A Trial of Faith, Sermons · Sermon 18
Matth. 15. 26.
But he anſwered and ſaid, It is not meet to take the childrens bread, and to caſt it to Dogs.
SERMON XVIII.
HEre is the third Temptation that this woman met withal for the tryal of her faith.
Chriſt firſt of all gave her no Anſwer, that was one tryal.
Secondly, He gave her a denyal; he tells her, that he was not ſent to ſuch as ſhe was: that was a greater tryal.
But now in the third place, he gave her a repulſe; he does not only ſeem to deny her, but ſeems to beat her back, and that with ſhame and reproach; a very ſore temptation. Chriſt ſeems now to do his utmoſt to drive her away out of his preſence, by preſenting unto her hervileneſs, her unworthineſs, It is not meet to caſt the childrens bread unto dogs. The Jews are called the children, they were the houſhold of God, choſen and ſeparated from all the world, and the Gentiles, they were called Dogs, they were without, and without are dogs; they were without the Covenant, and ſo were viſibly unholy and unclean, and therefore counted dogs, and called dogs. And the mercies that Chriſt the Mediator was ſent to diſpence, are called childrens bread. It is not meet to take the childrens bread.
It is not meet,] It is not good, it is not fair dealing, it is not honeſt, it is not right; no, not in the ſight of men, to take that which is provided for children, and give it to dogs, it were a ſin and a ſhame ſo to do; therefore the Lord Jeſus ſeems here to beat her back with a ſtrong repulſe; as if he ſhould ſay, I wonder at this womans boldneſs, ſhe being without the Covenant, among the dogs, ſhould deſire the childrens bread; no, it is not fair dealing, meet, right, nor honeſt, to take the childrens bread and caſt it to dogs: and thus ſhe is beaten back, by preſenting her vileneſs and unworthineſs.
The truth that I ſhall cloſe with, is this. The conſideration of unworthineſs and vileneſs,Doctr. proveth many times a ſore temptation to Chriſts people.
God many times ſuffers his people to be tempted, and to meet with many ſore temptations about their own vileneſs and unworthineſs. That is the temptation that is now applyed to this woman, that ſhe was an unworthy creature, called a dog.
Now to make it plain to you from Scripture, that this many times doth prove a ſore temptation to God's people, when their eye hath been kept intent upon their own vileneſs; this was a great temptation to Moſes, This was a temptation to Moſes.and laid as a block in Moſes his way, Exod. 3. 11. And Moſes ſaid unto God, who am I, that I ſhould go unto Pharaoh, and that I ſhould bring forth the children of Iſrael out of Aegypt? He looked upon his own unworthineſs, he was of a ſtammering tongue, and uncircumciſed lips, when God would ſend him about that great work of bringing the people of Iſrael out of Aegypt; this was a hinderance to Moſes when he looked upon his unworthineſs: O Lord, Who am I that I ſhould go to Pharaoh?
And ſo the Prophet Iſaiah, he met with the ſame temptation,To Iſaiah. and it was a great diſcouragement to him, and made him cry out bitterly, Iſa. 6. 5. Wo is me, for I am undone, becauſe I am a man of unclean lips: He looked upon his own unworthineſs, and the unworthineſs of the people, and then he cries out that he was undone, I am undone: It was a mighty weight upon his ſpirit, till the Lord ſent his Angel to help him over this temptation, by declaring to him that his iniquity was taken away, and his ſin purged, as you may ſee in the 6 and 7 verſes.
And ſo this was a temptation to the Prophet Jeremiah, To Jeremyhis own unworthineſs, when God would ſend him about ſome ſpecial ſervice, chap. 1. v. 6. Then ſaid I, Ah Lord God, behold I cannot ſpeak, for I am a childe: He looked upon his own weakneſs, I am a childe, I cannot ſpeak, altogether unfit for the ſervice, and he would have declined it, and therefore God thruſt him upon it, v. 7. his unworthineſs was a temptation to him.
And it was this that made the woman that had the iſſue of blood to come behinde Chriſt,To the woman that had the Iſſue of blood. Matth. 9. 20. and to touch the hem of his garment, ſhe would have ſtolen a cure, and gone away, and not have been ſeen, and ſo Chriſt ſhould have loſt the honour; ſhe was under a temptation, and it was from the ſenſe of her unworthineſs.
