that can reach out mercy to the soul and speak a word of comfort and counsel God only can speak a word of strength a word of peace the creature cannot No it is God only I create the fruit of the lips peaâ—y peace Now when a soul looks up to the Lord and meets with nothing from him and knows that there is no answer to be expected from the creature this must needs be a great and a sore trial Fifthly it will appear to be a great trial if we consider that the flesh and Devil are exceeding ready to make a great advantage of this providence of God and dispensation towards his people for they will improve this to the dishonour of God and discomfort of the soul and therefore a great trial In two or three Particulars I shall shew you how ready the Flesh and Devil is to improve this to Gods dishonour and the souls discomfort First the Flesh and Devil will raise up many doubts and jealousies and mis-giving thoughtâ—â— both concerning God and concerning a man own condition and concerning the duties and services which are offered up to the Lord. They will make the soul to doubt of the goodness of God to doubt of the free-grace of God to doubt of the faithfulness of God of the truth of God Surely saith unbelief the Lord is not so gracious as thou hast taken him to be thou hast rested upon the Arm of his mercy and thou hast believed his grace to be sufficient for thee in every condition thou hast looked toward him as toward an infinite compassionate God but where are the compassions of the Lord now not to speak one word to relieve and comfort thee Thus will the Devil and the unbelieving heart object when the Lord doth not give out a present answer yea unbelief will be accusing the faithfulness of God Oh! where is his Word and his Promise He hath said that they that call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved He hath said Call upon me in the time of trouble and I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me â—h where is the faithfulness of God God is unmindful of his promise Asaph was under this temptation Psalm 77. 7 8. Will the Lord cast off for ever and will he be favourable no more Is his mercy clean gone for ever doth his promise fail for evermore And thus he goeth on making many Queries concerning the goodness and faithfulness of God Secondly as the Devil and the Flesh doth raise many doubts and jealousies concerning the faithfulness of God so there are many doubts cast into the soul concerning the eternal estate and condition of the soul and that upon this ground when as the soul hath sought the Lord and the Lord not answer presently the soul begins to doubt oh surely I am no child of God no sponse no friend God could not deal so with children not to give one word of comfort not one word of answer Oh surely I am an Hypocrite for the prayer of the upright is his delight and if there were any truth of heart in me the Lord would give out an answer and thus the Devil and the Flesh-raise many jealousies and fears about the souls eternal state Or Thirdly if the Devil and the Flesh prevail not so far as to cause the soul to question the goodness of God and the Truth of God or to question its own Sonship yet they will prevail so far as to make the soul question his services and his duties which it hath performed to God Oh! surely I have not spoken to the Lord as I ought surely I have not been fervent in Spirit serving the Lord my prayer hath been but words of my own not the teachings of his Spirit if it had been his own Spirit the Lord would have heard his own Spirit but my prayer hath been accompanied with so many infirmities as it hath not reached up to heaven And thus you see how many a poor soul is led into temptation upon this ground the Lords being silent to the prayers of his people But you will say wherefore doth the Lord thus try his people I answer sometimes indeed the fault is in our selves that we have no answer to our prayers for it is possible that a man or woman that hath faith in Jesus Christ may be remiss in their walkings they may neglect some known duty or they may connive and wink at some evil way and if so no wonder though the Lord be silent at their prayers If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear my prayer If David regard iniquity if there be any way of sin that his heart closeth with the Lord will be silent to his prayers if any iniquity be regarded no wonder though the Lord do not hear Yea sometimes Gods own people are found remiss in their duty and though they pray they pray remisly and coldly their prayer is accompanied with so much deadness and distraction there is so little life and so little spirit the Spirit speaks so low that the Lord cannot hear and he will not hear and when it is so that we pray coldly and lazily we make but a light matter of it and are not found crying to the Lord with our hearts no wonder though the Lord be silent to our prayers Yea sometimes Gods own people may miss of an answer because they do not look after an answer and then the fault is their own when as we shall put up our petition and shall not be looking after our prayer shall not be found looking up as David speaketh Psalm 5. 3. In the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and will look up I will wait for an answer and hear what God the Lord will speak Psalm 85. 8. But when we do not regard our prayer then no wonder there is no answer I say therefore the Lord is sometimes silent to the prayers of his own people and the fault is in themselves But the Lord is not alwayes silent upon these grounds A gracious heart may walk close with God and may regard no iniquity and desire not to connive at any sin and it may wait upon the Lord for an answer and yet the Lord may be silent and give no present answer to the prayers of his people Why so why will the Lord deal so with any of his people I answer for gracious ends as First that they may exercise the spirit of prayer which is given out the Lord he loves to hear the cry of his people he loves to hear the voice of the children when they speak in prayer there is nothing on eath that God delights more in 〈◊〉 let me see thy face and let me hear thy voice saith Christ to his Spouse for thy voice is sweet Noâ— because the voice of faith in prayer 〈◊〉 sweet to the Lord the Lord he seemeth 〈◊〉 to hear or not to take notice for the present thâ—â— so they may pray the
Spirit is not given to discover any thing that is beside the rule that Christ hath left he shall guide you into truth ah but how he shall lead you to the rule and guide you into truth for he shall not speak of himself but what Christ hath spoken and what is written in the Word of the Lord and the Spirit is given to speak it with power and life and efficacy He shall take of mine and shew it to you no new thing but what is mine my Truth my Gospel he shall take of mine and shew it to you Object But you will say If the Spirit of the Lord be in me surely the Spirit need no rule to walk by but the Spirit of the Lord is in all the Saints what need have they of any other rule Answ I answer The Spirit needs no rule ah but the Lord saw that we needed a rule to walk by we were apt to be deceived to call darkness light and light darkness the Lord saw we had need of a rule and that rule is the Word of the Lord which is given us as our rule and no other rule but only the Word of the Lord And therefore be not deceived upon any pretence whatsoever take heed you be not drawn off from the Institutions of Christ from the Word of Christ the rule that Christ hath left all his people to walk by for if you be you will exalt something of your own something that you will place your Righteousness in and oh how provoking is that to Christ for a people that do so they cannot and shall not injoy the spiritual presence of Christ such as forsake Christs Rule and set up their own rule that Christ never made a rule they shall not injoy the presence of Christ no