and Happineſs to it, it they tound themſelves welcome to Preach to 1t the Goſpel of Peace. Bur if they found themſelves unwe!. come,and difcerned rhat the People of the City, or of that Houſe, did nor care for their Company, and reiuſed ro hear them, they | ſhould nor make themſelves, or the Goſpel, a Burden to them; | but ſhew their Contempr of thoſe who contemned the Golpei, | and the Miniſtry of it, by ſhaking the duS off their Feet as a Te- ſtimony again them, Then he concludes, telling them , Thar che Lord would fo grievouſly at laſt revenge ſuch Concempr, char the Condition of the Men of Sodom and Gomorrah, who were deſtroyed by Fire and Brimſtone, Gen. 19. 24. would ar the laſt day be more tolerable than theirs, This is the Sum by which our Saviour doth obviate the folicirous Thoughts, might from his former Words ariſe in their Minds. How ſhall we live, 20s ing among Strangers, if we carry nothing with us? Saich our Saviour , when you firſt come into a Town or Ciry, do not en- quire tor the Inns that entertain Strangers; bur who is Worthy, worthy of ſuch Gueſts; ſo Heb. 11. 38. a Son of Peace, Luk. 0.5. who are accounted as the moſt Pjous and Religious Perſons in that Town or City, or beſt aftetted ro the Goſpel. { He hereby hints, that Zohn che Baptit and his Miniſtry had had ſuch ſuc- ceſs , that in moſt places there were fome ſuch Perſons. ) Wor- thy doth not in our ordinary Diſcourſe fignitie always a Merito- riows Perſon , but a Perſon Excelling , either in Religion, or Know- ledg.:, or Moral Vertue. Such Perſons our Lord preſumes would entertain thoſe who came upon ſo kind an Errand to their Hou- ſes; hecommands them to go; and when they came toan Houſe, co {alure it; ro ſay,[ Peace be to this Houſe, ] (which was the Jews ordinary Salutation, ) under the Notion of Peace, they compre- hended all Good, Bur, | Let your Peace be upon it, ( I conceive) comprehendeth more 5 viz. Preach the Goſpel of Peace unto it : Or, My Peace ſhall be upon ic, T will Blefs chat Houſe. Bur if you find youare mi{-informed, or miſtaken,[ Tour Peace ſhall return unto you; ) you have done your Work, and you fhall have your Reward. | If they will not Receive you, nor hear your Words, If rhey declare any Contempt of you,and will not hear the Glad-Ti- dings of the Goſpel ; | When you depart out of that Houſe or City, ſhake off the dust of your Feet.) This was more than a ſign of Con- rempr of them. We read of Nehemiah, chap.5.13. that he ſhook his Lap, and ſaid, So God ſhake out every Man from his Houle, and from his Labour, that performeth not this Promiſe, We have but one In- ſtance of this Praftice of the Apoſtles, 4#s 13. 51. Lube adds, for a Teſtimony again$# them; a Teſtimony of God's deſpiſing chem, who deſpiſed his Grace; and of the Vengeance of God, char ſhould come upon them tor that Contempt. For he adds, [It ſhall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of Fudg- ment , the laſt Jud;menr , than for that City.) Their Condemna- rion wil be more dreadful , as having ſinned againſt greater Light, and fairer Offers of greater Grace than ever they had.
16 * Behold, I ſend you forth as ſheep in the *Luk. 10.33 midſt of wolves *: Be ye therefore wiſe as ſerpents, * Rom. 16.
and || harmleſs as doves. 19. Our Lord having hithzrro Inſtrufted his Twelve Apoſtles, as to || Orfimple.
the Places whither they were to go, the Work they had to do, and the Merhods he would have them obferve ; now comes ro arm chem againſt cheir Difficulties , and the Temptations they were like to meet with. [ 1 ſend you forth, ( faich he) as Sheep among Wolves.) Ir is moſt probable, that our Saviour ſpeaks this with reference co what they were like ro miect with, when he ſhould be taken from them ; for we do not read of any great Oppoſition which they at preſent met with. 7 ſen! you, faich he, as Sheep, which are teeble Creatures in themſelves, and wichour any Natural Armour to detend themfelves; amms#t Wolves, which are rapacious Creatares, and have a particular Enmity to Sheep, Amongſt Enemies, who will h:ve as great an inclinari-n from rheir Malice, to devour you. as Wolves have from their Nacure, ro devour Sheep. | Be ye therefore Wiſe as Son Ir 1s faid of rhe Serpent, Gen. 3. 1. that He was more ſubtil than any Be:S of the Field. Naturaliſts obſerve ver a grear Natural Sagacity inthe Serpent, which they note in ſeveral particulars. Ir 1s hard to ſay, char Chriſt aimed ar this, or that parcicular thing , wherein the Sagacity of Serpents appeareth; he only propoſerth rhe Serpenc as a Pattern of Subrilty, and commendcth Prudence to them, 1o far as it conſiſterh with Innocency ; for it followeth , | Innocent as Doves.) Amongſt the Beaſts of the Field, there is none more innocent than a Sheep ; amongſt che Birds of the Air, none more innocent than a Dove; to both theſe, our Lord compareth his Diſciples. This Text teacherh us, 1. Thar Wiſdom may dwell with Prudence, 2, Thar all true Prudence muſt be arrended with Innocency.
17 But beware of men, * for they will deliver *ch, 24.5. a. et you up to the councils, and they will {courge you 1n dar. s 3: 9s ji their ſynagogues, ————
18 And * ye ſhall be brought before governours xgg.s, gow CRORNETT IE NT 16 and kings for my ſake, for a teſtimony againſt them & 12. 1. 10h 3 IT RIS, and the Gentiles. OX 254 23> W010 1-100 #4
The laſt word Gentiles maketh it plain, thar our Blefſed Lord is nor here arming his Diſciples fo much againſt any Oppoſicion