The History of the Woman of Great Faith, Verse 23
VERSE 23.
But hee anſwered her not a word.
THis not replying to the womans requeſt by any audible voice, was a very ſore and grieuous repulſe to the eare: it may be, he ſpake in good words and comfortable to her crying heart: yet the temptation was great, ſaying, hee gaue her not one word of anſwer: her tower was ſummoned when the deuill was ſent into her daughter: and now it would ſeeme to be taken. For her Sauiour, paſſing ouer with ſilence as in diſdaine, what ſhe had ſo humbly entreated from him concerning her daughter; how could ſuch an anſwer, without anſwer; but cut her to the heart? the rather ſeeing that ſhe might hauehave thought that the name, that went of Chriſt for kindneſſe and true humilitie, was no true report, nor fame of credit, but a fiction: and was not this a great temptation, able to ouercome a very ſtrong faith? for what can more daunt a good Subiect, than that his Soueraigne paſſing by, and petitioned vntounto, ſhould not vouchſafe to ſpeake vntounto him, or once to looke towards him? It was (much) this womans caſe: and here where Chriſt anſwered nothing at the firſt, though cried vntounto: Doct.wee learne that God (often) taketh day with his ſeruants, and putteth them off, when they crie vntounto him: the Prophet Dauid complaines that he cried in his prayers day and night, and had no hearing, yea that hee roared in them, and was put off, Pſal. 22.2. afterwards, God ſo prolonged him, that hee thought himſelfe to hauehave beene vtterly forgotten of him, Pſal. 42.9. The Church in the Lamentations fared, as if God had ſet a thicke ſtone wall betweene his eares and her prayers: and therefore ſaith, that hee couered himſelfe with a cloud, that her prayers ſhould not paſſe thorow, Lam. 3.44. as if ſhee had ſaid, that God was reſolued not to heare, and Eſa, ſpeaking of the iniquities of Iudah, tells her, that theſe did ſeperate betweene God and her, Eſa 59.2. Iob ſaith that hee ſought the Lord Eaſt and Weſt in his prayers, and could not finde him; his words in effect are: If I goe to the Eaſt, he is not there: if to the Weſt, yet I cannot perceiue him, Iob, 23: 8. backward or forward, or howſoeuer, hee hides himſelfe that I cannot ſee him, v. 9. ſo Habakuk in the perſon of the Church vnderunder a great oppreſſion, crieth out and ſaith; how long ſhall I crie, and thou wilt not heare? euen crie out of violence, and thou wilt not helpe? Habuk. 1.2. And thus God (often) putteth off to anſwer his Churches prayers, and (after many calls) makes as if he heard not, when his children crie in their troubles; the reaſons. Reaſons.God will proue their faith and their patience, 1 Cor. 11.19. which are tried by his delaies, as a Pilots skill in a ſtorme: but what would become of theſe and of the patience of the Saints, if they ſhould but aske and hauehave? Pſal. 42.11. Secondly, when wee hauehave ſped, wee hauehave done: therefore, God to keepe our prayers going; doth not preſently heare, nor till after ſome good time of attendance: alſo, hee will hauehave vsus to know the worth of his goodneſſe; which is better knowne, when we come hardly to a thing, and with much adoe, than if we had it at the firſt asking: thereby Abraham waited for Iſaac (the Sonne of the promiſe) till hee was very old, and his wife by courſe of nature, paſt bearing, Gen. 18.11. it is an old ſaying, caſilie gotten, ſoone forgotten. Thirdly, Gods time is later than ours, and though hee bee readie at all times, yet ſo are not wee: but when wee are his, bleſſings will not bee long in comming; therefore (till we bee,) we muſt bite vponupon the bit of hardneſſe, and wait his leiſure.