And ſo the Centurion, To the CenturionLuke 7. 7. what was it that kept him from Chriſt? It was the ſenſe of his unworthineſs; Wherefore neither thought I my ſelf worthy to come unto thee: I ſent to thee indeed: but I thought not my ſelf worthy to come to thee; the ſenſe of his unworthineſs kept him from coming in perſon to Chriſt: And ſo the ſenſe of unworthineſs and vileneſs, doth keep many a poor ſoul from cloſing with Chriſt, it keeps many a ſoul from accepting the tender of grace and reconciliation; it keeps many a ſoul from ſubmitting to the righteouſneſs of God, which is the righteouſneſs of faith.
But in the opening of the Point,The particular diſcoveries of unworthineſs, that prove matter of temptation to Gods people. I ſhall ſhew you what are thoſe particular diſcoveries of unworthineſs that do many times prove matter of temptation unto God's people.
Firſt of all, when as a poor ſoul doth look upon his own ſinfulneſs, and its unworthineſs by reaſon of ſin; when as a man or woman come to ſee what ſin is, what a vile thing ſin is, what an unclean and polluted thing ſin is, ſuch a pollution, ſuch a defiled thing, that there is no Sinck, no pit foul enough to receive it, but the pit of hell; ſo unclean is ſin, ſuch an uncleanneſs as will turn all in concluſion into the pit of hell. Now when a ſoul comes to ſee what a vile thing ſin is, and look upon himſelf, and ſee that he is the man; I am the man, and I am the woman thus polluted and thus defiled, defiled all over, within and without, heart defiled, and life defiled, and when the ſoul comes to pore upon this, it proves many times matter of ſore temptation; and eſpecially this ſinfulneſs is matter of temptation in theſe two or three branches.
Firſt of all, in the vileneſs and ſinfulneſs of our hearts and natures; when as men or women come to be acquainted with the vileneſs of their nature, and ſee what rebellion is in the heart, and finde that there is a by as upon the ſpirit, that doth carry it off continually from God, the heart enclined toward vanity evermore; O! How do vain thoughts and ſinful imaginations croud in continually? And they do defile the moſt holy Service that is taken in hand: O! This proves matter of temptation: This body of ſin and death, it made the Apoſtle cry out, O miſerable man that I am! who ſhall deliver me from the body of this death▪ Rom. 7. 24. It had been a preſſing temptation, if the Lord had not made a diſcovery of the way of deliverance and ſalvation to him; for a poor ſoul is apt to fear, ſurely there is nothing of God in me, if there were any ſeed of God in me, my heart would never be ſo vain, and the byas of my ſpirit would never carry me out from God ſo, O! I fear I am not made partaker yet of the Divine Nature. The ſight of that woful evil that is in the heart, proves many times a ſad temptation, that it is hard for a poor ſoul to get over it. And
Secondly, When the Lord doth leave a poor creature to ſin after mercy, and againſt mercy, it hath been ſaved by the Lord, delivered by his right hand, preſſed with ſuch and ſuch a mercy, and yet overtaken in the ſnare of ſin; ſinning againſt mercy many times proves a ſore temptation: O! I am afraid that I am none of the Lord's children, mercy hath not its kinde work upon me, it doth not bring forth thoſe fruits which the Lord may look for when he gives out ſuch mercies: ſinning againſt mercy, many times proves a ſore temptation.
Thirdly, When the Lord leaves a poor creature to fall again and again into the ſame ſin; O! this proves matter of temptation, when as the ſoul hath ſeen the evil of ſin, and hath bewailed it, hath run to the Lord for ſtrength againſt it, yet hath been overtaken again and again in the ſame ſin; that I ſay proves matter of ſore temptation: Surely may the poor ſoul ſay, my ſpot is not the ſpot of children, I have been overtaken once and again; whereupon the poor ſoul may be tempted to caſt away his hope and confidence, and not only tempted to caſt away its confidence, but tempted to depart from God, and to go out from the wayes of obedience; There is no hope (ſay they in Jer. 18. 12.) but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart: We have back-ſlidden again and again, and there is no hope for us, we had as good go on, and take our fill in ſin: This temptation is ſet on many times by falling into ſin. That is the firſt, That unworthineſs by reaſon of ſin.
