A Cluster of Grapes Taken out of the Canaanite Womans Basket, Sermon 4
Souls muſt ſtill carry it well to Jeſus Chriſt. The Fourth SERMON.
Matthew 15.25. and 27. verſes.
Then came ſhee, and worſhipped him, ſaying, Lord help mee.
And ſhee ſaid, Truth Lord: yet the doggs eat of the crumbs which fall from their Maſters table.
AS a fine Copy fairly written (which doth attract the eyes of all to look upon it, and ſtir up the ſpirits of ingenious Scribes to imitate it) Such (my Beloved) is the Example of the Woman of Canaan; (the hiſtory whereof is here recorded, and which we are now handling) It is a fine Copy, and fairly written. Here are great things, glorious Myſteries held forth, and you and I ſhould look upon them, and indeavour to read and imitate them.
There are four heads unto which wee did reduce the whole matter of this diſcourſe.
Firſt, The Coming of the Woman to Chriſt.
Secondly, The Carriage of Chriſt to the Woman. Wee were ending of that the laſt day. The Woman ſhee came with much devotion, in much affection; The Lord, contrary to what hee was wont, turns away, makes as if hee did not hear, hee would not vouchſafe to ſpeak a word, and when hee was intreated by the Diſciples, hee puts them off, and when ſhee renews her requeſt again, hee ſpeaks harſhly, &c.
The Leſſon wee then did go upon from the whole, you know was this, That ſometimes Chriſt is ſeemingly harſh to ſome ſouls that come to him.
Wee opened it, and gave the Reaſons of it, and applied it. And that which wee did aim at, truly it was principally two words.
The firſt was to exhort you all, that ſith Chriſt doth ſometimes ſeemingly entertain ſome ſouls harſhly, That you would not provoke him ſo to do. As the Lord lives, and as your ſouls live, if you ſtand out too long, if you put off Chriſt too often, though at the laſt hee may ſave you, it will bee by fire: Therefore I beſeech you (eſpecially you that bee young) take a Chriſt while you may have a Chriſt; while Chriſt knocks ſoftly, and ſpeaks ſweetly, and wooes lovingly, entertain him, leſt hee go away, and make you come after him crying, and it may bee a great while ere hee come back again.
The ſecond word was, To you poor ſouls that may bee the children of this Woman of Canaan, (that have gone to Chriſt, and have found him ſtand at a diſtance) Do not deſpair, no new thing is fallen upon you. The Lord Chriſt doth ſometimes uſe ſo to deal with ſouls. And (my Brethren) as you ſhall ſee afterwards (though hee ſtand at a diſtance now) hee will in time embrace you ſweetly. The Woman of Canaan that was entertained harſhly, went away joyfully.
But how did ſhee carry it under this harſh dealing? That is the third head wee are now to ſpeak to. Here the carriage of the Woman is ſet out in theſe two Verſes, the 25. and 27. verſes. And mark it, in verſ. 25. It is ſaid, Shee came and worſhipped him, ſaying, Lord help mee.
My Brethren, As the Lord ſaid to Peter in another caſe, wee muſt ſay of the Woman in this; Fleſh and blood hath not revealed this to you. Fleſh and blood could not teach, nor help the poor Woman to ſuch a carriage. What, for the Lord to turn away, for the Lord to put off? and for her to re-inforce her devotion, renew her ſuit afreſh, and to come and worſhip him, &c.
The 27. verſe, Truth Lord: yet the Doggs eat of the crumbs which fall from their Maſters Table. The Lord had in a manner called her Dogg, and ſaid, it was not for doggs to have childrens bread; ſhee doth not deny it, but ſhee grapples with grace, and ſaith, Truth Lord, yet doggs may have a crumb, &c.
I ſhall put all that is ſpoken here of her carriage into one Leſſon; but before I do that, I ſhall name two other obſervable points.
The firſt is this, A right Faith coming, and carrying of the ſoul to Chriſt, is a reſolute Faith. That is one point I would name, pray mark it, The Lord Jeſus ſeems to put her off, hee gives her nothing that was a viſible incouragement, yet ſhee will go on, and yet ſhee will not bee put off. When the ſoul comes to Chriſt, hee comes as one that needs a Chriſt, and wants a Chriſt, will have, and as one that muſt have a Chriſt; and what then? hee will have a Chriſt before hee goes away. Though hee have not evidence, hee will have adherence; though the ſoul can ſee nothing, and though no hope, yet hee will bee reſolute; although Chriſt will not ſmile, though conſcience is not quiet, though the wound bee not healed, though the Lord put off angrily, yet the ſoul keeps reſolute to him, and will not bee ſent away empty; Faith, if right, is ſtill reſolute.
