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enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend: and they faid unto him, Yefterday at the feventh hour the fever left him. So the father knew that it was at the fame hour, in the which Jefus' faid unto him, Thy fon liveth; and himself believed, and his whole house. This is again the fecond miracle that Jefus did when he was come out of Judea into Galilee.

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ORD, we beseech thee to keep thy houfhold the Church in continual godlinefs, that through thy protection it may be free from all adverfities, and devoutly given to serve thee in good works, to the glory of thy Name, through Jefus Christ our Lord, Amen.

The Epiftle. Phil. 1. 3

Thank my God upon every remembrance of you (always in I every prayer of mine for you all, making request with joy) for your fellowship in the Gospel from the firft day until now; § being confident of this very thing, that he who hath begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jefus Chrift; even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have in my you heart, inasmuch as both in my bonds and in the defence, and confirmation of the Gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace. For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jefus Chrift. And this I pray that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge, and in all judgment: That ye may approve

E e 2

Paraphrafe on the Colled for the Lord, we intreat thee, to preferve the univerfal Church of Chrift in the continual practise of pure Religion, that by thy Providence it maybe fecure from all

Being confident of this very Thing, &c. The Apoftle does not fpeak this out of any opinion of the election of the Philippians to eternal Life, or of the certainty of their perfeverance unto the end by virtue of that election. For why then doth he exhort them

twenty fecond Sunday after Trinity.
Calamities, and pioufly difpofed to obey thee in all
Holiness, through Jefus Christ our Lord.

to work out their Salvation with fear and trembling chap. ii. 12. See also chap. iv. 1. and chap. ii. 16. He fays this therefore from a judgment of Charity, conjecturing, from what was pait, what they would be for the future.

things that are excellent, that ye may be fincere, and without of fence till the day of Chrift: being filled with the fruits of righe. teoufnefs, which are by Jefus Chrift, unto the glory and praise of God. The Gospel. S. Matth. 18. 21.

ven.

Eter faid unto Jefus, Lord, how oft fhall my brother fin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jefus faith unto hin, fay not unto thee, Until feven times; but until feventy times fe + Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king who would take account of his fervants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, who owed him ten thoufand talents. But forafmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be fold, and his wife and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The fervant therefore fell down and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that fervant was moved with compaffion, and loofed him, and forgave him the debt. But the fame fervant went out, and found one of his fellow-fervants who owed him an hundred pence; and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, faying, Pay me that thou oweft. And his fellow fervant fell down at his feet, and befought him, faying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not; but went and caft him into prifon, till he fhould pay the debt. So when his fellow-fervants faw what was done, they were very forry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord after that he had called him, faid unto him, O thou wicked fervant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou defiredst me: shouldest not thou also have had compaffion on thy fellow-fervant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he fhould pay all that was due unto him. So

Therefore is the Kingdom of Heaven, c. This Parable may be confidered as an explanation of the fifth petition of the Lord's Prayer; and is defigned to overturn all the arguments whereby evil Minds juftify Revenge; by fhewing how wrworthy thofe are of the

divine Mercy, who, tho' they are guilty of many griev ous Offences against God, yet are implacable to their Fellow Creatures, and will not forgive them the fmalle Injuries, though they are truly forry for them.

PRAYER. likewise shall my heavenly Father do alfo unto you, if yè from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trefpaffes. The twenty third Sunday after Trinity.

The Collect.

God, our refuge and ftrength, who art the author of all godlinefs; Be ready, we befeech thee, to hear the devout prayers of thy Church; and grant that thofe things which we ask faithfully, we may obtain effectually, through Jefus Christ our Lord. Amen.

B

The Epifle. Phil. 3. 17.

Rethren, be followers together of me, and mark them who walk fo, as ye have us for an enfample. (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the crofs of Chrift; whofe end is deftruction, whofe God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things) *for our converfation is in heaven, from whence alfo we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jefus Chrift; who fhall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to fubdue all things unto himself.

T

The Gofpel. S. Matth. 22. 15.

