A Cluster of Grapes Taken out of the Basket of the Woman of Canaan. OR, COUNSEL and COMFORT FOR BELIEVING SOULS, Coming to CHRIST and meeting with Discouragements. BEING The sum of certain SERMONS Preached upon Matthew 15. from Verse 22. to Verse 29. Wherein among other things, is declared more particularly, I. What seeming harsh entertainment the soul may find from Christ. II. What holy, and humble behaviour the soul ought to have under that entertainment. III. How blessed and comfortable a conclusion Christ will make with the soul at last. By JOHN DURANT Preacher of the Gospel in CANTERBURY. London, Printed for L. C. and are to be sold by H. Mortlocke at the Phoenix in Paul's Churchyard near the little North-door. 1660. This shade 's the Author's outside: but this book his inside opens. prithee do not look Admiringly one either; Pass them o'er as empty shadows, for they are no more. Both books, and writers (y'ea, and all things else) at best are shadows: but the bodye's Christ. Soul art dejected! Christ a loan can ease thee and give both comfort, and council to raise thee. A. P Durants' Counsel and Comfort for Believing Souls. To the Right Worshipful Thomas Bonner Esq Mayor, the Recorder, Aldermen, & Sheriff, etc. With the Reverend the Ministers, and the Saints, and Faithful ones in Christ Jesus, in the Town of Newcastle upon Tine: Grace and Peace be multiplied. THat Dedication of Books hath been wretchedly abused, is a thing past doubt. Holy and wise men, in all ages have complained of it, and some of late years have scrupled it. But yet that Books may be dedicated, is to me beyond controversy. Such Books as carry in them any thing besides what is truth, and of concernment, gain no patronage by a Dedication (no persons being great enough to patronise error or vanity) And such Dedications as are only stuffed with applause and flatteries, as they have not been owned by any wise Patron, so they have been rejected by every understanding Reader. When Writings, as Vessels, are fraught with rich and necessary things (and such are all spiritual Truths,) with which kind of Treasure I have endeavoured to fill this Tract; And when Dedications are designed rather for service than for ceremony (which is my design in this) then without doubt they may pass without stop or Scruple, as Ships consigned to particular Ports and persons: Nor can such Dedications be suspected as a precarious policy to seek patronage of what is written. (Certainly Luck never intended that, when he dedicated his Gospel to Theophilus) Neither may they be accused of Patent Monopoly, (as if they only intended, the persons to whom they are directed.) Without doubt the same Evangelist Luke intended the General good in his Gospel, though he sent it first to the particular hand of his most excellent Friend, as he did also his History of the Acts. The following Sermons are intended by me for the general good of many. But I thought it more than meet to consign them particularly to your Port and persons, which when you have received, may pass further, as Commodities of price and profit to many souls. Now if I be demanded a reason of this particular Assignation unto you, spare me to say the truth, which is this, I do hearty desire, 1 to witness how much I honour you whom God hath honoured: And 2 also to acknowledge a debt, wherein (with and for my Brother jointly, and myself singly) I am engaged unto you, which albeit I cannot repay, yet I must remember. I know your Virtue and Prudence will not bear those worthy words of your own worthiness, which yet may be spoke concerning you with truth and soberness. And I can truly say, I never loved to rub their itching ears, who count no sound sweet, but what trumpets their own praises: Upon this account I shall forbear to speak that of you, to yourselves, which yet I think, I am bound (for the benefit of the example) to tell others. Yet this I must needs crave your Licence to print, that having heard of you much by the hearing of the ear, I saw more by the seeing of my eye, when I was amongst you. And though my stay was not long, yet my observation was such, as that I must say, that those good reports of your Town, do not (like the bad rumours of the times) exceed the truth. If fame be found so faithful in its reports of all persons and places, as of yours, henceforth It will be a Slander to call her Liar. You are indeed as you have been famed, persons fearing God, doing justice, holding forth the truth, and practising godliness. I must say of many Towns which I have seen, The fear of God is not in those places; but of Newcastle, I may say in a sober sense, JEHOVAH SHAMMAH, the Lord is there. For you, Right Worshipful Magistrates, suffer me, though not to applaud, yet to approve, (how much soever you are above my approbation) your worthy do in the management of your power and places, wherein if you have any equals, I am sure you have no Superiors. I could wish others did imitate that, wherein you excel. You are found to be Ministers of God to such as do good; for good; and those that do evil, Know you bear not the Sword in vain. Sabbath-breakers, Swearers, (but why should I instance in particulars?) all sorts of vicious persons feel your Sword sharp, and you a Terror to them; whereas your eyes are upon those that are faithful: Ministers and people, fearing God, and doing that which is good, have of you the praise of the same. I beseech you give me leave, (not to praise yourselves, but to provoke others to a godly jealousy) to tell these Southern parts, that there is fair weather in the North; And if in any place in England, certainly in your Town, and under your Government men may and do lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. And this one thing I must needs say, Were all the Ministers in England so carefully and tenderly provided for, and encouraged, as they are in Newcastle, there would not be that complaining in our streets, as there now are upon that account. Indeed the Ministers of your place have their double honour; Your encouragement of them, and provision for them is such, that I know not whether I should entreat other parts to imitate your Bounty or Wisdom most: Certainly both are laudable; You know not any Minister among you by any Character, but of Christ. To preach and practise the power of godliness, is the work you equally countenance and encourage them in: and though there be (as where is not?) some difference amongst them, yet that makes no difference of them to you, who have the like care of all. What can I say of this? Spare me to take up the Psalmists words, For my brethren and companions sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee, yea, the peace of God (which the Learned know to comprehend in it all blessings) be for ever upon you, and yours, for your unparallelled care and kindness to Christ's Ministers amongst you. And for you (my Reverend Brethren) Let me beseech you to improve so choice a mercy, as you have under your Magistrates. I know you desire not (how much soever you deserve) praise: yet let me say, you are to be praised, for that you are of one heart, (though in all things not of one head) you mind and speak the same things of faith and life; Though ye disagree in some things of Church-rule and Order, your public worship is in the same place, and with the same Spirit. There is not heard in your Pulpits (where you preach by turns) the noise of Axes and Hammars; Heats, Debates, Disputes, are exiles at your Assemblies: you fast and pray together, your design is the same, and your endeavours are joint, to convert sinners, and to establish Saints. Those lose and vain opinions which have pestered and plagued many places, by your zeal and unity for truth, are (through Christ's blessing) marvellously prevented in your Congregations: and as for those unchristian Divisions and Animosities (which are elsewhere the sin and shame of dissenting Professors) by the Spirit of Love and Peace, (which rules in your hearts, and appears in your labours) they are either not at all, or not prevailing in your place. But that I may not trouble you with more, I will only add this further, that I perceive ye have well studied that Text, Psal. 77. which speaks of this, as Israel's happiness, that God led them by the hand of Moses and Aaron. Surely the people of your Town seem to be led but by one hand: Indeed Moses goes before, (as it is but fit) and Aaron comes after: Your Magistrates in Civils, and yourselves in Spirituals, are so one in hand (and I hope in heart) that though you have offices distinct, yet your endeavours are joint, and both make up one great mercy to the people under you. As they encourage you, so ye reverence them: They are not such who assume power in Spitituals, but leave your work to yourselves, and ye, (I hope none of ye) are as those who despise Dominion, nor intermeddle with the politic affairs. Let that heart be filled with sorrow, and that hand and head be cursed of the Lord, that endeavours (in the least) the breach of that holy and righteous harmony that is betwixt you: I presume, ye will say, Amen, to my prayer for you in this particular. To you then (holy and beloved Brethren) Who fear God, and have faith in Jesus, and are blessed by, and a blessing to such a Magistracy and Ministry. Let me speak also a few words, I bear you witness to others, that there is amongst you, the Spirit and conversation of the good old Puritans, (whom I mention with honour) it is your credit that you are not in this day of reproach and blasphemy, (which is upon profession for Professors faults) a shame to that worthy name wherewith ye are called. The itch of novel opinions, the botch of vain fashions, the plague of neglect of duties, and slighting Ordinances and Ministry, these are not seen amongst you, or on you. I verily saw much of Christ in you, your carriage was seeming exact, and I hope your study is to be what you seem for. Woe be to Hypocrites and Sinners (hollow-hearted Professors, or ignorant and profane persons) in New castle. They that are bad under Magistrates and Ministers so good, will be damned without mercy under two of the greatest witnesses that can be against a people. But I hope better things of you, though I thus speak. I beseech you so live, that by your good examples, (concurring with the power of your Magistrates, and preaching of your Ministers) ye may help to convince and convert evil doors, at least, to put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. To you all, Magistrates, and Ministers, and Saints, jointly and severally, let me return my hearty & humble thanks for that singular respect, which for many years ye have expressed to my ever dear and beloved Brother, whose lot is cast among you. It is to me matter of joy and praise before the Lord, that since it pleased God (who disposes of all our persons and places) to carry him so far from all relations, that he did vouchsafe to fix him amongst yourselves, who abundantly make up all relations, in your care and kindness to and for him. Now the blessed God for ever reward your love to him and his. Let your goodness accept of me (who am obliged in and for him) this short, but sincere acknowledgement for the same. I shall not trouble you with the remembrance of that kindness, which (when by the good hand of God I visited my brother, and saw ye,) you were pleased to express. It is your goodness you had rather show kindness than hear praise. Therefore I judge it would trouble you, if I should blaze that, which yet was such and so great, as I have and must speak of to others, and before the Lord with thanksgiving: your receiving me, and love to me, was in the Spirit of the Gospel; ye did receive me in the name of a Prophet, and in the name of a Disciple, (howbeit I am unworthy that honour.) Oh that he who rewards a cup of cold water, given upon such an account, would abundantly reward your large and loving respects to me (even poor me) in that way, and upon that score. My gratitude would overflow, did not the consideration of your Modesty (which loves not to hear its own applause) set me bounds. I will therefore conclude thus, May your Persons, your Government, your Labours, your whole Town, and your Universal All, be always under the special favour of the blessed God, and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom I remain, Right worthy, Reverend, and Beloved Sirs, Your most obliged, and most affectionately humble servant, JOHN DURANT. To the Reader. TO serve the counsel of God in a man's particular Generation, is a duty incumbent on all that profess themselves the servants of Christ: and to be sincere and diligent therein, is to be in the exercise, and partake of the sure mercies of David. But to be willing to do any thing which may be service to Christ in another Generation, and to be indeed successful therein, is a blessing which few attain unto. And yet though such a blessing be obtained but by a few, I persuade myself, it may at least be desired and pursued by all. For as we are to covet earnestly the best gifts: so are we to aim at, and endeavour the best service; and such is that which lasts and lives, when we are gone, and fallen asleep in our Graves. I hope I shall be freed from the crime and censure of pride, if I say, that my aim in these small pieces, which I have been pressed formerly to print, was to serve, not only my present, but the next Generation. And I must acknowledge to the praise of the glory of Christ's grace, that my experience of the good liking and acceptance of my Labours this way, gives me grounds to hope, that my service may extend itself beyond my own age. Certainly books last longer than men; and they speak when we are dead and gone. Hereupon I am encouraged once again to appear in the Press for the same service, which is only to subserve the counsel of God for the good of thy soul, (Christian Reader) by the following Sermons; concerning which, I will only preface a few words, about their Occasion, Scope, and Mode. 1 For the Occasion, take that thus; there is extant among those choice labours of that Man of God, Mr. William Bridge (now of Yarmouth) one Sermon (pity it is there, were no more) upon the story of the Woman of Canaan. This Sermon, I had a Child (who is now with him who gave it) that was much taken with it. I perceived she read it often with savour and delight; whereupon it was in my heart, to enlarge a little more upon that subject, which certainly is sweet to all those who have spiritual senses exercised to discern the glory and relish of Gospel discourses. This was indeed (Reader) the occasion of these Sermons. 2 The Scope of them is, to do good to many, who are the sons and daughters of Mystical Canaan. In the History of the example here opened, we may observe, what ought to be the carriage, and what may be the comfort of any soul, that hath or shall come to Jesus Christ. Indeed the way of coming to Christ, I have not enlarged in, (having formerly done that in my Ministerial course) the special thing attended and aimed at, is, to direct and help poor souls, who know and are in the way to Christ, but lie under temptations and troubles, by reason of some seeming harsh, delatory, and denying entertainment, which they meet withal. And therein I hope this work will be unto thee (Reader) of advantage. 3 Concerning its Mode, or the manner of handling these Sermons; truly it is without affectation or curiosity, either as to phrases or fancies; and in the same plainness wherein they were preached (and taken) are they now without any further polish printed. And truly the bread of life is best, when it is plain. Experience hath put it beyond controversy, that the truths of God take and work most sweetly and sovereignly, where they are delivered most plainly and simply; Not in the wisdom of man, but in the simplicity of the Spirit, and in that ordinary language wherein the Lord gives to each man utterance. The way of such men's preaching is exceeding bad, (albeit the matter may be truth and good) who rather tickle the ear, than touch the hearts of their hearers. This last I studied, and therefore that other I neglected. And (Reader) if thou affect words, thou mayest spare thy pains, for upon that score the ensuing Sermons will yield thee no pleasure. But in case thy heart be set on things, which may concern thy soul, read humbly and seriously, and I dare (under Christ) promise thee profit for thy pains. My desire was, and is, to serve poor, humble, hungry souls, that will be glad of any of the crumbs which Christ gives: and if thou be such, fall to, and the Lord be with thee in thy perusal of these Sermons, which (with thy soul) I commend to the blessing of Christ, desiring thee (Reader) in thy prayers to remember him, who is Thine in soul-service for Christ's sake, John Durant. THE Woman of Canaan coming unto Christ. The First SERMON. Matthew 15. from vers. 22, to vers. 29. 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, my Daughter is grievously vexed with a Devil. But he answered her not a word, and his Disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away, for she crieth after us. But he answered and said, I am not sent, but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she, and worshipped him, saying, Lord help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth Lond: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their Master's table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O Woman, great is thy Faith: be it unto thee, even as thou wilt. And her Daughter was made whole from that very hour. IN all our addresses unto Christ (which is the great business of our Life and Happiness) it concerns us, not only to know the great Precepts that should guide us: and the gracious Promises that may encourage us; But also to be well acquainted with all those Patterns and Examples of any that have gone to Christ before us; and likewise with those occurrences which they did (and we are like to) meet withal in this work: Now (my Brethren) unto this purpose I know no one story in all the New Testament, which speaks of any coming to Christ, like that which I have read, to acquaint us a little by way of Pattern, what we should expect when we come to Christ. In the coming of this Woman to Christ, we have something very patternable for us to mind. And in the carriage of Christ to her, we may see what we may expect at the hands of Christ, even then when we come to him. There are fix heads unto which the whole story, as it is here recorded, may be reduced. First, You have the coming of the Woman unto Christ, in vers. 22. Secondly, You have the seemingly harsh entertainment that Christ gives her at first, for he answered her not a word, and though his Disciples spoke on her behalf, he puts them off. Thirdly, You have the Woman's good behaviour, notwithstanding all this, vers. 25. She worshipped him, saying, Lord help me. Fourthly, You have the Repulse that Christ doth give to that, in vers. 26. But he answered, and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. Fifthly, You have her yet renewed recourse to Christ after that repulse, in vers. 27. Truth Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their Master's table. Sixthly and last▪ You have the blessed issue of all, in vers. 28. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O Woman, great is thy Faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt, etc. My intention is not to confine myself to the Method, but to the Matter: In which you have, The Coming of the Woman. The Entertainment of Christ. The Carriage of the Woman under all. And the blessed Conclusion wherewith all is ended. At present we shall consider the first of these, The Coming of the Woman of Canaan. 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, my Daughter is grievously vexed with a Devil. This Note Behold, is observed to be a Note of Attention, and it is put in, to usher in some matter that is more than ordinary remarkable, and to be minded by us. Here is a Woman, and a Woman of such a Country, and so coming, and that upon such an account, that both the one, and the other, and altogether, may very well be brought in with a Behold. I have formerly spoken at large of souls coming to Christ, how God leads them, and how by Faith they are brought to him; and therefore shall not handle that now. Only, there are here three heads of Observation, to which I shall reduce all at this time; And as sometimes I make three Sermons upon one head or point, so at this time I shall make one Sermon upon three heads. And the order in which I shall proceed to speak of them, shall be this: First, We will a little consider the party coming. Secondly, The manner how she comes. Thirdly, The occasion, or the account upon which she comes at this time. To begin with the first: Behold (saith the Holy Ghost) A Woman. You will be ready to say to me, What shall we see in her? why truly in this Woman coming to Christ, you shall see this Truth. That the way to Christ is very free for poor souls of any place, in any condition. Here is a Woman (I list not to quibble upon that) but here is a Woman of Canaan. Canaan of all the places at those times had a mark upon it, to be most opposite to goodness, and it may be said of it, as once it was said of another place, Can any good come out of it? But of what place of the Country? she was a borderer to Tyre and Sidon; Now Tyre and Sidon were the worst places of that Country. They were in a sense the Sodom sinks of Canaan. The Savage places (as we say of some Sea-Towns) the most notorious Cities of all that Country; and yet now a Woman of this bad Country; the door is open, and she comes to Jesus Christ. You read of some (in John 12.20, 21.) that came to Philip, and said, Sirs, we would see the Lord, etc. Why my Brethren, It is a certain truth, whatever Country you are of, whatever place, sex or condition, the way is open, and you may freely come to Jesus Christ. This truth is so general in all the Gospel, and so frequently preached, that I shall not need to stay upon it. You read that Christ freely invited, and lovingly entertained all that came, even Publicans and Harlots, Sinners and Rebels, Enemies and ungodly ones; I say not, qua tales, but qui quondam tales, i. e. such as once were so vile, and therefore unworthy and unlikely to come; yet come they did, and the way was not hedged up, nor the door shut against them. There are three ends why I touch upon it, and for which I desire you to Behold this truth in this woman. First, Behold this Woman, and truth for this end. To let you see The certainty of that great truth, That some of all sorts shall be saved. Is the way to Christ open and free for any sex, of any condition and Country? then some of all sorts and Countries shall come in, Rev. 7.9. you read besides the sealed▪ ones (of the Jews) the Holy Ghost takes notice of an innumerable company of the Gentiles, and they are thus set out, to be of all Nations, and Kindred's, and People, and Tongues. My Brethren, I do not intent so much as in the least to prop the opinion of general Redemption; but this I say, that sigh the way to Jesus Christ is so free, and so open unto all, that therefore some of all, though not all, may come to him, and shall be saved at last. I say not that all shall be saved, (I could wish that error had died with Origen) but I say, some of all, i. e. some of all conditions, Countries, Kindred's, &c. shall be saved by Jesus Christ. And why O soul, may not we be of that some? But secondly, See (my Brethren) what an encouragement here is unto Faith. The poor soul would come, and when he comes he must believe (your Faith are your feet by which you must come to Christ.) But now the great question is, When the soul is upon his way going to Christ, or upon his feet (It is such a sinner) that the question is, May he come? yes, he may, the way is open and free to any. In Luk. 7.37. You read of a Woman that came to Christ, that is called a sinner, etc. What ever Country you are of, I pray mind me, be it never so barbarous and base: Be thou, O soul, a sinner of any City, suppose Sodom, there is this ground for your Faith to build upon, and if you could (as it were) peep and look within the Veil, you should see that there are some of your Countrymen and women in Heaven. Father Abraham was in an Idolatrous Nation, yet in the 51. of Isaiah, saith the Holy Ghost, Look to Abraham; consider what he was, etc. and Behold (saith my Text) A Woman of Canaan came to Christ; take notice of her well, for this end also, to strengthen my Faith, you may come what ere be your Country. Thirdly, Behold withal, How inexcusable poor creatures will be, that do not put forth endeavours to come to Christ. What will you have to say? will you say you might not? this truth will tell you there is a way open for any of you. This story, as it is in Mark 7.24. says, Christ would have hid himself, but he could not. Therefore, as it is an encouragement to Faith, so it will leave unbeleef without excuse. This poor woman will condemn thee, poor Christless, careless Creature; Behold her coming, and tremble to think of thy tarrying away. To terrify all poor negligent souls, that mind not, seek not, come not to a Christ, is another end why I would have you all behold the Woman of Canaan coming: When she is gone before, what will become of you, if that you follow not after? certainly her coming will be your condemnation. So much for the first head, the party coming. Secondly, How doth this Woman come? Why truly, my Brethren, you must keep Behold in your hand all along. Behold how she comes, she comes crying, and saying, Lord, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. Verily (my Brethren) this manner of her coming deserves a Behold, as the very coming itself. There are three circumstances in the manner of her coming. First, It is said, she cried. Secondly, She cried, Have mercy on me. And thirdly, O Lord, thou Son of David. First, She cried unto him. The word doth denote a very passionate cry; the Syriack doth use a word which doth signify such a cry, which is as a beast that doth low after its Calf. She cried unto him, that is, She came with abundance of affection and of intention of spirit. The Evangelish Mark tells us, she fell at his feet. I cannot better open this, than by turning you to that which is (as it were) a parallel, 2 King. 4.87. where you have a poor woman, whose soul was bitter, coming to the Prophet, and so soon as she came to him, she fell down and caught him by the feet. I pray behold and learn, in all your addresses unto Jesus Christ, put forth the highest affection, put forth the most intenseness of your spirits that may be, cry, and get hold of him, Christ will not charge thee with unmannerliness. She cried, it notes the Agony of her spirit that she was in. Oh that our drowsy careless souls would but learn of this Woman! Many are so far from crying, that they scarce lisp. But remember it (Sirs) when you come to the Lord Jesus, stir up all your souls, let all your affection then go out: Oh! when should we ever let out all our souls to the utmost, if not then when we come to close with Jesus Christ? There is a lawful and laudable passion to be manifested in this matter. Christ loves and likes to hear our cries: O let not this poor woman's crying, cry any of us shame, who are so far from a crying after Christ, that we do almost cry away Christ: Well, behold her praiseworthy passion, and go thy way (soul) and imitate her therein. Never approach Christ, but with much passion, with most earnest and ardent affection. Secondly, She cried, Have mercy on me. Poor Woman, she speaks as one poor in spirit, (that is) rich in Faith, (as Christ calls her afterwards) she had no Merit, but she knew the Lord had Mercy, Behold it, and know this as a lesson to be learned hence, viz. That when you approach Christ, let it be by Mercy, by mere Mercy. That same poor Publican in the Gospel of Luke cries, Lord be merciful to me a sinner. My Brethren, right closing with Christ, right saving justifying Faith which carries the soul to Christ, eyes nothing but Mercy. This is the main encouragement that keeps up Faith, yea, and this is the great Motive that doth still prevail with the Lord, therefore we should take hold of it; in Ephes. 2.4. It is said, But God who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, etc. Thou hast misery that pincheth thee, but the Lord hath mercy that will pity thee, and thou that sayest thou hast no works, know this, the Lord hath much grace. Behold the Woman of Canaan, and see how she doth, and we ought to eye and plead mere mercy, and that only, and always when we come to Christ. Thirdly, Observe a little further what she saith, Lord, thou Son of David. She speaks in language beyond the learning of the Scribes and Pharisees; though they were great Doctors of the Law, yet they had not learned this mystery, to look upon Christ, as the Lord, and as the Son of David. It was indeed a miracle, that a Woman of Canaan should have this knowledge, and we might say (as it was said in another case of Christ) whence hath this Woman knowledge? why my Brethren, what could any of us have said more to Christ, to speak out our Faith, what is it? but that we do believe in the Lord Jesus Christ: This phrase speaks Faith. Learn hence, In all your addresses to Christ, to come in the language of Faith, and speak to Christ as becomes Jesus Christ. Still know, he is the Lord, David's Son, the promised one indeed. When you come to deal with Jesus Christ, be not hasty, consider who he is (he is the Lord) and he is the Son of David, the true and the only Messiah. Remember this lesson in all your addresses to Jesus Christ, remember this good example; it is a Saints pattern. There are two sorts of people I would desire to look upon this pattern. The first are those, who it may be are but now beginning to close with Jesus Christ. And secondly, Those who it may be have revolted and back slidden from Christ, and are now returning again. I pray (Sirs) make as much haste as you can, but observe how you go. Go to Jesus Christ with much affection, with much humility, renounce Merit, and cry Mercy, and still give the Lord his due: So you see this Woman of Canaan doth, and go thou O soul, in any case, and do likewise. That is all I will speak to the second head. To proceed to the third and last thing, Behold once again the occasion of this Woman's coming, It was, That her daughter was grievously vexed with a Devil. The Evangelist Mark says, she was vexed with an unclean spirit. The one is a general, the other is a particular expression of it. I do not think it worth the while to dispute about this infirmity, or this possession under which her Daughter lay, what it was; All that I shall note, shall be not of a Physical, but rather of a Spiritual and Theological Nature,— from this Mother's coming to Christ upon this occasion. In the general, she takes her child to be possessed with a Devil, she goes not to a figureflinger, not to any cunning man (as simple ones use to say) she goes not to the Devil in a Doctor, to cast out the Devil of her Daughter, No, but she comes to Christ. I pray, in the general, Learn in all cases, distempers, diseases, etc. to go first to Jesus Christ. You may go to men, to Physicians (though not to Wizards) but you must go to Christ, and behold the Woman of Canaan to establish you in that good Christian custom, of having recourse to Christ on all occasions, in all necessities, whether for yours, and yourselves. But this is general. There are two things in particular. The first particular thing I would have you learn out of this Mother's coming upon this account, Is, Parentive pity in compassion on children. This Woman of Canaan pities her child, and cries, as if she herself felt her Daughter's pain, and though she was not sick simply, yet she was Sympathetically; thou that canst let the little one cry, and it may be perish while thou art fooling abroad, Oh remember the Woman of Canaan, have pity on your poor children, and for their sakes go to Jesus Christ. And do I mean only you should go to Christ for them when they are sick? no, but Oh pray for thy child's sick soul. It was a notable speech of one of the Ancients, said he, Wilt thou mourn over a body from whom the soul is gone, and not over a soul from whom God is gone? Oh show that you have spiritual sympathy; many of you have a natural sympathy, if you see the child burn and snake, etc. of a , thou canst pity him; but it may be thou seest him shake and reel with drunkenness, and not pity them at all. It is Motherly pity to sympathise with sick bodies, but Christian pity to sympathise with sick souls. Friends, put on bowels (as the Elect of God) as the Woman of Canaan, and have compassion on your children; In all their afflictions be ye afflicted, with all their sorrows be ye affected, and go to Christ, on their behalf, but not only for bodies, but also and especially for their souls. This is the first particular. But the second is that which I would stand upon. Considering that this distemper upon the Daughter, did bring the Mother here unto Christ, I would especially speak to this, and entreat you to Behold this occasion of her coming, and it will afford us a very profitable Note. The Note is this. Behold what occasions the Lord sanctifies sometimes to bring souls to himself: What is the occasion? My Daughter is sick. The particular Doctrine is this, That sometimes the Lord doth sanctify corporal, or external occasions, and afflictions, to bring souls home to himself. The great means, the standing Ordinance by which the Lord brings souls to himself, is the Word, and the Word Preached. But yet I say besides that, the Lord is pleased sometimes to make use of other means, and among the rest, sometimes the Lord doth sanctify external afflictions to bring home poor souls to himself. There are two things in all external afflictions that I would have all to mind. First, God sending. Secondly, God sanctifying of these afflictions. First, You should observe, That God sends them. Afflictions do not arise out of the dust; if any evil be in the City or Family, it is the finger of the Lord, it doth not come by chance or fortune, it comes from God, and we ought to behold him in it. But than secondly, Observe the Lord sanctifying afflictions. The Lord doth not always sanctify affliction where he sends it: But sometimes God doth sanctify it unto many good and gracious ends and purposes; and in particular, I say, God doth sometimes to some souls sanctify afflictions to this end, to bring home the poor soul to himself. There are three Comings unto Jesus Christ, in all which the Lord doth sometimes, to some persons, make use of corporal afflictions. First, There is that which we call our first fundamental Coming to Jesus Christ; when the soul doth first come to Jesus Christ from his wandering rebellious estate and condition, when it is first brought out of the wilderness. Secondly, There is our gradual Coming to Christ; When the soul that is come to Christ in a good measure, comes a little nearer, he comes from strength to strength, and so by degrees appears before God in Zion. jacob's Ladder had many staves, and coming to Christ hath many steps and stairs: Therefore besides our prime, or first coming unto Christ, there is a perfecting progress, or ascendent going to, or growing up in Christ higher and higher, which is, (as it were) our coming nearer and nearer. Thirdly, There is our Coming to Christ, which is our Return after some eminent Revolt, when a soul hath left its first love. Now in all these, and unto all these, the Lord doth sometimes sanctify external afflictions; the Lord doth sometimes sanctify external afflictions, to bring the soul home to himself; As Poverty, The Lord makes many an one poor, that they may look after a rich Christ. And Disgrace from creatures the Lord permits, and sanctifies that to make the soul long and labour, that they may be precious in his sight. And Sickness upon us and ours; the Lord doth sometimes kill the child's body, to save the Mother's soul; take away the husband, the he may bring the wife home to himself; we might give many notable instances. As in Matth. 8.2. There you find a Leper came to Christ, and what occasion brought him; truly this man's Leprosy brought him to Christ, and for aught we know, had not this man been a Leper, he had never come to Christ. In Matth. 9.27. There we hear blind men calling after Jesus Christ; but why? you shall see in that place, their blindness upon their eyes, make them look after Christ. And Matth. 21.14. The blind and lame came to him to the Temple to be healed, etc. Thus it pleaseth Christ sometimes to sanctify corporal afflictions to bring us home to himself. There are two Reasons why the Lord doth this. The first relates to us. The second, unto himself. First of all, I say, The Lord doth sometimes take this course, upon our account; considering us, the Lord works thus on us; In Jer. 9 saith the Lord there, I will melt my people, for how else shall I do for the daughter of my people? i.e. As if he should say, I cannot tell else what to do for them. Oh my Brethren, the Lord sees sometimes nothing else will do it but affliction. Me thinks I hear the Lord sometimes speaking of a poor creature after this manner, There is such a one, who so long as he can be well, and do well, as to externals, I shall not hear of him, I must therefore take some other course with him; well, I will go and melt him, etc. Oh Sirs! this is our folly, that (whatever Arminians dream) we are so backward to come to Christ, that except he draw, we will not go; nay, except he drive, we will not stir, nor step forward; all the persuasions of the Lord, they will not work us up to free will, except he make, he add power to persuasion: Indeed in the day of his power, we are (potentially, not perswasively only) made a willing people, as Psal. 110. Upon this account it is, that Christ is, as we say, fain to use the Rod sometimes to bring us home to himself. How oft doth Christ say, sigh my Pipe will not, my Rod shall fetch such a sheep, and such a sheep? (i. e. It may be thy soul, and thy child's soul.) I will make it a day of power, and by grace I will follow them with one means after another. You know what is said by the Lord, of a backward people, in Hosea 5. verse the last. In their affliction they will seek me. In 2 Sam. 14.30. You read, Absalon sent for Joah to come to him, and he would not, but Absalon sent and fired his fields, and then he comes. My Brethren, we may very well parallel it; God saith sometimes, go Minister, preach to him judgement, and threatening, and that will not do; and go mercy, that will not do; then go sickness, & Oh! sickness must preach a Sermon, before many will hear a word. Well, here is the first Reason (which as I said, relates to us) Afflictions are sent and sanctified to bring us to Christ, because often nothing else will. Truly, I say, this is our naughty Nature, that fair means will not work upon us, and this is our Father's grace, that he will take other means, but he will effect his work. Secondly, The Lord doth it upon another account, which relates to himself; To show us, That he is not tied to means, but can work by any providence if he please. The Lord hath more means than one, and he is a free Agent, he can use which he pleases. If Onesimus, a naughty and bad servant, will not be wrought upon at home under a good Master, he shall be brought to the Gaol to hear a Sermon there; you have that intimated in the Epistle to Philemon. The account of it take in brief thus, Philemon was a godly man, and a good Master, and he had 2 Church in his house; but Onesimus was nought for all that, his Master could not by any means work upon him, but he breaks out and away, (it is likely) he runs: And by the hand of Justice, (God ordering of it) is brought to a Gaol, where a Prison prepares him to hear, and a prisoner is provided to preach, and now he is wrought upon. God hath many ways, if we run from one, he hath another to meet with us in. If a Pulpit do not, a Prison shall; if a soft word win not, a hard shall; he will have us see that he is not tied to any means, and therefore sometimes will by a sickness, a loss, etc. bring us home, as well as by other ways. There is only one Objection that must be answered. Object. But doth not his seem to give some advantage to those who cry down the preaching of the Word? It hath been a seemingly fair, but a really poor Argument of those to tell us, that God can make any thing an Ordinance, and therefore they cast off preaching, and say, what need that? cannot, and doth not God work sometimes without that? Repl. I answer generally; My Brethren, One good means may very well go hand in hand with another: And my Brethren, none of the Lords means are Yea and Nay; destructive one of another, or inconsistent one with another: All may, and all shall stand; and in vain do we think to make one an Argument against the other. It is certain God can always, and he doth often work by afflictions; But yet the Word is the chief, known, tried, and standing means: And after all that hath been said to the contrary, I still think, that though the Lord may make use of, and sanctify afflictions (as sickness upon us and ours) to bring us home to himself, yet it is very rarely without the Word. There are two Considerations in particular, that I would have you mind. First, Many times Afflictions (as poverty and sickness) do make a word to work a word that we have heard. The words of the wise (saith Solomon) they are as Nails fastened. Now it may be the Lord fastens, or rather puts in a Nail in the Assembly by his Word, and the poor soul runs away; now the Lord sends an affliction after him, to fasten the Nail, and the man is cast upon a sickbed, and now says he, I remember such an instruction. Affliction brings home, and drives home a word formerly preached unto us, which we heard, and did not regard or remember, but now by an Affliction are made to do both. I have thought Affliction doth that which Posset-drink doth in Physic (it is a plain similitude, yet mark it) A man takes Physic, and it works not, then give him a draught of Posset-drink, and that makes it work, that helps it on; so it is here. A Word is given out, and it works not, than the Lord sends Affliction, and that makes it work: But still it is the Word that works, the Word formerly heard, etc. You know what is said, in Psal. 141.6. It is said there, when they are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my words, for they are sweet. Why the words were sweet before, and heard before; but then they shall be made to relish, and then they will mind them. Well, mind this, though Affliction work, it is rather as a help to the Word, than of itself without the Word. This is one Consideration. Secondly, Another Consideration is this, That mostly the Lord makes use of Afflictions (if not to) back what we have heard, yet) to bring them to hear. Mind it; Many a time the poor Creature hath lived without Sermon-hearing all his days, and Affliction comes, and that drives him to the Word: Now the soul will go to Lectures, now the soul will wait on the Ministry; so that Affliction doth rather bring him to the Word as the means, that work, and be an effectual means without it. I pray then mark these Considerations, to keep up your highest thoughts of the Word, and that preached as the prime means; verily experience seals to these two things, that the work of Affliction, rather seconds a Word heard, or brings the soul to hear the Word, than simply works without it. Now then for the Application of this. There are five Uses that I shall lay before you. First, Doth the Lord this way use and sanctify sickness and affliction sometimes upon us or ours? Then look about you, and see whether God hath sanctified any affliction upon you. We live in a sickly time, it may be sickness hath been in all your families; hath this (like the Woman of Canaan) brought you to Christ? did the sickness of thy body, advance thy foot to Christ? You will say, We are like the Woman of Canaan, and God forbidden but we should go to Christ when we were sick. But did it bring you to Christ in a soul-way, in a soul saving-way? Quest. How shall I know that? Answ. Let me propose two things to you, to let you try. First, When any affliction brings a soul to Christ (besides the material sickness or affliction that is upon the outward man) the soul is sensible of something like it, lighted upon the inward Man. There is a sense of the same spiritually, as well as corporally. As now, when sickness brings a man to Christ, he speaks thus, I am sick, my head aches, I, and saith the man, my heart aches too. Oh wife! I am a poor sinner, I cried first out, I am sick in body, but now I am sick in soul; still the soul sees something like it in spirituals, if his sickness brings him to Christ. If thou only art sensible of a corporal disease, and goest to Christ for that, than it is but a corporal coming, not a soul, nor a saving coming unto Christ: but when thy sick body leads thee to the sense of a sick soul; when thy , thy Ague, brought thee to feel the like distemper in thy soul, and thou thereupon goest unto Christ for that, than was sickness indeed sanctified in a soul-saving-way. Secondly, Observe this, He that by any affliction or sickness is brought home to Christ, whatever the issue of the affliction may be, his heart is for certain moving still towards Christ; even after the sickness is gone. You may have a man while the sickness is upon him, than he may be up in prayer with his Lord have mercy, etc. but when it is gone, his sickness is gone, and devotion is gone too: But if this bring him to Christ, though the sickness be gone, yet the man follows after Christ still, and minds him. The soul after sickness is as he, Luk. 8.38. who besought the Lord that he might be with him. O soul! if thou camest to Christ sick, thou desirest to be with Christ well; I pray then look to it, see if your afflictions have been sanctified, and if they have brought you unto Christ. That is our first Use. Use 2. Then secondly, Let this teach us all to prise those afflictions by which we can say, the Lord brought us home to himself; I say, learn to prise such an affliction: Never speak ill of that sickness, by which the Lord Jesus brought thee nigh to himself. You say it hath been an hard time with you, sickness hath been sore in your families, but did Christ bring thee nigh to him? never speakevil of that affliction more. Mind Psal. 94.2. Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, and teachest him out of thy Law. Hast thou been afflicted? hath that taught thee something of the bitterness of sin, of the necessity of Christ? and hath it taught thee to look after thy soul, to look after a Christ? happy man art thou. Oh my Brethren, many a man hath said to the praise of God, blessed be God for such a sickness, etc. I have heard of some that have blessed God for plundering, for poverty, for such and such a sickness on themselves and theirs, etc. And truly well they might so do, because it brought them home to Christ. Christ hath saved a parent's soul by taking away a child's life; Oh therefore, if God hath done so by you, you may sing, happy time, blessed affliction. I pray speak well of all things which help you home to Christ. Use 3. Thirdly, This point will give us a Lesson of Hope in the behalf of any of our Relations, whose souls we love, and labour with, till Christ be form in them, but at present is not. Sickness, Loss, Affliction are a way sometimes. Now hope in the Lord; if thou that hast done thy endeavour upon thy poor Relation to bring him to Christ, and yet he is not come, thou little knowest what affliction may do. It may be that which thou couldst not work upon thy child with all thy instructions, that God may do with an affliction. I cannot advise you to pray; as I have heard of one (who it may be, spoke it honestly, though not handsomely, Lord break a leg or an arm, etc.) Lord send him a , an Ague, etc. I cannot advise you to that. But this I can say for your encouragement: God can send, and sanctify an affliction to bring home thy child at last. Christ's Rod can do that which yours cannot; Oh therefore pray and hope, endeavour and hope, yet God can work and win upon thy yoke-fellow, thy child, thy brother etc. For God sometimes you see sends and sanctifies afflictions, to bring in to Christ. Use 4. Fourthly, Let this teach us patiently to bear any affliction that may be upon us for present; why so? because for aught we know, God may sanctify it to bring us nigh to himself; should not we then be patiented? Possibly thou art a poor creature, that hast been but a Talker of Christ, only a mere pretender, but yet to this day didst never really come to, nor rightly close with Christ, and now thou art sick, and weak. Free Grace may design, and intent thy real, experimental and truly saving knowledge of, and laying hold upon the Lord Jesus, and to that purpose it may be (I say) that God brings affliction, O therefore learn patience; who can tell but the Lord will be gracious, and by this affliction bring thee home to himself, he is chastening thee here, that he may not condemn thee hereafter. True it is, that no affliction (as the Apostle says) for the present is joyous, but afterwards it may bring forth the peaceable fruit of righteousness. Oh therefore, I say, beware of repining and murmuring, for possibly the Lord afflicts thee, that he may bring thee, as this woman, to himself. The last Use, Let all your hearts run out after this in all your afflictions, that (if it be the Lords pleasure) it may work upon you, (as it did upon the Woman of Canaan) to bring you near to Jesus Christ: Mind and desire is then in all afflictions. This is that you should look after in your afflictions, not only to consider that God sends it, but to observe how God sanctifies it. Say, Oh Lord, thou hast afflicted my body, do good to my soul; say, thou hast afflicted me, and mine, thus or thus in body or estate; oh that indeed thou wouldst work upon mine heart thereby. Consider, to move you, First, It is your soul-concernments that do most of all upon you to consider in all your afflictions. It may be God hath taken away all thy estate, and thou art considering how to make it up again, why know, it doth more concern thee to consider how thou mayest be rich in Faith, and come to a good estate in Christ, rather than to vex thyself about thy estate and how to recover thy loss: Or else it may be you are ill, and now your great care is to be well again; Oh thou oughtest rather to consider thy soul-sickness, thy spiritual illness, and endeavour to get that cured in Christ, than thy poor carcase. I beseech you beloved mind, (as you use to say) the main, and know, that it is the soul that is that main, and do no● altogether mind your bodies, but sometimes mind your souls. Oh that God would make people, but to mind their souls more (I could wish) but as much as their bodies! Secondly, To move you, Consider, whatever the issue of any affliction may be, blessed are you if your souls are brought to Christ, It is well indeed if closing with Christ be the conclusion. Let child live or die, estate go or come, so thou and Christ meet together, all is well. Blessed is the man that can say, I lost my estate such a day, and I found my Lord Jesus such a day, etc. Therefore suffer the word of Exhortation; Above all things see how your souls are brought to Christ in every Affliction; and make it your grand work to observe and obtain that, by all the hand of God at any time upon you or yours. But before I conclude, I must answer this case of Conscience. Case. But will some poor souls say, Alas, If I should go to Jesus Christ upon such a carnal account, shall I be accepted? Because my husband, wife, or child is sick, will he hear me? Is this a fair foundation, or a good first Motive to bring me to Jesus Christ? Resol. I answer, Truly my Brethren, If thou goest only to Jesus Christ upon a carnal account, or occasion, I cannot say Christ will bid thee welcome; But if thy carnal occasion be but a Motive, to bring thee upon a higher account, thou mayest go and find entertainment. Although a dirty shoe bring you into your Father's house, yet your Father will make you welcome. Therefore I say in the Name of the Lord, do not stick at this case, but rather bless God that hath sent an affliction to awaken thee, to bring thee home, than question whether you shall be accepted upon this account. Let me therefore end as I began. Behold the Woman of Canaan, for it may be her condition is yours (in a sense) you have a sick child, as she had, etc. I pray thereupon go to Christ, as she did; verily Christ will in no wise cast you off, in case you come. Suppose the first Motive be low, and corporal, yet the Matter may prove high and spiritual. Who knows but the Lord hath sent divers sicknesses up and down for this end, to bring divers souls to Christ? I pray therefore mind it, and in all affliction look and long that it may have the same operation on you, which it had on this Woman, who was by this means brought to Christ. And this shall suffice for this verse. Christ may seemingly entertain (at first) very harshly. The Second SERMON. Matthew 15. from vers. 23, to vers. 29. But he answered her not a word, and his Disciples came, and besought him, saying, Send her away, for she crieth after us. But he answered and said, I am not sent, but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she, and worshipped him, saying, Lord help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their Master's table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O Woman, great is thy Faith: be it unto thee, even as thou wilt. And her Daughter was made whole from that very hour. BEsides those Many Men, which upon an eminent account are recorded in the Gospel; there are also sundry Women, who are in an eminent manner recorded likewise; and concerning whom the Holy Ghost hath noted something for our special observation, and imitation. Among others, there are Two Women in the Gospel, which are very remarkable: The one is the Woman (that you read of, in Luke 8.) who is called, a sinner; And the other is the woman commonly known by the name of The Woman of Canaan; and both these women are recorded for eminent coming unto Jesus Christ. We have here in this place the story of The Woman of Canaan; and indeed it is a very holy History, and many things are in it which are to be heeded by us. The last day I gave you an account of the Method in which the Holy Ghost doth here record it. But letting pass the Method, I told you I would stand upon the Matter of the story, wherein you have four heads. First, The coming of the Woman to Christ. Secondly, The entertainment that Christ. doth give her. Thirdly, You have her carriage under that entertainment. Fourthly and lastly, The blessed issue of all. We began the last day with the first; The coming of the woman to Christ, in vers. 22. 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, my Daughter is grievously vexed with a Devil. There are three Circumstances in her coming that we stood upon. The Party coming. The Manner of her coming. And the Occasion of her coming. The Party coming, It was a woman of Canaan, A Woman of Canaan, near Tyre and Sidon, of a bad place in a bad Country. (But we told you the way to Christ is open to all.) But then how did she come? She came with much affection, she cried, Lord, and she came for mere mercy. (Justifying Faith still goes to Free Grace, and Mere Mercy.) And she came to him as he was the Messiah, the Son of David; she did, and we must eye Christ as he is, in all our addresses. Lastly, But what brought the good woman here? Why truly it was a sick child at home, that was sore sick, that brought her to Christ. Whence we observed, That sometimes the Lord doth sanctify sicknesses, and other afflctions upon us and ours, to bring us home unto himself. I pray mind it, For, (My Brethren) we have lived for some months under one sickness or other: But now let me ask you the question, Have you done like the Woman of Cannon? have you gone to Jesus Christ, not only for them, but have you gone for your souls to Jesus Christ? Mother, hath thy sick child brought thee savingly to Jesus Christ? or husband, let me ask thee, hath the sickness of thy wife done a cure upon thy own soul? can any of you say, blessed be God, the Lord took away a child, or husband, but that was a strange cord that drew, and brought me to himself; Oh! blessed is that sickness upon you, or any of yours, which (as the Woman of Canaan's) brings you home to Jesus Christ; Therefore I shall press it home a little further in four things, by way of consideration, for you to take the more special heed unto the things which I then spoke, and you heard, viz. The improvement of all afflictions to bring your souls to Christ. Consider first, Possibly, yea probably, the Lord did therefore send such a sickness to thy soul, that he might bring thee home to himself; The Lord saw nothing else would do thee good, and therefore sent that: Thou wert, it may be, a poor vain creature, that couldst scoff at a Sermon, and no preaching would do thee good; now it may be the Lord sends sickness to bring thee in: He doth by sickness, as by a special servant, send for you, and it stands you upon to go to him; therefore now Brethren look about you, if ever God send a Messenger of a particular Errand, if the Messenger have not his answer, woe be to you. It is a great evil to neglect any of the Lords Messengers. Secondly, It is certain, we have all more reason to go to Christ for our souls, than upon the account of any sickness for our bodies. Our souls are our highest concernment; and there is more sickness, and more danger, in and upon your souls, which should carry them to Christ, than can be upon yourselves and families: There are but a few whose souls are better than their bodies. Indeed we read of one, he had a holy soul, but a weak body; holy Gaius, in the third Epistle of John; but generally our souls are worse than our bodies, and therefore we have more reason to go for our souls. The it may be is upon thy body, and is it not in thy soul? the Devil possesses thy child's body, doth he not possess thy own soul? Oh therefore considering you have more reason to go for your souls, than your bodies, set every thing be sanctified in you, and have that work upon you. Thirdly, The Lord Jesus hath more bowels, and he is easier prevailed withal to do for the soul, than in any case for our bodies, or for the bodies of our Relations. You never read of any that came to Christ for their souls, that Christ did cast them off. The Lord Christ may in wisdom and grace deny you, when you come for your body; he may say, it is not good you should be well, but he will never say, It is not good your souls should be well. Fourthly and lastly, The person that goes to Christ in, and for his soul by any affliction, gets more by the affliction, than he could get by all things else. Mind it, I beseech you. Oh my Brethren, what do you get when you come to Christ? why saith Christ, He that comes to me shall never hunger nor thirst more; that is, in his soul; And he that comes unto me, I will in no wise cast out: you get soul-satisfaction, and soul-enjoyment, and is not that above all bodily get? And therefore I beseech you upon these accounts, look about you, how the hand of God is sanctified to you by the afflictions which are, have been, or may be on you. But we shall now proceed. How doth our Lord entertain this woman? which is the second thing we are to come to, Christ's manner of entertainment: Why truly my Brethren, very strangely, very harshly, we may speak it with reverence, very harshly. In vers. 23. He answered her not a word; and though the Disciples spoke on her behalf, vers. 24. He says, He was not sent, but to the last sheep of the house of Israel; though she worships him, and renews the request again, he tells her, It was not meet to take the children's bread, and cast it to dogs, verse. 26 From the whole carriage of Christ to her, observe this, Doct. That sometimes the Lord Jesus is seemingly harsh to some poor souls when they come to him. Or if you will thus, Christ sometimes very roughly entertains poor souls. Mark the point well. Indeed it is a strange point, A point that seems to c●oss all the Gospel: What, that Christ, whose Name is Love, and whose Nature is Love, that Christ, who is rich in Mercy, who is full of pity, who hath made sweet Promises, to invite, and left great precedents to encourage us to come; that ever he should entertain us with frowns, with harshness, with severeness, this is strange: Yet sometimes this is true. We have a great instance of it here in this poor woman, and we shall endeavour to open it to you; only before I proceed to the proof, I pray consider, and remember how I express the point, to prevent mistakes. It is easy to misunderstand this unto the dishonour of Christ, and our own disturbance, if we mind it not well: Therefore consider how I word or phrase the point. Now there are three words which I put into the doctrine, which are as so many limitations or cautions, that neither you, nor I may mistake Christ, nor the text, nor the precedent; when ever we speak of it. First, I say seemingly. Secondly, Some times. Thirdly, I put in, to some souls. First of all, I say, Christ is seemingly harsh in his entertainment. My Brethren, Jesus Christ is not really so, but a man may seem to be that he is not. It was said of Paul (Act. 8.17, 18.) this man seems to set forth strange doctrines, which yet he did not, he preached true doctrine, viz. The right way of the Living God. It was a slander of him that said in the Parable, of Christ, that he was a hard Master: But yet it is a real truth, Though Jesus Christ be not so, yet he may SEEM to be so; Jesus Christ may seem to be, and to do, that which neither he is, nor will do. It is said in Luk. 24.38. that Christ made as though he would have gone further. Christ really did not intent it, but made, as we say, a show of it; and so here; Christ doth not intent to deal harshly with any that come (no, certainly Christ intends all Love, and all sweetness, etc.) but yet he may seem so to do. Mind that word, it is seeming, or in show, Christ carries it harshly. But than secondly, It is so but sometimes, it is not always; The Lord will not chide for ever, as David said. And so in Isa. 57.16. he will not contend always, nor be wroth for ever. My Brethren, Jesus Christ may seemingly carry it so sometimes, but not always. As first meeting, in John 20.15. when Christ and Mary met in the Garden, Christ are first carries himself strangely, but afterwards he opened himself sweetly, and clearly to her; and so Christ may for a while carry himself seemingly, harsh, or rough, it may be for a moment, a day, a year, a few years, but not always: Christ cannot always restrain his bowels, nor cast off for ever. Take these two truths as everlastingly and undoubtedly true. The first is, That Satan will not always spare thee. And secondly, Christ will not always chide thee. Satan for a while will give a soul good words, to tempt him to sin, and folly, and to that end may speak fair and smooth; but at last Saran will be like himself, a Devil, a dread and terror: And Christ may for a season carry it harshly, but he will not, indeed cannot do so for ever. To the end he must be (as he is) very kind. And then thirdly, It is but to some persons, not to all. My Brethren, all that come to Jesus Christ are not entertained alike; the most are entertained with present love; but a few, some there are that he doth seemingly for a while entertain with frowns. I do not read of any such story in the Gospel as this. We read of many who came to Christ, and all entertained by Christ sweetly, none but this poor woman is left as a precedent of this point; but yet one clear Precedent is enough for proof. And there are only two things we shall do in the amplification of the Point. First of all, We shall show you, How Christ may seemingly carry it harshly, and strangely to poor souls, when they come to him. Secondly, Whence it comes to pass that Jesus Christ, thus strangely carries himself seemingly harsh? For the first, How doth Jesus Christ discover any seeming harshness in his carriage to those that come to him? I will go no further than to the instance of the Text. I will gather six things out of this story, wherein you and I may learn and see, that sometimes Christ may discover, as if he were unkind, harsh and severe. First, It appears upon the first view of the whole, He did not entertain her presently. Secondly, Positively, He did not so much as give her a word. So it is, vers. 23. Thirdly, When others spoke to him on her behalf, he refuses to hear. Vers. 23, 24. Fourthly, The Lord doth reject her, though she doth renew and reiterate her motion again to him. Vers. 25. Fifthly, He hints that, which might as one would think dash the poor creatures hope. Vers. 26. Sixthly and lastly, He may keep us long ere he send us away, with that we come for; As he did her. Now soul mind it, and if Christ seem to frown, and to carry it strangely, let it not seem strange, for it is no new thing. First, The Lord Jesus Christ doth not entertain her presently. One would think, I say, one would think, (especially considering the many former Precedents of persons coming to Christ) that this woman should have been embraced presently: How lowly doth she come? how loudly doth she cry? in the language of what Eaith doth she speak? yet Christ doth not answer her. Remember ye, the Lord Jesus may let a soul sometimes long lie before him, and never take him up. You indeed read of the Prodigal, who when he fell upon his face, the Father fell upon his neck; but beware thou promise not thyself this presently. Christ may let thee fall upon thy face, and not fall upon thy neck. In Matthew 11. verse last, You have there a sweet call, Come unto me ye that are weary, etc. Now I pray mind it, a poor soul may go to Jesus Christ very weary, and heavy laden, and the Lord may let it lie a great while under the burden of filth, under the burden of guilt and of fears, and may seem, for a while, not at all to mind it. Certainly, it could not be a little while, that David lay under the burden of God's absence, after he had sinned against him: See Psal. 38. and the beginning; where he complains, That his wounds did fester, and were corrupt. David was like a man going to a Chirurgeon with many wounds, and the Chirurgeon lets the wounds stink, before he gives a plaster to him. Sinners, look about you, The Lord Christ may let you lie without a plaster many a day, without washing your wounds many a day. Paul prayed three times for one thing, and that thing denied him. If ever you come and knock, and cry, and call, and the Lord doth not presently open, do not say, never one was so dealt withal as I am; the Woman of Canaan was so before thee, that is clear, she was not presently made welcome. Secondly, The Lord did not only not entertain her, but did not speak a word to her. So it is expressly, vers. 23. The Lord answered her not a word. Oh my Brethren, how harsh was this? what, not a word? O! not a word? Why, if the Lord Jesus will not presently give the balm that the wounded soul doth beg, will he not speak? No, not a word? And yet it is noted, She cried after him; yet not a word, not a word. It is upon record as the case of Saul, setting forth the greatness of his distress (when God did most severely deal with him) That he Lord did not answer him by dreams or visions, nor by Urim nor Thummim; that is, God did not speak a word. And my Brethren, let me tell you, It is a harsh dealing, when the Lord shall let us lie crying, and he be dumb, as if he did not hear. It is harsh not to be heard. There are two ways by which the Lord speaks, viz. 1 By his Spirit. 2 By some actual dealing with the soul. 1 Sometimes Christ saith by the Spirit, Soul, be of good comfort, thy sins are forgiven. 2 At other times he gives good signs, by supporting and refreshing the soul; but it may so fall out, as that he may carry it so seemingly harsh, as not to answer a word to the soul either way. And this is no new thing, we read in Psal. 22.1, 2. David there (who was then a type of poor souls) cries out there, Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O God I cry, but thou hearest not. So in Job 30.20. saith Job, I cry unto thee, and thou dost not hear me: I stand up, and thou regardest it not. He saith, God did not so much as regard what he said. If the Lord Jesus would not presently entertain us, to do as we wish, yet certainly one would think, a word were but little; but sometimes Christ will not speak a word. Thirdly, The Lord carries it so seemingly harsh, that when others speak on her behalf, he refuses to hear. Mark it; here were (as we say) good spokesmen for this woman. Vers. 23. His Disciples besought him, saying, send h●r away, for she crieth after us, i e. As if they should say, Lord, the poor woman cries very loudly, she cries after us, as the beast after the Foal, etc. What saith Christ? why, I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. He puts them by, he gives them a denial, and something more, as we shall show by and by. In Numb. 12. you read a sad story of Miriam, Moses his Sister, she had provoked God, and God had smote her with a Leprosy, and Moses cried to the Lord for her, saith the Lord, If her Father had spit upon her face, should she not be shut out of the Camp seven da●es? Oh my Brethren, sometimes the Minister may, the Father may pray, and the Mother may pray for the child, and yet the Lord will not speak, but put them off. If Moses and Samuel should speak to me for this people, yet my mind could not be towards them Jer. 15.1. Oh my Brethren, It is no new thing, for the Lord to carry it so seemingly harsh, as not to hear others when they speak on our behalf. Possibly the soul may say, I am unworthy to speak, but had I some friend to speak on my behalf, certainly than he would hear; why, they may all speak for thee, and yet Christ may put them all by. Fourthly, The Lord doth reject her, though she doth renew, and reiterate her motion again to him. This is harsh; And pray mind how she doth it, She came, and she WORSHIPPED him, saying, Lord help me. It is not said in verse 22. that she worshipped him (or that she fell down) But here it is said, She worshipped him. She renews her request with vehemency, and with reverence; and here was her humiliation put forth. Weigh it but a while. Lord help me, etc. My Brethren, she speaks at this rate, as if she should say, Lord help, if thou do not help me, I perish; Lord help me, if thou dost not help me, vain is the help of Man. She adores him as the Lord, But doth this prevail? nothing less; though she renews her cry, yet the Lord turns her off. It is harsh not to be bid welcome, not to have a word not to have others heard when they speak for us; but when the soul shall repeat, and reinforce, and as it were heighten her humiliation and prayer, then to be rejected, this is an addition to all the former; yet sometimes the Lord doth thus. And we find a like instance to this in o●hers; saith Job, in chap. 16.6, 7. Though I speak, my grief is not assuaged: and though I forbear, what am I eased? but now he hath made me weary: thou hast made desolate all my company. The Lord may as it were tire out the soul, and make it weary. And so in Psal. 69. and the beginning, I sink into the deep, I am weary of crying, my throat is dried, mine eyes fail while I wait for my God. The Lord may let the soul cry again and again, till the very moisture is dried up, and yet to put it off; so that the soul may cry out with Job, Job 23.13. he is of one mind, who can cha●ge him, & c? Therefore the Church hath a remarkable expression (Lamentations 3.8.) Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer. Shouting, it is an addition unto crying. Why here is the poor woman crying, in vers. 22. I and she cries and shouts, in vers. 25. and yet the Lord puts her off. Fifthly, The Lord Christ may carry it so seemingly harsh, that he may hint that, that may seem to dash the poor creatures hope. Oh this is sad, and sore indeed (Beloved) That the poor creature, who it may be came with a little Faith, and a little Hope, should be entertained so harshly, as the soul may be ready to say, Now farewell Faith, and farewel Hope, etc. Thus the Lord hath carried it to some before; as if he had cut off all their hope. It was a very sad expression that they used, Ezek. 37.11. Then he said unto me, Son of Man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: Behold they say, our bones are dried, and our hope is lost, we are cut off for our parts. Why truly (poor soul) Jesus Christ may so speak to you, that you may say, Now our hope is gone; and we, for our parts (whatever may be the portion of others) for our own particulars, we are cut off, and cast off; And Christ may carry it so, as if he gave, (I say as if (not that he doth really) but I say) as if he gave us ground so to say; that he hath cut off all our hope, and destroyed all that upon which our expectations were bottomed. You have Job complaining of this himself, Job 19.10. Mine hope hath he removed like a Tree. But of all expressions, that is the most remarkable, which you have in Lam. 3.54. The waters flowed over mine head, than I said, I am cut off. Oh Sirs, Jesus Christ may for a while so speak, that the soul may say, now my hope is perished, and now I will sit down and despair. And mark it but a little in this great instance of this woman of Canaan: For here are two words that Christ useth to this woman, which indeed did seem (for it was no more than a seeming) to dash all her hope in pieces. First, Than one is, I am not sent, but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, i. e. As if Christ should say, My good friends, my dear Disciples, you pity the woman, so it may be do I, but what shall I do? I cannot go beyond my commission, I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel; this woman is none, she is a Canaanite. Now how might the poor woman complain sadly, Oh Lord, are none of the Canaanites in thy commission? am not I in thy commission? then farewell Lord; He speaks a word that might even dash all her hope. So say some souls, Christ is only for the Elect, I am no elect one; and thus the soul goes away hopeless. Secondly, And the other word that Christ speaks, which might dash all her hope, is in the 26. verse. It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. Oh what a kill word was that? poor heart! she might rather have expected that the Lord would have looked upon her, as upon a silly Lamb, as upon a trembling Dove, that he would speak softly to her; but how roughly doth he speak? And how might this poor woman have mourningly muttered, and in secret sighs have hereupon spoke thus in herself? What, must not dogs have children's bread? what said he? etc. Ah my soul, didst th●u mark it? Dogs, and children's bread, and I none of them, and it is not meet, etc. Brethren, Christ may call a Lamb a Dog; this seems to be very harsh. It was a harsh speech that the Lord did use to his people, when he cried, Go to your Gods that ye have served. Christ may say, you are a dog, get you gone. Quest. But how could Jesus Christ speak thus? we know he did account her Israel in the Spirit, though not in the Letter, as a Lamb, not a dog; how did Christ then say, I am not sent, but to the lost sheep, and thou dog must not have children's bread? Answ. There are these kind of Answers. First, Some there are that say thus, Christ speaks after the manner of Men, as a Minister in the way of his Ministry, guided by his Commission. So Mr. Cartwright, those that were not of the Jewish Church, either by birth, or proselitism, they were out of the commission, that seems to satisfy some. But I will tell you what satisfies me: The Lord speaks two ways. 1 Either plainly, and positive, as he intends, and as things are. 2 Or by way of Trial, probationally, to try us. Mark it, The Lord may speak that to try us, that he doth not intent; neither doth he mean as he speaks. The Lord may bid Abraham go offer Isaac, yet he meant no such thing. John 6.6. When Christ spoke of buying bread for the multitude, it is said, this he spoke that he might try them: Thus the Lord speaks, that he might try us. The Lord may speak doubtingly, and hint heavy words, not that he hath hard thoughts, but only that he might try us. He may speak doubtingly of our Election, that we may make it sure. Sixthly and lastly, Herein Christ may show himself seemingly harsh, in that he may at last keep us long, ere he doth send us away with that we come for. This woman had at last her request, but it was long first (as we say.) Christ may entertain us, and not speak any way, so as to trouble us, yet for all that he intends not to give us presently the thing we come for. My Brethren, the Lord Jesus may make us wait days, weeks, months, and years, (though he let us within his house, and speaks to us now and then) and yet he may not presently give us the particular thing that we come for; this is usual for Christ, to make some tarry, which yet he turns not away. And truly we that are hasty, count this harsh: Christ may make us wait a great while, and that we esteem, and it seems to be very harsh: But this is a known thing, and I shall not enlarge upon it at all; Therefore thus much of the first thing, wherein Christ may seem to carry it harshly towards those that come to him. The second thing is, Whence comes this to pass that Christ doth so carry himself? Truly my Brethren, It is strange, after so many clear Prophecies, after so many comfortable Promises, after so many experiences of Christ's kind dealing, that he should with any soul, at any time, upon any account, carry it thus harshly to them. I shall give you an account of this in general first, and in particular afterwards. My Brethren, In the general you must know this, That Jesus Christ is not so tied by Prophecy, nor obliged by Promise, but that in all his deal he may act as in his Prerogative. He is the freest Agent that is. It is prophesied of Christ, That he will gently lead those that are with young; and promised, that those that come to him, he will in no wise cast off. Now Christ is not so bound up by this Prophecy, or Promise, but that he may act his own Preregative. And there is a double Prerogative Christ will maintain. First, Of his Absolute Will. Secondly, Of his Infinite Wisdom. First, The Prerogative of his Absolute Will (I say) Absolute Will. My Brethren, Jesus Christ may give Mercy to whom he will, and he may give Mercy how he will. I find our Lord and Saviour, two times in particular standing upon the Prerogative of his Will; And let us in a word consider them. One is in Matth. 20.15. where he speaks of himself in a Parable, May not I do with mine own what I will? The other is in the last of John 21, 22. where Peter asks Christ, Lord, what shall this man do? saith Christ, in vers. 22. If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Christ will have all to know his will is free; He wills as he wills: What if God will show mercy this way to one, and another way to another, he hath his Prerogative Royal? what if he will when Jairus comes for his Daughter, go presently? and what if he will dispute it with the Woman of Canaan? Christ will still so act, as to maintain the Prerogative of his Will. Secondly, He will maintain the Prerogative of his Wisdom; Though he come with a commission, yet he is to act as his Wisdom is. And thus, though he be a servant (as he is the Father's servant) sent with absolute command, to receive poor souls when they come; Yet how, and when, and what way, is left to his own Wisdom. Rejoice, and be of good comfort; Christ is bound to receive all that come to him, I but how he should receive them, that is left to his Wisdom; And it may be much wisdom in the Lord Jesus Christ to receive some harshly, and some sweetly. Two boys go to School, the one is of a rugged nature, and the other of a sofr nature; The Master's wisdom knows how to deal with either of them: So that now, this is the general account. Jesus Christ being left to the Prerogative of his own Will and Wisdom, he doth therefore sometimes entertain some souls harshly. There are six particular accounts of it that I cannot now name, but must leave to be enlarged the next time. Use, Only for the Use of this; My Brethren, you have heard a strange, yet a certain Truth, That the Lord Jesus doth sometimes seemingly entertain some souls harshly. Now all that I would say is this. 1 Do not Mistake me. 2 Do not Mistake yourselves. 3 Do not Mistake this Truth. There are these three Mistakes that all our hearts are liable to, either the one or other of them; one while they mistake the Preacher, and say, he spoke that which never entered into his heart to speak; Another while they mistake themselves, and a third time the Truth itself. Now I pray thee take heed of all these. Therefore first, Do not Mistake me. Though I tell you the Lord Jesus may entertain some harshly, I do not this to keep you off from Christ. Oh, the Lord knows here is my heart, and this must be my labour while I live, to draw you to Jesus Christ. But what said Christ, in John 16.3. having before been telling them of great persecutions they must go thorough, saith Christ? These things I tell you, that when they come, ye might not be offended. Oh soul, that is my aim, intent, that if thou art a poor soul coming to Christ, thou mayest not be startled; I tell you beforehand, Christ may frown, he may turn the deaf ear, not that you should keep off, but that when these things come to pass, that you should not stumble nor be offended, but that you should go on. And therefore is there ever a poor soul that saith, God hath wrought upon me lately, but I have been going to Christ, and I have knocked, and he speaks not a word? Oh be not discouraged, the Lord sometimes will do thus. Secondly, Do not Mistake yourselves. Poor sinners are apt to mistake themselves, as now, when they hear of Christ, that Christ is ready, and willing to receive, us what use do they make of it? Why say they, than we may go when we will, and so live as they list, and think to go to Jesus Christ. No, mistake not, Christ may receive thee harshly; do not deceive yourselves, Christ is a Lion, and he can roar; though he will not tear you to pieces, yet he knows how to carry it severely sometimes. There is Hay and Stubble laid upon the foundation, and yet they are saved, but how? but as by fire. Sinners, sinners, you may be saved coming to the Lord Jesus, as the Woman of Canaan, but believe it, you may be saved by fire, he may call you Dog, before he gives you the children's bread, and make you wait long before he answer. Do not mistake yourselves, and provoke Christ to make you know this truth to your cost and sorrow. Thirdly, Do not Mistake the point. A mistaken truth is the ground of some great errors; as well as any thing else; indeed many errors are truths mistake. And there are two Errors, that people may run into, if they mistake this point. First, Doth the Lord Christ deal thus with some? Therefore (what therefore?) Why I was mistaken, the Lord never dealt so with me; therefore I am not right. Nay stay there, I did not say the Lord dealt so with all, nor always, but with some at sometimes, there are some the Lord kisses presently. Two humours coming to the Physician, have not the same kind of Physic: Fine or thin humours, and rough and strong humours are not alike purged; the one is, and may be purged more gently, the other more roughly. You have an instance of two in one place, viz. Lydia and the Jailor, Act. 16. Fine Lydia (as I may so call her) of a tender spirit, the Lord takes up the latch, and enters softly, silently, without any great noise, without any rough hand, but the rough Jailor, he hath an Earthquake, etc. Do not say, I am not right, because the Woman of Canaan was so dealt with, and I am not. Secondly, Do not mistake the point, and say, Well, it is true, and the Lord deals thus with me, and I think it will never be better. Oh say not it will never be better; No, my Brethren, though the Lord deal harshly with thee, yet he will use thee better: Cry not, Oh the Lord hath entertained me harsh, and hath been silent, and not spoke, and that which he hath spoken hath been in wrath, he hath called me dog, and therefore I can expect nothing, etc. Why know, the Lord doth do it but sometimes, and know, that that God that speaks harshly to thee now, will speak sweetly afterwards. Note that place, Judges 10. The people of Israel there cry to God, deliver us this once, what saith the Lord, in vers. 13. You have forsaken me, go to your Gods, I will deliver you no more; get you gone, saith God, and yet mark, they follow on their cry, save us but this once, and it is said, in vers. 16. his soul was grieved for them. Oh my Brethren, though the Lord do seemingly entertain you harshly at first, yet be of good comfort, he may yet speak well to you, yea he will at last. Only let me conclude with a little piece of the story of Joseph. It may be there are some of the women of Canaan, that have cried long; pray remember Joseph, and joseph's Brethren came down to him, My Lord (say they) we are the children of one Man, and we come to buy corn, and Joseph answered them roughly, by and by he lays one by the heels; he lets them go, and keeps but one; Oh the poor Brethren of Joseph might think, what shall we do? we are come into a strange Country, and we meet with strange language; we came to buy bread, and we are made prisoners; you all know the story, how Joseph entertained his Brethren at last. Three things are in joseph's story, in the book of Genesis. First, Though he speaks roughly, yet his bowels were towards his dear Brethren. Secondly, Though he spoke roughly, it was that he might have Renjamin. And thirdly, Though he spoke roughly, yet at last he entertained them royally. Jesus is our Joseph, and we go to him for corn, the Lord may speak roughly to us, as Joseph did to them. But first, He hath bowels when he speaks roughly. Oh Jesus his bowels did roll to this poor woman, when he spoke roughly. When I spoke against him, my bowels were turned within me, saith God of Ephraim. Oh thou child of Canaan, thou sayest he hath called thee Dog, believe it, he is grieved for it at his heart. Oh the sounding of the bowels of Christ are often towards us when he seems to carry it harsh. And then secondly, Why did he speak so harshly at first? it was all to get Benjamin; let us allude to it, and apply it to you: You have a Benjamin, the Lord loves, your hearts, your soul, your spirit, that is your Bejamin; the Lord speaks roughly, that he may have Benjamin, and when once that Benjamin comes, a living heart is brought to him, he will quickly make friends. Lastly, Joseph made a large recompense for all; and truly so will the Lord Jesus make a large amends for all. Oh children of Canaan in the Promise! and thou woman of Canaan in the letter! though the Lord seem harsh at first, yet at last he will be sweet; they shall have corn and money too, they shall have enough to bring them where they shall have all the Land. Thou shalt have soul and body-mercies, mercy for the way, and mercy for the Country. The Lord Jesus will deal bountifully. The Lord may deal roughly, but he will yet deal royally. How did he deal with this woman? Oh Woman! be it unto thee even as thou wilt. Jesus did never speak so to any body. Christ may say at last, Oh soul, go to the pot of Manna, and take and eat what thou wantest, what thou wishest. And, poor soul, be it to thee even as thou wilt, for soul, body, daughter and all. Though the Lord Christ may speak roughly at first, and entertain seemingly severe, yet he doth end really sweet. Thus much at present. Reasons why Christ at first seems to be harsh. The Third SERMON. Matthew 15. from vers. 23, and so on. But he answered her not a word. And his Disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away, for she crieth after us. But he answered and said, I am not sent, but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she, and worshipped him, saying, Lord help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs, etc. BEsides those things which are commonly experienced, and which must be certainly expected in the coming of every soul to Christ, besides those, there are some RARE extraordinary things, that now and then fall out upon some souls in their coming to ●hrist: And my Brethren, it concerns us to be acquainted with them, that in case they should befall us (as others) we may know what to think, and how to carry ourselves. Now in this story of the Woman of Canaan, we have some of those rare and extraordinary things, which may befall some souls when they come to Christ. Indeed we have not the like History in all the New Testament unto this; you read of many that came to Christ, and you read how Christ did entertain them, but you never read that Christ did carry it so to any, as he did to the Woman of Canaan. There were four heads of matter unto which I said we might reduce this story. First, The coming of the Woman to Christ, that we have dispatched. The Woman came upon a low account at first, she had a childe-sick, possessed with Satan, and her sick child did revive a dead soul, and brings her to Christ. But now the second head we are come to, It is Christ's entertainment of this Woman. How doth Christ entertain her? she comes with much affection, she speaks with great humility, how doth Christ welcome her? truly very strangely, he answers her not a word; And when the Disciples spoke on her behalf, he seems to reprove them; when she renews her request, he puts her off with a dreadful answer; so strangely doth Christ sometimes carry it to poor souls. The Doctrine we are upon from the carriage of Christ to the Woman, is, Doct. That jesus Christ is seemingly harsh sometimes to some souls when they come to him. We expressed the Doctrine with more caution, because it is rare, and it must not be mistaken; Therefore we told you the l●st day, those three expressions are boundaries of the point. 