ing their hands before meat, that they looked upon it as highly criminal to neg lect it as to lie with a whore. One of them being in prison, and not having water enough to drink and to wash his hands too, chose rather to die with thirst than to transgress the tradition of the elders.

3 But he answered and said unto

them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tra dition? 4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. 5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; 6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.

Observe, 1. Our Saviour's unwearied diligence in going about to do good: he which our Saviour brings in against the Observe here, 1. The heavy charge no sooner landeth, but he goeth to Pharisees; namely, for violating an express Gennesaret, and healeth their sick. Observe, 2. The people's charity to their sick traditions before it: you make void the command of God, and preferring their own neighbours, in sending abroad to let all the country know that Christ the great Observe, 2. The command which our Sa commandments of God by your traditions. Physician was come amongst them. Obviour instances in, as violated by them; it serve, 3. Where lay the healing virtue; not in their finger but in their faith; or rather in Christ, whom their faith appre

hended.

is the fifth commandment, which requires children to relieve their parents in their necessity. Now though the Pharisees did not deny this in plain terms, yet they made an exception from it, which, if children had a mind, rendered it void and useless. For the Pharisees taught that in case any would give a gift to the temple, which gift they called Corban, and of which they them

selves had a great share; that then children were discharged from making any farther provision for their poor, aged, or impotent parents; and might say unto them after this manner, That which thou askest for thy supply, is given to God, and therefore I cannot relieve thee. So that covetous and graceless children looked upon it as the most frugal way, once for all to give to the temple, rather than pay the constant rent of daily relief to their poor parents. Learn, That no duty, gift, or offering to God is accepted, where the duty of charity is neglected. It is more acceptable to God, to refresh the bowels of his saints, who are the living temples of the Holy Ghost, than to adorn material temples with gold and silver.

The former part of this chapter acquaints us with a great contest between our Saviour and the Pharisees about their traditions and old customs, which they valued more than the commandments of God: they accused the disciples for eating bread with unwashed hands, which, though it were in itself but a decent custom, the Pharisees made it a religious rite; for which reason our Saviour and his disciples would not observe it. Whence we learn, That what is in itself and may without offence be done as a civil custom, ought to be discountenanced and opposed when men require it of us as a religious act, or place religion in it. The 7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias Pharisees placed so much religion in wash-prophesy of you, saying, 8 This

people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

12 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after 13 But they heard this saying? he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. 14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

Our Saviour reproves the hypocritical Pharisees for these things: 1. That they preferred human traditions before the divine precepts. 2. That by their human traditions they made void the worship of God. It is God's undoubted prerogative to prescribe all the parts of his own worship; and whosoever presumes to add thereunto, they worship him in vain. Our Saviour farther shows, that all this proceeded from the insincerity of their hearts: This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Whence learn, 1. That the removing of the heart far from God in worship is a great sin, and an high degree of hypocrisy. 2. That whatever outward show and profession of religion men make, if their hearts be not right with God, and what they do proceed not from an inward principle of love and obedience to God, they are under the reign and power of hypocrisy Ye hypocrites, in vain do you worship me. Learn, 3. That we must not be forward, from Christ's example, to pronounce men hypocrites; because we have neither that authority nor knowledge of the heart which Christ had, to authorize us so to do. Christ here called the Pharisees hypocrites; 1. Because they placed holiness and religion in ceremonies of human invention. 2. Because, being so superstitiously careful to avoid bodily pollutions, they left their hearts within full of hypo-blind leaders of the blind: leaders and fol crisy and iniquity.

10 And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: 11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

Our blessed Saviour, leaving the Pharisees with some dislike, applies himself to the multitude, and shows them the true spring and original fountain of all spiritual pollution and uncleanness; namely, the filthiness and impurity of man's heart and nature, when boiling in the heart, the scum runs out at the mouth: whereby informing the multitude, that not that which is eaten, but that which is spoken, defiles a man: not the meat eaten with the mouth,

but the wickedness of the heart vented by the mouth, pollutes a person in God's

account.

