vâ— quiet hearts and say why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou â—o vnquiet 〈◊〉 me yet hope in God Psal 42.11 43.5 after they must turne in to God 〈◊〉 bleeding heart and 〈◊〉 weeping eyâ—s and say with Hezechiah in his lamentable song O Lord I am opressed vndertake for mee or ease mee Esay 38.14 At any hand hauing faith in God they may not for any thing distrust his saâ—uation Abraham would not giue his saluation for last though hee was to offer vp that earnest of it that God had pledged to him in Isaac the feed of promise Gen. 22.3 Rom. 4 18. The Apostle S. Paul was perswaded and this must bee our resolution that neither death nor life nor Angels the euill you must thinke for the good will not can or shall separate vs â—s it could not him from the loue of God which is in Christ â—esu our Lord Rom 8.38.39 the same â—postle would not giue away his saluation because so great a sinner but takes faster hold because Christ came to saue sinners of which â—ee was chiefe 1 Tim. 1.15 so the father of the child that had a dâ—mbe spirit though of little faith when hee came to Christ for hee said If thou canst doe any thing â—elpe vs yet hee would not lose euen that little saith which hee had but crying with teares said Lord I beleeue helpe my vnbeloofe Marke 9.22.24 Iob would beleeue euen beyond death for though the Lord would kill him he would trust in him Iob 13.15 Iob knew by his saith that hee that takes away life is able to make to liue hee knew the cup of despaire to be the cup of death and did feare it as much as man would to drinke poyson And thus we see that wee must maintaine our saluation against all obiections of Satan the litterall Scripture or our own misjudgements for so did this woman a woman of excellent faith who had many sore skirmishes which shee endured being scarce warme in the Gospell a very cold blast began in her face welcom'd her to Christ her Physicion seemingly gaue her ouer the courteous Sauiour answered nothing and when he spake it was no better than if he had said nothing the Disciples entreated forâ—â—er but to no purpose and Christ said speaking to the eare tha◠〈◊〉 might doe nothing for 〈◊〉 et this woman would haue no nay for reposing on Christ in the generall promise she doupted not but hee would make good what hee had spoken though she knew not how and she had reason for it for God wil not go from his word he wil neuer denie himselfe 2 Tim. 2.13 the reasons why Christians must beleeue nothing in barre to their saluation are For first Reasons it is an iniurie to God who hath decreed it whose promises are all yea and in him Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 Secondly it is a wrong done to the sufficiencie of Christs bloud that was the price in their redemption 1 Pet. 1.19 And thirdly it teareth the seale which the spirit hath set vnto their saluation for after they beleeue they are sealed with the holy Spirit of promise Eph. 1.13 a second reason they that cast away their hope for saluation and cast not anchor there doe wilfully damne themselues hauing neither the life of repentance in them nor the new life of one borne to God Christians must not doe so and true Christians will not Thirdly they must beleeue the word that saith Whosoeuer beleeueth that is with repentance and in a holy life shall not perish Iohn 3.16 Now beleeuing so and being such how can they beleeue against their saluation and not discredit the word that saith otherwaies A reproofe of their too great feare Vse 1. who hauing lined orderly in the Gospell and hauing been sorry with a godly sorrow where they failed or did otherwaies do for all this in their feare ioyne with Satan to put out their name where God hath writen it who hath written it in the booke of life to whom I say bâ— the word of the Lord that they should rather labour their owne comfort and reioyce that their name is there Luke 10.20 Phil. 4.4 Obiect but they will say how shall we be assured that our names are written in heauen if we knew it wee should bee glad indeed Answ I answer doe ye loue the brethren that is the godlie and doe yee know that yee loue them this is a token and well fare a good token that yee haue passed from death vnto life 1 Iohn 3.14 doe yee hate sinne and loue righteousnesse though yee doe the euill ye would not and not the good yee would it was a principall Apostles case Rom. 7.19 the seed of God is in you and yee grow into heaven 1 Iohn 3.9 Doe ye sâ—â—ue to the pâ—ritâ—cation of heart and 〈…〉 your hope is authenticall for as hee that hath this hope must purifie himselfe as God is pure 1 Iohn 3.3 so hee that doth so may well hope with a seeing hope to bâ—e sâ—ued Dâ—e yâ—e ascend vp by staires in your sâ—lues to the election of God and can yee finde the steps of it in your effectuall calling in the Gospell in your holy conuersation in it also in your spirituall Sonneship which is your adoption in Christ can ye truely say that yee are called that yee are sanctified that ye are Sonnes and so iustified ye are Gods elect ones and shall most surely bee glorified Rom. 8.30 yee know the commandements but doe ye worke at them dayly in your obedience by killing sinne and quickening grace if ye doe these things ye shall soiourne with God in his temple on earth and dwell with him in his glorious Temple in heauen Psals 15.1 and further doe yee make your calling and election sure 2. Pet. 1.10 it is sure in God but doe yee make it sure to your selues by infallible signes and true effects of grace if yee can doe so your saluation is sure enough though neither signes nor effects bee free from weaknesse for what hath perfection here but sinne finally