make a close with Christ And to draw to a conclusion let us labour to help forward Gods design Doth God make choice of such O then we should help forward Gods work especially where any stand related to us weakness shall not hinder they may come to Christ and therefore be in the use of the means pray for them and speak to them and improve every talent that God hath given you even for the weakest and unworthiest And again take heed that we do not murmur against any of the dispensations of the Lord take heed we do not envy this dispensation and that our hearts do not rise up against it that we do not murmur when we see such and such profess the name of Christ and they are very forward and such as were young children and such poor weak women Now what a high profession do they make The Pharisees they were offended when as the rude people as they called them that knew not the Law they followed after Christ Oh this made the Gospel and Christ a stumbling block to them And so when as the children did confess Christ and sung Hosanna to the son of David the Pharisees were offended it troubled them at the heart that the children should cry out so it was a trouble to them Take heed that we be not offended when the Lord makes choice of young ones and they are too forward as some think why this is no more then what the Lord hath promised to pour out his Spirit upon young men take heed we be not offended at it we should rather rejoyce in it when you see young ones weak ones and sinfull ones come in to Christ and are high in profession oh you should rejoyce in it And let your souls wonder at this dispensation do not envy it but do you wonder at it The Evangelist Matthew he placeth a note of wonder behold a woman of Canaan it was a wonder and we should stand and wonder at Gods secret dispensation O here is the mysterie of the Gospel that weak ones and sinful ones are brought in to Christ And rejoyce in it as Christ did and bless the Lord for it though they have more then we have yet do not envy it but know that this pleaseth the Lord and the Lord will so have it I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth for so it seemeth good in thy sight Christs soul was taken with it O here is a wonder indeed for which God is to be blessed and praised And so if God be your Father when you see this do not envy it but rejoyce in it as Christ did though I have little I thank thee that thou art pleased to give out so much of thy self to such and such that weak ones and unworthy ones are brought in to Christ And last of all You that are weak in respect of parts and gifts and poor and unworthy and weak in respect of sex or of vile parentage and yet the Lord hath pluckt you out and vile and great sinners and yet the Lord hath brought you home to himself O bless the Lord for this his dispensation toward you If the Evangelist look upon the woman and say Behold the woman of Canaan O look upon your selves with admiration Behold the Grace of God which is revealed to you though poor wretches O know that you are ingaged to the Lord for this mercy that God should chuse you the weakest the unworthiest and the sinfullest And do you labour to walk worthy of this mercy Oh if the Lord hath chosen you that vvere the sinfullest O labour to bring much honour unto God as you have brought much dishonour and to hold forth the contrary graces to those great transgressions And if the Lord hath brought you in that are vveak ones women is there ever a vveak vvoman that the Lord hath made choice of O admire vvith fear this dispensation of God and bless him for his Grace to you and labour to adorn the Doctrine of God and your Saviour vvith a gracious conversation and study the Graces the Apostle Peter commends to you that you should be much in the exercise of faith and adorn themselves vvith a meek and quiet spirit O this meek and quiet spirit this sober and this modest conversation and obedience to Husbands these Graces Christ by the Apostle doth commend to you and you are ingaged to do all this and more for Christ because he hath had respect to the vveakest Matth. 15. 22. And cryed unto him saying have mercy on me O Lord thou son of David SERMON III. YOu have seen the woman and now you shall hear her speak She cryed unto him saying Have mercy on me O Lord thou son of David Observe here is a declaration of her faith and that we shall first take notice of her faith is declared by a notable confession that she makes of Christ Her confession O Lord thou son of David it is short but a great deal is in it First of all she doth acknowledge him to be Lord Lord of all to be infinite in power the Lord of Heaven and Earth one that was able to do whatsoever he pleaseth one that was able to cast out the Devil by speaking one word for she comes in the behalf of her Daughter and closeth with Christ as Lord where she doth acknowledge his divinity that he was Lord over all God blessed for ever and had power in his hand and abillity to do whatsoever he pleased That is the first part of her confession she confessed that Christ was Lord. Secondly She confesses that he was the son of David O Lord thou son of David and therein she doth acknowledge his Humanity as she acknowledged that he was Lord so she acknowledged that he was true man 2. She doth acknowledge that he was the promised Messias that is comprehended in that title Thou son of David She doth acknowledge that he was that Messias that was promised should arise out of the House of David that should come of the seed of David the promised Messias that was promised to be the deliverer of his people so she doth acknowledge for she calls him the son of David he that was promised should come of the house of David whom God had promised to raise up to be a horn of salvation So you see her confession she confesses his Divinity comes to him as God confesses his Humanity comes to him as Man and she comes to him as the Messias one that was appointed of God to be a Saviour and one of the house of David Here is as full and as large a confession as any of the Disciples make of Christ Quest But it may be queried Why she calls him the son of David she might have exprest him to have been true man and called him the son of Adam why not the son of Adam or the son of Abraham why does she call him the son of David Answ I answer in general Christ
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
Providences there is some remembrance of God upon every mercy all those mercies that have been made thy portion which thou hast enjoyed since thou hadst a beeing wherefore are they but that thy soul might remember God Nay God hath written his name upon his judgments in the earth that he might be remembred wherefore God he doth work wonderfully that as his mercies are wonderful so his judgements are wonderful wherefore doth God do such great things in the earth Doubtless that he might be remembred that men may say Verily there is a reward for the righteous and a God that judgeth the earth Nay God hath set up Conscience in every mans soul and wherefore hath God set up Conscience in every man but that Conscience might put us in minde of God That every man's Conscience might speak for God that it might stand up and cry for God Remember God and Conscience doth cry and doth speak and men may hear the cries of Conscience if they will not stop their ears When men sin Remember saith Conscience that for all these things God will bring thee to judgement Nay further God hath engraven his Name upon his Ordinances and the great end is that he might be remembred This is the great end of the Ordinance of the Lord's Supper Do it in remembrance of me saith Christ and so every Ordinance the Word that is preached to you it is that you might remember God wherefore is Prayer and every Ordinance but that the sons of men might remember God He hath engraven some remembrance of himself upon all his Ordinances See then what cause there is that you should remember God seeing God hath done so much that he might be remembred Thirdly There is cause that the sons of men should remember God for God is their Creator Remember thy Creator Now God being our Creator it is but a just and equitable thing that thou shouldest remember God thy Creator thy being is from him thy life is from him thy soul is from him thy comforts are from him all thy enjoyments are from him thou hast not the least comfort in the world but what comes from God he being thy Creator it is but a just thing that thou shouldest remember him yea thy dependance is upon him as he is thy Creator thy life is not only from him but thy life is in his hand and thy soul is not only from him but thy soul is in his hand it is in his power to kill and to save to destroy both body and soul And if there be so great a dependance that man hath upon his Creator that not only thy comforts but thy breathing thy soul and thy eternity is in his hand there is good cause that thou shouldest remember thy Creator Fourthly There is good cause that we should remember God for while you remember God you remember your selves for all good comes to the creature by remembring God thy peace and thy rest thy comforts thy satisfaction and thy contentments thy establishment of heart thy hope for life for heaven for glory there is not any good thing that a creature can enjoy or hope to enjoy but it must come in by remembrance of God And while you remember God you remember your selves remembring God thou enjoyest God and enjoying God thou enjoyest all good whatsoever good reason then that thou shouldest remember him That 's the second particular Thirdly I shall shew you what advantage it is to man to remember God in youth First There is this great advantage for the most part that soul that remembers God betimes in its coming unto God he findes the easie and the ready way to God the longer a man forgets God the further he goes from God every day he is going from God and therefore it will be the harder task to come back again it is a harder task to cast over a great Account then to cast it up while lesser though in respect of God all things are alike and God can as easily forgive many transgressions as few he can wash away great sins as well as small but yet when poor creatures come to look towards God through their unskilfulness they make it a difficult thing to finde God and to return to God when they go a great way from him the greater account they have to cast up it proves so to man because of his unskilfulness though to God all things are alike So that the sooner men begin to look after God they finde an easier way to come to Christ they have some helps in nature that when a man is once turned to the Lord his natural abilities being sanctified become great helps so that young men have more advantage in respect that natural parts are more strong the Understanding and Memory and Reason the Senses Internal and External they are all more vigorous and these prove helps to a man when once the heart is sanctified and the sooner a man turns to God the more he hath of these helps Yea Christ is very ready to go out to meet such children and young men Are the hearts of young ones towards the Lord The heart of Christ is towards them and he is mightily taken with such and will go forth and meet them The young Progigal in the Gospel no sooner did he think of returning to his fathers house but his father ran out to meet him But you will say for ought we see young men meet with as much trouble as others and when they come to remember God they are afflicted as much as others and it proves hard to them as to others I answer If it be so hard when they do return to God in youth it would have been much more hard if they had stayed till old age and if they do meet with difficulties and temptations and it prove a hard way it is because that the Lord seeâ— it is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth and I might add that the Lord will recompence all with abundance of grace and with the discoveries of himself That is the first advantage that young men have many times for the most part they finde the ready way to Christ Secondly They have this advantage The Lord for the most part doth discover more of himself to them that begin betimes to remember God then to those that begin more later Joel 2. 28. And it shall come to pass that I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh and your Sons and your Daughters shall Prophesie your old men shall dream dreams your young men shall see visions Let not old men grudge at God's dispensation it is mercy to them that they shall dream Dreams but the young men shall see Visions they shall have clearer discoveries of God and that is a great advantage Thirdly There is this advantage They that remember God betimes they have an opportunity of doing more for God then other men have for when men begin late it is work enough to get
Tryall of Faith OR THE WOMAN OF CANAAN On Math. 15. 21 22 23 24. Together with the Souls Sure Anchor-hold On Heb. 6. 19. With the Wisdome of timely remembring our Creator On Eccles 12. 1. â—n Severall SERMONS By Timothy Armitage Late Minister of the Gospel in Norwitch â—ONDON Printed by M. S. for Henry Cripps at the first Shop in Popes-head-Alley next Lumbard-street 1661. To the Christian Reader ALthough we have not fully perused these Sermons yet being well acquainted with the worth of the Author we doe not without the desire of many present these Notes to thy view He was a man of a choice humble meek and moderate spirit of good natural endowments heightned with no smal measure of Divine grace of a sound judgement yet could bear with those that erred not in the main of a large affection yet without affectation of good Learning but his Art was in Preaching to conceal his Art His Teaching was after the manner of Gods drawing a soul to Himself viz. Fortiter suaviter strongly and sweetly His stile was even plain full and as Anianus spake of Chrysostome his speech was never elevated to the pomp of speaking but alwayes accommodated to the profit of hearing In brief He was a faithful experimental powerful and succesful Labourer in the Gospel for the Spirit of God breathed much on his heart and Ministry His life also held pace with his Doctrine for as his Doctrine was lively so his life was doctrinal He was beloved both of God and man Our only grief is we had such a Preacher whom now we have not But in the midst of our sorrows for the loss of him we have refreshment by enjoying the issues of his labour and this book being his Benjamin which he did not live to finish we humbly present unto you in its native innocency as it was midwived from his mouth by the finger of a ready Pen-man Neither could we be so injurious to our departed Brother or unjust unto you as to diminish or add any thing thereunto lest instead of his endeavours we should give forth our own conceptions His intention was not to print them in paper but to imprint them in the hearts of his Auditory This Writing is like Milk in a Bottle which though it wanteth the natural warmth of the Breast yet being well digested will afford wholsome nourishment and spiritual strength Those that did hear these Sermons delivered by a lively voice cannot but rejoyce in hearing them eccho'd over by the rebound of the Press in which if there be any faults you are desired by the sense of the neighbouring words to correct them Thus committing the success of these following pages wherein the Author being dead yet speaketh to the blessing of the Almighty We rest Your Servants in the Lord Christ W. B. T. A. J. R. Several Sermons preached by Mr. Timothy Armitage upon Matth. 15. 21 22 23 24 Verses c. Verse 21. Then Jesus went thence and departed into the Coasts of Tyre and Sidon 22. And behold a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts and cryed unto him saying have mercy on me O Lord thou son of David my daughter is greivously vexed with a Devil 23. But he answered her not a word And his Disciples came and besought him saying send her away for she cryeth after us 24. But he answered and said I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel c. SERMON I. YOu have a Relation of Christs departure from the parts of Judea near to Jerusalem and his coming to the coasts of Tyre and Sidon the uttermost part of the Land of Canaan And here is a Relation of two great Wonders wrought by Christ there One was a spiritual wonder a wonderful faith that Jesus Christ wrought in the heart of a poor woman the woman of Canaan it was a wonderful faith therefore it is brought in with admiration in the 22. verse and BEHOLD a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts and cried unto him saying have mercy on me O Lord thou son of David c. Yea it was such a wonder as made the Son of God to wonder at it in conclusion and to say O woman great is thy faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt The second Wonder which was the effect of this wonderful faith it was a miraculous cure that the Lord Jesus Christ wrought upon the daughter of this woman of Canaan who was possessed with a Devil which Devil Christ cast out by speaking one word Now concerning the faith of this woman of Canaan the wonder that was in it appears First In that it was a woman the weaker vessel and most subject to fears yet her heart was raised to believe Secondly Not only a woman but a Woman of Canaan a Canaanitish woman one that was of the seed and posterity of that cursed Nation the Canaanites that were a cursed Nation and cast out that room might be made for the Children of Israel cast out of the Land that room might be made for the Children of the Kingdome and yet Christ meets with mighty faith in the heart of a woman that was a Canaanite one that had not injoyed the means of Grace one that had not injoyed the priviledges of the Jews But we shall open the Scripture and give you a brief Anallysis of it and lay a foundation for future discourse for I shall but dwell upon the borders at this time And in the faith of this woman of Canaan First take notice of the Declaration of her faith ver 22. Her faith was declared first by the confession she made of Christ she made a full and excellent confession of Jesus Christ O Lord thou son of David there is the confession of her faith she doth acknowledge the Lordship of Christ she doth acknowledge him to be Lord of all infinite in power able to do what he pleases yea to command the Devil out of her daughter for she came to him for that end there is a confession of the Divinity of Christ and of his infinite power Secondly She doth acknowledge him as the Messias not only as the Lord of all but as the Messias Christ the Saviour him that was to come to redeem his people and to be a light to enlighten the Gentiles and therefore she calls him the son of David Oh Lord thou son of David have mercy on me c. where she doth acknowledge him to be the Messias that was promised to come out of the loins of David Thirdly There is a declaration of her faith by her prayer she poures out before the Lord her prayer was an effect of her faith she calls upon him with a great deal of earnestness and her petition was that Christ would cast out the unclean spirit that had taken possession of her daughter therefore she spread it before the Lord My daughter is grievously vexed with
do greatly provoke the Lord Christ and loose all they do though men could walk as exactly as the very Angels yet if that exactness should draw them to place any trust any confidence in their observations and humility they loose all their labour for Christ tells his Disciples in Matth. 5. 20. That except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees you shall in no wise enter into the kingdome of heaven Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees they went a great way in self righteousness they walked very strictly and very precisely ah but you must have another kind of righteousness a righteousness that must be beyond theirs they placed their righteousness in their doings in their observations and inventions but except your righteousness exceed theirs you shall in no wise enter into the Kingdome of Heaven The Devil he will allow men to go a great way in such paths of self-righteousness to do a great deal to suffer a great deal to carry it very humbly and very strictly and seem to be the most mortified men living if the Devil can but draw them off from Christs righteousness thereby and place their righteousness in this he care not how far they go for the Devil knows that this will never mortifie the deeds of the flesh whatsoever is of mans setting up will never mortifie the deeds of the flesh but as I said before men may live very strictly fast and pray and yet be far from mortifying the deeds of the flesh it may be so far from mortifying the deeds of the flesh that it may strengthen the flesh and corruption get strength while men seem to walk in such a way of seeming mortification yea the strength of the body may be spent in seeming mortification and the corruption unmortified But to reflect a little by way of Application Oh that this might be a warning piece to us to take heed that we do not exalt any thing of man in the room of Christ take heed we do not exalt our rule above Christs Rule that we do not form rules to our selves to walk by and to worship by and decline the Rule and Institutions and Ordinances of Christ There are two sorts of people that are and will be found guilty of this who shall not injoy the presence of the Lord for Christ will depart from such a people First Such as set up outward formes of their own in opposition to Christs Form there have been such a generation of men in this Land and still there are who hath such Idols in their hearts who set up their form above Christs Form Christ hath left a Rule and Christ hath given his Form and his Institutions which must be observed till his coming but now when men shall bring in their own inventions and traditions their own superstitious ceremonies into the worship of Christ which Christ hath not commanded this is a great provocation to the Lord and such a people cannot injoy the spiritual presence of Christ for â—aitâ— Christ Go teach and observe what I have commanded you and loe I am with you to the end of the world So long as a people cleave to Christs Institutions so long they are under the Promise of Christ but they that shall go from this are not under the Promise of Christ 2. And then again there are those that will be found setting up something of their own in the stead of Christs Rule while they pretend that they have another rule then the Word to walk by the other is more gross and carnal but this more spiritually wicked I say when men shall pretend to have another rule to walk by that they have the Spirit of the Lord to be their rule to teach them and they shall not look to the rule of the Scripture not look to any rule without them truly both these sorts of men will be found to set up their own rule above Christs Rule And oh how dangerous is it and as I said before so again and oh that it might be remembred It is a pulling Christ out of his Throne for men to decline his Rule the rule of his Word which he hath given them to walk by and decline his Ordinances and pretend to walk by a rule that is within them truly they exalt something of their own above Christ and let it be remembred what the Lord threatens to such as will not hear the great Prophet Deut. 18. 15. and 19. The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee of thy brethren like unto me unto him ye shall hearken V. 19. And it shall come to passe that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name I will require it of him He that will not take the rule from Christs mouth he that will not walk by that rule that Christ hath left in his Word to walk by but shall take another rule though the pretence be never so high and spiritual the Lord hath said that such a soul shall be cuâ— off the Lord will not afford his presence Christ will not continue his presence with such a people as shall exalt any invention above Christs Rule the rule of the Word But it may be that they will say They do not exalt any thing of their own we are mistaken of that no it iâ— only the Spirit of Christ that they exalt it is the Spirit of Christ that is their rule to walk by and they are not bound to attend to any rule whatsoever that is without them but to walk by the rule of the Spirit of God that is within them To whom I say it is a great mistake that the Spirit of the Lord in us should be a rule for us to walk by the Spirit is not the rule the Spirit is given to open the rule the Spirit is given to shine upon the rule to declare the rule but the Spirit of the Lord is not the rule It is true indeed we cannot know the rule at least in the spiritual nature of it till the Spirit of the Lord doth open it as a man cannot see what time of day it is by the Sun-dyall till the Sun shine upon it ah but the Dyall is the rule And so it is a great mistake while men think that the Spirit is the rule when as the Word of the Lord is the rule to the Law and to the testimony if any man walk not according to this rule And so Christ tells his Disciples that the Spirit is not given to manifest and discover any new thing but what Christ hath laid dowâ— in his Word look into John 16. 13. Howbeit when the Spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth for he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak and he will shew you things to come Mark how clear it is that 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
was expected by that name among the Jews for so he was promised and prophesied of that he should be the son of David But again he is called the son of David because the promise was in a special manner unto David in a gracious way God did confirm the promise of the Messiaâ— unto David Notwithstanding Davids imperfection and the sin that was in David yet the promise of the Messias was to David and his house though his house was not so with God yet God confirmed the Covenant with David that Covenant which was made with Abraham God confirmed it in a remarkable way unto David notwithstanding his unworthiness yet the Messias should spring out of his loins and therefore in respect of that gracious Promise he was called the son of David Secondly This woman gives him the title of the son of David because it is the most honourable title where there is true faith it will put all the honour it can upon Christ David was an honourable King in Israel David was the first godly King that ever God set over his own people so he was honourable being the first godly King that reigned over the people and therefore became David was most honourable among the Kings the first godly King therefore this woman put honour upon Christ calls him the son of David Thirdly David was a very remarkable type of Christ and as he was known by David so Christ was known by this name and called by this name Christ he was very like in many things to David as Christ came of the seed of David so in many things Jesus Christ was like to David and Davids Kingdome it was a type of Christs Kingdome and therefore it is said of Christ Luke 1. That God should give him the throne of David his father But in these particulars I shall instance to you that David was a type of Christ and Christ like to David First In those manifold victories and conquests that David obtained over his enemies and the enemies of God why David was a very victorious Prince he subdued the enemies of Israel in Davids time many of the Lords battels were fought by David and David returned a Conquerour he smote the great Goliah that defied the Armies of the God of Israel David went forth and smote him and he fell and in those remarkable victories David obtained over the enemies of the Church he was a type of Christ and therefore Christ is called the son of David Secondly And then again David was a type of Christ in that he brought back again the Ark of God that was taken captive by the Philistines David restored the Ark and brought it back again so Christ restored the Ordinances and will restore them to their perfect purity even all the vessels of the Lords House that hath been taken captive by the Philistines Christ will restore them they shall all be brought again into their own place and restored to their first purity Christ will fulfill it there is a promise of it and he will fulfil it in this David was a type of Christ Thirdly David was a type of Christ in that he waited long for the Kingdom after the Promise was given to him yea after the Lord by Samuel had anointed David to be King over Israel after he was anointed he was driven out and he waited long for the fulfilling of the Promise a type of Christ in that and so it is with David's Son the Lord Jesus though anointed though the Spirit was poured out upon him without measure though anointed to be King yet we see not all his enemies put under his feet there is a promise that it shall be so but we see it not yet he waits for it and therefore he compares himself to a man that went into a far country to receive a kingdome for him self and so Christ is in Heaven he sits and waits for it till the time come that his Father shall give him the kingdom and he is to rule over all his enemies to be made his footstool Nay fourthly David was a type of Christ in respect of his enemies Davids enemies were many and great mighty and potent and so are the enemies of Jesus Christ Saul and all his forces rose up against David and David he had many enemies in his own house afterwards and they that did eat bread with him at his table and his enemies were a type of Christs enemies Saul and all his forces against David the Devil and all his Angels and wicked men against Christ Christs enemies they were such as were his near companions one that dipt his hand in the dish with him he betrayed him And thus you see David was a type of Christ his Kingdome a type of Christs Kingdome Fifthly to add no more but this Davids Kingdome you know was very small at first but it grew great when David came first to the Kingdome there were but few that took his part ah but after there had been war for a while betwixt the house of David and the house of Saul God ordered it so that first one of the house of Saul fell off and then another and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker and Davids house stronger and stronger So the Kingdome of Christ his Kingdome was a little Kingdome the servants that owned him and his cause they are but a very inconsiderable party at first a little stone cut out of the mountain without hands a type and shaddow of Christs Kingdome but that stone it waxed bigger and bigger and became a mountain that filled the whole earth You see why Christ both here by this woman and also in divers other places is so frequently called the son of David I come now to the observation from the confession which this woman held forth which is this That true faith it comes unto Christ both as he is Lord and as he is the son of David it layes this foundation and where this confession is not made there is no true saving faith true faith it closeth with Christ as he is Lord and as he is the son of David First I shall shew you how true faith comes to Christ and looks upon Christ and closeth with Christ as he is Lord O Lord have mercy on me This woman here she makeâ— the same confession that Peter doth Matth. 16. 16. and Peter said Thou art Christ the Son of the living God Here is the same confession that the Woman makes the Text she confesses that he was the Son of 〈◊〉 living God that he was Christ that he was anoiâ—â—ted as he was man to be the Lord and Saviouâ— True faith confesseth Christ as he is Lord and he is the son of David I shall shew you how true faith closeth wiâ— Christ 〈◊〉 as Lord. It holds forth thus much to us to confeâ—â— Christ to be Lord or to come to Christ Lord. First of all that faith doth confess and acknoâ—â—ledge Christ to be eternal God This
