Christ when God hath discovered the mysterie of Christ to thee and in some measure hath drawn thy heart and made thee to lye at the feet of Christ for life and salvation and for faith to believe in him be diligent to make the best improvement of Christ Improve Christ for holiness and sanctification if thou desirest to have Election made out to thee improve Christ for holiness The Apostle 2 Pet. 1. 5. exhorteth them to this Giving all diligence adde to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and so he goes on and then follows at vers 10. Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure for if you do these things you shall never fall In this way give diligence to make your Election sure improve Christ for holiness for grace for strength for more strength be diligent in waiting upon the Lord for the carrying on the work of holiness let Christians endeavour to be continually in the exercise of grace and in the performance of every duty that the Lord calls them to adde grace to grace and wait upon Christ that one degree of grace may be added to another knowledge to knowledge faith to faith temperance to temperance truly it is in this way that God comes in with discoveries of electing love I do not say it is for your diligence and for your improvement of Christ and adding grace to grace but this is the way when the Lord doth enable his people to be thus faithful and diligent in the improvement of Christ and in the exercise of grace and performance of duty to God and man God comes in that way and giveth a soul a more clear discovery of his electing love Fourthly Desire the Lord to set a heavenly Byass upon your spirits if you desire to have your Election cleared and made sure take heed of an earthly heart and O! Look up to God earnestly that he would set a heavenly Byass upon your spirits that you may be able to say Our conversation is in heaven our heart is there from whence we look for a Saviour we groan to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven Truly Brethren if we look too much downward if we be grubling below and be writing upon the dust we shall hardly see what is written in heaven Though your names may be written in heaven O! the looking too much upon this world keepeth many a Christian from seeing his name written in heaven What pains will Astrologers and Star-gazers as the Scripture calls them take to see into the second heaven the starry heaven How often will they look up And how long will they look up to see as they pretend what is written there what is the language of the Stars And O! What a shame is it to Christians that we should look up no oftner and no longer into the third heaven that we may see our names written there Truly Brethren it is no easie matter for a Christian to see his name written in heaven though his name may be written there we shall hardly see it if our hearts be not much there and our conversations much there we use to say if children look off their Books they will never learn their Lessons well Truly if we look so much on the world and so little into heaven we shall hardly learn to read our names written in heaven But when as the Lord sees that his people are desirous to have their thoughts in heaven and their conversations in heaven the Lord will come and say to that soul well I see that thine eye is in heaven and thy heart in heaven know for thy comfort that thy name also is in heaven thy God is in heaven thy Christ is in heaven and thy portion is in heaven O! Beg of God that he would clap a heavenly byass upon your spirits Fifthly Take heed of sinning against the Lord take heed of giving way to any sin as you desire to have your election cleared up to you take heed of turning out into any crooked way Let not Christians give way to themselves nor allow themselves in any way of evil You know what the Apostle saith in 2 Tim. 2. 19. Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure having this Seal the Lord knoweth them that are his And let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity The Lord knoweth them that are his Ah! but would you know your selves to be in that number Take heed that you do not give way to any sin do not allow your selves in any way of sin be not found in any way of iniquity every sin that is allowed it will cast a blot upon your Evidence and you shall not be able to read it This is the first Use unto those that have not God's electing love cleared up to them there is a necessity that every soul should give all diligence to have their Election made sure it is matter of infinite concernment and you have been taught in what way to wait upon God to make your Election sure The second Use is to those that have attained to the knowledge of God's electing love And it calls upon them First To be Thankful Secondly To labour to walk worthy of so great a mercy First To be Thankful O consider that it is the free love and the free grace of God that did make the difference between you and others Is there not cause then of Thankfulness You were no better then the worst in the world no better then those that are cast out of God's sight into utter darkness there is as much evil in our hearts as in Judas his heart that betrayed Christ O! It is free grace that hath put a difference if God hath made known to you that he hath chosen you know that it is free grace that hath put the difference O! Rich grace free grace that God should take you