doe yee beleâ—ue the generall promise in the word with true though imperfect application hee that will bee saued must beleeue in the Sonne of God to his saluation Iohn 3.16 and hee that so beleeues knowes himselfe to be vnder the generall promise and one in the generall pardon comprehended and therefore dâ—res to applie it as particularly as if hee saw his owne name written in it for so euery Prisâ—ner at the barre when any generall pardon is out will bring it home to himselfe in his owne particular case Now what common Prisoners at mans barre doe shall not beleeuing and truely humbled Prisoners in sinne doe before the barre of Ichouah or will euerie malefactor condemned in barre of iudgement pleade the generall pardon for himselfe and shall a iustified that is pardoned sinner doe lesse and not make the generall promise to belecuers particular to himselfe this is too much feare and
farther by a riotous life and if hee spare our bodies wee must not destroy our soules his louing correction should make vs whole not more sinfull if God remoue a plague the plague of sin shold goe with it and if God spare vs from death we must not make a couenant with death Esa 28.15 Nor sinne against him because he beares with sin in vs rather we should search our wayes and turne to the Lord. Lament 3.40 But are all troubles for the good of Gods children Vse 2. let Gods children next learne not to be too much cast downe with those things that should rather raise them For shall afflictions bee iudged euill that do vs so much good or if they were euill as naturall men say why doth S. Iames wish vs to count it all ioy to fall into them Indeed to be fed with the bread of teares and to bee so sick and so to languish that the soule abhorreth all manner of meat Psal 107.18 What taste can it haue in the palate of flesh If wee measure things by the carnall line it cannot But the naturall man is no competent iudg in these matters and that that is borne of flesh is flesh for what naturall man perceiueth the things of the spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.14 therefore wee must goe another way to worke and measure by future things not by present sense Hebr. 12.11 The onely fit Iudge is the spirituall man which if it may be Iudge will make vs to reioyce in tribulation and with Paul and Silas in prison Act. 16.25 The wicked man in affliction like a dogge in a coard doth nothing but houle and bite the coard with his teeth the godly man is patient in tribulation because of his hope Rom. 12 12. takes all quietly and contentedly without murmuring and without reasoning and as a young bird in a cage sings sweetely and in the musick of the holy Ghost diuinely to God where the other like an old bird is sullen in his troubles beates himselfe to death in them without comfort for the present or hope for the future Further notwithstanding that this Womans young daughter had an vncleane Spirit that is a deuill in her with which she was grieuously vexed yet did she not send neither goe to the Idols of the land for help or to the deuill in them though her country people so did but she comes directly to Christ her faith setting her in the way to him and to no other For religion if right knowes no other way Where we thirdly learne that religion will not bee beholden to the Deuill for ease in any trouble Doct. 3. therfore Micaiah a true Prophet of the Lord would not humor the King as the foure hundred false had done to gaine his freedom by it 1 King 22.14 nor Daniel shut the window which hee opened to the true God in prayer thrice a day though he trie Masterie with the hungrie Lions for it Dan. 6.10 Nor his three godly companions the three faithfull Seruants of God Shadrach Meshach and Abednego giue a knee to the golden Image that Nabuchodonezer had set vp in the plaine of Dura though they should bake for it in a firie ouen Dan. 3.16.17.18 Nehemiah that noble Leader would not flie to the reproch of God and religion though to saue his life Nehem. 6.11 And when Peter tooke Christ aside in sad counsel perswading him not to goe to Ierusalem where he was to suffer did Christ thanke him for his great good will rather did hee not tell him that he was a Satan vnto him that would offer vpon any respects in flesh to draw him from doing his fathers will in giuing himselfe an offering for sinne Matth. 16.21.22.23 the reosons Reas It cannot bee without treachery and wrong to religion for this were for a subiect of Iehoua to turne Pensioner to Satan and what subiect to a King can hold intelligence with another King his enemie about affaires of State and not bee traitor to him Secondly the Deuill is Gods enemie and if wee belong to God ours Now what good seruant will bee beholden to his Masters enemie for the hauing of that which had cannot but iustly displease the Master and can a Christian seruant be beholden to the deuill by dependence and not griâ—ue his proper all sufficient Lord from whom he departs by such distrust of his help when he should cast himselfe vp◠〈◊〉 him wholly for allthings Thirdly Gods corrections are al for our good and in loue to reclaime vs from some way of sin wherein wee walke displeasingly to him and can wee take way from him to the deuill for auoiding if so we could so profitable discipline and not greatly offend God can a child runne out of his Fathers house to his Fathers enemie when he takes vp the rod not greatly displease or wil it not prouoke him more that he should runne to an enemie to saue him from blowes necessarie the application is easie the vse is next And that is for instruction Vse teaching that they faile much in religion who if a tooth do but ake must