A comfortable Sermon of Faith in temptations and afflictions Preached at S. Botulphes wythout Aldersgate in London the. xv of Februarye 1573. By Maister VVilliam Fulke Doctor of Diuinitie 1. IOHN 5. 4. ¶ All that is borne of God ouercommeth the world and this is the victorye that ouercommeth the world euen our fayth Imprinted at London by Iohn Awdeley dwellyng in little Brittaine streete without Aldersgate 1574. ¶ To the right worshipfull and godly Gentlewoman Maistres Mary Harrys Wyddow I Haue alwaies liked well as you know the plaine dealing of our friend Maister Fulke wyth the Scriptures of God which is so much the more commendable in him as he is berter able to make a shew in the perswasible wordes of mans wisedome if he were disposed For although he be ignorant of no kynde of learning by which a man might set forth him selfe vnto the world and vnderstandeth more straunge languages then a great number of our brethren yet when he sheweth the testimony of God he taketh not vpon hym to know any thing as saint Paule sayrh but Iesus Christ and him crucified For by this foolishnes of preachyng the wysedome power and goodnes of God appeareth greatest and woorketh most essectually in them that are the children of god And therefore I maruail not if you which haue heard hym and others that vse the same simplicitie in teaching do couet ro heare them still where as many are more desirous of variety to delight their itching eares then carefull of sound doctrine to conuert their synfull hartes But where as you wer not onely content to haue heard this Sermon preached once at Saynt Botulphes without Aldersgate in London but that you did instantly desire to haue the copy thereof that you might reade it often As it was godly for you to require it so it was hard for me to obtayne it For our friende wyll sooner be intreated to preach ten Sermons then to wryte one Neuerthelesse at the length by many perswasions hee was ouercome to put it in writing so that I got the copy out of hys handes which now I send vnto you not doubting but you wyll vse it both to the renuing of your own remembraunce and to the profit of many others I neede not to adde any commendation of the matter especially to you which knoweth it and as to any others I wysh them first to reade it and then to iudge of it as they shal finde it Thus I commit you to God. Yours to commaund in the lord I. Y. ¶ A Sermon preached in S. Botulphes Church without Aldersgate in London the 15 day of February 1573. by Maister Wylliam Fulke Doctor of Deuinitie Mathew 15. 21. ¶ And Iesus departing from thēce went aside into the partes of Tyre and Sydon verse 22 And behold a certain woman which was a Cananite comming out of those quarters cryed out vnto him saying Haue mercy vpon me Lord thou sonne of Dauid my daughter is pitiously tormented with a Diuell verse 23 But he answered her not a word And hys Disciples came vnto hym and besought hym saying Send her away for she cryeth after vs verse 24 But he aunswered and sayd I was not sent but to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel verse 25 Then she came and woorshipped hym saying Lord helpe me verse 26 But he answered It is not good to take the childrens bread and to cast it to Dogs verse 27 But she sayd True Lord but yet the dogs eate of the crooms that fall from theyr Lordes table verse 18 Then Iesus answered and sayd vnto her O woman great is thy fayth Be it vnto thee as thou wylt And her daughter was healed from the same houre ¶ A comfortable Sermon of fayth THis part of scripture beloued in our sauiour Christ declareth how our sauiour Christ begā to shew some bright beames of his grace vnto the Gentyls For although the ful time wer not yet come that he should shew him selfe openly vnto the whole world yet by this and such like examples he would geue some foretaste of his goodnes which afterward should be offered vniuersally Euen as the Sun before it ascende in the Mornyng aboue the vpper face of the earth where we dwell yet casteth vp some beames of hys lyght wherby we know that he shal shortly arise so our sauiour Christ by stretching forth some fruit of hys grace vnto the heathen would geue good hope of that cōmon mercye which shortly afterward was exhibited both to the Iewes and the Gentils indefferētly Which thing is both profitable and comfortable for vs that are of the Gentils to consider that we may know by what meanes degrees the Gospel which is the power of God to saluatiō was brought vnto vs Ther is also set forth in this Gospel a wonderfull commendation of a most strong inuincible faith in a woman that was a Cananite to set forth the great infidelitye ingratitude of the Iewes y wer the chosen people of God that by comparyng them together we might vnderstād how iustly the Iewes wer depriued of the promised redemption which so disdainfully reiected it beyng offered that the Heathē so willingly embraced whē they heard of it Which thing also we may note in the occasion of his departure out of the land of Iewrye into the partes of Tyre Sidon which the Euangelist discribeth to be this in the begining of this chapter The Scribes Pharises that came frō Ierusalem picked a quarel against him because his disciples did eate with vnwashed hands wherby they transgressed the tradition of the Elders our sauiour Christ in defēce of his disciples chargeth the Scribes Pharises which wer so zealous to mayntame their own ceremonies y they were careles to breake the cōmaundemēt of god And so it cōmeth to passe