and leave another as deserving as you O it is free grace And that we may be stirred up to Thankfulness consider that all the mercies that ever you do enjoy or hope for spring from this Electing love O! What cause have you to admire this love Electing love it was a fruitful wombe all your mercies lay in it your comforts they all spring from it if the Lord had not given you his love from eternity he had never given you Christ as he did he had not given you the knowledg of Christ All the mercies and comforts that you do enjoy do spring from this love if it had not been for this love you had never known what pardon of sin had been you had never known what peace with God had been what a mercy it is to be reconciled to God your present mercies they all lye in this womb of God's Electing love O! what an engagement is this to Thankfulness Secondly Walk worthy of this love Christians you that see your Interest in
himself That 's the third piece of childrens bread Sealing Ordinances I should have added a fourth but shall pass it by because of the time it should have been this Holy counsels and reproofs they are childrens bread and I should have shewn you in what cases we ought not to cast them before dogs When we have no call to speak or when we have spoken often again and again and they turn again and tread it under foot when it appears that they sin obstinately do not sin for want of light but sin against light when you have born a sufficient testimony unto the Truth or unto the wayes of God in such cases and the like that part of childrens bread must not be cast to dogs To shut up all with a word or two of Application First of all It lets us see Brethren that way of the Churches of Christ is justifiable by Christ that way of making distinction and separation betwixt person and person betwixt the precious and the vile it is justifiable by the word of the Lord it is one of the hard things for the world to digest this separation this putting a difference between man and man but I pray know that if any Church do act according to the rule to the word of Christ which they may not transgress no not for a house full of gold and silver they must not give that which is holy to dogs cast not pearls before swine saith Christ Matth. 7. 6. And it is to take the childrens bread and cast it to dogs The Church do but walk according to rule let not men condemn it I know what is objected Ah! They are a censorious people they would be Judges they would judge all the world but themselves they only are children and all the world are dogs No we say not so God forbid We say there are seven thousand souls besides those we know that have not bowed their knee to Baal Yeâ— surely there are many thousands I am perswaded of the people of God that are children who are not for the present in any visible House of God But this I say that so long as they are so they are not in the right place they are where the dogs should be till they be in some visible House of Christ they are not in the children place they set themselves among the dogs the Lord would have them among children and there is a time a coming when all that are children shall come in and without shall be none buâ— dogs And let me say to such as are the children of the Lord and not in some visible House of God they cannot have their portion they cannot enjoy childrens bread while out of Christ's house they deprive themselves of that bread which is their right Christ will not have bread given but in his House some Ordinances of Christ cannot be dispenced but in a Communion of Saints and if children will not come into a communion of Saints they must not they cannot enjoy those Ordinances and let it be no offence if the Church according to their duty do labour to keep the Ordinances of God from pollution Quest But you will say What can it hurt me Or What can it hurt another though there be many wicked men in a Communion of Saints that come and partake of the Lord's Supper What is that to me if I be prepared to wait upon the Lord What detriment shall I receive Answ It is to thee A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump If a wicked person be in the Church it is to thee and to the whole company and if thou dost not that which is thy duty thou art defiled by that wicked man It is true if thou hast done thy duty brought it to the Church then thou art not defiled but if thou hast not done thy duty thou art defiled and it is to thee I know what is urged Did not Judas receive the Supper And were there not many wicked men in the Church of Corinth And doth not Christ say the Tares and the wheat must grow together But these may easily be answered As for Judas it is hardly made out that he received the Supper of the Lord but if he did he was a close hypocrite not known to the Church Hypocrites there may be but that is no plea for the admitting of those that are openly scandalous As for those wicked persons in the Church of Corinth it was defective but of right it should not have been so Possibly the best Church may be corrupt and may tollerate wicked persons but by rule it ought not to be so When ye are met together and there be a wicked person amongst you deliver such a one unto Sathan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump 1 Cor. 5. 