The ſecond Point that I ſhall name, is this, That a right Faith knows how to confeſs, and beleeve at once. A true Beleever will not conceal his ſin, yet will cloſe with Jeſus Chriſt. A right Faith will deny nothing, and yet it will beleeve all things. My Brethren, mark it a little, there are a company of vile people that are (as they ſay) all for Faith, and nothing for confeſſion, and what ſay they? beleevers, it is not for them to come and confeſs ſin. Why, a beleever will confeſs ſin; doth the Lord ſay dogg? yes, truth Lord, I am a dogg, will the ſoul ſay, as this Woman did. There are others that will confeſs, and not beleeve. Oh, they cry out, they muſt confeſs, and bewail, and lye low, and humble themſelves, &c. but they cannot beleeve, they dare not beleeve; confeſſion is their work, &c. Why poor hearts you may do both; you may ſay, Lord, I am a ſinner, yet I beleeve, for mercy is for ſinners; I am ungodly, yet I beleeve, for Abraham beleeved in him, who juſtifieth the ungodly: I am a dogg (as thou ſayeſt Lord) yet I beleeve a dogg may gather up a crumb. Well, remember it, True Faith doth not hinder confeſſion, nor confeſſion ſhould not hinder Faith.
But the particular Leſſon of the place is this, Namely, That it is the duty, the wiſdome, the glory of poor ſouls, to carry it holily and humbly unto Chriſt, when Chriſt ſeems to carry it harſhly unto them.
So doth this poor Woman; or if you will take it ſhortly thus. It becomes Chriſtians to carry it really well, when Chriſt carries it ſeemingly ill.
I know, my Brethren, this is a hard work, but as hard as it is wee muſt learn it, and I will aſſure you, if ever God intend to do you good, though fleſh and blood murmure, yet the Lord will whip you into this Leſſon, but hee will make you learn it, Namely, to carry it holily to him, when hee carries it ſeemingly harſh to you. I remember that paſſage, in 1 Pet. 2.18. Servants bee obedient to your Maſters; not onelyonly to the good and gentle, but alſo to the froward. It is the duty of a ſervant profeſſing the Name of God, though hee have a froward Maſter, yet hee muſt carry it well. Now mark it, Is it the duty of a ſervant to carry it well to a bad Maſter, and is it not the duty of Saints to carry it well to Chriſt? wee are the ſervants, hee is the Maſter. So in Heb. 12.9. Mark the Apoſtles argumentation, ſaith hee, Wee have had Fathers of our fleſh which corrected us, and wee gave them reverence; ſhall wee not much rather bee in ſubjection unto the Father of spirits, and l…ve? Mark, there is life in this, our life depends on our reverent carriage in this caſe. Alaſs! if Chriſt bee gone, our life goes with him; carry it well therefore, if thou love thy life; you muſt bee ſubject and ſubmiſſive even when hee ſeems to bee ſharp, otherwiſe death is at the door. Minde it then, would you have a pardon? and doth Chriſt ſeem to deny you? where can you go for it but to him? and when you come, if you ſubmit; there it is; ſoul, in the point is your life; Therefore mark the leſſon well; It is the duty, wiſdome, and glory of Saints, to carry it well to Chriſt, when hee carries it ſeemingly ill to them. There are four perſons in the book of God recorded, that God did ſeem to deal very hardly withall; and of all of them, this Woman of Canaan was moſt rare. Good old Aaron, holy Job, the Virgin Mary, (the Mother of our Lord) and this Woman in the Text. But truly, as the Apoſtle ſaid, now remains Faith, Hope, and Charity, the greateſt thereof is Charity; ſo of theſe that are upon record, the greateſt of theſe is this Woman; ſhee ſeems to excel in good carriage under hard uſage.
For Aarons carriage you have it recorded in Lev. 10.3. The Lord had dealt very ſeverely with him; Nadab and Abihu (his two ſons) were conſumed with fire from Heaven before the Lord. Ah Lord! how harſh was this to fleſh and blood? what meer man, having nothing more than man, could bear it! a good Prieſt hath two ſons taken away ſuddenly. But how doth Aaron carry it? The Lord ſpake to Moſes, and Moſes to Aaron, ſaying, This is that the Lord ſpake, I will bee ſanctified in them that come nigh mee, and before all the people I will bee glorified; and Aaron held his peace. The Lord ſeemed very ſevere againſt the old man, hee took away two of his children at once, when they were about his work the Lord ſatisfies him by Moſes, and hee held his peace. A bleſſed behaviour it was, well-becoming him, and very patternable unto us.
The ſecond is that of Job. In the firſt and ſecond chapters, you may read and ſee that God carries it ſtrangely to him, yet it is ſaid, in all this Job carries it very well, ſo well, that the Holy Ghoſt bears him witneſs, Hee ſinned not, nor charged God fooliſhly. And when his Wife put him on to curſe God, Oh ſaith hee, Thou ſpeakeſt like one of the fooliſh women; what? ſhall wee receive good at the hand of God, and not evil? There was a carriage indeed very good and right, according to our Doctrine.
