THE
Harmony
and
Agreement
OF THE COLLECTS, EPISTLES, and GOSPELS, As they stand in the BOOK of COMMON-PRAYER From the First
Sunday
in ADVENT, TO THE Last SUNDAY after
TRINITY.
In which is shewn From the first SUNDAY in ADVENT, to TRINITY-SUNDAY, what Relation they bear to their respective Times and Seasons; and from TRINITY-SUNDAY to ADVENT, how they agree with each other.
Proper to be bound up with the COMMON-PRAYER, and looked into every
SUNDAY,
and Holyday herein taken Notice of, and compared with the
Collect, Epistle,
and
Gospel
of the Day.
By HENRY BOURNE, M. A. Curate of
All-Hallows,
in
Newcastle,
upon
Tyne.
They are Ignorant who do not, and obstinate who will not understand the Wisdom of the Church, so fitly disposing of the Epistles and Gospels, as that often the one may serve for a Commentary to the other.
Boys Epist. and Gosp.
NEWCASTLE
upon
TYNE,
Printed by JOHN WHITE, for the Author, and sold by Mr.
Bryson
in
Newcastle,
Mr.
Waghorn
in
Durham,
and by the Booksellers, in
London
and
York.
MDCCXXVII.
TO
Granville Wheler,
Esq
SIR,
THE Labours of Study of whatsoever kind they are, do naturally chuse their proper Patrons. There will be always some excelling in every Sort of Knowledge, to whom the various Parts of Learning will be more justly adapted.
As then every Part of the COMMON-PRAYER speaks the Breathings of the greatest of Saints, the earliest Antiquity, and the soundest Faith; so a Treatise on any Part of it will be most suitably patronized by a Lover of our Church, and a Practiser of her Doctrines, by one skill'd in her Offices, and unshaken in her Faith. I hope, therefore you'll excuse the Freedom of a Dedication, since the Nature of this Performance calls for your Protection of it.
Or whether you are considered as sprung from a
Great Ornament
of our Church; From one learned in Antiquity, truly Orthodox, primitive in his Example, and holy in his Life: Or whether, as you are allied to that
Noble Family,
which gives Examples to the World of the earliest Virtue, and a lasting Piety, of Veneration for the Church, and Esteem for her Clergy, of such as rejoyce in doing
Good Works
to the one, and Deeds of
Hospitality
to the other; your Right to this Treatise is not a little strengthned.
But when, together with these I reflect on your placing me in your Friendship and Familiarity, and the many kind and affectionate Offices you have done me, you'll easily pardon my Choice, as it affords me so just a Patron, and gives me an Opportunity of somewhat acknowledging your many Favours to,
SIR,
Your most obliged, and Most humble Servant,
HENRY BOURNE.
THE PREFACE.
T HE Design of the following Pages, is to shew the Relation the
COLLECTS, EPISTLES,
and
GOSPELS,
from the first Sunday in
Advent,
till
Trinity-Sunday,
have to their Respective Times and Seasons; and what Connection and Agreement every
COLLECT, EPISTLE,
and
GOSPEL
for the Sundays after
Trinity
till
Advent,
have among themselves. And this, I hope, may be of some Service, not only as it is exceedingly delightful to the Mind, to consider the Order, and Fitness, and Harmony of these Offices, but as it will make them have that Esteem and Regard paid them, they justly deserve; as it will speak clearly the Wisdom of the Church in so compiling them; as it will instruct in a due Knowledge of Times and Seasons; and make them be a more
Reasonable Service,
than they usually are with the most of People.
Bishop
Sparrow,
and Mr.
Wheatley,
in their excellent Treatises of the
Common-Prayer,
have both of them treated of this in the Sundays before
Trinity.
But then what they have wrote on this Subject, is lodged in a Book which is not easily got by those, who will reap the greatest Benefit from a Work of this Nature. I have therefore considered, in as narrow a Compass as I conveniently could, both the
Offices
before and after
Trinity,
in the Manner above mentioned. And this I have done not only from such Hints and Passages of the Moderns, (particularly the two great Men above-mentioned) as give any but also from the ancient
RITUALISTS.
I hope it will be no Fault, that it comes after so many much more valuable and learned Treatises on the
Common-Prayer,
as it aims at nothing more than the Instruction of the Ignorant in this Part of it, which as far as I know has not hitherto been so published, as to be of Service to them.
Of
ADVENT.
T HE Word
Advent
signifies
Coming,
and is appropriated to the Time preceeding
Christmass
Hug. a San. Vict. Lib.
3.
c.
4.
to commemorate that Time, in which the Messiah was so much expected; and also to prepare us for his Coming in the Flesh; For this Season is to
Christmass-Day,
what
John
the
Baptist
was to our Lord,
a Fore-runner, and Preparer of the Way.
It is observable, that the Church in celebrating the most remarkable Histories of our Saviour's Life and Death, hath followed the Order they were done in, and plac'd them answerable to their respective Times. Thus she commemorates his Nativity before his Death, and his Death before his Resurrection and Ascension. And this is the Reason why the Office of our Lord's Advent, precedes the other Offices of the Church,
viz.
Because his Coming in the Flesh was prior to all the Transactions the other Offices were compil'd of. And as by the
Advent
of our Lord, there was a Renovation of Things, agreeable to that of St.
John,
Rev.
xxi. 19.
Behold I make all Things new,
so the Church, in Honour of his
Advent,
begins her Year of Offices at the Time of Renovation.
THIS
Advent
lies in four Weeks, tho' as the Ritualists tell us, these four Weeks are never held intire.
The Church,
say they,
hath set these apart, to denote and point out the
Fourfold Coming
of Christ, and that the last is
Christmass-Eve, they say, is no Part of
Advent,
and therefore the last Week is never compleat.
incompleat, because when he makes his last Appearance, the Glory of his Saints shall have no End. The first Week,
say they,
of this Holy Season represents to us, his Coming in the Flesh, of which it was said,
Mat.
xxi.
Hosanna to the Son of
David;
Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord.
The second denotes his Coming, and Descent into the Hearts of the Faithful, of which it is said,
John
xiv.
We will come unto him, and make our Abode with him:
and of which, also, that in the
Prophet
relates to,
Habb.
ii.
Tho' it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry.
The third signifies his
Third Advent,
which is in the Hour of Death, to which that of St.
James
relates,
Be ye also Patient, stablish your Hearts, for the Coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
The fourth is an Emblem of his last Coming, when he shall come in Majesty to judge the World, of which it is said in the Propet
Isai.
iii.
The Lord will enter into Judgment with the Ancients, of his People.
THUS the Church delineates these four Comings of our Saviour, in her setting apart the four Weeks of these Seasons: Tho' it is observable in her Offices appointed for them, she only commemorates two of them,
viz.
his Coming in the Flesh and his Coming to Judgment; for his Coming in the
Flesh,
and his Coming into the
Hearts of good Men,
are in Effect but one Coming, as are also his Coming at
the Hour of Death, and in the Day of Judgment.
Of the
COLLECTS.
THE Collects are most of them of great Antiquity, as is evident from many Authorities. They are so called, either
Microl. c.
3.
because the Priest that officiated collected into them the Devotions of the People, or, as being used upon the People's being collected, or gathered together, or, as others think, and with greater Probability, because of their being chiefly collected from the Epistles and Gospels. But however this be, they are the Breathings of the Holiest Times, and have been used by the best of Men, and must therefore be acknowledged of great Benefit and Advantage.
Of the
EPISTLES
and
GOSPELS.
THE
Epistles
and
Gospels
are of equal Antiquity with the Collects, and are ranged in an admirable Order, following each other in a natural Series of Things, and expressing the History of the Season they relate to. They are divided, as the Year is, into two Parts; the one beginning at
Advent,
and ending at
Trinity Sunday;
the other then beginning, and ending at
Advent.
The Former shews us the Example of our Lord, the Latter instructs us how to follow his Example.
The first Sunday in
Advent.
T HE Collect for this Day, is taken out of the
Epistle
and
Gospel,
and has a two-fold View, the one to remind us of his Coming in the
Flesh,
the other of his Coming to
Judgment.
It therefore implores the
Grace
of God, that now, in our Saviour's first
Advent,
when he came to visit us, as
the Prophet
intimates in the
Gospel, in great Humility,
we
may so cast off the Works of Darkness,
mentioned in the
Epistle,
that at his second Coming we may rise to the Life of Light and Glory.
The EPISTLE is an Exhortation to Love, which is in Effect the Fulfilling of the whole Law. And this it also excites us to, from the present Consideration of Things;
That now it is high Time to awake out of Sleep. The Night is far spent, the Day is at Hand:
Which tho' first of all wrote by the Apostle to the Christian Converts, to shake off their Sleep and Drowsiness, and excite them to Vigilancy and Activity in the christian Life: And tho' the
Night
here will undoubtedly signifie the Time of Life, in which we grope about, and wander in Darkness, in Comparison of that Day we shall afterwards behold
Cor.
i. 13.
when the Vail shall be taken away, and
we shall
no longer
see through a Glass darkly;
yet it also must remind us of the Circumstances of the present Season, and bring into our Minds, that Night which hung upon the World before our Saviour's Coming, and how it was dispelled and driven away, by the
Day-spring from on high.
When then these Words are read,
the Night is far spent,
&c. Our Hearts should be filled with Joy and Comfort. For they should represent to us the World's long lying in Darkness, that now the Shadows are fleeing away, and that the Sun of Righteousness is approaching; That the Nativity of the Messiah, the Saviour of the World is near.
The GOSPEL of our Saviour's Riding to
Jerusalem,
has been the Peculiar of this first Sunday in Advent
Microl. de Eccles. Obs. c.
31.
from ancient Times. It seems, indeed, rather proper for
Palm-Sunday,
which was the Day he made this Journey on to his Passion, and is accordingly used by some Churches; But yet when we consider the Words,
Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest, i. e.
blessed be his Coming in the Flesh, for which is due the greatest Hosannahs, we may see manisestly its Harmony to the Season, in the
Bish. Spar. Rat. Dur. lib.
6.
c.
3.
Opinion of both the Ancient and Moderns; and also how agreeable it is to the Epistle, which tells us,
Now is our Salvation near, the Day is at Hand,
&c.
The second SUNDAY in
Advent.
THE Collect is taken out of the Epistle, which mentions, that
whatever Things were written aforetime, were written for our Learning, that we through Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope:
And therefore it says, a little after,
as it is written,
and so mentions some Prophecies relating to our Saviour's first Coming into the World. The Collect therefore will appear very suitable for the Time, if it be consider'd as a Petition to God, that we may receive all
Coll.
his holy World,
and at this Season that Part of it in particular, which Prophesies of our Lord's first Coming into the World, that
me may be
Fpist.
comforted by it, and ever hold fast the blessed
Epist.
Hope of everlasting Life.
The EPISTLE treats of our Lord's first Advent, and in a particular Manner how he came to save us of the
Gentile
World; and mentions some Prophecies relating to us, that we may be
comforted
by them, and
Epist.
glorifie God for his Mercy:
As first that in the 18th
Psalm, For this Cause I will confess to the among the
Gentiles,
and sing Praises unto thy Name:
And that in
Deuteronomy
the xxxii,
Rejoyce ye
Gentiles
with his People.
And again
Psalm
the cxvii,
Praise him all ye
Gentiles,
and laud him all ye People:
And lastly
Isaiah
in his xi Chapter says,
There shall be a Root of
Jesse,
and he that shall rise to reign over the
Gentiles,
in him shall the
Gentiles
trust.
The GOSPEL treats of our Lord's second Coming to judge the World, as the Epistle did of his first Coming into it: Which may teach us, That those Men, who will not receive the First Coming of their Saviour, will be compell'd to acknowledge Him at his Second. They who will not
Epist.
confess to him among the
Gentiles,
shall have
Gosp.
Hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those Things which are coming on the Earth
at the Day of Judgment. But on the contrary,
Epist.
they who are filled with all Joy and Peace in believing, and abound in Hope through the Power of the Holy Ghost; when
Gosp.
these Things begin to come to pass, they shall look up, and lift up their Heads, because their Redemption draweth nigh.
Thus the Church in this Day's Office, prepares us for the first Coming of our Lord, by threatening us with the Terrors of his Second; by assuring us, we must bear the Troubles of that
Evil-Day,
if we answer not the End and Design of our Saviour's first Coming, by leading holy and religious Lives.
The third SUNDAY in
Advent.
THIS Week being the last of the
Four Seasons
or
Ember Weeks,
set apart by the Church, for the Dedicating of the Seasons to God, and imploring his Blessing upon the Ordinations then perform'd, the Church hath made the Collect suitable to this Occasion; Not that she forgets our Saviour's first Advent, but along with it, takes Notice of the Practice of this Season.
THE Collect is taken out of the Epistle and Gospel, and is a Petition to our Lord, that
Epist.
the Ministers and Stewards of his Mysteries,
may in like Manner
Gosp.
prepare his Way
against his Coming to Judgment, as
Gosp.
his Messenger at his first Coming prepar'd it before him.
The EPISTLE, treats of the Ministers of God's Word, and of our Saviour's second Advent; shewing the Dignity of their Office, and how wrong it is in the World to throw its Censures upon them, as is frequently done; that they should be left to the Judgement of the Lord who when he comes the second Time to
Mat.
xviii.
take an Account of his Servants, will render to every One according to their Works.
The GOSPEL treats of our Saviour's first Coming, and gives us the History of
John
's Sending two of his Disciples to him, who were to learn from himself,
Whether it was he that should come, or they were to look for another.
This the Baptist did, not to satisfy any Doubt of his own, for he was perfectly convinc'd of the Truth of our Saviour's Mission; but that as he was shortly to leave the World, his Disciples, who were not as yet fully satisfied, might be convinc'd and become his Disciples.
THE Close of this Gospel,
Behold I send my Messenger, &c.
seems to have been the chief Reason of the Church's Using this Gospel at this Season: that it might teach us that the Way of the Lord was to be prepared by his Messenger, and that therefore we must expect this Messenger, before the Lord himself come.
THE Character our Saviour gives of
John,
of his Constancy in the Faith, and his Austerity of Life, makes the Gospel also answerable to the
Ember Season.
The fourth SUNDAY in
Advent.
THE Collect prays for Christ's
Coming and Succour
in a most ardent Manner, that the
Sins and Wickedness
which stop us in our christian Race, may be removed through
Grace and Mercy,
the Consequents of our Saviour's Coming in the Flesh.
The EPISTLE does as it were point out the Coming of our Lord, not as at a Distance, but in hast and immediately:
The Lord is at Hand.
How seasonably therefore does it advise us,
to Rejoyce in the Lord?
As it were exhorting us to be chearful, because of the
Messiah
's near and speedy Coming into the World.