foundation of faith and through the righteâ—â—â— judgement of God hath prevailed exceedinâ—â— abroad in the world he made use of the 〈◊〉 of old and the Socinians of late who overturn 〈◊〉 foundation of faith though they acknowleâ—â—â— Christ to be higher then man and greater 〈◊〉 Angels yet they will not acknowledge him 〈◊〉 equal with his Father and to have been from 〈◊〉 many cavils there are which are made 〈◊〉 this truth of the Gospel Object They object that Jesus Christ sayes 〈◊〉 self That his Father is greater then he and thâ—â—â—fore by Christs own confession say they he is not 〈◊〉 with the Father Answ But for answer You must know 〈◊〉 Christ speaks that as he was Mediator as he 〈◊〉 God man so indeed he put himself under his â—her as Mediator as the Saviour of his people 〈◊〉 in respect of his eternal Godhead he was 〈◊〉 with his Father and his Father was not greater then he For he thought it no robbery to be equall with the Father Object And so they object That Christ was sent he was his Fathers Messenger his righteous Servant and my Father sent me and I came not to doe my own will but the will of my Father Answ Why Christ having put himself under in respect of the work of Mediator so he was under but as eternal Son so he was alwayes equal with the Father Object And whereas they cavil it is said at last Christ shall give up the Kingdom to the Father there is a time coming that God he shall be the greater and be all in all Hence they cavil that Christ is inferiour to his Father and shall be put under at last and God shall be all in all Answ But that Scripture speaks only in respect of Christs dispensitory Kingdome not in respect of his natural Kingdome which he had from eternity â—â—ing equal with his Father but in respect of this present dispensation in which Christ rules his Church and by such a way and meanes Christ shall give up the Kingdome to his Father but then he shall reign with the Father though not as Mediaâ—or that Kingdom ceaseth yet he shall reign with his Father Quest But you will say is this enough for a â—an to believe that Christ is Lord and God equall with the Father will this faith make a man blessed â—f he believe this shall he be saved Does not the Deâ—il make a confession that Christ is the Son of the liâ—ing God Answ Ah but where the Lord by his Spirit doth make an inward discovery of this to the soul the Spirit of Christ shining upon the soul and drawing the heart to close with Christ I answer that this faith is the faith of Gods Elect. It is true there may be a notional knowledge of this in this day of the Gospel men they doe generally confesâ— that Christ is the Son of God Ah where it is only notional and when the heart is not drawn by this knowledge to rest upon him who is mighty to save this bare historical knowledge will prove ineffectual but when the Lord doth draw the heart to rest upon Christ revealed in the Gospel this is true faith Secondly The second thing propounded 〈◊〉 That true faith doth come to Christ as he is the son of David O Lord thou son of David It holds forth two things First She closeth with the humanity 〈◊〉 Christ Secondly She closeth with Christ in his offices and looks to him as he is appointed by God to be the Mediatour Here are these two things in this confessiâ—â— that he is the son of David and true faith 〈◊〉 must eye both these If faith be rightly grounded it must come to Christ as he is the son of David First of all It confesses that Christ is man 〈◊〉 well as God it closeth with the humanity as 〈◊〉 as the divinity of Christ he is God and man in 〈◊〉 person believes that he is true man that he 〈◊〉 and that he is true man without this there 〈◊〉 be no true faith it comes to him as to one 〈◊〉 took our nature and died in our nature and rose again in our nature and ascended in our nature and sits in heaven with our nature True faith must come thus to Christ or else it will not be found to be true faith True faith closeth with the humanity of Christ believes that God took the nature of man into union with the second Person and so God and man made one Person it doth not look upon Christ as taking up a body for a time such a notion many men have in the world to conceive that Christ did assume a body even as he did of old when as he did appear to the Patriarkes Abraham and Lot the Angel of the Covenant as well as other Angels did assume a body and so dissolved it again Now say they as Christ did assume a body for a time and appear in that and then afterward dissolve it now Christ is no more in the body but he is now in the Spirit This is a grosse mistake a dangerous error that overthrows the foundation If Christ did assume a body then he was not man but the Scripture saith He took our nature he took not the nature of Angels but he took the nature of man to take up a body is not to take up the nature of man but he took our nature a soul and body together humane soul and body that is the nature of man he took a body into union with the second Person for so it was not only a body that Christ took up but a soul too My soul is heavy to death and the soul of Christ was made an offering for sin So that remember this how true faith must look upon Christ first as Lord and secondly as Man as one that took our nature soul and body into union with himself Secondly I shall shew you that there is a necessity that every man and woman that expect salvation by Christ should believe that he took our nature upon him and then that he died in our nature and rose in our nature and sits now in heaven in our nature it is necessary to be believed to salvation for First of all if this be not believed you cannot have any assurance that any man or woman shall have the benefit of Christs satisfaction Suppose that some confess that he is eternal God and did give satisfaction as he was eternal God yee that body that he took up for a time if he took not the nature of man could not satisfie for the sin of man for justice must be satisfied in the same nature Now if Christ did not really take our nature and suffer in our nature there is no satisfaction and we can have no benefit thereby for satisfaction must be done in the same nature it offended Secondly It is necessary that you should believe that Jesus Christ rose again in the same nature for your justification
that was the man but the man Christ Jesus is now the Mediator and therefore such as do either deny that Christ did take our nature or that he doth retain our nature and rose in our nature and asCended in our nature doth mightily help forward the design of the Devil he alwayes had a design to overthrow this foundation of faith and such men are the Devils chief Instruments he knows that if Christ did not rise in that body again if he can take away that he knows that all preaching is in vain and faith is in vain and therefore the Pharisees when put on by the Devil they gave the Souldiers money to say that his Disciples stole him away Surely the Devil he knew that doctrine was of great concernment and therefore they were put upon to say his Disciples stole him away and such men as deny Christs Resurrection they take the Devils hire and their faith will be but the faith of the Sadduces and will leave them short of life Thirdly And in the third and last place How may are there that many confess both these that may confess Christ is God that he is Lord and that he is Man true man and yet not look unto Christ as he is fit every way for that work as fitted with strength and meekness and mercy for that great work of perfecting his peoples salvation As you desire to have faith that is of the right stamp would you have it rightly grounded and have it laid upon such a foundation as God hath laid and on such a foundation as will hold O then look to this womans confession look up to the Lord to make such a discovery of Christ to your souls that Christ may be discovered to you as Lord and that you may close with him as man God in our nature satisfied in our nature and making intercession in our nature and look upon him as one appointed by God the Father for therein lay a great deal of a Christians comfort when the soul comes to eye this Mediator as one appointed by God and one â—itted every way for it full of mercy and full of power if the Lord shall make such a discovery of Christ to your souls so as to cause you to lean your souls upon him for life and salvation this will be found to be faith rightly built this is the faith of Gods Elect. Matth. 15. 22. And cryed unto him saying have mercy on me c. SERMON IV. FIrst This womans faith is declared by the fruits of it and the first fruit of her faith it was the applying of her self unto Christ in a way of prayer She comes to Christ and she prayes unto him and he prayer is set forth by the fervency of it for she did not only intreat but she cryes unto him her prayer was no cold prayer but she put up fervent supplications and strong cries Secondly Her prayer is set forth by the Argument she useth in her pleading with Christ for that mercy the cure of her Daughter and the Argument she useth is taken only from his free Grace and that she pleads Have mercy on me O Lord thou son of David She doth not present any worthiness of her own but she takes hold of mercy So that the truth that I shall commend to yoâ— is this That whereever there is true faith it will maâ—â— the soul to cry unto Christ and to plead mercâ— and free grace in the greatest affliction He affliction was wonderful great My daughter is grievously vexed with a devil She come to Christ and cryes and takes hold of hiâ— mercy I had thought that I might handle the whole Point but I shall not be able to go thorough it 〈◊〉 once and therefore shall divide it into three Propositions The first is this That faith will make 〈◊〉 soul to come to Christ in a way of prayer and applâ— it self to Christ alone in the greatest affliction Secondly The greater the afflictions of 〈◊〉 faithful are the stronger are their cries 〈◊〉 Christ Thirdly When a gracious heart cries unto Christ it pleads nothing but mercy renounces all his owâ— worthiness and takes hold only of mercy and 〈◊〉 grace I shall speak to the first at this time That faith will make a soul come to Christ and cry to Christ pour out his complaints before Christ when it is 〈◊〉 the greatest distress and under the forest affliction and burden This woman she applies her self 〈◊〉 unto Christ cries only unto him she doth 〈◊〉 go to the Idol-gods of her own Nation she seâ—â— not unto them nor trusts in them though the people were an idolatrous people and had many gods that they sought after but she leaves them all whatever others do and she goes to Christ seeks not to the gods of the Nation but applies her self to Christ Secondly When she comes where Christ is she cries only to him she doth not cry to man she doth not poure out her complaints to man no not to the best of men she doth not cry to the Disciples she doth not cry to Peter James or John but she poures out her cries to the Lord O Lord thou son of David Faith makes her in her distress to look to the Lord alone applies her self only to Christ in a way of prayer This is the counsel that Eliphaz gives to Job chap. 5. v. 8. sayes he If I were in thy condition I would go to God I would apply my self to God I would seek to God and commit my cause to him I would not seek to creatures I would not make my complaint to the creature because they cannot pitty me nor help me no it is lost labour I would go to God and seek to God and I would not keep my burden my self I would not bear my burden upon my own shoulder and stand groaning under my burden 〈◊〉 I would go to God and commit my cause to him it is good counsel that he gave Job and O that we might be inabled to follow it And for the confirmation of the Point you shall find many Instances in Scripture of the â—aints applying themselves to God alone in the â—â—me of their distresse I might hold forth very many but I shall only give you one or two Look â—pon David as he expresses himself Psal 14. 1. 〈◊〉 so on I cryed to the Lord with my voice to 〈◊〉 Lord did I make my supplication and poured out my complaints before him and shewed him my trouble And when was it It was in a time of great distress Ver. 3. When my spirit was overwhelmed within me I went to God and made my complaints known to him I went not to the creature but to God And Jonah he was in a sad distressed condition and yet faith brought him to apply himself to the Lord when as he was in that sad estate Jonah 2. 1 2. Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God out of the fishes belly and said I cryed by
shews that afflictions are from the Lord and shews that all afflictions are for that end to carry the soul higher unto God and shews that all the help of the creature is vain and shews that there is an infinite supply of grace and mercy all-sufficiency of grace in God and Christ to relieve at all times and in all straits these discoveries that faith makes will carry the soul to Christ and make the soul apply it self to Christ and cry to him and spread his complaints before him in time of great distress A word or two by way of Application First of all If it be so that faith carry the soul to God and Christ alone in time of distres what shall we think then when men by their affliction and in their affliction are carried further off from God And yet so it is with many their afflictions set them at a greater distance from Christ many a man is hardened by his affliction and so set at a greater distance from God by that trouble and distresse he hath upon him afflictions drive many a man from God make him run away from God run any where then unto God there is many will run to the creature and their eye is not to the Lord the holy One of Israel they run to the creature to comfort them run to the world and run into the way of their lust but apply not themselves to the Lord in the day of their distress You know that Ahaziah ran to the Devil when he was in distress so far was he from running nigh to God in distress that he run to the Devil himself he sends to the gods of the Nations to know whether he should recover or not This is a discovery that there is no seed of faith in such a soul for where there is faith but in the seed of it the least seed of faith it will make a soul at least to be looking to Christ and crying after Christ in the day of distress it will at least cry unto Christ though there may be many workings of corruption and temptations and many distempers of spirit may be bubling up in time of affliction yet faith will carry the soul to look towards Christ and cry after him as Jonah did when he was in the belly of hell I said I am cast out of thy sight yet will I look toward thy holy temple He applies himself to Christ And so a gracious heart will be looking to Christ and the more faith the more it will look and the louder it will-cry But secondly Let it be a word of exhortation O that it might provoke us all to deal more with God and Christ in the time of our affliction and distress O that we might cry more to him and pour out our complaints more to him as this poor woman did she comes and cries O Lord thou son of David Poor souls are apt to look to the creature in the day of distress and think such and such creatures can comfort Surely my bed shall comfort me and my couch give me ease sayes Job but he found no such matter and so we are apt to say of this and that creature I will go and make my complaint to him he will give me some refreshment poor souls are very apt under their burdens to go up down and scatter their complaints Ah but they take not the right course of going to Christ and crying to him and pouring out the complaints of their souls before him and therefore it is that when they goe to men they meet with little satisfaction and little relief and comfort and their spirits are filled with discontent and dissatisfaction when as they meet with such men sometimes as have no compassion at all in them and sometimes meet with good words and no more and sometimes meet with such as pitty them but have no power and sometimes meet with some that will aggravate the affliction and just it is with God it should be so when we will not look to the Rock O that such disappointments might reach us to look to the Lord we have thought that this creature might ease but we have met with disappointments O that these disappointments might teach us to go to Christ as this woman And thus the poor man did for his son that he would cast out the unclean spirit I went said he to thy Disciples and they tryed to cast out the unclean spirit but could not and then he comes to Christ I have been with thy Disciples and they could not cast out the unclean spirit but thou canst do it and Christ did do it And O that these disappointments might teach us to goe more to Christ and make our complaints more to him in time of distress Quest But you will say What may we not go to our friends is it not lawful to go to men when we are under pressures and burdens either of the outward or inward man and to such and such as may relieve us may we not apply our selves to them Answ I answer yes We may apply our selves to men but take heed we do it in Gods way I say under burdens and distresses either outward or inward we may apply our selves to men but take heed we doe it in Gods way Quest But you will say How shall we know we do it in Gods way Answ I answer first of all when you do it as an Ordinance of God when we make use of the advice and help of others and go to others as to an Ordinance of God then we are not out of Gods way when we do it in obedience to the Will and Commandement of God and Christ when one that is wounded in spirit shall apply himself to those that are godly that hath the mind of Christ in obedience to the command of Christ Confess your sins one to another and pray one for another Now if out of obedience to Christ I go and confess my sins to one that is godly and desire him to pray for me when we apply our selves to men as an Ordinance of God then we are in Gods way Secondly When we shall keep the eye of our souls upon God alone for help when we apply our selves to men for any help and yet shall keep our eye upon God and look upon God as the great moving cause look upon God as the fountain of all relief and comfort and shall look upon the creature only as Gods Instrument this is but a pipe and an empty one too if God do not fill it when as the eye is thus upon God and eye God as principal in all that comfort and relief that we expect and look upon the creature as the means then we may apply our selves to the creature and not out of Gods way And a man may know whether he keeps his eye upon God when as he does apply himself to the creature thus Are your expectations from the creature or from God If a mans eye
be upon God then he will not expect much from the creature and applies himself to the creatures because they are means and because it is an Ordinance but dare not expect much Secondly If a man doe meet with disappointments and he do apply himself to the creature in Gods way disappointments will not add any great trouble or vexation to that man or woman though he meet with little refreshment nay though instead of help and refreshment he should meet with an addition of his sorrow and trouble yet if in Gods way he will not be troubled because his eye is upon God and I see it is not the will of the Lord I should yet have comfort and why should I fret my self seeing the Instrument is but an empty pipe and no creature can refresh me if the Lord doe not refresh me And thus you have seen when we are in Gods way and when out of Gods way in applying our selves to the creature and looking to the creature for help and for relief And O that this might teach us to go more to God and apply our selves more to Christ Object But it may be some poor soul will say Well I have not only gone to the creature but I have applyed my self to God and yet truly I meet with little refreshment I have cryed to Christ in the time of my affliction and yet my burden doth continue Answ First To this I answer It may be when thou hast come to Christ thou hast complained of thy burden and of thy affliction but thou hast not complained of thy sin thou hast not complained of that which is the greatest matter of complaint and if thou hast at any time looked more to thy burden and affliction and hast not complained of that which is the greatest matter of complaint no wonder then though thou hast met with no ease Secondly Let me say it may be thou hast brought thy complaints and spread them before the Lord yet thou hast not left thy burden with the Lord many a soul comes with a great burden ah but it carries it away and does not leave it with the Lord and if the burden be not left with the Lord no wonder that we have no ease Christ is willing we should leave our burdens with him and in so doing we shall finde refreshment Thirdly And let me say further that it may be the Lord hath heard thy cry and thy complaint but thou art not aware of it thou hast not taken notice of it through unthankfulnesse thou hast not observed that which the Lord hath done the Lord at least he hath thus farre heard thee that he hath supported thy spirit under thy burden and thou hast been kept up so that thy soul hath not failed and thy spirit hath not fainted under thy burden and truly this is a great mercy and worthy to be taken notice of And this is the difference between your going to God and the creature Oh that we might be invited by this to apply our selves more to Christ in time of distresse and spread our complaints before Christ for in going to the creature many times the spirit is wounded ah but in going to God the spirit shall be supported though Christ doe not give out a present answer yet the heart shall be supported under all its burdens but now in going to man many times the heart and the spirit it is wounded by those disappointments that we meet withall while we expect that from the creature which it cannot do Two things only I shall propound to urge this duty upon you to make us more in going to Christ and less to the creature It is a great sin and folly when as we leave Christ and goe to the creature in the day of our distress First It is a great sin for what do we then but set up the creature in the room of Christ You know how sensible Jacob was of this evil he lookt upon it as a great evil when as Rachel came to him she wanted children she comes to her Husband Give me children or I die O what sayes he Am I in Gods stead Can I give thee children When as she came and made her complaint to Jacob and murmured because she had not the mercy of children she goes to Jacob and sets up Jacob in Gods stead and so when we are under our burdens and make our complaints to the creature and not to God why the creature may say as Jacob am I in Gods stead Secondly There is a world of folly in it in going from God in time of distress to the creature It is a piece of greâ—â— folly for a man to go from the fountain to the broken cistern to leave the fountain and think a broken cistern should supply him It is a great deal of folly for a man to go to a deaf man one that cannot hear pour out his complaints expect that he should speak a word of refreshment so much folly there is when we go to the creature and do not apply our selves to God If a man should go to a begger one that hath no food or rayment and a man should spend a deal of time in asking food and rayment and if he do not give it go away railing what a deal of folly were it And so a great deal of Folly there is when we do go to the creature and do not go to God we go to them that are poor and naked and forsake God that hath all store of provision and mercy laid up in himself O that the consideration of our sin and folly in going to the creatures might cause us at all times in our distresse to go to God as this poor woman did and cry to him that is the Lord. Matth. 15. 22. And behold a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts and cryed unto him saying have mercy on me O Lord thou son of David my daughter is grievously vexed with a Devil SERMON V. HEre is a declaration of this womans faith the tryall of it and the conquest of it The last day we came to consider the declaration of this womans faith in the fruits of it it carries her soul to Christ in a way of supplication and prayer and the Argument she useth in prayer is only the free Grace of Christ Have mercy on me thou son of David The Doctrine was this That whereever there is 〈◊〉 seed of faith in any foul it will carry it out to Christ and make the soul cry unto him and take hold of his mercy We divided it into three Propositions First That faith will carry the soul to Christ in time of affliction and make it seek to Christ and Christ alone Secondly Afflictions when they are great and strong will raise strong cries Thirdly A gracious heart pleads only mercy and free grace only takes hold of mercy and looks not at all to his own worthiness I spake to the first of these the last day I shall
now speak to the second Proposition this woman was in great afflictions and distresse her daughter was possessed with a devil and that was a sore burden to her spirit Now this great affliction makes her cry loud for the Text doth not say she came intreated and besought him but the Text sayes she came and cryed unto him saying Have mercy on me O Lord. So then observe this Strong afflictions will raise strong cries even in Gods own people In the opening of the Point I shall shew you two things First That there is a cry of the flesh and a cry of the Spirit Secondly That great and sore afflictions of 〈◊〉 continuance may raise both these cries it will make both the flesh to cry and the Spirit to cry First There is a cry of the flesh and that is twofold It is either a natural cry 〈◊〉 sense which Nature hath of the burden and affliction which is upon it Or Secondly It is a sinful cry which is accompanied with disorder I say the cry of the flesh it is either meerly natural or sinful the flesh is weak it is an emblem of weakness and is weak indeed and a little affliction will make the flesh to cry the Lord remembred that man is but as dust before the wind Now the flesh may cry out and may complain and yet may not sin in that complaint it is true indeed when a man or woman shall cry out of a little affliction when the hand of God doth but touch him and then cry out with great cries strong cries when as the affliction is but little that discovers want of wisdom and want of strength but now when the affliction is very great sore and urgent and the flesh doth cry out through the frailty there may be an expression of complaint and yet not sinful Job in his great afflictions made many complaints poured out many strong cries and yet in many of his complaints he sinned not Job 6. 1 2 3. O that my grief were thoroughly weighed it would appear heavier then the sand of the sea Yea you shall find that our Lord Jesus Christ himself having taken our flesh and the frailties of our flesh for he took our humane frailties but no sinful frailtieâ— and in the dayes of his flesh he cryed his great affliction made him cry out he put up his cries with tears and supplications in the dayes of his flesh as the Apostle speaks Heb. 5. 7. And in Psalm 22. which Psalm is a Prophecy of Christ he cryes out bitter 〈◊〉 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me â—hy art thou so far from helping me and from the words of my roaring Strong cries and yet no sin in Jesus Christ so that the flesh may cry and yet not sin for grace when it comes into the soul doth not destroy nature it doth not make man insensible and the spirit insensible but it allows the flesh to be sensible and to cry out of his burdens so it be without sin Secondly There is another cry of the flesh that is raised by sore afflictions and that is a sinfull cry now this sinful cry you shall know it thus First of all It springs from pride it will make a man cry out through pride of heart he cannot bear his burden nor submit to the hand of God through pride of heart When a creature stands upon it to justifie himself and accuse God calls God to an account Why am I thus And what am I worse then others And why should God take me out from all others to make me an example to all others What have I done And what is my sin more then others When a creature will not submit to God in his afflictions but charge God foolishly and when as he quarrels with his affliction if any affliction but this I could have born it but as for this affliction my spirit cannot bear it O here is a cry that is raised by affliction but it is a sinful cry Secondly There is a cry in affliction that doth spring from impatiency and that is a sinful cry when a man or woman shall cry out with a great cry and make a great lamentation and yet their burden but an ordinary burâ—â—â— only they make it great through impatiency noâ— that the affliction is so in it self if the Lord had given a heart to carry patiently under it but there is many a poor creature struggles with his affliction as a young beast unaccustomed to the yoak the yoak is easie but by struggling and striving it pinches and makes it cry out and so a man by striving under the yoak of the Lord though it be Jobs counsel that it is good to bear the yoak yet it throught impatience cryes out this is a sinful cry Thirdly That is a sinful cry that springs from unbelief and is accompanied with unbelief when as a man or woman in time of affliction shall give way to hard thoughts of God whatever cry is accompanied with unbelief is a sinful cry Yet this is the case of many they cannot perswade themselves that there is any love in the heart of God towards them and any love in such an affliction I cannot believe it that there should be love in such an affliction that God should lay such a heavy burden upon me and have any love to me when it cries out thus with unbelieving cries this is a sinfull cry And so when a man cannot be perswaded that the Lord should make a good end with him in affliction O sure I shall perish one day and fall by the hand of this affliction I shall be broken all to pieces and never be able to stand under my burden when as the soul is thus filled with unbelieving dispairing thoughts concerning God and concerning the end of his affliction and so cry out in unbelief this is a sinful cry First And again great and sore afflictions may occasion such cries even sinful cries as the cry of unbelief and impatiencies and that upon this ground there are remainders of corruption in the best heart there is sinful flesh as well as spirit Secondly Great afflictions do expose Gods own people to great temptations many times they go together great afflictions and great temptations for the Devil seeks his opportunity to doe mischief as the Lord waits to be gracious so Satan waits to doe mischief Many times in great afflictions when the waters are high then the Devil will assault God makes use of affliction to make his people seek him early but now the Devil he waits to make the soul cry out with a sinful cry and many times the Lord suffers him to prevail But this cry of the woman of Canaan was not the cry of pride impatience and unbelief but her cry was the cry of the Spirit And therefore let us examine what that cry of the spirit is which the Lord doth raise in the hearts of his people in
