A Trial of Faith, Sermons · Sermon 9
Matth. 15. 23.
And his Diſciples came, and beſought him, ſaying, ſend her away, for ſhe crieth after us.
SERMON IX.
CHriſt (as you have heard) is ſilent to the prayer of the woman, he anſwered her not a word, whereupon the Diſciples they ſtep in and perform an office and duty of love for this poor woman they ſtep in, and they plead with Chriſt for her Lord ſend her away, for ſhe crieth after us. It is a great queſtion with ſome, whether the Diſciples did pray for this woman here or no; ſome think that they did not make any requeſt for her, there is no mention of any, they only ſay, Lord ſend her away, for ſhe crieth after us; Lord, ſtop her mouth, ſend her away, give her an anſwer, diſpatch her, for ſhe crieth after us; and this was done ſay they, that ſo the trial of this womans faith might be the greater.
But I rather conceive, that the Diſciples in theſe words did pray for her, they did perform an office and duty of love, in interceding with Chriſt for her. For,
Firſt of all, it ſeems they were very earneſt in it, they came and beſought him, ſaying, ſend her away; Surely, if it had been only to ſtop her mouth, to diſpatch her, the Diſciples would not have been ſo earneſt with Chriſt to beſeech him; good nature would have taught them more compaſſion, and therefore grace teacheth them much more.
And then, they ſeem to be affected with the cry of the woman, ſhe crieth after us, ſend her away, it breaks our hearts the cries that ſhe makes; Thou Son of David have mercy on me.
And thirdly, it is clear and evident in the following verſe, from the anſwer that Chriſt gives upon their ſeeking of him. I am not ſent but to the loſt ſheep of the houſe of Iſrael. Therefore it is evident, that the Diſciples did not plead with Chriſt to ſend her away, to ſtop her mouth, but they did plead with Chriſt though not mentioned, that he would grant her requeſt.
The truth then which the words hold forth to us, is this. That it is the duty of Chriſts Diſciples to preſent the conditions of others unto the Lord in prayer as well as their own.Doctrine.
We find that Moſes the ſervant of the Lord was much in this work, much in praying for others, and interceding for Iſrael; upon every occaſion he ſteps in, and pleadeth with God for the people.
And ſo David in many of the Pſalms, he preſents the conditions of others unto the Lord. And our Lord Jeſus Chriſt himſelf who is our great pattern, was much in the performance of this duty, John 17. you ſhall …nd there that the moſt part of the time that Chriſt ſpent in prayer, it was ſpent in praying for others, there is but one petition that he put for himſelf, in ver. 1. and repeated again in ver. 5. and all the reſt of his time it was ſpent in praying for others, for the Diſciples, for thoſe that were converted, and for thoſe that did belong to God that were not converted: Many requeſts the Lord Jeſus makes in the behalf of others, and but one for himſelf. And ſo the Apoſtle Paul, who was a follower of Chriſt, he was much in this work of praying for others, Rom. 1. 9. he did appeal to God, that he did not neglect this duty. For God is my witneſs, whom I ſerve with my ſpirit, in the Goſpel of his ſon, that without ceaſing I make mention of you alwayes in my prayers. And ſo 2 Tim. 1. 3. I thank God whom I ſerve from my fore-fathers with pure conſcience, that without ceaſing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers. Paul did remember others before the Lord.
But in the opening of the point, I ſhall ſhew you, Firſt, who they are that we are bound to pray for, whoſe conditions Gods people are bound to remember before the Lord.
Secondly, what are the ſpecial time we are called unto this duty to remember others before the Lord.
If you ask,Who Gods people are bound to pray for. who they are that we are bound to pray for.
