A Cluster of Grapes Taken out of the Canaanite Womans Basket, Sermon 2
Chriſt may ſeemingly entertain (at firſt) very harſhly. The Second SERMON.
Matthew 15. from verſ. 23, to verſ. 29.
But hee anſwered her not a word, and his Diſciples came, and beſought him, ſaying, Send her away, for ſhee crieth after us.
But hee anſwered and ſaid, I am not ſent, but unto the loſt ſheep of the houſe of Iſrael.
Then came ſhee, and worſhipped him, ſaying, Lord help mee.
But hee anſwered and ſaid, It is not meet to take the childrens bread, and to caſt it to doggs.
And ſhee ſaid, Truth Lord: yet the doggs eat of the crumbs which fall from their Maſters table.
Then Jeſus anſwered and ſaid unto her, O Woman, great is thy Faith: bee it unto thee, even as thou wilt. And her Daughter was made whole from that very hour.
BEſides thoſe Many Men, which upon an eminent account are recorded in the Goſpel; there are alſo ſundry Women, who are in an eminent manner recorded likewiſe; and concerning whom the Holy Ghoſt hath noted ſomething for our ſpecial obſervation, and imitation. Among others, there are Two Women in the Goſpel, which are very remarkable: The one is the Woman (that you read of, in Luke 8.) who is called, a ſinner; And the other is the woman commonly known by the name of The Woman of Canaan; and both theſe women are recorded for eminent coming unto Jeſus Chriſt. Wee have here in this place the ſtory of The Woman of Canaan; and indeed it is a very holy Hiſtory, and many things are in it which are to bee heeded by us. The laſt day I gave you an account of the Method in which the Holy Ghoſt doth here record it. But letting paſs the Method, I told you I would ſtand upon the Matter of the ſtory, wherein you have four heads.
Firſt, The coming of the Woman to Chriſt.
Secondly, The entertainment that Chriſt. doth give her.
Thirdly, You have her carriage under that entertainment.
Fourthly and laſtly, The bleſſed iſſue of all.
Wee began the laſt day with the firſt; The coming of the woman to Chriſt, in verſ. 22. And behold a Woman of Canaan came out of the ſame coaſts, and cried unto him, ſaying, Have mercy on mee, O Lord, thou Son of David, my Daughter is grievouſly vexed with a Devil.
There are three Circumſtances in her coming that wee ſtood upon.
The Party coming.
The Manner of her coming.
And the Occaſion of her coming.
The Party coming, It was a woman of Canaan, A Woman of Canaan, neer Tyre and Sidon, of a bad place in a bad Country. (But wee told you the way to Chriſt is open to all.) But then how did ſhee come? Shee came with much affection, ſhee cried, Lord, and ſhee came for meer mercy. (Juſtifying Faith ſtill goes to Free Grace, and Meer Mercy.) And ſhee came to him as hee was the Meſſiah, the Son of David; ſhee did, and wee muſt eye Chriſt as hee is, in all our addreſſes.
Laſtly, But what brought the good woman here? Why truly it was a ſick childe at home, that was ſore ſick, that brought her to Chriſt.
Whence wee obſerved, That ſometimes the Lord doth ſanctifie ſickneſſes, and other afflctions upon us and ours, to bring us home unto himſelf. I pray minde it, For, (My Brethren) wee have lived for ſome months under one ſickneſs or other: But now let mee ask you the queſtion, Have you done like the Woman of Cannan? have you gone to Jeſus Chriſt, not onelyonly for them, but have you gone for your ſouls to Jeſus Chriſt? Mother, hath thy ſick childe brought thee ſavingly to Jeſus Chriſt? or husband, let mee ask thee, hath the ſickneſs of thy wife done a cure upon thy own ſoul? can any of you ſay, bleſſed bee God, the Lord took away a childe, or husband, but that was a ſtrange cord that drew, and brought mee to himſelf; Oh! bleſſed is that ſickneſs upon you, or any of yours, which (as the Woman of Canaans) brings you home to Jeſus Chriſt; Therefore I ſhall preſs it home a little further in four things, by way of conſideration, for you to take the more ſpecial heed unto the things which I then ſpake, and you heard, viz. The improvement of all afflictions to bring your ſouls to Chriſt.
Conſider firſt, Poſſibly, yea probably, the Lord did therefore ſend ſuch a ſickneſs to thy ſoul, that hee might bring thee home to himſelf; The Lord ſaw nothing elſe would do thee good, and therefore ſent that: Thou wert, it may bee, a poor vain creature, that couldeſt ſcoff at a Sermon, and no preaching would do thee good; now it may bee the Lord ſends ſickneſs to bring thee in: Hee doth by ſickneſs, as by a ſpecial ſervant, ſend for you, and it ſtands you upon to go to him; therefore now Brethren look about you, if ever God ſend a Meſſenger of a particular Errant, if the Meſſenger have not his anſwer, woe bee to you. It is a great evil to neglect any of the Lords Meſſengers.
