shadow of Peter paffing by, might overfhadow fome of them. There came alfo a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerufalem, bringing fick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean fpirits, and they were healed every one. A ND there was alfoastrife among them, which of them should be accounted the greateft. And he faid unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercife lordship over them; and they that exercife authority upon them, are called benefactors. But ye fhall not be fo: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth ferve. For whether is greater, he that fitteth at meat, or he that ferveth? is not he that fitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that ferveth. Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and fit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Ifrael. O And I Almighty God, who by thy bleffed Son didft call Matthew from the receipt of custom to be an Apostle and Evangelist; Grant us grace to forfake all covetous defires, and inordinate love of riches, and to follow the fa.ne thy Son Jefus Chrift, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghoft, one God, world without end. Amen. T The Epifle. 2 Cor. 4. I. Herefore feeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftinefs, nor handling the word Paraphrafe on the Collect for St Matthew's Day. O allpowerful God, who by thy Son Jefus Chrift didft call Matthew from the employment of a Pubsican to be a Preacher of the Gofpel; enable us alfo to fori: ke all avaricious and diforderly Affections, and diligently to follow the Doctrine and Example of the fame Jefus Chrift, who reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. *But of God deceitfully, but by manifeftation of the truth, commende ing ourselves to every mans confcience in the fight of God. if our Gofpel be hid, it is hid to them that are loft: In whom thei god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, left the light of the glorious gospel of Chrift, who is the image of God, should fhine unto them.. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jefus the Lord; and ourselves your fervants for Jefus fake. For God, who commanded the light to fhine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jefus Chrift. A The Gofpel. S. Matth. 9. 9. ND as Jefus paffed forth from thence he faw a man named Matthew, fitting at the receipt of custom: and he faith unto him, Follow me. And he arofe, and followed him. And it came to pafs, as Jefus fat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and finners came, and fat down with him and his difciples. And when the Pharifees faw it, they faid unto his difciples, Why eateth your master with publicans and finners? But when Jefus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are fick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy and not facrifice; for I am not come to call the righteous, but finners to repentance. OF Saint Michael and all Angels. The Collect. Everlafting God, who haft ordained and conftituted the fervice of angels and men in a wonderful order; Mercifully Paraphrafe on the Collect for the O eternal God who has appointed to Men and Angels their feveral Offices, with wonderful propriety, according to their flations; grant, of thy Mercy, that But if our Gospel be hid, it is hid, &c. That is, Infidelity and Irreligion are a blindness brought upon the Heart by the God of this World, by the Devil, and the indulgence of diforderly Lufts and Affections And the true way to believe and obey the Gofpel is to afpire after the difpofition of that Writer of it, commemorated this Day. For till we have forfaken cove I i Feaft of St. Michael and all Angels. as thy holy Angels perform thy will in Heaven; fo, by thy direction, they may help and protect us on Earth through Jefus Christ our Lord. tous defires, and inordinate love of Riches, it will not bẽ poffible for us, with him, to fellero Jefus Chirit. But go ye and learn what that, &c. Thus our Lord clearly proved al capital Doctrine of right Rea fon and true Religion, viz. that ceremonial init tions fhould always give place to Works of Charity grant, that as thy holy angels alway do thee fervice in heaven; fo by thy appointment they may fuccour and defend us on earth, through Jefus Christ our Lord. Amen. T For the Epifle. Rev. 12. 7. HERE was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels; and prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was caft out, that old ferpent, called the devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world; he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were caft out with him. And I heard a loud voice, faying in heaven, now is come falvation and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Chrift: for the accufer of our brethren is caft down, which accufed them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their teftimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Wo to the inhabiters of the earth, and of the fea: for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a fhort time. A The Gofpel. S. Matth. 18. 1. T the fame time came the difciples unto Jefus, faying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jefus called a little child unto him, and fet him in the midst of them, and faid, Verily I fay unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye fhall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whofoever therefore fhall humble himself as this little child, the fame is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whofo fhall receive one fuch little child in my Name, receiveth me. But whofo fhall offend one of these little ones, which believe in me, it were better for him that a milftone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the fea. Wo unto the world because of offences: for it muft needs be that offences come; but wo to that man by whom the offence cometh. Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and caft them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be caft into everlasting fire. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and caft it from thee; it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be caft into hell-fire. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I fay unto you, that §in hea ven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. 1 Almighty God, who calledft Luke the Phyfician, whofe praife is in the Gospel, to be an Evangelift and Physician of the foul; May it please thee, that by the wholesome medicines of the doctrine delivered by him, all the diseases of our fouls may be healed, through the merits of thy Son Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen. WA The Epifle. 2 Tim. 4. 5. Atch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an Evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righte ousness, which the Lord the righteous Judge fhall give me at that Ii 2 Paraphrafe on the Colle Moft mighty God, who didft call Luke the Phyfician to be a Preacher of the Gospel, and enabled him to cure the Maladies of Mens Souls, who is deservedly to be § In Heaven their Angels do always, &c. i. e. the chiefeft Angels of Heaven, which are miniftring Spirits to real Chriftians, ftand always in the prefence of God for St. Luke's Day. praised for his labours in the Miniftry. Grant that by his falutary Doctrine all our spiritual Diseafes may be removed through the Merits of thy Son Jefus Christ. ready to receive his Commandments concerning them, fo highly are they valued by them. day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. Do thy diligence to come fhortly unto me: For Demas hath forfaken me, having loved this prefent world, and is departed unto Theffalonica; Crefcens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia. *Only Luke is with me. Take Mark and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the miniftry. And Tychicus have I fent to Ephefus. The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comeft, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments. Alexander, the copper-fmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works. Of whom be thou ware alfo, for he hath greatly withstood our words. T1 The Gofpel. S. Luke 10. 1. HE Lord appointed other feventy alfo, and fent them two and two before his face into every city and place whither he himself would come. Therefore faid he unto them, The harvest truly is great but the labourers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harveft that he would fend forth labourers into his harvest. Go your ways, behold, I fend you forth as lambs among wolves. Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes, and falute no man by the way. And into whatsoever houfe ye enter, firft fay, Peace be to this houfe. And if the fon of peace be there, your peace fhall reft upon it: if not, it fhall turn to you again. And in the fame house remain eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Saint Simon and Saint Jude, Apoftles. The Collect. Almighty God, who haft built thy Church upon the founda- Paraphrafe on the Collect for St. Simon and Jude's Day. * Only Luke is with me. In these few Words we Fave an eminent Example of this Apoftles conftancy in his Faith and Friendship. For tho' St. Paul was at that time perfecuted for his profeflion and left or deferted by all the rest of his Companions; yet, notwith Chriftians, by their D ctrine, with fuch an unity of Faith and Charity, as may render them a fit habitarion for thy holy Spirit through Jefus hrift our Lord. ftanding the danger, Luke fill adhered to him, and thereby proved his fincerity in both refpects. This intimates that harmless fimplicity fhould be the badge of chriftians. |