21 And when eight dares were accomplished for the circumcifing of the childe his name was called Iefus, which was foe named of the Augell, before hee was conceived in the wombe: and knew her not till he had brought forth her firftborn Son; and he called his name Jefus. The Circumcifion of Chrift. Almighty God, who madeft thy blessed Son to be circumcifed,and obedient to the law for man; Grant us the true circumcifion of the Spirit, that our hearts, and all our members being mortified from all worldly and carnal lufts, we may in all things obey thy bleffed will, through the fame thy Son Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen. The Epiftle. Rom. 4. 8. Beffed man to whedme is then upon the circum Leffed is the man to whom theLord will not impute cifion only, or upon the uncircumcifion alfo? For we fay, hat faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteoufnels. How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumciion,or in uncircumcifion? not in circumcifion, but in incircumcifion. And he received the fign of circumciion,a feal of the righteousness of the faith, which he had et being uncircumcifed, that he might be the father of all them that believe,though they be not circumcifed. hat righteoufnefs might be. imputed unto them alfo: And the father of circumcifion,to them who are not of he circumcifion only,but alfo walk in the steps of that aith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet incircumcifed-For the promife that he should be the heir ›f the world,was not to Abraham or to his feed,through he law, but through the righteoufnefs of faith. For if hey which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, nd the promise made of none effect. The Gospel. S. Luke 2. 15. A Nd it came to pals, as the angels were gone avvay from them into heaven, the shepherds faid one to nother, Let us novv go even unto Bethlehem, and fee his thing vvhich is come to pafs, vvhich the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with hafte, and found Mary and Jofeph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they fal feen it, they made known abroad the faying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it, wondred at those things which were told them by the fhepherds. But Mary kept all thefe things,and pondered them in her heart. And the fhepherds returned,glorifying and praifing God for all the things that they had heard and feen, as it was told unto them. And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcifing of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was fo named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. The fame Collect, Epiftle and Gospel shall ferve for every day after,unto the Epiphany, The Epiphany or the manifeftation of Chrift to the Gentiles. The Collect. God, who by the leading of a star didst manifeft thy only begotten Son to the Gentiles; Mercifully grant, that we which know thee now by faith, may after this life have the fruition of thy glorious Godhead, through Jefus Christ our Lord. Amen. The Epiftle. Ephef. 3. 1. Or this caufe,I Paul, the prifoner of Jefus Chrift for you Gentiles; if ye have heard of the difpenfation of the grace of God, which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the myftery (as I wrote afore in few words, whereby when ye read ye may understand my knowledge in the myftery of Chrift) which in other ages was not made known unto the fons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apoftles and prophets by the Spirit: That the Gentiles fhould be fellow-heirs, and of the fame body, and partakers of his promife in Chrift, by the gofpel: Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working The wije men directed to Chrithratar Mat: 2.11. Now when lefus was borne in Bethlem there came wife men from the East to lenfalemele For wee have feene his flavre and are come to morship him verses 1.2 |