The History of the Woman of Great Faith, Verse 26
VERSE 26.
But he anſwered and ſaid, it is not meete to take the Childrens bread, and to caſt it to dogs.
SAints Marke readeth Chriſts anſwer thus: Let the children firſt bee ſed, or filled, Marke 7.27. and ſo ſupplieth what S. Matthew hath not: as much as if he had ſaid; what may bee hereafter, yee ſhall know, but your houre is not yet, and yee come too ſoone: where he doth not ſimply reiect her, but for ſome time, and without quite cutting her off, ſuffers her to hang ſtill by ſome threed of hope vponupon him: for hee doth not tell her that ſhee ſhould neuer hauehave any feeding from him, but that ſhe ſhould not yet: as appeares in the text, that doth not altogether denie to giuegive what the woman asked, but onelyonly puts her to her attendance for it: where wee learne, Doctr. 1that Chriſt doth not trample vponupon thoſe that are downe, but rather reacheth them his hand to riſe by: hee will not take the weake Chriſtian at the worſt, but tells him how to recouer, when through anguiſh of Spirit, his ſoule is in perplexity. Hereupon Eſay ſaith, that the Lord will not contend for euer, or be alwaie chiding, Eſa 57.16. his reaſon was, leſt the ſpirit ſhould faile before him: that is, leſt in ſtead of breaking his children, to their amendment, hee might breake them to deſtruction: ſo they might die vnderunder the wound: and that were in curing the diſeaſe, to deſtroy nature. In the 125: Pſalme, verſe 3. wee reade, that if his rod in the hand of the wicked, or kept in his owne hand, ſhould ſtill reſt vponupon the lot of the righteous, or neuer ſeaſe to laſh and gaule them, that (then) it would make them deſperate, or full of impatience; which is meant by the putting forth of their hands to iniquitie: as if they ſhould iudge it all one to be wicked & godlie. Further, Chriſt is ſaid to bee touched with the feeling of our infirmities, Heb. 4.15. that is, to be one that pittieth our infirmities, and hath vsus in his heart to doe vsus good: therefore, hee ſaid to Saul when (like a Baſiliske) with his breath, he ſought to kill all that were of his way, Saul, Saul, why perſecuteſt thou mee? Act. 9.2.4. The head in heauen, could not abide that his foote on earth, ſhould be troden vponupon: and ſo wee ſee, that Chriſt is tender toward his weake Saints, and far from thruſting the weakeſt to the wall: Reaſons.the reaſons; Reaſon (for our parts) there was none: but ſeeing that God (out of louelove) had made Chriſt, (his Sonne) the mediatour, he was to be faithfull, Heb. 2.17. and one part of his faithfulneſſe, was, to binde vp the wounds of his ſicke members: and hence it is that hee ſhed teares for thoſe that ſhed his bloud, Luke 19.41. Secondly, it was put in his commiſſion, that he ſhould heale the broken hearted, Luke 4.18. now, to heale is to cauſe health, not to make ſicke with incurable bruiſings. Thirdly, theſe ſweet names giuen him by aſſigment from his Father; as the name of a Lambe, Iohn 1.29. of a henne, Matth. 23.37. of a husband, Eſa 54.5. Gen. 31.32. of ſhepheard, Pſal. 23.1. and brother, Heb 2.11. ſerue to teſtifie how much hee is to vsus in the gentleneſſe and naturalneſſe of his louelove.
In the vſe of this, Vſe 1.a Chriſtian with comfort may arme againſt deſpaire in many bruiſings. It is Chriſt, and what cauſe of feare? It is I (ſaith Chriſt to his trembling diſciples,) bee not afraid, Matth. 14.27. ſo the Angel (ſpeaking to the women that came to the graue) ſaid: Yee ſeeke Ieſus that was crucified feare not, Matth. 28.5. therefore, though thou be a reed, and (not whole, but) bruiſed, yet bee of good comfort, come in thy bruiſed reed, to Chriſt, (who calleth thoſe that are heauie laden, to come to him, Matth. 11.28.) and in ſteade of breaking, hee will heale thee: and (now) is Chriſt ſo mercifull as not to breake vsus: let vsus not bee ſo vnmercifull to our ſelues, as to breake our ſelues by diſpaire.