Secondly, It is certain, wee have all more reaſon to go to Chriſt for our ſouls, than upon the account of any ſickneſs for our bodies. Our ſouls are our higheſt concernment; and there is more ſickneſs, and more danger, in and upon your ſouls, which ſhould carry them to Chriſt, than can bee upon your ſelves and families: There are but a few whoſe ſouls are better than their bodies. Indeed wee read of one, hee had a holy ſoul, but a weak body; holy Gaius, in the third Epiſtle of John; but generally our ſouls are worſe than our bodies, and therefore wee have more reaſon to go for our ſouls. The Feavour it may bee is upon thy body, and is it not in thy ſoul? the Devil poſſeſſes thy childes body, doth hee not poſſeſs thy own ſoul? Oh therefore conſidering you have more reaſon to go for your ſouls, than your bodies, ſet every thing bee ſanctified in you, and have that work upon you.
Thirdly, The Lord Jeſus hath more bowels, and hee is eaſier prevailed withall to do for the ſoul, than in any caſe for our bodies, or for the bodies of our Relations. You never read of any that came to Chriſt for their ſouls, that Chriſt did caſt them off. The Lord Chriſt may in wiſdome and grace deny you, when you come for your body; hee may ſay, it is not good you ſhould bee well, but hee will never ſay, It is not good your ſouls ſhould bee well.
Fourthly and laſtly, The perſon that goes to Chriſt in, and for his ſoul by any affliction, gets more by the affliction, than hee could get by all things elſe. Minde it, I beſeech you. Oh my Brethren, what do you get when you come to Chriſt? why ſaith Chriſt, Hee that comes to mee ſhall never hunger nor thirſt more; that is, in his ſoul; And hee that comes unto mee, I will in no wiſe caſt out: you get ſoul-ſatiſfaction, and ſoul-enjoyment, and is not that above all bodily gettings? And therefore I beſeech you upon theſe accounts, look about you, how the hand of God is ſanctified to you by the afflictions which are, have been, or may bee on you. But wee ſhall now proceed.
How doth our Lord entertain this woman? which is the ſecond thing wee are to come to, Christs manner of entertainment: Why truly my Brethren, very ſtrangely, very harſhly, wee may ſpeak it with reverence, very harſhly. In verſ. 23. Hee anſwered her not a word; and though the Diſciples ſpake on her behalf, verſ. 24. Hee ſaies, Hee was not ſent, but to the laſt ſheep of the houſe of Iſrael; though ſhee worſhips him, and renews the requeſt again, hee tells her, It was not meet to take the childrens bread, and caſt it to doggs, verſ. 26 From the whole carriage of Chriſt to her, obſerve this,
Doct. That ſometimes the Lord Jeſus is ſeemingly harſh to ſome poor ſouls when they come to him.
Or if you will thus, Chriſt ſometimes very roughly entertain… poor ſouls. Mark the point well.
Indeed it is a ſtrange point, A point that ſeems to c…oſs all the Goſpel: What, that Chriſt, whoſe Name is Love, and whoſe Nature is Love, that Chriſt, who is rich in Mercy, who is full of pitty, who hath made ſweet Promiſes, to invite, and left great preſidents to incourage us to come; that ever hee ſhould entertain us with frowns, with harſhneſs, with ſevereneſs, this is ſtrange: Yet ſometimes this is true. Wee have a great inſtance of it here in this poor woman, and wee ſhall indeavour to open it to you; onelyonly before I proceed to the proof, I pray conſider, and remember how I expreſs the point, to prevent miſtakes. It is eaſie to miſunderſtand this unto the diſhonour of Chriſt, and our own diſturbance, if wee minde it not well: Therefore conſider how I word or phraſe the point. Now there are three words which I put into the doctrine, which are as ſo many limitations or cautions, that neither you, nor I may miſtake Chriſt, nor the text, nor the preſident; when ever wee ſpeak of it.
Firſt, I ſay ſeemingly.
Secondly, Some times.
Thirdly, I put in, to ſome ſouls.
