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.

Matth. 15.21. with Mark 7.24. &c.

Then Iesus went thence, & de∣parted into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.

MATTHEVV & Marke doe (both of them) make a remarkable re∣port of a famous Historie; we will draw one thred from both, and supplie the defect of one of them by another. The Historie concerneth the singu∣lar commendation that Christ giueth to a Woman of great faith, the Woman was a stranger,

a Cananite, the Cananites, an accursed nation, and she of them, which maketh the storie more remarkable; it concerning a wo∣man, a Cananite; the weakest sexe, and the wickedest nation, and here we haue Iacobs hold in Canaan, Gen. 32.26. or the vi∣ctory of faith in a woman a Ca∣nanite, 1 Ioh. 5.4. and in the whole of the historie, wee may obserue the occasions and sub∣ject matter: the occasions are partly in this word of context, then; and partly in the text it self. And those are such as were out of the woman, or in her, they out of her were in the Pharises, Mat. 15.12. in her daughter grieuou∣sly vexed with a Deuil, Math. 15.22. and in the fame that went of Christ; she had heard of him, Marc. 7.25. the occasion (which was an occasion of fault in the Pharises) was this they did binde vpon tradition against Christ, Math. 15.2. and the truth hee

taught, they would not dispense with customs of their owne in∣uention to keepe him, and, (not his doctrine onely, but the mira∣cles he did, displeased them) ther∣fore, from them & from thence, that is from the land of Genesa∣reth (where he was;) hee depar∣ted to the furthest part of Galile, in the skirts of Tyre and Sidon, And so went farre enough from them: * 1.1 which teacheth that Christ cannot abide to bee, where his seruice (for the substance of it,) is set in ceremonies, or mixtures of mans clay with his head of gold. Dan. 2.32.33. they that let go the substance in religion for shadowes, make God weary of them. In the old Testament, the Iewes had Moon-times and Feast-dayes of their owne ap∣pointement: and the Lord saith that they were to him a burden and wearines: Esa. 1.14. and, when they called not vpon him, or called vpon others with him:

and when they brought to his altar, not his sacrifices, but the of∣ferings of their owne head, the Lord saith that they made him to serue with their sinnes, whom they should haue serued with his owne sacrifices, not with that Swines blood, & what was this but a wearying of him? Esa. 43. vers. 22.24. though God had wrought wonderfully for his people, in the eye of Pharao; and of the whole Kingdome: yet when there was no enemie left, they left God by limiting him to their deuices, and by tempting him. Therefore (as followeth) God was wroth, and greatly ab∣horred them. Psal. 78.40.41.58.59. at another time they prouo∣ked him with their inuentions: & it is said that the plague brake in. Psal. 106.29. So in the dayes of Ames, they put words of their owne pleasures into the mouths of his Prophets, and gane them their text: therefore, the Lord

saith; that hee was pressed vnder them as a cart full of sheaues. Am. 2.12.13. and cold hee bee more wearied? therefore, it is a vexation to him, when a people is more zelous of traditions or of mens inuentions, then of him. The reasons, * 1.2 what Master will not, to a vexation, bee weary of that seruant that will not doe what hee shall command, but what himselfe listeth? wee are Gods seruants, not to follow our owne head, but to follow him. When (therefore) wee walke in our owne deuices, not in the steps of his word, must it not needs vexe him, and so cause him to leaue vs, when we leaue him first? Secondly, such spillings are but strange fire, as all els are which in worshipping hee commandeth not, and such fire the Lord will deuoure with fire from heauen, as he did Nahab and Abihn, the Sonnes of Aaron. Leuit. 10.1.2. And would he so do, if such acts

of presumption did not greatly prouoke him? Saul sought the Lord in his owne way, and found his owne destruction. He would not obey, as he was commanded, but as hee listed: therefore, the Lord had no pleasure in him, nor in any of his offerings. 1 Sam. 15 22. Thirdly, God is pleased when we do his will, and obey his word. And obedience, in this sense, is as the salt of the offering, that keepes it in good taste; with∣out which, it stincks before God. 1 Sam. 15.22. as before. Ier. 7.22.23. and is God pleased when his word is obeyed? then, it must needs vexe him, when it is not. Such seruants, and they that so serue, doe but mocke God with a shew without substance, and hee will not be mocked. Galat. 6.7.

The vse is (first) for instruction & teacheth that to complement with religion, * 1.3 is to driue away Christ and religion. Hee is no good Christian whose Christia∣nitie

stands (all) in outwardnes. Rom. 2.28. neither he who flides into a visible garbe of Christia∣nitie onely by custome, and the imitation of times. The lewes did so, and had glorious words for a cloake of their falshood. Ier. 7.4. They had (as most of our ignorants now haue) a spi∣ced conscience in vaine things, but no conscience of worship∣ping in Spirit and truth. Such worshippers were the Samaritans: they stood vpon the formalitie of Iacobs Well, when there was no water in it, such as Iacob drank of, when hee drank of the Spirit. Ioh. 4.12. So nature and custome taught them their religion: and haue the most of our people any other teachers at this day? If they pray, it is in words without any heart, euen when their lippes march, as Iehn. 2 King. 9.20. they care not, if hee, that is the Salt of the Parish (the Minister) keepe his whitenes, whether hee haue

any sauour in him or no. Math. 5 13. and so they loue rather to see then heare a Preacher. This is not to doe after the doctrine here, but contrarily; and will Christ tarie, where hee hath but an outside, and not the inwards of a true welcom in the Gospel? One saith well: he that is maried to a fleshly religion, or religion of no Spirit, cannot haue Christ for his Husband. All ceremo∣nious worshippers are of this stamp moulded into no religion but what is carnall and standeth in worldly matters, & therefore, the marriage bond is broken be∣tweene Christ and them. Against this doctrine offend the Papists, who hold of Peter by succession (if so) but not by doctrine, not hauing the faith of Peter, they catch at his chaire, and keepe the bones of the Saints, though no marrow bee in them. Yea they make crosses 〈◊〉〈◊〉, while yet they make the Crosse of Christ

of no effect, and will Christ tarie there, where he is so dallied with?

An admonition (therefore,) * 1.4 if we would keepe Christ, to keepe in with him, by bearing vpon substance in religion, and not vpon formes only. God is a Spi∣rit and a liuing substance, Ioh. 4.24. will be worshipped substan∣tially. Now, to worship substan∣tially, is to serue God by his word where, his seruice must be learned of himselfe; who left ma∣king, after hee had made his last testamēt, hence, the second com∣mandement sends vs to God, the only Maker in the frame of reli∣gion. Exod. 20.4. In making of the tabernacle euery thing was precisely commanded, the silke, the colour, the smallest Goats∣haire, the least pinne was striken in with Gods owne hammer. Exod. 26.4.7.15.16. And then shall wee thinke to please God, when wee vse not his hammer, but our owne, for the pinnes we

hang our faith vpon? all good meanings (the spring of our owne braine) what are they but our vnreasonable seruice of God? and what is that but the sinne of witch-craft? 1 Sam. 15.15.23. & what vpon this but a prouoking of Christ to a departure? The Lord seekes such to serue him, who scrue in spirit and truth. Ioh. 4.23. And doth hee seeke such worshippers? questionlesse, he is delighted with such a worship; and further, hee seeketh this ser∣uice, that hath no need of our ser∣uice, and it is to our owne profit, not his, and (then) shall hee not haue it, that wee may haue him euer? Quest. but, what is it to worship in Spirit & truth? Answ. To worship in Spirit, is to wor∣ship spiritually, not carnally, and in ceremonie; and to worship in truth, is to worship otherwayes, then the lewes, who worshipped in shadowes of things to come. Heb. 9.9.10. Where it appeareth

that the seruice of God in the Go∣spel, must bee in manner, wholly inward & spirituall; whence I in∣ferre that they who vse Gods worship or any part of it, as mat∣ter of ceremonie and forme on∣ly do, with Saul, go to graues to enquire at the dead. 1 Sam. 28 7.8. but (then) the Lord was de∣parted from him, ver. 16. (that the Deuil said truely:) and (then) he will leaue vs, which would be considered of those Christians, who (so 〈◊〉〈◊〉 heere a forme of Gods seruice) never care whe∣ther it edifie the conscience or no: never seeke for Gods seale vpon it that it may imprint bles∣sings: & never hold Christ with the right hand, that he may not go away (as here) from the Pha∣rises, whose deuotion was (all) set in a ceremonie of religion.

But whither did Christ goe, going from the Iewes? departing from them; hee went as farre as (well) he might, he went to the

hithermost coaste of the Gentils, whereof hee was the appointed light. Luc. 2.32. And so, (as the Sunne of the heauens) he sends forth some beames of his ap∣proach before him, as the messen∣gers of his comming, not long before he came. The Sunne went low in Iudea, but was not down: and Christ was going away, but not gone: therefore Christ depar∣ted but into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, and not farre into the countrie. Here he desired to re∣pose himselfe, and was receiued, where his owne receiued him not. * 1.5 Math 4.15.16. And heere we learne that when Gods owne people will not receiue the truth, a strange people shall. For Prin∣ces shall come out Egypt: Ethio∣pia shall soone stretch out her hands to God. Psal. 68.31. as God said to Elijah; so he hath not only seuen, but seuentie times se∣uen thousands, wherewith to seed Israel in the thinne spring

of true worshippers. 1 King. 19.18. and he is able, out of the seed of stones, to raise vp ehildren to Abraham. Math. 3.9. when Ie∣resalem wold not receiue Christ, Egypt. did. Math. 2.13. and here, Tyre & Sidon open their dores, when Iewry shut hers against Christ, and Christ saith that hee hath other sheepe then those of the fold of Iudah. Ioh. 10.16. rea∣sons, * 1.6 the first may be taken from Gods vnquestionable right and propertie in all things: for all are his, made or not made. Ioh. 1.3. Heb. 1 2. Now hee that is Lord ef all, may chuse where hee will; For, may not the King abide with vs, or set his throne in Scotland? Secondly, hee that can make stones, can (as was said) of stones, raise vp children to Abraham. Math. 3.9. if one world will not he can make another that shall: for, hee is All-mightie. Psal. 115. 3. and so from the power of crea∣tion in God, wee draw a second

strong-binding consequent. 3. A reason may bee drawne from the inconuenience that would follow, if it were otherwayes, for it could not but make a people exceedingly arrogant & proud, if God could not bee God with∣out them. For, would they not then say; let him go whither hee will, he must come againe?

The vse is for correction, * 1.7 some in their prosperitie think it can∣not be otherwayes, and Dauid in some of his good dayes, thought he should neuer bee remoued: Psal. 30.6. But he found the con∣trarie, and repented. ver. 7. Ierusa∣lem was impenitently proud of her strong foundation: and Ieru∣salem (the speach of al the world) was made an heape. Lament. 1. Rahel, despising Leah, became barren, and Leah fruitfull, Gen. 29 31. so when the Gentils were re∣puted vile, and the proud Iewes despised them; the Leah of them became a fruitfull mother of chil∣dren.

After, the yonger Sons had more honour, than the elder in the house. Luc, 15.29.30. This is written for our learning that haue drunk so deep of Gods mer∣cies, in the cup of the Gospell. The Gospel hath been a rich wise vnto England. But, as some that marey for welth: so many among vs, that marie, not the power of the Gospel, but the good dayes of it; behaue themselues in it, as if they had said; the mariage were good, if the wife were away; and these Gadarens loue their hogges better then Christ: who (there∣fore) will go from such, without bidding to be gone? Math. 8.34. As therefore, when Aholah and Aholibah (being sisters) did par∣take, one with anothers sinnes; (lerusalem with the sinnes of Samaria;) they drank (both) of one cup: Ezech. 23.2.4.9. so, if we of this nation proue Aholah, and iustifie Aholibah in hers and her sisters sinnes, wee must look

to pledge them in the same cup of destruction, that was their death many hundreds gone, ther∣fore let vs not flatter our selues with a shewing promise of long dayes in the Gospel, if wee walke not more worthie of it: for, if we refuse Christs supper, hee will, without vs, haue ghests to fill his house. Luc. 14.21.23. and hee cannot want a Church, though England were vnder ground. God is bound to no nation: and in euery nation, hee that feareth God and worketh righteousnes is accepted of him. Act. 10.35. our glorie is not in this that wee haue the name of God in our mouths and Churches; but that we glorie in God. Ier. 9.23. The rather to moue vs, consider wee that the Lord hath change of ground, which, hee may at his pleasure, turne vp with the plow of the Gospel: and if it lose edge among vs, hee can whet it at the grinde stone of the Sauages in

America? Againe, he spared not our elder sister the Church of the lewes, when shee sinned a∣gainst him, Psal. 80.8.9.10. and shall we (the yonger Sister) think to fare better, not doing better, or doing worse then she that first opened the wombe by an elder calling? what ground in reason, for such presumption? thirdly, & againe, let it bee thought vpon that to whom much is commit∣ted, of him or them, much will be required. Luc. 12.48. If it may be said of vs, as it well may, and as it was said of the house of Is∣rael: you haue I know of all the families of the earth; (for all Eu∣rop being, at this day, in combu∣stion and blood, wee enioy our selues and know no warre:) then what followeth is a conclusion proper to vs; therefore will I vi∣sit your iniquities vpon you. Am. 3.2. For, will he suffer such pie∣ces to go from him, & not know how? Luc. 19.13.15

But is Christ among the Gen∣tiles? his saluation doth (there∣fore) belong to them. Which (thirdly) teacheth that saluation is of the Gentiles. * 1.8 We heard be∣fore out of Iohn 10.16. that God hath more in the bunch than I••∣dah: and the second Psalme doth prophecie of an other inheri∣tance, euen that of the heathen, who shall come vnto Christ from one end of the earth to an∣other, Psal. 2.8. Isaias saith, that nations shall offer themselues to the root of Ishai; which was not Dauid, but Dauids Lord: & that hee hath a remnant of people out of Ashur, out of Egypt, out of other places, and out of the Isles of the sea, Esa 11.10, 11. And further, that he shall bring forth his iudgement, that is, his Law to the Gentiles, who should re∣ceiue it, Esa 42.1. After S. Peter had preached to the Gentiles, they of the Circumcision (the lewes) contended with him; to

whom he made answer, that God would haue it so: and that hee was not to forbid the winde of God to blowe where it listed, for saith he, could I let God? Act 11.2.17, 18. The Apostle S. Paul calleth this, the riches of the world, and the riches of the Gen∣tiles, Rom. 11.12. rich indeed, when for so few cast off (and yet all were not so) so many were called to Christ as (then) were in the broad field of the nations. And thus it is plaine that Gods saluation goeth (now) farther than the wall of Israel. * 1.9 The rea∣sons, for else Noahs propheticall prayer should be fruitlesse, Gen. 9.27. and many propheticall texts in Esa and others false. Second∣ly, then God should haue respect of persons, where there is no such thing with him, Act 10.34. Thirdly, the first fruits of the hea∣then, this woman with others make it euident, from effect, that the whole crop of the Gentiles

did belong to God. Fourthly, and therefore did God shut vp all in vnbeleefe, as in some common gaole, that he might haue mercy vpon all, that is, vpon the kindes of all, Rom. 11.32: wherein hee had failed, if he had kept the Gen∣tiles in ward perpetually. But the vaile betweene the outward Court and the Sanctuary, was rent at Christs death, Matth. 27.51. and then hee said to the pri∣soners, goe forth, Esa 49.9.

The vse is for instruction, * 1.10 tea∣ching that great grace is come to vs, the sinners of the Gentiles: & that wee haue great cause of glo∣rying in God for his mercifull health. We that were dead in sin, and trespasses, are quickned, Ephes. 2.1. now wee are writ∣ten among the liuing in the Gos∣pell, whose names (before) where not in the booke. Our dutie in this case, is to beware that wee race not the booke by our con∣tempts, neither blotit, and our

names in it with the pen of our sins, Rom. 11.20, 21. Be we adui∣sed then how we ioyne in answer with those, who (bidden to the great Supper) absented them∣selues by their farmes, & yoakes of Oxen, Luke 14.18, 19. God hath pitied vs, let vs not be cruell to our selues: he loued our salua∣tion aboue the life of his Sonne: Iohn 3.16. let vs not vnderualue it with Esau, to a portion of meat, Hebr: 12, 16. nor let vs with the Papists, open a shop of our owne doings, when the Lord hath done alfour works for vs, Esa 26.12. for God hath not giuen vs this great stock of his gracious boun∣ties to set vp for our selues, but to occupie for him, Matth. 25.25. much lesse to put it out to bad v∣ses, or to consume it on our lusts, Iam. 4.3.

Is the saluation of God come to the Gentiles; and (if to any) to vs of this nation? it reproueth the cold affections of the most a∣mong

vs, who receiue it with no better welcome. The Lord hath cast the seed of his word, and the precious stone of his Gospell a∣mong vs: & where others labour and trade with earthly wares, he hath made vs the Merchants of a rich Iewell, wherein is life & sal∣uation: but this ignorance that is among vs, and this vntoward∣nesse that is in vs, either to learne the good will of God, or to pra∣ctise that wee know, hath made vs the merchants of the earth, and not Merchants of so heauen∣ly a treasure. It cannot bee de∣nied but that great grace is come vnto vs, & that the Lord hath set vp his Altar in this Realm for his worship: but as when the Arke of God was with great gladnesse receiued of the Bethshemits, after it came from the Philistims, but with little reuerence vsed, it be∣came the death of 50000 and 70 persons, who died in that con∣tempt, 1 Sam. 6.19. so, it is to

be feared, and almost to bee loo∣ked for, that if (generally) more care be not taken that the Arke of the Gospell haue better rooms a∣mong vs, & welcome to vs, than now it hath, or (of late) hath had, that euen that worthy thing, which otherwaies would haue bin our life, will proue our death, and the death of all the whole Realme: without such redresse of our waies (as one well saith) what can bee thought, but that which (otherwaies) should haue beene, and would haue beene the water of life to saue vs, will bee but a sea of waters to drowne vs: and become for a sweet powder of health, a strong dose of destru∣ction: and for meat to feed vs? poyson to kill vs: and for a word of glad newes, a word of the sad∣dest that euer was heard.

So much for the occasion of this conference in the Pharises, the other occasions follow, out of the text of S. Marke.

Marke 7.24, 25, 26.

And entred into an house, & would haue no man know it: but he could not be hid.

For a certaine woman whose young daughter had an vn∣cleane spirit, heard of him, & came and fell at his feet.

The woman was a Greeke, a Sy∣rophenician by nation: and shee besought him that hee would cast the Deuill out of her daughter.

IN these words (which we take vp for supply of what S. Mat∣thew hath not) we haue the other occasions of the following con∣ference, where (concerning it) the Euangelist S. Marke speaketh of certaine adherent circumstances, and (then) of the occasions them∣selues: and first, there is a barre set against the womans comming

to Christ (for he would not bee knowne): and then it is remo∣ued; for he could not be hid. Christ neuer shewed himselfe, but his power was great, full of excel∣lencie and wonder: yet as Ioh. 7.3 6.10. so here, hee shunned all opennesse. He was alwaies worth the seeing; yet, here and now he would not be knowne. And now this humble minde in Christ, who (though he might haue ho∣noured himselfe) would not; * 1.11 doth teach all Christians to bee humble in their gifts. When Christs brethren would haue him to get credit by seeking to be openly knowne, he would not ante-date his fathers time, nor goe openly to the feast, but se∣cretly, and in no shew, Iohn 7.4.10. In the Chapter before, some would haue made him a King: but his hand (such as it was then) being not fit to hold the Scepter, he got him frō them to a moun∣taine, where was no companie,

Iohn 6.15. Further, he comman∣deth his to learne of him; and what is the lesson? it is to bee meeke and lowlie in heart, Mat. 11.29. Hereupon the Apostle S. Paul biddeth Christians to ca∣ry the minde that was in Christ, who emptied himselfe of all out∣ward glorie, and made himselfe of no reputation, Phil. 2.5.7. so humble he was in his rare ex∣cellencies and high place, that he washed the feet of those, who should haue worshipped at his feet, Iohn 13.5. and thus Christi∣ans, (though of neuer so great gifts, and eminent place) should be humble in them: for what are their drops to his full sea? * 1.12 the reasons. First, much good will come vnto vs by doing so: for, where the ambitious and proud are tossed vpon a restlesse sea of cares, we shall finde rest vnto our soules, Matth. 11.29. where they haue a storme of perturbations in their mindes, wee shall finde

nothing but a sweet calme of quiet affections in them. Se∣condly, it shall be for our greater honour: for, they that humble themselues shall bee exalted, Luke 14.11. Men shall lose nothing by humilitie, as they shall get nothing by pride: by which what man euer made a sauing bargaine? the lower or deeper we lay the foundation, the strong∣er the building is, Luke 6.48. and so, the humbler in grace, the surer of grace: and who hauing any good thing, would not bee sure of it? Thirdly, by pride in our gifts, wee pull from God to take to our selues (as our owne) that which is his: and can this glorying be good, which is so vniust?

The vse is for reproofe of th••se that swell (as if they had a T••••panie) because their gifts exceed the common rate of vul∣gar or ordinarie. * 1.13 Christ would not be knowne, but such would

not bee hid. Moses counten∣ance shone, and he knew it not, Exod. 34.29. these knovv all and more too: but (thus,) fol∣lowing their owne shaddow, they driue it further from them: the way to catch it, is to fall downe vpon it: so, they that praise themselues with so lowd a voice, lose the shaddow of ho∣nour which they so pursue, where they way to get true honour is to fall low in the opinion of the best they doe. He that will enter in at a strait and low gate, must striue and goe low: such a doore of entrance, we haue into Heauen, Matth. 7.14. and what going in (then) without an humble and low minde? proud members cannot belong to an humble head. Such is our head Christ: and (therfore) no humilitie in vs, no affinite with him.

So much for the barre put, the same remoued followeth in it, and in the reason of it.

But he could not be hid.

THere was a barre in the dore of the womans comming to Christ; for it was said that hee would haue none to know where he was: but here it is taken out, for, he could not be hid: that is, the fame of his miracles & teaching could not bee kept within the wall of Iudea, it flew out to those that dwelt in Tyre and Sydon (colonies of Phoeniesa) And further, Herod heard many things of him, Luke 23.6. his Doctrine and workes made him much spoken of in the Kings court: and here, vpon the legs of the same report that went of Christ, this woman came vnto him: for it is said V. 25. that she had heard of him: * 1.14 where wee see that God hath meanes (euen out of the Church) to bring those to his saluation that are appointed vnto it. When Israel went out of

Aegypt, a great multitude went out with them, whereof some (no doubt,) euen in Aegypt, had learned the way to Iehoua, Exod. 12.38. Iethro had few ordina∣rie meanes (indeed none) to be as he was: for, he was not in the Church to haue them, and hee was Prince of Midian, Exod. 2.26. yet was the father both in Law and in counsaile to Moses, Exod. 18.14. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23. and what meanes had Iob from the Church, when the Church was but in his owne house, and where (out of it) were none but the wilde of the nati∣ons? Iob 1.1. Further, was not Ruth a Moabitesse made an Isra∣lite out of Israel? Ruth 1.4.16 17 a little maid carried out of Israel young, and bred in Naamans house (no house for the know∣ledge of the true Iebova) yet did forget the Prophet that was in Samaria, 2 King. 5.2, 3. and what meanes had shee in Naa∣mans

house to preserue the know∣ledge of him? and what meanes had the widow of Sarepta (which was in Sidon) to whom Elijah was sent, 1 King. 17.9. had she any Church meanes: yet her name is in the role of the blessed, so hap∣py, that a great Prophet was com∣mended to her. Luke 4.26. the like of Naaman the Leper, who (of all the Lepers in Israel) was onely made cleane by Elisha, Verse 27. In the captiuitie many of the people of the land became Iewes, Hest. 8.17. Was that con∣uersion made by an ordinary way? And so we see that out of the Church, there are meanes other than Church-meanes to bring those to life that are ordained to it: the reason, saluation is the Lords, that is, * 1.15 it is in his hand & bestowing; and therefore he can giue it in what hand, either of meanes, or no meanes, as best pleaseth him. When the woman in the wildernesse could not vp∣on

on her feet goe, from the Dra∣gon that pursued her, God gaue her wings to flie from him, Apoc. 12.13, 14. So, when wee haue not the feet of the meanes to goe from destruction in an ignorant estate: God can giue wings with∣out meanes to saue vs, when or∣dinary tillage failes, as in the wildernesse he did; he can plow the heauens, & raine Manna: for his time is to worke when meanes faile, who can worke without them. Secondly, the winde bloweth where it listeth, Ioh. 3.8. and if the winde, shall not hee that moueth in the fearefull windes? Thirdly, to conclude God within meanes, is to denie him to be Almighty: but he can doe whatsoeuer (by what way soeuer) pleaseth him, both in heauen and earth, Psal. 135.6.

The vse is, * 1.16 (first) for instru∣ction, teaching, that if God haue meanes for the saluation of the

Elect out of the Church, then we need not to doubt but many of our Elders, liuing in Poperie, were saued: for as God had an Arke for Noah, and for those that with him entred into it, in the generall floud, Gen. 7.7. So we feare not to say, that God had his Arke of saluation for those our beleeuing Fathers, who in that generall floud of poperie, did cast themselues wholly vpon the merits of God in Christ, though confusedly, and by vnknowne meanes, and in this sence, where our Papists obiect and say; Doe yee thinke that all your forefa∣thers that liued and died in the aire of poperie were damned; I doubt not but we may safely an∣swere, and that with the voice of God, that all did not, and that God had among them, more than his seuen thousand, that in the bastard Israel of that age, did not bow the knee to the Baal of Rome, 1 King 19.18. Many

(I doubt not) were sorie that the mist of the time being so thicke, they could not see whither they went, and therefore prayed for Gods extraordinarie thred in that labyrinth of ignorance, and had it; for with application to such we may say; the time of that ig∣norance God wincked at, and was mercifull to some in it, though not by an ordinarie rule Act. 17.30.

The second vse is for comfort to those who by some long sick∣nes are kept as with some chaine, * 1.17 from Church assemblies; so it bee their trouble that they can∣not bee in place, and the like to those that haue, and long haue had an impediment in their hea∣ring: for, he that hath a way out of the Church to saue his, hath no shorter arme in the Church, (the ordinary meanes failing) to bring his, by an extraordinarie way, to his saluation. Some would gladly haue a Preacher,

and bee as glad to heare him: but they are not able (them∣selues) to prouide one, and they that are able, are not the Mer∣chants of that pearle, Matth. 13.45. In this case and when no Preacher is neere, let them re∣member that God can fi••d them by a Reader, as he fed Elijah by a Rauen, 1 King 17.6. But it is not safe to trust to a miracle, when by our conuenient trauell, we may heare a Preacher, not breaking the Churches peace. For then we must doe, as it was prophecied we should doe: run to and fro, that knowledge may increase, Dan. 12.4.

The reason why Christ could not be hid followeth.

VERSE 25.

For a certaine Woman whose young daughter &c.

THis is the reason why Christ could not bee hid. Hee was so followed by the weaker sexe, a Woman, and (which is stranger) a stranger, a Cananite, that hee could not, where, wee may note the importunitie and boldnes of Faith: that grace, which is the victorie ouer all denials; and that which will haue no nay. For, this Woman, hauing sought Christ by hearesay, and by her Faith found him, and bound him in a sort, to dispossesse her vexed young daughter, she rests not till it be done. And so in these words and in those that follow here, & in S. Mathew, we haue the other occasions of the conference fol∣lowing, that, in the Woman, was her strong Faith, which is here

gathered: and, out of her, the oc∣casions were; her daughters vexa∣tion by a Deuill, and the report that went of Christ both of them set downe in this verse, some ad∣herent circumstances there are; asthe description of the woman by her sexe, and countrie in the next verse. And her manner of importuning Christ, here and in S. Mathew, the manner this: it was with a crying tongue, shee cryed vnto him: Math. 15.22. & with a low gesture downe to the ground, she fell downe at his feet. Marc. 7.25. But of these, when wee come vnto them in the E∣uangelists owne order. Meane while we wil consider, who came to Christ, and why. For the per∣son that came to Christ; it is said here, that a certain Woman came vnto him. The word (as wee heard) had lost edge among his own people, and (here) he whet∣teth it among the Gentils. In Iewrie, where God was knowne,

Christ could finde but few that would receiue the grace which he offered: here, in a land of dark∣nes, and among the cursed Cana∣nites, a Woman and Cananite, doth in a manner, euen compell him to giue the grace which hee offered not. And here, a Woman is opposed to Men: a Cananite to men in Israel: a cursed stock to a holy seed: a whelp of Ca∣naan to Abrahams Sonnes: no Scholar to great Diuines: one of no learning to learned men: and where none of the Pharises wold follow Christ, she, a simple Wo∣man, could not bee driuen from him. Thus, the word that had turned edge in Iudea, got a sharp edge here, being whetted vpon a Cananite, which could not but be a shame to the whole land of Iewry, to the Doctors, and all the Rabbies there: * 1.18 and teacheth that God doth (often) confound the learned and wise by the weake and ignorant. Salomon sends the

sluggard to schoole to a very homely Master, the industrous Pismire. Prou. 6.6. & the Prophet Isaias conuinteth and quite sha∣meth the ignorance of Israel by greater knowledge in the Oxe & Asse; saying, the Oxe knoweth his owner, and the Asse his Ma∣sters crib: but Israel doth not know, Gods people doth not consider. Esa. 1.3. so Christ, by the great Faith of the Centurion (out of Israel,) doth reproue the no faith, or the no such Faith in Israel. Math. 8.10. also, by the mouths of Babes and sucklings he stopt the mouth of the chief Priests and Scribes, who (for that) had great indignation at him. Matth 21.15.16. and thus God conuinceth the wise and strong by weake and foolish things. * 1.19 1. Cor. 1.27. the reasons. One rea∣son may bee taken from God himselfe, another from the God∣ly, and a third from those great Ones, that are wealthy and lear∣ned,

but neither godly, nor wise: the reason that concerneth God is, by such meanes, to shew his power, and to extoll his praise; for, it pointeth, as with the finger, to God, as sole Agent in euery great and notable thing done, which (therefore) hee doth by simple and strengthles instru∣ments. So Gideon and the few with him, must discomfit the maine armie of Midian, but neither with sword, nor weapon in hand, but onely with blowing of trumpets and breaking of pit∣chers. Iudg. 7: 16.22. and the A∣postles (some of them but simple Fishermen) yet with the sword of the Spirit (which is the word of God) in their mouthes, were able and did cast downe all the wisdom of the world that resi∣sted them. Now, in this and the like who hath the glorie? can the weake hand of the means, rather, shall not the strong arme of the Lord haue it? Secondly, and in

respect of the godly, this serueth to teach them, that that strength, by which they doe great things (beeing themselues weake per∣sons, is not theirs by any entaile to nature; but by power from aboue, and so it excludeth all re∣ioycing in flesh, or of flesh in Gods presence. 1 Cor. 1.29. Thirdly, for great ones and wise, but not godly; when they are put downe by ignorant persons and simple in the world, but wise in God; it is to prouoke them, as God did the Iewes by the Hea∣then. Rom. 11.11. at least, it can∣not but make them ashamed be∣fore God and the world, when they whom thy condemne for such fooles, may, nay must touch them.