This may be a leſſon to Miniſters, Vſe 2.and the ſtronger Chriſtians, teaching them how to behaue themſelues toward the weaker ſort: and that is, to beare their burthens, Gal. 6.2. and not to lay more vponupon their backes, when they hauehave enough, or more than enough already. One ſaith well, that Satan ſetteth vponupon men when they are weake, as Simeon and Leui vponupon the Sichemits, when they were ſore, Gen. 34.25. But Chriſt will not breake this woman, though a bruiſed reed, but puts her in heart, and giues her hope, Eſa 42.3. ſo contrarie are Chriſt and Satan. A Miniſter ſhould deſire rather to binde vp a ſicke ſheepe, than to wearie a hundred curres; that is, rather to cure the wounded in ſpirit, than to ſpend labour vponupon hardned ſinners: for, indeed the preaching of Chriſt to the bruiſed in heart, is of more conſequence, than the thunderings of iuſtice againſt a hundred Refractaries that care for no rebuke: the latter is to be done; but the former in no caſe to bee omitted.
Further, S. Marke bindeth that with a (for or) note of a reaſon, which is not ſo bound in by S. Matthew, but ſimply ſet downe, and without ſuch dependance: for he ſaith onelyonly, that Ieſus anſwered and ſaid: It is not meet, or good, &c. both hauehave one meaning and end, which is to ſhew, that it is no meet or honeſt thing that any whelpe of Canaan ſhould preſume to ſit at table with the children of the houſe; and here he giues the dead blow: not onelyonly reiecting her, as one of the heathen without the wall, but as ſprung from the worſt of the nations, the Canaanites: firſt, he anſwered nothing, and (then) from the womans purpoſe, now he ſtrikes at the head, telling her, that he may not doe that, which is neither good, nor comely, nor honeſt: a ſore veny to bee warded, but by a ſtrong faith indeed. & therfore as Ioſeph fared with his brethren before hee would open himſelfe vntounto them, Gen. 44.15. & 45.1, 2, 3.16.17. &c. ſo doth the true Ioſeph, that was ſold into the hands of ſinners, deale with a pitifull plaintife here: for, hee ſpeakes roughly to her, and in the whirlewind; or ſo as ſhee might ſeeme to bee much worſe after ſhee had prayed vntounto him with a lamentable crie than before; yet the laſt makes the amends for all: Chriſt tells her who he is (as did Ioſeph) and opens himſelfe to her ſingular conſolation. And ſo we ſee, Doct: 2that God doth (ſometimes) anſwer roughly, where hee meanes not to denie; thus God held Dauid to hard meate, not anſwering as hee expected, but ſo as in his owne ſence, hee ſeemed, and feared as one vtterly caſt off, Pſal. 77.7, 8, 9. but was not, v. 10.11. he ſaith will the Lord caſt off for euer? v. 7. long hee had beene off, and therefore hee ſo ſpeaketh: yet v. 10. hee confeſleth his infirmitie, or want of faith in ſo ſaying: and here God quickened his hope, and let him ſee where hee was: his long night made him to thinke it would neuer be day: but though great darkneſſe was vponupon him, yet he remembred the perpetuall couenant of day and night to Gods ſeruants; and when hee looked vp, he ſaw it. In another Pſalme, the people after their returne our of captiuitie, prayed mightilie to God vnderunder his heauie diſpleaſure, which vexed them long: and therefore they ſay, wilt thou be angry with vsus for euer, Pſal. 85.5. ſo great was his anger, and ſo terrible in effects, that they thought it would neuer be better: yet theſe were the people of his louelove and neere ſaluation, againſt whom he ſo fretted, and for ſo long, v. 9.10. and they were his people (whoſe prayers he heard) againſt whoſe prayers he was ſaid to be angry, or to ſmoke againe, Pſal. 80.4. the like we reade in Pſal. 89.46. the words are, Lord how long wilt thou hide thy ſelf? what for euer? it was long ere hee would be ſeene in his comfortable preſence, and in the face of his throne towards them: neuertheleſſe, at laſt, hee was viſible in his clemencie and goodneſſe to thoſe from whom hee had hid himſelfe ſo long, as if quite gone from Dauids houſe in the ruines of the ſtate then: ſtill (then) wee ſee that God anſwereth roughly at the doore, when his ſeruants knocke to come in. God dearely loued Daniel, and hee made many prayers for the peoples returne in the captiuitie: yet was he put off, and they not deliuered, till the iuſt time came, in which hee had appointed their deliuerance, Dan. 9.22.23, 24, 25, 26. meane while, they were in ſubiection (ſtill) to all affronts, and indignities of a barbarous nation; and thus for a while, Chriſt dealeth with his brethren as Ioſeph with his