The History of the Woman of Great Faith, Verse 27
VERSE 27.
And ſhe ſaid, Truth Lord; yet euen the dogs, or whelps, eate of the crummes which fall from their Maſters Table.
THe woman anſwers Chriſt (here) with retorting his owne argument vponupon him. Where, though ſhee confeſſe her ſelfe to bee a dogge in his ſenſe, ſaying, Truth Lord, as confeſſing ſo much: yet ſhe will not loſe all intereſt to his Table, but will hauehave ſomewhat from it, though vnderunder the table as a dogge. As if ſhe had ſaid: It is true Lord that I am a dogge, as thou haſt ſaid, and that by my curſed nature and nation: yet (my ſweet Sauiour) beſtow ſome crummes of thy grace vponupon me. This might be the womans humble reply to Chriſts calling, or comparing her to a dogge. Some would hauehave ſaid otherwayes (being ſo cut to the gall) and hauehave had an action againſt him for calling them dogges. But ſhee iuſtifies Chriſt in what he had ſaid; and impliedly rather, confeſſeth her ſelfe to bee a dogge, then can thinke that he could ſpeake falſely, who called, or compared, her ſo. After (yet) ſhe vſeth his owne weapon againſt him by an inuerſion of what hee had ſaid, as making rather for them againſt her. Doctr.But (firſt) we hauehave the woman iuſtifying Chriſt the Lord in his ſharpeſt anſwer to her: which practice of hers teacheth vsus the like, and that is, to confeſſe Gods iuſtice and truth in his roundeſt dealings with vsus. So Dauid cleared the Lord (in point of his iuſtice) even when hee ſuffered vnderunder his ſinne vntounto the brimme of hell. Nathan the Prophet had denounced the angry ſentence of the Lords iuſtice againſt him, for adultery and bloud: hee had told him from God, that euill ſhould bee raiſed againſt him out of his owne houſe: that the ſword ſhould lye vponupon it; that his wiues ſhould be defiled, and the childe of adultery ſhould dye: 2. Sam. 12.10.11 14. yet Dauid reaſoneth not againſt Gods true and righteous iudgement in all this, but iudgeth truly, that God was true, holy, and righteous; and that his ſinne had deſerued all that was then decreed againſt him, Pſal. 51.4. his words are: Againſt thee (and with the double in token of earneſtneſſe) thee, hauehave I ſinned: therefore be thou iuſtified when thou ſpeakeſt, and cleare when thou iudgeſt. It was a good ſigne of Elies ſaluation, that he ſubmitted to the Lord in that heauie iudgement that was pronounced againſt his houſe: for he ſaid, It is the Lord, let him do what ſeemeth him good. 1. Sam. 3.18. Good king Hezekiah ſubſcribed accordingly, and ſaid, The word of the Lord is good, 2. King. 20.19. as if hee had ſaid to the m…enger; There is no fault in thy meſſage, all is in my ſinne. When Shimei railed on Dauid, calling him murderer, and a man of bloud; he ſaw the the Lord to bee iuſt in that wicked mouth; and therefore ſaith to Abiſhai, and to the other, Suffer him to curſe, for the Lord hath bidden him. 2. Sam. 16.11. as if he ſhould hauehave ſaid: This is little enough, and I hauehave deſerued more. After Dauid, Daniel cleareth Gods ſeueritie in the heauieſt plague that euer was brought vponupon a nation. Dan. 9.13, 14. And Ieremy did the like in his booke of Lamentations: for, ſaying, that Ieruſalem was then as greatly deſpiſed as euer greatly honoured before; hee ſaith, that it was, becauſe ſhee had greatly ſinned. Lament. 1.8. All theſe did confeſſe a righteous Father to the iudgements that were (then) in the world, making ſinne the proper efficient of them all. The reaſons. Reaſons.They know, that God could not but bee iuſt in word and deed, as was ſaid, Pſal 51.4. and therefore in both iuſtifiable. For, what can hee ſay or doe amiſſe, that can neither ſay nor do otherwayes then well? Secondly, God is not onelyonly true, but the truth; nor onelyonly iuſt, but iuſtice it ſelfe. Ioh. 14.6. 1. Cor. 1: 30. Now truth can neuer bee a lie, nor iuſtice vnrighteouſneſſe. Thirdly, Gods children muſt be contrary to the deuils children, and doe contrarily. The deuils children condemne the Lord, 2. King. 6.33. Gods children therefore muſt cleare him; they iuſtifie themſelues, Ezek. 18.25.29. theſe muſt inſtifie him. A good natur'd childe will rather take fault to himſelfe, then charge his father: and what children are they that charge God with fault who cannot offend? Rom. 3.5.
