A Trial of Faith, Sermons · Sermon 3
Matth. 15. 22.
And cryed unto him, ſaying, have mercy on me, O Lord, thou ſon of David.
SERMON III.
YOu have ſeen the woman, and now you ſhall hear her ſpeak: She cryed unto him, ſaying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou ſon of David.
Obſerve, here is a declaration of her faith,A declaration of this womans faith. and that we ſhall firſt take notice of; her faith is declared by a notable confeſſion that ſhe makes of Chriſt.
Her confeſſion: O Lord, thou ſon of David; it is ſhort, but a great deal is in it.
Firſt of all, ſhe doth acknowledge him to be Lord, Lord of all, to be infinite in power, the Lord of Heaven and Earth, one that was able to do whatſoever he pleaſeth, one that was able to caſt out the Devil by ſpeaking one word; for ſhe comes in the behalf of her Daughter and cloſeth with Chriſt as Lord; where ſhe doth acknowledge his divinity, that he was Lord over all, God bleſſed for ever, and had power in his hand, and abillity to do whatſoever he pleaſed. That is the firſt part of her confeſſion, ſhe confeſſed that Chriſt was Lord.
Secondly, She confeſſes that he was the ſon of David, O Lord, thou ſon of David, and therein ſhe doth acknowledge his Humanity; as ſhe acknowledged that he was Lord, ſo ſhe acknowledged that he was true man.
2. She doth acknowledge that he was the promiſed Meſſias, that is comprehended in that title, Thou ſon of David: She doth acknowledge that he was that Meſſias that was promiſed ſhould ariſe out of the Houſe of David, that ſhould come of the ſeed of David, the promiſed Meſſias that was promiſed to be the deliverer of his people; ſo ſhe doth acknowledge, for ſhe calls him the ſon of David, he that was promiſed ſhould come of the houſe of David, whom God had promiſed to raiſe up to be a horn of ſalvation. So you ſee her confeſſion; ſhe confeſſes his Divinity, comes to him as God; confeſſes his Humanity, comes to him as Man, and ſhe comes to him as the Meſſias, one that was appointed of God to be a Saviour, and one of the houſe of David. Here is as full and as large a confeſſion as any of the Diſciples make of Chriſt.
Queſt. But it may be queried,Why this woman cals Chriſt the ſon of David. Why ſhe calls him the ſon of David? ſhe might have expreſt him to have been true man, and called him the ſon of Adam, why not the ſon of Adam? or the ſon of Abraham? why does ſhe call him the ſon of David?
Anſw. I anſwer in general: Chriſt was expected by that name among the Jews, for ſo he was promiſed and propheſied of, that he ſhould be the ſon of David.
But again, he is called the ſon of David, becauſe the promiſe was in a ſpecial manner unto David, in a gracious way, God did confirm the promiſe of the Meſſia… unto David: Notwithſtanding Davids imperfection, and the ſin that was in David, yet the promiſe of the Meſſias was to David and his houſe, though his houſe was not ſo with God, yet God confirmed the Covenant with David, that Covenant which was made with Abraham, God confirmed it in a remarkable way unto David; notwithſtanding his unworthineſs, yet the Meſſias ſhould ſpring out of his loins; and therefore in reſpect of that gracious Promiſe he was called the ſon of David.
Secondly, This woman gives him the title of the ſon of David, becauſe it is the moſt honourable title; where there is true faith it will put all the honour it can upon Chriſt. David was an honourable King in Iſrael: David was the firſt godly King that ever God ſet over his own people; ſo he was honourable, being the firſt godly King that reigned over the people; and therefore became David was moſt honourable among the Kings, the firſt godly King, therefore this woman put honour upon Chriſt, calls him the ſon of David.
Thirdly, David was a very remarkable type of Chriſt, and as he was known by David, ſo Chriſt was known by this name, and called by this name; Chriſt he was very like in many things to David; as Chriſt came of the ſeed of David, ſo in many things Jeſus Chriſt was like to David, and Davids Kingdome it was a type of Chriſts Kingdome; and therefore it is ſaid of Chriſt, Luke 1. That God ſhould give him the throne of David his father. But in theſe particulars I ſhall inſtance to you that David was a type of Chriſt, and Chriſt like to David.
