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of Men clash with the pofitive Laws of God: and it were easy to reckon up many more instances of the like nature.

After this, he call'd the Multitude that followed him to hear his Doctrine, and faid to them: Hearken attentively to what I am about to fay, and feriously reflect upon it. There is nothing without the man that can poffibly defile him, that is, make him lefs good, and lefs acceptable to God: 'Tis the evil Thoughts and Difpofitions flowing from within that can only be faid to pollute him. Let all that are convinc'd it is their duty to use the Faculties God has bestowed upon them in an impartial fearch after Truth, attend to what I fay to them, and they shall easily understand the truth of it, and with what purpose it was fpoken.

Afterwards, having difmifs'd the Multitude, and being alone with his Apoftles, he was put in mind by them that the Pharifees were very much offended at his Doctrine, which feem'd to tend to the abrogating all the Rites and Ceremonies about unclean Meats, which had been handed down to them from their Ancestors. In answer to which Jefus told them, that all those Plants which his Father had not

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planted;

MATTHEW.

CHA P. XV.

heavenly Father hath not planted, fhall be rooted up.

14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind; and if the blind lead the blind, both fhall fall into the ditch.

15 Then answered Peter, and laid unto him, Declare unto us this parable.

16 And Jefus faid, Are ye alfo yet without underftanding?

17 Do not ye yet underftand, that whatsoever entreth in at the mouth,

goeth into the belly, and is caft out into the draught?

18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth, come forth from the heart, and they defile the man.

MARK.

CHAP. VII.

his disciples asked him concerning the parable.

18 And he faith unto them, Are ye fo without underAtanding alfo?

Do ye not perceive, that whatfoever thing from without entreth into the man, it cannot defile him,

19 Because it entrech not
into his heart,

but into the belly,
and goeth out into the
draught,
purging all meats?

20 And he faid, That which
cometh out of the man, that
defileth the man.

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planted, fhould be rooted up, tho the minds of the irreligious were offended at it : By which words he fignified, tho obfcurely, that there was no longer any account to be made of the ceremonial Laws, which God never defign'd flrould be perpetual; and that the Traditions of Men were not to be regarded, which contributed nothing to Virtue, but were fometimes repugnant to it. And as for the opinion of thele men, they ought not to fet any value on it, being but blind Directors of others, like themfelves blind, in the way to Happiness, who according to the Proverb would both together fall into a Ditch.

After this, Peter in the name of all the Apoftles defir'd him to explain what he had lately told them concerning what goes into and comes out of a man. Then id Jefus unto them, Are you fo unskilful as not to comprehend the meaning of it? Perceive you not that it is impollible for a man to be defiled by the Meat he fwallows, which going in at the Mouth paffes down into the Stomach, and from thence into the Bowels, where that part from which we receive nourillament, is feparated from the Excrements that are voided? Thus you fee it is impoffible we fhould be polluted by the Food we eat, that is, become the worfe for it in God's fight. But that which makes us less acceptable to him, proceeds out of the Soul of Man.

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'Tis from hence, as from a Fountain, that all evil, which is difpleafing to God, continually flows; here is the Spring-head of all evil Imaginations, Adulteries, Fornication, Murder, Theft, Rapine, Covetoufnefs, Cheating, Lufts, Envy, Lies, Blafphemy, Pride, and Intemperance. Thefe and the like Vices proceed from within, from the Soul, and are the spots that defile the man, and not a Cuftom of eating with unwashen hands, and the neglect of fuch like Ceremonies,

Fefus from hence went into that part of Galilee which borders on the Country of the Tyrians and Sidonians. Being enter'd the House he defign'd to lodg at, he forbad them to make his arrival known, left by the concourfe of the Gentiles to him he fhould make himself obnoxious to the Jews: but it was impoffible for him to conceal himself, the fame of his coming being every where divulg'd. A certain Woman of Phanicia therefore, whofe Daughter was poffefs'd with an evil Spirit, hearing of it, came, and fell down at his feet as he paft by; and calling him Lord, and Son of David, intreated him to have compaffion on her, and to heal her Daughter, who was grievoully tormented with the evil Spirit. The Woman, as we faid, was a Phan cian,

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and

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and educated in the Superftition of the Greeks, and vehemently befought him to expel the Damon out of the Body of her Daughter. Jefus not deigning to receive her petition, paft by without giving her any answer. The Woman nevertheless ftill follow'd him with lamentable Outcries, infomuch that the Apoftles, to whom fhe was troublefom, intreated him to difmifs her, that the might no longer purfue them with her Clamors.

Hereupon Jefus turning himself about, told her firft, that it was but juft for her to stay till the Children of the Family were ferv'd; and that that Parent would do very ill who should throw Bread to the Dogs that was laid up for the nourishment of his Sons, meaning, that the ought to wait till all the fick perfons among the Jews had bin cur'd. Next he told her he was only fent to the wandring Sheep of the Jewish Nation; and that his Commiffion was, to convert the Jews by his Miracles and Benefits, and not the Heathens. The Woman ftill urg'd him with her Cries, which made Jefus repeat that Saying to her, The Childrens Bread ought not to be given to the Dogs. The Woman replied, the did not deny what he faid to be most equitable, and that it was true that the Dogs were fuppos'd to be fuffi

ciently

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Γ

ciently provided with the Scraps that fell from their Masters Table; may I then faid the, have this one Requeft granted me, and after the many Benefits confer'd upon the Jews, may I not be denied this one Offal as it were, from their fumptuous. Feaft. Jefus upon this told her, that she had fo great an opinion of the divine Power and Bounty, that according to her defire the evil Spirit fhould immediatly be banish'd from the Body of her Daughter. The Woman having heard this, return'd home, and found her Daughter lying on the Couch, and quite cured, the very moment that Jefus told her the fhould be deliver'd from the evil Spirit.. After this Jefus left that Country which border'd upon many Heathen Cities, and came to the Country about Decapolis fituated on the Eastern fide of the Lake of Gennefareth, where he frequently refided, and inftructed his Followers fitting on a Mountain hard by. It happen'd while he was in those parts, there was brought to him a man who by a violent Diftemper had quite loft his hearing, and was almoft depriv'd of his Speech alfo. The man being prefented to him, they that had the charge of him, befought Jefus by laying on his hands to cure him. Fefus

there-

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