seek a charme for it if some lose any thing the deuill by a Witch must bring it againe or if they be sick some wise man that is wizard must bee dealt with for their health if one deuill bewitch them another must be hired it is the deuils wages to vnwitch them as if one deuill should be sought vnto to cast out another of such we may truely say that God is not in all their wayes It was the sinne of Saul 1 Chr. 10.13 and of Ahaziah 2 King 1.2 two Kings and two runne-awayes from God that they lest the path to him and walked in by-paths to graues deuils and can men follow in such an ill leading way and not sinne the same may bee spoken of those who though secrete things belong to God Deut. 29.29 yet by a curious and oâ—erbold enquirie at the starres will force them to speake where God will say nothing is not this to go from the liuing to the dead Esa 8.19 And do starre-gazers better and they that calculate natiuities some are indeede more tolerable then some but they hang all vpon one string all are alike forbidden as an abomination to God Dâ—nter 18.10.11.12.13.15 For here a Prophet is opposed to a Witch and all such Witches children God speaking in the one and the deuill whispering in the other when God hath closed vp a thing with his seale of secretle is it not impious curiositie to offer to open it by an extraordinarie enquirie not at his mouth such arts deserue to be sacrificed wher books of such arts were Act. 19 19. The other occasion of the conference followeth Heard of him came and fell at his feete THE further occasion of this conference was the same that went of Christ which this woman receiued not as matter of talke or of ordinarie newes but as a word of Gospell or glad tidings
betweene the outward Court and the Sanctuary was rent at Christs death Matth. 27.51 and then hee said to the prisoners goe forth Esa 49.9 The vse is for instruction Vse 1. teaching that great grace is come to vs the sinners of the Gentiles that wee haue great cause of glorying in God for his mercifull health We that were dead in sin and trespasses are quickned Ephes 2.1 now wee are written among the liuing in the Gospell whose names before where not in the booke Our dutie in this case is to beware that wee race not the booke by our contempts neither blotit and our names in it with the pen of our sins Rom. 11.20 21. Be we aduised then how we ioyne in answer with those who bidden to the great Supper absented themselues by their farmes yoakes of Oxen Luke 14.18 19. God hath pitied vs let vs not be cruell to our selues he loued our saluation aboue the life of his Sonne Iohn 3.16 let vs not vnderualue it with Esau to a portion of meat Hebr 12 16. nor let vs with the Papists open a shop of our owne doings when the Lord hath done alfour works for vs Esa 26.12 for God hath not giuen vs this great stock of his gracious bounties to set vp for our selues but to occupie for him Matth. 25.25 much lesse to put it out to bad vses or to consume it on our lusts Iam. 4.3 Is the saluation of God come to the Gentiles and if to any to vs of this nation it reproueth the cold affections of the most among vs who receiue it with no better welcome The Lord hath cast the seed of his word and the precious stone of his Gospell among vs where others labour and trade with earthly wares he hath made vs the Merchants of a rich Iewell wherein is life saluation but this ignorance that is among vs and this vntowardnesse that is in vs either to learne the good will of God or to practise that wee know hath made vs the merchants of the earth and not Merchants of so heauenly a treasure It cannot bee denied but that great grace is come vnto vs that the Lord hath set vp his Altar in this Realm for his worship but as when the Arke of God was with great gladnesse receiued of the Bethshemits after it came from the Philistims but with little reuerence vsed it became the death of 50000 and 70 persons who died in that contempt 1 Sam. 6.19 so it is to be feared and almost to bee looked for that if generally more care be not taken that the Arke of the Gospell haue better rooms among vs welcome to vs than now it hath or of late hath had that euen that worthy thing which otherwaies would haue bin our life will proue our death and the death of all the whole Realme without such redresse of our waies as one well saith what can bee thought but that which otherwaies should haue beene and would haue beene the water of life to saue vs will bee but a sea of waters to drowne vs and become for a sweet powder of health a strong dose of destruction and for meat to feed vs poyson to kill vs and for a word of glad newes a word of the saddest that euer was heard So much for the occasion of this conference in the Pharises the other occasions follow out of the text of S. Marke Marke 7.24 25 26. And entred into an house would haue no man know it but he could not be hid For a certaine woman whose young daughter had an vncleane spirit heard of him came and fell at his feet The woman was a Greeke a Syrophenician by nation and shee besought him that hee would cast the Deuill out of her daughter IN these words which we take vp for supply of what S. Matthew hath not we haue the other occasions of the following conference where concerning it the Euangelist S. Marke speaketh of certaine adherent circumstances and then of the occasions themselues and first there is a barre set against the womans comming to Christ for he would not bee knowne and then it is remoued for he could not be hid Christ neuer shewed himselfe but his power was great full of excellencie and wonder yet as Ioh. 7.3 6.10 so here hee shunned all opennesse He was alwaies worth