An admonition to Christians in title, not to lose all shame, * 1.20 when such examples should pro∣uoke them, as we see in this wo∣man a Cananite, and in such, ra∣ther, then lose al edge, let vs whet

vpon such grinde stones: if praise come out of the mouths of babes, if, in them, God hath or∣dained strength, Psal. 8.2. Matt. 21.16, Let the elder men, for shame, come to Church to per∣fit his praise: for, in all liklihood, they are nearer the graue then they, and so in all reason, nearer to God or to the Deuill. If chil∣dren can giue an accompt of their Faith; it must needs shame them, that are past children, not to can to doe it. More yeares should haue more knowledge, & riper iudgement, if the Woman be more religious then the Man, it should make him to runne: & where the simple in knowledge can say more then the learned, it should make them to blush. To speake particularly, and more di∣stinctly: they that scorne to bee Catechised as children, and yet haue as much or greater neede; should at least, be in place, when children and youths answere the

Catechisme, that, with shame, they may see their great igno∣rance and amend it. In other af∣faires, wee can, say to our Ser∣uants; can a little child doe this, and cannot you? and why not so in the affaires of religion? but wee keepe no shame for such matte S. Young men are ashamed to bee behinde others in impu∣dencie, and not before them in vanitie: (a shame taught in Sa∣tans schoole, who doth rent the wardship of such for the plea∣sures of sinne:) and yet are not ashamed to come after euery meane Christian in goodnes.

But this Womans forwardnes to Christ (hauing no guide to him, * 1.21 that we reade of in a vertu∣ous Husband liuing) doth re∣proue many backward women (besides men) in these dayes, who professing Christ, and hauing Guides, follow, (as Herod did the Wisemen to Christ) neuer a whit. Mat. 2.7.8. Some women turne

their husbands edge, & become manifest rubbes in their way to the marke of godlines; and such was the new maried Woman in the Gospel, of whom, hee (that was bidden to the great supper) said: I haue maried a Wife, there∣fore I cannot come. Luc. 14.20. But some women would come, and cannot, their world-follow∣ing husbands keeping them from Church, as in ward, from Christ. I would aduise such husbands to stirre vp themselues by so good an example in this holy woman, and to set it as a prick in their sides, but they wil not be gotten, in the afternoones of the Sab∣bath, to come to Catechisings and preaching: as soon you shall catch a Hare with a Taber, as perswade them.

The reason why this Woman came to Christ, followeth in two occasions of her com∣ming to him.

Whose young daughter had an vncleane Spirit:

OR, as S. Matthew read's out of the Womans owne speach to Christ: was grieuously vexed with a Deuill. Matth. 15.22. This is another occasion (as it were legge) of the Womans comming to Christ, and (conse∣quently) an impelling occasion of the conference had with him, and this made her to come rea∣dily, and running to him. Here, a sharp assault was made vpon her Faith: who, being but lately (it would seeme) conuerted from Paganisme to religion, had so ill a welcome to God, as to haue a Deuill throwne into her Daugh∣ter: yet the shield of Faith in her right hand warded off the temp∣tation; and she neither laid blame vpon the holy Faith, vnto which she was conuerted, nor repented of the change, followed with so

grieuous an affliction. Many would (in such a case) haue thought they had made but a bad change of their old religion, thus to bee welcomed by the Deuill, in a new: but her Faith (which was an occasion, in her, of this conference) would not permit her so to mistake; rather it driues her to the throne of mercie, with an implicit confes∣sion of her little worth in any thing: for Matth. 15.22 with the voice of a crying supplication, she said: haue mercy vpon Mee, O Lord. Surely it was no light affliction, and it could not but be strange newes to a woman, and that woman a Cananite, to haue a kinde of hell in her house, or a deuil at home in a daughter so deare vnto her. For, what might she think, but that God had cast her off, who thus had cast the Deuill into her Daugh∣ter? yet shee bore all quietly (as we heard) and, in her faith (at∣tended

with hope,) went bold∣ly to Christ for helpe. * 1.22 From hence we are taught that the na∣ture of Faith is to follow Christ vnder any crosse. So the Prophet in trouble gaue not ouer, but took surer hold, fastning vpon God for deliuerance, to whom he directed the eye of his soule. Psal. 25.1.2. at another time, in some great trouble of minde, and question of life, hee commended into the hand of his supreme Lord, the spirit, which God had redeemed: Psal. 31.5. and so, went not from God in that crosse but, by its approach, drew nearer vn∣to him. Herevpon, Christ inui∣teth sinners, that are pressed downe with the weight of their corruption, to come to him. Matth. 11.28. by Faith Peter speakes for himselfe, and all his fellow-Disciples that they had forsaken all to follow Christ. Matth. 19.27. that is, that to be with him, they stuck at nothing,

and by like Faith, he could bold∣ly say that he would follow him into prison and vnto death. Luc. 22.33. Saint Paul (being faith∣full) was so well prouided a∣gainst troubles that might come, (all which hee receiued vpon the shield of his assurance in Gods promise) that hee was resolued that none of them (euen vnto death) should separate him from the loue of Christ. Rom. 8.35.38. Those witnesses (also) of Christ, spoken of by the Author to the Hebrewes (of whom wee haue a large Role in the 11. Chapter of that Epistle) were (all of them) faithfull men and women; and therefore, hauing pitched vpon Christ, no terrors of deathcould take them off. Hebr. 11.35.36.37.38. so certain it is that no crosse of troubles can beate the faithfull from Christ. * 1.23 The rea∣s••ns: Faith is our eye into hea∣uen, the spirituall eye, where with we see those innumerable plea∣sures

which are at Gods right hand: the least whereof, laid in balance with all the glorie on earth, is as a Kings crowne to a s••pter of reed: for the heauiest afflictions of this life, s••iled but light in the heauenly dialect, are as nothing to that farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glorie that they worke for vs in an euer enduring kingdome, 2 Cor. 4.17. our worke here, (not worth a straw,) is paid with gold. And who knowing this (and the faithfull know it) will sticke at any hardnesse, to haue so rich a reward for so small labour. Se∣condly, where faith is, all trou∣bles are swallowed vp in victo∣rie: for, faith is the victorie that ouer commeth the world, that is, whatsoeuer troubles are in the world, 1 Iohn 5.4. Now, where no troubles are of force, what shall force any withdrawing in that kinde? Thirdly, faith is the ring of our contract with

Christ, the chiefest of ten thou∣sand, Cant. 5.10. and what faith∣full soule so contracted, will de∣sire to be loosed againe, and not rather long for the mariage day? Philip. 1.23 A good mariage would not bee broken•• for any thing: and should any troubles (then) breake betweene Christi∣ans and such an husband? and, if they should not, they shall not in those that are Christians indeed. S. Paul a notable Chri∣stian, and chiefe Apostle, would not (as we heard) to die for it, make the mariage void that the spirit had made betweene Christ and him, Rom 8.38. Acts 20.24. & 21.13.

The vse reproueth those, * 1.24 as persons of no faith, who are rea∣die to cast off Christ for euery crosse. If you would know an hypocrite, looke in the face of him that is wearie of his professi∣on when a crosse comes, and there you may haue him: the

true beleeuer is as true cloth, that is, as cloth truely made, that will not shrinke in the wetting: the hypocrite pulls in at euery sh••∣wer; if a deare yeare come, the Gospell shall heare of it: and then he talkes of the merry world, and when the masse was vp: for, then there was plē••y of all things. And this was the song in Ieremi∣as daies, taken vp by a desperate people, who (opposing the Pro∣phet) desperately said: The word that thou hast spoken in the name of the Lord, wee will not heare it of thee, Ier. 44.16. and why not? their reason was such as theirs with vs, who measure religion by the belly: so long (said they) as we burnt incense to the Queen of heauen; wee had plentie of victualls, and saw no euill: but since we left off, wee haue wan∣ted all things, Ʋ. 17.18. This woman endured a greater mat∣ter than some restraint of victu∣alls: yet did she not mislike her

profession for it, but for it pinned faster vpon Christ: and, they who haue seene him that is in∣visible, Heb. 11.27. will doe no lesse. The messenger whom Ie∣horam sent to Eli••ha, wanting this eie-sight, said: Behold this euill is of the Lord, what should I wait on the Lord any longer, 2 King. 6.33. Hee should haue charged the sinne of that age, but he foolishly charged God: so too many in these daies, wherein sinne is at full age, when any iudgement is iustly executed by famine, pestilence, or other∣waies, blame God, or religion, but sparingly, (if at any time,) their sinnes, the true causes of all plagues that come. From all this we may conclude, that what so∣euer the dearth of other things is, the dearth of faith is graeat.

The second vse is for exami∣nation: where, wee shall finde the true Christian, * 1.25 if wee seeke him in his constant adhering to Christ, notwithstanding the ma∣ny

troubles that may arise for his sake. This is the seed sowen in good ground which abides with patience, notwithstanding the iniurie of the winter, Luke 8.15. so doth not that that is sowen vpon stones: for; in the day of tentation, it goes away, Ʋ. 13. The other growes into a blade, and comes vnto fruit: this for want of rooting, withers away, Matth. 13.6. if it scape the winter, the Summers-Sunne strikes it dead: such are the faith∣full and vnbeleeuers: They that receiue Christ in an honest heart, will keepe him, come what trou∣bles can: but they that other∣waies receiue him, and in no deepe earth; that is, good ground; when persecution comes, on when preferment is toward, they are gone: so Demas could tarry no longer with S. Paul than the world would giue leaue, which he embraced, as in both armes, 2 Tim. 4.10. They that hold

Christ in true affection, will fol∣low him, whither so euer hee goes, Matth 8.19. neither the winter of Satan, nor the Sum∣mers of the flattering world shall stirre them: any thing shall those who will keepe their Sum∣mer, but not their winter with him. It is easie for men to bee doing while nothing is against them: but, if that winde blowe cold, they that professe but in the warme Gospell, will, when the winter is upon it, presently giue ouer.

But this woman fet ouer by troubles, * 1.26 comes to Christ; the winde blowes her to him: and this teacheth that afflictions are profitable teachers. Manasseh, the strangest Conuert, and grea∣test sinner that we reade of, lear∣ned that in the schoole of the crosse, being bound in chaines and fetters vnder Ashur, which the magnificence of a kingdome could not teach him: for, being

in tribulation (saith the text) he humbled himselfe greatly before the God of his fathers, prayed heartily vnto him: and after his returne to Ierusalem, made a worthy reformation, 2 Chr. 33.12, 13, 14, 15, 16. When Io∣nah lay in the center of the sea, shut vp in a whales belly, hee re∣ceiued that true knowledge of himselfe, which (before hee was so cooped vp) he sought not af∣ter, Ion. 2.8. & 3.2.3. The people that cared not for God in their good da••es, in their bad of troubles, made many errands to him: it is said, when his cha∣stening was vpon them, that they powred out a prayer, or were plentifull in praying to him, Esa 26.16. & so in trouble better than out. Hereupon the prophet confesseth, that it was good for him that he was afflicted, giuing this for reason; because that through affliction and trouble, hee was made a good scholler,

proceeding to a good degree in Gods testimonies, Psal. 119.71. and indeed, trouble is one of those seruants, whom the feast∣maker in the Gospel sent to com∣pell his Ghests to come to his great Supper, Luke 14.23. It was that, that made the prodi∣gall to looke home, after he had beene long from his father in a farre country of sinne, Luke 15.17. and it was that, that made Saul in his iourny against Christ, (after hee was stricken downe by a light from heauen) to humble himselfe vnto him whomhe per∣secuted, and with a trembling all ouer, to say: Lord what wilt thou that I doe? Act. 9.3, 4, 5, 6. And thus afflictions are good schoole∣masters; * 1.27 the reasons. We are all (naturally) full of the dregges and lees of sinne, which by affli∣ctions, as by powring out, must be taken from vs, Zeph. 1.12 these are the fire to burne out the drosse of the naturall man:

And these bring vs, as miserie did the prodigall, to a sight of our selues, Luke 15.17. Iob. 33.16.18. Gen. 42.21 also these make vs pray in words of fire, Hos. 17.14. Psal. 107.4, 5.10.18.26. where otherwaies, wee would either not pray as Atheists, or as hypocrits, coldly, and but for fashion only, Psal. 14.4. for in prosperitie, we goe from God, but when hee hides his face, wee seeke him diligently, Hos. 5.15. afflictions (fur ther) containe vs in obedience to God, and keepe vs in, as with a hedge, that wee breake not out, as vnruly cattell that wander from their pasture, Hos. 2.6. they draw vs from the loue of the world, which would robbe vs of the loue of God, 2 Sam. 19.34, 35. 1. Iohn 2.15. or as a storme at sea, they make vs to wish to bee in our hauen, Psal. 107.26, 27, 30. and iudge is with the rod here, that hence wee bee not iudged to hell, 1.

Cor. 11.32. thus, from the effects of good offices done vs by our troubles; it is euident that they are good & profitable Monitors. Secondly, if we consider the essi∣ciencie of them, they are good; for, they are of God, and come by his will: therefore the Apo∣stle saith: All that will liue god∣ly in Christ, shall suffer perse∣cution, 2 Tim. 3.12. hee saith all, excluding none, and making a necessitie of it, hee saith, shall: and would say neither, if afflicti∣ons were not of God: for, what euill in the Citie, (the Prophet meanes the euills of aduersitie,) and the Lord hath not done it? Am. 3.6. Thirdly, the end of afflictions, (and the end makes all;) proues them to be good: for they are the puttings of vs from our sloathfulnesse to God; and where wee would cast our selues, (as the possessed in the Gospell) into the sire, and some∣times into the water, to destroy

our selues, Marke 9.22. Gods corrections in their ends (for, such are they) stop vs, and his louing crosses saue vs. Also the end why God sends them is, by them to fit vs, for the holie City, into which nothing entreth that is vncleane, Apoc. 21.27. and as the parching heate ripens the corne, so they prepare vs for Gods saluation, that wee may goe into the barne, as a shocke of corn fully ripe, Iob 5.26. And are not all these good, the ef∣fects, the efficiencie, and the end of our troubles?

Are afflictions so good Te∣chers? * 1.28 it should teach vs to learn somwhat of such Masters, if God make vs whole after some tiring sicknesse; by such a correction remoued, wee should resol••e to sin no more, to weet as wee did, that a worse thing come not af∣ter. Ioh. 5.14. For, if God take away the crosse of sickenesse, shal we crosse our saluation, by dou∣bling

our sinnes, which, in the single, can cast into hell? if he re∣store to a land the yeares of corn, after some yeares of dearth in it, that land must, by such a hard time, altered to fruitfulnes, learne, more to feare God, and lesse to sinne, then it did; It must not (therefore) play the wanton, with the abundance so giuen: for, so wee may perish with the quailes in our mouthes. Psal. 78.31. If God pay our debts; wee must not runne in farther by a riotous life: and if hee spare our bodies, wee must not destroy our soules, his louing correction should make vs whole, not more sinfull, if God remoue a plague, the plague of sin shold goe with it: and if God spare vs from death, we must not make a couenant with death: Esa. 28.15. Nor sinne against him, because he beares with sin in vs: rather, we should search our wayes, and turne to the Lord. Lament. 3.40.

But are all troubles for the good of Gods children? * 1.29 let Gods children (next) learne, not to be too much cast downe with those things that should rather raise them. For, shall afflictions bee iudged euill, that do vs so much good? or, if they were euill (as naturall men say) why doth S. Iames wish vs to count it all ioy to fall into them? Indeed, to be fed with the bread of teares, and to bee so sick, and so to lan∣guish, that the soule abhorreth all manner of meat. Psal. 107.18. What taste can it haue in the pa∣late of flesh? If wee measure things by the carnall line, it can∣not. But the naturall man is no competent iudg in these matters: and that that is borne of flesh is flesh: for, what naturall man perceiueth the things of the spi∣rit of God? 1 Cor. 2.14 therefore, wee must goe another way to worke, and measure by future things, not by present sense. Hebr.

12.11. The onely fit Iudge is the spirituall man: which, (if it may be Iudge) will make vs to re∣ioyce in tribulation, and with Paul and Silas, in prison. Act. 16.25. The wicked man in af∣fliction like a dogge in a coard, doth nothing but houle, and bite the coard with his teeth; the godly man is patient in tribula∣tion, because of his hope, Rom. 12 12. takes all quietly and conten∣tedly without murmuring, and without reasoning; and, as a young bird in a cage, sings sweetely, and in the musick of the holy Ghost, diuinely to God; where the other, like an old bird, is sullen in his troubles, & beates himselfe to death in them, with∣out comfort for the present, or hope for the future:

Further, notwithstanding that this Womans young daughter had an vncleane Spirit, that is, a deuill in her, with which she was grieuously vexed, yet did she not

send, neither goe to the Idols of the land for help, or to the deuill in them, (though her country people so did:) but she comes di∣rectly to Christ, her faith setting her in the way to him, and to no other. For religion (if right) knowes no other way. Where we (thirdly) learne that religion will not bee beholden to the De∣uill for ease, in any trouble, * 1.30 ther∣fore Micaiah, a true Prophet of the Lord, would not humor the King (as the foure hundred false had done) to gaine his freedom by it. 1 King. 22.14. nor Daniel shut the window, which hee ope∣ned to the true God, in prayer, thrice a day, though he trie Ma∣sterie with the hungrie Lions for it. Dan. 6.10. Nor his three god∣ly companions, (the three faith∣full Seruants of God, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) giue a knee to the golden Image that Nabuchodonezer had set vp in the plaine of Dura, though they

should bake for it in a firie ouen. Dan. 3.16.17.18. Nehemiah (that noble Leader) would not flie, (to the reproch of God and religion,) though to saue his life. Nehem. 6.11: And when Peter tooke Christ aside in sad coun∣sel, perswading him not to goe to Ierusalem, where he was to suffer: did Christ thanke him for his great good will? rather did hee not tell him that he was a Satan vnto him, that would offer, vpon any respects in flesh, to draw him from doing his fathers will, in giuing himselfe an offering for sinne. Matth. 16.21.22.23. the reosons. * 1.31 It cannot bee without treachery, and wrong to religion: for, this were, for a subiect of Ie∣houa to turne Pensioner to Sa∣tan, and what subiect to a King, can hold intelligence with ano∣ther King, his enemie, about af∣faires of State, and not bee traitor to him? Secondly, the Deuill is Gods enemie, and (if wee belong

to God) ours. Now what good seruant will bee beholden to his Masters enemie for the hauing of that, which (had) cannot but iustly displease the Master? and can a Christian seruant be behol∣den to the deuill by dependence, and not gri••ue his proper, all suf∣ficient Lord, from whom he de∣parts by such distrust of his help, when he should cast himselfe vp•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 him wholly, & for allthings? Thirdly, Gods corrections are (al) for our good, and in loue, to re∣claime vs from some way of sin wherein wee walke displeasingly to him, and can wee take way from him to the deuill, for auoi∣ding (if so we could) so profita∣ble discipline, and not greatly offend God? can a child runne out of his Fathers house to his Fathers enemie when he takes vp the rod, & not greatly displease? or, wil it not prouoke him more, that he should runne to an ene∣mie to saue him from blowes ne∣cessarie?

the application is easie: the vse is next.

And that is for instruction, * 1.32 teaching that they faile much in religion, who, if a tooth do but ake, must seek a charme for it, if some lose any thing, the deuill, by a Witch, must bring it againe, or, if they be sick, some wise man (that is, wizard) must bee dealt with for their health, if one de∣uill bewitch them, another must be hired (it is the deuils wages) to vnwitch them, as if one deuill should be sought vnto to cast out another, of such we may truely say, that God is not in all their wayes. It was the sinne of Saul, 1 Chr. 10.13. and of Ahaziah, 2 King. 1.2. two Kings, and two runne-awayes from God, that they lest the path to him, and walked in by-paths to graues & deuils, and can men follow in such an ill leading way, and not sinne? the same may bee spoken of those who (though secrete

things belong to God, Deut. 29.29.) yet by a curious and o••er∣bold enquirie at the starres, will force them to speake where God will say nothing, is not this to go from the liuing to the dead? Esa. 8.19. And do starre-gazers better, and they that calculate natiuities? some are (indeede) more tolerable then some; but they hang all vpon one string; all are alike forbidden, as an abo∣mination to God. D••nter. 18.10.11.12.13.15. For, here, a Pro∣phet is opposed to a Witch, and all such Witches children; God speaking in the one, and the de∣uill whispering in the other, when God hath closed vp a thing with his seale of secretle, is it not im∣pious curiositie to offer to open it by an extraordinarie enquirie, & not at his mouth? such arts de∣serue to be sacrificed wher books of such arts were. Act. 19 19.

The other occasion of the conference followeth.

Heard of him, came and fell at his feete.

THE further occasion of this conference was the same that went of Christ, which this woman receiued, not as matter of talke, or of ordinarie newes, but as a word of Gospell, or glad tidings, reflecting vpon her selfe, and her miserable young daugh∣ter. Therefore, she heard with faith, came in haste, & fell downe reuerently at Christs feet. For the first, which is her hearing of him; as it sheweth that, in Gods dispensation, there are fit meanes for the drawing of his elect vnto him, and that hearing is one: so it sheweth (also) that this wo∣man gaue her selfe into the hand of the meanes, for her comming to Christ: for, hauing heard; she came without delay, and wor∣shipped. The ready way to Christ is to heare of him with confi∣dence

in his saluation, and this way the woman took vnto him, hauing heard of him by the word of fame. For, shee had a surer word then this, in the winde of heauen that blew within, that is, she heard outwardly (as many els did, who were neuer the bet∣ter;) and she heard inwardly, as fewels did; and who (then) with such a Faith? she had a taste of the general promises of the word, and the spirit taught her the ap∣plication; but by both meanes she was brought to Christ. The meanes (here spoken of) is the report which shee heard, and so we see, that hearing is our rode to Christ, * 1.33 this woman (first) heard of Christ, and (then) came vnto him, and Christ himselfe, where he speaks of comming to him, saith: hee that commeth to me, and heareth my words; that is, he that, by way of hearing, co∣meth. Luc. 6.47. hearing (then) is the way; so, after that a certain

woman had said to Christ; bles∣sed is the wombe that bare thee, he answered, saying; rather bles∣sed are they that heare the word of God & keep it. Luc. 11.27 28. where hearing goes before kee∣ping, & they that wold keep, must heare. But doth Christ denie that his Mother was blessed for bea∣ring him of her bodie? I answer, he doth not: for, the word rather doth not implie an absolute de∣niall, but a comparison betweene lesse and more, as if he had said, I doe not say that she is not bles∣sed for bearing me on her bodie but I say, that she was more bles∣sed, and so are they that beare mee in the wombe of faith by good hearing: further, our Sa∣uiour proueth some Iewes not to be of God, by this reason, that they will not heare Gods word: for he saith, they that are of God, heare Gods Word: and contra∣rily, that they are not of God, that heare it not, Iohn 8.47.

A like argument is made by a fauourite of his, Saint Iohn, 1. Ioh. 4.6. and Salomon requireth in the house of God, and in those that come vnto it, a readinesse to heare, Eccles. 4.17. So doth Dauid, the father of Salomon: and further saith in effect, that they are shut vp in a hard heart, that put off the day of hearing it, Psal. 95.7. and the blessed Mo∣ther of Christ, (blessed for this,) laid vp the word in her heart, as in a safe Castle of keeping it, Luke 2.18, 19. this was the way to Christ in the old Testament, Deut. 4.1. & 5.1. Pro. 4.1. & 5 1. and is the way vnto him, in the new, Apoc. 2.7. 11. 17. 29. Matth. 13.9.18. * 1.34 There∣fore, God spake in the old Testa∣ment by his Prophets; and in the new, by his Sonne, Heb. 1.1. the reasons; When wee are cal∣led to Christ, it is by a speaking to vs, and the obiect of speech is, hearing, not sight, Deut. 4.12.

Secondly, there is no com∣ming to Christ but by faith, as there is no comming to a towne but by the way, Iohn 7.37, 38. but no faith, (I meane of ordi∣narie generation) without the word; and that word must haue a hearer, Rom. 10.17. Thirdly, none come to Christ but his sheepe: and no sheepe of his, that haue not his care∣marke: that is, who (as he saith himselfe) heare not his voice, Iohn 10.27.

The vse, * 1.35 for instruction, tea∣cheth that those among vs, come not to Christ, who decline the way, without which, there is no ordina••••e comming to him: the recusant Papist, and the bad Church-comming Protestant, who turne their faces, not toward the East, where the Sunne riseth vpon the Saints in holie assem∣blies, but toward the West, where it setteth in darke super∣stition, and in the night of ig∣norance,

are (both of them) out of their way to Christ: and (both of them) worse than the three kinds of bad ground, all which receiued the seed, Matth, 13.7. which they will not, or but when they list themselues. Some with Ieroboam thinke (whatsoeuer they say) that it is too farre to go to Ierusalem, or too much to come to Church, morning and after-noone: and therefore, (with that guide to idolatrie) make calues at home, of wanton impediments from Gods house: but, O that they considered in heart, that whiles they thus fol∣low the worlds way to vanitie, not the Church way to God, they are in a broad way to de∣struction, not in any way to Christ, and that God and they cannot meet in two so contra∣ry wayes: then they would bee where they might bee sure to meet him in the assemblie, * 1.36 & not where (if God should call them

away in such contempt) they are rather sure to misse of him in his saluation. And, now, as they that will not heare (and may) are in no way to Christ: so they are out of the rode to him, who neither haue, nor care to haue a Preacher, their leading starre to the Lord of life: for how can they heare without him? Rom. 10.14. And so (for a se∣cond instruction) wee inferre, that it is a great want to want a Preacher in a congregation: but some feele not the want, and some slight it some say no mat∣ter for this preaching: they may as well say, no mater for com∣ming to Christ 〈◊〉〈◊〉 some thinke they haue too much of it. But can we haue too much of Gods bles∣sing? and is not preaching a spe∣ciall blessing of God, the same in a Parish that the Sunne is in the heauens? and can wee spare the Sun? therefore to wish (as some) that preaching were gone, were

to wish wee had no Sun by day. But, to answere such, I say that the vse of a Preacher is more then of an Angell. I speake a great word now; but it is a true word. For, the Apostle, Rom. 10.14. makes it impossible (vnder∣stand impossible by an ordinary way) to be saued without a Prea∣cher; but not so without an An∣gel.

This woman heard, and came to Christ: and I doubt not but with haste, as the Shepherds did. Luc. 2.16. In the text there is no more but that, she heard and came. Now what she did for her selfe, and her daughter, that wee must do for our selues, when we know what is to be done (which we do by hearing) wee must not put off to d••e it. What the word commandeth must be heard with obedience, and be done present∣ly, this is the doctrine here, bi••∣ding to expedition in all Gods seruices. The Prophet saith, to

day; neither giuing nor taking a longer time. Psal 95.7. Ioel saith, now, and presently, speaking of a turning to God. Ioel. 2.12. Isaias also exhorts a differring people (such as wee are) to seek the Lord while he may be found; Esa. 55.6. implying, that they may seek, and not finde him: as when they seek in their day, not his, or as Esau sought him with late repentance. Hebr. 12.17. & he was a good man of God, who delayed not time, but made haste to keep Gods commandements. Psal. 119.60. In this way wee must runne, v 32. saluting none that may stay vs, as Christ said to the seuentie in a case of like haste. Luc. 10 4. Here, no acquaintance must stop our way, or vs, and we must be feruent in spirit, ser∣uing God. Rom. 12.11. For, they that are hote vpon a thing, will not be long in doing it. The rea∣sons, * 1.37 we shall not (then) lose our labour, for, our work is with the

Lord, who loueth a cheerefull, that is, present giuer. 2 Cor. 9.7. on the contrarie, and when wee come off so heauily; what thanks for what we grudgingly for go? 1 Cor. 9 17. a readie minde com∣mends the seruice: and if there be a willing minde, it is accep∣ted. 2 Cor. 8.12. Secondly, the edge of a good mood is soone turned, if it strike not vpon the present occasion; our metle is like yron: where if we strike not while it is hote, what working v∣pon it? and so what working of the minde to God, while we let it coole, by putting off to do ser∣uice? Yet a little sleepe, and yeta little slumber: and what will bee next, but deep securitie, and no awaking? Pro. 6.10.11. and so; not fit to day, vnfitter to mor∣row. Besides; there are many lets in our selues, and stoppes offered by others in our purposes of well-doing. The corruption of times, the baits of euill fellow∣ship,

the temptations of Satan, the course of this present world, lying wholly in wickednes, the custome of sinne, with the like rubbes to goodnes; all these offer to put shakles vpon our feete, when wee set them in the way of Gods commandements; if (then) wee giue them the start of the time against vs by the sinne of delay, what hope that cuer wee shall bee brought forward to any true purpose of amending our wayes, and our doings? Ier. 7.3. & 26.13. 3ly. occasion (which is bald behinde) and the seasons of time (once lost) are not in our power, more then a bird which we haue let flie: and there is no calling in of time, when it is farre out and gone: therefore wise men will, and Christians must redeem it by doing good while they may. Eph. 5.16. Gal. 6.10. He that obserues the wind, shall not sow. Eccles. 11.4. that is, he that puts off the seed time, for euery chāge

of weather or rising of windes, shall lose his hope, and so shall he, (and that of a better haruest) that obserues the winde of delay in things to be done presently.