he day of great afflictions First It carries the heart to God thorough Christ and makes its complaint unto him it doth not cry out against God but as it cries unto God so it runs unto the Lord thorough Christ and pours out his complaints before him So David Psal 142. 1 2. I cryed unto the Lord with my voice unto the Lord did I make my supplication I poured out my complaint before him The flesh cries out of his burden yea sinful flesh it complains many times not only of his burden but of God himself Ah but the spirit that cries unted God Job 35. 9. By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry They cry out by reason of the arme of the mighty v. 10. But none saith where is God nâ—â—â—maker he reproves the sons of men They are apâ—â—to cry but it is the cry of the flesh they cry out of the arme of the mighty but they do not go to God None say where is God that giveth songs in the night season The spirit in the saddest condition goes to God through Christ Secondly The cry of the spirit it doth make a man to cry out as well of sin as of affliction it will make a man to cry out more of sin then of affliction the flesh is not sensible of the burden of sin Ah but where the spirit of the Lord is it will make a man cry out most of all of the burden of sin if God should take away affliction and not take aâ— way corruption this would be little refreshment to him O miserable man that I am as you have the Apostle cry which was the cry of the spirit Rom. 7. the latter end O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord He was more sensible of the body of sin then of any affliction that lay upon him Thirdly The cry of the Spirit it will make the soul cry more after God himself then after any mercy or deliverance that it may injoy God that it may have the presence of God and communion with God that it may be made like to God a gracious heart it cries thus after God yea in the day of affliction when the burden is heavy a gracious heart desires more to injoy God then to be free from his affliction See how the Psalmist doth express himself in Psal 63. 1. O God thou art my God early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is David was now in a state of banishment it is like he met with sore afflictions ah but the cry of his soul was after God my soul thirsteth for thee and longeth for thee Fourthly The cry of the spirit it is a cry of faith it cries in faith and cries in hope the flesh cries in despair many times but the spirit cries and believes when it cries it takes hold of God and follows after him follows God crying though God go away See what is said Psal 89. 26. the promise is made to Davids son Christ He shall cry unto me thou art my father my God and the rock of my salvation He shall cry unto me 〈◊〉 but he shall cry in faith when he cries he shall say Thou art my Father and my rock And so the Church Isaiah 26. she cries out with a great cry and it is in faith doubtless thou art our Father And so Psal 119. when as David cryed he trusted he took hold of God and hoped in his mercy 145 146 147. ver though he was in a great affliction and there was great cause to cry yet his cry was the cry of faith and he hoped in the Word of the Lord for the accomplishment of the Word of the Lord. Fifthly As the cry of the spirit is the cry of faith so it is a fervent cry that cry that the Lord doth raise up by his spirit in the day of affliction it is a fervent cry it is no cold nor lazy cry but a strong cry Jesus Christ in the dayes of his flesh put up strong cries and the Apostle James he speaks of the fervent prayer of Gods people I am 5. The fervent effectual prayer of the righteous prevaileth much When the Spirit of prayer doth set all the faculties of the soul a work to look after God and take hold of God â—hen it takes hold of God and will not let him go and cry out as the Church Awake thou arme of the Lord as in the dayes of old when it will take no rest it self and give God no rest till the Lord comes in a way of grace that is the prayer that is spoken of Isai 62. 6 7 8. that prayer that is accompanied with holy fervency is the cry of the spirit Sixthly and lastly The cry of the spirit is such a cry as will not easily be silent though it meet with no answer from the Lord though it meet with a denial as this woman of Canaan she meets with many discouragements he gave her no answer at first still she goes on to cry her cry was a cry that was raised by the spirit of the Lord the flesh may put a man upon it to cry to the Lord for a season but if the Lord does not come in the flesh grows weary now the cry of the spirit is a constant cry that will not give over but will wait upon the Lord till such time as he shall send from heaven to save Thus you see what the cry of the flesh is and what the cry of the spirit Secondly Now the Saints in all Ages in the dayes of their affliction have been stirred up to cry with their spirits unto the Lord and the greater their afflictions have been the more they have cried unto the Lord So it was with Moses he was in a great strait when as he was before the red Sea and then Moses cryed in spirit God made use of that strait to stir up the cry of the Spirit in Moses And so when Jacob was in a great strait he cryed more earnestly then ever he had done when as his brother came to meet him with an Army of men he saw nothing but death and destruction he applied himself to the Lord and cried mightily It is said in Hosea 12. 4. speaking of Jacob He wept and he made supplication And so you know David in Psal 14â— cryed and it was when his spirit was over whelmed and no man to pity him then he cryed unto the Lord. And you know our Lord Jesus to give you no more instances in the dayes of his affliction he cried louder then ever That place Heb. 7. 7. In the dayes of his flesh he offered up prayers and supplications with strong cries and teares unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard in that he feared And the Evangelist Luke doth take notice that as Christs
affliction and sorrow did increase so he cried the louder to his Father Luke 22. 44. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly he prayed the more when his affliction increased when he was in the midst of his agony then he cried more earnestly To make some short application of the Point First of all Let it be a word of examination there is none of us but at one time or other are pouring out our cries and complaints and especially in our affliction we are full of cries Now let us examine whether it be the cry of the flesh or the cry of the spirit whether it be accompanied with pride of heart and with impatiency and unbelief with murmuring and repining O that is the cry of the flesh and the sinful cry of the flesh which is far from the cry of the spirit But to give you two or three things that you may make use of by way of tryall First of all would you know whether your cry be the cry of the flesh or the cry of the spirit why then examine whether or no your cry and your complaint be not above your burden many a mans cry is greater then his bruden that God layes upon him it may be he makes his burden heavy by his strugling Jobs burden was not so it was heavy Now when a man shall cry out and say no affliction like to mine and no burden like to mine O this is a sinful cry Secondly When our cry is so great as to take us off from our duty either to God or man that cry is not a gracious but a sinful cry the cry of the spirit makes a soul wait upon God in a way of duty but now if a man in time of affliction is taken off from his duty surely that cry is a sinful cry Thirdly When a man in the day of affliction cries so loud that he cannot hear what the Lord speaks to him God comes and speaks graciously offers comfort but the cry of the soul is so loud that it cannot hear what God speaks that a man shall be taken up with complaints as to refuse all the comfort that God sends him this is a sinful cry this was the cry of that afflicted man Psal 77. 2. In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord my sore ran and ceased not my soul refused to be comforted Nay when as a man or woman in the time of affliction shall not only refuse his comfort but justifie his complaint as Jonah did he justified his anger when God asked him Dost thou well to be angry Yea said he I do well to be angry This was a sinful passion And so when a man shall justifie any other passion his sorrow and complaining and say I do well to complain and in the bitterness of my spirit I complain this is a sinful cry And therefore secondly Let me desire in the name of the Lord that we would take heed how we give way to these sinful cries and complainings these cryings out which spring from pride impatiencie and unbelief O I pray take heed of giving way to these sinful complaints For first I pray consider a little that the hand of the Lord is in every affliction that is upon you O that that were seen that the hand of the Lord is in it Thou Lord didst is said David I was dumb and opened not my mouth for thou Lord didst it O that would silence the sinful cries of the flesh if the heart were sensible that the Lord did it and if the Lord did it then infinite wisdome hath done it and if infinite wisdome order this or that affliction why should we cry out of our afflictions Secondly Consider whatever your affliction be though you say none like mine it might have been seven times heavier infinite power could have heated the furnace seven times hotter and made his flery tryals seven times more sharp O then there is no cause why we should complain especially in the Third place If we consider what we have deserved at the Lords hand and O that when we pore so much upon our affliction we would look with one eye upon that which may help to silence our sinful complaints We have deserved that and a thousand times more at the hand of God Why should the living man complain man for the punishment of his sin O there is sin enough though it be true it is not alwayes for that God afflicts yet he may see enough for which he may afflict seven times more Now let our eye be upon this this was that which silenced Jeremiah Jer. 8. 14. Why do we sit still Assemble your selves and let us enter into the defenced Cities and let us be silent there for the Lord our God hath put us to silence and hath given us waters of gall to drink because we have sinned against the Lord. Take heed how we open our mouth in the day of our affliction Thirdly and lastly Let it stir up all our souls to go to God through Christ and to cry more in the spirit and the greater our afflictions are so much the more let our cry be to Christ The time of affliction is no time to give over praying and crying but being in an agony he cryed more earnestly and so we in time of affliction we should cry more earnestly O that we might learn thus to cry with this gracious holy believing and servent cry The Lord Jesus hath given great incouragement to his servants to go and cry thus O what incouragement doth Christ give in Luke 11. 8 â— by a parable there of a man being in bed he hath no mind to rise but through importunity be is overcome And so by that Christ stirs up his Disciples to go and cry importunately to God their Father And so in Luke 18. there is another parable of the unjust Judge who neither feared God nor man yet because of the Widdows importunity he would judge her cause And shall not the Judge of all do right I tell you saith Christ he will avenge the elect that cry to him day and night And therefore Christ gives incouragement to you to go and cry earnestly and to wait upon the Lord and not to give over crying for the Lord hath the bowels of a father as the father pitties the child so the Lord pitties those that fear him Now the tender hearted parent is filled with compassion to the child if the child be under a heavie burden the bowels of a father is filled with compassion and will not let him lie under that burden and so the Lord when the spirit is even gone and the soul ready to saint and the Lord see that their strength is gone then the Lord will come in and exercise the bowels of a tender hearted father And know that many times the Lord doth hide himself and withdraw and seems to be far off from the requests of his people that so he may stir them up to
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
advantage and spared the life of Shimei though he had provoked David by his curses Now thus she reasons with her self the son of David the Messias of whom David was but a type he hath more mercie and compassion then David surely his bowels are infinite and therefore though she be a vile sinner an unworthy wretch yet she comes and takes hold of his mercie and there is nothing else that she pleads with Christ nothing else she rests upon only upon mercy no other Argument she useth only presents her great miserie her daughter is grievously vexed with a devil She takes hold of mercie So then the Observation is this That where there is true faith it will teach a soul to deny it self to look beyond it self it s own worthiness and righteousness and to take hold of mercie and of the free grace of God through Jesus Christ I shall open the point to you And first I shall give you Instances that the Saints in all Ages in their coming to God hath looked at nothing in themselves but hath only pleaded mercy and free grace in all their straits You know that Instance of Jacob when he was in a great strait he applied himself to the Lord he pleaded only mercy he doth not look to any worthiness in himself he doth not present that before the Lord as any motive Gen. 32. 10. he pleads no worthiness but looks to his own unworthiness O Lord I am lesse then the least of all thy mercies he doth not tell God that he had lived without blame that he had walked justly and had not defrauded but he had been a faithful Steward that he had walked religiously and eyed God in his wayes that he had set up a pillar and vowed a vow he pleads none of this but O Lord I am lesse then the least of all thy mercies And so Moses though he had done as much as most men that ever lived Deut. 3. 25. I pray thee let me go and see the good Land Here is not a tittle of any of the services that he had done for God that he doth mention he does not say Lord I have taken a great deal of paines with this people I have followed thy Commandements and suffered a great deal of hardship with them for thy sake no he only pleads mercie Thou hast begun to shew thy servant thy greatness and thy mighty hand I pray thee let me go over and see the good Land And so David often in the Psalmes you shall find he is pleading with God and he makes mercie his refuge he pleads only mercie and free grace Psal 4. 1. he pleads that God would bear him in his mercie And you shall find that when the Servants of God hath pleaded for others they have urged nothing but mercie and free grace in all their supplications So the Prophet Jeremiah when he was pleading for the Church Jer. 14. 7. O Lord though our iniquities testifie against us do thou it for thy names sake for our back-sliding are many we have sinned against thee No mention of any righteousness no be mentions their iniquities Our back-slidings are many but do thou it for thy names sake And so the Prophet Daniel when he was pleading for the Lords people he looks beyond all righteousness of their own and pleads mercie Dan. 9. 17. Now therefore O our God hear the prayer of thy servant and his supplication and cause thy face to shine upon thy Sanctuary that is desolate for the Lords sake He had before in verse 8. confessed all their iniquities and now O Lord sayes he do it for the Lords sake And if you look into the new Testament from the beginning to the end of the History of Christ you shall never find any that were accepted of Christ that pleaded any thing but mercy and free grace Matth. 9. 27. And when Jesus departed thence two blind men followed him crying and saying Thou son of David haue mercy on us And so in Matth. 17. 14 15. another comes to Christ and he useth only that Argument mercie Lord have mercy on my son for he is lunatick And in Matth. 20. 30. there is mention of two blind men sitting by the way side and they cried out Have mercy on us And in verse 13. the multitude rebuked them but they cried the more saying Have mercy on us O Lord thou son of David And so the same Argument the Lepers used vers 17. Jesus Master have mercy on us Indeed we read of some of the Elders of the Jews that came to Christ in the behalf of the Centurion and they plead his worthiness Luke 7. 4. And when they came to Jesus they besought him instantly saying that he was worthy for whom he should do this But now the good man himself he had no such thought of himself but he utterly denies it look into verse 6 7. Then Jesus went with them and when he was now not far from the house the Centurion sent friends to him saying unto him Lord trouble not thy self for I am not worthy thou shouldest enter under my roof verse 7. Wherefore neither thought I my self worthy to come unto thee but say in a word and my servant shall be healed Neither thought I my self worthy to come unto thee such a mean and low account had this man of himself First But I shall clear the Doctrine to you and make it out that a gracious heart where there is faith looks beyond all his own worthiness and righteousness and comes to Christ Secondly Shew you that the same gracious soul closes only with mercy and free grace First I say a gracious soul in its coming to Christ looks beyond all that is in himself and that both in its first coming and afterward in any disstresse closeth with the Lord and looks beyond his own worthiness and pleads only mercie In the souls first coming to Christ a gracious heart doth not not cannot look to any worthiness in it self for where the Spirit of the Lord is it doth discover to man what his vileness and miserie is now where there is a saving discovery to a soul of his own vileness it is not possible that that soul should plead any thing of his own before God For First of all The Spirit teacheth a man that he is empty destitute of all that which is good the soul is naked of all that which is good and is as a poor beggar that hath neither bread to eat nor clothes to put on but in a sad condition utterly bereaved of the Image of God In my flesh dwels no good thing sayes the Apostle though through grace he had received much from God yet in me in my flesh dwels no good things Now where there is a discoverie made to a soul that he is full of wants poor and naked surely such a soul can plead nothing but free grace Secondly The Spirit of the Lord discovers to a soul that it is not only full of wants
but full of sin full of all manner of unrighteousness not only lost the Image of God but is filled with the image of the Devil and discovers that all the imaginations of mans heart are evil and only evil and that from his youth upward Now when the Spirit of the Lord comes to make this discoverie to a man that he is thus filled with sin and lets a man see what a filthie thing sin is how displeasing to God how contrary to his Holiness that soul that hath this discovery can plead nothing of his own when he comes to God but mercie and free grace Thirdly The Spirit of the Lord doth discover to man that he is a poor weak creature that he is one that can do nothing to help himself out of this miserable state that he can do nothing to procure a better condition for himself that he can make no satisfaction to God for the least of his transgressions full of sin ah but he cannot make satisfaction for the least transgression he cannot lay down a price to redeem his own soul he cannot change his own heart and he cannot work up his own spirit to believe in Christ he cannot subdue any lust in his own heart a poor weak creature that can do nothing cannot think a good thought nor move toward God Now when the Spirit of the Lord discovers this to a man O then he sees there is nothing to plead but mercie Fourthly The Spirit of the Lord doth discover to a soul that his natural estate is a state of enmitie the Lord rips open a mans heart at his conversion and shews him what enmities is in his bosome how full he is of contrary workings in his heart and spirit to the Lord he sees that secret enmitie that he never saw before Now when this comes to be discovered to a man or woman that they are in a stare of enmitie to God and the workings of that enmitie cannot cease if the Lord doth not put forth the mightie power of the death of Christ I say that soul that hath all these discoveries made to it first sees that it hath no worthiness pleads nothing of his own especially such a creature so full of wants so full of sin and so full of weakness and so full of enmitie such a creature can plead nothing of his own when he comes to the great God Nay as it sees that it hath no deserts to plead so it sees that there are contrary deserts I say these discoveries will make a soul sensible of contrary deserts that it deserves nothing but hell and wrath and confusion rejection from the Lords presence for ever and ever The Prophet Daniel was sensible of these contrary deserts of the people Dan. 9. 8. To us belongs nothing but shame and confusion So that you see when the Lord by his Spirit comes to discover to man what a vile creature he is such a soul sees that it hath nothing to plead as matter of merit but mercie And as in its first coming so whenever a gracious heart goes to God after it is brought home reconciled made one with God through Christ after it hath walked with God yet even then no gracious heart that can plead any worthiness any righteousness of his own when he goes before God he cannot plead any of his graces nor any of his own services non any of his own sufferings and if so then there is nothing to plead I say a gracious heart cannot plead his own graces it cannot plead his faith not holiness it cannot present that to the Lord that the Lord for such and such graces should bestow mercie for the very faith of the Saints is imperfect now that which is imperfect cannot merit any thing abundance of unbelief mixed with the strongest faith Lord help my unbelief It is true indeed that David in some of his Psalmes desires God to look upon his faith Psal 25. 20. Deliver me for I put my trust in thee But he doth not look upon his faith as merriting any thing at Gods hand but only desires that God would look upon his Covenant the Lord had promised grace to his people in trusting upon him so that he doth not desire the Lord to look upon it as any act of his for faith is little worth as an act of ours but he puts the Lord in mind of his Covenant of the Promise that he made with his people And the Saints as they cannot plead faith so they cannot plead holiness for as their faith so their holiness is imperfect they have many failings manyfold corruptions are found in the most gracious heart therefore they cannot plead holiness before the Lord. It is true Hezekiah in Isai 38. 3. and so Nehemiah spread before the Lord what they had done and how they had walked but that can be no Argument that we should make use of that as an Argument no Argument that that was the best Argument but I say they only did desire the Lord to look upon his own work in them they were far from pleading any merit any desert And therefore you shall find the best of the Saints when in the best temper have been found disowning their own righteousness and their own worthiness Paul he had as much to plead and to trust too as any man living and yet he looks upon all as drosse and dung in comparison of Christ in respect of pleading righteousness all is drosse and dung though it is good in its place yet to lay it as a foundation it is drosse and dung And see what is said Job 9. 20. If I justifie my self mine own mouth shall condemn me if I say I am perfect it shall also prove me perverse O that they would mind this that boast of perfection Job was as perfect as any yet if I justifie my self mine own mouth shall condemn me if I say I am perfect it shall also prove me perverse The very saying I am perfect would condemn me it would declare that I am lying against the truth and I should declare my imperfection while I am pleading perfection Thus a gracious soul dare not plead faith nor holinesse Secondly It dare not plead any services when it hath done its utmost for God it dare not plead what it hath done no work no services no tears no fastings it dare not plead these before the Lord. Indeed you shall find many unsound hearts that have pleaded these things and trusted to them many unsound hearts and hypocrites that have looked much to their righteousness to their prayers and fastings and their good works and services that they have done for God they have pleaded these before God Isai 58. Wherefore have we fasted and thou hast not seen and afflicted our soul and thou regardest not And so you know the storie of the Pharisee and the Publican that went up to the Temple to pray the Pharisee he stood upon it to justifie himself Luke 18. 11 12. he stood
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
to free grace it is to be had in mercy there is healing for you I will heal their back-slidings and love them freely Oh that the Lord would help us all to flee to this refuge Doe you desire any thing Goe upon the account of mercy doe not stand upon any worthinesse any justification of your selves and if you be kept from Christ by your unworthinesse then you have an eye to your worthinesse O that we might not look upon any worthinesse If a man come to you and plead that you would take pitty upon him it would move your hearts more then if a man should come and require of you that you should doe so and so for him because you have done so and so for others No but if he falls down at your feet it prevails more with you and so when God sees that a man stands upon it upon his own justification O this does not prevail but when a soul cometh to the foot-stool of free grace and pleads nothing but mercy I am worthy to be cast out but thou hast given an invitation to sinners and here I will wait at the foot-stool of free grace this will move the bowels of Jesus Christ Quest Ah but may not a man cry for mercy and yet goe without it Answ True indeed it is possible a man may cry for mercy and call for mercy in a dead cold formal way many a poor creature will say Lord have mercy on me and he trusts to his Lord have mercy on me and so thinks that should save him but that is not to trust in mercy they trust in their saying so but they trust not in mercy It is possible that a poor wretch in time of extremity may cry out Lord have mercy and yet not apply himself to mercy for the soul that applies himself to mercy he applies himself in Gods way Now Gods way in shewing mercy it is in Jesus Christ if a man cries never so loud for mercy yet if he does not apply himself in Gods way look thorough the Mediator he may cry and go without it but he that doth apply himself rightly to mercy he seeks it in Chist for mercy will doe no good out of Christ therefore a gracious heart applies himself only to Christ and he that applies himself to mercy he waits the Lords time for mercy So that a man may say Lord have mercy and cry out for mercy and yet be far from obtaining mercy But now this let me say that if any poor soul that is sensible of his own misery that sees it is full of wants and full of sin and unrighteousness and full of weakness unable to help himself and full of enmity so that it can do nothing but sin against God I say a soul that shall see this and shall apply it self to mercy in mercies way look to God through Christ the Messias come as this woman to the Messias O thou son of David have mercy on me no soul that shall thus apply himself to the mercy of God thorough Christ being sensible of his own lost condition and shall there wait but certainly the Lord will make a good end with that soul and that soul as the Apostle speaks Shall find grace and mercy to help in time of need Matth. 15. 22. My daughter is grie vously vexed with a Devil SERMON VII YOu have seen this womans faith in her coming to Christ and closing with Christt as Lord and as the son of David We shall now see the love of this woman here is her love as well as her faith there was a great deal of love and compassion in her towards her daughter the stroke that was upon her daughters body fell upon her spirit and lay heavy there and therefore she doth not say Lord have mercy upon my daughter but Lord have mercy upon me It is my affliction and my burden Lord have mercy upon me for my daughter is grievously vexed with a Devil Her daughters affliction was heavy upon her spirit Quest But you will say Whether was this affection natural or spiritual grace Whether did she speak this from natural affection to her child or was this a fruit of her faith Answ I answer Here was both natural affection and spiritual grace for seeing this woman had a seed of faith in her as hath been proved natural affection could not work alone where there is the grace of faith in the heart it will not leave nature to work alone but grace will step in and rectifie natural affection order natural affection set bounds to natural affection set natural affection upon a right ground and make them look to right ends where there is grace natural affection cannot work alone Indeed in that heart where grace doth not dwell there nature works alone as the natural affections grief and sorrow and anguish in a natural man where the spirit is not nature works alone he cannot propound any spiritual consideration to himself to quiet his grief and sorrow he may fetch in some carnal considerations or he may stay till nature settle of it self time may wear out his grief but no work of grace to compose the spirit time must work it out But now in a gracious soul nature cannot work alone but grace will step in to order and rectifie to set bounds to the affections and will help to compose the spirit and so we may conclude of this woman here was first natural affection in her nature did teach her to love her child but natural affection did not work alone here was also the spiritual grace of faith faith taught her to love her child aright nature taugh her to love her child but grace taught her to love her child aright So that there was the working both of nature and grace Quest But you will say Was it not an evil to give way to natural affection Answ I answer No natural affection is not the corruption of nature Indeed there is a great deal of corruption in natural affection but natural affection is not the corruption of nature no natural affection is part of the Image of God the remnant of the Image of God which was left in man since the fall of Adam for it is a sin to be without natural affection The Apostle speaking of the sins of the last dayes he reckons up this as one without natural affection Rom. 1. 31. Natural affection is part of the Image of God and it is that without which the world could not be continued The Lord in abundance of mercy and wisdome hath planted natural affection in the hearts of Parents to their Children for if it were not so Gods name would soon be dishonoured and there would be all manner of cruelty and the race of mankind would soon be destroyed so that it is a mercy to have natural affection but to have spiritual grace to work with natural affection to have faith to set natural affection right and to cause it to work aright that
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
