Here Chriſt limiteth their Miniftry to the Zews. The Ape ſtle tel] us, Rom. 15. 8.Chrift was the Miniſter of the Circumeſn for the Truth of God, to confirm the Promiſes made to the Kh"; and the Apoſtle tells the Jews, A&s 13. 46. That it was neci)[) that the Word of God ſhould be fo Ges to them. Therefore ! this his firſt Miffion, he reſtrains his Apoſtles from going t2 the
Gentiles, tro whom they had afterwards a Commiſſion to go, 91% 7 F > Verily 28. 19. and did go, bur nor betore the 7ews had judged Them able for the ſelves unworthy of everlaſting Life, A#s 13. 46. by rejediing * day of judgm
blafpheming the Goſpel , and perſecuting the Miniſters ct Ou They are alſo commanded no to go into any City of che 517% By them thets —_ 19" WH tr their Journey
bs X
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The Samaritanes were partly Fews Apoſtatized, and athens, deſcended from thoſe whom the King of A/ſj- "Cnr thicher, when the Ten Tribes were carried into Capti- og King. 17.6. and from ſome 7ews left in the Land. You __ d of heir Religion there, v.31. to the end. They were f Ah hared by the Jews, and as perfe& Haters of them, as -— / arhered from Luk.g. 52,53. Joh. 4.9.. Our Lord, part- - they alſo were no better than Gentiles , and ſo were of the Fews , would nor ſuffer rheſfe his firſt «ers to 20 and Preach amongſt rhem : Not that they were - agrey en (if fome particular Perſons, wherher Gentiles or Sama- for - came to them,) to Preach to them, bur only nor ro make _ Work to £0 into their Country, or Cities; the time was : = come for this great Lighr to ſhine upon the Gentiles. at, 20 rather to the 1: ſheep of the houſe of Iſrael. | By Ijrael, he Fcre meanerh che TWO ribes that clave to the Houſe of David; = he Ten Tribes ever ſince their Caprivity, 2 King. 17.6. had on 'cheir Share in that Name. He calls them /o$? Sheep , 1n the -_" that Fercmy ſpeaks, chap.50.6. My Pevple have been lo8 Sheep their Shepherds have cauſed them to go aſtray. So that /o8t Sheep here tgnifies wandring Sheep , for want of proper Guides. The 9:7, at chis rime, had miſerable Teachers, fo as they wandred mY & Shes; and this comporreth with what we had 1n the laſt /or/2s of the former Chapter. There was a great Harveſt , and Mut fer: Labourers 3 he 15 therefore providing them Lahourers, Shepherds rhat ſhould 24ther thoſe ſcattered Sheep into one
Fold. 7 * And as ye go, preach, ſaying, * The Kingdom
2 of Heaven is at hand. : $ Heal the ſick, cleanſe the lepers, raiſe the dead, c1{ out devils: * freely ye have received, treely give. In theſe words he gives them Power, I. T9 Preach the Goſpel. 2, To confirm the Dodtrine they preached to be of God, by Miraculous 052rations, Healing rhe Sick , cleanſing Lepers, caſting Out Devils, He hids them go Preach, Ky;gu<r2[2 .. (ry like Heralds, t>merhing like [aiah's Commiſion. Ha.$8.T. Cr; aloud, ſpare no: , lift up thy Voice like a Trumpet. He teacheth them whar ſhould be the Sum of their Sermons. {[ The Kingdom of God is at hand.) 4 The ſame thing which John Bapti#t preached, chap. 3. 2. which Cariſt preache1, Mar. 1.15. and which he diredted the Seventy to Preach, Lub,15.9. Not that they were to uſe no other Words, bur that all the Words they uſed, were to have this Tendency. To declare that the Time was now come, when God had fulfilled his Promiſe of the Meſfiah , who was ſetting up his Kingdom 1m the World, and to whoſe Laws they were to be obedient. This Dodrine they were to confirm by Miracles ; which he gives them a charge, they ſhould work freely, withour receiving any Reward for them ; thar the Miracles being nor uſed to their private Profit, might not loſe their End, which was the Confirmation of their Doctrine. . 9 Provide * neither gold, nor filver, nor braſs in your purlcs. ; | * 10 Nor ſcrip for your Journey, neither two coats © neither ſhoes, nor yet faves: (* For the workman is worthy of his meat.) : Our Saviour having in the laſt Verſe commanded them to give E freely ; they mighr reaſonable be thinking , thar they had need ” toprovide well for their Journey. No, faith our Saviour , Pro- - vide neither Gold, nor Silver, nor Braſs, &c. That this was but a © Temporary Precept, the Will of God concerning them for this > ſhorr Journey, appeareth from Luk. 22. 35, 36. But now he that hath a Purſe let him take it, and likewiſe" hs Scrip, &c. They ” wereto finiſh chis Journey in a ſhort time , and much Provifion would have been an hindrance to their Motion, Befides, our Saviour deſigned to give them an Experience of the Providence of God, and to reach them to truſt in it; as alfo to teach People, That the Labourer is worthy of his Hire ;, and that God expetteth, * that his Miniſters ſhould nor live of their own , bur upon rhe * Altar which they ſerved; ſo as ar once he taughr his Apoſtles | | not to be Covetous, nor over much Solicitous; and People to provide for thoſe who Miniſtred co them in things Spiricual, [ paſs over whar others have critically obſerved concerning the Words, that being not my proper Work. Mark ſaith, chap. 6. 8. That he commanded them that they ſhould take nothing for their , 7ourney, ſave a Staff only; no Scrip, no Bread , nor Money in their . Purſe, but be ſhod with Sandals, and not put on two Coats. From & whence is plain, that the Staves forbidden in Matthew,were either Staves for defence , or to bear Burdens upon, not meerly Travellers Staves. The Sum is, in this their firſt Journey, which they were foonto difpatch, he would have them truſt God for Prote&ion -- and Syſtenance, and load themſelves wich nothing more than © neceſſary,
at, 11 * And into whatſoever city or town ye ſhall + Enter, enquire who in it is worthy : and there abide till ye 50 thence.
12 And when ye come into an houſe, ſalute it. * 13 And if the houſe be worthy, let your peace ' OMe upon it : but if it be not worthy, let your peace = Teturn to YOu. 95 14 And * whoſoever ſhall not receive you , nor ig ar your words : when ye depart out of that houſe ar, 27 City, * ſhake off the duſt of your feet.
15 Verily I fay unto you, Ir ſhall be more tole- ble for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah, in the day of judgment, than for thar city.
Our Lord had before ſer chem their Limirs, and appointed tem their Work, and direQed them as to their Accourrements
partly
St. MATTHEW