The vse is for the reproofe of those, who, * 1.38 (hauing long heard of Christ) haue not (for all that) taken vp one foot toward him by repentance, in a new creature, rather who, like Antipodes to his saluation) goe contrary to him, not obseruing any thing that hee hath commanded, or his word teacheth. To such hee may say (as once to the obdurate Iewes;) yee will not come to Mee, that ye may liue: Ioh. 5 40. For as the bidden ghests in the Gospel, they absent themselues by carnall de∣layes. Luc. 14.18.19 20. or if they come, it shall bee when they can finde nothing els to do: & then, rather to catch, then to bee caught, as if they had lost their right eare with Malcus. Luc. 22.50. Their Adders care will not

be charmed with any perswasion to obedience. Psal. 58.4.5. they rather go to see then to heare. Matth. 11.8. and if they make any haste, they make no good speede. Peter and the other Dis∣ciple ranne to Christ, whom yet they thought to bee dead in the graue. Ioh. 20.4 and shall Chri∣stians make no haste (a signe of no good will) to him; whom they know to bee aliue in his word, and gloriously liuing in heauen? but, in such matters, men straine courtesie, their betters shall go before; in other matters, none shall haue the start of them, their betters or equals.

But, * 1.39 must there be no putting off in Gods scruices? then, our repentance (which is a seruice of God) must be speedy. And here, we must follow and do after the counsel that the Angell gaue to Lot: it was to flie, for his life. Gen. 19 17. it concernes vs more: for, not our bodily life, but life of

soule and body is that which wee must looke vnto in our flight to repentance; where, wee must make speede, and not put off to get an eiectione firmae against In∣truders vpon the Lords inheri∣tance in vs: that is, against sinne and Satan, the strong men that haue so long kept the palace. Luc. 11.21. we lose no opportu∣nitie when wee would graft, or sow, or stock vp, and shall wee lose those sweete opportunities of time which God hath giuen into our hands for the stocking vp of sinne, and the grafting of good things, which (after) may grow in vs to trees of righteous∣nes? shall wee not sow grace in the spring of youth, when the time is, but put off to the reape-time of sickenesse before death, when time shall bee no more? our Sauiour biddes vs to striue to enter, while the gate of heauen hath some (though a straite) pas∣sage; and is somewhat open,

though not wide-open. Luc. 13.24. and therefore not to tarie till it bee altogether shut vp with these words; depart ye workers of iniquitie. v. 27. let vs (then) with a speedy hand graft the word in our hearts, sow seeds of grace in our liues, and haue the instruments of stocking vp rea∣dy, that no root of bitternes spring vp to trouble vs. Hebr. 12.15. of ten virgins, fiue were cal∣led foolish for neglecting time. Matth 25.1.10.11. let vs (there∣fore) walke circumspectly as wise, not as those fooles, that knew not their time. Eph. 5.15. Coloss. 4.5.

The occasion of the confe∣rence, (that which was in the Woman her selfe) followeth in two things; as, in what she did, and what she said.

And fell at his feet; the wo∣man was a Greeke, a Syro∣phenician, &c.

THis woman being come, and hauing entred the presence, she deliuered her petition, lower than vpon the knee, to Christ: for, she fell at his feet, and with a crying tongue besought him to be good to her in her daughter, or to shew mercy to two in one. Quest. But was she an Israelite, one brought vp with Moses, or taught in the Law, that did this? Answ. It followeth, shee was a Greeke, a Syrophenician by nation: that is, as hath beene said, a stran∣ger in that regard: by Greeke the Euangelist meanes a Barbarian in respect of Israel, as Gal. 3.28. not borne in Greece, properly taken (for she could not be a Sy∣rian, and so) but in Phenice of Syria: and by a common recei∣ued

name, a Cananite, as Mat∣thew writes: if shee had beene bred in religion, it had not been so strange, as it was strange for a Cananite to shew such a faith: one effect whereof is here she∣wed in the humble gesture shee vsed, comming to Christ: for, she fell at his feet, so low she was, so humbly she came vnto him, which teacheth, * 1.40 that they who come in nature of Petitioners to God, must come humbly to him, as vpon both knees: when wee come to worship before his face, we must kneele before the Lord our maker, Psal. 95.6. the god∣lie will enter with reuerence. Dauid was vncouered before the Arke, 2 Sam. 6.20. and men (like Dauid) will be bare headed speaking to God. In this mat∣ter the Publican (to shew a de∣iected minde) stood afarre off, Luke 18.13. where the Pharise (not humbled) pearched high∣er. Ezechiel, (prophecying) fell

downe vpon his face, Ezek. 11.13. so did the foure and twen∣tie Elders in heauen, Apoc. 4.10. & 5.8. a president for vs on earth. The reasons; * 1.41 In such the heart must be humbled, 1 Chr. 17, 16, 17, 18.19. and where that goes low, the bodie cannot but goe low with it, it being the mouing wheele of the bodie, and of the whole man, where it bends, the knee will bend, and both fall downe, and we vpon both. Secondly, he is worthie: for, (as the foure and twentie El∣ders said) Apoc. 4.11. hee made knees and all: and can wee giue him lesse than his owne? Christ (therefore) fell on his face, Matth. 26.39. or as Marke reades, fell on the ground, when hee prayed, Marke 14.35. Christ gaue so much to his Fa∣ther: and shall we giue lesse? or, if wee fall vpon the knee to a mortall Prince, shall wee not fall downe flat before the Lord

that made vs?

The vse is for taxation of some proud, * 1.42 and vnciuill beggers in Gods house, who pray sitting, and couered: to whom I say (as one once well said) if euerie knee were of gold, it could not be too good to be giuen to him (euen vnto the dust of the ground) who filleth this house. Wee will not speake to a great man, and our hats on; how dare we (then) be couered, speaking in prayer to the great God, if we had him in any reuerence, the knees would doe reuerence that come before him: therefore, of Saint Iames it is written, that his knees became hard as a Camels hoofe, with often and long kneeling in prayer: but it may be written of some in the booke of their shame, that their tender knees cannot endure to touch the hard ground, when they should bow downe to pray: if they vn∣couer the head, that's all: they

neither fall on their faces, nor downe on their knees in wor∣shiping. I speake of those that are young, and haue able bodies: for, all are not such: and they that be not, may stand vp, which is a fit gesture in prayer; and v∣sed by the godly Patriarchs Isaac, Iacob, and others: the Pha∣rise stood praying, and is not re∣proued for that, Luke 18.11. and so did the Publicane, who went home iustified more than hee, 13.14. But the humbler the heart is, the lower will the bodie goe in prayer: therefore, (in signe of humilitie) children aske blessing vpon their knees: we are not worthie to gather vp those crummes of grace that fall from our Lords table: and are wee too good to aske them on our knees, and bare headed? In∣deed, God requireth the heart: the knee doth litle seruice, and the hat off, as litle reuerence: yet as out of the abundance of the

heart, the mouth speaketh, Matth. 12.34. So from an humble heart proceeds the hum∣bling of the bodie, the humble bending of the knees, and our humble vncouering before that Arke of presence at Church. Hypocrits are prodigall enough this way, in their double dili∣gence, and Iudas kisse, but all that which they doe with such an outwardnesse, and farre from the heart, haue no thanks from God: but where Christians doe as much vnder, as they ouer, it argueth, (saue where necessitie giues the Law) a proud and vn∣humbled soule.

So much for that the woman did, what she said, followeth.

She besought him: Or according to S. Matthew, Cried vnto him.

IN these words, wee haue the manner of this womans petiti∣on, and in the words following, the matter; for the manner she besought Christ, not coldly, but by crying vnto him. Christ called not to her; She cried to him: so strōgly did her faith work. Com∣mon beggers when they would haue an almes, will cry for it: but this cry was of an other nature, & stirred vp another way: euen, by the renewing of the holy Ghost, shed on her abundantly or rich∣ly through Christ, Tit. 3.5, 6. and this made her to crie in the Spirit, * 1.43 as well as with tongue and voice. By this meanes, shee was strong in faith, & strong in prayer: and so wee learne that powerfull faith causeth power∣full

prayer. Iacob was a man of singular faith; therefore hee made strong and preualent prayer, Gen. 32.26.28. Moses one that saw God face to face, was a great beleeuer: and he al∣so is said, to make crying pray∣er, when no voice was heard, Exod. 14.15. Hanna (likewise) prayed with a troubled spirit, but in no voice of words; her faith spake, her tongue said nothing, 1 Sam. 1.12.13. and the Prophet that had within a fire of faith, brake forth into a flame of words; he beleeued, and (there∣fore) could not but speake, Psal. 116.10. Ichosaphet prayed pow∣erfully; his faith had made him a good Oratour, 2 Chr. 20.6, 7, 8, 9, 12. Daniel in the cap∣tiuitie, was not behinde him: his feruent faith gaue him a hot breath in prayer, Dan. 9.2, 3, 5, 19. and zealous prayer (such as Elijah made) is called by S. Iames the prayer of faith, Iam. 5.15.17,

18. the reasons. * 1.44 Prayer is a fruit that groweth vpon the stalke of faith, called therefore (as was said) the prayer of faith: and therefore what the tree of it is, such is the fruit, of more or lesse earstnesse, as wee more or lesse beleeue. Therefore, as our faith is, so are our prayers; warme faith, hot prayer; litle faith, small prayer; no faith, no prayer: they increase or decay together. Secondly, they that haue faith with power, are more spirit than flesh: which none are, but they that haue the spirit in a good measure, which is the spirit of grace, and of supplications, Zechar. 12.10. and then how can they but make strong pray∣er, that haue the spirit of prayer? all that haue faith with power, haue this power: and (therefore) powerfull faith, powerfull pray∣er: for this faith is resembled to fire, and vnto life: the greater fire, the greater heat; the more

of life, the stronger motion.

The vse is for the right triall of our faith: * 1.45 where we may iudge of it by our prayers; they that pray coldly, haue but a weake faith or small fire within: but they that (otherwaies) are of great faith, runne a spirituall descant (with Daniel) in their prayers, Dan. 9.19. their heart is prepa∣red; and they are not as the dull and sloathfull in their deuotions, that need a rowsing vp. The Prophet Dauid in his one and fiftie penitentiall Psalme did often change words: it was not to shew his eloquence, but to testifie, as his great fault, so his great faith: which he shewed by tossing this way and that: or, (as (a sicke man in bed) from one side to another, Psal. 51.1.2.7.9.10, 11, 12. so Gods chil∣dren in distresse: as they haue faith to beleeue, so they change phrase in their complainings: otherwaies, with Baals Priests,

though wee put neuer so much wood about the Altar of our prayers, no fire from heauen fal∣ling vpon them, wee may crie loud enough and long enough, and haue no answere, more then they had. 1 King. 18.23.26.29. But if we haue faith; we will pray with Elijahs Spirit, and not cold∣ly, by putting wood, where no fire will take. v. 36 38. For, the Spirit (if we haue it) will, by our faith, put fire vnto our words, & make them to smoke into hea∣uen, and this is to pray as Elijah did, whose sacrifice God kindled from aboue. Hence appeareth (that they want faith, who onely out of custom) salute God in their formall prayers; where, they poure out great Hypocrisie, but no prayer in Spirit & truth; and thus, they giue God the time of the day in some cold good morrow, who bid him be gone all day after: and, at night, when they should make him the keeper

of the house, they doe not once speake vnto him in prayer, to be neare, by driuing away all euils that may hurt, in case of his ab∣sence from their help and prote∣ction.

Somuch for the manner, the matter of the Woman peti∣tion followeth, out of Matt. 15.22. in the combat it self, or the issue. v. 28.

Saying, haue mercie on Mee ô Lord, thou Sonne of Dauid.

THIS is the matter of this Womans petition: and now the Combat beginnes betweene Christ and her, at the weapon of her Faith. In this fight she makes diuers requests, and receiues sun∣drie repulses, the repulses were three; and in those three she war∣ded off three very sore venies offered against her Faith, the shield of proofe against them. The requests were either her

owne, v. 22.25.27. or of the dis∣ciples for her. v. 23. The first of the requests, which was her owne, is in the words now read. Wherein wee haue the grace she begged, and the persons; the one, for whom; and the other from whom. The grace she begged was the grace of mercie: desiring Christ, in mercie, to pitie her that could deserue nothing. And so, she beginnes well, and at the right end, waighing anchore in a safe road. Papists cast it on the sand of their deseruings: but she sends all away, saue Gods goodnes to his humble hand-maid. In all Canaan there was not such an other (and how many in Israel?) yet the whole of her request was mercie; and that Christ would shew his mercy to a miserable sinner, * 1.46 from hence the doctrine is, that whatsoeuer wee haue, or can ask of God is out of mercie. So, Iacob, praying to God to be deliuered from the hand of Esau,

his bloodie brother, prayeth out of his mercie, for such a deliue∣rance: confessing, in true humili∣tie, that hee deserued no such thing. Gen. 32.10. Also the thou∣sands of the Louers of God, he is said to respect by shewing his mercie to them, and no other∣wayes. Exod 20 6. Dauid (fur∣ther) craueth of God that hee would wash his sin (that which he was so sick of) in many mer∣cies, as it were waters. His sinne was great (and he knew it) and therefore speaks of a thorow wa∣shing for it. Psal. 51.2. Ieremie saith, it is the Lords mercie that we are not consumed in our sins. Lam. 3.22. still then, the finger is vpon mercie. Zacharie (likewise) speaking of that spring of day from heauen, (Christ, the true Light) that visited vs, saith, that the tender mercie of the Father sent him. Luc. 1.78 Here vpon the Elect are called Vessels of mercy, Rom. 9.23. The Redeemed of the

Lord, the redeemed by mercy. Eph. 1.7. and Paul, called to Christ, called in mercie. 1 Tim. 1.13. our begetting a new is through Gods abundant mercy, 1 Pet. 1.3. & our life after death, the riches of his mercie through sesus Christ our Lord. Rom. 6.23. and so, all is out of mercie, * 1.47 The reasons, by nature, wee are the children of wrath, Eph. 2.3. enemies to God, Rom. 5.10. our imaginations only euill, Gen. 6.5. our wisdom (simply) death, Rom. 8.6. and we to euery good work reprobate. Tit. 1.16. This is our naturall state: and, in this, what plea can serue but of mercie? al∣so, herein, what could induce God to do vs good, but a minde of mercie? Secondly, in many things we offend al, Iam, 3, 2. nay in the best that the best do, much may bee found amisse, as com∣ming from them: and is not the pardon of offences, a worke of mercie and, what but mercie can

amend what is amisse? and, for our good; we may say of it all, as Iacob of all his wealth: God hath had mercie on Me, therfor I haue all this. Gen. 33.11. and, if all bee of grace, merit is shut out, and mercie must enter; which is the first part, and all of all our true welfare. Ps. 32.1.2. & 145.9.

One vse of this is to keep God vp in all wee receiue, and haue: thas is, in all them to maintaine his glorie, that wee liue, it is his mercie: and his mercie that the ground doth not swallow vs, nor the heauens ouer vs, fall downe vpon vs. We haue not a morsel of bread but by his gift, Matth. 6.11. nor garment to put on, but what we haue from the ward∣robe of his sufficiencie. That we are saued it is his mercie, and his tender mercie that wee fall not (presently) into hell. And (sure∣ly) whosoeuer vseth any of his good blessings, and doth not thus reckon for thē, is a theef of

them; and so is hee that enters otherwayes then by this dore, into them. Which would bee remembred of all; chiefely of the richer sort of people, who are aptest to forget God at their full tables, and when their heaps rise. And (therefore) to such I say, are your barnes full? Gods mer∣cie hath filled them. Or haue you much? His blessing vpon your basket, hath caused that in∣crease, it is his entire gift; let it not pay tole, by taking any praise thereof to your selues. If he haue let out his vineyard vnto you, giue him of his owne fruits, free∣ly. Giue to his poore, and (wil∣lingly) to charitable deeds. If you lay them not out so, or onely vpon your owne lusts, not his mercie, but his iustice hath giuen them, if you further not his glo∣rie by them, you shall answere for them to the vttermost farthing. But your accompt for his loue-tokens will bee farre greater, as

they be farre better. If God haue giuen you his Gospel (one of his best gifts) and you despise the gift, as inferiour to the peeble of we••••th, you discredit his wisdom, and (in one of his best loue-to∣kens) his best good will: and so giue him not the glorie of his owne, but for glorie, shamefull contempt, which reflecteth vpon those, who, both vilifie the Iewell, and the casket that keepes it; that is both the Gospell it selfe, & the able Minister of it.

Popish arrogance is here in the second place, * 1.48 reproued, which will hold in no tenure, but of merit, if a Papist do a good work God must bee beholden to him for it, if not altogether, yet some way. But how was Dauid and other Saints ignorant of this; who (though they had beene painefull worke-men in the law) yet disclaming, or not setting any price vpon their best deeds, gaue vp all to God, (the best of all) as

not worthy to pay any debt, or to go in the reckning, when God should take vnto him his iudge∣ments? Psal 51.1. & 123.3. & 143.2. All the strings of their instrument are tuned to mercie, when they speak to God against their sinnes, or for grace. For, Dauid is still harping vpon this string: and the best of Saints giue themselues lost in the law, when the question is of their obligati∣on vnto workes. Psal. 130.3 in this case, their appeale is wholly and altogether to court of chan∣cerie from the common place of deeds. Mercie is all their plea, and the righteousnes of Christ, the robe with which they are coue∣red. By it we enter (as the wise) with our lamps burning: Matth. 25.10. without it (as the foolish in that order of virgins) we may stand long enough, and crie loud enough, as that; this wee haue done, and that we haue done, & get no entrance. v. 11.12. For,

what is all our righteousnesse, & the best wee can doe, but men∣struous matter. Esa. 64.6. and must we say, when we haue done the best we can doe, that wee are vnprofitable; Luc. 17.10. And shall we say that, (being such) we are such as may well merit the wages of eternall life?

An apologie for late comers to Christ. * 1.49 For, Satan will obiect against such, that the day beeing so sarre gone, that short time will be but little time to worke in: for, the night cometh, when no man can worke. Ioh. 9 4. To him and to this they may answere; that the time, which is short, is supplied with the mercie of the Lord, that is for euer: and that they, who were hired about the eleuenth houre, receiued (euerie man) a pennie. Matth. 20.9. In∣deed, if none should be faued but they who haue laboured the whole day, then none could bee saued that wrought but the third,

or sixt, or ninth, or last houre of that day but in the parable of the labourers, wee reade the contra∣rie. Matth. 20.8. and here we see that the beginning & end of all▪ is set in Gods mercie; if it were otherways, we might well doubt of our saluation, with a Papisti∣call feare. This is spoken for their sakes vpon whom God hath had mercie, though later, then vpon those, whom hee hath cal∣led vp (more earely) to work. It is not spoken to incourage the presuming sinner, who thinkes that the last sand of time, in his houre glasse, is time enough to repent, and to turne to God: and therefore puts off, in the course of sinne, till his time be out. For, if that man be saued, God shewes a miracle, rather then worke of mercie, in sauing him.

The person followeth for whom the Woman craued this mercie at Christs hands.

Vpon Mee.

MErcie this Woman craued for herselfe: but for her selfe with reference to her daugh∣ter, whom an vncleane Spirit so vexed. And (here) nature taught her to take her Daughters affli∣ction for her own crosse; but her Faith (a better teacher) had taught her better: which was that God, striking her Daughter, struck at her. And indeed (som∣times) God purposing to punish the Parents, beginnes with the children, thus hee began at the first borne of Pharao, but made an end, with the end of Pharao himselfe, whom the waters of the red sea couered. * 1.50 And so wee see, that God doth not alwayes (di∣rectly) smite a people, but (some∣times) indirectly, and at a second hand, in their graine, cattell, and the fruits of the earth Sometimes in the seruants and children of

the house, he striketh at the Ma∣ster and Parents. In Ieremies time, when God meant to pla∣gue the disobedient Iewes; he be∣gun the plague in their cattell, which he punished with lack of food and drouth of water. Ier. 14 4 5 6. Dauid (also) was punished with the punishment of his peo∣ple, who died by the pestilence to the number of three-score and ten thousand. 1 Chr. 21.17. and the Widow of Sareptah God pu∣nished with that (which indeed) was a punishment, the death of her Sonne. 1 King 17 18. Thus he struck at Pharao, but farre off, in much losse of cattel and corn. Exod. 9.6.21. and then nearer, when hee struck at him in the haile, that slew all in the field, both man and beast: v. 25. and nearer yet, when he smote a I the first born in his Kingdome with death, and so, as there was not a house, where there was not one dead, Exod. 12.29.30. but then

he struck home, when he drow∣ned Pharaoh himselfe, with his chosē Captains, & al that pursued Israel, in the red sea Exod. 15 4 5 Ps. 136.15. & thus the plagues of Egypt ranne, as by a traine, from the waters to the fruits, from them to the beasts, from the beasts to men, & from com∣mon men to the King himselfe. Exod. 7. and 9. chapters. In Hosea the Lord warned, or by a faire warning stirred vp those of Israel that had fallen from the house of Dauid to Ieroboam, and from the true seruice of God to the ser∣uice of the Calues, when he smote with death the beasts of the field, and the foules of heauen. Hos. 4.3. and here hee summoneth this Woman by the Deuill in her Daughter. Thus (therefore) God giues warning to men by harmes further off, and before he strike to the heart: and as his lightnings goe before his thun∣der: Apoc. 4.5. so doth his ad∣monition,

before a cutting off. The reasons, By this course, * 1.51 the Lord is more righteous, and man more inexcusable; who (there∣fore) cannot say that God stole vpon him without warning gi∣uen, or came priuily (as behinde his back) vpon him in some sud∣den destruction, when, by his iudgements vpon others, or in∣flicted otherways, he thus open∣ly, and (as to his face) proclaimes what hee will doe Secondly, God will vse all meanes to fetch home-a sinner, and this is one: which is to saue with feare, as pulling him out of the fire. Iud. 23. so the stubborn and rebelli∣ous Sonne was by the law, to be stoned to death; it was that the punishment might be exemplar; and that all Israel might heare & feare. Deut. 21.18.21. It may be, men wil turne vnto the Lord, when they see the vengeance; that is, seeing what is done vnto others Therefore the Lord (slow

to wrath) will not omit any such drawing possibilitie to repen∣tance. Ioel. 2.13 14.

The vse for admonition, * 1.52 tea∣cheth Christians to make good vse of all Gods strokes, further off, or vpon others, threatning the like, or a heauier hand vpon themselues. When God toucheth vs in a beast, or some like com∣moditie for a warning wee must be sensible of it, as of some prick giuen vs in our arme, or leggo, for, shall hee strike our beast, and wee (worse then beasts) neuer be moued at it: or passe by it, as by some idle hand, as if (not God) but fortune had striken it? what though wee may spare him, and that there are mo in the stable; shall God lose the opportunitie that he sets for vs? and wee sinne still, till a worse thing come vn∣to vs, Ioh. 5.14. The poorer sort are much troubled at euery such crosse in their cattle orgrounds; but little (I may say for most of

them, neuer a whit) better by the hand, and, for the richer sort, no such accident shal humble them. Few of one or other, call any sin the more into question for Gods hand vpon them in such war∣nings, further off; If the poore man lost a beast, the losse doth not worke vpon him to repen∣tance: and if a rich man lose one, he cares no more for it, then if he had lost nothing. This Wo∣man made another vse of Gods hand vpon her in her litle child: so good Christians should.

The person from whom this Woman beggeth this mercy, followeth.

O Lord thou sonne of Dauid.

THE person of whom this woman asked mercie, is Christ; described here by his two natures of God, and Man: of God, where hee calleth him

Lord: of man in the next words, thou sonne of Dauid: and of Da∣uid in the naturall line, as borne of Man, and in the regall, as el∣dest (now) from him in the throne: and here we haue two hands of faith vp to heauen; the one of faith in Gods power that he is able: and the other of like faith in his readinesse, that as he is able, so hee will not be vnwil∣ling to help her: therefore shee calleth him both Lord and the Sonne of Dauid, as much as if she had said; I know thou art able, being Lord of all, and I be∣leeue that thou art willing, being the promised seed, full of huma∣nitie and tender compassion; therefore, heare mee, and haue mercy. And these two con∣curring in prayer as the two Lyons vnder the throne of Salomon, * 1.53 1 King. 10 19. beare it vp with good assurance: which by so good a Precedent, teach∣eth that Christians must vnto

prayer bring faith, both in the power, and good will of the Lord to helpe them. The Leper comming to Christ was lame of one of these legges, when hee prayed for his clensing; he con∣fessed he was able, but he could not tell that he would; for hee said; Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane, Matth 8.2. This woman knew hee could, and doubted-not but he would: ther∣fore (in a reference to both) Christ saith, beleeue, and it shall be done unto you: Marke 11.24. so much was required of the two blinde men, for being asked if they could beleeue, they ans∣wered that they did, Matth. 9.28. And so much is implied in the prayer, which (we call the Lords prayer) where what wee haue prayed for, we are enioy∣ned to seale vp with the Amen of faith, Matth. 6.9.13. Hence therefore preseruation from pe∣rishment, and preferment to life

is promised to none, but that are beleeuers, Iohn 3.16. the rea∣sons. * 1.54 Without faith in the power and good will of God, when we aske any thing in prayer, we denie him to be our father, one readie to helpe vs: and our Fa∣ther in in heauen, one able so to doe, seeing his residence is in heauen, and his Maiestie filleth the heauen, 1 King. 8.27. Psal. 15.3. and denying either, how can we thinke to be heard? Se∣condly, the commandement is, that we pray in faith, Iam. 1.6. but where is the obedience, when wee beleeue not in Gods Power, or when we mistrust his will? it is necessarie (there∣fore) when we come to prayer, that we haue faith in both, pray∣ing for things, warantably to be payed for, Dan. 9.19.

First, * 1.55 this maketh against those hereticks, who (with Arrius) denie Christ to bee God: for what assurance can they haue

in their prayers, or boldnesse toward him: also, and against those, who with Cerdon, Mar∣cion, and Manicheus, haue deni∣him to bee man: for how can such, or how could these pre∣mise to themselues any readi∣nesse 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Christ to heare, when they should call? wee that be∣leeue both: that is, that he was the Sonne for euer; and the sonne of Dauid in time; that is, Man, in house with vs, or Man in our nature, may beare vp with great comfort, so long as our life is not against saith, and so long as we marre not our pray∣ers with our sinnes, Esa 1.15.

But are wee bound in the chaine of faith to beleeue (when we pray) that Christ is both able and willing to deliuer vs in our troubles? * 1.56 then if our prayers faile of this helpe when we haue sought it, vnder our Christian interest in both termes, the fault is our owne, because wee haue

tied our sinnes vpon the prav∣ers that wee made; for, Christ would by his goodnesse, but wee by our bad liues will not, Matth. 23.37. the giuing hand is readie, but so is not the hand that should receiue the gift.

A comfortable inuitation, * 1.57 or call to true Christians, to ease themselues vpon Christ in all the burdens they beare for his sake, and a good conscience if they be laden with these; and desirous of him; these two in him his abilitie & readines to help can not but worke strong affections of desire to come vnto him: and being come, what follow∣eth but ease and refreshing? Matth. 11.28. If (then) thou findest thy selfe fast laid vp by the Law, at the suit of sinne, Gal. 3.23. or sold vnder sinne, needing a Redeemer, Rom. 7.14. Behold him that was made vn∣der the Law, or cast in the Law for the debt of men, not one∣ly

able to discharge the whole summe, but willing to bring thy soule out of prison: and thou hast seene him that hath enga∣ged himselfe for thy libertie, being one of the few, that thirsts for his saluation more than for all riches, Gal. 4.4: 5. and who is in sinne; as a malefactor in prison, that would gladly be deliuered, Rom. 7.24. But this neuer a whit concerneth those, whose sinnes are not a burden, but an ease vnto them, and not their affliction, but their glorie.

Now (further) where this woman calleth Christ Lord, she calls him so in regard of the great power hee hath equall to his Father. Lord in Scripture is taken, ciuilly, for a name of re∣uerence: also, possessiuely for an owner: and essentially for one with Iehoua; in all these respects, Christ may worthily bee cal∣led our Lord: but here (chief••∣ly)

he is called Lord, (as I take it) to signifie his absolute do∣minion in heauen and earth: and so wee haue what this wo∣man beleeued concerning his deity, and great power, as God, which teacheth that Christ is an absolute Lord, * 1.58 or Lord of all: the Lord that hath the hea∣uen for his inheritance, and the ends of the earth for his posses∣sion, Psal. 2.8. The Lord Christ that sitteth at the right hand of God, till all his enemies be made his foote-stoole to tread vpon, Psal. 110. 1 Cor. 15.25. the Lord of life, Act. 3 15, and the Lord of glorie, 1 Cor. 2.8. also, the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, 1. Tim. 8 15. and this name is written vpon his garment, and vpon his thigh, for a lasting memoriall. Apoc. 19.16. the reasons. Christ is one with his Father in title of power, and ef∣fect of doing: and therefore, Al∣mightie as he is, Ioh. 5.19. & 10.30

and doing, as he (who is Al∣mightie,) doth. He is our Mi∣chael, our strong God, Apoc. 12.17. and who so strong, but hee that is God? Secondly, his power appeareth to be aboue all powers created, for asmuch, as hee made vs of nothing, Hebr. 1.2. and re∣deemed vs, being worse then nothing. Apoc. 5.9. He that buies a commoditie is owner of it, and shall not he haue vs that bought vs? so he that makes a work, hath the praise of it, if it hee praise worthy. And shall not hee bee praised in vs, and for vs, that made vs? And if so: who is so worthy as Christ, and what God (among all the Gods) like him? Thirdly, He is the law giuer, and ludge of conscience: Iam 4.12. and what man, what Angel is so? and who but he, who is Lord of men and Angels?

The vse is for admonition For, is Christ, the Lord ouer all? * 1.59 wee must acknowledge, and vse

him as our Lord. Hee offered a price, when he offered himselfe. 1 Cor. 6.20. and doth not this binde vs to offer our seruice, and selues to him? This will not be, in the generall, denied: but then, in the particular, we must obey his word, Ioh. 15.14. and be are his correction. Hebr. 12.5. we must thinke, and speake of him re•• e∣rently, & bring gaine and glory to him in the place hee hath set vs. Good Seruants will bee for their Masters lawfull profit, and not discredit those whom they serue. Christs seruants must be no other to him. By their re∣ceipts in the power of godlines they must make others better, & so bring him gaine that way. Mi∣nisters must put a stock of good people vpon his grounds by at∣tending their charges, and Ma∣sters of families must not bee gai∣n••rs where Christ is a looser, they must not keepe in house a bad workeman for the Lord, because

good for themselues; though a swearer, a scorner, a foul mouth'd talker, a prophane person like Esau, &, for practise of religion, a meere Atheist, all must seeke his kingdom in their places, not their own greatnes, seuered from it. Magistrates must drawe for him, and set the point of autho∣ritie to the brest of offenders a∣gainst his lawes. Christians (ge∣nerally) must lock their dores a∣gainst all the prophane fellow∣ship of wicked men: against it they must shut the windowes of their senses, and the dores of their hearts, and not shame the calling whereof Christ is Lord and Ma∣ker: we say, Lord, Lord, Matth. 7.21. we must not therefore ca∣ry the key of our selues at our owne girdles, but resigne vp all to the Lord of all: wee professe we know Christ: and therefore confessing him in word, wee must not in our liues denie him, Tit. 1.16.