brothers, and with Beniamin, his full brother; for, how rowndly did hee deale with them, and how ſharply with him? in like manner doth Chriſt with his; Reaſons.the reaſons; there is a great deale of corrupt nature in the beſt, that muſt hauehave a hard rubbing before it will out, and which muſt bee waſhed thorowly, as in many waters, before it bee cleere, Pſal. 51.2. Now God will ſcoure his veſſels of honour before they ſhall come to his table, in his kingdome, Apoc. 21.27. Secondly, there may bee hypocriſie in our beſt prayers which is not ſo ſoone perceiued and repented of, if they ſhould be heard at firſt, and before they hauehave ſtood (ſometime) vponupon our hands; & it is in this, as in the graine that wee carry into our barnes; it muſt hauehave a wintering, the ſnow muſt lie vponupon it, and the nipping froſt pinch it: ſo if the Lord ſhall gather any fruits of his children, they muſt ſometimes feele the hard weather of repulſes, and ſometimes bee turned backe again with denials, when they put vp their requeſts to God. Thirdly, this makes the grace of hearing, (when it doth come) better welcome: and it cannot but be ſweeter, that hath ſuch ſower ſauce to it: for when is a drie houſe more comfortable than when men come out of weather and wet into it?
A good direction for patience and ſound comfort, Vſewhen it ſeemes to be worſe with vsus after many prayers and as many zealous ſobbes to heauen, than at any time before: for this poore woman, after ſhee was turned (as was ſaid) from her countrey gods to the true God, found things to go worſe with her, than they did in her Cananitiſh religion. Ioſeph would not know his brethren, when they came for corne into Aegypt, but ſpeakes roughly to them, and tells them that they are Spies, Gen. 42.9.14. ſo ſometimes Chriſt will make as if hee knew not his brethren; and (heere) hee made ſhew of not knowing a Siſter in him: and when they come for the corne of reliefe in a troubled conſcience to him (as to Ioſeph in Aegypt,) hee will looke ſtrangely vponupon them, and denie them: againe, though Ioſeph knew his brethren well enough, and knew they came for food; yet they ſhall not know ſo much, and food they ſhall hauehave, but trouble with it: for, when they hauehave it, hee will arreſt them, firſt vponupon one action, and then vponupon another, Gen. 43.18. &, 44.4. God knowes what we hauehave need of before wee aske, and ſupplies our wants alwaies in good time, but (meane time) with Ioſephs brethren, wee muſt ea…e the breade of affliction by loſſe of goods, or good name, or by other arreſts and hindrances: ſometimes we ſhall be condemned, and ſometimes condemne our ſelues for Spies, and hypocrites: and when we thinke that all is ouer, the cup is found in Beniamins ſacke, Gen. 44.12. that is, wee muſt come to a new reckoning, and much more is behinde. Iudah muſt tell a ſorowfull tale…, Gen. 44.18, 19. &c. and the beſt fall into great affliction before they bee deliuered: then, (and after many trials) Ioſeph cannot refraine, Gen. 45.1. and Chriſt can hold no longer. I am Ioſeph ſaith he, v. 3. It is I ſaith Chriſt, Matth 14.27. come neere, and be not ſad, Gen. 45.4.5. I hauehave heard your ſilent prayers, and ſecreteſt groanes, yea all the troubles of your heart though hitherto I tooke vponupon me not to heare them: and now dwell with mee for euer. So or much to this effect, Mr. Burton in his ſecond Sermon of Dauids euidence. Thus, you ſee the worſt in all Chriſts denialls waiting vponupon him with the prayer of faith. Iacob ſtriuing with this Angell, may receiue a blowe, Gen. 32.31. yet ſhall his name be Iſrael, one that hath preuailed with God, v. 28. Hee that goes ouer a bridge, (hauing a weake head) muſt not looke vponupon the water, but toward the other ſide: ſo Chriſtians in their troubled prayers, muſt looke ouer and beyond, and not at the preſent affliction. It is their patience that brings the quiet fruit of tighteouſneſſe Heb. 12.7.11. and they muſt beare the terrours of the Lord with a patient minde: Iehu marched furiouſly, yet Iehoram had not cared, ſo it had beene peaceably: therefore hee ſaid: is it peace? 2 King. 9 22. when God marcheth vponupon vsus in many ſore repulſes, we need not to aske with Iehoram; for wee are ſure that it ſhall bee peace at the laſt; and therefore, though he march neuer ſo furiouſly in them, let vsus not care, hauing ſure hope to hold by; for it ſhall be well with them that feare God, and doe reuerence before him, Eccleſ. 8.12. In all this he makes ſicke for a time, that we may be whole for euer.