misery or not to regard her misery not to take notice of such a poor creature as she was now both these were contrary to what she had heard of Christ and to that she had believed was in Jesus Christ without doubt she had heard out of the Prophet Isaiah that the Lord Jesus Christ when he came should bind up the broken-hearted and preach deliverance to the captives now when she applyes her self to Christ Christ seems not to be that compassionate Saviour certainly she had heard that Sions King was meek and lowly and that he would not break the bruised reed nor quench thâ— smoaking flax but Christ seems to disdain her and take no notice of her nor look after such avile worm as she was nay she had believed that Christ was low and meek as appeareth by that expression of hers in ver 22. Thou Son of David have mercy on me now David was a merciful Prince and was very pitiful and compassionate and very meek and lowly and humble therefore she believed that the Lord Jesus Christ was much more compassionate and she did believe that he would not disdain her though she was a poor Gentile but Christ seems to be quite contrary and answered her not a word this was a sore trial The Doctrine then is this That it is a very sore and great tryal unto the Lords people when the Lord is silent to their prayers and gives no answer to their cries In the opening of the point I shall shew you that God hath dealt thus with his own people and that it hath been a very sore tryal unto And then shall shew you wherefore the Lord is pleased thus to try his people which will make way for the Appplication First God hath dealt thus with his people I shall point you to some places of Scripture David often maketh this complaint Psalm 28. 1. Vnto thee will I cry O Lord my rock be not silent to me lest if thou be silent to me I become like them that go down into the pit How earnestly doth David beseech the Lord that he would not be silent to his prayer Lord Do not turn away thy ear from my prayer and do not shut thy mouth be not silent If thou dost not speak something to me in answer to my prayer I am not able to hold out but shall be like them that go down to the pit And Psalm 69. 3. he maketh a sore complaint I am weary of my crying my throat is dried mine eyes fail while I wait for my God The trial was so great to his spirit that it had an influence upon his Body when David cryed to the Lord he answered not a word his throat was dried and parcht up and his eyes began to fail And so the Prophet Jeremiah Lam. 3. 44. he expresseth it in the name of the Church Thou hast covered thy self with a cloud that our prayer should not pass thorow God seems to hide himself and cover himself with a cloud and did so hide himself as prayer could not find him he gave him not a word And the Prophet Habakkuk he complains of it chap. 1. ver 2. O Lord how long shall I cry and thou wilt not hear even cry unto thee of violence and thou wilt not save Nay that it was a sore trial you shall see it in those expressions of the Prophet David spoken of in the person of Christ Psalm 22. 2. O my God I cry in the day-time but thou hearest not and in the night-season and am not silent It was a sore affliction to Christ himself O my God I cry in the day-time and in the night-season that is I cry continually night and day never silent But thou art continually silent to me this was a sore affliction and burden to Christ himself Now that this is a sore affliction and trial for God to be silent to the prayers of his people it appears First if you consider that relation the Lord stands in to his people and they to him he stands in relation of a Father they his children he stands in relation of an Husband they his Spouse he stands in relation of a friend they his friend Abraham he was the friend of God and so is every believer God a friend to him and he a friend to God now it is a sore trial when one friend shall cry to another or a wife to an Husband or a child to a father and these relations not give one word of Answer if a poor child in great extremity should cry to his father father help me and the father not to give one word this is a sore tryal if a man cry to a stranger and meet not with one word it is no great disappointment but when a child cries to a father or a wife to an Husband or a friend to a friend and they not to speak a word it is a great trial Secondly it will appear to be a great trial because there is nothing in all the world that a gracious soul longs more after then this that the Lord would be giving a return of prayer that there may be a converse betwixt God and the soul to speak to God and to hear God speaking back again to it nothing that a gracious foul more longs after oh it longs to hear a word from God it knows that the return of prayer is the way to make a soul rich towards God and to make it rich in experience in faith in thankfulness in obedience Oh how doth a Merchant-venturer long for the return of his commodity from a far Country truly there is no merchant in the world can long more for the return of his commodity from a far Country then a gracious soul longs for the return of prayer oh saith the soul when wilt thou come unto me Now if it be that which a gracious soul doth more long after then any thing in the world it is a great trial when God doth not give a return of prayer Thirdly A gracious heart when it puts up a prayer to God it looketh for a return for an answer Psalm 85. 8. I will hear what God the Lord will speak And so the Prophet Habakkuk after he had prayed I will get me upon the watch-tower and I will watch to see what he will say unto me I will wait to see what God will speak by his spirit or by his providences one way or other God will speak Now to have this expectation disappointed to wait upon the Lord for an answer and the Lord not to speak one word this is a sore trial Fourthly it must needs be a great trial when God gives never a word of answer for a believing soul knows assuredly that if God do not answer none else can hear prayers and give a return to prayer it is Gods name oh thou that hearest prayers unto thee shall all flesh come God only can hear prayer and God only can give an answer it is God only
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
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
them they know not what they do We should pray that the Lord would open their eyes that the Lord would turn their hearts to himself first and then to us Brethren such a prayer is very welcome to the Lord as welcome as most prayers that his people can make when you shall from the heart pray to the Lord for those that injured you and done you wrong such a prayer seldom goes unrequited Sometimes the Lord gives in the soul of an enemy at the request of his people and oh what a choice mercy will that be if thou mayst gain the soul of an enemy if a soul may be delivered from going down to the pit why the Lord many times gives in the soul of an enemy but if the Lord should not give in the soul of an enemy that prayer shall not go unrewarded it may be sometimes the Lord will give in the soul of a friend thou goest to God and thou prayest for such an enemy Lord forgive such an enemy Lord open his eyes and turn his heart and forgive his transgression if the Lord does not grant that request it may be the Lord will give in the soul of a child or some of thy relations because thou hast found in thy heart to pray for an enemy or else the Lord will reward that prayer by giving out more of himself thou beggest for an enemy if the Lord do not that the Lord will give thee more grace more of his Spirit the Lord it may be will cause his face to slaine more upon thee while thou at his commandment and for his sake canst find in thy heart to pray for them that are thy enemies and have done thee wrong thou hast prayed for an enemy and I will be a friend to thee saith the Lord I will shew thee more friendship more of my face this is the first thing Oh that the Lord would teach us to practise it it is our duty to pray for those that have done us wrong Secondly if it be our duty to pray for those that have done us wrong then it is our duty to pray for such as the Lord hath made instruments to do us good Creatures they are but instruments and all the glory is due to God alone ah but God is to be sought to for the instrument hath the Lord done us good by such an instrument in respect of our souls in a word of counsel and direction we are to pray for them When God made use of Abigail in giving a word of counsel to David how did he bless the Lord and pray to God for her 1 Sam. 25. 32 33. And David sad to Abigail blessed be the Lord God of which sent thee this day to meet me and blessed be thy advice and blessed be thou c. And so hath the Lord made any instrumental any way to do us good in the outward man to give any refreshment we are bound to remember them before the Lord thus did Paul 2 Tim. 1. 16. The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus for he oft refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains Onesiphorus was a means of refreshing Paul in his bonds and Paul looked upon it as his duty to remember him before the Lord he begs a blessing for him and his houshold The Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus it is our duty to remember those before the Lord that have been used as instruments to do us good Thirdly it is our duty to remember before the Lord even those that are strangers to us those that we have not known if we know their conditions If the Lord hath brought the condition of strangers to us if the condition of strangers be a sad condition we are bound to remember them and to present their condition before the Lord and thus did the Disciples here in the Text this woman she was a stranger to them they never saw her face before she was of a strange Nation one of the Cananites and yet when the sad condition of this woman was brought before them and they heard her cry their hearts were moved with compassion and they besought Christ for her Lord send her away Lord grant her requestâ— And the Lord layd a great charge upon his people Israel that they should remember strangers and not oppress strangers but shew kindness to them and this is one part of the duty we owe to them to remember them and if in any sad condition we are bound to present them and their condition before the Lord. Fourthly If it be a duty to remember Strangers then much more to remember our own Relations and to present them before the Lord. All our Relations what ever they be as we stand related to others in Political Societies there is an engagement to remember them before the Lord a mutual tye betwixt the Magistrate and the people and they are bound to pray one for another godly Magistrateâ— and godly people are bound to remember one another You know King Solomon he was one that feared the Lord and he was very much in praying for the people 1 Kings 8. 22. he spent much time in prayer And so back again it is the peoples duty to remember their Governours The Apostle lays it upon Christians as their duty 1 Tim. 2. 1. I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men ver 2. for Kings and for all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty In this relation there is a mutual tie to remember one another before the Lord. And if we come to Family-societies there we shall see relations are bound to remember one another before the Lord the relation of Husband and Wife Parents and Children Masters and Servants the Scripture holds it forth as a duty incumbent upon all Christians to remember their relations mutually before the Lord. Husbands are bound to remember their wives to present their condition before the Lord Isaac prayed for Rebeckah Gen. 25. 21. and at his request the Lord was entreated and so back again the wife is bound to remember the husband And so in the relation of parents parents are bound often to present their children before the Lord the example of Job is given for our imitation Job 1. 5. And it was so when the dayes of their feasting were gone about that Job sent and sanctified them and rose up early in the morning and offered burnt-offerings according to the number of them all for Job said it may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts thus did Job continually See Job presented them all one by one before the Lord and begged mercy for them and that the Lord would take away the guilt of sin which they might contract while they were feasting in one anothers house And so good old Jacob performed this duty for his children even then when he lay a dying
to who they are that we are bound to pray for Secondly what are the special times in which we are bound to remember others and to present their conditions before the Lord. I answer first of all when they have sinned a sin against the Lord When we see any that have sinned greatly against the Lord that have provoked the Lord especially such as have the name of God and Christ upon them oh then it is time for us to step in and plead hard with God for them So did Moses when Israel had sinned a great sin in making the Molten calf then he steps in and cries hard to the Lord nay this is commended as a duty 1 John 5. 16. If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death he shall ask and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death If it be not a sinning wilfully a wilfull persecution of the Truth that he hath professed why then if a man see his brother sin he shall ask and give his brother life It is a gracious promise and a great encouragement to go to the Lord one for another Secondly in time of great affliction when the Lord lays his hand heavy upon others either on the outward or inward man it is our duty then to remember them and to present their conditions before the Lord in time of great calamity publick calamity upon a nation it is a duty of Gods people to present the condition of their people before the Lord. Nehemiah did present the condition of the people before the Lord when the hand of the Lord was sore upon them And so when God doth lay any great affliction upon others then it is our duty to remember them and present their condition before the Lord. David did so for his enemies when they were sick saith he I put on sack cloth and I fasted Thirdly in time of persecution that is a special time to present the conditions of others before the Lord when we see any that are persecuted for righteousness sake When the Church was persecuted in the Acts and the Disciples cast into prison then the Church prayed then Gods people did look upon it as their duty to pray to pray more earnestly then ever they had done And so when the Apostle was in bonds he sent to them that they would earnestly seek God for him that he might hold close to the truth that he might not deny the truth nor Christ Fourthly when as the Lord threatens to go away from a people when a God threatens to withdraw his presence from a people or from a soul oh then it is the duty of others to remember them before the Lord. When God threatens to depart from Israel oh then Moses he steps in and he is pleading with the Lord. And so when God threatned and was about to cast off the Jews after they had rejected Christ oh how doth the Apostle Paul step in and cry earnestly to God Rom. 10. 1. Brethren my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might he saved When God threatens to go away from a soul or people oh then it is time for the people of God to step in and to plead hard with God Fifthly and lastly another time in which we are bound to remember others is when we see God coming towards any in a way of mercy When the Lord was coming towards the Jews in a way mercy he stirred up Daniel to pray for them to cry earnestly to the Lord for them when he came to understand that the time of deliverance was not far off but mercy a coming salvation a coming then he cried and cried more earnestly then ever he had done he set himself to seek the Lord by fasting and prayer When we see God a coming towards any people in a way of mercy when God comes towards a friend and relation in a way of mercy when we see God is beginning to work and to move upon their spirits oh it is a duty for those relations that know the Lord to step in and to cry earnestly to God yea then to go forth and meet the Lord and to intreat the Lord that that work may not go back but that he would help it on I shall not have time for the Application onely this one use I shall leave with you That if it be the duty of Gods people to pray for others a duty to remember one another then it will follow from hence that it is our duty to acquaint others with our conditions If it be a duty for others to pray for us then it is our duty for us to to acquaint them with our conditions or else how can they seek God in our behalf if it be their duty to pray it is our duty to beg their prayers and there are some times in which it doth lye more especially upon us to beg prayers of others that they would step in and plead with God I shall in a few words shew you what those times are that we are bound more especially to call others into our help to seek the Lord for us First when the Lord doth lay the guilt of sin heavy upon the spirit when the guilt of sin lieth so heavy upon a mans conscience that it cannot be removed he hath tryed all private means and still his spirit is so oppressed as he knows not how to stand under it then it is a duty to call in the help of others Confess your sins one to another and pray one for another James 5. and he maketh a gracious promise that in such a case he will hear Secondly we are especially bound to ask the prayers of those whom we have offended Sometimes the Lord will not be appeased till we have begged the prayers of those whom we have wronged this was the case of Abimeleck when he had wronged Abraham in taking away his wife Sarah The Lord smote Abimeleck and God doth advise Abimeleck to go to Abraham to pray for him Gen. 20. 6 7. And Abraham did pray for Abimeleck and God did hear the prayer of Abraham for Abimeleck Gen. 20. 17. And so the children of Israel they come to Moses when as they had sinned against the Lord and murmured against Moses yet they desired that Moses would pray for them and Moses did pray for them Numbers 21. 7. and the Lord was entreated for them And so it was the case of Jobs friends God directs them to go to Job and he shall pray for you and saith God I will hear him Job 42. 8. you have sinned against me and have had hard thoughts of Job and have been sad comforters to Job but go to Job and Job shall pray for you and I will hear Job Oh! when we have wronged others in such a case it is our duty to acknowledge our offences and to entreat that they would seek the Lord for us Thirdly when as the Lord lays any heavy
stroke upon us our affliction is so heavy as we know not how to bear it our selves truly it is wisdom then and a duty to call in help in great afflictions we are to request the prayers of others The Apostle gives this direction that such as were members of Churches that when they were afflicted they should send for the Elders of the Church and that they should pray for them James 5. 14 15. And the Lord he promiseth that he would give out healing in great afflictions we are to call in the help of others members of the Churches they ought to send for the Elders of the Church that in time of affliction they may pray for them Fourthly when we are nigh some great danger liable to danger either in the outward or inward man or to walk in some dangerous wayes or when we are by providence put upon such wayes as we may meet with shares and temptations where there is any danger then it lies upon us to call in the help of others So Esther 4. 16 17. she was in great danger there was a Law that whosoever went into the King and was not called must be put to death and the cause was so that she must go in to speak with the King though it should cost her her life and therefore she sendeth to Mordecai to gather the Jews that are present in Shushan and fast ye for me pray for me for it may cost me my life therefore I desire you to fast and pray for me Fifthly when the Lord calls his people to some great service some work that may be for his honour and glory So Esther when she was about some great work fast for me fast and pray and I will speak to the King Sixthly when the Lord doth seem to shut us up that we cannot pray our selves our condition may be so Sometimes through weakness we are not able and sometimes when the Lord withdraws his Spirit we are not able to pray our selves that our prayers are but like Hezekiahs like the chattering of a Crane or Swallow then in such cases it is a duty to send to others and call upon others when we cannot pray our selves Seventhly and lastly when the Lord seems to be angry with any people when the displeasure of the Lord waxes hot and heavy and we do not know how to bear it it is hard then to go to God as to a Father our selves and therefore then we had need call in others to our help When the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel then Moses stept it then he cryed to God for them for they could not look to the Lord as to their Father the wrath of the Lord was hot and at that time it is our wisdom and a duty for poor souls to call in others that they may cry to the Lord in their behalf Matth. 15. 24. But he answered and said I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel SERMON X. YOU have heard of this womans faith and the first tryal of it Christ tries her faith by being silent and giving no answer unto her request it was a sore temptation that the son of David the merciful King should not open his mouth nor speak one word for the refreshment of a poor distressed creature When she poured out her complaint he answer'd her not a word that is a great temptation You have heard also how the Disciples stept in and besought Christ in her behalf they came and besought him that he would send her away with an answer with an answer of peace certainly that was their request But behold here is a second temptation here is a second trial of this womans faith Christ first tries her by being silent and now he tries her by speaking a hard word as it seems I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel I am not sent Christ intimates that he had nothing to do with this woman it was besides his Commission I cannot do it saith Christ I must walk by rule I must observe my Fathers Commission I must do that work and that work only which I was sent for but now I was not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel my work is to do good to a certain number of persons to shew mercy to a certain number of persons that are given me of my Father He calls them here sheep Christs sheep I am sent for their sakes and to do good to them though termed sheep Now the Scripture holds them forth to be such as were given him of his Father from Eternity all that are given to Christ are Christs sheep though they may not for the present have Christs mark upon them though Christ does not own them before the world yet he owns them before his Father all that belong to the election of grace they are Christs sheep and Christ saith he was sent to such I am not sent but to the lost sheep they are in a lost condition even that number of persons that are given to Christ they are lost in Adam and they have lost themselves by going on in the wayes of actual transgression they are in a miserable lost condition Christs sheep but Christ was sent to do good to them Christ was sent to save them The Son of man came to seek and to save them which were lost The lost sheep of the house of Israel The house of Israel may here be taken literally for the people of the Jews which are called the house of Israel Christ tells the Disciples and this woman that his Commission was to do good only to them I am not sent to others I am only sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel my work is with the Jews I have nothing to do with the Gentiles No my work is to gather in the lost sheep of the house of Israel Quest But you will say how doth this agree with other Scriptures with those prophesies that concern the Messias our Lord Jesus Christ that when he came he should preach to the Gentiles and that God would give him to be a Covenant to the Gentiles Isaiah 42. 1 2 6. And in divers places there are prophesies that concern the Gentiles that when Christ came God would give him to be a light to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews why then doth Christ say he was not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel Answ Christ spake first of all of his personal Ministry as he preacht himself in person and wrought miracles himself so he was sent unto the Jews his word was to them he was their Apostle their Minister so the Apostle to the Romans speaks Rom. 15. 8. Now I say that Jesus Christ was a Minister of the Circumcision for the truth of God to confirm the promise made unto the Fathers Christ was to preach in his own person to the Jews he was their
Minister and so in that respect he was not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel Secondly it may be said that Christ was not sent to the Gentiles but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel in respect of that order that God the Father had appointed for the dispensation of his light and of his grace and Spirit among the sons of men God had appointed that first of all Christ should come to the Jews and mercy first should be tendred to them and grace be first brought to that people so Christs first work was to the Jews I am not sent but to them that is I am first sent to them and chiefly sent to them my first work is here in Judea The Apostle Paul saith Christ did not send him to baptize but to preach 1 Cor. 1. 17. Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the Gospel that is I was first sent about this work for he was sent to baptize for he did baptize but my first work was to preach And so here saith Christ I was not sent to the Gentiles but to the Jews that is firstly and chiefly Thirdly or in respect of time It is true Christ was not sent that is he was not then sent his present work was not to preach to the Gentiles and shew mercy to the Gentiles no but afterward There was a time when Christ did not go himself to the Gentiles and did not shew mercy to the Gentiles nay he forbad his Apostles and his Disciples Go not into the way of the Gentiles but go ye rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel So that there was a time when it pleased the Lord not to send the Gospel but to restrain it from the Gentiles But there was a time also when Christ did send forth his glorious Gospel to the Gentiles so that you see in what respect Christ speaks here He was not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel Here is a seeming denial that Christ gives to this woman he seems to tell her plainly that he cannot do it for her it was besides his present work and commission he was not sent to do it there is the denyal Nay the tryal was the greater in that Christ answers thus not only to the womans request but to the Disciples request this heightens the temptation and tryal and maketh it the greater So long as this woman saw that the Disciples were pleading for her she might have hope though there was no ground of hope as to her request Christ being silent thereunto yet it might revive her spirit to see his Disciples step in and they to improve their interest in Christ But when Christ shall not only give a denial to the woman but to the Disciples this was a sore tryal if the Lord had not mightily strengthened her faith she could never have held up her head she would have concluded oh alas my estate and condition it is sad it is in vain for me to expect any salvation any mercy he is silent at my request and he gives a denyal when his Disciples pray for me and if God will not hear his own people why then surely my condition is sad thus lay the temptation and yet the Lord supported this womans spirit So that we may observe this That God sometimes doth seem not only to be silent at the prayers of his people when they cry themselves but he giveth a denial when others step in and pray for them Nay observe That after a soul hath waited upon God in the use of the means when it hath prayed and hath believed and when it hath called in the help of others prayers yet the Lord may seem to give a denial and the condition may seem to be worse and the temptation seem to rise higher even after a soul hath waited upon God in the use of means and yet the Lord may have a gracious design towards the soul For mark it this womans condition was worse now then ever it was the Disciples had prayed for her and yet even after this Christ seems to give a flat denial and tells them that he cannot do it for her it was besides his commission he was not sent to do it So that after the use of means after her own prayer and the Disciples prayer this woman meets with a flat denial and yet the Lord Jesus had a design of mercy to this poor woman Yea it is Gods ordinary way to his people after they have used the means to remove such a burden such a temptation such a corruption they have gone to the Lord they have waited they have believed and called in the help of others and yet temptations grow high and yet notwithstanding that the Lord my have a design of mercy The children of Israel when they were in the land of Egypt under bondage and slavery they cried to the Lord and the Loâ—◠〈◊〉 Moses to deliver them and no doubt but 〈◊〉 cried to the Lord as well as they as they prâ—â—â—â— so Moses prayed he prayed for them and yet after Moses was come the people were not delivered but their burdens and oppressions grew heavier and heavier never so oppressed as when Moses came to deliver them when they cried themselves and Moses cried and waited upon God in the use of means yet their bondage grew greater and greater so it was with them and yet God had a design of mercy towards them And so in Mark 1. 23 24 25 26. At ver 23. you read of one that had an unclean Spirit And there was in their Synagogue a man with an unclean Spirit and be cried out Ver. 24. Saying let us alone what have we to do with thee thou Jesus of Nazareth art thou come to destroy us I know thee who thou art the holy one of God Ver. 25. And Jesus rebuked him saying hold thy peace and come out of him Ver. 26. And when the unclean Spirit had torn him and cried with a loud voice he came out of him Mark when he applyed himself to Christ for deliverance while Christ was speaking the word commanding the unclean spirit to go out yet immediately the affliction begin to wax greater and greater and the devil he rageth the more and yet notwithstanding mercy is not far off Christ had a design of mercy And so doth God deal many times with his own people upon the use of means it is possible their afflictions may increase their temptations may increase and corruptions wax stronger and stronger and yet God have a gracious design towards them and deliverance may not be far off It is true that Satan he hath a design and hath a hand in it ah but God also hath a design and Gods design is a gracious design Quest But you will say what is Satans design and what doth Satan intend Answ Why Satans design
in heaven Rejoyce in this that God hath chosen you and loved you that he hath loved you with an everlasting love and that he hath given you to his Son and will bring you to life and happiness to the praise of his grace in this rejoyce And therefore it is that the Spirit of the Lord is given out to believers that they might know their election it is one end of Christ's sending the Comforter the Spirit of the Lord who searcheth the deep things of God and so reveals them unto believers Now this is among the deep things of God God's eternal love this is one of the depths that made the Apostle cry out when he considered God's way from eternity to poor creatures The Spirit searcheth the deep things of God and reveals them to his people the Spirit of the Lord stood by when he did write the names of his children in the book of life the Son was present and the Spirit was present even from eternity before the world was made when God writ the names of his people in the book of life and therefore the Spirit it is one of God's Witnesses and is given to testifie this to his people he is sent by Christ to testifie what he saw from eternity that the names of such and such were written in the book of life God hath given us of his Spirit that we might know the things that are given us freely of God 1 Cor. 2. 12. Now this is one of the things that are freely given us of God this absolute choice this love of God that was from everlasting if ever any thing were free this is free now the Spirit of the Lord is sent to cause us to know the things that are freely given us of God Now when the Spirit of the Lord doth make known to a soul that it is elected somtimes it makes use of the testimony of the blood of Christ and of the testimony of Water and somtimes he declares this to the soul by his own immediate witness the Spirit of the Lord doth sometimes make it known mediately and somtimes immediately Mediately There are three that bear record in earth the Spirit the Water and the blood and these three agree in one 1 John 5. 8. Now the Spirit that â—â—â—keth the blood of Christ anâ— sprinkles it upâ— the soul and causeth faith to be wrought in the soul to lay hold upon the blood of Christ and then there is the witness of the Blood And so all the Spirit of the Lord doth change the heart and renew the heart there is the witness of the Water now when the Spirit of the Lord doth shine upon these the soul can thorow these draw comfortable conclusions concerning its own election And somtimes there is a more immediate witness The Spirit it self bearing witness that we are the children of God Rom. 8. 16. Add his own Testimony beside all others that a soul is loved of God so that you see the second general head which is this that this great mysterie of election may be known it may be known unto others and to our selves And therefore O that we might wait upon God for the discovery of it Men are found negligent in this great business because they think it is too high for them who can ascend into heaven say they they think it is presumption for them to ascend into heaven and who can know say they that they are loved from everlasting But O! know souls that there is an absolute Election of grace and this Election may be known it may be known to others and it may be known to our selves O therefore that we might give the Lord no rest and our souls no rest till this great mysterie be made out to us though it be a secret a wonderful secret Yet there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets saith Daniel to King Nebuâ—â—â—dnezzar Dan. 2. 28. Thongh it was a secret 〈◊〉 past my reach saith he yet there is a God in â—aeven that revealeth secrets and so I say though 〈◊〉 be a secret yet there is a God in heaven that â—ealeth secrets and therefore wait upon the â—rd that we may know that we are elected Matth. 15. 24. I am not sent but unto the lost shâ— of the house of Israel SERMON XIII BUt to come to the third part of 〈◊〉 Doctrine which is this That the Doctrine of Election is a comfortable Doctrine It holds forth solid ground of comfort and greâ— refreshment to the people of God Although â—â—ny spurn at it and carnal reason ready to rise 〈◊〉 against it yet it is a doctrine of sweet and solâ— comfort to God's people And I shall shew yoâ— how it is such a comfortable doctrine First This is a ground of comfort to poor soulâ— that God's love doth not depend upon any thing 〈◊〉 the creature a ground of unspeakable comfort that God he fetcheth all his arguments of lovâ— out of his own bowels not from any desert in thâ— creature Alas if God's love had gone by desert in us there had been but little hope And I do not know what solid ground of comfort they can lay that contend so for a conditional Decree grounded upon the creatures acting for if the Lord had not loved and chosen till he had seen some worthiness in the creature till he had seen some better improvement in us then in others if the Lord had suspended to love and to chuse till then O! what little hope might any creature have had that know the contrary workings of his own heart What little hope of being saved But now when all is of Free grace and the Lord overlooks all unworthiness and chuseth freely and loves freely O this is a ground of hope and great consolation Secondly There is another ground of comfort and refreshment from this Doctrine It doth assure us that the Lord is very ready to be entreated that the Lord is not hardly brought off to shew mercy to poor sinners that there is not an unwillingness in God to this work as unbelief and the Tempter would suggest why It was that which was the purpose of God from everlasting I say God from all eternity hath purposed it It was the counsel of God the great work of God that which God spent his thoughts upon from all eternity they were as I may say the first thoughts of the heart of God to love and pity and to save and to bring about that great work of saving sinners by the blood of Christ this was the great contrivance of God and it is a great ground of comfort and refreshment A poor soul may doubt whether God be willing to save and willing to be reconciled to him that hath sinned so and so O! This Doctrine doth comfort exceedingly for certainly if it were the great work of God from eternity the Lord is not unwilling now to do it Christ tells his Disciples That the Father himself loveth you That is