more then Christ afforded his presence with the Scribes and Pharisees And therefore doe but wait upon the Lord cleave to the Lord and hold fast his Rule and you shall see that the Lord will make it evident to all the world that he hath left them though they are never so seemingly high and spiritual yet it will appear that such as forsake him Christ will forsake them they are left of Christ in their judgements already and wait upon the Lord and you shall see that the Lord will leave them to corrupt themselves by a corrupt conversation for what way of Christ will not men only forsake but blaspheme and what sins so great will not such a man as leaves the rule be drawn to the commission of For if the Word be not the rule but a strong impulse of Spirit what impulses may not a man have he may have the strongest impulse to the greatest evil whatsoever if the Lord hath not yet left yet he will leave such a people to the commission of great evil As I remember the history of some of the low Countries they had such a pretence that the Word was not to be their rule but they were led by the impulse of the Spirit of God and I remember in that history it is recorded that many grievous wickednesses they did commit they came to marry many wives and one of the chief of them cuts off one of his wives heads And another upon a time he calls his kindred together and he in the presence of them all takes away the life of one of his brethren and said now the will of the Lord is done And what wickedness is it that men may not fall into by a strong impulse But so much for that I will give you but one hint more in that 21. v. â—esus went into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon You â—ee from whence Christ came which was from the â—arts of Judea and the occasion of Christs deâ—atture because they rejected his Word But wheâ—â—er came Christ He departed into the coast of Tyre and Sidon A word or two of that and so â—onclude The coasts of Tyre and Sidon First They were the uttermost parts of the â—and of Canaan Secondly It was a very dark place a place full 〈◊〉 darknesse and ignorance a people that were â—ixed with the heathen and had learned their sinâ—â—l customes and yet the Lord Christ when he goes â—â—om Jerusalem he goes into the parts of Tyre and â—â—don Briefly observe this The faithfulness of Christ 〈◊〉 his Fathers work and the love of Christ to the 〈◊〉 of men Tyre a hundred miles from Jerusaâ—â—m and yet Christ undertook this journey Oh 〈◊〉 faithfulness of Christ in his Fathers work he â—â—ares no labour no travel from place to place â—â—om City to City to the uttermost parts of the â—â—nd and all was to do his Fathers work Oh the â—â—ithfulness of Christ And take notice of the love of Christ to the â—â—uls of men it was in compassion to a poor woâ—â—n of Canaan that Christ took this journey she 〈◊〉 known to the Lord before and in compassion â—â—do her soul good and to release her daughter 〈◊〉 was possest with a Devil Christ takes this â—â—urney See the love of Christ to the souls of â—â—or creatures Christ knew the worth of a soul the preciousness of a soul what would it advanvantage a man to gain the whole world and loose his soul Why in compassion to this womans soul Christ takes this great journey And by way of Application Oh that we might learn of Christ to be faithful in that work which the Lord hath committed to us and to expresse more love to our own souls and the souls of others What a great way did Christ go to doe good to one soul if there be but one woman 〈◊〉 Canaan if but one woman of Samaria for Christ to preach to he takes that occasion Whatever work the Lord puts into our hand in the service 〈◊〉 our generation and for compassion to souls look 〈◊〉 Christ he thought no labour too much to do goâ—â— to the soul of one woman Secondly This was a very dark place the darknesse of ignorance and sin did abound in theâ—â— parts in the coasts of Tyre and Sidon and yet 〈◊〉 Christ goes from Jerusalem he departs into theâ—â— coasts You see the Lord hath some in every place no place so dark and sinful but there 〈◊〉 be some that may belong to the Lord and wheâ—â— there are any that do belong to the Lord in 〈◊〉 part of the world though never so dark yet 〈◊〉 Lord will send from heaven and visit them if 〈◊〉 one poor Canaanitish woman that belongs to thâ— Lord Christ will take care of that woman 〈◊〉 comes into these dark places that so he migâ—â— make known the light of the Gospel that this 〈◊〉 woman might believe where there are any 〈◊〉 belong to the Lord the Lord will find 〈◊〉 way to find them out he will visit theâ— with the discoveries of his Grace and Love by the declaration of the Gospel of Christ And oh that we might observe the wonderful dispensations of the grace of the
cry the more earnestly after him he sees that they begin to flag in their prayers and do not cry so loud as they have done the Lord he will withdraw that so he may stir up a spirit of prayer bring them into such an affliction that so they may cry the more earnestly the storm was raised when Christ was upon the sea with his Disciples to make them cry the more earnestly The Lord seems to sleep many times at the prayers of his people that so by the prayers of his people he may be awakened Quest But you will say What need we cry thus earnestly to the Lord for he is found of them that seek him not we cannot find God by our seekiâ—â— him he must seek us he is found of them that 〈◊〉 him not Answ I answer It is true God is found 〈◊〉 them that seek him not that is when God comes first into a poor soul he breaks in upon it he prevents it with grace and mercy and he seeks us and brings home grace and mercy to the soul before the soul sought the Lord. But now when the Lord hath found a soul and brought home a soul to the knowledge of himself through Christ O then he expects that that soul should continually wait upon him and be seeking of him in that way which is of the Lords own appointment It is true he is found many times of those that seek him not but the Lord is not found of those that seek him lazily he hears not cold prayers no it is the cry of the spirit the Lord heareth Quest Ah but some will say I cannot cry and pray I cannot continue in prayer my spirit is overwhelmed and I am so shut up that I know not how to utter a word in the presence of the Lord. Answ I answer Though thy spirit be overwhelmed thou mayest pray and cry aloud to the Lord David did so and why mayest not thou Psal 142. 3. I cryed sayes he and it was when my spirit is overwhelmed and although thou canst not utter a word to the Lord yet thou mayst pray and cry with the cries of the spirit the Spirit of the Lord stirs up sighings and groanings in the hearts of his people which cannot be uttered So when thou canst not speak a word to the Lord yet thou mayest cry Job could noâ— speak yet his soul cried to the Lord and his eye cried to the Lord Job 16. 