be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wresfile not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you *the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breast-plate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace: above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be alle to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of falvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and fupplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance, and fupplication for all faints; and for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the Gofpel; for which I am an ambaffador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. T The Gospel. S. John 4. 46. 7 HERE was a certain nobleman, whose son was fick pernaum. When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judea into Galilee, he went unto him, and befought him, that he would come down and heal his fon; for he was at the point of death. Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. The nobleman faith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way, thy fon liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend: and they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. So the father knew that it was at the fame hour, in the which Jesus faid unto him, Thy son liveth; and himself believed, and his whole house. This is again the second miracle that Jesus did when he was come out of Judea into Galilee. at Ca * The whole Armour of God. It is so styled, not only on account of the fervice it does in promoting godliness, but because it is entirely form'd and furnished by God. The Truth and the Righteousness, the Peace and the Faith, the Saluation and the Word are his Gifts. And thus the moral of the Heathen Poets' Fictions of old is unquestionably just; that no Armour, except chat of divine Original, is so tempered as to render us. invulnerable in the Day of Battel. | Except ye fee Signs and Wonders, &c. It feems the Nobleman thought it necessary that Jesus should be personally present, if he had a mind to perform the Cure - Therefore to reprove the weakness of his Faith. Jesus said to him, Except ye fee the Signs and Wonders. will ye not believe? so Co the sentence may be tranflated. L ORD, we befeech thee to keep thy houshold the Church in continual godliness, that through thy protection it protection it may be free from all adversities, and devoutly given to serve thee in good works, to the glory of thy Name, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen. I The Epistle. Phil. 1. 3. Thank my God upon every remembrance of you (always in every prayer of mine for you all, making request with joy) for your fellowship in the Gospel from the first day until now; §being confident of this very thing, that he who hath begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ; even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my bonds and in the defence, and confirmation of the Gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace. For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jefus Christ. And this I pray that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge, and in all judgment: That ye may approve Paraphrafe on the Collect for the Lord, we intreat thee, to preserve the universal Church of Christ in the continual practise of pure Religion, that by thy Providence it maybe secure from all Being confident of this very Thing, &c. The Apostle does not speak this out of any opinion of the Telection of the Philippians to eternal Life, or of the certainty of their perfeverance unto the end by virtue of that election. For why then doth he exhort them twenty Second Sunday after Trinity. to work out their Salvation with fear and trembling i things that are excellent, that ye may be fincere, and without ofal fence till the day of Chrift: being filled with the fruits of righ teoufness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praife of God. The Gospel. S. Matth. 18. 21. Eter faid unto Jefus, Lord, how oft shall my brother fin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto hin, I say not unto thee, Until seven times; but until seventy times seven. + Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king who would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, who owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be fold, and his wife and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that fervant was moved with compaffion, and loofed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow-fervants who owed him an hundred pence; and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And his fel low servant fell down at his feet, and befought him, faying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not; but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow-fervants saw what was done, they were very forry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked fervant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou defiredst me: shouldest not thou also have had compaffion on thy fellow-fervant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So Therefore is the Kingdom of Heaven, &c. This Parable may be confidered as an explanation of the fifth petition of the Lord's Prayer; and is designed to overtuin all the arguments whereby evil Minds justify Revenge; by shewing how wnworthy those are of the divine Mercy, who, tho' they are guilty of many griev. ous Offences against God, yet are implacable to their Fellow Creatures, and will not forgive them the smallet Injuries, though they are truly forry for them. likewise shall my heavenly Father do alfo unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trefpaffes. The twenty third Sunday after Trinity. The Collect. در God, our refuge and strength, who art the author of all godliness; Be ready, we beseech thee, to hear the devout prayers of thy Church; and grant that those things which we ask Church: faithfully, we may obtain effectually, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. B : The Epistle. Phil. 3. 17. Rethren, be followers together of me, and mark them who walk fo, as ye have us for an ensample. (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ; whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things) * for our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Chrift; who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to fubdue all things unto himself. The Gofpel. S. Matth. 22. 15. HEN went the Pharifees, and took counsel how they might all things hien - their disciples, with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither careft thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men. Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Paraphrafe on the Collect for the FO Ged, our defence and fupport, from whofe Grace we derive all that is good in us; gracioufly at tend, webeseech thee, to the humble petitions of all For our Conversation is in Heaven, &c. That is, all good Christians consider that they are Citizens and Freemen not of an earthly City, but of Heaven; that their main interest lies there; and therefore they live as Men whose Minds are already there; and with taventy third Sunday after Trinity. good reason fince their Saviour, who is already there, : Cefar, or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute-money. And they brought unto him a penny. And he faith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Cefars. Then faith he unto them, Render therefore unto Cefar, the things which are Cefars; and unto God, the things that are Gods. When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way. The twenty fourth Sunday after Trinity. The Collect. Lord, we beseech thee, absolve thy people from their offences; that through thy bountiful goodness we may all be delivered from the bands of those sins which by our frailty we have committed. Grant this, O heavenly Father, for Jesus Chrifts fake, our blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen. WE The Epistle. Col. 1. 3. E give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Chrift, praying always for you, fince we heard of your faith in Chrift Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the faints; for the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the Gospel; which is come unto you, as it is in all the world, and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth. As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minifter of Chrift; who alfo declared unto us your love in the Spirit. For this cause, we also, fince the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to defire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all Paraphrafe on the Collet for the twenty fourth Sunday after Trinity. O Lord, we intreat thee to pardon our Sins; that through thy abundant Mercy we may be released from the bondage of Iniquity to which through human weak Render therefore unto Cæfar, &c. Thus Jesus clearly confuted them on their own principles, and shewed that the rights of God and the Magistrate do not in ness we are exposed: Grant this O Father of Heaven, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Redeemer and Intercessor. terfere in the leaft, because Magistrates are God's Deputies, and rule by his authority. : |