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the wife-men, enquired of them diligently what time the ftar appeared. And he fent them to Bethlehem, and faid, Gó, and fearch diligently for the young child, and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him alfo. When they had heard the king, they departed; and lo, the ftar which they faw, in the eaft, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they faw the ftar, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they faw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down and worshipped him: And when they had opened their treafures, they prefented unto him gifts, gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream, that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

* The first Sunday after the
The Collect..

Lord, we beseech thee mercifully to

we

Epiphany.

receive the prayers of thy people which call upon thee, and grant that they may both perceive and know what things they ought to do, and alfo may have grace and power faithfully to fulfil the fame, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen.

I

The Epiftle. Rom. 12. 1.

Befeech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, ‡ that ye prefent your bodies a living facrifice, holy, acceptable unto

Paraphrafe on the Collea for the first Sunday after the Epiphany.

O Lord, graciously hear our humble petitions; and enable us clearly to understand our duty, and fincerely

And he fent them to Bethlehem, &c. How deep laid was the device of this Tyrant at once to impofe upon the fimplicity of these Philofophers, and to difcover the Habitation of the Prince of Life, and effect his cruel defigns against his life. But God, who bringeth the Counfels of the wicked to nought, by a fingular Providence defeated his malicious purposes, and has taught us by this example that no one can hurt whom he protects, and that therefore to fecure his favour, is moft to confult our own intereit.

and diligently to perform it. Grant this we befeech thee for the fake of Jefus Christ.

* We are hereby taught to acknowledge that it is of God alone that we are enabled to understand and perform our Duty.

↑ That ye prefent, &c. God does not expect us, under the Gospel, to come before him with Sacrifices of flain Beafts, but to dedicate our lives to his fervice in all holy obedience; which is better than all whole Burnt Offerings-a Sacrifice moft worthy of reasonable Beings.

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God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think, of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think foberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of Faith. § For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the fame office; fo we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

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The Gospel. S. Luke 2. 41.

And

WOW his parents went to Jerufalem every year at the feast of the paffover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerufalem, after the custom of the feaft. when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jefus tarried behind in Jerufalem, and Jofeph and his mother knew not of it. But they fuppofing him to have been in the company, went a days journey, and they fought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerufalem, feeking him. And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, fitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them quef

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For as we have many Members &c. St. Paul in this paffage compares the Chriftian Church, to the human Body, in which, as he fays elsewhere, Chrift refembles the Head, as he is the Head of the Church Therefore as all parts of the human Body, whether high or low, whether more or less active or honourable, ftill bear a relation to each other, and are united under one Head: So is it in the Chriftian Church; in which though fome are placed in higher, fome in lower stations of life, fome have greater or leffer abilities than others; yet each is related to the whole, and should confider, that, whatever advantages he enjoys above the reft, they are the gift of God: and are therefore fo far from being a reafon for Pride, that they call for fo much the greater diligence, and activity in the employment of them for the benefit of others.

And when he was twelve Years old, &c. Obferve here the care which our Lord's reputed Parents took to inftil into his Mind an early regard for Religion, according to the precepts of the Law of Mofes, Exod. xxiv. 23. Deut. xvi. 16. How much is it to be wished that all Parents would learn from this Example to bring up their Children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; not only by inftructing them in words, but also leading them by their own practice, in the discharge of their duty,

They found him in the Temple, &c. It feems as if Jefus had prefented himself to the Doctors to be cate chifed: and probably took occafion at this Time, modeftly to correct fome of the Errors which had then crept into the Jewish Church. Hence he might juftly be faid to be about his Father's Business.

tions. And all that heard him, were aftonished at his underftanding and anfwers. And when they faw him, they were amazed: and his mother faid unto him, Son, why haft thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have fought thee forrowing. And he faid unto them, How is it that ye fought me wift ye not that I must be about my Fathers bufinefs? And they underftced not this faying which he fpake unto them. And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was fubject unto them: but his mother kept all these fayings in her heart. And Jefus' increased in wisdom and ftature, and in favour with God and man.. *The fecond Sunday after the Epiphany.

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por The Collect.

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Lmighty and everlasting God, who doft govern all things in heaven and earth; Mercifully hear the fupplications of thy people, and grant us thy peace all the days of our life, through Je

fus Chrift our Lord. Amen. br

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The Epifle. Rom. 12. 6.

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Aving then gifts, differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophefy according to the proportion of faith; or miniftry, let us wait on our miniftering; or he that teacheth, on teaching; or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with fimplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that fheweth mercy, with chearfulness. Let love be without diffimulation. Abhor that which is evil, cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to Paraphrafe on the Collect for the fecond Sunday after the Epiphany. All powerful and eternal God, who ruleft over all which is fuperior to all worldly Comforts, through Jefus Things vifible and invifible, gracioufly hear our Pray- Christ our Lord. ers, and give us, through Life, that peace of Mind

↑ And was fubject unto them, &c. If the Saviour of the World paid a dutiful obedience to those who were only his reputed Parents: how much stronger an obligation lies upon us to be fubject to thofe from whom under Heaven we derive our being and fupport.