20. My friends scorn me but mine eyes poure out teares unto God When he knew not how to speak a word his eye looked to the Lord if he cannot poure out his prayer his eye shall speak and his soul shall speak this may be an effectuall prayer Object Ah but I am filled with the sence of my unworthiness I dare not go before the Lord I dare not beg any mercy nor stand in his presence I am filled with the sence of my own unworthiness Answ I tell thee though thou beest filled with the sense of thy unworthinesse yet thou mayest and ought to cry to the Lord and poure out thy soul in supplication The Publican that went up to the Temple he durst not draw nigh he looked upon himself as an unworthy sinner and yet poured out his prayer to the Lord the sence of thy unworthinesse should not hinder thee in the pouring out of thy prayer to the Lord the more unvorthy the more need of going to the Lord and the more sensible of thy unworthinesse the sooner the Lord declares his acceptance Oh that the Lord would make us all mindful of this our duty we are apt to cry with the cry of the flesh but O that in the day of our distresse we did cry with the cry of the spirit Let the crie that springs from pride impatiencie and unbelief be silent laid low and let it not open its mouth but crie with the cry of faith with the crie of the spirit this will be a good evidence that affliction hath wrought the right way and that the Lord hath done us good by our affliction Till the flesh be silent and the spirit raised up to cry in faith we shall never have any evidence that we have received benefit by our affliction but when the soul shall be in affliction and the spirit up and cry it will be a good evidence that the soul hath received good by the affliction And to say no more the Lord will soon draw nigh to that soul that shall thus be found waiting for him when the flesh shall be silent and the spirit cry the Lord will soon hear that crie You know the Lord is a tender hearted Father and he will not suffer any of his children to be tempted above what they are able to beare he will not suffer them to sink under their burden but will come in with delivering mercie for the Lord doth sometimes hear the crie of the flesh so he hath heard the crie of the flesh though not the sinful crie yet the crie of nature the Lord hath heard that crie He heard the crie of Ishamel when as he was ready to perish for thirst The Lad cried and he heard the crie of the Lad and the Lord opened the eyes of Hagar and she saw a well of water He heard the crie of the flesh so gracious is the Lord yea he heares she crie of the young Ravens of the young Lions and the Lord he opens his hand and satisfies them O that this might be an incouragement to goe to God in all times of distresse let it be never so great the Lord is a God of compassion and if he does hear the crie of the unreasonable Creatures and the crie of the flesh O surely the Lord will much more hear the crie of the spirit when his people come and apply themselves to him through Christ such as hope in his mercie and are found waâ—ting for his salvation Surely the Lord he will find out the best time in which he will come in with deliverance to his Servants Matth. 15. 22. Thou son of David have mercy on me SERMON VI. WE observed the last day that great and strong afflictions will raile strong cries make Gods people crie loud It was a sore affliction that was upon this woman Ms daughter is grievously vexed with a devil and whâ—â— she comes to Christ she doth not only pray 〈◊〉 cry to him But to passe on and consider something thâ—â— still remains and that is to look upon the Argument that this woman useth in her crie to Christ her Argument is mercy she cries mercy 〈◊〉 free grace she doth not look to any worthiness 〈◊〉 her self neither doth her unworthiness discourage but looks beyond both and she closeth 〈◊〉 mercy and free grace Thou son of David 〈◊〉 mercy on me She comes to the son of David 〈◊〉 knew David was a merciful Prince and King 〈◊〉 shews mercie to his very enemies David spared the life of Saul when he had him at a great
much upon his own justification what he was not and what he was I am not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers or even as this Publican I fast twice a week I give tithes of all I possess But the Publican he smote upon his brest saying God be merciful to me a sinner and the Publican he went away justified rather then the Pharisee Though hypocrites look at their services yet a gracious heart dare not look at any thing it hath done Matth. 25. When Christ takes notice what the Saints hath done and sayes Come ye blessed of my Father I was hungry and you gave me meat thirsty and you gave me drink naked and you cloathed me Why Lord say they when saw we thee a hungry thirsty and naked when did we these things to thee What did the Saints do good works ignorantly did good and did not know No that which is done out of ignorance is sinful no they knew what they did and that they did but according to the mind of Christ ah but when done they take no notice of it their right hand shall not know what their left hand doth for they dare not plead their services and their duties upon this account For they know whatever is good is not theirs but Christs whatever in them that is good and whatever good they have done is by the Lords Spirit and therefore they know there is nothing for them to plead by way of merit no the more they are inabled and assisted to do for Christ the more they are ingaged unto Christ Christ is not ingaged to them but they ingaged to Christ And besides whatever they have done in the service of the Lord as theirs it is accompanied with many weaknesses and frailties that if it were not for Christ and his righteousness and Christs presenting them God the Father could not accept the best service that ever was done by the best men And besides the Saints know that when they have done all they can they are unprofitable servants if they could do a thousand times more for God yet they have nothing to plead Christ teacheth us so Luke 17. 10. So likewise ye when you shall have done all those things which are commanded you say we are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our duty to do Mark if it were possible for any of Gods people to do all that the Lord requires yet there is nothing to plead you have done but that which was your duty that which was your debt Now the payment of a debt is no ingagement he to whom the debt is paid is not ingaged you have done but your duty And so the best of all the Saints if they could do all that is required they do but pay their debt there is a debt of thankfulness not debt of justice we have done that which is duty which we owe to mercie and free grace Again the Saints cannot plead their sufferings Though a man suffer never so much and suffer never so well and suffer upon a good ground and suffer for the name of Christ yet there is nothing that he can plead by way of merit for there is no man suffers without sin there was merit in Christs sufferings because he suffered and had no sin of his own he was the Lamb of God without spot but now the best of Saints upon earth who do suffer for the name of Christ cannot suffer without sin though it is not punished for sin yet still there is sin in the person and so can be no desert And then beside it is that which the Saints owe to Chris as they owe all duties so they owe all suffering for the name of Christ and if they should suffer a thousand times more then ever any man suffered it is but what they owe and therefore suffering cannot be pleaded no more then services And so you have the first part of the point But of the second part to speak more briefly to that as a soul is taken off of it self so it pleads only mercie flees to free grace comes to naked mercie First For a gracious heart it sees and knows that there is a fulness in mercie to satisfie all its wants all its desires there is enough in mercie to make abundant supply to it as it sees there is that in it self which may make it run from it self so there is that in mercie and free grace which may make it run to it as to a City of refuge There is a fulness in mercie which may answer the soules desires and wants for as you heard before when the Lord doth discover to a man that he is a poor creature destitute and naked why the same spirit doth discover that there is enough in mercie to supply all wants mercie hath made great provision for the poor naked destitute creature and as it discovers to a soul that it is a sinful creature so the same spirit doth discover that there is enough in mercie to take away all sin and pardon all transgressions and mercie and free grace hath set open a fountain an infinite fountain a bottomless fountain of merit in the blood of Christ for the washing away of sin and as the soul sees that it is a poor weak creature so the same spirit doth discover to it that mercie is strong and