as to faith or practice: but that our faith may not turn to unbelief, or our practice be "conformed to this world."

Thou, Lord, hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently. Uphold us according to thy word, that we may live." "

4

We perceive, in what follows, how completely reason and conscience may be blinded by the prevalence of error. The people, nay, even the disciples could hardly be persuaded that outward purifications were no part of religion. They were quite ignorant that what defileth a man is the disobedience of his will to the will of God: the opposition of his nature to the holiness of God.

14. And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand:

15. There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him, can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.

16. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

17. And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable.

18. And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him;

19. Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats? 20. And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.

21. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,

22. Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:

'Ps. cxix. 4

23. All these evil things come from within, and defile the

man.

Thus it is, that "that which is born of the flesh, is flesh" and that "except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."

What remains for us, but to join in David's prayer, "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." "Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts; and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow."5

LECTURE XC.

FAITH OF A GENTILE WOMAN PROVED AND

REWARDED.

THE CURE OF A DEAF AND DUMB MAN AP-
PLAUDED BY THE MULTITUDE.

MARK Vii. 24-37.

24. And from thence he arose, and went into the borders Matt. xv. of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would 21-31. have no man know it: but be could not be hid.

5 Ps. li. 6-10.

25. For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet.

26. The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation;1 and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.

27. But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs.'

28. And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs. 29. And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter.

30. And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.

This conclusion explains to us the purpose which our Lord kept in view, whilst for a time he repelled the prayer of this poor woman. What he said, "he said to prove her; for he himself knew what he would do." He drew from her an exhibition of the faith and humility which he saw within her heart. It was not, because the reply had been unexpected, that he said unto her, For this saying go thy way: but that he might recommend her conduct to all who should read her story: and also that he might show us, by example, the purpose of those trials by which faith is often exercised.

1A foreigner, a Gentile, speaking the Greek language, and, as appears from St. Matthew, inhabiting a district which retained the name of Canaan.

2 This is more fully explained by St. Matthew, where our Lord reminds his disciples, that the message was sent "to the Jew first, and afterwards to the Gentile." "I am not sent, but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

Doubtless there is a reason for them which we cannot always perceive. The apostles could not divine the reason why this woman was for a time repulsed, and not treated with the same ready favour which was granted to other suppliants. The account in St. Matthew tells us that "they came and besought him, saying, Send her away, for she crieth after us." But he was leading her, the while, "by a way which she knew not:" he was leading her by a way which should strengthen her own faith by exercising it, and hereafter display a lesson to others.

May not this explain to us other instances of the dealings of God with his people? The case of Abraham, for example. His faith was put to an extraordinary test, when he was commanded to sacrifice his "son, his only son, Isaac, whom he loved." "It came to pass that God did tempt" (did try and prove) Abraham. Yet God was perfectly aware what was in Abraham's heart, and "needed not that any should tell him." He knew with what resignation he would obey his will.3 Yet he chose that Abraham should actually exhibit it, and become an example to the Church, of that faith which "against hope believes in hope,' because it trusts him to whom "all things are possible."

994

The case of Job is of a like nature. God knew the heart of Job, as well as that of Abraham. When we read his history, we are disposed to wonder at the dispensation which was assigned him,

3 Gen. xxii. 1.

Rom. iv. 18.

K K

5

as the refusal which this distressed and humble woman experienced was surprising to the disciples. He was "a man perfect and upright: one that feared God and eschewed evil." What lacked he yet? Perhaps God, who saw into his heart, saw that he yet lacked one thing: that being a prosperous man, he had given no proof of "suffering patience." Therefore God permitted such evils to afflict him, as should bring his patience to "its perfect work," that he might become "perfect and complete in all the will of God." "

There may be often such reasons in the mind of infinite wisdom, why the servants of Christ should meet with delays, and perplexities, and disappointed hopes. Let them find comfort in the many examples which Scripture furnishes. If it be not now done unto them "even as they will," it shall be as they would most desire if they could be acquainted with the purport and the event of their trials.

31. And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis.

32. And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him.

33. And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue; 34. And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.

35. And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain.