ter the name of his father. And his mother anfwered and faid, Not fo; but he shall be called John. And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. And they made figns to his father, how he would have him called. And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, faying, +His name is John. And they marvelled all. And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loofed, and he spake and praifed God. And fear came on all that dwelt round about them; and all thefe fayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill-country of Judea. And all they that had heard them, laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child fhall this be? And the hand of the Lord was with him. And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophefied, faying, Blessed be the Lord God of Ifrael, for he hath visited and redeemed his people and hath raised up an horn of falvation for us in the house of his fervant David; as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been fince the world began; that we fhould be faved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; to perform the mercy promifed to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; the oath which he sware to our father Abraham, that he would grant unto us, that we, being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, might ferve him without fear, in holiness and righteoufnefs before him all the days of our life. And thou, Child, fhalt be called the Prophet of the Highest; for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; to give knowledge of falvation unto his people by the remiffion of their fins, through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the Day-fpring from on high hath vifited us; to give light to them that fit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. And the child grew, and waxed ftrong in fpirit; and was in the deferts till the day of his fhewing unto Ifrael.

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to Mankind through the Meffiah, of whom he
Fore-runner.

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Saint Peters Day,...
The Collect.

Almighty God, who by thy Son Jefus Chrift didft give to thy Apostle Saint Peter many excellent gifts, and commandedit him carucfly to feed thy flock; Make, we beseech thee, all Bishops and Paftors diligently to preach thy holy Word, and the people obediently to follow the fame, that they may receive the crown of everlasting glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Acts 12. F.

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For the Epiftle. Bout that time Herod the king ftretched forth his hands to vex certain of the Church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he faw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter alfo. (Then were the days of unleavened bread) And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of foldiers to keep him, intending after Eafter to bring him forth to the people. Peter therefore was kept in prifon; but prayer was made without ceafing of the Church unto God for him. And when Herod would have brought him forth, the fame night Peter was fleeping between two foldiers, bound with two chains; and the keepers before the door kept the prison. And behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prifon; and he smote Peter on the fide, and raised him up, faying, Arife up quickly, And his chains fell off from his hands. And the angel faid unto him, Gird thyfelf, and bind on thy fandals: and fo he did. And

♦ And he killed James, &c. Thus was our Lord's prediction fulfilled that James fhould drink of his Cup, Mat. xx. 23. and in fome fenfe was granted him the request of piecedence in his Kingdom too; fince he had the honour to die, first of all the twelve, a Martyr for

the Chriftian cause.

But Prayer was made without ceafing, &c. From

Paraphrafe on the Colle for St. Peter's Day.

O most mighty God, who, through thy Son our Sa- thy Holy Gofpel, and the People to pay a due regard viour, didit endue thy Apoftle Peter with many fpi- to its Doctrines, that they may both be partakers togeritual Gifts, and ftrictly charge him to infruct thy Peo-ther of eternal Happiness through Jefus Chrift our ple; give Grace to all thy Minifters faithfully to preach Saviour.

the confequence of this we are instructed, how initrumental the interceffions of good. People are towards procuring fuch deliverances. Mighty indeed is the efficacy of Prayer, when unanimous and publick; efpecially if the fubject of it be fomewhat eminently fervi ceable to the glory of God, and the benefit of Reli gion.

he faith unto him, Caft thy garment about thee, and follow me. And he went out and followed him, and wift not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he faw a vifion. When they were past the first and the fecond ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city, which opened to them of his own accord; and they went out, and paffed on through one street, and forthwith the angel departed from him. And when Peter was come to himfelf, he faid, Now I know of a furety, that the Lord hath fent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.

The Gofpel. S. Matth. 16. 13.

WH

WHEN Jefus came into the coafts of Cefarea Philippi, he afked his difciples, faying, Whom do men say that I, the Son of man, am? And they faid, Some fay that thou art John the Baptift, fome Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He faith unto them, But whom fay ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and faid, Thou art Chrift the Son of the living God. And Jefus answered and faid unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I fay also unto thee, that thou art Peter, *and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell fhall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatfoever thou shalt bind on earth, fhall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou fhalt loofe on earth, fhall be loofed in heaven.

