The Trial and Triumph of Faith, Sermon 16
SERMON XVI.
Vers. 26.
Mat. 15▪But he answered, and said, it is not meet to take the childrens bread, and to cast it to whelps.
27.
And she said, Truth Lord, yet the whelps eat of the crums that fall from the Masters Table.
28.
And Jesus answered, and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith, be it unto thee even as thou wilt: and her daughter was made whole from that very houre.
30.
Mark 7,And when she came to her house, she found the devill gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.
THe dispute between Christ and the woman goeth on: Christ bringeth a strong reason, vers. 26. why he should not heal he… daughter; because she, and all her nation, not being in Covenant with God, as are the Jews the Church of God, are but dogs, and profane, and unworthy of Christ, which is the bread ordained for the children.
Nationall sins may occurre to the consciences of the child of God in his approach to God.When Christ humbleth, he may put us in remembrance of our nation, and nationall sins, Isa. 51.1. Look to the Rock whence ye were hewen, and to the hole of the pit whence ye were digged—I alone called Abraham, he was an Idolater, Hos. 9.10. I found Israel like grapes in the wildernesse, they should have been wild grapes rotten in the wildernesse, had I not put them in my basket, Ezek. 16.2. Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abomination. How? Make them know the stock they came of. 3. And say, thus saith the Lord unto Jerusalem, Thy birth, and thy nativity, is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother a Hittite. When the Jews was to offer the first fruits to the Lord, Deu. 26.5. And thou shalt speak, and say before the Lord thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and went down to Egypt to sojourn there. Thus the forgetting of what we are by nature, addeth to our guiltinesse, Eze. 16.22. And in all thine abominations, and thy whoredoms, thou hast not remembred the days of thy youth, when thou wast naked, and bare, (and wast) polluted in thy blood: So the Ephesians must be told how unfit they were by nature for Christ; being the very work-house, and shop of the Devill, in which he wrought, Eph. 2.1, 2, 3. Nationall sins hath influence in their guilt and contagion on beleevers: 1. When they mourn not for them, Gods displeasure should be our sorrow: 2. When they stand not in the gap to turn away wrath, Ez. 22.30. There were, Isa. 59. Godly men that departed from ill, v. 15. But Gods quarrell was, that there was no intercessor: in Fasting, beleevers, though pardoned, may have on them a burden of the sins of three nations, and be involved in that same wrath with them: Nationall repentance is required of every one, no lesse then personall Repentance: who sorrows for the blood of Malignants and Rebels? for their oaths, mocking, scoffing, Massing; The sins of the Land, Idolatry, Superstitious dayes, vain Ceremonies, &c. have influence on a believers conscience in his approach to God. But we are here to consider, that Christ doth two great and contrary works at once: 1. He humbleth the believing woman, in reproaching her as a prophane Dog, unworthy of the childrens bread, that the Will may be more broken for beleeving: And 2. He tryeth and tempteth her, to see if she can, by reproaches be taken off from Christ. A broken will is a broken heart; for will is the iron sinew in the heart; decourt merit and conceit of any good in thy self, but the uncleannesse of a dog: And 2. break will, that that proud thing may fall in two peeces at Christs feet: And 3. Beleeve, stick by thy point, that though a Dog, yet thou art one of Christs Dogs, and then all is well: The best way to break the will; is 1. to offer Hell, and the coals of everlasting burning to it; yea, and when the soul is humbled, to humble it more: Christ knew, that this woman was lying in the dust, but he will have her below the dust when he tryeth her with such a humbling temptation; Many think the troubled conscience should not be further humbled: They say, (There is nothing for such a soul but the honey and sweetnesse of consolations in the Gospel) Nay, but often that which troubleth them, is subtile, & invisible pride; he'll not beleeve for want of self-worthinesse: Oh I dare not rest on Christ, nor apply the Promises, because of my sinfull unworthinesse: Now if this be humility, its the proudest humility in the world,A subtile humble pride, the disease of weake ones who dare not apply the promises. Sense of free grace humbleth exceedingly. for the soul thus troubled, saith, I am not good enough, nor rich enough for Christ and his fine gold: and the truth is, he is not a good enough Papist to give a ransome of self-worth, for that great ransome of bloud, which cannot be bought: but though thou shouldst buy Christ, the Father will not sell him: Christ is disposed to a sinner, as a f…ee gift, not as a wage or a hire: There is a difference between down-casting, and saving-humiliation; down casting may exceed measure in the too much apprehension of the Law-curses, and may be conjoyned with much pride, and self-love: But right and saving humiliation, conjoyned with Faith, cannot over passe bounds; it ariseth often from the sense of grace, rather then from the Law; God giveth grace to the humble, and he giveth humility to the gracious, under the sense of rich grace, 1 Tim. 1.15. Eph. 3.8. Tit. 3.3, 4, 5. 2 Tim. 1.9. Nothing humbleth us more then an opinion of the power and excellency of grace: Grace known & apprehended in its worth, layeth down proud nature on the earth, 1 Cor. 15.9.10. Christs Grace was Christs Accomt-book to Paul; But by the grace of God, I am that I am: A borrowed garment, though of silke, will make a wise man humble; many sins pardoned made much love to Christ, and much humility in the woman, Luke 7.44. And made her lay head and hair, yea, and heart also, under the soles of Christs feet; no doubt she thought basely of her self, and her hair, remembring that grace put these feet to a sad and tiresome journey, to come in the world to seek the lost, & to be pierced with nails for her: There's courtesie in free grace, being the marrow and flower of unhired love, to kill high thoughts of a self destroying sinner.