Secondly, Unworthineſs by reaſon of that miſerable, weak, and frail condition that the children of men are in; the great diſtance that man is at from God, this proves matter of temptation to many a poor ſoul, when he conſiders that he is a poor piece of duſt and aſhes, and that there is an infinite diſtance between God and the creature; he is from everlaſting to everlaſting, he is Jehovah, and changeth not: But we are poor creatures, that are of yeſterday, and are going down to the grave to day, and ſhall be in the place of ſilence to morrow: O this proves matter of temptation and diſcouragement. Will the Lord look down upon ſuch a poor creature, and upon ſuch a piece of duſt and aſhes? Is it poſſible that the Lord ſhould humble himſelf to take notice of me? And beſides that common condition of frailty which all men are in, the Lord is pleaſed to bring ſome of his people into a lower condition then that which is the ordinary ſtate of man, and yet he is as low as duſt: Yet (I ſay) the Lord is pleaſed to bring ſome of his people into a lower condition then ordinary; By affliction God makes mans ſtate to be low, when he brings him into an afflicted ſtate; and when God maketh mans comforts to be low, taketh away thoſe comforts, and thoſe relations which have been his refreſhments, I ſay, when a man is brought thus into a low and afflicted condition, this added to that common condition of frailty, it ſetteth at a great diſtance from God, and it proves many times matter of diſcouragement and temptation to a poor ſoul: So it was with Job, chap. 14. v. 1, 2, 3. Man that is born of a woman, is of few dayes, and full of trouble; he cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down; he fleeth alſo as a ſhaddow, and continueth not. And doſt thou open thine eyes upon ſuch a one? Lord, (ſaith he) Is it poſſible that thou ſhouldeſt humble thy ſelf ſo far to look down upon ſuch a one? That God ſhould look down with the eye of pity upon ſuch a one frail man is, one that is brought ſo low, one that ſitteth upon the dunghil! Unworthineſs by reaſon of frailneſs, proves a temptation many times to Gods own people.
Thirdly, Unworthineſs by reaſon of coldneſs and deadneſs in affection: When a poor ſoul finds how dead his heart is towards God; O! I have a heart for the world, and I have affections to friends and relations, there is love to creatures, nay there is affection enough to vanity, but little or no heart for God, there are not thoſe breathings, thoſe thirſtings, thoſe pantings after God, not that firſt love which ſomtimes it hath found to the Lord, and to the things of Chriſt: O! This proves matter of diſcouragement and temptation: O! I fear that the love of God dwelleth not in me, ſaith a poor ſoul, I finde my heart ſo dead, and ſo ſtrait towards God, open to the world, but ſtrait to God: O! I fear that the love of God dwelleth not in me; How can it be that God ſhould ſet his love upon ſuch a one? Surely if the love of God were in me, I ſhould love the Lord more then I do. Deadneſs and coldneſs in affection toward the Lord, it proves many times a ſore temptation.
Fourthly and laſtly, Unworthineſs by reaſon of unuſefulneſs and unſerviceableneſs to God, that is matter of temptation; when as a poor creature ſees that it can do little or nothing for the Lord, O! I am a barren tree, I am a dry branch, I ſee that others are fruitful, I ſee that others have the promiſe fulfilled to them, they bring forth much fruit, they are ſerviceable in their generation, they are an honour to God, and do good to men; but as for me, I know not wherein I can honour him, I know not wherein I can be uſeful or ſerviceable, O I bring forth no fruit unto God, and therefore am afraid that I am the Tree the Apoſtle Jude (verſ. 12.) ſpeaketh of, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots, whoſe end is to be burnt; This is matter of ſore temptation, and therefore hereupon there is many a poor ſoul that deſires to be out of the world; O Lord, I can do no good, it is beſt for me to be put into the place of ſilence, I hinder ſome goodly Tree that would grow in my place, and would bring forth more fruit; upon this many a poor ſoul haſtens to the grave. This is matter of temptation, and it is grounded upon this, a mans own unworthineſs and unuſefulneſs, and unſerviceableneſs to Chriſt in his generation.
Queſt. But you will ſay, Wherefore doth the Lord ſuffer his people to be tempted thus about their unworthineſs?
Anſw. Why, the Lord he hath gracious ends. Sathan who helps on this temptation many times, he hath deſtructive ends; but God in ſuffering of it, he hath gracious ends.
What are Gods ends?