4 5 6. But to pass by that Secondly In a word What matter of comfort is here to you that are the Lord's people The Lord looks upon you as children all you that fear the Lord and believe in the name of his Son you are the Lord's children cared for and provided for by the Lord. Provision is made by God himself he will take care that you shall have bread Christ takes care for his children O! This is childrens bread and I must not give the childrens bread unto dogs O! That this might refresh your souls that Christ looketh upon you as children and that he takes care to provide bread for you He will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish Prov. 10. 3. Children you shall have bread you shall have Ordinances Promises they belong to you they are your bread the Lord will in due time give out that which your souls wait for for the children shall have their bread O that the Lord would raise up our hearts to expect this when we come before him in the Lords Supper Let children look for their bread wait for bread from heaven to be given out there is never an hired servant in Christ's House but shall have bread enough so the Prodigal did acknowledge and if the hired servants shall have bread the children shall not famish O! Wait upon the Lord who will give his children bread and give it in due season Again thirdly What cause have you to admire at the goodness of the Lord thus to you that are his children Children so provided for O! The free grace of God to us poor out-casts of the Gentiles Time was when we were dogs and that the Lord should make them to be children that were dogs set them at his Table that were cast out and give them childrens bread that had not right no not to the crumbs O the free grace of God let us admire it and let us debase our selves and lie low before the Lord and say O! What am I poor dead dog that I should sit at Table with the King and that the King should own me No cause of
life begins here in holiness and that is eternal life to know the Father and the Son that is the end for which God doth predestinate that they might be holy through the sanctification of the Spirit and that they might be blessed and happy for ever But in respect of God the great end of Election it is the praise of his own grace that so they that shall be saved they may for ever admire and advance that rich and free grace of God towards them that chose them so freely when as they were so vile this is the end of Election Fiftly We may consider the means by which God doth fulfil and execute his Decree of Election The means of executing his Decree it is Christ Jesus as Mediator he chose such and such to bring them to such and such an end by such means by Christ Jesus and by Faith in him Christ as Mediator he is the cause of the means of God's executing and fulfilling his Decree though not the cause of Election but the cause of the means of God's executing and fulfilling his Decree for God would save them no other way but by Jesus Christ in Ephes 1. 4. you have these all together According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love Here you see it is an Act of God from eternity before the foundation of the world and at v. 5. you may see it is an Act of his Free Grace According to the good pleasure of his Will v. 5. He was not moved thereunto by any thing in the creature no it was according to the good pleasure of his Will And you see also the several ends for which God hath chosen v. 4. in respect of the creature the end is that we should be holy and at v. 5. that we should be happy and attain the inheritance of children and the great end of all is in v. 6. That this may be the praise and glory of his grace And then there is the means by which God doth execute this Decree v. 4. He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world So that you see somthing of this great and wonderful mysterie of Election in this place But there are two things further which I shall insist upon for the clearing of the Truth to you in the opening of which I shall meet with those things that are most of all objected against this Truth This Act of God from eternity it was 1. Absolute 2. Immutable and Vnchangeable There are these two general heads which will clear up much of the minde and will of God in this Truth 1. God's Decree is absolute and free 2. It is unchangeable First It is absolute and free it doth not depend upon any thing in the creature God did not chuse because he foresaw men would be such and such he did not chuse any because he foresaw they would believe as some imagine he did not chuse any because he foresaw they would be holy his decree and choice and love it was not grounded upon any thing in the creature for the Lord he hath no such respect in his choice you may see what is said of Esau and Jacob in Rom. 9. 11. The Apostle is there treating of this mysterie and he doth there let us know that it is free and absolute and doth not depend upon the work or worthiness of the creature For the children being not yet born neither having done any good or evil that the purpose of God according to election might stand not of works but of him that calleth v. 12. It was said unto her the elder shall serve the younger v. 13. As it is written Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated Before they had either done good or evil God made choice of Jacob God did not chuse him because he foresaw he would be better then his brother Esau no Esau and Jacob were all alike unto God nay if there were any preheminence Esau had it he was the first born and was not Esau Jacobs brother saith God yet I loved Jacob Mal. 1. 