Thirdly, Our Lords Mother carries it well to the Lord, when hee ſeemed to carry it harſh to her. In John 2.3. There you have our Lord and his Mother at a Wedding, and there was wanting ſome Wine, and the Mother ſaid to Jeſus, they have no Wine; ſaith Chriſt, Woman, what have I do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. What doſt thou call upon mee for Wine in the middle of the feaſt? ſhee was taken up, as wee ſay, ſharply; I but how ſweetly doth ſhee carry it? In verſ. 5. ſaith ſhee to the ſervants, Whatſoever hee ſaith unto you, do it. Truly a very ſacred ſpeech it was, and argued that her ſoul was really good, and would appear ſo to Chriſt, even when his carriage was to appearance very croſs to her.
Laſtly, You have this ſtory in the Text, which in a ſenſe (as I ſaid) is the greateſt of all four; for, beleeve it, God never dealt ſo with Aaron, Job, and Mary, as hee did with this Woman, nor in ſome reſpects (conſideratis conſiderandis, as they ſay) did they carry it ſo well as ſhee: There was ſomething in thoſe children of Abraham (for ſo they were) which did oblige, and inable them, to carry it better than could bee expected from this ſtranger, this Canaanite, yet ſhee tranſcends in her holy, humble, ſweet behaviour to our Lord, as I ſhall open by and by.
Well, There are two things to bee opened for the explication of the point.
The firſt is, How the ſoul ſhould carry it well to Chriſt, when Chriſt carries it ill to him. Wherein doth this good behaviour lye? Let the Lord carry it how hee will, what is our good behaviour? I ſay, what is our good behaviour which wee ſhould ſhew to him?
And then ſecondly, Why wee ought ſo to carry it? what are, or may bee the reaſons and grounds of ſuch a carriage?
I begin with the firſt, And ſhall not inſtance nor inlarge in any particulars, but what wee may finde in this pattern, and pray mark it well. For my thinks in this Text there are ſix things (in this Womans good behaviour) ſhewing, and evidently teaching all of us, what ſhould bee out carriage when wee come to Chriſt, &c.
Firſt of all, Though the Lord dealt roughly with her, ſhee kept up honourable thoughts of him.
Secondly, Shee doth not ſuddenly, nor ſullenly go away, but tarries and waits upon Chriſt.
Thirdly, Shee ſpeaks to Chriſt, as profeſſing her onelyonly hope in his help.
Fourthly, Shee denies nothing of what the Lord ſeems to charge her with.
Fifthly, Shee doth gather upon Jeſus Chriſt (as it were) and catches bold of that by which Chriſt would caſt her off.
Sixthly and laſtly, Shee was content to have a little in the loweſt manner, when ſhee might not have her firſt and great requeſt in the higheſt manner.
Firſt of all, This good carriage the Woman had, Shee thinks honourably of Jeſus Chriſt. The Lord puts her off hardly, what doth ſhee do? doth ſhee in a carping cenſorious manner, revile and ſpeak evil of Chriſt? Crieth ſhee out, oh pride, O ſtatelineſs, O ſowre man! Doth ſhee ſay, yee followers of his, is this your good Lord and Maſter? whatever hee may ſay, or you think, certainly hee is an auſtere man, and beleeve it, hee is a ſurly Maſter, &c. not a word of this, but the Text ſaith, Shee came to him, and worſhipped him, and ſaid, Lord, help mee. If Jeſus Chriſt had dealt never ſo well with her, ſhee could not have dealt better with him. It is the Royal Carriage of the Spouſe of Jeſus Chriſt (The …ueen, in Pſal. 45.) when ſhee was brought into the Kings preſence, and dealt withall beſt; All that is adviſed and required of her, is this; Hee is thy Lord, worſhip thou him. But this poor Woman when ſhee is turned off, ſhee comes to him, and worſhips him, and ſaies, Lord, help mee. When the Lord ſeems to deal harſhly with a ſoul, the Devil is at hand to put on a poor ſoul to think hardly of Jeſus Chriſt. Oh Sirs, Experimentally ſouls know this to bee true, that they can hardly keep down murmuring thoughts, when Christ doth not entertain them preſently. I remember it was the ſpeech of Mr. Calvin, intimating the moderation of his ſpirit about Luther, ſaith hee, Though Luther ſhould call mee a Devil, I would honour him as a Saint. So truly do thou, though Chriſt call thee a Devil, do thou honour him as the Meſſiah. In Pſal. 22. you have a very remarkable paſſage, Why art thou ſo far (ſaith the Pſalmiſt) from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou heareſt not, verſ. 1, 2. It was harſh dealing for God to let David cry all the day long, and not to hear him, what then? Read the 3. verſ. But thou art holy, &c. Oh Sirs, Sirs, look about you, and learn your Leſſon well, you muſt carry it well to Chriſt; though hee deal harſhly with you, you muſt ſpeak to him, and think of him honourably; you muſt beware of blaſphemy. The Devil thought Job would curſe God, if God carried it croſs, but hee was deceived; and ſet Satan bee deceived ſo in you; hee will tempt and put you on to entertain diſhonourable thoughts of Chriſt; and if it may bee, hee will make you charge God fooliſhly, and ſpeak of Chriſt fouly; but take heed, ſee your pattern of piety in this womans practice, and carry it as ſhee did. Whatever Chriſt do or ſay, though hee put thee off, and call thee dogg, yet come neer, and bow, worſhip him, and call him Lord, Say, hee is holy and honourable, and thou wilt ſtill count him ſo; this is thy good behaviour which will bee thy wiſdome and glory to ſtrive for, and to come up unto. This is the firſt thing in this Womans carriage. I proceed.