Is Christ the absolute Lord, * 1.60 or

Lord of all? this is for much comfort to true Christians: all things are subiect to him, who hath subdued all things to them: he hath troden vpon Satan, that they might tread vpon him, who (else) would ride ouer their backes, Rom. 16.20. He that is their head, is head ouer all: and what cause to feare any aduer∣sarie, fearing him? Queens on earth, (so long as they please) need not care for the displea∣sure of any subiect: Christians by marriage with Christ, are his spouse and Queens to him, who hath an absolute Sou••∣raignty in heauen and earth; and therefore need not to feare what men can doe to them: the▪ be vnder Christ) the royall hus∣band of this wife, and so vnder his frouns in all they intend to doe against his Church which is his spouse and Queene, vnited to him in a most neere tye. He that chained the deuills, and

can binde men and Tyrants to his pleasure, saith to them: touch not mine annointed. Psal. 105.15. Also, hee that can raise the countrie, and draw the world af∣ter him, commanding in all the earth, saith: those mine enemies that will not haue mee to reigne ouer them by mine ordinances and seruants, bring hither, and slay them before me. Luc. 19.27. They that smite the apple of his eye in these, shall finde they haue striken him in the eye, Zach. 2.8. who will be auenged of them for both eyes. Iudg. 16.28.

Another vse is for instruction, * 1.61 teaching Christians (for as much as Christ is the Lord of all) to suffer him to dispose of all 〈◊〉〈◊〉 waies: whatsoeuer shall befall them here, they must remem∣ber that all is from him: and neuer forget to beare patient∣ly what their Lord hath done, Psal. 39.9. whether they winne or lose, they must with Iob giue

thankes, and blesse his name, that giues and takes away, Iob 1 21. with like consideration we must strengthen our patience when strange iudgements come; for, first we haue deserued worse by our sins; and secondly, they are sent from him that is Lord of men and angels; and hath power, as hee sent them, so to take them away: wee may and should feare, when they are to∣ward or vpon vs, Psal. 119.20. but murmure we may not, lest we bee found fighters against God. A second vse of instru∣ction is, to teach vs to vse no creature, (seeing we haue all in Christs right, and all from him, as Lord of all) without prayer, as by leaue from him, 1 Tim. 4.5. wee are here but stewards, Luke 16.2. and such as haue all good parts of minde and bodie vpon a reckoning, if wee haue learning, wit, honour, wealth, the Princes fauour, or

other good thing besiede, they are our masters goods, which we haue in an inuentorie from him, and therefore to him wee must accompt for them: one day he will know to what vse wee haue put them. A third vse of instruction is, to teach those that are Lords ouer others, to remember that they haue a Lord aboue them: therefore, as fellow seruants in Christ, what they command, must bee iust, and what they impose, no other than what the supreme master of both would haue to bee done, Eph. 6.9. They must not command, nor cause them to breake the sabbath, to li••, to say that euill is good for their pleasure, or gaine: for, the Lord aboue will punish such commanders, and hold them guiltlesse that so obey. It is ne∣cessary therefore in such case, for the greatest on earth to looke vp to a greater in heauen.

In the second place, this wo∣man calleth Christ the sonne of Dauid: the former name of Lord, implying his deity, and the large power hee hath in Hea∣uen and earth, Colos. 1.16, 17. was a light too glorious & bea∣ting in a mortall eye, therefore in these words, (the Sonne of Dauid, or man as Dauid) shee hath a lanterne to put it in, Psal. 113.17. and so Moses face (which was so bright and shi∣ning that the people durst not come nigh) is couered with the veile of flesh, Exod. 34.35. Christ so high in Maiesti••, de∣scendeth, taking our nature that we might not feare to come vn∣to him more than Iosephs bre∣thren to come to their brother after hee had opened himselfe, saying, he was Ioseph, Gen. 45.3.5. By this speech of the wo∣man, calling Christ the sonne of Dauid; it would seeme that shee spake with perswasion, and

not out of fancie, or of somewhat floting in the head: where it may be rightly conceiued, that she had either read or heard so much out of the word of Scripture; and so held by a good Charter what she spake with the voice of her faith in Christ; as much as if she had said: as euer thou wast borne of a woman, haue mercy vpon two pi∣tisull distressed women, the mo∣ther, & her afflicted daughter, be∣fore she called him Lord, or Iesu Lord; now sheecalls him the Sonne of Dauid, and so hath two strings to her bow; by the Sonne of Dauid in the naturall line, she meanes the Son or of Marie, and of Man, in the regall, the Sonne of King Dauid, next to the crowne of Iudah; from whence wee may draw those two propositions or axioms; the first, * 1.62 that Christ the Sonne of God, was the Sonne of Man; the second, that hee was man in the best

bloud of king of the Iewes: for the first, it teacheth that Christ was the Sonne of Dauid; that is, of Marie in the house of Da∣uid: therefore Esa speaking of him, by way of prophecie saith, to vs a child is borne, to vs a Sonne is giuen, Esa 9.6. And the Prophet Micah speaking of Christ, saith, that a woman shall trauell and beare a Sonne: and this Sonne was Christ, the Sonne of Mary, Mic, 5.3. Hereupon wee reade of the ge∣neration of Iesus Christ, Matth. 1.1. made of the seed of Dauid, according to the flesh, Rom. 1 3. This is that word, which was made flesh, Iohn 1.14. the substan∣tiall word, which was euer with God, & was God: his manner of birth S. Luke hath storied with the circumstances, Luke 2.1 4.6, 7. S. Paul calleth this, that great mysterie of godlinesse, 1 Tim. 3.16. and it was great in∣deed, without all controuersie,

and beyond all example: for, how wonderfull and great, that God should bee manifested in the flesh? that hee should bee made of a woman, that made al, Gal. 4.4 that the humble hand∣maid should become the Mo∣ther of her maker? that the an∣tient of dayes should be borne in time? that the feeder of all things, should sucke the brest? and shee haue a Sonne, that ne∣uer knew man? nay, that hee should bee swadled in clouts, that swadleth the winds: and who is equall to God, make himselfe of no reputation, Phil. 2.7. that he should be the euer∣lasting Father, Esa 9.6. and yet a yong infant? contained in the manger, and borne in a stable, that filleth heauen and earth with his glorie? Luke 2.7. and to bee short, flie before kings, who is King of kings, and cast∣eth contempt vpon Princes? Matth. 2.14.22. These, and

the like particular effects of Christs humanitie manifest Christ to bee Man: the reasons. First, * 1.63 it was necessarie that hee should bee so; for man hauing offended, the offence must bee punished in man: and so it was requisite that hee should bee of kinne to vs who offended, that in our nature, that offended, he might make the amends, and satisfaction. Secondly, he must be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, who would haue compassion of vs sinners, Hebr. 4.15. and who can be so kindly touched with them, as hee that hath felt them first? who Heb. 2.18. will sooner pit∣tic a disease in an other, than he who hath had the disease him∣selfe, and (himselfe) hath felt the infirmitie? our diseases (but as man) Christ could not haue, hauing them; hee must die of them, which, (but as man) hee could not do, Heb. 2.9. Third∣ly,

the promises and prophecies of the old Testament must bee performed in the new: now, Christ was the womans seed, which was promised, Gen. 3.15. and the virgins Sonne, of whom Esay prophecied, Esa 7.14. Fourthly, God herein prouided for mans great good: for, what greater than to haue a brother, so highly exalted and borne? Hebr. 2.11. one who is mer∣cifull, Hebr. 2.17. and will not faile to shew kindnesse to his owne house 1. Tim. 5.8.

The vse is for the singular comfort of all that are in Christ Iesu: for, * 1.64 hereof riseth a great a liance betweene God and them, being hereby brothers to Christ, who is the naturall Sonne of God, Heb. 2.11. and what may not one kinde brother expect from another? by sinne wee had lost this acquaintance with God, Esa 59, 2. by him that was made sinne, that is, an of∣fering

for sinne, 2 Cor. 5.21. this acquaintance is renued, and we brought againe into fanour, or brought neere, who were farre off, by the bloud of Christ, who is our peace, Eph. 2.13.14. hence Christ is called Shiloh, Gen. 49.10. and the Redeemer, or kinsman, Iob 19.25: Now, Shiloh is the skinne that lappeth the insant in the mothers bel∣lie, and what can be neerer? his flesh assumed is the corner stone of our coupling to God: by meanes of it, he is that great Im∣manuell, God with vs, Esa 7.14. being so, and so neere by the v∣nion of the two natures in Christ, of God and man, who is not comforted that is in him? for, being in him, wee are members of his flesh, of his body, and of his bones, Ephes. 5.30. and will Christ suffer any member of his bodie to be abused, or any bone to bee broken, and who will not spare his owne flesh? If Christ

had taken vnto him the nature of the Angels, or of the whirle∣winde, or of a Lyon, wee might well haue seared our destruction: but being clothed with the con∣dition of an aduocate, of a bro∣ther, and of a pitifull man, what cause of feare, rather what true matter of boldnesse? wee runne from a Lyon, and hide from an Angel, but who will from a bro∣ther? Loud winds doe fright vs, so doth not the quiet calme of a louing kinsman, and of one ioy∣ned to vs so neere in flesh, as Christ and we.

The 2. * 1.65 vse concernes vs in dutie. For, if Christ drew so neare to vs in our nature, we must draw as neare (as wee can) to him in the diuine nature. 2 Pet. 1.4. did he take flesh to come neare to vs? we must put off flesh to come neare to him. Is he God with vs? we must be Men with him. Was he made flesh? we must endeuour to be made Spirit. As we haue a

liuing way by his flesh: Hebr. 10.20 so we must not pamper flesh, to walk in our owne wayes: and as he came downe from heauen to vs, so wee must goe vp from earth to heauen to come to him. Our conuersation must bee in heauen, Philip. 3.20. though wee haue flesh on earth. But is it so? and do weso? nay but our plea∣sures keepe vs downe, our profit keepes vs vnder. Either coue∣tousnes, as an arrow shot from hell, nailes vs to our money, or the delights of life, as lime twiggs set by the deuill, ensnare vs to earthly things, when wee should be heauenly minded; and so, we cannot haue our affections where we should set them: Coloss. 3.2. or, we haue maried a wife, and wee cannot come. Luc. 14.20. In the Inne of these things, there is no room for Christ. Luc. 2.7. and what filles the house but such as these? the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and pride of life (all

which are in the world) I Ioh. 2.16. do wholly take vs vp, soules and bodies; and we are so espou∣sed to them, we forget wee haue another husband.

The 3. vse is for instruction, * 1.66 teaching how much Christ hum∣bled himselfe; and that therefore we should learne of him to bee meek and lowly in heart. Matth. 11.29. to be meek and lowly in heart is the perfection of a Chri∣stian, who, the lower hee layes his foundation, the surer will his house stand, and to be so, the way is, to take a sight of our selues in good and heauenly things. For, then, in vs, wee shall finde that, which will humble vs farre below that which (we thinke) wee are, measured by carnall reason, if we feare, that is, suspect all we do, or the best we can doe, we shall not be high minded: so the Apostle tells vs, when hee biddes vs, not to be high minded, but to feare. Rom. 11.20. Christ emptied him∣selfe

for our filling, and humbled himselfe for our example. Philip. 2.8. We haue nothing to let out but wind: and, if we could see our selues in true account, wee are low enough. But (like purblinde Laodiceans). we can see nothing but fulnesse, where is nothing but indigence, and want. Apoc. 3.17. either wee stand vpon the clay feet of gentrie: and (then) who shall go before vs? or vpon termes of self-sufficiencie (like Pharisies) and (then) wee haue neede of nothing. But so long as we are so minded; we will neuer be followers of Christ in the pra∣ctise of humilitie: therefore, as Christ was abased for vs: so (if we will bee filled with Christ) wee must emptie our selues of all high conceit of our selues, that his Spirit may fill vs. And, for these fillings with wind: we must prick the bladder, that they may goe out. More distinctly and plainely; we must purge out self∣loue,

and self-liking, and bee no∣thing for his sake, who, for ours, made himselfe nothing. If wee will be proud: let vs (as one saith well) be proud against Satan for Christ; but humble to all men, in Christ. In giuing honour, let vs go before others: but before none in taking it. Rom. 12.10. Finally (as the Apostle saith) let vs be of like affection, one towards ano∣ther, and not minde high things, and let vs condiscend to men of lower estate, and not bee wise in our owne conceits. v. 16. so shall we walke in the steps of Christs humilitie; who, being so high in glorie, laid away his glorie; and (of the Sonne of God) became the Sonne of Man, a worme and no man. Psal. 22.6.

Further, Christ was not only the Son of Dauid in the naturall line, but in the regall, the next to the crowne of Iudah, after his Mother, and supposed Father, Ioseph. * 1.67 And so wee learne that

Christ Man, was (of all men) the noblest Man. For, one way, hee was the Sonne of God: and ano∣ther way of kingly ranke among the Sonnes of Men. Next in succession & blood to the Kings of Iudah by Father and Mother, as by Ioseph from Abiud, Matth. 1.13. and by Marie from Rhesa, Luc. 3.27. and by Ioseph and Ma∣rie from Zorebabel. Matth. 1.13. The Wisemen ask; where is hee that is borne King of the Iewes? Matth. 2.2. For, so it was prea∣ched to them by the tongue of heauen in a strong starre; and it seemes that Hered had heard as much. Matth. 2.3. Indeed at the time of his birth, the soue∣raignety of it was gone, and the Sunne of it downe, and so Christ was a titular, not real King. The Scepter was now in a Roman hand: the Emperours there, were Kings of Iurie: and Christ (as was prophecied by Esay) but a bud out of a dead stock. Esa. 53.2.

Yet had hee an euer-during throne, better then all the king∣doms of the earth. Hebr. 1.6.8. & so, was, euery way, (of al men) the noblest Man; The starre, (which the wisemen followed) shewed it: Matth. 2.2. Herod, (Casars vnder-King) feared it, v. 7. Christ contessed it. Ioh. 18.37. the Iewes (questioned by Pilate) could not speake against it, though saying nothing for it. For, Ioh. 19.15. they said, wee haue no King but Casar. Ioh. 19.15. * 1.68 the reason why Christ shold be thus, euery way noble; may be taken from the good pleasure of God, and fitnes to him. For, first, God would haue it so: and therefore so; partly to fulfill the prophecie, Zachar. 9.9. partly to keepe his word: For, he had pro∣mised asmuch. Ps. 89.27. and it was fit that the high borne of God, should be the noble borne Sonne of Man, therefore Kings and Iudges are commanded to

feare God, & to reuerence Christ: Ps. 2.10.12. that is, whole Christ, God and Man, and now, he must needes be great and noble, whom Kings must reuerence and Iudges feare.

This is for instruction, * 1.69 teach∣ing that it is no disparagement to bee a Christian; seeing that Christ, after whom they bee cal∣led, and of whom they are fol∣lowers (if true Christians) was in both natures so high, and no∣bly descended. For, is it any dis∣paragement to be the Kings fol∣lower? or if this bee an honour, it cannot but bee a speciall grace, to bee follower of the King of Kings. And, as it is no dispara∣gement, so it may bee for our great incouragement to follow him as Christians indeed. For, true Christians are Christs bro∣thers: and so brothers to a King, and that of Kings; to such Christ (the elder brother) conueighs his nobilitie in part, by making

them the Sonnes of God, Ioh. 1: 12. a royall Priesthood, 1 Pet. 2.9. and a people peculiar to himself. Tit. 2.14. and, so, it is the fairest Flower of noble blood to bee a Christian, and to be able to draw armes from his holy arme, who ruleth the Nations with his rod of y••on. Apoc. 2.27. the best thing in thy scutchen, if thou bee a Gentleman, and the purest gemme in a Kings crowne, is to be a true Christian, the child of God by regeneration. Tit. 1.15. Bee we exhorted (therefore) to labour after our true engrafting into him which is the ensigne (if any) of true nobilitie. One saith (and it is truely said) that noble birth without this new birth in Christ, is base and vile before God: to bee a repentant sinner, inuesteth spirituall man into a royaltie that maketh him, both an heire of the earth, and coheire with Christ in heauen.

That that followed vpon this

first petition of the Woman which was a sore repulse, followeth out of Matth. 15.23.

VERSE 23.

But hee answered her not a word.

THis not replying to the wo∣mans request by any audi∣ble voice, was a very sore and grieuous repulse to the eare: it may be, he spake in good words and comfortable to her crying heart: yet the temptation was great, saying, hee gaue her not one word of answer: her tower was summoned when the deuill was sent into her daughter: and now it would seeme to be taken. For her Sauiour, passing ouer with silence as in disdaine, what she had so humbly entreated

from him concerning her daugh∣ter; how could such an answer, without answer; but cut her to the heart? the rather seeing that she might haue thought that the name, that went of Christ for kindnesse and true humilitie, was no true report, nor fame of credit, but a fiction: and was not this a great temptation, able to ouercome a very strong faith? for what can more daunt a good Subiect, than that his Soue∣raigne passing by, and petitio∣ned vnto, should not vouchsafe to speake vnto him, or once to looke towards him? It was (much) this womans case: and here where Christ answered no∣thing at the first, though cried vnto: * 1.70 wee learne that God (of∣ten) taketh day with his ser∣uants, and putteth them off, when they crie vnto him: the Prophet Dauid complaines that he cried in his prayers day and night, and had no hearing, yea

that hee roared in them, and was put off, Psal. 22.2. af∣terwards, God so prolonged him, that hee thought himselfe to haue beene vtterly forgot∣ten of him, Psal. 42.9. The Church in the Lamentations fa∣red, as if God had set a thicke stone wall betweene his eares and her prayers: and therefore saith, that hee couered himselfe with a cloud, that her prayers should not passe thorow, Lam. 3.44. as if shee had said, that God was resolued not to heare, and Esa, speaking of the iniqui∣ties of Iudah, tells her, that these did seperate betweene God and her, Esa 59.2. Iob saith that hee sought the Lord East and West in his prayers, and could not finde him; his words in effect are: If I goe to the East, he is not there: if to the West, yet I cannot perceiue him, Iob, 23: 8. backward or forward, or howsoeuer, hee hides him∣selfe

that I cannot see him, v. 9. so Habakuk in the person of the Church vnder a great oppres∣sion, crieth out and saith; how long shall I crie, and thou wilt not heare? euen crie out of vio∣lence, and thou wilt not helpe? Habuk. 1.2. And thus God (often) putteth off to answer his Churches prayers, and (after many calls) makes as if he heard not, when his children crie in their troubles; the reasons. * 1.71 God will proue their faith and their patience, 1 Cor. 11.19. which are tried by his delaies, as a Pilots skill in a storme: but what would become of these and of the patience of the Saints, if they should but aske and haue? Psal. 42.11. Second∣ly, when wee haue sped, wee haue done: therefore, God to keepe our prayers going; doth not presently heare, nor till after some good time of attendance: also, hee will haue vs to know

the worth of his goodnesse; which is better knowne, when we come hardly to a thing, and with much adoe, than if we had it at the first asking: thereby Abraham waited for Isaac (the Sonne of the promise) till hee was very old, and his wife by course of nature, past bearing, Gen. 18.11. it is an old saying, casilie gotten, soone forgotten. Thirdly, Gods time is later than ours, and though hee bee readie at all times, yet so are not wee: but when wee are his, blessings will not bee long in comming; therefore (till we bee,) we must bite vpon the bit of hardnesse, and wait his leisure.

An admonition to Gods chil∣dren, * 1.72 not to giue ouer, though God put off. Isaac waited long vpon his knees for Iacob, yet rose alwaies from prayer with a stomacke to come to it againe: God heard him not in twentie yeares, yet that long reuolution

of twentie yeares did not wea∣ry him: and hee wrestled with it, with like successe as Iacob his sonne after him did, who wre∣stled with God, and preuailed, Gen. 32.26. for. God will not put off his seruants for euer, though hee doe for a time, and for their triall: the vision is but for his appointed time; and it will speake at last, 1 Habuc. 2.3. sometimes the Lord will not answer; it is that we might crie lowder in our prayers; and some∣times he goes from the doore; it is, that wee might knocke, with Peter, till it be opened, Act. 12.14.16. if hee goe from vs for a time, it is but as one friend goes from another to re∣turne with so much greater comfort as there was sorrow at parting, and then our ioy shall be full.

The second vse is for reproofe of those, who, * 1.73 because God comes not presently to the doore, and

at the first knocke are gone: Christs method is to trie his chil∣drens patience before he crowne it with his gifts: but these (igno∣rant of the good ends of Gods deniall) if they bee not heard at once, will not aske twice: and because the bridegroome tarri∣eth long, they slumber & sleepe, though not hauing either oile in their lamps, or faith in their hearts: but when they awake, this their foolishnesse will cor∣rect them: and when there shall be no opening, Christ will say: Verily I say vnto you, I know you not, Matth. 25.3.5.12. for our better stay, therefore, in this matter let vs learne, and not for∣get that God answers not his best children presently, and that here was a good woman indeed, to whom Christ (though shee cried after him) answered not a word.

This (therefore) may (third∣ly) serue for the instruction and

comfort of weake soules in their fits of temptation: * 1.74 where though God speake not to their sences, as Christ said nothing to this woman, yet hee will speake in a voice familiar to their faith: and speake by his hand and seale in their heart, assuring them that all this stay is to doe them good in their later end. I doubt not but he spake so to this woman, round∣ing her in the eare of her soule, and telling her in a still voice; that though he be absent for the present time, yet he will shortly be with her, and when the house is readie for him: we are not to be discouraged (then) that God doth not answere vs presently, when wee sobbe vnto him out of our miseries; for yet a little while, and he that commeth, wil come, and will not tarie, Heb. 10.37. Our fathers trusted in God, and were not confounded, Psal. 22.4.5. doe we as much, and wee shall speed no worse.

In these slipperie waies, patience must leade our feet, and hope with patience to set them vpon good ground; though Christ be farre off in heauen, as Ioseph in Aegypt, yet Ioseph is a liue, and our Redeemer liueth, Gen. 45.28. Iob 19.25. here (therefore) let vs not either thinke in our heart, or say with our tongues, (as Iacob in his feare;) Ioseph is not, and Beniamin shall not bee, Gen. 42.36. for hee that liueth, and whom we thinke to be dead to vs, will shortly send for vs by his comforts, which (as the cha∣rets sent by Ioseph vnto Iacob) wil truly reuiue our spirits, Gen. 45.27. Meane while let me speake to the heart of Iacob, in a land of distresse. Poore soule (that art so much cast downe) remem∣ber that thy Sauiour hath said, that the Kingdome of God suf∣fereth violence, Matth. 11.12. and that (therefore) thou must force the gate of heauen by pati∣ence

in all tribulations, and by earnest prayer in the longest de∣laies of the Almightie, Luke 13.24. for prayer auaileth much if it be feruent, Iam. 5.16. if we knocke hard patiently, it shall be opened vnto vs. They that knocke softly, or farre off, as at some out dore by any coolings this way, must not thinke to bee heard as they, who come neerer in the prayer of faith, and con∣stantly call vpon ••od in trou∣ble: for who is so soone heard, (knocking at the furthest, or out∣most doore of the house) as hee that knocketh at the hall-doore, or Parlour doore, where the companies be? so what hope to bee let in to God, so long as wee draw no neerer? but either knock farre off as strangers, or giue o∣uer of waiting any longer? Pray we (therefore) and (though wee haue no answer) pray wee still; for, he is faithfull that hath pro∣mised, and God cannot denie

himselfe, 2 Tim. 2.13. if he tarry and abstaine from words, yet in silence, he speaketh to vs by two very effectual Prolocutors: Nam∣ly, his generall promises in the word, & his spirit in our hearts. And, this is the victorie of the Saints: let vs remember, and not forget it: so, we shall not fall; for, he that fights against vs with one hand, holds vs vp with another: and (then) how can wee but keepe vp?

The persons follow that en∣treated for this Woman.

And his disciples came & be∣sought him, saying: Send her away; for, she crieth af∣ter vs.

THE Woman besought Christ for her Daughter: Christ answered nothing. Now, his disciples touched (it would seeme) with commiseration, and

not prouoked onely (as some write) by her clamorous impor∣tunities, did take vpon them to entreate the Master for her. I be∣liue, with the text, that her crying tongue much moued them; yet I cannot thinke, without a text, that this was all; or that the dis∣ciples had no more in them of good nature and pitie, then not to regard which way it went with a woman, vnder such a con∣dition of miserie, as hers was, who had the deuill at home, in her daughter, and therefore where they say, send her away; I take the meaning to be as much, as if they had said: Master, you heare the womans crie, and you see her importunities; doe somwhat for her (wee beseech you) to her comfort, and of her daughter, terribly vexed of Satan. For, must Gods children haue a feeling of others miseries, and shall wee thinke that they who were so neere to Christ, had none? In the

text it is said, they had: for, it saith, they besought their Ma∣ster, or prayed him to bee good vnto her: where we haue first, their 〈◊〉〈◊〉, it is said, they besought him: and then the rea∣son: for shee crieth after vs. The Papists make this text, a text of warrantie for the inuocation of Saints departed; but they rec∣kon without a text, they make such a reckoning by this text, that affords them not a farthing in true worth, towards it: for, neither did the woman bid them to speake for her to Christ: nei∣ther did he graunt any thing to her at their request: nor were they dead Saints, but liuing, that made request for her: and so, wee see no warrant here for Popish prayers to dead Saints. But where the Disciples (liuing) make request for this woman, in manner as we haue heard, * 1.75 we learne (out of so good an exam∣ple) that it is the dutie of the

Saints liuing to helpe one ano∣ther with their best prayers. The Apostle S. Paul (for this) requi∣reth supplications by all, for all men, 1 Tim. 2.1 S. Iames in ef∣fect requireth as much in this dutie of exchange, Iam. 5.14. for, hee requireth confession of fault, and (after the fault confes∣sed) prayer to a spirituall heal∣ing v. 16. And in obedience to such a dutie, Izaak prayed for his wife, Gen. 25.21. Moses for the people, Exod. 32.11. and Dauid intreating for the congregation, prayeth, that God would set the strings of that Instrument, that they may be tuned euer to songs of praise for his mercies: which is meant where hee prayeth for the preparing of their heart vn∣to God, 1 Chr. 29.18. when Peter was kept in prison, instant prayer was made of the Church for him, Acts 12.5. the con∣clusion of the eight and twentie Psalme is: saue thy people, and

blesse thine inheritance, feede them, and set them vp for euer, Psal. 28.9. also giuing of thanks and prayers for the Churches of Saints, was the Apostle S. Pauls daily excercise, Eph. 1.16. and these two presidents of the Psalme, and of so worthie an Apostle, doe conclude all Chri∣stians vnder a like dutie of those mutuall offices of praying one for another: * 1.76 the reasons. Here in lies our principall bond to the Saints, Rom. 12.13. and there∣fore, we that beleeue a Commu∣nion with them, must either thus discharge it, or die in the Churches debt, Acts 7.60. Secondly, the Saints on earth pray for vs; and if wee will hold the ballance euen betweene them and vs, wee must doe as much by the iustice of exchange for them, or wee greatly wrong them, and our selues: and here we should remember the old say∣ing, which is a true saying; that

one good turne asketh another. Thirdly, we must further (all that we may) one anothers saluation, Heb. 3.13. but, how better, or with better speed, than by prayer, which will make them (with Elisha) in all changes to say: there are moe with vs than with them, 2 King. 6.16. Fourthly, as we would haue Christs Church to grow with people, wee must water it with our daylie prayers for the whole bodie, and for euery member. Fifthly, in the naturall body, (it is the Apostles comparison,) one member de∣sires anothers welfare, 1 Cor. 12.25, 26. and should it be other∣waies in the mysticall of Christ? and if so, what readier meanes for the true welfare of the whole Church, and of euery part, than to importune the Lord in our prayers for their prosperitie and peace, Psal. 122.6, 7. * 1.77

The first vse may bee for re∣proofe of prayerlesse Atheisme in

many among vs, who yet haue the name, and sace of Christians, for how can such pray for others, who passe days and nights with∣out any prayer for themselues? they rise in the morning without all acknowledgement to God that kept them and at night they go to their beds, as beasts to their dennes, without praying to him that must keepe them: and so deserue to bee branded with this marke of an Atheist: they call not vpon God, Psal. 14.4. But these onely are not vnder reproofe, (who pray so seldome, if at all) but they (also) who though they pray daylie and often to God, yet forget the Churches particular affliction: the Churches of Germanie and of the Palatinate, long in teares, and bloud, & now almost consumed in the fire of warre, were for all this neuer spoken for vnto God, by such when they made prayer and sup∣plication vnto him: and how

many (now) doe earnessly call vpon God for health to Cam∣bridge, (One of the two famous Schooles of the Prophets in this Kingdome) so long shut vp, and made desolate by a wasting Pe∣stilence? how many (I say) are they that haue prayed for the o∣pening againe of that fountaine, so shut vp, and for the seeding of it with Scholars? These coales, sent from betweene the feet of the Almightie, burne to a flame in other parts of this land, yet how few shed one teare to quench them? And (as one saith) though God discharge not his great Cannon vpon Lon∣don (as in the yeare 1625, which hath beene too much forgotten) yet his smal shot plays vpon it by 60. vnder or aboue, in the weeke buried of the destroying Pesti∣lence, and yet how many, either there or abroad mend their pray∣ers, (I say not their liues) for it? Further they are here repro∣ued

who in their enuious pray∣ers speake not onely for them∣selues to God: or, if they goe a little further, it is not farre from the doores of their owne house, praying onely for Christians of their own bloud or kinne. These are churles in religion, such as Nabal in the world, who said; Shall I take my bread, and the flesh which I haue killed for my shearers, and giue it to men, whom I know not whence they bee, 1 Sam. 25.11. Thus Nabal, and so those spirituall Nabals say: these are strangers neither of our house nor flesh; and what be they to vs, that wee should so much, and earnestly seeke their wealth, by praying for them? And thus, our fathers daughter (the Church) is a stranger and of no kinne to such bastard Israe∣lites. Lastly, they are reproued who brew mischiefe, that their enemies may drinke it: and so plot euills against those, against

whose euills they should pray, and pay good for euill, Matth. 5.44. Rom. 12.21. But they are farre from this rule of chari∣tie, who curse their brethren in their persons, or estate: some wish them a heauie death, and that being down, they may neuer rise againe: and for their cattell, their prayer is, they may die of the rot, or goe away as an vn∣timely fruit: and for the sub∣stance of their house, that it may melt away, as Snow before the Sunne: but some, when they should pray for the Saints, Eph. 6.18. bitterly curse them; one∣ly for this, because they are Saints: so prophane husbands deale with their religious Wiues, and wicked Parents their godlie children; and carnall Ministers with the best in their charges.