mercie is able to reach him in every condition and able to lift him up in the lowest condition and as it sees that it is an enemie to God so the same spirit doth discover that mercie can reconcile it shew what is done for the reconciliation of poor creatures mercie hath given Jesus Christ for to slay the enmitie and to reconcile poor lost creatures Thus I say a gracious soul it will flee to mercie it sees that there is a fulness in mercie to answer all its wants Secondly And as it sees a fulness so there is a freeness in the Lords mercie and therefore runs to mercie as this woman did and pleads mercie and to cast her self into the armes of mercie because free see that the Lord is a tender hearted God and that mercie flew freely from him mercie makes free invitations the soul seeing and hearing that it is perswaded to apply it self to mercie Thirdly Such a soul will flee to mercie because it knows that all that God doth for his people in the business of salvation it is for the exaltation of mercie and free grace the great work of the redemption of souls it is only for the exaltation of mercie and free grace it vvas free grace that found out the vvay of redeeming souls and free grace that gave sinners to Christ and free grace that gave Christ for sinners and free grace gives Christ unto sinners and all that God doth in sanctifying and saving his people is upon the account of mercie and free grace and therefore the Lord he invites souls to himself and he makes choice of such as may most of all declare the
him to his own Mother to be his Nurse and she pays his own Mother for him And so the Lord he will deal with you that are parents that act in faith and perform your duties in faith the Lord will reward you for your love to your own children for taking care of your own children all your labour is taken notice of by the Lord and you shall be rewarded Oh! what an encourageis here to all Parents to look after faith in Christ that so your service may be accepted of the Lord One thing more and so I conclude and that is a word to children is it so that there is so much love in the hearts of Parents to their children is there so much that Parents do from love to children oh that children would labour to know what is their duty that they owe to Parents it cannot be told it cannot be exprest how much it is that children owe unto parents Children it is impossible that ever you should requite the love of your parents oh the pains the travel and sorrow of bringing forth and bringing up oh that children might know that there is a great engagement lies upon them to love their parents to respect their parents to take heed that they do not grieve their parents to pass by all in firmities of parents to shew all respect to them and when grown up to take care of them And this is a duty that Christ lays upon you though a Moral duty see what is said in 1 Tim. where children may see what Christ injoyns them 1 Tim. 5. 4. But if any widow have children or Nephews let them learn first to shew piety at home and to requite their parents for that is good and acceptable before God God lays this duty upon children you should labour to requite your parents to remember their love their care their sorrow their pains and travel and you are bound by the Law of Christ to requite your parents this is good this is piety and this is acceptable to God And so that place Levit. 19. 3. Ye shall fear every man his Mother and his Father and keep my Sabbaths I am the Lord your God Here is a duty that God lays upon children to fear every man his Mother and Father Children are most apt to despise their Mothers therefore the Lord begins there and lays that duty first that children should fear every man his Mother And take notice of it that this is a duty that the Lord sets before the keeping of his Sabbath as if the Lord should say in vain shall they pretend to be Religious if they do not fear and reverence every man his Mother and his Father I will not accept of your service It was a brand that was set upon Esau to all generations that he did that which was a grief to his Father and Mother Now children see your duty and remember your duty which the Lord Jesus lays upon you And oh that children would labour for faith that they may perform their duties Parents cannot love their children aright till they have faith and truly children cannot reverence their parents nor perform the duties they owe unto parents unless they have faith Oh then that Parents and children would look up to Christ for faith and then shall both be able through faith in Christ to perform that mutual duty that God requires from parents and children And to shut up all let this that hath been spoken strengthen the faith of all Gods people in Gods love to them Oh that by this we might ascend to the love of God! O that they that think they have not been concerned in what hath been spoken hitherto would know they are concerned in this The Lord would have you to ascend by the consideration of the bowels that are in parents to their children to a consideration of those infinite bowels that are in him towards you that are his children As the Father pitieth his children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him what ever workings of love are in the hearts of parents towards their children oh know that there is larger workings of love in the heart of God towards his children there are infinite bowels in the everlasting Father and if there be so much pity in the hearts of parents that they are willing and ready to give out good things to their children and willing to pass by and to pardon the miscarriages of their children oh how much more willing is our God to pass by and to pardon the failings of you that are his children oh that this might encourage prodigal children to return to the Lord If the father receive his child that hath been a prodigal why the Lord is ready to receive you though a prodigal if the Lord give you an heart to return though you have spent all and abused all your mercies yet the Lord is ready to pardon and to receive you And let it strengthen your faith and hope in Christ you that cleave to Christ for righteousness you that are the children of that everlasting Father oh know that Christ will plead for you Christ will cry to his Father for you Was the woman of Candan so affected with the misery of her daughter that she cries Lord have mercy on me my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil 〈◊〉 I say this found in this woman towards her daughter and shall not this be found in Christ towards his children oh then let this comfort you when you scarce dare go to God and cry your selves such and such a corruption doth annoy you such and such an unclean spirit is in you Oh! the Lord Jesus pities you under every spiritual burden when as you are troubled with unclean spirits he hath bowels of compassion towards you and know that he will go to his Father and cry to his Father and if he cry he cannot deny the son of his love but an answer shall be given to all those requests that Christ puts up for you or for any of his people Matth. 15. 23. But he answered her not a word SERMON VIII I Come now to speak of the trial of this womans faith and here is the first tryal of her faith he answered her not a word A very great trial a sore trial that this poor woman should in her great strait and under such a burden and pressure of spirit come to Jesus Christ and cry so earnestly unto him and believe so stedfastly upon him and yet Jesus Christ give her not one word of answer to her prayer this was a sore trial for this carriage of Christ it seems to be contrary to what she had heard of Christ and to what she believed was in Jesus Christ for Christ seemed now either to be without compassion to her he seems to take no notice not to be affected she complained and cried out of her great burden and Christ speaks not a word the Lord Jesus Christ seems either not to be affected with her
