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Saint Peters Day.

The Collect.

Almighty God, who by thy Son Jefus Chrift didft give to thy Apoftle Saint Peter many excellent gifts, and commandedst him carnefly to feed thy flock; Make, we beseech thee, all Bishops and Paftors diligently to preach thy holy Word, and the people obediently to follow the fame, that they may receive the crown of everlafting glory, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen.

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For the Epifle. Acts 12. F.

Bout that time Herod the king ftretched forth his hands to vex certain of the Church. § And he killed James the brother of John with the fword. And because he faw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter alfo. (Then were the days of unleavened bread) And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of foldiers to keep him, intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. Peter therefore was kept in prifon; but prayer was made without ceafing of the Church unto God for him. And when Herod would have brought him forth, the fame night Peter was fleeping between two foldiers, bound with two chains; and the keepers before the door kept the prifon. And behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prifon; and he smote Peter on the fide, and raised him up, faying, Arife up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. And the angel faid unto him, Gird thyfelf, and bind on thy fandals: and so he did. And

Paraphrafe on the Colle for St. Peter's Day.

O moft mighty God, who, through thy Son our Sa- thy Holy Gofpel, and the People to pay a due regard viour, didit endue thy Apoftle Peter with many fpi- to its Doctrines, that they may both be partakers togeritual Gifts, and ftrictly charge him to infruct thy Peo-ther of eternal Happiness through Jefus Chrift our ple; give Grace to all thy Minifters faithfully to preach Saviour.

And he killed James, &c. Thus was our Lord's prediction fulfilled that James fhould drink of his Cup, Mat. xx. 23. and in fome fenfe was granted him the request of piecedence in his Kingdom too; fince he had the honour to die, first of all the twelve, a Martyr for the Chriftian cause.

But Prayer was made without ceafing, &c. From

the confequence of this we are instructed, how inftrumental the interceffions of good. People are towards procuring fuch deliverances. Mighty indeed is the efficacy of Prayer, when unanimous and publick; efpecially if the fubject of it be fomewhat eminently ferviceable to the glory of God, and the benefit of Religion.

he faith unto him, Caft thy garment about thee, and follow me. And he went out and followed him, and wift not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he faw a vifion. When they were paft the firft and the fecond ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city, which opened to them of his own accord; and they went out, and paffed on through one ftreet, and forthwith the angel departed from him. And when Peter was come to himfelf, he faid, Now I know of a furety, that the Lord hath fent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.

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The Gofpel. S. Matth. 16. 13.

HEN Jefus came into the coafts of Cefarea Philippi, he afked his difciples, faying, Whom do men say that I, the Son of man, am? And they faid, Some fay that thou art John the Baptist, some Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He faith unto them, But whom fay ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and faid, Thou art Chrift the Son of the living God. And Jefus anfwered and faid unto him, Bleffed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I fay alfo unto thee, that thou art Peter, *and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell fhall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatfoever thou shalt bind on earth, fhall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou fhalt loose on earth, shall be loofed in heaven.

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Rant, O merciful God, that as thine holy Apostle Saint James, leaving his father and all that he had, without delay was

And upon this Rock I will build my Church. Suitably to this promife we find that Peter laid the firft foundation of a Church among the Jews by the conver

fion of three thoufand Souls, Acts ii. 41. and likewife among the Gentiles, by the converfion of Cornelius and his Friends, Acts 10.

bedient unto the calling of thy Son Jefus Chrift, and followed him; fo we forfaking all worldly and carnal affections, may be evermore ready to follow thy holy commandments, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For the Epifle. Acts 11. 27. and part of the 12th Chapter.

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N those days came prophets from Jerufalem unto Antioch. And there ftood up one of them named Agabus, and fignified by the Spirit that there fhould be great dearth throughout all the world; which came to pass in the days of Claudius Cefar. Then the difciples, every man according to his ability, determined to fend relief unto the brethren, which dwelt in Judea. Which also they did, and fent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. Now about that time, Herod the king ftretched forth his hands to vex certain of the Church. And he killed James the brother of John with a fword. And because he faw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also.

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The Gofpel. S. Matth. 20. 20.