alwaies that they which are most earnest in vpholding defending traditions ceremonies inuented by man are most forgetful in keping the cōmaundementes of god But this is the iust iudgement of God against those that inuent a new worship of their own brain That first they léese their labour that so séeke to please God secondly that they are depriued of al right vnderstāding because they haue presumed to be wiser then god And therfore our sauiour Christ cōfuteth them by the testimonye of Esay wher God complaineth that the hiprotical people came neare vnto him with their mouth honoured him with their lyps but their hart was far frō him And in vaine do they worship me sayth God whyle they teach doctrines that are the precepts of men Therfore I wil againe do a meruelous work in this people euen a meruelous worke and a wonder for the wisedome of their wyse men shal perish and the vnderstanding of the prudent men shal be hyd And as the same Prophet threatneth in another place Their eies shall be blynded that they shall not see theyr eares stopped that they shall not heare their harts made grosse that they
crooms or chyppinges of the same fall downe to refresh her a poore whelpe that lay vnder the table Here also we may note the true humility y followeth this certayne perswasion of Gods mercy This woman confesseth her selfe to be no better then a Dog and yet she trusteth in the mercy of god By this place also we may perceiue what horrible punishmeÌ„t the Iewes deserued at Gods hand whych eyther negligently or disdaynfully loathed those dainties of Gods table offered vnto them which other poore wretches so gréedely desired and could be content euen with the crooms that fel from their table And we our selues also haue two matters here to consider first the vnspeakeable goodnes of God which of cur Dogs hath made vs his own childreÌ„ by adoption and of such as had no place in the house of God but of greatest fauour to lye vnder the table of hys children hauing conuerted vs from Dogs into his children hath aduaunced vs to sit at his own hye table with his Children euen with Abraham Isaac and Iacob as he sayth in the Gospel Many shall come from all partes of the world and syt down with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kyngdome of heauen when the children of the kingdome shal be cast out into vtter darknes wher shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth The second thing that we haue here to consider is that we being turned froÌ„ Dogs into Gods children do not retayne styl the nature of Dogs that is to returne againe to their filthy vomite which they haue once cast out that being extolled to such dignity that we are made partakers of Gods heauenly table we do not behaue our selues vnreuerently vnthankfully vnholyly but as it becoÌ„meth the children of God the table of God the presence of God with al reuerence obedience thankfulnes to expresse the nature of Gods children vnto which honour we are called Ye know the punishment of him which presumed to syt downe at the mariage feast with out his wedding garment he was pulled out by the eares and thrust into vtter darknes wher shal be weeping gnashing of teeth And the same penaltie remayneth all hipocrites which entruding themselues into the Church of God neuer care for repentance newnes of life holynes righteousues wherunto we are called of God not to vncleanes filthynes Remember that whych was read in the fyrst Lesson this day at Morning praier coÌ„cerning Esau who because he was a prophane felow that made no more accompt of hys birthright in whych was encluded all the hope of the Church but that he sold it for one messe of potage as the Apostle saith to the Hebrues he was afterward depriued of the blessyng and coulde not bee restored vnto it although hee sought it wyth teares Remember also the Iewes who beyng compted the Children of God for the couenaunt that God made with their fathers because they did obstinatly refuse the grace when it was offered would not beleue the promise wheÌ„ it was exhibited they are broken of from the stocke of Israel we that were straungers braunches of the wylde olyue by kynde are graffed into the tree by fayth But so that if we fall froÌ„ fayth as S. Paule saith God shall no more spare vs then he did spare them yea we shall be bro ken of they graffed in againe For God is able to graffe them in againe Let vs therfore continue in faith and shew forth the fruits of faith for by the fruits the trée shal be knoweÌ„ Hetherto we haue heard how the fayth of this woman hath bene tryed to the vttermost which hauyng thrée repulses euen of Christ himself yet ceaseth not to put her trust in him Now let vs sée what successe she had in the ende Although she had neuer so many repulses and discouragementes yet because she continued styll constant and vnmoueable in faith she departed not away confounded She obtained her request she enioyed the promise that who soeuer putteth their trust in him should not be confounded Let vs therefore with inuincible courage of faith hold fast vpon Gods promises and it is impossible that we shall mysse of eternall saluation But some wyl peraduenture obiect she sued here but for a temporall benefite namely the recouery of her daughter what pertayneth this to eternall saluation I answer Thys temporall benefite was to her a confirmation and assurance of euerlasting saluation which she had conceiued by fayth Which thing the answer of Christ playnly declareth who doth not onely graunt vnto