another with brotherly love, in honour preferring one another not flothful in business; fervent in spirit; ferving the Lord; re joicing in hope; patient in tribulation; ‡ continuing inftant in prayer; diftributing to the neceffity of faints; given to hofpitality. Blefs them which perfecute you; bless, and curfe not. +Re+ joice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep! Be of the fame mind one towards another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. L A The Gospel. S. John 2. 1. ND the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jefus was there. And both Jefus was called and his difciples to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jefus faith unto him, They have no wine. Jefus faith unto her, I Woman what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. His mother faith unto the servants, Whatsoever he faith unto you, do it. And there were fet there fix water-pots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jefus faith unto them, Fill the water-pots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he faith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the Governor of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feaft had tasted the waterthat was made wine, and knew not † Continuing instant in Prayer, &c. This does not fignify that we must be continually praying, so as to neglect every other employment: but that according to our Saviour's parable of the importunate Widow, we are not to be difcouraged if our Petitions are not heard fo foon as we might defire; but constantly to persevere in our fupplications to God for assistance; he being fometimes pleased to defer answering our Requests, in crder to increase in us a sense of his benefits, and of our dependence upon him. + Rejoice with them, &c. This is one instance among many, how excellently Christianity is adapted to human Nature: fince it is not designed to root out the passions, but to regulate them'; it does not recommend to us a storical insensibility, and unconcern about the affairs of others, but fuch a benevolent sympathy and regard for cur Fellow Creatures, as will make us partake in some measure in their Joys and Sorrows, and induce us, according to our abilities to promote their welfare. † Woman what have I to do with thee? The word, Woman feems to be a very harsh expression, according to our Tranflation: But the word in the Original appears to have been made use of amongst the Greeks as a term of honour and respect. And What have I to do with thee might have been translated in a milder manner, What hast thou to do with me? which carries in it a gentle Reproof indeed, and signifies that she acted improperly, in attempting to direct him in the duties of his Miniftry: but it is plain, from the order which she gave to the Servants, that she did not interpret it as a mark of disrespect. : whence it was, (but the servants which drew the water knew) the governor of the feaft called the bridegroom, and faith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth fet forth good wine, and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. * This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory, and his difciples believed on him. : ‡ The third Sunday after the Epiphany. The Collect. Almighty and everlasting God, mercifully look upon our infirmities, and in all our dangers and necessities stretch forth thy right hand to help and defend us, through Jefus Christ our Lord. Amen. B The Epistle. Rom. 12. 16. E not wife in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. † Provide things honeft in the fight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, faith the Lord. Therefore, if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: || for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome Paraphrafe on the Coller for the third Sunday after the Epiphany.. Most mighty and eternal God, have pity upon the Infirmities and Weakness of our Nature; and assist and preserve us by thy power in all the wants and dan * This beginning of Miracles, &c. Tho' our Lord's furnishing Wine on this occafion by Miracle shews that a chearful use of God's Creatures, within the bounds of reason and moderation, is lawful; yet we are by no means to suppose, from the quantity, that it was intended to promote intemperance; but probably as a provifion for the future occasions of the new married couple: Jesus thus modestly, tho' miraculously making them a present. † We are hence taught to trust that God will deal mercifully with fuch Infirmities as cleave to our Nature; and to look upon him as our only Refuge and Pro tection. † Provide Things honest, &c. We are not to suppose gers to which we are exposed; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. that we have fulfilled this Precept merely by performing the duties of justice in our dealings with Mankind : but we must be careful also to act with fuch decency and difcretion in general, (as the original signifies) that they who are no Friends to Religion, may not take occafion from our Conduct to speak evil of our profession. || For in so doing thou shalt beap, &c. This expreffion is evidently taken from Prov. xxv. 21. 