A ſecond thing in her good behaviour, is this, Shee doth not ſuddenly, nor ſullenly go away from him; Shee goes not away in a fume, or a pet, as wee uſe to ſay, No, but as the Diſciples ſaid, Maſter, Shee crieth after us. Poor ſouls may come to Chriſt, and cry, and hee may go away; knock, and hee not open; call, and no body anſwer; what ſhall you do? Oh, take heed of going away grumbling, and ſullen. The Woman ſhee renews her cry, ſhee comes and ſaies, Lord, help mee. Truly, my Brethren, it was a proud ſpeech of thoſe, in Iſa. 58.3. that ſaid, Wherefore have wee faſted, and thou ſeeſt not? Wherefore have wee afflicted our ſouls, and thou takeſt no knowledge, &c? And my Brethren, it is ſpiritual pride for us to ſay, Lord, why do I cry, and thou not hear? keep on crying, (Soul) that is thy duty. Wee are apt to bee very ſullen, though the Lord bee very wiſe in not hearing what wee ſay. It was a ſtrange peece of ſullenneſs in Jonah, in Jonah 4.8. when hee wiſhed in himſelf to dye, and ſaid, It is better for mee to dye, than live. It will argue much hypocriſie in your coming to Chriſt, if (although Chriſt do deny) you do not tarry and wait upon him begging. In Job 27.10. It is ſaid of the hypocrite, Will hee cry alwaies? Thou ſayeſt thou doſt hunger for Chriſt, thou doſt thirſt for Chriſt, thou haſt a hungring and thirſting for righteouſneſs; well then, becauſe you have it not, will you go away? it is but an hypocritical hunger; were it cordial, it would continue. It is an Argument of ſpiritual pride, for us not to wait and tarry begging, though the Lord ſeem to keep off, denying. It was a proud ſpeech of the King of Aſſyria, in 2 King. 6.33. Behold, this evil is of the Lord, what ſhould I wait for the Lord any longer? Nay, hee ſhould have ſaid, it is of the Lord, and therefore it is meet, I muſt, I will wait; ſo this Woman did, and ſo muſt wee, wait, and not go away. Many a ſoul is apt to give all over, to cry, I will pray no more, ſeek no more, this is evil, and muſt be watched againſt. An humbly wiſe ſoul will wait, and wee ought ſo to do, for that is another peece of this example, and another part of our good behaviour. But then
Thirdly, A third thing I do obſerve as the good carriage of this Woman (that ſhould bee ours) to Chriſt, is, That ſhee doth really tell the Lord, that her onelyonly hope was in his help, LORD, HELP MEE, &c. The Lord ſeems to put her off, ſhee comes and worſhips him, &c. and cries out, Lord, help mee; a comprehenſive ſpeech it is. My thinks there are three things in that expreſſion, which I ſhall briefly open unto you.
Firſt, It is as if ſ…ee ſhould ſay, Lord, thou alone canſt help mee.
Secondly, As if ſhee ſhould ſay, If thou wilt not help mee, no body will. And
Thirdly, It is as if ſhee ſhould ſay, Lord, If thou wilt not help mee, I am reſolved is go no where elſ… and therefore O Lord help mee.
Well, mark it, It is your Copy you muſt …, if thou wilt carry it as thou oughteſt, and therefore lay it up in thy heart.
Firſt, Though the Lord reject thee, tell the Lord, yet hee is thy help; there is no other Name whereby I can bee ſaved, but thine, no other Phyſician, but thee, no other balm, but thee, no other help, but in thee; this is good carriage.
Secondly, Wee muſt not only look to Chriſt as the helper, but as hee alone that will do it. Tell Chriſt, that if hee do not help thee, none will; therefore Lord help. That ſpeech is ſpoken out, to that purpoſe, Pſal. 69.20. Reproach hath broken my heart, and I am full of bitterneſs: and I looked for ſome to take pitty, but there was none, &c. This poor woman might have ſaid, as the Woman with the bloody Iſſue, I have been with all the Doctors, and none can cure, none caſt the Devil out of my childe. O ſoul, it is a ſavoury ſpeech to ſay, Lord, all help but thine is in vain. I have gone here and there, to this and that creature, but all are empty, all are hopeleſs, all are helpleſs. It is thee alone (O Lord) that I ſee can help; therefore O Lord hear, and O Lord help. And then conſider it further.
Thirdly, Shee holds it out as one reſolved to go to no body elſe, Lord help, ſhee will not leave him. It is ſaid, They that forſake thee, and go a whoring, they ſhall all periſh; But it is good for mee to draw nigh to God, as hee ſaid, Pſal. 73. verſ. laſt. I have thought this to bee a part of the intendment of that expreſſion, in Pſal. 16.1▪ 4. Preſerve mee, O Lord, for in thee do I truſt. Their ſorrows ſhall bee multiplied, that haſten after another God: their drink-offerings of blood I will not offer, nor take up their names into my lips. I have, I ſay, thought it to bee, as if hee ſhould ſay, Lord, help mee, I will go no where elſe, I will not go to an Idol, thou canſt do it, and thou wilt do it, and no body elſe can do it, and I am reſolved to go no where elſe; here I lye, here I will dye, if I muſt; none can, none ſhall bee to mee a helper, but thy ſelf alone, and therefore Lord help. Well, that is the third thing in this Womans carriage, which is our Copy. But to proceed.
Fourthly, Mark it a little, This good Woman carries it well to Chriſt, in that ſhee doth not d…ny what the Lord did hint about her unworthineſs. Chriſt calls her dogg, and ſhee doth not at all deny it. Oh Sirs, a beleeving ſoul acts highly, but it goes humbly. Mark but a little the phraſe; My thinks our Lord and Saviour doth ſpeak two ſad things to her in one word; It is not meet to take the childrens bread, and to caſt it to doggs. In this ſpeech it is evident that Chriſt,
Firſt, Hee calls her Dogg. And
Secondly, Hee tells her, It is not meet for Doggs to have childrens bread; yet how humbly doth ſhee carry it! Shee ſaith, TRUTH LORD; As if ſhee had ſaid, I may bee a Dogg, and am ſo, and it is not meet for mee to have childrens bread, &c. Oh Sirs, if the Lord Chriſt in the day of your diſtreſs, (when you ſhall go to him under the ſenſe of your ſins) if then, I ſay, hee rip up, and charge upon us our ſins, and ſhall ſay to thee, but thou wert a drunkard, but thou wert a ſwearer, &c. then know how to he have your ſelves, and ſay, Truth Lord, it is ſo, I dare not, I do not in the leaſt deny it. It is good carriage to confeſs the truth of what Chriſt laies to our charge. I meet with two ſad examples of the Lords own people, that were got upon ſo proud a pin, that they did deny what God charged them with. In Jeremiah 2. God charges them with fooleries, and going away from him, ſaith God in verſ. 23. How canſt thou ſay I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim? ſee thy way in the valley, know what thou haſt done: thou art a ſwift Dromedary, traverſing her waies. Now mark in verſ. 35. Yet thou ſayeſt, becauſe I am innocent, &c. That God ſhould charge them with Idols, and they ſay that they are innocent, it argues a very proud heart, and it was very ill carriage, a behaviour which did not become them; yet ſo it was. And juſt ſo bad a behaviour is theirs, in Malachy 3.13. ſaith God there, Your words have been ſtout againſt mee; yet yee ſay, What have wee ſpoken ſo much againſt thee? Oh Sirs! ſouls that are in a ſaving condition, do know this that I am going to ſay, when the conſcience accuſes, fleſh and blood will go to put all off; what I a drunkard, I a ſwearer? &c. I, thou art, and if God charge it upon thee, it is, and muſt bee thy good carriage, in all humility to lye down, and ſay nothing. You have a notable word, in Lam. 3. It is good for a man that hee bear the yoak in his youth, verſ. 29. Hee putteth his mouth in the dust, if ſo bee there may bee hope. Oh, do not deny any ſin the Lord charges thee withall; if there bee any hope, it is in this, putting thy mouth in the duſt. But of all examples, I will commend you to that, in Jeremiah 3. ſaith God, in verſ. 20. Surely as a wife treacherouſly departeth from her husband: ſo have you dealt treacherouſly with mee, O houſe of Iſrael, ſaith the Lord. What then, do they deny it? No. A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping and ſuppl…cation of the children of Iſrael: for they have perverted their way, and they have forgotten the Lord their God. Oh, here is good carriage, when the Lord ſhall deal harſhly, bring all thy ſins to remembrance, rip up ſin here, and fin there, Oh with a voice of weeping ſay, truly it is ſo. Let God charge any thing; Let Chriſt ſay what hee will, hee cannot lye, whatever his language bee: If Chriſt ſay Swine, Dogg, reply nothing, onelyonly ſay as this Woman did, Truth Lord. That is the fourth thing. But then again
Fifthly, This Womans good carriage lies in this, Shee doth gather upon Jeſus Chriſt (as it were) and catches hold of that, by which Chriſt would ſeem to caſt her off, and doth take an argument, from his harſh ſpeech, to plead for her ſelf. It is not meet to give the childrens bread to Doggs. See how ſhee takes hold of it, Truth Lord, But the Doggs may eat of the crumbs that fall from their Maſters Table. Doth Chriſt ſay, go Woman, dogg Woman, ſay thou, I will take hold of this word, a crumb Lord. It is good when a ſoul can catch hold upon a Chriſt▪ even by that with which hee would put it off. For inſtance; ſuppoſe Jeſus Chriſt ſhould ſay to thee, thou art an ungodly wretch, come not to mee, catch hold of that, and ſay, thou art a God that juſtifies the ungodly. Saith God, thou art a Rebel, get thee gone? catch at it, and ſay, truth Lord, it is ſo; but the Lord Jeſus Chriſt aſcended to give gifts to Rebels. Doth the Lord yet ſay, thou art an enemy? anſwer, true Lord, but there is reconciliation for enemies in the blood of Chriſt, &c. Learn to catch at that hand by which Chriſt ſeems to thruſt thee away; hold that. It is indeed a Myſtery, but ſo is all godlineſs, and wee muſt learn it; and out of this Womans example wee may bee helped therein. That is the fifth. But not to inlarge, I will come to the next.
The ſixth and laſt thing in her good carriage, is this, That ſhee is content with a little in the loweſt manner, if ſhee may not have a great deal in the higheſt manner. For mark her expreſſion, A crumb Lord, there is little; and under the Table, I will bee glad to ſtoop ſo low, and lick that which lies there upon the ground. Oh that this frame of ſpirit were in us! ſurely it is a bleſſed thing to bee thus bowed in our hearts, to ſtoop thus to Chriſt. Wee cannot enough admire, nor (I fear) imitate this Woman, pray look upon her, liſten to her. Truly my thinks the poor Woman ſaies thus, Indeed I am a poor Canaanite, I am not one of the children of the houſe of Iſrael, I may not ſit down at the childrens table, nor take of the bread ſo ſoon as cut from the Loaf, but I will bee content to take it under the table, there I will lye, &c. And truly (my Brethren) this was the good carriage of the Prodigal, mark how the Prodigal comes home. Father, make mee one of thy hired ſervants. Hee doth not ſay, Father, remember, I was a childe, and let mee come in for a portion, &c. No, but make mee but a ſervant, and what ſervant would hee bee? a hired ſervant; the houſhould ſervants had a priviledge that the hired ſervants had not. I ſhall turn you to a Scripture for it, Exod. 12.44, & 45. verſes. The hired ſervant might not eat of the Paſſeover, when the houſhold ſervant might. Hee would bee a hired ſervant, that if his Father would not take him into full grace, and give him a childes place and portion again, hee would bee contented with any thing. Now the Lord help you and I to think of theſe things; here is good carriage. Here are ſix things you ſee wherein ſhee carries it well. But now
In the ſecond place, I ſhould give you the Reaſons why this ſame good carriage ſhould bee, notwithſtanding Chriſt carry it harſhly.
There are three heads of Reaſons.
Firſt of all, If you conſider who Chriſt is, to whom you come
Secondly, If you conſider what your ſelves are who come to this Jeſus Chriſt. And
Thirdly, If you conſider the Errant for which you come to him at any time; you will finde in all theſe three, Matter; and Motive enough to make you carry it thus well to Chriſt, though hee carries it ill to you. The Woman conſidered who Chriſt was, the Son of David, the Meſſias; and ſhee conſidered who ſhee was, a Canaanite; and ſhee remembers that ſhee had a childe under the power of the Devil; and let us touch a little upon them.
Firſt Conſider who Chriſt is to whom you come. I ſhall hint out my meditations as to this in four particulars, who Chriſt is.
Firſt of all, Hee is the Lord; God bleſſed for evermore; Therefore worſhip thou him (ſaith the Pſalmiſt) Pſal. 45.11. FOR hee is thy Lord; and becauſe hee is thy Lord, therefore worſhip thou him. The Lord Jeſus, to whom you and I come, hee is the Lord Jehovah, God bleſſed for evermore, and ſhould wee not carry it well to him? wert thou to come to a man, but a meer man, upon a weighty affair. though hee were a little croſs, thou wouldeſt carry it well; and ſhouldeſt thou go to the Lord God, bleſſed for evermore, and carry it ill? Surely the conſideration of a God ought to fill the ſoul with all reverence in every approach unto him, and with all humbleneſs of carriage in our dealings with him. If thou art an Arrian, doubting and denying Chriſts deity, there might bee the ſhadow of a Plea for an irreverent deportment; but being thou art one who calleſt Chriſt Lord, and profeſſeſt (at leaſt) to acknowledge him God; this very thing obligeth thee to demean thy ſelf well, however hee deals with thee.