HEN went the Pharifees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. And they fent out unto him their difciples, with the Herodians, faying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teacheft the way of God in truth, neither careft thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men. Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto

Paraphrafe on the Collect for the TO Ged, our defence and fupport, from whofe Grace we derive all that is good in us; gracioufly at tend, webefeech thee, to the humble petitions of all

* For our Converfation is in Heaven, &c. That is, all good Chriftians conf.der that they are Citizens and Freemen not of an earthly City, but of Heaven; that their main intereft lies there; and therefore they live as Men whofe Minds are already there; and with

twenty third Sunday after Trinity.
fincere Chriftians; and fully perform fuch requefts as
we offer up in Faith, and according to thy Will, for
the fake of Jefus Christ our Lord.

good reafon fince their Saviour, who is already there,
is affuredly expected by them, to come, and transferm
thefe frail and mortal Bodies into the likeness of his
own glorified Body.

Cefar, or not? But Jefus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute-money. And they brought unto him a penny. And he faith unto them, Whofe is this image and fuperfcription? They fay unto him, Cefars. Then faith he unto them, Render therefore unto Cefar, the things which are Cefars; and unto God, the things that are Gods. When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.

The twenty fourth Sunday after Trinity.

The Collect.

Lord, we beseech thee, abfolve thy people from their offences; that through thy bountiful goodnefs we may all be delivered from the bands of those fins which by our frailty we have committed. Grant this, O heavenly Father, for Jefus Chrifts fake, our bleffed Lord and Saviour. Amen.

WE

The Epiftle. Col. 1. 3.

E give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jefus Christ, praying always for you, fince we heard of your faith in Chrift Jefus, and of the love which ye have to all the faints; for the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the Gospel; which is come unto you, as it is in all the world, and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, fince the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth. As ye alfo learned of Epaphras our dear fellowfervant, who is for you a faithful minifter of Chrift; who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit. For this cause, we also, fince the day we heard it, do not ceafe to pray for you, and to defire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all

Paraphrafe on the Colle for the O Lord, we intreat thee to pardon our Sins; that through thy abundant Mercy we may be releafed from the bondage of Iniquity to which through human weak

Render therefore unto Cæfar, &c. Thus Jefus clearly confuted them on their own principles, and fhewed that the rights of God and the Magiftrate do not in

twenty fourth Sunday after Trinity.
nefs we are expofed: Grant this O Father of Heaven,
for the fake of Jefus Chrift our Redeemer and Inter
ceffor.

terfere in the leaft, becaufe Magiftrates are God's
Deputies, and rule by his authority.

wisdom and spiritual understanding. *That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleafing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; ftrengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and long-fuffering, with joyfulnefs; giving thanks unto the Father, who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the faints in light.

The Gofpel. S. Matth. 9. 18.

WHI Hile Jefus fpake these things unto Johns difciples, behold

there came a certain ruler and worshipped him, faying, My daughter is even now dead; but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. And Jefus arofe and followed him, and fo did his disciples. (And behold a woman which was diseased with an iffue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment. For she said within herself, If I may but touch. his garment, I fhall be whole. But Jefus turned him about, and. when he faw her, he faid, Daughter, be of good comfort, thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.) And when Jefus came into the rulers houfe, and faw the minftrels, and the people making a noife, he faid unto them, † Give place; for the maid is not dead, but fleepeth. And they laughed him to fcorn. But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arofe. And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.

The twenty fifth Sunday after Trinity.

The Collect..

TIR up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people, that they plenteously bringing forth the fruit of

ST

That ye might walk worthy of the Lord, &c. Obferve here, that the end of all our Chriftian Knowledge is a Converfation fruitful in good Works, and a Life acceptable and well pleafing unto God.

+ Give place; for the Maid is not dead, c. Thus in the very manner, of performing this Miracle, our.

good

Lord. modeftly avoided the reputation which might have accrued to him from it. But fuch modesty often more effectually gains the end which it feems not to aim at: for we are told, notwithstanding, that the fame of this Miracle went abroad into all that Land.

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