Collected Sermons, Canaanite woman
A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER OF THE WOMAN OF CANAAN.
Matth. 15.
Verſe. 21. ANd Ieſus went thence, and departed into the partes of Tyrus and Sidon.
22. And behold, a womā a Cananite came out of the ſame coaſtes, and cryed, ſaying vntounto him, HaueHave mercy on me, O Lord, the ſonne of Dauid: my daughter is miſerably vexed with a Deuill.
23. But he aunſwered her not a word. Then came to him his Diſciples & beſought him, ſaying: Send her away, for ſhe cryeth after vsus.
24. But he aunſwered and ſayd: I am not ſent but vnot the loſt ſheepe of the houſe of Iſraell.
25. Yet ſhe came & worſhipped him, ſaying, Lord helpe me.
26. And he aunſwered & ſaid, it is not good to take the childrens bread, and to caſt it to whelps.
27. But ſhe ſayd, truth Lord: yet in deed the welps eate of the crommes, which fall from their maiſters table.
28. Then Ieſus aunſwered and ſayde vntounto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it to thee as thou deſireſt. And her daughter was made whole at that houre.
IN this text is ſet forth vntounto vsus an example of a conſtant and ſtedfaſt faith. For this woman did ſo perſeuer, that ſhe ouercame three moſt ſharpe conflicts, and notably teacheth vsus, what is the qualitie and proper vertue of a true & right faith.Faith what it is. Which in deede is a certaine truſt, and moſt deepely ſetled in the mind, of the diuine goodnes and grace, knowne and made manifeſt by the worde of God. For Marke mentioneth that ſhe heard the report of Ieſus, without dout good and ioyfull, that he is a bountifull man, and maruelous ready to helpe eueryevery one. That report was good tidings & the worde of grace vntounto her, whereupon alſo this her faith did begin. For vnles ſhe had beleued that ſhe alſo might be made partaker of Chriſtes bountifulnes and goodnes, ſhee would not hauehave ſo followed him, or cried after him. Which is that wherof we hauehave often admoniſhed,Faith commeth by hearing. & which we are taught Rom. 10. that faith is by hearing. Wherefore the word ought alwayes to goe before, and giuegive the beginning of ſaluation. But how came it to paſſe, whereas many other alſo heard the ſame report of our Sauiour Ieſus, yet they followed him not, yea they quite deſpiſed that report? I aunſwere. They that are not ſicke, as they hauehave no neede of the Phiſitian, ſo neither are they deſirous of him. But this woman was afflicted and felt her neceſſitie, yea that report was ſo ioyfull vntounto her, that ſhe being ſtirred vp thereby, did follow Chriſt, running after ſuch a pleaſant ſauour. Cant. 1.We muſt firſt by the law come to the knowledge & feeling of ſinne, before we cā taſt howe ſweete Chriſt is. Wherfore Moſes muſt alway goe before, who may teach vsus to feele ſinne, whereby grace may be wiſhed for and deſired of vsus. It is in vaine therefore, although Chriſt be preached to be louing, and to be deſired and longed for, if a man be not before humbled through knowledge of him ſelfe, and made deſirous of Chriſt, according to the ſonge of Marie: The Lorde hath filled the hungrie with good thinges, and the rich he hath ſent emptie away. Nowe all theſe thinges are written for the conſolation & lifting vp of them which be miſerable, poore, needie, oppreſſed with ſinnes, and abiects, that they may knowe to whom they may flie in all diſtres, and where they may ſeeke for helpe and ſafetie.
