Divell or other is at hand to ſollicit man to ſin; beſides ſome one man may have a Legion of Divels, that is, ſix thouſand, ſix hundred ſixty ſix in him at one time, as we read in the Goſpell.
Vſe. Seeing than that the world is ſo full of theſe Theeves; let us not be careleſſe. Eliſha…s ſervant when his eyes were opened, ſaw tropes of ſpirituall Souldiers, which before he diſcerned not. If the eyes of our ſoules were once inlightened by ſupernaturall knowledge, and the cleare beames of Faith, we ſhould as plainly diſcerne the inviſible powers of wickedneſſe, as now our bodily eyes ſee Earth or Heaven; but carnall eyes cannot diſcern ſpirituall objects, which is the reaſon why many being in the midſt of theſe Theeves, ſee no worſe than themſelves, and think no danger neare.
Vſe. 2 And bleſſe we God for our daily preſervation in the midſt of our enemies, Pſal. 23. For as he that hates Iſraell neither ſlumbers nor ſleepes, no more doth he that keepes Iſraell.
Plutarch tells us how that Philip King of Maced…n having ſlept ſoundly, and awaking, ſpying Antipater by him, uſed theſe words; No marvell I ſlept ſo ſoundly ſeeing Antipater was by and watched: how much more cauſe have we to ſay this, after every nights preſervation and reſt, and give God the glory.