The Good Samaritan, Part 7
And fell among Theeves. Text ]
Doct. We might obſerve hence, that Sin is a fall: So we have taken up the true terme and call Adams ſin his fall, and that aptly: For it fowles us like a fall, it bruiſeth us like a fall, it brings us down like a fall: But this I paſſe, and obſerve further
Doct. By falling into the hands of Satan wee became ſpoyled, 2 Cor. 4.4. He was a murtherer from the beginning, Ioh. 8.44. He ſeduced E…e, 2 Cor. 11.3. He provoked David to number the people, 1 Chron. 21.1. was alying ſpirit in the mouth of Ahabs Prophets to ſeduce him, 1 King. 22.21. Stirred up Iudas to betray his Maſter, Luk. 22.3. Ananias and Saphira to lye to the Holy Ghoſt. Act. 5.3. Elimas to hinder Sergius Paulus his converſion, Acts. 13. Not any robbery but he is the Theefe.
Object. But every man that is tempted, is tempted of his own luſt, Iam. 1.14.
Reſp. The Divell gives the firſt moove and riſe to ſin; we perfect it: He is the Father, our hearts the mother; he begets, we conceive; he ſtrikes fire, we bring tinder: Did we not joyne with him, nothing could be done, he having no inforcing might, though a perſwading ſleight, in working on the will. Still he hath a hand, and no ſmall one in the robbing and ſpoyling of us.
Vſe Watch therefore and pray that ye enter not into temptation, Math. 26.41. God hath an over-ruling hand, He can put a hooke into this Senacheribs noſe, and a bridle unto his lips: His power is a limited power:2 King. 19.28 God knowes how to deliver us out of his temptations; as alſo how to preſerve and keep us from his wiles. Should the Lord leave us into the hands of theſe ſpoylers,1 Pet. 2.9. our caſe were miſerable.Pſal. 124. Bleſſed be the Lord who hath not given us over as a prey unto their teeth, the ſnare is broken and we are eſcaped.
The Particulars wherin this mans miſery did conſiſt, were two: Firſt, the evill of loſſe, next the evill of ſence. For the firſt, He was ſtripped of his rayment by theſe Theeves.
Doct. Myſtically; The Image of God conſiſting of Righteouſneſſe and true holineſſe is the Garment. So it is compared, Iob. 29.14. Pſ. 45. Ezek. 16.10 Iſay. 61.10. Math. 22. Col. 3.12. Rev 69 & 12.1.
For, firſt, it covered us as doth a Garment, from top to toe, no part was left naked.
Secondly, it adorned us as doth a garment: Mordecai did not ſhine more in his kingly roabes before the people, than we before men and Angels in it.
Vſe 1 Affect we cloathing? See here is a Garment to be affected. It is fit for all Seaſons; not too hot for Summer, nor too cold for Winter (as Dyoniſius ſometimes ſaid ſcoffingly the rich garments of his gods were.)
It is fit for all perſons, old, young, men, women, and children, 1 Ioh. 2.11, 12, 13.
It is a profitable Garment, the longer you weare it the freſher and fairer it waxeth, and every day more and more in faſhion.
Laſtly, it is a comely Garment, no garment adorns like this: Other garments (which we take up in Pride) are nothing els but what the worme hath before in ſcorne egeſted. And to valew ones ſelfe by theſe, is as if the Daw ſhould valew it ſelfe by its Coxcombe, or a foole by his gaudie Coat. But this Garment doth honour us, and procure us eſteeme, both in the eyes of God and men, 1. Pet. 3.4.
O than get this Garment; and as men are ſeene and knowne by their apparell, ſo bee you by this, and as they ſeeke to get credit by their Garments. So doe you by it.
Pagans over guilded their blockes and ſtocks, that they might be worſhipped; and many garniſh their bodies for the ſame end; But all ſuch proud dreſſes, are like Democritus his brazen ſhield ſet up againſt the Sun, onelyonly to dazle the eyes of the beholder; in the meane time no care is taken for the obtaining of this Roabe: ſo many dreſſes ſom have for the head; ſo many ſuits for the back; but not one grace for the heart: how miſerable is the condition of ſuch?
As for thoſe who have this garment on their ſoules; let them honour it as the Philoſopher did his borrowed courtly roabes, which in the preſence of the Emperour on a ſolemne day he often kiſſed, telling them who asked him the reaſon, Honoro honorantem, I honour that which honoured mee. Nam quod virtus non potuit, veſtitus obtinuit, my vertu… could not procure me admittance into the Princeragged and beggarly of our ſelves to be let into the glorious Court of Heaven, but being cloathed with this garment we ſhall be let in with eaſe. But we come to the next point, viz.
Doct. Through mans fall hee loſt his raiment. The Image of God (conſiſting of Righteouſneſſe and true holineſſe) he was ſtripped of, Eccleſ. 7.29. Rom. 3.23, 24.