An admonition to Gods children, Vſe 1not to giuegive ouer, though God put off. Iſaac waited long vponupon his knees for Iacob, yet roſe alwaies from prayer with a ſtomacke to come to it againe: God heard him not in twentie yeares, yet that long reuolution of twentie yeares did not weary him: and hee wreſtled with it, with like ſucceſſe as Iacob his ſonne after him did, who wreſtled with God, and preuailed, Gen. 32.26. for. God will not put off his ſeruants for euer, though hee doe for a time, and for their triall: the viſion is but for his appointed time; and it will ſpeake at laſt, 1 Habuc. 2.3. ſometimes the Lord will not anſwer; it is that we might crie lowder in our prayers; and ſometimes he goes from the doore; it is, that wee might knocke, with Peter, till it be opened, Act. 12.14.16. if hee goe from vsus for a time, it is but as one friend goes from another to returne with ſo much greater comfort as there was ſorrow at parting, and then our ioy ſhall be full.
The ſecond vſe is for reproofe of thoſe, who, Vſe 2.becauſe God comes not preſently to the doore, and at the firſt knocke are gone: Chriſts method is to trie his childrens patience before he crowne it with his gifts: but theſe (ignorant of the good ends of Gods deniall) if they bee not heard at once, will not aske twice: and becauſe the bridegroome tarrieth long, they ſlumber & ſleepe, though not hauing either oile in their lamps, or faith in their hearts: but when they awake, this their fooliſhneſſe will correct them: and when there ſhall be no opening, Chriſt will ſay: Verily I ſay vntounto you, I know you not, Matth. 25.3.5.12. for our better ſtay, therefore, in this matter let vsus learne, and not forget that God anſwers not his beſt children preſently, and that here was a good woman indeed, to whom Chriſt (though ſhee cried after him) anſwered not a word.
This (therefore) may (thirdly) ſerue for the inſtruction and comfort of weake ſoules in their fits of temptation: Vſe 3where though God ſpeake not to their ſences, as Chriſt ſaid nothing to this woman, yet hee will ſpeake in a voice familiar to their faith: and ſpeake by his hand and ſeale in their heart, aſſuring them that all this ſtay is to doe them good in their later end. I doubt not but he ſpake ſo to this woman, rounding her in the eare of her ſoule, and telling her in a ſtill voice; that though he be abſent for the preſent time, yet he will ſhortly be with her, and when the houſe is readie for him: we are not to be diſcouraged (then) that God doth not anſwere vsus preſently, when wee ſobbe vntounto him out of our miſeries; for yet a little while, and he that commeth, wil come, and will not tarie, Heb. 10.37. Our fathers truſted in God, and were not confounded, Pſal. 22.4.5. doe we as much, and wee ſhall ſpeed no worſe. In theſe ſlipperie waies, patience muſt leade our feet, and hope with patience to ſet them vponupon good ground; though Chriſt be farre off in heauen, as Ioſeph in Aegypt, yet Ioſeph is a liue, and our Redeemer liueth, Gen. 45.28. Iob 19.25. here (therefore) let vsus not either thinke in our heart, or ſay with our tongues, (as Iacob in his feare;) Ioſeph is not, and Beniamin ſhall not bee, Gen. 42.36. for hee that liueth, and whom we thinke to be dead to vsus, will ſhortly ſend for vsus by his comforts, which (as the charets ſent by Ioſeph vntounto Iacob) wil truly reuiue our ſpirits, Gen. 45.27. Meane while let me ſpeake to the heart of Iacob, in a land of diſtreſſe. Poore ſoule (that art ſo much caſt downe) remember that thy Sauiour hath ſaid, that the Kingdome of God ſuffereth violence, Matth. 11.12. and that (therefore) thou muſt force the gate of heauen by patience in all tribulations, and by earneſt prayer in the longeſt delaies of the Almightie, Luke 13.24. for prayer auaileth much if it be feruent, Iam. 5.16. if we knocke hard patiently, it ſhall be opened vntounto vsus. They that knocke ſoftly, or farre off, as at ſome out dore by any coolings this way, muſt not thinke to bee heard as they, who come neerer in the prayer of faith, and conſtantly call vponupon …od in trouble: for who is ſo ſoone heard, (knocking at the furtheſt, or outmoſt doore of the houſe) as hee that knocketh at the hall-doore, or Parlour doore, where the companies be? ſo what hope to bee let in to God, ſo long as wee draw no neerer? but either knock farre off as ſtrangers, or giuegive ouer of waiting any longer? Pray we (therefore) and (though wee hauehave no anſwer) pray wee ſtill; for, he is faithfull that hath promiſed, and God cannot denie himſelfe, 2 Tim. 2.13. if he tarry and abſtaine from words, yet in ſilence, he ſpeaketh to vsus by two very effectual Prolocutors: Namly, his generall promiſes in the word, & his ſpirit in our hearts. And, this is the victorie of the Saints: let vsus remember, and not forget it: ſo, we ſhall not fall; for, he that fights againſt vsus with one hand, holds vsus vp with another: and (then) how can wee but keepe vp?
