Matthew 15

Ver. 5, 6. They pretended that, if a man devoted to religious uses what he could have spared for the support of his poor infirm parents, this freed him from all obligation to relieve or support them. 13, 14. Every ordinance in the church not instituted by my heavenly Father, and every officer not authorized by him, shall be rooted up and cast out. Nor need ye regard whether the Pharisees be pleased or not; for they are but self-conceited and obstinately ignorant leaders of poor ignorant hearers, who blindly and implicitly follow whatever they dictate: and, in the nature of things and the just punishment of God, both deceivers and deceived, if they continue in their errors, must perish together in the bottomless pit

Matthew 15:18-20

Out of the corrupt lusts of the heart proceed carnal imaginations, contrivances, and designs, hatred, malice, and murder; wanton desires, words, and actions; adultery, fornication, and every other form of uncleanness; covetousness, injuries, cheats, and thefts; lies, falsehood in bearing witness, all evil speaking, or calumny against men; and blasphemies and profaneness against God and religion. These are the abominable things which render a man unclean and odious before God, unfit for his service, and for communion with or enjoyment of him

Matthew 15:24-26

My commission to exercise my personal ministry and perform my miracles was not designed for the immediate benefit of the Gentiles, but of God’s covenant people the Jews, who are gone astray and in perishing circumstances; my special blessings belong to this peculiar people; and therefore it is not proper to grant such favours to the Gentiles, who are without the pale of the covenant, and deserve to be treated with neglect and disdain for their impurity and wickedness

Matthew 15:27

I am indeed vile, worthless, and undeserving! yet, as there are blessings enough for the Jews, and to spare for us Gentiles, let me have this one so necessary mercy

REFLECTIONS UPON CHAP. XV.—The contemners of God’s laws are ordinarily mad with zeal for the traditions and ceremonies of men.—A certain mark of detestable hypocrisy; All human inventions in religion invade the authority, and pollute the worship, of God; and mislead the hearts, and corrupt the practices, of men. May God root them out of his church and out of our heart, that we ourselves may not, on their account, be excluded from his kingdom. How certainly sinners shall be damned! and false teachers push themselves and followers hastily into the depths of hell! Yea, none are further from the light of God’s truth than implicit votaries of profane ministers, and especially preachers who are puffed up with a conceit of their own wisdom. How dull, how slow of heart, to conceive the things of practical religion, are even real saints! And, alas, what a sink, what a source, of abominations is the human heart! Dreadful and extensive is the defilement which it spreads abroad into the life! And infinitely important and necessary is the purification from it, by the word, the Spirit, and the blood of Christ! Kind and honourable are those parents who bring their children to Jesus, and will not be denied his blessings. Graciously he travels to meet distressed sinners; and yet he often tries those most for whom he has the strongest affection, and for whom he intends the most speedy deliverances and most distinguished honours. Strong is the power of faith, when he animates and strengthens it under trials. It breaks through every discouragement, and lays hold on the most indirect hints of mercy. And great is the honour it gains in thus honouring Christ. His repeated apparent disregards do but usher in the most advantageous fulfilment of all its requests. And since this world is so full of miseries and wants, let us bring all to Christ, that, to his own glory, he may heal the former and supply the latter