2 3. and I hated Esau I have bestowed special love upon Jacob less upon Esau Not that God hates the creature without some consideration but hating here is to shew a less love Christ saith a man shall hate his Father and Mother for Christ's sake that is love them less then Christ and Jacob had two wives one was hated the other loved Rachel beloved and Leah hated that is less loved and so God here he bestows special love upon Jacob and not upon Esau And it is evident from Scripture that God could not chuse for foreseen faith and holiness for the Scripture holds forth that both faith and holiness they are the fruits of Election and therefore not the cause of Election men therefore believe and are made holy because God hath chosen them from eternity Acts 13. 48. As many as were ordained to eternal life believed see here faith is made the fruit of Election and of God's love from eternity the words cannot be read thus That as many as believed were ordained to eternal life but as many as were ordained to eternal life believed and so holiness or sanctification cannot be the cause of Election no it is the fruit of Election see Ephes 1. 4. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love He hath chosen us that we should be holy not chosen us because we were holy but that we might be holy holiness then proceeds from God's special love And I shall make it further evident to you from some Arguments from Scripture that it is not possible God's choice should be grounded upon any thing in the creature but meerly an Act of his own good pleasure for First of all that which maketh the Will of God to depend upon the creature that cannot be a true doctrine but now if God doth chuse upon foreseen faith and works because he foresaw the creature to be such then the Will of God doth depend upon the creature which destroyes the divine nature of God and the freedom of God's Will it is not possible that God's Will should be determined but by its self now if God chose upon foreseen faith and works then God's Will is determined by some thing in the creature Secondly It doth derogate much from the freeness of God's grace as also from the greatness of the mysterie and of the wonder of the Gospel I say If God did chuse men because he foresaw that they would be holy it derogates much from the freeness of his grace If it be of works then it is not of grace If God's choice were grounded upon such a foresight of faith and holiness then it is not an election of grace And it derogates much from the great mysterie of the Gospel God will
save creatures in a wonderful mysterious way in such a mysterious way as men and Angels shall stand and wonder at to eternity now if God did chuse upon such a foresight or for faith or for holiness in the creature why there is no such great mysterie or wonder but for God to chuse freely when there was nothing to draw him to such an act yet then to chuse such poor creatures to everlasting salvation O! this is the wonder of the Gospel Yea thirdly God's choice cannot be upon any foresight of faith or works for the Scripture holds forth that God's choice is before our choice he chose us first and he loved us first see what Christ says John 15. 16. You have not chosen me but I have chosen you and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit You have not chosen me that is you have not chosen me first and so in 1 John 4. 19. We love him because he first loved us Now if God did chuse upon any foresight of faith or works then God did not love us first for if God did consider men as believers when he chose them why then if the soul believed before God chose it chose God first which is contrary to the Scripture Fourthly The Scripture holdeth forth that there is some that are Christ's sheep that are known to the Lord though not known to themselves and therefore it is God's free love to them to make them sheep but when they believe they shall know that they are sheep but they are sheep before they believe but when they believe they shall be known to be sheep John 10. 16. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold them also I must bring and they shall hear my voice and there shall be one fold and one Shepherd My Fathers love hath made them sheep and because they are sheep they shall hear my voice and shall believe in me Fiftly there is one argument more to confirm the truth If so be that God did chuse upon foreseen faith or works or because he saw that there was an ability in the creature to perform or not I say if Gods decree were a conditional decree then God saw that the creature were able or not able to perform the condition If the creature were not able to believe or to be holy then it were a vain Decree but if God saw that the creature were able to perform the condition this ability to believe and to be holy it must be either from the creature or from God if it were from the creature then it destroyes the Doctrine of Grace and brings in the Doctrine of Works and that sets up the Idol of Free-will which the Scripture beateth down and it lays the stress of the creatures salvation and happiness upon it self If God did chuse because he foresaw that the creature would be such and had a power in it self to believe and to obey this lays the stress of the creatures salvation upon it self But if it be said That God did intend to give the condition the creature is not able