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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57545	The good Samaritan; or an exposition on that parable Luke X. ver. XXX----XXXVIII. A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell amongst theeves, &c. By Nehemiah Rogers, preacher of the gospel.; Mirrour of mercy, and that on Gods part and mans. Part II	Rogers, Nehemiah, 1593-1660.	1658 (1658)	Wing R1823A; ESTC R222130	165,186	261

as no mans eyes might ever bee so happy as to behold but his owne Appointed Lord and Soveraigne over all the creatures upon the Earth which received their denomination from him and did their homage most readily unto him In a word he was a creature every way so absolutely happy that unlesse we had againe his first perfections it is impossible to make compleate relation of his happy and glorious condition Thus God made man upright Eccles 7.29 but he hath sought out many inventions of his owne Although he was created thus Excellent yet mutable He was made good but changeably good In power of standing and possibility of falling Power of standing he had from God his Creator possibility of falling from himselfe being a creature so as that this his estate might be altered and changed by force of temptation That the creature righteous by Creation may so eternally remain Two helps or favours from God are necessarily required 1. A power to persevere in goodnesse for without this Power the creature of it selfe ceaseth to be good 2. An act or deed and that is the will to persevere or perseverance it self Both these helps the good Angels have and therfore kept their standing Adam received the first of God but not the Second For besides the goodnes of his will he received of God a power constantly to persevere in goodnes if he would Yet the act of perseverance was left to the choice and liberty of his own will which power he abused and so falling into the hands of Theeves the Divel and his Angels was soon rob'd and spoyled as we shall see in the Prosecution Object But how had Adam sufficient grace having not the will to will that good he could and might Respon He received sufficient for the perfection of his nature if he would not have bin wanting to himself but he received not sufficient grace for the immutability of his nature nor was that of necessity to be given to a creature Basil For then God had created a God who only hath his Name and Nature I AM it being only proper to him to be unchangeable good A Gold-Smith makes a Jewell of great valew saith one he compounds it of gold pearls and precious stones when he hath brought it to perfection he doth not put this property to it that if it fall it shall not be bruised nor broken Thus God created man in all perfection and gave him power and ability to continue in the same if he would yet he did not put unto his nature this condition that it should be unchangeable when it should be assayled by the force of outward temptation as it was whence he fell and as a rob'd and spoyled man now remaines Judge not then of Gods goodnes to him by what now he is Vse 2 Nor let any now trust to his own strength and power you see the weaknes of man at his best estate without the power of God he could not avoid the least assault of the Theefe or robber further than he was assisted by Gods good grace which should cause us now much more to renounce our selves and cleave to God wholy depending upon his gracious assistance in all our actions and attempts Let not our false heart deceive us which thinkes to goe beyond the Divell in swallowing of his baite and yet avoid his hook Worlds of soules perish by this fraud fondly beguiling themselves whilest they make themselves believe by their wit and strength they can beguile the Tempter Thus much for the Person spoken of Next consider we what it is that is said of him Text. He went downe from Hierusalem to Iericho and fell amongst theeves c. First we must speake of the termes before we come to other particulars Hierusalem Hierusalem of old was called Salem Gen. 14.18 Afterwards it was possessed of the Iebusites and named Iebus Pet. Martyr Pererius Iudg 19.10 And so from Iebus and Salem as some suppose by the change of a few letters for the better sound came Ierushalem Others thinke the former part of the word comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holy Hierom Mat 27.53 because Ierusalem is called the holy City But then there should be a mixture of two severall languages to make up the word And therfore their opinion is most probable who derive it of ijreh he will be seene Midras in Ps 76 Gen. 22. And Shalem Peace Thus put together it is Ierushalem the vision of Peace for there peace and concord dwelt Visio Pacis It consisted of two Cities One was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the upper City the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lower towne to this the Apostle alludes Galat. 