the seeing yet here and now he would not be knowne And now this humble minde in Christ who though he might haue honoured himselfe would not Doct. doth teach all Christians to bee humble in their gifts When Christs brethren would haue him to get credit by seeking to be openly knowne he would not ante-date his fathers time nor goe openly to the feast but secretly and in no shew Iohn 7.4.10 In the Chapter before some would haue made him a King but his hand such as it was then being not fit to hold the Scepter he got him froÌ„ them to a mountaine where was no companie Iohn 6.15 Further he commandeth his to learne of him and what is the lesson it is to bee meeke and lowlie in heart Mat. 11.29 Hereupon the Apostle S. Paul biddeth Christians to cary the minde that was in Christ who emptied himselfe of all outward glorie and made himselfe of no reputation Phil. 2.5.7 so humble he was in his rare excellencies and high place that he washed the feet of those who should haue worshipped at his feet Iohn 13.5 and thus Christians though of neuer so great gifts and eminent place should be humble in them for what are their drops to his full sea Reasons the reasons First much good will come vnto vs by doing so for where the ambitious and proud are tossed vpon a restlesse sea of cares we shall finde rest vnto our soules Matth. 11.29 where they haue a storme of perturbations in their mindes wee shall finde nothing but a sweet calme of quiet affections in them Secondly it shall be for our greater honour for they that humble themselues shall bee exalted Luke 14.11 Men shall lose nothing by humilitie as they shall get nothing by pride by which what man euer made a sauing bargaine the lower or deeper we lay the foundation the stronger the building is Luke 6.48 and so the humbler in grace the surer of grace and who hauing any good thing would not bee sure of it Thirdly by pride in our gifts wee pull from God to take to our selues as our owne that which is his and can this glorying be good which is so vniust The vse is for reproofe of thâ—se that swell as if they had a Tâ—â—panie because their gifts exceed the common rate of vulgar or ordinarie Vse Christ would not be knowne but such would not bee hid Moses countenance shone and he knew it not Exod. 34.29 these knovv all and more too but thus following their owne shaddow they driue it further from them the way to catch it is to fall downe vpon it so they that praise
that need a rowsing vp The Prophet Dauid in his one and fiftie penitentiall Psalme did often change words it was not to shew his eloquence but to testifie as his great fault so his great faith which he shewed by tossing this way and that or as a sicke man in bed from one side to another Psal 51.1.2.7.9.10 11 12. so Gods children in distresse as they haue faith to beleeue so they change phrase in their complainings otherwaies with Baals Priests though wee put neuer so much wood about the Altar of our prayers no fire from heauen falling vpon them wee may crie loud enough and long enough and haue no answere more then they had 1 King 18.23.26.29 But if we haue faith we will pray with Elijahs Spirit and not coldly by putting wood where no fire will take v. 36 38. For the Spirit if we haue it will by our faith put fire vnto our words make them to smoke into heauen and this is to pray as Elijah did whose sacrifice God kindled from aboue Hence appeareth that they want faith who onely out of custom salute God in their formall prayers where they poure out great Hypocrisie but no prayer in Spirit truth and thus they giue God the time of the day in some cold good morrow who bid him be gone all day after and at night when they should make him the keeper of the house they doe not once speake vnto him in prayer to be neare by driuing away all euils that may hurt in case of his absence from their help and protection Somuch for the manner the matter of the Woman petition followeth out of Matt. 15.22 in the combat it self or the issue v. 28. Saying haue mercie on Mee ô Lord thou Sonne of Dauid THIS is the matter of this Womans petition and now the Combat beginnes betweene Christ and her at the weapon of her Faith In this fight she makes diuers requests and receiues sundrie repulses the repulses were three and in those three she warded off three very sore venies offered against her Faith the shield of proofe against them The requests were either her owne v. 22.25.27 or of the disciples for her v. 23. The first of the requests which was her owne is in the words now read Wherein wee haue the grace she begged and the persons the one for whom and the other from whom The grace she begged was the grace of mercie desiring Christ in mercie to pitie her that could deserue nothing And so she beginnes well and at the right end waighing anchore in a safe road Papists cast it on the sand of their deseruings but she sends all away saue Gods goodnes to his humble hand-maid In all Canaan there was not such an other and how many in Israel yet the whole of her request was mercie and that Christ would shew his mercy to a miserable sinner Doct. from hence the doctrine is that whatsoeuer wee haue or can ask of God is out of mercie So Iacob praying to God to be deliuered from the hand of Esau his bloodie brother prayeth out of his mercie for such a deliuerance confessing in true humilitie that hee deserued no such thing Gen. 32.10 Also the thousands of the Louers of God he is said to respect by shewing his mercie to them and no otherwayes Exod 20 6. Dauid further craueth of God that hee would wash his sin that which he was so sick of in many mercies as it were waters His sinne was great and he knew