: /-5,) or Men riking up Arms, to compel all others to their
EB 1')! rigs and Superſtitions. And that Natural Antipachy which
> Men have to linefs, ſetting them at Variance with choſe who
E enricinz the Goſpel, love a Life as becometh the Goſpel of rhe
Lord Fefus Chriſt, worketh fo far, as Men will have no reſpe&
== 1207 ncureſt Relations, 4
"Io.
And a * man's foes hal! be they of his own
S. % i\te
Nato the Hhyhold of Faith, which ſhewerh, thar it is not the
E ©192/, bur 3/21's Corruptions, Which cauſerh Diviſion. Thoſe who
Truly reccive tne Goſpel, agree well enough, ar leaſt break nor out
[aro Open Feuds; buc rhe Tye of no Natural or Moral Relations, Wil hojd tozerher the Seed of the Woman, and the Seed of the
| Serpent, Tn;s dorh not always happen , bur very ordinarily; and « (re rechere was need that Chritt ſhould forewarg his Diſciples L It,
37 Hethatloveth father or mother more than me. 0 not worthy of me : * and he that loveth ſon or ©472er more than me, 1s not worthy of me.
L:2 7emeth ro ſpeak higher, chap. 14. 26. If any Man come
* = unit nite wt his Either and Mother, and Wife and Children, D g ac hon nd Sifters, yea, and his own Life alſo, he cannot be my ; 4epre bur ne Senſe 18 the fame; for by Hatred there, is only
\/ SF V ws ils
S MATTHE ir,
meanr Diſplicercy, and a i©:4n ; them in his Eſteem below Chriſt, and his Commands, Chr'tt : <5 nor command cr encouraze wane of Natural Affect.on, bur » 11 by Ents Szying, He rcducerh ir to Order, and jh-weri. taur our firſt Love and Homace 1s due oo God; and where we cannot ſhew what Live and Affetims our Father, or Mother, or Son, or Daughter call tor, without FNLINg 117 that Duty which we owe unto God, or Vivlacing fome Divine Pre- cepr, we muſt acknowled ze our Heavenly Farther, even by difohov- ing our Earthly Parents, Inftcad ot, Is mt wirthy of wo, Lids ſaich, Cannot be my Diſciple, which expounderh this Term : He is not worthy of my Favour, ot the Name of my Diſcip!c, or the Reward I intend my Diſciples.
38 *And he that raketh not his croſs, and fol- loweth after me, is nor worthy of me.
We have much the fame, Matth. 16. 24. Mar8.34. L1b,g.22. Ir 15 nor he that makerh nor,bur he thir rabeth not hy Crols;, thac 5, he that doth nor willingly, and chearfully, and pariently bear, and undergo choſe Trials and Affictions, and Pertecutions, which God in the way of his Providence ſhall lay upon him, and bring him into for my ſake, and my Go/pe!, is nor worthy of rhe Name crReward of my Diſciples. Our Saviour calls all ſuch Tri.!s, T2 Crs; either :vich reterence co rhe Roman laſt Puniſhment, by Crucifying, or Signifying whar Death he thould die, and with re- tcrence to his own Croſs,
39 * Hz rhar findeth his 1ife;ſhall loſe it: and he thar loſeth his life tor my ſake, ſhall tind ir.
fon, chap. 10.25, giveth us a Commentary upon theſe Words, thus : He that loveth his Life, ſhall loſe it ;, and he that hateth 41s Life in this Wirld, ſhall keep it unto Life Eternal. Ke, in this Text, is ſaid to find his Life , who thinks that he hath tound ; tha t», ſaved ic; who is fo much in love wich his Life, thar racker chan he will loſe ir, he will loſe Gcd's favour; deny the Lord cha: boushr him; deny the moſt Fundamental Truths of the Grjpe!. The Man thar doth thus ( faith Chriſt) ſhall loſe ir : Poſſibly he ſhall nor obtain rhe End he aimeth ar here; bur if he doth, he ſhall loſe Erernal Life. When, on the contrary, he that is Va- lianc for the Truth, ſhall ſometimes be preferved, norwichſtand- nz his Enemies rage ; bur it chis happens nor, yer he ſhall have Life Eternal, his Mhrtality ſhail be ſwail»wed up in Life.
40 * Hethat receiveth you, receiveth me: and he that receiveth me, receiveth him that ſent me.
41 * He that receiveth a propher in the name of a prophet , thall receive a prophet's reward : and he that receiveth a righteous man in the -name of a righteous man,{hall receive a righteous man's reward.
42 * And wholoever ſhall give to drink to one of *Ch. 25.40
theſe little ones, a cup of cold water only, in thz name ot a diſciple, verily 1 fay unto you, he ſhall in no wile loſ2 his reward.
He that receiveth you, recerveth me, &, We have the ſame, Luk. 10.16, only there it is, He that heareth you, hearerh me : and there is added , And he that deſpijeth you, deſpiſeth me; and he that deſpiſeth me, deſpiſeth him th.:t jent me : In Joh. 13. 20. 1c is, Verily, verily T ſay unto you, He that recerveth whomever T ſend, receiveth me; and he that receiveth me, receiveth him that ſent me. As great Princes account what Favour is ſhewn to their Embal- ſadors , who repreſent their Perſons, ſhewn unto chemtelves; and wharſoever-Indignities or Affronrts are done unto them, as done to themſelves, ſo dorh Chrift. Receiving is a general Term, and capable of a large Interpretation. That Hearing 1s one Branch of 1t, Luke tells us. The Scope of the Context, and tic Words chat follow, do maniteſt that a givin Entertainment to them in their Houſes, 15 another thing here meant. There 13anorher more inward receiving of their Do&rire by F:iith and Love, to which undoubtedly there will be a great Reward ; bur wherlier it be here intended , I doubr. Our Saviour was ſending the Twelve our; hc had commanded them to take with them nov G91, Silver, nor Braſs, no Scrip, &c. Bur when they came 1nto any City, ro enquire who there were 1n that City, who were worthy Men, Favourers to the Goſpel , and ready to entertain Strangers, and to go to their Houſe or Hovſes , faluting them, and to abide there till hey left the place; he turnifherh chem here as it were with a Ticket, or Bill of Exchange. He gives them an aflurance, Thar whatſoever kindneſs ſhould be done to chem, he would account ir as done to himſelf. - And further hach atlured both chem, and all the World, Thar if any ſhould come to chem ro reveal the Will of God, ( for that che Term Prophet tigninerh,) it chey give him an Entertainment upon chat accounc,they ſhould be rewarded. Whar is here meant by the Term , a Prophet's Reward, 1s variouſly gueſſed : Wherner it be, 1, The Reward which God hath appointed for ſuch as entertain his Prophets, 2. Or ſuch a Reward as tuch a Prophet fhall himſelf receive : Or, 3. The Reward which the Prophet will give him or them,
viz. Prayers and In/tru&im. That which appears ro me moſt pro-