An admonition to Chriſtians to ſee their owne deſeruings, Vſe 1.and faultineſſe in all that is vponupon them from God, and to pray for ſuch eyes; for, (then) they will not charge him with wrong, who can doe nothing but what is equall and iuſt, Ezek. 18.4.2. Chron. 19.7. The more we behold our ſelues in this glaſſe, the more patient we will bee in the hardeſt things that come. So was Iob, who therefore anſwered the Lord and ſaid, Behold I am vile, and what ſhall I anſwer thee? I will lay my hand vponupon my mouth: Iob 40 3. Till God had opened his eyes, by ſhewing vntounto him his ſinne, and by making it apparent, as the light at noon-day, now impoſſible it was for a God, ſo innocent, to puniſh without cauſe; he ſtood ſtiffely vponupon his iuſtification, and thought hee could ſet downe God with his arguments, Iob 23.3.4.5. here his eyes were held, and ſcales of ſelf-ſufficiency were vponupon them; but when his ſight was clearer, he ſaid as we heard. When Ieremy ſaw as he ſhould, he ſaid, O Lord, if I diſpute with thee, thou art righteous. Iere. 12.1. he knew he ſhould bee at a non-plus, if he went on, and therefore yeelded without any more ado. So, if we would rightly conſider our wayes, and our ſelues in ſinne, inſtead of reaſoning with God about our troubles, wee would confeſſe his iuſt hand vponupon vsus, and ſay to our ſelues as the euill doer to his fellow, we are iuſtly here. Luk. 23.41. but we meaſure the puniſhment, and weigh not the ſinnes that hauehave cauſed it, and therefore that God ſtrikes too hard for ſmall matters. Hence, ſome complaine of too much ſtrictneſſe in God, when for taſting of a little fruite, hee would caſt all mankinde into miſerie. But theſe neuer yet conſidered rightly the merit of that ſinne, and maieſty of the perſon againſt whom it was committed. The wages of eueryevery ſin is death eternall. Rom. 6 23. and Gods maieſtie makes eueryevery ſinne great, though ſmall in our eyes. And here though the matter, in which the ſinne was done, were ſmall, yet was it no ſmall ſinne to bee ambitious of Gods place, to beleeue the deuill before God, to be ſo vnthankfull for ſo large a liberty in all the other trees, not to be contented with ones eſtate, to breake a knowne and eaſie Commandement, and to caſt away the whole world of mankinde in one ſinne. Againe, ſome thinke it too great ſcueritie in God to drowne a whole world of men in one Floud, ſo as none were ſaued but eight perſons. But they that thus put finger in the eye, repining at Gods iuſt doings, beſides the blaſphemie of ſuch a wicked taxation of the righteous God, they neither know his greatneſſe, nor how great a ſinne it is to offend it.