it and therefore speaks of a thorow washing for it Psal 51.2 Ieremie saith it is the Lords mercie that we are not consumed in our sins Lam. 3.22 still then the finger is vpon mercie Zacharie likewise speaking of that spring of day from heauen Christ the true Light that visited vs saith that the tender mercie of the Father sent him Luc. 1.78 Here vpon the Elect are called Vessels of mercy Rom. 9.23 The Redeemed of the Lord the redeemed by mercy Eph. 1.7 and Paul called to Christ called in mercie 1 Tim. 1.13 our begetting a new is through Gods abundant mercy 1 Pet. 1.3 our life after death the riches of his mercie through sesus Christ our Lord. Rom. 6.23 and so all is out of mercie Reasons The reasons by nature wee are the children of wrath Eph. 2.3 enemies to God Rom. 5.10 our imaginations only euill Gen. 6.5 our wisdom simply death Rom. 8.6 and we to euery good work reprobate Tit. 1.16 This is our naturall state and in this what plea can serue but of mercie also herein what could induce God to do vs good but a minde of mercie Secondly in many things we offend al Iam 3 2. nay in the best that the best do much may bee found amisse as comming from them and is not the pardon of offences a worke of mercie and what but mercie can amend what is amisse and for our good we may say of it all as Iacob of all his wealth God hath had mercie on Me therfor I haue all this Gen. 33.11 and if all bee of grace merit is shut out and mercie must enter which is the first part and all of all our true welfare Ps 32.1.2 145.9 One vse of this is to keep God vp in all wee receiue and haue thas is in all them to maintaine his glorie that wee liue it is his mercie and his mercie that the ground doth not swallow vs nor the heauens ouer vs fall downe vpon vs. We haue not a morsel of bread but by his gift Matth. 6.11 nor garment to put on but what we haue from the wardrobe of his sufficiencie That we are saued it is his mercie and his tender mercie that wee fall not presently into hell And surely whosoeuer vseth any of his good blessings and doth not thus reckon for theÌ„ is a theef of them and so is hee that enters otherwayes then by this dore into them Which would bee remembred of all chiefely of the richer sort of people who are aptest to forget God at their full tables and when their heaps rise And therefore to such I say are your barnes full Gods mercie hath filled them Or haue you much His blessing vpon your basket hath caused that increase it is his entire gift let it not pay tole by taking any praise thereof to your selues If he haue let out his vineyard vnto you giue him of his owne fruits freely Giue to his poore and willingly to charitable deeds If you lay them not out so or onely vpon your owne lusts not his mercie but his iustice hath giuen them if you further not his glorie by them you shall answere for them to the vttermost farthing But your accompt for his loue-tokens will bee farre greater as they be farre better If God haue giuen you his Gospel one of his best gifts and you despise the gift as inferiour to the peeble of weâ—â—th you discredit his wisdom and in one of his best loue-tokens his best good
27. hee keepes all their bones Psal 34.20 and not one of them is lacking Ier. 23.4 Iohn 17.12 Secondly it was the decree of the Father that Christ should bee set for the fall rising againe of many in Israel as Simeon in his 〈…〉 Luke 2.34 which decree is no idle purpose but a deed of sucrtie a conclusion in heauen and ordinance vnder the seale of eternitie Now to be sent as Christ was for a lost people such as we were what is it but to be the sauing shepheard of them by an euerlasting decree Thirdly our errour was in the heart without all knowledge of our waies Psal 95.10 and what created thing can heale the heart or leade the wayes of it but the Lord of spirits and hearts euen he that made vs these soules the Lord Christ who onely is the hand that can and doth deliuer from the hand of hel thither we erred in the first man from thence we are brought backe by him and onely by him that is God and man The vse is for instruction Vse 1. for is Christ the sauing Shepheard of his people and sheepe then they must be his people sheepe that will be sauâ—d that is they must â—eare his voice and follow him Iohn 10.27 or heare and obey for this is true following they must receiue his marke and print vpon their hearts Cant. 8.6 and open to him Iohn 10.3.5 for wee cannot looke for saluation carrying Christ in our hearing onely much lesse in no â—earing wee must lodge him in the practise of what wee heare if wee will see his saluation Swine therefore that are alwaies rooting and couetous must bee made sheepe and their faces must be to heauen whose sâ—outs are euer in the ground if they will bee gathered from their errors in death to the saluation of God and so must they who being washed in the Sacrament returne to the mire of sinne as Swine and they who when the pearle of the Gospell is offered them treade it prophanely vnder their feet runne grunting from Church and raile against those that teach them renting them all to peeces Matth. 7.6 for else they are not sheepe whom Christ will bring with him but fit Innes for the Deuils to guest in Matth. 8.32 Another vse for instruction is this Vse 2. if Christ be the sauing shep heard of his lost sheepe then we are but lost without him when the Disciples were vpon the sea in a great tempest the ship tossed with windes and almost couered with water they cried saying Master sane we perish Matth. 