The text of S. Matthew followeth.
It is not meet to take the childrens bread, &c.
THis text of S. Matthew may be conſidered in the allegory, or litterall ſence: the allegoricall ſence is the fit ſence of this place, and is a gauling blow to the woman: for what might ſhe thinke, when hee that hath the bread of life in his gift, ſhall tell her, that to giuegive it her, were no better charitie than to giuegive the bread of the children to whelps: might ſhee no… here thinke, that her ſelfe was a dog, and her daughter a whelpe of reprobation? Indeed all the heathen, and (chiefely) the Cananites were (then) no other in Gods account, ſaue ſome gleanings of merciemercy among them. Therefore here by dogs, our Sauiour meaneth chiefely the reprobate Cananites worſe than dogs; and all are no better ſince the firſt ſinne, but where the election hath obtained better: Doctr.where obſerue what all are by nature, and out of Chriſt; curſed and miſerable, not ſo happy as dogs: for, as there was no ſafetie, but in the Arke, Gen. 7.23. ſo no ſaluation, but in the Arke of Chriſts fleſh; out of Chriſt, out of heauen; and no comming thither, but by him, the way, Iohn 14.6. Iſmael was a great man in the world: but of no compariſon with Izhak that was in the couenant, Gen. 17.20, 21. the inheritance of life, with the beſt conueyance, went that way: Eſau was Iacobs twinne-brother, yet becauſe in no couenant with God, hated as a dog; Iacob in couenant with him, was beloued of him, Mal. 1.2, 3. Saint Peter in the Acts (ſpeaking to the children of promiſe) ſaith, that God vntounto them had raiſed vp his Son Ieſus, Act. 3.25, 26. but, with the good effect of turning them from their iniquities, wherin (if they had abidden ſtill,) they had beene no better than dogs, and the vncleane ſwine of the Gentiles: the iuſtified Gentiles, were differenced from the other by faith, which was their grace of being in Chriſt, and of being the children of Abraham after the Spirit, Gal. 3.8. but the wilde among them, who ſtill wandred in the by-waies of nature, had no ſuch priueledge: And thus wee are all by nature (as Chriſt called this woman, with reuerence to nature) dogs, or worſe; Reaſons.the reaſons: all that (ſince the fall of the firſt Man) were not, in a change of nature, giuen to Chriſt, are in ſuch nature vnchanged, giuen to Satan in a reprobate minde, Iohn 17.12. & 3.36. but alſo (ſo giuen) are vnderunder a woe, euen a w… vntounto damnation, Matth 26.…4. worſe than neuer borne, and ſo worſe than dogs; which (hauing a being) hauehave an end of being miſerable, when they die: but not ſo, theſe. Secondly, by nature we are children of wrath, Eph. 2.3. vnderunder Gods diſpleaſure, ſo long as ſuch; and ſinners, 5.8. comming ou… of, and lying downe in an vncleane bed, Pſal. 51.6. and enemies to God, Rom. 5.10. till reconciled by the gift of a better nature in Chriſt: and now, put theſe together, children of wrath, ſinners altogether, and enemies to God and Chriſt, and what difference betweene men and doggs, in point of true happineſſe, ſaue that men are worſe? Dogs (as they are no children) ſo they are not children of wrath, nor ſinners by nature, nor in their kinde, (who do but their kinde) enemies to God. Man is, all men by nature, are; for the nature of all is alike in all, and no barrell better than another: was not Eſau Iacobs brother? Mal. 1.2. that that puts difference betweene an Iſrael in the fleſh, and an Iſrael in Chriſt, is Gods election, and his louelove before time entred, Rom. 11.7.Vſe 1.