As the GOSPEL of the last Sunday told us of the Messenger who should prepare the Way before our Lord's Coming; so the present Gospel shews us this Messenger, in the Exercise of his Errand, in an actual Preparation for Christ's Coming, and
making straight the Way of the Lord,
And these Words,
There standeth One among you, whom ye know not, he it is who coming,
&c. are very agreeable to the Season: They do all but bring the Messiah. And as the Epistle tells us,
That he is at Hand;
so here the Gospel tells us, as it were, that his Manifestation is so near, that he is
even just now among
us,
but we know him not yet:
Which is answering exactly the Nearness of this Sunday to Christmass-day, before which Time
we knew him not.
CHRISTMASS-DAY.
HE whom we have been expecting in this Season of Advent, and whom the Offices of that Season spoke of, as Coming, has now really come, and appear'd in the World; and therefore the Offices speak no longer of a State of Expectancy, but of a State of Fruition: They speak not of him as coming, but really come.
THE Collect mentions him as born at this Time, and prays that we may be regenerated and made the Children of God by Adoption and Grace, and be daily renewed by the Holy Spirit, which are the Benefits of Christ's Birth.
The EPISTLE speaks of his being actually come into the World, and assures us,
That in these last Days,
God hath
spoken unto us by his Son.
The GOSPEL also answers the Season, as it speaks of our Saviour's being come into the World.
He was in the World; and, He came unto his own.
Saint
STEPHEN'S
Day.
THERE are several Reasons given for the Placing of this and the two following Festivals in the Order they now stand; immediately after Christ's Nativity, and before the Rest of the Saints: The most probable of which seems to be this; as our Lord in his Gospel says,
If any Man will come after me, let him take up his Cross and follow me,
So it hath pleased the Wisdom of the Church, that those who took up their Cross, and followed him by Martyrdom, should be first in his Retinue. Now there are three Sorts of Martyrdom, one in
Will
and in
Deed;
another in
Will,
not in
Deed;
the other in
Deed,
not in
Will.
Saint
Stephen
's Martyrdom being therefore the First, and Highest of those, it hath deservedly the first Place after our Saviour. Yesterday, says St.
Austin,
we celebrated the Birth Day of the
King of Martyrs,
born in the World, and to Day the
first of Martyrs
going out of the World. It was fit the Immortal should first take upon him Flesh for Mortals, that so the
Mortal
might despise Death, for the
Immortal.
The Lord was therefore born to die for his Servant, that the Servant might not fear to die for his Lord. Christ was born in Earth, that
Stephen
might be born in Heaven.
THE Collect acknowledging
with the Martyr of the Day,
the Divinity of our Lord, prays to him, in Imitation of the Martyr, that in
all our Sufferings here for the Testimony of the Truth,
we may with him,
look up stedfastly, into Heaven, and by Faith behold the Glory which shall be revealed; And being filled with the Holy Ghost,
as he was,
we may learn,
from him, to pray for our Persecutors to our Lord,
who standeth at the Right Hand of God,
as he saw him, to Succour those who suffer for him.
The EPISTLE, is the Story of
Stephen
's Martyrdom.
The GOSPEL is very suitable to the Occasion, as it mentions our Saviour's Prophecy of the Treatment that his Followers should have among the Jews; especially, as it speaks of their
stoneing them which were sent unto them,
and in instancing
Chron.
II. XXIV. 21.
Zacharias,
who was stoned to Death; and as it also makes mention of
Abel,
who was the
Protomartyr
of the Old Testament, as St.
Stephen
was of the New.
Saint
JOHN'S
Day.
THE Festival of St.
John,
stands next to that of St.
Stephen,
because his Martyrdom was next in Kind to that of St.
Stephen
's: that is, he was a Martyr in
Will,
tho' not in
Deed.
For he was miraculously delivered from the Caldron of
Boiling Oil,
which he was thrown into, at
Rome,
coming out without any Maim or Hurt.
THE Collect from the Light mentioned in the Epistle, prays for the Illumination of the Church, that it may be enlightened by the mysterious Doctrines of the Apostle of this Day; and so walk in that
Light,
as at last to obtain that
Light,
which we are told in the Epistle, is
God.
The EPISTLE mentions
the Doctrine of this holy Apostle and Evangelist,
which the Collect prays the Church may be enlightened by,
viz.
the Doctrine of our Lord's Divinity, which he so sublimely treats of in his Gospel, beginning it in the same Manner, he begins the present Epistle. It was the Handling of this lofty Doctrine, that made him be compar'd to an Eagle, flying within the Clouds, beyond the narrow Sight of Men, and for which also he has the peculiar Character of
John
the
Divine.
The GOSPEL is that famous Passage where our Saviour Answers the Curiosity of
Peter,
about the Death of
John. If I will that he tarry 'till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me.
Which though some of them interpreted, that
John
therefore should not die; yet we have both the Word of
John
himself, which teaches us, that
Jesus said not unto him, he shall not die; but if I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?
And also Ecclesiastical History, assuring us, that he did die; For he dy'd twenty-eight Years after our Lord came to destroy the City
Jerusalem,
which is the Coming spoken of in the Gospel.
The
INNOCENTS
Day.
NEXT to the Feast of St.
John,
stands the Day of the
Holy Innocents:
Their Martyrdom being that of the last Kind, a Martyrdom in
Deed,
not in
Will.
They shewed not forth the Praise of the Lord in speaking, but in dying for him; For, for his Sake, and in his Stead, were they slain. Thus, beautifully and wisely are these Festivals placed after the Birth of Christ. They answer, as it were the Church's Description of him in the
Canticles,
Cant.
v. 10.
My beloved is White and Ruddy, and the Chiefest among ten thousand.
For he is white in the Chastity and Purity of
John,
ruddy in the Blood of
Stephen,
and the Chiefest among ten thousand, by the suffering Innocents.
THE Collect prays God, who out of the Mouths of Babes and Sucklings hast ordained Strength, and made the Infants of
Bethlehem
to give him Glory by their Deaths,
to mortify in us all Vices;
that we may have the Innocency of this Day's Martyrs, and be so strengthened with his Grace, that if call'd upon to suffer, we may be constant in the Faith, even to Death; and so may glorify his Holy Name.
The EPISTLE is no doubt a Discription of the whole Church in Christ, but yet there are several Things in it suitable to this Occasion, as it describes in particular the Martyrs of the Day; for it says,
These are they which are not defiled with Women, for they are Virgins; These were redeemed from among Men, being the first Fruits unto God, and to the Lamb; And in their Mouth was found no Guile: For they were without Fault before the Throne of God.
The GOSPEL give's the History of
Joseph
's Flight into
Egypt
with our Lord, and the Murdering of the Children of
Bethlehem.
The SUNDAY after
Christmass.
IT was usual in the primitive Times, for some Part of the Offices of great Festivals, to be repeated every Day, 'till the Octave, or eighth Day after, which was the last Day of its being repeated, and the End of the Festival. The Church therefore in Imitation of this ancient Custom, has the Collect of Christmass-Day, for this Day also, which generally falls within the Octave of Christmass. Bishop
Sparrow
tells us, the Observation of Octaves is done out of Honour to the Feast, and that greater Solemnities have some Days after them, to continue the Memory of them.
THE Reason of their being lengthen'd to eight Days, is taken from the
Jews,
who observ'd some of their higher Festivals, for the
Amar. Gor. Lib.
4.
c.
36,
same Number of Days, it being thought by the primitive Church, that those Jewish Feasts, which were only the Shadow, should by no Means exceed their Feasts, which were the Substance.
BUT according to others there
Rupert, de Divin. Offic. Lib.
8.
c.
5.
b. Juon. Carnot. Serm. de Circum,
&c.
is a mystical Meaning in the Observation of Octaves, and that is, that the Octave is an Emblem of the Mystical eight Day, which is the Day of the Resurrection. For as on that Day we shall return to our former Innocence, so the Church, as an Emblem of it, repeats on the Octave, and the Days between the Festival and it, some of the first Days Office; thereby teaching us, that if we continue in the Worship of God, after being regenerated by Baptism, we shall on the Octave of the Resurrection, after the seven Days of our Life have passed away, return to our first Purity and Holiness.
The EPITLE treats of our Saviour's Birth, and mentions the Advantages accruing to us from thence: That whereas before, the Church of God,
like an Heir under Age, differed nothing from a Servant,
being burthened with Ceremonies, and the Observations of the Law; it was now by the Coming of his Son, arriv'd at Maturity, and freed from those Incumbrances, so that its Members
are
no more
Servants;
But Sons and Heirs of God, through Christ.
THE Church seems to have chosen this EPISTLE with a View to our Saviour's Infancy:
For the Heir under Age, differing nothing from a Servant, tho' he be Lord of all;
is no obscure or mean Remembrancer of our Saviour's Condition at this time
Heb.
i.
who was appointed Heir of all Things; and
Phil.
ii. 7.
yet took upon him the Form of a Servant,
tho' he
Acts
x. 36.
was Lord of all.
The GOSPEL also treats of our Saviour's Birth, and is an Explication of
God's
Epist.
sending forth his Son, made of a Woman, when the fullness of Time was come;
For it relates to the Human Nature of our Lord, as that of Christmass-Day does to the Divine.
The
CIRCUMCISIONS
of CHRIST.
THIS Day, tho' the Octave of Christmass-day
Isidor. c.
40.
de Eccl. Offic.
was formerly observed a Fast by the Church, because of those Sports, and abominable Customs practis'd on it by the Heathen, in Honour of their God,
Janus.
Afterwards it was changed into the Feast of the Circumcision, it being the Day from the Nativity of our Lord, and therefore the Day on which he was circumcised, according to the Command given to
Abraham,
Gen.
xvii. 12.
He that is eight Days old shall be circumcised among you.
THE Collect is a Petition to God, that
as he made his own Son to be circumcised,
so he would grant us the
Circumcision of the Spirit,
which is,
the Cutting off from our Hearts and Members all worldly Lusts;
That as our Lord by the Circumcision of the Flesh was obedient to the Law, so we by
the Circumcision of the Spirit, may be obedient to his Will.
The EPISTLE also is very suitable to the Festival, as it shews who they are that are the Blessed of God; whether those of the Circumcision or those of the Uncircumcision; That those who follow the Faith of our
Father Abraham, which he had, yet being uncircumcised,
will have Righteousness imputed unto them, as he had, and be numbered among the
Blessed,
tho' they are not of the Circumcision.
The GOSPEL is also very proper for the Occasion, which, as it mentions the
Circumcising of the Child after eight Days,
is exactly suitable to the Feast of the Circumcision.
Of the
EPIPHANY.
T HIS Day is called by the Church
the Epiphany,
which in
Greek
signifies
Manifestation.
It is called in our Common-Prayer Book, particularly,
the Manifestation of Christ to the
Gentiles; because on this Day our Lord was manifested to the Gentile World, by the appearing of
a Star
to the Wise Men in the East that they might be conducted to Worship their Saviour.
THE Collect is very suitable, and full of Devotion, and begs of God, who by a Star, manifested his Son Jesus to the Gentiles, to grant us after this Life, the Fruition of himself, whom we only know now by Faith.
The EPISTLE answers the Nature of the Season, and tells us,
that the Gentiles should be fellow Heirs, and of the same Body, and Partakers of his Promise in Christ by the Gospel, and that St.
Paul
preach'd among the Gentiles, the unsearchble Riches of Christ.
The GOSPEL is the History of the Star's Appearing to the
Wise men in the East,
and how it guided them to the Place where our Saviour was.
BUT this is not the only
Manifestation,
which the Church commemorates this Day; there are other two besides; one the
Manifestation,
of the most
glorious Trinity
at his
Baptism,
the other that of his own
Divinity,
when he turn'd the Water into Wine,
at the Marriage of
Cana
in Gallilee.
The First of these the Church commemorates in the second Lesson at
Morning Prayer,
and the
Latter
in the second Lesson at
Evening.
The Reason why the Church celebrates these three
Manifestations
on this Day of the
Epiphany,
is, because they all happened upon this same Day,
Durand. Lib. 6. de Fest. Ep.
tho' in different Years.
The first SUNDAY after the
Epiphany.
THE Collect prays that we may have a right Knowledge of our Duty, and sufficient Strength to perform it.
The EPISTLE mentions the Things the Collect prays for, and is first an Exhortation to Mortification and Chastity: 2dly, to the
Renewing of our Minds
and thereby in Effect, to hope, Prayer and Obedience: 3dly, to Unity,
as we are Members one of another.
Now these three Things are the Virtues pointed out to us, by the Wise Men's Offerings. The
Myrrh
they offer'd signifies the First; The
Incense
they offer'd signifies the Second; And the
Gold
they offered signifies the Third. How suitable then is this
Epistle
to this Season! For in the Gospel for the
Epiphany
we have the
Wise Men
making their Offerings, and in this Epistle for the Sunday following, we are exhorted to imitate them.
The GOSPEL of this Day, is also very suitable to the Season: For as this Sunday is the next after the
Epiphany,
so the First memorable Action we meet with of our Saviour in his younger Years, is this of his Coming up to
Jerusasalem
at
Twelve Years of Age,
and disputing with the
Jewish
Doctors. At
Comber. in Catechis.
thirteen Years of Age, the Jews were wont to bring their Children to the House of God, there to be publickly examined; and being then approv'd, they were then declared to be
Children of the Precept,
that is, obliged to keep the Law. And whereas our Saviour came up at twelve Years old, it was because of his Pregnancy, according to that saying of the Rabbins,
the Ingenious do run before the Command.
IT is observalbe, that as from
Christmass to Epiphany,
the Church in her Offices sets forth Christ's Humanity, so from the
Epiphany,
to
Septuagesima,
she sets forth his Divinity. In the present Gospel it is
Manifested,
when he says to his Mother,
Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's Business?
For he says in another Place,
all Things that the Father hath are mine;
and therefore he attests, that in the same Manner the Temple belonged to his Father, it belonged to him.
Bed. in Dom post Epiph.
The second SUNDAY after the
Epiphany.
THE Collect having acknowledged God, who wrought the Miracle in the Gospel,
to be the Governour of all Things in Heaven and Earth,
prays
that the would mercifully hear the Supplications of his People, and grant them that Peace all the Days of their Life,
which the Epistle puts them into the Method of acquiring.
The EPISTLE also is conformable to our Saviour's Goodness in the Gospel, and adviseth us to a Right Use of the
Gifts
God hath bestowed on us, of whatsoever Kind they be; that we should not keep them to our selves, but make them of Service and Advantage to others:
That we should be kindly affectioned one to another, with Brotherly Love, and of the same Mind one towards another.
The GOSPEL gives us and Example of our Saviour's Goodness, in supplying the Wants and Necessities of others, by his
Turning the Water into Wine.
It is used on this Day, as being the History of our Saviour's first Miracle, and therefore what most naturally follows his Going up to
Jerusalem:
And because also it manifests, (as is observ'd above, the
Sundays after the Epiphany
do manifest) the Divinity of our Lord; For it is only in the Power of God to change the Nature of Things.
The third SUNDAY after the
Epiphany.
THE Collect, considering the
Mercy
of our Lord in the Gospel, desires God
mercifully to look upon our Infirmities;
and from his
Gosp.
Putting forth his Hand to cleanse the Leper,
it prays, that he would be pleased
to stretch forth his Right Hand
to defend us in Dangers and help us in Necessities.
