Milk for Babes in Christ, Sermon 3
CHRISTS COMPASSIONS TO SINNERS.
Sermon. III.
Luke 10.33, 34.
But a certain Samaritan as he journied came where he was, and whem he saw him, he had compassion on him: And went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring in oile and wine, and set him upon his own beast, and brought him to an Inne, and took care of him.
OUr Lord Jesus Christ doth notably set forth in this Scripture, his great kindness and love to sinners, under the notion of a good Samaritan, and a man that fell among theeves; to some places of Scriptures Allegories are necessary, to some useful and convenient; as that parable of the seed, and the sower, and the stony ground, Matth. 13. and Paul speaking of Abrahams two sons, the one by a bondwoman, the other by a free woman, which things saith he, are an Allegory; for these are the two Covenants, Gal. 4.22, 23, 24.
Notwithstanding, we must draw nothing by way of Allegory, but what is agreeable to other Scriptures which are more plain and more easily to be understood, ver. 30. A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Iericho] this certain man may be Adam, the first man Adam, who went down from Ierusalem, from that state of holiness and communion with God, and fell among thieves; these thieves are the devils which are the faln Angels, which stript off his rayment; Adam by his fall was stript of his rayment, 1. Outward, which was his innocency, that we read in Genesis that he saw his nakedness and was ashamed and hid himself. 2. They were stript of their spiritual rayment, that their souls were left naked; and its conceived by some that it was Christ that appeared to Adam and Eve, Gen. 3.21. where it is said, Unto Adam and to his wife did the Lord God make coates of skins, and cloathed them; there he had compassion of them; and their being cloathed with coats of skins, might hold forth their being cloathed with Christs Righteousness; & here was a notable discovery of the mercy and compassion of this good Samaritan the Lord Jesus, that he should save Adam and Eve, who brought themselves and all their posterity into a state of enmity and rebellion against God.
And wounded him] O what a wound had Adam by his fall! such a wound, that unless this good Samaritan the Lord lesus heal him, he will die and perish; a wound which himself could never cure.
And departed] So did the devil from Adam, when he had done him this mischief; left him in that miserable lost condition.
Half dead] There is a twofold life, spiritual and natural; he was half dead; spiritually dead, though he had a natural life; and so are all the sons of men by nature half dead; though they have a natural life, yet are they spiritually dead. Eph. 2.1. And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins; and the Prodigals father saith, My son was dead and is alive, was lost and is found. The dead shall hear the voice of the son of man, and they that hear shall live.
Vers. 31. There came a Priest that way, and when he saw him, be passed by on the other side; and likewise a Levite when he saw him, passed by on the other side] This holds forth the insufficiency of the Law to help us in our lost condition; the Law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better Hope did; (Heb. 6.19) by the which we draw nigh unto God; therefore the Lord Christ is said to have obtained a more excellent Ministry, by how much also he is a Mediator of a better Covenant; established upon better Promises; for if that Covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second; the Priest and Levite pass by and help him not; but saith the Text, A certain Samaritan as he came that way, when he saw him, had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, and poured in oyle and wine into his wounds. The Priests and Levites of the Law leave him in his misery, weltring in his blood, but our pitiful and merciful High-Priest, the Lord Iesus, he hath compassion on him: this Samaritan in the Text, is the Lord Iesus Christ; the Thiefe is the devil, who is the cruellest, bloodiest Thief that ever was in the world; he is a Thiefe, because he seeketh to rob God of his glory, and seeketh to rob us of our precious soules; Thieves have many cunning tricks to bring about their purposes; so hath the devil; therefore in the Scripture we read that he hath devices, that he hath wiles, and that he is a cunning Serpent.
Doctrine.
That Iesus Christ is the good Samaritane, who when all other things fail and help us not; yet he helps, seeketh and saveth poor lost ones; you see that the Priest and Levite help not; all things are but as Brooks that fail in Summer, but Iesus Christ that Fountain of living waters. David was in a sad condition, in Psal. 38.4, 5, 6, 7, 8. saith he, Mine iniquities are gone over my head, and are become a burden too heavy for me to bear; I am troubled, and go mourning all the day long; I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart, And v. 11. saith he, My lovers and my friends stand aloofe from my sore, and my kinsmen stand afar off.
