of mankind being through the malice of sathan spoiled out of the cloathing of innocencie sore wounded with all kind of vice cast a side destitute of helpe halfe dead and euen at the next dore to desperation Iesus comming downe from heauen vouchsafed to visite and see them And to the ende hee might the better helpe them by taking mans nature on him he came very neere to man both seeing and being seene hearing and being heard feeling and being felt and hauing pitty on our extreame distresse he tooke vpon him our sinnes and beare them on his owne body he did in his own proper person suffer that we had deserued The same Iesus hath seene to the curing of vs who neuer turned his face from any sinner were he neuer so vile or abiect Whereas the proud and disdainfull priest passeth by him euen then giuing vp the ghost whereas the Leuit neglecteth him bidding God haue mercy vpon him and so going foorth on his way as hee had begun least he should sustaine some hinderance or damage in the things of the world while hee helpeth his neighbour Iesus this Samaritane hath his Hosts and In-holders to whom he leauing the earth and ascending into heauen doth commit the wounded man to be wel looked vnto promising a reward in heauen if through the aboundance of charity they shall haue laied out any thing more then was commaunded for the healing of the pittious body And by these In-holders are to be vnderstoode the Apostles Ministers and Preachers by whose painfull preaching he doth cure and helpe mankind and gathereth the same from the violence of theeues into the inner roome of the church where the wounds of sinne are healed By the doctrine of the gospell our very enemies must be loued and by Christ his example the poore the strangers the fatherlesse and widdow are to be releeued by our almes and charitable deuotion For true it is that Christ is loued in his members in whom likewise he is offended wheÌ„ their weake consciences are offended and is put to open shame of the world when they be put to shame and is put to death wheÌ„ they be put to death wants releefe when they are in need and necessity The fountaine of mercy is the loue of thy neighbour for if thou doest not affect the party thy mercy will soone grow key colde And that thou mayest take liking to the party yea although he be thy enemy if it be no more but for Gods cause and at his request mark what Christ saith If ye loue mee keepe my commaundements whereof this is one Loue your enemies doe good to them that hate you Kill thy anger and thy wrath bury thy hatred and tread it vnder thy foote GOD hath been fauourable vnto thee doe somwhat at his request doe more for his loue Heb. 6 10. God is not vnrighteous that he will forget your works and labour that proceedeth of loue Heb. 13. To doe good and to destribute forgette not for with such sacrifices God is pleased 2 Cor. 9 6 7. Hee which soweth little shall reape little and he that soweth plenteously shall reape also plenteously Let euery man doe according as hee is disposed in heart not grudgingly or of necessity for God loueth a cheerefull giuer 1 Iohn 3 17. Who so hath this worldes good and seeth his brother haue neede and shutteth vp his compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him Tob. 4 7. Giue almes of thy goods and turne neuer thy face from any poore man and then the face of the Lord shall not be turned away from thee Be mercifull after thy power if thou hast much giue plenteously if thou hast little doe thy diligence gladly to giue of that little For so gatherest thou thy selfe a good reward in the day of necessity Pro. 19 17. Hee that hath pitty vpon the poore lendeth vnto the Lorde and looke what he layeth out he shall loose nothing it shall be paide him againe Psalme 41. Blessed is hee that considereth the poore and needy the Lorde shall deliuer him in the time of trouble The Lorde preserue him and keepe him aliue that hee may be blessed vppon earth and deliuer not thou him into the will of his aduersaries and enemies The Lorde comfort him when he lyeth sicke vpon his bed make thou all his bed in his sicknes Gal. 6 10. While we haue time let vs doe good to all men and specially to them which are of the householde of faith 1 Timo. 6 17. Charge them which are rich in the world that they be ready to giue and gladly to destribute laying vp in store for themselues a good foundation against the time to come that they may obtaine eternall life In conclusion gather this lesson also to see the mildnes of our sauiour Christ how largely and modestly and delightfully he aunswereth and satisfieth his enemy which came to intrap him that wee may learne with 〈◊〉 modesty and good will to answere them that seeke our hurt Yea all superiours are heereby aduertised not to be too austere to them that demaund any thing of them See you not how Christ answered this crafty Lawyer to the full when he might haue cut him off in shorter termes or else aunswered him with silence See also how by these demaunds and by euery little occasion our Sauiour deliuered many profitable wholsome instrucâ—â—ons By this example righteous men the friends of God and the louers of mens soules are glad vpon the least matter offered to profit as many as they may and for the loue of God and their neighbours to shew forth many good works According to the exhortation