Matthew 15

4. If there be but one God, then we must pray to none but God. The Papists pray to saints and angels: 1. To saints; a Popish writer says, When we pray to the saints departed, they being touched with compassion, say the like to God for us, as the disciples did to Christ for the C…

If we pour out sighs to heaven, God hears every groan; though he does not show us his face, he may lend us his ear. 2. Faith may be strongest when assurance is weakest; the woman of Canaan had no assurance, but a glorious faith, O Woman, Great is your faith (Matthew 15:28). Rach…

There are the seeds of all atheism and blasphemy. The heart is the Trojan horse, out of which a whole army of sin comes (Matthew 15:9): "Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries — these defile a man." If a branch of wormwood be so bitter, then how bitter is th…

Keep your heart with all keeping. Every one has a tempter in his own bosom (Matthew 15:19). Out of the heart come evil thoughts.

Qu. 12. What is principally to be attended to by us in the manner of the celebration of the worship of God, and observation of the institutions and ordinances of the Gospel? Answ. That we observe and do all whatever the Lord Christ has commanded us to observe, in the way that he…

And the comeliness and beauty of Gospel worship, consisteth in its relation to God by Jesus Christ, as the merciful high-Priest over his house, with the glorious administration of the spirit therein. The order also of it lies in the due and regular observation of all that Christ…

The first was confined to the posterity of Abraham, according to the flesh, and to them especially in the Land of Canaan, with some few proselytes that were joined to them (Deuteronomy 5:3), excluding all others from the participation of the benefits of it. And hence it was, tha…

And so it is with many. And when knowledge is perished from their lips who should preserve it, the people must perish for want of that knowledge (Hosea 4:6; Matthew 15:14). 3. In our progress towards an increase in knowledge, we ought to go on with diligence and the full bent of…

It may be asked, how does God thus judicially give up persons despising the Gospel to their own hearts' lusts to do the things that are not convenient? I answer he does it, (1) By leaving them wholly to themselves, taking off all effectual restraint from them, so spake our bless…

And hence we learn, that in time of peace, all those that are called to the office of the ministry, must (if it be possible) spend their labor publicly, so as they may do most good. Secondly whereas Christ says, he preached in their synagogues and temple, which at that time were…

What made Christ admire the woman of Canaan, but her graces! Great is your faith (Matthew 15:28). Christ was more taken with that, than with all the goodly buildings of the Temple.

Again, those that have taken up the profession of a right way of religion should beware of staining it by such kind of practices, nothing makes the ways of God suspected so much as the scandals of those that profess to walk in them, walk in the light as children of the light (Ep…

These thoughts being once made up into affections are quickly made out into suitable actions and practices. If the heart be wicked, then as Christ says (Matthew 15:19), 'Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, etc.' Mark the order: first, wanton or revengefu…

Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, they shall both fall into the ditch (Matthew 15:13, 14). From where divines have drawn this conclusion, that the scandal of proud Pharisees is to be neglected.

2. Because there is greater weight laid upon them than upon greater things, therefore they are idols. As when the Pharisees did prefer mint and cummin before the great things of the law; and the traditions of the elders, which is in the language of these times, the ceremonies an…

3. It makes all their worship vain, as it makes their spirits vain, by deluding and defiling them, so it spoils and frustrates their religious worship. In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the Commandments of men (Matthew 15:9). They Sacrifice flesh, the sacrifices…

In this sense was the Apostle John called the Elder, because he outlived the other Apostles (2 John 1 and 3, verse 1). In the second signification Elder is opposed to modern, (Matthew 15:2) Why do your Disciples transgress the tradition of the Elders. That is, of them of old tim…

That's the meaning of this phrase, they are deeply rooted, that is, their superstition and false worship is deeply rooted in their hearts. Well, let their superstition be rooted as deep as it will, yet as Christ says (Matthew 15), every plant that my Father has not planted shall…

And when the prophet exhorts (as before) (Jeremiah 4:14) to wash the heart from wickedness, he adds, 'How long shall vain thoughts lodge within you.' And our Savior tells us, 'Out of the heart, first, proceed evil thoughts, and then all the other wickednesses after mentioned, mu…

XI. Furthermore, the discussion there concerns the ministerial office of Christ, or His apostolic function, which He exercised while He was on earth, where He is said to have been sent in the last days. That office pertained solely "to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Mat…

[1 Timothy 5:4. But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn, first to show godliness towards their own house, and to recompense their own kindred, for that is an honest thing, and acceptable before God. Matthew 15:4. For God has commanded saying: Honor your father…

You shall not make to yourself any graven thing, or image, or likeness of any thing in heaven above, &c. In which part, by a usual manner of the Law, a part being put for the whole, as in the 6th, 7th, and 9th commandments, and that one of the foulest, look to note the filthines…

Not to walk in darkness, nor hate our brother (1 John 2:8, 9), for this is the new commandment. And that the Gospel has commandments is clear (Matthew 15:3; John 15:12; Romans 16:6; Ephesians 6:2; 1 Timothy 1:1; the holy commandment, 2 Peter 2:21; 1 John 3:23; Revelation 22:14;…

We, praying according to God's will, shall find acceptance according to our will. Notable is that speech of encouragement and acceptance of our Saviour to the woman of Syrophenicia (Matthew 15:28): O woman, great is your faith, be it to you even as you will. She had prayed as Ch…

