Luke IX.

51.

184 As he went to Jerufalem, the Samaritans would not receive him. Sect. 127. dispatched the Ministry which he was to discharge ceived up, he stedfastly set on Earth; notwithstanding all the painful Scenes his Face to go to Jerufalem, thro' which he was yet to pass, his Heart was so animated with a Regard to his Father's Honour, and the Salvation of Men, and so cheared with the Views of his own approaching Exaltation and Glory, that in Defiance of all his most inveterate Enemies, be refolutely fet his Face to go up to Jerufalem, thơ' he knew it was the lafst Journey he should take from Galilee thither, and that

52 Tortures and Death awaited him there.

And

as he was travelling thro' Samaria, being a Stranger
there, he fent Messengers before his Face, who in
their Progress entered into a Village of the Sama-
ritans, to prepare Entertainment for him; and
only defired to take a Lodging there, and pay

53 for their Accommodation. But the Samaritans
had such a National Grudge against the Jews, that
they would not receive him, nor grant him the
common Rites of Hospitality due to any Stranger,
because his Face was directed towards Jerufalem;
and they knew by the Season of the Year, that
he intended that Visit as a peculiar Honour to the
Temple there (c).

And

52 And sent Messengers before his Face: and they went, and entred into a Village of the Samaritans to make ready for him.

53 And they did not receive him, because his Face was as though he would go to Jerufalem.

He rebukes the

54 And when his Disci

ples, James and John, faw thou that we command Fire to come down from Heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?

this, faid,

55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and faid, Ye know not what manner of Spirit ye are of.

56 For the Son of Man is not come to destroy Men's Lives, but to save them. And they went to another Vil

lage.

LUKE XVII. 12. And as he entred into a certain

Village, there met him Ten
Men that were Lepers,

which stood afar off:

intemperate Zeal of James and John.

185

And when his Disciples, James and John, who Sect. 127.
attended him (d), faw it, they said, Lord, wilt
thou that we speak for Fire to come down from Hea- Luke IX.54.
ven to destroy them, as Elijah did with regard to
his Enemies? (2 Kings i. 10, 12.) for surely one
Word in fuch a Cafe will do it, and the Artillery
of Heaven will be much more ready to avenge
such an Affront offered to thee, who art so much
superior to any of the Prophets.

But [Jefus] turning short upon them, rebuked 55
them with a becoming Severity, and faid, Ye know
not what Kind of Spirit ye are of; you neither
confider the Genius of the Gospel, so much more
gentle than that of the Law, nor do you suffici-
ently know your own Hearts; and if you were
more diligently to examine them, you would foon
find, that there is a great deal of personal Resent-
ment and Oftentation mingled with all that Zeal
for me, which you so warmly express on this Oс-
cafion. But I reject your Motion, as absolutely 56
unfit to be complied with; for the Son of Man
came not into the World, to erect his Kingdom
by military Force, or by any other Method to
destroy Men's Lives, but to save them; and there-
fore will exert his miraculous Power in Works of
Mercy and Benevolence, and not of Terror and
Vengeance. And they departed from that Place,
and went on till they came to another Village.

And as he entered into a certain neighbouring Luke XVII.
Village, there met him Ten Men who were Lepers, 12.
and who on that Account were shut out from
the Towns to which they belonged; and as in
this miferable State they could have no Society
with any but themselves, both Jews and Sama-
ritans

sitions the Samaritans had willingly offered to fubmit; as was observed on John iv. 9. Note (g), Vol. i. pag. 172. Jofephus observes, (Antiq. lib. xx. cap. 6. (al. 5.) §. 1. & Bell. Jud. lib. ii. cap. 12. (al. 11.) §. 3.) that the Jews going from Galilee to Jerufalem at their publick Feafts, took Samaria in their Way; and it might be resented as something of an Affront, confidering the Antipathy of the two Nations.

(d) James and John, who attended him.] That these Disciples, so remarkably diftinguished by their Lord's Favour, should have some diftinguished Zeal and Faith, may feem less wonderful, than that a Person of so sweet a Disposition as John should make so fevere a Propofal. (Compare pag. 36.) -The Affinity which this Story has to the others, with which Luke has connected it, is (as Grotius justly observes,) a sufficient Reason for his having thus transposed it.

VOL. II.

Aa

Luke XVII.

And

186 Ten Lepers are cleanfed, and but One returns to give Thanks. Sect. 127. ritans conversed promiscuoufly together. 13 And they lifted up standing afar off, left they should pollute Paffen- their Voices, and faid, Jefus Master, have Mercy on us. gers who might come too near them, they lifted up their Voice, and faid with great Earnestness, having heard of the Fame of Chrift, Jefus Mafter, we beseech thee to have Mercy upon us, as thou hast already extended it to others in these

13.

Jefus observing it, answered and said, Were there
not Ten Lepers cleansed? but where [are] the other
Nine, of whom it might have been expected,
as they were Jews, that they should have ex-
pressed a greater Sense of Piety, and have been
more ready to thank God for their Deliver-

14 And when he faw

them, he faid unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the Priefts. And it came to pass, that as they went, they were cleansed.

15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and

with a loud. Voice glorified GOD;

16 And fell down on his

Face at his Feet, giving him maritan.