Let us obferve here that it is of God's Mercies in Chrift Jefus that our Petitions are heard: and that the Peace of Mind which flows from the practice of Reli

gion, is that which is most worthy of our pursuit in

this World.

hortation to fuch as are Members of the Chriftian Having then Gifts differing, &c. This is an ExChurch, not to envy thofe who are placed in ftations but for each, according to his abilities, faithfully and above them, nor despise those who are below them : diligently to difcharge the office appointed him for the benefit of thofe whom it concerns,

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another with brotherly love, in honour preferring one another: not flothful in business ; fervent in fpirit; ferving the Lord; rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing inftant in prayer; diftributing to the neceffity of faints; given to hofpitality. Blefs them which perfecute you; blefs, and curfe not. +Re joice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep! Be of the fame mind one towards another. Mind not high things, but condefcend to men of low eftate.

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The Gospel. S. John 2. 1.

ND the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jefus was there. And both Jefus was called and his disciples to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jefus faith unto him, They have no wine. Jefus faith unto her, Woman what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. His mother faith unto the fervants, Whatsoever he faith unto you, do it. And there were fet there fix water-pots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apicce. Jefus faith unto them, Fill the water-pots with water. And they filled them to the brim. And he faith unto them, Draw out now, and bear. unto the Governor of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feaft had tafted the waterthat was made wine, and knew not

Continuing inftant in Prayer, &c. This does not fignify that we must be continually praying, fo as to negle&t every other employment: but that according to our Saviour's parable of the importunate Widow, we are not to be difcouraged if our Petitions are not heard fo foon as we might defire; but conftantly to perfevere in our fupplications to God for affiftance; he being fometimes pleafed to defer anfwering our Requests, in crder to increase in us a fenfe of his benefits, and of our dependence upon him.

tRejoice with them, &c. This is one inftance among many, how excellently Christianity is adapted to human Nature: fince it is not defigned to root out the paffions, but to regulate them; it does not recommend to us a ftorical infenfibility, and unconcern about the affairs of others, but fuch a benevolent fympathy and regard

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for cur Fellow Creatures, as will make us partake in fome measure in their Joys and Sorrows, and induce us, according to our abilities to promote their welfare.

Woman what have I to do with thee? The word, Woman feems to be a very harsh expreffion, according to our Tranflation: But the word in the Original appears to have been made ufe of amongst the Greeks as a term of honour and respect. And What have I to do with thee might have been tranflated in a milder manner, What haft thou to do with me? which carries in it a gentle Reproof indeed, and fignifies that fhe acted improperly, in attempting to direct him in the duties of his Miniftry: but it is plain, from the order which fhe gave to the Servants, that he did not interpret it as a mark of difrefpect.

whence it was, (but the fervants which drew the water knew) the governor of the feaft called the bridegroom, and faith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth fet forth good wine, and when men have well drunk, then that which is worfe: but thou haft kept the good wine until now. *This beginning of miracles did Jefus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory, and his difciples believed on him.

The third Sunday after the Epiphany.

The Collect.

Almighty, our

Lmighty and everlafting God, mercifully look upon our infirmities, and in all our dangers and neceffities stretch forth thy right hand to help and defend us, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

B

The Epiftle. Rom. 12. 16.

E not wife in your own conceits. Recompenfe to no man evil for evil. Provide things honeft in the fight of all men. If it be poffible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, faith the Lord. Therefore, if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink || for in fo doing thou shalt heap

Paraphrafe on the Colles for the third Sunday after the Epiphany.

Moft mighty and eternal God, have pity upon the Infirmities and Weaknefs of our Nature; and aflift and preferve us by thy power in all the wants and dan

*This beginning of Miracles, &c. Tho' our Lord's furnishing Wine on this occafion by Miracle fhews that a chearful ufe of God's Creatures, within the bounds of reafon and moderation, is lawful; yet we are by no means to fuppofe, from the quantity, that it was intended to promote intemperance; but probably as a provifion for the future occafions of the new married couple: Jefus thus modeftly, tho' miraculously making them a prefent.

We are hence taught to truft that God will deal mercifully with fuch Infirmities as cleave to our Nature; and to look upon him as our only Refuge and Pro

tection.

↑ Provide Things honeft, &c. We are not to fuppofe

gers to which we are expofed; for the fake of Jesus Christ our Lord.

that we have fulfilled this Precept merely by performing the duties of justice in our dealings with Mankind : but we must be careful also to act with fuch decency and difcretion in general, (as the original fignifies) that they who are no Friends to Religion, may not take occafion from our Conduct to fpeak evil of our profeflion.

For in fo doing thou shalt heap, &c. This expreffion is evidently taken from Prov. xxv. 21. 22. and is an allufion to the practice of Artificers in preparing their Metals. For as by heaping Coals of Fire upon them they make them yield and relent, and thereby render them more apt to be formed for the purposes they are defigned for so by fhewing acts of Kindness and

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