shall we drink?" Much less heed to even the underscored warning against spiritual starvation, and Hadean thirst (Lk. 16:24), than to the maxims of prudence concerning " t he meat that per- isheth." (4) "Theleaven—Pharisees— Herod"—Here is the key to the meaning of leaven, and its prohibition as an of- fering to God. Leaven stands for false doctrine, false philosophy, false views of man, God, worship. It was Pharisaic doctrine that made Pharisees, and He- rodian philosophy that made Herod; that fermented within, corrupted their minds and perm'eated all their thought, char- acter, doings. With the Pharisee it was religion; outward conformity to tradition, ordinances, moralities; no more; no deeper. With the Herodian it was worldliness, "Eat; drink; be merry," heed John a bit; "do many things" (Mk. 6:20), but stop short at the cross —none of that! and get the good things, or have a good time "under the sun." Pharisee and Herodian are still with us. The woman early hid the leaven in the meal (Mt. 13:33; II The. 2 : 7 ). I Ti. 4:1-3; IITi. 4:2-4; Ja. 2:15, 16; etc. are about the leaven. The historic Church did not heed the charge about the leaven. She, too, has thought of bread not living t r u t h; for what has been the history of Rome but ecclesiasti- cism, tradition, superstition, a grasp of worldly good and p owe r , ^Ph a r i s ee and Herod! The Lord purify and preserve our Protestantism; and help you and me to "take heed and beware!" 4. , The Reproof. (1) "Why r e a s o n - no bread?" (2) "Not yet understand?" "Heart yet hardened?" And not yet, after 19 . centuries. (3) "Eyes"— "ears"—"memories," all the wonders of power and providence, that you have seen; all the precious truth and prom- ise, that you have been taught; all the experience that should have lifted you above the anxiety for bread; and yet no "wisdom and spiritual understand- ing," or confidence." If I could feed witli 5 loaves, 5,000, could I not feed with one loaf 12 men? "How is it that ye do not understand?" Bear patiently with us, O Lord, open our eyes, unstop our ears, enlighten our understandings. III. SIGHT. 1. Another incident of healing, that reminds us that wherever Jesus goes He has business [and blessing. In this, case we see: (1) "They bring" a poor soul to Him." (2) He was blind, he had eyes but he saw not, like the "12," Christ can heal both the outer and inner eye. (3) They "besought Him." (4) He laid hold on the blind man, (5) He
hearts (Jn. 11:46-53); the rising of Jesus only kept it .ablaze. (4) "And He left them"—This is no incidental' phrase, but a weighty testimony. HE LEFT THEM! in their sin; in their hard heartedness; in their purblindedness; in their unbelief! Oh, reader, do not ask for signs, they are in you, around you, in the Holy Gospel; refuse them? ask for more? Read Genesis 6:3. II. LEAVEN. 1. The Occasion. (1) "The ship a g a i n "—(Mk. 3.9; Mt. 9:1; 13:2; 14: 13, 32; Mk. 6:32, etc.) Many times Jesus sailed "Blue Galilee" in t he little "ship." Did you see the Viking's little ship, that touched our coasts a 1,000 years ago? The caravels of Columbus, of 500 years ago? The Mayflower, of 300 years ago; what a relic for a world's exposition that little ship of 2 000 years, that "waited" on the Lord Jesus, as all ships should do that would outride all the stormy *seas of the ages? But we have better ships, trophies or Gospel of story. The-Bible is a ship that carries Jesus down the River of Time; the Church is the ship in which He has so often stilled the waves and boisterous winds; the heart of the believer carries Jesus, happy little ship, how safe, how honored, how serviceable to "wait on" t he Lord, Christ in you (?) the hope of Glory (Col. 1:27). (2) "The other side"—Jesus had to put the sea between Himself and His tormentors. Let us hope He has not fixed the impassable "'gulf" between. Take ship with Jesus t h at you may not have part with "those wicked men." 2. The Omission. (1) " Fo r g o t t e n "—- The disciples like the rest of us were "good forgettors," bless the Lord, He never forgets to provide our daily bread. (2) It seems to have been their busi- ness and custom to provide food for t h e journeys, the Lord had no time to "serve tables"' (Ac. 6:2). But bread is necessary and somebody should see that ministers and missionaries, and the Lord's poor have it. (,3) "One loaf"— a mere biscuit. But one loaf with Jesus is a feast; a crust and Christ! what a banquet! what a guest! 3. The Charge. (1) "Charged"—a solemn warning. (2) "Heed, beware"— a double warning. Danger ahead! it is like the railway signals, a cross for the crossing, the added words "Look out for the ears," and then the bell clam- oring. (3) "Because we have no bread" —Man's first thought,^-nothing so near his heart,—^nothing so important,— hread! "What shall we eat? or, what
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