Observe also, that not to dare to come to Christ, and believe and pray, because of unworthinesse, such as is in Dogs that are without the new City, Rev. 22.15. Is but a very temptation: And Christ under the notion of tempting and trying, offereth that to the woman, that she was too daring and bold, being a Dog, to presume to ask for the childrens bread; hence have we to consider how farre the conscience of sinne ought to stand in our way toward Christ; hence these considerations: 1. Conscience of sin is to humble any, that is, to make out for Christ, Act. 9. (Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?) Spoken by Christ, brought Paul down off his high horse,How far forth conscience of wretchednesse can hinder any to come to Christ, and how it is a temptation. and laid his soul on the dust, Rom. 3.19. Now we know that what things soever the Law saith, it saith to them who are under the Law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God: Its a speech taken from a malefactor Arraigned and pannelled upon his head: When the judge Objecteth, What say you? this and this Treason is witnessed against you: Alas, the poor man standeth speechlesse, and dumb, his mouth is stopped, Ezek. 16.63. That thou maist remember (thy old shame) and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more, because of thy shame: Christ then hath the sinners neck under his Axe: What justice and Law may do, that Christ may do: The Captive taken in war, may be killed, by the Law of Wars, if he refuse to submit: 2. No sin is unpardonable Treason, but the sin against the holy Ghost, and finall impenitence: The Gospel is a Treaty of Peace, between parties in war, none are excepted but these two: 3. But what then, if a soul come to this; I have either sinned against the holy Ghost, or certainly am upon the borders of it; because Christ knocked long, and a year ago, or a long time from this, I remember of his farewell rap: When Christ knocking, took his last good-night with this word; he that is filthy, let him be filthy still; and said he would never come again: I grant, an ill conscience can speak prophecy, Exod. 10.28, 29. So Pharaoh did Prophesie, and Cain also, Gen. 4.13, 14. But 2. I can yeeld that there be some farewell knockings of Christ, after which Christ is never seen or heard at the door of some mens hearts, Acts 13.46. Paul speaketh so to the Jews: But seeing you put (the Gospel) from you, and judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life, lo we turn to the Gentiles: The like is Christs language to them, Joh. 8.21. Then said Jesus to them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins; whether I go, ye cannot come. I doubt if any can sin the sin against the holy Ghost, and the sinner onelyonly and no other complain of it; that sin breaketh out in prodigious Acts of wickednesse▪ as blood and persecution: Though it were true, that you were upon the borders of Hell, yet the Gospel, though it except you from actuall mercy, yet not from the duty of believing and comming to Christ; and though such think, and imagine that they believe Christ is able to save and redeem them, only they doubt of his will; yet the truth is, the doubt of unbelief is more of the power of mercy and infinite Grace in Christ, then of his will; and my reason is, that whosoever believeth, Joh. 3.33. hath set to his seal that God is true, and 1 Ioh. 5.10. He that believeth not God, hath made him a Liar, because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son: Now it is not Gods Testimony, nor any Gospel-Truth, that such as sin against the holy Ghost shall be pardoned; yea, the contrary is said, Mat. 12.31, 32. Yet these that sin against the holy Ghost are condemned, for unbelief, as all other unbelievers are, Ioh. 3.18, 36. Then such as fall in this sin, though they say,Who ever doubteth if God will save him, doubteth also if he can save. Infinite mercy can pardon them, but infinite mercy will not pardon them; should not bely God, by unbelieving these truths, for they are Gospel-truths; then must the unbelief of those that sin against the Holy Ghost put a lie upon some Gospel-truth, and this can be only on the power of infinite mercy; and so they must say, Christ cannot save, though he would, for there's a power of Christ in merciemercy, no lesse then a will. If F. Spira go for a despairing Reprobate (which I dare not averre) yet when he said, he believed Christ was able to save him, but he doubted of his will; he must not be so understood, as if it were so indeed: Unbelievers know not all the mysterious turnings of lying & self deceiving unbelief. Unbelief may lie to men of it self, when it dare belie the worth of that soul-redeeming ransome of Christs blood; if he that sinneth