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The Gospel of Jesus Christ According to
St. Matthew Pasquier
Quesnel Translated
by the Rev. Daniel Wilson, D.D., Vicar of Islington and now Bishop of Chapter XV. Sect. I. Unwashen
Hands. Human Traditions. 1. THEN came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, 2. Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. The fondness which men generally have for
their own inventions, for ancient errors, and superstitious devotions, is a
continual source of calumnies, rash judgments, persecutions against good men,
and of great disturbances in the church. The disciples of Jesus Christ must
expect to be treated as their Master was. Why, instead of praising God, and
being edified by the labours of pastors, should a man be intent only on
discovering in them occasions to decry them and make them odious? It is
because a Pharisee takes more pleasure in blaming others, than in amending
himself. 3. But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? The pretender to zeal often prefers and
opposes superstitious usages to the divine law and the essential duties of
Christianity. Strange depravity of men’s hearts, who think to honour God by
transgressing his commandment, and doing their own
will! The world is full of zealots of this kind, who neglect their duty to
follow human inventions. To op pose these abuses is to imitate Christ,
provided a man do it with mildness and modesty; not insulting, but instructing;
not merely to gain the victory, but to gain over souls to God. He who does it by his Spirit, still does it after this
manner. 4. For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. Obedience to the fathers and pastors of
our souls, and to sovereign princes, is no less enjoined by this commandment,
than piety toward the fathers of our flesh. Whoever pre tends to release and
withdraw us from their government and direction, is a seducer and
transgressor of God’s law, how much holiness soever
he may seem to have. 5. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; Religion often serves as a cloak for
impiety, hardheartedness to the poor, and indifference toward parents. It is
not uncommon for spiritual fathers to want almost necessaries, by reason that
men, through a false devotion, or by an irregular charity, or at the
importunity of some person, bestow that otherwise which is in justice due to
them. We cannot possibly please God by gifts offered contrary to his law or
his Spirit; it is sacrilege to dedicate that to him which is taken away from
the piety which nature inspires, and the divine law enjoins. This is, as much
as in us lies, to invalidate our Saviour’s declaration, that he accepts as
done to himself the good which is done to the least
of his disciples. 6. And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. It is an infallible sign that our devotion
is false, if it contradict any divine command or essential obligation; as it
is certainly true, if it contribute to the observation of them. God grant
there may not be many who “make the commandment of God of none effect,” by
means of suggested wills and extorted donations, whereby they exclude their
poor relations from inheritances belonging to them. Let us, with the greatest
care and readiness, assist the poor, and especially our poor relations, since
Christ himself assures us that it is a work preferable to all pious legacies
and endowments. 7. Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 8. This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. A known hypocrite deserves not in the
least to be used gently. Nothing is due to a reputation unjustly acquired. It
is not evil-speaking, but an act of public charity, to expose the hypocrisy
of a seducer. Outward worship is nothing without the inward. It is in the
heart, and by the religion thereof, that God is honoured. True piety consists
in the union of the heart with God; this is what we must labour to
accomplish. 9. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. This is a terrible sentence against those
who introduce, and keep up in the church, devotions which are superstitious
and altogether human; and who, by their excessive indulgence, flatter the
sinner’s sloth, keep him under a false peace and fatal security, amuse him,
and make him neglect the laws of God. Such are no other than the devil’s
ministers and agents, to seduce those who have some principle of religion,
and to render all their inclinations to piety ineffectual. Their good
intention will not save them. In vain do they worship God, says Jesus Christ.