Firſt of all, I ſay, Chriſt is ſeemingly harſh in his entertainment. My Brethren, Jeſus Chriſt is not really ſo, but a man may ſeem to bee that hee is not. It was ſaid of Paul (Act. 8.17, 18.) this man ſeems to ſet forth ſtrange doctrines, which yet hee did not, hee preached true doctrine, viz. The right way of the Living God. It was a ſlander of him that ſaid in the Parable, of Chriſt, that hee was a hard Maſter: But yet it is a real truth, Though Jeſus Chriſt bee not ſo, yet hee may SEEM to bee ſo; Jeſus Chriſt may ſeem to bee, and to do, that which neither hee is, nor will do. It is ſaid in Luk. 24.38. that Chriſt made as though hee would have gone further. Chriſt really did not intend it, but made, as wee ſay, a ſhew of it; and ſo here; Chriſt doth not intend to deal harſhly with any that come (no, certainly Chriſt intends all Love, and all ſweetneſs, &c.) but yet hee may ſeem ſo to do. Minde that word, it is ſeeming, or in ſhew, Chriſt carries it harſhly.
But then ſecondly, It is ſo but ſometimes, it is not alwaies; The Lord will not chide for ever, as David ſaid. And ſo in Iſa. 57.16. hee will not contend alwaies, nor bee wroth for ever. My Brethren, Jeſus Chriſt may ſeemingly carry it ſo ſometimes, but not alwaies. As firſt meeting, in John 20.15. when Chriſt and Mary met in the Garden, Chriſt ar firſt carries himſelf ſtrangely, but afterwards hee opened himſelf ſweetly, and clearly to her; and ſo Chriſt may for a while carry himſelf ſeemingly, harſh, or rough, it may bee for a moment, a day, a year, a few years, but not alwaies: Chriſt cannot alwaies reſtrain his bowels, nor caſt off for ever.
Take theſe two truths as everlaſtingly and undoubtedly true.
The firſt is, That Satan will not alwaies ſpare thee.
And ſecondly, Chriſt will not alwaies chide thee.
Satan for a while will give a ſoul good words, to tempt him to ſin, and folly, and to that end may ſpeak fair and ſmooth; but at laſt Saran will bee like himſelf, a Devil, a dread and terrour: And Chriſt may for a ſeaſon carry it harſhly, but hee will not, indeed cannot do ſo for ever. To the end hee muſt bee (as hee is) very kinde.
And then thirdly, It is but to ſome perſons, not to all. My Brethren, all that come to Jeſus Chriſt are not entertained alike; the moſt are entertained with preſent love; but a few, ſome there are that hee doth ſeemingly for a while entertain with frowns. I do not read of any ſuch ſtory in the Goſpel as this. Wee read of many who came to Chriſt, and all entertained by Chriſt ſweetly, none but this poor woman is left as a preſident of this point; but yet one clear Preſident is enough for proof. And there are onelyonly two things wee ſhall do in the amplification of the Point.
Firſt of all, Wee ſhall ſhew you, How Chriſt may ſeemingly carry it harſhly, and ſtrangely to poor ſouls, when they come to him.
Secondly, Whence it comes to paſs that Jeſus Chriſt, thus ſtrangely carries himſelf ſeemingly harſh?
For the firſt, How doth Jeſus Chriſt diſcover any ſeeming harſhneſs in his carriage to thoſe that come to him? I will go no further than to the inſtance of the Text. I will gather ſix things out of this ſtory, wherein you and I may learn and ſee, that ſometimes Chriſt may diſcover, as if hee were unkinde, harſh and ſevere.
Firſt, It appears upon the firſt view of the whole, Hee did not entertain her preſently.
Secondly, Poſſitively, Hee did not ſo much as give her a word. So it is, verſ. 23.
Thirdly, When others ſpake to him on her behalf, hee refuſes to hear. Verſ. 23, 24.
Fourthly, The Lord doth reject her, though ſhee doth renew and reiterate her motion again to him. Verſ. 25.
Fifthly, Hee hints that, which might as one would think daſh the poor creatures hope. Verſ. 26.
Sixthly and laſtly, Hee may keep us long ere hee ſend us away, with that wee come for; As hee did her.
Now ſoul minde it, and if Chriſt ſeem to frown, and to carry it ſtrangely, let it not ſeem ſtrange, for it is no new thing.
