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.

Whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come againe I will repay thee. [Text.] ]

A promise is annexed (to incourage us) that whatso∣ever should be layed out, about supply of the wounded mans necessities, should be discharged. From the Historie we gather,

[Doct.] Suretiship is lawfull. Or, It may be a worke of charity to passe our words for them that are in extreme necessity and misery.

Read, Gen. 42.37. & 43.9. Philemon vers. 18. Acts 17.5, 8, 9. David with an holy boldnesse desires this favour from the handes of God, that he would be surety for his servant, Psal. 119.122. Had it beene a thing absolutely unlawfull. surely that Princely Prophet would not have beene so bold that way with God. And such was Gods unspeakable goodnesse as to heare him, and to doe it for him, and not for him alone, but for all man-kind. * 1.1 Had not the Sonne of God become surety for us, how had the hand writing against us ever beene cancelled or blotted out? He payed the things he never

tooke, Psal. 69.5. * 1.2Qui nihil debebat pro omnibus solvebat (saith S. Ambrose) He that owed nothing payed for all.

[Object.] You will object, Prov. 6.3. & 17.18.

[Resp.] The Answer is, Suretiship is not simply condemned by Salomon, but rash and unadvised suretiship. Who∣soever thinks no more belongs to suretiship, then passing of the word, or clapping of the hand, shewes himselfe to be a man destitute of understanding; and which in a while, may wring those hands in sorrow, which before he did clap in joy: and with the same hand strike him∣selfe in anger, wherwith in a foolish kind of suretiship he strooke the hand of another.

[Vse.] Such then as hold it absolutely unlawfull to become surety for any, and bind themselves by oath never to passe their words, though it be for the dearest friend they have, would be better lessoned: how can they with common honesty deny a christian duty? Besides by the rule of cha∣rity we are required to do for others, as we would be done for our selves. It is no unwise sentence of a wise man; The wicked will not become surety, and he that is of an un∣thankefull mind, for saketh him that delivered him,* 1.3 and who is he that if he had not had a surety, had not beene still a debtor to destruction?

Object. But he that hateth suretiship is sure, saith a wiser then he, Prov. 11.15. Adi forum & inter litigantium frequentias, nihil frequentiùs auditur quam sponsionum pericula, & sponsoris suspiria, Goe to the courts of Law and in the frequency of those that follow causes, there is nothing heard more frequently then the dangers of suretiship, and the sighes of him that is a surety (saith one) And Clemens Alexandrinus citeth the saying of one of the wise men of Greece, sponde, noxa prasto est; be surety for another and be sure that harme is neere thee.

So that (as some say of dice, the best cast is to cast them cleare away) the best surety is not to be surety at all.

Resp. All this comes through the abuse of what is in it selfe lawfull. As S. Paul speaks of the Law, 1 Tim. 1.8. So may we of Suretiship; It is good if it be used lawfully, els hurtfull and prejudiciall. It is a point in which a man may on either hand miscarry, either by an over great forwardnesse to wrong himselfe, or by an over great backwardnesse in helping others. Wherfore the Cau∣tions given in the practise of this point, would not be for∣gotten.

They have respect,

• 1. To the Person for whom we are bound. * 1.4
• 2. To the Person to whom we are bound.
• 3. To the Person himselfe that is bound, and becomes Surety.

For the first, the Person for whom we become Surety must be no stranger, Prov. 11.15. & 20.16. & 27.13. He that is Surety for a stranger (saith Salomon) shall smart for it: and therupon he inferrs, He that hateth Suretiship (viz. for such Persons) is sure, that is he is free from that trouble which such a rash and credulous ingagement brings with it. It is therfore requisite,

1. That we know his Person: Say the man be such a one as a man may safely undertake for, yet it followes not that we should undertake for him, not knowing who he is: This is too much rashnesse and may bring us woe.

2. We must know then, as in the Face so in the Faith: He is a Stranger in Salomons account, who is not reli∣gious and pious. Who so is a stranger from the Common wealth of Israel is the greatest stranger in the world; Nor is it a strange thing for such a stranger to leave us in the lurch, who so is false to God will be true to no man.