against the holy Ghost, could believe the power of infinite mercy, he should also believe the will and inclination of infinite mercy, for the power of mercy is the very power of a mercifull will. I shall not then be afraid that soul is lost, which hath high and capacious apprehensions of the worth, value, dignity and power of that dear ransome, and of infinite mercy. Its faith to believe this Gospel-truth, which is, Heb. 7.25. That Christ is able to save to the utmost all those that come to him: if I believe soundly what free grace can do, I believe also soundly what free grace will do. Its true, Christ can save many, whom he never will save; but the faith of the power of merciemercy, and of his will to save, is of a far other consideration. 4. It must then be the prevailing of a temptation, not to dare to come to Christ, because I am a dog, and unworthy. 1. Because sin is no porter put to watch the door of Christs house of free-grace,Sin keepeth not the door of Christ to hold out sinners. mercy keepeth the keys; sin may object my evill deserving, but it cannot object Christs rich deserving. 2. That which maketh me unworthy, and gracelesse, and unfit to be saved, may make Christ worthy, and gracious to save; my sin may be Christs rich grace. Though sin maketh me unworthy of Christ▪ yet it maketh me a fit passive object for the Physitian Christ to work on; and maketh not Christ unworthy to save. If I feel sin, it then saith, Thou art the very person by name that Christ seeketh. Therefore is the sense of sin required as a condition in all that cometh to Christ, whether it be before conversion, or after conversion, when acts of faith are renewed.
Obj. But we finde by experience, that true poverty of spirit, Rise, reign & ruine of Antino. error 17. pag. 4.and sense of sinfull wretchednesse, doth kill and destroy any sight of guilt and wickednesse in my self; if I rightly see Christ, I shall not also see any unworthinesse in my self. Answ. This experience is not warranted by the word of truth. These may well consist together: 1. That felt and apprehended wretchednesse of a sinner, may stand with a sight of Christs riches of grace, is as evident, as the felt pain of the sting of the fiery Scorpion, Sense of my own sinfull condition and a sight of the Excellency of Christ and his grace may stand together.may stand with looking up to the brazen Serpent, and being saved: yea, when the poor man, Mark 9.24. said, Lord, I believe, help my unbeleefe; he both was sensible of faith, and unbeleefe. 2. Yea, the converted may well see grace and holinesse in himself, (else how shall he be thankfull to Christ the giver) and also see Christ, and beleeve his righteousnesse? for holy walking commeth under a threefold consideration: 1. As a duty. 2. As a mean ordained of God that we should walk in, Eph. 2.10. 3. As a promise, Holy walking may bee felt by the believer in himself, and Christs excellency also. Holiness considered 1. as a Duty. 2. As a mean. 3. As a promise.or a thing promised in the new Covenant: and in this threefold consideration, we may know how far we may build our peace upon any duties, as upon evidences of our state of grace; 1. as holy walking is a duty coming from us, its no ground of true peace, beleevers often seek in themselves what they should seek in Christ; this is naturall merit; often we argue from the measure of obedience to deny grace altogether; this is a false way, especially its a false way of logick, to argue Negatively, from want of such & such a measure of obedience, to deny you are in Christ; how we may argue Affirmatively, we shall hear hereafter. 2. The dutie is Christs mean, not injoyned in a strict Law-way, but in a Gospel-way, as the commandement is oiled with a Gospel-spirit of love: Law and love are not contrary, as Antinomians do imagine; Christ has united, not only persons, but also graces and vertues. This way the duty is a mean, and a way, not to the right of salvation, but to the actuall possession of it; and as it is, or standeth stated before us in the letter of the Gospel, in a Morall commanding, or a Doctrinall, or directing way, without the efficacy of grace, it can be nothing but a Doctrinall-mean, no more then the Law-way is; for all Gospel-precepts without grace, are as little available to us, as the Law: But in the third Notion, holy walking as performed by that efficacious grace promised in the Covenant of grace; is an Argument on which we may build our peace, not as a cause, or a merit-deserving peace, but as a grace threeded upon the free promise of God:August. DEUS coronat innobis non nostra merita, sed sua dona. How we collect peace in our spiritual state by holy walking. so the Saints have builded upon their sincere walking, as on a fruit of the Covenant of Grace promised to us, Jer. 31.33. Jer. 32. for so duties speak the mercies promised in the Covenant, 38. And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever: See Ezech. 