Firſt, we are bound to pray for them that have done us wrong; a hard leſſon, but a leſſon that Chriſts Diſciples muſt learn; we muſt pray for thoſe that have done us wrong, that have done evil, and ſpoken evil of us. See what our Saviour Chriſt ſaith, Mat. 5. 44. But I ſay unto you, love your enemies, bleſs them that curſe you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that deſpitefully uſe you, and perſecute you: See here, out of Chriſts own mouth this is our duty, if we be Chriſts Diſciples we muſt pray for them that perſecute us, and deſpitefully uſe us, we ſhould go to the Lord, and beſeech the Lord to forgive them; thus did Chriſt, Father, forgive them, they know not what they do. We ſhould pray that the Lord would open their eyes, that the Lord would turn their hearts to himſelf firſt, and then to us: Brethren, ſuch a prayer is very welcome to the Lord, as welcome as moſt prayers that his people can make, when you ſhall from the heart pray to the Lord for thoſe that injured you, and done you wrong, ſuch a prayer ſeldom goes unrequited. Sometimes the Lord gives in the ſoul of an enemy at the requeſt of his people; and oh what a choice mercy will that be, if thou mayſt gain the soul of an enemy, if a ſoul may be delivered from going down to the pit, why the Lord many times gives in the ſoul of an enemy; but if the Lord ſhould not give in the ſoul of an enemy, that prayer ſhall not go unrewarded; it may be ſometimes the Lord will give in the ſoul of a friend, thou goeſt to God, and thou prayeſt for ſuch an enemy, Lord forgive ſuch an enemy, Lord open his eyes, and turn his heart, and forgive his tranſgreſſion; if the Lord does not grant that requeſt, it may be the Lord will give in the ſoul of a child or ſome of thy relations, becauſe thou haſt found in thy heart to pray for an enemy, or elſe the Lord will reward that prayer by giving out more of himſelf; thou beggeſt for an enemy, if the Lord do not that, the Lord will give thee more grace, more of his Spirit, the Lord it may be, will cauſe his face to ſlaine more upon thee, while thou at his commandment, and for his ſake canſt find in thy heart to pray for them that are thy enemies, and have done thee wrong; thou haſt prayed for an enemy, and I will be a friend to thee, ſaith the Lord, I will ſhew thee more friendſhip, more of my face; this is the firſt thing: Oh that the Lord would teach us to practiſe it, it is our duty to pray for thoſe that have done us wrong.
Secondly, if it be our duty to pray for thoſe that have done us wrong, then it is our duty to pray for ſuch as the Lord hath made inſtruments to do us good. Creatures they are but inſtruments, and all the glory is due to God alone; ah, but God is to be ſought to for the inſtrument, hath the Lord done us good by ſuch an inſtrument, in reſpect of our ſouls in a word of counſel and direction, we are to pray for them. When God made uſe of Abigail in giving a word of counſel to David, how did he bleſs the Lord and pray to God for her, 1 Sam. 25. 32, 33. And David ſad to Abigail, bleſſed be the Lord God of which ſent thee this day to meet me, and bleſſed be thy advice, and bleſſed be thou &c. And ſo hath the Lord made any inſtrumental any way to do us good in the outward man, to give any refreſhment, we are bound to remember them before the Lord; thus did Paul, 2 Tim. 1. 16. The Lord give mercy unto the houſe of Oneſiphorus, for he oft refreſhed me, and was not aſhamed of my chains. Oneſiphorus was a means of refreſhing Paul in his bonds, and Paul looked upon it as his duty to remember him before the Lord, he begs a bleſſing for him and his houſhold; The Lord grant mercy to the houſe of Oneſiphorus; it is our duty to remember thoſe before the Lord, that have been uſed as inſtruments to do us good.
Thirdly, it is our duty to remember before the Lord even thoſe that are ſtrangers to us, thoſe that we have not known, if we know their conditions. If the Lord hath brought the condition of ſtrangers to us, if the condition of ſtrangers be a ſad condition, we are bound to remember them, and to preſent their condition before the Lord; and thus did the Diſciples here in the Text, this woman ſhe was a ſtranger to them, they never ſaw her face before, ſhe was of a ſtrange Nation, one of the Cananites, and yet when the ſad condition of this woman was brought before them, and they heard her cry, their hearts were moved with compaſſion, and they beſought Chriſt for her. Lord ſend her away, Lord grant her requeſt… ▪ And the Lord layd a great charge upon his people Iſrael, that they ſhould remember ſtrangers, and not oppreſs ſtrangers, but ſhew kindneſs to them; and this is one part of the duty we owe to them, to remember them, and if in any ſad condition, we are bound to preſent them and their condition before the Lord.
