Mark relaterh the ſame, chap. 6. 53, 54, 55, $5. with no dif- ference conſiderable. Chriſt had been 1n this Country betore, chap. 8. and inic wrought ſeveral Miracles; fo as they hd a tor- mer knowledge of him. As foon as they had Knowledze of his being again come, they expreſs their Faith in him, and their Cha- rity towards eheir Neightcurs, in telling ir abroad, and bringing tick Perſons ro him. I know not why any ſh-uld fancy any Superſticion in their defire ro touch the Hem of his G.arm-nt, con- tdering tow Mark exprefferh it zav, which we tranſlate, If if were but the Hem of 115 Garment. It rather f>undech in my Ears, 4s an high Expreſſion of their Faith ; they believed there was ſuch a Fulneſs of Vertye in Chriſt, chat ic from kim Hlowed ro every part of his Garmenr. Ir was their Faith in Chriſt, not cheir Touch of his Garmenr that healed chem. 1 am ture cur Lord ſo far encouraged t}:cir Faith, hat he kealed all thoſc who reuch- ed his Garment wich that Faith and Expettation. The Evange!ist {aith, they were made perfetly whole. Tl.cir Faith here plains ly 1mp:1ed nor only an 4jſent ro his Power, bur a Confidence in his Goodneſs,
CHAP.
The Phariſees charge Chris Diſciples with the Breach of the El:e:'s Tradition, by Eating with Unwaſhen Hands, 1, 3% CuriSt ins cateth them , and reproveth the Pharijees for Ti nz cyjing God's Commandment by their own Traditions , .3-—g. Sneweth to the Multitude, that what greth into, doth not but wh.1t cometh out of the Mouth, defileth the Man, 19—20. He goeth into the Coaſts of Tyre and Sidon, 21. A Woinun of Canaan earnetly prays him to diſp1ſſes her Daughter : He #s fitent : The Dizciples intercede for her : Her freſh Suit to him : He calleth her Dog : She owneth it ; but continucth her Suit : Chri$ commendeth her great Faith, and healeth her Daughter, 22—28. He healeth many diſeaſed by the Sea of Galilee, 29—3 . Feedeth four thouſand, beſide 4 omen and Children, with ſeven Loaves, and few Fiſhes , and dep.crteth into the Coaſts of Magdala, 3239.
I Hen came to Jeſus Scribes and Pharſees, which were of Jeruſalem, ſaying , 2 Why do thy diſciples tranſgrefs the tradition of the elders? For they waſh not their hands when they eat bread.
Mark relaterh this piece of Hiſtory more largely, ch.1p.7. I, 2, 3,4, 5» Then came together unto him the Phariſces, and certain of the Scribes which came from Jeruſalem. And when they ſaw ſame of his Diſciples eat Bread with defiled (that #s to ſoy, with unwaſhen_) Hands, they found fault : For the Phariſees, and all the Fews, except they waſh their Hands oft, eat not, holding the Traditions of the El- ders. And when they come from the Market, except they wajh, they eat mot, And many other things there be, which they have received to hold , 4s the Waſhing of Cups and Pots, Braſen Veſſels, and of Tables. Then the Phariſees and Scribes ashed him, Why walk not thy Diſciples according to the Tradition of the Elders, but eat Bread with unwaſken Hands * This Portion of Scripture cannor he well underſtood, wichout underſtanding fomething of che Fewiſh Government, as ro Matters Eccleſraſtical, in which che High-Prief was the Chief. Numb. 11.25. God addeth ſeventy Men more co Mes and Aaron, to bear a ſhare in the Gcvernment ; theſe were cailed rhe Sanhedrim: And this was the Supreme Courc of Fudicature amoneſt the Jews, as to all things which re{pe&ted the Laws of God, wherher Moral, Fudicial, or Ceremmial ; and every one was bound ro abide by their Derermination. ' Thete fare in 7-;1/lem, bur had their intertour Courts in otker places, trom wiich they appealed to the Sanhedrim, who finally derermined, Deur.17. 8, g, Io, II, 12, 13. Ir was the great Buſineſs of this Cozr:, ro take care thar there ſhould be no Corruption in Religion. Theſe were chey therefore that ſent Mefſengers' ro Fohn , when he Legan ro Preach to inquire what he was, and by whar Authcrity he 3:ptized, Foh. 1.19. The Phariſees (as we before heard) had char.;ed our Saviour's Diſciples with Violation of the Sabbath , by plucking :n1 rubbing Ears of Corn; and himſelf alto wich che fame Crim for healing the Sick.lt is very like theſe Accuſations were got to Feruſ.t- lem; and that theſe were Emiffaries ſent trom the Sanhedrim ro
. warch our Saviour, or poſſibly they came our of their own Curio-
firy. They could find in our Saviour no Guilt as ro any Violaticn of che Law of God ; bur they pick a quarre! wich him for ſome Rites and Ceremonies of their Church, which he, and liis Diici- ples, were nor fo ſtritt in the Obſervacion of. They fay, | Why drthy Diſciples tranſgreſs the Traditions of the Elders ©) The word Traditims fignifies only things delivered, and is as well applica- ble ro che Law of God as any thing elſe. Thus the whole Law of God was but a Tradition, a Dodrine of Lite, delivered to the Fews by Moſes from God : Thus the Apoſtle bids che Theſſaloniens, 2 Theſſ. 2. 15, #bld the Traditions which you have been taught, whe- ther by Word , or our Epiſile. Bur the Term of the Elders, is that which reſtraineth ir; for as the Papiſ/ts in our time hold, thar be- files whar we have in the New Teſt 1menz, the Apcſtle delivered many things co the Primitive Church only by Word of Mouth, which have fince that time been imparted to ſucceeding Churches ; ro the Obſervation of which Chriſtians arc as much cblized as ro the written Word, ſn the 7ews did formerly, For rhe, for ſome Tract of Time, they kept ro rhe Divine Law, yer in pro- ceſs of time they abuſed that Texr, Deut. 4.14. to found a new
Ee c invenuon
Chan
XV.
*Mar 5,0 ,-
F Che.9.20. Mar. 2. to: _ Luk. 6.1; AttL9.12:
Cha D, RV.