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of heaven is at hand. "He that should come" is come. "God has remembered his mercy and truth towards the house of Israel:" and "he of whom Moses in the law and the prophets did write," has appeared in the person of Jesus of Nazareth.

Men, however, would require proof of this. And the disciples were endued with a power which would at the same time attest their words, and conciliate favour towards them. They were made able to heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out devils: not for reward, as if "the gifts of God might be purchased with money, 9 or might be used for the sake of gain but as they had freely received, as of God's free mercy they had been chosen to this high privilege, ' so freely must their benefits be bestowed.

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As they went through the country, fulfilling their commission, there was no need for them to be careful for the morrow: in every thing, they were to depend on him whose coming they proclaimed: not to provide for their own support, but to trust in the protection of God, whose message they carried. He who moves the hearts of men as the streams of water, could secure them all they needed: in the same manner as he "feeds the fowls of the air" by the arrangements of his providence, or as he still maintains his general promise, that they who "seek first" his heavenly kingdom, shall want nothing which is expedient for them.

He did not disappoint these disciples, who went forth trusting to his care. The Lord inquired of them, "When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye anything.

9 See Acts viii. 20. 1 John xv. 16.

And they said,

2 Luke xxii. 35.

Nothing." The workman was deemed worthy of his meat and a proof was left to future ages, that whoever is found in the clear road of duty may proceed in firm confidence that his steps are marked and secured by the providence of God.

When they came into a house, let them salute it, saying, " "Peace be unto this house." It might be that the house were worthy, and they should be kindly received: or it might prove that they should not be welcomed, nor their message heard. Doubtless their message was attentively heard by many, who did not yet openly join themselves to the Lord; but who were thus prepared for the more plenteous harvest that should be gathered in, when the doctrine of Christ crucified, and Christ raised from the dead, could be more evidently set forth amongst them. Who can always distinguish the period, when the first seed of truth is dropped into the heart, or fixed there by the grace of the Holy Spirit? A long and dreary season sometimes passes, till at last the seed springs and grows up, we "know not how:" "first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear."

Christ foresaw, however, that there would be many who "received the grace of God en vain." When they departed from these, they were to shake off the dust of their feet. This is a figurative action, of a nature common amongst the Jews, by which they enforced their words and illustrated them. As when a certain prophet named Agabus took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, "Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at 4 Mark iv. 28.

3 Luke x. 5.

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Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles."5 An example is also found in the history of Nehemiah,6 who writes: "Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise. Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house and from his labour, that performeth not this promise; even thus be he shaken out, and emptied." The apostles were to act in the same manner. As we shake the dust from our feet, so shall God shake off from his inheritance every man and every city, that receiveth not his message. Accordingly, when the gospel was preached at Antioch, we are told that "the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts. But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium." Again at Corinth, "When the Jews opposed themselves, and blasphemed, Paul shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles." "

It is an awful thought, that there may be such conduct on the part of men, such "hardness of heart and contempt of his word," as may force God to shake them off, and regard them as his no more: leaving their case worse than that of Sodom or Gomorrha, because they have refused brighter light

5 Acts xxi. 16.

7 Acts xiii. 50, 51.

6 Neh. v. 12.

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Ib. xviii. 6.

and clearer warning. Verily I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for those who shall not receive you, or hear your words. It was the crowning sin of those guilty cities, that they repented not at the preaching of Lot. God condemned them with a sudden overthrow, "making them an example unto them that after should live ungodly." But now one greater than Lot was calling the world to repentance, and sending out his apostles to the Jews first, and afterward to the Gentiles. The Son of God himself was proclaiming at once "the severity, and the goodness," of his heavenly Father; and saying, "Turn ye; turn ye, from the evil of your ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel ?” 2 And how should those escape, who should despise his messengers, and "neglect so great salvation ?" s To impugn his justice, would be presumptuous impiety, but to refuse the offer of his mercy, is to rush wantonly on our own destruction.

92 Pet. ii. 16.
2 Jer. xxvii. 13.

1 Rom. xi. 22.
3 Heb. ii. 3.

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LECTURE XLV.

COMMISSION OF THE APOSTLES.

MATT. X. 16-23.

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

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

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

These words may be considered as a prophecy, of which the fulfilment is in the Acts of the Apostles. That history explains them. We see there the men to whom those words were spoken going forth peaceful as sheep, and harmless as doves: not upbraiding the Jews with their unfaithfulness or the Gentiles with their ignorance, not imputing their trespasses unto them with harshness or vehemence; but praying men "for Christ's sake, to be reconciled unto God:" to receive what was freely offered them, "remission of sins" through Jesus Christ.

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ȧκepaι, simple: as the same word is translated Rom. xvi. 19. I would have you wise unto that which is good, but simple concerning evil."

2 Peter for example, Acts iii. 13-"And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers." And Paul, at Athens, Acts xvii. 30-" The times of this ignorance God winked at."

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