Firſt,How David was a type of Chriſt, and how Chriſt like to David. In thoſe manifold victories and conqueſts that David obtained over his enemies and the enemies of God; why David was a very victorious Prince, he ſubdued the enemies of Iſrael; in Davids time, many of the Lords battels were fought by David, and David returned a Conquerour, he ſmote the great Goliah that defied the Armies of the God of Iſrael, David went forth and ſmote him, and he fell, and in thoſe remarkable victories David obtained over the enemies of the Church, he was a type of Chriſt, and therefore Chriſt is called, the ſon of David.
Secondly, And then again, David was a type of Chriſt, in that he brought back again the Ark of God that was taken captive by the Philiſtines; David reſtored the Ark and brought it back again; ſo Chriſt reſtored the Ordinances, and will reſtore them to their perfect purity, even all the veſſels of the Lords Houſe that hath been taken captive by the Philiſtines, Chriſt will reſtore them, they ſhall all be brought again into their own place, and reſtored to their firſt purity, Chriſt will fulfill it, there is a promiſe of it, and he will fulfil it; in this David was a type of Chriſt.
Thirdly, David was a type of Chriſt in that he waited long for the Kingdom, after the Promiſe was given to him, yea, after the Lord by Samuel had anointed David to be King over Iſrael, after he was anointed he was driven out, and he waited long for the fulfilling of the Promiſe, a type of Chriſt in that; and ſo it is with David's Son, the Lord Jeſus, though anointed, though the Spirit was poured out upon him without meaſure, though anointed to be King, yet we ſee not all his enemies put under his feet; there is a promiſe that it ſhall be ſo, but we ſee it not, yet he waits for it; and therefore he compares himſelf to a man that went into a far country to receive a kingdome for him ſelf; and ſo Chriſt is in Heaven, he ſits and waits for it, till the time come that his Father ſhall give him the kingdom, and he is to rule over all, his enemies to be made his footſtool.
Nay fourthly, David was a type of Chriſt in reſpect of his enemies. Davids enemies were many, and great, mighty, and potent, and ſo are the enemies of Jeſus Chriſt: Saul and all his forces roſe up againſt David; and David he had many enemies in his own houſe afterwards, and they that did eat bread with him at his table; and his enemies were a type of Chriſts enemies; Saul and all his forces againſt David, the Devil, and all his Angels, and wicked men againſt Chriſt. Chriſts enemies they were ſuch as were his near companions, one that dipt his hand in the diſh with him he betrayed him: And thus you ſee David was a type of Chriſt, his Kingdome a type of Chriſts Kingdome.
Fifthly, to add no more but this; Davids Kingdome you know was very ſmall at firſt, but it grew great; when David came firſt to the Kingdome there were but few that took his part; ah, but after there had been war for a while betwixt the houſe of David and the houſe of Saul, God ordered it ſo, that firſt one of the houſe of Saul fell off, and then another, and the houſe of Saul waxed weaker and weaker, and Davids houſe ſtronger and ſtronger: So the Kingdome of Chriſt, his Kingdome was a little Kingdome, the ſervants that owned him and his cauſe, they are but a very inconſiderable party at firſt, a little ſtone cut out of the mountain without hands, a type and ſhaddow of Chriſts Kingdome, but that ſtone it waxed bigger and bigger, and became a mountain that filled the whole earth.
You ſee why Chriſt, both here by this woman, and alſo in divers other places, is ſo frequently called the ſon of David.
I come now to the obſervation, from the confeſſion which this woman held forth, which is this: That true faith it comes unto Chriſt, Doctrine.both as he is Lord, and as he is the ſon of David; it layes this foundation, and where this confeſſion is not made, there is no true ſaving faith; true faith it cloſeth with Chriſt as he is Lord, and as he is the ſon of David.
Firſt, I ſhall ſhew you how true faith comes to Chriſt, and looks upon Chriſt, and cloſeth with Chriſt as he is Lord; O Lord have mercy on me. This woman here ſhe make… the ſame confeſſion that Peter doth, Matth. 16. 16. and Peter ſaid, Thou art Chriſt, the Son of the living God: Here is the ſame confeſſion that the Woman makes the Text, ſhe confeſſes that he was the Son of … living God, that he was Chriſt, that he was anoi…ted as he was man to be the Lord and Saviou… True faith confeſſeth Chriſt as he is Lord, and he is the ſon of David.
