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 request 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 granted with the aduantage for bee it as thou wilt is a large ouerplus 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 greater matter and both the greater and lesse are yeelded to such a faith which is the pâ—â—â—ciple and câ—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 greedie persons and couetous that haue no faith in a true faith there is no vaine wishing or woulding 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 Doctr. 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 asked 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 repentant Malefactor asking no more but to bee remembred of Christ in his kingdome receiued answer that that day hee should bee with him in paradise Luke 23.42.42 thus more is giuen to our prayers than is asked asking as this woman did The reasons Reasons 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 Vse 1. 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 royally 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 liberally and doth not as some meates in the stomacke vpbraide the receiuers Iam. 1.5 or they offer manifest contempt to his bountie and goodnesse A comfort to humble sinners Vse 2 who finde in themselues no matter 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 rather 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 called 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 temptation 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 liberalitie 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 deuil is gone out of thy daughter 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 daughter 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 Doctr. 1 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 Abraham and writes it in his owne flesh and in the
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 1 Iohn ch 5. v. 4. This is the victory that ouercommeth the world euen our faith LONDON Printed by T. H. for Philemon Stephens and Chr. Meridith at the gilded Lyon in Pauls Church-yard 1632. TO The Noble Lady the Lady Harley the pious Consort of that religious Knight Sir Robert Harley of Brampton in Herefordshire Christian Lady I Present you here with some fruits of my age the root out of which they sprung standeth in that famous historie of a Woman of rare Faith and because a Woman therefore the fitter to be commended to you and this for the truths sake that dwelleth in you This truth is that noble Guest that takes vp lodging no where but in a heart such as is according to the faith of Gods elect Such a roome of speciall receit it hath found in you long a Chamber or roome trimmed for a Daughter of heauen so highly borne and for this you are the obseruation and speech of many of so many as know you and the grace of God in you which though now offered to the eye is not so much to shew what you are in a right vnderstanding as to set you further forward to the prize of that high calling at which you ayme and not at things by the way the ayme of those that delight to be blown vp with the winde of praise for what they doe well Worthy Madame you haue runne well few of your sexe and sort better Keepe on as you doe there is no standing till you be as your father in heauen would haue you to be perfect as he is Mat. 5.48 Here are the steps of faith in a woman a Canaanite treade in them and you are sure of your way In this you goe not alone and you haue a worthy Leader your dearest Husband is he who being the guide of your life and to your precious faith a most able coadiutor doth by his godly precedence chalke you the way for your safter going on And if I shall by the blessing of God vpon that which is here done bee vouchsafed worthy to adde though the least graine of improuement to the aright ordering of your steps in this way of faith I shall thinke my labour and desires very happy and the same highly aduanced And now for this and for the sweet children of your body likewise for the Parent of them your most louing Husband and my most kinde Patron I doe and still pray who am Your good Ladiships very greatly bounden for the seruice of your faith Robert Horn. March 27. 1632. from Ludlow Errata PAge 8 line 26 reade make crosses inough p 11 l 14 r they haue p 12 l 21 r out of Egypt p 17 l 17 t knowne p 30 l 24 r did not forget p 35 l 8 r feed p 41 l 21 r teach p 56 l 16 r whom p 113 l 8 r in Christ p 121 l 20 r their p 123 l 23 r and not hold p 136 l 16 r strange Starre p 148 l 3 â— patience helpe to p 149 l 23 r ouer our p 152 l 5 r obsecration p 157 l 3 r one p 159 l 21 r with their p 172 l 10 r blessed song p 178 l 9 r loth l 10 r she sits downe l 18 r saith p 179 l 9 r to weet p 180 l 12 r with l 13 r with p 190 l 17 18 r who in a sâ—rt p 204 l 21 r enlarged p 207 l 17 r a sheep p 209 l 11 r promise is p 225 l 10 r tale p 230 l 7 r but all p 235 l 15 r thank p 237 l 2. r priuiledge l 4 r life Christ saith p 242 l 17 r heart p 253 l 15 r then p 263 l 28 r beleeues p 275 l 12 r fight p 278 l 5 r detraction p 287 l 3 r onely that Matth. 15.21 with Mark 7.24 c. Then Iesus went thence departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon MATTHEVV Marke doe both of them make a remarkable report 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 singular 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 woman a Cananite the weakest sexe and the wickedest nation and here we haue Iacobs hold in Canaan Gen. 32.26 or the victory of faith in a woman a Cananite 1 Ioh. 5.4 and in the whole of the historie wee may obserue the occasions and subject 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 grieuously 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 inuention to keepe him and not his doctrine onely but the miracles he did displeased them therfore from them from thence that is from the land of Genesareth where he was hee departed to the furthest part of Galile in the skirts of Tyre and Sidon And so went farre enough from them Doct. 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 appointement 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 offerings 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 abhorred them Psal 78.40.41.58.59 at another time they prouoked him with their inuentions it is said
this holy woman and to set it as a prick in their sides but they wil not be gotten in the afternoones of the Sabbath 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 comming 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 consequently an impelling occasion of the conference had with him and this made her to come readily 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 Daughter yet the shield of Faith in her right hand warded off the temptation 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 confession 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 Daughter yet shee bore all quietly as we heard and in her faith attended with hope went boldly to Christ for helpe Doct. 1. From hence we are taught that the nature 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 vnto him Herevpon Christ inuiteth 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 boldly say that he would follow him into prison and vnto death Luc. 22.33 Saint Paul being faithfull was so well prouided against 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 Reas The reasâ—ns Faith is our eye into heauen the spirituall eye where with we see those innumerable pleasures 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 sâ—pter of reed for the heauiest afflictions of this life sâ—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 Secondly where faith is all troubles are swallowed vp in victorie 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 thousand Cant. 5.10 and what faithfull soule so contracted will desire to be loosed againe and not rather long for the mariage day Philip. 1.23 A good mariage would not bee brokenâ— for any thing and should any troubles then breake betweene Christians and such an husband and if they should not they shall not in those that are Christians indeed S. Paul a notable Christian 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 Vse 1. as persons of no faith who are readie to cast off Christ for euery crosse If you would know an hypocrite looke in the face of him that is wearie of his profession 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 shâ—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 pleÌ„â—y of all things And this was the song in Ieremias daies taken vp by a desperate people who opposing the Prophet 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 wanted all things V. 17.18 This woman endured a greater matter than some restraint of victualls yet did she not mislike her profession for it but for it pinned faster vpon Christ and they who haue seene him that is invisible Heb. 11.27 will doe no lesse The messenger whom Iehoram sent to Eliâ—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 otherwaies blame God or religion but sparingly
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 pleasures keepe vs downe our profit keepes vs vnder Either couetousnes 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 espoused to them we forget wee haue another husband The 3. vse is for instruction Vse 3 teaching how much Christ humbled 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 Christian 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 himselfe 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 practise 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 nothing 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 another 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 Doct. And so wee learne that Christ Man was of all men the noblest Man For one way hee was the Sonne of God and another 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 Marie 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 preached 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 soueraignety 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 kingdoms 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 Reasons 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 promised 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 Vse teaching that it is no disparagement to bee a Christian seeing that Christ after whom they bee called and of whom they are followers if true Christians was in both natures so high and nobly descended For is it any disparagement to be the Kings follower 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 disparagement so it may bee for our great incouragement to follow him as Christians indeed For true Christians are Christs brothers 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 yâ—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