A reproofe of their impatiencie, Vſe 2who murmure againſt God for eueryevery little croſſe hee ſends them in their children, in their cattell, or corne-fields. For, thus to murmure, is to ſay plainly, that they deſerue no ſuch vniuſt ſtrokes of his hand. But if God ſhould take away all, as he did from Iob, we ſhould take the loſſe as Iob did, bleſſing his name, Iob 1.21. Nay if he ſhould raze vsus out of his booke of life, wee ſhould bee dumbe and ſay nothing, becauſe hee hath done it. Pſalm. 39.2. how much more ſhould we hold in, when he doth but ſoftly touch vsus, and not ſend his iron into our ſoules? Some yeeld to the Lord with a forced ſubmiſſion, ſaying, What remedie? as if hee carried all by the elder hand, and plagued them, becauſe they could not reſiſt him. Where (yet) it is their own wickedneſſe that hath corrected them, Ier. 2.19. onelyonly the Lord then vſed his great power to make good his iuſtice vponupon them for wilfull tranſgreſſion. For iuſt is the Lord, and nothing ſhall faile of all that is written concerning him; not one ſillable, not one letter, or ſmall pricke, Matth. 5.18. Of this woman, Vſe 3(the mirrour of a worthy hearer) all hearers ſhould learne patience and application in the ſharpeſt reproofe of the word. When it rebuketh a ſinne, they that bee guiltie, ſhould turne the edge to themſelues, confeſſe a truth, and not kicke againſt the prickes of it. Acts 9.5. The Apoſtle Saint Paul, where hee found ſinne, made an owle of it, and follows it with crying out, Who ſhall deliuer mee from this bodie of death? Rom. 7.24. He was a perſecuter, a blaſphemer, a great ſinner; and he tells the world with his owne penne, that he was ſo, 1. Tim. 1.13.15. But how many will doe ſo now, and giuegive God the right of his iuſtice, by keeping their ſinnes alwayes in ſight, and by branding hell in their foreheads, as the Apoſtle did? rather, when they ſhould ſay, truth Sir, to the Preacher, they riſe in his face for ſpeaking but truly and iuſtly of their ſinne.
The inuerſion of Chriſts Anſwer followeth.
Yet euen the dogges eate of the crummes, &c.
HEere the woman (as wee heard) makes vſe of Chriſts argument, and turnes the point of it vponupon her ſelfe. For, ſhe ſaith, Yet euen the dogges, &c. as if ſhee ſhould hauehave ſaid, Though (in thy meaning Lord) I bee but a dogge, or whelpe, vnderunder the table of the children (and I preſume no higher) yet I may gather vp the chippings that fall from the table, where the children hauehave ſo much. What therefore is not denyed to a dogge, giuegive (Lord) to thy proſtrate hand-maid. Or thus: The table of the children was neuer ſo ſparingly ſet, but that ſomewhat wold fall ouer to thoſe that waited below. I am one that humbly waite below: Lord ſay to thy ſeruants ſoule, I am thy ſaluation. Pſalm. 35.3. This may bee the womans anſwer in more words. And here was great faith indeed; and (with it) great humilitie. This woman was faithfull, and yet humble: and ſo wee ſee that certaintie of faith may ſtand with humilitie. Indeed, Doctr. 1.fooliſh preſumption will be anſwered with nothing, though it hauehave nothing to ſay, and be brought to a ſtand: where true faith goes forward, though limpingly, as vponupon ſtilts. For, it bel…ues beyond reaſon of letter, and aboue hope vnderunder hope, Rom 4.18. Abraham (the patterne of faith) was humble enough, when hee drew neare to God. Geneſ. 18.27. And Daniels three companions in the captiuitie, were not conceited of themſelues, when yet they could ſay to the king, The God, whom we ſerue, will deliuer vsus. Dan. 3.17. And bleſſed Mary might be the ſeruant of the Lord, and the mother of Chriſt too; who bore him in her faith, as ſurely as in her bellie. Luk. 1.38. Alſo hee greatly truſted in God, who (yet) could ſay, Lord, my heart is not hautie, nor my eyes loftie: Pſal. 131.1. And Iehoſaphat, that ſtrongly repoſed on God, ſaid, that hee could not tell what to do, or that he had neuer an eye vponupon himſelfe, but his eyes were toward the Lord, 2. Chro. 20.12. Thus true faith hath roome enough for humilitie. The reaſons. Reaſons.To doe what we are commanded to doe, vponupon a promiſe, is not pride, but obedience. Now we are commanded vponupon a promiſe to beleeue: and therefore, we may beleeue, and be humble. Ioh. 3 16.27. Beggers are humble enough, and yet importunate: ſuch a beggar is faith, which hath nothing but what it ſeekes and gets abroad, Pſalm. 40.17. and therefore (as a beggar) it ſpeaks with prayer, and humbly by petition.