Fourthly, If it be a duty to remember Strangers, then much more to remember our own Relations, and to preſent them before the Lord. All our Relations what ever they be, as we ſtand related to others in Political Societies, there is an engagement to remember them before the Lord, a mutual tye betwixt the Magiſtrate and the people, and they are bound to pray one for another, godly Magiſtrate… and godly people are bound to remember one another. You know King Solomon he was one that feared the Lord, and he was very much in praying for the people, 1 Kings 8. 22. he ſpent much time in prayer: And ſo back again it is the peoples duty to remember their Governours; The Apoſtle lays it upon Chriſtians as their duty, 1 Tim. 2. 1. I exhort therefore that firſt of all, ſupplications, prayers, interceſſions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, ver. 2. for Kings, and for all, that are in Authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all godlineſs and honeſty: In this relation, there is a mutual tie to remember one another before the Lord.
And if we come to Family-ſocieties, there we ſhall ſee relations are bound to remember one another before the Lord; the relation of Huſband and Wife, Parents and Children, Maſters and Servants, the Scripture holds it forth as a duty incumbent upon all Chriſtians to remember their relations mutually before the Lord. Husbands are bound to remember their wives, to preſent their condition before the Lord: Iſaac prayed for Rebeckah, Gen. 25. 21. and at his requeſt the Lord was entreated; and ſo back again, the wife is bound to remember the husband. And ſo in the relation of parents, parents are bound often to preſent their children before the Lord; the example of Job is given for our imitation, Job 1. 5. And it was ſo, when the dayes of their feaſting were gone about, that Job ſent and ſanctified them, and roſe up early in the morning, and offered burnt-offerings, according to the number of them all: for Job ſaid, it may be that my ſons have ſinned, and curſed God in their hearts; thus did Job continually. See Job preſented them all one by one before the Lord, and begged mercy for them, and that the Lord would take away the guilt of ſin which they might contract while they were feaſting in one anothers houſe. And ſo good old Jacob performed this duty for his children, even then when he lay a dying, he called for all his children, Gen. 49. he called them one by one, and prayed for a ſpecial bleſſing to be upon their heads. Parents are bound to remember their children, and children many times miſcarry becauſe parents are no more in doing their duty, no more crying to the Lord in the behalf of their children; and ſo back again children are bound to remember their parents. And ſo in the relation of Maſters and ſervants, Maſters are bound to pray for their ſervants; you know that inſtance of the Centurion, he came to Jeſus in the behalf of his ſervant, and was very earneſt with Chriſt, that Chriſt would be pleaſed to heal his ſervant; this is a duty that is little performed by many Maſters, they think if they can have their ſervants to work for them, it is all that they have to look after, but let ſuch Maſters know that God will require an account of ſervants ſouls; have you inſtructed them, and have you preſented them often in your prayers before the Lord? the Centurion came for the body of his ſervant, and it is our duty to come often to the Lord for the ſouls of our ſervants; and ſo back again it is the duty of ſervants to pray for their Maſters. And thus you ſee the fourth particular, That it is our duty to remember all our relations before the Lord. There is one relation more, and that is our Spiritual relation, which I ſhall touch before I end that particular; ſuch as ſtand in relation one to another in Church-ſociety, they are bound often to remember one anothers conditions before the Lord, James 5. 14, 15, 16. Confeſs your faults one to another, and pray one for another; yea in Church-ſocieties, it is eſpecially the duty of Paſtors and Elders to remember their flock, and it is the duty of the people to remember their Elders, and to pray often to the Lord in their behalf. Faithful Miniſters are bound often to pray for their people; remember what is ſaid of Paul, Rom. 1. 