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| THE PREREQUISITE OF HUMILITY Matthew 15:21-28 Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying; Send her away; for she crieth after us. But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshiped him, saying, Lord, help me. But the answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour. |
REVIEW Here we have that famous story of Christ’s casting the devil out of the woman of Canaan’s daughter; it has something in it singular and very surprising, and which looks favorably upon the poor Gentiles, and is an earnest of that mercy which Christ had in store for them. She cried to Christ, as one in earnest. She relates her misery; My daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. The vexations of children are the trouble of parents. Tender parents very sensibly feel the miseries of those that are pieces of themselves. Because she came in faith, he did not reject her. Mercy is the thing she begs; and pleads not merit. Sometimes God seems not to regard his people’s prayers, but it is to prove, and so to improve, their faith. The disciples, though wishing she might have what she came for, yet therein consulted rather their own ease than the poor woman’s satisfaction: Send her away, with a cure for she crieth after us, and is troublesome to us. Christ’s answer to the disciples quite dashed her expectations; “I am not sent, but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” He not only doesn’t answer her, but he argues against her, and stops her mouth with a reason. When she continued, he not only gave her a repulse, but a seeming reproach too. It is not meet to take the children’s bread and to cast it to dogs. This seems to cut her off from all hope, and might have driven her to despair, if she had not had a very strong faith indeed. She breaks through all discouragements. Then came she, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. She continued to pray. What Christ said, silenced the disciples; you hear no more of them; they took the answer, but the woman did not. She fears lest she had not been humble and reverent enough, and therefore now she came, and worshipped him; or she fears that she had not been earnest enough, and therefore now she cries. A lively, active faith will make that to before us, which seems to be against us. Her humility and necessity made her glad of crumbs. Those who are conscious to themselves that they deserve nothing will be thankful for anything. O woman, great is thy faith. It is her faith that he commends. There were several other graces which shone bright in her conduct of this affair—wisdom, humility, meekness, patience, perseverance in prayer; but these were the product of her faith. When our will conforms to the will of Christ’s precept, his will concurs with the will of our desire. Her daughter was made whole from that very hour; the mother’s faith prevailed for the daughter’s cure. He spake, and it was done. |
| THE REQUIREMENT OF DETERMINATION Luke 18:1-5 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to prayer, and not to faint; Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: and there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward h said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. | REVIEW It is our privilege and honour that we may pray. When we are praying for strength against our spiritual enemies, our lusts and corruptions, we must continue instant in prayer, must pray and not faint, for we shall not seek God’s face in vain. Christ shows, by a parable, the power of importunity among men. The bad character of the judge. He was a perfect stranger both to godliness and honor. Such a prevalency of irreligion and inhumanity is bad in any, but very bad in a judge .The distressed case of a poor widow. She had manifestly right on her side; but, it should seem, she tied not herself to the formalities of the law, but made personal application to the judge from day to day. According to his usual practice, he took no notice of her cause; for she had no bribe to give him, so that he did not at all incline to redress her grievances. Because this widow troubleth me I will hear her cause, and do her justice, lest by her clamour to me she weary me; for she is resolved that she will give m no rest till it is done, and therefore I will do it, to save myself further trouble; as good at first as at last. Thus she go justice done her by continual craving. |
| THE FULFILLMENT OF EXPECTATION Luke 18:6-8 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth. |
REVIEW
God’s own elect meet with a great deal of trouble and opposition in this world. We ought to be particular in praying against our spiritual enemies, like this importunate widow. God’s praying people are his own elect, whom he knows, and loves. The people of God are many. Saints on earth besiege the throne of grace with their united prayers. We come to a Father that bids us come boldly to him. God is himself engaged in the cause which we are soliciting. We have an Advocate with the Father, his own Son, who ever lives to make intercession for us. We have a promise that it shall be given to us. We may cry to God day and night, at all hours. Our importunity is pleasing to God, and therefore we may hope, shall avail much, it be an effectual fervent prayer.
Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? The question implies a strong “No, he will not find faith; he himself foresees it.” It supposes that faith is the great thing that Jesus Christ looks for. Is supposes that if there were faith, though ever so little, he would find it out. It is foretold that, when Christ comes he will find but little faith. In general, he will find but few good people. Many that have the form and fashion of godliness, but few that have faith are sincere and honest. In particular, he will find few that have faith concerning his coming. It intimates that Christ may, and will, delay his coming so long as that, First, Wicked people will begin to defy it, and his delay will harden them in their wickedness. Secondly, Even his own people will begin to despair of it. But this is our comfort, that, when the time appointed comes, it will appear that the unbelief of man has not made the promise of God of no effect. |