5 These twelve Jefus fent forth, and commanded them, faying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samari tanes enter ye not. 6 But go rather to the loft fheep of the house of Ifrael. And as ye go, preach, faying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 8 Heal the fick, cleanfe the lepers, raife the dead, caft out devils: freely ye have received, freely. give. 5. These twelve Jefus fent forth to preach the Gospel, and he gave them their Charge, faying; Do not go among any of the Gentiles or Samaritans, because the Salvation of the Gospel muft first be offered to God's peculiar People. 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, cleanse their Lepers, raise their Dead, caft out Devils; and do all H 2 these these things freely and without reward, with the fame Liberality as ye have received Power from me to do them. 9 Provide neither brass in your purses: 9. And because the Defign of this your Journey is gold, nor filver, nor 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 pro viding any other Clothes, Shoes, or Staff; or any Bag of Provifions for the Way. For while ye are thus employed in labouring for the Benefit and eternal Welfare of others, ye may reafonably expect to be fuftained by them for the prefent. + Thus this Paffage, where the Difciples are forbidden to provide a Staff, agrees well with Mark 6. 8. where they are permitted to take a Staff. 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 Righteousness. 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 first 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 House or City shall refuse to entertain you, and fhall reject your Doctrine, and despise H 3 your your Words, and refuse to be reformed; when ye depart out of that House 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 Judg ment of God. 15. Affuredly I tell you, the Punishment that fhall be inflicted on the Inhabitants of fuch a City, shall be more terrible in the Day of Vengeance, than that which was inflicted on the Inhabitants of Sodom. Because the Inhabitants of Sodom might have repented, if they had heard your Preaching and feen your Miracles; But thefe Men having rejected greater offers of Mercy, fhall be liable to a feverer Punishment. 16. And now, behold, I fend you forth as Sheep among Wolves; gentle, harmlefs, and innocent Perfons, houfe, or city, fhake off the duft of your feet. 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. per 17. But when ye have done all you can, you must expect nevertheless to be fecuted by wicked and cruel Men. Though ye be never fo careful to avoid giving them any just Offence, yet merely for your continuing to preach the Gospel, they will carry you before their Magiftrates, as Malefactors; and scourge you in their Synagogues, as Apoftates. 18. And ye fhall be brought before Governors, and Princes and Kings, for the Gospels fake; by which means your Innocence shall be discovered, and your Doctrine made known, even to the Gentiles and to the whole World; that they alfo hearing of your Doctrine H 4 and |