But must we pray one for an∣other? it is for instruction, * 1.78 teach∣ing vs, that though they bee our enemies, persecutors, and slan∣derers,

that vexe vs; yet wee must pray for them that God would turne their hearts, though they wrong vs, wee must not them, though it lay in our hand to do it, rather, we must pitie them, and pray God to forgiue them, as Christ and his Martyr Stephen did. Christ did it, when they were nailing his hands and his feet. Luc. 23, 33, 34. and Stephen did it, when the stones were clat∣tering about his eares. Act. 7.59.60. and wee must do it, not onely in cold blood, but euen when the wrongs are fresh, and newly done vs. I speake this, be∣cause some will bee perswaded, while the iniurie is of some stan∣ding, to take vp: But not so, while they feele the nailes with Christ, or with Stephen, the weight of the stones that flie about them. For lust of reuenge driues them, as with winde and tide to another coast then that of the hauen of peace. But against this

lust we must fight by the spirit of loue, which with the cloke of charitie (as farre as it can) will couer all defects. Pro. 10.12. Say then that men haue (much) of∣fended vs, we must (much) for∣giue them; and, (for a signe of loue) pray God to forgiue them: further yet, wee inferre from this doctrine, that if it bee against the rule of charitie not to pray for our enemies; it is certainly a∣gainst the rule of it, and of nature not to pray for our friends: and how greatly against all rules of charitie and nature, when hus∣bands, wiues, parents, children, of one blood and of one bed; when they that dwell in the same towne, in the same street and in the same house shall refuse, or bee negligent to do this dutie to those so neere vnto them? for, if these shall not pray one for ano∣ther, who should? They haue de∣nied the faith who prouide not for their own in temporal things.

1 Tim. 5.8. and do they keepe the faith, that in spirituall so faile them?

The reason of the disciples en∣treating for this woman, fol∣loweth.

For she crieth after vs.

THIS reason, which the disciples gaue for their en∣treating of the Master on the Womans behalfe, shewes, that Christs silence did not breed in her (as in many it would) a sullen and dogged pettishnes; which rather (as a little water cast vpon a Smiths forge) did make the flame of her faith to ascend vp higher: but caused her, as (before) to speake in her faith to Christ, so now to crie vnto him in it. Christ, in that silence, had put vpon him the person of the deafe Iudge: therefore she gets him by her im∣portunitie, to doe her iustice a∣gainst her aduersarie, the deuill in

her daughter. Luc. 18.3.4. * 1.79 In which example, we are taught to importune the Lord in our pra∣yers, and to keepe a good edge vpon them, whatsoeuer our re∣pulses bee. Iacob kept his hold, in seeking a blessing, till he pre∣uailed, though with a foile. Gen. 32.26.31. the shield of Faith, in his hand, he turned euery way as the Angel offered at him. So Mo∣ses prayers kept edge, and his hands, held vp in them, were stea∣dy, till the going downe of the Sunne: till the day failed him & Amalek was destroyed, he gaue not ouer praying. Exod. 17.12. Both of them kept to prayer, till their prayers had done worthily for them. So the Prophet Dauid was earely & late at his prayers, waiting for Gods promise. Hee rose with the earely morning to pray vnto God; and, his eyes pre∣uented the night watches. Ps. 119.148. Morning, euening, and at noon he prayed, and cryed out

in his prayer, making a grieuous noise in it. Psal. 55.17. Daniel v∣pon his knees, prayed three times a day, when it was death so to do. Dan. 6.10. And Annah con∣tinued praying before the Lord in his tabernacle. 1 Sam. 1.12. Also, the Apostles precept is; pray continually: that is vpon all occasions, and without wearines, importunately. 1 Thess. 5.17. Christ spent whole nights in prayer. Luc. 6:12. & 21.37. and how frequent therein, the night before his passion? Matth 26.44 these examples, and the best in Christ, besides many precepts for importunitie in asking, shew that our prayers should neuer turne edge, till they spede in the thing they go about, vpon good warrant of asking. * 1.80 The reasons, it is the onely way of good suc∣cesse in praying, for, if importu∣nitie can ouercome an vnrighte∣ous Iudge. Luc. 18.6.7. How much more, the righteous God?

Secondly, we know not at what houre the Bridegrom will come, Matth. 25.5. Therefore, we must be instant (at all houres) with the oile of faith in our prayers. v. 10. Thirdly, to faint in prayer, is the argument of an euill heart, Hebr. 3.12. and to giue ouer, a note of small strength. Pro. 24.10. For, this is a distrust of God, and so a departing from him.

The vse is for instruction, * 1.81 teaching that importunitie in our prayers is a Iewell, worthie to be worn in the heart and lips of all true Christians. It may an∣ger men: but it euer pleaseth God when it is done in sinceritie, without guise: the contrarie hath in it a strong spice of distrust in God; and giues him most iust cause to proceede against such as against those, who hold him false in what hee promiseth, and therfore will not trust him with∣out a pawne. But this is our in∣bred

sicknes, and euery naturall man hath it. Euery one (there∣fore) must labour to purge for it betimes, and to spend that bad humor, by spending good houres with waiting for the promise, that keepes our prayers on foot, till hee come vnto vs, to whom wee poure out our soules for a hearing. To this our Sauiour hath led way in the parable of that friend in bed, who (though in bed) is raised vp by another frends importunitie. Luc. 11.8. it was to haue some loaues vpon loan, v. 5. which (through the borowers said importunitie) ri∣sing, (though at midnight) hee gaue him. So, wee that desire bread of a better substance; if we shall pray alwayes and not bee weary, Luc. 18.1. that is, continue asking, and not giue ouer; wee shall haue it. But some are quick∣ly nipt; euery little repulse goes to their heart: where yet Christ prayed with the blood downe

his face. Luc. 22.44. and they that bee his, will so pray; and (as hee) not bee daunted for any crosse-blowes, till the houre come, wherein their father will heare them.

Somuch for the disciples re∣quest, the Masters sharp reply followeth.

VERSE 24.

But he answered and said, I am not sent but vnto the lost shepe of the house of Israel.

CHRIST (before) answe∣red nothing: now, he ans∣wereth in words (seemingly) worse then nothing. For, now hee refuseth her as not of his charge, or not within his com∣mission; but a stranger in the wild of the Heathen, to whom hee was not sent, and this must

needs be a sorer venny then the former, offered at the face of the Faith of a sad and distressed Ca∣nanite. For, what? Christ, (the Sauiour of the world) to make no better an answer to his poore Petitioner, then that it was not in his commission to doe any thing for her, how could it but cut to the heart? and yet his an∣swere was: I am not sent, but vnto the lost shepe of the house of Israel. As if he had said: the strayes of Israel I am to bring home, and not the strayes of the Gentils. And (here) the words of Christ seem to fight both against her saith and hope in a most sharpe incounter: for, here her Sauiour is in shew against her. If an An∣gel from heauen had told her so, she might haue found a word of answere in the word of God: But when her Sauiour shall tell her as much with his owne mouth; what shall she say? what might she think? Obiect. But was

not Christ sent a light to be re∣nealed to the Gentils. Esa. 49.6. Luc. 2.42. And was not his sal∣nation prepared before the face of all people? v. 31. How was it (then) shut vp in Israel? Ans. It is true that Christ was sent to the Gentils: but not then, and when he spake so to the Woman: nor till the partition wall was broken downe betweene lew and Gen∣tile: nor till both became one in the saluation of God. But to the words themselues, by the lost shepe of the house of Israel, Christ meaneth the 12. tribes of Iacob, to whom this word of sal∣uation was sent. Act. 13.26. But, when they put it from them, it came to the Gentils. v. 46.47. And where Christ saith hee was not sent but to those of the hou∣ses of Israel: his meaning is, that the day of the Gentils was not come, which (yet) was coming; and that yet the light was in the Horizon of Israel. And where

he saith he was sent, (possessed∣ly) to the Iewes and (implied∣ly) to the Gentiles; hee saith in effect, that he is the sauing shep∣heard of both by his Fathers or∣dinance. This is the meaning of the sentence in whole (not to breake it in any more peeces,) and it sheweth to whom Christ was sent by his first commission, and to whom hee was not sent yet; * 1.82 the Doctrine of the whole is this; Christ is shepheard to his lost ones in the whole Israel of his Church on earth: this was typified in Dauid, Ezeck. 34.23: and is verified in Christ; who (therefore) is called the good shepheard, that knoweth his, and is knowne of his, Iohn 10.14. for this, hee is in name, the shepheard of Israel, Psal. 80.1. and in true effects, one that lea∣deth Ioseph like a flock, Psal. ibid. that is, the Sauiour of his people, Matth. 1.21. and that seeketh out, and bringeth home the

strayes in the wildernesse, Luke 15.4.5. Iohn 10, 11.16. Fur∣ther (therefore) his name is, the great shepheard of the sheepe, Heb. 13.20. the shepheard and Bishop of soules, 1. Pet. 2.25. the chiefe Shepheard, 1 Pet. 5.4. and the Pastor which is One, Eccles. 12.11. the reasons: * 1.83 the first reason shall bee from his ef∣fects; for he is the Aduocate that speakes for them, 1. Tim. 2.5. and the hostage that hath laid downe his life, to saue them, Ioh. 10.15. also hee hath the words of eternal life, Iohn 6.68. and (therefore) as there is no going from him, so there is no com∣ming to God without him, Iohn 14.6. further, he doth all things that belong to a good Pastor, for hee brings them to their pa∣sture, and leads them to waters of quietnesse, Psal. 23.2. hee coates them in his Church, and feeds them with iudgement, Ezeck. 34.16. being lost, hee

seekes them, and being found, lookes to all their wayes, v. 24, 25, 26, 27. hee keepes all their bones, Psal. 34.20. and not one of them is lacking, Ier. 23.4. Iohn 17.12. Secondly, it was the decree of the Father, that Christ should bee set for the fall & rising againe of many in Isra∣el, as Simeon in his 〈…〉〈…〉 Luke 2.34. which decree is no i∣dle purpose, but a deed of sucrtie: a conclusion in heauen, and or∣dinance vnder the seale of eter∣nitie. Now to be sent as Christ was, for a lost people (such as we were) what is it but to be the sauing shepheard of them by an euerlasting decree? Thirdly, our errour was in the heart, with∣out all knowledge of our waies, Psal. 95.10. and what created thing can heale the heart, or leade the wayes of it, but the Lord of spirits and hearts; euen he that made vs these soules (the Lord Christ) who onely is the

hand, that can and doth deliuer from the hand of hel: thither we erred in the first man: & from thence we are brought backe by him, and onely by him that is God and man.

The vse is for instruction: * 1.84 for is Christ the sauing Shepheard of his people and sheepe? then they must be his people & sheepe that will be sau••d; that is, they must ••eare his voice, and follow him, Iohn 10.27. or heare and obey, for this is true following: they must receiue his marke and print vpon their hearts, Cant. 8.6. and open to him, Iohn 10.3.5. for wee cannot looke for saluation, carrying Christ in our hearing onely, much lesse in no ••earing; wee must lodge him in the practise of what wee heare, if wee will see his saluation. Swine (therefore) that are al∣waies rooting and couetous, must bee made sheepe, and their faces must be to heauen, whose

s••outs are euer in the ground, if they will bee gathered from their errors in death, to the sal∣uation of God: and so must they who being washed in the Sacra∣ment, returne to the mire of sinne, as Swine: and they, who when the pearle of the Gospell is offered them, treade it (pro∣phanely) vnder their feet, runne grunting from Church, and raile against those that teach them, renting them all to peeces, Matth. 7.6. for, (else) they are not sheepe, whom Christ will bring with him, but fit Innes for the Deuils to guest in, Matth. 8.32.

Another vse for instruction is this: * 1.85 if Christ be the sauing shep heard of his lost sheepe, then we are but lost without him: when the Disciples were vpon the sea in a great tempest, the ship tos∣sed with windes, and (almost) couered with water, they cried saying; Master sane, we perish,

Matth. 8.25. This is our case, and in this case as men readie to perish vpon the sea of this world; and confessing so much except Christ bee in ship with vs, to saue vs, we must ••••ie vn∣to him, praying him to be neere in his saluation, that wee perish not; so did the Disciples in a storme vpon them; and so should we in all stormes of trou∣ble: that wee may doe so, wee must feele our losse without Christ, and feare our destructi∣on, not hauing him: for, Christ came to saue that which was lost, Matth. 18.11. therefore not lost in our owne sence, not saued by him: and what vse of physicke in a sound body? Mat. 9.12. Christ preacheth libertie to prisoners, Luke 4.18. if there∣fore wee be not prisoners in the chaine of our sinnes, nor sensible of so much, what need any li∣bertie? what need any healing of a broken heart, where none are

broken-hearted? before a wound be made, what need of oyle or opening, Luke 10.34. the bro∣ken and contrite in spirit are for Gods cure, Psal. 51.17. when we are at the worst, and (vnfai∣nedly) desire better, wee are fit for Christ, also being burdened and heauy laden with sinne, wee are in case to come vnto him, who hath promised to ease vs, Matth. 11.28. Let vs remem∣ber this, when our sinnes are a burden too heauy for vs to beare: for the sinnes that truely grieue vs, shall neuer hurt vs: and when our whole worke is cast downe, then is Gods time to build vs, Psal. 51.10.

A comfort to poore wander∣ing sheepe: * 1.86 for being poore and lost, they haue a shepheard that will seeke them: which made the Prophet, who had stayed like a loste sheepe to say: seeke thy seruant, Psal. 119.176. Men will not bee troubled for

their way, that haue a good guide; and what need wee who haue such a Leader? though the wolfe and Beare with the roa∣ring Lyons of the world way∣lay vs, Christ will conduct vs in the way, where no beast can come that is hurtfull, and seekes our destruction, Esay 11.9.16. If wee will goe a long with him, wee shall goe safely by the way, and (where others fall, or are snared) our foot shall not stum∣ble, nor be taken, Pro. 3.23.

The Womans beating backe of the former sharpe replie fol∣loweth.

VERSE 25.

Yet came she, and worshipped him saying; Lord helpe me.

CHrist hath twice (now) resused this woman in her petition for her daughter and

her selfe, yet will shee not be put by: his compassions might seeme to be shut vp against her, but she hath the key of them in the faith which (with Abraham) a∣gainst hope, beleeueth in hope. Rom. 4.18. and though his last answer had a very hard shell; yet (〈◊〉〈◊〉 to lose so sweet a kernell for the labour,) shee s••ts 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in great humilitie, crauing the help of Christ for the opening of that my sterie, which (as too hard a shell for a beginner in the Gos∣pell, or child whose teeth are not all, or but newly come) she was not able to pierce into. And therefore, where shee 〈◊〉〈◊〉 with worshiping, Lord help me, it is in effect, as shee had said; I will not reason with my Lord in point of argument, nor take vp∣on me the skill to vntie so hard a knot as his blessed hand hath knit; therefore, with falling downe low at his feet in wor∣shipping; I beseech my Lord to

helpe me: a short prayer, and very passionate; for her soule was troubled, and she could not say much; yet would shee not giue ouer the hold that her faith kept, nor beleeue any thing a∣gainst her owne saluation: For, Christ had said in the letter of the word, that hee was sent (to ••eet by speciall commission) to the houses of Israel, not to a Cana∣nite: * 1.87 from which example or miracle of rare faith, wee learne, that Christians must admit of nothing, (in the sharpe excercise of their faith) to the contrarie of their saluation: though Satan 〈◊〉〈◊〉 objector, or corrupt feare, taking part with him, yet (a∣gainst ••••th) they must hold fast their saluation: yea, though the letter of Scripture should say: they cannot bee 〈◊〉〈◊〉, yet they must not receiue it into 〈◊〉〈◊〉 but examine that Scripture by othe•• Scriptures th•••• sa•••• or may say otherwaies▪ and here they must

hold the generall promise against all barres: the cleere phrase must be heard before that, which is in a cloud: to bee short, they must breake off all disputes with Satan, and their owne v•• quiet hearts, and say: why art thou cast downe, O my soule? and why art thou ••o vnquiet 〈◊〉〈◊〉 me? yet hope in God, Psal. 42.11. & 43.5. after they must turne in to God: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 bleeding heart, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 weeping ey••s and say with Hezechiah in his lamentable song, O Lord I am opressed, vndertake for mee or ease mee, Esay 38.14. At any hand, (hauing faith in God) they may not for any thing distrust his sa••uation. Abraham would not giue his saluation for last, though hee was to offer vp that earnest of it that God had pled∣ged to him in Isaac, the feed of promise, Gen. 22.3. Rom. 4, 18. The Apostle S. Paul was per∣swaded, (and this must bee our

resolution) that neither death nor life, nor Angels (the euill you must thinke, for the good will not) can or shall separate vs, (••s it could not him) from the loue of God, which is in Christ ••esu our Lord, Rom 8.38.39, the same ••postle would not giue away his saluation, because so great a sinner; but takes faster hold, because Christ came to saue sinners, of which ••ee was chiefe, 1 Tim. 1.15. so, the fa∣ther of the child that had a d••mbe spirit, though of little faith when hee came to Christ, (for hee said, If thou canst doe any thing, ••elpe vs,) yet hee would not lose (euen) that little saith which hee had; but crying with teares, said: Lord I beleeue, helpe my vnbeloofe, Marke 9.22.24. Iob would beleeue euen be∣yond death; for, though the Lord would kill him, he would trust in him, Iob 13.15. Iob knew by his saith, that hee that takes

away life, is able to make to liue; hee knew the cup of despaire to be the cup of death, and did feare it as much as man would to drinke poyson. And thus we see, that wee must maintaine our saluation against all obiections of Satan, the litterall Scripture, or our own misjudgements: for, so did this woman, (a woman of excellent faith,) who had ma∣ny sore skirmishes, which shee endured: being scarce warme in the Gospell, a very cold blast be∣gan in her face, & welcom'd her to Christ: her Physicion (seem∣ingly) gaue her ouer: the cour∣teous Sauiour answered no∣thing, and when he spake it was no better than if he had said no∣thing: the Disciples entreated for••••er, but to no purpose; and Christ said (speaking to the eare) tha•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 might doe nothing for 〈◊〉〈◊〉) et this woman would haue no nay: for reposing on Christ in the generall promise, she doup∣ted

not but hee would make good what hee had spoken, though she knew not how: and she had reason for it: for God wil not go from his word; he wil neuer denie himselfe, 2 Tim. 2.13. the reasons why Christians must beleeue nothing in barre to their saluation, are; For first, * 1.88 it is an iniurie to God who hath decreed it, whose promises are all yea, and (in him) Amen. 2 Cor. 1.20. Secondly, it is a wrong done to the sufficiencie of Christs bloud, that was the price in their redemption, 1 Pet. 1.19. And thirdly, it teareth the seale which the spirit hath set vnto their saluation: for after they beleeue, they are sealed with the holy Spirit of promise, Eph. 1.13, a second reason: they that cast away their hope for sal∣uation, and cast not anchor there, doe wilfully damne them∣selues; hauing neither the life of repentance in them, nor the new

life of one borne to God. Chri∣stians must not doe so, and true Christians will not. Thirdly, they must beleeue the word that saith; Whosoeuer beleeueth, that is, with repentance, and in a holy life, shall not perish, Iohn 3.16. Now, beleeuing so, and being such, how can they beleeue a∣gainst their saluation, and not discredit the word that saith o∣therwaies?

A reproofe of their too great feare, * 1.89 who hauing lined orderly in the Gospell, and hauing been sorry with a godly sorrow where they failed, or did otherwaies; do (for all this) in their feare ioyne with Satan to put out their name, where God hath wri∣ten it, who hath written it in the booke of life, to whom I say, b•• the word of the Lord, that they should rather labour their owne comfort, and reioyce that their name is there, Luke 10.20. Phil. 4.4. Obiect. but they will say,

how shall we be assured that our names are written in heauen? if we knew it, wee should bee glad indeed: Answ. I answer, doe ye loue the brethren, that is, the godlie? and doe yee know that yee loue them? this is a token (and well fare a good token) that yee haue passed from death vnto life, 1 Iohn 3.14. doe yee hate sinne, and loue righteous∣nesse? though yee doe the euill ye would not, and not the good yee would, (it was a principall Apostles case, Rom. 7.19.) the seed of God is in you, and yee grow into heaven, 1 Iohn 3.9. Doe ye s••••ue to the p••rit••cation of heart, and 〈…〉〈…〉? your hope is authenticall; for, as hee that hath this hope, must purifie himselfe, as God is pure, 1 Iohn 3.3. so hee that doth so, may well hope (with a seeing hope) to b••e s••ued? D••e y••e ascend vp by staires (in your s••lues) to the election of God?

and can yee finde the steps of it in your effectuall calling in the Gospell, in your holy conuersa∣tion in it; also in your spirituall Sonneship, which is your adop∣tion in Christ? can ye truely say that yee are called, that yee are sanctified, that ye are Sonnes, and so iustified? ye are Gods elect ones, and shall (most sure∣ly) bee glorified? Rom. 8.30, yee know the commandements: but doe ye worke at them day∣ly in your obedience by killing sinne, and quickening grace: if ye doe these things ye shall so∣iourne with God in his temple on earth, and dwell with him in his glorious Temple in heauen, Psals 15.1. and further, doe yee make your calling and ele∣ction sure 2. Pet. 1.10. it is sure in God, but doe yee make it sure to your selues by infalli∣ble signes, and true effects of grace? if yee can doe so, your saluation is sure enough,

though neither signes nor ef∣fects bee free from weaknesse; for what hath perfection here but sinne? finally, doe yee be∣le••ue the generall promise in the word with true (though im∣perfect) application? hee that will bee saued must beleeue in the Sonne of God to his saluati∣on, Iohn 3.16. and hee that so beleeues, knowes himselfe to be vnder the generall promise, and one in the generall pardon com∣prehended: and therefore d••res to applie it as particularly, as if hee saw his owne name writ∣ten in it: for, so euery Pris••∣ner at the barre (when any ge∣nerall pardon is out) will bring it home to himselfe in his owne particular case. Now, what common Prisoners at mans barre doe: shall not beleeuing, and truely humbled Prisoners in sinne, doe before the barre of Ichouah? or will euerie ma∣lefactor (condemned in barre

of iudgement) pleade the gene∣rall pardon for himselfe, and shall a iustified, that is pardon∣ed sinner doe lesse; and not make the generall promise to belecuers, particular to himselfe? this is too much feare, and here reproued. Men will bee capti∣ous with offence, in other cases: and may not Christians with∣out offence, in this case, take Iacobs hold, and say to God; I will not let thee go, except thou blesse mee, Gen. 32.20. Benhadads seruants could take diligent heed to the words of the king of 〈◊〉〈◊〉; and when he let a word fall to their Ma∣••••e••s a••uantage, they were cap∣tious enough: hee called Ben∣hadad his brother, 1 King. 20, 32. and they straight had it by the end, and said: thy brother Benhadad, v. 33. Christians beleeuing rightly in God for saluation, should doe likewise: they should holily catch for

themselues, as Benhadads ser∣uants for their Master, euery aduantage in the word, that may make for their better stay and rest vpon Gods saluation, In the word, Christ is stiled our brother, Heb. 2.11. we should here applie (and wee may with∣out presumption) and say: our brother Christ, or Christ my brother; for Christ is brother to beleeuers: and therefore to mee a beleeuer. Indeed in the sharpe brunt of the spirituall crosse, it is hard: rather impossible to the flesh of a much deiected Chri∣stian to vse this boldnesse to∣wards God: and some (wh•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 voices in their f••are, haue ••••g••∣ed great distempers within,) haue reasoned rather against (than with any) hope and said: that Christ (indeed) came into the world to ••aue sinners; but not such sinners as they are, singling out themselues: and as Isaac said: here is fire and wood, but

where is the Lambe for sacrifice? Gen. 22.7 so these, in their haste haue said: here's hell (sure en∣ough) and wood enough to it in the infinite trespasses of our life; but where is the sacrifice for sin: but to such I say, though they see not the Lambe, ap∣pointed for sacrifice (as Isaac saw nothing for sacrifice, when his father was about to sacrifice him) and though their eies mi∣sted (for the present) with blind distrust, they cannot see so farre, yet when the storme shall begin to take vp, they shall see cleerely with Abraham, that Isaac (who in & Sox•• may bee offered vp) must liue; and that Christ (the Lambe slaine for them,) is the sacrifice that will saue them from the hand of death: for, to those that are in him (and all right be∣leeuers are) there is no con∣demnation, Rom. 8.1. To con∣clude, whatsoeuer thy temptati∣ons are, or may bee; trust still

in God, and say to thy soule (as the Prophet to his) wait vpon him, Psal. 43.5.

A comfort to true Christians greatly humbled by their sinnes. * 1.90 For, if they must beleeue nothing to the contrarie of their salua∣tion; what is it that can discou∣rage them, seeking Christ in true repentance? for, now their head is kept aboue water, or, beeing readie to sinke, there is a hand out to receiue them. Matth. 14.30.31. And here, it is as true, as worthie of all acceptation, that Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners. 1 Tim. 1.15. then, though we be sinners, (so we be penitent, and heartily sorie that we haue sinned;) either Christs comming into the world, was to no purpose, or it was to saue such, and then, why should there be any staggering? though our sinnes bee great: God is greater that hath forgiuen vs, all our sins. We can not haue mo sinnes, (or

more hainous) then Manasseh had: yet, when hee greatly hum∣bled himself before the Lord, the Lord was entreated of him. 2. Chr. 33.12.13. This Woman had but the general promises, contained in the word of the old Testament, and yet belieued. We haue more: for, the anker of our Faith hath two vnchangea∣ble rests to beare vpon, as the promise of God, and his oath, Heb 6.17.18. and shall wee bee faithles? or, shall we belecue any thing against that which is so surely ratified, and by two such witnesses in heauen? Can God be false of his word, or forsworne? he hath said, whosoeuer belee∣ueth, and is baptised, shall bee sa∣ued. Marc. 16.16. Thou (ther∣fore) that doest beleeue, and hast beene Baptised, must be saued, or God must crack his word. But (as was said,) he cannot denie him∣selfe, his word and deed are one: and, for any to beleeue any thing

against his saluation, is to make question whether God bee Al∣mighty and true, and whether his word shall stand, or ours. But, heauen and earth may passe, the word of God shall not passe. Matth. 24.35. In this case therefore, what shall let, that Gods promise should not take the effect in iustified mans salua∣tion, through faith? Rom. 4.14.16 Quest. But was it not great pre∣sumption in this Woman to be∣leeue against Christs expresse word? Answ. She beleeued not against it in the true sense, but in the letter, which seemed, but was not against her. She denied not his words, onely she demurred vpon them, as Abraham belee∣ued Gods word of promise con∣cerning Isaac, though that same word commanded Abraham to offer and kill him. Hebr. 11.17.19.

More distinctly, and particu∣larly, wee may consider in this

Womans humble request two things: as, the person to whom she makes it, and the thing for what. The Person is Christ the Lord: but why not to his disci∣ples? and why not to him by them? the reason was: her faith, being a true faith, set her a better and a neerer way: and that was directly to Christ, and not about to, or by the creature. The Lords prayer (the text & mother of all true prayer) directs to none but to our Father in heauen. Matth. 6.9. * 1.91 In the old Testament the call is vnto God the text saith, & that in the word of Ichouah; call vpon me. Psal. 50.15. In the new Testament, we haue the same directing precept for comming to God in our prayers, no other spoken of: for Christ saith to all in necessitie; come vnto me. Mat. 11.28. that is, to him, who is our God, and deliuerer in troubles; and who can (and onely can) ease vs of them. Therefore, the lost

Sonne (in that parable by Saint Luke,) came to his Father, not to his fathers Hindes. Luc. 15.18.20. In all the Psalmes of Dauid (which are Psalmes of prayer) we finde neuer a Ladie Psalter: they are (all) directed as incense to God. Psa. 141.1.2. To whom did Moses and Aaron, among Gods Priests pray, and Samuel among his Prophets? it is said; these called vpon the Lord, and he heard them: others could not heare them. Psal. 99.6. * 1.92 The rea∣sons. Prayer to God, is a part of Gods honour, which glory he•• will not giue to another: Esa. 42.8. It is his seruice and worship, and wee must onely serue and worship him. Matth. 4.10. Se∣condly it is a vaine thing in our troubles, to call vpon those that cannot help vs, that cannot heare vs. Now, none can, in that ease, help vs but God, nor heare vs but hee; the Angels know not our thoughts, and the Saints are farre

from hearing vs: Esa. 63.16. Thirdly, the Obiect of faith must be the subiect of prayer: but in God onely we beleeue; and ther∣fore to God onely must we pray. Rom. 10.14. Fourthly, & besides, it is a folly to call vpon any name but the LORDS in prayer. For, what need two labours, when one will doe? and who will goe about, when hee may directly goe forward? going to Saints, or Angels, we goe about: but goe directly forward, when we goe to God: againe, going to God, wee saue the labour of going to any o∣ther: and shall wee spend labour against Scripture and Religion, where wee may saue it to Gods honour, and cannot leuie it but to his reproch,? for, (then) wee call into question his power, or truth?

