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For the Epistle. Joel ii. 12. TURN

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ye even to me, saith the Lord, with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning; 13. and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and (g) repenteth him of the evil. 14. Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meatoffering, and a drink-offering unto the Lord your God? the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly; 16. gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather (h) the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the (i) bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet: 17. let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, "Spare thy "people, O Lord, and give not "thine heritage to reproach, that "the heathen should rule over

(g) v. 13. "Repenteth him, &c." God's readiness to give up the vengeance he has meditated, upon the repentance of those who were to have been its objects, is strongly expressed, Jer. xviii. 7. " at "what instant I shall speak concerning ❝a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to "pluck up, and to pull down, and to de"stroy it; if that nation against whom I "have pronounced, turn from their evil, "I will repent of the evil that I thought "to do unto them." Should not this consideration have an influence upon the conduct of individuals, at least in times of national calamity, when God's judgments are in the earth? The righteousness or sin of a nation is the aggregate of the righteousness or sin of individuals, and who can tell how far his own righteousness will contribute towards saving his country,

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The Gospel. Mat. vi. 16. (7) WHEN ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear (m) "unto men to fast. Verily I say "unto you, They have their re"ward. 17. But thou, when "thou fastest, anoint thine head, "and wash thy face; 18. that "thou appear not unto men to "fast, but unto thy Father which "is in secret: and thy Father, "which seeth in secret, shall re"ward thee openly. 19. Lay "not up for yourselves treasures

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upon earth, where moth and "rust doth corrupt, and where "thieves break through and steal: "20. but lay up for yourselves "treasures in heaven, where "neither moth nor rust doth cor"rupt, and where thieves do "not break through nor steal: "21. For where your treasure "is, there will your heart be " also."

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Saint Matthias's Day.

The Collect.

O ALMIGHTY God, who into the place of the traitor Judas didst choose thy faithful servant Matthias to be of the number of the twelve Apostles; Grant that thy Church being alway preserved from false Apostles, may be ordered and guided by faithful and true Pastors, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For the Epistle. Acts i. 15. IN (n) those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of the names together were about an hundred and twenty,) 16. "Men and

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brethren, this (0) Scripture "must needs have been fulfilled "which the Holy Ghost by the

(n) v. 15. "In those days," i. e. " shortly "after our Saviour's ascension."

(o) v. 16. "This scripture." The passage generally supposed to be referred to, is Psalm xli. 9. "Yea even mine own fa"miliar friend, whom I trusted, who did "also eat of my bread, hath laid great "wait for me."

(p) "Concerning Judas." In Psalm xli. 9. David probably alluded to Ahitophel only, without any prophetic reference to Judas; and if so, and if St. Peter really referred to Psalm xli. 9. this, according to the present translation, is a strong instance of stating a passage to have been written of a thing to which it is merely applicable. See ante, 49. note on Matt.ii. 15. But Abp. Newcome translates it thus: "This Scripture, which the Holy Ghost "spake before by the mouth of David, "must needs be fulfilled concerning Judas, "&c. and that seems the natural reading « of the Greek.” ἣν προεῖπε 7ὸ πνεῦμα 78 ἅγιον, διὰ σόματος Δαβίδ, περὶ Ἰάδα, &c.

(q) v. 18. Purchased, &c." According to the account in Matt. xxvii. 5. 7. the field was purchased, not by Judas, nor in his life-time, but by the chief priests after his death; and Judas ended his life by hanging himself. Abp. Newcome reconciles the difference by considering, that as

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he was the occasion of the purchase, it was not going beyond scripture phraseology to state that he purchased it; and that he fell from the place where he hung himself, and burst asunder by the fall. In truth, if the variances could not be reconciled, it would be of little consequence, for the points of difference are wholly unimportant; and as each writer probably wrote in this instance from report, from what he had heard, not from what he had seen, one of them might have been misled.

(r) v. 20. "It is written, &c." The first of these passages is Psalm lxix. 26. the other, Psalm cix. 7.

(s) v. 21. "Of these men, &c." This imports that Peter and the rest of the apostles, and many others, were generally with our Saviour from the time he was baptised by John the Baptist, Matt. iii. 15. until the time of his ascension, so that they saw what he did, and heard from his mouth what he said. In St. Matthew's Gospel, therefore, and St. John's, we have in general the testimony of an eye and ear witness, and if St. Peter overlooked St. Mark's Gospel (as is generally supposed), we have in effect the same testimony there.

