dience to the Divine Commands, they infift only upon the Doctrines and Traditions of Men. 10. Then Jefus calling to him the common People, faid; Hearken, and understand what I fay. II. Eating with Hands not washed just 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? 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 destroyed and perifh together. 14. Let them alone, and do not trouble your felves about them. They are blind, ignorant, and proud * 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, them. you 15. Then faid Peter to Jefus; Explain 16. Jefus anfwered; Are ye who 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 of it * See Note only his Body; without having him better or worse. 18 & 19. But the things which which make a Man unclean and finful not at make a a man. 21 After 21 Then Jefus went thence, and departed into the coafts of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a Woman of Canaan came out of the fame coafts, and cried unto him, faying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou fon of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. 23 But he answered not a word. And his difciples came and befought him, faying, Send her away, for fhe crieth after us. 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 feemed at firft to defpife and neglect the Conftancy of this poor Gentile 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. 24. But Jefus faid: I am not now fent unto the Gentiles: The Design of my coming into the World is to make the firft Offers of Mercy to the Jews, who are the peculiar People of God; to convince them by my Miracles, and to reform them by my Preaching. 25. The Woman then came up to him, and kneeling down before him ; faid; Lord, do not reject me, but grant me this one Favour.. The Mercy of the Gospel was not to be offered to the Gentiles, till after Christ's Resurrection. VOL. I. H 26. Jefus 26. Jefus anfwered: 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. 28 Then Jefus unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was madewhole from that very 28. At this Anfwer, Jefus, as it were furprized and vanquished with the answered and faid greatnefs 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 themfelves; be it therefore done unto you, according to your Defire. And her Daughter was found to be healed at that very inftant. 29. 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. 30. And the People who had feen his former Miracles, gathered again about him, and brought to him all manner of diseased Perfons, whether they were lame, or blind, or dumb, or maimed, or whatever other Infirmity they laboured under; and he healed them every 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, maimed, and many others, and caft them. down at Jefus feet,. and he healed them: 31 Infomuch that the multitude wondred when they faw the dumb to fpeak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk,, and the blind top to fee: and they glorified the God of If rael. 32 Then Jefus called his difciples unto him, and faid, I have compaffion on 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 fo great a multitude? 34 And Jefus faith unto them, How many loaves have ye? and they faid,Seven, and a few little fishes. 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 disciples, and the difciples to the multitude. 37 And they did and were all eat, 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 so great a Prophet. 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. 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. 3738. 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 |