A reproofe of those who (much vnlike this woman) do not in the day of their trouble, * 1.93

call vpon God that bindes them, but vpon those, (or those first and rather) that are standers by, as the Saints that can neither heare nor helpe them: there is but one Mediatour, or Ma∣ster of request betweene God and vs, the Man lesus Christ: 1 Tim. 2 5. and Popish aduo∣cat••s are put out of office by one that is able p••rfectly to faue all those that come to God by him, Heb, 7.25. Hereupon the pri∣mitiue Saints concluded their prayers, neither by Peter nor Paul, neither by the virgin Ma∣rie or other Saint, but by Iesus Christ. Papists tell vs that i•• is presumption to come first to God: but is it presumption to doe as wee are commanded of God himselfe (as wee heard) Eph. 3.12 Heb. 4.16. and of Iesus Christ? Was Dauid in all his poenitentiall prayers, in which hee came to none but God, presumptuous? Ps. 6. & 32.

& 51. was the contrite Publi∣can, Luke 18.13. the confessing prodigal, Luc. 15.25. & the hum∣ble Centurion, Matth 8.5.6. presumptuous? and did a whole cloud of holic persons, men and women enter presumptuously, who entred so? rather they had entred presumptuously, if they had taken another way. If the King should say, let no man dare to present any request to mee, but in the hand of the Prince: were it not presumption to offer our requests in any o∣ther hand? God hath said, This is my beloued Sonne, (speaking of Christ) by him pray vnto me, Iohn 16.24. and can they bee inno∣cent, and not offend presump∣tuously, that doe otherwaies? the presumption (then) is in Popish prayers, made in the name of Saints, not in ours that acknowledge no man but Christ in all we aske. But they say (who commit this sacriledge in their

Saints prayers) that as men come not to earthly Princes but by meanes & friends about them: so neither should we to God with∣out mediators: to which it is an∣swered by the whole Colledge of our Diuines, the reason is much vnlike and that there is a great disparison betweene our com∣ming to God, and to earthly Princes; for earthly Princes haue need of a Remembrancer: so hath not God, before, and vnto whom all things are present, Psal. 111.5. earthly Princes may bee put in feare; but God feares no man, Prou. 21.30. earthly princes cannot heare all themselues, either because they will not, or because the affaires of the throne will not suffer them: but Gods eares are open to all that call vpon him, though all speake together and at one instant, Psal. 34.15. & 139.7, 8, 9. earthly Princes sit vnder stare, and men may bee too base

to come vnto them; but here poore Lazarus may come as soone, and as welcome, as the greatest hee in Christendome, Luke 16.22. and there is no re∣spect of persons with God, Iob 34.19. and (to be short) earth∣ly Princes (if they were too o∣pen) might fall vnder the hand of some villaine: but what hand can reach him that dwelleth so high in heauen? and so wee see that it is not with God as with Princes: but so much is written in bookes against this sacrifice of Saints prayers, that I need not to bee vpon it any longer. But some (not Papists) in their affliction, goe not the kings way, but another backe-way to witches, and witches children for helpe, as did Saul and Ahazi ab, 1 Sam. 28.7, 8. 2 King. 1.2: This woman came directly and onely to Christ for her daughter; and therefore that which com∣mendeth her, reproueth these:

but this was spoken of before.

A comfort to the godlie in all their troubles: * 1.94 for they haue one (such an one as this woman sought and found) to flie vnto. Now if the King bee our friend, what need we to feare, because an ordinarie man is against vs? if the Iudge fauour thee, what can the simple countrie-man do against thee? God (aboue all) being with vs, what need we to care how many, and how great they bee, that are against vs? Rom. 8.31. if men faile vs, our comfort is, wee may goe to him that will neuer faile, Heb. 13.5. this is the beaten way of the Saints in trouble: they that haue held it, neuer repented: and you may write, probatum est, (as Phy∣sicions vpon proued medicines) that this course or way to God, in miserie, is your sure and one∣ly way to prosperity and peace: this way ou•• fathers walked in: for they called vpon God in their

distresse, and he deliuered them: and being found in this way, we cannot bee lost in any trou∣ble.

The womans request was short, but pithie, full of power, and from a troubled spirit; and because from it, it was better wel∣come to him that despiseth not; rather greatly respecteth a bro∣ken heart, Psal. 51.17. Esa 61.1. & 66.2. * 1.95 From whence wee may gather that acceptable pray∣er standeth not in the power of words, but of spirit: for, where there is a floud in the heart to bring it to God, no matter though there bee an ebbe of words and phrase in the tongue. Christs prayer in the garden was short, but of great power, Matth 26.39.42 44. also the Publicans prayer; God be merci∣full to me a sinner, Luke 18.13. was more in spirit than in words. And what expressions were there 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉

14.15. so farre at that time, from all force of words, that a word was not heard to come from him, which is not spoken to con∣demne long prayer, neither zeale in prayer that makes it to breake out into a fire of words: for, long prayer is sometimes neces∣sarie, as at a publike fast, and ne∣uer amisse: when the troubles of the Church, and good occa∣sions otherwaies giue it length. Christ made longer prayer than that he taught, Matth 6 9 &c. & sometimes spent the whole night in prayer. Yet prayer is not in length, or excellencie of words, for the power of it, but in spirit, and in an humble heart. * 1.96 The rea∣sons. Long and eloquent prayer may want a heart without which it is but as the singing of a Nigh∣tingall; pleasant in the varietie of sweet voices, but without any soule. Now the prayer that wants a heart (how curious so e∣uer in well set words) wants that,

that should commend it to God, as a reasonable seruice, plea∣sing him, Rom. 12 1. where (yet) short and plaine prayer com∣ming from a broken heart, or heart (as it were) bruised be∣tweene the wall and doore, be∣cause of sinne, is the sacrifice of God, or a seruice of acception. Secondly, the prayer of faith is preualent and effectuall. Iam. 5 16. but (as it was said of the true Circumcision, Rom. 2.29.) such prayer standeth not in the letter, but in the heart: sound faith can doe much with God without oratory, or long prayer. The Pharises made long prayers, but with what praise, when (〈◊〉〈◊〉 zeale of God) but a couetous heart enlarged them? Matth. 23.14.

A comfort to Christians o•• short memorie, * 1.97 and of as un∣readie inuention: such cannot power out their mindes to God in such a fluence, as they wish,

and some can: but God will take their short wishes in good part, comming from a minde willing to do•• more, if it were able: where Christians must not striue in full and large prayer to out∣goe those, who farre outreach them in their faculties of memo∣rie and quicker invention: for, here, as in giuing of almes, so in prayer, euery one must doe as he is able: and it is accepted according to that a man hath, 2 Cor 8 12. euen short pray∣er by way of ejaculation, (when a troubled soule wingeth it) fli∣eth beyond those visible bauens, and ascendeth vp to God: in the eare of the Almightie it is elo∣quent and materiall prayer: yet such must take heed that no loue of gaine, or more of pleasure than of God take them away from larger offices in prayer, or that a lazie minde doe not con∣tradict it. * 1.98

A reproofe of that stage like

seruice in the Papacie, which standeth vpon length and filling of time, and (no way) vpon godly deuotion, which is in the Spirit: such thinke that they shall bee heard for their much speaking, Matth. 6.7. but they cannot so charme God: it is the well tuned heart, not the noise of words, that maketh sweet mu∣sicke in his eares: bodilie exer∣cise is to him as swines flesh, Esa 66.3. not onely vnprofitable, but odious, 1 Tim. 4.8. Let them consider, who tell their prayers vpon their beades, and giue them in by number, when they pray priuately to God: and let them consider, who in their publike seruice to him runne ouer so many Pater-nosters, so many Creedes, and Aue's, which they neither vnderstand, nor (for two of them) fitly applie to prayer: fiue words with the heart, are better than fiue thou∣sand of that wordly S••nago••ue▪

where is neither faith nor heart, 1 Cor. 14.19.

What this woman prayed for, followeth.

Lord helpe me,

THat which this Woman prayed for in expresse termes, was the dispossessing of her daughter vexed, as we heard: but more is included, as his hand of helpe to the saluation of both: for, what can bee lesse intended, by such a faith as shee had: be∣sides, the next venie, giuen and auoided, shews as much: and so it is as much as if shee had said: whether I be a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or no, this is sure that lost I am, and in no possibilitie to returne, except thou (Lord) seeke thy seruant; which is the case of my daugh∣ter also: O (therefore) seeke and helpe vs, or bee mercifull vnto me, and throw out my daugh∣ters deuill: so much is not ex∣prest,

but vnderstood; and so farre her prayer of faith carried: * 1.99 the point is, Christ is helper to those that seeke him by faith: therefore is hee called the Saui∣our of those that trust in him, Psal. 17.7. and so much is con∣fessed by Dauid in his Psalme of complaint, where hee saith: Our fathers trusted in thee, they trusted, and thou didst deliuer them, Psal. 22.4. and (so) wee see, where faith is leader, deliuerance will not bee farre behinde: when God was readie to take away the rebuke of his people; Esa saith, that men should say, this is the Lord, we haue waited for him, and he 〈◊〉〈◊〉 saue vs, Esa 25.9. when all strings faile, this will hold, which the Apostle trusted vnto, as to a sure one indeed; I know in whom I haue beleeued, 2 Tim. 1.12. as much as if hee had said, if the worst come, bee whom I haue trusted with all, will be my sure keeper: the same

Apostle laboured, that is labou∣red worthy he, and (yet) was re∣buked: howbeit, trusting in the liuing God, it was no trouble to him, for hee knew that God, in whom he trusted, would bee his Sauiour at the last, 1. Tim. 4.10. And thus it is plaine, that Christ (the Lord) is helper to all that seeke him by faith: the reasons; * 1.100 the promise 〈◊〉〈◊〉 made to such, Mat. 11.28. & who euer were confoun∣ded that trusted in him, Psal. 22.5. Secondly, his readines to help in such cases, doth promise no lesse: for, euen when men scarce dare trust him; as in the exam∣ple of the Leper that worshipped, Matth. 8.2, 3. he pardoneth the ••nfirmitie of their faith, and bel∣peth them: how much more when they trust him with all? euen men in whom there is not a drop of that goodnesse, which in God is sea-full, will not faile those that trust in them. Third∣ly, (therefore) all places of re∣fuge

were figures of Christ, and fingers to him: and hee takes a∣way all refuge, that in trouble, he may bee the refuge of all that trust in him.

The vse is for instruction, * 1.101 tea∣ching that if in our troubles we be not deliuerered, the fault is in our selues: and this, because we trusted vnto our selues too much, & trusted not in God that would haue saued vs: or we waited not on him in obedience, and with faith, but made too much haste, not tarrying the time till hee would come to comfort vs: and what maruell that wee perish from the saluation of God, when we runne out, and in nothing keepe the path of life?

An admonition (therefore) to Christians, * 1.102 with this Christi∣an Cannanite, to wait for Gods goodnesse and truth in the way of faith, with repentance: for, God must see our amendment, if we will see his saluation; if we

will haue helpe from him, wee must doe reuerence to him: and we must bee as this woman was, strong in patience, and nothing in our selues, if wee will reape fruit from our patience, and bee somewhat in him. This woman, as low in heart as in bodie, wai∣ted for Christs helpe, & (after one replie more) had it with aduan∣tage: so sure it is, that the poore shall not alway be forgotten, nor their expectation perish for euer, Psal. 9.18.

Christs third replie, that which cut indeed, followeth.

VERSE 26.

But he answered and said, it is not meete to take the Chil∣drens bread, and to cast it to dogs.

SAints Marke readeth Christs answer thus: Let the chil∣dren 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 vpon him: for hee doth not tell her that shee should neuer haue any feeding from him, but that she should not yet: as appeares in the text, that doth not altoge∣ther denie to giue what the wo∣man

asked, but onely puts her to her attendance for it: where wee learne, * 1.103 that Christ doth not trample vpon 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 re∣couer, 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 chil∣dren, to their amendment, hee might breake them to destructi∣on: so they might die vnder 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 vp∣on the lot of the righteous, or neuer sease to lash and gaule

them, that (then) it would make them desperate, or full of impa∣tience; 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 infir∣mities, and hath vs in his heart to doe vs good: therefore, hee said to Saul when (like a Basi∣liske) 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 vpon: and so wee see, that Christ is tender toward his weake Saints, and far from thrusting the weakest to the wall: * 1.104 the reasons; Reason (for our parts) there was none: but seeing that God (out of loue) 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 com∣mission, that he should heale the broken hearted, Luke 4.18. now, to heale is to cause health, not to make sicke with incura∣ble bruisings. Thirdly, these sweet names giuen him by assig∣ment 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 bro∣ther, Heb 2.11. serue to testifie how much hee is to vs in the gentlenesse and naturalnesse of his loue.

In the vse of this, * 1.105 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 trem∣bling

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 cal∣leth 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 vs: let vs not bee so vn∣mercifull to our selues, as to breake our selues by dispaire.

This may be a lesson to Mini∣sters, * 1.106 and the stronger Christi∣ans, teaching them how to be∣haue themselues toward the weaker sort: and that is, to beare their burthens, Gal. 6.2. and not to lay more vpon their backes, when they haue enough, or more than enough already.

One saith well, that Satan setteth vpon men when they are weake, as Simeon and Leui vpon the Si∣chemits, 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 woun∣ded in spirit, than to spend la∣bour vpon 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 onely, that Iesus an∣swered and said: It is not meet, or good, &c. both haue one mean∣ing 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 onely 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 pur∣pose, 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 vnto them, Gen. 44.15. & 45.1, 2, 3.16.17. &c. so doth the true Io∣seph, 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 vnto him with a lamentable crie than be∣fore; yet the last makes the a∣mends for all: Christ tells her who he is (as did Ioseph) and o∣pens himselfe to her singular consolation. And so we see, * 1.107 that 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 con∣fesleth 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 vpon 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 re∣turne our of captiuitie, prayed mightilie to God vnder his hea∣uie displeasure, which vexed them long: and therefore they say, wilt thou be angry with vs for euer, Psal. 85.5. so great was his anger, and so terrible in effects, that they thought it would ne∣uer be better: yet these were the people of his loue and neere sal∣uation, against whom he so fret∣ted, 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 Da∣uids 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 deare∣ly loued Daniel, and hee made many prayers for the peoples re∣turne in the captiuitie: yet was he put off, and they not deliue∣red, 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; * 1.108 the reasons; there is a great deale of corrupt nature in the best, that must haue a hard rubbing before it will out, and which must bee washed tho∣rowly, as in many waters, be∣fore it bee cleere, Psal. 51.2. Now God will scoure his vessels of honour before they shall come to his table, in his king∣dome, 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 haue stood (sometime) vpon our hands; & it is in this, as in the graine that wee carry into our barnes; it must haue a wintering, the snow must lie vpon 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 a∣gain with denials, when they put vp their requests to God. Third∣ly, this makes the grace of hea∣ring, (when it doth come) bet∣ter 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, * 1.109 when it seemes to be worse with vs after many prayers and as many zea∣lous 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 some∣times 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 vpon 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 haue, but trouble with it: for, when they haue it, hee will arrest them, first vpon one acti∣on, and then vpon another, Gen. 43.18. &, 44.4. God knowes what we haue need of before wee aske, and supplies our wants al∣waies 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 hindran∣ces:

sometimes we shall be con∣demned, and sometimes con∣demne 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 so∣rowfull tale••, Gen. 44.18, 19. &c. and the best fall into great affliction before they bee deliue∣red: then, (and after many tri∣als) 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 haue heard your silent prayers, and secretest groanes, yea all the troubles of your heart though hitherto I tooke vpon me not to heare them: and now dwell with mee for euer. So or much to this effect, M^r. Burton in his second Sermon of Dauids euidence. Thus, you see the

worst in all Christs denialls wai∣ting vpon 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 preuai∣led with God, v. 28. Hee that goes ouer a bridge, (hauing a weake head) must not looke vpon 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 march∣eth vpon vs in many sore repul∣ses, we need not to aske with Ie∣horam; for wee are sure that it shall bee peace at the last; and

therefore, though he march ne∣uer so furiously in them, let vs 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 fol∣loweth.

It is not meet to take the chil∣drens bread, &c.

THis text of S. Matthew may be considered in the allego∣ry, or litterall sence: the allego∣ricall 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 giue it her, were no better charitie than to giue the bread of the children to whelps: might shee no•• here thinke, that

her selfe was a dog, and her daughter a whelpe of reprobati∣on? Indeed all the heathen, and (chiefely) the Cananites were (then) no other in Gods ac∣count, saue some gleanings of mercie among them. Therefore here by dogs, our Sauiour mea∣neth chiefely the reprobate Ca∣nanites worse than dogs; and all are no better since the first sinne, but where the election hath ob∣tained better: * 1.110 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 saluati∣on, but in the Arke of Christs flesh; out of Christ, out of hea∣uen; 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 co∣uenant, Gen. 17.20, 21. the in∣heritance of life, with the best

conueyance, went that way: E∣sau was Iacobs twinne-brother, yet because in no couenant with God, hated as a dog; Iacob in couenant with him, was be∣loued of him, Mal. 1.2, 3. Saint Peter in the Acts (speaking to the children of promise) saith, that God vnto them had raised vp his Son Iesus, Act. 3.25, 26. but, with the good effect of turning them from their iniquities, wher∣in (if they had abidden still,) they had beene no better than dogs, and the vncleane swine of the Gentiles: the iustified Gen∣tiles, 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; * 1.111 the reasons: all that (since the fall of the first Man) were not, in a change of nature, giuen to Christ, are in such na∣ture vnchanged, giuen to Satan in a reprobate minde, Iohn 17.12. & 3.36. but also (so giuen) are vnder a woe, euen a w•• vnto damnation, Matth 26.••4. worse than neuer borne, and so worse than dogs; which (ha∣uing a being) haue an end of be∣ing miserable, when they die: but not so, these. Secondly, by nature we are children of wrath, Eph. 2.3. vnder Gods displea∣sure, so long as such; and sin∣ners, 5.8. comming ou•• of, and lying downe in an vncleane bed, Psal. 51.6. and enemies to God, Rom. 5.10. till reconci∣led by the gift of a better nature in Christ: and now, put these together, children of wrath, sin∣ners altogether, and enemies to God and Christ, and what diffe∣rence 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 na∣ture 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 loue before time entred, Rom. 11.7. * 1.112

The vse is for admonition to vs that are now Christians, bet∣ter much than dogs, and Prin∣ces that are not; aduising vs to take heed of a reuolt, and (ha∣uing 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 consci∣ences 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 vnto vs: 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 vpon 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 hea∣then were; * 1.113 or, than were the Cananites? it may serue for in∣struction, teaching that there is no difference, and that all haue sinned, Pom. 3.22, 23. if one nature speed better than ano∣ther, grace, or the gift of God by grace hath made it happier, Matth. 11.26. God, when he saued fallen man, stamped in le∣ther, who might haue set his stampe vpon the nature of An∣gels, and so haue stamped in gold: but Christ refused their nature, and tooke ours, Heb. 2.16. hence came our happinesse (and hence onely) 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, whe∣ther Papist or Pelagian, lift vp himselfe? As Merchants place their counters for thousands, hundreds, tennes, and for no∣thing: so this Merchant of pearles hath placed vs in a high∣er cast of his rich grace than ma∣ny thousands vnto whom hee hath had no such respect: shall wee therefore boast our selues in comparison of them, as if one counter were better than ano∣ther, saue in account? If God should crie downe his stampe in vs, that giues vs all the valew we haue, what would become of our base metle, rather of our no∣thing? and should not this take away all comparatiue and vn∣seemely reioycing in flesh.

The third vse is for meditati∣on, * 1.114 and teacheth vs 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 na∣ture: hence, some are of a calmer spirit, and some more boister∣ous: which difference procee∣deth 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 vpon 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 vs by naturall propagation. Here therefore is matter of deiection for the best, and let them thinke

of it as they should: all are ham∣pered with a miserable necessitie of sinning, Rom. 7.19. and as a fire brand, neuer so little stirred casts out sparkes euery way: so, corrupt nature in vs, vpon euery motion breakes forth into wic∣kednesse: no day goes ouer vs but some concupiscences of sinne goe through the heart, and should not this humble vs? true∣ly, if any thing shall, this will: which (therefore) should teach vs to watch the fire that it get not into the drie straw of our na∣ture, and burne to destruction: daylic wee should purge by re∣pentance, who haue 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, * 1.115 is not to bee offe∣red

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 vs not to giue that which is holie to dogs, as we heard, Matth. 7.6. Obiect. ye will say; are Christi∣ans 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 sa∣cred 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 offe∣ring of holy things to all that will, is called by Malachy an offe∣ring of vncleane bread vpon 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 recei∣ued

vnto it, hand ouer head: the contrarie practise hath a com∣mandement 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 peo∣ple, and to minister vnto them with putting of difference; which (therefore) is called a ga∣thering of the Saints, Eph. 4.12. S. Paul would haue an hereticke reiected after two or three admo∣nitions, Tit 3.10. for, when in∣ough is said, what neede any more labour in vaine? and to what purpose, should wee giue the bread of further perswasion to such? * 1.116 the reasons: one is in the text: for it is not meet or de∣cent 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 god∣ly

may hereby loose edge, and the wicked, vpon 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 discou∣tagement; 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 haue no roome in the Ierusalem below, that haue not an inch of place in the Ierusalem aboue; for, dogs come not thither, nei∣ther any vncleane thing, Apoc. 22.15. Thirdly, the figure must bee fulfilled in the thing figured: vncleane beasts (vnder 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 (there∣fore) 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 so∣rowfull sinners.

The vse is for information, * 1.117 and concerneth the Ministers of the Word & Sacraments, teach∣ing (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 salua∣tion, 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 euery seruant may haue the portion of meat that belongs vnto him, Matth. 24.45. but, for those that haue not the Spirit of putting diffe∣rence in this manner, such can∣not 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, * 1.118 for learning to make this difference, through want of good consci∣ence 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 giue 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 haue 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 grose∣ly

vnworthy (for hypocrites, God must giue the sentence, not man, Matth. 22.12.) why are they keepers of the Lords holy things vpon 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 preach∣ing the Gospell, forget, or do a∣gainst the counsell of S. Iude; which is, to haue 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 vpon common drun∣kards, swearers, whoremongers, and such goats: and scarce open a little wicket to those that will not offend maliciously: they giue the bread of absolution to

those, whom they should keepe in prison (bound with the Lords chaine,) and feed with the ter∣rours of God: but the bread of wormwood to those, that goe foftly (already) and in the bit∣ternesse 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, * 1.119 that 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 proba∣bilitie, 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 mor∣sels, not the dogs; Iob 31.17. & they that keep dogs to keep away the poore, sinne as repro∣bate 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 fi∣gure, but shewes that dogs in kinde, should haue a dogs place; the reasons: * 1.120 One reason is in the text: it is by diuine ordi∣nance, 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 con∣trary way to the word, that sancti∣fieth euery creature, 1 Tim. 4.5. but to giue 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 vn∣der valew them to dogs, which (dead,) are cast into a ditch.

An admonition to Christian gentlemen, * 1.121 and others to bee at lesse charge with their dogs, and at more with Christians in the image of God. Some be∣stow more vpon dogs and

Hawkes in one yeare, than they doe vpon 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 haue a drench; of the other they haue no care: and is not this to preferre a beast in the sta∣ble, before a Christian in house: and one that hath no soule, be∣fore one, for whose soule Christ died? If this bee not to giue the childrens bread to dogs, what is? An item (here) to gentlemen that must haue their dogs to come vp∣on the table, who should gather crummes, and be fed with bones vnder table: and it admonisheth them, to vse the table of the chil∣dren with lesse contempt.

A reproofe of those houses of ill report, * 1.122 who when men haue drunke too much, fill in more: which is, to giue 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 vnto him that giueth his neighbour drinke, by put∣ting his bottle to him: that is, by giuing him more than suf∣ficient, 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 giue in excesse: but Gods word saith, that it is the fault of both: for, thou shoul∣dest not suffer thy brother to sinne, or suffer sinne vpon him, Leuit. 19.17. much lesse put thy bottle to him, and fill in his sinne. They say they must vt∣ter their drinke and wine: but must they needs doe it by sin∣ning against God and their neighbour? hath God laid any such necessitie of sinning vpon a trade of his owne creation? I confesse the trade vsed lawful∣ly, to be of God: but as men of

no conscience vse it now, in towne and country, it is the de∣uills Brew-house and Tauerne, hauing his signe at it, which is; drinke and poure in, till neither hand nor foot can doe their of∣fice: whiles these haue their o∣uer, vpon their table of spew∣ings, 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 hea∣then: where it appeares that the Iewes were in couenant with God before vs, * 1.123 the sinners of the Gentiles: and it teacheth, that they are our Elders in the prerogatiue of Sonnes: hence they are called the naturall bran∣ches, 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 an∣gry 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 haue 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 haue Ie∣houah so nigh them? Deut. 4.7. God set his loue vpon them, and spake vnto 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 commit∣ted 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 with∣out Christ in the broad field of the Gentiles, these were his spe∣ciall inclosure, to whom per∣tained the adoption, and the glorie, & the couenant, & the giuing of the Law, and the ser∣uice 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 vs: the reason: * 1.124 wee can giue none but this, that God would haue it so, Am. 3.2, who doeth what pleaseth him in heauen and in earth, Psal. 135.4 6. Hee set his loue vpon them, who may

loue, whom and where he will: Rom. 9.13.15. and not for any worth in them more then in o∣thers, saith Moses: but loued because hee would loue them. Deut. 7.7.8.

Are the Iewes, * 1.125 our elders, in couenant with God? it is for ad∣monition, teaching vs 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 vs, and of those things that the Fa∣ther hath put in his owne power: Act. 1.7. Hee that lookes too stedfastly and long vpon the Sunne, may at last see noth••••••.

Therefore wee must leaue these secrets to God, Deuter. 29.29. and hold vnto things reuea∣led.

A reproofe of those who in∣stead of praying for them, * 1.126 fill their mouthes with their re∣proach. 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 follow∣eth.

VERSE 27.

And she said, Truth Lord; yet euen the dogs, or whelps, eate of the crummes which fall from their Masters Table.

THe woman answers Christ (here) with retorting his owne argument vpon him. Where, though shee confesse her selfe to bee a dogge in his sense, saying, Truth Lord, as confessing so much: yet she will not lose all interest to his Table, but will haue somewhat from it, though vnder the table as a dogge. As if she had said: It is true Lord that I am a dogge, as thou hast said, and that by my cursed nature and nation: yet (my sweet Sa∣uiour) bestow some crummes of thy grace vpon me. This might be the womans humble reply to

Christs calling, or comparing her to a dogge. Some would haue said otherwayes (being so cut to the gall) and haue had an action against him for calling them dogges. But shee iustifies Christ in what he had said; and impliedly rather, confesseth her selfe to bee a dogge, then can thinke that he could speake false∣ly, who called, or compared, her so. After (yet) she vseth his owne weapon against him by an in∣uersion of what hee had said, as making rather for them against her. * 1.127 But (first) we haue the wo∣man iustifying Christ the Lord in his sharpest answer to her: which practice of hers teacheth vs the like, and that is, to confesse Gods iustice and truth in his roundest dealings with vs. So Dauid cleared the Lord (in point of his iustice) even when hee suffered vnder his sinne vnto the brimme of hell. Nathan the Pro∣phet had denounced the angry

sentence of the Lords iustice a∣gainst him, for adultery and bloud: hee had told him from God, that euill should bee raised against him out of his owne house: that the sword should lye vpon it; that his wiues should be defiled, and the childe of adul∣tery should dye: 2. Sam. 12.10.11 14. yet Dauid reasoneth not against Gods true and righteous iudgement in all this, but iudg∣eth truly, that God was true, holy, and righteous; and that his sinne had deserued all that was then decreed against him, Psal. 51.4. his words are: Against thee (and with the double in token of earnestnesse) thee, haue I sin∣ned: therefore be thou iustified when thou speakest, and cleare when thou iudgest. It was a good signe of Elies saluation, that he submitted to the Lord in that heauie iudge∣ment that was pronounced a∣gainst his house: for he said, It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth

him good. 1. Sam. 3.18. Good king Hezekiah subscribed according∣ly, and said, The word of the Lord is good, 2. King. 20.19. as if hee had said to the m••••••enger; There is no fault in thy message, all is in my sinne. When Shimei railed on Dauid, calling him murderer, and a man of bloud; he saw the the Lord to bee iust in that wic∣ked mouth; and therefore saith to Abishai, and to the other, Suffer him to curse, for the Lord hath bidden him. 2. Sam. 16.11. as if he should haue said: This is little enough, and I haue deserued more. After Dauid, Daniel clea∣reth Gods seueritie in the heauiest plague that euer was brought vpon a nation. Dan. 9.13, 14. And Ieremy did the like in his booke of Lamentations: for, say∣ing, that Ierusalem was then as greatly despised as euer greatly honoured before; hee saith, that it was, because shee had greatly sinned. Lament. 1.8. All these did

confesse a righteous Father to the iudgements that were (then) in the world, making sinne the proper efficient of them all. The reasons. * 1.128 They know, that God could not but bee iust in word and deed, as was said, Psal 51.4. and therefore in both iustifiable. For, what can hee say or doe a∣misse, that can neither say nor do otherwayes then well? Secondly, God is not onely true, but the truth; nor onely iust, but iustice it selfe. Ioh. 14.6. 1. Cor. 1: 30. Now truth can neuer bee a lie, nor iustice vnrighteousnesse. Thirdly, Gods children must be contrary to the deuils children, and doe contrarily. The deuils children condemne the Lord, 2. King. 6.33. Gods children there∣fore must cleare him; they iusti∣fie themselues, Ezek. 18.25.29. these must instifie him. A good natur'd childe will rather take fault to himselfe, then charge his father: and what children are

they that charge God with fault who cannot offend? Rom. 3.5.

An admonition to Christians to see their owne deseruings, * 1.129 and faultinesse in all that is vpon them from God, and to pray for such eyes; for, (then) they will not charge him with wrong, who can doe nothing but what is equall and iust, Ezek. 18.4.2. Chron. 19.7. The more we be∣hold our selues in this glasse, the more patient we will bee in the hardest things that come. So was Iob, who therefore answered the Lord and said, Behold I am vile, and what shall I answer thee? I will lay my hand vpon my mouth: Iob 40 3. Till God had opened his eyes, by shewing vnto him his sinne, and by making it ap∣parent, as the light at noon-day, now impossible it was for a God, so innocent, to punish without cause; he stood stiffely vpon his iustification, and thought hee could set downe God with his

arguments, Iob 23.3.4.5. here his eyes were held, and scales of self-sufficiency were vpon them; but when his sight was clearer, he said as we heard. When Iere∣my saw as he should, he said, O Lord, if I dispute with thee, thou art righteous. Iere. 12.1. he knew he should bee at a non-plus, if he went on, and therefore yeel∣ded without any more ado. So, if we would rightly consider our wayes, and our selues in sinne, instead of reasoning with God about our troubles, wee would confesse his iust hand vpon vs, and say to our selues as the euill doer to his fellow, we are iustly here. Luk. 23.41. but we mea∣sure the punishment, and weigh not the sinnes that haue caused it, and therefore that God strikes too hard for small matters. Hence, some complaine of too much strictnesse in God, when for tasting of a little fruite, hee would cast all mankinde into mi∣serie.