this her faith the deliueraunce of her daughter from the deuill but generally what soeuer she would O woman sayth he great is thy fayth be it vnto thee euen as thou wylt First he commendeth the greatnes of her faith by which he is ouercome that he can no longer withhold his grace froÌ„ her Secondly he sayth Be it vnto thee what soeuer thou wyâ—t Who doubteth but that she would as well haue remission of her synnes and assurance of eternal lyfe as the health of her daughter rather to Therfore he sayth Be it vnto thee euen as thou wylt As though he would say wyth this fayth thou mayest obtaine whatsoeuer thou wilt Let vs therfore bryng such a fayth to God and we shall obtaine whatsoeuer we wyll If it were true would some man say that I might haue whatsoeuer I wold I wold wish to haue this Church full of gold or some such lyke matter But ye must remember that Christ here speaketh of faith which is grounded onely vpon Gods promises and therefore whatsoeuer ye wyll aske by fayth that God hath promised you shall obtayne Moreouer they that be endued with true faith wyl wish nothing that is contrary to Gods glory and therefore there is no such vayne wishyng nor woulding with them And therfore what soeuer God hath promised vnto them they make their full accompt to obteine it that which he hath not promised they require but vnder con dition if it may stand with hys wyll and the setting forth of his glory Wherefore as we are taught by thys example let vs in all temptacions and afflictions flée vnto the generall promises of God with inuincible courage of faith For thereof we shall be sure to preuayle in the ende howsoeuer it please God to try our fayth in the meane time For fayth doth not onely ouercome the whole world as S. Iohn sayth which is in déede a noble victorye but fayth preuaileth euen with God him selfe when he proueth and trieth vs by most great temptacions Let vs therefore folow the faith and confidence of Iacob when he wrestled wyth God For by fayth wee wrestle wyth God when he proueth our fayth by temptacion Therefore as Iacob answered when the Angell which represented God that wrestled with him required him to let him depart because it waxed day I wil not let thee go quoth he before thou blesse me So let vs boldlye answer God when he wrestleth with vs assailing our fayth by sundry temptacions we wyll not let thee go before thou blesse vs. For thys example hath God left in wryting for our comfort by this example he hath commaunded vs by the Prophet Hosea to trust in god For Iacob by fayth had power wyth God and had power ouer the Angel and preuayled whereby he was called Israel that is one that preuaileth with god And we if we be true Israelites by fayth must preuayle with god Therefore let vs not faynt in any temptacions but rather as S. Iames sayth let vs reioyce when we fal into sundry temptacions knowing that the tryall of our faith worketh pacience which if she haue her perfect worke we shall be perfect and sound not faynting in any thyng Wherfore as temptacions encrease let vs encrease our confidence prayers Let vs say with the Prophet Dauid Euen as the eyes of seruantes looke vnto the hand of their Maysters and as the eyes of a Mayden vnto the hand of her Maistres so our eyes waight vpon the Lord our God vntyll he haue mercy vpon vs. Finally let vs follow this woman of Canaan whose fayth could not be ouercome by three repulses euen of Christ him selfe but in the ende obtayned euen that she would For God by teÌ„ptacion séeketh not our ouerthrow but our greater victory that the tryall of our fayth which is much more precious then gold which though it be purged with fyre yet perisheth not might be at the last to our praiâ—e honour glory at the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ To whom with the father and the holy Ghost be all honour glory power and dominion both now and euer AMEN Esay 29. Esay 8. Leuit. 15. Num. 19. Mark. 7. Math. 8. Genes 12. and 8. and 12. Ioel. 2. Psal. 72. Esay 28. 1. Pet. 1. 2. Sam. 17 1. Cro. 22. Esay 11. Iere. 23. and. 33. Esay 22. Math. 8. Luke 4. Math. 11. Hebr. 12. 1 Pet. 1. 1. Pet. 1. 1. Cor. 10. Genes 23. Iohn 2. Luke Psal. 50. Iohn 10. Ioh. 17. Galat. 3. Math. 18. Math. 17. Mark. 9. 11. Gene. 2â— Gene. 21. Gene. 17. Isay. 28. Rom. 8. Ioel. 2. Rom. 8. Rom. 8. Gala. 5. Rom. 4 Mat. 24 Rom. 10 Mark. 7 Math. 8. 2. Pet. 2. Mat. 22. 1. Thes. 4 Gene. 25. Gene. 27 Hebr. 12. Rom. 11. Mark. 9. 1. Iohn â— Gene. 22. Hose 12. Iames. â— Psal. 123 1. Pet. 1.
shal not vnderstād least they sée with their eyes and vnderstand with their hartes and be conuerted and God should heale them This got the hye Priests Scribes Pharises by multiplying their ceremonies namely ablutions and washings It is true that God in the law cōmaunded diuers ablutions washings which did rather testify their vncleanes thē purge away their filthines but they had added many others as washing of cups cruises dishes platters brasen vessels and tables often washing of their hands before they did eate especialy if they had come from the market they myght not eate before they had washed their hands rant they were Iewes she was a Gentile they were of the blessed séede of Abraham she was of the curssed race of Canaan they were of the chosen people of Israel she was of the excommunicate castout people of the Cananites they wer brought vp in the knowledge of God his lawes euen from their infancy she was brought vp in the supersticiōs of idolatry they were Doctors teachers of Gods people she had