But besides this confident persuasion this follows, there is another work of faith, and that is a constant wrestling against all discouragements that falls between our requests, and the accomplishment of our petitions. Famous is that story of the woman of Syrophenicia (Matthew 1…

2. In possessions, which were frequent and rife in Christ's time. My daughter is sorely vexed with a devil (Matthew 15:22). Or,

God knows the fittest season, and delights oftentimes to show our impatience, and try our faith. (Matthew 15:28): O woman, great is your faith. And that his help may not be ascribed to chance, or our industry; and that we may the more prize blessings, consider you cannot be more…

Fear is for inward worship, serve is for outward worship, and the profession of the same. Fear in Moses is expounded worship by Christ; so (Matthew 15:9) compared with (Isaiah 29:13). In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men, but in the Prophet…

It teaches them three lessons: comfort, patience, obedience. 1. Comfort and encouragement to them that are under a gloomy day, this will not always last; he may try you for a while and you may be under great conflicts, and wants, and difficulties, as he tried the Woman of Canaan…

For the disciples were forbidden to go into the way of the Gentiles (Matthew 10:5). And Christ says, that he was not sent, but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matthew 15:22). It may be objected, that here we see the difference of Jews, and Gentiles, is standing, long a…

God requires this importunity of us (Luke 18:1). It is practiced by David (Psalm 69:4), by the woman of Canaan (Matthew 15). We must do as Jacob did, wrestle with God, and give him no rest till he fulfills the desires of our hearts, and gives us the blessing.

God must not be displeased though all men be displeased (Acts 5:29). Indeed Christ pronounces woe against them by whom offences come: but that is meant of offences given, and not of offences taken: of which Christ has another rule (Matthew 15:14): Let them alone, they are the bl…

The Prophet then comprehends all the other parts of God's worship, whereby hypocrites are wont to counterfeit and deceive, for they are every way bent to lying and vanity. We need seek no better expositor of these words than Jesus Christ, who upon the speech of washing of hands,…

Every one of us also ought to apply to himself in particular that which is here said of the whole Church in general: for we were planted of God before the foundations of the world (Ephesians 1:4), and afterward incorporated and called, to the end we might have assurance of our e…

They are blind, says he, and leaders of the blind. Will you wittingly perish together with them? (Matthew 15:14). For this cause the Prophet commands that such authority be given to the word of God, to the end we may boldly despise the whole world, if they should gainsay it; for…

When he adds, that those which are led, are devoured: although by this particle his meaning is to say, that wicked princes, and those who rule as they please, cannot but bring all things to ruin: as also because the teachers deceive and abuse the people, instead of showing them…

It ought to be understood, that dogs and swine are names given not to every kind of debauched men, or to those who are destitute of the fear of God and of true godliness, but to those who, by clear evidences, have manifested a hardened contempt of God, so that their disease appe…

41. And wept over it. As there was nothing which Christ more ardently desired than to execute the office which the Father had committed to him, and as he knew that the end of his calling was to gather the lost sheep of the house of Israel, (Matthew 15:24,) he wished that his com…

Matthew 15:1-9 1. Then scribes and Pharisees, who had come from Jerusalem, approach to Jesus, saying, 2. Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.

Matthew 15:10-20 10. And having called the multitudes to him, he said to them, Hear and understand.

Matthew 15:21-28 21. And Jesus departing from there withdrew into the territories of Tyre and Sidon.

Matthew 15:29-39 29. And Jesus departing thence, came near the sea of Galilee, and he went up into the mountain, and sat down there.

If Christ pronounces it to be not only lawful, but even proper, to reject whatever of their own the scribes mingle with the pure doctrine of the Law, certainly we are not bound to embrace, without discrimination or the exercise of judgment, whatever they are pleased to enjoin. B…

The Woman of Canaan submitted to Christ, in his saying, It is not meet to take the Children's Bread, and to cast it to Dogs, and did as it were own that she was worthy to be called a Dog, whereupon Christ said unto her, O Woman, great is thy Faith; be it unto thee, even as thou…

Section 1. Another argument for the necessity of holiness may be taken from the consideration of our present state and condition — by holiness alone is the vicious distemper of our natures cured; our nature being fearfully and universally depraved by the entrance of sin, the min…

If the heart rises against the act or judgment of God, in holding us obliged to the punishment, when he offers us his Son as a Savior from the punishment, we cannot with the consent of the heart receive him in that character: but if persons thus submit to the righteousness of so…

For as God of old spoke in the Prophets, so in these last days he spoke in the Son; that is, in him, personally present with the Church, as the Prophets also were in their several generations (Chap. 2. v. 3). Now as to his personal ministry, he was sent to the lost sheep of the…

In the fourth chapter of Matthew, verse 10, Christ says to the Devil, It is written you shall worship the Lord your God, and him only you shall serve; compare this with (Deuteronomy 6:13), and there you shall have it thus expressed, You shall fear the Lord your God; that which i…

Let therefore then that fear the LORD, put their trust in him: for he is their help and defense, and think, indeed be assured, this kind of worship to be nothing but a device and imagination of men only, the which are idle and vain as says Jeremiah in the 10th chapter. And Chris…

4. Faith working by love, is a most gallant, and holy daring thing, bold in its enterprises to pursue after, to grip, and stick to Christ over all difficulties (as may be seen in her former carriage) and most successful as to the event. 5. The more steadily and stoutly, with lov…