Secondly, As hee is thy Lord, ſo hee is thy Life; My meaning is, thou goeſt to him, without whom thou canſt not live; and therefore thou hadſt need to carry it well. Whither ſhould wee go? (ſaith Peter) thou hast the words of eternal life. Chriſt is your Phyſician, for that you muſt carry it well to him; you do carry it well, and wait upon a Doctor fairly, becauſe your life lies upon it, and will you not deal ſo with Chriſt, when the life of your ſouls lies upon it? I knew a Phyſician that was of great Name and Practice, a man of a very cynical ſpirit, as rugged, crabbed a carriaged perſon as any of that Profeſſion; hee could ſcarce give a pleaſing look, and would often give courſe, croſs, indeed very bad language; and yet I have heard him ſo reverently ſpoke unto, and ſo patiently waited on, that I have admired it; but what was the reaſon? Oh hee was a Doctor, and they came to him knowing his skill; and therefore it made them carry themſelves ſo reſpectfully to him. Oh ſoul! Chriſt is thy ſoveraign Phyſician, thy onelyonly Doctor; upon that account let him do or ſay what hee will, as hee will, bee it never ſo ſeemingly croſs (for really ill hee cannot carry it) it becomes thee to have a good behaviour.
Thirdly, Hee is Wiſdome, infinite Wiſdome, one that knows what hee does. Alaſs my Beloved! if the Lord Chriſt were capable of folly, wee might charge God fooliſhly; but Job knew Gods wiſdome was infinite, and therefore hee would not charge God fooliſhly. When hee rips up thy ſins, bee ſtill, hee knows what hee doth. When the Lord Jeſus ſhall launce the wound, and cut conſcience, and tell thee of ſin, and rip up unworthineſs, lye ſtill, carry it well, hee is very wiſe. How oft doth the Chirurgion binde the Patient, and cut, and launce it? How oft doth hee ſearch the wound, and gaſh the fleſh, yet ſtill is the Patient quiet, hee ſilently ſubmits? why, hee knows the Chirurgion is wiſe, and one that underſtands both what, and wherefore hee doth ſo. Truly (Beloved) Chriſt is infinite in wiſdome, doth nothing but what wee need, and hee can (yea and in time will) give a good reaſon why hee carries it thus or thus unto us (as I formerly told you in the ſecond Doctrine) therefore wee ought to bee ſilent, and carry our ſelves reverently, and well unto him.
Fourthly and laſtly, Conſider further who the Lord is; why truly the Lord Jeſus is ſo generous, ſo gracious, that hee cannot bee angry if wee ſtoop; Hee cannot carry it ill, if wee carry it well. The Lord Jeſus is of ſo ſweet a diſpoſition, of ſo tender bowels, that when hee ſees us weep, his bowels turn within him. Chriſt, though hee roar, and make thee tremble, yet if thou bow, and fall, and art ſilent, hee will (as they ſay of the Lion in ſuch a caſe) Lick and love thee. It was the glory of the King of Iſrael, that when Benhadads ſervants came to him with ropes about their necks, hee was overcome with it, 1 King. 20.32, 33. Oh you know I have once, yea twice told you of Joſeph, I muſt tell you once more of him. Joſeph ſpeaks rugged, very roughly, yet at laſt hee bowed, what was the cauſe of it? Look upon the ſtory. In Gen. 45. you have that which doth uſher in his ſpeaking kindly. In the firſt verſ. Then Joſeph could not refrain himſelf, &c. whenwas that? Look into chap. 44. from verſe 18. downward. Then, when Reverend Judah, his Elder Brother, and the reſt, with bended knees, and doubtleſs with weeping eyes, lay at his feet humbly under all, and yet earneſtly ſupplicating, Oh how doth his bowels yearn towards them! So then, when thou ſhalt lye at his feet humbly ſupplicating, laying out thy miſery, and what thou doſt expect, hee cannot hold out; witneſs this Woman of Canaan unto whom at laſt Jeſus Chriſt ſweetly condeſcended (though at firſt hee carried it towards her ſtrangely, as you have heard) Truly as ſhee found, wee may expect even the ſame condeſcenſion, if wee have the ſame carriage. Chriſt hath that innate ſweetneſs, that infinite grace, thoſe ſoft affections, that however hee begins roughly, hee will conclude comfortably (as I ſhall ſhew when I come to it) Remember Chriſts Name is Love, and Lovingneſs is with him. The conſideration of his Nature calls upon thee, O ſoul, for ſuch a carriage as I have opened; therefore ſtudy it. If thou well knoweſt Chriſt, who hee is, thou canſt not well forget what carriage is ſuitable to ſuch a perſon; ſo that if you conſider who Chriſt is, to whom you come, and withall if you do not forget your ſelves, and the Arrand you come to him about, you cannot but carry it well to him, though hee ſhould carry it ſeemingly harſh to you. I ſhould proceed to open theſe two other things, viz. The conſideration of our ſelves, and our buſineſs to, and with Chriſt, are grounds for this good behaviour, but I ſee at preſent I muſt end here: Therefore now I ſhall onelyonly name two words of Uſe.
Firſt, I will ask you a Queſtion.
And ſecondly, I will give you a word of Advice.