The vſe is for admonition to vsus that are now Chriſtians, better much than dogs, and Princes that are not; aduiſing vsus to take heed of a reuolt, and (hauing caſt) to beware how, with dogs, wee returne againe to our vomit, 2 Pet 2.22. If we will come to Gods table, and feed with the children, wee muſt lay away our ſnarling nature, and not come with vnpurged conſciences thither: wee are called to holineſſe, 1 Theſ. 4.7. without it we may feed among dogs. In hearing of the word, or after hearing, wee muſt not play the dogges, ſnarling at thoſe that breake the bread of life vntounto vsus: it is a propertie of curres to ſnap at thoſe that bring them their meat: at prayer, wee muſt not enter without reuerence, nor lie all along as dogs doe: we are ſet at table with the children, we muſt therfore forget, and not doe after the kinde wee came of, that is, ſnatch one at another by brotherly diſſentions: wee cannot but forget malice, if wee remember our high calling in Chriſt. Some will not come to the table where the children are, ſuch as they count enemies, leſt they ſhould meet them there, nor to Church leſt they ſhould treade vponupon the ground they go on: and what may wee thinke of ſuch, but that, neither will they come to heauen, leſt they ſhould meet them there: nor goe the way of ſaluation, leſt they ſhould goe their way: theſe are yet in their old nature, not changed from dogs to children.
But are the beſt by nature no better than the miſerable heathen were; Vſe 2.or, than were the Cananites? it may ſerue for inſtruction, teaching that there is no difference, and that all hauehave ſinned, Pom. 3.22, 23. if one nature ſpeed better than another, grace, or the gift of God by grace hath made it happier, Matth. 11.26. God, when he ſaued fallen man, ſtamped in lether, who might hauehave ſet his ſtampe vponupon the nature of Angels, and ſo hauehave ſtamped in gold: but Chriſt refuſed their nature, and tooke ours, Heb. 2.16. hence came our happineſſe (and hence onelyonly) which was denied to the Angells that fell. Now, (therefore) what haſt thou that thou haſt not receiued, 1 Cor. 4.7. or why ſhould any by any claime from nature, whether Papiſt or Pelagian, lift vp himſelfe? As Merchants place their counters for thouſands, hundreds, tennes, and for nothing: ſo this Merchant of pearles hath placed vsus in a higher caſt of his rich grace than many thouſands vntounto whom hee hath had no ſuch reſpect: ſhall wee therefore boaſt our ſelues in compariſon of them, as if one counter were better than another, ſaue in account? If God ſhould crie downe his ſtampe in vsus, that giues vsus all the valew we hauehave, what would become of our baſe metle, rather of our nothing? and ſhould not this take away all comparatiue and vnſeemely reioycing in fleſh.
The third vſe is for meditation, Vſe 3and teacheth vsus often to thinke of the vnworthineſſe of this our (now) corrupt nature. Of ſome we vſe to ſay, that they are of a very good nature; but the truth is, nature is alike in all, though better ſet in ſome, than in ſome by the God of nature: hence, ſome are of a calmer ſpirit, and ſome more boiſterous: which difference proceedeth not from the nature of the clay, (alike in all) but from the Potters workemanſhip. One ſaith, that a Lyon chained doth not that hurt, which one looſe doth: for this, what may wee …? the Lyons nature, or his chaine? ſo, when ſome are of better temper than ſome; the thankes is not due to them, but to Gods chaine vponupon them by reſtraining grace. In the glaſſe of Cain, Saul, Iudas, wee may ſee our naturall faces, and our naturall mold; alſo that the ſeed of an ill corne is ſowen in vsus by naturall propagation. Here therefore is matter of deiection for the beſt, and let them thinke of it as they ſhould: all are hampered with a miſerable neceſſitie of ſinning, Rom. 7.19. and as a fire brand, neuer ſo little ſtirred caſts out ſparkes eueryevery way: ſo, corrupt nature in vsus, vponupon eueryevery motion breakes forth into wickedneſſe: no day goes ouer vsus but ſome concupiſcences of ſinne goe through the heart, and ſhould not this humble vsus? truely, if any thing ſhall, this will: which (therefore) ſhould teach vsus to watch the fire that it get not into the drie ſtraw of our nature, and burne to deſtruction: daylic wee ſhould purge by repentance, who hauehave a nature from which ſuch foule ſtreames of luſt riſe vp, and fill the houſe.