Firſt, The Lord Jeſus Chriſt doth not entertain her preſently. One would think, I ſay, one would think, (eſpecially conſidering the many former Preſidents of perſons coming to Chriſt) that this woman ſhould have been embraced preſently: How lowly doth ſhee come? how loudly doth ſhee cry? in the language of what Eaith doth ſhee ſpeak? yet Chriſt doth not anſwer her. Remember yee, the Lord Jeſus may let a ſoul ſometimes long lye before him, and never take him up. You indeed read of the Prodigal, who when hee fell upon his face, the Father fell upon his neck; but beware thou promiſe not thy ſelf this preſently. Chriſt may let thee fall upon thy face, and not fall upon thy neck. In Matthew 11. verſe laſt, You have there a ſweet call, Come unto mee yee that are weary, &c. Now I pray minde it, a poor ſoul may go to Jeſus Chriſt very weary, and heavy laden, and the Lord may let it lye a great while under the burthen of filth, under the burthen of guilt and of fears, and may ſeem, for a while, not at all to minde it. Certainly, it could not bee a little while, that David lay under the burthen of Gods abſence, after hee had ſinned againſt him: See Pſal. 38. and the beginning; where hee complains, That his wounds did feſter, and were corrupt. David was like a man going to a Chirurgion with many wounds, and the Chirurgion lets the wounds ſtink, before hee gives a plaiſter to him. Sinners, look about you, The Lord Chriſt may let you lye without a plaiſter many a day, without waſhing your wounds many a day. Paul prayed three times for one thing, and that thing denied him. If ever you come and knock, and cry, and call, and the Lord doth not preſently open, do not ſay, never one was ſo dealt withall as I am; the Woman of Canaan was ſo before thee, that is clear, ſhee was not preſently made welcome.
Secondly, The Lord did not onelyonly not entertain her, but did not ſpeak a word to her. So it is expreſly, verſ. 23. The Lord anſwered her not a word. Oh my Brethren, how harſh was this? what, not a word? O! not a word? Why, if the Lord Jeſus will not preſently give the balm that the wounded ſoul doth beg, will hee not ſpeak? No, not a word? And yet it is noted, Shee cried after him; yet not a word, not a word. It is upon record as the caſe of Saul, ſetting forth the greatneſs of his diſtreſs (when God did moſt ſeverely deal with him) That he Lord did not anſwer him by dreams or viſions, nor by Urim nor Thummim; that is, God did not ſpeak a word.
And my Brethren, let mee tell you, It is a harſh dealing, when the Lord ſhall let us lye crying, and hee bee dumb, as if hee did not hear. It is harſh not to bee heard.
There are two waies by which the Lord ſpeaks, viz.
1 By his Spirit.
2 By ſome actual dealing with the ſoul.
1 Sometimes Chriſt ſaith by the Spirit, Soul, bee of good comfort, thy ſins are forgiven.
2 At other times hee gives good ſigns, by ſupporting and refreſhing the ſoul; but it may ſo fall out, as that hee may carry it ſo ſeemingly harſh, as not to anſwer a word to the ſoul either way. And this is no new thing, wee read in Pſal. 22.1, 2. David there (who was then a type of poor ſouls) cries out there, Why art thou ſo far from helping mee, and from the words of my roaring? O God I cry, but thou heareſt not. So in Job 30.20. ſaith Job, I cry unto thee, and thou doſt not hear mee: I ſtand up, and thou regardeſt it not. Hee ſaith, God did not ſo much as regard what hee ſaid. If the Lord Jeſus would not preſently entertain us, to do as wee wiſh, yet certainly one would think, a word were but little; but ſometimes Chriſt will not ſpeak a word.
Thirdly, The Lord carries it ſo ſeemingly harſh, that when others ſpeak on her behalf, hee refuſes to hear. Mark it; here were (as wee ſay) good ſpokesmen for this woman. Verſ. 23. His Diſciples beſought him, ſaying, ſend h…r away, for ſhee crieth after us, i. e. As if they ſhould ſay, Lord, the poor woman cries very loudly, ſhee cries after us, as the beaſt after the Foal, &c. What ſaith Chriſt? why, I am not ſent but to the loſt ſheep of the houſe of Iſrael. Hee puts them by, hee gives them a denial, and ſomething more, as wee ſhall ſhew by and by. In Numb. 12. you read a ſad ſtory of Miriam, Moſes his Siſter, ſhee had provoked God, and God had ſmote her with a Leproſie, and Moſes cried to the Lord for her, ſaith the Lord, If her Father had ſpit upon her face, ſhould ſhee not bee ſhut out of the Camp ſeven da…es? Oh my Brethren, ſometimes the Miniſter may, the Father may pray, and the Mother may pray for the childe, and yet the Lord will not ſpeak, but put them off. If Moſes and Samuel ſhould ſpeak to mee for this people, yet my minde could not bee towards them Jer. 15.1. Oh my Brethren, It is no new thing, for the Lord to carry it ſo ſeemingly harſh, as not to hear others when they ſpeak on our behalf. Poſſibly the ſoul may ſay, I am unworthy to ſpeak, but had I ſome friend to ſpeak on my behalf, certainly then hee would hear; why, they may all ſpeak for thee, and yet Chriſt may put them all by.
