He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a
prophet
By "a prophet" is meant, not one that foretells things to come,
but a preacher of the Gospel; for as prophesying sometimes
signifies preaching, so a prophet designs a minister of the word:
and to "receive" him, is not only to embrace his doctrine, but to
entertain him in a kind, and generous manner; and he that does
this, "in the name of a prophet", not as coming in the name of
another prophet, but upon this account, and for this
consideration, because he himself is a prophet; so the phrase,
(Mvl) , "in the name", or
on the account of anything, is often used in the Misnic writings
F19: he that regards such a person, and
shows him respect, by an hospitable entertainment of him; not
because he may be related to him after the flesh; or because he
may be a man of good behaviour, of a singular disposition and
temper, of much learning and eloquence, of great natural parts
and abilities; but because he is a faithful minister of the
Gospel; he
shall receive a prophet's reward:
either a reward from the prophet himself, who shall interpret the
Scriptures to him, preach the Gospel to him, lead him more fully
into the truths of it, and guide him to the true, and more clear
and distinct sense of the sacred writings; which is an ample
reward for his kind entertainment of him: or else, that reward
which God has appointed, prepared, and promised, to them who
receive his prophets; and which indeed is no other, than what the
prophets themselves shall receive, even the reward of the
inheritance, the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the
world, a reward of grace, and not of debt; since both, in their
way, serve the Lord Christ.
And he that receiveth a righteous man, in the name of a
righteous
man.
He that is kind and liberal to any good man, whether he is a
minister of the Gospel or not, who appears to have the work of
grace upon his soul, and is justified by the righteousness of
Christ, and expects eternal life on that account; if he shows
respect to him, purely because he has the image of Christ stamped
on him, and the righteousness of Christ imputed to him, and not
on any natural, worldly, or civil accounts,
he shall receive a righteous man's reward;
either from the good man himself, who will not fail to pray for
his benefactor, to wish him well, and give him all the assistance
he can in his Christian course; to exhort, comfort, instruct him
as much, and as far as his Christian experience will furnish him
with; or else the same reward of grace the righteous man himself
shall have, namely, eternal life, as God's gift, through Jesus
Christ our Lord.