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own body on the tree, that we, being dead to fin, fhould live unto righteoufnefs; by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as fheep going aftray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd, and Bishop of your fouls.

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The Gospel. S. John ro 11

Efus faid, I am the good fhepherd: the good fhepherd giveth his life for the fheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the fhepherd, whose own the sheep are not, feeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the fheep, and fleeth; and the wolf catcheth them, and' fcattereth the fheep. The hireling fleeth because he is an hireling, and careth not for the fheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even fo know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold; them alfo I must bring, and they fhall hear my voice; and there fshall be one fold, and one fhepherds by £.

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The third Sunday after Eafter.

The Collect.

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Lmighty God, who fheweft to them that be in error the light of thy truth, to the intent that they may return into the way of righteoufnefs; Grant unto all them that are admitted into the fellowship of Chrifts religion, that they may eschew those things that are contrary to their profeffion, and follow all fuch things as are agreeable to the fame, through our Lord Jefus Chrift. Amen." 1st Hal or bas efld w okỵde ginge bun ¿oute A ton dadl Paraphrafe on the Collect for the third Sunday after Rafters cing vel 1 inter Gofpel, that they may hate and avoid all practices that are contrary to their Chriftian profeffion; and in all, Things to walk worthy of their high Calling, through our Lord Jefus Chrift.500 de back even their Kings were frequently filed, by a Metaphor, the Shepherds of their People.

God of all power, who by the light of thy holy Word conducteft thofe that are in the darkness of Sin, Ertor, and Superftition, into the Paths of Holiness. Give Grace to all who partake in the Bleffings of the Who bis ownfelf bare our Sins, Chrift bore & our Sins by enduring the panifhment of them.

I am the good Shepherd, &c. This allufion was very proper and pertinent with regard to the Jews, because the greatest part of the Wealth and improves ment of their Country confifted in Sheep. Nay, the keeping of Cattle was fo much the common employ ment of the People of the Eaft in those Times, that

And other Sheep I bave, e. By thefe arber Sheep was probably meant the Gentiles whom our Saviour hereby foretold fhould embrace the Gospel, and that' thereby they, with the Jews fhould make up only one visible Church.

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The Epistle. 1 S. Pet. 2. 11.

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Early beloved, I beseech you, as ftrangers and pilgrims, abftain from fleshly lufts, which war against the foul; having your conversation honeft among the Gentiles; that whereas they fpeak against you as evil-doers, they may by your good works which they fhall behold, glorify God in the day of vifitation., Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lords fake, whether it be to the king, as fupreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are fent by him, for the punishment of evil-doers, and for the praife of them that do well. For fo is the will of God, that with well-doing ye may put to filence the ignorance of foolish men: as free, and not ufing your liberty for a cloke of malicioufnefs; but as the fervants of God. Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.,

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The Gospel. S. John 16. 16.

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Efus faid to his difciples, *A little while and ye fhall not fee me; and again, A little while and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father. Then faid fome of his difciples among themselves, What is this that he faith unto us, A little while and ye fhall not fee me; and again, a little while and 'a fhall fee me; and, Because I go to the Father? They faid therefore, What is this that he faith, A little while? we cannot tell what he faith. Now Jefus knew that they were defirous to afk him, and said unto them, Do ye enquire among yourfelves of that I faid, A little while and fhall not fee me; and again, a little while and ye fhall fee me? Verily, verily I fay unto you, that ye fhall weep and lament, but the world

II befeech you, as Strangers and Pilgrims, abftain, &c. Thefe expreffions contain a powerful motive to Temperance and Moderation in the pursuit, and use of earthly enjoyments. For if we are Strangers upon Earth, it implies that this is not our Home. If we ase Pilgrims or Travellers, this fignifies that we are bound for another Country. Therefore as they who are upon a journey, and at a distance from Home, will not be anxiously careful about, or fond of the Things that furround them in the way: fo neither fhould we

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in our Journey to the heavenly Canaan, be much affected with the fenfual objects of this World, Lecause we know that we must leave them, or they us, very foon; and a too great regard for them, will ferve only to draw off our Affections from that blessed and eternal Inheritance, which we are going to take poffeflion of.

A little while and ye shall not fee me, &e. That is, I fhall fhortly die: and the' in three Days I halk "rife again: yet even then I must stay with you but for "a fhort Time,because I muft afcend into Heaven."

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fhall rejoice: and ye fhall be forrowful, but your forrow fhall be turned into joy. A woman when she is in travail, hath forrow, becaufe her hour is come: but as foon as fhe is delivered of the child, the remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. And ye now therefore have forrow: but I will fee you again, and your heart fhall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.

The fourth Sunday after Eafter.

The Collect.

Almighty God, who alone canft order the unruly wills and affections of finful men; Grant unto thy people, that they may love the thing which thou commandeft, and defire that which thou dost promise; that so among the fundry and manifold changes of the world, our hearts may furely there be fixed, where true joys are to be found, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen, The Epiftle. S. James 1. 17.