to believe of it self and be holy of it self ah but God did determine and decree to make such and such believe and to be holy and so he chose them upon that Now to that I say this comes to nothing to say God did decree to make such and such believers and to make them holy and upon that foreseeing they would be such chose them to life and salvation Why this is as much as to say God did first of all chuse them and then he gave them faith and holiness that he might chuse them for what is God's Decreeing to give faith and holiness but his chusing and setting apart the creature for his self for that is a part of the end for which God chose that it might be holy as well as happy and besides I shewed you before that faith is made to come after election therefore cannot go before election But it may be objected against this Doth not David say in Psal 4. 3. But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself and may we not object from thence against the absoluteness of God's Decree Answer Some indeed urge from hence that God considered men as godly when he set them apart but there is no such thing in the words for the Psalmist doth not speak of Gods chusing but he speaketh of the manifestation of God's decree and purpose to save now it is manifested by holiness whom God hath chosen and it comes to be known to others God doth not chuse them because they are holy but such as are holy they are evidenced to be such as God hath chosen and therefore he speaketh to others in v. 2. O ye sons of men How long will ye turn my glory into shame How long will ye love vanity and seek after leasing and then it follows v. 3. But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself Though a godly man be in affliction and you may think that God doth not love him because he is afflicted but know that if he be godly though in affliction God hath set him apart for himself so that this place doth not speak of God's decree but of the manifestation of God's decree Another objection is raised out of Ephes 1. 4. According as he hath chosen us in him In him Some argue from hence That we are chosen in Christ and there is no man in Christ but a believer no man is in Christ but he that hath faith and therefore God chuseth no man till he be a believer for we are chosen in him To this I answer first of all in him it may be understood he hath chosen us together with him as head and members are chosen together as foundation and other stones may be chosen together when a man is to build a house he may at once chuse the foundation stones and also divers other stones that he layes upon the building he doth not lay stones upon the foundation and then make choice of them no that they are laid upon the foundation doth argue he hath made choice of them Secondly In him that is Jesus Christ is the way and means of executing his Fathers Decree Jesus Christ he is the way by which God doth execute his purpose and his decree of bringing such and such souls unto blessedness God the Father will bring them by Christ he will bring them this way to life and salvation and no other way but by Christ Jesus he is the cause of the execution of God's Decree but not the cause why God will chuse such and such for Christ saith himself that there is a love that the Father himself hath toward his people the Father himself loveth his people from everlasting he loveth them the better for Christ's Intercession but saith Christ the Father himself loveth you so that there was love in the heart of the Father
to his people from eternity And that first love of God it is held forth as the cause of giving Christ Christ was not the cause of that first love but God loved from eternity and therefore he gave Christ God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son and love gave that Son Jesus Christ to be the Saviour Thirdly I answer we are said to be chosen in him not as being believers not that God did consider men as believing in Christ actually but they may after a sort be said to be in Christ even from eternity not actually but virtually Some do explain it thus as the corn that is sown and begins to bud why as soon as it begins to bud there is the blade and the ear and the corn virtually but not actually and so we were in him from eternity virtually as chosen together with him and given unto him but not actually in Jesus Christ till such time as men do believe in Jesus Christ There is a third Objection which I shall but touch But you will say Why then God makes choice of sinners and how can that be If God did not chuse men upon fore-seen faith and holiness and not consider them in Christ then he considered them as sinners but now how can God chuse men as sinners When the Scripture saith He is a God of purer eyes then to behold the least iniquity If a man be not in Christ he is a sinner and can God love a vile creature from eternity I answer There is a love of good will and a love of delight there was a love of good will that God had to his people from everlasting yea although that God saw they were in themselves vile sinful creatures but God doth not love them with the love of delight till they are washed and cleansed in the blood of Christ But you will say It is not possible that God should do so A good man he may not take a vile person to be his bosome friend or companion and he may not take one that is wicked into the relation of a wife or husband and how shall God do it who is