Durand. in Domin.
3
post Epiph.
The EPISTLE, tho' at first Sight it seems not any Way agreeable to the Gospel; yet if taken in the mystical Sense, will appear very suitable to it; For as the Gospel relates our Saviour's Cure of the Leper, so the Epistle tells us how we may prevent the
Leprosy of Sin. Be not wise in your own Conceits,
will teach us how to prevent the Leprosy of Pride, and
recompence to no Man Evil for Evil,
how we may not be infected with Envy and Malice.
The GOSPEL is the History of our Lord's Curing the
Leper,
and the Centurion's Servant who was sick of the
Palsie.
It seems to have been pitched upon as suitable after our Lord's
Epiphany,
as being a clear Manifestation of his Divinity. In the Cure of the
Leper
he shewed forth his Almighty Power, and in curing the other at a Distance, he gave an undeniable Proof of his Omni-presence.
The fourth SUNDAY after the
Epiphany.
THE Collect is founded upon the Gospel, and because
we are set,
as were the Disciples of our Lord, amidst Waves and Storms, and since
through the Weakness of our Nature,
we often, as they did, imagine
we perish;
it therefore prays God
to support us in all Dangers, and carry us through all Temptations,
as our Lord supported his Disciples in the midst of Seas and Tempests.
The EPISTLE, if rightly consider'd, is not
nsuitable to the Gospel; It speaks the Power
f Christ upon Earth by
His Ministers,
as the Gospel does that of his own Word upon the
ea; and as by the later he asswages the Winds
nd Waves, and makes
a great Calm,
so by the
ormer, he asswages the swelling Waves of a
empestuous World, and becalms and quiets
he Madness of the People.
The GOSPEL seems to have been chosen
or this Season, because it is a Manifestation of our Saviour's Divinity: His Commanding of the Winds and Seas, speaks him to be no other than He at
whose Word the stormy Wind ariseth, and
steth up the Waves thereof, and who maketh the Storm to cease, so that the Waves thereof are still.
The fifth SUNDAY after the
Epiphany.
THE Collect prays for such Holy Men as are mentioned in the Epistle, for
the merciful and meek and charitable;
which constitute
the Church
and Houshold of GOD.
THE EPISTLE exhorts us to be Part of that
Houshold,
by putting on the Bowels of
Mercy and Kindness, and above all Charity, which is the very Bond of perfectness.
The GOSPEL under a Parable, mentions the last
Manifestation or Epiphany of our Saviour,
viz. his Coming to Judgment; when the
Tares,
will be burnt, but the
Wheat gathered into the Barn.
The Angels, who are here called the
Reapers,
shall at the
Time of Harvest,
or at the End of the World, gather together the
Tares,
which are the Emblems of the Wicked, that they may be burnt; But they shall gather the
Wheat,
that is, just Men, into God's
Barn, to the general Assembly of the first Born, where
Thes.
1. iv. 17.
they shall ever be with the Lord.
THE
Collect
then of this Day prays for the Safety of good Men; The
Epistle
advises us to be of their Number; and the
Gospel
shews the Greatness of their Reward.
The sixth SUNDAY after the
Epiphany.
Wheatley Com. Prayer,
THE Collect, Epistle and Gospel for this Sunday, were all
added at the last Review, 'till when if there happened to be six Sundays after the
Epiphany,
the
Collect, Epistle and Gospel
for the fifth Sunday was repeated.
The Office therefore for this Sunday is of the same Nature with that of the last, and treats of our Saviour's last Epiphany when he comes to judge the Quick and the Dead.
THE Collect desires God in the Words of the
Epistle; whose Son was manifested to destroy the Works of the Devil, and make us the Sons of God, that having this Hope, we may purify our selves, even as he is pure, and that when our Lord shall appear in the Power and great Glory,
mentioned in the Gospel, we may enjoy what the Epistle tells us will be the Portion of good Men, viz.
to be made like unto him,
in his eternal and glorious Kingdom.
The EPISTLE very suitably to the Season of the
Epiphany,
mentions our Saviour's first Mafestation, and tells us,
He was manifested to destroy the Works of the Devil.
And it also very suitably (as this is the last Sunday after the Epiphany) in Conformity to the Gospel, takes notice of our Saviour's last Appearance, and tells us,
We shall then be like him, and see him as he is.
The GOSPEL treats of the last Epiphany of our Saviour, and is therefore very fitly adapted to this Sunday, it being, as it was just now observ'd in the Epistle, the last Sunday after the
Epiphany.
The Collect prays that we may be with him in his Kingdom; The Epistle shews,
that if we would see him as he is, we must purifie our selves,
&c. The Gospel opens the Scene of the Day of Judgment, and our Lord's last Epiphany; and shews, that those the
Collect
prays for, and the
Epistle
gives advice to,
will be gathered together by the Angels from the four Winds, from the one End of Heaven to the other.
Septuagesima
Sunday.
THERE are many Reasons given by the
Roman Ritualists
for the Names of this and the two following Sundays, the most probable of which seems both to them and others to be
propter Consequentiam Numerandi.
For the fin
Sunday in Lent being called
Quadragesima,
because it is about forty Days from
Easter;
the Sunday before is called
Quinquagesima,
because
Quinquagesima
is the next round Number abo
Quadragesima.
And so in like Manner, the
ther two Sundays, as they are still further r
moved from
Easter,
so they answer to the ne
great Numbers, and are therefore called
Sex
gesima
and
Septuagesima.
THE Design of the Church in setting ap
this Time, was to prepare her Members for
Lent Fast.
And therefore former the
Dur. in Septuag.
Regulars
began to fast after
Septuagesima,
the
Greeks
after
Sex
gesima,
the
Clergy
after
Quinquagesima,
and
whole Christian Church on
Ash-Wednesday.
THE Collect very seasonably prays to be d
livered from Sin and Punishment, which we
never be freed from, without the Struggles a
Hardships of Mortification.
The EPISTLE therefore persuades us
the Exercise of the Duties of the Christian Li
which are here represented to us under the Na
of a
Race:
Teaching us,
That as they who str
for the Mastery in a Race, are temperate in
Things,
so should we be in all our Conversation.
We should keep under our Body, and bring
into Subjection,
by Acts of Pennance and Mortification, if we would receive the Prize here me
tioned,
The incorruptible Crown.
The GOSPEL assures us, that the Rewar
is not to be acquir'd without Labour; that the Toil of the Christian Life is absolutely Necessary to the Gaining of the Heavenly; and that without our
Cross
we shall wear no
Crown. If we stand idle in the Market-Place all the Day long, we have no Wages to expect in the Evening;
but
if we labour in the Vineyard, we shall receive our Penny.
Sexagesima
Sunday.
THE Collect is a Prayer to God for his Aid and Assistance in all Dangers and Adversities, that we may be supported by his
Power,
as was the
Apostle St. Paul
in all the Adversities the
Epistle
mentions.
The EPISTLE before persuades us to the Duty of Pennance and Austerity, and the present Epistle gives us a noble Example for our Imitation, that of the Sufferings of the
Great St. Paul,
who, by having in him
that Trust,
which the
Collect
mentions, surmounted the greatest of Dangers, and bravely underwent the most mortifying Pennance.
He suffered Stripes and Imprisonment and Deaths oft, he was beaten and stoned and suffered Shipwrack, a Night and a Day he had been in the Deep;
in a Word, he endur'd the greatest Hardships of Earth and Sea. Nor were his voluntary Sufferings much Inferiour,
He was more abundant in Labours than others, in Journeying often, in Weariness and Painfulness, in Watchings and Fastings often, in Cold and Nakedness.
The GOSPEL is the Parable of the Sower, and answers of the Epistle, in telling us the Dangers we are in, when we neglect the Duties the Apostle St.
Paul
was so eminent an Example of. For it is observable that the
Seed
fell in four Places and brought forth but in one; which as it intimates to us, that scarce one in four attain Salvation, so it lets us plainly see the Necessity of Mortification; especially when it tells us,
That they on the good Ground, bring forth Fruit with Patience.
The Higher they rise in Piety, the greater will be their Tryals; the nearer they are to Heaven, the greater are their Temptations.
But
Luke
xxi.
in their Patience, they possess their Soulds, till
Acts
xiv
through much Tribulation they enter into the Kingdom of God.
Quinquagesima
Sunday.
THE Collect for this Sunday prays for the most excellent Gift of Charity, which is so beautifully commended in the Epistle.
The EPISTLE is very suitably chosen by the Church; For the two last Sundays having proposed to our Imitation in the Coming
Lent,
some of the sublimest Acts of Mortification, and given us one of the greatest Examples of it, she now treats of Charity, the very Bond of Peace and of all Virtues, to shew us, that all the Doings of Austerity and Pennance,
without Charity are nothing Worth.
The GOSPEL teaches us the Story of the Blind Beggar to add to our Charity, Faith, that we may rightly perform the Duties recommended to us.
Spar. Rat.
For by Faith our Darkness is enlightened, as the Blind Man's Eyes were, who wisely desired, that he might see; for in Sight of God consists our Happiness.
One of the Ritualists observes, that these three Gospels are placed in a very rational Order. In
Septuagesima,
says he, the
Vineyard
is dressed; in
Sexagesima
the
Seed
is sown; and in
Quinquagesima
the
Fruit
of Light is gathered; the Light of that Place,
which needs no Candle, neither the Light of the Sun.
ASH-WEDNESDAY.
THE Word
Lent
in the Saxon Tongue signifies
Spring,
and because this Time of Fasting begins in the
Spring,
it therefore borrows its Name from the Season, and is called
Lent.
THIS Fast is of such great Antiquity, that is seems to have been used from the Days of the Apostles. It is of forty Days Continuance, beginning at
Ash-wednesday,
and ending at
Easterday,
the Sundays excepted, which were always Festivals in Memory of our Saviour's Resurrection.
THE Reason of its continuing forty Days is because that forty Days were of old, the allowed and stated Times of great Fasts; Witness the Fasts of
Moses
and
Elias;
But the chief Reason with us, is, that our Saviour Fasted forty Days.
IT always ends at
Easters,
to point out to us, that as our Saviour's Sufferings were done away at his Resurrection; so after the Troubles of this Life, which are shadowed out by the Time of
Lent,
we shall enjoy Peace and Rest, and a glorious Resurrection, which are shadowed out to us by
Easter.
THIS is called
Ash Wednesday,
Wheat Com. Prayer.
from a Custom in the ancient Discipline (the Loss of which Custom or Godly Discipline, our Church laments in her Office for this Day, called the
Commination
) which began to be very early exercised on this Day, an Account whereof, we have in
Gratian,
as follows.
ON the first Day of
Lent,
the Penitents were to present themselves before the
Bishop,
cloathed with Sackcloth, with naked Feet and Eyes turn'd to the Ground; And this was to be done in the Presence of the principal Clergy of the Diocess, who were to judge of the Sincerity of their Repentance. These introduced them into the Church, where the Bishop all in Tears, and the Rest of the Clergy, repeated the seven Penitential Psalms; Then rising from Prayers, they threw Ashes upon them, and covered their Heads with Sackcloth, and then with mournful Sighs declar'd to them, that as
Adam
was thrown out of Paradise, so they must be thrown out of the Church. Then the Bishop commanded the Officers to turn them out of the Church Doors, and all the Clergy followed after, repeating that Curse upon
Adam, In the Sweat of thy Brows thou shalt eat thy Bread.
THE Collect for this Day, prays that God would send us,
new and contrite Hearts,
that we may lament our Sins in a sincere and unfeigned Manner, and so obtain the Pardon and Remission of them.
THE Portion of Scripture for the Epistle is taken out of the Prophet
Joel,
and exhorts us to what the Collect prays for,
viz. to turn to the Lord with all our Hearts, to fast and weep, and mourn, and to rent our Hearts;
And then to rest assured, that the
God of all Mercy will repent him of the Evil,
and give us perfect Remission and Forgiveness.
The GOSPEL cautions us to be sorrowful in the Manner the Epistle mentions, lest if we appear only with the external Signs of Sorrow, we receive the Reward of the Hypocrites,
who only disfigure their Faces, that they may appear to Men to fast.
It may also teach us, that as we hope God will be merciful to us, we should also be merciful to the Poor, by giving to them what we save by Fasting. If we do so, we lay up
Treasure in Heaven;
if not, it is only
Treasure which the Moth and Rust doth corrupt,
&c.
The first Sunday in
Lent.
THE Collect is a Prayer to Christ, which shews the Church believes him to be God. It is very suitable to this Season of Fasting and Abstinence, and prays our Lord, that in Imitation of his Fasting
forty Days and forty Nights,
we may
by his Grace use such Abstinence, as to subdue the Flesh to the Spirit, and so ever obey his Godly Motions.
The EPISTLE exhorts us to
Patience in all Things,
belonging to our Spiritual Warfare, whether
we be in Afflictions, in Watchings, in Fastings,
or whatever Condition else.
The GOSPEL is the History of our Saviour's being tempted, and his Conquest over Temptations; and is therefore highly suitable for our Entrance on our spiritual Combat in this Season of Lent, our great
Day of Battle,
as it emboldens and animates us with the Hopes of Victory against our spiritual Enemies. For we know in that
he himself suffered and was tempted, he is able to succour them which are tempted.
THE Epistle and Gospel are also not unsuitable to the
There be four
Ember-Weeks,
call'd in Latin
Jejunia Quatuor temporum,
The Fasts of the four Seasons; because they were kept in the four Parts of the Year,
Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter.
The First of these begins upon
Wednesday,
next after
Ash-Wednesday;
the 2d upon
Wednesday,
next after
Whitsunday;
the 3d upon
Wednesday,
next after
Holy-Cross, Sept.
14. The last upon
Wednesday
next after St.
Lucy, Dec.
13. The Days of Fasting and Prayers in those Weeks, are
Wednesday, Friday
and
Saturday: Wednesday,
because then our Lord was betrayed by
Judas; Fryday,
because then he was crucified;
Saturday,
because then we represent the Apostles Sorrows for the Loss of their Lord, lying in the Grave. The Causes of such religious Fastings and Prayers were formerly many, as namely: That Christians in these religious Duties might let the World know, that they were as devout as the
Jews
had formerly been, whose Custom it was, to observe four solemn Fasts,
Zach.
8.9. that they might dedicate to God as the first Fruits, the Beginning of the several Seasons of the Year, set a part to his religious Worship, and by this Means obtain God's Blessing upon them, the Remainders of those Times. But the principal Cause was, for Preparation to the solemn Ordination of Ministers; Holy Church imitating the Apostles Practice, who when they were to set
apart Men to the Ministry, prayed and fasted
before they laid on their Hands,
Act.
xiii. 3.
Spar, Rat, Com,
Pr.
Ember-Week
beginning on this Day. The Epistle shews how a Minister should behave himself in his Calling; and the Gospel what he must expect to meet with after he has enter'd on it. No sooner did our Saviour enter on his publick Ministry, than he was
tempted of the Devil;
and we know,
the Servant is not greater than his Lord.