"which have companied with us "all the time that the Lord Jesus "went in and out among us, "22. beginning from the bap"tism of John unto that same day that he was taken up from 66 us, must one be ordained to be "a witness with us of his (t) re"surrection." 23. And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. 24. And they prayed and said, "Thou, Lord, (u) "which knowest the hearts of all "men, shew whether of these "two thou hast chosen, 25. that "he may take part of this minis"try and apostleship, from which "Judas by transgression fell, that "he might go to his own place." 26. And they gave forth their lots: and the lot fell upon Mat

thias; and he was numbered with the eleven Apostles.

"for so it seemed good in thy

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sight. 27. All things are de"livered unto me of my Father: "and no man knoweth (y) the Son "but the Father; neither know"eth (y) any man the Father, save "the Son, and he to whomso"ever the Son will reveal him. "28. Come unto me all ye that la"bour and are heavy laden, and I "will (2) give you rest. 29. Take "my yoke upon you, and learn "of me; for I am (a) meek "and lowly in heart: and ye "shall find rest unto your souls. "30. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

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First Sunday in Lent.
The Collect.

O LORD, who for our sake didst
fast forty days and forty nights;
Give us grace to use such absti-
nence, that our flesh being sub-
dued to the Spirit, we may ever
obey thy godly motions in righ-

The Gospel. Matt. xi. 25. Ar that time Jesus answered and said, "I thank thee, O Father, "Lord of heaven and earth, be-teousness and true holiness, to "cause thou hast hid these things "from the wise and prudent, "and hast revealed them unto "babes. (x) 26. Even so, Father:

As

(t) v. 22. "Of his resurrection." this was the great event which had recently occurred, and probably had called forth all their courage, and destroyed all their timidity, it was natural they should state that prominently, as the point to be attested.

(u) v. 24. "Lord," Kúpe, addressing Jesus, whom in v. 22. he had called "The "Lord Jesus," (ô Kúpios 'Inσës,) so that Jesus is here made the distinct object of prayer, and appealed to as having that divine attribute, a knowledge of the hearts of

men.

(x) v. 25. "Babes," i. e. "the un"learned." See note on Psalm viii. 2. In 1 Cor. i. 27. St. Paul notices, that in

thy honour and glory, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

the gospel propagation, "God hath chosen
"the foolish things of the world to con-
"found the wise, and the weak things of
"the world to confound the mighty;" and
he assigns as a reason why he came not
unto the Corinthians with excellency of
speech or of wisdom, "that their faith
"should not stand in" (i. e. "have for its
"foundation") "the wisdom of men, but
"the power of God." 1 Cor. ii. 1. 5.
(y) v. 27. "knoweth, &c." The claim
of a divine attribute- Who, if less than
God, can know God?

(z) v. 28. "I will give, &c." Assuming to himself this power.

(a) v. 29. "Meek, &c." A quality the prophecy in Zech. ix. 9. would induce

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The Epistle. 2 Cor. vi. 1.

We then, as workers together
WE
with him (b), beseech you also
that ye receive not the grace (c)
of God in vain. 2. (For (d) he

saith, "I have heard thee in a
"time accepted, and in the day

knowledge, by long-suffering, by
kindness, by the (h) Holy Ghost,
by love unfeigned, 7. by the
word of truth, by the power of
God, by the armour of righteous-
ness on the right hand and on the
left, 8. by honour (i) and dis-
honour, by evil report and good
report: as deceivers, and yet
true; 9. as unknown, and yet
well known; as dying, and, be-
hold, we live; as chastened, and
not killed; 10. as sorrowful, yet
alway rejoicing; as
as poor,
poor, yet
making many rich; as having (k)
nothing, and yet possessing all
things.

"of salvation have I succoured "thee:" behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) 3. Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry (e) be not blamed: 4. but in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, 5. in stripes (g), in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; 6. by pureness, by THEN (1) was Jesus led up of

them to expect in the Messiah: "Rejoice

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greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O "daughter of Jerusalem: behold thy king "cometh unto thee: he is just and having "salvation; lowly, &c."

(b) v. 1. "Him," i. e. "Jesus Christ." (c) "The grace of God," i. e. "God's "gracious offers and gifts; Christianity, "and the gifts of the Spirit."

(d) v. 2." He saith," i. e. "It is said." The meaning is this: the passage in Isaiah xlix. 8. "I have heard thee, &c." tends to shew that God fixes a particular time for accepting, saving, &c. because he speaks of "a time accepted," and "the day of "salvation;" this is that time, so that you must by no means let it slip. See Luke iv. 19. The same is implied, Isaiah lv. 6. in the exhortation to seek the Lord, while "he may be found, and call upon him while "he is near," and by the intimations in Matt. xxv. 10. and Luke xiii. 25. that the door would be shut against those who were out of time; and also by Luke xix. 42. where, because they knew not the time of their visitation, the things which belonged to their peace were become hid from their eyes. See also Prov. i. 24 to 30.