but smal knowledge as one that was an Heathen womā and therfore might not come into the congregation where Gods people were taught Yet they reiected Christ when he was offered she folowed Christ whē he departed from her They were Infidels she was faithful and endued with such faith as might be a shame to al the Israelites that began so long before her yet wer left so far behind her For of her it might be said which our sauiour Christ speaketh of the faith of the Centurion Verely I haue not found such faith in Israel The Centurion was an Heathen man a Romane a man of warre that came to subdue the slauish nation of the Iewes yet God gaue him so great fayth that he excelled euen the Israelites them selues And surely if the circumstances of this poore womans faith be considered it shal appeare far more excellent then hys And especially if we behold wyth what bitter temptatiōs her faith was examined and tryed we shall playnly confesse how far it passed for her fayth was tried vnto the vttermost And first wyth great and extreme aduersitie for her Daughter was miserably tormented wyth a Deuyll Good Lord what a temptacion was thys to her that was of the curssed stocke of the Cana nites which Gods people were commaunded vtterly to destroy to make no leage or couenant with them then hauing newly forsakē the religion of her forefathers people where she lyued lately receiued the religion of the Iewes What a great temptacion I say was it to her that her daughter should be pos sessed with the Deuil She might either haue thought that she had made an euil chaunge of her old religion to be thus welcomed by the Deuil into a new religion Or els that God the author of this religion would not accept her to be one of his worshippers being a cursed Cananite therfore suffered the deuyl to haue such power ouer her daughter as that he did wholy possesse her and miserably torment her For of al aduersities that can be laid vpō a man or a woman this goeth nerest to make them think they are out of the fauour of God to behold that they are geuen ouer as it wer a pray into the Deuils possessiō The losse of tion was openly talked of among the Iewes so the promises of God concernyng Christ their Redéemer were commonly knowen among them as That all nations of the world should be blessed in him That whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of the Lord shal be saued That he shal deliuer the poore when he crieth the needy also and him that hath no helpe He shal be mercyful to the poore nedy shal preserue the soules of the poore He shall redeeme their soules from deceit violence and deare shall their bloud be in his sight That he that putteth his trust in him shall not be confounded Upon these and such lyke generall promises of God contained in the old Testament her faith was builded founded so stedfastly that no storme of temptacion was able to ouerthrow it Which thing is very necessary for vs to consider that when our fayth shal be tried examined as this womās was we may know how to wythstand all the assaultes of most gréeuous temptacions as she did That the trial of our faith which is much more precious then gold that perisheth though it be tryed by fire myght be found vnto our prayse honor glory at the appearing of our Lorde Iesus Christ. Let vs therefore make much of the general promises of God let vs willingly embrace thē diligently wey them and dayly remember them For in them our faith being grounded it shal stand like a most sure bulwark inuincible fortres against ani thing that shal assault our euerlasting saluatiō Upon this boldnes confidence this wretched woman commeth vnto christ For thus her fayth concludeth Seyng all nations of the world shal be blessed in him the very Cananites are not excluded For although the Cananites wer once curssed of God aboue al other natiōs yet by this blessed séed al cursse should be taken away seing he is not restrai ned to one nation more then another but is the cōmon blessing vnto al nations And seing he shal heare the poore that cry vnto him succour the néedy that hath none other helper he must heare me also being so poore a creature helples that crieth vnto him And for asmuch as whosoeuer putteth his trust in him shal not be confounded he cānnot refuse my humble request that repose my whole trust and confidence in him Therefore she is bold with open mouth to cry out vnto him O lord thou Sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon me These words are diligently to be considered first that through confidence of fayth although he do not cal vnto her yet she cryeth after him And the vehemency of her request is expressed by the word of crying y she doth not speake vnto him but with opē mouth she cryeth vnto him For a strong faith sendeth forth earnest requestes as a foeble faith vttereth cold formall praiers And concerning the forme of her peticiō it declareth that her faith was not a conceued fantesy of her own braine but an assured perswasion out of the word of god For seing the Messias was promised to be the sonne of Dauid that al felicity was promised in the kingdome of Dauid according to the holy oracles of God she calleth Christ the sonne of Dauid For she had learned that God said of Messias figured in the person of Salomon which was the sonne of Dauid I wyl be his father and he shall be my sonne She had heard the prophecy of Esay the God promised that out of the old withered stump of I say the father of Dauid a rod shuld come forth a graffe should grow out of his