10. And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: The teachers of the superstitious and pharisaical devotion are scarcely ever brought off from
it. Jesus leaves them, and applies himself to the people, in order to
undeceive them, by instructing them. We must imitate our blessed Saviour in
this, using our endeavours to instruct the people in true piety, and to
undeceive them as to the false. 11. Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. It is a rule of great importance, and full
of instruction and comfort to~ souls which seek God, that no sin, no
defilement can arise from any thing but the will; as nothing sanctifies us
but what comes from the heart. Whatever proceeds from the concupiscence of
the heart, is evil; and whatever does not, cannot but be good. It is not that
which enters into the mouth, which defiles even him who sins in eating and
drinking to excess; but the will and disposition of the heart, which inclines
him to transgress the divine law. Sect. II. Giving Offence To Pharisees Not
To Be Regarded. Blind Guides. What Defileth A Man. 12. Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? Truth offends those who have the spirit of
a Pharisee. One can scarcely ever touch upon the passions of men, without
provoking them. The proud person will neither be humbled for his faults, nor
receive instruction to amend them, nor suffer others to be taught those
truths which he does not like himself. This is the scandal or offence proper
to a Pharisee, which we must neglect and despise. 13. But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. That which is not of God, cannot stand and
continue. The wicked are of no account in his sight. They are the thorns and
briers of his field, as well as their maxims, traditions, and customs.
Whoever has not the spirit of children, which is love, is no plant of the
heavenly Father’s planting. 14. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. Wo
to blind guides, who damn themselves and those whom they lead! What is such a
blind guide as this, but one who is so fond of human traditions, external
devotions, and superficial performances, that they become, even contrary to
his intention, a hinderance to the observation of
God’s law? The blindness which proceeds from pride, envy, and obstinacy, is
the most dangerous and damnable. 15. Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable. 16. And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? Alas! how many
are there who pass for spiritual, and who seem to have studied a long time in
the school of Christ, to whom the purity of his worship and religion is still
a perfect riddle and parable! The true knowledge of the spirit of the gospel
is a thing more rare and uncommon than we imagine among the generality of
Christians, and even of the learned. 17. Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? 18. But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. How necessary is it to watch over the
heart, since that moves the tongue, and is the fountain of all human
corruption! It is according to what we are in the inmost recesses of the
heart, that we are either righteous or wicked, that we belong either to God
or the world, either to Christ or the devil; and it is according to the state
and condition of our will that we shall be judged. The regulation of this
heart, and the reformation of this will, demand our chiefest
care; the rest follows their disposition. Lord, from thee I expect to receive
this vigilance and application. Thou alone art the light, the strength, and
the life of my heart. 19. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: Man has in his heart the principle and
seed of all kinds of sin; and he finds only in the heart of Jesus Christ the
principle of the contrary virtues. Of himself, he is nothing but a sinner; by
grace and mercy he becomes righteous. Yes, my God, whatever good I do, and
whatever evil I avoid, it is entirely owing to thee alone. 20. These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man. Christian liberty in external things has
no bounds or limits but the law of God, the ordinances of the church, and the
edification of our neighbour; but we must take care not to abuse this
liberty, and make it an occasion of licentiousness. Abundance of persons
would make a scruple of going to the communion without having washed their
hands, who make none at all of doing it without
having washed their conscience from habits of vanity, evil-speaking, luxury,
and wantonness. If a man do not chiefly mind the spirit of religion, he
disorders and confounds every thing in it; he makes religious actions of such
as are common and indifferent; and that which is most sacred and holy, he
performs out of custom and as it were by rote, traffics with it, makes it
subservient to his passions and interest, and abuses it a thousand other
ways. Sect. III. The Woman Of Canaan. 21. Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. This journey of our blessed Saviour seems
to be taken with out any particular design; and perhaps it was only for the
sake of this one soul, since he leaves the place as soon as ever he has
healed it. So wonderful is the goodness and kindness of the Son of God toward
souls! One alone ought to be dear to a true pastor, and deserves his whole
care and application, how despicable soever it may
appear. 22. And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. We see here, in this woman, the picture of
a sinner deeply sensible of the misery of his soul, and truly penitent. Such
a one ought to begin, by removing from the occasions of sin, by turning
toward his Saviour, putting his whole trust in him, and praying heartily to
him. How proper is this prayer for a penitent! It is short, humble, full of faith, fervent, respectful, rational, relying only
upon God’s mercy, modest, persevering, and not presuming to prescribe to God.