Saint James the Apoftle.

The Collect.

G

Rant, O merciful God, that as thine holy Apoftle Saint James, leaving his father and all that he had, without delay was

And upon this Rock I will build my Church. Suitably to this promife we find that Peter laid the firft foundation of a Church among the Jews by the conver

fion of three thousand Souls, Acts ii. 41. and likewife among the Gentiles, by the converfion of Cornelius and his Friends, Acts 10.

bedient unto the calling of thy Son Jefus Chrift, and followed him ;' fo we forfaking all worldly and carnal affections, may be evermore ready to follow thy holy commandments, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

IN

For the Epifle. Acts 11. 27. and part of the 12th Chapter. N thofe days came prophets from Jerufalem unto Antioch. And there ftood up one of them named Agabus, and fignified by the Spirit that there fhould be great dearth throughout all the world; which came to pass in the days of Claudius Cefar. Then the difciples, every man according to his ability, determined to fend relief unto the brethren, which dwelt in Judea. Which also they did, and fent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. Now about that time, Herod the king ftretched forth his hands to vex certain of the Church. And he killed James the brother of John with a fword. And because he faw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter alfo.

The Gospel. S. Matth. 20. 20.

TH

HEN came to him the mother of Zebedees children, with her fons worshipping him, and defiring a certain thing of him. And he faid unto her, What wilt thou? She faith unto him, Grant that these my two fons may fit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom. But Jefus answered and faid, Ye know not what ye ask. Are Are ye able to drink of the cup that I fhall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptifm that I am baptized with? They fay unto him, We are able. And he faith unto them, Ye fhall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to fit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, *but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father. And

Paraphrafe on the Collect for St. James's Day.

Grant, O gracious God, that as thy bleffed Apoftle James readily for fook all his worldly Relations and concerns to become a Difciple and Follower of Jefus

But it shall be given to them, &c. This fignifies that the honours and degrees of Happiness in a future

Chrift; fo we quitting all diforderly Paftons and Affections, may be always fincerely difpofed to obey thy Precepts, through Jefus Christ our Lord.

ftate fhall not be beftowed upon any one through par tiality, fondnefs, or refpect of Perfons; but according

when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against: the two brethren. But Jefus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great, exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be fo among you: but whofoever will be great among you, let him be your minifter; and whofoever will be chief among you, let him be your fervant: even as the Son of man came not to be miniftred unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ranfom for many. Saint Bartholomew the Apoftle. The Collect.

who

to thine

ftle Bartholomew grace truly to believe, and to preach thy word; Grant, we beseech thee, unto thy Church, to love that word which he believed, and both to preach and receive the same, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen.

For the Epiftle. Acts 5. 12.

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one

Y the hands of the Apostles were many figns and wonders wrought among the people, (and they were all with one accord in Solomons porch. +And of the reft durft no man join himfelf to them: but the people magnified them. And believers. were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men. and women) Infomuch that they brought forth the fick into the. ftreets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the leaft the

Paraphrafe on the Collect for St. Bartholomew's Day.

O mot mighty and eternal God who didft induce thy Apoftle Bartholomew to believe and to preach thy holy Gofpel; give Grace to all Profeffors of Chrifliani

to equity and ftrict juftice: to that every Chriftian fhall be exalted to a higher degree of Blifs and Glory, in proportion as his Humility, his Obedience, his Sufferings, his Patience, and his meek difpofition have brought him to a near conformity with his divine Matter.

But he that is greatest among you, &c. By this our Lord fignied that the greatness of his Difciples confifts in doing good to Mankind with all diligence, by a.continued courfe of humble laborious Services, in

ty duly to value and efteem that Gospel, and both faithfully to publish and embrace it through. Jefus Christ our Lord..

imitation of him, who went about doing good,-by healing the fick,. feeding the hungry, inftructing the ignorant, and laying down his life a random for the Sins of many.

And of the reft durft no Mar join, &c. i. e. the reft who were not of the Church, durft not affociate themfelves with the Apostles, fo as to have all Things common with them; as Ananias and Sapphira had pretended to do; left by committing fome crime they fhould bring upon themselves their prnishment.