Firſt,Gods ends in ſuffering his people to be tempted about their unworthineſs. God would teach us to learn this leſſon, That the love of God goes not by the worthineſs of the creature; therefore God he ſuffers us many times to be bowed down by looking upon our unworthineſs even to temptation, becauſe we would not learn this leſſon, that the love of God goeth not by the creatures worthineſs, but that it is altogether free, and not for any thing in the creature, it is only in the Breaſt of God; there is the ground of his love, no reaſon for it in the creature: Go and take a woman of Whoredome, one that hath played the Adultereſs, and yet beloved, that was to ſhew forth and hold forth his love to the children of Iſrael; What was there in ſuch a woman that was lovely or deſireable? The woman of whoredoms; no more worthineſs in the children of Iſrael: Neither is there in any ſoul, and God would have us learn this; and if we will not learn it, he will ſuffer us to be carried into the School of Temptation, to learn us this leſſon, That God loves not for any worthineſs in the creature.
Secondly,End 2. God would teach us to learn this leſſon, That the worthineſs of the creature is out of it ſelf; therefore he ſuffers the ſoul to be brought into this School of Temptation, and to be bowed down with the apprehenſions of our unworthineſs, that we may know that the worthineſs of man is out of himſelf; a leſſon hard to learn, for a man is apt to ſeek his worthineſs in himſelf, and is loth to be beholden unto any, no, not unto God, and not to Chriſt for his worthineſs: We have all learned this of Adam, it was the firſt ſin, he would have his worthineſs in himſelf, he would not have depended upon God for it, but he would ſtand by himſelf, and have no dependance upon his Creator, and ſo by ſeeking to ſtand on his own legs, he fell down below the condition of a creature. And truly, ever ſince the ſons of Adam have imitated their Father in this, Man deſires and ſeeks to have his worthineſs at home in himſelf, and he is loth to go out for it; and therefore it is one of the hardeſt matters in the world, to bring men to ſubmit to the righteouſneſs of Chriſt. Corrupt Nature, and Carnal Reaſon (as it is corrupted) teacheth men to look to their own righteouſneſs; Philoſophers taught men, That men needed not to go out of themſelves to make themſelves happy; for a man had all bleſſings in himſelf, and he needed not to go out of himſelf: But Chriſt teacheth another leſſon; if ever man will be happy he muſt go out of himſelf, and he muſt ſeek his worthineſs elſewhere, he muſt have it in the Son of God. Now that we may learn this leſſon, God ſuffers us to be brought into the School of Temptation.
Thirdly,End 3. God hath this gracious end, Thereby he doth make his people more humble, and lowly in Spirit, which is a gracious and Chriſtlike diſpoſition; though the Devil he hath no ſuch end when he preſents our unworthineſs, to make us humble, yet God will make that advantage of it: You may ſee how humble and how meek this woman was when ſhe was under this Temptation, in the next words, Truth Lord, (ſaith ſhe) yet the dogs eat of the crumbs; all that thou haſt ſaid is true; thou haſt ſaid I am a dog, truth Lord, ſo I am. Thus ſhe doth lye very low at the feet of Chriſt, he calls her dog, and ſhe lies the lower, ſhe lies at the feet of Chriſt. This is a gracious effect that God works by this Temptation.
Fourthly,End 4. By this God doth make his people really to prize, and to live upon, and to exalt the Fathers free grace, and the Sons worthineſs and righteouſneſs. I ſay, in this ſchool of temptation, God teacheth his people to exalt really, and to prize really, and to live upon the free grace of God the Father, and the infinite worthineſs and righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt. O ſaith a poor ſoul, if I be ſo vile, ſo unworthy, O! what need is there of fleeing to the free grace of God? What need is there of looking after the infinite righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt? O! This will make the ſoul deſirous to live upon God, and to live upon Chriſt, to build upon free grace, and to build upon the worthineſs and righteouſneſs of Chriſt; and this will make the ſoul to exalt, and to lift up this glorious name of God, and of his Son. O! What had become of me, if it had not been for free grace? If free grace had not over-looked all my vileneſs, all my ſinfulneſs, all my diſtance from God, all my coldneſs of affection, all my unuſefulneſs, what had become of me if it had not been for the righteouſneſs of Chriſt? If Chriſt had not brought in everlaſting righteouſneſs, to cover all this unrighteouſneſs, O I had been miſerable and undone. You ſee wherefore God ſuffers theſe temptations.
Briefly, a word or two by way of Application.