Very good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither fhadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we fhould be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, flow to wrath; § for the wrath of man worketh not the righteoufnefs of God. Wherefore lay apart all

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Paraphrafe on the Collect for O all powerful God, who alone art able to regulate the diforderly paffions and defires of Sinners. Give all true Chriftians Grace to delight in obeying thy Commandments, and earnestly to long after the comple

And your joy no Man taketh from you. This fignified that tho' Chrift fhould be perfonally taken from them: yet that through the Holy Spirit, which he would fend upon them, they should be filled with a jay which not all the power and malice of their Enemies could deprive them of

Every good Gift, and every perfect Gift, &r. From this paffage we should learn thankfully to afcribe to God alone, every advantage we enjoy, whether of Nature,

2 tion of thy promifes; that fo amidit the many and various ftages of this World, our defires may be fixed upon Joys which are fure and unchangeable through Jefus Chrift.

the fourth Sunday, after Easter-] [

of Fortune, or of Grace.

For the wrath of Man, Sc. This paffage contains a feafonable reproof to all of ary perfuafion, who make the warmth of their zeal either a pretence, or a real occafion, of gratifying the bitterness of their own difpofition. For, be our intentions ever so fincere, that method of promoting Religion is certainly wrong, which is carried on by heat and fury, uncharitablenefs and contention.

filthinefs, and fuperfluity of naughtinefs, and receive with meeknefs the ingrafted word, which is able to fave your fouls.

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Efus faid unto his difciples, Now I go my way to him that fent me, and none of you afketh me, Whither goeft thou? But because I have faid these things unto you, forrow hath filled your heart. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will fend him unto you. And when he is come, the will reprove the world of fin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of fin; because they believe not on me: Of righteoufnefs; becaufe I go to my Father, and ye fee me no more: Of judgment; becaufe the prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to fay unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he fhall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he fhall hear, that fhall he fpeak, and he will fhew you things to come. He fhall glorify me: for he fhall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you, All things that the Father hath, are mine: therefore faid I, that he fhall take of mine, and fhall fhew it unto you.

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The fifth Sunday after Eafter.

The Collect.

Lord, from whom all good things do come; Grant to us thy humble fervants, that by thy holy infpiration we may think thofe things that be good, and by thy merciful guiding may perform the fame, through our Lord Jefus Chrift. Amen.

The Comforter. The Holy Spirit is here called the Advocate or Comforter, and he did the part of an Advocate, in refpect of Christ and his Gofpel, by convincing the World of its Sin in rejecting him by confirm ing the Apostles Teftimony of him by Signs and Wonders and by pleading their caufe before Kings and Rulers. He did the part of a Comforter, by confoling and fupporting the Apostles and Believers, in all their troubles; filling their Hearts with joy and gladness.

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+ He will reprove the World of Sin, Se fignified, that he would convince the World of its Six, in not believing on Chrift, by the wonderful gifts which he would beftow on Believers of Chrift's Righteouf nefs, by demonftrating that he was afcended to God, to whom he could not have afcended, if he had been an Impoftor-and laftly of Chrift's power to execute Judg ment upon his Enemies, by the dominion which he would exercile over evil Spirits.

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The Epistle. S. James 1. 22.

E ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own felves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glafs. For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whofo looketh into §the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein; he being not á forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man fhall be bleffed in his deed. If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this mans religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father, is this, To vifit the fatherlefs and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

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The Gospel. S. John 16. 23.

Erily, verily I fay unto you, Whatfoever ye fhall ask the Father in my Name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye afked nothing in my Name; Afk, and ye fhall receive, that your joy may be full. These things have I fpoken unto you in proverbs: the time cometh when I fhall no more fpeak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father. At that day ye shall ask in my Name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you; for the Father himfelf loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. I came forth from the Father, and am cone into the world; Again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. His difciples faid unto him, Lo, now speakeft thou plainly, and fpeakest no proverb. Now are we

Paraphrafe on the Collect for the fifth Sunday after Eafter.

O God, the giver of all good Things, we, thy Servants, humbly beseech thee to infpire into our Minds

I For if any be a bearer of the Word, Sc. That is, hearing will be of no fervice to us without doing. For, as a Man who in a Glafs fees fpots in his Face, but takes no care to wipe them off; fo is he whom the Word hath fhewed to himself, if he does not correct shofe Faults, which are thus reprefented to his view.

The perfect Law of Liberty. The Gospel is here,

good defires, and by thy merciful affistance enable us to perfect them through Jefus Chrift.

called a Law of Liberty, because it frees us from the bondage of the Law of Mcfes, from the guilt, and punifhment, and dominion of Sin; and treats us as Free men and Sons, rather than Servants.

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Pure Religion and undefiled, &c. That Religion, which does not only appear fair to Men, but is accep table to God, confifts in Charity and Purity..

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