(e) v. 3. "The ministry," i. e. "the "ministers of the gospel." The apostles were anxious that the conduct of the believers should confer credit upon the cause of Christianity. See ante, 37. note on

The Gospel. Matt. iv. 1.

Phil. iv. 5. Should not Christians of the present time take the like care of their conduct?

(g) v. 5. "Stripes." See 2 Cor. ix. 23. ante, 79. and the note there.

(h) v. 6. "By the Holy Ghost," or in a holy spirit, a spirit of holiness, iv Пveúμati dyip. There is no article, and the accompanying nouns exclude the personal sense.

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(i) v. 8. "By honour, &c." i. e. "by

every species of conduct: leaving no "means, if innocent, unemployed: be"coming, as he says of himself, 1 Cor. "ix. 22. "all things to all men." And see 1 Cor. ix. 20, 21.

(k) v. 10. "Having, &c." So Ter. Eun. ii. 2. Omnia habeo, nec quicquam habeo: nil cum est, nil defit tamen. Et Q. Curt. iv. 1. 25. Nihil habenti nihil deficit.

(4) v. 1. "Then," i. e. "immediately "after he had been baptized by John in "Jordan, and the Holy Spirit had de"scended upon him, Matt. iii. 16.- Mark i. "12.-Luke iv. 1." "When he was about "thirty years of age, Luke iii. 23." and "before he began his preaching and public

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ministry, Matt. iv. 17." Till this time, as far as we can collect from the Evangelists, he had lived with his parents at Nazareth, and had been subject unto them, see Luke ii. 51.; and with the exception of his reasoning with the doctors in the temple at the age of twelve, had done

swered and said, "It is (s) writ

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the Spirit (m) into the (n) wilder- | swered and said,
ness, to be (o) tempted of the
devil.

2. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an (p) hungered. 3. And when the tempter tempter came to him, he said, "If (q) "thou be the Son (r) of God, "command that these stones be "made bread." 4. But he an

nothing to distinguish himself from ordinary men. The temptation therefore was before he had exercised any of those miraculous powers which so plainly proved he came from God.

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(m) "The Spirit," i. e. " of God; the "Holy Spirit;" with the article.

(n)"The wilderness," i. e. (most probably,) "of Sinai," in the great desert of Arabia, where the Israelites had wandered forty years, and where Moses and Elias, two types of the Messiah, had before fasted forty days. See Middl. on Gr. art. 176.— Exod. xxiv. 18.-Deuter. ix. 9. 18.1 Kings xix. 8.

(0) "To be tempted, &c." that in his human nature, as man, he might be exposed to and resist the most powerful temptations Satan could suggest; that if Satan had succeeded against the woman, Eve, he might be foiled by the woman's seed. This temptation is referred to, Hebr. ii. 18." for in that he himself hath "suffered, being tempted, he is able to

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succour them that are tempted;" and Hebr. iv. 15. "for we have not a high "priest which cannot be touched with "the feelings of our infirmities, but (one "who) was in all points tempted, like as we are, yet without sin."

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(p) v. 2. "An hungered." This fact, which is also noticed Luke iv. 2. might be mentioned not merely to shew how aptly the first temptation was selected, but to signify that at this time our Saviour was really man, with the human nature truly and entirely upon him, and subject to all the wants, pressures, and passions of that nature. Had his divine nature co-operated, where would have been the difficulty or the merit of resisting the temptation? and it would not have been by the seed of the woman alone that the tempter would have been defeated. That our Saviour continued till his crucifixion perfect man, what is called, John i. 14. "flesh," "in the like"ness of men and in fashion as a man,"

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ten, Man shall not live by bread "alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of "God." 5. Then the devil taketh him taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a (t) pinnacle of the temple, 6. and saith unto him, "If (q) thou be the Son of God, "cast thyself down for it is

Philipp. ii. 7, 8., and, as it is expressed in the collect for Christmas Day, with "our "nature upon him," is strongly implied (amongst other passages) from the description of his agony, Hebr. v. 7. "who in the days of his flesh, offered up prayers and supplications, with strong crying and "tears, unto him that was able to save him "from death." And see Luke xxii. 43, 44. Tertullian says, "Adeo salva est utriusque

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(s) v. 4. "Written." When Moses was reminding the children of Israel of the different things God had done for them, he called to their recollection how they were fed with manna in the wilderness, and gave as a reason for it, that God might make them know that man "doth not live by bread alone, but that "by every word that proceedeth out of "the mouth of the Lord doth man live. "Deut. viii. 3." So the meaning here is, that God could support him by other means, and that he should not, by working a miracle for himself, distrust God's power or inclination.

(t) v. 5. "A pinnacle," rather, "the

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