36.27. Isa. 54.13. Upon this ground Ezekiah pleadeth with God, when he heard the sentence of death, Isa. 38.3. Remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight: And David putteth his faith upon this, as a gracious fruit of grace promised in the Covenant of Grace: So David pleadeth, and in faith, Psal. 86.2. Preserve my soul; here is a prayer in faith, and upon what ground, for I am holy. Now this would seem Pharisaicall, and merit-like, if holinesse did not relate to the free promise of the Covenant of Grace, in which God hath promised, and tyed himself by Covenant, to make his own children holy; and also is resolved upon a proposition of the covenant of grace. God hath both promised to cause his covenanted ones walk before him in truth, as did Ezekiah, as we have it, Ezek. 36.27. and he has promised to save and deliver the upright in heart: as is clear, Ps. 50.23. Ps. 34.15. 1 Pet. 3.12. Ps. 145.18, 19. So all the peace we can collect, for our comfort, from holy walking is resolved on a promise of free-grace, and the duty as performed by the grace of the covenant, may and doth lead us to the promise, & so no wise from Christ but to Christ. Holy walking, is a faithfull witnesse: and a true witnesse may lead any accused man to Law-right: holinesse may lead me to the promise, and that is good Law-right: if we cannot gather any assurance of our spirituall estate from holy duties in us, such as are universall obedience, sincerity in keeping closse to Christ, and love to the Saints, because they may deceive us, and may be in Hypocrites, as Doctor Crispe saith, then may faith also deceive us, for there be as many kindes of false faiths, as there be of counterfeit loves to the Saints: and there is somewhat of Christ peculiar to the regenerate in their love, obedience, and sincerity, which they may discern to be a saving Character, and badge of Christ, no lesse then in faith: 2. But here's the mystery, neither faith, nor any thing inherent in us, can yeeld us certainty that we are in Christ, or any peace with God, in regard all grace, all evidences of our good estate is without us in Christ, inherent holinesse and duties are but fancies; When we then refuse the comforts of God, and Peace from holy walking, as its thred, and linked to the Promise, we refuse Christ; especially, under desertion, wee bid Christ look away from us; and there's a wilfulnesse of unbelieving sorrow, so that Rachel will not be comforted: But when we refuse Christs comforts, we refuse himself; she who refuseth to accept of a Bracelet, or of a Gold-ring from him who s…iteth her in marriage, she refuseth both his love, and himself, in that she refuseth his love-token.
Christ a great housholder. The Priviledges of the children of the house.Observe also, that Christ bringeth himself in, as a great House-holder in the Gospel: in his house there be divers children, servants, Dogs, and the house is broad, and open to all that comes: There's bread in our Fathers house for all: What bread? A great Marriage Supper: here's a Kings Son Married, Matth. 22. Luk. 14 and many excellent dainties, and all dainties is Christ the marrow of the Gospel that bread of life, Iohn 6.48. I am that bread of life: he was the wheat, Ioh. 12.24. That dieth and rotteth in the earth, and then taketh life, and bringeth forth fruit: he is the wheat that suffered the Winter Frosts and storms, rain and windes, and went through the milstones of Gods wrath, and was bruised for our iniquities, Isa. 53.5. For it pleased the Lord to bruise him: ver. 10. foreign Dakeo, is Contundere, Christ the bread of life.to grinde us in a Morter, or Mill: and he went through the Oven and Fierie furnace of the anger of God, before he could be bread for the Kings table & the children. 2. Every bread is not the bread of children: Christ is not a loaf, nor a Feast, for the man that wanteth his wedding-garment: such a friend was never invited to the banquet, Matth. 22.11.12. and of those that loaths Christ, and loveth their lusts better then him, Christ saith, Luk. 14.24 None of these men that were bidden shall taste of my supper: The children are parts of the house, and are more then children, heirs, even joynt heires with the eldest heir Christ, Communion between the children and the first heir, Christ in five particulars.Rom. 8.17. 