4.25 the one signifies the Church Militant Psalme 128.5 The other the Church Triumphant Revel 21. In the Allegory then Hierusalem is a tipe of Heaven Doct. Thus it is in sundry respects First Hierusalem was high standing upon hills and therfore called the navell of the Earth or the middle of the Land Iudg. 9.37 Ezek. 38.12 And these that come from thence are said to descend or come downe when they went to other parts as this Samaritane is said to do Beautifull for situation saith the Psalmist Psal 48. And thus is Heaven It is a lofty and high Mountaine Isay 57.15 So high that we may wonder the eye is not wearied before it reacheth it The fairest Prospect in which all others end one inch of which hath more beauty in it then the whole Globe of the Earth And yet that we see is but as the outward curtaine of that glorious Tabernacle wherein God himselfe and blessed Angels reside which is conceived to be as far above that we see as that is this Earth 2. Hierusalem as it was high so holy Math. 4.5 Zach. 8.3 Dan 9.16 God having chosen it in a speciall manner to put his name there 2 Cor. 7.12 Thus Heaven Isay 57.15 that is the Throne of God there he sits that is his eternall habitation into which no unholy thing can enter 3. Hierusalem was a safe place being compassed about with a threefold Wall environed with many mountaines having a ditch that compassed about the Citie digged out of stone wherein an hundred and fifty thousand men did still continue and abide And yet Heaven is a place of more security there can no moth nor rust come to corrupt it nor Theefe breake through to steale Matthew 6.20 Isaias 32.18 4. Hierusalem according to the notation of the word was the vision of Peace there God made known himselfe by Vrim and Thummim there and onely there was the Temple the Priest-hood and Sacrifice Peace was within those Walls and Prosperity within those Palaces There it was where silver was of no price but accounted of as stones and where Cedars were as Sycamore trees in the Vale for abundance Thus is Heaven there we shall see God face to face and have a perfect vision of him Quoad capacitatem Creaturae though not

Saint Austins question with what face canst thou expect an inheritance from Christ in Heaven who hast defrauded Christ of his inheritance on Earth Bee not deceived God is not mocked thou mayst have wit enough to befoole thy innocent Mother on Earth of her portion but with all thy subtilty thou shalt never beguile thy Almighty Father which is in Heaven We doe but beat the ayre these men still resolve to have the tenth of their Neighbours estates let their Salvation go whither it will they will sooner loose their lives then their livings as an Impropriatour once rebelliously spake when mention was made of our late Kings willingnesse in their restitution Latere prae abundantia non valet prae impudentia non quarit Bern. in Cant. Serm. 33. However Israel must know his Transgressions and Iacob his Iniquities and such men heare of their Impropriations There is another whelpe of the same litter the unconscionable tyther or common defrauder of the Ministers remaining dues through their unconscionable customes false prescriptions and unjust compositions The Ammonites had halfe our apparell before now through these new found out tricks the poore Minister is turned out naked that little which the Canker-worme left the Caterpiller hath eaten up Impropriations are at a stay we trust they cannot take from the Church saith M. Eburne in his second Sermon on Math. 12 21. pag. 29. more then already they have albeit many a greedy and sacrilegious minded person elther desires or attempts it but these sort of persons do daily more and more encroach upon the Church to the spoyle and bane of it the hinderance of the Gospell and decay of learning There is scant a man of understanding who lives in any Parish where the tithes are impropriated and such Parishes there are good store in England at this day if they be sum'd up aright but doth dislike Of 9284. Parishes in Englād 3845. are impropriated of which number are within the province of Cā 3303. within the province of York 592. Cād yea disclaime against them if his owne hand be not in the sin Now thou that blamest another doest thou even the selfe same thing For what are these unconscionable customes compositions prescriptions c. but so many petty and particular Impropriations Change but the name the thing for substance is the same their ground and originall is vitious and the fruits and effects to the Church most pernicious as I have on that Parable Luk. 18.10 at large discovered I will conclude this Discourse with the report of a great and learned Lawyer of this Kingdome Sir Ed Cooke 2 part of his Reports fol 44. It is recorded saith he in History that there were amongst others two grievous persecutions the one under Dioclesian the other under Inlian the Apostata Euseb Eccl. hist l. 7. c. 3. the former intending to root out all Religion Occidit omnes Presbyteros he slew all the Preachers of the Word of God notwithstanding this Religion flourished for Sanguis Martyrum est semen Ecclesiae This Persecution was grievous But that under the other was more grievous and dangerous Niceph. l. 7. c. 3 Quia ipse occidit Presbyterium hee destroyed the order of Priesthood it selfe Theod. hist l. 3. c. 6. Niceph l. 10. c. 5. whilst he robbed the Church and spoyled spirituall persons of their revenews Upon which insued in short time great ignorance of true Religion and the service of God and thereby great decay of Christian Profession Ah vile shame whilst Hagar complaines of her mistresses persecution she should carry her selfe so insolently Whilst our Laity complaine of the Prelates and the Priests they indeed are found to