a God of purer eyes I answer Though we may not make such a choice God may make such a choice why Because God is able to make them gracious and holy If we were able to make them holy then we might chuse the worst in the world But now there is power in God to do it if he chuse the unrighteous he can make them righteous and if he chuse unbelievers he can give them faith and if he chuse unholy ones he can make them holy Nay he chuseth for that very end that he might make them holy and blameless So that you have seen that God's Decree it is absolute that it is not grounded upon any consideration or worth in the creature but absolute in respect of the means And secondly As it is free and absolute so it is unchangeable God cannot he will not cast off any that he hath chosen no see what the Apostle saith 2 Tim. 2. 19. Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure having this Seal the Lord knoweth them that are his This Decree of God is unchangeable for it is as a sure foundation The foundation is the beginning of the building and so this Decree it is the beginning of all that good and those spiritual blessings that God doth bestow upon his children and the foundation is sure and unmoveable if it be laid by a skilful and powerful hand foundations are laid sure why this foundation is laid by God's own hand it is laid by his wise and mighty hand and who shall remove the foundation that God hath laid All the men and Angels in the world cannot overturn the purpose and decree of God for the saving of one poor soul all the devils in hell cannot overturn this foundation and there is nothing in the creature can hinder it no sinfulness no unworthiness before conversion and after conversion for it is sure And it must needs be sure because God in his Essence is unchangeable and therefore his purpose unchangeable for the Will of God is God himself and therefore the purpose of God can be no more unchangeable then God himself So that you see there is an Election and this Election is of grace That 's the first particular The second particular which I shall but touch is That this Election may be known by the sons of men though it be transacted in heaven though their names be written in heaven yet it is possible for men to know this secret of God's Decree this great mystery it is possible that it may be known to others and it is possible that it may be known to our selves Our Election may be known to others see Phil. 4. 3. And I entreat thee also true yoke-fellow help those women which laboured with me in the Gospel with Clement also and with other my fellow labourers whose names are in the Book of Life The Apostle here speaking of such and such persons he concludes that their names are in the book of life and in 1 Thess 1. 3 4. Remembring without ceasing your work of faith and labour of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of God and our Father Knowing brethren beloved your Election of God But you will say How can this be known Why it may be known by the fruits of Election when the Gospel comes with power when the Gospel doth overpower the heart when men and women are overcome to believe in the name of Christ when they make a resignation of themselves to Christ and when the Image of Christ is stampt upon them and they in some measure made conformable to Christ who is the head of the Church then others may conclude in the judgement of charity such and such are elected of God so far as we may know the truth of others faith so far we may in the judgement of charity know the election of others But secondly This may not only be known to others but to a mans own self that he is chosen of God before the foundation of the world for we are put upon it to make it sure 2 Pet. 1. 10. Brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure strive to put it out of doubt be not content to be at uncertainties in this business it may not only be known but make it sure he doth not exhort them to make it sure in its self by doing this or that for it is sure in it self but make it sure as to your selves wait upon the Lord that your hearts may be confirmed in it that you are called and elected of God for it is possible for a man to know that he is elected Yea Christ puts his Disciples upon it to rejoyce in the consideration of this that they were elected Luke 10. 20. But rather rejoyce because your names are written
a weak condition to be continually poring upon unworthiness to look upon your selves continually and not to look back again to God to look upon your sinfulness and not look upon free grace to look upon your unworthiness and not to look upon the worthiness and righteousness of Christ This will keep your souls from establishment and keep you alwayes in a weak condition But now when God doth present unworthiness we may look upon it only let us remember what are God's ends when as God doth present unworthiness Gods ends are gracious and O that we might have Gods ends in our eye when we look upon our unworthiness It is to teach us to know that God loveth us not for our worthiness to teach us to know that we must have worthiness out of our selves to make us more low more humble meek in spirit to make us to prize the Father's free grace and the Son's worthiness and his righteousness These are God's ends O that when ever we look upon our unworthiness we might have God's ends before us Quest But what shall I do when tempted about my unworthiness Briefly thus Answ If it be the portion of any soul to be under these temptations under these discouragements before-mentioned if it be a temptation grounded upon the discovery of the sinfulness of our Nature heart and life O flee to the fountain know that God hath declared that there is a fountain opened Zach. 13. 