Can he, who looks upon himself as a slave of the devil, beg with too much
earnestness to be delivered? 23. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and be sought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. This woman’s faith first causes her to
pray, and then her prayer, adding strength to her faith, makes her capable of
undergoing the trial of a slighting silence, an express refusal, and a
treatment in appearance somewhat hard and injurious. It is such a faith as
this, which should make us cry incessantly after our deliverer. The sinner
does well to apprehend his own unworthiness. 24. But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Jesus Christ being promised only to the
Jews, for the time of his mortal life, and being their proper apostle, it is
with some difficulty that he extends his mission to others. How edifying is
this reservedness; and how commendable is it for a
man to imitate it, by confining himself as much as possible within the limits
of his calling! A pastor ought by no means to apply himself out of self-love
to such souls as belong to God already, neglecting to seek after the lost
sheep, which cannot of themselves return into the way. This is a conduct to
be dreaded. 25. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. Let us never cease to pray, and to humble ourselves before God, though he seem to despise our humility,
and to reject our prayers. A true penitent is not discouraged by the severity
which God shows toward him; he knows that he deserves it. The more submissive
he is to the divine pleasure, the nearer does his faith bring him to God,
humbles him the more in his sight, and inspires him with greater confidence
to make his addresses to, and to expect assistance from him. According as
these virtues increase in a soul, the spirit of repentance grows and
increases in it. 26. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. Favours are for children, and love only
renders us such. It is through mercy that God makes the sinner sensible from
whence he is fallen, what he is become, and to what he should aspire. Jesus
instructs by humbling; his repulses speak to those who can understand their
language. It is thou thy self, Jesus, who art the children’s bread; and who turnest even dogs into children of God, that thou mayest feed them with thyself. I know indeed my own
misery and un- worthiness, but I know also thy mercy, and the power of thy
grace. 27. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters table. True faith consents to all the denials and
severities which come from God, but at the same time makes use of them to
raise, unite, and fasten itself more strongly to
him. When a man sincerely desires to be saved, he is discouraged by no
difficulties, but, on the contrary, changes even obstacles into means. God
defers sometimes to show mercy, on purpose by delay to increase desire; by
desire, hope; by hope, the fervency of prayer; and by prayer, humility. God
loves the earnestness and importunity of prayer; and at length grants every
thing to a persevering hope, which grows the stronger by being humbled and
refused. 28. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour. Faith remains victorious at the last,
triumphs, as it were, over God himself, and, by a holy violence, wrests out
of his hands what he seemed determined not to bestow. Jesus admires this
faith, to the end that we may admire and imitate it, and may reap the same
fruits and advantages from it. Woman, great indeed is thy faith! but, my God, much greater is thy mercy! because
this great faith is the gift thereof. Faith is the foundation of the whole
Christian building; but the foundation, as well as the building, is the work
of God. Faith, and the desire to belong entirely to God,
increase equally together in a penitent’s heart, and his cure is
answerable to them both. This is wrought in a moment, but the sinner is not
so suddenly prepared for it. Sect. IV. Many Healed. The Miracle Of The
Seven Loaves. 29. And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there. 30. And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus feet; and he healed them: That which we have here to imitate, is to
follow Christ up into the mountain, by raising our minds to him in prayer,
and humbly representing at his feet our inability to go to him, to know him,
to pray to him, and to act for him. Shall Christians then be less eager and
forward to go to him, on the account of the diseases of their souls, than
these Jews for those of their bodies? Let us but love eternal life, as much
as they did the present, and we shall then be willing to spare our pains no
more than they. Lord, God, and Saviour of my heart, give
me feet, eyes, tongue, and health of heart, that I may run after thee, know
thee, praise thee, worship thee, and love thee! 31. Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel. It is a great matter for a man to be very
careful to ascribe to God all the graces, talents, and degrees of knowledge
which he enjoys, and to thank him for them. Blessed be thou, my God, for
having loosed the tongue of so many sinners to confess their sins; restored