8.25 This is our case and in this case as men readie to perish vpon the sea of this world and confessing so much except Christ bee in ship with vs to saue vs we must â—â—ie vnto him praying him to be neere in his saluation that wee perish not so did the Disciples in a storme vpon them and so should we in all stormes of trouble that wee may doe so wee must feele our losse without Christ and feare our destruction not hauing him for Christ came to saue that which was lost Matth. 18.11 therefore not lost in our owne sence not saued by him and what vse of physicke in a sound body Mat. 9.12 Christ preacheth libertie to prisoners Luke 4.18 if therefore wee be not prisoners in the chaine of our sinnes nor sensible of so much what need any libertie what need any healing of a broken heart where none are broken-hearted before a wound be made what need of oyle or opening Luke 10.34 the broken and contrite in spirit are for Gods cure Psal 51.17 when we are at the worst and vnfainedly desire better wee are fit for Christ also being burdened and heauy laden with sinne wee are in case to come vnto him who hath promised to ease vs Matth. 11.28 Let vs remember this when our sinnes are a burden too heauy for vs to beare for the sinnes that truely grieue vs shall neuer hurt vs and when our whole worke is cast downe then is Gods time to build vs Psal 51.10 A comfort to poore wandering sheepe Vse 3. for being poore and lost they haue a shepheard that will seeke them which made the Prophet who had stayed like a loste sheepe to say seeke thy seruant Psal 119.176 Men will not bee troubled for their way that haue a good guide and what need wee who haue such a Leader though the wolfe and Beare with the roaring Lyons of the world way-lay vs Christ will conduct vs in the way where no beast can come that is hurtfull and seekes our destruction Esay 11.9.16 If wee will goe a long with him wee shall goe safely by the way and where others fall or are snared our foot shall not stumble nor be taken Pro. 3.23 The Womans beating backe of the former sharpe replie followeth VERSE 25. Yet came she and worshipped him saying Lord helpe me CHrist hath twice now resused this woman in her petition for her daughter and her selfe yet will shee not be put by his compassions might seeme to be shut vp against her but she hath the key of them in the faith which with Abraham against hope beleeueth in hope Rom. 4.18 and though his last answer had a very hard shell yet 〈◊〉 to lose so sweet a kernell for the labour shee sâ—ts 〈◊〉 in great humilitie crauing the help of Christ for the opening of that my sterie which as too hard a shell for a beginner in the Gospell or child whose teeth are not all or but newly come she was not able to pierce into And therefore where shee 〈◊〉 with worshiping Lord help me it is in effect as shee had said I will not reason with my Lord in point of argument nor take vpon me the skill to vntie so hard a knot as his blessed hand hath knit therefore with falling downe low at his feet in worshipping I beseech my Lord to helpe me a short prayer and very passionate for her soule was troubled and she could not say much yet would shee not giue ouer the hold that her faith kept nor beleeue any thing against her owne saluation For Christ had said in the letter of the word that hee was sent to â—eet by speciall commission to the houses of Israel not to a Cananite Docâ—â— 1 from which example or miracle of rare faith wee learne that Christians must admit of nothing in the sharpe excercise of their faith to the contrarie of their saluation though Satan 〈◊〉 objector or corrupt feare taking part with him yet against â—â—th they must hold fast their saluation yea though the letter of Scripture should say they cannot bee 〈◊〉 yet they must not receiue it into 〈◊〉 but examine that Scripture by otheâ— Scriptures thâ—â— saâ—â— or may say otherwaies and here they must hold the generall promise against all barres the cleere phrase must be heard before that which is in a cloud to bee short they must breake off all disputes with Satan and their owne
an inuersion of what hee had said as making rather for them against her Doctr. But first we haue the woman iustifying Christ the Lord in his sharpest answer to her which practice of hers teacheth vs the like and that is to confesse Gods iustice and truth in his roundest dealings with vs. So Dauid cleared the Lord in point of his iustice even when hee suffered vnder his sinne vnto the brimme of hell Nathan the Prophet had denounced the angry sentence of the Lords iustice against him for adultery and bloud hee had told him from God that euill should bee raised against him out of his owne house that the sword should lye vpon it that his wiues should be defiled and the childe of adultery should dye 2. Sam. 12.10.11 14. yet Dauid reasoneth not against Gods true and righteous iudgement in all this but iudgeth truly that God was true holy and righteous and that his sinne had deserued all that was then decreed against him Psal 51.4 his words are Against thee and with the double in token of earnestnesse thee haue I sinned therefore be thou iustified when thou speakest and cleare when thou iudgest It was a good signe of Elies saluation that he submitted to the Lord in that heauie iudgement that was pronounced against his house for he said It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good 1. Sam. 3.18 Good king Hezekiah subscribed accordingly and said The word of the Lord is good 2. King 20.19 as if hee had said to the mâ—â—â—enger There is no fault in thy message all is in my sinne When Shimei railed on Dauid calling him murderer and a man of bloud he saw the the Lord to bee iust in that wicked mouth and therefore saith to Abishai and to the other Suffer him to curse for the Lord hath bidden him 