1. Because Christ and the younger heirs divideth Heaven (to speak so) between them, and 1. the spirit that raised Christ from the dead, Rom. 8.11. dwelleth in them: 2. They have one GOD, and one Father CHRIST, and we are Fathers Children, Joh. 20.17. Go to my brethren, and say to them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father, and to my God and your God: 3. We must be together in one place, all the children must be in one house together, Ioh. 17.24. Ioh. 14.3. And if I go (its not an if) of doubting) And prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto my self, that where I am, there ye may be also, Joh. 12.26. And where I am, there shall also my servant be: 4. On Resurrection, Ioh. 14.19. Because I live, ye shall live also, 1 Cor. 15.23. Every believer is raised in Christ, but in order, Every man in his own order, Christ first, as the first fruits: 5. One Heaven and one Kingdom: and one Throne, Luk. 22.29. Rev. 3.21. 2. There be great oddes between the spirit or minde of an heir,The Spirit of an heir and of a servant different. or a son, and a servant: the heire will do much for the birth-right, take his life from him, ere you take his Heritage from him: Esaws face dryed, he weeped no more, when his father blessed him with the dew of Heaven, and the fatnesse of the earth: a servant will not contend to be an heire: 3. Joh. 8.35. The servant abideth not in the house for ever, but the Son abideth ever: The sons reward is all hope; as some courtiers attend Princes upon hopes; servants have hand-payment, and present wages, everie Professor trie his spirit, and nature, if the spirit bend toward the inheritance and Heaven-ward its right: see who looketh to the last year of Nonage and minority, and hath not an eye and heart on time: theirs a latent hope in all troubles in sons, as in a Kings heire in a farre Country where he is not known, not honoured as one of a Princes blood, but neglected, injured: yea, in want and necessity, yet when he casteth his eye upon his over-sea hope, it cometh home to his heart with ease, One day I shall be a King, in honour, and wealth: 2. Try the free and ingenuous spirit of a son toward the Father, there's not a nature or an instinct in the servant, nor such an inward principle toward the lord of the house, as in a son; blood and nature is strong and prevalent, blood-bonds, nature-relations are mighty, Mark 7.27. But Jesus said unto her, let the children first be filled: Christ denied not, but the woman and the Gentiles have a right to the bread of Christs house, only Grace must keep an order; let the Jews first have the loaf broken to them, and then let the Gentiles have the by-board, or the second Table of Christ; hence observe Christs wise attempterating of the temptation in these particulars: 1. That temptations are measured by grans and scruples to the Saints; there's a seed of comfort and hope in Christs glowning and frownings; he would say,There's a seed of hope and comfort in the hardest desertions of the Saints. when the children are filled with bread first, then you that are dogs shall also have your portion of the childrens bread; there is a kisse and bowels of compassion under the lap of that covering and cloak of wrath, with which he is covered, for in wrath he remembers mercy, and moderateth anger; Fury is not in me, Is. 27.4. 2. Gospel trials and temptations are for a mercifull end, that Paul may not be puffed up, or as he saith, 2 Cor. 12.7. foreign Lest I should be like a Meteor, lifted up in the air above measure, 2 Corinth. 1.9. But wee had the sentence of death in our selves (as condemned malefactors) that we should not trust in our selves: 3. God will not have them above our strength; but the burden and the back are proportioned, 1 Cor. 10 13. Its good that we know Christ breweth or mixeth our cup; he can Sugar the salt and bitter wine with mercy, there is no desertion of the Saints that we read of, but there's as much of Christ in it, as giveth it some taste and smell of heaven: Heaven is stamped upon the hell of the Saints, life is written on their death; their grave and dead corps are hot, and doth breath out life, and glory, their ashes and dust smell of immortality and resurrection to life: Even when Christ is gone from the Church, he leaveth a pawn or a pledge behinde him, as love-sicknesse for the want of him, Cant. 3. and 5. When Christ is nothing but an empty grave, and he himself is away yet weeping for the want of him, without care of Angels or Apostles, when the beloved himself is gone is somewhat of Christ; yea, he sendeth before a Messenger to tell that the King himself is comming, as in a great summer drouth, little drops goeth before the great shower, to make good report that the earth shall be refreshed; 1. longings for him: 2. waiting after him: 3. Christ in you seeking after Christ are Messengers of heaven sent before to dresse and adorne the lodging for the Prince, who is on his journey comming to thee.