9. For God is my witneſs, whom I ſerve with my ſpirit in the Goſpel of his ſon, that without ceaſing I make mention of you alwayes in my prayers. When ever he came to God, he was mindful of the Church, I am alwayes mindfull of you without ceaſing: and indeed the profiting of a people, and the ſtedfaſtneſs of a people in the faith, and in the truth, and in the wayes of God, it is the glory, and the crown, and the joy and rejoycing of a faithful Teacher; and therefore ſurely it is their duty often to remember their people before the Lord, and ſo it is the peoples duty to remember their Paſtor and Teacher. The Apoſtle lays it upon them as their duty, Epheſ. 6. 18, 19. Praying alwayes with all prayer and ſupplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perſeverance and ſupplication for all Saints, and for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the myſterie of the Goſpel. It is your duty (ſaith he) to pray for all Saints, and for me in particular, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the myſterie of the Goſpel; for many times Satans great deſign is to overthrow them that the Lord hath ſet to go before his people. Satans great deſign is to hinder the work of God in their hand, to make ſuch to fall, and therefore the Lords people had need to pray the more earneſtly; for even the beſt of the Teachers and Preachers of the Goſpel they are but empty pipes in themſelves, and can afford no more then the Lord is pleaſed to drop in from above; and therefore there is need that the Lord ſhould be dropping in continually, or elſe they cannot bring forth bread in due ſeaſon, and make proviſion for the people, if the Lord do not fill them from heaven; yea the beſt of Teachers have need of teaching, though they know never ſo much they have need of more knowledge, they have need of more ſtrength, and therefore it is the duty of the people to remember them before the Lord, that the Lords Ʋrim and Thummim may be with them. Thus in all relations it is our duty mutually to remember one another before the Lord.
Fifthly, it is our duty to remember thoſe that for the preſent are ſtrangers to Chriſt: You will ſay, what, are we to pray for ſuch as have not the knowledge of God? yea it is our duty to remember them; if the Lord hath been pleaſed to make us to differ, and called us out from the number of thoſe Gentiles who know not God, oh we are bound to pity them, and to pray for them, whoſe condition is ſuch as never was rained upon, as the heath in the deſert, their condition is ſad, and we ſhould remember them before the Lord, that God would ſend forth his light and truth to them, that they that deny Chriſt, in word, in profeſſion, and converſation, that they may be brought home to the knowledge of the Son of God, Pſal. 67. 1, 2. God be merciful unto us, and bleſs us, and cauſe his face to ſhine upon us. That thy way may be known upon earth, thy ſaving health among all Nations.
There are many Nations, and great Nations that to this day know not God and Chriſt, that ſit in darkneſs, and periſh for want of viſion; and truly they who through free-grace do know any thing of God, they are bound to pity them that ſit in darkneſs, and to pray that the Nations may know the ſaving truth, and the way of the Lord.
Sixthly, if it be a duty to pray for thoſe that are ſtrangers to Chriſt, then it is a duty to pray for thoſe that are Chriſts friends; for all that know the Lord, and love the Lord in ſincerity, Epheſ. 6. 18. Praying alwayes with all prayer and ſupplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perſeverance and ſupplication for all Saints: It is our duty to remember all Saints, to remember them that are ſcattered, to remember them that are gathered: all Saints, we ſhould remember them in our prayer before the Lord, and eſpecially Jeruſalem, Sions Aſſemblies they ſhould be remembred, Pſal. 122. 6, 7. Pray for the peace of Jeruſalem: they ſhall proſper that love thee. Peace be within thy wals, and proſperity within thy palaces. You ſee Jeruſalem, Sions Aſſemblies in a ſpecial manner ſhould be remembred by us in our addreſſes to the Lord. And ſo Pſalm 14. you may ſee how the Pſalmiſt doth expreſs himſelf in the behalf of Sion: Oh that the ſalvation of Iſrael were come out of Sion! oh that the Lord would haſten the time that he will ſave his people, and Sion be remembred and built up; Oh that the time were come. And in Pſal. 51. he doth expreſs, that when he had been praying for himſelf, yet he did not forget Sion, Pſal. 51. 18. Do good in thy good pleaſure unto Sion, build thou the walls of Jeruſalem. So that you ſee that hath been ſpoken to, who they are that we are bound to pray for.
Secondly,What are the ſpecial times in which we are bound to remember others before the Lord. what are the ſpecial times in which we are bound to remember others, and to preſent their conditions before the Lord.