of our Sauiour Christ Math. â— 16. Let your light so shine before mâ—◠〈◊〉 they 〈◊〉 see your good works glorifie yoâ—â— sâ—â—hâ—r which is in heauen In another sâ—nce Ierusalem is sayde to signifie Paradice where-hence man vvas cast out and depriued of all spiritual gyfâ—â— and graces as immortalitie righteousnes and holines the true knowledge and feare of God Iericho signifieth this world and the calamities and miseries thereof the diuers infirmities where-with man is oppressed by sinne By theeues the deuil and his kingdome euill counsell company example By garments heauenly graces and the perfection which man had before his fall By wounds his infirmities the corruption of his whole nature which hindereth vs that we cannot loue and serue god as we ought By the priest and the Leuite the sacrifices of the old Testament which could not deliuer vs from sinne and death By the Samaritane Christ which deliuered vs from sinne death the deuill hell By the Samaritanes iournying Christ his descending from heauen and taking vppon him the nature of man By comming neere vndertaking the affections of man beeing like vnto him in all thinges sinne onely excepted Had compassion The cause that mooued him was his mercy not our desertâ— He bindeth vp our wouds when he forgiueth our sinnes and healeth our manifold infirimities
apparant His Father dooth not debate the case with him doth not chyde and threaten him but straight-way dooth embrace him VVherefore they gather foolishly heere-hence that say gods mercy is not ready for sinners till they by repentance prouoke him there-vnto Heare say they our heauenly Father is set forth to be most easie to forgiue but not before the the sinner doe purpose to returne therefore God dooth not vouchsafe any his famous before they seeke it True it is that the sinnen may obtaine pardon forgiueries that it is most requisite that he should be toucht with sorow of conscience wherby he may be displeased with himselfe but it followeth not therefore that repentance which is the gift of God should haue his first beginning of mans owne motion And in this sort farre vnfitly is an earthly father compared vnto God for it is not in mans power by the secrete instinct and working of the holy spirit to renue and alter and change the hart of a sinner and of a stony to make a fleshly hart Eze. 11.19 and 36.26 But the question is not heâ—re whether man being conuerted of himselfe returne vnto the Lord but vnder the person of an earthly father Gods mercie is coÌ„mended and his readines to forgiue The grace of God which hastneth speedily worketh requireth no delay As the nurse seeing the weak child to set forward to go doth presently run to stay him So dooth God help those by his grace to begin and continue in godlines of life whom he hath framed therevnto Iob. 14. Thou shalt call me and I shall aunswere thee thou louest the worke of thine owne hands The mercie of God is not slowe to them that trulie repent As soone as we being toucht with sorrow call vnto him for mercy and forgiuenes he openeth the wings of his mercie to receiue those that flye vnto him that they may returne into his fauour and be reconciled vnto him How-beit it falleth out most backwardly that the more diligent God is to doe vs good the more forward are we to all euill and slow to goodnes How hasty were the Israelites to giue theyr iewels and earings to the making of a golden calfe and to bad purposes we are liberall enough if not too prodigall But who is there that to the releâ—â—e of a poore man would giue his ring off his finger or golde out of his purse nay scarce a poore penny and what small helpe is a penny Vpon whores and harlots most vngodly we consume great wealth but vppon our poore kinred wee are loth to bestowe the least helpe Vertue calleth vnto vs commaundeth vs and wee are fast asleepe and heare not Vice and wickednes dooth but becken and hold vp the finger wee run most speedily We are hastie to doe euill but slow to good works He fell vpon his necke VVhereby is declared not onely Gods loue but his great care in preseruing guiding and gouerning of them which turne vnto him he doth cherrish and embrace the repentant sinner with both his armes of mercy loue and compassion His lest arme is the forgiuenes of sinnes and his right arme is the promise of glory and euerlasting life According to that of the prophet Hosea 11.3 I led Ephraim as one should beare him in his armes I ledde them with cordes of a man euen with bands of loue and I vvas to them as he that taketh of the yoke from theyr iawes And kissed him Which signifieth the infusion of his heauenly grace pouring forth the greatnes of his affection shewing the effect of his heauenly bounty and goodnesse toward a penitent sinner By these sencible matters of embracing and kissing more high and heauenly things are meant By the kisse is meant the perfection of grace because a kisse is a signe of perfect reconciliation good will peace and loue therefore it is set in the last place Great is the gracious fauour that God sheweth to man-kinde The manifold mercies of God for if hee should straight lie deale with the most godly he should find matter enough to condemne them But so excâ—eding is his mercy compassion that hee presenâ—eth sinners calleth backe those that flie froÌ„ him gathereth together