But these neuer yet con∣sidered rightly the merit of that sinne, and maiesty of the person against whom it was committed. The wages of euery sin is death eternall. Rom. 6 23. and Gods maiestie makes euery sinne great, though small in our eyes. And here though the matter, in which the sinne was done, were small, yet was it no small sinne to bee ambitious of Gods place, to be∣leeue the deuill before God, to be so vnthankfull for so large a liberty in all the other trees, not to be contented with ones estate, to breake a knowne and easie Commandement, and to cast away the whole world of man∣kinde in one sinne. Againe, some thinke it too great scueritie in God to drowne a whole world of men in one Floud, so as none were saued but eight persons. But they that thus put finger in the eye, repining at Gods iust doings, besides the blasphemie

of such a wicked taxation of the righteous God, they neither know his greatnesse, nor how great a sinne it is to offend it.

A reproofe of their impatien∣cie, * 1.130 who murmure against God for euery little crosse hee sends them in their children, in their cattell, or corne-fields. For, thus to murmure, is to say plainly, that they deserue no such vniust strokes of his hand. But if God should take away all, as he did from Iob, we should take the losse as Iob did, blessing his name, Iob 1.21. Nay if he should raze vs out of his booke of life, wee should bee dumbe and say no∣thing, because hee hath done it. Psalm. 39.2. how much more should we hold in, when he doth but softly touch vs, and not send his iron into our soules? Some yeeld to the Lord with a forced submission, saying, What reme∣die? as if hee carried all by the elder hand, and plagued them,

because they could not resist him. Where (yet) it is their own wickednesse that hath corrected them, Ier. 2.19. onely the Lord then vsed his great power to make good his iustice vpon them for wilfull transgression. For iust is the Lord, and nothing shall faile of all that is written con∣cerning him; not one sillable, not one letter, or small pricke, Matth. 5.18. Of this woman, * 1.131 (the mirrour of a worthy hearer) all hearers should learne patience and application in the sharpest reproofe of the word. When it rebuketh a sinne, they that bee guiltie, should turne the edge to themselues, confesse a truth, and not kicke against the prickes of it. Acts 9.5. The Apostle Saint Paul, where hee found sinne, made an owle of it, and follows it with crying out, Who shall deli∣uer mee from this bodie of death? Rom. 7.24. He was a persecuter, a blasphemer, a great sinner; and

he tells the world with his owne penne, that he was so, 1. Tim. 1.13.15. But how many will doe so now, and giue God the right of his iustice, by keeping their sinnes alwayes in sight, and by branding hell in their foreheads, as the Apostle did? rather, when they should say, truth Sir, to the Preacher, they rise in his face for speaking but truly and iustly of their sinne.

The inuersion of Christs An∣swer followeth.

Yet euen the dogges eate of the crummes, &c.

HEere the woman (as wee heard) makes vse of Christs argument, and turnes the point of it vpon her selfe. For, she saith, Yet euen the dogges, &c. as if shee should haue said, Though (in thy meaning Lord) I bee but a dogge, or whelpe, vnder the ta∣ble of the children (and I pre∣sume

no higher) yet I may ga∣ther vp the chippings that fall from the table, where the chil∣dren haue so much. What there∣fore is not denyed to a dogge, giue (Lord) to thy prostrate hand-maid. Or thus: The table of the children was neuer so spa∣ringly set, but that somewhat wold fall ouer to those that wai∣ted below. I am one that humbly waite below: Lord say to thy ser∣uants soule, I am thy saluation. Psalm. 35.3. This may bee the womans answer in more words. And here was great faith indeed; and (with it) great humilitie. This woman was faithfull, and yet humble: and so wee see that certaintie of faith may stand with humilitie. Indeed, * 1.132 foolish pre∣sumption will be answered with nothing, though it haue nothing to say, and be brought to a stand: where true faith goes forward, though limpingly, as vpon stilts. For, it bel••ues beyond reason

of letter, and aboue hope vnder hope, Rom 4.18. Abraham (the patterne of faith) was humble enough, when hee drew neare to God. Genes. 18.27. And Daniels three companions in the capti∣uitie, were not conceited of themselues, when yet they could say to the king, The God, whom we serue, will deliuer vs. Dan. 3.17. And blessed Mary might be the seruant of the Lord, and the mother of Christ too; who bore him in her faith, as surely as in her bellie. Luk. 1.38. Also hee greatly trusted in God, who (yet) could say, Lord, my heart is not hautie, nor my eyes loftie: Psal. 131.1. And Iehosaphat, that strongly reposed on God, said, that hee could not tell what to do, or that he had neuer an eye vpon himselfe, but his eyes were toward the Lord, 2. Chro. 20.12. Thus true faith hath roome enough for humilitie. The rea∣sons. * 1.133 To doe what we are com∣manded

to doe, vpon a promise, is not pride, but obedience. Now we are commanded vpon a pro∣mise to beleeue: and therefore, we may beleeue, and be humble. Ioh. 3 16.27. Beggers are hum∣ble enough, and yet importunate: such a beggar is faith, which hath nothing but what it seekes and gets abroad, Psalm. 40.17. and therefore (as a beggar) it speaks with prayer, and humbly by petition.

Vse is (first) for confutation of Papists, * 1.134 who call true confi∣dence in God, proud presumpti∣on. Their tenent is, that none can without an arrogant spirit be∣leeue the certaintie of their owne saluation. But we see the contra∣ry in this humble and prostrate woman: and (verily) whosoeuer trusteth most in God, hath the least opinion of his own worth. So, this woman passing others in faith, went before them in a low conceit of her selfe. But they

who say, that it is pride and ar∣rogancie to trust in God for sal∣uation, hold it no pride to trust in themselues for it. Hence the vulgar (which are of their tea∣ching) say, that they hope to be saued by their good meanings, and their good deeds.

The second vse is, * 1.135 for the tri∣all of our faith: for, the humbler in the opinion of ••ur selues, the stronger in faith. The more we trust God, the lesse we trust our selues, though neuer so full of good works. Iob was a painfull workman in the Law, yet saith, that if God should contend with him, or pose him hard, hee could not answer him one of a thousand, Iob 9.3.14. Dauid confesseth as much, Psalm. 148.2. which is, that no flesh, if the winde of iu∣stice blow vpon it, can stand in Gods sight; for so, in his sight shall none that liueth bee iustifi∣ed. Could there bee better men then these two, and of better

faith? and yet how humble in all that they did? So, the returning Prodigall had great confidence in his father; yet cast himselfe below a sonne, and thought him∣selfe not worthy to sit with the Hindes, except his father were so pleased: I herefore hee faith, I am no more worthy to bee called thy sonne, make me as one of thy hi∣red seruants: for, vnworthy to be so, except thou make me so. Luk. 15.19.21. To bee short, how many more faithfull then this woman, and how many more humble? Therefore the denials of Christ were but as so many strong windes, to cause the flame of her faith to rise vp higher.

But here further, the woman speaking of some crummes or fallings from the table of the children, intimates that it was a full table, a table that ranne ouer, and where was no want, but ex∣ceedings rather. And (here)

learne that the Iewes diet (in time of the Law) was no spare diet, * 1.136 but a table running ouer to the Gentiles. Naaman the Syri∣an, Luk. 4.27. the widow of Sa∣repta, Luk. 4.26. the woman of Samaria, Ioh. 4.28. the Centuri∣on in Saint Matthew, Matth. 8.5.6.7.8. Iob in Vz, Iob 1.1. and this woman here▪ were all fed, though not with the whole loafe, yet with crummes from the childrens table. And crums were good fare in the hunger-bitten land of the ignorant Na∣tions. Though (God) then but dropped vpon them, yet (in the Gospell, and when the Iewes would not come to the Kings wedding dinner, Matth. 22.9, 10.) they had a plentifull raine of grace, which was shed vpon them abundantly, Tit. 3.6. and then the hall was set round with guests. It is sure then that God euer kept a good table, & a table well appointed for all that would

come. The reasons. * 1.137 It is for his greater glory: for, that house-keeping is much commended where is no want. But God spares for no cost, where his guests come willingly: if they want not a stomacke, they shall want for no meat; for hee that is rich in abundance of all heaneuly trea∣sures, will serue them of all that their heart can desire. Assuerus feast, that which hee made to his Princes, was much spoken of, Hest 1.3, 4.5. and will the Lord of glory doe lesse in that ban∣quet, which he prouideth for his peoples saluation, then a mortall sinfull man did in that which was made for his magnificence? Secondly, God dearely loues his children, and they shall haue of the best. Where men loue deare∣ly, they will prouide for them as they are able, and wish they had better. But this wish needs not, where hee makes the feast, who is rich in grace: and, neither loth

to goe the charge where hee loues, as miserable; nor in any want of abilitie to doe it, as in∣sufficient: for hee hath will and abilitie both. Thirdly, it is the wedding dinner of the Kings Sonne, Matth: 22.2. and doe Kings make a spare dinner when they marie the Prince, their eldest Sonne? Hence wee reade of the fulnesse of Christ, Iohn 1.16. and so not of a scant mea∣sure in him, but of a measure running ouer: his grace is not by droppes, but by showers.

Was the table of the children vnder the law so well set and fur∣nished? * 1.138 it must needs be much better vnder Christ: or, is the bread of grace now in greater abundance? it maketh for the greater condemnation of those that famish at so full a measure of the meanes: for hath God bin at such charges with his last great supper, & (as contemners of his bountie) will we not taste of his

meate, or (as the recusant guests, spoken of, Luke 14 17, 18, 19, 20.) not come to it at all? wee haue that now in big loaues, which this woman begged, but in the chippins and crummes: yet how earnestly and with what a faith did shee craue those fal∣lings from the table of the chil∣dren? and with what vnwilling∣nesse doe we come to meate, that are inuited, and may sit downe at table in nobler graces? she de∣sired to drinke of a small brooke; and wee will not put our mouth to the riuer of life.

Was Gods table (anciently) well serued, and better now? * 1.139 it is for the confutation of a Po∣pish idle, but wicked conceit; which is, that, that table (as poorely serued) must be supplied from the common chest of Saints merits, disposed of by a man of sinne at Rome: for, this treasurie (according to the do∣ctrine of that Church) is the

common place of all that ouer plus of workes, of merit that the Saints did, and which they had to spare for others: but might not the best of them haue said, (not as the fiue wise virgins, lest there bee not enough for vs and you, Mat. 25.9.) but as the truth is; our merit was neuer any thing with God, for our selues & there∣fore neither any thing for vs or you? here was no want: & what need a supply then? or if any were, (as none was) what were the Saints spoone-full to Christs sea-full? or their drop (rather no∣thing) to his fulnes, that giues plē∣tifull redemption to his Saints?

Thirdly, * 1.140 this doctrine of the riches of Gods grace may bee our great comfort in all corpo∣rall wants: and (therefore) wan∣ting corporall food, or corpo∣rall health, or other corporall supplies, we should not be trou∣bled seeing we may alwaies haue that which is more or better

than all these; and that is, that which is sufficient for vs (as the answer was to S. Paul, 2. Cor. 12.9.) a sufficient portion of grace. I know that many had ra∣ther haue a pennie in purse than it, who say with Esau; they are almost dead, and what is that birth-right to them? Gen. 25.32. also it may be, that as Anna, so the godlie, (though with her, they haue a worthy portion, o∣therwaies) may weepe and grieue too much, because (as she was barren of children,) so are they in these outward things, both barren and bare, 1 Sam. 1.5. 7 but what Elkanah the husband said to Anna his wife, that Christ, the gracious husband of his Church, saith to her his spouse, and to all the godlie: am not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 better to thee than ten Sons? that is, better than all those outward things, as health, food, apparell, goods, good name, or any good thing of no higher rise? v. 8

or, it is not better to haue mee, than all these (with a Kings crowne to boot) without me?

So much for the conference it selfe, the issue of it followeth.

VERSE 28.

Then Iesus answered and said vnto her; O woman, great is thy faith.

NOW wee are at issue con∣cerning the conference be∣tweene Christ and this woman; which standeth in two things: as the commendation of her great faith, in these words; and the grant of her request in the next. She had receiued three re∣pulses: and if shee had receiued (not three, but) threscore more: with such a faith shee could not haue gone away confounded. Obiect. Some, with their dimu∣nitiues,

would make her faith lesse than Christ hath said, and the matter of it not so great; say∣ing, that her request was no more but that Christ would heale her daughter sicke of a deuill in her: and what is that to saluation? Answ. I confesse there is no more expressed in the text: yet this answer of Christ, and the womans carriage in her former sore flight, shew that more was at the stake, and that the health of her daughter was not all the matter: the saluation of her and her daughter was chiefely sought; and her daugh∣ters health, as Christs pawne for it; who (therefore) saith: be it vnto thee as thou wilt; or that, and much more than that. In so ample a grant, then, how can it be but that more was meant than her daughters well being in the bodie, as the forgiuenes of sinnes to both, and to both, faith in Christ, to saluation? Further,

Christ doth not say, Woman but with a sacred exclamation, O woman, as pained till he was deliuered of so much: his affe∣ctions boiled as Iosephs did, till hee had opened himselfe: and now he melteth ouer her, as he ouer his brethren, when he had told them who he was, Gen. 43.1, 2, 3. nor doth he onely com∣mend her great faith, but won∣der at it, as before at the Centu∣rions, Matth. 8.10. and there∣fore saith, O woman, as if he had said: O noble daughter of Abra∣ham, noble in so great a faith: I must now tell thee that I am that Ioseph that God hath sent, in this spirituall long famine of Canaan, to thee, and to thy daughter: shortly Iacob will bee in Aegypt, and the houre of the Gentiles is neere, but yours is come already: and now the de∣uill is gone out of thy daughter: thou hast had power with God: thou shalt haue power against

deuils: such is the meaning of the words now read. And now where Christ speaking of a good woman indeed, detracts not from her, but giues her, her due: we learne by so worthie a prece∣dent, to speake truly of good men and good things: the Hittites, (though ignorant of the true God) gaue to Abraham his true respect, as that hee was a Prince of God among them Gen 23. 6 and when the brethren of Ioseph enuied him for his dreame, his father regarded him for it, Gen. 37 11. the women in their fo••g and dance, gaue Dauid his due: but the thing displea∣sed Saul, 1 Sam. 18.7. The like did Abimelch, who speaking of Dauid to Saul, said, hee had not such another seruant, 1 Sam. 22.14. & Christ the Lord (for exam∣ple to vs) doth elswhere call those that improued his spirituall talent, (as they were indeed) his good seruants and faithfull,

Matth. 25.21.23. so Barnabas is called by S. Luke, in his right name, a good man, Act. 11.24. and so we must not nip with the frost of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, but cherish the spring of good things where God hath put them, and giue them a true report: * 1.141 the reasons. for else wee wrong the owner, that is, God from whom is eue∣ry good giuing, and perfect gift, Iam. 1.17. Secondly, the con∣trary is forbidden, as false wit∣nesse against our neighbour: for what other doe wee, when wee take away a righteous mans righteousnesse from him, and speake euill of his good, Esa 5.20.23. but speake falsely of him? Thirdly, the deuill (who is the accuser of the brethren, and a slanderer,) doth belie the goodnesse of the Saints, Iob 1.11. and shall Christians, that should follow Christ, bee like the deuill? Fourthly, we should incourage the good in

their good way, but to speake otherwaies than well of well∣doing, is not to set them for∣ward, but backward in good∣nesse.

The first vse is for reproofe of those who are so blinded with anger against the good, * 1.142 that they can see no good where much is: and heere the old say∣ing proues true, that ill will ne∣uer speake well. If any little fault bee in such, they blow with their strongest wind, to send it as farre as their breath will carry: so far from commending things com∣mendable in them, that they grime them rather with their blacke tongues, calling all their holinesse hypocrisie. Papists were wont to be alone in such wrong done to true Christians; but company comes vnto them, euen out of our owne profession; and this leprosie of a foule tongue is gone from Naaman to Gehazi, from them to some Protestants,

as great mockers of sinceritie in profession, as Papists are. 2. King. 5.27.

The next vse is for instructi∣on, * 1.143 teaching vs to loue good men for the good things in them: for so we will loue such much better in whom they be. We loue gold, though in the filthy oare; and will take vp a iewell, though trodden in the mire: so if we lo∣ued goodnesse for it selfe (that is, truly loued it) we would not neglect it, though in the foile of a bad man, or trodden in the mire of a heart very sinfull: much lesse would we dis-regard it pla∣ced in a worthy subiect Parents loue their children with a strong loue: the reason is, they haue that in them which they loue; na∣ture. So Christians should follow true Christians with like force of true loue; the reason is, they haue that in them which they should loue; grace. This loue of parents to their children, makes

that they care not how much good they speake, or heare spo∣ken of them, so if like loue, or any were in vs towards these earthly Saints, we would speake our selues, and be glad to heare others speake much good of them, for the grace of God in them.

Thirdly, * 1.144 this is for admoniti∣on to Christians to beware of en∣uy in regard of graces, which are in others, more then in themselues. For, such will bitter∣ly, from that wormwood of en∣uie, (instead of praising) oppose against them. So did Iosephs bre∣thren; and therefore rose vp a∣gainst their better brother, Gen. 37.4.18, 19. And Cain set his crueltie on worke against Abel, a farre better man then himselfe, and his owne naturall brother: where nothing could ease the great paine of his enuie, but a medicine made of his brothers bloud. Gen. 4 8. So the Pharisees

and Priests among the Iewes, watched Christ in the graue that he should not rise: Matth. 27.66. and so the enuious among vs (louers of themselues, 2. Tim. 3.2.) put vertue in the graue with Christ, and watch it that it rise not. But further, as Christi∣ans must not wrong others in their good parts by enuious de∣tractions; so, neither (hauing such good parts in them) must they wrong themselues by false testimonie: I say, false testimo∣nie: for there is false witnesse a∣gainst a mans selfe, as well as a∣gainst his neighbour. Many well indewed of God, in some fits of the spirituall feauer, fare as if they had nothing; no faith, no hope, no grace. And some, in the affliction, say (though before they had done exceeding well) that they were neuer good before God, nor sound in profession, but hypocrites. So the deuill would haue it. But should Chri∣stians

ioyne issue with Sathan against themselues? Is not the de∣uill strong enough without our helpe; and except we wrong our selues to gratifie him? rather, we should fight vnder God against him, then with him, against our owne soule. For so did righteous Iob, in the thickest mist of his troubles: His friends had vrged him hard, and would baue per∣swaded him, that though he had done many good things, yet it was in no soundnesse to God. But Iob (though hee had other∣wayes lost all; his children, ser∣uants, substance, and all) yet he would not be so great a loser to them and the deuill, as to part with his integritie in what hee had done. Iob 27.5. for where he had failed, he knew hee had made vp the reckoning by re∣pentance, and sorrow for sinne. and (therefore) doubted not, but that so much was left as would comfort him, and re∣proue

them.

Our Sauiour purposing to commend this womans vnwea∣ried petitioning to him in regard of her daughter and her selfe, commends that which was the roote of that fruit, her great faith. Which faith is a grace of persua∣sion, whereby we beleeue for our selues, and particularly, to eter∣nall life. And to this faith of hers, the health of her daughter is as∣cribed, as the branch to the root that beares it. Where wee see, * 1.145 that by faith we haue acceptance with God; the good workes we doe, being as fruites of that tree. Hence Dauid speaking of a iusti∣fied sinner, saith, that the booke is cleared by forgiuing the debt, and not by any satisfaction made, Psal. 32.1.2. This faith beleeues, and workes haue no∣thing to do in her office. There∣fore, saith the Apostle Saint Paul, To him that worketh not, but belee∣ueth in him that iustifieth the vn∣godly,

his faith is counted for righ∣teousnesse. Rom. 4.5 that is, all the satisfaction that a iustified sinner can make, is to beleeue, that it is made without him, or any thing that he can do. And so faith ob∣taineth by imputation: what it gets in the account, it gets it by Christ that hath paied the whole debt of sinne, and turneth ouer his obedience to those that can∣not obey but imperfectly and vnprofitably, Luk. 17.10. and so haue no righteousnesse but what is his: Rom 5.22. Hereupon the same Apostle Saint Paul, speak∣ing of himselfe, a iustified sinner, saith, that the life he hath in the new life of the Gospell, is not his, but Christs, who breathed it in him, and liueth in him. Galat. 2.20. all his minde ranne vpon the gaine he had by Christ, ha∣uing his righteousnesse: all other things in the world were but losse and dunge to this, Philip 3.8, 9. Therefore in his Epistles to

the Romanes, to the Galathians, and Ephesians, hee strongly pleades the cause of faith in the power of iustification without workes: plainly, in the second Chapter of his Epistle to the E∣phesians, vers. 8. and 9. he exclu∣deth the best things, left in na∣ture, and the best workes in new nature from the merit of salua∣tion, saying, We are saued by grace: not of our selues, against Pela∣gius, and not of workes, against Papists: and giues the reason, which is to preuent all boasting in our selues; as if wee did, (as Papists say we doe) bring some∣what in hand to the purchase of our saluation. And so we see that faith maketh our way to God, and that works follow. * 1.146 The rea∣sons. Our workes (the best of them) are imperfectly good, and partly euill: and what account can such haue before him, whose eyes cannot behold euill? Haba. 1.13. that that pleaseth him, is

Christ absolutely holy, & Christs righteousnesse perfectly good; onely 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that: but neither hee nor this, is ours, further then by the grace of faith wee can make them so, with application to our selues. Secondly, the best come out of an vncleane pit, and their best works are but as foule ragges, Isa. 64.6. And who can bring a cleane thing out of filthi∣nesse? Iob 14.4. Now can any thing that is vncleane and filthy enter into so holy a place as hea∣uen, and stand before so holy a person as the Lord? or if it can∣not; our persons not purged by Christs holinesse, and our works not couered with his iustice, whither shall they go? in heauen there is no place for them; and they must stand without, with dogges, sorcerers, and other sin∣ners. Apocal. 21.27. & 22.15. It was sinne that brought vs out with God it must be that (which we haue not, perfect righteous∣nesse)

that must bring vs in a∣gaine. And this is the Sonne, in whom the Father is well pleased. Matth 3.17. all other things (as we heard) are losse and dunge: and what good sauour in workes of dunge?

This is against the Papists, * 1.147 who (like dogges) barke against the truth of sole iustification by faith. Their tenet is, that the righ∣teousnesse whereby we are iusti∣fied is inherent in vs. But the righteousnesse, that doth iustifie, is called a robe: and why a robe, but because wee haue it (as wee haue our clothes) from another, out of our selues? Flesh and skin we haue from our mothers, but our apparell is made vs. So na∣ture we haue by birth, but grace by gift in the hand of faith. Therefore Saint Paul desired to be found in Christ, Philip 3.9. clad with him. Obiect. True, say the Papists, all wee haue in our first iustification or change to

righteousnesse, wee haue from God onely, and all is due to him for it. But (say they) there is a second iustification or change, and that as a stocke giuen vs to set vp for themselues, as it increa∣seth vnder our hand, maketh some part of pay to our saluation. Answer. But if the Apostle (as we heard) had knowne any iusti∣fication but one, and that one onely and altogether by gift, hee would not haue giuen away his owne part, as hee did, and haue acknowledged no other iustifi∣cation, but that of beeing in Christ. And further, the Apostle giues the reason why hee did so, though in another place. For, speaking of God that iustifieth and saueth onely, hee saith, For (and that for must stand) For, (saith he) of him, and through him, are all things. Rom. 11.36. by all things, wee must vnderstand all good things; specially, the good things of life eternall: and these

all are of and from God. And now where wee speake of faith, we vnderstand not such a faith, as Saint Iames reproueth, which is a faith without workes, and so dead, as the bodie is dead that breatheth not, Iam. 2.26. but a saith accompanied with or brea∣thing, in manifest symptomes of new life: such a faith this wo∣man had which in her was so commended. And yet faith only iustifieth our persons before God: good workes serue but to iustifie our faith before men, Iam. 2.18.21. Also though wee ac∣knowledge good works to be the quicke pulses of a louing faith, yet withall (wee say) that they come not to God in way of iusti∣fication. For true it is that wee must do good works, if we will bee saued: and yet it is as true that wee shall not bee saued for them.

An admonition to Christians to labour to get and hope faith, * 1.148

so greatly commended in this woman of great faith: and to do so, wee must vse the meanes; as (first) the Word: faith is by it, Rom. 10.17. If (then) wee will wrestle with God by faith, when he proues our faith by tempta∣tion; we must know what pro∣mises God hath made in his word, and vpon what tearmes: * 1.149 so wee shall hold him by the words of his owne mouth, and with Iacobs hand till he blesse vs; who will surely doe it, for bee cannot deny himselfe. But how shall wee know what promises God hath made in his word, and to whom, and vpon what con∣ditions, when we know neither East nor West in it, and when wee turne from it in the day of hearing? When Sathan shall sift vs in the maine point, how shall we hope in more then the chaffe, if we be not sound graine by the knowledge of saluation? Faith is by hearing, and hearing by the

Word, Rom. 10.17. Therefore no hearing, no faith: and with∣out, what possibilitie to please God? Hebr. 11.6. and not plea∣sing him, what hope to bee saued? A fearfull darknes (there∣fore) must needes bee vpon all that want this Sunne of their holy faith. And let them thinke of it, who (as one saith well) haue passed an estate of their soules to ignorance for tearme of life: neither haue they heard, nor will they. For, how can such obey, when they know not God: and not knowing him, how can they escape the ven∣geance that is threatened in the flame of fire? 2. Thessal. 1.8. Secondly, if we would haue and get faith, wee must pray for it to the authour and finisher of our faith. Hebr. 12.2. Mark. 9 24. Luk. 17.5. They deserue not good things that will not open their mouthes for them: and we haue a saying, Spare to speake,

spare to speed. Faith (then) be∣ing of good things the best, how vnworthy shall wee shew our selues of so faire a Iewell, if wee will not aske it? Thirdly, as we get faith by the Word and pray∣er, so (being had) we must keep it in a good conscience. For faith and good conscience are relata, one cannot be without the other. Hee that puts away good conscience in his life, puts away faith: they come together, and go together, 1. Tim. 1, 19. & 3.9. Paul might earnestly (as with the hold of faith) behold the counsell, who had liued in all good conscience, from the day of his conuersion, to that day. Act. 23.1. But with what face of faith can they appeare before God or man, who (hitherto) haue had no cleare conscience toward either? Act. 24.16. And who (therefore) being men of no conscience, are men of no faith.

The grant of the womans re∣quest followeth.

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: * 1.150 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: * 1.151 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, * 1.152 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, * 1.153 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.

Marke 7.29.

And he said vnto her, for this saying, goe thy way; the de∣uil is gone out of thy daugh∣ter.

and Matth. 15.28.

And her daughter was made whole, from that very houre.

THE booke drawen in the former sentence, is signed in this of Marke, and the other

of Matthew. Marke vseth the trope of a metonomy, putting her saying, for that, that caused it, the effect for the cause: the cause was her faith, which thrust out such a saying, or made her so to say: hereupon Christ said; for this saying; that is, for that faith that caused it, or because of it: goe thy way, or, take my word, the deuill is gone out of thy daugh∣ter; not of his owne accord, but by power of authority from me. This woman was a woman of great faith; yet Christ helpes it with a seale of sensible matter, in her daughters cure: * 1.154 and so it is plaine that God (for the helpe of his weake seruants) signeth their faith, and his other graces in them, with outward things. God made a promise to Abra∣ham, and writes it in his owne flesh, and in the flesh of the males of his house, when he gaue charge that he, with them should be circumcised, Gen. 17.10, 11.

And when God by his Angel, would smite the Aegyptians, and spare his people, for the stronger assurance of their faith, hee signeth the two side postes of their houses with the bloud of the Lambe called the bloud of the Passeouer, that the de∣stroying Angel seeing it, might passe by, Exod. 12▪ 22, 23. Also God promising deliuerance from the hand of the Midianites by the hand of Gideon, doth seale it with two signes, Iudg 6.36, 37, 38, 39, 40. and our de∣liuerance from the Madian of hell, in the estate of the new Testament, hee signeth with the two Sacraments of Baptisme, and the Lords Supper: and so hee doth not punish vs (as hee might) for not beleeuing: (and what great person will not storme, if his word shall not bee taken;) but giues vs somewhat in hand to confirme vs rather: * 1.155 the reasons. The best are weake to hold the graces which hee

giues of faith, hope, loue, pati∣ence, and other: therefore, and because hee would not haue so precious wares to goe to losse, who saith; gather vp the fragments that nothing bee lost, Iohn 6.12. hee strengtheneth with sensible helpes the hand into which hee puts them. Further also, faith is that ladder, which Iacob saw, and that raught from earth to heauen, Gen. 28.12. Now a lad∣der hath steps vpon it, higher and lower; and so the ladder of our faith, which reacheth from vs to God, must likewise haue like steps of helpe, or risings to∣ward him: and yet further, wee are but babes in faith, who (therefore) haue neede of out∣ward things, as a wall to hold by. Secondly, the stubborne heart of nature is not quite gone from the best beleeuers in their new estate of grace, and still it hath a stubborne root: & therefore must haue many hands vnto it, besides

the promises in the word, to pull it vp. Thirdly, the end of Christs comming (one of them) was to strengthen the weake lambes of his Fathers election, Ezeck. 34.16. Now, the best that are, beleeue but weakely, Matth. 8.26, and therefore, Christ must either lose the end of his com∣ming, or keepe and fulfill it by strengthening the weake in faith.

The vse is (first) for instructi∣on, * 1.156 teaching Christians to con∣fesse the weakenesse of their faith, and that it is not so easie a mat∣ter to beleeue as they thinke: some say they neuer yet doubted but this easie beleeuing is a sure signe (no surer) of no faith: for they that beleeue indeed, are not high minded but feare, Rom. 11.20. and some (againe) trust to their old store, neuer see∣king, (as the disciples prayed) the increase of their faith, Luke 17.5. but wherefore doth God

so helpe (euen) the best in their weake faith, if it were strong as it seemes in their imaginate de∣gree of beleeuing? besides, the shield of faith must bee managed with more humilitie, or we shall neuer make vse of it against Sa∣tans firie darts, either to Gods glorie, or our owne preseruati∣on, Ephes. 6.16.