a ground of comfort there was a love in the Father towards you before I made a request for you though the Father now love you more and better yet the Father himself loved you before I made any request for you Thirdly This is another ground of great refreshment from this Doctrine That the love of God towards his people it is an ancient Love a love that did not begin yesterday a love that is not of a few years standing but an ancient love it is as ancient as eternity it is as ancient as the Ancient of dayes as ancient as God himself no beginning but from eternity O! That commends love exceedingly when as love is an ancient love when as one hath born love to such a Family through many generations and hath provided love for such a family for many generations to come that exceedingly commends the love of a friend when a friend shall take care that there shall be an Estate entailed to such a family for many generations to come that he should provide a portion for them before they had a being O! that is ancient love and that doth commend the love of a friend and truly it commends the love of the Creator and it is full of sweetness and Refreshment that God hath loved his people from eternity love hath run down that long Tract of eternity and he hath provided a portion from eternity an inheritance from eternity oh that the Lord should make such provision for poor creatures before they had any being not only thousands of years but even from eternity before they had any being when there was no world no creature no being but only in the mind of God that God then should chuse them and provide an inheritance for them truly this commends the love of God and makes it very sweet Fourthly There is this ground of refreshment that the Doctrine holds forth that this love of God to his people it is a distinguishing love oh that commends love exceedingly when it is distinguishing when it puts a difference where there was no difference that love that makes a difference and so vast a difference when no difference that love is very precious See what is said in Hos 1. 6 7. For I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel but I will utterly take them away But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah and will save them by the Lord their God c. See here at the very time that God said he would not have mercy upon Israel he would have mercy upon Judah and would save them oh how sweet was the discovery of that love And truly this is the love of God that this Doctrine holds forth a distinguishing love that when there was no difference in the creature and one not better then another and yet that God should take those and chuse those that were as bad as those that were left oh this distinguishing love it is very sweet and hath a great deale of refreshment Fifthly This Doctrine holds forth a ground of joy there is a great deale of true grounded joy lasting joy that may arise and doth arise unto the people of God from the knowledge of this that God hath chosen them and loved them from eternity with an everlasting love it doth administer the best ground of comfort that can be found in all the World See that place Luke 10. 20. But rather rejoyce because your names are written in Heaven The knowledge of this speciall love that God hath written the names of poor creatures in Heaven it is a ground of unspeakable joy rejoyce not that the uncleane spirits are subject to you why they might rejoyce more in that then in any outward mercy whatsoever that the unclean spirits were subject to them for it is more then if all the men of the world were subject to them ah but yet in this rejoyce not rejoyce not so much in this for here is a more lasting ground for your joy that your names are written in Heaven it will afford such joy and will kindle such a flame of joy as all the waters of affliction cannot quench When a soul comes to know this and can make out this that his name is written in heaven a soul may then rejoyce in every condition rejoyce in Tribulation rejoyce in Persecution rejoyce in Poverty and distresse yea though they may loose all the comforts of life yet when God reveals to them that their names are written in Heaven they may rejoyce for they have a portion that can never be lost an inheritance that can never be taken away from them though they meet with never so much scorn and reproach from the World though men should cast out their names as vile yet if their names are written in Heaven they may rejoyce for their names are precious before God when vise before men and it is written there where it can never be blotted out so that it doth administer matter of sound and sollid joy such joy as will hold out and cannot be quencht with many waters Sixtly Another ground of comfort that doth arise from the knowledge of our election is this that we have and shall enjoy that great priviledge and benefit of the ministry and service of the holy Angels When God comes to make out his love to the soul why it may conclude that the Lord hath given his Angels charge over them that the Angels shall defend and the Angels shall protect and the Angels shall deliver from many dangers See what the Apostle saith in Heb. 1. 14. speaking of the Angels Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation They that are chosen by God to an inheritance reserved in Heaven they have the ministry of all the holy Angels while on earth though we see it not with this bodily eye though we see not the Angels how they ascend and descend how they goe to Heaven and come from Heaven yet it is matter of faith the word of the Lord hath said they are all ministring spirits for the good of the Saints many a kindness the Angels doth us and we are kept from many a danger by the Angels He shall give his Angels charge and they shall bear thee up that thou dash not thy foot against a stone That is another ground of sweet comfort Seventhly It doth administer this ground of comfort that all that Gods people doe meet withall â—here in the world shall work for their good God will make an advantage of whatsoever his people doth meet withall See what the Apostle saith in Rom. 8. 28. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose All things shall work together for good to those who are called according to his purpose according to that ancient love in the bosome of God all afflictions all crosses
God for God doth no wrong to the creature if he doth love one and not another And it is a strange thing that we in our carnall reason will abridge God of that which we will take to our selves and that is to love where he please if you love one more then another you are not bound to give any account of it and men take a liberty to bestow gifts upon one and not upon another And let not us bind the Lord from that which we will take to our selves to love one and not another And truly if we doe not rest in the good pleasure of God in this we shall but disquiet our spirits and meet with no satisfaction Againe Gods people may be tempted concerning their Relations their children Oh many Parents have many thoughts whether God loves their children or no and whether their children be chosen of God from eternity and especially at some times As when God comes to take away children by death then the temptation sets upon but especially when children goe on in the wayes of sin Parents they pray and wait and they see no fruit but still they goe on in the wayes of sin It may be the Parents dye and leave their children going on in sin and see not the fruit of Gods electing love nor the fruit of Covenant mercy then this proves a sore temptation to them Now to silence this temptation know that there is no beleeving Parent but he may have hope of his children even of all his children while they are young before growne up to renounce the Covenant If God take away any of your children young no Parent but may have hope concerning his children in the Covenant made to beleeving Parents I say they may have hope the Covenant of God will relieve in such a case Ah but when children doe grow up and Parents see that they walke in wayes that are evill and are contrary to God and are far from God yet believing parents may believe that notwithstanding that they may belong to God I say notwithstanding for the present they are far from God and walke contrary to the Lord yet they may be known to the Lord and in his due time he may bring them in And Parents should not give over the use of the meanes and though Parents should wait all their dayes and pray and plead the Covenant and desire to see the fruit of Gods Covenant and should not see it believers they may dye in hope the Lord he may bring in Prodigall children the Lord he may doe them good afterward when you are dead and gone he may bring some of your good counsells and exhortations to their remembrance he may afterward when you lye in the dust bring to remembrance some of your words and may make them work powerfully upon their hearts Believing Parents may still dye in hope though they see not the fruit of the Covenant though their children may be at a great distance from God the Lord may bring them in and you meet with them with comfort at the last day There is one Temptation more concerning others which I shall but touch and that is this Is not the Gospel Preached to all and are not all commanded to believe and is it not declared that whosoever doth believe shall be saved whatsoever man or woman in the World doth believe shall be saved yea doth not the Scripture say that God would have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth The soul may thus reason with it selfe how can this stand with Gods purpose and decree and election If there be an absolute immutable unchangeable election how can it be declared that whosoever believe in Christ shall be saved whereas if men be not elected they cannot be saved and if elected they shall be saved though they doe not believe Thus the temptation may work I Answer notwithstanding Gods secret purpose the Gospel may and must so be preached and yet there is no deceivablenesse in God nothing but truth and sincerity in God for you must know that we are to walke by the revealed Will of God And all men shall be judged by the revealed Will of God Now what is the revealed Will of God why that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ declaring that whosoever believeth shall be saved And God will certainly make good that word whosoever doth believe shall be saved Never any in the World that came into Christ and believed on his name but was saved Notwithstanding the secret decree and purpose of God and there is no man but may claime life and salvation upon those tearmes on which the Scripture doth hold forth life and salvation and that is beleeving in Jesus Christ Objection But God would have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth why then sure there is no election I Answer That Scripture doth but hold forth what the thing is which is well pleasing to God that men return to the Lord and that they believe in the name of Christ which is the way to salvation this is a thing that is pleasing to the Lord not that God wills it with an effectuall operative will for then it must needs be But it only holds forth what is pleasing to God not that God will bring all men to repentance not that God will worke faith in all men therein God will be left free to his good pleasure he wills it not with an absolute will for then it must needs be Question But you will say what are the Wills of God contrary one to another hath God a will and a will hath God a revealed will that he will have all men to be saved and is his secret will contrary to his revealed will I Answer no Gods wills are not contrary to one another To say God doth delight and it is a thing pleasing to him that men doe believe and return to the Lord and take hold of Christ and to say that God is not pleased to work this in the heart is no contradiction The Gospel declares that this is well pleasing to God that men doe returne to him and believe in Christ and the Gospel doth declare that whosoever doth beleeve shall be saved Now if God should condemne any man that doth beleeve in Christ then God should walk contrary to his will But to say God doth approve of these things they are excellent and so he wills them that is he delights in them and yet to say God is not pleased to work this in every mans heart there is no contradiction And thus we should labour to silence those temptations which our carnall reason may make concerning this great mystery of Gods election you see what temptations Gods people may meet withall concerning the election of others Matth. 15. 24. I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel SERMON XIIII THere are more sore temptations that Gods people may
righteous Justifie God though thou art in the dark and perplexed and troubled in Spirit about thine own Election or the Election of friends yet do thou resolve and say I wil justifie God though God hath not chosen me and my children though God hath not chosen my friends yet no unrighteousness in him Truly this is the way to overcome the Temptation and till a soul be brought to this a soul that is troubled about his Election will never finde rest till he come to justifie God and lye at the feet of the Lord and say Lord though thou condemnest me and all my children and friends thou art righteous till we justifie God we shall have no peace in our selves What a restless condition was Job in when he stood quarrelling with God's Decree He never had peace till he came to Justifie God Job 42. 2. I know that thou canst do every thing I will contend no more When Job came thus to justifie God then Job's Temptation vanished and then the Lord turned unto Job and Turned again his Captivity and doubled the mercies he had taken away That 's the third Rule Fourthly For the Overcoming and Silencing of these Temptations about Election Remember this that when-ever we are tempted about Election that we presently fall to worship the Lord Jesus so it was with this woman in the Text when she met with this Temptation about Election Christ said I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the House of Israel What follows She came and worshipped him She spake not a word of Discontent but falls down and worshipped him This is the way to overcome the Temptation when you are doubting concerining the love of God perplexed about Election presently fall to worship the Lord worship him Worship him How Worship him First With the Inward Worship of the Spirit Fear before him that is part of his Worship Reverence the Lord greatly in your hearts notwithstanding all that 's part of his worship Love the Lord let your souls be breathing in love towards him cleave unto him pursue after him with your Spirit that is part of the Inward worship Commit your souls unto him trust in him cast your selves upon the Lord and the word of his grace that is the Inward Worship Acknowledge your dependance upon him resolve there to hang say Lord my whole dependance is upon thee my blessedness is in thy hand all that I expect for eternity doth depend upon thee Go and cleave and clasp about the feet of Christ and by faith depend upon Christ and say Lord here I will hold and stay and will not away unless I be pulled away by violence from the feet of Christ This is Internal Worship and this is that worship that gives so much glory to God Abraham believed above hope and against hope and gave glory to God When you are tempted about Election thus worship him And secondly Worship him with External Worship There are two principal parts of this Worship that will tend to the silencing of all temptations about Election The first is Prayer The second is Thanksgiving When you are tempted about Election or doubt of the love of God fall to prayer go and pour out a cry before the Lord go and lament after him and say though I do not know whether thou wilt accept of me O Lord yet I will cry after thee I will lament after thee cry after himself his presence his face his favour his loving kindness go and cry after him this is the way to be rid of the temptation And truly this will be a discovery that God hath Elected thee In Luke 18. you have Christ speaking there of the unrighteous Judge who neither feared God or man but at vers 7. you have him speaking of the righteous Judge and saith he Shall not God avenge his own Elect which cry day and night unto him This is a good discovery that God hath chosen that soul though the soul knows it not when as it is crying after the Lord and resolves to cry and not give over They are his Elect that cry day and night and he will certainly hear their cry God will come in and manifest himself to the soul and therefore when tempted about Election go to Prayer Another part of External Worship is Thanksgiving an excellent Remedy against this Temptation about Election O! desire that thy heart may be put into a thankful frame look up to God for it and plead with the Lord that thy heart may be put into a thankful posture Consider what thou hast to be thankful for Is there nothing O certainly if thou art not exceeding ungrateful thou mayst see somthing to be thankful for in the worst condition O! the years of patience and goodness of the Lord toward thee think upon the bounty of the Lord toward thee Hath not the Lord tendred his Christ to thee And hath he not held forth his promises to thee Hath he not been working upon thy heart to overcome thy heart Is not this worthy of Thankfulness Those supports that thou hast met withall under affliction have not everlasting Arms been under thee Surely thou must say it that everlasting Armes have been under me and why dost thou not bless the Lord that he hath put underneath everlasting Arms Yea hath there not been some secret intimations of love though thou hast not received so much as another Yet hath there not been some secret hints of grace and love O! that is worthy of thankfulness Yea look to all the outward salvations that thou hast met withall look to all the years of goodness and all the years of mercy Hath not God come to thee and to thy Family with many sweet refreshments What None of these worthy of Thankfulness O that thou wouldest learn to creep if thou canst not go and every night when thou lookest back O say here is another day of goodness the Lord might have cut me off here is another day of patience and in the morning when thou wakest think of it the Lord might have cut me off this night Here is another night of patience and see if this cannot draw forth thy soul in thankfulness I have heard of a young man very lately in the Town of Yarmouth that being very weak and nigh to the grave and under the apprehensions of the wrath of God and supposing that he was presently going down to the pit he cries out O that God would spare me but two dayes He would have accounted it a mercy to be kept out of hell but two dayes O! God hath given thee more then two dayes many moneths many years in which the Lord hath exercised his patience O! may not all this provoke thee to thankfulness Well if thou canst not see any thing to be thankful for of that which God hath done for thee why then bless God for what is in himself O! Think upon the gracious Nature of God think upon the glorious Majesty of
useth diligence to hinder you in this work the Divels great designe is to keep you in the dark to keep you in a puzled and perplexed condition to finde some flaw or other in your evidences to cast some blot upon them that you shall not be able to read them doubtless you will put God to it to leave you to be tryed in this at one time or other God for the most part leaves his people to be tempted concerning their Election and therefore you had need give diligence Thirdly Let me say That your comfort doth depend upon making your Election sure All your comfort in this world doth depend upon it the comfort of every condition doth depend upon it the sweetness of every mercy depends upon it Alas if a man had a thousand times more then he hath what is all he hath without the love of God Your comfort depends upon it Although your names be written in heaven yet you cannot have the comfort of it till it be made sure to you though it be sure before God yet you cannot be comforted but you are as if there were no thoughts of love in the heart of God toward you Your comfort depends upon it Fourthly Your Holiness doth depend upon it your usefulness your fruitfulness your serviceableness in your generations doth depend upon your knowledge of the love of God it is that which wil make a Christian useful serviceable when as his Election is made sure when he comes to be established in the knowledge of God's Election Put on therefore as the Elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercies kindness humbleness of minde meekness long suffering Col. 3. 12. Your holiness doth depend upon it and your usefulness in your generation And truly till that be put out of question to a soul til the Lord gives some degrees of satisfaction to a soul concerning his love the soul is wholly taken up alwayes taken up about that which concerns it self O Lord Dost thou love me That 's the great question And when it goes to God in prayer Lord Dost thou love me And O that thou wouldest make out thy love to me The soul is wholly taken up about that and well it may but when God comes to give some satisfaction O then the soul hath a great deal of freedome to minde the things of Christ to put up many a Petition for others and many a request for Christ and his Kingdom and the Interest of Christ then his thoughts they run that way so that if you desire to be useful and serviceable in your generation it doth engage you to look after this to give all diligence to make your Election sure Quest But you will say How shall we do that O there is nothing in the world that I would sooner do then that but I know not how to make my Election sure I Answer It is the work of God it is the work of grace to make it out to you it is the work of free grace to give a soul assurance of that free and everlasting love But be found waiting upon God in this way First Look up to the Lord to clear up unto you the mysterie of the Gospel if you desire to make your Election look up to the Lord to clear up to your souls the great mysterie of Christ that thou mayest know the Lord Jesus as he was the gift of the Father the gift of love the gift of free grace O that the Lord would clear up to thee the great end of his giving that gift of Christ Wherefore was it that God sent his Son out of his bosome Wherefore was it that he gave Christ And wherefore was it that Christ gave himself to die What was the end of the Father's sending Christ and the end of the laying down his life It was to save lost sinners God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life John 3. 16. O! Look up to God to clear up this great Gospel mysterie to you the designe of God the Father in sending Christ and the great designe of the Son in laying down his life It is through ignorance of this Mysterie that many a poor soul is kept from establishment and from assurance of God's electing love But secondly Wait upon the Lord to draw thy soul to accept of Christ it is not enough to have a discovery of the mysterie this will not save thee though a man know the designe of God and know the end of it that will not save thee no but wait upon the Lord to draw thy heart to rest upon Jesus Christ as he is held forth in the Gospel see that there is a necessity that God the Father should draw thee No man comes to me saith Christ except the Father which hath sent me draw him John 6. 44. till he be drawn by the Father he cannot come to Christ therefore that man is mistaken that thinks it is an easie matter for him to come to Christ O! Many a man doth mistake faith of their own working for that faith which is of the operation of God When God hath beaten many a soul out of his Brest-works and the soul sees he can no longer defend himself there good works will not do it then he taketh up a resolution in his own strength well I willgo to Christ I will believe in Christ if I cannot have it by obedience I will have it by believing Ah! But he never saw that there was an impossibility for him to believe but he goes to Christ in his own strength and the faith is of his own working and it is such a faith as Christ will not own no when God deals with a soul in a saving way he discovers to it that it is no more able to believe in Christ then it can obey the whole Law and that there is a necessity that he should be drawn of God and in his spirit he breaths after God and saith Lord draw me for if thou dost not draw me I shall never come to Christ see a necessity of being drawn to Christ And when thou art drawn give up thy self to those breathings and workings of the Spirit of God after thou hast seen thy self in a lost condition and no possibility to help thy self either by thy works or by believing why then if the Lord open the word of Reconciliation to thee and is breathing sweetly upon thy heart and moving upon thy spirit while thou hearest the word of grace opened and the tender of Christ urged O then give up thy self to those drawings of the Spirit of Christ and do not hinder those drawings by thy unbelief but give up thy self to the Lord and say Lord I see thy hand onely is able and powerful to draw souls to thy self and I will stand out no longer That 's the second Thirdly Be diligent to make the best improvement of Jesus
Christ when God hath discovered the mysterie of Christ to thee and in some measure hath drawn thy heart and made thee to lye at the feet of Christ for life and salvation and for faith to believe in him be diligent to make the best improvement of Christ Improve Christ for holiness and sanctification if thou desirest to have Election made out to thee improve Christ for holiness The Apostle 2 Pet. 1. 5. exhorteth them to this Giving all diligence adde to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and so he goes on and then follows at vers 10. Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure for if you do these things you shall never fall In this way give diligence to make your Election sure improve Christ for holiness for grace for strength for more strength be diligent in waiting upon the Lord for the carrying on the work of holiness let Christians endeavour to be continually in the exercise of grace and in the performance of every duty that the Lord calls them to adde grace to grace and wait upon Christ that one degree of grace may be added to another knowledge to knowledge faith to faith temperance to temperance truly it is in this way that God comes in with discoveries of electing love I do not say it is for your diligence and for your improvement of Christ and adding grace to grace but this is the way when the Lord doth enable his people to be thus faithful and diligent in the improvement of Christ and in the exercise of grace and performance of duty to God and man God comes in that way and giveth a soul a more clear discovery of his electing love Fourthly Desire the Lord to set a heavenly Byass upon your spirits if you desire to have your Election cleared and made sure take heed of an earthly heart and O! Look up to God earnestly that he would set a heavenly Byass upon your spirits that you may be able to say Our conversation is in heaven our heart is there from whence we look for a Saviour we groan to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven Truly Brethren if we look too much downward if we be grubling below and be writing upon the dust we shall hardly see what is written in heaven Though your names may be written in heaven O! the looking too much upon this world keepeth many a Christian from seeing his name written in heaven What pains will Astrologers and Star-gazers as the Scripture calls them take to see into the second heaven the starry heaven How often will they look up And how long will they look up to see as they pretend what is written there what is the language of the Stars And O! What a shame is it to Christians that we should look up no oftner and no longer into the third heaven that we may see our names written there Truly Brethren it is no easie matter for a Christian to see his name written in heaven though his name may be written there we shall hardly see it if our hearts be not much there and our conversations much there we use to say if children look off their Books they will never learn their Lessons well Truly if we look so much on the world and so little into heaven we shall hardly learn to read our names written in heaven But when as the Lord sees that his people are desirous to have their thoughts in heaven and their conversations in heaven the Lord will come and say to that soul well I see that thine eye is in heaven and thy heart in heaven know for thy comfort that thy name also is in heaven thy God is in heaven thy Christ is in heaven and thy portion is in heaven O! Beg of God that he would clap a heavenly byass upon your spirits Fifthly Take heed of sinning against the Lord take heed of giving way to any sin as you desire to have your election cleared up to you take heed of turning out into any crooked way Let not Christians give way to themselves nor allow themselves in any way of evil You know what the Apostle saith in 2 Tim. 2. 19. Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure having this Seal the Lord knoweth them that are his And let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity The Lord knoweth them that are his Ah! but would you know your selves to be in that number Take heed that you do not give way to any sin do not allow your selves in any way of sin be not found in any way of iniquity every sin that is allowed it will cast a blot upon your Evidence and you shall not be able to read it This is the first Use unto those that have not God's electing love cleared up to them there is a necessity that every soul should give all diligence to have their Election made sure it is matter of infinite concernment and you have been taught in what way to wait upon God to make your Election sure The second Use is to those that have attained to the knowledge of God's electing love And it calls upon them First To be Thankful Secondly To labour to walk worthy of so great a mercy First To be Thankful O consider that it is the free love and the free grace of God that did make the difference between you and others Is there not cause then of Thankfulness You were no better then the worst in the world no better then those that are cast out of God's sight into utter darkness there is as much evil in our hearts as in Judas his heart that betrayed Christ O! It is free grace that hath put a difference if God hath made known to you that he hath chosen you know that it is free grace that hath put the difference O! Rich grace free grace that God should take you and leave another as deserving as you O it is free grace And that we may be stirred up to Thankfulness consider that all the mercies that ever you do enjoy or hope for spring from this Electing love O! What cause have you to admire this love Electing love it was a fruitful wombe all your mercies lay in it your comforts they all spring from it if the Lord had not given you his love from eternity he had never given you Christ as he did he had not given you the knowledg of Christ All the mercies and comforts that you do enjoy do spring from this love if it had not been for this love you had never known what pardon of sin had been you had never known what peace with God had been what a mercy it is to be reconciled to God your present mercies they all lye in this womb of God's Electing love O! what an engagement is this to Thankfulness Secondly Walk worthy of this love Christians you that see your Interest in