those that are disperced deliuereth them that are readie to perrish quickneth those that are dead in sin iustifieth them whose deserts haue been farre otherwise rebuketh those that are negligent stirreth vp those that sleepe in sin raiseth vp those that are falne instructeth those that are ignorant bringeth back those that are gone astray embra-braceth them that returne and keepeth preserueth theÌ„ by all means possible Who soeuer therefore doth duly consider Gods mercy compassion hath no cause to distrust and to fall away from God but rather to be coÌ„forted with hope of pardon Why therfore ô sinner dost not thou depart froÌ„ sin seeing that thou maist bee graciouslie receiued For at what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sin I wil put out all his wickednes out my of remeÌ„brance saith the Lord. Howe ready is Gods mercy toward thee that hee may graciously receiue thee and crowne thee also with honour Come out then out of thy prison into this place of liberty if it be possible that thou canst wind thy selfe out of the slauerie of sin thou shalt finde thy Sauiour vvith his armes wide open most louingly and graciously to receiue thee and also to prepare thee an euerlasting dwelling place in heauen after this wretched life and that more princelike theÌ„ any king in this world doth enioy Feare not little flock contemptible base despised in the world for it is your Fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome Why doost thou not stirre then from sin beeing almost ouer-whelmed why doost thou stand in dirt and mire when thy feet may goe vpon cleere ground Some Father woulde haue taken vp his prodigall child very sharply corrected him seuerely hee woulde haue called thys spend-thrift to account how he had spent his goods how he had wasted his patrimonie where he had beene so long as a vagabond But beholde the great compassion of the father of this prodigall sonâ—â— resembling Gods mercy to a desolate sinner He dooth not aske account of him where hee was or how hee had wasted his substance he doth not reuile neither doth he handle him sharply but with a most mild ioyfull countenaunce and a louing behauiour goeth out to meete him embraceth kisseth him and maketh great ioy O inestimable loue infinite charitie goodnes vnspeakeable VVhat minde is it that would not burst forth in teares what hard hart is it if it were harder then the Adamant which would not be mollified and relent at so great kindnes and curtesie offred Returne therfore vnto the Lord who art farre off from him it is his desire a sinner should liue he would not his death how head-long and voyde of reason then is he that will refuse life and take hold of death
this is the badge of Christians whereby they are distinguished froÌ„ the douils company VVhen our Sauiour Christ taught his disciples the time he was conuersant with them humilitie patience contempt of the world and other christian vertues and duties the perswasion of loue charitie and good will he reserued to his last supper to the intent that hee might most firmly imprint the loue of our neighbour into the harts and memories of his disciples For this is giuen vs by nature that looke what our friend doth giue vs last in charge wheÌ„ he departeth from vs that stickest longest in our remembrance In this duty of loue consisteth the perfection of al christianity Therefore S. Paule sayth that the whole lawe is comprehended in this one thing Thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thy selfe He that fulfilleth both these commaundements as he ought may without blushing appeare before God Dauid saith ô Lord I haue loued thy commaundements and therefore he desired the presence of God but Adam beeing called fled from God hid himselfe because hee had disobeyed God and therefore durst not come into his presence The prophet saith not I haue knowne thy law or I haue kept thy lawe but I haue loued thy lawe To keepe thy lawe is of necessity and feare but to loue proceedeth from inward affection The loue of God is perpetuall but the loue of the worlde or of our selues is but for this life for the loue of the worlde and of our selues we indanger our selues but for the loue of God we finde a meanes to be pertakers of the kingdome of God and of euerlasting ioyes The especiall cause of louing our neighbour is in respect of his soule And a good shepheard wil not spare to lay downe his life for his sheepe and many haue been content to be offered vp for the confirmation of the faith of others This doâ— and thou shalt liue See how Christ doth prouoke vs vnto good works This do c. teaching vs that we should walke in them He saith not Say this or beleeue this but doe this That is loue God and loue thy neighbour and shew forth the vvorkes of charitie As the Apostle speaketh 1. Ioh. 3. Let vs not loue in word neither in tunge onely but indeed in truth Hee that seeeth his neighbour in necessity shutteth vp his compassion from him how remaineth the loue of God in him Hee that loueth his neighbour hath life and hee that loueth not abidâ—th in death 1. Corin. 