Fourthly, The Lord doth reject her, though ſhee doth renew, and reiterate her motion again to him. This is harſh; And pray minde how ſhee doth it, Shee came, and ſhee WORSHIPPED him, ſaying, Lord help mee. It is not ſaid in verſe 22. that ſhee worſh…pped him (or that ſhee fell down) But here it is ſaid, Shee worſhipped him. Shee renews her requeſt with vehemency, and with reverence; and here was her humiliation put forth. Weigh it but a while. Lord help mee, &c. My Brethren, ſhee ſpeaks at this rate, as if ſhee ſhould ſay, Lord help, if thou do not help mee, I periſh; Lord help mee, if thou doſt not help mee, vain is the help of Man. Shee adores him as the Lord, But doth this prevail? nothing leſs; though ſhee renews her cry, yet the Lord turns her off. It is harſh not to bee bid welcome, not to have a word not to have others heard when they ſpeak for us; but when the ſoul ſhall repeat, and re-inforce, and as it were heighten her humiliation and prayer, then to bee rejected, this is an addition to all the former; yet ſometimes the Lord doth thus. And wee finde a like inſtance to this in o…hers; ſaith Job, in chap. 16.6, 7. Though I ſpeak, my grief is not aſſwaged: and though I forbear, what am I eaſed? but now hee hath made mee weary: thou hast made deſolate all my company. The Lord may as it were tyre out the ſoul, and make it weary. And ſo in Pſal. 69. and the beginning, I ſink into the deep, I am weary of crying, my throat is dried, mine eyes fail while I wait for my God. The Lord may let the ſoul cry again and again, till the very moiſture is dried up, and yet to put it off; ſo that the ſoul may cry out with Job, Job 23.13. hee is of one minde, who can cha…ge him, &c? Therefore the Church hath a remarkable expreſſion (Lamentations 3.8.) Alſo when I cry and ſhout, hee ſhutteth out my prayer. Shouting, it is an addition unto crying. Why here is the poor woman crying, in verſ. 22. I and ſhee cries and ſhouts, in verſ. 25. and yet the Lord puts her off.
Fifthly, The Lord Chriſt may carry it ſo ſeemingly harſh, that hee may hint that, that may ſeem to daſh the poor creatures hope. Oh this is ſad, and ſore indeed (Beloved) That the poor creature, who it may bee came with a little Faith, and a little Hope, ſhould bee entertained ſo harſhly, as the ſoul may bee ready to ſay, Now farewel Faith, and farewel Hope, &c. Thus the Lord hath carried it to ſome before; as if hee had cut off all their hope. It was a very ſad expreſſion that they uſed, Ezek. 37.11. Then hee ſaid unto mee, Son of Man, theſe bones are the whole houſe of Iſrael: Behold they ſay, our bones are dried, and our hope is loſt, wee are cut off for our parts. Why truly (poor ſoul) Jeſus Chriſt may ſo ſpeak to you, that you may ſay, Now our hope is gone; and wee, for our parts (whatever may bee the portion of others) for our own particulars, wee are cut off, and caſt off; And Chriſt may carry it ſo, as if hee gave, (I ſay as if (not that hee doth really) but I ſay) as if hee gave us ground ſo to ſay; that hee hath cut off all our hope, and deſtroyed all that upon which our expectations were bottomed. You have Job complaining of this himſelf, Job 19.10. Mine hope hath hee removed like a Tree. But of all expreſſions, that is the moſt remarkable, which you have in Lam. 3.54. The waters flowed over mine head, then I ſaid, I am cut off. Oh Sirs, Jeſus Chriſt may for a while ſo ſpeak, that the ſoul may ſay, now my hope is periſhed, and now I will ſit down and deſpair. And mark it but a little in this great inſtance of this woman of Canaan: For here are two words that Chriſt uſeth to this woman, which indeed did ſeem (for it was no more than a ſeeming) to daſh all her hope in peeces.
Firſt, Thē one is, I am not ſent, but to the loſt ſheep of the houſe of Iſrael, i. e. As if Chriſt ſhould ſay, My good friends, my dear Diſciples, you pitty the woman, ſo it may bee do I, but what ſhall I do? I cannot go beyond my commiſſion, I am not ſent but to the lost ſheep of the houſe of Iſrael; this woman is none, ſhee is a Canaanite. Now how might the poor woman complain ſadly, Oh Lord, are none of the Canaanites in thy commiſſion? am not I in thy commiſſion? then farewel Lord; Hee ſpeaks a word that might even daſh all her hope. So ſay ſome ſouls, Chriſt is onelyonly for the Elect, I am no elect one; and thus the ſoul goes away hopeleſs.
