S a C T. III. Fad Signs. rfGrace. 15S IttltattatItattttfltt4Atfltatat SERMON XXV I I, Zeal and Diligence infa.1/4 frorlhip no groundof Comfort. MARK 7.7. Howbeit invain do they worJhip me , teaching for Doctrines the traditions of men. THe Text is part ofan hiftorical Narration, wherein is manifeftly decipher- ed the envious and malicious difpofitionof fuperffitious perfonsand hy- pocrites againft the pure andupright, for here we have the Scribes and Pharifees, thatwere reputed theonlySaints of the world, becaufe of their out- ward devotion, quarrelling andcontelting withChrift, about the negleét of a fuperftitious cuftome. So that you have their impeachment in the 5'h verfe, Why Walk, not thy Difciples according to the tradition of the Elders , that eat bread .tvithrtnwajhenhands? They do not fay, Why is Gods Law, ór Mo /es his Law tranfgreffed? but the tradition of theElders. The Elders among the Jews had brought in undera fpecious pretext of piety and religion, many devout cuftoms and religious ufages, which they called Sepimesta legis , hedges to the Law of God, but they were indeed Impedimenta, for hereby Gods commands were fru- flrated. Now amongother traditions, thiswas introduced by them, that they did before they went tomeals, orwhen theycame home from bufneffe abroad, wafh themfelves. The ground was, left they Ihould touch any thing unclean, and fo be defiled unawares ; hereupon alto it was, that they ufed frequent waffl- ings, as ofthemfelves ; foalloofCups, 'ors, Vefels and Tables : where by the way we may obferve banríoµa-rzc and Sawn/os.as, to lignifie in the general any Waih- in1, andnot dippingonely as fonte contend. If you ask, Why our Saviour would not conform to fuch a tradition, feting there wasnovifible appearanceof evil in it, neither was it a (inne to do to ? Chryfoffom giveth thisreafon, becaufe thole that are intent to the molt neceffary and ferions matters of Religion, ufe to negleft, what is fuperfluous : but we may fay, This tradition was ufed not upon civil refpefts, for fo to wafh their hands wascomely and decent before they eat bread, but upon religious confiderations, hereby worfhipping God, and thinking thereby to approve themfelves more acceptably to him. To this Accufation ofthe Pharifees our Saviour anfwereth twowales : Pirft, By Recrimination, and thenby Pofitive Information, verf, 14,15. My Text is part oftheRecrimination, which confias partly inapplication of Ifaialso Prophecie to them, Thispeoplehonoureth me With their lips, bat their heart is farre fromme. This was fpoke to the Jews living in the Prophets time, but becaufe they wereguilty of the fame finne, heextendeth the Prophets fpeech to all that are guilty of hypocrifie in the like kinde. Again, Chrifls upbraiding is partly in themanifeftation of thevanity and un- profrtableneffeof fuch falfeworfhip, Invain do theyWorfbipme. The Hebrew word isFear in the Prophet; but becaufe that is many times ufed for the whole X a worfhip
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