more As a man that delights in musick if the Musicians play he 〈◊〉 take no notice but lets them play on because he delighteth in it and so the Lord he takes delight in the prayers of his servants The prayerâ— the upright is his delight and he will give no present answer that so they may go on praying 〈◊〉 crying Secondly the Lord may seem to be silent 〈◊〉 the prayers of his people that so he may exerâ—â— the faith and patience of his servants It is great trial of the faith and patience of the Saiâ—â— when as the Lord seems to take no notice 〈◊〉 give no answer to their prayers it was for 〈◊〉 end that our Lord Jesus Christ gave not a 〈◊〉 of answer to this woman of Canaan it was that might try her faith and her patience and that might exercise it and that by the exerciâ—â— faith faith might be increased and her faith 〈◊〉 arise to a great faith by this exercise for at 〈◊〉 Christ commends her for her faith Oh 〈◊〉 great is thy faith be it unto thee even as 〈◊〉 wait Again the Lord is silent many times at the prayers of his people to try whether they will continue in prayer though the Lord doth give them no present answer oh here is the trial of perseverance God hath heard my prayer saith David therefore will I call upon him as long as I live Ah but that is no great matter for a man to say God hath heard my prayer and therefore I will call upon him still But for a soul to say I have been crying and calling and I will still wait upon him as long as I live I will wait upon God Oh here is perseverance in prayer in which Christ doth delight Fourthly the Lord is silent many times upon this ground he gives no present answer that so he may prepare an answer for them and that he may prepare them for an answer God gives no present answer that so he may prepare mercy and ripen mercy and make mercy fit for his people and that he may ripen them and fit them and their hearts for the mercy so that it is in abundance of grace and mercy and love that the Lord is pleased many times not to give out a present answer to his people for all the time the Lord is silent he is preparing of mercy and goodness for them he is making of the mercy fit for his people the mercy shall be ripe and the mercy shall be sweet and wholsome and do them good at the heart When the Lord hath thus prepared mercy for them and fitted them for the mercy they shall have the mercy see what is said in Isa 80. 18. And therefore will the Lord wait that he way be gracious unto you and therefore will he be exalted for the Lord is a God of judgement blessed are all they that wait for him He waits that he may be gracious he waits for the best season the fittest opportunity he will stay till the soul hath need of help in the fittest time the Lord will come in mercy when he may be most exalted for mercy when his people may see most of the hand of God when they most prize their mercies and glorifie God for mercy God waits for such a time And therefore you see it is for gracious ends that God many times seems to be silent for a season and gives not one word in answer to prayer as Christ here to this woman of Canaan For the Application of the Point First it speaks sadly of them that never regard whether the Lord give an answer or no to their prayer that pray and pray and look not after an answer How far are such men and women from the disposition of Gods children a gracious heart cannot but be affected when it speaks to the Father and the Father gives no answer And therefore surely when men and women make many prayers and look not up for an answer that regard not whether the Lord answer or not either they are none of his children or else under a sore temptation for let me say unto you that though it is not for your prayers that God doth regard prayer yet if you do not look up for an answer if you do not regard your prayers neither will God regard your prayers And let me say further that this is a great dishonour to God Oh what a 〈◊〉 is it it is a loss to God and it is a loss also to the soul for a man to lose all his prayers it is a loss indeed When as a soul doth not regard whether God answer or no God loseth he loses that glory which would redound to him in the answer of prayer Call upon me saith God in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me Now if the soul call upon God and doth not observe whether God hears or no it cannot glorifie God for the return of prayer but God loses that honour that thankfulness and that love and obedience and that dependance which an answer of prayer might engage the soul to And as God loseth so the soul loseth oh they that look not after the return of prayer they lose that which would make their souls rich For a Merchant to lose all his return it will make him a poor Tradesman in conclusion that soul that doth not look after the return of prayer loseth a great deal of faith and dependance and experience for God by giving out an answer to the prayers of his people he doth encourage them and engage them to trust in him at all times so long as they live they that lose the return of prayer lose the strengthening of faith and the engaging of their heart to God But secondly let me speak to such poor souls as are in the same condition with this woman of Canaan that have prayed and have not met with one word of answer Poor souls is this the condition of any of you I know that it hath been and may still be the condition of the Lords dearest servants they may pray and the Lord may seem to give no answer Remember it was so with David Jeremiah and Habakkuk and with Christ himself And let me say this unto thee that if thou regardest any iniquity in thy heart any known sin that thou regardest or connivest at or if there be slightness in the performance of thy duty or contentest thy self with a slothful performance of thy duty or thou dost not regard thy prayer when thou hast put it up to the Lord for this we have cause to be humbled and no wonder the Lord do not answer our prayers But now if thy own spirit and the Spirit of the Lord can testifie that thou desirest to regard no iniquity in thy heart but to walk up to thy duty and desire to be conformable to Christ and desire to cry in faith and to wait upon the Lord for an answer be of good comfort
though thou dost not meet with one word of answer from the Lord though thou hast cryed nights and dayes weekes months and years and hast not met with with one word of answer yet be comforted this may be the condition of Gods own people And let me say further by way of encouragement that the Lord he extends much good to thee in this deferring and delaying to give out an answer it is for gracious and merciful ends to thy soul that the Lord do not give thee the present mercy thou prayest for he will exercise the spirit of prayer he will exercise thy faith and patience and he will fit thee for mercy and mercy for thee and thou shalt have it so at last as thou shalt bless God for it Yea let me say further though an answer be not given out thy prayer is heard and thy person 〈◊〉 accepted Thy prayer is heard with the Lord oh that that might be a stay to poor souls that are in this condition as the woman of Canaan was that cry and have cryed long I say thy prayer is heard Oh sayes the soul that I knew my prayer were heard if I did but know that the Lord hath heard my prayer I would be content to wait all my dayes for an answer I have been crying for the light of his countenance and for the assurance of his love I have been crying night and day and if the Lord hath heard my prayer I should be content to wait for an answer But how shall I know that the Lord hath heard my prayer I answer thus First of all by that secret support by those secret hints which the Lord is pleased at one time or other to bring to thy spirit some hint of life some hint of comfort Surely if thou hast observed while thou hast waited upon the Lord there hath been some secrets