Thus it is with us; the Law cannot help us, the devil seeketh to devour us, our own Consciences condemn us, and our friends and relations, like the Priest and Levite, stand aloof from our sores and wounds; and but that Iesus Christ the good Samaritan comes in to our help, we should perish; therefore saith David in the same Psalm, the 15. ver. In thee O Lord do I hope, thou wilt hear O Lord my God; he will, and help, and save; other things stand at a distance: yes, I have observed this, that men who have made it their business to dispute some controversies, and have had many dearly beloved notions and conceptions about them; yet in time of temptation and desertion those notions stand afar off and yeild no comfortings and revivings to the drooping fainting heart; nothing then but an experimental knowledge of, and true faith in the Lord Iesus stands the soul in stead.
But that you may see more cleerly and fully, the tender mercies and compassions of this good Samaritan the Lord Iesus to poor lost ones, we shall make some exposition of the Text.
1. Shew you how Christ is said to journey.
2. How he hath Compassion.
3. How he went to him.
4. How he bound up his wounds.
5. What is meant by pouring in oyl into his wounds.
6. What is meant by pouring in wine into his wounds.
7. What is meant by setting of him upon his own beast.
8. What is meant by the Inn he brought him to.
9. How he took care of him.
1. How the Lord Iesus this good Samaritan is said to journey.
By this is meant Christs being made flesh, and dweling amongst his; he took a journey from heaven to earth, to seek and to save that which was lost; he who was brought up always with God, and was continually his delight, came from the bosom of the Father, to bring us to the bosom of the Father.
Things to be considered in Christs journey,
1. In what manner, form, and habit he came in; the Scripture tells us, he came in the form of a servant, though he was Lord of all, and the brightness of the Fathers glory; yet in this journey he cometh in the form of a servant; (Philip. 2.6, 7, 8.) he came to do the will of him that sent him; the Lord Jesus came this journey in such a mean habit, that the Prophet Isaiah saith, His visage was marred more then any of the sons of men; and that when men see him they shall see no beauty in him wherefore they should desire him; that is to say, those who looked onelyonly at the outward appearance, seeing he came in the form of a servant, without any worldly pompe and state, therefore they would despise and reject him: but though the Lord Jesus came this first journey into the world in the form of a servant: yet the second journey, that ere long he will take from Heaven into this world, will be mighty and glorious, when he shall come and reign in Mount Sion, and before his Antients glorious, taking to him his great power; wherefore saith the Prophet Isaiab, Who is this that cometh from Edom with dyed garments of Bozrah, travailing in the greatness of his strength? (Isa. 63.1.) the Lord Jesus shall take that journey in the greatness of his strength coming in glory and Majesty; for then will the day of vengeance be in his heart, and the year of his redeemed be come.
The second thing to be considered in Christs journey, is what accommodations he had; he saith himself, The Foxes have holes, and the Birds of the ayr have nests, but the son of man hath not whereon to lay his head, O the infinite condiscension of the fellow of the Lord of Hosts, that though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor, that we through his poverty might be made rich.
The third thing to be considered in Christs journey, is what usage he had from the world, when he journeyed and went up and down the world doing good; we finde that the Gadarens despised him, were weary of his company, and beseecht him to depart out of their coasts. How was he reproached, called Beelzebub, the Prince of Devils? all the while he was in the world, he was a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief, and we hid as it were our faces from him, and at last he was betrayed into the hands of sinners, and they crucified the Lord of Glory: thus he died, that we might live; and suffered for our sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, offering up himself in the eternal spirit, that he might obtain an eternal Redemption for us; and being thus put to death in the flesh, it being impossible for this holy one to see corruption, he arose from the dead, and went to appear in the presence of God for us, and so the Heavens contain him until the time of the restitution of all things, when he will take another journey into this world in power and great glory, and then shall have dominion from Sea to Sea, from the Rivers to the ends of …e earth; Behold he cometh this journey ere long, Amen, even so come Lord Jesus, come quickly.