The perſons follow that entreated for this Woman.
And his diſciples came & beſought him, ſaying: Send her away; for, ſhe crieth after vsus.
THE Woman beſought Chriſt for her Daughter: Chriſt anſwered nothing. Now, his diſciples touched (it would ſeeme) with commiſeration, and not prouoked onelyonly (as ſome write) by her clamorous importunities, did take vponupon them to entreate the Maſter for her. I beliue, with the text, that her crying tongue much moued them; yet I cannot thinke, without a text, that this was all; or that the diſciples had no more in them of good nature and pitie, then not to regard which way it went with a woman, vnderunder ſuch a condition of miſerie, as hers was, who had the deuill at home, in her daughter, and therefore where they ſay, ſend her away; I take the meaning to be as much, as if they had ſaid: Maſter, you heare the womans crie, and you ſee her importunities; doe ſomwhat for her (wee beſeech you) to her comfort, and of her daughter, terribly vexed of Satan. For, muſt Gods children hauehave a feeling of others miſeries, and ſhall wee thinke that they who were ſo neere to Chriſt, had none? In the text it is ſaid, they had: for, it ſaith, they beſought their Maſter, or prayed him to bee good vntounto her: where we hauehave firſt, their …, it is ſaid, they beſought him: and then the reaſon: for ſhee crieth after vsus. The Papiſts make this text, a text of warrantie for the inuocation of Saints departed; but they reckon without a text, they make ſuch a reckoning by this text, that affords them not a farthing in true worth, towards it: for, neither did the woman bid them to ſpeake for her to Chriſt: neither did he graunt any thing to her at their requeſt: nor were they dead Saints, but liuing, that made requeſt for her: and ſo, wee ſee no warrant here for Popiſh prayers to dead Saints. But where the Diſciples (liuing) make requeſt for this woman, in manner as we hauehave heard, Doctr.we learne (out of ſo good an example) that it is the dutie of the Saints liuing to helpe one another with their beſt prayers. The Apoſtle S. Paul (for this) requireth ſupplications by all, for all men, 1 Tim. 2.1 S. Iames in effect requireth as much in this dutie of exchange, Iam. 5.14. for, hee requireth confeſſion of fault, and (after the fault confeſſed) prayer to a ſpirituall healing v. 16. And in obedience to ſuch a dutie, Izaak prayed for his wife, Gen. 25.21. Moſes for the people, Exod. 32.11. and Dauid intreating for the congregation, prayeth, that God would ſet the ſtrings of that Inſtrument, that they may be tuned euer to ſongs of praiſe for his mercies: which is meant where hee prayeth for the preparing of their heart vntounto God, 1 Chr. 29.18. when Peter was kept in priſon, inſtant prayer was made of the Church for him, Acts 12.5. the concluſion of the eight and twentie Pſalme is: ſaue thy people, and bleſſe thine inheritance, feede them, and ſet them vp for euer, Pſal. 28.9. alſo giuing of thanks and prayers for the Churches of Saints, was the Apoſtle S. Pauls daily excerciſe, Eph. 1.16. and theſe two preſidents of the Pſalme, and of ſo worthie an Apoſtle, doe conclude all Chriſtians vnderunder a like dutie of thoſe mutuall offices of praying one for another: Reaſons.the reaſons. Here in lies our principall bond to the Saints, Rom. 12.13. and