you. ples glad when they saw the Lord. Then faid Jefus to them again, Peace be unto you: As my Father hath fent me, even fo fend I And when he had faid this, he breathed on them, and faith unto them, *Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whose soever fins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose foever fins ye retain, they are retained. A The Second Sunday after Eafter. Lmighty God, who haft given thine only Son to be unto us both a facrifice for fin, and alfo an enfample of godly life; Give us grace that we may always most thankfully receive that his ineftimable benefit, and also daily endeavour ourselves to follow the blessed steps of his most holy life, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. T The Epiftle. S. Pet. 2. 19. HIS is thank-worthy, if a man for confcience toward God endure grief, fuffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye fhall take it patiently? But if when ye do well, and fuffer for it, ye take it patiently; this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Chrift alfo fuffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye fhould follow his fteps: Who did no fin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he fuffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: § who his own felf bare our fins in his Paraphrafe on the Collect for O all powerful God, who gaveft thy only-begotten Son to be both an Atonement for our Sins, and an Example of Holiness; give us Grace to accept the inva • Receive ye the Holy Ghoft, &c. Which feems to be as if he had faid, "I hereby give you authority to "act as my Apoftles. Which authority I will shortly "confirm to you by the defcent of the Holy Spirit upon you: whereby you fhall be qualified to declare the only terms on which Mens Sins fhall be pardoned, by delivering my Precepts and Doctrines to the "World in Truth." the fecond Sunday after Eafter. luable benefits of his Redemption with the deepest Gratitude, and continually to imitate his Piety, Patience, and Charity, through the fame Jefus Christ our Lord. Leaving us an Example, &c. And where can we find a more perfect one? The best of mere Men have had their failings and infirmities: and no one can fafely be followed in all respects without an exception. But in Jefus we behold a pattern of every Virtue; which the more we contemplate, the more we must admire, and the more we imitate, the more we shall promote our own happiness. own body on the tree, that we, being dead to fin, should live unto righteoufnefs; by whofe ftripes ye were healed. For ye were as fheep going aftray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd, and Bishop of your fouls. JE The Gofpel. S. Johnro 11.1 Efus faid, I am the good fhepherd: the good fhepherd giveth his life for the fheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the fhepherd, whofe own the sheep are not, feeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the fheep, and fleeth; and the wolf catcheth them, and' fcattereth the fheep. The hireling fleeth because he is an hireling,! and careth not for the fheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even fo know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. * And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold; them alfo I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one fhepherd. Dil A LUA A I stand to The third Sunday after Eafter. cortin polach The Collect. Lmighty God, who fheweft to them that be in terror the light of thy truth, to the intent that they may return into the way of righteoufnefs; Grant unto all them that are admitted into the fellowship of Chrifts religion, that they may eschew those things that are contrary to their profeffion, and follow all fuch things as are agreeable to the fame, through our Lord Jefus Chrift. Amen. x} [fail or bad olid w obyd o nuga bun doute ♬ joudlad} Paraphrafe on the Collect for the third Sunday after Eafters Char vel 1 zijn Gofpel, that they may hate and avoid all practices that are contrary to their Chriftian profeffion; and in all, Things to walk worthy of their high Calling, through our Lord Jefus Chrift. God of all power, who by the light of thy holy I am the good Shepherd, &c. This allufion was very proper and pertinent with regard to the Jews, because the greatest part of the Wealth and improves ment of their Country confifted in Sheep. Nay, the keeping of Cattle was so much the common employ ment of the People of the Eaft in those Times, that D The Epistle, 1 S. Pet. 2. 11. Early beloved, I beseech you, as ftrangers and pilgrims, abftain from fleshly lufts, which war against the foul; having your conversation honeft among the Gentiles; that whereas they Ipeak against you as evil-doers, they may by your good works which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of vifitation, Sub mit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lords fake, whether it be to the king, as fupreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are fent by him, for the punishment of evil-doers, and for the praife of them that do well. For fo is the will of God, that with well-doing ye may put to filence the ignorance of foolish men: as free, and not ufing your liberty for a cloke of malicioufnefs; but as the fervants of God. Honour all men. Love the brother hood. Fear God. Honour the king., JE Efus faid to his disciples, *A little while and ye fhall not fee me; and again, A little while and ye shall fee me, because I go to the Father. Then faid fome of his difciples among themselves, What is this that he faith unto us, A