374 Chap. 33. An Expoftion upon the BookofJ o B. Verf. 23. hemay) if we doe not. 'Tis below civility, 'tis an high affront to a man nor to receive his meffage, what is it then to the croft high Cod! How dreadful! is that woewhich Chriff pronouncetb againft fuch as refufe either his meffengers, or their meffage, ( Math: 10. 14, 15. ) Y?hofoever'hall not receiveyou, nor heare your words ; when ye depart out of that houfe or City, 'hake ofthe duff ofyourfeete ; Implying, that God would fo fhake them off, or effeeme them nomore then the vilefl duff. Yea ('as another Gofpel bath it (Marl;,6. s i. ) implying, that as they hadnot re- ceived the teflimonywhich his,meffengers bareof him, fo their duff fhould bekept as a tejlimony againff them. And left the mif. chie£e threatned theminthis xntgmatical orcovert fpeech fhould not beunderflood, Chrift himfelfe expounds it in the next words, Verily; l fay untoyou, it (hall be more tolerablefor the land of So- domand Gomorrha in thedayof Judgement, then forthat City. Further, 'Tis not enough barely to receive ChriftsMeffengers, they muff be received as the Meffengers of Chrifl. Such a recep- tion the Apoftle found among the Galarians, ( Chap. 4. 14. ) Andmy temptation (or daily afflitZion) which mar in myflefh, ye defpi fed not, nor rejelled, but receivedme to anAngell ofGod, even as Chral fefus. And what is faid of the Meffenger,-is to be un- derftood altoofhismeffage, both are to be received as from Chriff. How is that, you will fay ? Take it in thete four words, Firff, when 'tis receivedgladly, (Ails 2.4.) It fhould be the joy of our hearts (thePfaltnifi calls it thejoyfull found, Pf.sg. r 5.) tohear a word from Chriff. Secondly, when it is receivedreve- rently, and refpeEtfully, as giving honour to the meffage and the Meflenger for Chrifts fake. Thirdly, when 'tis received obedi- entially, as fubmitring to the word ; elfe your refpee-tfull, and joyfull receiving the mef age ofChriff is but a complement, or piece of Courtship. Fourthly, when their whole meffage is thus received, asCornelius faid to Peter (AEIs ro. 33. ) .¡i2 are all here prefent beforeGod, to bear all things that are commanded thee of God. We muff receive not only thofe thingsthat fute us well, but thofe things that are moil croffe to our corrupt natures and inrereffs, whether of worldlyprofit or pleafure ; this is to receive the Meffengers and sneffages ofJefws Chrill, as his. Iftberc bea Meffenger,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=