3. We should not be a stranger to the cause: Whi∣ther that be lawfull would be inquired into: He that undertaketh for a bad matter may be suspected to be little better than an accessary. We read, Gen. 38.17, 18

Iudah promised Thamar a Kid of the Goates for the unlawfull use of her body: Had it bin fit for any to become surety for Iudah, had Thamar required it? Surely, as the Leprosie of Naaman did cleave to Ge∣hazi: So the sin of the Creditor would cleave to the Sure∣ly in such a case.

4. The Ability of the Person: Wherby he is able to discharge us of what we undertake for him, would be likewise knowne. There is (saith Salomon) who maketh himselfe rich having nothing, Prov. 13.7. Faire shews and large promises will not bring out of those snares and nets which Suretiship commonly brings a man into, Pro. 6.1.

For the second, the Person to whom we become bound, he would be no stranger neither. Prov. 6.1. True it is, the Surety is to make account to pay the debt (or see it paid) unto the Creditour, be he what he will be, yet it is more comfortable to deale with a religious then an irreligious person, what ere should happen, Mat, 18 Say (through default in the Principall) thou that art the Surety comes to be arrested; whilst thou art in the snare of a cruell Creditor, thy Profession comes to be ar∣rested likewise. A wicked worldling flies upon thy Profession strait. This is the man that was so precise and strickt, doth such rashnesse and unadvisednesse beseem the Clients of the Gospell? For our own comfort and the credit of the Gospell we should take heed with whom we strike hands.

Lastly, Concerning our selves who passe our words or enter into bonds for others; two things would be con∣sidered of us.

1. The Summe for which wee are to bee obli∣ged.

2. Our own willingnesse and ability to discharge the Summe without impairing thy estate, overthrow∣ing of thy Family and undoing thy Posterity for ever.

Confider well the Sum: Tell it over (as it were) in ready mony, look well upon it, and think if thou shouldest part with so much, whither it would not break thy back, undo thy Family, cause thee and thine all thy life long after to live most uncomfortably. * 1.5 It is a wise saying of the Son of Syrach. Bee not surety above thy power: For if thou bee Surety thinke to pay it. Every Surety that undertakes for an other makes the debt his own and stands in conscience charged with it, Gen 44.32, 33. And the Creditor oftentimes relies more upon the suf∣ficiency of the assurer then upon the honesty of the bor∣rower. Now if thou hast nothing to pay (saith Salomon, Pro. 22.27.) be not thou of them that strike hands, nor amongst them that are Surety for debts, why causest thou that hee should take thy bed from under thee: By taking Suretiship upon thee thou dost (as it were) put thy self under the Creditour and make thy selfe to be the bed upon which his trust doth rest. If by not paying thou takest from the Creditour the bed of his Rest, it is but just for him to take away thy bed from under thee for pai∣ment.

To conclude this point remember that of Salomon, Prov. 27.12. A Pru••ent man foreseeth the evill, viz. of rash Suretiship (for that is joyned in the verse immediately following) and hideth himselfe by a wise refusall; But the simple passe on rashly and carelesly, and are punished with the losse of goods and garments. Bee no longer foolish least your bonds increase upon you.

In the Mystery observe we,

[Doct.] Whatsoever Gods Ministers shall lay out (about the wounded mans necessities) more then they have heere received, Christ hath undertaken to see it dischar∣ged.

In the Parable of the Pounds and Talents, Luk. 19.12 Math. 25.14. This is evident. The stock is given to the Servant, but what is acquisite and through the industry of

the servant obtained and therto added shall be plentifully rewarded by the Lord.

If we search the Court-rooles of holy Writ, we shall find none have such large Promises made for pro∣vision and protection as Gods Ministers. For Provi∣sion, Read Deut. 10.8, 9. Where we see how God in a speciall manner undertakes to provide for Levi, for that he is separated to his service. So under the Gospell Christ hath passed his word to us, Math. 10.10. And for Protection, Read Psal, 132.16. I will cloath her Priests with Salvation (saith the Lord) So Ier. 1.18. & Revel. 2.1. These Starres are held in the right hand of Christ: Who is able to plucke them thence?