The second SUNDAY in
Lent.
THE Collect after acknowledging from the Petition of the Woman in the Gospel,
viz. Lord help me,
that we have no Power, of our selves
to help our selves,
prays God, that he would keep us outwardly in our Bodies from all Adversities, and inwardly in our Souls from all evil Thoughts.
The EPISTLE exhorts us to avoid all Uncleaness, and be studious of Holiness; which is undoubtedly very fit Advice at this Season, when we are more particularly assaulted
both outwardly in our Bodies and inwardly in our Souls.
The GOSPEL put us into the Method of obtaining what the Epistle persuades us to, by giving us the Story of our Lord's Curing the Woman and
Canaan
's Daughter that was vexed with a Devil. As she by her steady Faith and earnest Prayer, crying,
Have Mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of
David,
and Lord help me,
got the Devil thrown out of her Daughter; so may we, in like Manner, be disposess'd of the
uncle all Spirit
of Lust and Incontinence.
The third SUNDAY in
Lent
THE Collect with a View to the
Finger of God,
and
that stronger Man
mentioned in the Gospel, desires God to stretch forth
the right Hand of his Majesty,
to be our Defence against all our Enemies.
AS the Season of Pennance is thus far advanced, the Church is careful that her Sons should not flag, but rise in their Piety; and therefore the Epistle does not only persuade us to
avoid Fornication,
and Sins of a deeper Colour,
but even foolish Talking and Jesting, which are not convenient;
both as they are unbecoming the Gravity of this penitential Season, and are sinful in their own Nature.
The GOSPEL confirms the Advice of the Epistle, and Endeavours after our Continuance in our holy Violences, by shewing us the Danger of
II
Pet.
.
3.
falling from our own Stedfastness, and how needful it is for us to grow in Grace.
For it assures us,
If the unclean Spirit, which hath been once cast out of a Man, eater into him again, the last State of that Man is then worse than the First.
This GOSPEL, as it aims at our Keeping out the unclean Spirit when he is once dispossessed, is very fitly placed after that of the last Sunday, which shews us the Way of getting him cast out.
The fourth SUNDAY in
Lent.
IN the last Sundays Office the Church laid before us the Danger of Lapsing from the Austerities of the Season; and having now brought us to the
This Sunday is called Midlent-Sunday.
Middle of the thorny Way of Mortification, she chears and comforts us with the
End of our Journey, and the Promise of Refreshment,
lest we faint upon the Road.
THE Collect having acknowledged, that for our evil Deeds we worthily deserve to be punished, prays God, that we may mercifully be
relieved
by the Comfort of his Grace.
The EPISTLE encourages us to go on chearfully in our holy Pennance and Hardships, as it tells us of
the
Jerusalem
which is above, which is free
from all these Troubles, and where we shall be
relieved
with everlasting Comforts.
The GOSPEL tells of Christ's
Relieving
the five Thousand miraculously; intimating to us, that after the Hunger we suffer here, we shall be refreshed by our Lord.
For blessed are they that hunger and thirst after Righteousness, for they shall be filled.
There is also another Reason of this Gospels being read at this Time, which see in the 7th Sunday after Trinity.
THIS Sunday is also called
Dominica de Panibus, the Sunday of the Loaves;
or
Dominica Refectionis,
the Sunday of
Refreshment:
Because it does not treat of Mortification, but tells of the
heavenly
Jerusalem, and that Refreshment our Saviour will there give us. Mr.
Wheatley
says,
or perhaps it is so called from the first Lesson in the Morning, which gives us the History of
Joseph
's Entertaining his Brethren.
And he adds,
That the Appointment of the Gospel, and the first Lesson for this Day, might probably give the first Rise to a Custom still retain'd in many Parts of
England,
and well known by the Name of
Midlenting or Mothering.
The fifth SUNDAY in
Lent.
THIS Sunday is called
Passion-Sunday,
because as the Ritualists tell us, what the
Jews
transacted on
Good-Friday,
was begun on Yesterday Evening.
From
John
ii.
that Day it was that they took Council together to put him to Death; and after this Jesus walked no more openly among the
Jews
till
Palm-Sunday. On this Sunday therefore is very justly celebrated the Beginning of his Passion,
Durand. in Dom. Pass. Rup. in Dom. Pass.
which follows on
Good-Friday,
as a Corps after a pompous Train of Mourners.
THE Collect prays, that God of His Mercy would preserve our Bodies and Souls.
The EPISTLE relates to our Saviour's Passion, and tells us of the Benefit we have obtained
by the Shedding of his Blood: How he thereby entered into the holy Place, and obtained eternal Redemption for us, that we might receive the Promise of eternal Inheritance.
It very suitably
Rupert. de. Div. Offic.
l. 5. c. 4.
represents to us what is to come, as it were, at the Day of our Lord's Passion,
viz.
a Dereliction of the old
Jewish
Priesthood,
By the Mediator himself of the new Covenant, and the High Priest of a New Sacrifice.
The GOSPEL says Bp.
Sparrow,
treats of our Lord's being slandered by the
Jews,
which must needs be a Thorn in his Side, and a Part of his Passion.
And some of the Ritualists observe, That this Gospel in it's mystical Meaning, is somewhat answerable to the Epistle: For when it is said,
Then took they up Stones to cast at him,
it is added,
Then Jesus hid himself, and went out of the Temple.
By which is represented, that
Truth is self
was hid to them, because they dispised his Words; and that he had now forsaken the
Jewish Temple,
and was, as the Epistle has it,
become an High Priest of good Things to come, by a greater and more perfect Tabernacle, not made with Hands.
And when our Lord says in the Gospel,
which of you convinceth me of Sin?
It is agreeable to that of St.
Paul
in the Epistle,
That Christ offered himself without Spot to God,
The sixth SUNDAY in
Lent.
THIS Sunday has the Name of
Palm-Sunday,
because it was on this Day our Lord rode in Triumph to
Jerusalem,
when the People took
John
xii. 13.
the Branches of
Palm-Trees,
and went forth to meet him, and cryed,
Hosanna, Blessed is the King of
Israel
that cometh in the Name of the Lord.
It was a Custom in the ancient Church to go in Procession on this Day, bearing
Palms
in their Hands; and it was also observed in our own, till the
Reformation,
when it was abolished, because of the Superstitions attending it.
THE Collect, from these Words in the Epistle,
Epist.
Let this same Mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus—Who was made in the Likeness of Men, and humbled himself, and became obedient to Death, even the Death of the Cross,
prays God,
Coll.
Who sent our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon him our Flesh, and to suffer Death upon the Cross, that all Mankind should follow the Example of his great Humility;
that he would mercifully grant that we may follow his Example, or
Epist.
be of the same Mind with him,
and so partake of his
Resurrection.
The EPISTLE advises to what the Collect prays for, when it says,
let this same Mind be in you, which was in Christ Jesus;
that is, do ye
humble
your selves, as he did, and so ye may be partakers, as it were, the Sunday following, of his Resurrection.
The GOSPEL is the History of our Saviour's Passion, and gives us the Particulars of what the Epistle recommends to our Imitation. The
Gospel
then shews our Lord's Patience and Sufferings; the
Epistle
persuades us to imitate them; and the
Collect
prays for God's assistance in following his Example.
THIS Week is called the
Great,
the
Holy,
and the
painful Week.
The
Great,
as being that in which were transacted the great Affairs of Man's Salvation; the
Holy,
as being that which was spent in the Exercise of Prayer, Meditation, frequenting the Church, stricter Fasting then usual, and greater Actions of Charity; and the
painful,
as being that in which our Lord underwent such exceeding Pains and Tortures for the Sins of the whole World. Our Church comes as near as she can to the Devotions of the ancient Christians in this Week of Humiliation, by setting apart for every Day a particular Service suitable to the Occasion.
The Thursday before
Easter.
THIS Day is called
Maundy-Thursday,
from that
new Commandment
our Lord gave his Disciples, to love one another. On this Day he
washed
his Disciples
Feet,
and therefore the second Lesson for the Morning, is the History of that Transaction: On this Day also he instituted the Sacrament of his
Body and Blood,
and therefore the
Epistle
gives an Account of that Institution. The Gospel is very suitable, being as the others, the History of our Saviour's Passion.
THIS
Spar. Rat.
Day the Penitents, that were put out of the Church upon
Ash-Wednesday,
were received again into it, for this Reason chiefly, because on this Day our Lord was apprehended and bound, which Binding wrought our Deliverance and Freedom.
THE Form of reconciling Penitents, was in short this. The Bishop goes out to the Doors of the Church, where the Penitents lie prostrate upon the Earth, and thrice in the Name of Christ he calls them,
Come, come, come, ye Children, hearken to me, I will teach you the Fear of the Lord.
Then after he had prayed for them, and admonished them, he reconciles them, and brings them into the Church. The Penitents thus received, trim their Heads and Beards, and laying of their penitential Weeds, they recloath themselves in handsome Apparel.
THE Church Doors were wont to be set open all this Day, to signifie that penitent Sinners coming from
North
or
South,
or any Quarter of the World, shall be received to Mercy, and the Churches Favour.
GOOD-FRIDAY.
THIS Day is called
Good Friday,
from the Good we received o
it,
viz.
the Redemption of our Souls, by the Death of our Lord.
IT is to be observed with the strictest Fasting tho' the Passion of our Lord was the Cause of all our Joy. If
Dur. i Paras
.
it be asked why we do so, when the
Saints Days
are observed as Feasts,
and right dear i the Sight of the Lord is the Death of his Saints
and when the Apostle St.
Paul glories in the Cros of Christ:
I answer, because he dy'd for our Sins as says the Prophet
Isaiah, for the Transgressio of my People was he stricken;
we ought therefor to be sorrowful rather than joyous, and Fast rather than Feast, lest we be more obdurate tha
the
Rocks
themselves who
rent
at his Passion.
THE Church on this Day, prays God
to look upon his Family,
the
Church,
for which Christ dyed; to receive our Prayers which we offer for all Estates of Men within it; and to have Mercy upon all
Jews, Turks, Infidels, and Hereticks
without it, that they may be converted and saved.
Dur. Ibid.
Christ prayed, not only for his Friends, but also for his Enemies, and therefore this Day, the Church, in Imitation of him, prays for all.
The EPISTLE shews the Sacrifices under the
Jewish Law
incapable of attoning for the Sins of Men; for it tells us,
It is not possible that the Blood of Bulls and of Goats should take away Sins;
that those were only
the Shadow of good Things to come,
and did but typifie the great Sacrifice of our Saviour Christ, which he offered up this Day for the Sins of the Whole World.
Epist.
When God had no Pleasure in burnt Offerings and Sacrifices for Sin; then, said he, Lo, I come (in the Volumn of the Book it is written of me) to do thy will, O God.
The
Rupert. de Divini. Offic.
Lib. 6. c. 6.
GOSPEL for this Day is not only taken out of St.
John,
because, in Order, it follows the other Evangelists; it not having been wrote till after he return'd from the Isle of
Patmos,
where he was banished to, and consequently wrote later than these of the other
Evangelists;
but also because he was present at the Crucifixion, whilst the other Disciples were not. For, as he says of himself, and as St.
Jerome
writeth, he
being known to the High Priest,
did therefore follow him with great Confidence, and stood by the Cross.
For
John
xix. 25.
there stood by the Cross of Jesus, his Mother and his Mother's Sister; and when Jesus saw his Mother, and the Disciple standing, whom Jesus loved, he said unto his Mother, Woman, behold thy Son; Then said he to that Disciple, behold thy Mother; and from that Hour that Disciple took her to his own Home.
And a little after he says,
v. 35.
And he that saw it bear Record, and his Record is true.
This Gospel is therefore taken out of St.
John,
rather than the others, because he was an Eye-witness of the Passion:
Sparrow.
Which Example should teach us, not to be ashamed nor afraid of the Cross of Christ.
EASTER-EVE.
THIS Day was observed in the ancient Church, as one of the strictest Fasts in the Year, in Memory of our Saviour's Lying in the Grave, and the Sorrow of the Apstoles,
Who when the Bridegroom was taken away from them, did fast in those Days.
The Church of
England
in Imitation of that, advises us also to a strict Fast in private, and calls us to the Place of Worship, by the publick Office of the Day, to imploy our selves in meditating on our Saviour's
Burial and Descent into Hell.
THE Collect prays in a most moving and solemn Manner, that
Rom.
vi. 3.
as we are baptised into Christ's Death;
so by continual mortifying our corrupt Affections,
We
Rom.
vi. 4.
may be buried with him,
and not fear the Grave, but pass joyfully thro' it to our Resurrection.
The EPISTLE treats of the Descent of our Saviour's Soul into Hell, that is, into the Mansions of holy Souls,
Where
Epist.
he went and preached unto the Spirits in Prison,
Where
By.
Taylor
's Antiq. Christ. on the Resur.
he communicated to them the Mysteries of the Gospel, the Secrets of the Kingdom, the Things hidden from eternal Ages, and taught them to look up to the Glories purchased by his Passion, and made the Term of their Expectation be his second Coming, and the Object of their Hope, the Glories of the Beatifick Vision.
The GOSPEL treats of our Saviour's Body, as the Epistle does of his Soul, and is an Account of his
Burial,
as the Gospel of Yesterday was of his
Death.
It tells us also of what happened after he was interr'd, and ends in such a Manner, by telling us,
That they went and made the Sepulchre sure, sealing the Stone, and setting a Watch,
that we leave reading it with heavy Hearts, and forced away, as it were, mourning from the Sepulchre.
EASTER-DAY.
T HE Word
Easter
comes from the
Saxon
Word
Oster,
which signifies to
rise,
or from the Name of a Goddess, which the
Saxons
worshipped at this Time of the Year, called
Easter.
IT is the highest of Festivals, as bringing us the comfortable News of our Lord's, and in due Time of our own Resurrection. In the Season before, the Church was in Mourning and Sorrow, an Emblem of the Troubles of the present Life; but now, on the Day of her Saviour's Resurrection, the Emblem of our future Happiness in the Kingdom of Heaven, she is in the compleatest Joy. Whereas therefore it was always Customary in the primitive Times to be in Sorrow for the Season of
Lent,
especially in the
Holy Week,
when they beheld the
Passion,
and bewailed at the
Cross,
and sat weeping by the
Sepulchre;
it was now usual to shew Tokens of the greatest Joy, and therefore their morning Salutation was,
The Lord is Risen,
and the Answer was,
The Lord is Risen indeed,
or,
and
hath appeared to
Simon. In Imitation of this; our Church begins her Office of Praise, with Salutations of the same Nature,
Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us, therefore let us keep the Feast,
&c.
Christ being raised from the Dead, dyeth no mo
e,
&c.
Christ is risen from the Dead, and become,
&c.
THE Collect having acknowledged that God through his Son his conquer'd Death, and set open to us the Heavens, prays, that the good Desires of a Joyful Resurrection, which are owing to his Grace, may by his continual Help be brought to good Effect.
The EPISTLE directs us how to obtain what the Collect prays for, when it advises us,
To mortifie our Members which are upon the Earth, and to set our Affections on the Things above; for if we be risen with Christ, we must seek those Things which are above.