The second thing, He had compassion on him; There is a notable Scripture to shew the Lords compassions to sinners, Ezek. 16.5, 6, 8. No eye pittied thee to doany of these unto thee, to have compassion on thee; as here, neither Priest nor Levite pittied thee, poor creature, to do any of these things unto him, to have compassion on him, to binde up his wounds, but saith the Lord there, When I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thy blood, I said unto thee, when thou wast in thy blood, live: O Christs compassions to sinners! he is eyes to the blinde, and feet to the lame: He standeth at the door and knocks, and saith, Open to me, He succoureth them that are tempted, Heb. 2.18. we read of him, that in the days of his flesh he had compassion on the multitudes, and healed their sick; and the more bowels of mercy, and pitty, and compassion we have to them who are in the gall of bitterness, the more like to this good Samaritan, the Lord Jesus.
Thirdly, He went to him, Christ cometh to us before we come to him, we are drowning in the Sea of sin, and the Lord Jesus cometh to us, and taketh us by the hand, and lifts us out, puls us out, He went to the poor creature: we are dead in trespasses and sins, and Christ cometh to us, cometh to our graves, and saith, Awake from the dead: we are prisoners and cannot stir, are fettered with sin, but the Lord Jesus cometh and saith to the prisoners. Go forth, and to them that are in darkness, shew your selves. O a tender hearted Christ, who is found of them that sought him not! this man did not seek the good Samaritan, but the good Samaritan sought him; Christ came to seek, as well as to save that which was lost, Luke 1.77, 78. The day-spring from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sat in darkness; the day-spring from on high, is the Lord Jesus: and mark, he hath visited us, we were sick, and lay weltring in our blood: we stir not, but this good Samaritan cometh and visits the poor soul: and see further, To give light to them that sat in darkness: This was our condition, we sat in darkness, we did not set one step towards Christ, but sat still in our darkness of ignorance and sin, till Christ comes and guides our feet into the way of peace.
4. He bound up his wounds, Christ cometh not in vain to poor souls, he cometh to do them good, to save them, comfort them, binde up their wounds, Isa. 61.1. The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, saith Christ, he hath annointed me to preach deliverance to the captives, and to binde up the broken hearted: My brethren, if you were wounded for sin, the tidings of this good Samaritan would be glad tidings to your souls: but O consider, when you have wounds of Conscience, doth this good Samaritan binde up your wounds, or do not ye your selves binde up your wounds with the rags of your own righteousness? And I pray observe, He bound up his wounds, not one wound onelyonly, we have many wounds, many sores; now Christ binds up all the wounds, he maketh all right in the soul: Christ is a cure for all our wounds, and we may try this and the other, but we shall finde them all Physitians of no value, we shall have cure onelyonly from the Lord Iesus; if the Priest and the Levite had come to the poor man, they could not have cured him, but the good Samaritan doth it throughly.
5. He poured in oyl, What is meant by this?
1. Oyl holdeth forth the Spirit, the unction from the holy one. Psal. 41.7. 1 Joh. 3.20. This sheweth us how the Lord Iesus at conversion giveth poor creatures his Spirit; we have received, saith the Apostle, the Spirit, whereby we know the things that are freely given unto us of God, and it holdeth forth the graces of the Spirit, Matth. 25.4. The wise virgins which are true Believers, they are said to have oyl in their Lamps, that is, the graces of the Spirit; so that Christs pouring in oyl, holds forth our receiving of his fulness, and Grace for Grace.