Queſt. Is all gone then, is there no ragge remaining on his backe?
Reſp. Not ſo much as will hide his nakedneſſe, or keepe off weather: Something remaines and is eſcaped (like that one ſervant of Iob) to bring the newes of his fall: A dead child hath ſome little reſemblance of the living Father, ſuch is that left in us.
Vſe 1 Take we notice hence of our naturall miſery: For firſt being without this garment, wee are naked, as Iſrael is ſaid to be, Exod. 32.25. Not as Paul ſpeakes of himſelfe, 2 Cor. 11.27. Corporally; but ſpiritually;Deut. 28.21, 22 lying open to all GODS plagues, Corporall, Spirituall, Eternall.
Secondly, we are deformed, and moſt uncomely, See Ezek. 16.6. Revel. 3.17. our deformity is not from without; but from within eſpecially, that which comes from thence defiles a man.
You reade what a diſgrace Hanun put upon Davids ſervants,2 Sam. 10.4. ſhaving of one halfe of their beards, and cutting off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks. A farre greater ſhame hath Satan put upon us; O that it might worke on us as it did on them; and that we would uſe this world as they did the boarders of that Iericho; ſtay here, but for neceſſity till our beards be growne, and we have againe recovered our former honour.
Queſt. But is this all? Reſp. If no more, yet (as Eſter ſaid unto the King concerning Haman) the enemy cannot countervaile our dammage:Eſter 7.4. But this is not all: for the Text ſhewes the Evill of ſenſe was added to the Evill of loſſe, He was ſorely wounded, So then
Doct. Every naturall man is a wounded man.
Caſt your eye upon what part you pleaſe, you can ſee nothing but wounds and bruiſes, Iſay 1.5, 6.
His minde that is blinde, Ier. 10.14. & 51.17. Epheſ. 5.8. Vaine, Pro. 14.12. Epheſ. 4.17. 1 Cor. 1.21. Fooliſh, Tit. 3.3. Eſay 29 13. Iob 11.12.
His Will rebellious and averſe, Revel. 8.7. & 7.14. & 6 19. Mat. 23.37. Ier. 18.12. & 44.16, 17.
His Memory marvellous weake and feeble, Luke 24.6, 7, 8. Heb. 13.2. 2 Pet. 3.5.
His Conſcience that is benummed, Epheſ. 4.19. Heb. 9.14. Gen. 10 15. Turmoiled, Iohn 8.9. 1 Iohn 3.20. Acts 2.37. & 24.26. Impure, Tit. 1.15. Heb. 10.22. Superſtitious and erronious, Marke 10.19.20. Luke 18.12. Mat. 15.2, 3. Iohn 16.2.
His Affections are unruly and diſordered, they ſtand quite croſſe, and contrary unto God, Gal. 15.24. Rom. 10.2. 1 King. 22.8. & 21.4. Iames 4.12.
His outward members are all inſtruments of ſin, Rom. 6.13, 19. & 3.13. Pſal. 52.4. 2 Pet. 2.24.
Totum eſt pro vulnere corpus. Lucan.In Noahs flood no part of the earth was uncovered; ſo here, no part, nor power of ſoule, nor body, is unwounded, Gen. 6.5. And as wounds ſend forth nothing but filth and corruption, ſo man by nature, the filth and foame of uncleaneneſſe.
Vſe 1 We may well admire, and bewaile the ſecurity of ſuch as can ſit downe and reſt contented with ſo wretched a condition: did we heare tell of one halfe wounded but in halfe ſo many parts as we are, we could not but pitie him; we would ſeek out to helpe him what lay in us; Woe is mee (ſaith Saint Auſtin) wretch that I am, ſo often wounded; for that thou art the Salve, and I am yet without thee: woe is mee wretch, ſo often dead; for that thou art the life, and I am without thee, &c. But a deceived heart hath beguiled us; the corruption of our wounds breaks forth in divers places, Mat. 15 19. Atheiſme in one, Adultery in an other, &c. yet who laies this to heart? nay who boaſts not (before God and man) of his owne ſoundeſſe?
Vſe 2 Secondly, if every naturall man be a wounded man, then do but conceive what an Hoſpitall this world is, wherein we live. All of us are wounded and diſeaſed; the ſent and ſavour that proceeds from our corrupted ſoares is moſt loathſome: This might imbitter the love of this world unto us.
Vſe 3 Seeke we out for helpe. Ob. But every wound is mortall? Reſp. True, and yet not paſt Chriſts cure. Queſt. What muſt be done? Reſp. As the Iſraelites being ſtung with fiery Serpents, looked up unto the brazen Serpent and were healed: ſo ſhould we, Iohn 3.14. Come to Chriſt, diſcover thy wounds, be willing to make them naked, cry out with David, My wounds ſtinke and are corrupt. And feare not but in due time thou ſhalt have health and helpe.