The GOSPEL very suitably gives us the earliest Account of his Resurrection, and Mentions the first Evidences of it.
EASTER
Monday.
IN the primitive Times the Feast of
Easter
was solemnized even till
Whitsunday,
in honour of our Lord's Resurrection; afterwards the whole Week following was observed, which our Church approves of, by appointing a Preface in the Communion-Office for eight Days following; tho' she hath only appointed an Epistle and Gospel for the Monday and Tuesday.
The EPISTLE gives and Account of our Saviour's Resurrection from St.
Peter,
who tells us,
That he was raised up the third Day, that he was seen of them, whom God had chosen Witnesses, and that they eat and drank with him after his Resurrection.
THIS Epistle is conveniently and judiciously placed before this Gospel, as it contains the Words of
Peter,
who had the Honour of seeing his Lord, before
the two Disciples,
or any of the Apostles.
The GOSPEL is the History of what happened on the Afternoon of our Saviour's Resurrection,
viz.
his Walking to
Emmaus
with the
two Disciples,
and his
Discovering himself to them in the Breaking of Bread.
EASTER
Tuesday.
THIS EPISTLE also is an Account of our Lord's Resurrection, from the Mouth of
Peter;
shewing, as the
Epistle
Yesterday did, that he was raised from the Dead,
and that he was seen of them, his Witnesses, many Days.
The GOSPEL tells us what happened in the Evening of our Lord's Resurrection; how when the
Disciples
were come from
Emmaus,
Jesus himself
stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
The first Sunday after
Easter.
THIS Sunday is called
Low-Sunday,
because it is
Easter
repeated,
Spar. Rat.
the
Octave
of
Easter;
but the Sunday before is
High-Easter,
and this a lower Feast,
Low-Easter.
THE Collect prays for such Purity and Holiness, as may intitle us to a Share in our Lord's Resurrection.
The EPISTLE adviseth those
who are born of God,
or Baptized into the Faith of Christ, to
overcome the World,
as they promised when they were Baptized.
THE Reason why the Church chuses this Epistle for this Season, is, because it was proper for those who were Baptised on
The Ancients had only two Times of Baptizing viz the
Eves
of
Easter
and
Whitsunday
except in Cases of Necessity.
Ber. Augiens. c. 3.
Easter-Eve;
who came to Church every Day in
Easter-Week
with
These
Lights
were an Emblem of the Ilumination they had acquired by Baptism; and the
White Vestures,
otherwise called
Chrisms,
were an Emblem of their inward Purity by Baptism. The Vestures being laid aside this Day, gives if the Name of
Dominica in albis,
or,
the Sunday of saying aside the White Vestures.
Lights
before them, and clad in white Vestures, which they laid aside
this Day
in the Church, that they might rise up in Judgment against them, if they afterwards violated the Faith they professed in their Baptism. This Epistle therefore was very suitable, as putting them in Mind of what they promised.
The GOSPEL is answerable to the Season, and as the Sunday is
Low-Sunday,
or
Low-Easter,
so it treats of our Lord's Resurrection.
The second SUNDAY after
Easter.
Durand. in Dom. Secu. a Pasch.
AS by the Resurrection, not only the young and newly Baptized were instructed, but also the Grown and the Mature: This Sunday therefore treats of those who are arrived at Maturity, as the Sunday before did of those who had not so far advanced. It treats of the Pastors of the Church, and shews them how they must follow the Example of the Lord, as the other instructed the New-born Christians, how they should imitate Christ's Resurrection, by Pureness and Holiness of Life.
THE Collect (from these Words in the Epistle,
because also Christ suffered for us, leaving us an Example, that we should follow his Steps,)
having acknowledged,
that God gave his only Son to be unto us both a Sacrifice for Sin, and also an Example of a godly Life,
prays God to send us his Grace, that we may be thankful for the Benefit of his Dying for us, and may also follow his Steps.
THE EPISTLE shews to all, the Example of our Lord's Patience and Holiness, that they may follow his Steps; For it tells us,
that he suffered for us, that he was reviled, that he bore our Sins in is own Body on the Tree;
and it also shews us his Manner of bearing Sufferings,
he did no Sin, neither was any Guile found in his Mouth; her viled not, he threatned not; but committed himself to him who judgeth righteously;
And so he
suffered and took it patiently, which was acceptable with God.
The GOSPEL in a more particular Manner relates to the
Pastors and Bishops
of the Church, and sets before them our blessed Lord,
the good Shepherd,
for their Imitation.
The Epistle, and it, are parallel in several Places. The Gospel tells us, that
Jesus
is
the good Shepherd;
the Epistle, that he is the
Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls;
The Gospel, that
he layeth down his Life for his Sheep;
The Epistle,
that he bore our Sins in his own Body on the Tree;
The Gospel shews the Master foretelling,
that he hath other Sheep which are not of this Fold, and that them also he wou'd bring, and they should hear his Voice, and they should be one Fold and one Shepherd;
The Epistle shews the Servants fulfilling the Prophecy of their Lord, when it says,
Ye were as Sheep going astray, but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your Souls.
The third SUNDAY after
Easter.
IT is observable that the Collect and Epistle of this Day have a particular View to Baptism, which was undoubtedly to remind the newly baptized at
Easter
what Obligations they lay under, to perform their Duty.
Sparr. Rat. Microl. c.
56.
THE Ancients were wont to observe an Anniversary, in Commemoration of their Baptism, which was called
Pascha Annotinum:
They that were baptized at
Easter
the Year before, came the Year following the same Day to Church, and solemnly with Oblations and other Religious Offices, commemorated the Anniversary Day of their
New-Birth.
Tho' our Church does not in every particular observe the same Custom, yet she draws near to the ancient Practice, in this solemn, tho' general Anniversary Commemoration of Baptism this Day, minding us all this Day of our Baptism, and our Vow made therein, and praying to God to enable us all to keep it.
THE Collect is very suitable to this Commemoration of the Church, and prays God, wh
enlightens by Baptism,
that all those who ha
been admitted into the Fellowship of Christ's Religion,
or baptized into the Faith of Christ, may perform the Promises and Vows made in their Baptism.
The EPISTLE is also very suitable, and persuades the
New-Born,
or those whom God hath brought
Coll.
from Error to the Light of his Truth,
to walk as Childeren of Light, and to live up to what they vowed in their Baptism,
Epist.
by abstaining from
the Lusts of the Flesh, and having an honest Conversation among the Gentiles.
The GOSPEL is answerable to the Season of our Lord's Being in the World after his Resurrection, till the Ascension.
A little while and ye shall not see me,
is to say, in a little while I shall be laid in my Grave, and so be taken from your Eyes,
and again a little while and ye shall see me,
is to say you shall see me again for a little while after my Resurrection.
A little while and ye shall weep and lament
for my Death, but after my Resurrection
your Sorrow shall be turn'd into Joy.
This Gospel therefore should represent to us the Joyfulness of this Time, by the Joy the Apostles had after our Lord was risen.
The fourth SUNDAY after
Easter.
THE Collect considering that the Epistle says,
every good and every perfect Gift cometh down from above,
&c. and therefore that whatsoever good we do is owing to the Gifts
and Will
of God,
Epist.
who of his own Will begat the Apostles with the Word of Truth, that they might be a Kind of First-Fruits of his Creatures;
acknowledges God to be
Almighty,
and
that he alone can order the unruly Wills and Affections of sinful Men;
and then it prays, that he would Grant the like unto his People; that they loving the Things which he commands, and desiring that which he does promise, may have their Hearts fixed upon such heavenly Objects, as redound to them from Christ's Resurrection, and the Holy Ghost the promised Comforter.
The EPISTLE telling us that
every good and perfect Gift cometh
own from the Father of Lights,
does thereby teach us, that the
Holy-Spirit
and his blessed Fruits are the Gifts of God and
cometh down
from him; And as it tells us, that
God of his own Will begat the Apostles with the Word of Truth, &c.
so it confirms the Promise of Christ to his Apostles in this Day's Gospel, viz.
Gosp.
when the Spirit of Truth was come, he should Guide them into all Truth.
This Epistle therefore is very suitable to this Season, in which we read the Promise of the Comforter.
The GOSPEL also is very suitable to this Season of our Lord's
Going in and out for forty Days
among his Disciples. In the Gospel before, he tells them of his Being with them
a little while,
in the present Gospel he tells them he must shortly go away, to sent unto them
the Spirit of Truth to guide them into all Truth.
The fifth SUNDAY after
Easter.
THIS Sunday has the Name of
Rogation. Sunday,
and is so called because of the
Three Days
following it, being set apart by the Church, as Days of Abstinence, and putting up of
Rogations and Litanies,
which are Requests and Supplications to God.
THE Reason of this Exercise at this Time, is that our Hearts and Minds may be the better prepared to
Ascend with Christ
the
Thursday
following, and that the Fruits of the Earth, which at this Time are young and tender, may avoid being hurt; that God would avert his Judgments from them, and let us enjoy them in due Season.
THE Collect observing in the Gospel, that
Whatsoever we ask the Father in Christ's Name we shall receive,
acknowledges that
it is God from whom all good Things
come; and then prays that he would send his Holy Ghost into our Hearts, that by
his Holy Inspiration
we may be purified with good Thoughts, and obtain Strength and Power to bring them to good Effect.
The EPISTLE teaches us how we may obtain the
Comforter
the Collect prays for,
viz. by being Doers of the World and not Hearers
only. For they who hear the Word only, are like the
Seed
which fell upon the
Way-side,
on the Rock, and among the
Thorns,
which were
trodden down, withered away
and
choaked; But
Epist.
the Doers of the
Word,
are
Sexag.
Sun.
they which hear the Word of God and keep it,
are the
Seed
which fell on good Ground, which brings
forth Fruit with Patience.
And therefore
Epist.
not a forgetful Hearer, but a Doer of the Work, shall be blessed in his Deed,
or shall obtain the promised Comforter.
The GOSPEL before acquaints us with our Lord's Leaving the World, and sending to us the
Comforter:
The present Gospel shews us how we may obtain him,
ask and ye shall receive that your Joy may be full.
This is therefore very suitable for the Sunday before the Ascension, as it assures us, that our Lord did not ascend till he had promised us a Comforter in his Stead, and shewed us the Way of obtaining the Promise.
The
Spar. Rat.
GOSPEL is concerning
Rogations,
teaching us how to ask of God so as we may obtain, and withal foretells his approaching Ascension.
THE
Fast
this Week is voluntary, for there is no Fast commanded betwixt Easter and Whitsunday; all that Time being spent in Joy on Account of the Lord's Resurrection.
ASCENSION-DAY.
THE Church having celebrated the Resurrection of her Saviour, doth in a regular Course of Things come to his Ascension. She shews him, telling hid Disciples, how he would be in the World
a little while,
then talking of his
Going away,
then sending to us the
Comforter,
and lastly shewing us the Way and Method of obtaining him. And having thus celebrated these Things in her Gospels for each Sunday, she now celebrates the Day of his Ascension after all; when he visibly ascended into the Heavens with his Humane Nature, after he had been with his Disciples forty Days upon Earth.
THE Collect prays that God would send us Grace to imitate, as much as we are able, the Ascension of our Saviour; that as he really ascended in his Humane Nature, so we may also ascend in our Hearts and Minds, and dwell continually with him there.
The EPISTLE gives us a particular Account of our Lord's Ascension, in the Presence of his Disciples; how after he had been with them forty Days, he assembled them together, and having assured them he would send them the Comforter, he ascended into Heaven.
The GOSPEL also is the History of our
Lord's Ascension,
and tells us in a particular Manner how he ascended into the Heavens, and when he came there, that
he sat down at the Right Hand of God.
The SUNDAY after
Ascension-Day.
THIS Week has the Name of
Expectation-Week,
because now the Apostles
expected
the fulfilling of our Saviour's Promise of the Comforter,
If I go away, I will send the Comforter to you.
THE Collect is very suitable to the Season, and in Imitation of the Condition the Apostles were in at this Time, prays, as the Apostles may be supposed to have done, that God
would not leave us comfortless;
but send to us
the Holy Ghost to comfort us, and exalt us into the same Place, whither our Saviour Christ is gone before.
The EPISTLE (considering what the Collect prays for,
viz.
that we may obtain the
Comforter and be exalted into the Heavens
) shews us the Way of obtaining both the one and the other.
If we be sober, and watch unto Prayer,
as it advises us, following the Examples of the Apostles at this Time,
Gosp.
The Comforter will come unto us,
according to what our Lord himself tells us, as it were a little before his
Ascension, ask and ye shall receive;
Durand. in Dominic. p
st Ascens.
and by
good Works, by Charity and Mercy,
which it also exhorts us to, we may fly after our Saviour into the Heavens, as it were from
the Mount of Olives.
The GOSPEL is the Promise of the Comforter, which the Epistle exhorts to pray for, and which therefore our Church does pray for, in this Day's Collect. It is suitable to this Time, as it is the Promise of the
Comforter
the
Apostles
were now
expecting.
WHITSUNDAY.
THIS Day is called
Whitsunday,
because of that
Light
the Apostles were illuminated with by the Descent of the Holy Ghost; But it is chiefly so called, because the new baptized were wont at this Time to be cloathed with
White Garments.
It has the Name of Pentecost, because there are Fifty Days between
Easter
and
Whitsunday,
as it was Fifty Days between the
Passover
and the Jewish Pentecost. Among the
Jews
it was celebrated, because the Law was then given on
Mount Sinai;
and among the
Christians,
because on this Day the Holy Ghost was given to the Church.
The last Sunday the Church, being as it were in
Expectation
of the Coming of the Comforter, prayed in the
Collect
that God would send him; but now the Comforter being come, she prays in this Day's Collect, that God would send
her a true Judgment in all Things, and everlasting Joy in the Comfort of that Holy Spirit.
The EPISTLE is the Relation of the Wonderful Descent of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles on this Day of
Pentecost, when he sat upon Each of them,
in the Shape of
Cloven Tongues
like as of Fire, and gifted them with speaking in all Languages,
the wonderful Works of God.
The GOSPEL is very suitable for the Festival as being our Saviour's Promise of the Comforter, which the Epistle tells us he sent down on his Church on this Day.
MONDAY in
Whitsun-Week.
THE Collect is the same with that of Yesterday, it having been always Customary in the Week following any
great Festival,
to repeat some part of its Office.
THIS Week is not celebrated quite through in a Festival Manner, as was the Week of
Easter;
the former Part of it is only
Festival,
the latter Part is
East.
The former is
Festival,
because of the
Descent of the
Holy Ghost, and because also the Church at this
Hugh, de Sanct. Vic. in V
g
l. pe
ec.
Season performed the Office of Baptism to Converts: But the later was spent in
Fasting,
because of the
Ember-Days,
the
Wednesday, Friday,
and
Saturday
following, which were always observed a Fast, in Conformity to the Apostles fasting before Ordination,
Act.
xiii. 3.