I anſwer firſt of all, when they have ſinned a ſin againſt the Lord: When we ſee any that have ſinned greatly againſt the Lord, that have provoked the Lord, eſpecially ſuch as have the name of God and Chriſt upon them, oh then it is time for us to ſtep in and plead hard with God for them. So did Moſes when Iſrael had ſinned a great ſin in making the Molten calf, then he ſteps in, and cries hard to the Lord; nay this is commended as a duty, 1 John 5. 16. If any man ſee his brother ſin a ſin which is not unto death, he ſhall ask, and he ſhall give him life for, them that ſin not unto death. If it be not a ſinning wilfully, a wilfull perſecution of the Truth that he hath profeſſed, why then if a man ſee his brother ſin, he ſhall ask and give his brother life. It is a gracious promiſe, and a great encouragement to go to the Lord one for another.
Secondly, in time of great affliction, when the Lord lays his hand heavy upon others either on the outward or inward man, it is our duty then to remember them, and to preſent their conditions before the Lord; in time of great calamity, publick calamity upon a nation, it is a duty of Gods people to preſent the condition of their people before the Lord. Nehemiah did preſent the condition of the people before the Lord, when the hand of the Lord was ſore upon them: And ſo when God doth lay any great affliction upon others, then it is our duty to remember them, and preſent their condition before the Lord. David did ſo for his enemies when they were ſick (ſaith he) I put on ſack cloth, and I faſted.
Thirdly, in time of perſecution, that is a ſpecial time to preſent the conditions of others before the Lord; when we ſee any that are perſecuted for righteouſneſs ſake: When the Church was perſecuted in the Acts, and the Diſciples caſt into priſon, then the Church prayed, then Gods people did look upon it as their duty to pray, & to pray more earneſtly then ever they had done. And ſo when the Apoſtle was in bonds, he ſent to them that they would earneſtly ſeek God for him, that he might hold cloſe to the truth, that he might not deny the truth nor Chriſt.
Fourthly, when as the Lord threatens to go away from a people, when a God threatens to withdraw his preſence from a people, or from a ſoul, oh then it is the duty of others to remember them before the Lord. When God threatens to depart from Iſrael, oh then Moſes he ſteps in, and he is pleading with the Lord. And ſo when God threatned, and was about to caſt off the Jews after they had rejected Chriſt, oh how doth the Apoſtle Paul ſtep in, and cry earneſtly to God, Rom. 10. 1. Brethren, my hearts deſire and prayer to God for Iſrael, is that they might he ſaved. When God threatens to go away from a ſoul or people, oh then it is time for the people of God to ſtep in, and to plead hard with God.
Fifthly and laſtly, another time in which we are bound to remember others, is when we ſee God coming towards any in a way of mercy. When the Lord was coming towards the Jews in a way mercy, he ſtirred up Daniel to pray for them, & to cry earneſtly to the Lord for them, when he came to underſtand that the time of deliverance was not far off, but mercy a coming, ſalvation a coming, then he cried, and cried more earneſtly then ever he had done, he ſet himſelf to ſeek the Lord by faſting and prayer: When we ſee God a coming towards any people in a way of mercy; when God comes towards a friend and relation in a way of mercy, when we ſee God is beginning to work, and to move upon their ſpirits, oh it is a duty for thoſe relations that know the Lord, to ſtep in and to cry earneſtly to God, yea then to go forth and meet the Lord, and to intreat the Lord that that work may not go back, but that he would help it on.Application. I ſhall not have time for the Application, onelyonly this one uſe I ſhall leave with you.
That if it be the duty of Gods people to pray for others, a duty to remember one another, then it will follow from hence, that it is our duty to acquaint others with our conditions. If it be a duty for others to pray for us, then it is our duty for us to to acquaint them with our conditions, or elſe how can they ſeek God in our behalf; if it be their duty to pray, it is our duty to beg their prayers, and there are ſome times in which it doth lye more eſpecially upon us to beg prayers of others, that they would ſtep in and plead with God. I ſhall in a few words ſhew you what thoſe times are that we are bound more eſpecially to call others into our help to ſeek the Lord for us.