be the greatest persecutors that this day England hath More Particularly From the History wee may collect Doct. Good Hosts should be carefull of their Guests We read Iosh 2.2 6. of Rahab who having once taken charge of the Spies she discharged the part of a good Inn-keeper and tooke great care that no hurt might befall her guests hiding them from death with the stalks of that plant which was made to hide the body from nakednesse and shame and for this she is commended Heb. 11.31 Such a good Host was Lot Gen. 19.6 7 8. and Obadiah 1 King 18.13 Vse These Examples together with that in hand should be remembred by those who are of this Profession Vnto these men do no harme said Lot unto the Sodomites for therefore came they under the shadow of my Roofe Gen. 19.8 Yea he rather chuseth to be an ill Father then an ill Host he tenders his daughters to save his Guests a faulty offer though a good intention Beda makes mention of an Inn in Arabia the Host wherof was a notorious theife and robber Beda de imag mundi and did use to bring those passengers he meant to spoyle into a goodly Roome richly adorned with curious pictures and hangings wherin was a soft bed to lye upon and delightfull to behold but both the Chamber and Bed were annoynted with deadly poyson in such sort that the infection did slay the Guests before the morning and whilst they were a sleep But Gods Judgements slept not for within a short time the house was fired by Lightning and both it and the Keepers were consumed to ashes If we have no such Hosts in England yet we have heard of some Guests who have had their threats cut in their Inns by the consent of Host and Hosters and of many more who have had their bane through infectious beds and roomes poysoned with drunkennesse and disorders I could wish all would take warning by judgements inflicted upon others vengeance will not suffer wicked Hosts to live The Heathen had a private and domesticall god whom they tearmed the god Lar which in our language we may interpret the god of the hearth Him they held in such reverence that if any had sled to the hearth albeit in the house of his capitall Enemy yet his Enemy durst not there offer him any violence by this means Themistocles the Athenian was saved For the hearth was dedicated to the Goddesse Vesta who was held to have her holy place where the chiefe fire of the house was made If then no Violence might be offered to our very Enemy flying to our hearth much lesse to those who come Guest-wise under our roofe for succour Myst In the Mystery Ministers should hence learne To bee carefull of those flockes committed to their cure and charge Ephes 4.11 Ezek. 33 ● Heb. 13.17 1. Cor 3 8 10. Act. 20.28 1 Pet. 5.2 1 Tim. ● 1.5 2 Epist 4.1 2. Hence are we called Pastours Shepheards Watchmen Rulers Planters Builders Fishers Husbandmen c. All which Titles require of us great diligence and carefull attendance Reason Our gifts are given us for this end not to hide up in a Napkin but to imploy Our maintenance is upon this condition that we work and labour 1 Thes 5.13

but seared with a hot iron These are like Dionisius the Herocleate whose belly was so fat as that he felt not Needles which were thrust into it And this is the condition of many who have lived a long time willfully in some grosse sin secret or open to whom custome is become another nature and it is joyned with a reprobate mind Eph. 4.18 Rom. 1.28 But as the mute and dumb Divell charged by Christ found a tongue Mark 9.26 so this dead and dumb Conscience in the end will speak Or els if it be not seared and starke dead yet it is very weake and feeble through the ignorance and darknes that is in it having only in the mind and memory a few ●●urall Principles as Abimelech had which are altogether insufficient to direct in the particular occasions of mens lives Whence it is that it workes like the childe in the wombe so weakely that the mother cannot perceive whither it be alive or no. Sometimes it could speake and would speake but it cannot be heard and therefore as good never speake Some silence it either through subtilty of wit finding extenuations or subtill distinctions to evade it as Saul in saving the beasts for Sacrifice or through violence of Affection overswaying it as in Ammons abusing his Sister Thamar against Consciences advice Pilate passing sentence upon Christ Or through cares and pleasures of this world opposing and choaking it so that there is no time to heare it as Faelix said to Paul You see how it is with one that runs in hast he heareth not what a stander by saith though he gives him direction for his race So is it with those that hast after the world Conscience bids them take heed of lying cousenage c. but they heare not Lastly Through Wilfullnesse it is silenced Rom. 14.22 When men allow what Conscience condemnes or with Caine deny what Conscience saith is true or put it willfully away that it may not trouble them in their course as did Himenaeus and Alexander Thus you see that sometimes Conscience may be quiet and still and like the man without the wedding garment say nothing but then it thinkes the more and when it speakes not it is writing and will find a time to read what it hath recorded though for the present with may out-reason it wealth out-buy it or might out-face it Sometimes it passeth sentence but erroneously