AS then the Church at this Season not only celebrates the Descent of the Holy Ghost but likewise performed the Solemn Acts of
Baptism,
and
Ordination
and also
Confirmation
at this Season; so in her Offices for the Days, attending this great Festival, she solemnizes the Feast, and Commemorates the Church's Practice.
The EPISTLE mentions the Descent of the Holy Ghost upon the
Gentiles,
as
Peter
was preaching to them, and at the Close it mentions Baptism, telling us how the Gentiles were
Baptized in the Name
of the Lord. The Epistle therefore is very agreeable to the Season, in which we commemorate both the Descent of the
Holy Spirit,
and the Custom of the Church of Baptizing at this Season: And therefore it lays before the
Newly Baptized,
the Necessity of
walking as Children of Light,
and believing in Christ.
For he that believeth shall not perish, but hath everlasting Life; but he that believeth not, is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God.
TUESDAY in
Whitsun-Week.
THE Epistle, suitable to the Custom of
Baptizing
at this Season, and of
Confirming
which was also now used, is concerning Baptism and Confirmation; and is also very proper for the Practice of the Church, at the latter Part of the Week, the Time of fasting and praying for an holy and regular Ministry. It tells us therefore, that,
when the Apostles had heard that
Samaria
had received the Word of God, they sent to them
Peter
and
John,
who when they had laid their Hands on them, they received the Holy Ghost. Philip
had
Baptized
them, but being only in the Inferior Orders, he could not give them
Confirmation,
which was the Province of
Peter
and
John,
they being Bishop or of the Highest Order. We may see therefore how agreeable this is to the Custom of
Ordaining
at this Time; For it teaches us, that there is a Difference of Orders, because there is a Difference of Power:
Philip
could
baptize,
but he could not
confirm;
which shews, that the Power of
Ordaining
(being at least equally great with that of
Confirming
) can be lodged no where but in the Bishop, or the highest Order. This Epistle then mentions
Baptism,
the Descent of the
Holy Ghost, Confirmation,
and lastly inferrs the Validity of an
Episcopal Ordination,
which is going to be performed at this Time, and so is highly suitable to the Season.
The GOSPEL, answerable to he
Ember-Week,
and the Ordination, shews which are the lawfully appointed Ministers of God, which are not; which are the
Shepherds
of the Sheep, which are the
Thieves and Robbers;
Those who enter not into the Sheepfold by Christ, who is the
Door,
and consequently by those whom Christ sent,
as he himself was sent,
but
climbeth up some other Way,
are the
Thieves
and
Robbers.
Trinity
-SUNDAY.
T HIS is called
Trinity-Sunday,
because on it is celebrated the Festival of the
Holy Trinity.
It is celebrated at this Time as coming in at the Close of the Festivals, which have been dedicated to the several Persons of the Godhead.
Duran. in Dom. San. Tr.
On the
Nativity
is celebrated the Festival of the
Father,
for the
Nativity
is called the Festival of the
Father;
On
Easter-day,
the Festival of the Son; and on
Whitsunday,
the Festival of the
Holy Ghost;
and therefore very fitly on this Day in celebrated the Feast of the
Trinity,
to shew that those three Persons are
one God.
For as the Church by observing these Days separate to the Persons in the
Ever Blesse Trinity,
shews her Faith in the
Unity in Trinity;
so by the Observation of this in particular, she shews her Faith in the Trinity in Unity. Another Reason for observing this particular Time for the Celebration of this Festival, is, because the Lord had no sooner ascended into Heaven, and the Holy Ghost descended upon the Church, than the Knowledge of the most glorious Trinity became more conspicuous than ever it was before.
THE
The Collects of the Book of
Common Prayer,
may arm us with a Compendious & Ejaculatory Prayer of the Church's Composure, pertinent to all Occasions, which may be of excellent Use to those, who desire to be always on their Guard, against the Enemy of their Souls. Thus on the third Sunday after
Easter,
we pray for
Sincerity;
On Ash-Wednesday for
Contrition;
On this Day for a right and firm Faith, &c. Dr.
Comber.
Bishop
Fox,
the Founder of
Corpus Christi
College in
Oxford,
obliges all his Fellows to repeat this Day's Collect, every Morning and Evening of their whole Life, as a Necessary Part of their private Devotions.
Ex M. S. Dr. Ellison.
Collect prays to God that he would keep his Servants in the stedfast Confession of the True Faith,
the Unity in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity.
THIS Sunday in the ancient Church, having been the last of the Days of
Baptism
at this Season of
Pentecost,
the
Rupert, de Offic. Sanct. Trinit.
Epistle has Relation to Baptism, particularly in that Part of it,
and before the Throne there was a Sea of Glass like to Christal,
which the Ritualist says, signifies the Baptism of a pure Confession, and a solid Faith; But however, it is still very fit for the Season, as having in it that angelical Hymn,
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty,
which is it self a Proof of the Trinity in Unity.
The GOSPEL also suitable to the Custom of Baptizing at this Season of
Pentecost,
treats of Baptism, and shews the great Necessity of it,
Verily, verily I say unto you, except a Man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God;
which is exactly answerable to the Epistle, and is as much as to say, that we must sail through the
Sea of Glass
there mentioned, before we arrive at the Port of Happiness, or
enter into the Kindom of God,
mentioned in the Gospel; But however, tho' it answers the Epistle so exactly in the Custom of the Church, of Baptizing at this Season, yet it is still very proper for this Festival of the Blessed Trinity. For the Three Persons of the Godhead are mentioned in it, in whose Names the whole Church is baptized.
The first Sunday after
Trinity.
THE whole Time from
Advent
to
Trinity-Sunday,
having been chiefly spent in Commemorating the most remarkable Transactions of our Saviour's Life and Death, the Offices appointed by the Church were always answerable to the Occasion: And having celebrated the Mysteries of our Redemption, and proposed to our Imitation the Example of our Lord, she comes now in the Offices from
Trinity Sunday,
to
Advent,
to instruct us in our Duty, that we may follow rightly the Example which has been given us. The Epistles and Gospels therefore of the following Sundays are instructive of an Holy Life, teaching us the Road of Virtue, and how we may avoid the By-ways of Vice; And tho' they are not suited to the Sundays they were fixed to, as the others before Trinity-Sunday are to their respective Seasons, that being impracticable, yet the Office for each Sunday has generally an agreeable Harmony and Fitness in itself, the Collect, Epistle and Gospel, having for the most Part, some Likeness and Analogy to one another.
THE Collect considering, from a View of the
rich Man's
uncharitable Behaviour in the Gospel,
Coll.
The Weakness of our mortal Nature,
and therefore how of our selves,
Coll.
we are able to do no good Thing;
prays God that he would
grant us the Help of his Grace, that
Coll.
we may keep his Commandments, or the Commandment of loving our Brother,
mentioned in the Epistle, which will enable us
to
Coll.
please God both in Will and Deed.
The EPISTLE tell us,
how God sent his Son into the World, that he was the Propitiation for our Sins,
and how after that,
he gave us of his Spirit;
by which is mentioned in short, the great Acts of our Redemptions,
viz.
our Saviour's Brith and Death, and the Coming of the Holy Ghost; which by the Way is very suitable for the first Sunday after
Trinity.
From those Acts of Love and Mercy, it exhorts to Charity, which the
Rich Man
in the Gospel wanted. For the Apostle argues,
if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another: And that we cannot love God, but we must love our Brother also:
That it is not enough to be holy in our Desires and Thoughts, that we may
Coll.
please God in Will;
but we must also be charitable to our Brethren
Coll.
that we may please him in Deed.
The GOSPEL is the Parable of
Dives
and
Lazarus,
which tells us the Fate of the unmerciful and uncharitable; and which therefore both deters us from
that Hatred,
and excites us to
that Love of our Brethren
mentioned in the Epistle. For whoever would avoid being in
Hell and in Torments,
as
Dives
was, must not only not
Epist.
hate, but Love his Brother also.
The Collect then prays that we may be able
to do Good,
or Deeds of Charity; the Epistle excites us to this great Duty, by shewing us the Love of God towards us; and the Gospel threatens us with the Flames of Hell, and everlasting Death, if we do it not.
The second SUNDAY after
Trinity.
THE Collect, as it were from these Words in the Epistle,
and whatever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his Commandments,
&c. having acknowledged,
that God never fails to help and govern those whom he brings up in his stedfast Fear and Love;
beseeches him,
to keep us under the Protection of his good Providence,
that we
may have a perpetual Fear and Love of his Holy Name,
that by the Former we may not dare to excuse our selves from
the great Supper
mentioned in the Gospel, and may by the Latter have Grace readily to accept of the Invitation.
The EPISTLE excites us to Actions of Charity and Love to each other, and to the Love of God; and therefore advises us, out of the Abundance and Affluence of Things God hath bestowed on us, to be merciful to our poor and indigent Brethren; in Imitation, as it were of the Man in the Gospel, who brought into his
Supper, the Poor and the Maimed, and the Halt and the Blind. For whos
hath this World's Good, and seeth his Brother have need, and shutteth up his Bowels of Compassion from him, how dwelleth the Love of God in him?
It therefore Advises us not to love our Brethren in
Word,
neither in
Tongue,
as those loved God, who excused themselves from the
great Supper,
but to
love them in Deed and in Truth,
as God loved those he invited to it.
The GOSPEL is the Parable of the great Supper, in which is represented the wonderful Love of God to his indigent Creatures, in inviting them to the good Things of his heavenly Kingdom, and the Ingratitude of the Sons of Men, in not accepting of them.
The third SUNDAY after
Trinity.
THE Collect considering that the Epistle and Gospel shew that we are exposed to many and great Dangers, prays that
we may be defended and comforted in all Dangers and Adversities.
The EPISTLE mentions what those Dangers are and shews what is requisite to support us under them. It tells us, the Dangers are the Devil and his Angels, who walk about, seeking whom they may devour; and that,
by being humble, sober, and vigilant, and by casting all our Care upon God, who careth for us,
we may be able
to resist them.
The GOSPEL also, under the Parable of
lost Sheep,
shews us the Dangers we are exposed to, and that
God careth for us,
when we are in them. When the Devil, who is the roaring Lion in the Wilderness of this World, finds one of the Sheep of Christ wandering and straying from the Flock, and not using that Vigilance the Epistle advises him to; he immediately seizes him, that
he may devour him.
But
Jesus Christ, the good Shepherd, who careth for his Sheep, goes after that which is lost, untill he finds it;
and then
Sam.
i. 17.
delivers him out of the Jaws of the Lion,
and brings him back to the Fold.
The fourth SUNDAY after
Trinity.
THE Collect seems from a View of the
blind Guides,
mentioned in the Gospel, to acknowledge
God the Protector of all that trust in him, and to be him without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy;
and then considering
the Sufferings of this present World,
mentioned in the Epistle, and the Danger of meeting with the
blind Guides
in the Gospel to carry us through them, it prays God,
Gosp.
Our Father which is merciful,
Epist.
that he would increase and multiply upon us his Mercy;
that instead of the
Guides
in the Gospel,
Coll.
He would be our Ruler and Guide,
that we
Coll.
may so pass through Things temporal, that we finally lose not the Things eternal;
or as the Epistle has it,
That we may pass through the Sufferings of this prefent World, to the Glory which shall be revealed.
The EPISTLE mentions the
Sufferings of the World,
and tells us,
That the whole Creation, nay even those who had the first Fruits of the Spirit, groan and travel in Pain together; waiting for the Manifestation of the Sons of God, and the Redemption of the Body.
The GOSPEL shews us the Way of obtaining what the Collect prays for: If we would have God multiply upon us his Mercy, we must be merciful as he is merciful, we must not judge nor condemn, but we must forgive, and we must be charitable: And if we would have him to be
Coll.
our Ruler and Guide in passing through Things temporal,
we must guard against
Blind-Guides,
who are Leaders of
the Blind;
who together with those they
lead, fall both into the Ditch,
and
Coll.
so
finally lose the Things eternal.
The fifth SUNDAY after
Trinity.
THE Collect is founded upon the
Epistle and Gospel,
and begs of God the Peace of the World,
that the Church may serve him in joy and godly Quietness.
The EPITLE shews the Method of acquiring what the Collect prays for.
Epist.
If we be all of one Mind,
as were
the Partners
in the Gospel; if as they did, we
Epist.
love as Brethren,
and are ready
Gosp.
to come and help
each other;
if
Epist.
we be pitiful and Courtous, &c.
Coll.
we shall keep the Church in godly Quietness: But,
Epist.
if we render Evil for Evil, or Railing for Railing,
we shall occasion Schisms and Divisions, and put the Church into Disorder and Confusion.
The GOSPEL is the Miracle of the
Draught of Fishes,
when the Lord entered into
Simon
's Ship. Tho'
they had toiled all the Night, and had taken nothing, yet at his Word they let down the Net; and when they had this done, they inclosed a great Multitude of Fishes, and their Net brake.
Beda. Dom.
5.
post Trin Corn. a Lapid in Lor.
By the
Ship
is represented to us the
Catholick Church;
by the
Net
the
Catholick Faith;
and by the
Multitude of Fishes,
the vast Numbers of Converts the Apostles should bring over to the Christian Religion, when they became
Fishers of Men.
So that by the
Nets
breaking with the
Multitude
of Fishes, is represented to us how the Faith of the Church is rent and torn by Heresies and Schisms, which the Epistle cautions us, and the Collect prays against.
The sixth SUNDAY after
Trinity.
THE Collect prays for the love of God,
that by loving him above all Things, we may obtain his Promises, which exceed all that we can desire.
The EPISTLE tells us what these
Promises
are, and how we may acquire them. It assures us,
we shall be planted into the Likeness of Christ's Resurection, and that we shall live with him,
provided,
that we walk in Newness of Life, and have destroyed the Body of Sin.
The GOSPEL also excites us to
Newness of Life,
by commanding us not so much to regard what
was said by them of old Time,
as what our Saviour
says unto us.
And as the Epistle tells us,
That our old Man is crucified with Christ;
so the Gospel tells us,
That our Righteousness must exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees,
or else
we
shall not enter into
the Kingdom of Heaven, or obtain the Promises which exceed all that can be desired.
The seventh SUNDAY after
Trinity.
THE Collect having acknowledged God, from a View of the Miracle in the Gospel,
to be the Lord of all Power and Might;
and from our Saviour's Compassion to the hungry Multitude,
to be the Giver of all good Things;
prays God that he would
graft in our Hearts the Love of his Name, increase in us true Religion, nourish us with all Goodness, and of his great Mercy keep us in the same.
The EPISTLE persuades us to what the Collect prays for; and advices that we should turn from being
the Servants of Sin,
to be the
Servants of Righteousness;
that we may avoid
the Wages of Sin, which is Death;
and obtain
the Gift of God,
which is
eternal Life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The GOSPEL is the Miracle of our Saviour's Feeding the four Thousand with
seven Loaves
and a
few small Fishes:
Where we may observe upon what Bottom the Church in this Day's Collect puts up her Petitions. By the staying of the People so long, and their eager Desire for the Doctrine of Christ, she prays
for the Love of God, and the Increase of true Religion;
and from the Refreshment of the
Loaves,
she prays, that we may
be nourished with all Goodness.