I ſhall ſhew you how true faith cloſeth wi… Chriſt… as Lord.How true faith cloſeth with Chriſt as Lord.
It holds forth thus much to us, to confe… Chriſt to be Lord, or to come to Chriſt Lord.
Firſt of all; that faith doth confeſs and ackno…ledge Chriſt to be eternal God: This woman … confeſſing him to be Lord, and ſo every ſuch confeſſion, doth acknowledge Chriſt to be etern… God, to have the ſame being with his Father, th… he is Lord, and was Lord from eternity; before there was any world made, yet Jeſus Chriſt … then Lord, he was the eternal God; ſee what the Scripture doth hold forth of him, Prov. 8. 2… I was ſet up from everlaſting, from the beginning… it is ſpoken of Chriſt, it is ſaid of him, that he … from everlaſting, in the beginning, before there … a world, before any ſea, before any earth, before any mountains, Chriſt was from everlaſting; and thus true faith doth acknowledge that he is eternal God.
Secondly, When true faith doth confeſs Chriſt to be Lord, it doth not only acknowledge him to … eternal, but omnipotent, to be Almighty, infinite … power; if he be Lord of all, then he is infinite … power, he can do whatſoever he pleaſeth; that he can doe whatſoever the Father doth, Chriſt witneſ… of himſelf, The ſame works the Father doth, doe I … which doth declare him to be the ſame God, the ſame being with his Father, for he had the ſame power ▪ True faith doth acknowledge, that all the mighty works of Creation and Providence, and that the world was made by him, and upheld by him, and governed by him; according to that place, Heb. 1. 10. And thou Lord in the beginning haſt laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the works of thy hands. So that faith that doth confeſs Chriſt to be Lord, doth acknowledge him to be infinite in power, and that he by his fingers made the heavens, and by his hands laid the foundation of the earth.
Thirdly, That faith that doth acknowledge Chriſt to be Lord, doth confeſs that he is infinite in knowledge, and that he is omnipreſent, every where; as God he is in all places, though as man he ſits in heaven, yet as God he is every where, according to that Scripture, the Son of God hath eyes like a flame of fire, he ſees all things, a flame of fire diſcovers all things in the room, ſo the Son of God he knows all the corners of the heart, and ſees all things, and needs not that any ſhould teſtifie of man; and that Chriſt according to his divine nature fills heaven and earth, and with his gracious preſence is with his people alwayes, Loe I am with you to the end of the world.
Fourthly, That faith that confeſſeth Chriſt to be Lord, doth confeſs that he is the object of faith, and of divine worſhip, and that he is worthy to be believed on, and worthy to be worſhipped, and worthy to be praiſed, worthy that all the redeemed of the Lord ſhould ſing unto him; that he is worthy of all divine honour, the ſame honour that is due to the Father, the Scripture doth witneſs as much, and therefore the very Angels are called upon to worſhip him, Heb. 1. 6. When he bringeth in the firſt begotten into the world, he ſaith, and let all the Angels of God worſhip him. Now if Chriſt had not been eternal God, it had been idolatry to have given divine worſhip to him; but you ſee what that faith doth that acknowledges Chriſt to be Lord, it doth acknowledge him to be eternal God, and acknowledge him to be infinite in power, and in knowledge, and that he is preſent in all places, and the object of divine honour.
Secondly,The neceſſity of believing in Chriſt as Lord. Now let me ſhew you in the ſecond place, that it is neceſſary that every man and woman that doth expect help and ſalvation by Chriſt, ſhould come to him as the Lord: Faith ſhould pitch upon him as omnipotent and omniſcient: I ſay, it is neceſſary that they ſhould thus come to him that believe, for elſe the foundation of our faith is overthrown: There is no man that doth deny this, can lay a right foundation of faith: no man that doth not believe this, that he is Lord, eternal God, can lay a right foundation, he doth not lay that foundation which God hath laid; the foundation which God hath laid is his Son, the eternal God, he with whom he entred into Covenant, and made a Covenant with from eternity and therefore if there be any other foundation, the foundation will not hold.