or els speakes doubtingly Erroneously such a Conscience had Paul before conversion Act. 26.9 and those Ioh. 16.2 and such is the Conscience of some Papists Anabaptists Brownists c. and many amongst us in these daies in the practising of some sins as Vsury Swearing c. Secondly it sometimes speaketh but scrupulously or doubtingly If doubtingly then it passeth no sentence either way but stands debating in the mind what is fit to be said or done Rom. 14.23 And this befals many a child of God especially in things of an indifferent nature If Scrupulously then it concludeth with some feare or doubting But all this proceeds through Ignorance or misapplying of the Rule The light of the Vnderstanding is either lost and gone or marvellously darkened so as that we are ignorant of the Rule for Ignorance of Scripture makes us to erre or els abuse the Rule by false Expositions and Interpretations or misapply the Rule according to our owne conceits and fancies But if according to the Doctrine propounded the Vunderstanding come to be rightly informed and inlightened we need not doubt to appeale to Conscience and stand unto its sentencce as most sure Vse 3 Let us highly respect Conscience seeing God hath thus aduanced it It is that to which next under him we must commend our cases and Estates He hath placed it within us as a Judge to heare determine and passe sentence against which God will admit of no appeale whom it binds on Earth shall be bound in Heaven whom it looseth one Earth shall be loosed in Heaven the sentence of it God will second The advise of it we must take in all our actions and undertakings our Arbitrator it should be in all differences to whose decree and order we must be content to stand It will make us honest men and maintain our honesty in despight of Divels It will gaine us credit and become our surety so that we may be trusted for more than we are worth and if we worthily use it it will not faile us in this life at death nor at the day of Judgement What thinkest thou To conclude then as Saint Paul writing unto Timothy 1 epist 1.18 This command commit I unto thee that thou shouldest fight a good fight having Faith and a good Conscience So say I to you this advice I give to you if you would fight a good fight under the colours of our Saviour keep Faith and a good Conscience It was once said of Troy that so long as the Image of Pallas was kept safe in it that City should never be wonne That was a fiction this without all fiction is most true so long as a man keeps a good Conscience safe within him the sons of Violence shall never be able to do him any hurt Let the winds blow the waves beat upon his house yet it shall not fall because it is grounded on such a Rocke Let a good Conscience be clad in poverty exposed to injury yet it gives a blessed satisfaction to all 2 King 4. 2 King 2. Like Elishaes meale this makes our meat sweet when else it would be bitter Like Elishaes salt it makes our drink wholsome when els it may be our death It made Iohn Baptists garment please him when it was but haire It made Iacobs lodging please him when his pillow was a stone It makes us laugh when others weep sing when others howle but seek not the living amongst the dead 2 Cor. 1 12. this living joy in a dying Conscience non est hic you shall not find it here Those Judges knew this who acquitted those two sons suspected for murthering of their Father one T. Clelius a rich Roman the Story we have in Tully who going well to bed was found slaine in the morning the doores of his Chamber open and his two sons in bed in the same Chamber but fast a sleepe upon which they were acquitted of the suspition the Judges concluding peremptorily that it was impossible for the vilest Miscreant to sleepe so soon upon the committing of a fact so horrid Abad Conscience breaks sleep A good Conscience brings it And he said Text. he that shewed mercy on him then said Iesus unto him Vers 37 go and do thou likewise We have here the Answer to our Saviours Demand where 1. The Answerer who he is He 2. The Answer it selfe which is fairly and fully put in by the Lawyer and then Ratified by the Law-giver He that Lawyer spoken of before verse 25. who made the Question ver 29 He is the Respondent How contrary the Glosse of

see them and commend us for them which should be a great incouragement in holy duties Goe and doe Here is the Charge where 1. The Duty 2. The Person on whom it is imposed In the former we have two Particulars 1. Goe 2. Doe Both these require action and we will handle both as one in this Observation Doct. Our knowledge must be practicall It is not a verball profession nor a formall shew but action that must prove a good Christian This Lawyer who was of the sort and sect of the Pharisees as you have heard had questioned and discoursed much about eternall life and our Saviour had before called upon him really to practise what he did professe vers 28. But that would not beate him of Still hee goes on being desirous to justifie himselfe and so falles into a new discourse which as you see our Saviour thus concludes Goe thou and doe likewise q. d. If thou wouldest be as thou shouldest leave talking fall to walking forbeare discoursing fall to doing like as that Samaritane hath done before thee Goe doe thou As Christ said of himselfe so may it be said of this Doctrine In the whole volume of thy booke it is written of mee that I should doe thy will ô God Law and Gospell Prophets and Apostles yea and Christ himselfe when he was upon the earth required action Deut. 4.1 8.1 Ioh. 13.17 Mat. 7.26 Iam. 1.22 Ps 15. 