Cleanness and uncleanness in the Levitical law were attributed to a variety of things. This law is about to be abolished, and Our Lord shows that in the eyes of God, nothing is unclean except Sin. All the other things may or may not be done without making a man nearer or dearer to heaven; but a mortal sin makes a man disagreeable at once.

Eating or drinking by themselves, do not defile a man, except they be taken to excess; taken, like poison, for self-destruction; taken when forbidden by the Church, by the doctor, or by one's parents or guardians-like the forbidden fruit.

'Multitudes. He publishes to the people what he had already said to the Pharisees.

That which goeth.-The Pharisees thought that certain meats were forbidden because bad, and not bad because forbidden. Swineflesh is very good.

Were scandalized.-The scandal of the Pharisees is proverbial.

*Plant. Some think this means doctrines, and some think it means the people who profess them. It may mean both, and most likely does.

Explain to us.-The Apostles themselves were a bit scandalized, as they followed most of the ceremonial law; being as yet merely Jews in process of transformation.

Is cast out. The process of digestion involves three castings out: I. From the food. 2. From the chyle. 3. From the blood. Very little remains in a healthy man, otherwise he would grow to an enormous size.

"Heart, is a figurative expression for the will. These are mortal sins when done deliberately-scarcely ever so when done by madmen.

In retiring from the scene of His recent labours, miracles and preaching, Our Lord avoided further conflicts with Pharisees. His disciples, however, accompanied Him. Writers are not agreed as to whether He went into Phoenicia-the country of Tyre and Sidon or remained in a sort of debatable land between Dan and these people. The general opinion is that He never went into a

purely Gentile nation. This woman though a Canaanite, may have been a worshipper of the true God and not an idolater. Her knowledge of the Hebrew traditions, whereby she called Him Son of David, shows that she must have had some knowledge of their revelation, although considered by them an outsider. Our Lord never refused anyone, and he praised the Gentiles and Samaritans who had recourse to him.

1Have mercy on me.-She feels herself an object of pity. Her child afflicted with a demon before her eyes, and she unable to assist her, are sad things.

He answered her not a word.-This was not despising her, but to call attention to her case, and let them know what he would do. Send her away. Some Rationalists think the Apostles were tired of her and looked upon her as a nuisance. Go, is a Hebraism for granting a request. Why not interpret it in this sense?

The sheep that are lost.-Our Lord tells her his ordinary duty, but does not refuse her. His comparison of the dogs was to humble her.

*She took the humiliation beautifully, and had her reward.

30 woman great is thy faith.-Woman is never used in Scripture in an opprobrious sense. Our Lord is praising her here.

29. Et cùm transîsset indè JESUS, venit secùs mare Galilææ, et ascendens in montem sedebat ibi.

30. Et accesserunt ad eum turbæ multæ, habentes secum mutos, cæcos, claudos, debiles, et alios multos, et projecerunt eos ad pedes ejus: et curavit

eos;

31. Ità ut turbæ mirarentur videntes mutos loquentes, claudos ambulantes, cæcos videntes; et magnificabant DEUM Israel.

29. And when Jesus had 'departed from thence, he came nigh the sea of Galilee: and going up into a mountain, he sat there.

30. And there came to him 'great multitudes, having with them the dumb, the blind, the lame, the maimed, and many others and they cast them down at his feet, and he healed them:

31. So that the multitudes wondered, seeing the dumb speak, the lame walk, the blind see: and they glorified the God of Israel.

There is scarcely anything more remarkable in these few chapters of S. Matthew than the efforts Our Lord seems to make to escape the people, and their perfect futility. His telling them not to publish His miracles, and their disobedience in shouting them out everywhere. His preaching and teaching with scarcely any converts. Thousands of people follow Him into deserts and across lakes, and yet very few of them do more than open their mouths and ears, and then go home again.

This is done evidently to encourage His Apostles and their successors. We preach, we teach, we strive and hunt up backsliders. Oh, how little is the fruit! The human heart is a strange mystery. God will never touch the liberty he gave us. We must be content with doing what we know to be our duty, and not look for results here.

1Departed from thence.-The neighbours would be all bringing their sick and possessed to Him, and He wanted to avoid publicity just at present.

2Nigh the Sea of Galilee.-This seems to be the theatre of His choicest miracles, and lo! scarcely a Christian, except some plundered travellers, has been seen on this spot for centuries.

3Great multitudes.—These must have come from greater distances than those who had gone before them. There could be no blind or sick person within ten miles of Him according to the rate He was curing them. This

is why we have the other miracle of feeding. They had three days' provisions when they left home, and these were all consumed. This is but a private opinion.

"The multitudes glorified the God of Israel.-It is to be concluded that many unbelievers were amongst them since the God of Israel was glorified.

Our Lord avoids crowds: Ist. It is better so for prayer. 2nd. Better so for study. 3rd. Better so for personal sanctification.

The crowds seek Him: Ist. Because of His eloquence. 2nd. Because of His curing powers.

3rd. Because of His beneficence.

32. JESUS autem, convocatis discipulis suis, dixit: "Misereor turbæ, quia triduo jàm perseverant mecum, et non habent quod manducent, et dimittere eos jejunos nolo, ne deficiant in viâ."

33. Et dicunt ei discipuli: "Undè ergò nobis in deserto panes tantos ut saturemus turbam tantam?"

34. Et ait illis JESUS: "Quot habetis panes?" At illi dixerunt: "Septem, et paucos pisciculos."

35. Et præcepit turbæ ut discumberent super terram.

36. Et accipiens septem panes et pisces, et gratias agens, fregit et dedit discipulis suis, et discipuli dederunt populo.

32. Then Jesus called together his disciples, and said: I have compassion on the multitudes, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.

33. And the disciples say unto him: Whence then should we have so many loaves in the desert, as to fill so great a multitude?

34. And Jesus said to them: How many loaves have you? But they said: 'Seven, and a few little fishes.

35. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.

36. And taking the seven loaves and the fishes, and giving thanks, he brake, and gave to his disciples; and the disciples gave to the people.