[Vse.] This should incourage us to be doing: What though we be still laying out, and litle (God knows) comes in again (for present) why we shall not loose? we have the Word of him for it, who did never falsifie, God is become the wounded mans Surety, powre in wine and oyle, spare not: God hath said he will repay us again, and will do it to the full.

Who is there amongst us that did ever shat the doors of Gods Temple for nought, or kindle a fire on Gods Altar for nought? Mal. 1.10. Wherfore we need not be grie∣ved nor discomforted with the measure we receive from the world.

As for the men of this world they will not repay us lay out what we will, they set us not on worke they say: If you can dresse a Horse, or drench a Cow, set a bone or heale some bodily disease; you shall bee well paid for your paines and have thankes: But Ministers are Physitians of noe valew, little set by.

Yea so farr are many from repaying us our charge as that they hate and spoyle us so much the more for our paines. Amara est veritas,* 1.6& quisquis eam praedicat amaritudine satiabitur (saith S. Hierom.) The truth is

bitter and who so preacheth it shall be filled with bit∣ternesse. See it in Ieremiahs case, Ier. 11.7, 19. and in Micaiabs, 2 Chron. 18.7. and in S. Pauls case, Gal. 4.16. the more we cast holy things before Doggs and Pearles before Swine, the more are we rent and torne by them, but.

Tu ne cede malis, sed contra audentior ito.

Indeed the men of this world are not able to repay us, if they had a mind therto: We labour about the Salvation of their soules and indeavour to bring them unto God. Now what can a man give in exchange for that?

It was a saying of old amongst the Heathen, that no man could make a sufficient requitall to God, to his Father who begot him, nor to his Tutor who taught him humane learning: O what doth a man owe then to his Minister who instructs him in the Mystery of Christ? Surely they owe themselves, as S. Paul tells Philemen, verse 19.

Cast we then our eyes from off man, and though our entertainment from them be course and slender, yet behold we another Master, another day, another pay∣ment, and let us comfort our selves herewith.

Sed quando reverteris Domine, &c. (saith S. Ambrose) when wilt thou returno ô blessed Lord? In die Iudicij redibit Dominus (saith Saint Bernard) at the Day of Judgement he comes againe, and then will he repay us as he hath promised, Matthew 25. So then,

[Doct.] Not heere in this life must Gods Ministers looke for their Reward, but heereafter in Heaven: It must be expected when Christ comes againe. See Math. 5.12. 1 Pet. 5.4. 2 Tim. 4.8. Dan. 12.13. Rev. 11.18. Mat. 20.8.

Hic jugulantur Haretici (say the Papists) qui mercedem bonorum operum negent, the Heretikes throat is here cut, which deny the reward of good works, &c.

But those Heretikes they meane, First acknowledge a reward due to good works, Heb. 11.6. Secondly, that this Reward shall be according to the proportion of their goodnesse, as we lay out we shall receive, Dan. 12.3. 2 Cor. 9.6. Thirdly, that it is lawfull in serving God and suffering for him, to do it intuitu mercedis, with an eye to the recompence of reward, Heb. 11.10, 26, 35. & 12.2. Yet that may not be respected, solum & prae∣cipuè, only or chiefly. Nolo ad praemium diligere Deum (saith S. Austin) ipse sit pr••mium tuum.* 1.7 God himselfe must be our reward. And to love him only, or prin∣cipally for the rewards sake is too mercenary: He is to be loved without it (saith S. Bernard) yet served hee may bee sincerely with an under respect un∣to it.

Neverthelesse, that Axiome of theirs, * 1.8 that merces and me∣ritum are Relatives, we disclaime; that merces and opus are, we grant them. A Relation there is betwixt a Reward and Worke, or reward and promise, but not betwixt a reward and merit. God rewards our workes yet not for any merit in them, but of his owne free mercy: It is a reward of Grace not of Debt (the Apostles own distin∣ction, Rom. 4.4.) Donum liberalitatis, non stipendium virtutis (saith S. Ambrose) a reward proceeding from the benignity of the Rewarder, not from the dignity of the rewarded. I have heard (saith David) that power be∣longeth to God, and that thou Lord art mercifull, for thou re∣wardest every man according to his worke, Psal. 62.12. Saint Paul expected a crowne, but what crown, not that which he had merited, but that which God had promised, * 1.9 and which for his promise sake he would bestow on him, 2 Tim. 4.8.