Firſt,Ʋſe 1. It may teach us to take heed that we do not help forward this temptation upon the ſpirit of thoſe that are weak Chriſtians: I ſay, Take heed that we do not help forward this temptation, there is no greater temptation then when the ſoul is kept and bowed down to look upon the vileneſs and unworthineſs of the creature; many a poor ſoul cries out (as David did) concerning his ſin, O, my ſin is ever before me; ſo many a poor ſoul ſayes, my unworthineſs an vileneſs is ever before me, my deadneſs is ever before me, my diſtance from God, my ſin of Nature, my ſin of Heart, my relapſes: Now take heed that we do not help forward the temptation, by deſpiſing and undervaluing thoſe that are weak, by deſpiſing Chriſtians for their weakneſs; O! it may be, as I ſaid before, their eye is upon it, they look upon it themſelves, and therefore we ſhould not ſo look upon it as to diſcourage them, and not to caſt off ſuch as have any ſeed of God in them becauſe they are weak, but to cheriſh that which is of God, though we may apprehend there is coldneſs, and deadneſs, and unuſefulneſs; and it may be the Lord hath made them deeply ſenſible of it; but if there be but a little wheat, though covered with chaffe, do not caſt it away; a little wheat is precious: though there be but a little gold, and a great deal of droſs, yet if we can diſcern any of Chriſt's gold, we ſhould help forward the work of Chriſt, and not help forward the work of Sathan.
But ſecondly,Ʋſe 2. Take heed that we do not give way to this temptation, let Chriſtians (eſpecially weak Chriſtians) take heed that they do not give way to this temptation, poring upon their unworthineſs, as to be diſcouraged and to be beaten off from Chriſt, and ſtaved off from their duty. We may look upon our unworthineſs, and we ought to look upon our unworthineſs, and O that we could look upon our unworthineſs more then we do, in God's way to look upon it, when God doth ſhew us our unworthineſs in God's glaſs, then we may look upon it without danger; but now it is dangerous to look upon it when Sathan preſents unworthineſs, to behold it in the Divel's glaſs, it is dangerous, and proves a very ſore temptation.
Queſt. But you will ſay, How ſhall we know when God preſents unworthineſs, and when Sathan preſents unworthineſs? How ſhall we know when it is duty to look upon unworthineſs, and when it is ſin to look upon unworthineſs?
Anſw. How to know when God preſents unworthineſs, and when Sathan preſents it.Firſt of all, When God doth preſent unworthineſs and vileneſs to us, he doth alſo preſent himſelf to us; he doth not preſent the unworthineſs of the creature, and leave it there, but when God ſhews his people their unworthineſs, he alſo ſhews himſelf; that you may look with one eye upon the Lord, as you look with the other eye upon your unworthineſs; ſo did the Church in Micah 7. 18. Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and paſſeth by the tranſgreſſion of the remnant of his heritage? Verſ. 19. He will ſubdue our iniquities, and thou will caſt all our ſins into the depth of the Sea. She had looked upon her unworthineſs, and upon her vileneſs, and had ſeen her iniquity; but ſhe alſo looked unto God, who is a God like unto thee? And truly when we look upon our unworthineſs, we may ſay, and we ought to ſay, O Lord! Who are ſuch vile, ſinful, and unworthy creatures in the whole world as we are? But take heed that we ſtay not there, and rob God of his grace, but even then look up to the Lord, and ſay, Who is like unto thee? Who is like unto me for unworthineſs? But who is like unto thy Son Chriſt for worthineſs and righteouſneſs? No God like unto thee; No Saviour like unto Chriſt.
Secondly, When God preſents our unworthineſs and vileneſs, it is to make us run nearer to himſelf; and it hath that effect and that operation upon the heart, when God ſhews a man or woman their vileneſs, it makes them run nearer to God: But now when Sathan ſhews ſinfulneſs and vileneſs, it is to draw the ſoul away from God, and ſo forſake its own mercy; when God made a diſcovery to the Prodigal of his own unworthineſs, it made him haſten to his father; that diſcovery was from God, it made him haſten home; I will ariſe (ſaith he) and go to my Father, and I will ſay, Father, I have ſinned againſt thee, and am not worthy to be called thy ſon: When as the ſoul ſhall thus look upon its unworthineſs, and make the more haſte to God, make the more haſte to Chriſt, flee the faſter to the City of Refuge, that diſcovery is of God.