Secondly, And the other word that Chriſt ſpeaks, which might daſh all her hope, is in the 26. verſ. It is not meet to take the childrens bread, and to caſt it to doggs. Oh what a killing word was that? poor heart! ſhee might rather have expected that the Lord would have looked upon her, as upon a ſilly Lamb, as upon a trembling Dove, that hee would ſpeak ſoftly to her; but how roughly doth hee ſpeak? And how might this poor woman have mourningly muttered, and in ſecret ſighs have hereupon ſpoke thus in her ſelf? What, muſt not doggs have childrens bread? what ſaid hee? &c. Ah my ſoul, didſt th…u mark it? Doggs, and childrens bread, and I none of them, and it is not meet, &c. Brethren, Chriſt may call a Lamb a Dogg; this ſeems to bee very harſh. It was a harſh ſpeech that the Lord did uſe to his people, when hee cried, Go to your Gods that yee have ſerved. Chriſt may ſay, you are a dogg, get you gone.
Queſt. But how could Jeſus Chriſt ſpeak thus? wee know hee did account her Iſrael in the Spirit, though not in the Letter, as a Lamb, not a dogg; how did Chriſt then ſay, I am not ſent, but to the loſt ſheep, and thou dogg muſt not have childrens bread?
Anſw. There are theſe kinde of Anſwers.
Firſt, Some there are that ſay thus, Chriſt ſpeaks after the manner of Men, as a Miniſter in the way of his Miniſtery, guided by his Commiſſion. So Mr. Cartwright, thoſe that were not of the Jewiſh Church, either by birth, or proſelitiſm, they were out of the commiſſion, that ſeems to ſatisfie ſome. But I will tell you what ſatisfies mee: The Lord ſpeaks two waies.
1 Either plainly, and poſitive, as hee intends, and as things are.
2 Or by way of Trial, probationally, to try us. Mark it, The Lord may ſpeak that to try us, that hee doth not intend; neither doth hee mean as hee ſpeaks. The Lord may bid Abraham go offer Iſaac, yet hee meant no ſuch thing. John 6.6. When Chriſt ſpake of buying bread for the multitude, it is ſaid, this hee ſpake that hee might try them: Thus the Lord ſpeaks, that hee might try us. The Lord may ſpeak doubtingly, and hint heavy words, not that hee hath hard thoughts, but onelyonly that hee might try us. Hee may ſpeak doubtingly of our Election, that wee may make it ſure.
Sixthly and laſtly, Herein Chriſt may ſhew himſelf ſeemingly harſh, in that hee may at laſt keep us long, ere hee doth ſend us away with that wee come for. This woman had at laſt her requeſt, but it was long firſt (as wee ſay.) Chriſt may entertain us, and not ſpeak any way, ſo as to trouble us, yet for all that hee intends not to give us preſently the thing wee come for. My Brethren, the Lord Jeſus may make us wait daies, weeks, months, and years, (though hee let us within his houſe, and ſpeaks to us now and then) and yet hee may not preſently give us the particular thing that wee come for; this is uſual for Chriſt, to make ſome tarry, which yet hee turns not away. And truly wee that are haſty, count this harſh: Chriſt may make us wait a great while, and that wee eſteem, and it ſeems to be very harſh: But this is a known thing, and I ſhall not enlarge upon it at all; Therefore thus much of the firſt thing, wherein Chriſt may ſeem to carry it harſhly towards thoſe that come to him.
The ſecond thing is, Whence comes this to paſs that Chriſt doth ſo carry himſelf?
Truly my Brethren, It is ſtrange, after ſo many clear Prophecies, after ſo many comfortable Promiſes, after ſo many experiences of Chriſts kinde dealing, that hee ſhould with any ſoul, at any time, upon any account, carry it thus harſhly to them. I ſhall give you an account of this in general firſt, and in particular afterwards.
My Brethren, In the general you muſt know this, That Jeſus Chriſt is not ſo tied by Prophecie, nor obliged by Promiſe, but that in all his dealings hee may act as in his Prerogative. Hee is the freeſt Agent that is. It is propheſied of Chriſt, That hee will gently lead thoſe that are with young; and promiſed, that thoſe that come to him, hee will in no wiſe caſt off. Now Chriſt is not ſo bound up by this Prophecie, or Promiſe, but that hee may act his own Preregative.
And there is a double Prerogative Chriſt will maintain.
Firſt, Of his Abſolute Will.
Secondly, Of his Infinite Wiſdome.
Firſt, The Prerogative of his Abſolute Will (I ſay) Abſolute Will.
My Brethren, Jeſus Chriſt may give Mercy to whom hee will, and hee may give Mercy how hee will. I finde our Lord and Saviour, two times in particular ſtanding upon the Prerogative of his Will; And let us in a word conſider them. One is in Matth. 20.15. where hee ſpeaks of himſelf in a Parable, May not I do with mine own what I will? The other is in the laſt of John 21, 22. where Peter asks Chriſt, Lord, what ſhall this man do? ſaith Chriſt, in verſ. 22. If I will that hee tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Chriſt will have all to know his will is free; Hee wills as hee wills: What if God will ſhew mercy this way to one, and another way to another, hee hath his Prerogative Royal? what if hee will when Jairus comes for his Daughter, go preſently? and what if hee will diſpute it with the Woman of Canaan? Chriſt will ſtill ſo act, as to maintain the Prerogative of his Will.