And indeed Chriſt cannot be a foundation to bear up faith, if he be not eternal God, and Lord equal with his Father, he were not fit to be trusted: And curſed is he that truſts in man and make fleſh his arme: And if Chriſt had not been eternal God, he could not be a fit foundation, and it is neceſſary that every ſoul that comes to Chriſt ſhould believe in him as Lord, in reſpect of that divine worſhip that is to be given to Chriſt, elſe he cannot worſhip Chriſt aright, nor give Chriſt that honour that is due to him, and ſo all his worſhip is loſt.
Thirdly, It is needful in reſpect of the benefits of Chriſts ſatisfaction, that men that come to Chriſt muſt believe that he is eternal God, and one with the Father, or elſe he cannot expect the benefit of Chriſts ſatisfaction; for if Chriſt were not infinite God, he could not have given ſatisfaction to infinite Juſtice; if Chriſt were not God, our ſins are not purged away, the righteouſneſs of Chriſt is not infinite, then no covering for our tranſgreſſions, no price then of an infinite value for the ſaving ſouls; no vertue in his blood for the taking away of ſin; therefore they that do blaſphemouſly deny Chriſt to be eternal God, they muſt deny the ſatisfaction of Chriſt, and then all men are in their ſins, and ſo like to be loſt for ever.
Fourthly, True faith muſt come to Chriſt as Lord, or elſe we cannot have any aſſurance that he …an perfect the work of our ſalvation: The work of our ſalvation it is put into Chriſts hand, but if … be not eternal God, there is little hope that he ſhould perfect the work of his peoples ſalvation, … not poſſible he ſhould overcome all the enemies of his peoples ſalvation. Therefore you ſee …hat it is neceſſary, that when any ſoul comes to Chriſt, it ſhould come to him as Lord; ſo this woman did look upon him, and cloſe with him, as Lord over all, as he is eternal God, having the ſame power and knowledge with his Father, to whom … due the ſame divine honour, and who is the object of faith.
And therefore I beſeech you, Brethren, look to it, that your faith be rightly grounded; if it … not, it will never hold, if it be not grounded up… this foundation, upon Chriſt as he is Lord, the ſame eternal God with the Father, if this be not the foundation of faith, it will not hold; you can never make a right confeſſion of Chriſt, and you will never make ſuch a confeſſion as he will own, if … do not come to cloſe with him as he is Lord ow… all, infinite … equal with his Father: The D… hath exceedingly endeavoured to overturn … foundation of faith, and through the righte… judgement of God hath prevailed exceedin… abroad in the world; he made uſe of the … of old, and the Socinians of late, who overturn … foundation of faith, though they acknowle… Chriſt to be higher then man, and greater … Angels, yet they will not acknowledge him … equal with his Father, and to have been from …; many cavils there are which are made … this truth of the Goſpel.
Object. What the Socmians object againſt this truth.They object, that Jeſus Chriſt ſayes … ſelf, That his Father is greater then he, and th…fore by Chriſts own confeſſion, ſay they, he is not … with the Father.
Anſw. But for anſwer: You muſt know … Chriſt ſpeaks that as he was Mediator, as he … God man; ſo indeed he put himſelf under his …her as Mediator, as the Saviour of his people … in reſpect of his eternal Godhead, he was … with his Father, and his Father was not greater then he, For he thought it no robbery to be equall with the Father.
Object. And ſo they object, That Chriſt was ſent, he was his Fathers Meſſenger, his righteous Servant, and my Father ſent me, and I came not to doe my own will, but the will of my Father.
Anſw. Why; Chriſt having put himſelf under in reſpect of the work of Mediator, ſo he was under; but as eternal Son, ſo he was alwayes equal with the Father.
Object. And whereas they cavil; it is ſaid at laſt, Chriſt ſhall give up the Kingdom to the Father: there is a time coming that God he ſhall be the greater, and be all in all: Hence they cavil, that Chriſt is inferiour to his Father, and ſhall be put under at laſt, and God ſhall be all in all.
Anſw. But that Scripture ſpeaks only in reſpect of Chriſts diſpenſitory Kingdome, not in reſpect of his natural Kingdome, which he had from eternity, …ing equal with his Father, but in reſpect of this preſent diſpenſation in which Chriſt rules his Church, and by ſuch a way and meanes, Chriſt ſhall give up the Kingdome to his Father, but then he ſhall reign with the Father, though not as Media…or, that Kingdom ceaſeth; yet he ſhall reign with his Father.