Thirdly, When God doth diſcover a ſouls unworthineſs, he doth make the ſoul (notwithſtanding) thankful; he keeps the ſoul in a thankful poſture, notwithſtanding the diſcovery of its unworthineſs. So David, the Lord helped him to ſee his own unworthineſs, and the unworthineſs of his people, yet David in the midſt of that diſcovery was kept in a thankful frame, 1 Chron. 29. 14. But who am I, and what is my people, that we ſhould be able to offer ſo willingly after this ſort? Lord, we are poor unworthy creatures, I and my people, King and people; Ah but ſtill his heart was kept thankful, and he is the more thankful to God, that God ſhould employ ſuch in any ſervice that is done for him. But when as the ſight of our unworthineſs doth make us to repine againſt God, and put the ſpirit into a murmuring and diſcontented frame, that diſcovery is not from God, but from Sathan. When God leadeth a ſoul into the diſcovery of unworthineſs, yet he makes the ſoul thankful.
Fourthly, When God diſcovers unworthineſs, it ſhall be no hinderance to the ſoul in waiting upon God in his Ordinances; when Sathan diſcovers unworthineſs, he doth thereby endeavour to diſcourage and to beat off the ſoul from waiting upon the Lord in the way of his Ordinances; This woman of Canaan ſhe is not diſcouraged, ſhe goeth on crying and praying; and Hezekiah and his people they went on to wait upon the Lord, notwithſtanding they were made ſenſible of their unworthineſs, and their want of preparation, according to the preparation of the Sanctuary; but when a ſoul is diſcouraged, beaten off from prayer; it is not for me to go to God, it is not for me to pray, and to wait upon God in his Ordinances, one ſo unworthy; Surely this is from Sathan, this is not the diſcovery of God.
Fifthly and laſtly, When as God diſcovers a man's unworthineſs, it ſhall not take him off from any ſervice that God calleth him to; when as Sathan doth diſcover unworthineſs, it taketh a man off from that work which God layeth before him. Moſes was taken off from the work of the Lord by the ſight of his own unfitneſs and unworthineſs, he goes on to make many excuſes one after another, it was a great ſtumbling block in his way, and it did hinder him from following God in that ſervice that God called him out unto in his generation: Moſes, he looked upon his unworthineſs, and he was under a temptation; therefore thus you ſee and may know when God diſcovers unworthineſs, and when it is duty to look upon unworthineſs; and on the contrary, when it is of Sathan, and when it is your duty to look away from your unworthineſs; we may ſee it, and muſt ſee it in God's glaſs, but not in Sathans, And O that God would faſten this upon the ſpirit; let us take heed that we do not give way to this temptation. Weak Chriſtians, you that are apt to be diſcouraged with the thoughts of your unworthineſs, take heed of giving way to this temptation, for you will exceedingly hinder your own comfort by poring upon your unworthineſs when Sathan preſents it; and you will enſlave your own ſpirits, it will hinder you from that freedome which Jeſus Chriſt hath purchaſed, and which Jeſus Chriſt tenders to you, it will hinder your ſouls from eſtabliſhment, it will keep you alwayes in a weak condition, to be continually poring upon unworthineſs, to look upon your ſelves continually, and not to look back again to God, to look upon your ſinfulneſs, and not look upon free grace, to look upon your unworthineſs, and not to look upon the worthineſs and righteouſneſs of Chriſt: This will keep your ſouls from eſtabliſhment, and keep you alwayes in a weak condition.
But now, when God doth preſent unworthineſs, we may look upon it; only let us remember what are God's ends, when as God doth preſent unworthineſs; Gods ends are gracious, and O that we might have Gods ends in our eye when we look upon our unworthineſs! It is to teach us to know that God loveth us not for our worthineſs, to teach us to know that we muſt have worthineſs out of our ſelves, to make us more low, more humble, meek in ſpirit, to make us to prize the Father's free grace, and the Son's worthineſs, and his righteouſneſs. Theſe are God's ends, O that when ever we look upon our unworthineſs, we might have God's ends before us!
Queſt. But what ſhall I do when tempted about my unworthineſs?What to do when tempted about our unworthineſs. Briefly thus.
