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And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and 24 saw the minstrels, and the people making a noise, He said unto them, Give place; for the maid is not

dead, but fleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. 25 But when the people were put forth, he went in, 26 and took her by the hand, and the maid arose. And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.

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And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of 28 David (k), have mercy on us. And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus faith unto them, Believe ye that I am able 29 to do this? They faid unto him, Yea, Lord. Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your 30 faith, be it unto you. And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straightway charged them, saying, See 31 that no man know it (1). But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country. As they went out, behold, they brought to him a 33 dumb man poffefssed with a devil. And when the devil was caft out, the dumb spake; and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in If34 rael. But the Pharisees said, He casteth out the devils 35 through the prince of the devils. And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every fickness, and every disease among the people..

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But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compaffion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no 37 shepherd. Then faith he unto his disciples, The

(k) We know by the miracles which thou dost, that thou must be the true Meffiah, or Chrift, descended according to the prophets from David.

(1) Left the fame of his miracles might provoke the Jews to seize him, before he had performed all that he intended to do.

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harvest harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are 38 few (m). Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will fend forth labourers into his harvest,

I

CHAP. X.

AND when he had called unto him his twelve difciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of fickness, 2 and all manner of disease. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first Simon, who is called Peter (a), and Andrew his brother, James 3 the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, Philip, and Bartholomew, Thomas, and Matthew the publican, James the fon of Alpheus, and Lebbeus (b), 4 whose surname was Thaddeus, Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot (c), who also betrayed him. 5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them,

saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and 6 into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not (d). But go 7 rather to the loft sheep of the house of Ifrael (e). And

as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at 8 hand (f). Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the

(m) Many remain to be instructed; but there are few to instruct them.

(a) Peter was the first in order, but not in dignity; for all the Apostles had the same commiffion, and equal authority to govern the Church. Compare Chap. xvi. 19. with xviii. 18. St. Paul also withstood. St. Peter to the face, Gal. ii. 11. being in nothing behind the very chiefeft Apostles. 2 Cor. xi. 5. xii. 11. And the whole Church at Jerufalem called Peter to account. Als xi. 2.

(b) Lebbeus is another name of Jude, the brother of James, Luke vi. 16. called also Thaddeus, Mark iii. 18.

(c) Simon and Judas are called Canaanite and Iscariot from the places they were of, to diftinguish them from others of the like name. (d) At prefent.

(e) But rather use your best diligence first to recover the House of Israel; for to them were the promises made, though they are now

going astray like lost sheep.

(f) See Chap. iii. 2. Note.

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dead, caft out devils: freely ye have received, freely 9 give. Provide neither gold, nor filver, nor brass (g) in 10 your purses: Nor fcrip for your journey, neither two

coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: (for the workman II is worthy of his meat.) (b) And into whatsoever city or

town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy, and 12. there abide till ye go thence (i). And when you come 13 into an house, salute it (k): And if the house be worthy,

let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, 14 let your peace return to you (1). And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words; when ye depart out of that house, or city, shake off the 15 duft of your feet (m). Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah, in the day of judgment, than for that city.

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Behold, I fend you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wife as ferpents, and harm17 less as doves. But beware of men (n), for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will fcourge 18 you in their synagogues. And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my fake, for a 19 teftimony, against them and the Gentiles. But

(g) Encumber not yourselves with much provision of money, victuals, or apparel: but trust to the special providence of God on this extraordinary occafion. See Mark vi. 8. Luke ix. 3, 4. xxii. 35.

(h) Those whom you instruct will provide for you, according to the justice of the proverb, the workman, &c.

(i) See Mark vi. 10.

Note.

(a) By wishing the bleffing of peace upon it, which was the

ufual falutation among the Jews.

(1) Your good wishes, though not accepted by them, shall not be loft: for, God in his good providence will give you that blessing which you kindly wish to others. Pfalm xxxv. 13.

(m) Since they refuse to be benefited by you, shew them that you scorn to carry away any thing that belongs to them, even the duft of

their streets.

(n) Beware of those men whom I described as wolves.

when they deliver you up, take no thought (9) how or what ye shall speak; for it shall be given you For it is

20 in that fame hour what ye shall speak.

not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father 21 which speaketh in you. And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their pa22 rents, and cause them to be put to death (p). And ye shall be hated' of all men for my name's fake: but 23 he that endureth to the end, shall be faved (g). But when they perfecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Ifrael, till the Son of man be 24 come (r). The disciple is not above his master, nor the 25 servant above his lord (s). It is enough for the difciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord: if they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of 26 his houshold? Fear them not therefore for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and 27 hid, that shall not be known. What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light and what ye hear in

(o) Take no thought, fignifies be not over-anxious, as Chap. vi. 31. In ordinary cafes men are left to the due ufe and improvement of their natural powers; but your trials are fo extraordinary, that God will allow you the immediate affistance of his holy Spirit, and enable you to defend the caufe of truth against all opposition.

(p) Obferve the cruel effects of falfe zeal, which provokes men to perfecute each other for difference of religion.

(q) His life shall be faved.

(r) To take vengeance on the Jews. Or perhaps this is rather to be understood of the defcent of the holy Spirit, which our Şaviour calls his own coming, John xiv. 18. I will not leave you comfortless, I will come unto you; meaning that the Comforter whom he would fend, should come. After that event the Gofpel was preached to the Gentiles.

(s) This is a proverbial expreffion, which our Saviour applies very frequently.

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28 the

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28 the ear, that preach ye upon the house tops (t). And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able 29 to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows fold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father (u). 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered (w). 31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than 32 many sparrows. Whosoever therefore shall confefs

me before men, him will I confess also before my Fa33 ther which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Fa34 ther which is in heaven. Think not that I am come to fend peace on earth (x): I came not to send 35 peace, but a sword. For I am come to fet a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law againft 36 her mother-in-law. And a man's foes shall be they 37 of his own houshold. He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me (y); and he that loveth son or daughter more than me, is not 38 worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross (z), 39 and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He

(t) The Jewish houses were low, and the roofs being flat, and defended with battlements, people went upon them for air, retirement, and other purposes. Chap. xxiv. 17. Mark ii. 4. Luke xii. 3. Als x. 9.

(u) Shall not be destroyed, or die.

(w) The most minute circumstance that can concern your well. being, is under the care and direction of providence.

(x) This was owing, not to the intention of Chriff, but to the perverseness and perfecuting spirit of men.

(y) Neither the dread of enemies, nor the love of friends (which perhaps may be more difficult to refift,) ought to prevail with us againft what we know to be our duty.

(z) To take up the cross alludes to the custom of obliging perfons going to execution to carry the cross. The meaning here is, to be. ready to fuffer hardships and afflictions for the fake of religion.