O Lord Jesus, Lord of the harvest, and thyself the pattern of all labourers, look in mercy on it and them. Awaken them to observe, with deep attention, what multitudes are scattered from thee, and perishing for lack of knowledge; give them thy own bowels of compassion; hear their prayers, and make them the happy instruments of bringing many of their diseased fellow-creatures to thee for healing. And do thou, O blessed Lord, strengthen what is weak in us; enable us to forsake all covetous desires of the world, that we may follow thee; raise us from the death of sin; open our eyes to see the mercy of our God, and our mouths to speak his praise; and gather us into one body to thyself, who art the great Shepherd and Bishop of our souls.

SECTION XXI.

Chap. x. ver. 1—26.

CHRIST SENDETH OUT THE TWELVE APOSTLES.

1. And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

He never took this power away. They still have it for us; and it is our own fault if they are not, under him, the instruments of our conversion. Hear, and read what they say; and say to yourselves, This is their medicine from Christ for our sicknesses; Lord help us to understand and apply it.

2. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;

3. Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the pub

lican; James the son of Alphæus, and Lebbæus, whose surname was Thaddeus;

Whatever the world may think, these are the greatest names, and the most worthy to be had in honour, of any that were ever in the world.

4. Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

Was Christ mistaken in Judas ? or is his choice of him a lesson of instruction to the people, to respect the office of his ministers; and to ministers, to take heed that they also be not his betrayers, and worst enemies?

5. These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:

Jesus sent them to preach the Gospel at the hazard of their lives; and some of them he appointed to commit it to writing for the benefit of all posterity. We do not read this part of Scripture as we ought, if we are not thankful to Jesus for them, and for bringing us to the knowledge of salvation by them. Whatever truth we hear from others, they have it from them, as the apostles had it from Christ.

If Christ had said of this place! "Preach not the Gospel there!" “Let not the sun shine, nor rain come upon it," would not have been near so great a curse. Bring it not upon yourselves, by neglecting the great blessing of the Gospel when it is offered you.

6. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

"Lost," notwithstanding outward privileges, and then more especially in a very corrupt state. So may Christians, with all their advantages; and the less we know ourselves to be lost, the more cause we have to fear it.

7. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Not God's kingdom of glory in heaven, for as to us it is not

yet come; but that kingdom, in which he reigns over us by Jesus Christ, forgives our sins, adopts us into his family, and prepares us for his everlasting kingdom in heaven; and if we do not enter into it now, we shall not hereafter.

8. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils freely ye have received, freely give.

The power he gave to them, he has superabundantly in himself for our healing; and he is our Jesus only so far as we own him for that end. If his chief design had been to do good to the bodies of men in the short course of his ministry, he needed not to have come into the world, nor sent his apostles to them. "Freely give" the blessings of those powers I now commit to you.

9. Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, 10. Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.

That is, spend no time in providing much or little, you have none to bestow upon it, go immediately about your proper business. It may be argued from hence, that ministers should have a maintenance found to their hands, that they may be at leisure to attend singly upon their work. And when they have, what will they allege for not devoting themselves wholly to it?

11. And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, inquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence.

Inquire who is well-disposed, given to hospitality, and worthy of so great a favour as entertaining Christ's messengers, "There abide," contented with such entertainment as you find there.

12. And when ye come into an house, salute it.

By wishing peace to it, which was the Jewish salutation. He does not mean in the way of an empty civility, but with the offer of his peace.

13. And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.

If the house be worthy, the peace you carry in my name shall come upon it. "But if it be not worthy," your peace shall return for your own reward, though slighted by those to whom it is offered. Lord, let none refuse it.

14. And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.

As you would fire out of your bosoms, in token of their eternal rejection, for refusing your call. Shaking off the dust of your feet, was Christ's own act and deed by the apostles, and strongly expresses his abhorrence of all who do not receive their message. My friends, I hope you do, and will receive it, and come here for that purpose.

15. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

Still more dreadful is their condition, who slight repeated warnings, and live under the preaching of the Gospel.

16. Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

Who would worry these poor sheep, and a multitude of others, for being eminently good, and, at the expense of life, showing them the only way to happiness. According to Christ's knowledge of us, humanity is not the nature and character of man. The generality are grievously offended at this awful representation of themselves, and take pride in an outward courtesy of manners, or acts of generosity; but who, almost, does not feel in himself more of the wolf than the lamb, when he is admonished, though ever so gently, to be better?

"Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as

doves:" guard against ill usage, and be sure not to deserve it.

17. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;

Christ does not mean that they were to desert their office for fear of them; but warns the disciples, and in them all others, of their danger; and, knowing that they would be fortified against it, does not scruple to paint it in its worst colours.

18. And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.

19. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.

Take no thought as to the manner of your speaking; the great thought must be to speak the truth, and to speak it boldly.

The promise contained in the verse will always be made good.

20. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of which speaketh in you.

your Father

From your inward sense, and steady assurance of divine things, the Spirit's work in you; and also by his present immediate assistance.

21. And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.

Religious quarrels, to the shame of mankind, are the fiercest of all others, so as to counteract some of the strongest workings of nature, and dissolve the ties of nearest kindred. Christendom has had its full share in the guilt of a persecuting spirit, and it is hardly ever enough abhorred.