therefore, we that beleeue a Communion with them, muſt either thus diſcharge it, or die in the Churches debt, Acts 7.60. Secondly, the Saints on earth pray for vsus; and if wee will hold the ballance euen betweene them and vsus, wee muſt doe as much by the iuſtice of exchange for them, or wee greatly wrong them, and our ſelues: and here we ſhould remember the old ſaying, which is a true ſaying; that one good turne asketh another. Thirdly, we muſt further (all that we may) one anothers ſaluation, Heb. 3.13. but, how better, or with better ſpeed, than by prayer, which will make them (with Eliſha) in all changes to ſay: there are moe with vsus than with them, 2 King. 6.16. Fourthly, as we would hauehave Chriſts Church to grow with people, wee muſt water it with our daylie prayers for the whole bodie, and for eueryevery member. Fifthly, in the naturall body, (it is the Apoſtles compariſon,) one member deſires anothers welfare, 1 Cor. 12.25, 26. and ſhould it be otherwaies in the myſticall of Chriſt? and if ſo, what readier meanes for the true welfare of the whole Church, and of eueryevery part, than to importune the Lord in our prayers for their proſperitie and peace, Pſal. 122.6, 7.Vſe 1
The firſt vſe may bee for reproofe of prayerleſſe Atheiſme in many among vsus, who yet hauehave the name, and ſace of Chriſtians, for how can ſuch pray for others, who paſſe days and nights without any prayer for themſelues? they riſe in the morning without all acknowledgement to God that kept them and at night they go to their beds, as beaſts to their dennes, without praying to him that muſt keepe them: and ſo deſerue to bee branded with this marke of an Atheiſt: they call not vponupon God, Pſal. 14.4. But theſe onelyonly are not vnderunder reproofe, (who pray ſo ſeldome, if at all) but they (alſo) who though they pray daylie and often to God, yet forget the Churches particular affliction: the Churches of Germanie and of the Palatinate, long in teares, and bloud, & now almoſt conſumed in the fire of warre, were for all this neuer ſpoken for vntounto God, by ſuch when they made prayer and ſupplication vntounto him: and how many (now) doe earneſſly call vponupon God for health to Cambridge, (One of the two famous Schooles of the Prophets in this Kingdome) ſo long ſhut vp, and made deſolate by a waſting Peſtilence? how many (I ſay) are they that hauehave prayed for the opening againe of that fountaine, ſo ſhut vp, and for the ſeeding of it with Scholars? Theſe coales, ſent from betweene the feet of the Almightie, burne to a flame in other parts of this land, yet how few ſhed one teare to quench them? And (as one ſaith) though God diſcharge not his great Cannon vponupon London (as in the yeare 1625, which hath beene too much forgotten) yet his ſmal ſhot plays vponupon it by 60. vnderunder or aboue, in the weeke buried of the deſtroying Peſtilence, and yet how many, either there or abroad mend their prayers, (I ſay not their liues) for it? Further they are here reproued who in their enuious prayers ſpeake not onelyonly for themſelues to God: or, if they goe a little further, it is not farre from the doores of their owne houſe, praying onelyonly for Chriſtians of their own bloud or kinne. Theſe are churles in religion, ſuch as Nabal in the world, who ſaid; Shall I take my bread, and the fleſh which