1. In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the House of David and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness Therefore when you are bowed down with the sense of your own unworthiness by reason of sin look to the fountain there is a fountain opened and there is vertue in that fountain to cleanse and take away all your sin and unworthiness And if your temptation be grounded upon the discovery of your weakness and frailty your distance from God and this is helped on by your low and afflicted condition besides the common frailty of man O know That though the distance be infinite yet God hath overlooked it free grace hath over-looked it and free grace can overlook and free grace will over-look that infinite distance that is between God any you and know that God doth not judge of any man by his outward low estate by his outward afflicted condition you are apt to draw sad conclusions from thence that God loveth you not and Sathan he tempts to conclude so if God loved you he would not deal so with you Ah but know that God doth not judge so neither can you judge of the love of God by affliction And if the temptation be grounded upon the deadness of your heart and coldness of your spirit look to Christ to warm you look to the Son of God to enflame your affections but know that you are not able to judge of God's love by your love you must not measure God's love by your love not to conclude that God hath no love because you have little love you cannot measure God by your selves you should rather accept of his love entertain his love and look to that love of God to beget more love in your hearts and to draw forth more love in your hearts we have cause to be humbled exceedingly that our love to God is so little but yet we must not measure the love of God by our love And if your temptation be grounded upon your unusefulness O you say I am an unuseful creature more fitter for the dunghil then for any thing else know that God hath some use of you there is never a Christian living but God hath some use of it though it may be you see it not thou lookest upon thy self as a poor unuseful creature but God hath some use of you if God had not some use of you he would not continue you here no not a moment God hath appointed several members in the body and all are useful not the least member but it is useful in the body I say surely the Lord sees that you are of use to him although you are apt to say you are altogether unuseful In a word when tempted about unworthiness do as this woman did in the Text. First of all she doth acknoledge all that Christ spake It is not meet to take the childrens bread and cast it to dogs saith Christ in v. 27. Truth Lord saith she Let us learn to do so when bowed down with the thoughts of unworthiness and vileness let us subscribe to it that it is a truth all that can be said and all that can be presented by Sathan himself concerning our vileness we may grant that it is truth I am unworthy vile and wretched Secondly Take heed that this do not hinder the acting of faith acknowledge that it is so and that we are as vile as it is objected but let not the sight of this hinder the acting of faith this woman she acted faith gloriously notwithstanding Truth Lord yet the dogs do eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table she makes this to be a ground of faith even this very discouragement this very temptation the sight of her unworthiness this doth not discourage her It is Truth Lord but yet the dogs eat of the crumbs and so be you still in the acting of faith and let not the fight of unworthiness be any hinderance Thirdly It is our duty still to wait upon the Lord in the midst of the discovery of our unworthiness Wait upon the Lord and keep his way and let no discovery of unworthiness beat us off from waiting upon the Lord and keeping his way this woman held on her way held on to wait notwithstanding all her unworthiness she believes and waits prays and waits and her expectations they are from the Lord. And so in the midst of the sense of our unworthiness let us do as she did acknowledge God notwithstanding be acting faith in Christ in the Lord 's free grace in those gracious promises which he holds forth and which he hath given us in Christ and be waiting upon God in the way of our duty keeping his way and the Lord he will certainly make that soul more then a conquerour of these temptations Matth. 15. 26. But he answered and said It is not meet to take the childrens bread and to cast it to Dogs SERMON XIX I Shall now consider this temptation in particular In general it was her unworthiness that was presented more particularly that she was one of those Nations that did not belong to the Covenant of God She was a Canaanite she was one that was a stranger to the visible Covenant of the Commonwealth of Israel she was none of the children of the visible Kingdom she was a dog one without and therefore Christ tells her that she had nothing to do with the childrens bread This was the temptation We shall consider the Proposition as it is laid down by Christ which is an