HEN came to him the mother of Zebedees children, with her sons worshipping him, and defiring a certain thing of him. And he faid unto her, What wilt thou? She faith unto him, Grant that these my two fons may fit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom. But Jefus answered and faid, Ye know not what ye afk. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I fhall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptifm that I am baptized with? They fay unto him, We are able. And he faith unto them, Ye fhall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to fit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, *but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father. And

Paraphrafe on the Colle for St. James's Day.
Grant, O gracious God, that as thy bleffed Apoftle
James readily for fook all his worldly Relations and con-
cerns to become a Difciple and Follower of Jefus

But it shall be given to them, &c. This fignifies that the honours and degrees of Happiness in a future

Chrift; fo we quitting all diforderly Paftons and
Affections, may be always fincerely difpofed to obey
thy Precepts, through Jefus Christ our Lord.
ftate fhall not be bestowed upon any one through par
tiality, fondnefs, or refpe&t of Perfons; but according

when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation againft: the two brethren. But Jefus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercife dominion over them, and they that are great, exercife authority upon them. But it fhall not be fo among you: but whofoever will be great among you, let him be your minifter; and whofoever will be chief among you, let him be your fervant: even as the Son of man came not to be miniftred unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ranfom for many.

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Saint Bartholomew the Apoftle.

The Collect.

Almighty and everlasting God, who didst give to thine Apoftle Bartholomew grace truly to believe, and to preach thy word; Grant, we beseech thee,, unto thy Church, to love that word which he believed, and both to preach and receive the fame, through Jefus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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For the Epifle. Acts 5. 12.

And believers.

Y the hands of the Apostles were many figns and wonders wrought among the people, (and they were all with one accord in Solomons porch. +And of the reft durft no man join him felf to them: but the people magnified them. were the more added to the Lord, multitudes and women) Infomuch that they brought forth the ftreets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at

Paraphrafe on the Collect for St. Bartholomew's Day.

O most mighty and eternal God who didft induce thy Apoftle Bartholomew to believe and to preach thy holy Gofpel; give Grace to all Profeffors of Chrifliani

to equity and ftrict juftice: to that every Chriftian fhall be exalted to a higher degree of Blifs and Glory, in proportion as his Humility, his Obedience, his Sufferings, his Patience, and his meek difpofition have brought him to a near conformity with his divine Mater.

But be that is greatest among you, &c. By this our Lord fignined that the greatness of his Difciples confifts in doing good to Mankind with all diligence, by a continued courfe of humble laborious Services, in

both of men

fick into the the leaft the

ty duly to value and effeem that Gofpel, and both. faithfully to pablish and embrace it through. Jefus Christ our Lord.

imitation of him, who went about doing good-by healing the fick,. feeding the hungry, inftructing the ignorant, and laying down his life a raafom for the Sins of many.

Aud of the reft durft no Mar join, &c. i. c. the reft who were not of the Church, durft not associate them-felves with the Apostles, fo as to have all Things common with them; as Ananias and Sapphira had pretended to do; left by committing fome crime they. fhould bring upon themfelves their prnishment.

fhadow of Peter paffing by, might overfhadow fome of them. There came alfo a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerufalem, bringing fick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean fpirits, and they were healed every one.

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The Gofpel. S. Luke 22. 24.

ND there was alfoastrife among them, which of them should be accounted the greateft. And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercife lordship over them; and they that exercife authority upon them, are called benefactors. But ye fhall not be fo but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth ferve. For whether is greater, he that fitteth at meat, or he that ferveth? is not he that fitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that ferveth. Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and fit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Ifrael.

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Almighty God, who by thy bleffed Son didft call Matthew from the receipt of cuftom to be an Apostle and Evangelift; Grant us grace to forfake all covetous defires, and inordinate love of riches, and to follow the fa.ne thy Son Jefus Chrift, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghoft, one God, world without end. Amen.

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The Epifle.

2 Cor. 4. I.

Herefore feeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word

Paraphrafe on the Collect for St Matthew's Day.

O allpowerful God, who by thy Son Jefus Chrift didft call Matthew from the employment of a Pubican to be a Preacher of the Gofpel; enable us alfo to fort; ke all avaricious and diforderly Affections, and

diligently to follow the Doctrine and Example of the fame Jefus Chrift, who reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever.

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