A reproofe of those who de∣spise in the sinne of Ahaz, * 1.157 the helps of their weake faith. Isa. 7.12. which would be considered of those that finde no taste in the Sacraments, neither tarrying at Baptisme, nor caring to receiue the Lords Supper more then once (if once) a yeare. Indeed, God is to bee credited of his word, yet (in regard of our weake estate in saith) his seals confirme vs more. When we haue an ho∣nest mans seale and writing, with his word, wee doubt no longer. The promise of God is sealed and deliuered in the Sacraments, to

make it of lesse question with vs in our staggerings here: yet in contempt of them, we had rather hold by no lease, or one that hath no seale vnto it; then come and bee at the Sacraments on the dayes of sealing. The Lords Sup∣per is the feast of thanksgiuing, (and here we should take the cup of saluation, Psal. 116.13.) but if a few of the meaner sort come to giue thanks, those of higher place take state, as nothing con∣cerning them, who should bee most thankfull. And may not Christ (then) say, as of the Le∣pers, Are not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Luk. 17.17. that is, are not all bounden? and yet where is one of ten that o∣beyes? For of sixteene score in a Parish, how few come to meat, as Saul said of Dauid, Yesterday, or to day? 1. Sam 20.27. If it were to take some house or peece of Land, wee would take it ouer anothers head for hast: but where

wee may buy for nothing, Isa. 55.1. wee let all go; house and land, though of farre better pur∣chase in heauen.

Vpon this answer to the wo∣man, and Christ bidding her to go her way, or to take his word; she gaue ouer, went away, and beleeued, though hee went not with her, in person, to cast the deuill out of her daughter. And so she beleeued what she did not see. * 1.158 From whence we may ga∣ther, That Faith (and shee had a great faith) standeth not in sight, but in the promise of the World. We (therefore) are said to behold the glory of Christ, not by face, but in the mirrour of the Gospel 2. Corinth. 3.18. Simon Peter had faith, and that made him to take Christs word for that which hee saw not. Luk. 5.5. And that true Israelite, Nathanael, beleeued vp∣on a word that Christ spake, Ioh. 1.47 48, 49. Abraham receiued the promise (and so did that

cloud of faithfull Saints, spoken of in the eleuenth to the He∣brews) by faith, not by seeing; by an inuisible hand, not by an hand of visible matter. Rom. 4.20.21. And this is the word of faith, that wee preach: not the word of man, which is but the word of opinion. Rom. 10.8. and this is the ground of things ho∣ped for, and euidence of things that are not seene. Hebr. 11.1. There∣fore Christs first Text was, Re∣pent, and beleeue the Gospell, Mar. 1.15. hee saith not, Repent and see, but repent and beleeue what you cannot see. And it is no pro∣per speech to say, wee beleeue what we see: for faith goes when sight comes. Hebr. 11.1. And thus the obiect of Faith is not sight, but matter that cannot be seene. * 1.159 The reasons. Faith is in the heart, Rom. 10.10. therefore not vnder sense: also of things to come, and therefore neither vn∣der sight. For who can see that

that is not? Secondly, the obiect of Faith is God the Father, Son, and holy Ghost. And is God, in Trinitie, vnder the sense of sight, whom we see with other eyes in the glasse of the Gospel? For in it we haue Christ, and in him eter∣nall life. Ioh. 5.39 But neither he, nor it is in the norison of our sight: and what mortall eye can see so farre?

A reproofe of those who go all by sight. * 1.160 In matters of high mysterie they will go no further then reason doth bring them, drawne from the senses: where it is reason of faith that must per∣swade in such cases; or else when will we beleeue the virginitie of the mother of Christ? the three distinct persons in one entire God head, the rising againe of the same bodies, long ago consumed to dust and nothing; and the like sacred mysteries of our most ho∣ly faith? Some that professe to beleeue in Gods power and

goodnesse, will yet beleeue no further then they see. They will trust God vpon a good pawne, as if hee fill their barnes with corne, and their purses with mo∣ney; otherwayes they will trust him no more then men will bankrupts. Hee hath giuen his faithfull word, that they who seeke him in faith, Psal. 34.10. and serue him in righteousnesse, vers. 15. shall want no good thing. But doe they take him at his word, who lie, and cosen, vse violence, and draw bloud to bee rich? And do they trust him for their prouision, who (being poore) fall to practises against good conscience, steale, and take his name in vaine? Prou. 30.9. these can skill of nothing but what they haue in hand. Where the faithfull beleeue without meanes and against them. Dan. 3.17. When they haue nothing, they know God hath enough, and they sufficient in his store∣house

of prouidence. They will beleeue in his power for their safetie, though they should haue all the world against them, Psal. 3.5, 6. and though they be drun∣ken with gall and wormwood, they will not doubt to be made sober againe, with the sweet mer∣cies of the God of their salua∣tion.

A direction for Gods mour∣ners, * 1.161 when with Isaac (readie to be offered vp) they see the fear∣full knife and wood, but not the Lambe for sacrifice: Gen. 22.7. that is, see their fearfull changes, but not the issues of them. In this case, they are here taught with Abraham, to say in their faith. that God will prouide; that is, worke, though they see not how: ver. 8. Indeed when the fauour of God is in the eclipse, God darkeneth (for that time) all the lights of his children: they can∣not see his loue, and they feele a great measure of his wrath in the

best things they do. Hence they iudge themselues to bee cast-a∣wayes from the life of Christ, which is the case of Gods best Saints. It was the case of Iob, Da∣uid, Hezek••ah, Ieremiah, and o∣ther of the Lords worthies, Iob 13.26. Psal. 77.7, 8, 9. Isa. 38.10, 11, 12. &c. Ier. 20.14, 15 But their darknesse brake vp af∣ter a while, and their Sunne re∣turned, as after a recouery out of some great eclipse, or losse of light. Therefore meane while, and so long as thou feelest such an eclipse of thy lights, remem∣ber the yeares of the right hand of the most high, Psalm. 77.10. his former mercie and truth to∣ward thee, which are in him without repentance, Rom. 11.29. And when thou hast greatest temptations to despaire, labour most against them. Though thou canst see no reason to beleeue, yet beleeue with all thy heart. If Gods fauour seeme to be gone

in the eye of thy reason, looke abroad with the better eye of thy faith, the eye that seeth (euen) those things that are not, and it will giue that a being which rea∣son giues for lost. The obiect of faith is the promise of God, not things vnder sight. And there∣fore when all things seeme to go one way; and when heauen and earth, the Sunne, Moone, starres, and all the elements go against vs, here is iust matter for our faith, a grace that is able to draw some thing out of nothing. Here let vs beleeue and wrestle against hope vnder hope, and (vnder the darke cloud) against hell, and deuils, that enuy our saluation. If they say, ye haue lost Gods fa∣uour: let vs say, and with the voyce of faith say, it is lost to our feeling, but not to our faith: for, we beleeue, and we will beleeue, though the Lord should kill vs, Iob 13.15. And thus, the doctrine of faiths obiect in things, not vi∣sible,

or not presently seene, will be a good cloke for the weather, when rainy dayes come. And what storme can stay vs in our spirituall course, being so well prouided against what may come hereafter?

The third vse is for conuicti∣on. * 1.162 And here desperate is all the Religion of Poperie, which stan∣deth altogether vpon sense for worshipping, and vpon sense for saluation. They cannot pray, but before a Crucifixe, nor worship deuoutly but before an Image. And for their saluation, it is in works that are visible, not in grace that saueth vs. Ephes. 2.8. Beyond the eye of reason, and further then the care of sense, they will not haue the Ignorants (that follow them) to go for as∣surance that they shall be saued. They must not beleeue their owne saluation, a thing they can∣not see; onely they must hold it in a slippery hope, or certaintie

vncertaine. But the old saying is here true, As good neuer a whit, as neuer the better. To allow a certaintie that may faile (and they allow no better) is in a see∣ming to build; and in true sub∣stance, to pull downe. Looke Rom. 8, 15. Mark. 11.24. 1. Ioh. 3.23: Rom. 5.5. Luk. 10 20. 2. Cor. 13.5.

The particular effect follow∣eth.

The Deuil is gone out of thy daughter.

WE haue heard of the ge∣nerall issue; now fol∣loweth the particular subsequent effect or successe of this conse∣rence. The deuill that did go in∣to this womans daughter, is now gone out, compelled by Christs authoritie and soueraign∣tie. Where wee may consider what Christ said to the woman, in these words, and what follow∣ed

vpon it in the next. Christ tells her that the deuill is gone: we must thinke against his will, and dispossessed by a stronger, euen Christ, that had cast him out. And here obserue, That Christ is the Soueraigue Lord of the deuils. * 1.163 The Author to the Hebrews saith, that hee had de∣stroyed him that had the power of death: to wit, the deuill. Hebr. 2.14. the effects shew it. For he commanded the foule spirits, and they came out. Luk. 4.36. Now to command and get obedience, is to haue dominion. The deuils confesse as much, who (there∣fore) cry out at his approach toward them, Matth. 8.29. Also how may deuils, being entred in∣to men, did he cast out with his onely word? Mark. 5.8, 9, 10. and 9.25, 26. The seuentie, when then returned, said to Christ, Lord, euen the deuils were subdu∣ed vnto vs through thy Name. Luk. 10.17. And how (then) can he

but haue authoritie ouer the de∣uils, of whom this is spoken, and by whom so much is done? * 1.164 The reasons. So much was pro∣mised to Christ, the feed of Ma∣ry, Genes. 3.15. and Gods promi∣ses neuer faile, can neuer: for; if hee say the word, it is done, Psalm. 33.9. Secondly, this was the end for which God (his Fa∣ther) sent him, 1 Iohn 3.8. and what shall crosse the way of his ends? Mens ends haue a superi∣our disposer, Pro. 26.33. and (commonly) are ill set; but who can say so of Gods ends, that they haue a superiour, and that they are not well set? and what then can hinder, that they should not take effect in their iust executi∣on? Thirdly, Christ is the Sa∣uiour of his people, and this was the name giuen him by the An∣gell, Matth. 1.21. but how should hee saue his people, if he could not by a larger power destroy his peoples enemies?

how can hee dwell in them, and not put out the vsurper? Luke 11.22. and how should we doe then? and who shall treade Sa∣tan vnder our feet, if Christ doe not, or could not? Romans 16.20.

A comfort to all Christs members: * 1.165 for the power of their head is to saue their heads, and the subiection of the deuils to Christ, is their victorie ouer them in him. The life the de∣uils haue, is but a vanquished life, or life of repryuie in prison till the day of the last generall assizes, the day of their full dam•• nation: and so they are of no power against any of Christs true members, being as dead Lyons, and Christs members being as Daniel among the Ly∣ons, Dan. 6.22. S. Iames makes them no better than Cowards, who (if a man turne againe) will flie, Iam. 4.7. come against them with faith, and they are

gone, 1. Pet. 5.9. Obiect. You will say, but it seemes not so. Answ. I answer, what matter for seemings? for, seeme as it will, it is so : the brazen Serpent seemed a liuing Serpent, and terrible, but was not. Indeed in the reprobate seed the deuils draw breath: in the seed of grace, they gaspe as a dying man, and draw their last breath of hope, here and hence. They got downe Christ by our sinnes laid vpon him, and to this day they nible at his heele, his mem∣bers and seruants by their owne sinnes; but their Scull is bro∣ken, Gen. 3.15. and Christ hath triumphed ouer them vnto their vnrecouerable perdition, made an open shew of them, after the old Roman solemnitie, and spoyled them for euer, Co∣loss. 2.15.

A terrour to all the wicked enemies of Christ: * 1.166 for he that hath subdued the deuils, the

stronger, can casily master them, the weaker; shall (then) the blasphemers of Gods name, shall drunkards, whoremongers, op∣pressers of the needie, sabbath∣breakers, and other sinners thinke to carry out their mat∣ters still as they haue done when he that is Soueraigne Lord, of the deuils, shall make enqui∣rie after them, to their full de∣struction in the hells? The men of Samaria (speaking of Iehu) say; two kings could not stand before him, and how shall we? 2 King. 10.4. not onely not two kings, but not all the de∣uills of hell (stronger than all kings, not strengthened with Christ) could make their part good against him, that hath the keyes of death, and hell, Apoc. 1.18. euen Christ the Lord; and shall weake men, being vngod∣lie, and sinners, be able to make head against him? no verilie; for the vngodlie shall not stand

in the iudgement, nor sinners in the congregation of the righ∣teous, Psal. 1.5.

The consequent of Christs speech to the woman fol∣loweth.

And her daughter was made whole from that very houre.

S. Marke addeth, Chap. 7. V. 30. that,

When shee was come to her house, she found the Deuill gone out, and her daughter laid vpon the bed.

BOth S. Matthew & S. Marke pitch vpon one thing; one∣ly S. Marke hath a circumstance which S. Matthew hath not; and that is, that When she came to her house, shee found her daughter laid vpon the bed: because (it is like)

not perfectly well, though much better than before, the deuill be∣ing gone, that cast her into those fits; and so she had no more of them, though not quite from weakenesse, the remainder of her former distempers. And now where the woman found it to be, as Christ had told her, wee learne, * 1.167 that what Christ (the truth) saith, is done; his word and deed are one; also, Gods promise in the word is sure, no∣thing can make it vneffectuall, Rom. 3.3. yea all his promises in Christ are yea, and in him, Amen, 2 Cor. 1.20. Christ himselfe saith, heauen and earth shall passe away, or runne into nothing, be∣fore any word of mine shall passe, or not stand in force, Matth. 24.35. and it cannot be that the word of God, (and conse∣quently of Christ-God,) should take no effect, or faile in per∣formance, Rom. 9.6. Hence I conclude, that Gods promises,

and the promises of Christ-God, are as certainely done as made, no tract of time can anull them, * 1.168 Galatians 3.17. The reasons. One reason may be taken from an attribute in God and Christ; which is, truth in the abstract, Iohn 14.6. 1 Iohn 4.6. Deut. 32.4. In the concrete, hee that is true may be false; but truth can neuer. Secondly, & a second rea∣son may bee taken from an im∣possibilitie that God or Christ should lie: it cannot bee saith S Paul, Rom. 9.6. and so said Samuel, 1 Sam. 15.29. or, if an honest man will keepe his word, is it possible that God, or that Christ, who is God should breake his? truth may bee in men, and is in the blessed Angels: but truth in men and Angels, is as those things that are set with the hand; in God and Christ-God, as things that grow naturally and without hand: and if it bee impossible that God should

sin, (& it is impossible he should Hebrews 6.18. Habac. 1.13.) then he cannot deceiue which in true account is to sinne.

The first vse is, * 1.169 for the reproofe of those who are not followers of God, or Christ in what they say: for, (as it was said of the Pharises and Scribes, in Moses chaire) they say and doe not, Mat 23 3. they can promise by the ••ll, but pay by the inch: their mouthes talke of vanitie, and their hand is the hand of false∣hood, Psal. 144.8. their words and deeds fall out by the way: and many promise largely, yea, and shake hands vpon the same, who yet keepe no promise. May not such mens words well bee called winde? for, as when the winde blowes, we heare a sound but cannot hold the same: so when such promises are so made, wee heare a sound of words, but beside words, which wee cannot hold, there is no∣thing

to hold by, but a winde of promises that turnes with e∣uery weather: Gods promises are yea and Amen, 2. Cor. 1.20. theirs are yea and nay: not care∣ing how many they make, nor how few they keepe: but as Peter said to lying Ananias, while it remained, appertained it not to thee? Act. 5.4. so I say to thee before thou didst o∣pen thy mouth to thy neigh∣bour, was it not in thy power to promise, or not? but, ha∣uing promised, the power is gone from thee to the other: and not keeping promise, thou lyest both vnto God, and vnto man. God taketh hold of thy words, though man cannot: and let this teach vs to hold in, and not to speake rashly, lest as a riuer ouer flow∣ing, wee leaue much slime be∣hinde vs, the slime of many and great vntruthes. And further, let vs consider what we are in Gods booke by our many promises,

not kept; and so blot the booke by repentance, that they may not stand there against vs in the day of his Audit. * 1.170

The next vse is for comfort. For, is Christs word and deede one? then what Christ hath promised, concerning saluation, to beleeuers, is as good, as in hand: on the word of the Gos∣pell (therefore) wee must relie by faith in all quauerings of times and men; here Abraham held fast, Rom. 4.17, 18. and if wee will walke in the steps of his faith, wee must keepe his hold, and not let goe for any tempta∣tion. But some say, I could doe so, if Christ would speake to me, as God did to Abraham; but art thou a beleeuer? in speaking to beleeuers, Iohn 3.16. he spea∣keth to thee; and when God spake to Abraham, hee spake to all that should bee of his faith. In the person of Abraham, hee speakes to vs as Christ exhort∣ing

to a spirituall watch, saith, What I say to you, I say to all Mar. 13.37. And therefore, let no beleeuer go away, as vnspoken vnto, when all are called; and are they called to send them emptie away? no, but hungring for him, hee will fill them with good things, Luke 1.53. Quest. But how shall wee know that? Answ. He hath made pro∣mise to all in couenant with him, vnder the ••eale of an oath, that hee will bee true vnto them, * 1.171 Heb 6.17. and ratifie what hee hath said; besides, hee hath left it written in the Gospell, and sealed it in the Sacraments; and will he denie his word, and hand vnto it?

The circumstance in the text of S. Marke, omitted by S. Matthew, followeth.

Marke 7. VERSE 30.

When shee was come to her house, &c.

CHrist doth not wholly and at once, heale this woman, but keepes some part of her health in his owne hands: and it was, that the benefit of it might tarry longer in the memo∣rie, both of the one and other; from whence•• gather that God will not giue all his health and good together. * 1.172 The Samaritane did not restore the wounded man before his departure, but left something to be done till his comming againe, Luke 10.34.35. S. Paul prayed earnestly, and often against an old infir∣mitie, which (yet) was not

wholy remoued, (though much amended) and continued with some pricke of remembrance, 2 Cor. 12.7, 8, 9. Iacob (also) had a worthie victorie, yet with a remembrance in his thigh, Gen. 32, 28.31. * 1.173 The rea∣sons: the first, it is for our grea∣ter good, and Gods greater glo∣rie: for our greater good; that wee may not commit the sinne, of the vnthankefull; which is to sleight a benefit, when it comes easilie, and at once: and for Gods greater glorie, that hee may haue more, (and lon∣ger) thankes. Now, God will haue vs to profit by his benefits as well as by his corrections; which is a benefit with a bles∣sing. Secondly, the harder wee come by a thing, the better wee will regard it: and (here) if health, or libertie, or comfort, come by degrees, wee will better respect them, than if they should come instantly, and at our first

prayers: and God will not haue any of his good gifts negle∣cted:

The vse is for instruction, * 1.174 di∣uers waies; where first it teach∣eth, that God will haue his goodnesse to tarry long in our memories; hereupon the Pro∣phet summons his soule to this dutie; praise the Lord O my soule, and forget not all his benefits, Psal. 103.2. He knew that God con∣ferred them to bee remembred, Psal. 111.4. and that the forget∣ting of them, was the next way to lose them, and him that gaue them: for he said to Israel, that had forgotten, and was vn∣thankfull for so many deliue∣rances; yee haue forsaken mee, and serued other Gods: there∣fore I will deliuer you no more, Iudg. 10.13. Secondly, this tea∣cheth Christians to prouide for the memoriall of Gods louing kindnesse, and of the mercies hee hath shewed them. So did

Samuel, when hee pitched that stone of help••e betweene Miz∣peh and Shen, 1. Sam. 7.12. God had wrought himselfe much in their many deliueran∣ces; and he called the name of the place, Eben-ezer, saying; hitherto the Lord hath holpen vs. Dauid kept a day-booke of Gods goodnesse in the like kinde, and filled his Register; that wee may doe as Samuel and Dauid (two excellent leaders) did, wee must (first) call Gods benefits to our minde, and com∣mon with our selues, when to doe it, & wherein, Psal. 116.12. Secondly, we must set a fit price vpon them, and thirdly, put them ouer to good vse; for, practise (here) is the best mem••∣ry, and they best remember Gods kindenesse, that best v••e it; for the first, it was com∣mended to the Church in a Psalme, or song; where the Lord would haue the Israel of

his fauour to draw downe the line of his praise, from the fa∣thers to the children; and (ther∣fore) often to speake of his mar∣uellous workes, Psal. 78.3, 4, from the youth of the Church to the age of it, this must bee done, Psal. 129.1, 2. For the se∣cond; Iacob confessing that hee was lesse than any of Gods mer∣cies, or than all, Gen. 32.10. and Dauid, when hee said; who and I, or what fit subiect for so worthie blessings, (such as there were spoken of,) 1. Chro. 29.14. did (both of them) set a good rate vpon euery mercie that came. And for the third, (which is the good vse, and best memoriall of euery blessing,) it is our thankefulnesse for it: as, when God giues health after some long sicknesse, plenty after some great dearth, and peace af∣ter warre; then to walke hum∣bly, in these fauours, with him, is to praise him for his mercies.

Lastly, this teacheth vs patience, when any affliction is long vp∣on vs: for, God excerciseth his best children, either with sus∣pending his helpes, or with hel∣ping them, but in some sort, and by degrees. Some breake out, if they be not free from all trou∣bles, & from al at once: but Gods chidren hold in, knowing that his method in curing of troubles, is to remoue them; not as is most desired, but as is most fitting: & thus God, in pulling his Church out of Babylon, left them not without enemies, euen in Ierusa∣lem, Nehem. 4.1, 2, 3, 4. therefore, Gods children must not bee too hastie, because they see not their hope where they looke to receiue it, but wait vpon God, and hope in him, Psal. 37.7.

The second vse is for reproofe of those who will bee their owne loaders in the carriage of their burdens, bearing as much, * 1.175 and as long as they thinke good, or,

with Iehorams Messenger, they will wait vpon God no longer, 2 King. 6.33. What they aske; and all they desire they must pre∣sently haue, or (like little chil∣dren) they waxe pettish, and no∣thing can please them: So the Iewes impatient of Gods yoke, would needs make the reed of Aeg••pt their stay, Ier. 43.3, 4.5, 6, 7. either God must heare them as they will, or they will bee heard where they should not. And i•• God will not answer Saul, the deuill shall, 1 Sam. 28.6.14, 15. Many (at this day) fall into these p••euish fittes, if God do not heare them as they would them∣selues: if in some sicknesse they be not made all whole, all's lost; and that little which is wanting doth more trouble them, than that which is restored doth giue satisfaction: we reade of no such repining in this woman, though when she came home, shee found her daughter laid vpon the bed: that

is, not thorowly well, but weake∣ly so.

The last vse is for consolation. * 1.176 In this woman, and in many of Gods seruants, wee see, that God doth not presently, and at once take away all that troubles them, but at times, and at part: and (therefore) if the like befall vs, (and why may it not?) wee may say with S. Paul, that no tempta∣tion hath taken vs, but what is common to man, 1 Cor. 10.13. and with S. Peter, that no strange thing hath hapned to vs, .1 Pet. 4.12. for the best of Saints haue troden the way of such suffer∣ings: & if we haue changes, they haue complained of armies, or of a great muster of them, in their daies, Ioh. 10.17. If God cast vs in∣to an ague, (that might cast vs in∣to hell,) & not suddenly pull vs out of it, who may euer hold vs in torments that shall neuer end, we are vn reasonably cast downe; where rather, and contrarily,

we should bee much comforted, that God doth iudge vs in a small ague, who might iudge vs in hell. If we feele but a little, who haue deserued so much, how vn∣thankefull are we, if wee cannot reioyce in a light and momen∣taine change? rather, let vs raise our spirits, euen in long troubles, (for what are they to the long time of eternitie?) much more, in some reliks of trouble, let vs be so minded. If one forgiue vs the whole debt of some thou∣sands, and put vs to pay but a trifle (which we may easily doe) would we not willinglie pay that little? it is lesse that God puts vs vnto, in respect of the least sinne: & here, the deuill may not only, for a short time, be in vs, but in vs, & round about vs for euer: and shall this trouble vs, that (the Deuill gone out) we are laid vpon our beds?

Notes

• * 1.1

  Doct. 1.
• * 1.2

  Reasons.
• * 1.3

  Vse 1.
• * 1.4

  Vse 2.
• * 1.5

  Doct. 2
• * 1.6

  Reasons,
• * 1.7

  Vse
• * 1.8

  Doct. 3.
• * 1.9

  Reasons.
• * 1.10

  Vse 1.
• * 1.11

  Doct.
• * 1.12

  Reasons.
• * 1.13

  Vse
• * 1.14

  Doctr.
• * 1.15

  Reasons.
• * 1.16

  Vse 1.
• * 1.17

  Vse 2.
• * 1.18

  Doct.
• * 1.19

  Reasons.
• * 1.20

  Ʋse 1.
• * 1.21

  Vse 2.
• * 1.22

  Doct. 1.
• * 1.23

  Reas.
• * 1.24

  Ʋse 1.
• * 1.25

  Vse 2.
• * 1.26

  Doct. 2
• * 1.27

  Reasons.
• * 1.28

  Vse 1.
• * 1.29

  Vse 2.
• * 1.30

  Doct. 3.
• * 1.31

  Reas.
• * 1.32

  Vse.
• * 1.33

  Doct. 1.
• * 1.34

  Reasons,
• * 1.35

  Vse 1.
• * 1.36

  Vse 2.
• * 1.37

  Reasons.
• * 1.38

  Ʋse 1.
• * 1.39

  Vse 2.
• * 1.40

  Doctr.
• * 1.41

  Reasons.
• * 1.42

  Vse
• * 1.43

  Doct.
• * 1.44

  Reasons,
• * 1.45

  Vse
• * 1.46

  Doct.
• * 1.47

  Reasons.
• * 1.48

  Vse 2.
• * 1.49

  Vse 3.
• * 1.50

  Doctr.
• * 1.51

  Reasons.
• * 1.52

  Vse
• * 1.53

  Doctr. 1
• * 1.54

  Reasons.
• * 1.55

  Vse 1
• * 1.56

  Vse 2
• * 1.57

  Vse 3
• * 1.58

  Doct. 2.
• * 1.59

  Ʋse 1.
• * 1.60

  Vse 2.
• * 1.61

  Vse 3.
• * 1.62

  Doct. 3
• * 1.63

  Reasons.
• * 1.64

  Ʋse 1.
• * 1.65

  Vse 2.
• * 1.66

  Vse 3
• * 1.67

  Doct.
• * 1.68

  Reasons.
• * 1.69

  Vse
• * 1.70

  Doct.
• * 1.71

  Reasons.
• * 1.72

  Vse 1
• * 1.73

  Vse 2.
• * 1.74

  Vse 3
• * 1.75

  Doctr.
• * 1.76

  Reasons.
• * 1.77

  Vse 1
• * 1.78

  Vse 2.
• * 1.79

  Doct.
• * 1.80

  Reasons.
• * 1.81

  Vse
• * 1.82

  Doctr.
• * 1.83

  Reason••.
• * 1.84

  Ʋse 1.
• * 1.85

  Vse 2.
• * 1.86

  Vse 3.
• * 1.87

  Doc••••, 1
• * 1.88

  Reasons.
• * 1.89

  Vse 1.
• * 1.90

  Vse 2.
• * 1.91

  Doct: 2
• * 1.92

  Reasons.
• * 1.93

  Vse 1
• * 1.94

  Vse 2.
• * 1.95

  Doct. 3
• * 1.96

  Reasons.
• * 1.97

  Vse 1
• * 1.98

  Vse 2.
• * 1.99

  Doctr.
• * 1.100

  Reasons.
• * 1.101

  Ʋse 1.
• * 1.102

  Vse 2
• * 1.103

  Doctr. 1
• * 1.104

  Reasons.
• * 1.105

  Vse 1.
• * 1.106

  Vse 2.
• * 1.107

  Doct: 2
• * 1.108

  Reasons.
• * 1.109

  Vse
• * 1.110

  Doctr.
• * 1.111

  Reasons.
• * 1.112

  Vse 1.
• * 1.113

  Vse 2.
• * 1.114

  Vse 3
• * 1.115

  Doctr. 2
• * 1.116

  Reasons.
• * 1.117

  Vse 1
• * 1.118

  Vse 2.
• * 1.119

  Doct. 3
• * 1.120

  Reasons.
• * 1.121

  Vse 1
• * 1.122

  Vse 2.
• * 1.123

  Doct: 4
• * 1.124

  Reasons.
• * 1.125

  Ʋse I.
• * 1.126

  Vse 2
• * 1.127

  Doctr.
• * 1.128

  Reasons.
• * 1.129

  Vse 1.
• * 1.130

  Vse 2
• * 1.131

  Vse 3
• * 1.132

  Doctr. 1.
• * 1.133

  Reasons.
• * 1.134

  Vse 1.
• * 1.135

  Vse 2.
• * 1.136

  Doctr. 2
• * 1.137

  Reasons.
• * 1.138

  Ʋse 1.
• * 1.139

  Vse 2
• * 1.140

  Vse 3
• * 1.141

  Reasons.
• * 1.142

  Vse 1.
• * 1.143

  Vse 2.
• * 1.144

  Vse 3
• * 1.145

  Doct. 2
• * 1.146

  Reasons.
• * 1.147

  Vse 1
• * 1.148

  Vse 2
• * 1.149

  Psal 9.10.
• * 1.150

  Doctr.
• * 1.151

  Reasons.
• * 1.152

  Vse 1.
• * 1.153

  Vse 2
• * 1.154

  Doctr. 1
• * 1.155

  Reasons.
• * 1.156

  Vse 1.
• * 1.157

  Vse 2.
• * 1.158

  Doctr. 2.
• * 1.159

  Reasons.
• * 1.160

  Ʋse 1.
• * 1.161

  Vse 2.
• * 1.162

  Vse 3
• * 1.163

  Doctr.
• * 1.164

  Reasons.
• * 1.165

  Vse 1.
• * 1.166

  Vse 2
• * 1.167

  Doctr.
• * 1.168

  Reasons.
• * 1.169

  Ʋse 1.
• * 1.170

  Ʋse 2
• * 1.171

  Ezech 16.8.
• * 1.172

  Doct.
• * 1.173

  Reasons.
• * 1.174

  Vse 1.
• * 1.175

  Vse 2.
• * 1.176

  Vse 3