2. Sam. 16.11 as if he should haue said This is little enough and I haue deserued more After Dauid Daniel cleareth Gods seueritie in the heauiest plague that euer was brought vpon a nation Dan. 9.13 14. And Ieremy did the like in his booke of Lamentations for saying that Ierusalem was then as greatly despised as euer greatly honoured before hee saith that it was because shee had greatly sinned Lament 1.8 All these did confesse a righteous Father to the iudgements that were then in the world making sinne the proper efficient of them all The reasons Reasons They know that God could not but bee iust in word and deed as was said Psal 51.4 and therefore in both iustifiable For what can hee say or doe amisse that can neither say nor do otherwayes then well Secondly God is not onely true but the truth nor onely iust but iustice it selfe Ioh. 14.6 1. Cor. 1 30. Now truth can neuer bee a lie nor iustice vnrighteousnesse Thirdly Gods children must be contrary to the deuils children and doe contrarily The deuils children condemne the Lord 2. King 6.33 Gods children therefore must cleare him they iustifie themselues Ezek. 18.25.29 these must instifie him A good natur'd childe will rather take fault to himselfe then charge his father and what children are they that charge God with fault who cannot offend Rom. 3.5 An admonition to Christians to see their owne deseruings Vse 1. and faultinesse in all that is vpon them from God and to pray for such eyes for then they will not charge him with wrong who can doe nothing but what is equall and iust Ezek. 18.4.2 Chron. 19.7 The more we behold our selues in this glasse the more patient we will bee in the hardest things that come So was Iob who therefore answered the Lord and said Behold I am vile and what shall I answer thee I will lay my hand vpon my mouth Iob 40 3. Till God had opened his eyes by shewing vnto him his sinne and by making it apparent as the light at noon-day now impossible it was for a God so innocent to punish without cause he stood stiffely vpon his iustification and thought hee could set downe God with his arguments Iob 23.3.4.5 here his eyes were held and scales of self-sufficiency were vpon them but when his sight was clearer he said as we heard When Ieremy saw as he should he said O Lord if I dispute with thee thou art righteous Iere. 12.1 he knew he should bee at a non-plus if he went on and therefore yeelded without any more ado So if we would rightly consider our wayes and our selues in sinne instead of reasoning with God about our troubles wee would confesse his iust hand vpon vs and say to our selues as the euill doer to his fellow we are iustly here Luk. 23.41 but we measure the punishment and weigh not the sinnes that haue caused it and therefore that God strikes too hard for small matters Hence some complaine of too much strictnesse in God when for tasting of a little fruite hee would cast all mankinde into miserie But these neuer yet considered rightly the merit of that sinne and maiesty of the person against whom it was committed The wages of euery sin is death eternall Rom. 6 23. and Gods maiestie makes euery sinne great though small in our eyes And here though the matter in which the sinne was done were small yet was it no small sinne to bee ambitious of Gods place to beleeue the deuill before God to be so vnthankfull for so large a liberty in all the other trees not to be contented with ones estate to breake a knowne and easie Commandement and to cast away the whole world of mankinde in one sinne Againe some thinke it too great scueritie in God to drowne a whole world of men in one Floud so as none were saued but eight persons But they that thus put finger in the eye repining at Gods iust doings besides the blasphemie of such a wicked taxation of the righteous God they neither know his greatnesse nor how great a sinne it is to offend it A reproofe of their impatiencie Vse 2 who murmure against God for euery little crosse hee sends them in their children in their cattell or corne-fields For thus to murmure is to say plainly that they deserue no such vniust strokes of his hand But if God should take away all as he did from Iob we should take the losse as Iob did blessing his name Iob 1.21 Nay if he should raze vs out of his booke of life wee should bee dumbe and say nothing because hee hath done it Psalm 39.2 how much more should we hold in when he doth but softly touch vs and not send his iron into our soules Some yeeld to the Lord with a forced submission saying What remedie as if hee carried all by the elder hand and plagued them because they could not resist him Where yet it is their own wickednesse that hath corrected them Ier. 2.19 onely the Lord then vsed his great power to make good his iustice vpon them for wilfull transgression For iust is the Lord and nothing shall faile of all