The bread of the children, in this place, is that holy thing that may not be giuen to dogs, Mat. 7.6. that is, to the vnholie and prophane: and it teacheth, that what is holie, Doctr. 2is not to bee offered to all that will, as the bread of Church priueldge, the bread of the Sacrament, and the bread of life, Chriſt ſaith as much in full words; where he bids vsus not to giuegive that which is holie to dogs, as we heard, Matth. 7.6. Obiect. ye will ſay; are Chriſtians dogs? Anſw. I anſwer and ſay, that Chriſtians, who are but Chriſtians in title, and in life groſely wicked, are no better, nay worſe: and (therefore) if thou wilt not be a dog in the ſacred trope of Chriſt, put on Chriſt, and adorne thy calling with a pure conuerſation in him: let more than the barre of reaſon difference the dog and thee: but to proceed; this offering of holy things to all that will, is called by Malachy an offering of vncleane bread vponupon Gods Altar, Mal. 1.7. a fault in many places, where the table of the Lord is not regarded: that is, where all that will, are receiued vntounto it, hand ouer head: the contrarie practiſe hath a commandement from Gods owne mouth, where the charge is, to take the precious from the vile, Ier. 15.19. that is, to gleane the Saints from a riffe raffe of people, and to miniſter vntounto them with putting of difference; which (therefore) is called a gathering of the Saints, Eph. 4.12. S. Paul would hauehave an hereticke reiected after two or three admonitions, Tit 3.10. for, when inough is ſaid, what neede any more labour in vaine? and to what purpoſe, ſhould wee giuegive the bread of further perſwaſion to ſuch? Reaſons.the reaſons: one is in the text: for it is not meet or decent ſo to doe: and Chriſtians muſt doe that which is honeſt, pure, and of good report, Phil. 4.8. Secondly, it is an offence and a ſhare, when good and bad are indifferently admitted to the table of the children: for the godly may hereby looſe edge, and the wicked, vponupon this looke for none: it will make the wicked to bee ſtill as they are, and the godlie to bee worſe: for, may they not ſay, with ſome diſcoutagement; what? and is there no difference betweene being good and being euill? rather they ſhould bee ſhut out with the key of excommunication, and ſo hauehave no roome in the Ieruſalem below, that hauehave not an inch of place in the Ieruſalem aboue; for, dogs come not thither, neither any vncleane thing, Apoc. 22.15. Thirdly, the figure muſt bee fulfilled in the thing figured: vncleane beaſts (vnderunder the Law) might not be brought into the Tabernacle, nor offered there, Eſa 66.3. now, vncleane perſons in the Goſpell, are theſe vncleane beaſts, which (therefore) ſhould be ſuſpended from the bread of the Children till they bee purged by repentance, that they may receiue the bread, to which they had no intereſt in their vncleane eſtate, the bread of Church-priuiledge, of the word, and of Sacraments, with the abſolution due to ſorowfull ſinners.
The vſe is for information, Vſe 1and concerneth the Miniſters of the Word & Sacraments, teaching (therefore) that they ſhould bee able to iudge by the word, who are worthie (that is, well prepared) Communicants, and who not, to whom they may ſafely breake the bread of ſaluation, and among whom they may not caſt this worthy pearle, to whom they ſhould preach peace, and to whom the warre of the Lord: ſo eueryevery ſeruant may hauehave the portion of meat that belongs vntounto him, Matth. 24.45. but, for thoſe that hauehave not the Spirit of putting difference in this manner, ſuch cannot but offer vncleane bread, and prophane (both) Gods houſe and ſeruices, which the ignorant and vnlearned in this office doe.