little while and ye fhall not fee me; and again, a little while and ye fhall fee me; and, Because I go to the Father? They faid therefore, What is this that he faith, A little while? we cannot tell what he faith. Now Jefus knew that they were defirous to afk him, and faid unto them, Do ye enquire among yourfelves of that I faid, A little while and ye shall not see me; and again, a little while and ye fhall fee me? Verily, verily I fay unto you, that ye fhall weep and lament, but the world in our Journey to the heavenly Canaan, be much affected with the fenfual objects of this World, because we know that we muft leave them, or they us, very foon; and a too great regard for them, will ferve only to draw off our Affections from that blessed and eternal Inheritance, which we are going to take poffeflion of. ↑ I befeech you, as Strangers and Pilgrims, abftain, V. Thefe expreffions contain a powerful motive to Temperance and Moderation in the purfuit, and ufe of earthly enjoyments. For if we are Strangers upon Earth, it implies that this is not our Home. If we ase Pilgrims or Travellers, this fignifies that we are bound for another Country. Therefore as they who are * A little while and ye shall not fee ma, &c. That upon a journey, and at a distance from Home, will not is, "I fhall fhortly die: and the' in three Days I fhalk be auxiously careful about, or fond of the Things "rife again: yet even then I must stay with you but for that furround them in the way: fo neither fhould we," a fhort Time,because I must afcend into Heaven.“ fhall rejoice: and ye fhall be forrowful, but your forrow shall be turned into joy. A woman when she is in travail, hath forrow, because her hour is come: but as foon as fhe is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. And ye now therefore have forrow: but I will fee you again, and your heart fhall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. The fourth Sunday after Eafter. Almighty God, who alone canft order the unruly wills and affections of finful men; Grant unto thy people, that they may love the thing which thou commandeft, and defire that which thou dost promise; that so among the fundry and manifold changes of the world, our hearts may furely there be fixed, where true joys are to be found, through Jefus Christ our Lord. E The Epiftle. S. James 1. 17 Amen. Very good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither fhadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, flow to speak, flow to wrath; for the wrath of man worketh not the righteoufnefs of God. Wherefore lay apart all Y Paraphrafe on the Collel for O all powerful God, who alone art able to regulate the diforderly paffions and defires of Sinners. Give all true Chriftians Grace to delight in obeying thy Commandments, and earnestly to long after the comple ↑ And your joy no Man taketh from you. This fignified that tho' Chrift should be perfonally taken from them yet that through the Holy Spirit, which he would fend upon them, they should be filled with a joy which not all the power and malice of their Enemies could deprive them of Every good Gift, and every perfed Gift, &c. From this paffage we should learn thankfully to afcribe to God alone, every advantage we enjoy, whether of Nature, filthiness, and fuperfluity of naughtinefs, and receive with meeknefs the ingrafted word, which is able to fave your fouls. JE C The Gospel. S. John 16. 5. * you Efus faid unto his difciples, Now I go my way to him that fent me, and none of you afketh me, Whither goeft thou? But because I have said these things unto you, forrow hath filled your heart. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth, it is expedient for that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will fend him unto you. And when he is come, the will reprove the world of fin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of fin; because they believe not on me: Of righteoufnefs; becaufe I go to my Father, and ye fee me no more: Of judgment; becaufe the prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to fay unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he fhall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that fhall he fpeak, and he will fhew you things to come. He fhall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you, All things that the Father hath, are mine: therefore faid I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you. O Lord, from whom all good things do come; Grant to us thy humble fervants, that by thy holy inspiration we may think thofe things that be good, and by thy merciful guiding may perform the fame, through our Lord Jefus Chrift. Amen. The Comforter. The Holy Spirit is here called the Advocate or Comforter, and he did the part of an Advocate, in refpect of Christ and his Gofpel, by convincing the World of its Sin in rejecting him by confirming the Apostles Teftimony of him by Signs and Wonders--and by pleading their caufe before Kings and Rulers. He did the part of a Comforter, by confoling and fupporting the Apostles and Believers, in all their troubles; filling their Hearts with joy and gladnefs. This + He will reprove the World of Sin, Se fignified, that he would convince the World of its Sin, in not believing on Chrift, by the wonderful gifts which he would beftow on Believers of Chrift's Righteous nefs, by demonftrating that he was afcended to God, to whom he could not have afcended, if he had been an Impoftor-and laftly of Chrift's power to execute Judg ment upon his Enemies, by the dominion which he would exercile over evil Spirits. |