But ſee howe Chriſt vrgeth and inflameth faith in them that be his, whereby they may become ſtronger and more confirmed. For firſt, whereas this woman being encouraged with that alluring fame of his, goeth after him, and cryeth for helpe, douting nothing but ſhe ſhould trie him to be ſuch a one, as ſhe had heard him reported to be, and that ſhe ſhould forthwith entreat him for the recouerie of her daughter: Chriſt in all reſpects ſheweth him ſelfe vntounto her ſo, as though he would deceiue all her truſt, and make his report falſe ſo that ſhe might thinke with her ſelfe: Is this that man which is ſo bountiful and readie to helpe all? Doth he ſo fulfill the moſt commendable report which goeth of him? Where doth there appeare ſo much as any thing like vntounto thoſe thinges, which men hauehave told me of him? They were deceiued them ſelues and deceiued me alſo. He ſheweth him ſelfe an enemie rather then a friende. Why doth he not ſo much as ſpeake a word, and friendly denie me helpe, if I be vnworthy thereof? He holdeth his peace like vntounto a blocke, & vouchſafeth not to ſpeake a word, neither offereth his help. Here ſurely Chriſt gaue a grieuous blow to the minde of the ſilly woman. So it is an incomparable torment to them that beleeue, being in diſtres, when God ſheweth him ſelfe ſuch a one at their prayers, like vntounto one that is angrie, and whom they pray vntounto in vayne, hiding ſo deepely his grace, that they now perceiue nothing els, but that he will not performe thoſe thinges which he hath promiſed, and that ſo he will ſhew his owne wordes to be falſe. That truely hapned to the Iſraelites at the red ſea, and to many other excellent holy men.The conſtā cie of this woman of Canaan. But what doth this woman to theſe things? She remoueth out of her ſight & mind, that Chriſt ſhewed him ſelfe ſo vngentle and hard to be intreated, ſhe being conſtant and nothing moued hereat, perſeuereth in the truſt of his goodnes, whereof ſhe had heard, and which ſhe had conceiued in her minde, ſuffering her ſelfe in no wiſe to be turned from it.We muſt not ceaſſe to truſt in God, though he ſeemeth at the firſt not to heare our prayers, nor to fulfill his promiſe. So alſo muſt we do, we muſt truſt vntounto the word alone, although God him ſelfe and all creatures pretende otherwiſe then the worde preacheth. But this is thriſe moſt hard to nature & reaſon, to be ſo vtterly deſtitute, and to depend on the word of God without any feeling of comfort, euen when a man feeleth and trieth all things to be contrary. God giuegive vntounto vsus ſuch a mind and faith, that we may ſo doe, eſpecially at the point of death and in extreme neceſſities.
Secondly, whereas the cry and faith of this woman ſeemeth to hauehave ſuffered repulſe, the diſciples come with their faith, douting not but that they ſhal entreat the Lord, but when they thinke that they ſhall make him more eaſie to be entreated, they find him to be much more harde, repelling as it appeared, and as they thought, the faith and prayers both of the woman & alſo of them ſelues. Neither doth Chriſt here hold his peace, and leaue them in doubte, as before, but he ſeemeth plainely to deny that which they aſke, ſaying: I am not ſent but to the loſt sheepe of the houſe of Iſrael. This ſtroke is much more grieuous then that former, where not onelyonly the perſon of the intreater is repelled, but al hope alſo which is wont to be left, is cut of, namely the comfort of the interceſſion of all the other Saintes and elect. For it is almoſt the laſt refuge to them that ſuffer diſtres and feele the indignation of God, to get them ſelues to godly & holy men, ſeeking for comfort and helpe, whereunto, as charitie requireth, they find them ready and willing, but euen they alſo ſome time doe in vaine aſke helpe and ſuccour, for neither are they heard, and ſo the caſe of them that be in diſtres becommeth worſe and more lamentable. So the afflicted and deſolate may truely obiect vntounto Chriſt all thoſe wordes, wherein he hath promiſed that he will heare his Sainctes, as:Matth. 18.19 If two of you shall agree in earth vponupon any thing whatſoeuer they shall deſire, it shall be giuen them of my Father which is in heauen. Againe, VVhatſoeuer ye shall aske, Marke 11.24beleeue, and ye shall receiue it. And many ſuch like. But if to him that obiecteth theſe thinges, and aſketh him howe he can goe from his wordes and promiſes, he aunſwere thus: I goe not from my promiſes, I hauehave not promiſed that I will heare all prayers, but the prayers of them that be myne, which are of the houſe of Iſraell, not of all whatſoeuer. What thinkeſt thou may the hart then thinke hauing taken ſuch a repulſe? Such an aunſwere is as it were a flaſh of lightning, wherewith the hart and all truſt is ſeuered and broken in a thouſand peeces. For what truſt can there be left, when he heareth that that doth not pertaine vntounto him, which becauſe of the word of God he truſted to hauehave obtayned, but vntounto others. Here not ſo much as a worde can be left, if one doe according as he feeleth. But what doth this woman? She doth not ſo fall from hope,The great conſtancie & faith of this woman of Canaan. ſhe ſtill ſticketh to the wordes which ſhe had heard of Chriſt, albeit he went about by this other repulſe as with a certaine force to wreſt them out of her hart, ſhe ſuffereth not her ſelf to be fraied away neither wt that vngentle ſilence, neither with this hard aunſwere, ſhee continueth ſtedfaſtly in a ſure confidence, beleeuing that vnderunder this difficultie which Chriſt did pretend, that grace was as yet hidden and layd vp for her, which ſhe had heard reported of him, ſhee can not be brought as yet to iudge Chriſt not to be bountiful and gracious, and that he can deny the helpe which ſhee deſireth. This was to perſeuer ſtrongly in faith.