1 It is but seemingly; There is harshness in the carriage, when none in the heart, 2 And that sometimes. 3 And but to some persons; we do not read of any more but this one, to whom Christ did carry it so. There were two things I said I would open, in the doctrinal part. First, Wherein Christ might show some kind of harshness sometimes to poor souls. This we opened by this instance of Christ's carriage to this Woman. 1 He doth not entertain her. 2 He doth not speak to her. 3 Puts off them that spoke for her. 4 When she renews her request, she is not the better. 5 Nay, he speaks that as might dash her hope. 6 And at last he doth for her, but upon a great dispute, and after denials and delays. Secondly, But whence is it that the Lord should thus sometimes, unlike himself (as we may so speak) carry himself thus to poor souls? The Prophecies speak contrary, the Promises speak fairer, whence is it the Lord whose Name, and whose Nature is love, should deal so harshly with any when they come to him? I answer, Though God will fulfil the Prophecies, and make good the Promises, yet he will keep up the Prerogative both of his WILL and of his WISDOM, that in the general I spoke unto the last time. But there are six particular Reasons that I shall give of the point; Christ may have six ends, or six Reasons why he will deal, it may be with you, as with the Woman of Canaan. First, Christ hath a design to further humiliation. Secondly, Christ hath a design to make a little trial upon the poor soul. Thirdly, Christ hath a design to caution many, by dealing harshly with some. Fourthly, Christ hath a design fully to bring the soul to Gospel self-denial. Fifthly, Christ hath a design to heighten himself in the heart. And sixthly and lastly, That the soul may catch more hastily, and keep more closely hold of Christ. Now pray mind it, possibly this afternoon I may give an account of Christ's dealing with some of your souls; it may be some of you are like the Woman of Canaan that have gone to Christ, and found hard entertainment, and you are ready to say, Lord, why dost thou do so? such a one went and found thee friendly and favourably, while I come and cry, and have no kindness, Nay, seemingly, and to my sense, much harshness. Consider now what I shall say to satisfy you in the Reason of this strange carriage of Christ. And first, It may be Christ intends to humble thee. Jesus Christ doth indeed humble all, but not all alike, nor all in the same manner, Now by thus dealing with the soul in this manner, he doth humble the soul in the best and sweerest manner, viz. in an Evangelical way. Legal humiliation, it is just as a Father deals with a very untoward child, he will not be ruled, and the Father sends him to the Magistrate, that he may go to Bridewell; But Gospel-humiliation is just like a Father dealing with his child by himself. The Father looks strange, and speaks hard, and thereby humbles the child; so, Christ will not turn us over to Satan, to buffer us, and fear us, and as it were break us; but himself by a little unusual, strange, and rough carriage will that way humble us. And truly what will humble us, if that will not? There are but three heads unto which humiliation doth relate, and you shall see, this same harsh dealing of Christ with us at first, will tend very much to the accomplishment of them all. First, Humiliation relates to sin, that sin may be exceeding bitter. Secondly, It relates to self, that the soul may be exceeding low. Thirdly, It relates to Christ, that a soul under the sense of the bitterness of sin, and the lowness of self-thoughts, may think of Christ very highly. Now observe, when Christ shall deal roughly with a sinner coming to him, all these three are effected. Oh now! First, Sin is made bitter by this dealing of Jesus Christ: The Law made sin bitter, but the Gospel makes it more bitter. Oh! saith the soul, mine iniquities make Christ look frowning, they separate between God and me. A tormenting Devil with a fiery face, doth not make sin so bitter as a frowning Jesus Christ with a harsh countenance, when Christ looks angry; thus saith the soul, Oh that ever my sins should make my Father frown, that is all love. I had once thoughts that sin was that which would make the Devil roar, and speak terribly, but now I see it makes Christ himself harsh, and speak roughly. Oh vile sin! Oh great evil! now thy sin appears (Oh my soul) to be indeed exceeding sinful, the sole and principal evil that is; for it makes my Saviour carry it sadly towards me. Secondly, By this harsh dealing of Christ, the soul is humbled in itself: If Christ frown, self must down and kneel. It may be the soul comes conceited, he is not so bad as the Preacher would make him; but when the soul shall come to Christ for mercy, and Christ shall frown, and call him Dog, Now, saith the soul, though I thought Preacher, and Father, and Mother made me worse than I was, yet now I see I am very bad, Christ he calls me Dog, and he saith, it is not fit I should come in house with the children; and makes me to see, that for all my daintiness, and high thoughts, I am no 〈◊〉 than a Dog. Oh self! how poor, and mean, and exceeding vile art thou? Thirdly, Christ is mightily exalted; this carriage makes thee more to prize Christ. Poor creatures only thought Christ a common person, one that might be easily come and spoke unto, yea and prevailed with. But now, when Christ carries it a little high, and speaks something harsh, bidding us as it were keep off: Now he comes to be heightened in our heart, and by casting us down, he doth lift up himself, that now we come with more reverence and fear, with more self-abhorring, and Christ-admiring thoughts, than possibly we did at first. So that Christ by this carriage, rendering sin more vile, and self more base, and himself more precious, doth hereby sweetly and surely humble us; and this may be one reason of this strange carriage to us. Secondly, The Lord intends to make a trial upon the soul by this harsh dealing. I pray mind it (Beloved) That Jesus Christ, that will never burn the soul to ashes, doth yet intent to make a trial of the soul in fire; And my Brethren, the harsh dealing of Jesus Christ it is a shrewd trial to us. Two things I shall intimate in this, the Lord by harsh dealing makes a trial of two things. First, Christ will make a trial of the reality of our humiliation, and hunger, by which we pretend to hunger after Christ, and to pant for him, as those who do hearty prise him. And Secondly, Of the reality of our Faith too. First, Christ by this makes a trial of the reality of our spiritual hunger, by which we pretend to long after Christ. All is not hunger and thirst for Christ which seems so to be. The soul comes to Christ, as a man that is a hungry, comes to bread, and Oh, saith the soul, I am hungry; and now ●●●ist will try him; He comes and says he thirsts for Righteousness, and Bread of Life; now, saith Christ, I will try him a little, will he lie by the cupboard-door? and if I say bread, will he say a crumb? If I call him Dog, and bid him be gone; will he yet lie at my feet? A hungry man indeed will do so, and I will try if this soul be (as he says) really hungry: So Christ hereby tries our spiritual longing. Many pretend to long, who do not so much as love, (for longing is the strength and height of love) Many, say they hunger, who yet have not a spiritual stomach at all to Christ, the Bread of Life: They ask bread, but it is only an ask. Now Christ will try us, and by this strange carriage he trieth us indeed. And for us to continue begging, crying bread, after Christ hath spoke to us, as to this woman; After he hath said, I am not sent for you, it is not meet to give unto you; be gone, what, should a Dog have children's bread? after this, I say, to wait, and worship, to beg, and reiterate cries for bread, this will make Christ say, this longing is sincere, and strong, believe it, here is a hungry soul indeed. Many wish for Christ, who do not hearty hunger for him. Secondly, Christ will try Faith too, and it is good for us to be tried in our Faith. Saith Christ, Here comes a soul to me, he looks as if he would take hold of me, I will try whether he be one of jacob's children that will wrestle a fall, and keep his hold when I seek, and seem to cast him off. I will see if I call him Dog, Whether he will trust and believe he may be a Child. It was a trial and demonstration that Jobs Faith was right, when he would trust in a kill God, and it will try our Faith indeed, to wait upon, and cling to a seemingly rejecting Redeemer. And this was the great matter in the case of this poor woman; Oh Woman! great is thy Faith: Jesus Christ did all this to try the woman's Faith. God will see whether the soul will take hold of an angry Christ, and run after a going-away Christ. In 1 Pet. 1.7. saith the Apostle there, That the trial of your Faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, etc. It is not spoken of Faith in itself, that that is more precious than gold that perisheth, (though that is precious) but of the trial of it; The very trial of Faith is a precious thing. Now that Christ may try our Faith, as well as our Hunger, therefore he deals a little harshly with us. Thirdly, The Lord hath this design too, By his harsh dealing with one, he will make many wise. When two or three of the younger boles shall see the Father deal something harsh with the eldest, it teaches them all something. The Lord help us, we are a company of mad untoward children, we neglect many a precious opportunity; Christ calls, and we will not answer, etc. Now when Christ shall deal harshly with some, than we shall be made wise to hearken when Christ calls. How many have preached this truth from that experience? Children (have some Parents said) take a Christ while he smiles, take a Promise when it is tendered, you do not know what it may cost you; I neglected my seasons, and I found it a hard matter for me to close with Jesus Christ. You have a great word, in Heb. 3.7, 8. Wherefore to day if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness, etc. What doth he allude to? he alludes to the story of the children of Israel in the wilderness; and of God's harsh dealing with them, and all because of their unbeleef. The Lord Jesus Christ, he doth deal harshly with many, leads them thorough wildernesses, stings them with Scorpions, to make others wise to accept of mercy, when and while it may be had. Ah! how many think it an easy matter to come to Christ, and have bread presently; and therefore defer and delay, put by (at best) lay by many a choice tender till another time, as they think wherein they may at pleasure take it: But now, when they shall see such examples as this, that a man or woman may come, and call, and crouch, and worship, and beg, and yet be put off, yet have no mercy, No, nor no kind word (as was this woman's case) this will make them wise to take heed how they refuse that which afterwards they may request with tears, and yet be rejected. But besides, fourthly, The Lord Christ doth deal thus, that indeed he may bring the soul to Gospel-self-denial. I say unto Gospel-self-denial. The Lord is resolved, that whosoever will be his Disciple, must deny himself; Now some have observed, that nothing doth so much tame any, as hunger. The Lord Jesus Christ will take the soul upon the hip, and make the soul fully deny itself; and now, saith God, If thou wilt come to me in my way, well, otherwise no bread: Bread, bread, saith the hungry man, if I may have it this way, or that way, any way, I will take it; well, saith Christ, I see the soul is come pretty well too (as we say) I will keep off a little longer, make him fast a few days more. Deny him till he is ready to die for hunger, and then I shall make him deny himself in his honour, in his inheritance, in his very birthright: I shall make him say, what profit will that or any thing do me, if I die for hunger? and I am at the point of death. Therefore whatever the terms are, I will deny all, part with all for this Bread of Life. So that real, universal self-denial, is by the Lords grace effected through this delaying, and seemingly-denying carriage. And to this end, or for this reason, doth Christ sometimes deal with us, as with the woman of Canaan. He will seemingly deny us, that we may really deny ourselves. He will tame us, and then put his own terms upon us, and for that end carries it so strangely to us. Fifthly, Christ doth intent to heighten himself in our hearts: Before Christ give us himself, he will greaten himself. And my Brethren, it is our sore misery, that we are too apt to have slight thoughts of Jesus Christ; Now Christ will make us prise him very highly, and therefore we shall come by him very hardly. It is a Rule, and a general Observation, That we prise that highly, which we come by very hardly. Oh Sirs! the Lord Christ knows how to heighten himself in your hearts, by deferring to grant your request. Possibly thou art a poor ignorant creature in thy first coming unto Christ; one who thinkest well, but not well enough of Christ; Thou valuest him a little, but not as the chiefest: Now Christ is resolved to heighten himself in thy heart, and will therefore keep off so long that thou shalt come thereby to prise him at a higher rate than all the world, and shalt have cause to say, I value him much, and love him dear, for I came by him very hardly, and was fain to wait long before I did enjoy him. Lastly, The Lord Christ may have this end, Namely, That the soul might catch at him more hastily, and keep him more fastly; therefore he doth hold off thus, and deal thus harshly; we are not eager enough in closing with Christ. My Brethren, the soul is apt to linger in the matter of taking Christ, but when Christ shall stand off, that will make the soul come on more hastily. Jesus Christ doth catch us by craft, as the Apostle saith, 2 Cor. 12.16. Truly Christ doth catch some poor souls by craft, as the fisherman doth the fish, you know, or may have heard how that is; The fisherman lays the bait, and draws it as it were away, he draw it before the fish, and when the fish is ready to take it, he doth make as if he snatched it away, and why so? truly that the fish may catch at it more eagerly, and be held by it more surely. So doth Christ with us, when he shall offer, and seem to draw back, when he shall come near, and suffer us as it were to touch him, and then snatch away again, this will make us come on more earnestly, and close with him more eagerly. The soulby this means takes the bait, I and the soul will hold it too when it hath it; believe it Sins, the Lord Jesus Christ is kind to catch by craft. Well, this is the account of the Reason, wherefore it is that sometimes Christ is seemingly harsh to some souls. There are but three Uses I aim at in this Doctrine. Use 1. The first Use is, To let us all see that Christ is not so easily come by, as the generality of people do think: All have Christ freely, but not easily. Mind it. My Brethren, I think, and I will tell you my thoughts, because it may awaken you, and do you good. I think many will go to Hell as upon other mistakes, so upon this, that they do think it easy to go to Heaven, and easy to come by Jesus Christ. But if it be true, that Christ stands a loof off from a poor soul, than it will appear to be a hard work to come by him. Remember this, you will find three things will make it hard work ere Jesus Christ and you be brought together. 1 The backwardness of your own hearts. 2 The many hinder ances and puts in of Satan. 3 And the seeming backwardness of Jesus Christ. First, Your own hearts will be backward. Ah soul! unless the Lord make it a day of his power, they are not a willing people, Psa. 110. he that talks of freewill, I am afraid, was never sensible of freegrace, nor of the backwardness of his own heart. Secondly, The Devil makes it hard work too: Verily, when the soul would go to Christ, the Devil will hinder, and set one to hinder another, to keep the soul off from going to Jesus Christ. But thirdly, and especially, The seeming harsh dealing of Jesus Christ, makes it very hard work. Oh, say some poor souls, My thinks the Lord makes me willing, and hungering after a Christ, but when I come to Christ, Christ hangs off; My thinks God the Father is willing I should have Christ; he hath sent him, the Spirit is willing, he hath revealed Christ to me, and my heart is willing; but I come to Christ, and he doth not hear me; verily here you will find difficulty, and it will much pazzle and try Faith, to believe upon, and close with a Christ, who seems to stand at a distance: His seeming harsh dealing will make it real hard believing. Use 2. The second Use is of Caution. I pray learn by this, to take heed how you provoke the Lord Jesus Christ to deal thus harshly with any of you. My Brethren, the Lord Christ can frown, and look bitterly, and deal severely, etc. and beware how you provoke him so to do. The truth is, there be some souls that rationally (I mean religiously rationally) cannot expect otherwise, that if Christ do receive them, he should receive them very harshly. Let me in a word touch upon this, and do you remember it. Two words I would speak my mind in, that I may not be mistaken. First this, I do not say that there are any souls that have reason to think Jesus Christ will reject them. Whatever you are, Canaanite, Perisite, or Jebusite, etc. Whoever you are before the Lord, I do not say, there is reason for you to conclude that there is no coming to the Lord. But This I say secondly, That though you have no reason to think he will cast you off, yet you have reason to think he will deal harshly with you; you may have reason to fear he will not presently entertain you. First, I think there be some souls that may verily expect God may make them stand at the door, and wait till they cool their heels, and though Christ will let them in at last, yet he may set them stand all night: Some souls Christ may let them be hoarse with crying, and yet Jesus Christ may stand off. Secondly, There are some souls that may expect, that though he should let them in, yet it may be with them, as with some child, the child is let in, and he sits at the table, but the Father looks so strangely and harshly on him, that his meat doth him no good; thou mayest never relish mercy sweetly, till thou comest to Heaven, it may be. Thirdly, There are some souls that may expect, that though Christ will give them mercy, yet he will dispute it out with them; that they shall wrestle a whole night, as Jacob, and go limping all their life time, and be called Dog many a time, and as it were threatened with a cudgel, before ever he give them children's bread. Therefore I beseech you for the Lords sake, souls, look about you. Now there are three sorts of people that have thus reason to think, that though Christ may receive them at last, yet it may be very harsh at first. First, Those that have dealt very harshly with Jesus Christ: With the froward, I will be froward, saith God. Grace will receive froward ones at last, yet he will be harsh. Why, what was the matter Joseph looks so roughly upon his Brethren? their consciences could tell them. We had not pity upon our Brother, Gen. 42.21. Sirs, there are many poor souls deal harshly with Jesus Christ; I say, deal harshly with Christ; is there any deals harshly with him (you will say) how can that be? why be not mistaken, as you deal with Christ's members, so you deal with him. You scoff at poor Saints, and Christ takes it as against himself. O mind it! you that have been, or are, the persecutors of the Lords people; you can expect no other, but that Christ should deal harshly with you, since you have done so by him; It may be there is a poor man or woman by thee that hath precious Faith, I say, that hath precious Faith, thou dealest hardly with them, and so thou dealest hardly with Jesus Christ in them, and he may do so with thee. Secondly, Those souls that have lived in any more notable profaneness than others, may expect if Christ receive them, it should be, as the woman of Canaan, harshly. Take a plain similitude; Let two men go to a Physician, the one hath a little knock on the crown, a little dressing, a little washing doth cure it; another hath a wound in the thigh, or the arm, that must have a great deal of lancing, and washing ere it be whole. Oh! sins are wounds; the least vanities are knocks on the crowns; but there are blasphemies, and uncleannesses, and unrighteousnesses (with a witness) and the Lord must deal a little harshly with thee, how else should he deal with thee? Tremble at every little sin, but tremble especially at great sins. I say not that great sins shall hinder us from Christ, but upon the account of them at our first believing, we may meet with harshness in Christ; The deeper our wounds, the sharper our cure always. Thirdly, There are a third sort of people that cannot but expect Christ will deal harshly with them. Those that do neglect many a sweet and gracious tender of mercy, and salvation by Jesus Christ many a day. Suppose two people in the same Congregation, one is crowded here, that never heard the Gospel all his days; another is here that hath heard the Gospel many years; you that have neglected sweet calls, and precious opportunities, if Christ receive you at last, it will be rich mercy, but it will be harshly. I have often thought of it; young people do not know how much bitterness of spirit they avoid by closing with Christ betimes. My thinks I see some souls under such a condition, you have stayed out all day, and come home at midnight, I do not say you shall not be received when you come, but you may be received with a whip, and go to bed without a Supper, as we use to say to some children. Now I am afraid of one snare of the Devil. My thinks I hear the Devil whispering to some souls, well, be it so as you say, so long as Christ will receive you at last, so long as I shall not go to Hell, so long as I shall have mercy at last, than I will go on, etc. I will speak three words to this. First of all, It is more than you know; I say, it is more than you know, that you shall be saved at last. I say, it is possible Christ may receive the soul, but how do you know it? who did tell thee, that it thou didst sin so many years, after all thou shouldest have Christ with a whip and a knock? Secondly, It is a thousand to one that it shall be so. The soul that puts off closing with Christ upon this presumption, that he shall have it at last, and will presume to tarry, because he persuades himself of a sure reception, though it may be sore; I say, these of all persons, in my judgement, have ground to fear lest the Lord give them to a deluded heart, to damning dreams, and soul-cheating hopes. I fear if any be thus Christ will not receive them, no not at first, nor last, neither sweetly, nor severely; therefore take heed of this delusion. But let me add, Thirdly, I will suppose this, that thou shalt be saved at last very harshly: Consider the terms, dost thou know how harsh they will be? Dost thou know what terrors of the Lord may be upon thee? what terrors of Hell may be in thee, & c? Oh Sirs, who knows the power of God's wrath? who knows the terror of a wounded conscience? can you live seven years under the apprehension of God's wrath? fourteen years under terror? and every day to walk up and down under everlasting burn? Beware how you go on upon those terms, but let every soul be wise now, beware now, be watchful now, that sigh the Lord, though he be sweet, can be bitter, beware how you provoke him to be so to you. Last Use, The third and last Use, It is for Exhortation, to exhort you all to receive this truth, so as not to be offended with it. I say, so to receive this truth, etc. I remember our Lord and Saviour, in John 16. preaches the truth of persecution upon this account; These things (saith he) I speak, that you may not be offended etc. My Brethren, this Truth, this great Truth, this strange Truth (that Christ may deal thus hardly with some souls that come to him) I preach it, and tell you of it, that you may not be offended; not offended when it comes to pass as to your particulars. There are two offences, one is, therefore to say I will never go to Christ; The other offence is, I find it so, that Christ is harsh, and therefore I will go no further. I pray be not thus offended. First, Do not stumble upon this as a rock of offence, and say, I will not go to Christ; this is but to some, I do not say the Lord will deal thus with all; say not, were I in the Woman of Canaan's condition, I could never hold up, and therefore I will stand off. Do not say so, who are you that walk uprightly, and avoid sin, and snatch at a tender of mercy, and are willing to come at a call? go to Christ, and you will find that he will entertain you friendly, or suppose it be seemingly harsh, yet remember, better be entertained by Christ seemingly harsh, than not to go at all, and be shut out for ever; be not offended therefore, do not stumble at going to Christ. Secondly, Let no soul be so offended at this dealing, as to say, I will be gone, I will be gone, I will wait no longer. By Brethren, it may be there may be some poor soul here before the Lord, that may say, I am a second Woman of Canaan, a woman of a bitter spirit, of a grieved soul, because I have gone to Christ, and am not entertained. I have got Father, Mother, Minister, child to pray for me, I am not yet answered. My beloved, for all this, thou art but a Woman of Canaan, and the Lord may deal with you as such; what though he speak not at all, or but harshly, this is not new, neither do thou so wonder at it, or be offended by it, as to think of drawing back, or going away from Jesus Christ. Therefore let me speak two words to thee. 1 One is, Be advised. 2 The other is, Be encouraged. The first word is of Advice; I pray take advice O poor heart. Thou sayest thou hast gone to Christ, and he frowns; thou sayest thou hast looked up to the brazen Serpent, and yet the sting of the fiery Serpent abides; thou sayest thou hast called for a crumb of bread, and no answer comes; be advised to look about you, to see why God deals thus with you; you may be bold with the Lord Jesus (he never checked the Woman with boldness) ask Christ, Lord, is thy design to humble me? then do so; or, Lord what is thy design? is it to try me? then do so, but support me. Is it to heighten thyself in my heart? Lord, what is thy design? look about you and consider for which of all the Reasons it is, that the Lord deals thus with you. Secondly, Be encouraged to wait upon the Lord yet a little longer. Tarry thou the Lords leisure yet a while. In Psal. 40. saith the Psalmist there, I waited for the Lord, and at last the Lord heard me, he brought me up also out of an horrible pit, and he hath put a new song into my mouth: Oh it is a blessed Scripture, wait thou yet for the Lord, thou art yet in a horrible pit of sin, and filth, fear, and doubt; thou criest, yet the Lord doth not hear; I but yet he may hear, this is no strange thing; indeed the soul is ready to say as the Church, Oh all you that pass by, is there any sorrow like to mine? Lam. 1.12. So it may be your soul is ready to say, was there ever any sorrow like mine? my conscience disturbs me, Satan disturbs me, I go to Christ, and he doth not hear me, he will not answer; Oh be of good comfort, and wait still, he that calls thee (as the Woman of Canaan) Dog now, will say to thee, Go thy way, great is thy Faith, Indeed my Brethren, when I was drawing up the conclusion of this, by myself, I thought I should meet with a Woman of Canaan, and I was bid to encourage her thus. First, All this harshness it is but in show. As we told you the last day; Joseph had bowels though for a time he dealt roughly. Secondly, All this will not last, Joseph will speak peace, and the Lord Jesus that seems rough now, he will speak to thee in soft language at last: Therefore you that are as the Woman of Canaan, waiting upon Christ, and yet hearing nothing from him, be comforted, and counselled. First, Be comforted, your condition is blessed; Blessed are they that wait at the posts of Wisdoms gates, Prov. 8.34, etc. This may be the condition of a believer, and it is blessed. Object. I says the soul, If I did but know that, or think that. Repl. Did joseph's Brethren know he knew them? did they think he wept, and his bowels yearned? It was their happiness Joseph knew them, though they knew it not: And it is comfort Christ knows us, when we are, and may be as ignorant of him, as they of Joseph. That is the foundation of our life and comfort, that the Lord may, and doth know us first, before we know him; and he still knows us, even while we know not him. Mind that, in the second Epistle of Timothy chap. 2. vers. 19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his. Let that word be for thy comfort. But than Secondly, Be counselled to carry yourselves very wisely. Carry it well, and it shall be your wisdom. I know indeed, my Beloved, we need much wisdom to carry it wisely when Christ doth frown. Oh! we are apt to have impatient spirits, murmuring spirits, rising spirits; nothing is so provoking as unkindness from Jesus Chr●st. I look for no better from the Law, or from the Devil; but that Christ should speak death, or Christ call Dog, or that he that was sent to give the children bread, should say he was not sent to me, Oh this doth wound me, this doth kill me, (saith the poor soul) Well yet be counselled to wait: Do not think evil of, nor speak hardly concerning Jesus Christ He knows (as we say) what he doth; there may be many reasons of this carriage of his; and therefore whatever be his carriage to thee, let thy carriage to him be good; if Christ deal with thee as with the Woman of Canaan, do thou deal with him as she did. Now what that is, we shall come unto next. Souls must still carry it well to Jesus Christ. The Fourth SERMON. Matthew 15.25. and 27. verses. Then came she, and worshipped him, saying, Lord help me. And she said, Truth Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their Master's table. AS a fine Copy fairly written (which doth attract the eyes of all to look upon it, and stir up the spirits of ingenious Scribes to imitate it) Such (my Beloved) is the Example of the Woman of Canaan; (the history whereof is here recorded, and which we are now handling) It is a fine Copy, and fairly written. Here are great things, glorious Mysteries held forth, and you and I should look upon them, and endeavour to read and imitate them. There are four heads unto which we did reduce the whole matter of this discourse. First, The Coming of the Woman to Christ. Secondly, The Carriage of Christ to the Woman. We were ending of that the last day. The Woman she came with much devotion, in much affection; The Lord, contrary to what he was wont, turns away, makes as if he did not hear, he would not vouchsafe to speak a word, and when he was entreated by the Disciples, he puts them off, and when she renews her request again, he speaks harshly, etc. The Lesson we then did go upon from the whole, you know was this, That sometimes Christ is seemingly harsh to some souls that come to him. We opened it, and gave the Reasons of it, and applied it. And that which we did aim at, truly it was principally two words. The first was to exhort you all, that sigh Christ doth sometimes seemingly entertain some souls harshly, That you would not provoke him so to do. As the Lord lives, and as your souls live, if you stand out too long, if you put off Christ too often, though at the last he may save you, it will be by fire: Therefore I beseech you (especially you that be young) take a Christ while you may have a Christ; while Christ knocks softly, and speaks sweetly, and woos lovingly, entertain him, lest he go away, and make you come after him crying, and it may be a great while ere he come back again. The second word was, To you poor souls that may be the children of this Woman of Canaan, (that have gone to Christ, and have found him stand at a distance) Do not despair, no new thing is fallen upon you. The Lord Christ doth sometimes use so to deal with souls. And (my Brethren) as you shall see afterwards (though he stand at a distance now) he will in time embrace you sweetly. The Woman of Canaan that was entertained harshly, went away joyfully. But how did she carry it under this harsh dealing? That is the third head we are now to speak to. Here the carriage of the Woman is set out in these two Verses, the 25. and 27. verses. And mark it, in vers. 25. It is said, She came and worshipped him, saying, Lord help me. My Brethren, As the Lord said to Peter in another case, we must say of the Woman in this; Flesh and blood hath not revealed this to you. Flesh and blood could not teach, nor help the poor Woman to such a carriage. What, for the Lord to turn away, for the Lord to put off? and for her to reinforce her devotion, renew her suit afresh, and to come and worship him, etc. The 27. verse, Truth Lord: yet the Dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their Master's Table. The Lord had in a manner called her Dog, and said, it was not for dogs to have children's bread; she doth not deny it, but she grapples with grace, and saith, Truth Lord, yet dogs may have a crumb, etc. I shall put all that is spoken here of her carriage into one Lesson; but before I do that, I shall name two other observable points. The first is this, A right Faith coming, and carrying of the soul to Christ, is a resolute Faith. That is one point I would name, pray mark it, The Lord Jesus seems to put her off, he gives her nothing that was a visible encouragement, yet she will go on, and yet she will not be put off. When the soul comes to Christ, he comes as one that needs a Christ, and wants a Christ, will have, and as one that must have a Christ; and what then? he will have a Christ before he goes away. Though he have not evidence, he will have adherence; though the soul can see nothing, and though no hope, yet he will be resolute; although Christ will not smile, though conscience is not quiet, though the wound be not healed, though the Lord put off angrily, yet the soul keeps resolute to him, and will not be sent away empty; Faith, if right, is still resolute. The second Point that I shall name, is this, That a right Faith knows how to confess, and believe at once. A true Believer will not conceal his sin, yet will close with Jesus Christ. A right Faith will deny nothing, and yet it will believe all things. My Brethren, mark it a little, there are a company of vile people that are (as they say) all for Faith, and nothing for confession, and what say they? believers, it is not for them to come and confess sin. Why, a believer will confess sin; doth the Lord say dog? yes, truth Lord, I am a dog, will the soul say, as this Woman did. There are others that will confess, and not believe. Oh, they cry out, they must confess, and bewail, and lie low, and humble themselves, etc. but they cannot believe, they dare not believe; confession is their work, etc. Why poor hearts you may do both; you may say, Lord, I am a sinner, yet I believe, for mercy is for sinners; I am ungodly, yet I believe, for Abraham believed in him, who justifieth the ungodly: I am a dog (as thou sayest Lord) yet I believe a dog may gather up a crumb. Well, remember it, True Faith doth not hinder confession, nor confession should not hinder Faith. But the particular Lesson of the place is this, Namely, That it is the duty, the wisdom, the glory of poor souls, to carry it holily and humbly unto Christ, when Christ seems to carry it harshly unto them. So doth this poor Woman; or if you will take it shortly thus. It becomes Christians to carry it really well, when Christ carries it seemingly ill. I know, my Brethren, this is a hard work, but as hard as it is we must learn it, and I will assure you, if ever God intent to do you good, though flesh and blood murmur, yet the Lord will whip you into this Lesson, but he will make you learn it, Namely, to carry it holily to him, when he carries it seemingly harsh to you. I remember that passage, in 1 Pet. 2.18. Servants be obedient to your Masters; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. It is the duty of a servant professing the Name of God, though he have a froward Master, yet he must carry it well. Now mark it, Is it the duty of a servant to carry it well to a bad Master, and is it not the duty of Saints to carry it well to Christ? we are the servants, he is the Master. So in Heb. 12.9. Mark the Apostles argumentation, saith he, We have had Fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence; shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and l●ve? Mark, there is life in this, our life depends on our reverend carriage in this case. Alas! if Christ be gone, our life goes with him; carry it well therefore, if thou love thy life; you must be subject and submissive even when he seems to be sharp, otherwise death is at the door. Mind it then, would you have a pardon? and doth Christ seem to deny you? where can you go for it but to him? and when you come, if you submit; there it is; soul, in the point is your life; Therefore mark the lesson well; It is the duty, wisdom, and glory of Saints, to carry it well to Christ, when he carries it seemingly ill to them. There are four persons in the book of God recorded, that God did seem to deal very hardly withal; and of all of them, this Woman of Canaan was most rare. Good old Aaron, holy Job, the Virgin Mary, (the Mother of our Lord) and this Woman in the Text. But truly, as the Apostle said, now remains Faith, Hope, and Charity, the greatest thereof is Charity; so of these that are upon record, the greatest of these is this Woman; she seems to excel in good carriage under hard usage. For Aaron's carriage you have it recorded in Leu. 10.3. The Lord had dealt very severely with him; Nadab and Abihu (his two sons) were consumed with fire from Heaven before the Lord. Ah Lord! how harsh was this to flesh and blood? what mere man, having nothing more than man, could bear it! a good Priest hath two sons taken away suddenly. But how doth Aaron carry it? The Lord spoke to Moses, and Moses to Aaron, saying, This is that the Lord spoke, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified; and Aaron held his peace. The Lord seemed very severe against the old man, he took away two of his children at once, when they were about his work the Lord satisfies him by Moses, and he held his peace. A blessed behaviour it was, well-becoming him, and very patternable unto us. The second is that of Job. In the first and second chapters, you may read and see that God carries it strangely to him, yet it is said, in all this Job carries it very well, so well, that the Holy Ghost bears him witness, He sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. And when his Wife put him on to curse God, Oh saith he, Thou speakest like one of the foolish women; what? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and not evil? There was a carriage indeed very good and right, according to our Doctrine. Thirdly, Our Lord's Mother carries it well to the Lord, when he seemed to carry it harsh to her. In John 2.3. There you have our Lord and his Mother at a Wedding, and there was wanting some Wine, and the Mother said to Jesus, they have no Wine; saith Christ, Woman, what have I do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. What dost thou call upon me for Wine in the middle of the feast? she was taken up, as we say, sharply; I but how sweetly doth she carry it? In vers. 5. saith she to the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. Truly a very sacred speech it was, and argued that her soul was really good, and would appear so to Christ, even when his carriage was to appearance very cross to her. Lastly, You have this story in the Text, which in a sense (as I said) is the greatest of all four; for, believe it, God never dealt so with Aaron, Job, and Mary, as he did with this Woman, nor in some respects (consideratis considerandis, as they say) did they carry it so well as she: There was something in those children of Abraham (for so they were) which did oblige, and enable them, to carry it better than could be expected from this stranger, this Canaanite, yet she transcends in her holy, humble, sweet behaviour to our Lord, as I shall open by and by. Well, There are two things to be opened for the explication of the point. The first is, How the soul should carry it well to Christ, when Christ carries it ill to him. Wherein doth this good behaviour lie? Let the Lord carry it how he will, what is our good behaviour? I say, what is our good behaviour which we should show to him? And then secondly, Why we ought so to carry it? what are, or may be the reasons and grounds of such a carriage? I begin with the first, And shall not instance nor enlarge in any particulars, but what we may find in this pattern, and pray mark it well. For my thinks in this Text there are six things (in this Woman's good behaviour) showing, and evidently teaching all of us, what should be out carriage when we come to Christ, etc. First of all, Though the Lord dealt roughly with her, she kept up honourable thoughts of him. Secondly, She doth not suddenly, nor sullenly go away, but tarries and waits upon Christ. Thirdly, She speaks to Christ, as professing her only hope in his help. Fourthly, She denies nothing of what the Lord seems to charge her with. Fifthly, She doth gather upon Jesus Christ (as it were) and catches bold of that by which Christ would cast her off. Sixthly and lastly, She was content to have a little in the lowest manner, when she might not have her first and great request in the highest manner. First of all, This good carriage the Woman had, She thinks honourably of Jesus Christ. The Lord puts her off hardly, what doth she do? doth she in a carping censorious manner, revile and speak evil of Christ? Crieth she out, oh pride, O stateliness, O sour man! Doth she say, ye followers of his, is this your good Lord and Master? whatever he may say, or you think, certainly he is an austere man, and believe it, he is a surly Master, etc. not a word of this, but the Text saith, She came to him, and worshipped him, and said, Lord, help me. If Jesus Christ had dealt never so well with her, she could not have dealt better with him. It is the Royal Carriage of the Spouse of Jesus Christ (The queen, in Psal. 45.) when she was brought into the King's presence, and dealt withal best; All that is advised and required of her, is this; He is thy Lord, worship thou him. But this poor Woman when she is turned off, she comes to him, and worships him, and says, Lord, help me. When the Lord seems to deal harshly with a soul, the Devil is at hand to put on a poor soul to think hardly of Jesus Christ. Oh Sirs, Experimentally souls know this to be true, that they can hardly keep down murmuring thoughts, when Christ doth not entertain them presently. I remember it was the speech of Mr. Calvin, intimating the moderation of his spirit about Luther, saith he, Though Luther should call me a Devil, I would honour him as a Saint. So truly do thou, though Christ call thee a Devil, do thou honour him as the Messiah. In Psal. 22. you have a very remarkable passage, Why art thou so far (saith the Psalmist) from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not, vers. 1, 2. It was harsh dealing for God to let David cry all the day long, and not to hear him, what then? Read the 3. verse. But thou art holy, etc. Oh Sirs, Sirs, look about you, and learn your Lesson well, you must carry it well to Christ; though he deal harshly with you, you must speak to him, and think of him honourably; you must beware of blasphemy. The Devil thought Job would curse God, if God carried it cross, but he was deceived; and set Satan be deceived so in you; he will tempt and put you on to entertain dishonourable thoughts of Christ; and if it may be, he will make you charge God foolishly, and speak of Christ foully; but take heed, see your pattern of piety in this woman's practice, and carry it as she did. Whatever Christ do or say, though he put thee off, and call thee dog, yet come near, and bow, worship him, and call him Lord, Say, he is holy and honourable, and thou wilt still count him so; this is thy good behaviour which will be thy wisdom and glory to strive for, and to come up unto. This is the first thing in this Woman's carriage. I proceed. A second thing in her good behaviour, is this, She doth not suddenly, nor sullenly go away from him; She goes not away in a fume, or a pet, as we use to say, No, but as the Disciples said, Master, She crieth after us. Poor souls may come to Christ, and cry, and he may go away; knock, and he not open; call, and no body answer; what shall you do? Oh, take heed of going away grumbling, and sullen. The Woman she renews her cry, she comes and says, Lord, help me. Truly, my Brethren, it was a proud speech of those, in Isa. 58.3. that said, Wherefore have we fasted, and thou seest not? Wherefore have we afflicted our souls, and thou takest no knowledge, & c? And my Brethren, it is spiritual pride for us to say, Lord, why do I cry, and thou not hear? keep on crying, (Soul) that is thy duty. We are apt to be very sullen, though the Lord be very wise in not hearing what we say. It was a strange piece of sullenness in Jonah, in Jonah 4.8. when he wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die, than live. It will argue much hypocrisy in your coming to Christ, if (although Christ do deny) you do not tarry and wait upon him begging. In Job 27.10. It is said of the hypocrite, Will he cry always? Thou sayest thou dost hunger for Christ, thou dost thirst for Christ, thou hast a hungering and thirsting for righteousness; well then, because you have it not, will you go away? it is but an hypocritical hunger; were it cordial, it would continue. It is an Argument of spiritual pride, for us not to wait and tarry begging, though the Lord seem to keep off, denying. It was a proud speech of the King of Assyria, in 2 King. 6.33. Behold, this evil is of the Lord, what should I wait for the Lord any longer? Nay, he should have said, it is of the Lord, and therefore it is meet, I must, I will wait; so this Woman did, and so must we, wait, and not go away. Many a soul is apt to give all over, to cry, I will pray no more, seek no more, this is evil, and must be watched against. An humbly wise soul will wait, and we ought so to do, for that is another piece of this example, and another part of our good behaviour. But than Thirdly, A third thing I do observe as the good carriage of this Woman (that should be ours) to Christ, is, That she doth really tell the Lord, that her only hope was in his help, LORD, HELP ME, etc. The Lord seems to put her off, she comes and worships him, etc. and cries out, Lord, help me; a comprehensive speech it is. My thinks there are three things in that expression, which I shall briefly open unto you. First, It is as if s●ee should say, Lord, thou alone canst help me. Secondly, As if she should say, If thou wilt not help me, no body will. And Thirdly, It is as if she should say, Lord, If thou wilt not help me, I am resolved is go no where els● and therefore O Lord help me. Well, mark it, It is your Copy you must 〈◊〉, if thou wilt carry it as thou oughtest, and therefore lay it up in thy heart. First, Though the Lord reject thee, tell the Lord, yet he is thy help; there is no other Name whereby I can be saved, but thine, no other Physician, but thee, no other balm, but thee, no other help, but in thee; this is good carriage. Secondly, We must not only look to Christ as the helper, but as he alone that will do it. Tell Christ, that if he do not help thee, none will; therefore Lord help. That speech is spoken out, to that purpose, Psal. 69.20. Reproach hath broken my heart, and I am full of bitterness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none, etc. This poor woman might have said, as the Woman with the bloody Issue, I have been with all the Doctors, and none can cure, none cast the Devil out of my child. O soul, it is a savoury speech to say, Lord, all help but thine is in vain. I have gone here and there, to this and that creature, but all are empty, all are hopeless, all are helpless. It is thee alone (O Lord) that I see can help; therefore O Lord hear, and O Lord help. And then consider it further. Thirdly, She holds it out as one resolved to go to no body else, Lord help, she will not leave him. It is said, They that forsake thee, and go a whoring, they shall all perish; But it is good for me to draw nigh to God, as he said, Psal. 73. vers. last. I have thought this to be a part of the intendment of that expression, in Psal. 16.1▪ 4. Preserve me, O Lord, for in thee do I trust. Their sorrows shall be multiplied, that hasten after another God: their drink-offerings of blood I will not offer, nor take up their names into my lips. I have, I say, thought it to be, as if he should say, Lord, help me, I will go no where else, I will not go to an Idol, thou canst do it, and thou wilt do it, and no body else can do it, and I am resolved to go no where else; here I lie, here I will die, if I must; none can, none shall be to me a helper, but thyself alone, and therefore Lord help. Well, that is the third thing in this Woman's carriage, which is our Copy. But to proceed. Fourthly, Mark it a little, This good Woman carries it well to Christ, in that she doth not deny what the Lord did hint about her unworthiness. Christ calls her dog, and she doth not at all deny it. Oh Sirs, a believing soul acts highly, but it goes humbly. Mark but a little the phrase; My thinks our Lord and Saviour doth speak two sad things to her in one word; It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. In this speech it is evident that Christ, First, He calls her Dog. And Secondly, He tells her, It is not meet for Dogs to have children's bread; yet how humbly doth she carry it! She saith, TRUTH LORD; As if she had said, I may be a Dog, and am so, and it is not meet for me to have children's bread, etc. Oh Sirs, if the Lord Christ in the day of your distress, (when you shall go to him under the sense of your sins) if then, I say, he rip up, and charge upon us our sins, and shall say to thee, but thou wert a drunkard, but thou wert a swearer, etc. then know how to he have yourselves, and say, Truth Lord, it is so, I dare not, I do not in the least deny it. It is good carriage to confess the truth of what Christ lays to our charge. I meet with two sad examples of the Lords own people, that were got upon so proud a pin, that they did deny what God charged them with. In Jeremiah 2. God charges them with fooleries, and going away from him, saith God in vers. 23. How canst thou say I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done: thou art a swift Dromedary, traversing her ways. Now mark in vers. 35. Yet thou sayest, because I am innocent, etc. That God should charge them with Idols, and they say that they are innocent, it argues a very proud heart, and it was very ill carriage, a behaviour which did not become them; yet so it was. And just so bad a behaviour is theirs, in Malachy 3.13. saith God there, Your words have been stout against me; yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee? Oh Sirs! souls that are in a saving condition, do know this that I am going to say, when the conscience accuses, flesh and blood will go to put all off; what I a drunkard, I a swearer? etc. I, thou art, and if God charge it upon thee, it is, and must be thy good carriage, in all humility to lie down, and say nothing. You have a notable word, in Lam. 3. It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth, vers. 29. He putteth his mouth in the dust, if so be there may be hope. Oh, do not deny any sin the Lord charges thee withal; if there be any hope, it is in this, putting thy mouth in the dust. But of all examples, I will commend you to that, in Jeremiah 3. saith God, in vers. 20. Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband: so have you dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the Lord. What then, do they deny it? No. A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping and supplication of the children of Israel: for they have perverted their way, and they have forgotten the Lord their God. Oh, here is good carriage, when the Lord shall deal harshly, bring all thy sins to remembrance, rip up sin here, and fin there, Oh with a voice of weeping say, truly it is so. Let God charge any thing; Let Christ say what he will, he cannot lie, whatever his language be: If Christ say Swine, Dog, reply nothing, only say as this Woman did, Truth Lord. That is the fourth thing. But then again Fifthly, This Woman's good carriage lies in this, She doth gather upon Jesus Christ (as it were) and catches hold of that, by which Christ would seem to cast her off, and doth take an argument, from his harsh speech, to plead for herself. It is not meet to give the children's bread to Dogs. See how she takes hold of it, Truth Lord, But the Dogs may eat of the crumbs that fall from their Master's Table. Doth Christ say, go Woman, dog Woman, say thou, I will take hold of this word, a crumb Lord. It is good when a soul can catch hold upon a Christ▪ even by that with which he would put it off. For instance; suppose Jesus Christ should say to thee, thou art an ungodly wretch, come not to me, catch hold of that, and say, thou art a God that justifies the ungodly. Saith God, thou art a Rebel, get thee gone? catch at it, and say, truth Lord, it is so; but the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to give gifts to Rebels. Doth the Lord yet say, thou art an enemy? answer, true Lord, but there is reconciliation for enemies in the blood of Christ, etc. Learn to catch at that hand by which Christ seems to thrust thee away; hold that. It is indeed a Mystery, but so is all godliness, and we must learn it; and out of this Woman's example we may be helped therein. That is the fifth. But not to enlarge, I will come to the next. The sixth and last thing in her good carriage, is this, That she is content with a little in the lowest manner, if she may not have a great deal in the highest manner. For mark her expression, A crumb Lord, there is little; and under the Table, I will be glad to stoop so low, and lick that which lies there upon the ground. Oh that this frame of spirit were in us! surely it is a blessed thing to be thus bowed in our hearts, to stoop thus to Christ. We cannot enough admire, nor (I fear) imitate this Woman, pray look upon her, listen to her. Truly my thinks the poor Woman says thus, Indeed I am a poor Canaanite, I am not one of the children of the house of Israel, I may not sit down at the children's table, nor take of the bread so soon as cut from the Loaf, but I will be content to take it under the table, there I will lie, etc. And truly (my Brethren) this was the good carriage of the Prodigal, mark how the Prodigal comes home. Father, make me one of thy hired servants. He doth not say, Father, remember, I was a child, and let me come in for a portion, etc. No, but make me but a servant, and what servant would he be? a hired servant; the household servants had a privilege that the hired servants had not. I shall turn you to a Scripture for it, Exod. 12.44, & 45. verses. The hired servant might not eat of the Passeover, when the household servant might. He would be a hired servant, that if his Father would not take him into full grace, and give him a child's place and portion again, he would be contented with any thing. Now the Lord help you and I to think of these things; here is good carriage. Here are six things you see wherein she carries it well. But now In the second place, I should give you the Reasons why this same good carriage should be, notwithstanding Christ carry it harshly. There are three heads of Reasons. First of all, If you consider who Christ is, to whom you come Secondly, If you consider what yourselves are who come to this Jesus Christ. And Thirdly, If you consider the Errand for which you come to him at any time; you will find in all these three, Matter; and Motive enough to make you carry it thus well to Christ, though he carries it ill to you. The Woman considered who Christ was, the Son of David, the Messiah; and she considered who she was, a Canaanite; and she remembers that she had a child under the power of the Devil; and let us touch a little upon them. First Consider who Christ is to whom you come. I shall hint out my meditations as to this in four particulars, who Christ is. First of all, He is the Lord; God blessed for evermore; Therefore worship thou him (saith the Psalmist) Psal. 45.11. FOR he is thy Lord; and because he is thy Lord, therefore worship thou him. The Lord Jesus, to whom you and I come, he is the Lord Jehovah, God blessed for evermore, and should we not carry it well to him? wert thou to come to a man, but a mere man, upon a weighty affair. though he were a little cross, thou wouldst carry it well; and shouldest thou go to the Lord God, blessed for evermore, and carry it ill? Surely the consideration of a God ought to fill the soul with all reverence in every approach unto him, and with all humbleness of carriage in our deal with him. If thou art an Arrian, doubting and denying Christ's deity, there might be the shadow of a Plea for an irreverent deportment; but being thou art one who callest Christ Lord, and professest (at least) to acknowledge him God; this very thing obligeth thee to demean thyself well, however he deals with thee. Secondly, As he is thy Lord, so he is thy Life; My meaning is, thou goest to him, without whom thou canst not live; and therefore thou hadst need to carry it well. Whither should we go? (saith Peter) thou hast the words of eternal life. Christ is your Physician, for that you must carry it well to him; you do carry it well, and wait upon a Doctor fairly, because your life lies upon it, and will you not deal so with Christ, when the life of your souls lies upon it? I knew a Physician that was of great Name and Practice, a man of a very cynical spirit, as rugged, crabbed a carriaged person as any of that Profession; he could scarce give a pleasing look, and would often give course, across, indeed very bad language; and yet I have heard him so reverently spoke unto, and so patiently waited on, that I have admired it; but what was the reason? Oh he was a Doctor, and they came to him knowing his skill; and therefore it made them carry themselves so respectfully to him. Oh soul! Christ is thy sovereign Physician, thy only Doctor; upon that account let him do or say what he will, as he will, be it never so seemingly cross (for really ill he cannot carry it) it becomes thee to have a good behaviour. Thirdly, He is Wisdom, infinite Wisdom, one that knows what he does. Alas my Beloved! if the Lord Christ were capable of folly, we might charge God foolishly; but Job knew God's wisdom was infinite, and therefore he would not charge God foolishly. When he rips up thy sins, be still, he knows what he doth. When the Lord Jesus shall lance the wound, and cut conscience, and tell thee of sin, and rip up unworthiness, lie still, carry it well, he is very wise. How oft doth the Chirurgeon bind the Patient, and cut, and lance it? How oft doth he search the wound, and gash the flesh, yet still is the Patiented quiet, he silently submits? why, he knows the Chirurgeon is wise, and one that understands both what, and wherefore he doth so. Truly (Beloved) Christ is infinite in wisdom, doth nothing but what we need, and he can (yea and in time will) give a good reason why he carries it thus or thus unto us (as I formerly told you in the second Doctrine) therefore we ought to be silent, and carry ourselves reverently, and well unto him. Fourthly and lastly, Consider further who the Lord is; why truly the Lord Jesus is so generous, so gracious, that he cannot be angry if we stoop; He cannot carry it ill, if we carry it well. The Lord Jesus is of so sweet a disposition, of so tender bowels, that when he sees us weep, his bowels turn within him. Christ, though he roar, and make thee tremble, yet if thou bow, and fall, and art silent, he will (as they say of the Lion in such a case) Lick and love thee. It was the glory of the King of Israel, that when Benhadad's servants came to him with ropes about their necks, he was overcome with it, 1 King. 20.32, 33. Oh you know I have once, yea twice told you of Joseph, I must tell you once more of him. Joseph speaks rugged, very roughly, yet at last he bowed, what was the cause of it? Look upon the story. In Gen. 45. you have that which doth usher in his speaking kindly. In the first verse. Then Joseph could not refrain himself, etc. when was that? Look into chap. 44. from verse 18. downward. Then, when Reverend Judah, his Elder Brother, and the rest, with bended knees, and doubtless with weeping eyes, lay at his feet humbly under all, and yet earnestly supplicating, Oh how doth his bowels yearn towards them! So then, when thou shalt lie at his feet humbly supplicating, laying out thy misery, and what thou dost expect, he cannot hold out; witness this Woman of Canaan unto whom at last Jesus Christ sweetly condescended (though at first he carried it towards her strangely, as you have heard) Truly as she found, we may expect even the same condescension, if we have the same carriage. Christ hath that innate sweetness, that infinite grace, those soft affections, that however he gins roughly, he will conclude comfortably (as I shall show when I come to it) Remember Christ's Name is Love, and Lovingness is with him. The consideration of his Nature calls upon thee, O soul, for such a carriage as I have opened; therefore study it. If thou well knowest Christ, who he is, thou canst not well forget what carriage is suitable to such a person; so that if you consider who Christ is, to whom you come, and withal if you do not forget yourselves, and the Errand you come to him about, you cannot but carry it well to him, though he should carry it seemingly harsh to you. I should proceed to open these two other things, viz. The consideration of ourselves, and our business to, and with Christ, are grounds for this good behaviour, but I see at present I must end here: Therefore now I shall only name two words of Use. First, I will ask you a Question. And secondly, I will give you a word of Advice. First, I will ask you this one Question, If it be our duty to deal well with Christ, when he deals ill with us; What shall become of those that deal ill with Christ, when he deals well with them? If when Christ frowns, we should worship him, if when Christ puts us off, we should then draw near to him, if when Christ calls us Dog, we should worship him as our Lord, What shall we think of those, who when Christ smiles, invites, doth them good, they do ill to Jesus Christ? Oh my Brethren, Monsters they are, and not Men, and yet I must tell you, we need not go to Africa to find these Monsters; people professing the Lord are apt to deal ill with Christ, when he deals well with them. In Jeremiah 2. saith the Lord there, Testify against me what iniquity have your Fathers found in me? etc. Is there any such before the Lord? Oh let me testify for the Lord against you; what evil did Christ do to you? why then dost thou blaspheme the Name of God? thou hast often hea●d by his servants, I lay down my life for sinners, and yet thou wilt swear by the Life of Jesus Christ. If the Lord had spoke angrily, thou shouldst have blessed him, and wilt thou now curse him, when he speaks kindly? In Malachy 3.13, 14. saith the Lord there, Your words have been stout against me; wherein have they been stout? In that you have said, it is in vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances? etc. Mark it a ●i●tle, I gather out of this Scripture this truth, that whoever speaks slightly of the Ordinances of Jesus Christ, his words are stout against Jesus Christ. Have you not spoke slightly of prayer, praying, breaking bread, of Church-fellowship, as if these were vain? your words are stout against Jesus Christ. Sirs, If the Lord Jesus should make every hearing of a Sermon twenty pound, yet you were bound to honour him by hearing a Sermon: And if he should make breaking of bread, fire and faggot, you were obliged notwithstanding to engage in that duty. But now you have all sweetly, why are your words stout against the Lord? you may have Ordinances free, and worship with peace, and yet your words are stout against Jesus Christ. Christ will say one day to such, There was a Woman of Canaan that carried it well when I dealt crossly with her, but you carried it cross to me, even when and while I was all kindness to you. Oh Sirs, think not that Christ can take it well; nay, he must needs take it ill. If this Question I hint fasten on thy heart (O soul!) and find thee in this fault, O humble thy soul for this thy sin. Thy carriage is quite contrary to this point and example which I have opened to you. The second word I would speak, is a word of Advice; and that is but this one word. Who are you before the Lord, that are of this house, that this good Woman was? That are under the frowns of Christ at present, that have heard Jesus Christ call you Dog, that have prayed often, and been put off always? I pray take a word of Advice, carry it well even now unto Jesus Christ. You know what the wise man tells us, in Eccles. 7.14. In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider. I would but a little allude to it. It may be there sits a soul, but it is a day of prosperity with him, he prays, and the Lord hears, he looks, and the Lord smiles; But there is a Man or Woman, with whom it is the day of adversity, thou callest, and Christ doth not answer, it is thy day of adversity. Now consider, consider what, consider how thou carriest thyself, Look to thy lips, do not sin, do not murmur, though thy wounds stink, though thy conscience burn, though thy soul tremble, it is thy day of adversity, and therefore consider. Oh, consider how the Lord eyes thee to see how thou wilt carry it. Take heed the Lord do not see a cursed Canaanitish carriage in thee; here is a good Canaanitish carriage in the Text. I remember what a godly man said, within these seven years, lying under a great pain of a great grief, of which he died; as he groaned exceedingly, saith one, you groan much, I, replied he, But though I groan, I dare not grumble. Though Christ keep thee a little at staves end, and carry it harshly, yet be of good courage, and confidence; wilt thou but wait a little? wait the Lords leisure, carry it well, he will deal well with thee. Be therefore advised how thou behave thyself, surely a waspish spirit, and a murmuring tongue, argue one is not well advised (as we say) in his carriage; Therefore go home as an advised Christian, let the Lord Jesus do, or say what he pleaseth, hold thou thy peace, suppress thou thy passion, and in all things show a humble, reverend, blessed behaviour to him. But of this more in the next. Reasons why we ought still to carry it well to Christ. The Fifth SERMON. Matthew 15.25. and 27. verses. Then came she, and worshipped him, saying, Lord help me. And she said, Truth Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their-Masters table. AS to be entertained by Christ really and readily, is a great mercy; so to be rejected by Christ (though it be but seemingly) must needs be a great misery. Indeed there cannot befall a poor soul a sadder evil, than to come to Christ needing, and expecting relief, and to receive either an absolute denial, or unusual delays at the hands of Christ. And yet my Brethren, this is a case that sometimes hath befallen many, and may befall us; We have a notable instance of it before us, in this story of the Woman of Canaan. There were four things I told you that we would principally speak unto in the handling of this story. The first was the Coming of this Woman. The second, is, the Manner of the Entertainment that she had by Christ, which was very sad, not an absolute denial, but a strange and unusual delay. Thirdly, Now we are considering the Carriage of this Woman under this strange and rough entertainment that she received from Christ. The point is of concernment for us to consider, that whensoever it will befall any of us, upon any account, we may know how to carry ourselves as she hath done. In these two verses we have her Carriage, and after we had opened that, we gathered up all into this one Observation, viz. Doct. That it is the duty, the wisdom, the glory of a Christian, to carry it unto Christ very holily; when he seems to carry it to the soul very harshly. Or shortly thus, We must carry it really well, when Christ carries it seemingly ill. There were but two Principal things, which I said were necessary to be handled in the explication of the Point. The First is, What this good Carriage is, wherein this holy, and blessed behaviour to Jesus Christ doth lie. And secondly, Upon what account it is our duty, and glory, to have this Carriage. Now for the opening of both of these, I did only confine myself to the example in hand, to see how the Woman carried it; and to see from her what were the Reasons that did prevail with her to carry it thus to Christ. Here are six things wherein this good thing, viz. this good Carriage of this good Woman, appears. First, Though the Lord dealt roughly with her, she kept up honourable thoughts of him. Secondly, We shown she did not suddenly, nor sullenly go away, but still she cries after him, And, Thirdly, She speaks to Christ as professing her only hope in his help. Fourthly, She denied nothing that Christ speaks against her. Christ seems to say to her, First, That she was a Dog. And then, Secondly, That she should have nothing. Truth Lord, saith she. Fifthly, She doth gather upon Jesus Christ, and by that very hand which he thrust her off, she gathers hope. Lastly, She was content to have a little in the lowest manner, when she might not have her first and great request in the highest manner. We did the last day open these more largely. But now, whence is it that we must have, and labour for this good Carriage? or what is the reason we should carry it thus holily to Christ, though he seem to carry it roughly to us? I referred the reason of it to three heads. I told you, if we do consider either Jesus Christ, or ourselves, or the Errand upon which we come to him at any time, we shall see great reason to carry it well to Christ, howsoever he may seem to carry it ill to us. And all these three considerations we have here in the Woman. First, Consider who Jesus Christ is, when you go to him. Why truly my Brethren, he is the Son of David, and our Lord; Because he is our Lord, therefore we must worship him. It is because Masters are Masters, therefore servants must carry it well; we did open that, and therefore shall not repeat it now. But, Secondly, Consider we ourselves, who we are that go to Jesus Christ; and (my Brethren) you will see that such as we are, coming to Christ, should carry it very well to him, though he should seem to carry it ill to us. Alas, what was this Woman? Certainly the Holy Ghost did help her to look within, to see herself as she was, viz. a poor Woman; A Woman of Canaan, of Tyre and Sidon, a Woman that was a Dog by Nature; such a Woman had need to carry it holily when she comes to Christ. And my Brethren, if you look upon your hearts (as she was, so are we) you will see all the reason in the world, to carry it holily and humbly to Jesus Christ, though he should carry it seemingly harsh to you. First, My Brethren, we are poor Creatures, and certainly our poverty doth speak for our humility. Indeed, we are beggars, and you know the speech of Solomon, in Prov. 28.23. The poor useth entreaties. It is but meet that those that come a begging, and are poor, that they should use entreaties. And my Brethren, let me tell you, it is an argument that we have not the blessing of spiritual poverty, if we do not carry it well to Jesus Christ, however he carries it to us. Indeed it is observed, as the very natural disposition of the Spanish Nation, that though they be beggars, yet they be proud. I wish in a spiritual sense, that were not true of the most of us; we carry it too proudly, and that because we forget what we are. I remember Solomon, when he would strike fire out of the flint (as it were) (that is reverence, out of the hearts of irreverend ones) falls upon this consideration; He is in Heaven, and thou art on Earth, Eccles. 5.2. Ah! it is folly (as Solomon there intimates) for us who are upon Earth (we dust and ashes) to carry ourselves hastily, irreverently before the God of Heaven. Our poor condition prompts us on (were we wise to mind it) to a good Carriage. This I find to be the proper reason of that good Carriage which we opened, from Psal. 22. You find there the Psalmist crying out, Oh my God, why hast thou forsaken me, and I cry, and thou hearest not, & c? but thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. Here is excellent good Carriage, but what is the ground of it? See in the sixth verse, But I am a Worm, and no Man. As if he should say, I am a worm, a poor silly creature, and therefore if I cry, and thou hear not, yet thou art a holy and honourable God. But Secondly, We are not only poor, but we are polluted creatures. And now, my Brethren, our pollution (when we come to Jesus Christ) should have a power upon us to make us carry it, so holily and humbly as we opened. The Leper under the Law had a liberty to cry out, yet he was to cover his face, and to cover his lips. My Brethren, you and I are but Lepers when we come to Jesus Christ; and upon this account it is that we should carry it holily, and humbly. This had an influence in Jobs good Carriage, in the 40. and 42. chapters, Behold (saith Job) I am vile, what shall I answer thee? I have spoken once, but I will speak no more. Surely it argues we are not sensible of our own stench and pollution, if we dare stand upon terms, and mis-behave ourselves towards our holy Physician. If thy poverty will not bind thee to the good behaviour, let thy pollution do it. Thirdly, Yet add a third string to this cord, that it may keep thee in; We are not only poor and polluted, but we are very enemies. And (my Brethren) an enemy, especially a conquered enemy, coming to plead for his life, for mercy, had need come humbly. When the servants of Benhadad came to the King of Israel, as enemies, and as conquered enemies, they come with ropes about their necks, and lie at his feet, and snatch at a word, 1 King. 20.33. Oh sinner! that is thy condition, thou art an enemy, thou hast been in rebellion, and thou art suing for reconciliation, and shouldest not thou carry it well? Is thy heart so unsensible of thy former Carriage, as to miscarry itself again? Surely thou hast need, and all the reason in the world, to crouch and bend, to yield and bow, well to carry thyself (who hast been an enemy) with all reverence to the Lord Jesus; otherwise you do much forget yourselves. But I shall not enlarge. That is the second Reason why souls should carry it holily and humbly to Christ, Namely, if we consider who we are that come to Christ. But then, Thirdly and lastly, Consider you the Errand for which you come to Christ at any time, and you will see in that an Argument to make you carry it well. This Woman came to Christ upon a great Errand, Ah Lord, My Daughter is grievously vexed with a Devil; And, Oh Lord, I am troubled with him too (might she say) A great business then, she came about, and so do we when we come to Christ. If we were to speak with Christ for a trifle, then if Christ spoke roughly, we might go away, but it is about what most concerns us. For, suppose it be thy first coming to Jesus Christ, thou art a poor creature under sin, and now thou art made sensible of it, what dost thou go to Christ for? for ease of thy burden, etc. Suppose thou art coming to Christ after some backsliding, under the guilt of some spiritual Adultery, and now thou art coming to him that he should receive thee again, and is not this a serious thing? Nay, suppose thou goest to Christ but for the life of one of your children, or your own life; these are serious things, and in serious things we should carry it humbly, when we come to such a one as Jesus Christ is, being such as we are, upon such a weighty Errand as all our occasions are; I fear thou (that mis-behavest thyself to Christ) forgettest thy business with him. Is the sentence past, and art thou condemned already? and art thou come to Christ with the chains about thy feet, and the halter about thy neck, and now carriest thou thyself ill to him? Art thou suing for thy pardon, and now proud? art thou before the Lord for bread, children's bread at any time, and is thy case such, as death follows upon a denial of it? and now mindest thou not thy Carriage? Pray souls look about you (as my phrase is) what come you to Christ for? is it for temporals, or eternals? come you for yourselves, or for yours? are you seeking for things on Earth, or in Heaven? do you desire your children's, or your own, or both deliverance from the Devil? I pray mind your Errand, what thing it is you come to Christ for; and let it be almost what it will that you are with Christ about, the consideration of the one, or other, should and may prevail with us, to carry it exceeding well, though he seem to carry it ill. So much for the explication of the Point. Why now then for the Application; Indeed there is but one thing that I do aim at as the proper and principal intendment of this Point, which is, to direct, and enable both my own heart, and yours (under God) to carry it thus well to Jesus Christ, though he may carry it ill to us, But before I speak to that, I beseech you, if it be your duty to carry it well to Jesus Christ, though he should carry it ill to us; then do you take heed (as I was concluding the last time, and would a little hint it again) that you do not carry it ill to Jesus Christ, when Christ carries it well to you. Therefore all you that are before the Lord, you hear this, though Jesus Christ should spurn at you, you should worship him; though Jesus Christ should cast you off with a denial, yet you should lie at his feet, and honour him. I beseech you take heed, when Christ smiles upon you, do not spurn at him; when he doth good to you, be not you bad to him. This is a necessary caution, even to those that pretend to God. In Deut. 32. What a large Catalogue of good Carriage is there of God towards a people? When they were in a desert Land, he lead them, and as an Eagle he bore them on his wings, etc. 10, & 11. verses. He found him in a desert Land, and in the waste howling wilderness: he lead him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the Apple of his Eye. As an Eagle stirreth up her Nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: So the Lord alone did lead him, and there was no strange God with him, etc. Here was good Carriage from the Lord, but how did they carry it? See in verse 15. But Jesurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxed fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness: then he forsook God, which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation, etc. Oh! as Moses said, in verse 6. Do ye thus require the Lord, O foolish people and unwise? Jesurun, the Lords people, the Lords heritage, a people that profess God, are very apt to carry it ill, when the Lord carries it well. And I wish to God this were not the Carriage of England this day, now we have peace and advantages, and opportunities. But now the Lord doth well, we carry it ill. I beseech you, beware of it; I shall press it in a few words; Who is there of you all before the Lord, but I may say to you, as the Lord said to his people by Jeremiah; Have I been as a barren wilderness, or a dry heath? etc. There is not the most notorious Rebel that lives out of Hell, but is beholding to Christ for being preserved. Who of you all that have not had choice deal by Jesus Christ? I beseech you do not deal ill with Christ. I know you are ready to say, what, do we deal ill with Christ? I pray mark it, I will speak but two words. First, When thou sinnest wilfully after Christ hath called thee from sin, and tendered thee a pardon, thou dealest ill with him. Mind well that place, Heb. 10.26. If we sin wilfully, after we have received the knowledge of the truth (i. e. The great truth of the Gospel-grace, in, and by Christ, distinguished, vers. 28. from Moses his Law) than what follows? why vers. 29. It is accounted base, and despiteful dealing with Christ, who shed his blood for sinners. Ah thou wretch! dost thou hear, Christ pities wretches, and is come to procure and give in pardon to sinners, and calls, Come sinner, leave thy sin, take my pardon; cast off thy wickedness, accept my grace; and yet thou turnest thy deaf ear; thou now declarest a hard heart, and dealest ill with Christ, who is dealing well with thee. Well then, I say, whoever thou art, that when thou hearest that Christ died for enemies, that he hath gifts for Rebels, and that he is ready to justify the ungodly; and now wilt be a Rebel still, this is dealing ill with Jesus Christ. This is that which the Apostle calls trampling under foot the blood of Christ, etc. And so, Secondly, When you deal ill with any of the eminent things of Christ, you deal ill with Christ. You know what the Lord will say at the last day, Mat. 25. For as much as you have done it to any of these little ones, you have done it unto me. When you scoff at any member of Christ, Jesus Christ saith, There is one scoffs at me. And when you deal unworthily with any of the things of Christ (as the Ministers of Christ) Luk. 10.16. He that heareth you, heareth me: and he that despiseth you, despiseth me: and he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me, etc. It is not spoke of the Twelve, but of the Seventy: Those that he had sent out to preach in his Name, though they were not the Twelve extraordinary ones, I say, but the ordinary Disciples. I pray mind it, ordinary Ministers are so near Christ, that he accounts despising of them, as a despite of himself. And so for Christians, the meanest of them all, etc. Consider them that thou dost despise, what are they? they are the Lords Messengers for thy good, and they are the Lords Members whom he tenders. And so I say, for any thing of Christ, they that deal ill with them, deal ill with Christ. I know what is the great Objection against this, and I remember Dr. Stoughton did well answer it. We do not take these to be the servants of Christ, the Lords people; his answer is, Beware you do not smite as chismatick, a holy one, and a Saint be found a bleeding. Well, I beseech you take heed of this; many that pretend to have much from Christ, they deal exceeding ill with Christ, it is a sin without excuse. Therefore the Lord doth make the 2. of Jeremiah, to be a conviction to leave them without excuse. Christ may say unto you all, whom in misery he hath supported, in want supplied, in all things sustained; I say, Jesus Christ may speak thus to you, If so be in the day of your distress, I had let you lie under the burden of sin; If when you came to beg mercy, I had put you off with a denial, or long delay, you ought to have carried it well: but how inexcusable will you be, that while Christ carries it well to you, you carry it ill to him? But the most proper. Use is to speak something to direct us all to this good Carriage. You hear, however Christ carries it to you, yet you ought to carry it holily, and humbly to Jesus Christ. And it may be there is some poor soul or other that is now going to Christ; It may be thou art a Months-Convert, and thou art wrestling long with Christ, and hast no answer; or it may be thou art a backslider, and art returning to Christ, or hast been with Christ upon some family, corporal occasion, hear how you are to carry it. I will hold out my thoughts distinctly, that I may the better direct: And I shall press the Use under two heads. Cave, Viz. 1 Beware, beware of ill carriage Unto Christ. Cura, Viz. 2 Take care, labour for a good carriage Unto Christ. Under these two Particulars I would press this good Woman's practice upon myself, and you; That however Christ seems at any time, in any thing to carry it to us, although it seem ill, yet let not us carry ourselves ill to him, but rather overcome our evil with good, and study to behave ourselves to Jesus Christ as we ought. I beseech you attend it. First, Beware of ill Carriage. Satan is at your elbow, he is tempting, he is busy to make you curse God, and die: This was Satan's main work to provoke Job to ill Carriage, and that is his work upon thee now. Satan seethe thee groaning under a sin, that thou hast no ease, now Satan is tempting thee to carry it ill, but beware, do not carry it ill. Take heed of two things as the principal pieces of good Carriage. First, Beware of evil words, and wishes. Secondly, Of unlawful works and endeavours. First, Beware of evil words, and wishes. My Brethren, we are apt in affliction to sin with our mouths. But oh Sirs, let me tell you, Mouth-sin is great sin; Tongue-sin on Earth, is tormenting-sin in Hell; Do not speak ill, nor wish ill. Do not speak ill. It was an ill speech, yet that good man drops it in his trouble, Psal. 73.13. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. And it was a very ill speech of the Church, in Lam. 3.18. I said my hope is perished from the Lord. And a bad wish of Job, Job 6.8, 9 Oh that I might have my request! and that God would grant me the thing that I long for! even that it would please God to destroy me, that he would let lose his hand, and cut me off. Beware of speaking unadvisedly with your lip●. Saith the soul, I cannot stand up under the frowns of Christ, and I would to God I might die now; God notes what you say, Jer. 45.3. Thou saidst, woo is me now! Mark, God noted what Baru●h saith. But you will say, may not the soul speak? may not the bitter heart vent itself? may not I speak of my condition as it is? I pray mark but these two or three things. First of all, You may speak, but it is our misery we are apt to speak more than it is; Many a time we cry out of our misery more than it is. But, Secondly, Mark this, though we may speak, It it best to hold our peace. Better is it for the soul to put his mouth in the dust, than there will be hope, as we opened, Lam. 3.29. But then, Thirdly, In all your speaking, you must distinguish between humble prayer, and hasty speaking. You may go before the Lord again, and again, and speak to him, as the Woman of Canaan; you may tell the Lord your wounds stink and fester, your bones are broken, etc. but you must not do this unadvisedly, or passionately. Quest. How shall the soul know, even in prayer, that he doth not speak of his sad condition badly? Answ. I answer first, When in all your prayers, and expressions unto God, you leave your complaint upon yourselves. This was Jobs practice, Jeb 10.1. saith He, My soul is weary of my life, I will leave my complaint upon myself, I will speak in the bitterness of my soul, i. e. I will say, Lord, my wound is great, but I made it, etc. you may expostulate with God, but still leave your complaint upon yourselves, i. e. lay the fault of all upon yourselves; do not blame Christ. Confess whatever thou feelest smart or sore, that thou must only thank thyself for it. Lay not thy sorrow to thy Saviour's charge; whatever you say, speak not as charging Christ, but condemning self. That is one thing. And secondly, As you must leave the complaint upon yourselves, so you must not absolutely, and peremptorily condemn yourselves. The soul is apt to cry out, my case is bad, and it will never be better, I conclude I must perish, there is no hope, etc. Ah! these condemning, concluding, absolute concluding speeches thus against ourselves, proceed from passion, and are of that kind of words which we must avoid. But it is not enough to watch words, take heed especially to your works. Therefore Secondly, As you must beware of sinful words and wishes, so, beware of sinful works, and endeavours. When the Rod of God is upon thy back, take heed of putting forth thy hand to evil. saul's way, was a wicked way; Indeed the Lord dealt sadly, severely with him; neither to answer him by vision, nor dream; by Urim, nor Thummim, was very sore and grievous. And my Brethren, to be able to forbear at such a time any thing that may seem a way to help, I confess it is very hard. But although it be difficult, yet it is duty. We must beware of going to Witches, and Wizards for counsel in any case. It was saul's sin, and I wish it had died with him; but it remains too great a practice in these times, Oh take heed of it. Take heed, I say, you do not by any evil practice seek to ease yourselves. Though Christ should not answer thee, no more at present, than God did Saul; though he do neither speak to thee himself, nor suffer his servants to speak on thy behalf (as here in this Woman's case) yet beware of doing any unwarrantable thing to ease thy mind. Be not as Saul at Endor. No, neither be as Saul in Mount Gilboa, (as the story is, 1 Sam. 30.) At Endor he consults with a Witch; At Gilboa he took a sword and slew himself. O take heed of that temptation! viz. Self-murder. I have heard it often as observed heretofore, and I know, that to this day, it is an evil practive many take, they will lay violent hands upon themselves; this is to go back to hell for a plaster. And surely such a plaster hath so much venom in it, that it is madness to expect Virtue from it. I beseech you therefore beware. This is the first part of my advice. Learn your duty at least thus far, Not to carry it ill in word or work, however in any thing the Lord deal with you. But my Point saith more, therefore I must press it. We must carry it well to Christ, however he may seem to carry it to us. And therefore to come to that in the next place. Secondly, Recompense not evil with evil, but rather recompense evil with good. It is true (as I have often said) Christ cannot carry it really ill; but however do thou recompense evil with good. Now to that end I pray mind this Woman of Canaan, and imitate her, writ after her Copy, do as she did, let your Carriage to Christ answer her Pattern in all the particulars which I opened and instanced in. And to this end give me leave to commend to you, the exercise of three Graces, in the exercise of which she was, and in them you should be, (and so shall carry it well to God) Namely, Humility, Prayer, Resolute Faith. First, Observe her Humility, and go thy way, and do likewise. However the Lord carries himself to thee, humble thyself under his hand. Christ could not speak a word never so bad, but she would he viler. If the Lord would say Dog, she would ●ay so too; Especially labour to carry it humbly in this one thing, to accept of any measure, in any manner, of comfort that Christ gives you. Thou art perplexed, comfort thou wouldst have; Now observe, Christ it may be offers thee a crumb, and thy proud heart will not accept of comfort, unless thou mayest have much. This is just like a little child, the Mother gives it a small piece of bread, and it cries, and throws it away, if he may not have his Brother's piece of bread. Ah! Beloved, look to your hearts; Take heed of this proud piece of childishness. If your hearts were humble, you would accept of, and thank Christ for a little. As it is with the hungry soul, so it is with every humble soul; He admires mercy in a morsel, and is willing to stoop under the Table, to take up a crumb. Put on therefore, and be clothed with humility, and put it forth, show it in your Carriage to Christ, as this Woman of Canaan did. It was the humility of her soul, by which she carried it so well; and this is the first Grace in her Carriage unto Christ, we should endeavour to conform ourselves. I come to the next. Secondly, Observe in her the Grace of Prayer (I do not say, the Gift of Prayer) But I observe it as the Grace of Prayer (for here was no great gift) Oh Sirs! however the Lord doth keep up Prayer, your case cannot be so bad, but pray you may, and pray you must, Do but observe an instance or two in the Book of the Psalms, of very sad cases, and yet they did not give over Prayer, Psal. 61. there you have the Psalmist crying after God, in the first verse, But when would he cry? Why when my heart is overwhelmed, vers. 2. Thou sayest thy heart is overwhelmed, and thou canst not, it is in vain to pray; Mark the Psalmist prayed then. Again, Psal. 88 observe how sad the case of Heman is set forth there; My soul is full of trouble, my life draweth nigh unto the grave, vers. 3. And so on. But what saith he in vers. 13. But unto thee have I cried, O Lord, and in the morning shall my Prayer prevent thee. Though the case was very sad, yet it was not past praying. Here is the Devil's temptation, What, wilt thou pray, it is in vain? thou hast prayed, and Christ doth not answer, Nay, he hath returned thee a rough answer; (So indeed the Serpent subtly suggests, to take us off from Prayer.) But resist the Devil in that temptation; do thou yet pray, and give not over; yet say, I will pray unto him; say with Jonah, Yet I will look again towards his holy Temple, Jonah 2.4. Quest. But if the soul say, But I cannot tell how to pray; I have not a Gift of Prayer. Answ. If thou be a Saint, Thou hast a Grace of Prayer. And observe this, thou canst pray as much as the Woman of Canaan, Lord, help me, and, Truth Lord, etc. Here are but three words, Lord help me. And let me in allusion tell you but three words that you should pray to the Lord, let your case be what it will. First, Lord, thou only canst help me; all the men in the world cannot help me. Secondly, Lord, thou didst help many as bad as I Thirdly, And Lord, If thou didst never help any as bad, then now thou wilt have the more glory by helping me. Object. Possibly the soul will be ready to say, But alas, Jesus Christ puts me off, I would pray, but he turns away, and will not hear; and I would catch hold of him, but he runs away. Repl. You know what Jacob did, (Gen. 32.26, 27.) He would catch hold of God, though he would be gone; and you must wrestle with him, and cry after him, You must not let him go. You see the Disciples tell Christ, that this Woman cried after them, vers. 23. She was as one that ran after another, who went away. She crieth after us (say they) do thou so; if Christ seem to go, run after, cry after. Be not put off, renew, and reinforce thy Prayer again and again. Indeed, in this the Grace of Prayer differs from the Gift; the Grace lives, and lasts, the Gift dies, and goes out. Well then, stir up thyself to take hold of God; and keep thy hold, having taken it. Pray, if thou canst but a little, and go again, and pray the same words again and again; Christ himself did so; Three times he prayed in the same words, Mat. 26.44. Be not ashamed if thou want variety of expression. A few words prevail with God and Jesus Christ. Therefore I say, Pray always; however Christ carry it, cast not away thy Prayers, but continue in it; so this Woman did, and we must do likewise. But Thirdly, Be resolute in your Faith. And pray let me mark this by the way, Though she doth not say, Lord, I believe, yet she did believe. The Woman was acting the Grace of Faith all this while, and she acts it very resolutely, she speaks as one believing him to be the Messiah, as one whose only hope and help was in him, and as one that did cleave and adhere to him. Our Lord Jesus witnesseth to the Woman's Faith. vers. 28. It was strong and resolute; she did believe, and was acted and upheld (as I shall show hereafter) by Faith in all this address. A Faith she had, and a Faith she expressed really, though it is not expressed literally, as to the terms; yet it is evident as to the Truth of it, that she did believe; so do you. Believers are ready to think that in time of trouble, it is a time to pray, and to hear, but not to believe, etc. Thou thinkest thou mayest cry after Christ, and wait upon Christ, I but thou shouldest believe in him, Isa. 50.10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the Name of the Lord, and stay upon his God. So Job, I will trust in him though he kill me. That act of Faith I am now pressing, is Trusting; and I pray mind it what kind of Faith I press in this particular; It is a Trusting Faith. Job did trust, and he that feareth God, must trust in him at all times; yea in the dark. And truly this word or term Trust, doth very fitly set forth the thing I intent to press you in this particular unto. Now that you may a little understand it, consider that there are four words in the Scripture, that set forth the great Mystery of Believing. There is first, The general word Faith. I believe, Lord, help my unbeleef. Secondly, There is the particular word of Hope. He hopeth. Thirdly, There is a particular word of Knowledge, which is as much as Assurance. I know whom I have believed. And Fourthly, There is this word Trusting. And now what is the nature of Trust. A man that believes, hath a pretty deal of light of God, but he that hopes, hath a little more; he hath more that knows; but what hath he that trusts? I shall give it you in this similitude: One comes to another, Sir, I know you can help me, pray help me, pray help me; saith he, I cannot do it, or I will not do it. The other replies, but I beseech you Sir do it; undertake it for me, I pray promise me. The other returns No, I will undertake nothing, I will promise you nothing. The man returns again, but yet I will commit it to you, I pray consider it, I will leave it with your goodness, and though you will not say you will do it, yet Sir I will trust in you. So, thou goest to Christ, and he will not hear thee, he turns away, and saith nothing; after all thy cries, he seems silent; thou art left without assurance, and without visible hope. Now say, Lord, I leave my case, my soul with thee. I will yet rely upon thy grace, and although thou wilt not give me in a particular promise, why yet Lord I will trust in thee. Oh trust to his Omnipotent Arm, that he can do it, and because of his Tender Compassion, and Rich Free Grace, trust in him, that he will do it; and this is that which Christ takes very well at our hands, Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he TRUSTETH in thee, Isa. 26.3. When all fails, Hope and Heart fails, and Christ seems to speak contrary, Cry out, Yet Lord, I will trust in thee. To draw up myself to a close of this Use. I beseech you all often remember the Woman of Canaan, consider her Carriage, and this point which I have been pressing from her practice; and in your condition strive to have her Carriage, especially in the exercise of those three things, viz. Humility, Prayer, and Faith. Besides what in the former Sermon I opened, which I shall not now repeat. For only this is that I would press, viz. have such a good carriage in all things. You know what is the particular occasion wherein Christ and you trade, or have to do upon any account. Be thy case what it will, or Christ's carriage be as he pleaseth (cross, or kind, as we speak) still know, you ought to study and strive to demean yourself holily. However the Lord carries it to you, your duty and wisdom is to carry it well to him. Quest. I but you will say, This is very hard, how shall I do it? Answ. I told you indeed it is a hard Copy, but we must endeavour to write it. And blessed bee God, the Copy is written in great letters, so that we may with the more ease see it, and imitate it. Quest. But how shall we do it? Answ. Take but these Three things. First, If ever you would imitate this Copy, Be sure that you take heed of those persons, that will shake your hands while you are a writing. Oh Sirs, when you are to copy out the great Copy of the Woman of Canaan, 1 Away from the Devil. 2 Away from Carnal Reason. And 3 Away from flesh and blood. These will shake your hand. The Devil will put on Job to curse God, Satan will suggest a thousand things to a soul in the Woman of Canaan's condition. Mark, saith he, he doth not hear thee, thou dost not belong to him. Mark, he gives thee a terrible answer, he is rather a Judge than a Father: So, for carnal reason, and flesh and blood (I will put them both together) they will rise; what, must I be called Dog? must I be put off, as I must not have a crumb? But if ever you would carry it well, take heed of those that will hinder you; if you harken to those, they will but shake thy hand, and make thee rather blot thy Copy-book (as we say) and only make a few scrawls (as boys, when some jog their hand) instead of writing by thy Copy. Bid the Devil stand further off. If you resist (James tells you) He will flee. Shake off carnal reason, mind not what that judgeth, or sayeth, of Christ's carriage to thee. Eye thou thy lesson, and regard not any that would hinder thy learning of it; that is one thing. But then, Secondly, If ever you would write well by this Copy, I pray often look upon your Copy. We see that children do mistake, because they do not often look upon their Copy. It is no shame to learn of a good Woman; it may be you begin at first to think of the Woman of Canaan, but you do not read thorough; you should again and again look over, look thorough and thorough this Example; content not thyself with once reading or hearing; repeat the story again. Remember the Doctrine a second and a third time. He takes a Copy best, who eyes it most; and that soul will best imitate this Woman of Canaan, who reflects upon, and considers her Example often. Thirdly and Lastly, Strengthen your hands as much as may be. My Beloved, a cold hand shall I say, or a cold heart, will write but very poorly: if you do not warm your hearts with some other good considerations, you will not write well. I will give you one general warming heating word to consider, that you may write after this Copy, that you may carry yourselves thus well. As long as you have a heart to carry; Nay, but to endeavour to carry it well to Christ; Christ cannot carry it ill to you. In this sense I tell thee, if thy endeavours be humbly and hearty to carry it well to Christ; Christ cannot carry it ill to you. I read once it is said of Christ, viz. John 4.4. That he must needs do such a thing, he must needs go thorough Samaria. There was a poor Woman of Samaria he must bring home. And it is said, in 2 Tim. 2.13. If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful, and cannot deny himself. Truly, there is a must in some things upon Christ; and there is a cannot, which may safely be spoke of the Lord Jesus. He must be kind, and he cannot deny himself in that. After our humble holy waiting he must speak; and he cannot conceal his grace from those that (as this Woman) address themselves to him; And therefore it is certain (and warm thy fingers, hand and heart (that thou mayest write the better) with this consideration) that while you carry it thus (as I opened) unto him; He cannot continue strange to you, but must, and will appear as you expect and desire. Remember it, and rejoice in it; I say unto you from my Master, that albeit the Lord Christ may delay, and demur, yet at last he will speak to us, and do for us. I need not send you to any man, but only to women, to assure you of this, who are upon record in Scripture, as precedents for this purpose. I entreat you to remember, that there are three Women in the New Testament to whom Christ shown much mercy, though at first he seemed not to mind them. The one is in Luk. 7.37. One that is called a sinner, she came and sat down at his feet, and wept, but he did not seem to mind her. The other is the Woman that had the bloody Issue, in Luk. 18. And the Third is this Woman of Canaan. Here are three Women, whom Christ at first did not seem to mind, yet he dealt with them very well at last; And, Be ye comforted in this confidence, He will deal as well with you, as ever he did with them. Christ is still the same in love and kindness; Oh that we could be the same with this Woman of Canaan in her carriage! And thus I have done with that particular, viz. how the Woman did behave herself; hereafter we shall see how she sped, and what was the happy Conclusion of all. Faith alone carries the Soul thorough all Discouragements unto Christ. The Sixth SERMON. Matthew 15. vers. 28. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O Woman, great is thy Faith: be it unto thee, even as thou wilt. And her Daughter was made whole from that very hour. AS the dawning day after some long and dark night; And as the cooling winds in the midst of some great and scorching heat; so are these words of our Lord to the Woman of Canaan, very comfortable, and very refreshing. The man that hath lain tossing all night, with what joy doth he entertain the dawning of the day? and the Traveller that is spent with heat, with what eagerness doth he suck in the cool breathe of the wind? Now, such was this speech of Christ to the Woman of Canaan in this place. They were as a day dawning, and as a cool refreshing to her soul. By this speech (my Beloved) no doubt, no doubt, but this poor Woman was now marvellously refreshed, and as much as her soul could want or wish, she had from the Lord in these words, as we shall see afterwards. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O Woman, great is thy Faith; be it unto thee even as thou wilt. These words have the last particular which I noted in this story; Namely, the Issue or the Conclusion that Christ made with this Woman. The beginning was very sad, A poor Woman, at the feet of Christ, begging much, but seeming not to be heard; but behold the issue is very good. That Jesus Christ that answered her not a word, answers her now many words, and many comfortable words; Oh Woman, great is thy Faith: be it unto thee, even as thou wilt, etc. There are two things you may observe in this Answer of Christ here. First, You have here, Christ's Commendation of her Faith. And, Secondly, You have Christ's Condescension to her desire. First, You have Christ's Commendation of her Faith. O Woman, great is thy Faith. Thou art not only a Believer, but a great Believer; thou art no more a Woman of Canaan, but a Woman of Israel; no more a Dog, but a Child; Great is thy Faith. Secondly, You have the Condescension of Christ to her desires, Now that is held forth in two things. First, More Generally. Secondly, More Particularly. First, More Generally, Be it unto thee even as thou wilt. Oh great word! a word exceeding the Woman's wish; Our Lord (as his manner is) exceeds her request. The poor Woman would have been glad of a crumb, and by this word mythinks Christ ●ids her go to the Table, and cut what she would, take not only crumbs, but what pieces she pleased. Secondly. He doth particularly grant her particular request about her Daughter. For her Daughter was made whole from that very hour. There were three Questions which truly my thoughts did suggest when I considered these words, and they were (if I may so say) they were in my own heart to make in the reading of these words. And I shall propose them with the Answers thereof, being they are Questions not of strife, but of much edification. The First Question is this, The Lord commends this Woman for her Faith, Wherein doth her Faith appear? Secondly, Why doth the Lord say to her, Be it unto thee even as thou wilt? And Thirdly, Why was the request she made first, granted last? Quest. 1. The Lord says to her, Woman, great is thy Faith; why, wherein did the Woman's Faith appear? She prayed (that we read) she cried (that we read) she worshipped (that we read) but it is not said she believed. She doth not say as he, I believe, Lord help my unbeleef. How then doth Christ say, Oh Woman, great is thy Faith? Two Answers I shall give. Answ. 1. The Lord Jesus Christ doth know that which we cannot see. That may, and doth appear to Christ, which oftentimes doth not appear to us. He needs not that men should tell him, for he knows all things, etc. John 16.30. The Woman needed not to tell Christ that she did believe, for Christ himself saw it. The Lord Jesus Christ doth observe that in us, which we do not many times observe in ourselves. In the last day, when the Lord shall judge both the righteous and the wicked, he will rel the righteous, they did this and that thing, which they did not know, as that speech intimates, When saw we thee naked, and clothed thee? Matth. 25. The Lord can see a few Names in Sardis, and a little strength even there, where the heart can scarce find any thing; Therefore mind it by the way, and do you (O poor of the flock!) (that fear your own Faith) I say, do you hear, and rejoice, Jesus Christ can see Faith in us, when many times we cannot see it in ourselves; that is light to him which is in the dark to us. Answ. 2. Mark this Answer, You must distinguish between the real being, and the extrinsical, or explicit appearance of Faith. Things may be really and essentially, which are not visibly, and explicitly: And the Scripture takes notice of some things that are really, though not explicitly. As now in Job, Job 1.5. Peradventure my Sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts; That is, implicitly they may do it. So the Lord takes notice of those things that are in us (i. e. real and true, though it do not appear in the formalities thereof.) That poor Woman, in Luk. 7.50. had Faith, though there was no formal profession of it. Christ hath a discerning eye, he can see what is in us, even as in the root, before the bud, or fruit appear. He can, and doth know what is in us radically, though we do not so visibly, and expressly make it out. Now such was this Woman's case. Though here is no explicit Confession, or Profession of Faith, yet she did that which is Faith implicit. And in this Woman there was real Faith, which did act her in this address to Christ; as you will see if you consider it; for what is Faith? Faith is the coming of the soul to Jesus Christ: She comes. Faith is the casting of the soul upon Christ▪ She cast herself upon Christ. Faith is a resting on Christ, without a word of evidence or assurance: The Woman doth so. You may by this satisfy yourselves then in the first question. This Woman did believe, though she did not in so many words express it; she shown it, though she did not speak it. But then in the second place, Quest. 2. Why doth our Lord say unto her, Be it unto thee even as thou wilt? Take a double Answer to this likewise. Answ. 1. The Lord Jesus saw that this Woman did want more things than one. Jesus Christ saw all her wants, and all her wishes too, though she did not express them. That place in Romans 8. is known to all of you, but the 27. verse is not so often taken notice of. And he that searcheth the hearts, knoweth what is the mind of the spirit, because he maketh intercession for the Saints, according to the will of God. The soul sighs, and groans by the Spirit, and many a time the soul doth not know his own sighing; who shall know it? why, He shall know it that makes intercession; this is particularly spoken of Jesus Christ. The Spirit helps thee to sigh, and thou canst not tell thy own sighs; Jesus Christ can tell what it means, I say, Jesus Christ knows; for that place is to be understood particularly of Christ, for it is he that maketh intercession, as it is there expressed. It is a Scripture which may much stay our hearts; Christ knows what we want, even then when we cannot tell ourselves; only in the general, sigh. Mind it, Oh my Beloved you go to Jesus Christ with one word, and a many sighs, the Lord will answer all your sighs, and will say, Be it to you, not only as you speak, but as you groan, and as you sigh too. Answ. 2. The Lord Christ loves to show his bounty in rewarding any souls, for any delay. Isa. 61.7. for your shame you shall have double; And Zechariah 9.12. Turn ye to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope, even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee. Upon these accounts it was that our Lord doth not answer this Woman with a particular word, take what you come for; but in a general way, bids her take all things, any thing which she could desire; take what thou wilt, as thou wilt. But to proceed to the last Question. The Third and last Question is, Why doth the Lord give this in the last place? Her Daughter was made whole. One would have thought this should have been the first word; Woman go thy way, thy daughter is whole; but first he speaks of her Faith, and then to her souls desire. Why doth Christ so? that is the Question. Answ. Now the Answer hereunto is easy, and it may be this. Our Lord Jesus is wise and gracious, and therefore (knowing what we need most, and what is best to bestow upon us) He doth still give that first which is most necessary, and which is the chiefest. My Beloved, I pray remember it. The Lord loves to give the best mercies first; her Daughter was possessed with a Devil, but that was but a corporal infirmity; her own soul was more under the power of the Devil, and the deliverance of that most needful; therefore he gives the more necessary thing first. O my Beloved, you have a wise Christ, a good Christ, he will satisfy particular desires, but he will first do the best things. Indeed Christ reacheth us to beg the best things first. Seek ye first the Kingdom of Heaven, and therefore first pray, Thy Kingdom come. But we are ignorant, and apt to mistake; we often ask the best things last. Now Christ will give the best first, Therefore he gins to speak to the Mother's soul here, before he mentions her Daughter's distemper. But let this suffice for these Questions. To come to the words, there are many Points observable from this place; Particular Notes I shall take in by the by, and therefore shall not touch upon them. Neither shall I press the words too hard, there is no need of it. This Text, like a brave hony-comb, drops out in three things, like honey without any pressing. First, Observe here, What it was that carried the Woman on, and thorough all this while, (what bladder kept his Woman from sinking.) It was Faith. O Woman, great is thy Faith. Secondly, Observe, What rich bounty is here; here is glorious Grace, rich Grace; Have what thou wilt. And then, Thirdly, Observe, That she hath a particular grant of her special request, her Daughter was made whole. It is the second thing I do principally aim at, but shall speak of the two other. And first, Observe from the first, That it is true Faith alone that carries the soul thorough all difficulties, and discouragements, in the way to Christ. I shall not be large in the handling of this Point. I have often spoken of Faith, and the work of Faith, as it doth receive Christ; how that is performed, etc. therefore I shall confine myself to the Text, and the boundaries of it, to show that in all the difficulties the soul meets withal in coming to Christ, Faith bears the soul up under all. And pray mark what I say, I say, true Faith nor strong Faith, neither do I say a degree of Faith, but a true Faith. It is true, this Woman had great Faith (and she needed it, for she had great difficulties) but the Point lies positively thus, Faith, if it be true, it is that, and that alone, that carries up the soul above all difficulties, and discouragements in its coming to Christ. I suppose I need not tell you that there are difficulties, in the way of coming to Christ. This Woman knew there were difficulties, and discouragements, but what carried her thorough, did her Patience carry her thorough? (she had that) did her reverend esteem of Christ carry her thorough? (she had that) did the pinch of her wants carry her thorough? No, Christ doth not say, Oh Woman! great is thy patience, or great is thy esteem of me, or great is thy want; But, O Woman, great is thy Faith: It was the Woman's Faith that carried her thorough these difficulties. I will demonstrate this Doctrine by some instances; and therefore I shall mention some of the difficulties which are in our way to Christ, and show how that it is Faith, and Faith alone, by which the Lord doth use to help us against all these difficulties. Now therefore I pray mind it, and you may mostly observe in our-coming to Christ, There are four ways from whence our difficulties, and discouragements do arise; and you will see, that true Faith alone will carry the soul thorough all these. The difficulties arise thus, from 1 Self. 2 Satan. 3 The World. 4 Christ himself may do that seemingly, which may, and doth make it difficult to come unto him. But now yet see as to each, how Faith carries the soul thorough all these. To begin with the first, which is Self, that comes in to oppose us. And pray good people look about you, yourselves are the greatest hindrances to keep you from Christ; now what shall carry us up above ourselves but Faith? by Faith Moses denies himself. And saith Christ, Whoever will come after me, must deny himself; how shall he do it? nothing but Faith will do it. I will give you but an instance of it; Self doth hinder coming to Christ two ways. 1 Either by too much diffidence. 2 Or too much confidence. One while it is too high, and will nor stoop to come to Christ; Another while too low, it cannot be raised up to such a work; Sometime Self is arrogant, and proud, what, I go to Christ? not I, I can shift well enough, etc. Other while it is diffident, and fearful, and crieth out that it is not fit, or able, not is it meet for his soul to go, etc. Well, yet for all this I pray mark, it is Faith makes Self go, notwithstanding all this. For, as to the Pride of self, Faith brings in so clear a light of the excellency, and necessity of Christ, that selfconfidence is put to silence. And the high thoughts are brought down by the obedience of Faith, and so carried to the obedience of Christ. He that believes the testimony which God gives of Christ in the Gospel, must stoop and bow; and Faith helping the soul in that business, carries the soul out of proud Self, so as that arrogancy shall not hinder the souls coming and closing with Christ. And for diffidence, and the working of Self that way, why Faith doth evidently carry the soul over that hindrance. For Faith seethe the arm of Christ stretched forth to receive the feeble soul. Faith tells the weak heart that Christ will come to it, if it cannot go to him. Faith assures the soul that Christ will enable it to embrace himself. Faith shows Christ as able and willing to create a hand and heart in us to receive, and to take hold of himself. When Self cries but childlike. I am weak, and same, and cannot go to Christ, than (mark it) Faith says, true, thou hast no legs, but he that bids the man arise, giveth him feet; Faith saith, thou hast no strength, but he that bids thee believe, will make thee believe. What did carry Abraham above and against himself? It is said, Rom. 4.19. Being not weak in Faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb, etc. Faith raiseth up the soul, and carries it on to Christ, even notwithstanding the souls nothingness. Faith encourageth the soul to go, although it be empty; Faith saith, though Christ be a great King, yet a poor soul may come to him without a present. In a word, Faith levels the mountains, and fills the Vullies; it carries the soul on its way to Christ, notwithstanding any hindrance from Self. Self shall not keep off where Faith is, the soul denies Self, and goes to Christ. But then to proceed, Secondly, Satan he binder's. And remember it, Satan doth more oppose your going to Christ, than he doth oppose your leaving of sin. If thou wilt leave thy fin, Satan will be content so thou wilt but trust to Self, and not go to Christ's Grace. But when once the soul opposes sin, and goes to Christ, than Satan opposes; now what shall help and carry on the soul, and strengthen the opposed soul to oppose Satan? In Ephestans' 5. saith the Apostle, Above all take the shield of Faith, whereby you shall be able to quench the fiery darts of the Devil. Let Satan do his worst, Faith will carry on the soul, it will quench his darts, and tread upon his devices, and sweetly strengthen the heart to close with the Lord Jesus, in despite, and in defiance of Satan, and all his hindrances. But then, Thirdly, the world, that opposes too. The world hinders the soul, by saying, what, will you go to Christ, and leave my pleasures, and leave my riches, and my honour, & c? Now, what carries up the soul above the world? why the Apostle tells, 1 John 5.4. And this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our Faith, And then, Lastly, Christ himself seems to oppose. The Lord doth not speak, and that is sad; and sometimes he doth speak, and that is as sad. For (as we formerly noted) he seems to speak harshly, and Christ may seem to deny, and reject the soul in its approach to him. Now what shall carry up the soul, when Christ himself seems to put back? nothing but Faith. It is observed, that it was Faith carried up Job to go to God; it is therefore very observable that Job doth oftentimes profess his Faith in God. As in Job 13.15. Though he kill me, yet I will trust in him; it is a known speech. But that expression in Job 19 makes it more evident what carried him up to God; you have very sad expressions in that chapter, intimating how God himself seemed to oppose Job. He hath overthrown me, verse 6. And he hath stripped me of my glory, vers. 9 Yea, He hath destroyed me, on every side, and hath kindled his wrath against me, verse 10, 11. Now what shall carry Job up? See vers. 24, 25. I know my Redeemer liveth, and oh that this profession of my Faith were written on a Rock for perpetual remembrance. It is as if he should say, My friends, my dispuring-friends, do not break my heart with arguments, you oppose, and God opposes too; but this carries me up, I have a Redeemer, and I know that my Redeemer lives, etc. Had Job no other grace but Faith? Yes, You have heard of the Patience of Job, but yet Jobs Patience failed. Had he not Humility? Yes, He that could lay his mouth in the dust at first, and say, Naked came I into the world, and naked must I return; Certainly Job had Humility also, but it was not that which supported him. Had he not Prayer? without doubt Job had a praying spirit, and did call on God again and again, as he often intimates; But yet it seemeth ●●ayer failed, and therefore he is charged by Eliphaz with neglect of it, in Job 15.4. Thou restrainest Prayer, thou dost lessen Prayer, thou dost diminish Prayer; so the word signifieth. I but mark, though Patience failed, and Humility and Prayer failed; yet Faith carries Job thorough all; Yet I will believe and trust. I pray observe, whatever Grace, or Gift, you have nothing will carry you thorough difficulties and discouragements in your way to Christ, but only Faith; It was the Woman's Faith that kept her up all the while. And it is that, and that alone, which carries every soul thorough all hindrances (as well as those which I have hinted) unto Jesus Christ. So you see the demonstration of the Point; to come to the next thing then. You will ask me the Reason, Whence is it that Faith should thus be the only Grace to carry up, and carry out the soul, in the midst of all difficulties, in going to Christ. I will name very briefly these two heads of Reasons. The first is, From the appointment of Faith by God. Secondly, The operation of Faith in us. These are the two great pillars of this Truth. First, From the appointment of Faith by God. My Beloved, Faith doth therefore carry us out thorough all, because it is that Grace that God alone hath appointed. Read the Gospel, or the Prophets, and you will find them speaking of these two great Truths. First, That Christ is the only one that is appointed to bring us to salvation. (There is no name but his, Act. 4.12.) Secondly, That Faith is the only Grace appointed to bring us to Christ. You have our Lord shortly in one place speaking of both, in John 6.40. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seethe the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. There is a great Question among Divines, Why Faith, rather than Charity, Patience, or Gospel-Obed●ence, should be the great instrument of Justification? And (my Beloved) this is the absolute Answer to the Question, Because God hath only appointed it. There may be some conjectural Reasons, why God hath appointed Faith, but the chief Reason is, because God hath appointed it. Now Divine Institution being upon Faith, thence it is that Faith doth the work; it is not from any inherent worth in the Grace. (Alas! What is the worth of a sinner's hand, to take a glorious Christ!) But it is only from God's pleasure, and appointment, that Faith alone shall be the Grace to carry the soul to, and help the soul in its receiving of Christ. God hath appointed no other legs to carry us, and because he hath appointed these, he will bless his own appointment to effect the work. The Lord's appointment makes all things operative: Therefore Secondly, The Reason is from the operation of Faith in us, by virtue of that appointment. My Beloved, Faith it is a working Grace, and Faith is our great strength in every working Grace; it conveyeth strength unto all Graces. There is a threefold Operation of Faith to carry the soul thorough all difficulties and discouragements, in its going to Christ, viz. an Enlightening, an Enlivening, and an Embracing work, in the blessed business of closing with Christ. I will a little open them all three. First, Faith hath an Enlightening work. An enlightening work, is that which carries a man thorough many difficulties and discouragements. In Psal. 34. you have a fine expression, where David is speaking of his and others seeking God, and of their encouragement in that work, saith he, in vers. 5. They looked unto him, and were lightened; and their faces were not ashamed; by Faith the soul sees the necessity of Christ, the inclinableness of the heart of Christ, etc. and this carries the soul thorough all difficulties. Saith Faith, look yonder, there, and there alone, is the rock of safety; And if you be not there, you must sink; this makes the soul swim amain. And look, saith Faith, there is a safe Landing. Christ (saith Faith) stands with outstretched arms of power and love to embrace thee; and Faith realizeth such a fight, evidenceth it to the soul, and so enabling the soul to see it, helps the soul to go to Christ. Secondly, Faith hath not only an enlightening work, but an inlivening work. My Beloved, other graces stir us up, and put us on to go to Christ, but Faith doth only enliven us. Love and humility doth marvellously stir up the soul to go to Jesus Christ, and so do other Graces; I but these do not feed the soul, nor strengthen; there is a great deal of difference between the Whip and the Meat you give the horse. A whip, a blow, that stirs it, but doth not strengthen it. A conviction of need, a fear of hell stirs us to go to Christ, but it doth not enable us, or inliven us. My Beloved, Faith is the strengthening Grace. The Just shall live by Faith, Heb. 10. (there saith he) you have need of patience, that after you have done the will of God, ye might receive the Promise, etc. Now, The Just shall live by Faith, 36, 37, & 38. verses; Do not cast away your confidence, what then? You have need of patience, etc. doth he stay there? No, but adds, The Just shall live by Faith. True, you will need patience, if you go to Christ; but you will live alone by Faith. We need patience to tarry the Lords leisure; to bear the Lords frowns, to tarry till he come; but how shall we live in the mean time? Oh, The Just shall live by Faith. Faith being an enlightening Grace, therefore it is an enlivening Grace; Faith it finds honey (as Jonathan) and Faith it finds a Promise, and dips in the finger, and takes a little, and that enlivens and strengthens the soul. Nay, Faith, though it be full of fears, it is a soul-enlivening-Grace. Take that instance of the Woman with a bloody Issue, in Luke 8.44. compared with vers. 46. It is clear, she had a Faith, and she had fears, and she had virtue. For this Faith full of fears did gather virtue from Jesus Christ: So thy Faith that is full of fears may gather virtue from Jesus Christ, and therefore is it that it carries us thorough all difficulties in our going to Christ. Thirdly, Faith it hath an embracing work. These all died in Faith, not having received the Promises; What then, how could they live? but having seen them afar off, embraced them, Heb. 11.13. My Beloved, Faith it hath an embracing work of the Promise, and because Faith can embrace the Promise, therefore can it carry the soul thorough all the difficulties that it meets with in the way to Christ. What is the Anchor at the end of a Cable (one Ship will carry a thousand Anchors) but one Anchor will hold the Ship, because it hath a fastening power. Faith is but a little Anchor of itself, I but it hath a fastening power, and so Faith stays the soul. In Isa. 26.3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee; because you trust in God, therefore are your minds stayed. Oh Sirs, what shall I say more, Faith, it is a catching hold of that Christ that puts thee off? And because Faith embraces, and holds him that is sure and strong, it doth therefore ipso facto (as we say) in that very thing carry the soul to Christ thorough all difficulties. Well, I pray mind and meditate a little upon these things, for they are of the life and Mystery of real Christianity. But I will now speak to some Uses of this Point; Therefore to make some Application, there are only three Uses. Use I Let me say, This Doctrine is profitable for reproof. Is Faith such a Grace? is it Faith that carries the soul thorough all? Oh then, be reproved all who profess to believe, and yet are ignorant of what Faith is. Why poor soul, what shall carry thee thorough all, but Faith? and art thou ignorant of that? Is there but one boat to carry us over the Sea? and are we ignorant of that? Ask, what is your Faith? why, saith one, I say my I believe, I say my prayers, etc. Ask another what is your Faith? he replies, I leave my sins, saith he, etc. this is thy Repentance, but not thy Faith. There are three great parts of people's ignorance about Faith. First, Many are ignorant about the ground of Faith. What is the ground of Faith? why, the ground of my Faith is this (saith one) I am so and so mended of what I was formerly, and God hath a little frightened me, and troubled me for my sins, and therefore I believe. As if trouble for sin, and moral amendment, were a ground to build Faith upon; whereas the great, and the precious Promises are the only and alone ground of Faith. Secondly, Others are ignorant about the Object of Faith. The Object of my Faith is the Promise, saith one, etc. Now the Promise is not the object of Faith; it is true, the object of Faith is in the Promise, but the Promise itself is not the object of Faith; It is Christ in the Promise that is the object of Faith; the Promises are your spectacles thorough which you see Christ, it is he alone that is the object of your Faith, which you are to eye, to look, and to live upon. Thirdly, Others are very ignorant about the working of Faith, etc. Many know not how Faith works, therefore mind it; The work of Faith is only to be our hands, and our feet, to go to Christ, and to take Christ. It is observable, in Heb. 11. That Faith was the life of those worthies there mentioned; some did this, some did that; some went this way, some went that way, but still it was all through Faith, and they obtained a good report, but all by Faith; for it was Faith that carried them thorough all. But alas, how ignorant are some about the working of Faith? Ask, what do you when you believe, one saith, I say my prayers, another, I read the Bible, etc. Ah souls, you are much to be reproved, that know not yet what that is, which only carries the soul to Christ. Let that be for reproof. Use 2. It serves very much for Consolation to all those who have true Faith. Bear up thy heart (O Believer!) with that which is in the heart. The soul is ready to say sometimes in the way to Christ, what have I to carry my heart up? hast thou Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ? believest thou the Scriptures? believest thou in God? upon the Son of God? etc. then be of good comfort, thou hast that which will carry thee thorough. You know the story of Father Jacob, he must go over Jordan, but he hath no company nor help, nothing but his single staff in his hand, and he walked all his pilgrimage, forward, and backward, with that staff. O! the staff of Faith, thou who hast it, thou mayest walk thorough a wilderness, into the good Land with it. Faith, it is your jacob's staff, your Moses Rod, etc. Object. But saith the soul, I fear I have but a little Faith, yea, I fear I have none at all, etc. Answ. 1. Thou sayest thou hast but a little Faith; mark, what saith our Lord? If you have Faith but as a grain of Mustard seed, you shall say unto this Mountain, remove hence, etc. Matth. 17.20. Though thou hast but a little Faith, it shall not fail, it shall carry you thorough. It is true Faith doth all this, not thy great Faith. Object. I but saith the soul, I do not see that I have any Faith at all. Repl. Why Jesus Christ he can see it, when thou canst not. The Woman that had the bloody Issue had great Faith, though possible she saw it not. Hast thou that which that Woman had? hast thou said of all the world, they be Physicians of no value, and dost thou, though in much fear, come, be it but behind Christ, persuaded as she was that Christ can, though thou question whether he will, heal thee? why comfort thy soul notwithstanding thy fear, Christ will observe, and own thy Faith, as he did hers. Use 3. If it be thus, That it is Faith alone that carries the soul thus to Christ thorough all Discouragements, this will then be profitable for Instruction. My Beloved in the Lord, look within you, strengthen Faith. Oh my Beloved, as the love of many waxes cold, so the Faith of many waxes weak; but remember, a Christ above you, and a Faith within you, is all that which you ought to mind. Christ above you will carry you thorough all things to glory; and Faith in you will carry you thorough all to Christ. But I pray look to this, look to True Faith. A poor fearful believer that hath a trembling soul at a dying hour, what shall relieve it then but Christ? and what shall carry, and keep the soul to and with Christ, but Faith? when your souls must immediarely go to God for Judgement, nothing but Faith will, or can carry you with comfort, or with confidence: against a dying hour prepare a living Christ, and in order to a clozing with Christ, strengthen, Oh strengthen your Faith. I shall give you two Directions. If you would have Faith carry you thorough all, etc. First, Leave Faith to itself, Let Faith alone. Faith alone must do it, and Faith alone can do it. I will tell you how God clears up the thing to me. You have seen a brave workman, that was to remove such a piece of Timber, and he by his own skill could remove it, but there be some that stand by, and will be helping; when as we know that they do but hinder him; and saith the Artist, let me alone, and I can do it myself; and we use to say, let the man alone, you do but hinder him, he will do it himself: So here, let Faith alone in its work, you think to help it, but you oft hinder it. You have seen, or heard it may be, of a man, that being to go over a River, and having two friends with him, one saith, it is deep and dangerous, I will go and see if there be any shallow place; The other faith, it is good to make a bridge, or boat to go over; Oh but saith the man, I can swim, and I must go, and I will venture, let me alone, I will swim, and never look for bridge or boat. Truly so it is here, Faith would go to Jesus Christ, but Reason and Sense will not let Faith alone. Reason comes and saith, Be wise, beware what you do; If you will needs go to Christ (saith Reason) I will go make a bridge, or invent a boat; then cometh Sense, and saith, I will go look a shallow place where you may go over, etc. whereas Faith will swim thorough. And saith the believing soul, I must venture and swim, I cannot be drowned in a way of swimming. Oh Sirs, let Faith alone, and it will swim to Christ; Sense and Reason do but hinder, not help Faith; Single simple Faith doth its work alone; Therefore I say, Let Faith alone, do not trouble it with suggestions of Sense or Reason. But then, A second Direction is, Let Faith have its perfect work. Therefore (as the Apostle faith about Patience, so) let Faith have its perfect work. Faith goes at first to half a Promise, but let it alone, it knows where to fetch a whole Promise. Let Faith alone, it will go to a Promise; for what? for refuge, for help, for all. Faith will go to, and look upon Abraham (as Isa. 51.2.) and find encouragement from him: Nay, it can run back to Adam, and help itself with the thoughts of his experience; let Faith have its course, and it will carry you to every Promise and Example to encourage you. If it have its perfect work, it will gather strength from all the Word of God, to help you in your work of closing with Christ. I beseech you in these Directions strengthen and labour to encourage Faith. O soul, mind it, storms and trials may come, and then you will need afresh to run to Christ: Look to your legs, your Faith, it is that must carry you. If death come, death and doubting will come together; now remember what must carry you thorough, nothing but Faith. Trust to no parts, duties, etc. only trust to the Lord in the way of Faith. I shall conclude with two things. First, Woe to thee poor soul (whoever thou art) that wantest Faith. I do not say, woe to thee that art a poor man, nor woe to thee if thou be'st mean in the world, nor say I, thou art a sick or weak man, and therefore woe, No, No, But art thou an unbeliever, a soul without Faith? then woe indeed to thee. Ah, woe be to that man that wants Faith; for without Faith it is not possible to please God, or to go to Christ; and how sad is the state of that soul that can do neither? Woe to all unbelievers. Secondly, Blessed are you that have Faith; I say not that have so great a Faith, but Faith, true Faith. I say, Blessed are you that believe, you that do believe, though but a little, yet your little Faith will do this great work, it will keep you from drowning, it will carry you to Christ. That little Faith Peter had (for all his fears) kept him up from sinking. I remember what our Lord said to Nathaniel; who believed, as I may say a little; Believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these, John 1.50. Do but go on believing, and thou shalt see greater things than yet thou hast seen. Two things your Faith will do. First, It will be your Legs to carry you to Christ, and that thorough all difficulties; so you see it did this Woman. And, Secondly, It will (if I may say so) Compel (as it were) Christ to entertain you after all denials. Ah souls, what a glorious entertainment did Christ give this poor Woman at last. Well, therefore strengthen Faith, and that will help you to do as this Woman did; and than you shall in the Issue speed, even as she did. But of that in the next. Christ will be certainly kind at last. The Seventh SERMON. Matthew 15. vers. 28. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O Woman, great is thy Faith: be it unto thee, even as thou wilt, etc. YOu have sometimes seen, or at least heard, of a poor beggar, who hath long lain, and loudly cried at the gate of some great person, and yet never liftened to, never let in; but anon it may be the Master of the house himself hath opened the door, and spoke to the man kindly, and dealt with him very comfortably; how was the face of this beggar lightened, how was his heart refreshed! just so, Nay, greater than so was the heart of the Woman of Canaan cheered, when our Lord answered and spoke unto her the words that I have read. She had as it were lain long, and cried loud, and begged hard, and no answer, but now at last the Lord answers, and the Lord answers sweetly, Oh Woman, great is thy Faith: be it unto thee even us thou wilt. The last day we came to this verse; in it I told you we had the last particular of the story of the Woman of Canaan, which holds forth the blessed conclusion, which our Lord doth make with this poor Woman. After I had hinted and resolved three questions, I told you there were three particulars, which in an eminent manner are remarkable in this place. The First, we did dispatch then, and that was this, The Grace which did carry on, and carry out this poor Woman in all this address, it was her Faith. And thence we noted this Doctrine. Doct. That it is only Faith which can carry the soul thorough all difficulties and discouragements in the way to Christ. Only Faith. Remember it Sirs, some of you have a little knowledge, and others of you have a great deal of Profession; some of you talk much, and the poorest thinks (it may be) as well of himself, as he that saith most; but remember, whatever you know, talk, or think, nothing will carry you to Jesus Christ but Faith; you may have fine words, and good wishes, but alas, wording, and wishing is not coming to Jesus Christ. Why this Woman had other gifts, and other graces; she had much humility, and she had much patience, and she had a fine gift of prayer, etc. yet it is not said, Woman, much is thy patience, or great is thy love, strong are thy prayers, but oh Woman, great is thy Faith, etc. We did open the point at large, and pressed it upon you in the Application in divers particulars, which I shall not add unto, or repeat. Only I beseech you, my Beloved, let this abide upon your hearts; strengthen Faith. When you come to die, you will then see a need of Christ (if you do not now) and if you have not a living Faith, you cannot have a living Christ, and then is your soul dead before death. Faith is another kind of thing than the world is ware of; we hardly know the notion now, but we shall never be able to know the preciousness of it, as indeed it is precious, but by the experience of it: Now the greatest experience of Faith is seen in that blessed business of going to Christ. In that we have this experience of the use, power, and price of Faith, that whatever we have, and pretend unto, nothing but sincere, single Faith, will carry us unto Jesus Christ. But I proceed. The second thing (which indeed is the principal thing) is this. The kindness of Christ now to this Woman. You see his commendation of her Faith; well now, mark his condescension to her; how much doth Christ condescend to this poor Woman? he condescends to talk with her; commends her Faith, and complies with her wishes to heal her Daughter, etc. Oh blessed condescension! The Observation from the whole will be this, Doct. That however the Lord Jesus may deal at first, with poor souls that come to him, in the issue he will deal very kindly. Or if you will, we shall express the Observation to prevent mistakes thus, That all those who truly come to Christ, shall in the issue find his carriage to be very kind, howsoever at first it may seem very strange. You see the Doctrine lies full in the words; we have opened in the story already, how strangely Christ did carry it at first to this poor Woman; but how sweetly doth he carry it at last? Sorrow and weeping may be for a night (saith David, Psal. 30.5.) but joy comes in the morning. Oh my Beloved, it may thunder and lighten, and be tempestuous in the beginning of the day, and yet it may prove a fair sun-shiny day after. First coming to Christ may have clouds, and darkness, but the latter part shall have light and life. This point is very comfortable, certain, and clear in this instance. It is comfortable in all its branches; and it is certain in its bottoming (this example being a sure bottom to build the Doctrine upon.) And you will see it clear also, if you will but mind the terms in which I express it. Now there are two terms I keep in the Point, that I would desire you to mind. The first relates to the persons that are considered in this Point. And the Second relates to the thing itself. The first relates to the persons that are considered in this point. And they are all those that truly come to the Lord Jesus. My Beloved, there are two sorts of persons who live under the sound of the Gospel, that I cannot think upon but with a sad heart. The one are those who never so much as pretend to go to Jesus Christ. Notwithstanding all Christ's tenders of himself, notwithstanding all their own need of him; upon no account, one or other, do they so much as pretend to go to Jesus Christ. Some are enemies, and opposire to very professing of coming to Jesus Christ. Secondly, There is another sort that pretend to go, but go neither rightly nor truly; They do not truly come to the Lord Jesus; you have a type of both these, and their misery, Matth. 22. in the parable of the Wedding. There were some that would not go to the Wedding-supper, and there was another he went, but he went without his Wedding-garment; why now, how did the Lord deal with them? for the one it is said, in versf. 7. He sent, and miserably destroyed them with his armies. And for the other, It is said, he found him out, and cast him out into utter darkness. Therefore mind it, all you that have heard of Jesus Christ, all you that talk of Jesus Christ, if you do not go at all, or if you do not go aright, this point doth not concern you: I do not say Christ will deal well with you; alas! you deal ill with him, and he will deal sadly with you. It is only those that truly go to Jesus Christ, that this point deals withal. The Woman of Canaan came to him truly, and she came to him rightly also; she came to him (as appears here in this story) as to the Messiah, the Son of David; and she comes with great humility (she worships him) with great resolution (she would not be put off) but above all she came with a good Faith; and this Woman so coming, though the Lord dealt strangely with her at first, yet he concludes kindly with her at last. The second thing I put in the point is, That in the issue, and at last, Christ will deal kindly with them that rightly come to him. I do not say, at first he will do it; (No, at first he may seem to be strange) but at last, in the issue, he will be kind. Christ will not presently, it may be, grant our request, but in the issue he will. I will open it thus. There is a Threefold Issue, or end, in which all that come to Christ shall experience his kindness. The first is, the Issue of the Act of coming itself. Secondly, The Issue of our whole life. And, The third is, The Issue and End of all things. Now in one of these three Issues, all that come to Christ shall find him deal kindly with them. First, In the Issue of the Act of coming itself. I pray mark this, Coming to Christ is an action made up of many steps; we do not at once come to Jesus Christ. There is the Agress, Ingress, and Pr●●ress in every going. The Agress, or Address to it. The Ingress, The first setting upon it. And then the Progress, The going on in it. Possibly when thou dost first set up a resolution of going to Christ, he will not come in and give thee an answer; possibly when thou hast set thy foot in the way, and gone a good way, he will not come and speak kindly to you; but by that time you are come up to Christ fully, than you shall find Christ will deal kindly with you. The soul doth not at first fully come up to Christ; it is a great while ere the soul doth fully come off from fin, ere the soul doth fully come out of Satan's power, ere he doth fully come up to the proposals of Jesus Christ. Now, do not wonder if Jesus Christ do not deal kindly with you, till the Issue of the whole Act; but in the Issue of the Act, when it is completed, than you shall find him deal kindly with you. You are now, it may be (poor soul) treating with Jesus Christ, and as it is in a treaty of peace between differing states, there are some preliminary treatments, all is not presently concluded as soon as it is presented. There are demurs, and debates, and there are seeming break off, and departures; no compleating, but as it were for a while complementing: It is seldom seen, that at first all things are fully concluded upon; But when the Treaty is perfected, than you have the sound of Trumpets, and the noise of Drums, and all the expressions pressions of joy that may be. It hath been said of old, that coming to Christ it is a Marriage Act, and so indeed it is. Now there are not complete Acts of kindness, till the whole Marriage be consummate; Therefore, though Christ may carry it strangely at first, yet in the Issue, when the Marriage is consummate, than you shall find Christ complying, and showing himself kind. Secondly, There is (that which we call) the Issue of our life. And my Beloved, at Death, the Lord Jesus Christ will smile upon many a soul, who have gone softly in the bitterness of their spirits all their days. Mark the just man, and behold the perfect man; For the end of that man is peace, Psal. 37.37. Though you have clouds, and darkness upon you all your days, and though Jesus Christ doth seem to carry it roughly to you, through the whole course of your pilgrimage; yet when you are actually going into the good Land, than you shall see Joshuah going before you. Many that have had fears and terrors all their life time, yet at the end of their life, when they have been going out of the world, they have had joy, and comfort. The story of Mris. Drake is known, she had many terrors, much sadness, no smiles from Christ all her days; till at last, when she came to die, a little before her death, Christ dealt so kindly, that she went out of the world in an extacy, and ravishment of spirit, full of peace, and full of joy; triumphing in the Lord; so that in the Issue of our time and life, we shall find Christ kind, however he is at first to us. But than Thirdly, Or else in the Issue of all things. When all things shall be wrapped up, by a final End and Issue put to them, than Christ will show himself kind, however strange he did seem to carry it to poor souls before. You read of a day (in Mal. 3.17.) in which the Lord will make up his Jewels, and then you shall return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, etc. And Matthew 25. there Christ speaks very sweetly, when the Lord shall say to those on his right hand, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you, etc. Then he shall say to this poor man, and woman, thou didst mourn after me all thy days, thou didst wait upon me all thy life, and though I seemed to carry it strange, thou wert sincere; Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you, etc. I do observe that this carried up the heart of Job, in Job 19 I know that my Redeemer liveth, and he shall stand at the latter day upon the Earth, and then in my flesh I shall see him, etc. This Text in Job is worth its weight in Gold upon many accounts. That, that Jesus Christ that is now at the right hand of the Father, Job many thousand years ago said, he should know upon the Earth, and though he set him up as a mark to shoot at then, yet he knew at last he would deal kindly with him. Well then, I pray put all together; Persons truly coming to Christ, in the Issue, either of the Act of coming, or of their Lives, or of all things, shall find this to be a certain Truth, that Christ will deal sweetly with them, however now he may seem to carry it strangely. And (my Beloved) I shall not need to bring any other instance to prove it, than this instance in the Text. Never was any so strangely dealt withal, as the Woman of Canaan, and yet what a blessed Issue doth he make with he●? Oh Woman, great is thy Faith, be it unto thee even as thou wilt, etc. There are only two things that I aim at in the explication of the point. And, The first is to show you wherein the kind close of the Carriage of Christ in the Issue shall appear to poor souls, however at first he may carry it strangely. And Secondly, The ground of this. We shall begin with the first; And I shall out of this instance of the Woman of Canaan, show you how kindly Christ will carry it at last, in the Issue, though he carry it roughly at first. Pray observe this speech, Jesus answered and said unto her, etc. I remember in the book of Ruth, when Boaz had espied Ruth, and talked of her to his servants, he spoke to her himself, in vers. 8. and what saith she, in verse 10. She fell upon her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger? It was a marvellous act of kindness, that Boaz should take knowledge of her to speak to her. Just so me thinks it was here; Christ at first talks to his servants of this Woman, he did not speak at first to her, but to the Disciples of her. But now, although before the Lord did not seem to take knowledge of this Woman, yet I say, now the Lord is so kind, as he turns to her, and takes notice of her, and he speaks exceeding kind to her. Oh Woman, great is thy Faith, be it unto thee even as thou wilt, etc. Let us open it a little. Here are three Parts. First, Oh Woman, great is thy Faith. Secondly, Be it unto thee even as thou wilt. Thirdly, At the same hour her Daughter was made whole. First, He answered and said unto her, O Woman, great is thy Faith. My Beloved, we must open this by degrees; and it is very much which is here contained. For, First of all, He answered and said unto her. O blessed kindness! that Jesus Christ that before answered her not a word, he now opens his lips, and vouchsafes to speak to her. David, who knew what an act of kindness this is, sets it forth, both in the Negative, and in the Affirmative. Negatively, speaking of his enemies, in Psal. 18.41. They cried, but there was none to save them; even unto the Lord, but he ANSWERED THEM NOT. And Affirmatively, speaking of himself, in Psal. 118.5. I called upon the Lord in distress; the Lord answered me, and set me in a large place. Oh my Beloved, it is an act of kindness that Christ will speak. Let not my Lord be angry, saith the soul, do but speak to me. Oh it is mercy and kindness, when the Lord breaks his silence, and doth but speak to us. Why now Christ you see speaks to the Woman. And it is said, Jesus answered and said unto her, he answers his Disciples before, about her, but did not speak to her; now he speaks to her. Remember you not the expression, in Cant. 8.13? Thou that dwellest in the Gardens, the Companions harken to thy voice: cause me to hear it. Oh, saith the poor soul sometimes, Blessed Lord, thy Companions hear thy voice; Angels that wait upon thy Throne, they hear it; and the Saints in the Sanctuary, they hear it; and I am without knocking, Lord let me hear thy voice. Here is the first step, that he vouchsafes to speak to her. Secondly, He saith unto her, Woman, etc. how soft is this language? Now he doth not speak to her in a rough manner, but Woman. My Beloved, you know what is said of Job; Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, who is this that darkens words of wisdom, without knowledge? Job 38.1, 2. But behold the Lord he answers in a still voice, he speaks as a man to a woman. By Beloved, had the Lord spoken louder, it may be it would have broke her; the Lord will speak to poor souls in a still voice. I remember a prayer of Job, Job 13. about verse 20. Only do not two things unto me: then will I not hid myself from thee, withdraw thine hand far from me; and let not thy dread make me afraid, etc. And it is worth our considering, because it will open what we are upon; he doth as it were capitulate with God, and he makes but one Article, Let not thy dread make me afraid; As if Job should say, Lord, if thou wilt but take away thy dread, if thou wilt not speak in thy Majesty, as a great God, then speak Lord. That this is the meaning, appears by Elihu his interpretation of it, in Job 33. about 6, & 7. verses. Behold, I am, according to thy wish, in God's stead: I also am form out of the clay. Behold, my terror shall not make th●e afraid, neither shall my hand be heavy upon thee. Job was afraid to hear God speaking (as we say) in high language; and therefore desired God to forbear it. Why you see, Christ doth here forbear high words, he now speaks to this woman in a low, and loving manner, even as a man to a man, or a woman to a woman; He answered and said unto her, Woman. Without doubt this familiar word, and way of speaking to this Woman, did much cheer her heart; and she might hereupon say (as Ruth did to Boaz, when he spoke familiarly to her) saith Ruth in the story, Ruth 2.13. My Lord hath comforted me, and hath spoke friendly unto me. It is much mercy that Christ will give us an answer: But it is much more mercy, that he will give us a soft answer. You know the story of Eliah, God saith, he would speak to him, but he came in a whirlwind before he came in a soft answer; but Eliah was a strong man, and could bear what we cannot. If Christ should not speak to a poor heart in a still voice, but in a whirlwind, alas, it would overpower the soul; Therefore it is that Christ speaks as a man to his friend, yea, as a Father to a child; so you know he did use to speak. Daughter, be of good cheer; Son, be of good cheer. And thus we find it in other places, the Lord speaks friendly, Zach. 1.13, And the Lord answered the Angel that talked with me, with good words, and comfortable words. If Jesus Christ do not speak at all, or if he do speak, yet if it be not comfortable words, we count it strange and harsh; and so it is, and may be (as we have showed at first) But still know now for all this, whatever he saith at first, yet at last he will speak comfortable words. Thirdly, Christ condescends yet, and speaks more kindly; for, he owns, acknowledgeth, and commends this poor Woman's Faith. Mark it, Oh Woman great is thy Faith. Why here is our third step. The Lord Jesus eyes and owns her Faith, and that is a great act of kindness. Poor soul! Thou liest at the feet of Christ, thou sayest, I have desire, but no hope; I have fear, but no faith (thou that art full of fears) yet the Lord will call thee (for all that) Releever, he will spy out, and acknowledge thy Faith, and call thee a Daughter of Abraham, as here, Woman, great is thy Faith. It is the kindness of Christ, he will espy our gold, under much dross; our little coal of fire, under many embers; Christ will do for us, as for the Church of Philadelphia, Rev. 3.8. saith Christ, Thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word; Or as he said in that same chapter to Sardis, A few Names are among you. O how doth Christ speak to this Woman now at last! Mark it, and see, is not the language altered? Christ at first spoke to her as a Woman of Canaan, calls her upon that account (as some call Turks and Infidels) Dog; but now he speaks to her as a Daughter of Abraham (for so are believers called, in Gal. 3.7.) saith the Apostle, Know ye therefore, that they which are of Faith, the same are the children of Abraham. In this speech, Christ tells her in effect, She is an Israelite. Once it was (poor soul) a stranger, an enemy, a Canaanite, a Hittite, such were the words in which Christ at first did as it were speak to thee. Well, but yet stay a little, and thou shalt hear Christ speaking in kinder language, he will yet call thee Son, Daughter, Saint, Friend, in a word, no more a Canaanite, but at last Christ will speak to thee as an Israelite; and say of thee, as of Nathaniel, Behold an Israelite, in whom there is no guile. I Pray mind it, it is an admirable discovery (this) how kind Christ will carry it at last. Whatever sin he charges in a spirit of conviction at first, yet always at last he will acknowledge our Faith, I say, our faith, and love, and whatever is good in us. I appeal to you (O experienced souls!) are not you afraid to own your own faith? One while your unbelieving fears, another while the humble working of your hearts, will not let you see your own Grace; I but you have a kind Christ that will take notice of it, and own it; though thou be a Canaanite in thy first address, and in thine own account (and Christ may seem therefore to deal harshly with thee) yet still (I say) in this he will at length be kind, and show it in eyeing and acknowledging any good, every Grace that is in thee. But I proceed unto the next thing here in Christ's speech. The fourth, which is, Great is thy Faith. He doth not only own, but honour her Faith. Oh my Beloved! what an act of kindness is this commendation of Christ? Praise is a fruit of love, a sign of love; why my beloved. Jesus Christ will deal so kindly, that he will praise you at last. He doth now praise this poor Woman, whom he seemed to sleight before. And though Christ may at first seem to sleight and despise us, yet at last he will not only own, but honour us. And this is certainly his kindness. How kindly did he deal with the poor Woman, in Luk. 7? he was entertained by a Pharisee, and had large entertainment, yet how doth he turn himself to the Woman, and how kindly did he deal with her? He commends not the Master's Feast, but the Woman's Faith. Nay, he seems to reproach the Pharisee that invited him, and to exalt, and honour the poor sinner that came unto him. Her Love and Faith are very much praised by Christ there, (vers. 46, 47, 50.) Oh Sirs, that Jesus Christ that you go unto, truly, however at first he may seem not to own you, much less to honour you; at last he will both own, and honour you. Look as Jesus Christ will deal severely with painted Sepulchers, Hypocrites, so he will deal sweetly with sincere Believers. That is one part of this kind speech, wherein our Lord deals very kindly, though at first he spoke to her harshly. The second part is, Be it unto thee even as thou wilt. We may say of these words, as one of the Ancients said of some others; They are wonders, and not words. Oh how doth the Lord condescend in kindness now to this poor Woman of Canaan, when he saith, Be it unto thee even as thou wilt. Once he said, I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Once he said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and give it to Dogs, But how well is the world mended with this poor creature? Now the Lord doth not hint, that he was not sent to her; but he calls her believer. Now he doth not tell her, she should not have children's bread; but now he bids her take what she would. Once it may be (poor soul) Jesus Christ said this to thy conscience, Thou art a Rebel, (deserving no mercy) at another time it may be he said this; Thou art a filthy person (and not yet prepared for mercy) I but at last Christ will no more mention guilt or filth, but he will say to thee, Rebel, There is a pardon; And to thee, polluted sinnet, There is purging and cleansing; yea, he will say to thee, poor soul, There is Mercy, All Mercy, Any Mercy; what thou wantest, what thou wilt, there it is, etc. As it is in this expression here to this Woman of Canaan. I will open this too, in two or three steps. Be it unto thee even as thou wilt. First, How fully doth the Lord spenk to this Woman? Psal. 81.10. Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. Woman, take to the full as much as thou wilt; As if our Lord Christ should say, Woman, Thou art a poor Woman of Canaan, and art in want; and I have a rich Treasure; it is unsearchable; go to the Mine, take what thou wilt. Woman, I see thou art a poor hungry soul, and I am Manna, and bread from Heaven, come to me, and take as much as thou wilt. Woman, thou hast made but one Petition, but I see more in thy heart, take what thou wilt. My Beloved, the Lord Jesus Christ he gives like himself, very largely to poor creatures; He satisfies their souls even to the full. David at last could sing such a song as this is, Psal. 103.3. Bless the Lord, Oh my soul, who forgiveth all thine iniquities: who healeth all thy diseases, etc. You that lie hungering at the gate of Christ, and cry, bread Lord, a Morsel Lord, yea, a C●umb Lord; Christ will say, There is a whole Loaf, be it to thee as thou wilt. It was the speech of a dying Saint, that lived long full of sorrow; I am now as full of joy as my heart can hold. See Zach. 9.12. Turn ye to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope; even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee. Good now mind it (poor soul) it may be Jesus Christ may shut thee up in prison, yet there thou wilt be a prisoner of hope; I but what shall you have at last? He will render double unto thee. All the Lords children at last, they shall have double: So it was with Joseph, he had hard usage at first, cast into prison, etc. but at last he is out, and Governor of all the Land. At last Christ will deal with you all, as he dealt with Joseph. The Lord Jesus will deal with a bountiful hand, full, heaped up, running over. That is the first thing. But then, Secondly, Be it unto thee EVEN AS thou wilt; It relates to the Manner eminently, as well as to the Matter. As thou wilt; that is, in such a manner as thou wilt. When David came up to Araunah, to have the threshing-floor, and for a sacrifice, he would have them so, and so; And Araunah said to him, Do what seemeth good unto thee, 2 Sam. 24.22. And there is very much in that; The Lord's people have their hearts many times set upon the manner of their mercy. Deal bountifully with thy servant, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy Name, (saith David) in Psal. 119.132. The poor soul that lies at the feet of Christ, would have mercy, and have such mercy as his Lambs have, that lie in his bosom. Thomas, he would have a sign from the Lord, and he would have such a sign, John. 20.25. and in vers. 27. Christ condescends to him; but a little to open this. One while the soul will have Love, I, and it must be immediate Love. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, Cant. 1.2. It was a very elegant, and holy allusion of Bernard, (and therefore I shall mention it) There is the kiss of the foot of Christ, and of the hand, and of the mouth of Christ, i. e. There are several sorts of kind expressions; now the Spouse specifieth what kind of Love-expression she would have (as sometimes the soul doth, and may do) she would have, not the kiss of the feet, but of the mouth, and Christ gave it her, as she intimates, vers. 4. Mind it then, One while thy soul will have immediate Love-Tokens, and the Lord will give you as you will. Another while the soul cries out, as David in Psal. 35.3. Say thou unto my soul, thou art my salvation, etc. The child will have bread, and it will have it upon the Mother's lap. Another while the soul is ready to say, Show me a token for good, that those that hate me may see it, and be ashamed, Psal. 86.17, 18. Oh my Beloved, what infinite love is it in Jesus Christ, that he should condescend so low, as to give us not only what we will, but as we will! That expression is very full, in Psal. 145.19. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him. The soul hath what he will, and just as he will have it, his whole desire. And so Jesus Christ will do; and therefore bear up your hearts, you that come to Christ, he may deal harshly with you at first, but he will let it be as you will at last. Thirdly and lastly, Be it unto thee. Christ is very positive, very peremptory, he speaks as one resolved to do. The Lord Jesus doth not say, I will think of it, or I will take it into consideration, and it may be it shall be so; but he is positive, Be it unto thee even as thou wilt. Two things there are that I eye in this expression, Be it unto thee. First, It is a Commanding word. Secondly, It is a Creating word. First, It is a Commanding word. Be it unto thee. The Lord doth as it were command, and say, Woman, I have commanded that it shall be so. In Psal. 42.8. Saith the Psalmist there, The Lord will command his lovingkindness in the day time, and in the night his song shall be with me. The poor soul, while it is in the world, it must deal with means, as well as with grace; and the soul is ready to say, will the means give out? Just as the poor petitioner that deals with a Lord, but he deals likewise with some of the Officers, though the Lord grant his request, yet he doubts whether he shall get it our of the Officers hand; why, saith he, I have commanded it. Remember, and rejoice in this hint, O poor heart! who hopest Christ is free, but doubtest what means may do. Possibly thou hast said this, I have good hope the Lord will speak kindly to me, but will the Ordinances give it out too? why, saith God, I have commanded it, it shall be so; Be it unto thee. My Beloved, Jesus Christ at last will say, I command every Ordinance, every Creature, every word thou readest, that it be to thee as thou wilt. Time was at first, that Christ carried it so, as nothing did subserve you, or yield unto you any respect; but when the Lord is reconciled, at last he will command all to be yours. Time was, when no Man, Means, Creature, Ordinance, had any commission to smile on you, or speak well to you, and then it was sad; But at length Christ will give a word, send a Commission to all, and command them, saying, Be it so and so to such a poor soul, as it will, as it wisheth. Secondly, As there is a Commanding, so there is a Creating Power in the Word; and that is much. Believer! Believer! though the Lord carry it at first like a man astonished, he will create mercy at last. As in the Creation of the world, God said, Let there be light, and there was light. etc. So in Isa. 57.7. saith God, I create the fruit of the lips, peace. The Lord that creates light out of darkness, peace out of trouble, sweet out of bitter; He will create for thee; be it light unto such a soul; such a soul wants light, and there is light created for him; strength, be thou created for him, etc. I remember the Apostle Peter doth exhort Believers, as their last refuge, to eye the creating power of Christ, and act Faith upon him, not only as a Redeemer, but as a Creator. In 1 Pet. 4.19. Saith he, Commit the keeping of your souls to him, in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator. Soul, if Creating Mercy can help you, be confident Christ will put it forth at length; there shall be another fiat, another let there be, this or that, for such a soul, and that with creating influence in it. And oh! how kindly doth Christ carry it now at last, that he commands all, and will create (rather than fail) comfort for this poor Woman, Be it unto thee even as thou wilt. Thus have we in Christ's speech to this Woman seen (as in a glimpse) what his last deal will be with those that come to him; And is not this enough to confirm your hearts, that at last Christ will be kind, however he is at first? But I proceed to the other thing here in Christ's Carriage to this Woman. Thirdly, Her Daughter is made whole the same hour. Poor Creatures, you are full of unbeleef, and I must say to you, as John said, These things are written th●t you might believe. Christ will deal so well with poor souls, that at last he will give them their desires to the full. And that which may be their request, in an eminent manner, more particularly, will the Lord Christ give them that. I pray mark it a little thus. The soul wants many mercies, wishes all, but it hath some particular pinch for the present, etc. Now that shall be given in to the soul. You have a fine expression to import the condescension of God to particular mercies, in Psal. 21.2, 4. Thou hast given him his hearts desire; and hast not withheld the request of his lips. He asked life of thee, and thou gavest it him, even length of days for ever and ever. Why my Beloved, you that wait upon the Lord, and truly come to him, know and remember, however he carries it, as if at first he will grant nothing, yet at last he will grant every thing; and in particular, that Mercy, that particular special Mercy, which thy heart is drawn forth to mention before the Lord. Oh, saith the soul, I would have all sin dead, but let this sin die. Now the soul shall have his this thing; In this thing the good Lord be merciful to me; why the Lord will in that thing be kind. Let the soul single out its particular request! Oh in this matter, in that child, in this cause, etc. And he shall find Christ at last will come down to that very thing. But I shall speak to this in the last Sermon by itself, therefore I will not urge it here. Only now put all together, and tell me if the point be not certain, That Christ at last will deal very kindly with souls that truly come to him: however at first he may seem to deal harshly. What could the poor soul wish more than she had? he spoke kindly; now he doth what she will, and as much as she will; now her Daughter shall be whole in a moment, etc. This is all I shall say for the demonstration of the point. There are some Objections to be answered, I shall at this time mention one. Object. I but will the soul say, This is a particular example; and particular examples they are not foundations for general conclusions. Here is a Woman of Canaan, and the Lord deals well with her, what is this to me? For, Answ. Beloved in the Lord, know this, That every example of Gospel-grace, is not so particular, but that it is a general pattern. All this was written that we might believe. And you know what the Apostle saith, in that same, Rom. 15. and the beginning; These things are written for our learning, etc. Do not say, This was a Woman of Canaan, and I am a poor other kind of creature; Know, this was written for thee. In 1 Tim. 1.16. saith Paul there, That in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them▪ which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. If the Woman of Canaan were alive, she would say, I was a pattern for thee; she would say, Christ dealt thus with me first, to show how he would deal with other poor creatures afterwards. Let this be an answer. But then the Second Answer is this, The account upon which she had this grace, it was not particular, but common. A particular thing, with a particular account, is too straight to be made a general Rule, but a particular example, upon a general account, may be made a general Rule; remember that. Now this mercy was given to her, not upon any personal, particular account, but upon a general account; what is that account? Woman, great is thy Faith. She hath this mercy, not as a Woman, nor as a Woman of Canaan, nor as so and so speaking, but as a Believer. Now upon this Reason, Because the Lord dealt thus with her upon the account of Faith; wherever there is true Faith, the Lord will deal thus. It is the particular argument of Rom. 4. The Apostle proves, that Abraham's Justification was a general type to others. How doth he prove it? because it came to him by Faith. The strength of the Argument lies thus, Abraham was not justified as such a man, upon any personal account, but because he was a believer; and therefore he argues, that all believers should be justified as he was. Therefore do not say, it was a particular example, it is a pattern, and it is upon a general account. There are only two words of Application I shall make at present. First, I will gather one terrible Consequence from all this consolatory discourse. And, Secondly, I shall gather one Rational Caution from the whole. First, I shall gather a terrible Consequence from all this. When mercy is preached, and comfort is held out, we have many snatch for it, that have nothing to do with it. And while I would comfort a Son or Daughter of Abraham, I would not strengthen the hands of any in sin; Well then, sinners, hear, and fear; Look about you (as I use to say) for certainly, As Jesus Christ will deal kindly with those that truly come to him, at last: So he will deal exceeding terribly with those, who notwithstanding all his good carriage, carry it ill to him. If Jesus Christ, (Man or Woman) will deal well with that soul, that did tarry long, because it tarried out to the end, than he will deal ill with thee (whoever thou art) who notwithstanding all his good carriage to thee, dealest perversely with him; though he woos you, and beseeches you now, yet at last he will deal terribly with you; at last there shall be two in one bed, the one shall be taken, and the other left. Verily, my Beloved, Look as mercy and kindness will oblige the heart of Christ to be kind to waiters, and comers at last; so the justice and wrath of Christ, will, as it were, engage Christ to be dreadful to Rebels, and impenitent ones at last. Husband! thy Wife came to Christ, and waited on him long, Christ will in the issue be kind to her; But thou standest it out still, art a Rebel to this day, Oh tremble to think what Christ will do at last. He will judge, and condemn, and destroy thee upon whom he hath waited long, and who yet at last wouldst not come in. The Jews are a sad example of this terrible Consequence that I am upon. The poor Canaanites that Christ dealt so severely withal (all the Prophecies of the Messiah were sealed books to them, etc.) at last in the fullness of time Christ comes, and he speaks mercy to the Gentiles; but how doth he deal with the Jews? the Jews that he had been kind to, because they came not in, he turns away from them to the Gentiles. Now therefore I beseech you look about you, Christ hath been dealing well with you many a day, believe it, the Lord will deal harshly with you that stand it out, and deal ill with him. As he will be merciful at last to the home-commers, so will he be cruel (and yet just) to you that have, and do stand it out to the last all your days. Consider this then, you that forget Christ, lest the Lamb prove a Lion to tear you in pieces, that yet continue in your sins and impenitence. A second word; I beseech you let me give you all, one Rational Caution. If the Lord will deal so well at last, then pray now be so wise, as not absolutely to conclude against this Truth. Is there a poor Woman of Canaan before the Lord, that hath had many a frown, and many a hard put off; many a frighting without, and fear within? Beware how you conclude against everlasting mercy; for Christ may be kind at last. That which I would press, is in allusion to the 77. Psalms, about the 7. vers. Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more? etc. I observe that good man did never positively say so, but only he questions it; and before he comes to conclude, in vers. 10. he saith, It was his infirmity. Thou sayest, shall I cry, and never be heard? shall I beg bread, and not have a crumb? know, that the Lord that hath a deaf ear at first, will have a hearing ear at last. Therefore it is but a reasonable request, you that are waiting upon the Lord, it is but a reasonable thing I beg of you; Do not say the Lord will never be gracious. I shall enlarge it more hereafter. But my thinks a Question is put now, and I will in a word answer it. Quest. But what shall I do in the mean time? I think the Lord will be good at last, but I shall starve in the mean time? Answ. Pray look once more into the story of Joseph, Joseph carried it very roughly at first, but he carried it well at last; but what do they do in the mean time? Why they shall have bread to carry them unto their home. The Lord Jesus is every way Joseph, before he doth reveal himself, and deal kindly with you, you shall have bread to live upon. Though the Lord seem to carry it strangely now, he will do as Joseph did, Give you bread to support you in your journey. Look into the Scripture, there is bread enough for you. Never did the Lord let any perish, but he gave them sufficient to carry them up; and to support them even in the way, beside the best, and abundance, which is kept till last. Therefore lift up thy hanging down hands, and stay thy soul even at present; Jesus Christ will give in necessary, secret supplies, before he reveal himself in the open, ample manifestations of his grace. You shall (even while in the Journey, and the wilderness) have a Viaticum, travelling necessaries; and at the end, you shall have the full possession and inheritance of the Milk and Honey in Emanuels Land. This I have proved, and shall next time give you grounds for it. Sure Grounds that Christ will be kind at last. The Eighth SERMON. Matthew 15. vers. 28. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O Woman, great is thy Faith: be it unto thee, even as thou wilt, etc. THat all Persons, Conditions, Affairs, are exposed to alteration and change, is a truth no less sweet in some respects, than bitter upon others. Indeed, my Beloved, upon some accounts it is our misery that we are mutable, but withal, upon other accounts it is our happiness, that things shall not (as we say) stand always at one stand. This present season, though it be sharp and cold, an alteration will follow, and a warmer season will come. Our very bodies, though sometimes weak, yet a change doth come, and we are rendered strong. And as it is thus with us in corporals, so, blessed be God, it is thus with us in spirituals. Though for a time we may lie under the wrath of man, and the frowns of God, yet a change will come; for God hath said, He will restrain the wrath of Man, as it is, Psal. 76.10. and for his own anger he will take it away, so he promiseth, Hosea 14.4. Though for a time this Woman of Canaan was under the frowns of Christ, though he seemed to take no notice of her, yet behold what a change is here, he that before would not answer her a word, doth now answer her many words, and many comfortable words. He answered and said unto her, Oh Woman, great is thy Faith, be it unto thee even as thou wilt. We are now come to the last thing in the story of this Woman of Canaan, and that is the consideration of that conclusion, that Jesus Christ doth here make with her. And you may remember the Observation we did draw forth the last day, was this, Viz. Doct. That all those who truly come to Christ, shall in the issue find his Carriage to be sweet and gracious, however at the first it may seem rough and strange. We did then open the Point, and did go a good way in the confirmation of it. There were only two things which I said I would speak to in the Amplification of the Doctrine. First, To show you wherein Jesus Christ would appear sweet and gracious in the end, howsoever he may carry it at first to poor souls. Secondly, Whence this should come to pass. Now, for the first of these, We told you we need go no further than the instance of the Text. And we did then endeavour to set out the kindness of Jesus Christ to the Woman of Canaan. Now here are many words to set it forth. First generally, He answered and said, Oh Woman, great is thy Faith. Secondly particularly, Be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And then, Thirdly, He doth particularly grant her particular request that she had made. And from that hour her Daughter was made whole. I did then speak to those distinctly. Two Objections there lie against this instance, which being cleared up, we will come to the Reasons of the Point. Object. 1. The first Objection was this; But this instance of the Woman of Canaan seems to be so rare, that it doth not concern us. To that we said two things. Answ. 1. That all Gospel-instances of Grace (I intent not instances of miracles, and extraordinary favours) are perpetual examples for after ages. And, Answ. 2. This kindness of Christ to the Woman of Canaan, was not upon any personal, or particular account, but upon a general account, namely, her Faith. But there is another Objection to be cleared up, and that is this. Object. 2. But though this example be not so particular as to shut us out, Yet Secondly, There are some things in it so extraordinary and special, as that we cannot look for the same things in our cases. To this I shall say two things. Answ. 1. That however, some things indeed here may be extraordinary, (and so not to be expected) yet as to the MAIN of all things, we may expect the like. This is certain, that those favours that God hath shown in any one age, to any of his children, though they might have some particular circumstance, wherefore we may not expect the same, yet in the general, (and by proportion) we may expect the same. As in the instance of Joshua, The Apostle makes the kindness of God to Joshua, a general example, in Heb. 13.5. Be content with such things as ye have, for he hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. Now we cannot expect in a particular way, as Joshua did. In like manner, the same Apostle in the same place, doth argue from David, in vers. 6. And though we cannot expect some rare circumstances, as David did, yet as to the main, we may say, The Lord is our helper: So though possibly we may not expect some particular circumstances of the kindness that this Woman of Canaan had; yet as to the main we may be certain to have the like. Secondly, However we may not meet with all the particular Acts of kindness from Christ, that this Woman had; yet, there are usually these three things wherein we shall certainly find Christ to deal sweetly with us at last, however he may deal with us at first. Or, There are three Demonstrations, wherein the Lord will demonstrate himself to be kind to you at last, however he may carry it at first. First, At last the soul shall find this, that he will not absolutely, and peremptorily reject the poor soul. Possibly thou wilt not find so clear an entertainment, so comfortable an assurance, as this Woman had; I but this thou shalt find, that Jesus Christ will never absolutely cast thee off; he will never peremptorily deny thee, or cast thee off. It is very remarkable, he did not peremptorily send the Woman away; though he did not answer her, yet he did not bid them send her away. And this thou shalt find, that though Christ may not seem to answer, yet he will not absolutely deny; though he may say, It is not meet thou shouldest have mercy, yet he will not deny chee mercy. That speech is an eternal Truth, in John 6.37. Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out. I remember an expression that we have in the Prophecy of Isaiah, which I think is mistake, and therefore I shall mention it. Isa. 50. at the beginning, Thus saith the Lord, Where is the bill of your Mother's divorcement, whom I have put away? etc. The meaning I take to be this, That though God did as it were separate Israel from himself for a while for sin, yet he did not divorce them; he did never give them such a bill, as upon the account of which they might conclude I am divorced. And that which I gather from it, is this, that at last the soul shall not be able to produce a bill of divorcement from Jesus Christ. No, soul, whoever thou art, take this for a certain comfort, Christ will not wholly cast thee off, he will not at last bid thee be gone, though at first he may not presently entertain thee. This is one thing. And then secondly, Howsoever Christ may deal with thee at present, for thy comfort, yet at last he will insure thee of everlasting salvation. Possibly now he will not give thee bread (so much as thou wouldst have) but yet he will absolutely save thy soul, and have mercy upon thee to all eternity. Therefore, this is that Christ saith, in John 6.39. This is the will of him that sent me, That of all which he hath given me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. There lies this for certain, At the last day, Jesus Christ will raise up all those that come to him. Now this is spoken not of a bare corporal resurrection, but of a resurrection to life. It is spoken of such a resurrection, as is peculiarly the portion of true Believers. Christ will at last raise up all Believers to life, and glory, albeit he may not seem to carry it in this life to the poor soul, as it desires. So that is a second thing which we may conclude in the general, about Christ's kindness to us, however in some particulars he may not deal with us as with others. A third thing we shall be sure to find at last, is this, That Jesus Christ will give us something sufficient to support us, though not, it may be, to satisfy us in all our desires. Howsoever the Lord may seem to put us off for a while, and make as if he would not give us a Morsel; yet secretly he will give supports to the soul, as in Psal. 138.3. In the day when I cried, thou answeredst me; and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul. Secret, sufficient soul-strength, shall certainly be given in by Jesus Christ, however he may carry it at first; at last the soul shall be able to say, All the while Christ did frown upon me, I had some secret supports given: So that though the example be rare, and though some things in it be extraordinary, yet in these three particulars every soul at last, shall find Christ will carry it kindly, however at first he may carry it strange. To come now to give an account of the Reasons of the point. There are many Reasons, which (if need were) we might dilate upon. I shall only name these four or five. The first Reason whence it comes to pass that Jesus Christ will deal thus kindly at last, Is taken from God the Father. My Beloved, that same Will, Command, and Commission which Jesus Christ hath received from the Father, and which he is careful to observe, is the great reason of this Carriage of Jesus Christ. I pray mark it a little, Christ coming into the world, he comes not only as our Saviour, but as his Father's Servant; and this hath an influence upon the heart, and upon the hand of Christ in all his carriage to us. This, i. e. That he comes as the Father's Servant, and because God the Father will have him do thus, and thus, therefore to be certain he will do it. As for instance, doth Jesus Christ come into the world to die for sinners? what is the ground of it? because God the Father hath given him in Commission so to do: So, will not Christ break the bruised Reed, nor quench the smoking Flax, as it is prophesied he will not, Isa. 42? Why this is the Reason, because he is his Father's Servant, as it is there, vers. 1. and God hath charged him that he shall not break the bruised Reed, etc. And so in this particular, Jesus Christ will at last deal kindly with all that truly come unto him, because this is the will of him that sent him. This is particularly the reason, in John 6.37, 38. (a Scripture that you may look upon as the foundation of your Faith, but I wish you did well understand what you did build your Faith upon) All that come to me, I will in no wise cast off; What is the reason? Mark the 38. verse. For I came down from Heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me. When you act your Faith upon Jesus Christ for his kindness, I pray look to God the Father likewise, and this will further strengthen your Faith. The poor soul is ready to say, why should Jesus Christ receive me? why should Jesus Christ carry it kindly to me? what is there in me? nothing. But there is another ground, there is the will of him that sent him; there is the Fathers will. God the Father deals well with us for Christ's sake; and Jesus Christ deals well with us for the Father's sake. So that now my Beloved, when the poor soul goes to Jesus Christ, you may imagine that God the Father says thus, Son, deal well with that soul, it is my will that thou shouldest not cast him off. Indeed in this place, Christ doth intimate that he doth carry himself according to his Commission. The Commission that was given to Christ, it was the ground of this whole carriage of Christ. But here is the Commission, Christ he shall not give children's bread to Dogs; yet if Dogs will come to him, and lie at the Father's door, it is the will of his Father that he should not cast them off. Secondly, The innate kindness and tenderness of the heart of Christ, is the reason of this truth; that he will deal well at last, though he seem to carry it strange at first. My Beloved, the Lord Jesus hath that personal renderness in himself, that if his Father should never have wished him, nor willed him to deal thus kindly with poor souls, his own bowels would have put him on to it. Indeed the bow's of Christ are so tender, that the tenderest love is set out by the bowels. When Paul would have the Philippians to know how much he did love them, and long after them, saith he, (Phil. 1.8.) I long after you in the bowels of Jesus Christ. My Beloved, the Lord Jesus Christ he hath tender bowels, and because of that it is that he doth deal tenderly with poor souls that come to him. What is the particular nature and notion of bowels in the Scripture? it is this; For a person to be moved at last, by the sense of a persons misery, though at first he may seem to stand off. You have many notable instances of this. That of Joseph, what was it which made Joseph deal kindly at last, though he did deal roughly at first? In Gen. 43.30. His bowels yearned within him, and that made him to speak kindly to his brethren. O my Beloved, The Lord Jesus is full of bowels; he doth pity many times, when he is not spoken to, as in Luk. 7.13. It is said there concerning a Woman, that Christ had compassion on her, he was troubled, for his bowels did yearn towards her. The Lord Jesus having therefore such tender bowels, thence it comes to pass, that though at first he may carry it strangely, yet at last he will carry it kindly. This poor Woman of Canaan, once the Lord seemed to speak harshly to her, but his bowels did yearn, and upon that account he dealt well at last. The third Reason in a word is this, Christ will carry it thus well at last, because in a sense he is very fearful, and therefore very careful, that none do perish in a good way, at least through his neglect. My Beloved, Christ is fearful of the perishing of poor souls, especially in a good way, and most especially through his neglect. Sinners, look about you, if you will rebel, and run away from Christ, and wander from him, and perish, Christ cares not; but if thou hast a heart to look towards God, if thou goest after Jesus Christ, and criest to him, he is very fearful lest thou shouldest perish in such a good way. Isa. 57.16. Saith God there, For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wrath: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made. If Christ should carry it tough always, the spirit of the poor creature would fail. If so be you will wander in the high ways from Christ, than the speech of the Prophet may be made good, in Isa. 51.20. Thy Sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets, as a wild Bull in a Net; they are full of the fury of the Lord, the rebuke of thy God. Yea, but if you come to him, that cries after you in the streets, (as it is, Prov. 1.) If you lie not still, but come at his cry, and upon his call, then will he pour forth his Spirit on you (as in that place he promiseth, Prov. 1.23.) If you perish in your own neglect to come, so it is; but if you come, Christ will not let you perish at his doors. Oh no; The Lord Jesus will never be a Dives; a poor Lazarus at Christ's door, shall never perish there; never did any that lay knocking, and begging for mercy there, go away and perish for the want of it. Fourthly, The Lord Christ will be thus kind at last, That he may stop the mouths of all those that are ready to speak hardly of him. My Beloved, if Christ should always carry it strangely (especially when the sold carries it humbly) soon you would hear that speech of the man in the Parable; I knew thou wert a hard Master. But God is resolved that never shall there be a witness brought against him of his hardness. This Woman of Canaan might have been brought in as a witness against Jesus Christ, if (after all this) he should have cast her off: but God will be true, and all men liars; He will be kind at last to confure that report, and reproach, which Satan and unbeleef are ready to cast on him, truly I may say, Christ will be kind for his own credir. That none may slander him, he will, and must be sweet at last. Fifthly and lastly, Christ hath a particular design to destroy the work of the Devil. Now my Beloved, upon this account it is, that he will deal kindly at last; for if Christ should not at last deal well with those that truly come to him, the design of the Devil would not be destroyed. I build the foundation of this reason upon that Scripture, in 1 John 3.8. For this purpose was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the Devil. When a poor soul comes to Christ, and is roughly dealt withal, the Devil hath a threefold design upon that score. Viz. One design is upon the soul itself, to lead the soul to despair. Another design is upon other sinners, to discourage them for ever, from coming to Jesus Christ. And a third design (which though last in execution, is first in intention) and that is to cast a disgrace upon Jesus Christ. If this poor Woman should have been sent away, and not been dealt kindly withal, The Devil would have said, now despair, now no body go to him, etc. How doth Satan say, it is in vain for you to pray, to believe, Nay, though you worship him, he will not regard it? Now mark it, the Lord is resolved to destroy the designs of Satan, and that Satan may never prosper in these designs, Christ will carry it well at last, however he may carry it ill at first. Doth Satan say, it is in vain to wait? No, it is not in vain to wait, for the Woman of Canaan waited, and was accepted; doth Satan say, go not to Jesus Christ, he will not receive you? Yes, then say thou, and thou, O soul (every one that is not resolved to hearken to Satan for his own ruin) we will go, he will receive us at last; doth Satan say, he is a hard Master? say no, he will deal kindly at last. Well, to come to the Application, indeed the prime, and the proper Use of this point is but one, and that I shall principally stand upon; but I shall add another, though briefly. Use, The prime Use of this Point is but one, Namely, for the comfort and the refreshing of all those, who, it may be, are in the same condition that the Woman of Canaan was. Who is there among you, that feareth the Lord, and obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? Let him trust in the Name of the Lord, and stay upon his God. Isa. 50.10. What soul is there that hath found a want of Christ, and hath had a desire after Christ, and hath been a great while waiting upon Christ, and hath not had your desires satisfied; be of good comfort, though the Lord tarry long, he will come at last. The Lord that seems to carry it rough at first, at last, in the issue will carry it kindly. Therefore bear up your hearts, it may be your issue is not yet come, and no marvel if Christ do not speak. Possibly you are but in the Treaty (as I spoke in the Explication the last day) or it may be you are not yet fully come, nor do really, and rightly close with Jesus Christ. For certain, if that were, he would be kind unto you according to your hearts desire. It is a full and everlasting speech of comfort, that, that you have in Job, Job 8.20, 21. Behold God, will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil-doers, till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing. Thou dost lie before Jesus Christ, and he seems to reject thee; I but know, That he will not cast thee away, till he hath filled thy mouth with gladness. No, though at present he may seem to carry it strange, yet in the issue he will carry it well. Because I would clearly hold forth this, I shall speak my thoughts by two or three steps. There are two things I would speak to all you, who, it may be, are in the condition of the Woman of Canaan. First, Beware how thou thinkest thy estate too strange, and how thou inquirest after the cause of it too far. Secondly, Be confident of this, how strange soever thy case be now, the conclusion shall be very sweet. First, Beware how thou thinkest thy state too strange, and how thou inquirest after the cause of it too far. Was there ever sorrow like to my sorrow? and was there ever soul like to my soul? saith the poor soul, etc. and what is the matter, that I have knocked, and knocked, till I am weary of knocking? Oh what is the cause! etc. be not too curious in looking after the cause; possibly there may be a reason that at first you may not see, but you may see it hereafter. As Christ said to Peter, What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter, John 13.7. Hereafter thou shalt know why the Lord did keep thee from children's bread so long, and it may be (by the way) it was to bring down thy proud stomach; hereafter the Lord will satisfy thee, but at present know, that no new thing hath happened to thee, others have lain as long as you. Secondly, Be confident of this, how strange soever thy case be, the conclusion shall be very sweet. My Beloved, the Lord Jesus cannot shut up his bowels, the Lord Jesus cannot always refrain himself, Isa. 63.15. Where are the sounding of thy bowels, and of thy mercy towards us, are they restrained? That passage in Psal. 42. is remarkable, though David was very sad, yet saith he, in vers. 8. The Lord will command salvation for me, and yet I shall praise him. And verily at last, you shall see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the Living; he will command and create comfort for you. I but saith the soul, though David might say so, what is that to me? still I say remember it is to thee. All that take hold of the Covenant of Grace, that God made with David; God makes with them the sure mercies of David (as it is in that precious Promise, Isa. 55.3.) But however mark the example we are upon, consider the Woman of Canaan; and when you consider the whole story of her, you may be confident at last Christ will deal kindly with you. Mind (above, and besides what we have said) Three things in this story, to comfort your hearts, that however Christ may deal harshly at first, yet in the end he will deal kindly. First, You cannot be further off from Jesus Christ, than the Woman of Canaan was. Secondly, You cannot be dealt withal worse, than the Woman of Canaan was. But. Thirdly, Though we should grant, you should be further off than the Woman of Canaan was, and dealt withalt worse than she was, yet there is hope in Israel for this thing. First, You cannot be further off than the Woman of Canaan was. My Beloved, There were no people visibly so far from the Covenant of Grace, and so much out of the Commission of Christ, as the Canaanites, and the Samaritans, and yet it is observable, you have two great instances, the one of a Canaanite, and the other of a Samaritan, that Christ must deal well withal. In John 4. It is said of Christ, That he must needs go thorough Samaria; and what was it for, but to bring home a poor Woman of Samaria? now a Samaritan was far off from Christ, and such a one as she was very far from Christ; yet the Lord at last must deal kindly with her. And so this Woman of Canaan, she was far off from Jesus Christ, she was a Woman of Tyre and Sidon, yet she came to the Lord, and the Lord dealt well with her. Secondly, Consider this for your comfort; Christ cannot deal worse with you, than he dealt with the Woman of Canaan. I beseech you in the Lord's presence (you that have been under any darkness, clouds, or trouble) tell me, did ever the Lord speak to you, as he did to this Woman? when you said, Jesus, thou Saviour of sinners, have mercy upon me, did he ever say, I was not sent, but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel? when in the anguish of your spirits, you did turn into a corner, and lay in the dust groveling and crying for a crumb of comfort, did he ever tell you, It was not meet to give you children's bread? yet you see Christ said so to this Woman. Indeed I think Christ never dealt with any (all things considered) so seemingly ill, and rough, as with this woman: Certainly you cannot be worse dealt with, yet at last you see how well she speed. But then, Thirdly, Suppose, suppose that you be further off from Christ than the woman of Canaan was; and that you have been dealt withal worse, than the woman of Canaan was; Yet there is hope in Israel concerning this thing. Why, what hope? there is this hope, that the Lord will create a new thing in the world. It is often used in the Prophets that expression; among others I shall now mind you only of one. In Isa. 43.18, 19 Saith the Lord there unto his people, Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold I will do a new thing, etc. As if the Lord should say, My people, look back to the days past; do not you remember former things? happily they may say, we remember old experiences, but ours is a new case; we remember what thou didst in the days of old, but our case is worse than theirs; Behold (saith God) A new thing I will create; and what is that new thing God will create? Why the Beasts of the field shall honour him, etc. Time was when the Virgin Daughter of Zion did honour him; time was when Israel followed him thorough the wilderness; I but now God will create a new thing, The Beasts of the field shall honour him. My Beloved, there is very much in this, viz. in the Creating-power, and the Creating-mercy of the heart of God. Suppose never was any so far off, nor never any so dealt withal, yet the Lord will create a new thing in the world: So that I say, it may much comfort the hearts of all those that are in the condition of the Woman of Canaan, that the Lord will deal well at last, however he may deal at first. Object. But now my thinks I hear the poor soul say, But I am not like the Woman of Canaan; were I as the Woman of Canaan, than I should hope the Lord would deal well with me, but I am not as she. Why how is that? Answ. I have not that Grace as she had, I have not her Prayer, her Humility, I never worshipped the Lord, as the Woman of Canaan did, I never was so broken, as the Woman of Canaan was. I shall give two Answers. First, If you be not so humble as the Woman of Canaan, think of it now to be as humble as she was. But yet I tell you in the Second place, It was not the Woman of Canaan 's Humility, nor her Patience, nor her Prayer, not the Worshipping; but the Woman of Canaan 's Faith, upon which the Lord did all. And I take it to be an undeniable truth, that that Grace unto which all kindness is showed, is the Grace of Faith. True, Humility is good, and so is Humiliation; and the Lord give us our measure; but yet I say, the great Promise is not to Humility, nor to Humiliation, but to Faith. Woman, great is thy Faith. Object. I but then secondly, saith the soul, But I have not the Woman of Canaan 's Faith; If I had her Faith, I should think the Lord would deal well with me. It is said, the Woman of Canaan had a great Faith, but the Lord knows I have but a little. Answ. I have answered already this, and shown, That it was not to the measure of the Grace, but to the Grace itself that Christ did this. Therefore I say, as often as you read the story of the Woman of Canaan, comfort your hearts with these words; do as the Prophet Habakkuk, chap. 2. vers. 1. I will stand upon my Watch-Tower, and observe what God will say, for the vision will speak at last. So say I to the Sons and Daughters of the Woman of Candan; Go upon your Watch-Tower, and observe, the vision will speak at last. I shall hint to you that speech, in Isa. 54.6. The Lord hath called me as a Woman forsaken, and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God. The Lord hath called thee (truly it was his anger, and wrath that was upon her, and yet he had called her as a Woman refused.) Poor heart, thou art as a woman grieved in spirit, yet the Lord is kind. Object. I but you will say, That is a Promise made to those who once were in the heart of Christ, who once were married to the Lord, and afterwards seem to be separated. Answ. 1. That is true; and therefore by the way, if there be any of you that once were married to the Lord, and by your sins are separated, be of good comfort, the Lord doth ca●l thee. But secondly, Though the sixth verse speak to one that was once a Wife; yet the first verse speaks to one that was never a Wife. Sing O barren, thou that didst not bear, for more are the children of the desolate, than the children of the married Wife. So that mark it, put it either way, thou that once wast married to Christ, and thou that wast never married, there is a song of praise for you. Whosoever you are that come to Jesus Christ, whether it be your first coming, in the day of conversion from an unregenerate estate, or second coming, in the day of your return from a backsliding estate, I say, which soever it is, if you come, Christ will be kind unto you. I will conclude. And two words I shall speak. First, Know, It is absolutely impossible that it should be otherwise, but that Christ should deal well with you at last. You know the Apostles expression, Heb. 6.18. That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, etc. When you have the Lords Word, and the Lords Oath; when you have the Lords Promises, and many Experiences; It is impossible now that God should fail; here are immutable things. You have the Experience of this Woman of Canaan, and you have the Experience of many thousands, besides, the Promises, and Oath of God, and Christ: so that I say, it is impossible that it should change, and be otherwise. It cannot be but that Christ should deal well at last with those that come unto him. I say again (and Oh remember it) it cannot possibly be otherwise. Secondly, It is very probable your comfort may be nearer than you are ware of. Possibly thou wilt say, It was never worse, never further off. Be it so, upon this account thou wert never nearer to comfort. My Beloved, it is a certain Truth, When we are ready to give up hope, and ready to perish, that is the time of our refreshing and reviving. Possibly now thou dost think thou art at the worst, the Lord may be ready to deal kindly with thee. When did the Lord reveal this kindness to the Woman of Canaan? when? after he had spoken worst of all. He had said, It was not meet to give children's bread to Dogs, and presently after this word, he saith, Be it unto thee even as thou wilt. It may be the Lord tells thee, It is not meet to give thee bread; now be of good comfort; now he calls thee Dog, and is ready to beat thee off; a thousand to one if he do not give you children's bread. Indeed this I observe as a particular thing in the story of Joseph; when was it that Joseph broke out in his kindness to his brethren? See in Gen. 45.1. Then Joseph could not refrain himself, etc. When? truly when Judah had told him such a sad story, in chap. 44. vers. 18. As if Judah should say, My Lord, great man, what shall I do if thou do not let Be●amin go? etc. Then joseph's heart melted. Happily thou art brought to this question, Lord, what shall I do? Lord, I have waited, prayed, cried, and Oh Lord, what shall I do? why bear up thy heart, now thou art near sinking, the Lord may reveal himself to thee, as he did to the Woman of Canaan. Well, that is the first, and the proper Use, To comfort those that are in the Woman of Canaan's condition. I shall add but one word of Exhortation. If it be thus, that the Lord Christ will deal thus kindly at last, however he carry it at first, Then let the same mind be in you, that was in the Lord Jesus. This you know is a great Rule, That we should be followers of Christ. Wherein shall we be followers of Christ? First, Carry it thus one to another. Secondly, Carry it thus to Jesus Christ. First, Carry it thus one to another. If so be through frailty, you have carried it too roughly one to another hitherto, carry it kindly now. Be not of a rough spirit irreconcilably; It is time for Believers to lay aside their bitterness, which hath been their sin, and shame, many years. Oh that whatever unbrotherly, ungospellike carriage hath been amongst Saints (and too much hath been) may now at last end. Let us in this imitate Christ, to carry it well at last, for a long time we have carried it harsh and ill. And in particular cases between one Relation and another, one friend and another, be as Christ, sweet and kind in the close, what ere you are, or have been at first. Secondly, And especially, Carry it so to Jesus Christ. There is never a one of you but have carried it very strangely to Christ at first; the Lord help you to carry it well at last. Have not you carried it to Christ, as Christ carried it to the Woman of Canaan? The Woman of Canaan called, but he would not answer; Christ comes to you, and calls you, but you will not answer; Christ calls you, you will not hear; Young man (saith Christ) turn to me; it is not meet for me to do so (hath the young man answered) I will not cast my youth and strength on a doting, disgraced way, as many do; so have your hearts said too often. And so for old, and rich, and great ones, how oft have they put off Christ with no answer, or at best with a delatory one? I may say to you all, that many a time, after many a call, and in many a case, you have dealt unkindly with Christ. Well, but however, though you have carried it ill to Christ heretofore, yet pray carry it well at last. I shall allude to a speech, in Matth. 