2. The oyl holdeth forth comfort and joy, Christ giveth the poor the oyl of joy for the spirit of heaviness, Isa. 61.2, 3. and so, whereas the soul was without comfort, despairing, fainting, drooping, he comforts and cheareth up the soul: O poor Saints! Before this good Samaritan came and poured in this oyl, you were in a sad condition, but did not he bring comfort to your souls? Oyl maketh the face to shine, saith David, Psal. 104.15. Christ took up into the Mount in communion with them, and then as Moses, your faces did shine
6 Andwine. The good Samaritan poureth in wine, not Vineger: what doth that hold forth? why the manifestation of Christs love to the soul; and as the Spouse saith, Thy love is better then Wine, (Cant. 1.2.) more chearing, comforting, warming; wine maketh glad the heart of man, Psal. 104.15. So doth the love of Christ: what is so welcom to a poor soul, as the manifestation of Christs love, the kisses of his mouth? Till Christ manifest his love, it is sad and heavy: now saith Solomon, Give wine to him that is of an heavy heart, Prov. 31.6. O what a heavy heart hath a poor creature that is convinc't of sin by the spirit, till Christ come and manifest his love! O have none of you had heavy troubled hearts yet! If you have heavy hearts, Christs love and nothing else will refresh you.
7 He set him on his own beast, This holdeth forth Christs bearing our sins in his own body upon the tree, bearing the chastisements of our peace, Isa. 53.5. 1 Pet. 2.21. and so in that parable of the lost sheep, Luke 15.5. saith Christ, when he hath found the lost sheep, he layeth it on his shoulders rejoycing.
8. He brought him to an Inn, This Inn is the Gospel, the Covenant of free grace; in this Inn every one that thirsteth, may buy wine and milk without money, and without price, Isa. 55.1.
1. An Inn is a place free for all comers: so is Christ and the Gospel, whosoever cometh to me, I will in no wise cast our, Rev. 19.16. whoever will, let him come and take of the water of life freely.
2. In an Inn you may have what you will call for: so here, whatsoever you ask in my Name, saith Christ, you shall receive it: yea the Lord saith, Before ye call I will answer, and whilst you are yet speaking I will hear: open thy mouth wide and I will fill it.
3. You may be free in an Inn, and so you are in Christ; if the son shall set us free, then we shall be free indeed; the Gospel is the Royal Law of Liberty: and the Hosts that you read of, verse. 35. are the Ministers of the Gospel: to them Christ giveth two pence, that is, the Word and the Seals: this the good Samaritan provides for the poor converted sinner, the sincere milk of the Word, that he may grow thereby: he hath given gifts to men for the perfecting of the Saints.
9. And took care of him; Christ took care of the poor creature, Christ is the head of the Church, and the head is the seat of care; what a care had Christ of Peter, Sathan desireth to winnow thee as Wheat, but I have prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not; Nay, ye shall see, Joh. 18.8. That Christ had more care of his Disciples, then he had of himself; saith he, I am he whom ye seek, take me, and let them go; Christ knew his Disciples had but little Faith, but saith he, Let them go: he never saith, let me go: What would become of the little childe, if the mother had not a care of it? it would fall into the fire, be in a hundred mischiefs, and what would become of us, if Christ had not a care of us?
1. Christ taketh care that our wounds be healed.
2. Christ taketh care that we do not fall among thieves again.
3. Christ taketh care to keep us in the Inn of the Gospel, and maketh much of us, then carrieth us into his Wine-sellar, and his banner over us is love.
4. He taketh care that Satan shall not devour us: had not Christ a care of us, what would Satan do to us?
Ʋse.
Of comfort to sinners, here is a good Samaritan, the Lord Jesus, that can cure all your wounds: It was a saying of Luther, that Christ was an Hospital for wounded sinners; indeed the whole need not the Physitian: those who are whole, who have licked themselves whole by their own duties and good works, they see no need of this Physitian; but O you that see, that from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot, nothing but wounds and putrifying sores, take Christ for your Physitian; let this good Samaritan come and pour in oyl and wine into your wounds: if that you go to the Law for cure, you will be like the woman that had the running Issue thirty eight yeers, and could get no cure; but she cometh to Christ, and doth but touch the hem of his garment, and she was made whole; look unto him, he is the Brazen Serpent, look unto him and be saved, all ye ends of the earth; whatsoever your wounds are, Christ can cure them; look out to no other for cure, neither to the Law, nor your selves; do not think to cure them your selves: but, O that this good Samaritan may come and binde up my wounds and pour in wine and oyl, that he may come and speak a word of comfort; create the fruit of the lips Peace, Peace.
FINIS.
End of the text · Martin Finch, Milk for Babes in Christ (1653)