Moreouer ſhe followeth Ieſus euen into the houſe, as Marke writeth, ſhe is inſtant vponupon him, falleth downe before him, and ſayth: Lord helpe me. Here the Lorde giueth a deadly & the laſt blow ſaying vntounto her face, that ſhe is a dogge, and vnworthy to be partaker of the bread of the children. What may ſhe aunſwere hereunto? For he ſeemed to ſignifie in theſe wordes that ſhe is of the number of the damned and deſperat, which can looke for no part with the elect. This word ſeemeth eternall and that can not be gaineſayd: For he which doth not pertaine to the companie of the elect by the ordinaunce of God, what may he hope to be left for him? This woman is not yet diſcouraged and paſt hope, but yeldeth to this iudgement of the Lord, ſhe confeſſeth of her owne accorde, that ſhe is a dogge, neither deſireth ſhe any thing but that which is wont to be giuen to dogges, namely the crummes which fall from their maiſters table. Seemeth ſhe not to hauehave vſed maruelous cunning? She taketh Chriſt in his owne wordes. He had made her like vntounto a dogge, ſhe acknowledgeth it, and deſireth that he will onelyonly ſuffer her to be a dogge according to his owne ſaying: what ſhould he here do? how ſhould he eſcape? he was now as it were euen taken. For the crummes vnderunder the table are graunted to the dogge, for vntounto dogges they are ſayd to be due.The frute of conſtant perſeuerance & truſt in Chriſt. Here therefore Chriſt being as it were ouercome, doth open him ſelfe wholy, and graunteth the deſires of the woman, and maketh that ſhe is not now a dogge, but a true Iſraelite.
Theſe things are written for the inſtruction and comfort of all vsus, whereby we ought to learne, howe deepely ſometime Chriſt hideth his grace from vsus, and how we muſt not iudge of God according to our owne ſenſe and opinion, but onelyonly according to his wordes. For we ſee here, that albeit Chriſt ſhewed him ſelfe very hard to this woman, yet he did not plainely deny to helpe her, but whatſoeuer he aunſwered, howſoeuer it ſeemed to pretend a deniall, yet was it not a deniall, but did hange in dout, and left an entraunce for faith, although but ſmall. For he ſayd not at her firſt petition: I will not heare her, but he held his peace, neither promiſing nor denying helpe. So to the ſecond petition, which the Apoſtles made, he ſayth not: ſhe is not of the houſe of Iſrael, I can not therefore performe that which ſhe deſireth, but he onelyonly ſayth: I am not ſent, but to the loſt sheepe of the houſe of Iſraell, leauing all thinges in doute, and in the middeſt betweene a plaine graunt and a deniall. So when ſhe had the third time deſired him, he ſayth not: thou art a dogge, get thee hence, the bread of the children is not due vntounto thee, but he ſayth: It is not good to take the childrens bread, &c. againe leauing in dout, whether ſhe was a dogge or no. Neuertheles all theſe ſayinges doe pretende outwardly rather a deniall of helpe, then prouoke her to hope, but in very deede they did containe in them rather a promiſe and hope, then a deniall. Yea there was nothing but a promiſe and a certaine expectation of helpe, (howbeit moſt deepely hid and altogither ſecret) vnderunder that ſilence and aunſwers, although they were hard, and a deniall onelyonly ſounded outwardly. By theſe it is ſhewed how our hart is wont to be affected in tentation. For according as that feeleth in tentation, ſo Chriſt here behaueth him ſelfe. It feeleth all thinges to be denied, when as it is farre otherwiſe. Wherefore it is requiſite, that leauing it owne feeling, by a ſure faith in the word of God it conceiue and hold faſt the promiſe of helpe, deepely hidden vnderunder the deniall, and yeeld vntounto the ſentence of