hints of comfort that after thou hast been before the Lord thou hast been at ease and thy trouble is not so great as it was Hannah when she poured out her soul before the Lord she was in great distress but before she went away the Lord heard her prayer and this was the sign there was some ease in her spirit her burden was taken off a great deal refreshed in her spirit and so though the Lord hath given thee but the least hint of comfort the Lord hath heard thy prayer and in due time he will give a full answer Secondly thou mayst know that the Lord hath heard thy prayer by that strength he hath given thee to go thorow Thou art under sore afflictions and temptations such as are ready to break thy very spirit to make thy soul fade and faint and yet thou art supported thou hast cryed to the Lord and thou saist thou hast no answer why doth nor the Lord support thee if the Lord doth support thee and bear thee up under thy burden he doth in some measure answer thee or else how comes it to pass thou hast not sunk under thy burden when Paul besought the Lord under his temptation he prayed thrice that is often that God would take off the Messenger of Satan the temptation was not taken off ah but Paul was heard in his prayer in that the Lord did bear him up under his temptation My grace is sufficient for thee though I do not think good to remove the temptation I have heard thy prayer my grace is sufficient for thee So then remember poor soul that if the Lord hath supported thee the Lord hath heard thy prayer Thirdly doth the Lord carry on thy soul to continue in thy prayer that although thou hast prayed and met with no answer yet thou art resolved still to go on and sayst though the Lord hath not spoken one word to me I will not give over speaking to him but my soul shall still cry after God That was the resolution David took up Psal 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord that I will seek after I have desired it and though I have not attained it I will seek after it as long as I live Is it so that the Lord doth carry up thy spirit still to wait upon him and still thou art crying and breathing after the Lord in prayer that very thing is a certain sign that the Lord hath heard thy prayer Fourthly doth the Lord enable thee and make thee willing to wait upon him thou hast not a present answer yet thou wilt wait as David when he had been at prayer he waited for the mercy Psalm 27. 14. Wait on the Lord be of good courage and he shall strengthen thine heart Wait I say on the Lord. Oh my heart wait I say wait on the Lord Hast thou through grace so spoken to thine own heart I have no answer but I desire to wait and I check mine own heart that I can wait no more quietly I speak to mine own heart to wait I say wait on the Lord if it be so the Lord hath heard thy prayer Fifthly observe how thy spirit and how thy carriage is towards God in that time of Gods delay Is thy heart kept up towards God and thy conversation in a way of obedience that thou art desirous still to walk with God and thou durst not go out from God though God give thee no answer but thy heart is made more humble and thou art more meek and more obedient and more watchful and observant of thy heart and watchful over thy wayes is it so the Lord hath heard thy prayer though he gives thee no answer And therefore I say take no care for an answer I speak to such poor souls as have prayed and cryed and have not met with one word of answer from the Lord take no care for an answer only mind that which is thy duty and let the Lord alone he is preparing an answer he is waiting to be gracious he waits for a fit season for such a season as his grace and mercy may be most exalted be not thou so solicitous about an answer but mind what is thy work and thy duty And do thou hold on thy duty in praying to pray in crying to cry yea do thou cry louder then even and the more Christ seems to stop his ears and shut his mouth and give no answer the louder do thou cry as this poor woman did ver 25. Lord help me Secondly this is thy duty while the Lord thus deals with thee to justifie God and condemn thy self clear the Lord lay the blame upon thy self say the Lord is righteous and the Lord is holy and though he make wait me longer and longer yea many years for this mercy yet the Lord is righteous and there is no iniquity in him the Lord cried and I did not hear and the Lord is righteous though he makes me wait long the Lord is gracious that he speaks at all to such a poor creature that there is any promise that he will give out an
he called for all his children Gen. 49. he called them one by one and prayed for a special blessing to be upon their heads Parents are bound to remember their children and children many times miscarry because parents are no more in doing their duty no more crying to the Lord in the behalf of their children and so back again children are bound to remember their parents And so in the relation of Masters and servants Masters are bound to pray for their servants you know that instance of the Centurion he came to Jesus in the behalf of his servant and was very earnest with Christ that Christ would be pleased to heal his servant this is a duty that is little performed by many Masters they think if they can have their servants to work for them it is all that they have to look after but let such Masters know that God will require an account of servants souls have you instructed them and have you presented them often in your prayers before the Lord the Centurion came for the body of his servant and it is our duty to come often to the Lord for the souls of our servants and so back again it is the duty of servants to pray for their Masters And thus you see the fourth particular That it is our duty to remember all our relations before the Lord. There is one relation more and that is our Spiritual relation which I shall touch before I end that particular such as stand in relation one to another in Church-society they are bound often to remember one anothers conditions before the Lord James 5. 14 15 16. Confess your faults one to another and pray one for another yea in Church-societies it is especially the duty of Pastors and Elders to remember their flock and it is the duty of the people to remember their Elders and to pray often to the Lord in their behalf Faithful Ministers are bound often to pray for their people remember what is said of Paul Rom. 1. 9. For God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his son that without ceasing I make mention of you alwayes in my prayers When ever he came to God he was mindful of the Church I am alwayes mindfull of you without ceasing and indeed the profiting of a people and the stedfastness of a people in the faith and in the truth and in the wayes of God it is the glory and the crown and the joy and rejoycing of a faithful Teacher and therefore surely it is their duty often to remember their people before the Lord and so it is the peoples duty to remember their Pastor and Teacher The Apostle lays it upon them as their duty Ephes 6. 