Firſt,What thoſe times are that we are bound more eſpecially to call upon others to ſeek the Lord for us. when the Lord doth lay the guilt of ſin heavy upon the ſpirit, when the guilt of ſin lieth ſo heavy upon a mans conſcience that it cannot be removed, he hath tryed all private means, and ſtill his ſpirit is ſo oppreſſed as he knows not how to ſtand under it, then it is a duty to call in the help of others; Confeſs your ſins one to another, and pray one for another, James 5. and he maketh a gracious promiſe that in ſuch a caſe he will hear.
Secondly, we are eſpecially bound to ask the prayers of thoſe whom we have offended. Sometimes the Lord will not be appeaſed till we have begged the prayers of thoſe whom we have wronged; this was the caſe of Abimeleck, when he had wronged Abraham in taking away his wife Sarah. The Lord ſmote Abimeleck, and God doth adviſe Abimeleck to go to Abraham to pray for him, Gen. 20. 6, 7. And Abraham did pray for Abimeleck, and God did hear the prayer of Abraham for Abimeleck, Gen. 20. 17. And ſo the children of Iſrael they come to Moſes when as they had ſinned againſt the Lord, and murmured againſt Moſes, yet they deſired that Moſes would pray for them, and Moſes did pray for them, Numbers 21. 7. and the Lord was entreated for them.
And ſo it was the caſe of Jobs friends, God directs them to go to Job, and he ſhall pray for you, and ſaith God, I will hear him, Job 42. 8. you have ſinned againſt me, and have had hard thoughts of Job, and have been ſad comforters to Job, but go to Job, and Job ſhall pray for you, and I will hear Job. Oh! when we have wronged others, in ſuch a caſe it is our duty to acknowledge our offences, and to entreat that they would ſeek the Lord for us.
Thirdly, when as the Lord lays any heavy ſtroke upon us, our affliction is ſo heavy as we know not how to bear it our ſelves; truly it is wiſdom then, and a duty to call in help, in great afflictions we are to requeſt the prayers of others: The Apoſtle gives this direction, that ſuch as were members of Churches that when they were afflicted, they ſhould ſend for the Elders of the Church, and that they ſhould pray for them, James 5. 14, 15. And the Lord he promiſeth that he would give out healing; in great afflictions we are to call in the help of others, members of the Churches they ought to ſend for the Elders of the Church that in time of affliction they may pray for them.
Fourthly, when we are nigh ſome great danger, liable to danger either in the outward or inward man, or to walk in ſome dangerous wayes, or when we are by providence put upon ſuch wayes as we may meet with ſhares and temptations, where there is any danger, then it lies upon us to call in the help of others. So Eſther 4. 16, 17. ſhe was in great danger, there was a Law that whoſoever went into the King, and was not called, muſt be put to death, and the cauſe was ſo, that ſhe muſt go in to ſpeak with the King though it ſhould coſt her her life, and therefore ſhe ſendeth to Mordecai to gather the Jews that are preſent in Shuſhan, and faſt ye for me, pray for me, for it may coſt me my life, therefore I deſire you to faſt and pray for me.
Fifthly, when the Lord calls his people to ſome great ſervice, ſome work that may be for his honour and glory: So Eſther when ſhe was about ſome great work, faſt for me, faſt and pray, and I will ſpeak to the King.
Sixthly, when the Lord doth ſeem to ſhut us up that we cannot pray our ſelves, our condition may be ſo: Sometimes through weakneſs we are not able, and ſometimes when the Lord withdraws his Spirit, we are not able to pray our ſelves, that our prayers are but like Hezekiahs, like the chattering of a Crane or Swallow, then in ſuch caſes it is a duty to ſend to others, and call upon others; when we cannot pray our ſelves.
Seventhly and laſtly, when the Lord ſeems to be angry with any people, when the diſpleaſure of the Lord waxes hot and heavy, and we do not know how to bear it, it is hard then to go to God as to a Father, our ſelves, and therefore then we had need call in others to our help. When the wrath of the Lord was kindled againſt the children of Iſrael, then Moſes ſtept it, then he cryed to God for them, for they could not look to the Lord as to their Father, the wrath of the Lord was hot; and at that time it is our wiſdom and a duty for poor ſouls to call in others that they may cry to the Lord in their behalf.