Much lesse can we approove of their collection from this place (and such other) that a man may su∣pererogate in doing more then he needed or is bound to doe. The word will not helpe them in the Text, nor that of S. Austin, who though he speakes of S. Pauls superero∣gating,

yet he explaines himselfe in the whole Chapter, he serving, as Christs souldier, without taking wage, (as he might) supererogated more then ••he Churches could require of him; but not more then the Lord either could or did. And for Optatus (whom they likewise alledge) his applying this Parable to S. Pauls coun∣sell of Virginity, 1 Cor. 7. as to a worke of superero∣gation; he so expounds himselfe as that he serveth nothing to the Iesuites purpose: For expounding the two pence to be the two Testaments, he sheweth that the other is no Commandement fully laid out, giving us therby to understand that it is so a counsell that it is also a commandement, although not so expressed and laid out as the two pence given to the Host, but reserved in the decke untill circumstances draw it forth. And S. Chrysostom in his Exposition of this Parable acknowledgeth that the governour of the Church can bestow no more then is contained in the Gospell; what is it then that the Governor can bestow more then he hath received? But that which is his owne duty, in which he is bound to indea∣vour that he lay out that which is committed to him; In his Judgement then (on this place) no works of su∣pererogation can be done: Sure I am, our Savi∣our our hath thus determined the Point: * 1.10So likewise yee when yee have done all that yee can doe, say wee are unprofitable Servants. But to come something closer home.

[Vse.] Is not our full reward to be expected here, must we stay for that till Christ comes againe? Why then with Patience possesse we our selves: God hath not left us altogether destitute; whilst he is absent, we have some salarie or stipend, some comfortable allowance for the present (though the unthankefull world do their best (or worst rather) to cozen us of it) Who goeth a warfare (saith the Apostle) at his owne charge, who planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruit therof? Or who feedeth a flock and eateth not of the milke of the flocke? 1 Cor.

9.7. But our chiefe pay is behind, that is reserved for us till Christs second comming, he shall bring it with him

Object. But it is a long while thither?

Resp. How know you that? Say it be, Heaven will pay for all; not an houre that you have waited; not a night that you have watched; not a drop of oyle that you have wasted; not a teare that you have shed; not a penfull of inke that you have spent, but shall be fully recompen∣ced with no lesse than a Crown and Kingdome, so that you have little cause to whine and make complaints of his long tarrying.

You know what is related of Alexander the great, he passing into Asia, gave large donatives unto his soul∣diers, and being asked by Parmenio what he would leave for himselfe, he answered Hope, saying withall, that he preferred the riches of Asia hoped for, before all that his Father Philip left him in Macedonia. Let us make the like answer to men of this world, who aske us what is left (when they have stripped us naked through their corrupt and unconscionable customes, &c.) Heaven still is reserved, for us that they cannot Impro∣priate to themselves, and this wee prefer••e before all that they have bought so deare with their soules losse.

The sweetnesse of the hony makes the Beare to despise the sting of the Bee. The sweetnesse of these thoughts would make us passe little what men say or doe: Read, Math. 5.12. Heb. 11.36 — 40. I end this with that of Saint Ambrose. Beati quibus es debitor: Ʋtinam nos simus idonei debi∣tores, utinam quod accepimus possimus exolvere. Hap∣pie is that servant whom his Lord when he comes shall finde well doing.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Heb. 7.22.
• * 1.2

  Amb. de Tob. c. 9.
• * 1.3

  Eccles. 29.18.
• * 1.4

  See Master Dan Dyke in his Com. on Phile. v. 18. p. 177.
• * 1.5

  Eccles. 8.13.
• * 1.6

  Hier. cont. Iov. l. 2.
• * 1.7

  In Evang. Ioan tract. 2.
• * 1.8

  Bellar. de justi∣fic. l. 5.
• * 1.9

  Rhem. in loc. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 non fignificat a∣gere quippiam supra praeceptum sed erogare quod ultra duos dena∣rios in praesenti traditos, Muthes in loc.
• * 1.10

  Luk. 17.10.