God toward vsus, as this woman did, ſo ſhall we ouercome and take the Lord in his wordes, that he can not but helpe vsus. So that if we feele in our conſcience at any time God rebuking vsus, pronouncing vsus ſinners, and vnworthy of the kingdom of heauen, then we feele as it were hell, and it ſeemeth vntounto vsus that we are paſt all hope and recouerie for euer:When God pronounceth vsus ſinners, we ought to acknowledge and confeſſe our ſinnes, & pray former eye, which God hath promiſed to them that be penitent for their ſinnes. then if any had the ſkill of this woman, that he could take the Lord in his owne iudgement and ſay: yea Lord, I am a ſinner, and altogither vnworthy of thy grace, but thou haſt promiſed forgiuenes to ſinners, neither didſt thou come to call the righteous, but as Paule ſayth, to ſaue ſinners: he truely ſhoulde bringe to paſſe that the Lorde ſhould be enforced, euen by his owne iudgement to hauehave mercy vponupon him. So did Manaſſes, when being penitēt he prayed for pardon, as we read in his prayer: He yeelded to the iudgement of God, acknowledging him ſelfe a moſt grieuous ſinner, and ſo he bound God with his promiſe, which had promiſed forgiuenes of ſinne to ſinners, not to the righteous. The ſame alſo did Dauid obſerue Pſal. 51. Againſt thee onelyonly, ſayth he, hauehave I ſinned, and done this euill in thy ſight, that thou mighteſt be iuſtified in thy ſaying, and found pure when thou art iudged. For that doth purchaſe vntounto vsus all diſpleaſure, that we diſdayne to ſuffer the iudgement of the Lord, and doe againſt our wills yeeld vntounto his ſentence, when he pronounceth vsus ſinners. Such a great thing is it to acknowledge ſinnes, and to embrace the iudgement of God. We all confeſſe our ſelues ſinners in words, but as ſoone as the Lorde ſpeaketh that in our hart, and pronounceth vsus ſinners, we doe not abide by that which before we confeſſed, we had leuer be counted righteous and free from that iudgement. But it muſt needes be, if God muſt be iuſt in his wordes, that thou be a ſinner, then alſo maiſt thou vſe the right of ſinners, which God him ſelfe hath giuen vntounto them, namely to pray with a ſure expectation of forgiuenes of ſinnes. Then is it not permitted vntounto thee onelyonly to feede vnderunder the table of crummes after the maner of dogges, but being a child of the houſhold, thou ſhalt ſit at the very table, hauing God nowe howe great ſoeuer he be, giuen vntounto thee according to thy deſire. Hereof alſo we hauehave an hiſtoricall expoſition of this text according to ye allegories. For as it chaunceth to this woman her daughter being ſicke, for whom through faith ſhe obtayned health by a miracle: ſo alſo falleth it out with vsus, when we are deliuered from ye ſpirituall ſicknes to wit ſinnes, which truely are a moſt grieuous and troubleſom Deuill vntounto vsus. For as ſhe acknowledged her ſelfe a dogge, ſo muſt we acknowledge our ſelues ſinners and iudged vntounto hell, the Lord pronouncing it, which if we can doe as ſhe coulde, we ſhall be ſafe. We hauehave already ſpoken elſewhere of other thinges, whereof there might be occaſion to ſpeake out of this text, as howe one may obtaine grace and ſafetie by the faith of an other, as here it fell out to the daughter of this woman.Chriſt, the Diſciples, & the woman in this place are examples of louelove. This thinge alſo (that Chriſt, his Diſciples, and the woman are here examples of louelove, foraſmuch as none of them pray for, ſeeke or doe thoſe thinges that are their owne, but eueryevery one that which is an others) is very manifeſt by it ſelfe, and eaſily acknowledged of eueryevery one, eſpecially ſeing that we hauehave ſo largely entreated hereof in an other place.