Queſt. But you will ſay, is this enough for a …an to believe that Chriſt is Lord, and God, equall with the Father? will this faith make a man bleſſed? …f he believe this ſhall he be ſaved? Does not the De…il make a confeſſion that Chriſt is the Son of the li…ing God?
Anſw. Ah, but where the Lord by his Spirit doth make an inward diſcovery of this to the ſoul▪ the Spirit of Chriſt ſhining upon the ſoul, and drawing the heart to cloſe with Chriſt, I anſwer, that this faith is the faith of Gods Elect. It is true, there may be a notional knowledge of this, in this day of the Goſpel, men they doe generally confeſ… that Chriſt is the Son of God: Ah, where it is only notional, and when the heart is not drawn by this knowledge to reſt upon him who is mighty to ſave, this bare hiſtorical knowledge will prove ineffectual; but when the Lord doth draw the heart to reſt upon Chriſt revealed in the Goſpel, this is true faith.
Secondly,The ſecond part of the Doctrine, that true faith comes to Chriſt as he is the ſon of David. The ſecond thing propounded … That true faith doth come to Chriſt as he is the ſon of David; O Lord, thou ſon of David,
It holds forth two things.
Firſt, She cloſeth with the humanity … Chriſt.
Secondly, She cloſeth with Chriſt in his offices, and looks to him as he is appointed by God to be the Mediatour.
Here are theſe two things in this confeſſi… [that he is the ſon of David] and true faith … muſt eye both theſe: If faith be rightly grounded, it muſt come to Chriſt as he is the ſon of David.
Firſt of all, It confeſſes that Chriſt is man … well as God, it cloſeth with the humanity as … as the divinity of Chriſt, he is God and man in … perſon; believes that he is true man, that he … and that he is true man; without this there … be no true faith; it comes to him as to one … took our nature, and died in our nature, and roſe again in our nature, and aſcended in our nature, and ſits in heaven with our nature; True faith muſt come thus to Chriſt, or elſe it will not be found to be true faith: True faith cloſeth with the humanity of Chriſt, believes that God took the nature of man into union with the ſecond Perſon, and ſo God and man made one Perſon; it doth not look upon Chriſt as taking up a body for a time, ſuch a notion many men have in the world, to conceive that Chriſt did aſſume a body, even as he did of old, when as he did appear to the Patriarkes; Abraham and Lot; the Angel of the Covenant, as well as other Angels, did aſſume a body, and ſo diſſolved it again: Now, ſay they, as Chriſt did aſſume a body for a time, and appear in that, and then afterward diſſolve it, now Chriſt is no more in the body, but he is now in the Spirit. This is a groſſe miſtake,A groſſe miſtake concerning the body of Chriſt. a dangerous error, that overthrows the foundation: If Chriſt did aſſume a body, then he was not man; but the Scripture ſaith, He took our nature, he took not the nature of Angels, but he took the nature of man; to take up a body is not to take up the nature of man, but he took our nature, a ſoul and body together, humane ſoul and body that is the nature of man; he took a body into union with the ſecond Perſon, for ſo it was not only a body that Chriſt took up, but a ſoul too, My ſoul is heavy to death, and the ſoul of Chriſt was made an offering for ſin. So that remember this, how true faith muſt look upon Chriſt; firſt as Lord, and ſecondly as Man, as one that took our nature, ſoul and body, into union with himſelf.
Secondly,The neceſſity that every man and woman believe in Chriſt as man. I ſhall ſhew you, that there is a neceſſity, that every man and woman that expect ſalvation by Chriſt, ſhould believe that he took our nature upon him, and then that he died in our nature, and roſe in our nature, and ſits now in heaven in our nature, it is neceſſary to be believed to ſalvation; for
Firſt of all; if this be not believed, you cannot have any aſſurance that any man or woman ſhall have the benefit of Chriſts ſatisfaction: Suppoſe that ſome confeſs, that he is eternal God, and did give ſatisfaction as he was eternal God, yee that body that he took up for a time, if he took not the nature of man, could not ſatisfie for the ſin of man, for juſtice muſt be ſatisfied in the ſame nature.
Now if Chriſt did not really take our nature, and ſuffer in our nature, there is no ſatisfaction▪ and we can have no benefit thereby, for ſatisfaction muſt be done in the ſame nature it offended.
