was feen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this prefent; but fome are fallen afleep. After that, he was feen of James; then of all the Apostles; and laft of all he was feen of me alfo, as of one born out of due time: For I am the least of the Apostles, that am not meet to be called an Apostle, because I perfecuted the Church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me, was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. Therefore whether it were I, or they, so we preach, and fo ye believed. The Gospel. S. Luke 18. 9. Efus fpake this parable unto certain which trufted in themfelves, that they were righteous, and despised others; Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a Publican. The Pharifee food and prayed thus with himfelf, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this Publican. I faft twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I poffefs. And the Publican standing afar off, would not lift up fo much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a finner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself, shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself, fhall be exalted. A Lmighty and everlasting God, who art always more ready to hear, than we to pray, and art wont to give more than + For I am the least of the Apostles, &c. &c. From St. Paul's example here we should learn to entertain a humble and modeft opinion of our own performancesfrequently to recollect even thofe faults from which we -are reclaimed; as a guard against fpiritual Pride to endeavour to make reparation for our paft mifconduct by future diligence and zeal in the difcharge ofour Duty-and thankfully to afcribe our Reformation, and im Cc 2 provement in Holiness to the goodnefs of God, and the operations of his bleffed Spirit. * Jefus pake this Parable, &c. The tendency of this Parable is to fhew that pride, uncharitable cenfqioufnefs, and contempt of our Brethren, are a means to render our religious fervices an abomination to God: and that humility and felf-abafement are the moft per difpofitions to appear with before him. pro either we defire or deferve; Pour down upon us the abundance of thy mercy, forgiving us those things whereof our conscience is afraid, and giving us thofe good things which we are not worthy to ask, but through the merits and mediation of Jefus Chrift thy Son our Lord. Amen. The Epifle. 2 Cor. 3. 4. UCH truft have we through Chrift to God-ward. Not that we are fufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our fufficiency is of God. Who also hath made us able minifters of the new Testament; not of the letter, but of the Spirit: for the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life. + But if the miniftration of death written and engraven in ftones was glorious; fo that the children of Ifrael could not stedfastly behold the face of Mofes for the glory of his countenance, which glory was to be done away; how fhall not the miniftration of the Spirit be rather glorious? For if the miniftration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. JEfu The Gofpel. S. Mark 7. 31. Efus departing from the coafts of Tyre and Sidon, came unto the fea of Galilee, through the midst of the coafts of Decapolis. And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his fpeech; and they befeech him to put his hand upon him. And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue; and looking up to heaven, § he fighed, and faith unto him, Ephphatha, Paraphrafe on the Collect for the twelfth Sunday after Trinity...... Most mighty and eternal God, who art always more ready to fupply our neceffities than we are to ask their relief, and whofe benefits towards us are fually above Our wishes, but always beyond our deferts; deal with us according to thy abundant Mercy, pardoning those ✦ But if the Miniftration of Death, &c. St. Paul having declared his firm belief of the continued efficacy and fuccefs of the Gofpel, through the affiftance of God's Holy Spirit to us Minifters-He adds here, as a farther argument for this truft, that fuch affistance Offences of whofe confequences we are juftly afraid, and beftowing upon us fuch Bleffings as we could not prefume to ask but through-the Merits and Interceffion of Jefus Chrift our Lord. and fuccefs was the more to be expected on account of the preeminence of the Gofpel above the Law of Mofes: to which, God, however, gave fome fignificant in timations of his favour, though they were not defigned to continue.. 1 that is, Be opened. And ftraightway his cars were opened, and the ftring of his tongue was loofed, and he fpake plain. And he charged them that they should tell no man; but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it, and were beyond measure aftonished, faying, He hath done all things well; he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak. A The thirteenth Sunday after Trinity. The Collect. Lmighty and merciful God, of whofe only gift it cometh, that thy faithful people do unto thee true and laudable fervice; Grant, we beseech thee, that we may fo faithfully ferve thee in this life, that we fail not finally to attain thy heavenly promises, through the merits of Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen. T The Epiftle. Gal. 3. 