22. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

23. But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: For verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

Flee, not barely to escape, though that was lawful, but still to go on preaching. Though they drive you out of one city, there will be still more left than you can go through before their general destruction, the coming here spoken of.

24. The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.

So as to be exempt from reproach and persecution.

25. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, the servant as his lord.

and

He must be content with the same lot. Our master has set us all a very high pattern; and it may be some comfort to us, in the worst of times, to know that he suffered

more.

25. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household ?

26. Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.

Let nothing they can do to you stop your mouths. What you learn of me is for their sakes as well as your own, and must be fully declared to them, in spite of danger.

SECTION XXII.

Chap. x. ver. 27—42.

HE COMFORTS HIS DISCIPLES.

27. What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.

28. And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

29. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.

The reasoning is to this effect. Men cannot hurt us without leave from God; and, if they should, when they have done their worst, still we are in the hands of a good providence, shall be safe in our best and dearest interest, and owned by Christ at the last to our unspeakable happiness, whatever we may suffer in the mean time for owning and confessing him. Here, then, is the great counterbalance against all other fears, present suffering in one scale, and hell in the other. Take notice again, that your trials are not so great as theirs, and think for what risk the destruction of soul and body. Dearly beloved, this is no vain threatening; if you would be safe, have it always before your eyes.

you now

30. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

31. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

32. Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

33. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

The world can come to no agreement with the christian, without such concessions on his part as he ought never to make. Hence war and opposition; Christ's disciples contending for him, and his Gospel, with hearts full of peace and good-will; others against them, with deadly animosity. A

person may have a good deal of what passes for religion, without being against the world, or setting the world against him. From this, as well as other passages, such may take occasion to examine into the ground of their hope. If all is quiet, it is to be feared there is ignorance, or desertion of truth, in the case.

35. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

36. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

This is true, more or less, at all times, though it was more especially so, at the first preaching of the Gospel, when there was an opposition of different religions. Let but one or two of a family enter deeper into the spiritual life, or understand the Bible in a way of greater strictness than is commonly thought necessary, and the rest will set themselves to oppose a singularity which they do not choose to imitate, and which they suppose to be a condemnation of their conduct.

37. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

He is not worthy of Christ who cleaves to them in opposition to him. Such an one refuses the greatest of all blessings, and, living and dying thus, will be left to his choice.

38. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

He who is not in a readiness to suffer. If we bear patiently for Christ's sake, and in obedience to his will, the little crosses with which we daily meet, we may have some

ground to hope that we are prepared for greater. 39. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

He that prefers his life to me, "shall lose it," the happiness of it here, and himself, for ever. But he that loseth his life, for Christ's sake, shall find it, unto life eternal.

40. He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

"He that receiveth you," as sent by me, in love to your office and instructions. "Receiveth me," truly, and actually, with all my benefits.

"And he that receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me." What farther encouragement can you desire for receiving Christ's ministers? You cannot say he does not send them to you. Whatever you may think of me, St. Matthew certainly is now speaking to you in his name.

41. He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.

42. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

It appears from hence, that what God regards in all, is the will, the intention, the ground of the heart, and where these are equal, will reward them equally. There is comfort in this; you may not have the gifts of another person, but you may have faithful, loving hearts. So receiving a righteous man with good will, and doing the least act of kindness to a disciple of Christ, as such, being an indication of the same faith, temper, and disposition, will as effectually show our interest in the divine favour.

Blessed God, we are all bound to thank thee for the gift of the Holy Apostles by thy Son, and adore thy good Providence for planting the Gospel of thy kingdom in this country. It is of thy mercy that we are not now sitting in darkness, and in the region and shadow of death. It is thy gracious will that we are called to the knowledge of thee the true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. Support us in the way of godliness, against all the temptations of an ensnaring or opposing world; that taking up our cross in obedience to Christ, confessing him before men, and being examples of peace and innocence, of patience and holy living, we may, through him, be accepted to the reward of his faithful followers.

SECTION XXIII.

Chap. xi. ver. 1—6.

JOHN SENDETH TO CHRIST.

1. And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities.

Who would not have heard Jesus preach? His discourses are upon record; and if we do not hear them, we should not have regarded him. You know all his preaching was to this effect, "Repent, and believe the Gospel." See your sin, and be vile in your own eyes; fly to Christ for remission, lay hold on mercy, and sin no more. If you think this is hard work, pray.

2. Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,

God sends us to him, God bring us to him.

3. And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?

The promised Deliverer, the Redeemer of mankind to a new state of favour with God, and holiness in themselves. How do we read this Scripture, and what do our souls say to it? Is this he whom we want, and are looking for? We have no doubt of his being come, and of his being the Christ; but is the desire of our hearts to him for the salvation he brings? If it is not, what can it signify to us what answer he returned to John's disciples, or what proofs he gave of his being the person that should come?

"Or do we look for another ?" It cannot be supposed that any of us look for another; but it does not therefore follow, that we look for him. We cannot, till we know that we are perishing without him.