Secondly, It is neceſſary that you ſhould believe that Jeſus Chriſt roſe again in the ſame nature; for your juſtification depends upon it, for if the ſame perſon that ſuffered were not reſtored, the ſame that was caſt into priſon, were not delivered in a legal way, then there was no Juſtification▪ Now our Juſtification doth depend upon this; when Chriſt was delivered out of priſon, then did God abſolve him, and when Chriſt roſe again, then did Chriſt virtually juſtifie all his elect; if the ſame body did not riſe again, there is no juſtification, no man hath any aſſurance, that he ſhall be juſtified: Therefore ſee how neceſſary it is, that you hold faſt this truth, that as the Lord Jeſus took our nature, ſo he retaines our nature.
Yea it is neceſſary, that you believe Chriſt retaines our nature now in heaven; for if you doe not, why then he hath not perfected his office as High Prieſt, he hath done but part of his work, and ſo his people be but imperfectly ſaved: The high Prieſt he firſt killed the ſacrifice, and the ſame perſon that offered ſacrifice went into the holy place, to make interceſſion, and to preſent the blood of ſprinkling: Now if Chriſt did offer ſacrifice, and did not aſcend in the ſame nature in which he offered the ſacrifice, he did not perfectly fulfill his work as high Prieſt.
And know this, that if Chriſt be not in heaven in our nature, there is no coming for us, there is no way for our coming to God, no way for our converſe with God, for it is not poſſible that creatures in this ſtate ſhould have immediate communion with God, without a middle perſon, a Mediator: Now if Chriſt be not in heaven in our nature, and ſo we might go to God in and by him, there is no way of coming to God, and no way of having communion with God.
Thirdly and laſtly, to ſpeak a word to the next particular.
There are two things in that confeſſion, that Chriſt is the ſon of David.
Firſt, To cloſe with his humility, and that is an incouragement to come to Chriſt: So
Secondly, She looks to his office, and cloſes with his office; when ſhe ſayes, he is the ſon of David, ſhe acknowledges, that
Firſt of all, that he is the Meſſias deſigned and appointed by God the Father, for this work of ſaving his people: O Lord, thou ſon of David, th… art he that art deſigned, and appointed, and ſet a part by God, as David was, to be a Prieſt, and to be a Prophet; and thus faith muſt look upon Chriſt, him that the Father hath ſealed and appointed to be a Mediator, or elſe he can never cloſe with Chriſt.
And then ſhe does not only look upon him a… one that is appointed by God the Father, and deſigned of God.
Secondly, But as one that was fitted for this work, he was appointed by the Father to ſave his people, and as he was appointed, ſo he was fitted every way for this work;Something to be read in that name, thou ſon of David. for ſurely there was ſomething which ſhe heard, and we may read in the ſon of David, which was an incouragement to her to come to Chriſt, and to believe in Chriſt: As
Firſt of all; this is held forth when he is called the ſon of David, that he is mighty and ſtrong▪ a mighty Prince, a mighty Saviour, able to ſave … the uttermoſt, that he is even like to David, …s David, whom the Lord gave a great deal of ſtrength and courage, he purſued after the Lion and after the Bear, and pulled the Sheep out of the Lions mouth; ſhe eyed the ſtrength of David; if David do ſo great things, Jeſus Chriſt the ſon of David he can do greater things, he can ſlay the Lion, and kill the Bear, and ſmite the G… liah the Devil, and his inſtruments.
And then in that name of Chriſt [thou ſon of David] there was this that might incourage her, the mercy and compaſſion of Jeſus Chriſt, ſhe expreſt it her ſelf, David was a merciful man, full of compaſſion towards his enemies, full of patience, full of long-ſuffering; he ſpared Shimei when he curſed him; and how did he carry himſelf towards Saul, when God put him into his hand, and when his ſervants would have had him taken away his life? God forbid, (ſaith he) ſo Chriſt is full of compaſſion, ſurely ſhe ſaw a great deal of the compaſſion of Chriſt. David a merciful man, and ſo is Jeſus Chriſt.
