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and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort, through the merits of Chrift Jefus our Saviour, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the fame Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen. For the Epiftle. Acts 2. 1.

WHEN

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WHEN the day of Pentecoft was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And fuddenly there came a found from heaven, as of a rufhing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were fitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues, like as of fire, and it fat upon each of them: And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerufalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noifed abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed, and marvelled, faying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mefopotamia, and in Judea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Afia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya, about Cyrene, and ftrangers of Rome, Jews and Profelytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them fpeak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.

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The Gospel. S. John 14. 15.

Efus faid unto his difciples, If ye love me, keep my commandAnd I will pray the Father, and he fhall give you

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Paraphrafe on the O God, who as at this Time didft enlighten and inftruct the Apoftles by the miraculous defcent of the Holy Spirit upon them. Grant that we alfo, by the influence of the fame Spirit may gain a right under

When the Day of Pentecoft.. It was fo called from its being the fiftieth Day after the fecond Day of the Feast of the Paflover. It was obferved by the Jews as a Feaft of Thanksgiving for the gathering in their Harveft, and reaping it in freedom from Egyptian fervitude. This Festival of Whitfunday which is kept

Collect for Whitsunday.

ftanding of the Things that pertain to Salvation, and be filled with all joy in believing, through the Merits of Jefus Chrift, who reigreth with thee, and the fame Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

at the fame time by Chriftians, is fuppofed to have been fo called from the white Garments which the Perfons baptized in the antient Church at this season, were used to wear as an emblem of that Purity which became their profeffion.

another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it feeth him not, neither knoweth him; but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and fhall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you. Yet, a little while, and the world feeth me no more; but ye fee.me: because I live, ye fhall live alfo At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me, fhall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifeft myself to him. Judas faith unto him, (not Ifcariot) Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifeft thyfelf unto us, and not unto the world? Jefus answered, and faid unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not, keepeth not my fayings; and the word which you hear, is not mine, but the Fathers which fent me. These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will fend in my name, he fhall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have faid unto you, Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not Jonti to not liɔob o nziel BoD fold brow oil!

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And we will come unto him, &c. i. e. by that Spi- is in Company with the greatest of Beings. Even rit whofe Temple is the Body of the Saints, 1 Cor. in the Hour of Death he confiders the pains of his fii. 16. vi. 13. and by whofe union with them they diffolution to be nothing else but the breaking down 16.vi. are made an habitation of God, Ephef. ii. zz. How that partition, which lands betwixt his Soul, and happy therefore (fays an ingenious Writer) is an the fight of that Being,, who is always prefent with intellectual Being, who, by Prayer and Meditation, «him, and is about to manifeft tfelf to him in fulby Virtue and good Works, opens this Communication nefs of joy. If we would be thus happy, and thus "between God and his own Soul! tho' the whole" fenfible of our Malers prefence, from the fecret Creation frowns upon him, and all Nature looks "effects of his mercy and goodness we must keep fuch black about him, he has liis light and fupport within a watch over all our Thoughts, that in the language him, that are able to cheer his Mind, and bear him "of the Scripture, his Soul may have pleafure in ust • up in the midft of all thofe horrors that encompas "We must take care not to grieve his Holy Spirit, him. In the midst of Calumny and Contempt, he ats “ and endeavour to make the Meditations of our tends to that Being who whispers better Things with Heart always acceptable in his fight, that he may « in his Soul, and whom he looks upon as his Defent delight thus to refide and dwell in us." See Spectader, his Glory, and the lifter up of his Head. In tor, No. 57 his deepest folitude and retirement he knows that hello : ni

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as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Ye have heard how I faid unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I faid, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it come to pafs, that when it is come to pass, ye might believe. Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. But that the World may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Monday in Whitfun-week.

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The Collect. 10.1)

OD, who as at this time didst teach the hearts of thy faithful people, by the fending to them the light of thy Holy Spirit; Grant us by the fame Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort, through the merits of Chrift Jefu our Saviour, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the fame Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

THE

For the Epiftle. Acts 10. 34.

