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ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him alfo. When they had heard the king, they departed; and lo, the ftar which they faw in the caft, went before them, till it came and flood over where the young child was. When they faw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the houfe, they faw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down and worshipped him: And when they had opened their treafures, they prefented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincenfe, and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream, that they fhould not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

The first Sunday after the Epiphany.
The Collect.

Lord, we beseech thee mercifully to receive the prayers of thy people which call upon thee; and grant that they may both perceive and know what things they ought to do, and alfo may have grace and power faithfully to fulfil the fame, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen.

The Epiftle. Rom. xii. 1.

Beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye prefent your bodies a living facrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable fervice. And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. For I fay, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think foberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the meafüre of faith. For as we have many members in one body,

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The Collect This prayer for the reception of our petitions, and the aid of Divine grace, is tranflated and adopted from the Sacramentarium of Gregory, and the Liturgy of St. Ambrofe.-Pamelius, tom. i. p. 316 The introitus was pfalm xiii.

and all members have not the fame office; fo we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

Now

The Gofpel. St. Luke ii. 41.

OW his parents went to Jerufalem every year at the feaft of the paffover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerufalem, after the custom of the feaft. And when they had fulfilled the days, as they feturned, the child Jefus tarried behind in Jerufalem; and Jofeph and his mother knew not of it. But they fuppofing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey, and they fought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerufalem, feeking him. And it came to pafs, that after three days they found him in the temple, fitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. And when they faw him, they were amazed: and his mother faid unto him, Son, why haft thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have fought thee forrowing. And he faid unto them, How is it, that ye fought me? wift ye not that I must be about my Father's bufinefs? And they understood not the faying which he fpake unto them. And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was fubject unto them: but his mother kept all these fayings in her heart. And Jefus increased in wifdom, and stature, and in favour with God and man.

The fecond Sunday after the Epiphany.
The Collect.

Almighty and everlasting God, who doft govern all

things in heaven and earth; Mercifully hear the

Been in the company] The company, or caravan, was large; and the child therefore mingling with fuch a number, might eafily have been unobferved by his parents for a whole day, without their being anxious on his account.

A day's journey] Maundrell tells us, "That tradition afferted the pa rents fought Chrit at Beer, where a church was built by the Empress Helena, in memory of the circumftance."

fupplications of thy people, and grant us thy peace all the days of our life, through Jefus Christ our Lord. Amen. The Epiftle. Rom. xii. 6.

AVING then gifts differing according to the grace

H that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us pro

phefy according to the proportion of faith; or ministry, let us wait on our miniftring; or he that teacheth, on teaching; or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with fimplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that fheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without diffimulation. Abhor that which is evil, cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love, in honour preferring one another: not flothful in bufinefs; fervent in fpirit; ferving the Lord; rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing inftant in prayer; diftributing to the neceffity of faints; given to hofpitality. Blefs them which perfecute you; blefs, and curfe not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. the fame mind one towards another. things, but condefcend to men of low eftate.

Be of

Mind not high

The Gospel. St. John ii. 1.

AND the third day there was a marriage in Cana of

Galilee, and the mother of Jefus was there. And both Jesus 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, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not

The Collect This prayer for acceptance of our petitions, and for the peace of God, is adopted from the Sacramentarium of Gregory, and St. Ambrofess Liturgy-Pamelius, ut fupra. The introitus was pfalm xiv. Simplicity] That is, with liberality.-Vide Kypke. Obfer. Sac.

Hofpitality] By receiving ftrangers, and particularly preachers of the gofpel. See Heb. xiii. 2. When places of reception for travellers were uncommon, this precept was feasonable.

Woman] This appellation, far from being difrefpectful, was, and is, an highly honourable one in the Eaft. Chrift addreffes his mother by it in the moment of his death, John xix. 26; and claffical writers afford inftances of its application, on the most folemn occafions, to females of high rank, and venerable years.

yet come. His mother faith unto the fervants, Whatfoever he faith unto you, do it. And there were set there fix water-pots of ftone, 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 feast bad tafted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was, (but the fervants which drew the water knew) the governor of the feast 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 haft 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.

LMIGHTY and everlafting God, mercifully look

upon our infirmities, and in all our dangers and nePurifying] That is cleanfing, or washing themselves, and cups, pots, &c. See Mark vii. 2, 3, 4.

Governor of the feast The Greek word here is a compound, denoting the prefident of the triclinium, or gueft chamber, fo called from its containing three couches, placed in the form of the Greek II, on which the guefts reclined during the entertainment. It was the duty of this officer to prepare the feaft, arrange the couches, place the dishes, and tafte the wine and viands. According to Lightfoot, he alfo faid grace, and pronounced thofe benedictions which were ufually given on occafion of a marriage. He bleffed the cup alfo, (the cup of bleffing) prepared for the guefts; and baving drank of it himfelf, fent it round to the company. We have an account of his duties in Ecclefiafticus xxxii. 1.

Well drunk] In the original this word does not imply the leaft degree of intoxication. In Gen. xliii. 34, the Septuagint makes ufe of it in defcribing Jofeph's feaft, where it is faid, "his brethren were afraid of him," and would not confequently be guilty of excefs. The fame tranflators apply it alfo to Simon, the high prieft, (1 Mac. xvi. 16) whofe age and ftation preclude the idea of inebriety.

The Collect This prayer for aid and protection under our infirmities, dangers, and neceflities, is adopted from Gregory's Sacramentarium. The introitus was pfalm xv.

ceffities, ftretch forth thy right hand to help and defend us, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen.

BE

The Epiftle. Rom. xii. 16.

E not wife in your own conceits. Recompenfe to no man evil for evil. Provide things honeft in the fight of all men. If it be poffible, 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 fo doing thou fhalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

W

The Gospel. St. Matt. viii. 1.

HEN he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. And behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, faying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jefus put forth his hand, and touched him, faying, I will, be thou clean. And immediately his leprofy was cleanfed. And Jefus faith unto him, See thou tell no man, but go thy way, fhew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Mofes commanded for a teftimony unto them. And when Jefus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a Centurion befeeching him, and faying, Lord, my fervant lieth at home fick of the pally, grievously tormented. And Jefus faith unto him, I will come and heal him. The Centurion answered and faid, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldft come under my roof; but fpeak the

Coals of fire, &c. If he be not affected and foftened by this unexpected and unmerited behaviour, God will punish him hereafter in proportion to his obftinacy and implacable temper.

Tell no man] Chrift gave this prohibition, not merely to avoid prefent inconvenience, (Mark i. 45) nor merely from humility; but from a motive of prudence, that he might not attract the attention of the Jews and Romans too early, or in too great a degree. That is, before he had accomplished the work of his miniftry. The latter were exceedingly jealous of any pretenfions to regal or independent power in their conquered provinces; and the former were much inclined to oblige Jefus to affume temporal dominion over them. Vide John vi. 15.

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