22. and is an allufion to the practice of Artificers in preparing their Metals. For as by heaping Coals of Fire upon then they make them yield and relent, and thereby render them more apt to be formed for the purposes they are designed for: so by shewing acts of Kindness and Charity to our Enemies in their necessity, we shall take the most effectual means to melt them down into Repentance, Goodwill and Affection. A victory this far fuperior to the conquest of Kingdoms. evil with good. W Hen he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. And behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will, be thou clean. And immediately his leprofy was cleanfed. And Jesus faith unto him. § See thou tell no man, but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Mofes commanded for a teftimony unto them. And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, and saying, Lord, my fervant lieth at home fick of the palsy, grievously tormented. And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. The centurion answered and faid, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof; but speak the word only, and my fervant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having foldiers under me: and I say unto this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh ; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said unto them that followed, Verily, I say unto you, || I have not found so great faith, no not in Israel. + And I say unto you, that many shall come from the east and west, and shall fit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, See thou tell no Man, &c. The general reason why our Lord on this, as well as several other occasions, gave fuch an order, might be left the fame of his Miracles being made too public, the People should take him by force, and make him a King; and their Rulers be there by provoked to cut him off, before he had fulfilled the course of his Ministry. But with respect to the Leper he might perhaps order him to keep his Cure private, till according to the Law, he had shewn himself to the Prieft. Because, had the Priest known by what means it was wrought, before he had paffed Judgement upon it, he might have refused to pronounce the Man clean. || I have not found so great Faith, &c. The Centu rion's Faith was remarkable in that he supposed that Diseases of all kinds were as much subject to Chrift's command, tho' at a distance, as his Soldiers were to him. + And 1 say unto you, that many, &c. This is 2. Prophecy that the Gentiles should shortly be called to partake in the Blessings and Privileges of the Gofpel: whilst the Jews, who boasted themselves to be God's peculiar People, should through their Unbelief, be rejected. : in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way, and as thou haft believed, so be it done unto thee. And his fervant was healed in the self-fame hour. ‡ The fourth Sunday after the Epiphany. God, who knowest us to be set in the midst of fo many ture we cannot annot always stand upright; Grant to us such strength and protection, as may support us in all dangers, and carry us through all temptations, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. The Epistle. Rom. 13. 1. +L ET every foul be subject unto the higher powers; for there ✓ is no power but of God: the powers that be, are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, refifteth the ordinance of God: and they that refist, shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the fame: for he is the minifter of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minifter of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be fubject, not only for wrath, but alfo for confcience fake. For, for this caufe pay * Paraphrafe on the Collet for the O God who knoweft how unable we are of our felves, through our natural Weakness, to refift the many powerful Temptations that furround us; give ‡ A proper knowledge of ourselves will always naturally lead us to seek the support and protection of Providence. + Let every Soul be subject, &c. To prevent the Jewish or Gentile Converts to Chriftianity from fuppofing that by their profeffion of the Gospel they were releafed from their obedience to their earthly Gover : fourth Sunday after the Epiphany. us, we beseech thee, such help and defence as may effectually uphold and preferve us against the affaults of all our Enemies, through Jesus Christ our Lord. nors, St. Paul affures them that they were fo far from being loosed in this respect, that, on the contrary, their Religion laid upon them, a still stronger obligation than ever to obey, even their Heathen Rulers: becaufe they were Ministers appointed by God for the welfare of Society; and that therefore they ought to be fubject to them not only for fear of incurring the punishments you tribute also; for they are Gods minifters, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues; tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour. A The Gospel. S. Matth. 8. 23. ND when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great tempest in the fea, infomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was afleep. § And his disciples came to him, and awoke him saying, Lord, save us, we perish. And he faith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the fea, and there was a great calm. But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him? And when he was come to the other fide, into the country of the Gergesenes, * there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. And behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jefus thou Sonof God? Art thou come hither to torment us before the time? And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding. So the devils befought him, faying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into God of Jacob is our Refuge; who stilleth the Raging of the Sea, and the Noise of his Waves, and the madness of the People. * There met him two possessed with Devils. St. Mark and Luke mention only one demoniac, probably because he whom they speak of, was a great deal more furious than the other: for he had been often bound with Fetters and Chains, but had as often broken them; so that no Man durft further attempt to restrain him. He too was perhaps a Person of more note than the other for his birth, or parts, or interest in the Country, and his Cure made more noise, and for that reason was mentioned by Mark and Luke, while they omitted the Cure of the other. |