I hauehave killed for my ſhearers, and giuegive it to men, whom I know not whence they bee, 1 Sam. 25.11. Thus Nabal, and ſo thoſe ſpirituall Nabals ſay: theſe are ſtrangers neither of our houſe nor fleſh; and what be they to vsus, that wee ſhould ſo much, and earneſtly ſeeke their wealth, by praying for them? And thus, our fathers daughter (the Church) is a ſtranger and of no kinne to ſuch baſtard Iſraelites. Laſtly, they are reproued who brew miſchiefe, that their enemies may drinke it: and ſo plot euills againſt thoſe, againſt whoſe euills they ſhould pray, and pay good for euill, Matth. 5.44. Rom. 12.21. But they are farre from this rule of charitie, who curſe their brethren in their perſons, or eſtate: ſome wiſh them a heauie death, and that being down, they may neuer riſe againe: and for their cattell, their prayer is, they may die of the rot, or goe away as an vntimely fruit: and for the ſubſtance of their houſe, that it may melt away, as Snow before the Sunne: but ſome, when they ſhould pray for the Saints, Eph. 6.18. bitterly curſe them; onelyonly for this, becauſe they are Saints: ſo prophane husbands deale with their religious Wiues, and wicked Parents their godlie children; and carnall Miniſters with the beſt in their charges.
But muſt we pray one for another? it is for inſtruction, Vſe 2.teaching vsus, that though they bee our enemies, perſecutors, and ſlanderers, that vexe vsus; yet wee muſt pray for them that God would turne their hearts, though they wrong vsus, wee muſt not them, though it lay in our hand to do it, rather, we muſt pitie them, and pray God to forgiue them, as Chriſt and his Martyr Stephen did. Chriſt did it, when they were nailing his hands and his feet. Luc. 23, 33, 34. and Stephen did it, when the ſtones were clattering about his eares. Act. 7.59.60. and wee muſt do it, not onelyonly in cold blood, but euen when the wrongs are freſh, and newly done vsus. I ſpeake this, becauſe ſome will bee perſwaded, while the iniurie is of ſome ſtanding, to take vp: But not ſo, while they feele the nailes with Chriſt, or with Stephen, the weight of the ſtones that flie about them. For luſt of reuenge driues them, as with winde and tide to another coaſt then that of the hauen of peace. But againſt this luſt we muſt fight by the ſpirit of louelove, which with the cloke of charitie (as farre as it can) will couer all defects. Pro. 10.12. Say then that men hauehave (much) offended vsus, we muſt (much) forgiue them; and, (for a ſigne of louelove) pray God to forgiue them: further yet, wee inferre from this doctrine, that if it bee againſt the rule of charitie not to pray for our enemies; it is certainly againſt the rule of it, and of nature not to pray for our friends: and how greatly againſt all rules of charitie and nature, when huſbands, wiues, parents, children, of one blood and of one bed; when they that dwell in the ſame towne, in the ſame ſtreet and in the ſame houſe ſhall refuſe, or bee negligent to do this dutie to thoſe ſo neere vntounto them? for, if theſe ſhall not pray one for another, who ſhould? They hauehave denied the faith who prouide not for their own in temporal things. 1 Tim. 5.8. and do they keepe the faith, that in ſpirituall ſo faile them?
The reaſon of the diſciples entreating for this woman, followeth.
For ſhe crieth after vsus.