Observe here, 1. How the disciples wonder that our Saviour did so little regard the displeasure of the Pharisees, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended? Although nothing vexed the Pharisees more than the discovery of their false doctrine before the multitude, yet our Saviour did not stick to detect their errors, and to declare the truth, let the effects of their displeasure be what they would: sinful, manpleasing is fruitless and endless. Observe, 2. Our Lord's answer, which shows a double reason why he thus slighted the offence taken by the Pharisees. 1. He compares the Pharisees' doctrine and tradition to noisome weeds in the church, planted there not by God, but themselves; and consequently shall certainly be rooted up. In matters of religion, if men will act according to the dictates of their own fancies, and not walk by the rule of God's word, they may please themselves perhaps, but they can never please their Maker. Divine institution is the only sure rule of religious worship. 2. Christ compares the Pharisees themselves to blind guides. They are

lowers both blind, who will certainly and suddenly fall into the ditch of temporal and eternal destruction. Learn, 1. That ignorant, erroneous, and unfaithful ministers, are the heaviest judgments that can befall a people. 2. That the following of such teachers and blind guides will be no excuse to people another day, much less free them from the danger of eternal destruc

tion.

15 Then answered Peter, and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable. 16 And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? 17 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? 18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the

The disciples desiring the interpretation of the foregoing parable, our Saviour gives it them; but withal expostulates with them, that they did not understand a thing so obvious and plain: Are ye yet without understanding? As if he had said, "Have ye sat thus long under my ministerial teaching, and enjoyed the benefit of my company and conversation, and yet are no farther proficients in knowledge?" Whence learn, That our Lord expects a proficiency in knowledge from us, answerable to the opportunities and means of knowledge enjoyed by us. Next he gives them the sense and signification of the parable; telling them, that it is out of a sinful heart that all sin proceeds: the heart is the cage or nest, which is full of these unclean birds, and from whence they take their flight. Though the occasions of sin are from without, yet the source and original of sin is from within. Learn, That the heart of man is the sink and seed-plat of all sin, and the fountain of all pollution; the life could not be so bad, if the heart were not worse: all the irregularity of our lives flows from the impurity of our hearts and natures.

21 Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. 22 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.

Observe here, The constant employment of our Saviour: he went about doing good,|| from place to place. In the borders of Tyre and Sidon he finds a faithful woman of the race of the Canaanites, who becomes an humble supplicant to Christ, while the Jews neglected so great salvation. Yea, she not only speaks, but cries unto him. Were we duly affected with our spiritual wants, we could speak to God in no other language than that of cries and tears; nothing but cries can pierce heaven. Observe, 2. Though all Israel could not example the faith of this Canaanite, yet was her daughter tormented with a devil. Learn, That neither truth nor strength of faith

can secure us either against Satan's inward temptations, or outward vexations; and consequently, the worst of bodily afflictions are no sufficient proof of divine displeasure. Observe, 3. The daughter did not come to Christ for herself, but the mother for her. Perhaps the child was not sensible of its own misery, but the good mother feels both the child's sorrow and her own. True goodness teaches us to appropriate the afflictions of others to ourselves; it causes us to bear their griefs, and to sympathize with them in their sorrows.

23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

Strange! that a miserable supplicant should cry and sue, whilst the God of mercy is speechless. What is the fountain of mercy dried up? O Saviour! we have oft found cause to wonder at thy words, but never till now at thy silence. Learn hence, That Christ doth sometimes delay to return an answer to a well qualified prayer. Sometimes his people do not pray earnestly enough; sometimes they pray too earnestly for some outward and temporal mercy; sometimes the mercy they pray for is not good for them, or may be it is not yet good for them. Let us not then judge of God's hearing prayer by his present answer.

24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Observe, When our Saviour doth answer, he gives not one word of comfort, but rather a repulse. Christ has oftentimes love in his heart to his people, when they can read none in his countenance, nor gather it from his discourse. Ob

serve, The answer itself: Christ says not, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Adam, but, to the lost sheep of İsrael. The Jews are compared unto sheep, the Gentiles unto dogs. Christ insinuates, that though she were a lost sheep of Adam, yet not being one of the lost sheep of Israel, he could do nothing for her. It was a common saying among the Jews, "That the nations of the world were likened to dogs, whereas they were God's sons and daughters."

25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.