A reproofe (further) of thoſe Miniſters, who being able, Vſe 2.for learning to make this difference, through want of good conſcience wil not. Theſe receiue to the Sacrament all that will come, and preach as much peace to him that is at peace with his ſinnes, as to him that is out with them, and with himſelfe, for them. The Apoſtle (indeed) bids a man to examine himſelfe before hee come to the Sacrament; 1 Cor. 11.28. but doth this giuegive barre to the Miniſter in his dutie of Church-examination? and may not both bee done; the priuate by a mans ſelfe, and the publike by the Miniſter? elſe, why hauehave Miniſters the charge of the Lords table, and the Churches keyes? if they may not ſee that no gueſts (groſely vnworthy) doe come thither: I ſay groſely vnworthy (for hypocrites, God muſt giuegive the ſentence, not man, Matth. 22.12.) why are they keepers of the Lords holy things vponupon which they muſt waite? 1 Cor. 9.13. if they may put backe no offering, what doe they there? Moreouer, they are heere reproued, who in preaching the Goſpell, forget, or do againſt the counſell of S. Iude; which is, to hauehave compaſſion of ſome, and others to ſaue with feare, Iude 22.23. rather, they preach a word of feare, where they ſhould ſhew compaſſion: and put heate into thoſe, whom they ſhould ſtrike to the heart with ſharpe reprehenſion: they open the great Church doore, where they ſhould ſhut all the doores, as vponupon common drunkards, ſwearers, whoremongers, and ſuch goats: and ſcarce open a little wicket to thoſe that will not offend maliciouſly: they giuegive the bread of abſolution to thoſe, whom they ſhould keepe in priſon (bound with the Lords chaine,) and feed with the terrours of God: but the bread of wormwood to thoſe, that goe foftly (already) and in the bitterneſſe of their ſoule, laden with ſinne, Eſa 36.15.
In the letter what Chriſt ſaith here, muſt not paſſe, but with obſeruation: and therefore, where he ſaith, Doct. 3that the childrens bread muſt not be caſt to dogs: it may teach, that dogs are not to bee fed with the bread of hungry Chriſtians. It was in all probabilitie, the rich mans ſinne, who (for his crueltie to the poore) burneth now in euerlaſting flames in hell, Luke 16.21. the fatherleſſe did eate of Iobs morſels, not the dogs; Iob 31.17. & they that keep dogs to keep away the poore, ſinne as reprobate Diues: for where order is kept, as in heauen, dogs are kept out; without are dogs, Apoc. 22.15. it is meant of dogs in the figure, but ſhewes that dogs in kinde, ſhould hauehave a dogs place; the reaſons: Reaſons.One reaſon is in the text: it is by diuine ordinance, the bread of the children, not the bread of dogs. 2. It is a prophaning of the creature when we vſe it, & not to Gods mind or end: for, then we vſe it in a contrary way to the word, that ſanctifieth eueryevery creature, 1 Tim. 4.5. but to giuegive the childrens bread to dogs, is to vſe it againſt Gods mind & word of inſtitution: & ſo a prophaning of it. Thirdly, Chriſtians are bought with a price at the rate of Chriſts bloud, 1 Pet. 1.19. and ſhall wee vnderunder valew them to dogs, which (dead,) are caſt into a ditch.
An admonition to Chriſtian gentlemen, Vſe 1and others to bee at leſſe charge with their dogs, and at more with Chriſtians in the image of God. Some beſtow more vponupon dogs and Hawkes in one yeare, than they doe vponupon the bellies of hungry Chriſtians in many: alſo ſome will put out a ſicke ſeruant, who yet will take order for the helpe of a ſicke beaſt: for the one they will hauehave a drench; of the other they hauehave no care: and is not this to preferre a beaſt in the ſtable, before a Chriſtian in houſe: and one that hath no ſoule, before one, for whoſe ſoule Chriſt died? If this bee not to giuegive the childrens bread to dogs, what is? An item (here) to gentlemen that muſt hauehave their dogs to come vponupon the table, who ſhould gather crummes, and be fed with bones vnderunder table: and it admoniſheth them, to vſe the table of the children with leſſe contempt.
A reproofe of thoſe houſes of ill report, Vſe 2.who when men hauehave drunke too much, fill in more: which is, to giuegive the childrens bread to worſe than dogs, ſaue in this, that they returne to their vomit as dogs doe, Pro. 26.11. In the time of Habackuk this had a wo: wo vntounto him that giueth his neighbour drinke, by putting his bottle to him: that is, by giuing him more than ſufficient, Habac. 2.15. it had a wo then, and hath it none now? to make him drunken, and to looke on his nakedneſſe; They ſay, it is the fault of the takers, not of them that giuegive in exceſſe: but Gods word ſaith, that it is the fault of both: for, thou ſhouldeſt not ſuffer thy brother to ſinne, or ſuffer ſinne vponupon him, Leuit. 19.17. much leſſe put thy bottle to him, and fill in his ſinne. They ſay they muſt vtter their drinke and wine: but muſt they needs doe it by ſinning againſt God and their neighbour? hath God laid any ſuch neceſſitie of ſinning vponupon a trade of his owne creation? I confeſſe the trade vſed lawfully, to be of God: but as men of no conſcience vſe it now, in towne and country, it is the deuills Brew-houſe and Tauerne, hauing his ſigne at it, which is; drinke and poure in, till neither hand nor foot can doe their office: whiles theſe hauehave their ouer, vponupon their table of ſpewings, the table of many a good Chriſtian hath little enough: their bellies ſound like ſhaumes, whiles the full bellies of theſe cannot craue one drop more.