Christ accounted as children there and servants there and friends there that they should walk so as Christ should be dishonoured Professors look to it and ye especially that are Church members your scandals your open sins bring more dishonour to Christ then the sins of the whole world your sins are a shame to Christ they reflect to the dishonour of Christ and shame to Christ It is a sad thing that men should look upon Professors and say they are like the world they make a profession Ah! but they are as greedy after the world as wicked men and they are as proud as the Devil himself O that Professors might not give occasion for wicked men thus to speak for this will be a dishonour to Christ When you see a childe rude and deboist you will say who is his father Or who is his Master What Hath he no Father Or no Master O! What a shame is it to the Master of the House And so for Professors when men shall look upon those of corrupt conversation and they shall say Who is their Master What Christ their Master And they speak so and so And walk so and so O that the Lord would make them that have the profession of Christ upon them watchful in this Take heed that you give no occasion to the world to speak evilly of Christ who is the Lord and Master of his House Thirdly It lets us see what a Priviledge it is to be a Member of the Church of Christ and to have Right thereunto Take that along O! What a priviledge is it What a desireable mercy is it How will every one strive to get their children into great mens houses If they can but get their sons to be one of a Noble-man's house you think it to be a great priviledge O what a mercy and priviledge is it to be one of Christs Family How many are the priviledges that they enjoy that are in Christ's House You had a taste of them before and O that the taste might draw all Christians to the performance of their duty O! How did David long and thirst after it Psal 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord and but one thing What is that That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple O how desirous was David to dwel in the House of the Lord And he counts them blessed Psal 84. 4. Blessed are they that dwell in thy House Now if it be such a mercy and priviledge take heed that we do not contemn it and take heed that you do not slight it and say it is no great matter whether I be in the house of God or no so long as I am a Believer O! Take heed that you do not despise such a priviledge Fourthly and Lastly What an engagement doth lye upon all in Christ's house to be holy This is an engagement to duty First It engages the Saints in Church-fellowship unto the exercise of the grace of Love why they are all of one house and of one houshold and and they are engaged to love one another they are engaged to seek the good of one another you take it ill if a servant or childe should not regard what becomes of their fellow servants and fellow brethren every one must seek the good of th' other If one House we are engaged to a great deal of love and tenderness that we should express towards one another not to minde our own things but to minde the good of others but especially in the same house we are bound to do good to all the houshold of Faith but especially in the same house we have the strongest tye to love and to help one another if in Christ's house And if this be Christ's house O! What duty do we owe to Christ that are received into Christs house If in Christ's house we should keep Christ's Lawes the Rules of his house O! what Rules hath Christ given us to walk by Faith and Love the great Commandment of the Gospel O! if in Christ's house know that you are engaged to walk by Christ's Lawes And it engages you to do the work of Christ what is the work that is in Christ's house Surely there is some work for every one Christ will not have an idle person in his house some work Christ layes before every member O that we might be helpful there is somthing in which the meanest member may be serviceable to the house of Christ wait upon the Lord to know your work and wait for strength to do it And we should bless Christ for the provision of his house O! how engaged are we to wait upon the Lord for the blessing the provision of his house what a mercy it is for the Lord to take us into his house and send us the best things making us a feast of fat things wine on the Lees well refined a feast here and a feast in other Ordinance the Supper O! what an engagement to thrive and grow in grace It will be a shame to Christ if his people that enjoy so much if they shall be still lean and ill-thriving As the Lord hath taken us into his house so let us look up to the Lord for his blessing and for the fulfilling of his Promise he hath said That those that are in his house shall be fat and flourishing and well-liking and shall have strength to perform their duty O that they that are in the Lord's house would wait upon the Lord for his blessing Matth. 15. 25. Then came she and worshipped him saying Lord help me SERMON XVII I Come now in this 25the verse to consider the behaviour of this Womans spirit under her temptations she doth not stand to reason about her Election but she presently comes and worshippeth him She came and worshipped him saying Lord help This woman she was under great afflictions at this time such afflictions as made her come and cry to Christ Have mercy on me O Lord thou Son of David my daughter is grievously vexed with a Devil And this her affliction was accompanyed with Temptation and by a second Temptation Christ would make tryal of her faith And though she was under affliction and this affliction accompanied with temptation yet she falls down and worshipped him She came and worshipped him saying Lord Help So that I shall close with this Truth That it is the duty of Saints to worship Christ yea even then when they are in the midst of the greatest afflictions and temptations It is clear from the words and in the opening of the Point I shall First shew you What it is to worship the Lord what is that worship which the Lord doth expect from his people when in affliction and temptation Secondly I shall give you Scripture instances for the Proof of the Point And then Thirdly Consider the Grounds of the Point
And then Fourthly Make some Improvement First To consider What is that Worship which the Lord requires of his people when afflicted and tempted 1. This Worship it is either the Worship of the Spirit Internal Or 2. It is the waiting upon God in those Institutions of his own which he hath appointed for his people to wait upon him in which is External Worship This Worship first is that of the Spirit You will say wherein doth it consist Why it consists First of all In that holy fear and Reverence which we owe unto the Lord and should be acting towards God when God brings into such a condition Fear and Reverence it is a part of Internal Worship Fathers of our flesh corrected us and we gave them reverence shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of Spirits Heb. 12. 9. When as the soul is filled with a holy fear fearful to sin against God and to dishonour him in affliction and temptation when the spirit is fearful to grieve the Spirit of God in affliction when it is fearful to take the name of God in vain in the time of affliction by unprofitable and unfruitful bearing of affliction when the spirit is thus composed to a reverend childe-like fear before the Lord in the time of affliction this is part of that Internal Worship the soul owes to God Secondly This Worship consists in Love as well as in fear when the soul is acting in love toward God in time of affliction or temptation as that it dares not conclude that God loves him the less though he be afflicted though he be in temptation so also he desires not to love God one jot the less notwithstanding all afflictions and temptations when the desire of the heart is towards God in time of affliction or temptation O! when wilt thou come unto me saith David Psal 101. 2. And saith the gracious heart let me have God's presence in affliction rather then deliverance from affliction when as the soul is carried out to delight in God in the time of affliction to rejoyce in God and to glory in God and to comfort it self in God as David did when he was sâ—rely distressed at Ziklag yet he encouraged himself in the Lord his God 1 Sam. 30. 6. Though God taketh away many comforts yet if he give himself the soul is looking towards his portion as a blessed portion one God is better then all the comforts that I have lost I have lost friends and relations but one God and Christ is more excellent then all the creatures in the world when the heart is thus breathing in love towards God in time of affliction or temptation this is a part of that Internal worship it owes to God Thirdly This Internal Worship is that Trust and Affiance the soul hath which it placeth in God alone when the soul is acting of faith in the Lord The Lord is my portion my soul hath said it and therefore I will hope in him I will look toward him I will rest upon his Arm doubtless thou art our Father though all this hath befallen us doubtless God's intentions are gracious it is for my good that he doth thus afflict me doubtless the Lord can and will make a good end of these afflictions for that is his promise Now when the soul is thus roling upon God and resting upon his promise cleaving to the faithfulness of God for the fulfilling of his Promise in time of affliction or temptation this is a great part of that inward worship which God doth require of the soul when it shall thus believe in hope above hope and against hope as Abraham the Father of the faithful did this is Inward Worship Fourthly It consists in the submission of the soul to God That Inward Worship that God doth require of his people in time of affliction or temptation I say it consists in the submission of the spirit unto God when a man desires to make a resignation of his Will unto God If this cup may not pass from me thy will be done when a soul is content to be at the dispose of God for the kinde of affliction and measure of affliction and the time of affliction well if God encrease my burthen let him encrease my strength and my soul shall glory in him if the Lord will continue my affliction longer and I must drink of this cup again and again yea the third time if the Lord will afford his presence in affliction my soul desires to submit to the Lord when thus the heart is affected toward God submitting falling down before the Lord and making a resignation of his Will to the Lord's Will This is that special Worship of the Spirit that Internal Worship that the Father of Spirits calleth for from his children in time of affliction But secondly This Worship must be External as well as Internal and it consists in the giving honour to God in those wayes that are of his own appointment especially in these two First In the pouring out of the soul in supplication before the Lord. Secondly In speaking good words of God These are two great parts of that external worship that God calls his children to in time of affliction to speak gracious words unto God and to speak good words of God to his praise and honour First It is the pouring out the Supplication of the Soul before the Lord in prayer it is a special exercise that God calleth his people to in time of affliction and temptation to be much in supplication pouring out their souls before the Lord. Now this Supplication this Prayer which the Lord doth require and doth delight in it is accompanied First With Humility As you shall finde in the example of this woman her prayer in the day of her distress it was a humble prayer a humble supplication one of the Evangelists observes the Evangelist Mark chap. 7. ve s 25. that she came and fell at his feet this woman came and fell at the feet of Christ and cryed to him Lord help me It is a humble prayer that the Lord doth delight in when the spirit lyeth low before the Lord when the creature is sensible of his own vileness and shall acknowledge with Jacob That he is less then the least of all those mercies which he doth desire and expect at the hand of God that if ever the Lord be gracious it must be free grace somthing in himself that must move him when the soul is enabled by the Spirit of the Lord to put up such a prayer this is a part of that external worship that the Lord requires Secondly You shall finde that this womans prayer was accompanied with Fervency her very expression doth hold forth and declare the ardency of her spirit she cryed before O Lord thou Son of David have mercy on me and now again she breaks forth into this expression Lord Help Why it is such a prayer that God taketh delight
in such a supplication as is sent up with a holy fervency unto God and indeed the Lord brings his people into the furnace of affliction and temptation that so he may kindle this holy fire of zeal and fervency in their bosomes the Lord doth raise the storms that so he may make the Disciples to cry the louder Now therefore when the spirit is thus carried out to God this is such worship as he requires and expects Again thirdly We shall finde that this woman supplication it was accompanied with Faith Fervency without faith could not avail but there is an expression of her faith that Title which she gave to Christ Lord Lord help she looked upon him as the Lord of heaven and earth so she applies her self to him in her distress infinite 〈◊〉 power he was the Lord and had infinite power he was able to help so she resteth upon his all sufficiency sure he that is the Lord the Lord of all he hath power enough in his hand and grace enough in his heart he can do what he please why such a prayer the Lord accepts of as is accompanied with faith the promise is made to faith What-ever you ask in my Name believing you shall receive and the prayer of Faith shall save the sick the prayer of faith can do great things Fourthly This womans prayer was accompanyed with Constancy she held on notwithstanding the discouragements she met withal they were very many and great the Lord as you heard before was silent to her a long time when he speaks he speaks a sad word that he was not sent to such as she was yet she holds on this discouragement might have beaten her off and made her to have said well I see that there is no hope I shall lose my labour but notwithstanding all discouragements she doth continue in supplication she worships and she cryes Lord help It is constancy in Prayer that the heart of God is taken with Christ you know spake a parable to this end Luke 18. 1. That men should pray alwayes The soul should continue with God and abide with God Resolve not to go away from his feet but there to sit and there to wait and there to cry till the Lord be gracious this part of that external worship the Lord requires of his people in time of affliction and temptation Secondly The other part of external worship is in speaking well of God in affliction and temptation So doth this woman she spake well of Christ when she worshipped him she calleth him Lord by which word she doth First of all Exalt and honour Christ Secondly She Justifieth him Both these are good words which God takes well from his people in the time of affliction or temptation First She doth Exalt him she spake to his honour thou art the Lord what-ever I be though I be a poor vile creature as she acknowledged afterward when Christ converted her yet thou art the Lord nay though Christ should debase her yet she would exalt him O this is an excellent frame of spirit an excellent part of that worship we owe to God And as she doth honour God So Secondly She Justifieth him O Lord that very word doth justifie Christ in all his dealings towards her Thou art the Lord thou art Jehovah infinite free and absolute and may do what thou pleasest and in all this thou hast done me no wrong neither canst thou do wrong for thou art the Lord I am thy poor creature thy vassal but thou art the Lord thus she justifieth Christ Now when the soul is thus carried out in time of affliction and temptation to speak such words as may be to the honour of Christ and so to speak as to justifie Christ in all that hath befallen it Lord thou hast done me no wrong thou art righteous though my affliction be very great though my temptation be very prevalent yet the Lord is righteous in all that hath befallen me if he should afflict me seven times more and heat the Furnace seven times hotter I could not say thou wert unrighteous When the soul is thus carried out I say to speak well of God to speak honourably of God and to speak to the justifying of God in his dealings this is a great part of that worship which we owe to God in time of affliction And so you have seen the first particular What it is to worship the Lord or what is that worship which the Lord doth expect from his people in time of affliction and temptation Secondly I shall give you two or three Instances for the proof of the Point That it is the duty of the Saints thus to worship what-ever the affliction or the temptation be and that both with Internal worship of the spirit and with External worship speaking good words unto God and of God Thus it was with Job look into Job 1. 20 21. Then Job arose and rent his Mantle and shaved his head and fell down upon the ground and worshipped and said Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I return thither the Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. Job he was under great afflictions at this time all his substance was taken away a sad and unparallel'd affliction and no doubt but it was a day of great temptation to Job for that was the Devil's designe to make Job blaspheme God to his face and therefore without doubt Sathan did suggest horrible temptations or else he had not well prosecuted his designe and yet notwithstanding it was a day of affliction and a day of temptation Job worshipped the Lord expressed holy fear and reverence expressed love and expressed his trust his confidence and his submission and he prays and he praiseth he spake to God and he spake well of God all parts of worship he fell down and worshipped and said The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken blessed be the Name of the Lord And so David often met with afflictions and temptations and yet you shall finde him worshipping in divers of his Psalmes Yea look upon Jonah and take Jonah for an instance and O that God would make these his Saints patterns to us Jonah 2. 2 3 4. He was in a sad affliction and his affliction was accompanied with temptation he was as low in his own imagination as if he had been in the belly of hell and yet even then when in the Whales belly in the depth of affliction and compassed round about with sore temptations Then Jonah worshipped the Lord vers 4. Then I said I am cast out of thy sight yet I will look again toward thy holy Temple I said I was cast out of thy sight there is a temptation of distrust when in that sad condition in the bottome of the Sea yet will I look towards thy holy Temple and at vers 7. When my soul fainted within me I remembred the Lord and my prayer came in
unto thee into thy holy Temple When he was in this condition he prayed and he poured out his soul before the Lord. I shall only give you one instance more and that is of Christ himself when as he was in a sore affliction and his affliction accompanied with temptations then he prayed Luke 22. 39 40 41 42. And he came out and went as he was wont to the Mount of Olives and his Disciples also followed him And when he was at the place he said unto them Pray that ye enter not into temptation And he was withdrawn from them about a stones cast and kneeled down and prayed saying Father if thâ—â— be willing remove this cup from me Nevertheless not my Will but thine be done and at vers 44. it is said being in an Agony he prayed more earnestly His affliction doth increase and his temptations do increase and as they encrease so he cries the more earnestly to his Father Afflictions do not make Christ cease to worship no he worships the more and he cryeth the louder and prayeth the more earnestly Thirdly We shall consider the Grounds of the Point Why it is the duty of God's people to worship God in time of affliction and temptation First Because there is no affliction or temptation but it is from the Lord it is his Messenger it is of his sending we have to deal with God in it and it is fit that we should fall down and worship him when God sends affliction Isa 45. 7. I form the light and create darkness I make peace and create evil I the Lord do all these things It is not spoken of Natural darkness the darkness that is of the Ayre that was not created by God there is no creating cause withdrawing of light causeth darkness but God saith he creates darkness he creates Metaphorical darkness that darkness which he sends as an affliction to his own people I create it there is no darkness but that which is of the Lord 's forming and creating In the Creation of the world God said let there be light but God never said let there be darkness but now when God will afflict any of his people he creates darkness and there is no darkness till God say let there be darkness when God sayes let there be darkness in such a man's estate all his comforts shall wither when God says let there be darkness in such a man's family there shall be darkness for he can turn the Sun or Moon or Stars into darkness he can take away the head of the Family the children that are as the Stars of the Family if God speak the word though there be never so many in the family he can turn light into darkness and so when God sayes let there be darkness in such a man's spirit O then though it was comfortable before it will be as sad and as dark in the inward man even as it is with the Ayr at midnight darkness is of God's creating and therefore when-ever the Lord brings us into a state of darkness affliction and temptation either outward or inward it is time then to worship the Lord. Secondly We should then worship the Lord in time of affliction and temptation for it is the Lord only that can enable a man to bear temptation or affliction there is need I say that we should apply our selves to the Lord for he only can enable a poor creature to grapple with his affliction and temptation If the Lord help not the proudest helper in the world shall stoop and not be able to bear up a man under the least affliction especially when the affliction is accompanied with temptation and is wounding A wounded spirit who can bear It is only everlasting Armes that can support under such a condition surely therefore it is our duty in affliction and temptation to fall down and worship Thirdly The Lord only can give a sanctified 〈◊〉 of affliction he only can do us good by our manifold temptations affliction it self cannot profit sad experience shews it a man may have stroke after stroke and yet receive no profit no spiritual advantage I am the Lord thy God that teacheth thee to profit Isa 48. 17. God only can teach to profit Blessed is the man whom thou correctest and teachest Job 5. 17. When God's instruction and teaching go along with his correction that man is blessed that affliction shall be blessed Affliction it self cannot do it and therefore there is need that we should apply our selves to God Fourthly God only can remove the affliction and he only can rebuke the distemper and silence the temptation for certainly both affliction and temptation as I said before they are the Lord's messengers they are the Armies of the Lord of Hosts they go and they come at his command he gives out the word and he bids affliction to charge and it chargeth and if he bids it to retreat it shall retreat God only can deliver from affliction and from temptation therefore surely it is our duty to worship in affliction and temptation Fifthly It is the end of all afflictions and temptations to bring the soul nearer to God to drive the soul nigher God We are very prone to content our selves to live at a distance from God before I was afflicted I went astray saith David Psal 119. 67. Now the end of affliction and temptation is to fetch home the stragling sheep to bring God and the spirit nigher together therefore it is fit that we should fall down and worship for therein do we draw nigh to God when the soul falls down and worships God with Internal worship fear him love him trust him and submit to him and when it is pouring out its soul and lifting up the name of God speaking good words of the Almighty surely herein the soul draws nigh to God and so affliction attains its end Sixtly and lastly This is the way to ease and rest in our afflictions we cry out for ease and rest that is the thing we seek after the way to have ease and rest is to fall down and worship for by so doing the soul doth cast its burthen upon the Lord. When it doth thus fall down and worship with the worship of the Spirit fear and love and trust now the soul casteth its burden upon the Lord and his burden being left there it bringeth in unspeakable rest I say when the soul by inward worship hath gone to God and left his burden upon the Lord O! it bringeth in ease to the spirit whatever the affliction or temptation be Well then to Apply this in a word First What cause have we to be ashamed that we have come so far short of this Duty in the time of affliction or temptation We have been afflicted at one time or other who hath been free many of your souls have been exercised with temptations but O! What hath been the carriage of our spirits under them Have we fallen
down and worshipped with the worship of the Spirit Have we been putting forth acts of holy fear and reverence Have we been putting forth acts of love towards God Have we been exercising trust and affiance in the name of the Lord which is a strong Tower the righteous flee into it and are safe Have we made it our work to be submitting to the Lord to have our wills cast into the will of God to submit to God for kinde and for measure and for time O! How far do we come short of this our duty Have we been pouring forth our souls to God in afflicted conditions and tempted conditions Have we made it our work to cry the more earnestly being in an Agony as Christ did Have we spoken well of God at that time Have we not charged God foolishly and spoken unadvisedly with our lips Truly we have cause to be humbled every one either we have not known our duty or not minded our duty in the time of affliction and temptation Nay Instead of worshipping Have not we been dishonouring God in the time of affliction and temptation Have not we been distrusting murmuring repining entertaining hard thoughts of God speaking hard words against God Have we not neglected our duty and said what profit is there if I pray unto the Almighty Have we not thought that we have had to excuse from worship when the afflicting hand of God hath been upon us We have thought that affliction had been our excuse from our duty truly we may take up a sad complaint against our selves we are all guilty before the Lord and O that he would help us to see the evil of our hearts that hath past in the time of affliction and temptation But you will say when some afflictions are upon us alas we cannot pour out supplications to the Lord surely in time of affliction he doth not require it he will have mercy and not sacrifice But can our afflictions be worse then Jobs were Can it be greater then Jonahs he was in the belly of hell Can our afflictions and agonies be greater then Christ's were yet he prayed and prayed the more earnestly the more his afflictions and temptations encreased the more he prayed I know the Lord doth somtimes exercise his people with such conditions such weaknesses as they cannot be much in the performance of this external part of Worship they cannot be much in speaking unto God nor speaking well of God because of that weakness that is upon the outward man and if that be the only hinderance if the spirit be not in fault the Lord Jesus will make an excuse Christ doth tender his poor servants and children in such a condition when he sees the spirit is willing and the flesh weak they shall not need to excuse themselves Christ will But even then we are called upon to be much in giving to the Lord that inward worship of the spirit which may be given when we are in the weakest condition and the more we are hindred from the external part of worship the more should we be in the internal part of worship the more should the spirit be reverencing and loving and exercising acts of Faith and Affiance and the more submitting to the Lord and lying low this the Lord calls for from his people in the worst condition and we have cause to be humbled that we are not found in the performance of this duty in time of affliction or temptation Secondly If it be a duty to worship in time of affliction it is much more our duty to worship when the Lord is pleased to free us from affliction and from temptation if God looks for Worship from his people when under affliction and temptation then much more he looks for worship from his people when free from affliction and temptation This is a duty that lyes upon all Saints to be worshipping the Lord not only with Internal but External worship to take all opportunities of worshipping the Lord in publique and in our families in private to be pouring out supplications and to be speaking well of God is our duty if in sickness then much more in health and if in adversity much more in prosperity and if under temptation much more in the day of freedome when the hand of the Lord is not upon us it is our duty to take all opportunities and the best opportunities and the fittest opportunities both in our families and in publique Take heed that our incumbrances of the world doth not shut out our worship of God Pour out thine indignation upon the Heathen and the Families that call not upon thy name O that that Scripture were remembred Truly we are apt to complain when God lays his hand upon us and exercises us with affliction and temptation our complaint is that we cannot worship that is the grief and the burden that we cannot worship the Lord we are taken off from our duty if so we had more need to take those fairer advantages and opportunities of worshipping while the Lord is pleased to continue his course of mercy and goodness towards us Seek the Lord while he is near and call upon him while he may be found when afflictions come we cry out God is far from us and at a great distance and we know not how to apply our selves to him but examine and see whether this may not be the cause because we have not taken our opportunity while he was near we have neglected to worship him while we had strength and ability of body of pouring out our souls to God and speaking to God and no wonder the Lord doth take those opportunities from us and truly that proves a great burthen to many of Gods own people in the day of adversity when God brings them into affliction and exerciseth them with temptation and they see they cannot worship him in that external way O! that is their grief that they have not laid forth themselves in the worship of the Lord both publique and private while the Lord gave them space and opportunity and therefore as we desire not to lie under that pressure which will be exceeding heavie to God's own people take heed how we neglect worship either in our families or in publique or in both for if it be our duty to worship under affliction much more in health peace and strength To draw to a conclusion one word of Exhortation and so I end Brethren Let us look up to the Lord to teach us this lesson to make Impression of this Divine Truth upon our hearts there is a time a coming that every one of us may be put to the exercise of it and therefore look up to the Lord now to teach you that when affliction and remptation come we may through the Lord's strength be made able to fall down and worship both with Internal and External worship O! that God would make those examples of the Saints that were set before us prevalent with us to draw