The Ritualists tell us, that those of the People, who came
from far,
are a Representation of those,
who hunger and thirst after Righteousness,
which they have so long fasted from, and that therefore the Epistle answers exactly in saying,
When ye were the Servants of Sin, ye were freed from Righteousness.
Boys,
in 7th Sunday, after
Trinity.
CHRIST's miraculous Feeding of many People with a
few Loaves,
is read in the Church every Year thrice; to wit, in
Winter
when
Wheat
is sown; in
Lent
when it is in hopeful Spring; and in Harvest, when it is ready for the Barn: The Reason hereof is manifold.
First, that in sowing, seeing, and reaping our Corn, we might not ascribe this wonderful Increase to the Fatness of our Land, or Greatness of our Skill, or Goodness of our Seed; but only to the Blessing of God,
Ps.
clxxv. 16.
Opening his Hand and filling all Things living with Plentiousness:
Who doth every Year make a great Harvest of a few Grains, as he did here make a great Feast of a few Loaves.
2dly, That we may be well assured of Christ's Bounty towards all his Followers,
hungring and thirsting after Righteousness,
providing for them abundantly, least they faint in their Way:
1
Pet.
v. 7.
Caring for such as cast their Care upon him,
as he promised in his Gospel:
First seek the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness, and then all other Things shall be
ministred unto you.
3dly, That we may learn to use these temporal Blessings in Thanksgivings to God, in Hospitality towards the Poor;
feeding such as have nothing to eat;
in Frugality
taking up the Broken
Meat, not suffering any of God's good Creatures unprofitably to be spoiled, or wast-fully to be cast away.
The eighth SUNDAY after
Trinity.
THE Collect prays, that God
would put away from us all hurtful Things, and give us such Things as are profitable to our Salvation.
The EPISTLE shews what is
hurtful and
what is
Profitable:
That it is
hurtful to live after the Flesh,
and
profitable, through the Spirit to mortify the Deeds of the Body; because if we live after the Flesh we shall die; but if through the Spirit, we mortify the Deeds of the Body, we shall live.
The GOSPEL is careful that we be not drawn away, *
to live after the Flesh by False Prophets.
Epist.
It therefore bids us beware of them, and then tells us how we may know them in Disguise;
You shall know them by their Fruits;
that is, you shall find that they
Epist.
live
inwardly after the Flesh, tho' outwardly, by a seeming
Continence, Chastity,
and
Fasting,
they appear to
Epist.
mortify the Deeds of the Body.
And then, agreeable to the Epistle, which says,
that they which live after the Flesh shall die;
it also deters from such a Life and Conversation, by mentioning the Punishment due,
viz.
that
they shall be cast into the Fire.
The ninth SUNDAY after
Trinity.
THE Collect, considering the Fate of the
Israelites
in the Epistle, and how we are there advised to
take heed lest we also fall;
Epist.
and how the
Steward
in the Gospel was turned out of his
Stewardship,
for unjustly managing the Things he was intrusted with, prays God that he would send us,
Coll.
his Spirit to do always such Things as be rightful; that we, who cannot do any Thing that is Good without him,
more than could the
Israelites
in the Epistle,
when they fell from their own Steadfastness,
or the
Steward
in the Gospel, when he became Unjust)
may by him be enabled to live according to his Will.
The EPISTLE shews the Necessity of our being assisted by God's Spirit,
Coll.
to do always such Things as he rightful.
The
Israelites
had obtained many Blessings, and tasted of the
Coll.
good Things of God,
but when they
Epist.
lusted after evil Things,
became Idolaters, Fornicators,
&c.
and God's Spirit forsook them,
they were overthrown in the Wilderness; wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall.
The GOSPEL also teaches us, that the
Spirit of God
is always necessary to keep us in
Coll.
doing these Things that be rightful.
Whilst the Steward walked in
the Spirit
he was Faithful to his Lord; but when he ceased to be so guided, he became unjust. The Gospel in this Parable runs parallel to the Epistle. The
rich Man who had a Steward,
is no other than
God
who is rich in Goodness towards all; and who committed his Blessings to the
Israelites
in the Epistle, as he did his Goods to the
Steward
in the Gospel: As the
Israelites
in the Epistle, abused his great Goodness to them, so the
Steward wasted his Goods;
and as the
Israelites
were therefore
overthrown in the Wilderness,
so was the
Steward
put out of his
Stewardship.
The tenth SUNDAY after
Trinity
THE Collect having as it were before its Eyes the
Gifts
mentioned in the Epistle, some of which will always be necessary, for the Church prays God,
Epist.
Who worketh all in all, and divideth to every Man severally as he will,
that
Coll.
we may ask such Things, or Gifts, as will please him,
or be according to his
Will, which worketh all in all.
The EPISTLE is chosen from a View of the Gospel; As the Gospel mentions our Saviour's weeping over the City
Jerusalem,
and lamenting,
that the Things belonging to her Peace were hidden from her Eyes;
so the Epistle instructs us as to
Spiritual Gifts,
and tells us, that
whoever calleth Jesus accursed
or opposeth Christ and his Religion,
doth not speak by the Spirit of God,
and that
no Man can say that Jesus is Lord,
or the
Messiah,
but by the Holy Ghost; and that all Manner of
Gifts
what-ever are from the
same Spirit.
The GOSPEL is the Story of our Saviour's Weeping over the
City Jerusalem.
The Epistle is parallel to it in several Places. The Gospel tells us,
that the Jews knew not the Things which belonged to their Peace; the Epistle therefore concerning Spiritual Gifts would not have us Ignorant
as they were; the Gospel shews that our Lord, the Messiah of the World,
was hidden from their Eyes;
the Epistle shews that they wanted the
Holy Ghost,
because they were the Persons who
called Jesus accursed,
and who would not say that
Jesus is the Lord.
SOME of the
Ritualists
observe, that be our Lord's
Casting them out that bought and sold in the Temple,
is represented, that the Lord will throw those out of the Church, who are
Buyers and Sellers
of Holy Orders. And therefore the Epistle very suitably tells us before, that
Spiritual Gifts
cannot be given, much less sold by Man; but they are the
Gifts of the Holy Ghost, who divideth to every Man severally as he will.
This Gospel is read at this Season because in the Month of
August
the
Temple
was burnt, and in
September
the whole
City
was set on Fire, and so was our Lord's Prediction of it fulfilled.
The eleventh SUNDAY after
Trinity.
THE Collect, as it were from the Mouth of the
Publican
in the Gospel,
God be merciful to me a Sinner,
and from the Apostle in the Epistle
Acts
who obtained Mercy through the
Epist.
Grace of God,
acknowledges God
to be a God of Mercy and Piety
and prays that God would
mercifully grant unto us his Grace,
as he did the Apostle in the Epistle
that we may run the Way of his Commandments, and be made Partakers of his heavenly Treasure.
The EPISTLE gives us the Apostle St.
Paul
for an Example of that Humility, which is recommended in the Gospel.
For,
says he,
I am the least of the Apostles, that am not meet to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God.
Observe how answerable this is to the
Publican
in the Gospel; the
Publican
stands afar of, and dare not so much
as lift up his Eyes to Heaven.
The Apostle with the same humble Mind, says,
I am the least of the Apostles,
&c, T
Publican
confesses that he's
a Sinner;
the
Apostle, that he persecuted the Church of God.
The GOSPEL, in the Parable of the
Pharisee
and the
Publican,
shews that
they which exalt themselves shall be abased, and they that humble themselves shall be exalted.
The boasting
Pharisee
is an Instance of the Former, and the humble
Publican
is of the Latter. The
Publican
boasts not with the
Pharisee, that he is not as other Men are, Extortioners, unjust,
&c.
but he stands afar of and dare not so much as list up his Eyes to Heaven;
and with a deep Sense of his Guilt he
smites upon his Breast,
saying,
God be merciful to me a Sinner.
And therefore
he went down to his House justified rather than the Other.
The twelfth SUNDAY after
Trinity.
THE Collect, considering our Saviour's Goodness in giving the Man in the Gospel
Speech
instead of
Dumbness,
and
Hearing
instead of
Deafness,
prays for such
abundant Mercy,
that we may be
forgiven those Things, whereof our Conscience is afraid, and given these good Things, which we are not worthy to ask, but through the Merits and Mediation of our Saviour.
The EPISTLE seems to have been chosen as suitable to the Gospel; because the Gospel in its mystical Meaning shews, that the Priests of the
new Testament
should bring over to Christ's Doctrine, the Unbelievers of the World: It therefore shews, that God made the Apostles and their Successors
able Ministers of the new Testament,
and that
the Ministration of Death,
or the Ministry of the Law, was inferiour to the
Ministration of the Spirit,
or the Ministry of the Gospel. For in the Times of the Former, it was only prophecy'd,
that
Isaiah, Ch.
XXXV.
the Ears of the Deaf should be opened, and the Tongue of the Dumb should sing,
but under the Latter we see the Prophecy compleated.
The GOSPEL is the History of our Lord's Curing the
Deaf and Dumb,
under which is couched a
Luth. in Domin.
12
Trin.
mystical Meaning. By the
Deaf and Dumb
is to be understood those who hear not the Commands of God, nor speak forth his Praise. And those who bring them to Christ,
and beseech him to put his Hand upon them,
are an Emblem of the Preachers of the Gospel, who by the Charge of the Ministry committed to them, bring such
Dumb and Deaf
to Christ, and to a Knowledge of their Duty.
The thirteenth SUNDAY after
Trinity.
THE Collect, observing that both the Epistle and Gospel shew, that Salvation, is by the
free Promise
of God, and not by the
Jewish Law,
acknowledges
that of God's only Gift it cometh, that we do unto him true and laudable Service;
and then from these Words in the Gospel,
this do, and thou shalt live,
it prays God,
that we may so faithfully serve him in this Life, that we fail not finally to attain his heavenly Promises.
The EPISTLE treats of the
Promise God made to
Abraham
and his Seed,
which was,
in thee shall all Nations be blessed.
This was Promised not to many Seeds but to his only,
which Seed is Christ.
It therefore tells us, that the Right of Inheritance was by that
free Promise,
and not by the Observation of the
Jewish Law.
Epist.
For if there had been a Law given, which could have given Life, verily Righteousness should have been by the Law; But the Scripture hath concluded all under Sin, that the Promise by Faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
Those then only are saved who believe in
Jesus Christ,
and there is no Salvation by the Jewish Law.
The GOSPEL shews us this
Seed,
viz.
Christ,
in whom all the
Nations of the World are blessed,
verifying the
Promise,
and saying,
blessed are the Eyes which see the Things that ye see, &c.
and by the following Parable most beautifully Points out to us, that
Salvation
and the
Blessing promised,
is not by the
Jewish Law,
but by
Jesus Christ the promised Seed.
By
Theophy. in Loc. Bed. in Dom.
13
post Trin.
the
Man who went down from
Jerusalem
to
Jericho,
who fell among Thieves, &c.
is to be understood the Sons of
Adam,
stript naked of their Innocence, and left almost dead in their Sins. By the
Priest
and
Levite passing by on the other Side,
we have an Emblem of the Weakness of the
Jewish
Law, in taking away Sins. For as the Epistle infers,
it was not a Law that could give Life
See the Epistle for
Good-Fryday.
For it is not possible that the Blood of Bulls and of Goats should take away Sins.
By the Good
Samaritan
is to be understood our blessed Lord, who according to the Promise, repaired our lost Innocency, and bound up the Wounds of our Sins.
The fourteenth SUNDAY after
Trinity.
THE Collect having as it were in view the
Faith
of the
Samaritan Leper,
the
Hope
and Confidence of the
Ten, when they listed up their Voices,
and the
Charity
of our Lord in healing them, prays for the Increase
of Faith, Hope, and Charity;
and probably from their being
cleansed as they were going to the Priest,
as Christ
commanded them,
It also prays,
and that we may obtain that which thou dost promise, make us to love that which thou dost command.
The EPISTLE is answerable to the Gospel. For as the Gospel gives us the History of
the ten Lepers,
whose Disease is an Emblem of Sin, the Leprosie of the Soul; so the Epistle mentions the Substance, of which the Leprosie of the Ten was but the Shadow.
For the Works of the Flesh,
says it,
are Adultery, Fornication, Uncleannses, Lasciviousness,
&c. And as the Gospel tells us how the Leprosie of the Body was healed, so the Epistle tells us, how we may cure the Leprosie of the Soul:
I say then walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the Lusts of the Flesh,
&c.
The GOSPEL is the History of the
Ten Lepers.
As our Lord was going to
Jerusalem,
they met him, and prayed him to cure them of their Leprosie: Upon which he told them,
to go shew themselves unto the Priests; and it came to pass, that as they were going, they were cleansed.
For
Levit.
iv. 2.
it was commanded, that whoever was cured of the Leprosie, should go shew himself to the Priest, that he might make the Offering which the Law required, and so be pronounced clean of the Leprosie.
NOW under this is couched, that when we are tainted with the Leprosie of Sin, we should go to those who are the Judges of the Uncleanness of the Soul, the Successors of those who judged of the Leprosie of the Body.
Bp▪
Hall.
Whether an Act be sinfull, or in what Degree it is such; What Grounds are sufficient for the comfortable Assurance of Repentance, of Forgiveness; What Courses are fittest to avoid the Danger of Relapses Who is so like to know, so meet to judge, as our Teachers, who are the Cleansers of the spiritual Leprosie, under their Master Christ?
For they take away Sins, by the Power and Authority he endowed them with; not that they do that of themselves, but through their Lord and Master, who cleansed the Lepers as
they went on their Way to the Priests,
and who really
1
John
i. 1.
cleanseth us from all Sin:
Agreeable to that in the Epistle, that they
who are Christ's, or who walk in his Spirit, have crucified the Flesh, with the Affections and Lusts.
The fifteenth SUNDAY after
Trinity.
THE Collect, as it were from a View of the
False-Brethren
in the Epistle, prays for the Preservation of the Church; and considering their
Failing,
it acknowledges the
Frailty of Man
without God's Assistance: And then from a deep Sense of the great Danger of too much desiring those
Gosp.
Things which the
Gentiles
seek after,
and the great Necessity
of
Gosp.
seeking first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness,
it prays God,
to keep us from all Things hurtful, and lead us to all Things profitable to our Salvation.
The EPISTLE, by giving us an Account of the Behaviour of those mentioned in it, shews plainly,
what is hurtful, and what is profitable to our Salvation.
It tells of some
who desired to make a fair Shew in the Flesh, by constraining others to be circumcised.