Vſe is (firſt) for confutation of Papiſts, Vſe 1.who call true confidence in God, proud preſumption. Their tenent is, that none can without an arrogant ſpirit beleeue the certaintie of their owne ſaluation. But we ſee the contrary in this humble and proſtrate woman: and (verily) whoſoeuer truſteth moſt in God, hath the leaſt opinion of his own worth. So, this woman paſſing others in faith, went before them in a low conceit of her ſelfe. But they who ſay, that it is pride and arrogancie to truſt in God for ſaluation, hold it no pride to truſt in themſelues for it. Hence the vulgar (which are of their teaching) ſay, that they hope to be ſaued by their good meanings, and their good deeds.
The ſecond vſe is, Vſe 2.for the triall of our faith: for, the humbler in the opinion of …ur ſelues, the ſtronger in faith. The more we truſt God, the leſſe we truſt our ſelues, though neuer ſo full of good works. Iob was a painfull workman in the Law, yet ſaith, that if God ſhould contend with him, or poſe him hard, hee could not anſwer him one of a thouſand, Iob 9.3.14. Dauid confeſſeth as much, Pſalm. 148.2. which is, that no fleſh, if the winde of iuſtice blow vponupon it, can ſtand in Gods ſight; for ſo, in his ſight ſhall none that liueth bee iuſtified. Could there bee better men then theſe two, and of better faith? and yet how humble in all that they did? So, the returning Prodigall had great confidence in his father; yet caſt himſelfe below a ſonne, and thought himſelfe not worthy to ſit with the Hindes, except his father were ſo pleaſed: I herefore hee faith, I am no more worthy to bee called thy ſonne, make me as one of thy hired ſeruants: for, vnworthy to be ſo, except thou make me ſo. Luk. 15.19.21. To bee ſhort, how many more faithfull then this woman, and how many more humble? Therefore the denials of Chriſt were but as ſo many ſtrong windes, to cauſe the flame of her faith to riſe vp higher.
But here further, the woman ſpeaking of ſome crummes or fallings from the table of the children, intimates that it was a full table, a table that ranne ouer, and where was no want, but exceedings rather. And (here) learne that the Iewes diet (in time of the Law) was no ſpare diet, Doctr. 2but a table running ouer to the Gentiles. Naaman the Syrian, Luk. 4.27. the widow of Sarepta, Luk. 4.26. the woman of Samaria, Ioh. 4.28. the Centurion in Saint Matthew, Matth. 8.5.6.7.8. Iob in Vz, Iob 1.1. and this woman here▪ were all fed, though not with the whole loafe, yet with crummes from the childrens table. And crums were good fare in the hunger-bitten land of the ignorant Nations. Though (God) then but dropped vponupon them, yet (in the Goſpell, and when the Iewes would not come to the Kings wedding dinner, Matth. 22.9, 10.) they had a plentifull raine of grace, which was ſhed vponupon them abundantly, Tit. 3.6. and then the hall was ſet round with gueſts. It is ſure then that God euer kept a good table, & a table well appointed for all that would come. The reaſons. Reaſons.It is for his greater glory: for, that houſe-keeping is much commended where is no want. But God ſpares for no coſt, where his gueſts come willingly: if they want not a ſtomacke, they ſhall want for no meat; for hee that is rich in abundance of all heaneuly treaſures, will ſerue them of all that their heart can deſire. Aſſuerus feaſt, that which hee made to his Princes, was much ſpoken of, Heſt 1.3, 4.5. and will the Lord of glory doe leſſe in that banquet, which he prouideth for his peoples ſaluation, then a mortall ſinfull man did in that which was made for his magnificence? Secondly, God dearely loues his children, and they ſhall hauehave of the beſt. Where men louelove dearely, they will prouide for them as they are able, and wiſh they had better. But this wiſh needs not, where hee makes the feaſt, who is rich in grace: and, neither loth to goe the charge where hee loues, as miſerable; nor in any want of abilitie to doe it, as inſufficient: for hee hath will and abilitie both. Thirdly, it is the wedding dinner of the Kings Sonne, Matth: 22.2. and doe Kings make a ſpare dinner when they marie the Prince, their eldeſt Sonne? Hence wee reade of the fulneſſe of Chriſt, Iohn 1.16. and ſo not of a ſcant meaſure in him, but of a meaſure running ouer: his grace is not by droppes, but by ſhowers.