us on to our duty you heard how Job worshipped and how Jonah worshipped and Christ worshipped in an Agony in the midst of affliction accompanied with great temptations O that we might look up to God to teach us this duty that we may be ready to fall down and worship as Job was when the evil tydings came that all was taken from him be falls down and worshipped and blesses the Name of God O! Know that we have need then to be pouring out our souls before the Lord and to be crying as this woman did Lord help if ever we had need to cry then Lord help when affliction is upon us especially accompanied with temptations men and Angels cannot help we had need to cry Lord help But you will say what is it that we should cry for to the Lord at such a time It is our duty to worship and to be pouring out supplications but what is it that God expects that his people should cry for in time of affliction and temptation Briefly thus We should cry That the Lord would discover the cause of that affliction and that tryal which the Lord doth exercise his people with Truly it is not without cause and therefore it is not without cause that God doth afflict us if need be you are in temptation it is not without cause and therefore it is our wisdom and duty to cry to the Lord that he would discover to us why it is thus with us to know what is his minde and will towards us what God aims at whether for correction or tryal or for exercise wait upon the Lord to know what is his end it is an addition to our affliction when as our way is hid and God's way towards us is hid and we know not what God intends therefore we should be much in this request fall down and worship him and desire the Lord to shew us the cause what is his end in this affliction this tryal and temptation Secondly Fall down and worship and pray that the Lord would take away the sting of affliction the sting is sin the sting of death is sin and the sting of all lesser deaths affliction is sin therefore pray that the Lord would take away the sting pray that he would not correct us in wrath and that he would not chasten us in his sore displeasure that was David's request Psal 6. 1. that the affliction might not be accompanied with the Lord's displeasure but that the face of the Lord may be towards us and the comforting presence of the Lord with us in affliction we should cry that the Lord would take away the sting and that his presence may be with us in affliction that he would not leave us in the fiery furnace alone but according to his promise would be with us when we go thorow the fire and water Thirdly We should cry That the Lord would make us willing to bear our affliction what-ever it be that he would make our spirits submissive to him that should be the great request of a gracious heart that the Lord would make our spirits submissive unto him O! What a gracious frame of spirit was David in when he was driven out from Jerusalem by his son Absalom 2 Sam. 15. 25. The Priests would have brought the Ark after him No saith he Carry back the Ark of God into the City If I shall finde favour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me again and shew me both it and his habitation But if he thus say I have no delight in thee behold here am I let him do to me as seemeth good unto him Here was a gracious submissive frame of spirit under a great affliction if the Lord will use me no longer as an instrument and I must Reigne no longer let the Lord chuse what instrument he pleaseth and do with me what seemeth good unto him O! Beg that God would give us a submissive frame of heart that when the Lord leads us into any affliction we may be found submitting to the Will of God Fourthly We should beg of the Lord That He would strengthen us to bear our affliction that he would enable us to grapple with our Temptations and so to bear our affliction that we may be no dishonour to his Name so to bear our affliction as we may be to his praise Surely the least affliction will crush us if we have no other strength then our own we shall be soon crusht when under temptation O! We had need cry Lord help we had need cry that the Lord would put under everlasting Armes to bear up the spirit and to enable us so to carry it as we may be an honour to Christ Fiftly When we fall down and worship Beg that the Lord would give a sanctified use of the affliction or temptation whatsoever it be Our spirits should be breathing after a holy improvement of all God's dispensations especially these dispensations of great afflictions or temptations truly as you heard before it is not in affliction it self to do this we cannot profit by it if the Lord doth not teach and therefore we had need go to him and cry to him that he would give a sanctified use that he would make affliction attain its end that he would bore our ear to instruction and correction that we may hear the rod and him that hath appointed it that he would carry on his own work and would make use of this affliction for the subduing of our corrupt nature making us partakers of his Divine Nature Thus we should fall down and worship and beg that God would give us a sanctified use of all afflictions And know Brethren that we shall never have ease nor rest in our spirits till we be brought into this posture we shall be in a woful turmoyl and perplexity as Noahs Dove that found no rest till it came into the Ark so we shall finde no rest till God brings us into this frame bow the spirit and cause it to fall down and worship in time of affliction there will be no sanctified use of affliction never expect any good by affliction till God bring the spirit into this posture to fall down and worship as Job and Jonah and Christ did that is an argument that the affliction is working the right way when as the spirit is thus subdued to God now it is working for good certainly God will make a good end with that soul when it is brought thus to fall down and worship the Lord to fear and love and trust and submit to him and to pray and praise to speak to God and to speak well of God in time of affliction Now the Physick works kindly and the Lord is engaged by his word that this shall work together for good even all afflictions when it thus works you may have assurance of it that all shall work together for good God will make a good end as he did with Job and you may be sure that
of all in the vileness and sinfulness of our hearts and natures when as men or women come to be acquainted with the vileness of their nature and see what rebellion is in the heart and finde that there is a by as upon the spirit that doth carry it off continually from God the heart enclined toward vanity evermore O! How do vain thoughts and sinful imaginations croud in continually And they do defile the most holy Service that is taken in hand O! This proves matter of temptation This body of sin and death it made the Apostle cry out O miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Rom. 7. 24. It had been a pressing temptation if the Lord had not made a discovery of the way of deliverance and salvation to him for a poor soul is apt to fear surely there is nothing of God in me if there were any seed of God in me my heart would never be so vain and the byas of my spirit would never carry me out from God so O! I fear I am not made partaker yet of the Divine Nature The sight of that woful evil that is in the heart proves many times a sad temptation that it is hard for a poor soul to get over it And Secondly When the Lord doth leave a poor creature to sin after mercy and against mercy it hath been saved by the Lord delivered by his right hand pressed with such and such a mercy and yet overtaken in the snare of sin sinning against mercy many times proves a sore temptation O! I am afraid that I am none of the Lord's children mercy hath not its kinde work upon me it doth not bring forth those fruits which the Lord may look for when he gives out such mercies sinning against mercy many times proves a sore temptation Thirdly When the Lord leaves a poor creature to fall again and again into the same sin O! this proves matter of temptation when as the soul hath seen the evil of sin and hath bewailed it hath run to the Lord for strength against it yet hath been overtaken again and again in the same sin that I say proves matter of sore temptation Surely may the poor soul say my spot is not the spot of children I have been overtaken once and again whereupon the poor soul may be tempted to cast away his hope and confidence and not only tempted to cast away its confidence but tempted to depart from God and to go out from the wayes of obedience There is no hope say they in Jer. 18. 12. but we will walk after our own devices and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart We have back-slidden again and again and there is no hope for us we had as good go on and take our fill in sin This temptation is set on many times by falling into sin That is the first That unworthiness by reason of sin Secondly Unworthiness by reason of that miserable weak and frail condition that the children of men are in the great distance that man is at from God this proves matter of temptation to many a poor soul when he considers that he is a poor piece of dust and ashes and that there is an infinite distance between God and the creature he is from everlasting to everlasting he is Jehovah and changeth not But we are poor creatures that are of yesterday and are going down to the grave to day and shall be in the place of silence to morrow O this proves matter of temptation and discouragement Will the Lord look down upon such a poor creature and upon such a piece of dust and ashes Is it possible that the Lord should humble himself to take notice of me And besides that common condition of frailty which all men are in the Lord is pleased to bring some of his people into a lower condition then that which is the ordinary state of man and yet he is as low as dust Yet I say the Lord is pleased to bring some of his people into a lower condition then ordinary By affliction God makes mans state to be low when he brings him into an afflicted state and when God maketh mans comforts to be low taketh away those comforts and those relations which have been his refreshments I say when a man is brought thus into a low and afflicted condition this added to that common condition of frailty it setteth at a great distance from God and it proves many times matter of discouragement and temptation to a poor soul So it was with Job chap. 14. v. 1 2 3. Man that is born of a woman is of few dayes and full of trouble he cometh forth like a flower and is cut down he fleeth also as a shaddow and continueth not And dost thou open thine eyes upon such a one Lord saith he Is it possible that thou shouldest humble thy self so far to look down upon such a one That God should look down with the eye of pity upon such a one frail man is one that is brought so low one that sitteth upon the dunghil Unworthiness by reason of frailness proves a temptation many times to Gods own people Thirdly Unworthiness by reason of coldness and deadness in affection When a poor soul finds how dead his heart is towards God O! I have a heart for the world and I have affections to friends and relations there is love to creatures nay there is affection enough to vanity but little or no heart for God there are not those breathings those thirstings those pantings after God not that first love which somtimes it hath found to the Lord and to the things of Christ O! This proves matter of discouragement and temptation O! I fear that the love of God dwelleth not in me saith a poor soul I finde my heart so dead and so strait towards God open to the world but strait to God O! I fear that the love of God dwelleth not in me How can it be that God should set his love upon such a one Surely if the love of God were in me I should love the Lord more then I do Deadness and coldness in affection toward the Lord it proves many times a sore temptation Fourthly and lastly Unworthiness by reason of unusefulness and unserviceableness to God that is matter of temptation when as a poor creature sees that it can do little or nothing for the Lord O! I am a barren tree I am a dry branch I see that others are fruitful I see that others have the promise fulfilled to them they bring forth much fruit they are serviceable in their generation they are an honour to God and do good to men but as for me I know not wherein I can honour him I know not wherein I can be useful or serviceable O I bring forth no fruit unto God and therefore am afraid that I am the Tree the Apostle Jude vers 12. speaketh of without fruit twice dead plucked
take heed that we do not blot out those names that the Lord hath put into the Covenant But it may be you will say further by way of Objection If children belong to the Covenant of God and the Covenant that the children of believing Parents is under is a Covenant of grace of necessity they must be saved Shall they be under a Covenant of grace and not be saved I answer Some may be under a Covenant of grace and not saved I say visibly in respect of the outward dispensation they may be under the Covenant of grace and yet never attaine to life and salvation for when as we do Baptize those who do make a profession of their faith surely we look upon them as Believers and such as are in Covenant with God and therefore we Baptize them because believers and so in Covenant with God But now is it not possible nay is it not ordinary for many who make such a profession of Christ and are baptized upon that profession to fall off and to come short of life and salvation And yet I hope you will say the Ordinance was not disorderly administred though they that did make a profession do fall off so though all children of believing parents do not attain to eternal life yet the Ordinance is no more unduly administred to them then to others for both Professors and children may be under the outward administration of the Covenant which being may give right to an outward Ordinance and yet not be saved Object But you will say How shall we judge of any but by their profession that they make of Christ we cannot own any but such as make a profession and children cannot make a Profession I answer We must judge as God judgeth and own as God owns take heed that we do not disown what God owns and if God will own the children of believing parents visibly and put them under an outward administration of the Covenant surely there is no danger of owning where God owns God's owning is a surer ground for us to go upon then any man's profession Now God seems to own the seed of believers by his gracious promise Nay let it be considered those Prophesies that speak of the latter dayes and of the Kingdom of Christ and the glory that shall be in those dayes they speak of this that God will then more abundantly and visibly own the seed of his people God will own them and God will bless them Isa 65. 23. They shall not labour in vain nor bring forth for trouble for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord and their off-spring with them When the Jews shall come in they shall be called the blessed of the Lord and their off-spring with them their seed shall be blessed according to Abrahams Covenant when they shall come in again I know there are many gracious hearts that cannot believe this truth and will not till Christ comes to reveal it but if the Lord hath handed in any beam of light shut it not out This have I spoken because it is in my way to shew you who are children But in the second place Who are Dogs You see who are to be accounted children who are Dogs That must be opened too and let it not be offensive because it is in the Text. First Dogs in Scripture are taken somtimes for all the Nations of the Gentiles all the people of the world except the seed of Abraham were called Dogs they were without the Covenant strangers to the Commonwealth of Israel all we and our fathers all the Nations of the Gentiles time was that the Jewes only were the children and we and all Nations were called Dogs But secondly All wicked men in Scriptute phrase they are called Dogs The Scripture doth brand some sort of wicked men and some degrees of wicked persons by this name In especial manner the Lord looks upon some wicked men as dogs Who are they First Such as give up themselves to gross and notorious wickedness such as are openly scandalous vile and prophane Rev. 22. 15. For without are dogs sorcerers and whoremongers and murderers and Idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lye Without are dogs and he sheweth who those dogs are that are without that shall be shut out of the City when the new Jerusalem shall come down from heaven these are they that shall not have a name in that City vile sinners they are called dogs But secondly such as do oppose the Gospel of Christ such as do reject the Gospel and oppose the Truths of the Gospel such as come to hear for that end that they may snarl against the word the Spirit of the Lord calls them dogs Phil. 3. 2. Beware of dogs beware of evil workers beware of the concision the Apostle bids the Christians beware of them beware of dogs they that bite and snarl and set themselves to oppose the Truths of the Gospel the Spirit of the Lord calls them dogs Thirdly They who do reject those wholsome reproofs and counsels and exhortations that the Lord sends them by any of his servants such as scorn reproof and hate reproof that are ready to fly in the face of him that shall reprove them when they do wickedly What have you to do with me meddle with your own matters and I will not be reproved by such a one as you are the word of the Lord calls such persons dogs they are vile creatures Matth. 7. 6. Give not that which is holy unto the dogs neither cast ye your pearls before swine lest they trample them under their feet and turn again and rent you See here what Christ speaks Exhortations and reproofs they are not to be cast before some men such as have often rejected reproofs and will not hear the Lord looketh upon them as dogs and they shall die in theiâ— wickedness Fourthly The Scripture calls those dogs thaâ— somtime have made a profession of Christ and have turned away from their profession such 〈◊〉 have seemed somtimes to be very forward anâ— very zealous hot it may be in their youth after â—ward they fall off and have lost their fruit and have lost their profession and it may be not 〈◊〉 much as Leaves upon them but are turned agaiâ— to their old wayes 2 Pet. 2. 22. But it is hapnâ— vnto them according to the true Proverb the dog â—turned to his own vomit again and the Sow that waâ— washed to her wallowing in the myre they have turn'd to their old course again they seemeâ— somtimes to cast out sin Ah! But they have returned to it again Such persons are vile and the holy Ghost calls them dogs Fiftly Persecuters of Christ of his Truth and people they are called dogs such as do not only bark against Christ but even bite and rend his people Why the Lord looks upon them as vile creatures they are dogs in God's account what-ever they are in the worlds and so Christ calls them by David
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
the Lord both in his sayings and doings when God shall speak against him and discover his vileness and sin it will say Truth Lord or when God shall threaten most severely nay when God shall walk in those ways that are hard to bear yet a soul that is truly humbled desires to submit to the Lord and to justifie the Lord. And secondly When God shall not only speak himself but when God shall make use of men yea wicked men and shall set them to speak against it when God shall set them to revile and set them to act against it to persecute it the soul that is truly humbled it will justifie the Lord in that dispensation so did David 2 Sam. 16. 7 8. And thus said Shimei wheu he cursed Come out come out thou bloody man and thou man of Belial the Lord hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul in whose stead thou hast reigned and the Lord hath delivered the Kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son and behold thou art taken to thy mischief because thou art a bloody man Shimei he came and railed against David it was a great indignity that was done against David by that railing wretch and he took up stones and cast at the King at verse 6. and it was when David was in distress he was driven out by Absalom from Jerusalem he takes that advantage he comes and rails and calls him the bloody man and saith he the Lord hath now avenged the blood of thy masters house upon thee yet David at this time justifies the Lord verse 10. So let him curse because the Lord hath said unto him Curse David who shall then say Wherefore hast thou done so See here how David justifies the Lord though that which this raising man did object against David was false he calls him a bloody man in respect of Saul's house David was clear in that and innocent yet David he layes it to heart and concludes that God had some designe in it though in respect of Saul's house I am not a bloody man yet I shed the blood of Vriah David he is silent the Lord hath bid him curse David and therefore David useth many arguments for to justifie the Lord and to quiet his own spirit and the spirit of others as you may see vers 11 12. And David said to Abishai and to all his servants Behold my Son which came forth of my bowels seeketh my life how much more now may this Btnj amite do it Let him alone and let him curse for the Lord hath bidden him Verse 12. It may be the Lord will look on mine affliction and that the Lord will requite good for his cursing this day And so David in patience doth possess his soul and justifie the Lord in that dispensation A word or two of Application and so I shall conclude First of all This calls upon us to be more in the practise of this duty O that the Lord would help all his people to learn this lesson It is a hard lesson we had need look up to the Lord that he would teach us to justifie the Lord when he speaks and acts against us when he speaks himself or when he suffers men to speak against us It is our duty as you have heard to justifie the Lord as this woman of Canaan did and as those in Micah 7. did I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him O that we could make those holy men our pattern that we heard spoken of before Look upon Moses upon Aaron upon David upon Hezekiah upon Job upon good old Eli upon this Woman of Canaan O! How did they justifie the Lord when the Lord spake hard things and stretched out his hand in a way of sore affliction Still we finde them justifying the Lord and O that we could look upon them as our pattern To perswade us to this Duty First of all Consider That it is the Lord It is the Lord that speaks it is the Lord that acts when-ever there is any affliction upon us it is of the Lord and if it be of the Lord and from the Lord why should we not justifie him That was a prevailing argument with good old Eli when as those terrible threatnings came to his ear That God would do that against his House at which both the Eares of every one that heard it should tingle and that the iniquity of Eli's House should not be purged away with sacrifice nor offering for ever It is the Lord saith he let him do what seemeth him good He hath power over all creatures as the Potter hath power over the clay and saith David I was dumb I opened not my mouth because thou didst it Secondly Consider That all that God speaks and doth is God and if so Why should we not justifie the Lord You know what Hezekiah said 2 Kings 20. 19. Good is the Word of the Lord A hard word it was that all his Treasure should be carried unto Babylon and his Sons also and made servants there and yet he sath good is the Word of the Lord. What-ever God doth is good though it may seem to be never so hard yet there is some good in all that he speaks and doth and the Lord doth it for good Doth not thy Word do good Every word of the Lord is good and doth good to them that are his children though it be a hard word yet all God's words and all God's wayes shall work together for good he will bring good out of them if the heart be submitting to God and justifying the Lord in that dispensation Thirdly Consider That there is mercy in every dispensation and that God doth afflict less then the sin deserveth Though the affliction may seem to be hard truly if we look into our own hearts and wayes we might see that there is that which might provoke the Lord to afflict seven times more The Church in the Lamentations when she came to consider how she had provoked the Lord though before she had cryed out bitterly of her Wormwood and Gall yet in Lam. 3. 22. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not We have provoked the Lord greatly and it is mercy that we are not consumed mercy that we are out of hell and therefore good cause that we should justifie the Lord. Yea and let us justifie the Lord when he suffers men to speak against us O! This is a hard lesson to flesh and blood but know it is a duty that God calls for when men do revile and speak evil and do accuse us so and so still it is our work to justifie the Lord Look back to that pattern of David in the case of Shimei and let us make it our pattern when-ever we meet with revilings and hard sayings from men he justified the Lord though it was false that which Shimei did accuse him of That he was a bloody
man in respect of Saul's House yet he justified the Lord the Lord sees that I am a bloody man though not in that particular and therefore saith he The Lord hath bidden him Either thou art guilty or not guilty when God suffers men to revile and speak evil and to fasten such accusations upon thee if thou art guilty it is thy duty to make use of it by whomsoever God shall discover it make use of that which comes out of the enemies mouth to finde out the evil that is in our own hearts But if thou art clear and not guilty of that which thou art accused of yet in respect of the Lord there is cause of justifying the Lord So David though he was not guilty in that respect that Shimei said he was guilty yet saith he it is just with the Lord and it is a righteous thing that I should be thus accused by Shimei And for the quieting of thy spirit use those Arguments that David did Behold the Son out of my Bowels riseth up against me and therefore shall I think it a great matter for a stranger to do it So let us say behold here is that which riseth up in mine own heart the corruptions in mine own bosome that doth me many an ill turn shall I think much that strangers do accuse me And consider also that which David said The Lord doth hear the curses of Shimei and will do me good by it And so if thou canst approve thy heart to God and art not guilty of what men do accuse thee of and that thou canst say it is false in respect of man but in respect of God thou sayest Truth Lord Know that the Lord he can do thee good by it and that he will turn those very curses of men to thy good Again One word of Use more and so I shall conclude Look up to the Lord for this grace of Humility O! What cause have we to give up our hearts into God's hand that he may make us truly humble Surely we shall never be able to justifie the Lord if the heart be not laid low and made truly humble The Lord Jesus he had humbled this woman he had laid her very low he had sanctified her affliction to humble her she had met with great afflictions her daughter was vexed with a dvvil the Lord sanctified that affliction to humble her And she also met with great temptations three sore Temptations we read of and the Lord also sanctified those temptations to humble her And she had also met with discoveries of grace and love the Lord revealed himself very gloriously to her faith or else she could never have held out the Lord also sanctified those discoveries to humble her and lay her low Truly if this woman had not had a humble heart she could never have carried it so in the time of affliction and in the time of this temptation but she would have flown in the face of Christ Christ calls her dog and tells her That it is not meet to take the childrens bread and give it to dogs if her heart had not been humble she would have discovered her self to have been a dog she would have barked against him but she carried it very graciously and in all that Christ spake justified him Truth Lord. O that we might go to the Lord and beg of God that he would give out more of this grace of humility to us A proud heart will never justifie God when he speaks himself or when he suffers men to speak a proud heart will never take a repulse from God nor reproofs from men O! There is need of the grace of humility that will enable a soul to justifie the Lord in what-ever he shall speak and in what-ever he shall do The Apostle saith God resisteth the proud but he giveth grace to the humble He gives this grace to the humble that they shall carry it graciously when the Lord speaks against them when the Lord shall make a discovery of their hearts to them of their Corruptions to them of the deserving of their Transgressions to them they shall justifie the Lord and say Truth Lord all is true And when God shall suffer men to speak against them the Lord gives grace to the humble they shall have this grace made able to justifie the Lord. And truly When the soul is brought into this posture when the soul is thus truly humbled before the Lord and can justifie the Lord when the Lord speaks it is not far from deliverance Salvation is nigh Deliverance is at hand the time of God's Controversie is at an end When God hath thus humbled the soul under his mighty hand and made it willing to lye low and to justifie the Lord in all that he speakes and doth surely the time of refreshment from the presence of the Lord is not far off The Prophet Ezekiel he lay low before the Lord there were discoveries of the glorious Majesty of the Lord made to him at the latter end of the first Chapter As the appearance of the Bowe that is in the Cloud in the day of Raine so was the appearance of the brightness round about this was the appearance of the likenesse of the Glory of the Lord and when I saw it I fell upon my face See here he lay low before the Lord and in Chap. 2. and Verse 2. What is said And the Spirit entred into me when he spake unto me and set me upon my feet And truly Brethren When the Lord giveth out such a frame of spirit that the heart is made so humble as to lie low before the Lord and to justifie the Lord in what he speakes and doth the Spirit of the Lord is not far Salvation is not far off As the Spirit did enter into Ezekiel and set him upon his feet so the Spirit of the Lord will come into that soul and fill it with joy and refreshment from the Lord's presence Eccles 12. 1. Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth while the evil dayes come not nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them SOlomon having spent a great part of his life in following after vanity and being brought by the Spirit of God to a serious consideration of his wayes he doth write this Book of Ecclesiastes as the Book of his Repentance and like a true penitent he takes care of the souls of others and gives warning to all men that they should take heed that they do not split against those Rocks against which he cast himself He is exceeding careful of the souls of men and in a special manner he takes care of the souls of young men he speaks once and again to them that they might be warned by him and not spend their youth in vanity that they might not lose the comfort that they might enjoy by enjoying God and that they might not lose their opportunities of doing God service in their youth Now
