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dition, as represents the Scripture as a book dangerous for the uneducated. Such a tradition, as makes ignorance an excuse for neglect of God. Such a tradition, as perverts the design of the Eucharist, and makes faith in Christ to consist in receiving the sacrament on a death-bed. And many such like things still make the word of God of none effect; and the mistaken notions of men are taught for doctrines.

These, however, and all other errors proceed from the same source: from ignorance, or neglect of the word itself. Whether in precept or in doctrine, only the constant study of Scripture can keep men up to the standard of Scripture. For this purpose we read it daily; we read it repeatedly not that we expect to find any new thing, any discoveries as to faith or practice: but that our faith may not decay and fail, or our practice be "conformed to the world." It is not the tradition, or the commandment of men, but God alone, and the word of his grace, which is able to build us up, and give us an inheritance amongst them which are sanctified." 7

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7 Acts xx. 2.

LECTURE XLI.

THE DEFILEMENT OF THE HEART EXPLAINED.

MARK Vii. 14-23.

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.

It was altogether important that they should understand this, the basis of true religion. Let them apply to it all their faculties; for here were "the issues of life." A man is really defiled, rendered impure and wicked in the sight of God, not from anything coming from without, but by the thought and imagination of the heart within, and the deeds or words proceeding from them.

Suppose a well or spring, the waters of which are bitter, like those to which the Israelites came at Marah. Inclose such a spring with the clearest glass or the finest marble: the water will still be bitter, because it flows from an impure source. Whereas if the source is pure, the water may issue

Exod. xv. 23.

forth out of the coarsest stone; it will still be salutary. So it is with the heart: no outward defilement corrupts it, no outward cleansing can purify it.

2

Could

In the history of Joseph it is related, that his brethren, after they had taken him, and cast him into a pit, expecting that he would perish there,"sat down to eat bread." Suppose it to have been a tradition which they had received, a practice usual with them, as with the Pharisees, not to eat bread with unwashen hands. And suppose that they had scrupulously obeyed the ceremonial, and cleansed their hands before they sat down to eat. they so cleanse their heart from the defilement of that envy, hatred, and malice which induced them to compass their brother's death? Nothing outward can defile, nothing outward can cleanse: because nothing outward can change the sentiments, the wishes, the desires: and these are the man; these form and show his character; the heart is the seat of these, and when these are impure, intemperate, covetous, malicious, deceitful, proud, then is the man defiled.

We perceive, in what follows, how completely reason and conscience may be blinded by the prevalence of error. The people, nay, even the disciples, had been so long accustomed to regard outward ceremonies as the important part of religion, that our Lord's words appeared strange to them.

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

2 Gen. xxxvii. 25.

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:

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

man.

Our Lord might well ask, Are ye so without understanding? Do ye not perceive this?

Consider, for example the first sin, the cause and origin of all other sin. Adam was forbidden to eat of the tree which stood " in the midst of the garden.' "3 The woman, however, gave unto him, and he did eat. But it was not the fruit which entered into him, which made the sin, and produced the ruinous consequences. It was the inward will, not submitting itself to the will of God. It was the unbelief, which listened to the falsehood of Satan, and despised the divine command. This defiled the man whose purity, whose excellence, would consist in the perfect love of God and of his neighbour: and who is defiled, i.e. debased and degraded, by whatever is contrary to such perfect love: such as the evil thoughts which proceed out of the heart, and • lead to the sins of sensuality, the sins of malice and hatred, the sins of covetousness. All these evil things come from within; and defile the man, as they

3 Gen. iii. 3.

have defiled him from the time when Adam first transgressed the divine command, and "sin entered into the world."

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This it was most needful they should perceive and understand. They must know the source of the evil; or how could they apply the remedy? Not to know this, was the fault of the Pharisees. Men who treated it as a sin, to "eat bread with unwashen hands," were not likely to enter into the recesses of the heart, and cleanse it from its pollution. It was the error which had always beset their nation, and is condemned by the prophets: who exhorted them to" wash and make themselves clean," by "putting away the evil of their doings;" to "rend their heart, and not their garments," and so "turn unto the Lord their God." 5 Let the heart be right with God, and it will no longer send forth evil things. First make the source pure, and then expect a pure stream to flow from it. And therefore our Lord himself commenced his teaching with doctrine very unlike that of the Scribes and Pharisees, saying, "Except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."6 For from within, out of the heart of man, the natural heart, proceed a host of evil things things hateful to God; things which whilst they remain to corrupt the heart and debase the practice, separate and alienate men from God: who requires" a new heart and a right spirit," a spirit of righteousness and holiness. Out of the heart of the man who is thus renewed by the Holy Ghost, those things do not proceed which the Lord

4 Isa. i. 16.

6 John iii. 2.

5 Joel ii. 13.

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