13 Though wee speake with the tongue of men and Angels haue not loue it were nothing As the body is sustained by naturall heate so is charitie the life of the soule without the which it is as dead If thou hatest thou hast a name that thou liuest but thou art dead and if thou findest thy selfe thus dead loue and liue We are translated from death to life because wee loue the brethren Nothing is so precious vnto vs as life whereof this is an cuident token that for the same we can be coÌ„tent to haue an â—r me or a leg cut off and to drink most bitter potions Yet is this life no true lyfe but rather a shadow an image of death If we can be content to endure such things for this life which is of so short continuance how should we bestirre our selues what should not wee vndertake to attaine the glorious life euerlasting For Christ speaketh not heere of this transitorie lyfe but of euerlasting life which is the seate dwelling place of the blessed The Gods of the Gentiles require the death of infants and that men should sley themselues but the Lord saith by the prophet Ezech. 18. I will not the death of a sinner but rather that he returne liue Oh how good is our God who I would were loued of vs as meete is and that wee could frame our selues to obey his holy will and for thys our loue and holy obedience requiteth vs not onely with this transitory life but will crowne vs hereafter with eternall ioyes But hee willing to iustifie himselfe sayd vnto Iesus Who is then my neighbour But. c. Heerein he sheweth himselfe to be an hypocrite that he would iustifie himselfe as though he had fulfilled the whole lawe of God perfectly and left nothing vndoone Our hypocrisie is especially founde in the keeping of the second table for that is the sold giuen to the poore not being moued there-vnto through charitie but because hee was a thiefe and bare the bagge The sonne of Iacob when they sold their brother Ioseph willing to iustifie themseluâ—s before theyr Father and to cleere themselues from all offence brought their brothers garment stayned with blood as though nothing might be lay de to theyr charge So Herod purposing to kil Christ made a shewe that he would goe vvorship Christ The wicked Iudges woulde haue cleered themselues to be farre from the offence which they lay de to Susannas charge But let all these vnderstand which dissemble with their double hart that there will come a time when all shall bee reuealed as the trechery of Absolon Heliodorus Herods was if not in this world yet in another He sayth he loueth God and yet maketh question who is his neighbour But he that loueth not his neighbour whom hee seeth daily how shall hee loue God whom hee hath not seene He speaketh suspiciously as though a man might loue God and yet neuer thelesse be cruell and hurtfull to his neighbour The Iewes they had onelie respect to them of their owne nation supposing it was lawfull for them to hate allants and forrenners and to let them alone without dooing them any benefit on good at all But the name of neighbour dooth extend it selfe to a further compasse to wit vnto all men Forasmuch as oftentimes it chaunceth that hee which is nighest to vs in birth or country is farther from vs in affection and loue then our very foe And Iesus aunswered and said A certaine man went downe from Ierusalem to Icricho This might bee for Ierusalem was in the high mountaine Sion and Iâ—icho in a low place Besides there was a desert betwixt Ierusalem and Iericho where passengers were spoyled by theeues and where Zedechias the King vvas taken by by the Captaines of the king of Babel when he fled from Ierusalem Some apply this man that was wouÌ„ded by theeues vnto Adam and vnto man-kinde the priest and the Leuite vnto the sacrifices of the old lawe and Christ vnto the Samaritane which healed man-kind being spoiled by the deuils temptations of the gifts graces of God the denill beeing compared heere vnto theeues Some compare the man that came from Ierusalem to Iericho vnto a sinner that falleth from the estate of grace vnto the deformity of sin But how far this is from the sence and true meaning euery man may perceiue For the chiefed cope that our Sauiour aâ—â—eth at 〈◊〉 to shewe vvho is our neighbour
For hee is our neighbour that can do vs any good whether he be bethen or Christian faithfull or vnfaithfull good or euill We ought to loue God more then our selues our neighbour as our selues Euery one liuing is our neighbor who although he be euill yet may come to a bettâ—â— course of life if hee so continue vvee must seeke to winne him by our example and good exhâ—râ—aâ—â—on They that are in the estate of misery are chiefely our neighbours and they that haue compassion of other mens distresses and are willing to help them doe most of all performe the dutie of neighbours By this man vvhich vvent downâ— from Ierusalem to Ieâ—icho Christ vnderstandeth any man of what state and condition 〈◊〉 he be the poore abiect humble sad 〈◊〉 and desâ—â—â—â— of our helpâ— and in a wordâ— to conclude euery one to whom we may do good Consider therfore thou that art riâ—â— that tho poore man is thy neighbour 〈◊〉 thou that art wise that thou are bounde to helpe the simple and the ignorant thou that art bealthfull remember him that is sick and comfortlâ—sse and that Christ hath commended him vnto thee if thou beest ioyfull and in prosperitie that the band of loue and charity doth make thee to open the bowels of compassion towards him that is in affliction and misery By him that went downe from Ierusalem to Iericho Christ vnderstandeth all that are in neede and necessity to whom hee would haue thee to shew compassion and mercy after the example of the Samaritane Not onely the poore and distressed but also the rich and wealthy are here contained vnder the title of neighbours A certaine man cam down Principalilie this is to be referred to the poore man vvhich leadeth a solitary life alone by him selfe hauing no companion nor comforter being left and forsaken in a manner of all Euery man will visite the rich man and keepe companie vvith him euerie one pray seth hym and vvaiteth vpon him But the poore mans estate is lamentable who suffreth his miserie alone and scarce a neighbour to make any question of him or to make any inquirie after him If the rich be sicke Phisitians are sent for hee hath many friendes and many helps the poore man in his sicknes hath small helpe liueth alone dieth alone Ierusalem had many friends in her prosperity but beeing in distresse they lâ—ft her all alone Therefore shee weepeth saying All my friends haue despised mee and are become mine enemies The rich in their distresse haue friends at will and more then they would but where are they that helpe the poore and they are woorthy of commendation and therefore no maruell if Christ doe so point out a mercifull man with this example of wonder The poore-man suffereth his miserie alone and no man will vouchsafe to know him neither is there any reckning made of him It may well be said The poore man went downe from Ierusalem to Iericho for the rich men they rise and are promoted vnto honour but as for the poore they haue many hinderances and euery man keepeth them downe they are in a manner cast downe head-long made to goe from worse to worse He went from Ierusalem to Iericho that is froÌ„ riches to pouertie from prosperity to aduersity from a quiet to a troublsome life The poore man that hath not to bring vp or to preferre his children dooth breake his sleepe with diuers troublesom cares The wheeles of a clocke are alwayes running and what is the cause but the weights that pull them down so is necessity as the heauy weights that hang at the wheâ—les of a clocke that neuer suffreth him to take any rest God hath knit together all man-kinde with a holy band of fellowship and surely the Lord for no other cause hath set down the name of a neighbour in his lawe but that hee might more louingly inuiâ—e vs to the loue one of another But because men being blinded with a natural kind of pride and selfe-liking cannot thinke so well of others as of themselues therefore they refuse to doe the duties of christianitie and charity Whereas nature it selfe beeing our director teacheth vs that we were created one for another And fell among theeues And vvhat could the thieues get at a pore mans hand according to that of the Poet That an meanes so fame of is it that thou doost open the bowels of pitty compassion vnto him Iob sayth chap. 12.6 The Tabernacles of robbers doe prosper chap. 20.19 Hee hath vndone many and forsaken the poore and hath spoyled houses which he builded not Extortioners haue spoyled the people saith the prophet Esay And wounded him The woundes of the poore is the griefe of his hart Wounded beside the extremitie vvhich is shewed against him Which things are as grieuous if not more grieuous then any outward wounds can be And departed As Wolues beeing satisâ—fied with dead carkasses Departed Ezech. 22.27 coÌ„plaineth of such in his time Her Princes in the midst thereof are like VVolnes rauening the pray to shed blood and to destroy soules for theyr own douetous lucre And theyr prophets haue daubed theÌ„ with vntempered morter The people of the land haue they violently oppressed by spoyling and robbing and haue vexed the poore and theneedyâ— yea they haue oppressed the strangers against right And I sought for a man among them that shold make vp the hedge and stande in the gap before mee for the land that I should not destroy it but I founde none Therefore haue I poured forth my indignation vpon them and consumed them with the fire of my wrath Theyr owne wales haue Irendred vpon their heads saith the lord God If rich men woulde call themselues to better remembrance and repent themselues of theyr dooings the recompence vvere halfe made But the more is the pitty they remember no such matter and goe away without rebuke or blame and without remorce Leauing him halfe dead When vpon any exigent thou takest away the poore mans oxe or his cow doost thou not leaue him halfe dead seeing thereby his life is maintained When thou castest him into prison hee cannot labour for his liuing neither can he pay his debt â—uer awâ—iâ— the sooner And not onely himselfe but his whole familie is in great miserie do therefore to him as thou wouldest be done vnto in the like case let thy hart relent and worke a deede of charitie release him forgiue him and God will pay thee blesse thy store if in the meane time thou be not so forgetfull that thou callest not to remembrance hovv many wayes and after what fort God hath released and for giuen thee Remember what ill successe he had that would not forgiue his fellow seruant Math. 18. When thou pinchest the laborer in his hire and wages thou leauest him halfe dead Iam. 5.4 Ecclus. 34.22 The bread of the needfull is the life of the pore hee that defraudeth him thereof is a man of blood Hee that