HEN Peter opened his mouth, and faid, Of a truth I per-, ceive that God is no refpecter of perfons; but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteoufnefs, is accepted with him. The word which God fent unto the children of Ifrael, preaching peace by Jefus Chrift (he is Lord of all) That word, I fay, you know, which was published throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee, after the baptifm which John preached: How God anointed Jefus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost, and with power, who

Paraphrafe on the Collect for O God who as at this Seafon didit instruct the first Chriftians by the miraculous illumination of thy Holy Spirit. Give us we beseech thee by the fame Spirit, a right knowledge of all things pertaining to our Salva

Of a truth I perceive that God, & St. Peter thus refutes that miftaken opinion of the Jews, that they were the only acceptable People to God; and that merely on account of the Nation and Ancestors to which they belonged; but he here fhews that Men not only of the Jewish, but of any other Nation may be ac

Monday in Whitfan-Week.

tion; and a holy joy and confolation under all our Trials and Afflictions, through the Merits of our Sa viour, Chrift Jefus, who reigneth with thee and the fame Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

ceptable to God, not on account of their defcent or Circumcifion, but because they fear God and work Righteousness. And from the calling of Cornelius it is evident that fome of other Nations owning the true God, not only might, but did fear God and work Righteoul nefs before their converfion to Chriftianity.SA

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went about doing good, and healing all that were oppreffed of the devil: for God was with him. And we are witneffes of all things which he did, both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerufalem; whom they flew and hanged on a tree: Him God raised up the third day, and fhewed him openly; not to all the people, but unto witneffes chofen before of God; even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rofe from the dead. And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to teftify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. To him give all the prophets witnefs, that through his Name whofoever believeth in him, fhall receive remiffion of fins. While Peter yet fpake thefe words, the Holy Ghoft fell on all them who heard the word. And they of the circumcifion who believed, were astonished, as many as came with Peter, becaufe, that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghoft. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then anfwered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that thefe fhould not be baptized, who have received the Holy Ghost as well as we ? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.

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The Gospel. S. John 3. 16.

OD fo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whofoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlafting life. For God fent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be faved. He that believeth on him, is not condemned: but he that believeth not, is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. *For every one..

† Can any Man forbid Water, &c. Thefe Words contain a plain and convincing demonftration of the necefity of Water Baptifm; fince the Apoftle here not

only declares that it ought to be administered to the fe fes Perfons who had received the Baptifm of the Spirit; but commanded them to be baptized on that account. 20

that doeth evil, hateth the light neither cometh to the light, left his deeds fhould be reproved. But he that doeth truth, cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifeft, that they are wrought

in God.

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Tuesday in Whitfun-week.

The Collect.

OD, who as at this time didst teach the hearts of thy faithful people, by the fending to them the light of thy holy Spirit; Grant us by the fame Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort, through the merits of Christ Jesu our Saviour, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

WHEN

For the Epifle. Acts 8. 14.

HEN the Apostles who were at Jerufalem, heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they fent unto them Peter and John; who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghoft. (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jefus) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghoft.

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The Gospel. S. John 10, 1.

Erily, verily I fay unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the fheep-fold, but climbeth up fome other way, the fame is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the

Paraphrafe on the Collect for
O God, who, as at this feafon, didft enlighten the
Minds of the firft Chriftians by the wonderful defcent
of the Holy Spirit upon them: Grant us, by the fame
Spirit, a clear cifcernment of our duty, and a conti-

Tuesday in Whitsun-Week..

nual joy and confolation) under all our Afflictions, through, the Merits of thy Son our Saviour, who reigneth with thee and the fame Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

For every one that doeth evil, &c. Wicked Men wrought in the fear, and according to the will of God. who cleave to their Sins because of the prefent plea-And they received the Holy Ghost. That is, fuch as fure they find in them, cannot endure true Doctrine, because it fhews their actions in a proper light, condemns them and raises qualms of Confcience that are extremely painful and not eafily to be quieted. But every good Man defires, and rejoices in the Knowledge of his duty because it shews him that his deeds are

the Holy Ghost had pointed out to be ordained Minif ters, or to do facred Offices in the affemblies. Upon theje, by the laying on of the Apoftles Hands, were con ferred the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit, fuch as fpeaking in various Languages, and Prophecying. See chap. xix. 7.

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