Firſt, I will ask you this one Queſtion, If it bee our duty to deal well with Chriſt, when hee deals ill with us; What ſhall become of thoſe that deal ill with Chriſt, when hee deals well with them? If when Chriſt frowns, wee ſhould worſhip him, if when Chriſt puts us off, wee ſhould then draw near to him, if when Chriſt calls us Dogg, wee ſhould worſhip him as our Lord, What ſhall wee think of thoſe, who when Chriſt ſmiles, invites, doth them good, they do ill to Jeſus Chriſt? Oh my Brethren, Monſters they are, and not Men, and yet I muſt tell you, wee need not go to Africa to finde theſe Monſters; people profeſſing the Lord are apt to deal ill with Chriſt, when hee deals well with them. In Jeremiah 2. ſaith the Lord there, Teſtifie againſt mee what iniquity have your Fathers found in mee? &c. Is there any ſuch before the Lord? Oh let mee teſtifie for the Lord againſt you; what evil did Chriſt do to you? why then doſt thou blaſpheme the Name of God? thou haſt often hea…d by his ſervants, I lay down my life for ſinners, and yet thou wilt ſwear by the Life of Jeſus Chriſt. If the Lord had ſpoke angerly, thou ſho…ldeſt have bleſſed him, and wilt thou now curſe him, when hee ſpeaks kindly? In Malachy 3.13, 14. ſaith the Lord there, Your words have been ſtout againſt mee; wherein have they been ſtout? In that you have ſaid, it is in vain to ſerve God: and what profit is it that wee have kept his Ordinances? &c. Mark it a …i…tle, I gather out of this Scripture this truth, that whoever ſpeaks ſleightly of the Ordinances of Jeſus Chriſt, his words are ſtout againſt Jeſus Chriſt. Have you not ſpoke ſleightly of prayer, praying, breaking bread, of Church-fellowſhip, as if theſe were vain? your words are ſtout againſt Jeſus Chriſt. Sirs, If the Lord Jeſus ſhould make every hearing of a Sermon twenty pound, yet you were bound to honour him by hearing a Sermon: And if hee ſhould make breaking of bread, fire and fagot, you were obliged notwithſtanding to ingage in that duty. But now you have all ſweetly, why are your words ſtout againſt the Lord? you may have Ordinances free, and worſhip with peace, and yet your words are ſtout againſt Jeſus Chriſt. Chriſt will ſay one day to ſuch, There was a Woman of Canaan that carried it well when I dealt croſly with her, but you carried it croſs to mee, even when and while I was all kindneſs to you. Oh Sirs, think not that Chriſt can take it well; nay, hee muſt needs take it ill. If this Queſtion I hint faſten on thy heart (O ſoul!) and finde thee in this fault, O humble thy ſoul for this thy ſin. Thy carriage is quite contrary to this point and example which I have opened to you.
The ſecond word I would ſpeak, is a word of Advice; and that is but this one word. Who are you before the Lord, that are of this houſe, that this good Woman was? That are under the frowns of Chriſt at preſent, that have heard Jeſus Chriſt call you Dogg, that have prayed often, and been put off alwaies? I pray take a word of Advice, carry it well even now unto Jeſus Chriſt. You know what the wiſe man tells us, in Eccleſ. 7.14. In the day of proſperity bee joyful, but in the day of adverſity conſider. I would but a little allude to it. It may bee there ſits a ſoul, but it is a day of proſperity with him, hee praies, and the Lord hears, hee looks, and the Lord ſmiles; But there is a Man or Woman, with whom it is the day of adverſity, thou calleſt, and Chriſt doth not anſwer, it is thy day of adverſity. Now conſider, conſider what, conſider how thou carrieſt thy ſelf, Look to thy lips, do not ſin, do not murmure, though thy wounds ſtink, though thy conſcience burn, though thy ſoul tremble, it is thy day of adverſity, and therefore conſider. Oh, conſider how the Lord eyes thee to ſee how thou wilt carry it. Take heed the Lord do not ſee a curſed Canaanitiſh carriage in thee; here is a good Canaanitiſh carriage in the Text. I remember what a godly man ſaid, within theſe ſeven years, lying under a great pain of a great grief, of which hee died; as hee groaned exceedingly, ſaith one, you groan much, I, replied hee, But though I groan, I dare not grumble. Though Chriſt keep thee a little at ſtaves end, and carry it harſhly, yet bee of good courage, and confidence; wilt thou but wait a little? wait the Lords leiſure, carry it well, hee will deal well with thee. Bee therefore adviſed how thou behave thy ſelf, ſurely a waſpiſh ſpirit, and a murmuring tongue, argue one is not well adviſed (as wee ſay) in his carriage; Therefore go home as an adviſed Chriſtian, let the Lord Jeſus do, or ſay what hee pleaſeth, hold thou thy peace, ſuppreſs thou thy paſſion, and in all things ſhew a humble, reverend, bleſſed behaviour to him. But of this more in the next.