THIS reaſon, which the diſciples gaue for their entreating of the Maſter on the Womans behalfe, ſhewes, that Chriſts ſilence did not breed in her (as in many it would) a ſullen and dogged pettiſhnes; which rather (as a little water caſt vponupon a Smiths forge) did make the flame of her faith to aſcend vp higher: but cauſed her, as (before) to ſpeake in her faith to Chriſt, ſo now to crie vntounto him in it. Chriſt, in that ſilence, had put vponupon him the perſon of the deafe Iudge: therefore ſhe gets him by her importunitie, to doe her iuſtice againſt her aduerſarie, the deuill in her daughter. Luc. 18.3.4. Doct.In which example, we are taught to importune the Lord in our prayers, and to keepe a good edge vponupon them, whatſoeuer our repulſes bee. Iacob kept his hold, in ſeeking a bleſſing, till he preuailed, though with a foile. Gen. 32.26.31. the ſhield of Faith, in his hand, he turned eueryevery way as the Angel offered at him. So Moſes prayers kept edge, and his hands, held vp in them, were ſteady, till the going downe of the Sunne: till the day failed him & Amalek was deſtroyed, he gaue not ouer praying. Exod. 17.12. Both of them kept to prayer, till their prayers had done worthily for them. So the Prophet Dauid was earely & late at his prayers, waiting for Gods promiſe. Hee roſe with the earely morning to pray vntounto God; and, his eyes preuented the night watches. Pſ. 119.148. Morning, euening, and at noon he prayed, and cryed out in his prayer, making a grieuous noiſe in it. Pſal. 55.17. Daniel vponupon his knees, prayed three times a day, when it was death ſo to do. Dan. 6.10. And Annah continued praying before the Lord in his tabernacle. 1 Sam. 1.12. Alſo, the Apoſtles precept is; pray continually: that is vponupon all occaſions, and without wearines, importunately. 1 Theſſ. 5.17. Chriſt ſpent whole nights in prayer. Luc. 6:12. & 21.37. and how frequent therein, the night before his paſſion? Matth 26.44 theſe examples, and the beſt in Chriſt, beſides many precepts for importunitie in asking, ſhew that our prayers ſhould neuer turne edge, till they ſpede in the thing they go about, vponupon good warrant of asking. Reaſons.The reaſons, it is the onelyonly way of good ſucceſſe in praying, for, if importunitie can ouercome an vnrighteous Iudge. Luc. 18.6.7. How much more, the righteous God? Secondly, we know not at what houre the Bridegrom will come, Matth. 25.5. Therefore, we muſt be inſtant (at all houres) with the oile of faith in our prayers. v. 10. Thirdly, to faint in prayer, is the argument of an euill heart, Hebr. 3.12. and to giuegive ouer, a note of ſmall ſtrength. Pro. 24.10. For, this is a diſtruſt of God, and ſo a departing from him.
The vſe is for inſtruction, Vſeteaching that importunitie in our prayers is a Iewell, worthie to be worn in the heart and lips of all true Chriſtians. It may anger men: but it euer pleaſeth God when it is done in ſinceritie, without guiſe: the contrarie hath in it a ſtrong ſpice of diſtruſt in God; and giues him moſt iuſt cauſe to proceede againſt ſuch as againſt thoſe, who hold him falſe in what hee promiſeth, and therfore will not truſt him without a pawne. But this is our inbred ſicknes, and eueryevery naturall man hath it. EueryEvery one (therefore) muſt labour to purge for it betimes, and to ſpend that bad humor, by ſpending good houres with waiting for the promiſe, that keepes our prayers on foot, till hee come vntounto vsus, to whom wee poure out our ſoules for a hearing. To this our Sauiour hath led way in the parable of that friend in bed, who (though in bed) is raiſed vp by another frends importunitie. Luc. 11.8. it was to hauehave ſome loaues vponupon loan, v. 5. which (through the borowers ſaid importunitie) riſing, (though at midnight) hee gaue him. So, wee that deſire bread of a better ſubſtance; if we ſhall pray alwayes and not bee weary, Luc. 18.1. that is, continue asking, and not giuegive ouer; wee ſhall hauehave it. But ſome are quickly nipt; eueryevery little repulſe goes to their heart: where yet Chriſt prayed with the blood downe his face. Luc. 22.44. and they that bee his, will ſo pray; and (as hee) not bee daunted for any croſſe-blowes, till the houre come, wherein their father will heare them.
Somuch for the diſciples requeſt, the Maſters ſharp reply followeth.