Thanks: and he was a Sa

17 And Jesus answering faid, Were there not Ten Nine?

cleansed? but where are the

18 There are not found

18 ance? How is it, that of all that were cleanf-
ed, none are found who have returned to give Glory that returned to give Glory

to GOD, save this Stranger..

to GOD, but this poor Stranger to the Common-
19 wealth of Ifrael? And he said to him, Arise,
go thy Way; this thy Faith in my Power has Arife, go thy Way; thy

Javed thee, i. e. it has been the Means of thy
Cure; and while thou perceivest these grateful
Sentiments in thine Heart, thou mayest conclude
it comes in Mercy.

Luke ix. 53.

W

19 And he said unto him, Faith hath made thee whole..

IMPROVEMENT.

HO would not have imagined, that the Blessed Jesus should have been most cordially welcome, where-ever he came, when there was Grace in all his Words, and Benevolence in all his Actions? Yet

Reflections on the Evil of a Perfecuting Spirit.

187

Yet these Samaritans would not receive him, because he was a Jew. And Sect. 127. thus do unhappy Prejudices, taken up on imaginary Grounds, against Men, and Things in the general, sometimes injure the best of Men, and prove much more hurtful to the Persons themselves by whom they are entertained.

The rash Disciples would have called for Fire from Heaven; and Ver. 54. let us observe how Christ treated the Propofal. He treated it like himfelf; like the kind compaffionate Friend of Human Nature; and also like one, who well knew what was in Man, (John ii. 25.) and how little Human Terrors and Severities can do towards producing a real Conversion. Yet Fire from Heaven might have carried along with it some rational Ground of Conviction, which penal Laws and sanguinary Executions can never produce. What then would Christ have faid to these Disciples, if they had themselves proposed to smite with the Sword, or to caft Fire-brands into the Houses of these unhofpitable Men? Little do they know their own Spirit; little do they understand, either the Ver. 55. true Genius, or the true Interest of the Gospel, who have Recourse to fuch Methods as these, to extirpate Heresy, and to propagate Truth. Let us bless God, that neither the Guilt, nor the Misery of such a Conduct, is ours.

Let us learn to fearch our own Hearts, that we may form a thorough Acquaintance with ourselves; which will greatly promote, both the Comfort, and Usefulness of Life. Especially let us attend to our Aims and Intentions, and be greatly jealous over our own Hearts, lest we indulge our irregular Passions under Religious Pretences, and set up the Standards of Malice and Pride in the Name of the Lord.

From the Story of the Ten Lepers let us learn, importunately to seek Luke xvii. the Influences of Christ, to purge us from that far more odious and 12,---16. fatal Disease, which Sin has spread over our whole Nature; and after the Example of the Samaritan, let us own the Mercy we have received. Have we not Reason to fear, that of the Multitudes who are indebted to the Divine Goodness, there is not One in Ten who has a becoming Ver. 17, 18, Sense of it? Let us labour to impress our Hearts deeply with such a Sense. Let us remember what it is that God expects of us; and let us farther consider, that as the Exercise of Gratitude towards such a Benefactor is most reasonable, so also in Proportion it is most delightful to the Soul; it is indeed (as One well expresses it,) like the Incense of the Jewish Priest, which while it did an Honour to GOD, did likewife regale with its own Fragrancy the Person by whom it was offered,

188 The Pharifees enquire, when the Kingdom of GOD will come.

Sect. 128.

20.

SECT. CXXVIII.

Our Lord cautions the Jews, against expecting a pompous Kingdom of the Messiah, and warns them of the approaching National Destruction, which would be the Consequence of rejecting him. Luke XVII. 20, to the End.

T

LUKE XVII. 20.

HUS our Lord went on in his Journey, and at length came to Jerufalem. And it Luke XVII. was about this Time, that being asked by some of the Pharifees (a), when the Kingdom of GOD, which he had fo often mentioned as approaching, should actually come; he answered them, and faid, The Kingdom of GOD cometh not with that external Pomp and Obfervation of Men which you

21 expect. Neither shall they point to this, or
that remarkable Place, and fay, Behold [it is] here,
or, behold [it is] there. For behold, and observe it
attentively, the Kingdom of GOD is already among
you (b); tho', because it is an inward and spiritual
Kingdom, erected in Men's Hearts, and not at-
tended with outward Grandeur, you overlook it
as unworthy your Regards.

22

And he afterwards faid to the Disciples apart, Tho' you do indeed undergo fome present Difficulties, in Consequence of your Adherence to me, yet you have so much greater Extremities before you, that the Time will come, when you shall wish to fee one of these Days of the Son of Man, and shall not fee it; and the whole Jewish Nation having rejected Me the true Meffiah, shall yet long for the Appearance of him, whom they expect under that Character, and eagerly listen to every one that

(a) Being asked by fome of the Pharisees.] I pretend not to say, whether this was at Jerufalem, or fome neighbouring Place; nor is it any way material to determine it.

(b) The Kingdom of GOD is among you.] So I render ενος υμων, referring the Reader to those exact Criticks in the Greek Language, Beza, and Raphelius, (Annot. ex Xen. pag. 109, 110.) for a more particular Vindication of it. It is certain, our Lord could not properly say, the Kingdom of God was in the Pharisees to whom he spoke, whose Temper was entirely alienated from the Nature and Design of it.

(c) In