that is written concerning him not one sillable not one letter or small pricke Matth. 5.18 Of this woman Vse 3 the mirrour of a worthy hearer all hearers should learne patience and application in the sharpest reproofe of the word When it rebuketh a sinne they that bee guiltie should turne the edge to themselues confesse a truth and not kicke against the prickes of it Acts 9.5 The Apostle Saint Paul where hee found sinne made an owle of it and follows it with crying out Who shall deliuer mee from this bodie of death Rom. 7.24 He was a persecuter a blasphemer a great sinner and he tells the world with his owne penne that he was so 1. Tim. 1.13.15 But how many will doe so now and giue God the right of his iustice by keeping their sinnes alwayes in sight and by branding hell in their foreheads as the Apostle did rather when they should say truth Sir to the Preacher they rise in his face for speaking but truly and iustly of their sinne The inuersion of Christs Answer followeth Yet euen the dogges eate of the crummes c. HEere the woman as wee heard makes vse of Christs argument and turnes the point of it vpon her selfe For she saith Yet euen the dogges c. as if shee should haue said Though in thy meaning Lord I bee but a dogge or whelpe vnder the table of the children and I presume no higher yet I may gather vp the chippings that fall from the table where the children haue so much What therefore is not denyed to a dogge giue Lord to thy prostrate hand-maid Or thus The table of the children was neuer so sparingly set but that somewhat wold fall ouer to those that waited below I am one that humbly waite below Lord say to thy seruants soule I am thy saluation Psalm 35.3 This may bee the womans answer in more words And here was great faith indeed and with it great humilitie This woman was faithfull and yet humble and so wee see that certaintie of faith may stand with humilitie Indeed Doctr. 1. foolish presumption will be answered with nothing though it haue nothing to say and be brought to a stand where true faith goes forward though limpingly as vpon stilts For it belâ—ues beyond reason of letter and aboue hope vnder hope Rom 4.18 Abraham the patterne of faith was humble enough when hee drew neare to God Genes 18.27 And Daniels three companions in the captiuitie were not conceited of themselues when yet they could say to the king The God whom we serue will deliuer vs. Dan. 3.17 And blessed Mary might be the seruant of the Lord and the mother of Christ too who bore him in her faith as surely as in her bellie Luk. 1.38 Also hee greatly trusted in God who yet could say Lord my heart is not hautie nor my eyes loftie Psal 131.1 And Iehosaphat that strongly reposed on God said that hee could not tell what to do or that he had neuer an eye vpon himselfe but his eyes were toward the Lord 2. Chro. 20.12 Thus true faith hath roome enough for humilitie The reasons Reasons To doe what we are commanded to doe vpon a promise is not pride but obedience Now we are commanded vpon a promise to beleeue and therefore we may beleeue and be humble Ioh. 3 16.27 Beggers are humble enough and yet importunate such a beggar is faith which hath nothing but what it seekes and gets abroad Psalm 40.17 and therefore as a beggar it speaks with prayer and humbly by petition Vse is first for confutation of Papists Vse 1. who call true confidence in God proud presumption Their tenent is that none can without an arrogant spirit beleeue the certaintie of their owne saluation But we see the contrary in this humble and prostrate woman and verily whosoeuer trusteth most in God hath the least opinion of his own worth So this woman passing others in faith went before them in a low conceit of her selfe But they who say that it is pride and arrogancie to trust in God for saluation hold it no pride to trust in themselues for it Hence the vulgar which are of their teaching say that they hope to be saued by their good meanings and their good deeds The second vse is Vse 2. for the triall of our faith for the humbler in the opinion of â—ur selues the stronger in faith The more we trust God the lesse we trust our selues though neuer so full of good works Iob was a painfull workman in the Law yet saith that if God should contend with him or pose him hard hee could not answer him one of a thousand Iob 9.3.14 Dauid confesseth as much Psalm 148.2 which is that no flesh if the winde of iustice blow vpon it can stand in Gods sight for so in his sight shall none that liueth bee iustified Could there bee better men then these two and of better faith and yet how humble in all that they did So the returning Prodigall had great confidence in his father yet cast himselfe below a sonne and thought himselfe not worthy to sit with the Hindes except his father were so pleased I herefore hee faith I am no more worthy to bee called thy sonne make me as one of thy hired seruants for vnworthy to be so except thou make me so Luk. 15.19.21 To bee short how many more faithfull then this woman and how many more humble Therefore the denials of Christ were but as so many strong windes to cause the flame of her faith to rise vp higher But here further the woman speaking of some crummes or fallings from the table of the children intimates that it was a full table a table that ranne ouer and where was no want but exceedings rather And here learne that the Iewes diet in time of the Law was no spare diet Doctr. 2 but a table running ouer to the Gentiles Naaman the Syrian Luk. 4.27 the widow of Sarepta Luk. 4.26 the woman of Samaria Ioh. 4.28 the Centurion in Saint Matthew Matth. 8.5.6.7.8 Iob in Vz Iob 1.1 and this woman here were all fed though not with the whole loafe yet with crummes from the childrens table And crums were good fare in the hunger-bitten land of the ignorant Nations Though God then but dropped vpon them yet in the Gospell and when the Iewes would not come to the Kings wedding dinner Matth. 22.9 10. they had a plentifull raine of grace which was shed vpon them abundantly Tit. 3.6 and then the hall was set round with guests It is sure then that God euer kept a good table a table well appointed for all that would come The reasons Reasons It is for his greater glory for that house-keeping is much commended where is no want But God spares for no cost where his guests come willingly if they want not a stomacke they shall want for no meat for hee that is rich in abundance of all heaneuly treasures will serue them of all