And this
they did, that they might not suffer Persecution for the Sake
of
The Emperors
Caius, Octavian
and
Tiberius,
had given Liberty to the
Jews,
to live according to their own Law, without Molestation, or Disturbance through-out all the
Roman
Empire; So that if a
Jew
turned Christian, he had the Privileges of a
Jew,
so long as he kept the ceremonial Rites of
Moses;
Whereas they who taught that Ceremonies were abrogated, and that Men were justified only by Faith in Christ, wanted those Priledges, and were persecuted by the
Jews
and
Gentiles. Boys
n Lo
,
Christ, by which Words, the Apostle cautions his
Galatians
against the Practises of those Christians, who out of the Fear of being
persecuted for the Cross,
and of not carrying on their worldly Affairs, observed the Rites of the
Jewish
Law, and taught that Circumcision was necessary. So then being so anxious after the Things of this Life, as to neglect or slight the Things of the other, are
the hurtful Things
here
spoken of;
and no doubt, if we become new-Creatures, as the Epistle advises, we shall possess
those Things which are profitable to our Salvation.
The GOSPEL shew,
that no Man can serve two Masters,
which speakes the Impossibility of those mentioned in the Epistle, pleasing both the Christian and the Jew, God and the World. It was their Practice to preach to the Jews the Doctrine of the Circumcision, that they might avoid Persecution, and enjoy in Ease the Things of the World; and the Doctrine of the Cross to the Christians, imagining that that was Sufficient to save them; But this Gospel thews the Weakness and Folly of such Pretences. For it assures us,
we cannot serve God and Mammon.
Would we therefore avoid being the
Servants of Sin? We must take no Thought what we shall eat or what we shall drink, or wherewith all we shall be cloathed;
lest with the too anxious People in the Epistle, we become
Gosp.
Haters
of God; but if we would be
Gosp.
Lovers of God, as St
Paul
strives to make his
Galations,
we must
seek first of all the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness,
or first of all put on the New-Man, and become a
Epist.
New-Creature.
The sixteenth SUNDAY after
Trinity.
THE Collect, from the Example of St.
Paul
in the Epistle, praying for the Church of the
Ephesians;
and from our Saviour's Pity to the Widow, or the
Church
in the Gospel prays God
that he would cleanse and defend his Church, and preserve it evermore by his Help and Goodness.
The EPISTLE is an Instance of St.
Paul,
praying for the Church of the
Ephesians, that they might be strengthned with Might by his Spirit in the Inner-Man, that Christ might dwell in their Hearts by Faith, and that they might be filled with all the Fullness of God.
Thus the Apostle in Effect prays in the Epistle that the Church may obtain, what our Lord did for her in the Gospel. And as the Epistle acknowledges
that God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think,
so the Gospel gives us an Instance of this Power and Goodness in our Lord's raising up the Widow's Son, when she neither ask'd, nor thought he would be raised.
The GOSPEL gives us an Instance of our Lord's
Cleansing, Defending, and Helping his Church,
in the Story of his raising the
Widow's Son
to Life again, as they were carrying him on the Bier to the Grave. The Widow weeping for her Son,
Bed. in Dom.
16
post. Trin.
is an Emblem of the
Church,
now a Widow, as it were in the Corporal Absence of her Lord, weeping for her Sons, who are dead in their Sins; and the Lord's having Compassion on her, and raising up her Son again, represents to us, that the Lord raises up those
who are dead in Sin, to a Life of Righteousness,
to the Comfort and
Epist.
Glory of the Church.
Boys, e
Ze
per.
ABOUT the Fall of the Leaf Men ordinarily be more subject to Sickness and Mortality than at other Times of the Year; wherefore the Church hath alloted fitly this Scripture for this Season, as a Sick Man's Salve, to comfort us against Diseases and Death. Intimateting that Christ is the only Health of all the Living, and everlasting Life of all such as die in him.
The seventeenth SUNDAY after
Trinity.
THE Collect prays that God's Grace may always prevent and follow us, and that he would make us, after the Example of our Lord curing the dropsical Person on the
Sabbath Day,
to be continually
given to all good Works.
The EPISTLE makes mention of some of those good Works the Collect prays for, and thereby Answers to the
Parable
of those who were bidden to the Marriage, and exhorts us to Humility and Meekness; telling us as it were, that when we are bidden to the Wedding, we should behave with
all Lowliness and Meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in Love,
not aiming at a
Seat in the highest Room,
as did the People in the Gospel,
but endeavouring to keep the Unity of the Spirit, in the bond of Peace.
The GOSPEL in the Parable shews the Disesteem and Discredit that attend Pride and Haughtiness, and the Advantage and Profit of Humility and Meekness.
For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
The eighteenth SUNDAY after
Trinity.
THE Office of this Day relates to the Clergy, and has been chosen very suitably by the Church. For as this Sunday often happens to be the Sunday of Ordination, after the
Ember-East
in
September,
so nothing could be more suitable to the Season than the present Office.
THE Collect prays for God's
Grace to withstand the World, the Flesh, and the Devil;
and forasmuch as the Gospel tells us,
That we must Love the Lord our God with all our Heart, and all our Mind,
it therefore prays God,
That with pure Hearts and Minds we may follow him the only God.
The EPISTLE tells us, what Qualifications are more especially required in those to be admitted to holy Orders;
that they should have Utterance, and Knowledge, and come behind in no Gift.
The GOSPEL tells us, how our Saviour answered the Question of the Lawyer, and how he put the
Pharisees
to silence, so that none of them was able to answer him a Word. Which teaches us how the Ministers of Christ should be qualified; that
1
Pet.
iii▪ 15.
they should be able to give an answer to every one that asks them a Reason of the Hope that is in them;
and to confute the
Gain-sayers.
The nineteeth SUNDAY after
Trinity.
THE Collect, considering the Epistle and Gospel, prays that the
holy Spirit of God,
(whereby, as the Epistle tell us,
We are sealed to the Day of Redemption,
)
may in all Things direct and rule our Hearts;
that we may avoid
that Blindness of Heart
mentioned in the Epistle, and not
think Evil in our Hearts,
as did the
Scribes
in the Gospel.
The EPISTLE is answerable to the Gospel, and shews that the
Gentiles,
before their Conversion, were, like
the Sick of the Palsie
in the Gospel,
lying
in Sin, which the Palsie is an Emblem of. But after
they had learned Christ,
they laid aside
the old Man, and put on the new Man, which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness: They were not still in their Understandings darkned, but were renewed in the Spirit of their Mind.
The GOSPEL is the History of our Saviour's Curing the
Sick of the Palsie,
who was brought to him on a
Bed;
to whom also he gave Remission of Sins.
Bed. in Dom.
19
post Trinit.
This is a lively Representation of a Man living dissolutely, and as the Epistle says of the
Gentiles, alienated from the Life of God, and given over unto Lasciviousness, and all Uncleanness.
But our blessed Lord cures him, as he did the
Gentiles
in the Epistle,
Epist.
by putting of the old Man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful Lusts, and renewing him in the Spirit of his Mind.
And when he
Gosp.
rises up and walks
from his Sins, and
hath
Epist.
put on the new Man, which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness,
then he is able to perform the Advice of the Epistle,
and to let all Bitterness, and Wrath, and Anger, and Clamour,
&c.
be put away from him.
The twentieth SUNDAY after
Trinity.
THE Collect considering the Fate of them who would not come to the
Marriage,
prays that
we being ready both in Body and Soul,
may chearfully fulfill God's Commands, and be obedient to his
Will,
as the Epistle advises.
The EPISTLE persuades, as it were, to make ready for the Wedding;
that we walk circumspectly;
that we be not
unwise,
as those were who were invited,
but understanding that it is the Will of the Lord
we should come to the
Wedding; that we should not be drunk with Wine; but be filled with the Spirit, the Wedding Garment
required in the Gospel.
The GOSPEL is the Parable of the
King,
who made a Marriage for his Son. Under which is signified, that God sent his Servants to invite the Jews to the good Things he had provided for them in Heaven: But when they behaved so ungratefully to his Servants,
he came and destroyed those Murderers, and burnt up their City
Jerusalem. Then ordered he his Servants, the Apostles, (who whilst the Jews were invited and expected at the Wedding, were
Mat.
x. 5.
not to go into the Way of the Gentiles,
) to go into the
Highways,
viz. among the Gentiles, and call them to the Marriage; which they did,
and so the Wedding was furnished with Guests. But tho' many were called, yet but Few were chosen.
Those who came not in
the Wedding Garment
of an holy Life, but cloathed only with a dull. unactive Faith,
were thrown into outer Darkness.
The twenty first SUNDAY after
Trinity.
THE Collect, from our Lord's Compassion on the
Nobleman
's Son in the Gospel, having acknowledged the
Lord
to be
merciful,
beseeches God, from a View of the
Nobleman
's
Faith,
and the Cure thereby wrought,
that he would grant to his faithful People pardon, that they may be cleansed from all their Sins:
And from a Consideration of the Disquietudes and Troubles of the Christian Warfare, mentioned in the Epistle, it prays for
Peace, that we may serve God with a quiet Mind.
The EPISTLE shews the Enemies we have to combat in our spiritual Warfare, and puts us into the Method of acquiring that
Peace
and
Quiet
the Collect prays for, notwithstanding we are surrounded with them in the most hostile Manner. For it advises us
to be strong in the Lord, and in the Power of his Might.
The GOSPEL is an Account of the
Nobleman,
who desired Jesus to go down to
Capernaum
to heal his Son who was a dying; to whom
Jesus
said,
go thy way, thy Son liveth.
By
Theophy. in Lo
.
this is represented to us, that when our dear and immortal Souls are assaulted with Evils and Temptations almost to death, and we come to our Lord, and beg him to relieve us, he sends us the Aid and Assistance of his holy Spirit: So that
Psal.
lx.
when God arises his Enemies are scattered, and they which hate him flee before him.
Wherefore when we
are surrounded with the Fiery Darts
of the
Devil,
Epist.
let us be strong in the Lord, and in the Power of his Might.
The Twenty-second SUNDAY after
Trinity.
THE Collect, imitating St.
Paul,
praying for the Church of the
Philipians
in the Epistle, prays God, the
King
in the Gospel, who
took an Account of his Servants,
to
keep his Household, the Church, in continual Godliness, that through his Protection it may be free from all Adversities, and devoutly given to serve him in all good Works, to the Glory of his Holy Name, through Jesus Christ our Lord, viz.
such
Epist.
good Works
as the Apostle tells us in the Epistle, God
had begun
in the
Philipians,
and such as at the End of this Epistle are called
the Fruits of Righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, to the Glory and Praise of God.
The EPISTLE shews the Love and Charity of St.
Paul
to the Church of the
Philipians, for God, says he, is my Record, how greatly I long after you all, in the Bowels of Jesus Christ.
And then he prays with such a Spirit of
brotherly Kindness,
as is required in the Gospel,
that their Love may abound yet more and more; that they may be Sincere and without Offence, 'till the Day of Christ,
or
Gosp.
or
till the King come to take an Account of his Servants.
The GOSPEL is the Parable of the
unmerciful Servant,
which is grounded upon a Question of
Peter
to our Lord,
How often shall my Brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven Times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee until seven Times, but until seventy Times seven: Therefore is the Kingdom of Heaven, &c.
in which Parable is shewn the
great Mercy
of God, in forgiving us such infinite Numbers of Sins, and our
Unmercifulness
in not forgiving each other a petty Trespass; And it also shews the grievous Consequence of such unbrotherly Treatment,
viz.
that the cruel and unmerciful will the
delivered
to those everlasting
Tormentors,
the Flames of Hell, where they can never pay the Debt of their Sins.
THE Collect then prays, that we may serve
God in good Works;
the Epistle shews what these
good Works
are,
viz.
such as
God had begun
in the
Philipians, that their Love might abound more and more to each other, in Knowledge, and in all Judgment; that they might approve, &c.
And the Gospel gives us an Example of
good Works
in the King mentioned in it, and threatens us with eternal Misery if we do not follow it.
The twenty-third SUNDAY after
Trinity.
THE Collect prays,
that God would be ready to hear the devout Prayers of his Church,
and that he would grant her the Petitions
Jam.
xvi.
she asks in Faith.
The EPISTLE takes Notice of two Sorts of People, the one of which has their
Conversation in Heaven, the other Minds earthly Things;
the one pays the
Tribute
of a holy Life to God, the other
makes a God of their Belly:
The one at the Resurrection
shall have a Body fashioned like unto the Body of their Saviour,
the other
shall end in Destruction.
The GOSPEL teaches us
to render unto Caesar, the Things that are Caesar's, and unto God, the Things which are God's.
Some of the Ritualists observe, that as we are commanded by our Lord,
to render unto Caesar, the Things which are Caesar's,
and are therefore to render him a Tribute with his own Image upon it; so we are likewise
to render unto God, the Things that are God's;
by rendring him, as the Epistle recommends, the Tribute of a pure and holy Soul, which is stamped with his own Image; and if we conform our selves here to the Image of Christ,
He shall
hereafter
Transform our
Epist.
vile Body, that it may be like unto his glorious Body.
The twenty fourth SUNDAY after
Trinity.
THE Collect having before its Eyes in the Gospel, the Story of our Saviour's raising up the
dead Maid
to Life again, and healing the
Woman
of her
Disease;
prays therefore that God would in like Manner
absolve his People from their Offences, and of his same bountiful Goodness deliver them from the Bands of their Sins.
The EPISTLE gives and Account of the Conversion of the
Gentiles
at
Collosse, and shews St.
Paul
praying for their Continuance and Growth in the Faith, and that they may be thankful to the Father who made them meet to be Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light.
The Epistle therefore, as it mentions the Conversion of the
Gentiles,
and what they owe to God for it, is very suitable to the Gospel.
The GOSPEL is the Story of the Woman that was cured of the
Issue of Blood,
and of
Jairus
's
Daughter,
who was raised from the Dead. The
Woman
was a
Gentile,
the
Maid
was a
Jew:
The
Woman
had been ill
twelve Years,
the
Maid
was
twelve
Luke
viii.
Years
old: The
Woman
was cured of her Disease, as
Jesus
was going to cure the
Maid.
Observe then the Mystery in the
Jews and Gentiles.
As the
Woman
was taken ill when the
Maid
was born, so the
Gentiles
degenerated into Idolatry when the
Jews
believed in the
Loyns of
Abraham. As
Jesus
went down to heal the
Maid,
and in the Going, the
Woman
was first healed; so
Jesus
came first to the
Jews,
but the
Gentiles
first believed and were saved. And as at last he went down to the
Ruler
's
House,
and raised his Daughter
from the Dead,
so in the End the
Jews
also shall be converted.
The twenty fifth SUNDAY after
Trinity.
THIS Sunday being the Fore-runner of
Advent,
the Church hath ordered the Office of this day, to have Relation to our Saviour's Coming into the World; that we may be put in mind of the Season, and
.
THE Collect
may bring forth
Coming of our Lor
.
THE Portion
is very suitable to
Prophecy of our
Days come saith the
David
a righteous Branc
Name, whereby he
shall be
OUR RIGHTEOUSN
The GOSPEL has been
the Sake of these Words in
This is of a Truth that Prophet
into the World.
Which Words make it very suitable to this Sunday, which is the immediate Fore-runner of
Advent.
There is also another Reason of its being read now, which see in the seventh Sunday after
Trinity.
FINIS.