106.3 2 Pet. 1.10 Phil. 4.9 Reason In true Godlinesse there is a Forme and a Power 2 Tim. 5.3 Now the Forme is taken up by many but will not prove a Christian Power is the life of Christianity and that consists in doing Christian Religion is more practicall than Theoricall rather an Ocoupation than a meere Profession dwelling as we say like the Artisans wit at his fingers ends Vse This serves to the Confutation yea Confusion of formal Professors and Hypocrites whose Religion is all outside no lining Profession of many is only talk and discourse it is turned into a very vizard by this age it hath mouth and Eyes and Nose but all painted Of the Heathen Idols it was said They have mouthes but they speake not Eyes but they see not c. Psa 115.5 It cannot be said so of these kind of Professors for they have mouthes and they speake Eyes and they see Noses and they smell but in this one thing they are like they have hands and they do not worke Feet and they walke not this is a shame to the Calling a disgrace to the Profession better it were that we would say lesse and do more It argues a dead Faith a dead Profession Revel 3.1 Jam. 2.26 Vse 2 As Christ spake of himself Opera testantur de me Iohn 10.25 So let our deeds of us It is not enough to say as it is in the Psalme Credidi ideo locutus sum I beleeved therefore I spake but Credidi ideo operatus sum J believed and therfore I wrought No man can work unlesse he believes no man can believe unlesse he works To stir us up to walking and doing let not these things be forgotten 1. Bare Profession though a thing excellent yet it is no characteristicall difference to discriminate a sound Christian from a reprobate we do not judge of the health of the body so much by talke as by the pulse S. Paul speaks of a possibility to have all knowledge yet bee nothing 1 Cor. 13.2 So to know as we ought to know is to practise that we know 2 Cor. 8.1 this seek after Goe and Doe 2. Consider the end of our Profession is not idle speculation but practise God gave us his precepts not to know but do wherfore serves the Sun but that man may go forth unto his labour So for the same end the light of Knowledge God lends to us Ephes 5.8 Philip. 2 15. Tit. 1.1 It must be knowledge after Godlinesse it must help forward that work while Knowledge swimmeth only in the brain it hath not attained his end the scope of Christianity being not to know but the scope of Knowledge is to be a good Christian This graceth Profession as the managing of a trade honours it above the Knowledge of it You may remember that passage Christ knew no sinne why so Surely because he did no sinne So much as we do so much we know and no more In Musick we have learned that Lesson when we have practised So is it in Christianity therfore see you Goe and Doe 3. The sweet of Christianity is in Practice What is it that makes the study of Law sweet to so many as is well observed by one but the practice of it Is there not difference betwixt hearing of the sweetnesse of Sugar and hony and the tast of the sweetnesse So it is and such it is betwixt the discourse of godlinesse and the practise therof Besides the Retribution is for doing Math. 11.28 Revel 1.3 Mat. 25.21 and that is the sweet indeed wherfore Goe and Doe 4. The danger is great if we practise not Ignorance doth not take away sin but knowledge without practise takes away all excuse Ioh. 9.43 this the Apostle sheweth 1 Tim. 1 13. as if he should say had his sin of Blasphemy and Persecution bin joyned with Knowledge he should not have received mercy These things amongst many other should prevaile so far with us as to cause us to walke and act And thus much for the matter here injoyned The Person is next considerable on whom this duty is imposed Thou Hence learn Doct. That the duties of Charity and such other Christian services are actually and personally to be performed by ones self The Charge you see is Doe Thou as well as others Others have bin Charitable Mercifull be thou so too A Doctrine strongly confirmed in Scripture which injoyning the duties either of first or second Table speaks singularly and particularly in the second Person as to one man So was the Law delivered Thou shalt have no other Gods c. So the Gospell If Thou beleevest he it unto thee as Thou beleevest c. Reason And no wonder seeing the Prophet giveth it for sound Doctrin Hab. 2.4 The just shall live by his own Faith 2. And the Question at the last shall be what hast thou done not what have others Mat. 25. Every man must be countable for himselfe to God Vse See that we have matter of rejoycing in our selves not in others this we shall when we put our hands to those holy duties God requireth of us not being like these Pharisees which would bind heavie burthens to lay on others shoulders There be some duties that belong to men in their particular stations or places as to the Magistrats Ministers c. which concern not others of which we may say as Christ to Peter what is that to thee But there is no duty that belongs to a Christian as he is a Christian but belongs to every Christian Mat. 28.20 Teach them to