Secondly, Hee will maintain the Prerogative of his Wiſdome; Though hee come with a commiſſion, yet hee is to act as his Wiſdome is. And thus, though hee bee a ſervant (as hee is the Fathers ſervant) ſent with abſolute command, to receive poor ſouls when they come; Yet how, and when, and what way, is left to his own Wiſdome. Rejoyce, and bee of good comfort; Chriſt is bound to receive all that come to him, I but how hee ſhould receive them, that is left to his Wiſdome; And it may bee much wiſdome in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt to receive ſome harſhly, and ſome ſweetly. Two boyes go to School, the one is of a rugged nature, and the other of a ſofr nature; The Maſters wiſdome knows how to deal with either of them: So that now, this is the general account. Jeſus Chriſt being left to the Prerogative of his own Will and Wiſdome, hee doth therefore ſometimes entertain ſome ſouls harſhly.
There are ſix particular accounts of it that I cannot now name, but muſt leave to bee inlarged the next time.
Uſe, OnelyOnly for the Uſe of this; My Brethren, you have heard a ſtrange, yet a certain Truth, That the Lord Jeſus doth ſometimes ſeemingly entertain ſome ſouls harſhly.
Now all that I would ſay is this.
1 Do not Miſtake mee.
2 Do not Miſtake your ſelves.
3 Do not Miſtake this Truth.
There are theſe three Miſtakes that all our hearts are liable to, either the one or other of them; one while they miſtake the Preacher, and ſay, hee ſpake that which never entred into his heart to ſpeak; Another while they miſtake themſelves, and a third time the Truth it ſelf. Now I pray thee take heed of all theſe.
Therefore firſt, Do not Miſtake mee.
Though I tell you the Lord Jeſus may entertain ſome harſhly, I do not this to keep you off from Chriſt. Oh, the Lord knows here is my heart, and this muſt bee my labour while I live, to draw you to Jeſus Chriſt. But what ſaid Chriſt, in John 16.3. having before been telling them of great perſecutions they muſt go thorow, ſaith Chriſt? Theſe things I tell you, that when they come, yee might not bee offended. Oh ſoul, that is my aim, intent, that if thou art a poor ſoul coming to Chriſt, thou mayeſt not bee ſtartled; I tell you before-hand, Chriſt may frown, hee may turn the deaf ear, not that you ſhould keep off, but that when theſe things come to paſs, that you ſhould not ſtumble nor bee offended, but that you ſhould go on. And therefore is there ever a poor ſoul that ſaith, God hath wrought upon mee lately, but I have been going to Chriſt, and I have knocked, and hee ſpeaks not a word? Oh bee not diſcouraged, the Lord ſometimes will do thus.
Secondly, Do not Miſtake your ſelves.
Poor ſinners are apt to miſtake themſelves, as now, when they hear of Chriſt, that Chriſt is ready, and willing to receive, us what uſe do they make of it? Why ſay they, then wee may go when wee will, and ſo live as they liſt, and think to go to Jeſus Chriſt. No, miſtake not, Chriſt may receive thee harſhly; do not deceive your ſelves, Chriſt is a Lion, and hee can roar; though hee will not tear you to peeces, yet hee knows how to carry it ſeverely ſometimes. There is Hay and Stubble laid upon the foundation, and yet they are ſaved, but how? but as by fire. Sinners, ſinners, you may bee ſaved coming to the Lord Jeſus, as the Woman of Canaan, but beleeve it, you may bee ſaved by fire, hee may call you Dogg, before hee gives you the childrens bread, and make you wait long before hee anſwer. Do not miſtake your ſelves, and provoke Chriſt to make you know this truth to your coſt and ſorrow.
Thirdly, Do not Miſtake the point.
A miſtaken truth is the ground of ſome great errours; as well as any thing elſe; indeed many errours are truths miſtook. And there are two Errours, that people may run into, if they miſtake this point.