as an Anchor is to stay the Ship at Sea that it may arrive safe in the midst of all storms and not be carried upon the sands and so broken to pieces of that use is Hope to the believing soul as an Anchor is to the Ship And therefore the Apostle doth intimate to us these two things First That the soul of a Believer is compared to a ship at sea Secondly The hope of a Believer is compared to an Anchor Which hope we have as an Anchor c. The soul is the Ship and Hope that is the Anchor of the Ship yea it is a most excellent Anchor and he fets forth the excellency of it by divers expressions it is an Anchor of the soul and it is sure and stedfast and which entereth into that eye of God the Lord hath a hand in ruling them the sea though boisterous yet it is before the Throne And further it is a Sea of glass like unto chrystal there is held forth what this world is before the Lord it is glass and it is transparent even as chrystal to the eye of God the world lies open and he sees every thing that is done in it In a chrystal glass the least more and spot is seen by the eye of man so the world before the Lord and to the eye of the Lord 't is like to a chrystal glass though the world in it self be never so muddy and never so filthy yet the Lord sees all he sees that which is at the bottome of the sea he sees into the bottome of mens hearts he sees into the bottome of every mans actions and intentions there is not any thing in any man's spirit and conversation but it is clear before the Lord he sees it as thorow chrystal Thus you see it confirmed by Scripture that this world it is as the Sea and a believing soul that is in the world he is upon a sea as a ship upon the sea But I shall shew you first In what respect the world is as a Sea to a believing soul Secondly That every Believer is as a ship upon this sea First of all In what respect the world is as the Sea Why First of all The sea is no place to dwell upon no man builds upon the sea the sea is only for passage to pass over unto another land it is for transportation from one country to another but no man dwells upon the sea Truly so is this world the world is not to be continued in it is not for you to abide long in you are not to dwell here it were the fondest thing in the world to think of building a house upon the sea truly so fond a thing is it to imagine to continue here long yet how deeply is this rooted in the heart of man and how little do they think that they are passing over the sea into another world how little is this thought upon and remembred The Saints of old they have confessed that they were Pilgrims and strangers here and that they had here no abiding City but they looked for one to come whose Builder and Maker is God Heb. 11. 10 13. God's people are not at home here this is no place to dwell in here are Tents but no abiding City there is no Mansion here upon the sea of this world the mansions are in heaven In my fathers house are many Mansions saith Christ John 14. 2. And it is made as a discovery of an unsound Heart the description of a wicked man that he dreams of continuance here and doth not look upon the world as a Sea Psal 49. 11. Their inward thought is that their houses shall continue for ever and their dwelling places to all generations they call their lands after their own names Verse 12. Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not he is like the Beasts that perish Verse 13. This their way is their folly It is folly to think of continuing here the sea is no place to dwell in neither is this world any place to dwell in Secondly The Sea is a most unconstant place the waves of the Sea are full of unconstancy full of Instability a great deal of instability is also in the things of this world The sea it is never constant it is alwayes in some troubled motion there is no rest in the Sea the waters they are rising and falling ebbing and flowing it is continually in an unsetled condition Truly thus is the world and all the things of the world they are full of instability there is nothing here that continueth He that had experience of all these things cries out Vanity of vanity that was the best he found in the world and in the comforts of the world it is an unsetled condition that God's own people are in while upon earth there is nothing that doth continue long all things vanish and are gone in a moment there is as much instability in all things here below as in the waves of the Sea See what the Wise-man saith Eccles 1. 4. and so on One generation passeth away and another cometh Verse 5. The Sun also ariseth and the Sun goeth down and hasteth to the place where he arose Verse 6. The wind goeth toward the South and turneth about unto the North it whirleth about continually and the wind returneth again according to his circuits Verse 7. All the Rivers run into the Sea yet the Sea is not full And so it may be said of all the comforts of this world they are very unstable yea man himself he is full of instability he never continues in one stay even the best of men somtimes he is up and somtimes down abundance of instability in their spirits and conversations in their comforts and enjoyments in every thing like to the waveâ— of the Sea Thirdly The Sea is a Raging enemy it is full of rage they that are upon the sea they meet with nothing but tossing up and down What a mighty combustion is there in the waves of the Sea especially when the four winds do rise upon it O how troublesome is the Sea then Psal 107. 26 27. Verse 26. They mount up to the heaven they go down again to the depths their soul is melted because of trouble Verse 27. They reel to and fro and stagger like a drunken man and are at their wits end Truly thus it is with the state of God's people while in the earth it is their portion to be tossed up and down even as upon the waves of the Sea Joh cries out of his tossings to and fro Job 7. 4. When I lie down I say When shall I arise and the night be gone And I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day O what perplexities do God's people meet withal both in their outward and inward man somtimes lifted up and somtimes cast down Thou hast lifted me up saith David and cast me down Psal 102. 10. So Jonah he was lifted up he had communion
that which stayes the soul upon God and keeps up the soul that it faint not and sink not It is true indeed as the Apostle saith If our hopes were only in this life we were of all men most miserable If we had not a better hope and anchor then the men of this world have that have only hope for the things of this life But this saving Hope which is the sister of Faith that looks to the good things laid up in the Promise it is that which stays the soul and keeps it safe and stedfast in the midst of all storms whatsoever If a ship lye at Anchor it may ride safe at midnight though never so dark And truly that soul that hath cast anchor upon Christ it may ride safe in the darkest time in the saddest condition that can befal it while upon the face of the earth this great Sea If a ship hath a good anchor she rideth safe in the midst of the greatest raging sea though the winds rise though the waves be never so high This anchor of hope it causeth a soul to ride safe in the midst of all temptations Hope keeps the heart up Rom. 5. 2. By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God Verse 3. And not only so but we glory in tribulations also knowing that tribulation worketh patience Verse 4. And patience experience and experience hope Because we have this hope therefore we rejoyce in tribulation in the midst of all storms we rejoyce we can sing for joy as Paul and Silas did at midnight because we have Hope for our anchor our ship shall ride safe in the midst of this Sea But for Application briefly First of all It lets us see the misery of all men out of Christ they that are without Christ are without hope the Apostle puts them together Eph. 2. 12. That at that time ye were without Christ being aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenants of Promise having no hope and without God in the world They that have no Interest in Christ have no hopes to do their souls good another day they may have the hope of the hypocrite that is like the spiders web that will perish but they have no true solid well-grounded hope It is a sad condition for a ship to be at sea and have no Anchor wicked men are at sea as well as God's people and if you have no anchor of hope to stay your souls when storms shall arise and the wrath of God arise against you how sad will your conditions be And truly thus it is with the greatest part of the men of the world their condition is sad though they do not lay it to heart their ship is at sea tossed up and down and have no anchor Every man out of Christ either he hath no hope no anchor or secondly If he hath hope his hope is not sure and stedfast it is no firm hope or thirdly his hope is not cast upon a good ground and if so it is not possible that the ship should be safe when the storms arise for it is a very rotten place that most men out of Christ do cast the anchor of their hopes upon most men cast their anchor downward but this anchor of hope must be cast upward it never takes place when it is cast downward it hath no ground to fasten upon But when it is cast within the Vail it takes hold upon the rock upon God and Christ and the Promise that is more sure then heaven and earth but most men cast their anchor downward their hopes is for the things of this life and that hope will not hold And some cast the anchor of their hope upon themselves and that is a poor ground to cast this anchor upon the anchor of most men that live under the Gospel that are not brought home to Christ their Anchor is cast upon themselves upon some works some duties some performances upon somthing that they have done truly this is a rotten ground and this hope will not stand you in stead there is no anchor will hold but that which is cast upward within the Vail therefore dear friends I beseech you examine whether you have that anchor that will hold have you this hope that is cast within the Vail O! that God would cause you to look after this hope you will not trust your bodies at Sea in a ship that hath no anchor you will say it is as much as your lives are worth if a storm should arise Will you not trust your bodies where there is no anchor and will you trust your souls where there is no anchor Yet this is the folly of thousands those that are called Professors they will trust their souls at sea without an anchor Alas What will they do when the storms shall arise when when the wrath of God shall arise what will you do O! that God would cause you to come to Christ that you may have this anchor that is sure and stedfast That 's the first Secondly Let not God's people wonder that they meet with storms temptations tryals and afflictions and at the rage of men against you Why you are like a Ship at Sea and a ship at Sea hath prepared for a storme if the waves do beat upon them they are prepared for it they are tossed up and down the sea and yet they hope they shall come to land And therefore you that fear the Lord do not wonder at your temptations and tryals and that the wrath of men is against you this is the place for storms heaven is the place of rest the Lord by this would imbitter the world to you he will make you know that the world is bitter and that heaven is sweet O! How sweet will heaven be when the soul shall come out of the midst of great storms and dark nights and many perplexities of spirits many tossings in their conditions both outward and inward the Lord by these storms will make heaven very sweet unto you heaven is the place of rest though this be the place of trouble and therefore do not wonder at it That 's the second Thirdly What a mercy is it that God's people are kept and preserved any moment It is a mercy to be kept at sea every man will say so but especially to be kept and preserved when the sea rages there is no heart almost so hard but will be affected with such a mercy to be kept in the midst of a storm when they expect to make their grave in the deeps this is a wonder and O what a mercy is it that God's people are kept in this tempestuous world it is a wonder that your bodies are not broken and that your spirits are not broken and that your comforts are not broken when so many winds strive upon the face of the earth this sea it is a great mercy
to be kept and therefore acknowledge it to the praise of God it doth appear and the Lord doth make it evident that the sea is before the Throne If the sea were not before the Throne of God God's people should be swallowed up every moment the rage of men and of devils would swallow them up but the sea is before the Throne before the eye of God and therefore wonder that you are safe in this raging sea Fourthly It calls upon you that are the Lord's people to watch and pray for you are at sea he that will not pray in a storm he will never pray the worst of men will pray hard in a storm The heathen Mariners Jonah 1. 5. Then the Mariners were afraid and cryed every man unto his god therefore there is a Proverb That men go to Sea to learn to pray Truly the Lord sends his people to sea for this end that he might learn you to pray and cry mightily to him the Saints shall not need to pray when they come in heaven there all their desires shall be satisfied and they shall want nothing and therefore no need to pray But the Lord he sends you into the sea of this world that he might learn you to pray and he raises many storms for this end that so you might cry mightily to the Lord The Disciples when in a storm they cryed Lord save us we perish Brethren you are at sea in the midst of storms and therefore you had need watch and pray and cry mightily that you may be delivered from temptations and saved in the midst of your fears and be delivered from the Rocks and the Sands and from Pyrats enemies many dangers you are in therefore remember what Christ saith unto his Disciples Watch and pray that you enter not into temptation Fiftly Engage the presence of Christ with you If Christ be in the ship all is safe you had need engage the presence of Christ with you every moment for it is a dangerous sea you are in and if Christ be not with you you will be split upon some sand or other and therefore O beg the presence of Christ do not set forward in any duty without the presence of Christ Do not sayl one League without the presence of Christ but urge it before the Lord that you are upon a troublesome sea where there are so many dangers and desire of God that the presence of Christ may be with you for if Christ be with you all will be safe Sixtly You that are the Lord's people do you open the sayls of your souls to the breathings of the Spirit of Christ If you would make a Voyage to heaven know that you can do nothing till the Spirit of Christ breaths in you indeed you may turn the sayls of your souls that way and be waiting for the Spirit of Christ but till the Spirit breathe in you you cannot sayl one League but O what a comfortable Voyage shall you make when the Spirit of Christ shall fill your hearts with holy motions and carry you God-ward and heaven-ward therefore wait for those breathings of the Spirit as the Spouse in Cant. 4. 16. Awake O North wind and come thou South blow upon my Garden that the Spices thereof may flow out And so do you beg of God that the Spirit of Christ may breathe upon you and fill the sayls of your souls that you may be carried heaven-ward Open your souls to the breathings of the Spirit of Christ and that is the way to make a comfortable Voyage Seventhly You that are the Lord's people if you be Christs ship at Sea look for good Loading be not content to go home empty Christians should labour to be filled with the Spirit to be loaden with the fruits of Righteousness this the Lord calls for truly it is a dangerous Voyage that you make and therefore you had need be loaden with rich Commodities you had need seek after much of that durable riches that abides for ever the Lord does not love that the ship should come home empty O that you that fear the Lord would remember that you have but once to pass over the sea of this world and then there is an end for ever and therefore do not return empty but O go and beg of the Lord that he would fill you with the fruits of righteousness that you may go home loaden with Faith and Righteousness so shall you be an honour to God and there will be much joy in heaven when you come home Eightly It is a word of much comfort to those that fear the Lord and have an Interest in Christ know though you be at sea and meet with many storms yet you need not fear you have an Anchor that will hold it being cast upon a sure ground your Anchor it is entred it is fastned upon the Father's free grace and the Son 's everlasting Righteousness which is sure and stedfast and if so do not fear though storms arise it shall go well with you for Christ is the owner of the ship and he will go Master in the ship and so long as the presence of Christ is with you you may be comforted what-ever you meet with If Christ be in the ship he will rebuke the wind and the waves yea he will tread upon the proud boisterous waves that his people meet with yea and he will make his people also to tread upon them too and therefore fear not for Christ is the Master of the ship he is with you the Loading also is Christ's and as I said before you need not fear splitting and losing your Loading for then Christ should lose more then you If thy soul should be lost at Sea then Christ should lose his honour and his honour is more to him then thy soul to thee and therefore let all Gods people be comforted in the midst of all storms and tryals persecutions afflictions and sufferings though this world be a Sea and an evil sea a troublesome sea yet be comforted for though the ship of the body may be split and all your outward Loading may be lost yet so long as Christ is the Owner of the ship so long as Christ is in the ship so long as the Anchor of the ship is cast in heaven there is not one passenger shall be lost for though the outward man be lost yet the soul shall be saved in the day of Christ I now come to consider what is the Use and the Excellency of this Grace of Hope It is an Anchor sure and stedfast though it is not alwayes sure to sense not alwayes sure in apprehension The hope of the Saints may have its shakings and it may seem sometimes to be cut off in their apprehensions but it is sure and stedfast in respect of the ground of it in respect of that sure hold it hath upon God and Christ it hath sure hold upon that which is within the Vail And it
together and they languish together when faith is sick hope is infirm and when faith is lively hope is active yea they will expire together when a believing soul shall come into the bosome of Christ no need of faith and hope Faith that looks to the truth of the promise and hope looks to the good of the promise that is the difference between faith and hope Faith closes with the Promise because it is true and Hope that cleaves to it and expects the fulfilling of it because it is a sutable good which God hath promised so that by the opening of this description of hope you may in part see what that hope is which will be as an Anchor to a man's soul That 's the first particular But secondly I shall make it out unto you that this hope is the Anchor of the soul and I shall shew you that it is of the same use to the soul that the Anchor is to the ship First of all The Anchor is useful in time of storms the Anchor doth keep the ship from being driven up and down with various winds if it were not for the Anchor the ship would somtimes be carried back again after it hath gone a great way in its Voyage of the same use is Hope to a believing soul it is exceeding useful in time of temptation when contrary winds blow even such winds as would drive the soul back again if it were not for the Anchor of Hope It is said of Christ That for the joy that was set before him he endured the Cross despised the shame and that we bear up against the strong winds of temptation and against all the discouragements that we meet with it is by this Anchor of Hope if it were not for the hope of joy and glory in heaven it were not possible that a soul should bear up against so many winds of temptation Secondly The Anchor keeps the ship from tossing When the waves roar the Anchor is then exceeding useful it keeps the ship from being removed for though it may be moved yet not removed because the Anchor is sure though the waves rise never so high and be never so boisterous yet if they cast Anchor the Mariners lay them down to sleep they are secure because they have cast Anchor And of that use is this Grace of hope to a believing soul the waves many times rise high afflictions persecutions David complains of it Psal 38. 12. They also that seek after my life lay snares for me and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things and imagine deceit all the day long Verse 13. But I as a deaf man heard not and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth Verse 15. For in thee O Lord do I hope Thou wilt hear O Lord my God I was not moved by this saith he I cast anchor in thee O Lord In thee O Lord do I hope thou wilt hear me O Lord my God He cast Anchor in God and then he lies down and rests And so in Psal 42. There were many waves that did rise very high in his own spirit and what doth he do Why he casts anchor in God as in verse 11. Why art thou cast down O my soul And why art thou disquieted within me Hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God Hope still in God cast thy Anchor there and then rest for I shall yet see the time to praise him I shall overcome all storms and shall live to see a câ—lm and therefore O my soul cast anchor in God hope thou in God Thirdly The Anchor keeps the ship from splitting many times upon the sands and rocks when they are very neer danger almost running upon a rock the casting out of an Anchor somtimes doth deliver them Hope is of the same use to a believing soul it keeps the poor soul from splitting upon many discouraging rocks that are in the way to heaven Psal 27. 13. I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the living If it had not been for the Anchor of hope I had split I had fainted and my soul had been split but I believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living the anchor of hope it is that which keeps the soul from splitting upon the rocks Fourthly The anchor keeps the ship close to the place where the Anchor is cast that it shall not be removed far from that place so the grace of hope in this respect is also useful it keeps the heart close to God and Christ that is the benefit of this anchor of hope the men of the world that have not hope in Christ they live at a great distance from God and Christ they dwell at a great distance from heaven they are far from God God is not in all their thoughts because they have not this Anchor of hope if the anchor of their hope were cast in heaven it were not possible that their souls should be at a distance from God the more there is hope the more nigher God it is want of this lively hope that men are so far from God That 's the fourth Fiftly The Anchor is made sure by a Cable that is fastned to it and so the hope of a believing soul will do no good without a Cable now this Cable it is the word of Promise it is the sure word of the Lord that keeps the soul fast If a Ship have a hundred anchors at Sea if they be not fastned to a Cable they will do no good and truly so is hope if it hath not a Cable if men pretend to have hope and that hope not fastned upon the word of the Lord so fast as it is cast it will be lost But the hope of a believing soul is fastned upon the word of the Lord the promise of the Lord and therefore it will hold Sixtly The Sea-man casts his Anchor at a venture he doth not know whether his anchor will reach the bottome or no he doth not know whether his Cable be long enough or whether his anchor will take hold or no and he doth not know whether his anchor will hold when it hath taken hold yet notwithstanding all he makes a venture when he hath need to cast his anchor and so it is with a believing soul when a soul comes first to God he makes a desperate venture he sees his faith is weak and his hope weak and he doth not know whether it will take hold of the rock or no will not my expectation fail All this is objected but the believing soul makes a venture faith is given and it makes a venture he sees that there lies a necessity upon it if I do not cast anchor I perish the winds blow hard and I see a rock before me a gulf and if I do not cast anchor I perish and if I cast anchor it may
of your own heart and satisfying your own lusts what-ever these men pretend they have not hope of the right stamp their hope is but as the spiders web or as the giving up of the ghost Thirdly Let me exhort you all to look after this saving lively hope for it is that which will keep your hearts from breaking in the evil time at one time or other the heart will break if men have not this saving hope therefore seek after this saving hope for it will keep you up in the midst of storms in the midst of evils and establish you in the midst of good it will do you good in a storm and it will be useful to you in a calm you can never take comfort in the good things you enjoy and your hearts cannot be established in peace if not grounded in hope therefore look after this lively hope this anchor of the soul yea soul wouldst thou dwell with God and live neer God and live upon him continually O then cast the anchor of your hope in God true hope will hold your souls close to him that you shall not depart from him Yea would you have your hearts made more holy purified and sanctified and get victory over your corruptions O then seek after this saving hope for that man that hath his hope cast on God and Christ that man is most free from corruption and most active for God true hope it will make you able to suffer it will make you able to rejoyce in tribulation why now dost thou desire all this why then seek after this lively hope But it may be you will say unto me how shall we obtain this hope I see it is exceeding useful and of absolute necessity how shall we come by it where shall we have this anchor to stay our souls For answer First Look to the free grace of God in Christ for it 't is he that doth beget this grace of hope in his people look to those tenders that free grace makes God holds forth his self and Son and pardon and life to poor creatures Free grace makes a render of all this unto you and therefore look to this free grace that so you may have that hope which shall not be confounded and ashamed Secondly Look to Christ for it especially look to the resurrection of Christ that place 1 Pet. 1. 3. Blessed be God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead Christ is risen from the dead he hath paid the debt and brought in everlasting righteousness and therefore look to the resurrection of Christ for by eying that this lively hope may be begotten in you Thirdly Look to the promise to the word of the Lord the word of the Lord is written that you might have hope Rom. 15. 4. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope The Scripture is written that we might believe and in believing might have eternal life and therefore consult with the word of the Lord. You that desire to have hope strengthned look to the word and promises and behold the freeness of them and the unchangeableness of God in them O study the Scripture much and beg that the Spirit of the Lord may shine in them and give you a sight in them and so this hope may be begotten in you Fourthly Look to those patterns and examples of free grace that the Lord set forth for you to look upon the Apostle Paul 1 Tim. 1. 16. saith He was a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting That the Lord should reconcile such an enemy and set his love upon him that was injurious to the Saints one that thought he had sinned so much as that he had out-sinned mercy yet saith he I obtained grace that might be a pattern of mercy and therefore look to those patterns of grace and mercy that the Lord hath set forth before you that so you may be encouraged to come and hope in his mercy And to conclude all do not go on desperately any longer and do not say as they said Jer. 2. 25. But thou saidst there is no hope No for I have loved strangers and after them will I go They resolved to go on in the imaginations of their own heart they said there was no hope and they would do evil as they had done O let not this be the resolution of any poor soul for though you have no hope for the present you are invited to come to Christ that you may have hope The word of the Lord is come to you that you might have hope and those patterns of free grace are set before you that you might have hope O that the Lord would make you more intent in your spirits in looking after this anchor of hope What will you do another day when storms arise and to have no anchor It will be a most sad condition for a poor soul to see it self ready to split and to have no hope no anchor to stay upon O! who would venture to Sea without an anchor If you have no anchor when storms arise you will be at your wits end O that God betimes before it be too late would make you as wise for your souls as you would be for your bodies FINIS Artis est â—â—lare artem Chrysostomus illud quasi peculiare custodit ac proprium quod cum semper sollicitus sit semper vigilans noxii stuporis inimicus nusquam tamen ejus oratio in pompam elevatur dicentis sed tota aptatur ad utilitatem audientis est enim stilus ipse Ecclesiae auribus accomodandus Sixt. Senens Biblio lib. 4. de Jo. Chrysost Vers 21. Two great Wonders wrought by Christ 1. Wonder 2. Wonder The wonder of this womans faith appears first The declaration of thâ— womanâ— faith The Argugument this woman useth to move Christ How Christ tryed the womans faith The behaviour of this woman of Canaan under her tryals The victory of this womans faith 21. Verse spoken to three things to be considered Proposition or Doctrine Application Two sorts of people that exalt their rule above Christs Rule Second sort of people that exalt their rule above Christs Rule Object Answ Third thing laid down which is the place Christ came unto Observation The love of Christ to the souls of men Application Observation that God hath some in every place Observation Application Incouragement to seek Christ Who this woman was that come to Christ Doctrine Weak in estate many times chosen Weak in parts many times chosen Weak in age many times chosen Weak in respect of sex many times chosen Application A declaration of this womans faith Why this woman cals Christ the son of David How David was a type of Christ and how Christ like