35. And Jefus travelled through all the Cities and Villages, expounding the Scripture in their Synagogues, and teaching them the true Doctrine of the Christian Religion, and proving his Authority and Divine Commiffion by the miraculous healing of all forts of Diseases among the People.

36. And when he saw a great multitude of People gathered together about him, he had Compaffion on them, because they seemed to be weary and fcattered, wandring for want of faithful Guides and Teachers, as Sheep having no Shepherd. They were willing to receive the Inftructions of true Religion, and defirous to be directed in the way of Happinefs; but the Jewish Doctors, Scribes and Pharifees, had filled all things with Hypocrify and vain Traditions, and there were none who taught the People with Sincerity and Faithfulness.

37. Then Jefus faid to his Difciples: The Harvest indeed is great; There is a great Number of People, that are willing and prepared to receive Inftruction: But the Labourers in this Harvest are few; there are but few who are able and fitted to inftruct these People, in the Ways of Righteoufnefs and Truth.

38. Pray ye therefore to God, that he would provide skilful and faithful Minifters, to be fent forth to preach the Gospel through the World.

35 And Jefus
went about all the
cities and villages,
teaching in
fynagogues,
preaching the gof-
pel of the kingdom,
and healing every
fickness, and every
disease among the
people.

their
and

36 But when he
faw the multitudes,

he was moved with
compaffion on them,
because they fainted,
and were scattered
abroad, as fheep ha-
ving no fhepherd.

37 Then faith he unto his difciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few.

38 Pray ye there-
fore the Lord of the
harveft, that he will

fend forth labourers
into his harveft.

CHAP.

Event B

СНАР. X.

his Apoftles, at their being fent out The Bleffing of thofe who receive them,

Christ's Inftruction to to preach, ver. I. ver. 40.

6. But go in the first place to the poor deluded Jews, who were originally the peculiar People of God; and offer Them firft, the gracious Terms of Repentance and Reconciliation.

7. Preaching to them every where as ye go; that God is now about to eftablish the Kingdom of the Meffias, wherein he will be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth; and, inftead of all external Rites and Ceremonies, will accept nothing but Repentance and fincere Obedience.

8. And to convince them that ye do not this rafhly and without Authority, heal their Sick, cleanfe their Lepers, raife their Dead, caft out Devils; and do all these things freely and without reward, with the fame Liberality as ye have received Power from me to do 'them.

9. And because the Design of this your Journey is wholly Spiritual and Heavenly, for the Inftruction and Converfion of Mankind; therefore make no Provifion for it of any earthly things; of Gold, or Silver, or any other Money.

10. But go juft as ye are; each Man with the fame Coat, Shoes, and Staff, that he now has; † without providing any other Clothes, Shoes, or Staff; or any Bag of Provisions for the Way. For while ye are thus employed in labouring for the Benefit and Eternal Welfare of others, ye may reasonably expect to be fuftained by them for the prefent.

not into the way of the Gentiles,and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not.

6 But go rather to the loft fheep of the

houfe of Ifrael.

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

8 Heal the fick, cleanfe the lepers, raise the dead, caft out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

9 Provide neither gold, nor filver, nor brafs in your purfes:

10 Nor fcrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither fhoes, nor yet ftaves: (for the workman is worthy of his meat.)

Thus this Paffage, where the Disciples are forbidden to provide a Staff, agrees well with Mark vi, 8. where they are permitted to take a Staff.

26 ..

11 And

II. And when ye first enter into any City or Town, enquire what Perfon dwells therein of Piety and Probity, who may probably receive the Truth of the Gospel, and be affifting to you in your preaching of Righteoufnefs. And when ye have found fuch an House, accept its Entertainment, and continue therein without removing, till you depart out of that City.

12. And when ye go firft into an House, fay, Peace be to it; and pray for the Bleffing of God upon the whole Family.

13. And if it be a pious and deferving Family, God will accordingly blefs and profper it: But if not, your Prayers fhall return into your own Bofom; and the Bleffing, which they render themselves unworthy of, fhall be redoubled by God upon your felves.

14. And if any Houfe or City fhall refufe to entertain you, and shall reject your Doctrine, and defpife your Words, and refufe to be reformed; when ye depart out of that Houfe or City, fhake off even the Duft of your Feet against them; declaring, that fince they have wilfully rejected the laft means of Salvation which God has offered them by you, ye will have nothing more to do with them, but leave them to the Judgment of God.

15. Afluredly I tell you, the Punishment that Thall be inflicted on the Inhabitants of fuch a City, fhall be more terrible in the Day of flicted on the Inhabitants of Sodom. Vengeance, than that which was inBecause the Inhabitants of Sodom might have repented, if they had heard your Preaching and feen your Miracles; but thefe Men having rejected greater Offers

E

fers of Mercy, fhall be liable to a feverer Punishment.

16. And now, behold, I fend you forth as Sheep among Wolves; gentle, harmless, and innocent Perfons, among paffionate and cruel Men. Be ye therefore Wife and Prudent, that ye give them no juft occafion of reproaching you or your Doctrine; and be meek and gentle, that ye may win those that are of good Tempers, and avoid provoking those that are bad.

17. But when ye have done all you can, you must expect nevertheless to be perfecuted by wicked and cruel Men. Though ye be never fo careful to avoid giving them any juft Offence, yet merely for your continuing to preach the Gofpel, they will carry you before their Magiftrates, as Malefactors; and fcourge you in their Synagogues, as Apoftates.

18. And ye fhall be brought before Governours, and Princes, and Kings, for the Gofpel's fake; by which means your Innocence fhall be difcovered, and your Doctrine made known, even to the Gentiles and to the whole World; that they also hearing of your Doctrine and Miracles, and feeing your Simplicity, Sincerity, and Innocence, may either embrace the Truth, or be left without Excufe,

19. Now when Men fhall thus bring you before the Magiftrates to be judged, be not follicitous to meditate what ye fhall fay in your Defence, or in what manner ye fhall apologize for your felves to the beft advantage. For your Works and Doctrine fhall be their own Vindication; and God, who by his peculiar Providence fupplies you with all other Things that are neceffary or convenient, will also at that Time provide for your Defence.