Anſw. If it be the portion of any ſoul to be under theſe temptations, under theſe diſcouragements before-mentioned; if it be a temptation grounded upon the diſcovery of the ſinfulneſs of our Nature, heart, and life; O flee to the fountain, know that God hath declared that there is a fountain opened, Zach. 13. 1. In that day there ſhall be a fountain opened to the Houſe of David, and to the Inhabitants of Jeruſalem, for ſin, and for uncleanneſs: Therefore when you are bowed down with the ſenſe of your own unworthineſs by reaſon of ſin, look to the fountain, there is a fountain opened, and there is vertue in that fountain to cleanſe and take away all your ſin and unworthineſs.
And if your temptation be grounded upon the diſcovery of your weakneſs and frailty, your diſtance from God, and this is helped on by your low and afflicted condition, beſides the common frailty of man; O know! That though the diſtance be infinite, yet God hath overlooked it, free grace hath over-looked it, and free grace can overlook, and free grace will over-look that infinite diſtance that is between God any you: and know, that God doth not judge of any man by his outward low eſtate, by his outward afflicted condition; you are apt to draw ſad concluſions from thence, that God loveth you not, and Sathan he tempts to conclude ſo, if God loved you, he would not deal ſo with you: Ah, but know, that God doth not judge ſo, neither can you judge of the love of God by affliction.
And if the temptation be grounded upon the deadneſs of your heart, and coldneſs of your ſpirit, look to Chriſt to warm you, look to the Son of God to enflame your affections; but know, that you are not able to judge of God's love by your love, you muſt not meaſure God's love by your love; not to conclude that God hath no love, becauſe you have little love; you cannot meaſure God by your ſelves, you ſhould rather accept of his love, entertain his love, and look to that love of God, to beget more love in your hearts, and to draw forth more love in your hearts; we have cauſe to be humbled exceedingly that our love to God is ſo little, but yet we muſt not meaſure the love of God by our love.
And if your temptation be grounded upon your unuſefulneſs; O, you ſay, I am an unuſeful creature, more fitter for the dunghil then for any thing elſe; know that God hath ſome uſe of you, there is never a Chriſtian living but God hath ſome uſe of it, though it may be you ſee it not; thou lookeſt upon thy ſelf as a poor unuſeful creature, but God hath ſome uſe of you: if God had not ſome uſe of you, he would not continue you here, no, not a moment; God hath appointed ſeveral members in the body, and all are uſeful, not the leaſt member but it is uſeful in the body; I ſay, ſurely the Lord ſees that you are of uſe to him, although you are apt to ſay you are altogether unuſeful. In a word, when tempted about unworthineſs, do as this woman did in the Text.
Firſt of all, ſhe doth acknoledge all that Chriſt ſpake, It is not meet to take the childrens bread and caſt it to dogs, ſaith Chriſt in v. 27. Truth Lord, ſaith ſhe. Let us learn to do ſo, when bowed down with the thoughts of unworthineſs and vileneſs; let us ſubſcribe to it, that it is a truth, all that can be ſaid, and all that can be preſented by Sathan himſelf concerning our vileneſs, we may grant that it is truth, I am unworthy, vile, and wretched.
Secondly, Take heed that this do not hinder the acting of faith; acknowledge that it is ſo, and that we are as vile as it is objected; but let not the ſight of this hinder the acting of faith; this woman ſhe acted faith gloriouſly notwithſtanding; Truth Lord, yet the dogs do eat the crumbs that fall from their maſter's table; ſhe makes this to be a ground of faith, even this very diſcouragement, this very temptation, the ſight of her unworthineſs, this doth not diſcourage her; It is Truth Lord, but yet the dogs eat of the crumbs; and ſo be you ſtill in the acting of faith, and let not the fight of unworthineſs be any hinderance.
Thirdly, It is our duty ſtill to wait upon the Lord in the midſt of the diſcovery of our unworthineſs: Wait upon the Lord, and keep his way, and let no diſcovery of unworthineſs beat us off from waiting upon the Lord, and keeping his way: this woman held on her way, held on to wait notwithſtanding all her unworthineſs; ſhe believes, and waits, prays, and waits, and her expectations they are from the Lord. And ſo in the midſt of the ſenſe of our unworthineſs, let us do as ſhe did, acknowledge God notwithſtanding, be acting faith in Chriſt, in the Lord's free grace, in thoſe gracious promiſes which he holds forth, and which he hath given us in Chriſt, and be waiting upon God in the way of our duty, keeping his way; and the Lord he will certainly make that ſoul more then a conquerour of theſe temptations.