16. NO Abraham and his feed were the promises made. He faith not, And to feeds, as of many; but as of one; And to thy feed, which is Chrift. And this I fay, that the covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promife; but God gave it to Abraham by promife. Wherefore then ferveth the law? It was added because of tranfgreffions, till the feed fhould come, to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if Paraphrafe on the Coll for the All powerful and gracious God, by whom alone we are enabled to fe ve thee acceptably; give us Grace we beseech thee fo truly to obey thy bleffed Will in this He fighed. Perhaps there were circumstances to us unknown, which made this dumb Perfon a peculiar object of pity. Or by this example of bodily Deafnefs and Dumbness our Lord might be led to reflect on the Spiritual defects of Mankind. But whatever was the thirteenth Sunday after Trinity. caufe, Chrift fighing on this occafion evidently difplayed there had been a law given, which could have given life, verily righteoufnefs fhould have been by the law. *But the Scripture hath concluded all under fin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. B The Gospel. S. Luke 10. 23. Leffed are the eyes which fee the things that ye fee. For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have defired to see thofe things which ye fee, and have not feen them; and to hear thofe things which ye hear, and have not heard them. And behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, faying, Mafter, what fhall I do to inherit eternal life? He faid unto him, What is written in the law? how readeft thou? And he answering, faid, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy foul, and with all thy ftrength, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbour as thyfelf. And he faid unto him, Thou haft anfwered right; this do, and thou fhalt live. But he willing to justify himself, said unto Jefus, And who is my neighbour? And Jefus anfwering, faid, A certain man went down from Jerufalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which ftripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way, and when he faw him, he paffed by on the other fide. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him and paffed by on the other fide. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was; and when he faw him, he had compaffion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil, and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow, when he departed, he took out § two pence, and gave them to the host, and Two pence. Equal to about Fifteen-ience Sterling. The mall nefs of the Sum feems to denote the Samaritan's Poverty and if fo, greatly heightens his Charity. But the Scripture hath concluded, E. That is, all Men were fhut up as Prifoners, condemne by the Law to Death, the punishment of Sin, till that Faith came to be revealed, by which we obtain an happy freedom from Condemnation. faid unto him, Take care of him, and whatsoever thou spendeft more, when I come again I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he faid, He that fhewed mercy on him. Then faid Jefus unto him, Go and do thou likewife. A Lmighty and everlasting God, give unto us the increase of faith, hope, and charity; and that we may obtain that which thou dost promise, make us to love that which thou doft command, through Jefus Chrift our Lord.. Amen. would. and the one to the But if ye Now the of the flesh. For the flesh lufteth against the Spirit, Spirit against the flesh; and thefe are contrary the other; fo that ye cannot do the things that ye be led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law. works of the flesh are manifeft, which are thefe, Adultery, fornication, uncleannefs, lafciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, ftrife, feditions, herefies, envyings, murders, drunkennefs, revellings, and fuch like: of the which I tell you before, as I have alfo told you in time past, that they who do fuch things fhall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no Paraphrafe on the Collect for the All powerful and eternal God increase our Faith in thy Word, our Hope in thy Promifes, and our Love towards thee, and all Mankind; and that we may attain thy promised Happiness in Heaven, teach us af Then faid Jefus unto him Go, &c. By this beautiful Parable our Lord has powerfully recommended univerfal benevolence; and has taught us to fhew Mercy and Kindness to every one that ftandeth in need of our affiftance, whether he be a near Relation or a Stranger, a Countryman or a Foreigner, a Chrif fourteenth Sunday after Trinity. tian or a Pagan: and that when a neceffitous object re quires our relief, we ought to confider him as our Neighbour, not inquiring where he was born, or what he believes, but what he fuffers. Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not, c. By this is meant, leading a Life of Purity and Virtue in oppofi |