Firſt, Doth the Lord Chriſt deal thus with ſome? Therefore (what therefore?) Why I was miſtaken, the Lord never dealt ſo with mee; therefore I am not right. Nay ſtay there, I did not ſay the Lord dealt ſo with all, nor alwaies, but with ſome at ſometimes, there are ſome the Lord kiſſes preſently. Two humours coming to the Phyſician, have not the ſame kinde of Phyſick: Fine or thin humours, and rough and ſtrong humours are not alike purged; the one is, and may bee purged more gently, the other more roughly. You have an inſtance of two in one place, viz. Lydia and the Jaylor, Act. 16. Fine Lydia (as I may ſo call her) of a tender ſpirit, the Lord takes up the latch, and enters ſoftly, ſilently, without any great noiſe, without any rough hand, but the rough Jaylor, hee hath an Earthquake, &c. Do not ſay, I am not right, becauſe the Woman of Canaan was ſo dealt with, and I am not.
Secondly, Do not miſtake the point, and ſay, Well, it is true, and the Lord deals thus with mee, and I think it will never bee better. Oh ſay not it will never bee better; No, my Brethren, though the Lord deal harſhly with thee, yet hee will uſe thee better: Cry not, Oh the Lord hath entertained mee harſh, and hath been ſilent, and not ſpoke, and that which hee hath ſpoken hath been in wrath, hee hath called mee dogg, and therefore I can expect nothing, &c. Why know, the Lord doth do it but ſometimes, and know, that that God that ſpeaks harſhly to thee now, will ſpeak ſweetly afterwards. Note that place, Judges 10. The people of Iſrael there cry to God, deliver us this once, what ſaith the Lord, in verſ. 13. You have forſaken mee, go to your Gods, I will deliver you no more; get you gone, ſaith God, and yet mark, they follow on their cry, ſave us but this once, and it is ſaid, in verſ. 16. his ſoul was grieved for them. Oh my Brethren, though the Lord do ſeemingly entertain you harſhly at firſt, yet bee of good comfort, hee may yet ſpeak well to you, yea hee will at laſt.
OnelyOnly let mee conclude with a little peece of the ſtory of Joſeph. It may bee there are ſome of the women of Canaan, that have cried long; pray remember Joſeph, and Joſephs Brethren came down to him, My Lord (ſay they) wee are the children of one Man, and wee come to buy corn, and Joſeph anſwered them roughly, by and by hee laies one by the heels; hee lets them go, and keeps but one; Oh the poor Brethren of Joſeph might think, what ſhall wee do? wee are come into a ſtrange Country, and wee meet with ſtrange language; wee came to buy bread, and wee are made priſoners; you all know the ſtory, how Joſeph entertained his Brethren at laſt.
Three things are in Joſephs ſtory, in the book of Geneſis.
Firſt, Though hee ſpeaks roughly, yet his bowels were towards his dear Brethren.
Secondly, Though hee ſpake roughly, it was that hee might have Renjamin.
And thirdly, Though hee ſpake roughly, yet at laſt hee entertained them royally.
Jeſus is our Joſeph, and wee go to him for corn, the Lord may ſpeak roughly to us, as Joſeph did to them.
But firſt, Hee hath bowels when hee ſpeaks roughly. Oh Jeſus his bowels did roll to this poor woman, when hee ſpake roughly. When I ſpake againſt him, my bowels were turned within mee, ſaith God of Ephraim. Oh thou childe of Canaan, thou ſayeſt hee hath called thee Dogg, beleeve it, hee is grieved for it at his heart. Oh the ſounding of the bowels of Chriſt are often towards us when hee ſeems to carry it harſh.
And then ſecondly, Why did hee ſpeak ſo harſhly at firſt? it was all to get Benjamin; let us allude to it, and apply it to you: You have a Benjamin, the Lord loves, your hearts, your ſoul, your ſpirit, that is your Bejamin; the Lord ſpeaks roughly, that hee may have Benjamin, and when once that Benjamin comes, a living heart is brought to him, hee will quickly make friends.
Laſtly, Joſeph made a large recompence for all; and truly ſo will the Lord Jeſus make a large amends for all. Oh children of Canaan in the Promiſe! and thou woman of Canaan in the letter! though the Lord ſeem harſh at firſt, yet at laſt hee will bee ſweet; they ſhall have corn and mony too, they ſhall have enough to bring them where they ſhall have all the Land. Thou ſhalt have ſoul and body-mercies, mercy for the way, and mercy for the Country. The Lord Jeſus will deal bountifully. The Lord may deal roughly, but hee will yet deal royally. How did hee deal with this woman? Oh Woman! bee it unto thee even as thou wilt. Jeſus did never ſpeak ſo to any body. Chriſt may ſay at laſt, Oh ſoul, go to the pot of Manna, and take and eat what thou wanteſt, what thou wiſheſt. And, poor ſoul, bee it to thee even as thou wilt, for ſoul, body, daughter and all. Though the Lord Chriſt may ſpeak roughly at firſt, and entertain ſeemingly ſevere, yet hee doth end really ſweet. Thus much at preſent.