their feet, to walk in thy ways; and opened their eyes, to see and know thy
truth. Complete these miracles of thy grace in me. Perform them in all those
who are still in. darkness and corruption. 32. Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have com passion on the multitude, 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. There are few so faithful in seeking and
following Christ as to forget even the necessaries of life. This is peculiar
to his true disciples. He is mindful of their wants himself, when they seek
before all things the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Jesus Christ, his
grace, his word, and his body, are the true bread, without which they would
find themselves without strength, and faint in the way to heaven. He does not
think of feeding, till after he has healed them; and they submit themselves
to his guidance and direction, without asking any thing but health and
instruction. The conduct of Christ, and the behaviour of
this people, are the pattern of a wise spiritual director, and of a
well-disposed penitent. In the one, there must be tenderness, compassion, and
mindful- ness of what is wanting; in the other, confidence, docility,
patience, and perseverance. 33. And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude? Human foresight is very short even in the
saints; it must be supplied by faith. It is the way of the
divine wisdom to make men thoroughly perceive the greatness of their
want, and the necessity of extraordinary succour, before it vouch safes to
afford it. The world is a wilderness, where nothing is capable of satisfying
the heart of man, except Jesus Christ. No, Lord, we shall never fear dying of
hunger here, so long as by our faith we can seek, find, possess, and feed
upon thee. 34. And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes. Jesus does not inquire in order to be
informed, but to make the necessity more apparent. It is a gift of God to
reflect upon our own indigence; it is a greater, thoroughly to understand it,
to be convinced of it, to be humbled by it, and to value the grace of our
blessed Saviour the more on this ac count. What have we of ourselves to
sustain and feed us in this life? What have we not by and in thee, Jesus, and
in thy church, while those who are out of it perish with hunger? 35. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. Every one of us ought to receive the gifts
of God in humiliation of heart, and in the repose, at least, of inward
retirement. Humility is a principal qualification for the receiving Christ
worthily. He here gives us a representation of it. 36. And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. We must return thanks to God, not only
when we receive his gifts ourselves, but also when we distribute them to
others. God alone gives without receiving; Jesus Christ himself gives thanks
to his Father, because the human nature, even in the only Son of God, has
nothing but what it received. The supreme Pastor authorizes inferior pastors.
It is by their ministry and conveyance that he bestows his graces; and
whereby, according to his appointment, instruction and the sacraments are to
be received. They have nothing to confer but what comes from him. He it is
who breaks the bread of the word, who gives the true sense of it, and all the
dispositions and qualifications which are necessary to our improvement by his
other gifts; but this he does by the ministry of the pastors of his church. 37. And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full. We are not truly filled but only when God
himself feeds us. It is not enough barely to eat it is necessary also to be
filled. Thou knowest, my God, how very few there
are who are fed and filled with thy word, and with the flesh and blood of thy
sacrifice, though all truly eat at thy table (that which is a lively
representation of) the latter, and read the former in thy Scriptures! Suffer
not this abuse in me. The more communicate the gifts of God to our neighbour,
the more they abound in ourselves. To distribute and
disperse by charity, our spiritual as well as temporal goods, is to sow in
order to reap. 38. And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children. Christ often gives to the charity which
men have for the poor, the grace of multiplying their alms. When a man
depends upon Providence, which sees and can do all things, he is not in the
least afraid that his stock will be exhausted by the multitude of the poor,
and of their wants, either bodily or spiritual. Let masters of families learn
from this place to trust to Providence, how numerous soever
their families may be. 39. And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala. It is neither inconstancy nor curiosity
which makes Christ remove from one region to another, but humility, charity,
and the appointment of God his Father. It is an action worthy of a true
disciple of Christ to withdraw from a place where he has done some remarkable
good, in order to go and do more in one where he is not known. |
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