18 19. Praying alwayes with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all Saints and for me that utterance may be given unto me that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mysterie of the Gospel It is your duty saith he to pray for all Saints and for me in particular that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mysterie of the Gospel for many times Satans great design is to overthrow them that the Lord hath set to go before his people Satans great design is to hinder the work of God in their hand to make such to fall and therefore the Lords people had need to pray the more earnestly for even the best of the Teachers and Preachers of the Gospel they are but empty pipes in themselves and can afford no more then the Lord is pleased to drop in from above and therefore there is need that the Lord should be dropping in continually or else they cannot bring forth bread in due season and make provision for the people if the Lord do not fill them from heaven yea the best of Teachers have need of teaching though they know never so much they have need of more knowledge they have need of more strength and therefore it is the duty of the people to remember them before the Lord that the Lords Vrim and Thummim may be with them Thus in all relations it is our duty mutually to remember one another before the Lord. Fifthly it is our duty to remember those that for the present are strangers to Christ You will say what are we to pray for such as have not the knowledge of God yea it is our duty to remember them if the Lord hath been pleased to make us to differ and called us out from the number of those Gentiles who know not God oh we are bound to pity them and to pray for them whose condition is such as never was rained upon as the heath in the desert their condition is sad and we should remember them before the Lord that God would send forth his light and truth to them that they that deny Christ in word in profession and conversation that they may be brought home to the knowledge of the Son of God Psal 67. 1 2. God be merciful unto us and bless us and cause his face to shine upon us That thy way may be known upon earth thy saving health among all Nations There are many Nations and great Nations that to this day know not God and Christ that sit in darkness and perish for want of vision and truly they who through free-grace do know any thing of God they are bound to pity them that sit in darkness and to pray that the Nations may know the saving truth and the way of the Lord. Sixthly if it be a duty to pray for those that are strangers to Christ then it is a duty to pray for those that are Christs friends for all that know the Lord and love the Lord in sincerity Ephes 6. 18. Praying alwayes with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all Saints It is our duty to remember all Saints to remember them that are scattered to remember them that are gathered all Saints we should remember them in our prayer before the Lord and especially Jerusalem Sions Assemblies they should be remembred Psal 122. 6 7. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper that love thee Peace be within thy wals and prosperity within thy palaces You see Jerusalem Sions Assemblies in a special manner should be remembred by us in our addresses to the Lord. And so Psalm 14. you may see how the Psalmist doth express himself in the behalf of Sion Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Sion oh that the Lord would hasten the time that he will save his people and Sion be remembred and built up Oh that the time were come And in Psal 51. he doth express that when he had been praying for himself yet he did not forget Sion Psal 51. 18. Do good in thy good pleasure unto Sion build thou the walls of Jerusalem So that you see that hath been spoken
his type Psal 22. 16. for dogs have compassed me the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me they pierced my hands and my feet Those bloody persecuters of Christ that would not be satisfied but with the blood of the Lamb of God nothing but the shedding of his blood would serve their turn even as the Blood-Hound that hunts the Hind upon the mountain the Lord calls them dogs barking dogs biting dogs have compassed me round about But thirdly What is the childrens bread that must not be given to dogs First The gracious Promises of the Gospel those sweet comforts that God hath laid up in the Promises they are not the portion of wicked men Comfort ye comfort ye my people saith your God speake ye comfortably to Jerusalem and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished that her iniquity is pardoned Isa 40. 1 2. God doth not send comfort to wicked men while they remain such for all the promises of the Gospel they are Christ's right and Christ's inheritance they are Christ's portion the Apostle saith They are all yea and amen in him now therefore they cannot be applyed to any but to those that have Interest in Christ if promises be yea and amen in Christ they cannot go without Christ he must be thy husband or else thou hast no right in them Quest. But you will say then How shall men come to believe in the promises if they must not be applyed to wicked men How shall they come to have faith in the promise I Answer When the Spirit of the Lord doth perswade the heart of any sinner to accept of Jesus Christ to rest upon Jesus Christ by a particular application as he is freely tendered in the everlasting Gospel when this is done I conceive that soul hath an Interest in Christ and then right to all the promises for every mercy promised is to those that are in Christ and childrens bread is not to be cast to dogs Secondly A place in the House of God is childrens bread a name in God's house fellowshiâ— with the Saints this is childrens bread that be longs only to those that are Christ's at least visibly so Isa 56. 4 5. see what God promiseth 〈◊〉 the Eunuchs For thus saith the Lord unto the Eâ— nuchs that keep my Sabbaths and chuse the thing that please me and take hold of my convenant eveâ— unto them will I give in mine house and within 〈◊〉 walls a place and a name better then of sons 〈◊〉 of daughters I will give them an everlasting 〈◊〉 that shall not be cut off This is made to him thâ—â— feareth the Lord and desires to worship 〈◊〉 Lord aright and desires to sanctifie the Sabbaâ— of the Lord he hath right to this part of childrens bread he hath right to the fellowship 〈◊〉 Saints and Church of Christ and God in duâ—â— time will bring him in though he may be out will give him a name in my house and his namâ— shall be written there the time is a coming thâ— there shall be never a Saint but the Lord 〈◊〉 bring him in Behold how good and how pleasant it 〈◊〉 for Brethren to dwell together in unity Psal 133. 1 there is a large report of Brethrens dwelling together in Unity now they must be Brethren 〈◊〉 else they cannot dwell together in unity It is good and pleasant for brethren dwell together Sons and daughters of the everlasting Father 〈◊〉 that not only by Creation but by Regeneration If Sons and Daughters of the everlasting Father O! Then How good to dwell in the House 〈◊〉 God This is childrens bread Thirdly Sealing Ordinances The seals of â—he Covenant they are childrens bread Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord are childrens bread and they are not to be dispensed to any that are visibly unclean and unholy To instance only in the Supper of the Lord to shew you a little that â—hat is childrens bread and must not be given to â—ny but children For first It is a Seal of the Covenant if the other Ordinance be a Seal then â—hat is a Seal of the Covenant of Grace and â—herefore they must be in the Covenant of grace they must not be strangers to the Covenant that come to this Ordinance that have right to this Ordinance They that are visibly strangers and enemies unto God strangers to this Covenant they cannot have a right to that Ordinance of Jesus Christ Again That Ordinance is a Love-Feast and the Lord he makes it to declare that he is reconciled to all those his friends whom he invites There was a falling out between God and man â—ut when it is taken up by Christ God the Father declares that he is a friend and therefore he invites believers to sup with him which declares and makes it out to them that he is reconciled he makes a feast for this end and therefore called the Lords Supper they shall come and sit at Table with him that he may declare that he is really reconciled and bears no old grudge but hath forgotten all Now therefore they that are enemies that will not be reconciled but profess enmity against the Lord they cannot have right to this Ordinance Again It is a seal of our Communion with Christ and with the Saints The Bread which we break is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ And so the Wine it is the Communion of the blood of Christ the signe of it the seal of it a seal of our Communion with Christ and it is a seal of our communion with the Saints all that do partake of it they prosess they are one bread therefore it is an Ordinance that cannot and may not be dispensed to wicked men Besides The Supper of the Lord is an Ordinance that is appointed for the increase of grace it is appointed for a Christians growth therefore of necessity there must be life before there can be growth there must be a principle of grace before there can be increase of grace It is true it is for the weak as well as the strong and if there be any part of spiritual life in the soul that soul may receive it in Christ's way but of necessity there must be life or else no right to the Ordinance for it is appointed for growth in grace to make a weak faith strong and so for the increase of every grace I might add wicked men cannot perform the actions of the living that God calls for in that Ordinance they cannot eat and drink spiritually they may eat the bread and drink the wine but they cannot eat the flesh of Christ and drink the blood of Christ if a wicked man he cannot eat spiritually and so he prophaneth the Ordinance the Body of Christ and the Blood of Christ he becomes guilty of it and the Apostle saith He eateth his own damnation if he cannot discern the Lord's body 1 Cor. 11. 29. and eat spirituall by faith sad in the conclusion he eats and drinks damnation of
the King should own me No cause of being lifted up but cause of lying low for who are we poor dead dogs that the Lord should make us children and bestow the portion of children upon us giving unto us childrens bread And to shut up all Let us look upon the Ordinances of the Lord as our Bread look upon the Word and look upon the Promises you that are children take hold of them improve them they are childrens bread they are provided on purpose for you And so that other Ordinance of the Supper look upon it as bread and make use of it as bread O that we might fetch out the sweetness of it for there is no piece of childrens bread but hath a great deal of sweetness in it sweetness in the Word and sweetness in the Supper and O that we might chew it and fetch out the sweetness What sweetness might we finde in the Supper of the Lord if we did set faith on work O! what abundance of the love of God is held forth and of the great mysterie of godliness God manifested in the flesh How much held forth of the sufferings of Christ and the benefits of the suffering of Christ O that we might chew the Ordinance and as bread make use of it for our refreshment and strength Matth. 15. 27. And she said Truth Lord yet the Dogs eat of the Crumbs which fall from their Masters Table SERMON XX. IN these words that I have read we have the carriage and the behaviour of this woman under those Tryals or Temptations which she met withal her carriage is very gracious it is such as doth discover First A depth of Humility Secondly A height of Faith She discovers first of all A depth of Humility Jesus Christ he had called her dog he had preferr'd others before her he had told her it was not meet to take the childrens bread and give it to such as she was Now she doth acknowledge all this nay she doth not only acknowledge it but she submitted unto it nay she confirms it Truth Lord Christ had said It was not meet to take the childrens bread and cast it to dogs Truth Lord What-ever thou hast spoken Lord is true Thou hast said that I am a dog Truth Lord Thou hast said the Jews are children Truth Lord Thou hast said it is not meet to bestow childrens bread upon dogs Truth Lord yet the dogs eat of the crumbs And as we have a discovery of her Humility so of her Faith her condition was low but her faith was high strong and glorious First of all By Faith she doth answer the temptation she findes out the strength of the temptation the scope of it where it lay and the Spirit of the Lord doth unfold and resolve the difficulty Christ had said the Jews were the children and 't was not meet to give the childrens bread to dogs there is the temptation She answers Truth Lord yet the dogs cat of the crumbs It discovers thus much Although the Jews are the children and they must be served first it is fit that they should have the first offer of mercy it is fit that they should have whole loaves set upon the Table and full dishes yet the Jews are not so the children that all others are excluded the Gentiles are not altogether excluded from mercy the Gentiles may have the crums especially when the children grow wanton and cast away their bread the Gentiles though dogs may have that which fall from their Table Thus by faith she doth finde out the force of the temptation and is enabled to make an answer to it Secondly The strength of her faith doth appear in this that she doth not only answer the temptation but she gains advantage by it her faith is strengthened and riseth higher and waxeth stronger and that which was matter of discouragement in it self it is matter of encouragement and strength unto her Christ had said she was a dog this is an encouragement to her Lord thou hast said that I am a dog and if I be a dog I am thy dog thou art my master and therefore surely the crumbs that fall from my masters table do belong to me in all Nations among all people the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters table Lord thou hast said that I am a dog but I will lie at thy feet and wait upon thee for crums of mercy that fall from thee Thus her faith is strengthened by that temptation which in it self did tend to drive her from Christ that temptation that would have driven her from Christ makes her run to Christ she is called dog and she waits under the Master's table for crumbs of mercy Thus you see the carriage of this woman under the temptation she carries it very humbly and with a great deal of faith and holy confidence in the midst of these discouragements There are divers useful truths in these words I shall now close with one Truth Lord saith she From whence Observe That the soul that is graciously and truly humbled before the Lord will justifie the Lord in all that he speaks and doth against it What-ever the Lord shall say whether it be in a way of discovery of sin vileness and corruption Or secondly whether it be a word of threatning In both these that heart that is truly humbled it will justifie the Lord. When God speaks himself and gives rebukes from himself or when God makes use of men to be instruments in his hand still a gracious heart that is truly humbled in all it meeteth withal it will justifie the Lord and say Truth Lord the Lord is true and the Lord is righteous in what he speaks and doth First When God comes and speaks in a way of discovery of sin when the Lord by his Spirit in his Word doth come and rip open a mans heart as it were discovers its vileness to him shews him what a wretched sinful polluted creture he is or when the Lord shall come and charge any particular sin upon a man that he hath committed set his actual sin in order before him when God shall binde with the cords of affliction as Job speaks and then discover a mans transgression if the soul be truly humbled it will say truth Lord I am indeed as vile and as wretched and as sinful nay worse then I can be charged with When God came to make a discovery to Job of his own heart in the 38 39 and 40 chapters God took much pains to discover Job to himself Job had stood too much upon his integrity upon his righteousness he had not all along justified the Lord in his proceedings but when God came to make a discovery to him and shew him what a poor vile frail worm he was and ript open his heart and shewed him his corruption Job then falls down and cries truth Lord Job 40. 3 4. Then Job answered the Lord and said Behold I am vile what shall I answer thee