And then ſhe might ſee, and ſo may we, the meekneſs of Chriſt, not only mercy, but abundance of meekneſs in Chriſt: David was a great Prince, and yet Davids heart was not lift up with his condition, though his condition was lift up, yet his heart was not lift up, no, he carried it very lowly and meekly with his people, he dealt with them as gently as a tender ſhepheard, 1 Chron. 28. 2. Then David the King ſtood up upon his feet, and ſaid, hear me my brethren, and my people. Now ſurely this woman could not but ſee the meekneſs that was in Chriſt, David was well known to be a merciful and meek Prince, and if ſo much meekneſs in David, O then what meekneſs in the ſon of David? Surely he deals gently with his people, this was her incouragement.
Firſt, Now therefore to ſhut up all, Brethren, let us take notice, how little true faith there is in the world; if true faith comes thus to Chriſt, as Lord, and as the ſon of David, looks to the divinity and humanity of Chriſt, and cloſeth with both, looks to the offices of Chriſt, and as one that is appointed of God, and fitted for this work; if this be required to true faith, O how little true faith is in the world? How many are there that doe confeſs Chriſt to be true Man? Ah, but they deny him to be true God, deny him to be the ſame Eſſence with the Father, and Subſtance with the Father, the ſame Power with the Father.
Nay truly, ſuch a confeſſion of Chriſt, it is below the confeſſion of the Devil, whatever ſuch men may pretend to have the name of Chriſtians, it is below the confeſſion of Devils, and will leave men as low as the Devils; the Devils confeſs Chriſt to be the Son of God, and therefore where that is denied, ſuch men go not ſo far as the Devils.
Secondly, Others that ſay, he is true God, but either deny that he took our nature, or that he doth retain our nature: Now how contrary is that to the Scripture? And how deſtructive is it to the faith of Gods people, and all the comforts of Gods people? There is no hope of juſtification, if Chriſt be not riſen, and no hope of coming to Heaven, if Chriſt be not there in our nature; and no poſſibility for poor creatures to go to God; if the Mediator be not now in Heaven, there is no coming there: The Apoſtle ſpeaking of Chriſt, 1 Tim. 2. 5. For there is one God, and one Mediator, between God and men, the man Chriſt Jeſus: There is one Mediator, he does not ſay, there was one Mediator that laid down his life, but there is one Mediator, the man Chriſt Jeſus: He does not ſay, that was the man, but the man Chriſt Jeſus is now the Mediator; and therefore ſuch as do either deny that Chriſt did take our nature, or that he doth retain our nature, and roſe in our nature, and aſCended in our nature, doth mightily help forward the deſign of the Devil; he alwayes had a deſign to overthrow this foundation of faith, and ſuch men are the Devils chief Inſtruments, he knows, that if Chriſt did not riſe in that body again, if he can take away that, he knows that all preaching is in vain, and faith is in vain, and therefore the Phariſees, when put on by the Devil, they gave the Souldiers money to ſay, that his Diſciples ſtole him away: Surely the Devil he knew that doctrine was of great concernment, and therefore they were put upon to ſay, his Diſciples ſtole him away; and ſuch men as deny Chriſts Reſurrection, they take the Devils hire, and their faith will be but the faith of the Sadduces, and will leave them ſhort of life.
Thirdly, And in the third and laſt place: How may are there that many confeſs both theſe? that may confeſs. Chriſt is God, that he is Lord, and that he is Man, true man, and yet not look unto Chriſt, as he is fit every way for that work, as fitted with ſtrength, and meekneſs, and mercy, for that great work of perfecting his peoples ſalvation?
As you deſire to have faith that is of the right ſtamp; would you have it rightly grounded, and have it laid upon ſuch a foundation as God hath laid, and on ſuch a foundation as will hold? O then look to this womans confeſſion; look up to the Lord to make ſuch a diſcovery of Chriſt to your ſouls, that Chriſt may be diſcovered to you as Lord, and that you may cloſe with him as man; God in our nature, ſatisfied in our nature, and making interceſſion in our nature; and look upon him as one appointed by God the Father; for therein lay a great deal of a Chriſtians comfort, when the ſoul comes to eye this Mediator as one appointed by God, and one …itted every way for it, full of mercy, and full of power; if the Lord ſhall make ſuch a diſcovery of Chriſt to your ſouls, ſo as to cauſe you to lean your ſouls upon him for life and ſalvation, this will be found to be faith rightly built, this is the faith of Gods Elect.