21.28. Christ speaks of two Sons of a certain man, and he came and said to the first, Go work to day in my Vineyard, he answered and said, I will not: but afterwards he repent, and went, etc. The Lord Christ shows in that parable how some, yea many deal with him. He calls, and commands the poor soul; he saith to the sinner, Go to work, leave off sin, but the soul returns answer, No, I will not: Oh this is naughty carriage; yet now if we recall ourselves, and say as he said at last, I go, (But afterwards he repent and went) This will be doing good at last; and however our former carriage hath been, Christ will accept and count this well, and say, Here is good carriage; So then O soul take this word to thyself; And if thou hast dealt unkindly with Christ, and notwithstanding great woo, great means, abundance of favours bestowed upon you, yet thou wouldst not repent: Oh yet afterwards repent and do it And this is to draw out holiness, at well as comfort, out of the story of the woman of Canaan. And truly that is my desire, that we should thus improve this example, not only to Faith and Comfort, but also to Holiness and Obedience; and that in this particular, of being unto Christ, not only to others, but especially to Christ himself, to deal well with him now at last, for as much as we have dealt ill with him many a day. Comings to Christ prevails for Corporals as well as Spirituals. The Ninth SERMON. Matthew 15. the last clause of vers. 28. And her Daughter was made whole from that very hour. WE are come to the last part of the story of the woman of Canaan; the principal matter we have already dispatched; and I shall at this time briefly give you an account of these words, and so end the Discourse. Without looking back therefore to any thing we have formerly delivered; we shall presently speak to these words that I have now read. These words do particularly relate to the Daughter of the Woman of Canaan; and they do hold forth the kindness of Christ unto a child, as a return of the Prayer, and Faith of a Parent for a child. And there is one Note, that in the very entrance into the discourse we shall take up in the general. And that is this, Doct. That the Prayer and the Faith of believing Parents, are very prevalent with the Lord Jesus on the behalf of children. My Beloved, little do we know what our prayers may procure at the hand of Christ, for ours. Thou hast oftentimes laid thy precepts upon thy child, and that would do him no good; thou hast oftentimes (in a sense) made thy prayers to thy child, and that would do him no good; Little dost thou know what the prayers that thou dost put up to God may yet effect. Verily, my Beloved, It is our folly and sin that we are not more in prayer for our posterity, than we are. Many a soul-mercy, and body-mercy may be procured at the hands of Christ upon the Parent's prayers for the poor children. It is famously recorded of Austin, that he was the Son of Prayers, and Tears. Oftentimes I say for the soul, and body, doth the Parent's prayers prevail for the child. To come to the words in particular, there is no difficulty in the Letter, and therefore we shall not stand upon the Exposition. There are only three Notes we shall take up. The two first more particular; the last more general; and therefore that I shall spend the time in. First of all, in particular, Here are two Notes that do relate to the personal honour and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ; and upon that account, I shall mention them in two Observations. Doct. 1. That Jesus Christ hath power over all diseases, over all distempers. Her Daughter was sick, yea vexed with a Devil; she prays to Christ, and her Daughter was made whole. You know what he said in the Gospel, Mat: 8.8. Lord, if thou wilt but speak the word, my servant shall be whole, etc. Any disease is at the command of Christ, to go, and to come, as he pleases: So much may we gather from the Centurion's language, Luk. 7.8, 9 That expression, in Mat. 4.23, 24. is full, where it is said, He went about healing all diseases, etc. Indeed it is a fine question, Whether in these days Christ do cure immediately, as he did in the times of the Gospel? That he can so cure is made no question; but whether he do, is a question; yet this I will say, that sometimes I make no doubt, but the Lord Jesus doth immediately heal diseases. And it were no stretching the Truth to tell you, that more than one, or two, or scores of instances may be given of persons, that have been given over for lost by man, by no means used, nothing done to recover, many who have been yet immediately cured by Jesus Christ. However, it is a certain truth, that all diseases can be cured by Jesus Christ. And the second Note is this (and I pray mind it.) Doct. 2. Jesus Christ is not tied to any time to do his work. The same hour her Daughter was made whole. My Beloved, the Lord Jesus he can cure by one word, in one moment. That is a famous story, in John 4.49. You have one there that comes unto Christ, and saith he, Sir, Come down ere my child die. He was afraid that Christ could not come away soon enough. Mark, saith Christ, Go thy way, thy Son liveth, and it is said, he enquired of them the hour when he began to amend; and he knew that it was at the same hour, in which Jesus said unto him, thy Son liveth. The Lord Jesus is not tied to any time for any work. There are two sad words, which we may truly speak of the best men, and means, which yet can never be said of Jesus Christ. The first word is this, That time is past. And the second word is this, That time is too short. But now you can never say any of these words to Christ. First, Of the best men, and the best means we may say, time is past. We often do say, and cry out, Oh! If this Physician had come at such a time, the child had been well; and if such means had been taken, the thing had been done; I but now time is past; But mark it, though you can say thus of men, yet you can never say the time is passed to Jesus Christ. You have a very glorious instance of this, in the speech of Martha to our Lord Jesus Christ, in John 11.21, 22. Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my Brother had not died; but I know, that even NOW, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. She doth not say, If thou hadst come, my Brother had lived, but now it is too late; but saith she, now I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. My Beloved, when death is written upon any person, and it is too late for men to help, it is not too late for Jesus Christ; time is never passed to the Lord Jesus. But than Secondly, As time is never passed, so time is never too short for Jesus Christ. You may say of such men, if they had but time, they might do something; and of such means, if there were time, it might do something. I but you can never say, it is too little, or too short a space, or time, for Jesus Christ. In the same hour. Jesus Christ can do a great deal of work in a little time. Christ who is the mighty God, can do a great work in a day. That is a blessed word, in Rev. 18.8. and it bears upon this Notion that I now hint. It is said of Babylon, That all her plagues shall come upon her in one day, etc. In one day, why the intirest of Pride, and Honour, Idolatry, and Persecution, that so many ages were winding up to a height; can this be destroyed in so little time? shall this be done in one day? Yes, For strong in the Lord God who judgeth her. A great God, is never confined to any time. Oh my Beloved! bear up your hearts in the Lord Jesus Christ; time can no way prescribe him, he can do what he will, and when he will. But there is one general point that I shall take up from the place, and end this discourse. And the general Point is this. Doct. That faithful coming unto Jesus Christ, doth sometimes prevail even in Corporal Cases. This woman of Canaan came to Christ, and she came in Faith; Here is a faithful comer to the Lord Jesus, and she prevails for her own soul, I and she prevails for her Daughter's body; she prevails eminently for her own spiritual concernments, I and she prevails also for her Daughters corporal concernments. That Faith prevails always in spiritual concernments, that we have often opened (and my Beloved, it is a mercy, that if it do not always prevail for our body, yet that it doth for our souls) But God hath provided, and doth so order it, that sometimes it shall prevail for body and soul too. Indeed going to Christ is good for every thing, and they who truly go to the Lord Jesus, shall one day have cause to sing the song of David, Bless the Lord, Oh my soul, who forgiveth all thy sins, and healeth all thy diseases. You that go to Jesus Christ, you shall have cause to say, Blessed be God, I have soul-mercy, and bodily-mercy too. If you look thorough the whole story of the Life of Christ, you shall see this truth. The whole history of the Gospel gives us instances; that faithful coming to Christ, did sometimes prevail with him for corporal-mercies, as well as for spiritual mercies. A double instance I shall give. First, An Instance of prevailing for ourselves. Secondly, An Instance of prevailing for others. First, An Instance of prevailing for ourselves; saith the Leper, in Matth. 8.2. Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And that of the blind man (Barthomeus) in Luk. 18.41. saith Christ, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? and he said, Lord, That I may receive my sight, and his sight was restored to him. Many a time the Lord Christ was prevailed withal for corporal mercies. But secondly, As many did prevail for themselves, so they did often prevail for others. As in Matth. 15.30. It is there said, Great multitudes came to him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others; and cast them down at Jesus feet, and he healed them, etc. The Lord did many corporal kindnesses for others. The like to this you have, in Matth. 9.1, 2. They brought to him one sick of the Palsy, and Jesus seeing their Faith, healed him. But now, here is one Objection against this. Object. But you will say, This was true of the times wherein Christ lived; Christ, when he was upon Earth, healed Simon Peter's wife's Mother of a ; and such a ones Daughter, and such a ones Son; but now he is in Heaven, such things are not to be expected; so some do think. Answ. For Answer, First, If we speak of his miraculous way of healing, than it may be said, that miraculous way of healing diseases was a mercy more eminently put forth in those days, of Christ's being in the flesh. But if you speak of the thing itself, healing diseases, curing of bodies, I doubt not but we may expect the same mercy from Jesus Christ now, that they did then. And the Reason is, Because there is the same ground for Christ to show corporal kindnesses now, which was then. Where the ground of a thing is perpetual, moral, and eternally the same in all ages, the same things may be done upon the same ground, But, etc. I find in the Gospel a double ground, why Christ did heal corporal diseases. The first ground was his pity and sympathy. And secondly, To fulfil Prophecy and Promise; Upon these two grounds did Christ heal, either upon the grounds of pity and compassion, as a man, or else upon the ground of Prophecy or Promise. For the first ground you have it, in Matth. 14.14. It is said, Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick. Compassion did move Christ, and therefore he healed them. Now observe, Jesus Christ now in Heaven, hath the same compassions that he had here on Earth; and that is founded upon his keeping, or retaining of his humane nature still: If Christ had not now in Heaven our humane nature, he would not have had this compassion; for you shall find, that the compassion that was in Christ, it was not built upon his Godhead, but upon his humane Nature. And therefore in Heb. 2.16, 17. It is said, Christ took not on him the nature of Angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham; Why so? that he might be a merciful, and faithful High Priest, etc. He did therefore take Man's Nature, that he might have compassion. Now this, Jesus retains for ever, and he hath the same compassions now he is in Heaven, that he had when he was upon the Earth. The second ground is that which I find, in Isa. 53.4. compared with Matth. 8.17. I pray mind it (for it is good to know what is the ground of Faith.) In Isa. 53. Saith the Prophet there, Surely he hath born our griefs, and carried our sorrows, etc. This was prophesied of Jesus Christ, that he should not only have compassion on our spiritual infirmities, our sins, but our corporal; and this was the ground why he did heal diseases in the time of his flesh, Matth. 8.17. It is said, He healed all that were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the Prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bore our sicknesses. Here was the ground why Christ did heal then, because it was prophesied, he should bear our sicknesses. Now this Prophecy is an eternal truth. And if in the time of his flesh he did show corporal kindnesses, that that Prophecy might be fulfilled; he will now do the same, that the same Prophecy might be fulfilled. Even in these days we may expect, that our Lord Jesus Christ, upon our faithful coming to him, should show corporal kindness to us, and ours, as well as spiritual. One Scripture I shall add for the Truth of it, and that is in James 5.14. Is any man sick among you? Let him call for the Elders of the Church, and let them pray over him, etc. and the prayer of Faith shall save the sick, etc. Here observe, that faithful prayer shall prevail for the saving of the sick: Now a little to clear up this, you must know, first, that this is to be understood of corporal sicknesses; and therefore the very two terms that are here used, for saving, and sick, are usually applied to corporal diseases. I but it is said, this was by virtue of the anointing of the Elders. To this I answer, this expression hath been abused; But however that this salvation doth not depend upon the anointing, will appear, if you observe the phrase, And the Prayer of Faith shall save the sick. He doth not say, the Anointing shall do it, but the Prayer of Faith; and further, observe, this is a general Scripture concerning all ages, built upon perpetual grounds, and to hold now, as well as then; That coming to Christ in Faith, will prevail with him for corporal kindnesses, both for ourselves, and others. We shall add no more for the proof, but give you the Reasons. There are five Reasons whence it comes to pass, that sometimes our Lord Jesus Christ is prevailed withal by those that faithfully come to him, incorporal cases for themselves, and others. Reas. 1. That the Lord Jesus may show that he hath power in this particular. My Beloved, Jesus Christ will sometimes speak, and do such a word, and such a work, for this reason, that it may be known what he could do in that case. In Matth. 9 and the beginning, Why did he say to the sick of the Passie, Be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee? but that they might know the Son of Man hath power on the the Earth to forgive sins. Believers, Believers, you shall know what your Saviour can do, you shall know what a Christ you have, and what he can do in every thing. You think he can do for your souls, you do not question it; he will make you know, he can do for your bodies too. That he may show his power, he will sometimes show corporal kindnesses. Secondly, That he may show himself to be the same in all ages. My Beloved, poor hearts are too too ready to sing that doleful Psalm, Is the Lord's mercy clean gone? is his loving kindness come to an end? etc. Poor hearts are too too ready to say, the Lord did such a mercy at such a time, but did he not then resolve to do so no more? at such a time the Lord healed such a one, but did he not end the work then? No, the Lord Christ is from everlasting to everlasting? thorough all generations, saith the Psalmist, Psal. 103.14, & 17. verses. For he knoweth our frame; he remembreth that we are but dust; but the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting, upon them that fear him: and his Righteousness unto children's children. That you may know that it is not only a peculiar mercy to those times, therefore, thorough all generations he will heal, as he did then, that it may appear he is the same in all ages. That Text is to be understood of corporals. Thirdly, The Lord Jesus will sometimes show corporal kindnesses to ourselves, and others, that hereby he may engage us. Oh my Beloved, Jesus Christ doth love to engage poor souls to himself; he loves to lay his fair yoke upon your backs; he loves to lay the cords of men (of humane love) upon their hearts, to bind them to himself. Now corporal kindnesses do much engage. The truth is, it is our folly, and Christ's kindness in a mystery, that a corporal kindness works more sometimes than a spiritual, and Christ therefore goes that way to work upon us. We find in dealing with children (and the Lord knows silly children we are the best of us) that we do oftentimes more win by an Apple, than a better thing. Oh we have a good Christ that condescends to our childishness, he will have corporal kindnesses, because he sees they will prevail with us sometimes, when others will not. How stately is that Psalm, Psal. 116. Oh saith David there, I will love the Lord, etc. What did engage David? I was in misery, the sorrows of death took hold of me, and the Lord delivered me, etc. Oh, for the Lord Jesus to show a kindness to our poor carcases, doth engage much. At such a time I had a child sick, a relation sick, I prayed to the Lord, and the Lord heard me; I will love the Lord as long as I live. Fourthly, The Lord doth it, that he may encourage Faith. Sirs, glorious things (as Doctor Sibbs applied that Scripture) are spoken of thee, O thou Grace of Faith! Now this is a great encouragement, when Faith shall prevail with Christ for body and soul too for inward and outward mercies, how is Faith encouraged? Pray will you turn to John 4.53. The kindness of Christ to the Noble man's child, whom the Lord did cure upon his Father's request, mark how it did work upon that great man, He enquired concerning the time, and he knew that it was at the time that Christ said, his Son liveth, What follows? then, Himself believed, and his whole house. Why, did not the man believe, before Christ had cured his child? Yes, in vers. 50. it is said, He believed, but the Master that believed before, believes more, I, and the whole Family believed too. Verily Sirs, Faith is marvellously encouraged by corporal kindnesses. What did encourage David against Goliath, but this? Thy servant slew both the Lion, and the Bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them. Oh, when the Lord shall hear us for our poor carcases, this will encourage Faith. Many a person hath been wrought upon to come to Christ, by the kindnesses that he hath showed to others. There is a story of a poor Christian Maid (in the Ecclesiastical histories) whose Prayer and Faith cured a great Man's child in a heathenish place. The Governor of the place had a child sick, and every one was to give somewhat to help it, but nothing would do; at last a poor captive Christian was asked what she could do; she said, I can pray to my God, and he can heal; she did so, and the child was healed; and it is said, it was the occasion to work upon many, to inquire after, and to embrace Jesus Christ, and the Christian Religion. And let me appeal unto you, have you not known, at least have you not heard of some poor wretched creatures, that have been much wrought upon when they have observed that God hath heard the prayers of such a Minister, of such a poor Christian, when they were sick, and this hath drawn them on in the way of Faith and Holiness? Fifthly and lastly, Jesus Christ will sometimes show corporal kindnesses, that so he may make good all the Promises. In 1 Tim. 4.8. Godliness is said to have the Promise of the Life that now is, and of that which is to come. Why now you know what is said, in 2 Cor. 1.20. That in him all the Promises are Yea, and Amen. All Promises are made to Believers, but the fulfilling of all, doth depend upon Jesus Christ. Now my Beloved, That the Lord may fulfil temporal Promises, he will upon the faithful coming of his servants, sometimes give them temporal mercies. We shall now come to the Use. There are but two Uses that I would make of this Point. First of all, therefore, Let this serve for a word of Conviction. And, Secondly, For a word of Instruction. First, It serves for a word of Conviction. To convince the folly, and the mistake of many poor creatures, who think, and say, that going to Jesus Christ may be good for the soul, but they cannot tell what it is for the body. Repentance, Faith, real Conversion to the Lord Jesus, may save our souls, but they cannot see what it will do for their bodies. This kind of Dutch-divinity is every where, to mind Mammon, and body, best, and most; and to think Religion is not for any profit or purpose in those particulars. But see here this folly, and know, that Religion is good for all things. Length of days are in Christ's right hand; and in his left, riches and honour. Oh souls, learn to see, going to Jesus Christ is good, not only for our souls, but for our bodies. You shall go to the Lord Jesus Christ, and have the mercies of Heaven, and the mercies of Earth too. Can the Son of Jesse give you Olive yards, and Vine-yards, & c.? Was the speech of Saul, 1 Sam. 22.7. So say the men of the world, Do you think to get any thing by being godly? Yes, if the Lord please, you may get for body, as well as for soul, by going to Jesus Christ. The world is mightily mistaken, that think godliness is good for nothing but salvation; it is good for this present world too. But then, Secondly, Let it serve for an Use of Instruction, To teach us all whither to go in all cases, whether spiritual or corporal; why, to go to the Lord Jesus. Whatever thy case be, away to Christ; going to Christ is good for soul, and for body. What is your condition? Say some, I am a poor man, and I have a little estate, and a great charge, I hope believing in Jesus Christ will save my soul, but what shall become of my Family? go to Jesus Christ, he can give corporal, as well as spiritual mercies. Saith another, I am sick, etc. little do we know what may be expected from Christ even in corporal cases. You have a fine speech, in Proverbs 3.16. Length of days are in her right hand: and in her left hand, riches and honour. She is a tree of Life, and she is health to the Navel, and the Flesh, chap. 4.22. This is spoke of Wisdom, what Wisdom? why it is spoken of Essential Wisdom, Jesus Christ; why, what of Christ? it is said, Length of days are in his right hand; Eternity of Life is a right-hand-mercy for Jesus Christ to give; I but how shall I live here? why, In his left hand are riches and honour. You go to Jesus Christ; and say, Lord, I have a dead soul, dead in trespasses and sins, Lord, Length of days are with thee; But thy body is sick, why go to Christ, he can cure bodies too; and is this only for yourselves? No, but for others too; you may go to the Lord Jesus, not only for a morsel of bread for thy poor soul, but for some cure for thy child. Object. But may I go to the Lord Jesus? will the Lord Christ accept me, who come to him upon a carnal account? Answ. For answer. That Jesus that hath the mercy of God, to pity souls, hath the pity of a man to pity bodies; and humane compassions will prevail with him for bodily pity. Object. I but will the soul say, Is there then any hope that I may prevail with the Lord for my sick child? Answ. My Beloved, I told you in the beginning, That the Prayers and Faith of the Parent will much prevail with Christ, for the good of the child. In Gen. 17. Abraham goes to the Lord, and he prays for Ishmael, Oh that Ishmael might live in thy sight. That is, that he might be the child of the Promise; He was a Son of the Flesh, but not an Heir of the Promise; but yet mark what follows, though Ishmael should not be the child of the Promise, yet the Lord doth there assure Abraham of this, that Ishmael shall be blessed. Isaac is the child of the promised seed, yet Ishmael shall be blessed too. Many a time doth the Lord hear the prayers of his servants, even for an Ishmael, i. e. for a child, yea a carnal child; and this is certain, even bad children have many corporal mercies for their Parents sakes; and we may expect it. Object. But we have known many a Parent that have gone in Faith to Jesus Christ for a poor child, that never have prevailed. How then can you build us up in this Truth, when we see the contrary? Answ. I answer, If thou goest to the Lord, and prayest for a child, and dost not prevail, God deals no worse with thee than he dealt with thy betters. David, who was a man after Gods own heart, went to God for a child, and he prayed hard, but yet the Lord did not hear him. You have the story in 2 Sam. 12.16. David besought God for the child, and fasted. etc. And if it be so with you, yet are you as well in this respect, as David was; But more fully to answer the Objection. I pray mark it, that in that place, there are two things might satisfy David, and so any in the like case. First, It was not good for David that the child should live. I make that appear thus; what was the child that David did desire might live? you know the story, it was the base-begotten child, which he got upon Bathsheba. Certainly it was not good for David that the child should live; had the child lived, it would have been his Father's shame, etc. When thou goest to God to beg the life of thy child, if thy child do not live, what is the reason? he may live to be thy shame. Some have begged of God the life of a child, what ever came of it; God hath given it as a curse, and the child's life hath been a monument of their shame, and a perpetual heart-breaking to the Parents all their days. (As a good Woman once sadly said) So that is one thing, it may be for good to the Parent, that God should not hear prayers for a child's life, and then that may satisfy us, if he do not. But then, Secondly, Though the Lord did not hear David for the life of the child; I persuade me, He did hear David for the soul of the child. I shall give you this account of it. Saith David, in v. 23. I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me. Whither is that? not so much, I shall go to him in my body to the grave, but in my soul to God. And my Beloved, that this is intended, doth appear upon this consideration; nothing but this could have so quieted the heart of David, that the child was happy. Indeed some think that the phrase, I shall go to him, is no more, but I shall be dead, as he is; and they say, David did acquiesce in this, that the will of God was fulfilled; and therefore David comforts himself in this, I shall go to him. But if this had not been to Heaven, it could have been no great comfort. Alas! what comfort is this bare thought to a mourning Parent? my child is dead, and I shall die too. David might have had that comfort in Absalon's death; but here was his comfort, I shall go to him, i. e. to glory; the bare grave is not comfort, nor was it to David, but the glory beyond the grave is. And this is that comfort which doth stay the heart, I shall go to him. Though God did not hear him for his child's life, yet I think for his child's soul. So that is another thing to satisfy any Christian in this case. I say, when Christ doth not hear prayers to restore a child to life, and health; yet, in this case, in particular, go to the Lord Jesus, you may go, and you may prevail for corporal kindnesses for them, and if not for their bodies, who can tell but you may for their souls? Then, I beseech you all in the words of the Apostle, Phil. 4.6. compared with verse 19 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known unto God. My God shall supply all your need, according to his riches, in glory, by Christ Jesus. Whatever your condition be, be not over careful, go to the Lord Jesus, and he will supply all thy wants, he will give a pardon to thy soul, and a plaster to thy body, and to thy child's body too; you may go to Jesus Christ for what you will, in a way of believing, and to be sure you shall always prevail in spirituals, and sometimes in corporals. But there are two questions that we must answer. First, But in what cases may it be lawful to put Prayer and Faith a working in going to Christ for corporal kindnesses? Secondly, When may we hope that we may prevail with Christ for corporal kindnesses? First, In what cases may we go to the Lord Jesus, and set Prayer and Faith on work for corporal kindnesses? It is a Case of Conscience, which is not oftentimes touched upon. Three things I shall tell you to regulate you, and then in any case you may go to Christ, and act Faith for corporal mercies. First, When the thing is lawful that you ask. There are many things that are not lawful for us to ask. Like Nero's Mother, ask, and say, I will have my Son King, though I die for it. You may not beg of the Lord, that your child may be thus great, or thus honourable; but you may beg of the Lord, life, and health, creature accommodations, so far as necessary, these things you may beg, and go to Christ for. Secondly, You must look that your spirits be not inordinately set upon the things. When ever thou findest thy heart inordinately set upon any thing, then do not pray for it. And then, Thirdly, When you can appeal to Jesus Christ, that the end, for which you beg a corporal kindness, it is for his glory, than you may beg it. As David there, in Psa. 119.17. Deal bountifully with thy servant; that I may live and keep thy Word. You may go and say, Lord Jesus, Let my child live: for what end? that he may be a great man, a rich man? etc. No, the Lord will abhor it; But that my child may live to serve the Lord; if that be your end, you may pray for it. And then, Quest. 2. But you will say, When shall I know, or may I guests, that I shall prevail with Christ? What are the signs of the time, and season when I may hope I shall prevail with Christ for mercy, & c? Answ. I answer, When the frame of your spirit, is as the frame of the spirit of the Woman of Canaan. I pray mark it a little, what the frame of the spirit of this Woman was; Take it in some particulars. I will name only two, viz. First, She had this frame of spirit; That though she mentioned her child's case, yet she seems to mind her own soul most: And, Secondly, She had this as the frame of her spirit, To believe for both. Now to urge it in a few words to you. The first frame of her spirit was, That though she did beg this mercy for her child, yet the frame of her spirit was principally set upon her soul. This poor Woman did desire her Daughter's life; but however Lord, bread for my poor soul. Oh Sirs, when you can go to God, and say, Lord, I would have such a corpotal mercy, but however Lord, soul-mercy; when you can desire a sick child may be made well, but especially an evil heart mended; when your soul is set mostly upon your soul, and its concernments, then are you in a good frame. Secondly, This Woman was raised up to measure of Faith. Indeed some great and considerate Divines do think, that that Text of James 5. (where it is said, The prayer of Faith shall save the sick) is to be understood in reference to a particular Faith. And my Beloved, howsoever, yet let me tell you, it is not always necessary we should have a particular persuasion, yet when the Lord doth intent to answer in a corporal kindness, he doth secretly, either out of the word, or by providence, hint some word that may bring the soul to a believing frame. Something is presented to us, which raiseth up a Faith in us; so that when we are in such a frame of heart, as to mind spiritual things most, and yet to believe, that in a temporal thing God will gratify us, then may we expect that we shall not be ashamed of our Faith, and that we shall have the particular corporal mercy granted to us. But to end, This is that I would press upon the whole; As ever you would have mercy for body and soul, go to Jesus Christ. But now there is some general word, that I would draw from the whole story. We have now dispatched this whole discourse of the Woman of Canaan. What is there that is upon my spirit to beg of the Lord for you, and for my own soul, but this? That this story may be always a good story to us. First of all, therefore, I say, Look about you, that the story of the Woman of Canaan may not be a sad story to any. Is there any such as may have cause to fear that, you will say? Yes; man or woman, whoever thou art, who dost not faithfully go to Jesus Christ, the story of the Woman of Canaan shall condemn you; you have no excuse to keep you off from going to Jesus Christ, but this Woman will condemn you. Three Excuses some make. First, Alas, I am a poor man, or a poor woman, that have heard but a little of Christ, and am but a stranger to Christ: so was the Woman of Canaan. I but saith another, Secondly, I have something else to look after; a great family, or a sick child, etc. The Woman of Canaan had a sick child, but did that keep her from Christ? No, that brought her to Christ. If that speech had been spoke with gravity, that one said upon that in the Parable, Luk. 14.15. He might have brought his Wife with him, it had been right enough; you should bring relations with you to Christ; do your endeavour to bring children; let not children keep back you. But thirdly, Alas, I cannot tell where to find Christ. It is a marvellous hard thing now adays to find a Jesus Christ. Mark what the Woman of Canaan did; The Evangelist Mark (who records this story, Mark 7.24.) saith, that Christ entered into a house, and would have no man know it, but he could not be hid; for a Woman of Canaan found him out, etc. It was one of the tempting (but the gracious tempting) hours of Jesus Christ. But he could not be hid, for a Woman of Canaan found him out. The Lord doth look thou shouldest find a Jesus Christ, and never leave looking, till you do find him. The Woman of Canaan will condemn such as these. Let not the story of the Woman of Canaan be ever a sad story to you. But, Secondly, Let the story of this Woman be a sweet story always to your spirit. Let it be a story, as a store-house, unto which you may go and fetch some comfort in your wants. Who of you have been waiting upon Christ many a day, and have not what you beg? go to the Woman of Canaan, and eat out of her basket. There are three things in the story, that will speak comfort to you. First, That many sins, and great unworthiness, shall never finally keep the soul from Christ. Oh Sirs, you go to the Lord Jesus, and you knock, but your sins bolt the door; you cry, but your corruptions cry louder; the woman of Canaan will tell you, I was as bad as you, and the Lord heard me. Secondly, This story hath this in it for your comfort, That Prayers cast back, may have a blessed return afterwards. The Lord Jesus may now seem to be dumb, so that he may make thee speak the more. Christ you see as in this woman's case was silent (as to granting her request a long time) yet you see at last he answers, and that largely and lovingly. Go to this story for that comfort; were the woman of Canaan alive, she would tell you this experience: A soul may have a Prayer returned in mercy, that at first was seemingly cast off. Thirdly, The woman of Canaan will tell you this, That a mercy may come at last, of which the soul hath no assurance. What assurance had the woman of Canaan? none, why the woman of Canaan will tell you; I had comfort in the end, though I had no assurance; souls are much cast down for want of particular assurance; They pray, and hope, but are not assured; why what assurance had this woman? Nay, had she not the quite contrary? had not she a seeming rejection at first, and no assurance at all? But behold, she hath the mercy, before any previous assurance; And so may you have; though no assurance now, yet possibly you may have the mercy desired very speedily. However learn and remember th●●. You may IN TIME have a mercy, of which you have as yet no assurance. Thus meditate on this story, and look into it, as I said, as into a store-house of comfort in many cases. To end all, Beloved, (as the Apostle James said, You have heard of the Patience of Job, and what end the Lord made with him) so say I, you have heard of the Practice of the woman of Canaan, and what end the Lord made with her. Let not this story be forgot, as an old story is, but remember it many a day, yea all your days. For certainly there is much sweetness and refreshing which you may gather from this record of the Woman of Canaan. FINIS. Courteous Reader, These Books are printed for, and sold by Henry Mortlock, at the Sign of the Phoenix in Pauls-Church-yard, near the Little North-door. Folios' A Commentary upon the whole Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians, wherein the Text is learnedly and fruitfully opened, with a Logical Analysis, spiritual, and holy Observations, Confuration of Arminianism and Popery. By Mr. Paul Bain. A Commentary on the Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Canticles, and the Major Prophets. By John Trap; M. A. Quartos. An Exposition of the Prophecy of Ezekiel. By William Green-hill. The dividing of the Hoof, or seeming Contradictions throughout sacred Scriptures, distinguished, resolved, and applied. By William Streat, M. A. Some Sermons preached upon several occasions. By Peter Sterry. Large Octavos. A Treatise of the Divine Promises, in five Books: In the first, A general Description of their Nature, Kind's, Excellency, Right Use, Properties, and the Persons to whom they belong: In the four last, A Declaration of the Covenant itself, the bundle and body of all the Promises, and the special Promises likewise which concern a man's self, or others, both temporal, spiritual, and eternal. By Edw. Leigh, M. A. of Magdalen-Hall in Oxford. The Hypocrites Ladder, or Looking-glass, or a Discourse of the dangerous and destructive nature of Hypocrisy, the reigning and provoking sin of this Age; wherein is showed how far the Hypocrite, or formal Professor may go towards Heaven, yet utterly perish, by three Ladders of sixty steps of his Ascending. By John Sheffield, Minister of the Word at Swithins, London. An Improvement of the Sea, upon the nine Nautical Verses, in the 107 Psalms, wherein among other things you have a very full and delightful Description of all those many various and multitudinous Objects, which they behold in their Travels (through the Lord's Creation) both on Sea, in Sea, and on Land, viz. All sorts and kinds of Fish, Fowl, and Beasts, whether wild, or tame; All sorts of Trees and Fruit; All sorts of People, Cities, Towns, and Countries. By Daniel Pell, Preacher of the Word. Small Octavos. Several Treatises useful for Christian Practice, viz. Warning to Backsliders, The way to true Happiness, Mercies Memorials, A Sermon preached on the fifth of Novemb. Milk and Honey, first and second Part, Orthodox Paradoxes, The New Commandment, Divine Similitudes, or Mysteries and Revelations. By Ralph Venning. The exceeding Riches of Grace advanced by the Spirit of Grace in an Empty Nothing-Creature, viz. Mrs. Sarah Wight. Published by H. Jessey, A Servant of Jesus Christ. A Latin and English Grammar. By Charles Hool, M. A. Physical Rarities, containing the most choice Receipts of Physic and Chirurgery, for the Cure of all Diseases incident to man's body: Hereunto is annexed the Physical Mathematics of Hermes Trismegistus. Published by Ralph Williams, Practitioner in Physic and Chirurgery. Twelve. Spiritual Experiences of sundry Believers, with the Recommendation of the sound, savoury, and spiritual worth of them, to the sober, and spiritual Reader. By Vavasor powel, Minister of the Gospel. The Saints Desire, or Divine Consolations, being a Cordial for a Fainting Soul, containing Observations, Experiences, and Counsels; The Saints daily Duty, the Life of Faith, and how a Soul may live in the sweet enjoyment of the Love of God, etc. By Samuel Richardson. FINIS.