By Children (here) are meant the Iewes, whoſe bread (for the preſent) Chriſt iudgeth to be caſt away, being giuen to the heathen: where it appeares that the Iewes were in couenant with God before vsus, Doct: 4the ſinners of the Gentiles: and it teacheth, that they are our Elders in the prerogatiue of Sonnes: hence they are called the naturall branches, as it were the naturall Sonnes of the houſe, and we but ſounes in law, Rom. 11.21: and the fat Calfe was not killed for the prodigall Gentile, till the elder brother, the Iew, was angry and would not come in, Luke 15.28. Act. 15.46. meane time, as wee heard out of S. Marke, Chriſt ſaith; Let the children firſt be fed; as if hee ſhould ſay, let your elders be ſerued before you; and when I hauehave done with them, I will come to you, Marke 7.27. Moſes ſaith, and asketh if any were ſo great, that is, ſo greatly preferred as they, who hauehave Iehouah ſo nigh them? Deut. 4.7. God ſet his louelove vponupon them, and ſpake vntounto them ſo as hee ſpake not elſe to any, Deut. 7.7, 8. Pſal. 147.20. hearing his voice, hee ſaith, they ſhould bee his chiefe treaſure, though all the earth bee his, Exod. 19.5. his meaning is, that hee would dwell at home as at Court with them; but with others, as Kings in their countreys farre off. The Prophet Ieremie for this, and, becauſe to them were committed the Oracles of God, calleth them, not ſeruants, but borne in the houſe, Ier. 2.14. now, who knowes not hte great oddes of difference that is betweene a ſeruant and a Sonne? when we were without God, and without Chriſt in the broad field of the Gentiles, theſe were his ſpeciall incloſure, to whom pertained the adoption, and the glorie, & the couenant, & the giuing of the Law, and the ſeruice of God, and the promiſes, Eph. 2.12. Rom. 9.4. wee had the Oracle of the Word from them, and they from God, Rom. 3.2. and thus their preferment was great in compariſon of vsus: the reaſon: Reaſons.wee can giuegive none but this, that God would hauehave it ſo, Am. 3.2, who doeth what pleaſeth him in heauen and in earth, Pſal. 135.4 6. Hee ſet his louelove vponupon them, who may louelove, whom and where he will: Rom. 9.13.15. and not for any worth in them more then in others, ſaith Moſes: but loued becauſe hee would louelove them. Deut. 7.7.8.
Are the Iewes, Ʋſe I.our elders, in couenant with God? it is for admonition, teaching vsus not to forget them in our prayers; and, being gone from our Fathers houſe, to pray for their returne: and this the rather, and with warmer affections, ſeeing their comming in againe is promiſed, which wee expect according to the Scriptures of Rom. 11.25.26. Iſa. 27.9. Luk. 2.32. Act. 1.6.7. Luk 1.33. We will not enquire (here) how many, nor the exact time how ſoone they ſhall bee called: for, that is counſell to vsus, and of thoſe things that the Father hath put in his owne power: Act. 1.7. Hee that lookes too ſtedfaſtly and long vponupon the Sunne, may at laſt ſee noth…. Therefore wee muſt leaue theſe ſecrets to God, Deuter. 29.29. and hold vntounto things reuealed.
A reproofe of thoſe who inſtead of praying for them, Vſe 2fill their mouthes with their reproach. Where they ſhew how little they deſire their fellowſhip in the houſe, wherein they were ſonnes, when we were ſtrangers: we ſhould rather feare by their example, then ſo boaſt againſt the naturall branches, who may alſo be broken off as they were, if we ſinne as they did. Rom. 11.18.20.
The womans reply followeth.