II. Eating with Hands not washed juft before, does not make a Man impure, as the Pharifees vainly teach. For real Purity and Impurity does not confift in outward cleanliness or uncleanlinefs of the Body, but they are inward and moral difpofitions of Mind. Every thing that God has created, is in its own nature pure; and * nothing that entreth into a Man's Mouth, and goeth down into his Stomach, can of it felf make him appear finful and unclean in the fight of God. They are thofe things only, which come out of a Man; Thoughts and Defires proceeding from his Heart and Mind; that can defile him in this Sense. 12. Then came the Disciples to Jefus, and faid; Do you not perceive that the Pharifees are angry and enraged at what you fay? And that they are likely to bring you into fome Danger, for speaking thus openly against their Traditions? be 13. But Jefus anfwered, faying: They may be angry and rage, but ye need not fear them; for both they and their Doctrines, not being from God, fhall be deftroyed and perifh together. 14. Let them alone, and do not trouble your felves about them. They blind, ignorant, and proud are * That is, no kind of Meat or Drink makes a Man a Sinner, tho' the quantity may, through Intemperance, which is a Vice of the Mind. Teachers: Teachers: They know not the Truth, 15. Then faid Peter to Jefus; Explain to us more fully what you have now faid, about the things that do or do not make Men unclean. 16. Jefus anfwered; Are ye who ought to teach others, fo dull yet and flow to understand a thing your felves, and that in fo manifeft and plain a Cafe? 17. Do ye not yet conceive, how whatever a Man eateth, goeth into his Stomach, and paffeth through his Body; and being wholly corporeal, affecteth * See Note only his Body; without having of it felf, merely for being of this or that kind, any effect upon the Man to make him better or worse. on Ver. 11. 18 & 19. But the things which ર. blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both fhall fall into the ditch. 15 Then anfwered Peter and faid unto him, Declare unto us this parable. 16 And Jesus said, Are ye alfo yet without understanding? that 17 Do not ye yet understand, whatsoever entereth in at the mouth, goeth into the belly, and is caft out into the draught? 18 But thofe things which proceed out of the mouth, come forth from the heart, and they defile the man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, falfe witnefs, blafphemies. 20 Thefe are the things which defile a man but to eat with unwafhen hands, defileth not a man. 21 After 21. After these things, Jefus retired to the Borders of the Country of Tyre and Sidon. 22. And while he was there, there came a Heathen Woman of that Country, and cryed after him, faying; Lord, I have heard of the many Miracles you have wrought, and the good Works you have done, and I believe you to be a Teacher fent from God: I beseech you, have pity upon me, and heal my Daughter, who lies now in my Houfe miferably afflicted with an evil Spirit. 23. Jefus, knowing the Woman's Faith, and intending to reproach the Obftinacy of the Jews Unbelief, by giving an evident Proof and Tryal of the Conftancy of this poor Gentile ; seemed at first to defpife and neglect her, by giving her no Anfwer at all: Infomuch, that his Difciples, wearied with her Importunity, defired him to fend her away with fome Answer or other, that they might not be trou bled with her continually following them. The Mercy of the Gospel was not to be offered to the Gentiles, till after Chrift's Refurrection. VOL. I. 26. Jefus H 26. Jefus answered: It is not fit to take that Bread which God has defigned for his own Children, and give it to the Dogs; I must not difpofe of thofe Favours to Gentiles and Strangers, which God has fent me to bestow among his own People the Jews. 27. The Woman replied: 'Tis true, Lord; Yet as the Dogs are every where fuffered, to eat the Crumbs that fall from their Master's Table; fo out of that bounteous Liberality, wherewith you difpenfe among the Jews the abundance of God's Mercy, I beg you would not deny me this one fmall Petition. 30. And the People who had feen his former Miracles, gathered again about him, and brought to him all manner of difeafed Perfons, whether they were lame, or blind, or dumb, or maimed, or whatever other Infirmity they laboured under; and he healed them every one. 28 Then Jefus 28. At this Anfwer, Jefus, as it were furprized and vanquished with the answered and faid greatness and conftancy of the Woman's Faith, faid; O Woman, very extraordinary is your Faith and Truft in God, far greater than I have ordinarily found even among the Jews themselves; be it therefore done unto you, according to your Defire. And her Daughter was found to be healed at that very inftant. After this, Jefus departed from the Borders of Tyre and Sidon, and returned towards the Lake of Galilee; and he went up, and fat upon the top of a Hill. 29. 3. Infomuch that the Multitude were aftonished beyond measure, feeing those that had been lame and maimed, to walk; those that had been blind, to fee; thofe that had been dumb, to 26 But he anfwered and said, It is not mete to take the childrens bread, and caft it to dogs. } 27 And the faid, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters table. 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. 29 And Jefus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the fea of Galilee, and went up into a mountain, and fat down there. 30 And great: multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, to to fee: and they glorified the God of If rael. on 32 Then Jefus called his difciples unto him, and faid, I have compaffion the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not fend them away fafting, left they faint in the way. 33 And his difciples fay unto him, Whence fhould we have fo much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude? 34 And Jefus faith unto them, How many loaves have ye? and they faid,Seven, and a few little fishes. fpeak; and all forts of Diseases healed with a Word. And they gave Praise and Glory to the God of Ifrael, who had fent amongst them fo great a Prophet. 35 And he commanded the multitude to fit down on the ground. 36 And he took the feven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his difciples, and the difciples to the multitude. all eat, 32. Then Jefus calling to him his Difciples, faid; I pity these poor People, who have nothing to eat: If I fhould fend them away fafting, fome that have far to go, would be in danger of fainting before they could get home. 37 And they did and were 33. The Difciples, forgetting how he had lately fed miraculously five thoufand Men, feemed furprized, and faid; Which way can we get Victuals enough in this defert place, to fatisfie fo great a multitude? 34. Jefus knowing his own Power, and what he intended to do, faid; How much have you amongst you? They answered; Only feven Loaves of Bread, and a few small Fishes. 35 36. Then Jefus, commanding the People to fit down in Ranks upon the Ground, took the Bread and Fish in his Hands; and when he had given Thanks to God and bleffed them, he brake and gave them to the Disciples, and the Disciples diftributed them to the multitude. 37 38. And though the Number of People that did eat, was not lefs than four thoufand Men, befides Women and Children; yet fuch was the efficacy of the Divine Power evidenced in the increase of the Bread and Fish, upon Chrift's giving his Bleffing; that not only all this Multitude had enough and were fatisfied, but there remained moreover as many H 2 Frage |
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