The history of the woman of great faith Recorded by Saint Matthew, ch. 15. v. 22. &c. and by Saint Mark, ch. 7. 24. where three very strong encounters are beaten back by her vnmatchable faith. Treatised and expounded for some help to the weake in faith. By Robert Horn, a Minister of Iesus Christ.

Bee it vnto thee euen as thou wilt.

OR, with such a faith, aske what thou wilt, and it shall not be denied thee. Heere the womans request is gran∣ted with the aduantage: for, bee it as thou wilt, is a large ouer∣plus: shee expressed no more but her daughters freedome from Satans possession: but more is granted, euen what shee will, as was said before: her daughters cure was but that some thing in hand for a grea∣ter matter: and both the grea∣ter and lesse are yeelded to such a faith; which is the p••••••ciple and c••iefe in the good issue of this conference betweene Christ and her: where we haue (first)

the generall issue, and (then) the particular effect. In the first, the booke was drawne; in the second, it was signed with the health of the womans daughter, and there Christs hand was to the booke. Quest. But might the woman haue had what shee would aske? and what if shee had asked her house full of gold and precious stones, should shee haue had it? Answ. I answer, true faith (such as this woman had) will aske within the word and promise, and no otherwise: and to such and to no other, is this large grace offered. 1 Iohn 5.14. it is not entrusted to gree∣die persons, and couetous that haue no faith: in a true faith there is no vaine wishing or would∣ing: but what God is pleased to giue, that and more than that, it will not aske: but (here) where so much is granted to the woman, more than she durst presume to aske: * 1.1 wee learne

that God is a most bountifull giuer: what wee dare not aske for our vnworthinesse, hee, for his owne worthinesse will giue vnto vs: commonly, his gift is larger than our prayers, if wee pray in faith. The Israelites asked but bread, and God gaue them Angels food, Psal. 78.25. Elijah prayed that it might not raine, and it rained not on the earth for three yeeres and a halfe, Iam. 5.17. the King as∣ked life, and the Lord gaue him a long life, Psal. 21.4. Salomon desired wisdome, and God gaue it him, and more, 1 King. 3.9.12. The prodigall asked to bee a seruant in the house, and the father receiued him in equall tearmes, with his eldest brother, Luke 15 19.22, 23. so, the re∣pentant Malefactor, asking no more but to bee remembred of Christ in his kingdome, recei∣ued answer, that, that day hee should bee with him in paradise,

Luke 23.42.42. thus more is giuen to our prayers than is as∣ked, asking as this woman did. The reasons: * 1.2 all the reason for this is in Gods nature, who is a bountifull giuer, Iam. 1.5. hee makes a kings dinner, and biddes vs (poore beggers) to it, Matth. 22.1, 2, 3. and thus as the heathen Monarch once said to a poore man, to whom hee gaue a citie, refusing it, as too great and much for him; that the matter was not what became him to receiue, but what was fit for him to giue: so heere the matter is not what wee are worthie to receiue, but what pleaseth him (the worthy God) to giue: and now he that spared not his owne Sonne, but gaue him to death, that wee should not die, what will hee not doe for vs? Rom. 8.32. or was hee so liberall in his Sonne, and will hee pull backe in small matters?

Papists are here reproued, * 1.3 who adde to Gods bountie in mans saluation: his gift in it, is rather ouer than short, yet they will helpe it with making some part of payment, where all is free: but hee, that made this dinner is a King, Matth. 22.1. and Kings, when they haue royal∣ly dined their Subiects, doe not take a shot of them; either (then) our Papists beleeue not that God is so bountifull (as we haue heard) the God that giueth libe∣rally, and doth not (as some meates in the stomacke) vp∣braide the receiuers; Iam. 1.5. or they offer manifest contempt to his bountie and goodnesse.

A comfort to humble sinners, * 1.4 who finde in themselues no mat∣ter able to draw any thing from God: for such may say with the Prophet; returne vnto thy rest (O my soule) for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee, Psal. 116.7. If wee say, wee are not

worthie: our vnworthinesse (hauing it in a true account, and rightly humbled for it) will ra∣ther open the face of God, than set him out with vs: for, blessed are the poore in Spirit, Matth. 5.3. God keepes no ordmarie: and heere hee payes best, who (in his true repentance and vile esteeme of himselfe) confesseth hee hath nothing to pay: such (as being thirstie indeed) are cal∣led to the waters of his rich grace to drinke at will, Esa 55 1. and this (Christian soule) is thy best buckler to warde off the stroke of insufficiencie, which Satan (the obiector) will offer at thy weake estate in a day of tempta∣tion: for, no more is required for satisfaction to the iustice of God in thy many sinnes, but, with submission to God, and repentance for sinne from a soule of sorrowes, to confesse thy great vnworthinesse, and the li∣beralitie of thy Host: for, the

reckoning is (which is soone made,) there's nothing to pay, and yee are welcome: buy Wine and milke (as Esay saith) without money, and without price, Esa 55.1. And thus the booke was drawne.

The signing of it followeth out of Marke 7.29. and Matthew 15.28.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Doctr.
• * 1.2

  Reasons.
• * 1.3

  Vse 1.
• * 1.4

  Vse 2