Yet hath not this poor woman done; Christ's former silence, and his present denial, cannot silence her. She comes,

blind, the deaf, and the dumb, to Christ: their charity, in lending eyes to the blind, and a tongue to the dumb; who could neither come to Christ themselves, nor speak for themselves. Every man has a tongue to speak for himself, happy is he that has a tongue to pray and intercede for The disciples observing her behaviour, others; this charity did the people exermight have been ready to say, O woman, cise here. Observe also, Their faith; they great is thy patience, great is thy humility: laid the lame and blind down at Jesus' feet but, says Christ, Great is thy faith he relying upon his power, and believing his sees the root, we the branches. Nothing willingness to help and heal them. Obbut faith could thus temper the heart, thus serve farther, The effects of this miracle strengthen the soul, thus charm the tongue. upon the multitude; it was two-fold: 1. O powerful grace of faith, which Christ They were struck with admiration and himself could no longer withstand, but wonder, to see such cures wrought as excries out as a person overcome by the pre-ceeded the course of nature, and the power valency of it, O woman, great is thy faith. Note, That no grace ever goes away from

derful work of power and mercy wrought || of their faith, whether such a multitude as by that God whom Israel worshipped. four thousand could be fed with so small a Whence we learn, That the miraculous provision as seven loaves. Now our Saworks of Christ, which he wrought before|viour, to convince them how easily he could the multitude, were obvious to their senses; do that thing which they had judged imand did constrain the beholders (if not possible, distributes the bread by them: blinded with pharisaical obstinacy) to ac- making use of their own eyes and hands, knowledge the power of God communicated for their conviction and satisfaction. Thus to Christ, and to praise him for it: The Christ, to shame the unbelief of his discimultitude marvelled, and glorified God. ples, makes them not only spectators but actors in that work which they judged to be impossible to be effected.

32 Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have coinpassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way. 33 And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a

multitude? 34 And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes. 35 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. 36 And he took the seven Loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, aud the disciples to the multitude.

Here we have the second miracle of Christ's compassionate feeding the hungry multitude. Chapter xiv. we read of five thousand fed with five loaves and two fishes; here Christ feeds four thousand with seven loaves and a few small fishes. Where observe, That Christ fed fewest when he had inost provision; when he had seven loaves he fed but four thousand;

37 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full. 38 And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children. 39 And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala.

They did all eat, not a crumb or bit, but to fulness and satisfaction; yet seven baskets remain; answering the number of the loaves, as the twelve baskets in the former miracle answered the twelve apostles; in both, more is left than was at first set on : it is hard to say, which was the greater miracle, the miraculous eating or miracu

lous leaving. If we consider what they eat, we may justly wonder that they left any thing; if what they left, that they eat any thing. Observe, lastly, Christ would not have these fragments lost, but gathered up: the great Housekeeper of the world will not allow the loss of his orts. O how dreadful will the account of those be, who have large and plentiful estates to answer for as lost, being spent upon their lusts in riot and excess. Dr. Fuller.

CHAP. XVI.

THE Pharisees also, and the Sad

when he had five loaves he fed five thousand. Thus the wisdom and power of ducees, came, and, tempting, deChrist is glorified by him as he pleases. sired him that he would shew them The feeding of one thousand with one loaf, was as true a miracle as the feeding seven a sign from heaven. 2. He answerthousand. Our Saviour did put forth the ed and said unto them, When it is power of his Godhead in working miracles, evening, ye say, It will be fair wea after what manner seemed best to his own ther; for the sky is red: 3 And in wisdom. Observe farther, A double action the morning, It will be foul weather performed by our Saviour: He gave to-day; for the sky is red and lowerthanks; that is, he prayed for a blessing upon the food. Teaching us our duty, that ing. O ye hypocrites, ye can disif the Son of God did look up to heaven, cern the face of the sky; but can and bless his food, we should not sit down ye not discern the signs of the to our food as a beast to his fodder, without times? 4 A wicked and adulterous craving a blessing upon it. The next ac- generation seeketh after a sign; and tion was, He gave to his disciples. But why did he distribute the loaves by the hands there shall no sign be given unto it, of his disciples? Answ. Because the dis- but the sign of the prophet Jonas. ciples questioned, through the weakness | And he left them, and departed. VOL L-11