Was the table of the children vnderunder the law ſo well ſet and furniſhed? Ʋſe 1.it muſt needs be much better vnderunder Chriſt: or, is the bread of grace now in greater abundance? it maketh for the greater condemnation of thoſe that famiſh at ſo full a meaſure of the meanes: for hath God bin at ſuch charges with his laſt great ſupper, & (as contemners of his bountie) will we not taſte of his meate, or (as the recuſant gueſts, ſpoken of, Luke 14 17, 18, 19, 20.) not come to it at all? wee hauehave that now in big loaues, which this woman begged, but in the chippins and crummes: yet how earneſtly and with what a faith did ſhee craue thoſe fallings from the table of the children? and with what vnwillingneſſe doe we come to meate, that are inuited, and may ſit downe at table in nobler graces? ſhe deſired to drinke of a ſmall brooke; and wee will not put our mouth to the riuer of life.
Was Gods table (anciently) well ſerued, and better now? Vſe 2it is for the confutation of a Popiſh idle, but wicked conceit; which is, that, that table (as poorely ſerued) muſt be ſupplied from the common cheſt of Saints merits, diſpoſed of by a man of ſinne at Rome: for, this treaſurie (according to the doctrine of that Church) is the common place of all that ouer plus of workes, of merit that the Saints did, and which they had to ſpare for others: but might not the beſt of them hauehave ſaid, (not as the fiue wiſe virgins, leſt there bee not enough for vsus and you, Mat. 25.9.) but as the truth is; our merit was neuer any thing with God, for our ſelues & therefore neither any thing for vsus or you? here was no want: & what need a ſupply then? or if any were, (as none was) what were the Saints ſpoone-full to Chriſts ſea-full? or their drop (rather nothing) to his fulnes, that giues plē tifull redemption to his Saints?
Thirdly, Vſe 3this doctrine of the riches of Gods grace may bee our great comfort in all corporall wants: and (therefore) wanting corporall food, or corporall health, or other corporall ſupplies, we ſhould not be troubled ſeeing we may alwaies hauehave that which is more or better than all theſe; and that is, that which is ſufficient for vsus (as the anſwer was to S. Paul, 2. Cor. 12.9.) a ſufficient portion of grace. I know that many had rather hauehave a pennie in purſe than it, who ſay with Eſau; they are almoſt dead, and what is that birth-right to them? Gen. 25.32. alſo it may be, that as Anna, ſo the godlie, (though with her, they hauehave a worthy portion, otherwaies) may weepe and grieue too much, becauſe (as ſhe was barren of children,) ſo are they in theſe outward things, both barren and bare, 1 Sam. 1.5. 7 but what Elkanah the husband ſaid to Anna his wife, that Chriſt, the gracious husband of his Church, ſaith to her his ſpouſe, and to all the godlie: am not … better to thee than ten Sons? that is, better than all thoſe outward things, as health, food, apparell, goods, good name, or any good thing of no higher riſe? v. 8 or, it is not better to hauehave mee, than all theſe (with a Kings crowne to boot) without me?
So much for the conference it ſelfe, the iſſue of it followeth.