thee, that as by thy special grace preventing us, thou doft put into our minds good defires, fo by thy continual help we may bring the fame to good effect, through Jefus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

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For the Epistle. Acts xiii. 26.

EN and brethren, children of the stock of Abra-. ham, and whofoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this falvation fent. For they that dwell at Jerufalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every fabbath-day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him. And though they found no caufe of death in him, yet defired they Pilate that he fhould be flain. And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a fepulchre. But God raised him from the dead: and he was feen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerufalem, who are his witneffes unto the people. And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfiled the fame unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jefus again; as it is also written in the fecond pfalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he faid on this wife, I will give you the fure mercies of David. Wherefore he faith alfo in another pfalm, Thou shalt not fuffer thine Holy One to see corruption. For David, after he had ferved his own generation by the will of God, fell ou fleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and faw corruption: but he, whom God raifed again, faw no corruption. Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of fius: and by him all that believe are juftified from all things, from which ye could not be juftified by the law of Mofes. Beware therefore left that come upon you which is fpoken of in the prophets; Behold, ye defpifers, and wonder, and perifh: for I work a work in

your days, a work which ye fhall in no wife believe, though a man declare it unto you.

The Gospel. St. Luke xxiv. 36.

ESUS himself stood in the midst of them, and faith

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unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted, and fuppofed that they had feen a fpirit. And he faid unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arife in your hearts? behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and fee; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye fee me have. And when he had thus fpoken, he fhewed them his hands and his feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he faid unto them, Have ye here any meat? and they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them. And he faid unto them, Thefe are the words which I fpake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things muft be fulfilled which were written in the law of Mofes, and in the prophets, and in the pfalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures; and said unto them, Thus it is written, aud thus it behoved Chrift to suffer, and to rife from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remiffion of fins fhould be preached in his Name among all nations, beginning at Jerufalem. And ye are witneffes of these things.

The fir Sunday after Eafier.

The Collect.

Almighty Father, who haft given thine only Son to

die for our fins, and to rife again for our juftification; Grant us fo to put away the leaven of malice and wicked

The first Sunday, &c.] It was the cuftom of our forefathers to obferve the octave or utas of their high and principal feasts; and this Sunday is the octave or eighth day after Easter. This Sunday is called low Sunday, becaufe it is Eafter-day repeated, the octave of Eafter; but the Sunday before is high Eafter, and this is a lower feaft, lou Eafter; in Latin Dominica albis, or rather post albas, (fc. depofitas) as fome old rituals call

nefs, that we may always ferve thee in pureness of living and truth, through the merits of the fame thy Son, Jefus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epiftle. 1 St. John v. 4.

Hatfoever is born of God, overcometh the world:

and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jefus is the Son of God? This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the fpirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. If we receive the witnefs of men, the witnefs of God is greater: for this is the witness of God, which he hath teftified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God, hath the witnefs in himself: he that believeth not God, hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life: and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son, hath life; and he that hath not the Son, hath not life.

The Gospel. St. John xx. 19.

HE fame day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were fhut where the difciples were affembled for fear of the Jews, came Jefus, and stood in the midft, and faith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had fo faid, he fhewed unto them his hands and his fide. Then were the difciples glad when they faw the Lord. Then faid Jefus to them again, Peace it; because those that were baptized on Easter-éve, wore feven days after garments, called chrysoms; figns of the purity which they received in baptifm; which white clothes they this day put off.-Sparrow.

white

Colleft] This prayer for purification of foul was compofed for Edward the VIth's first prayer-book, and appointed at that time for Eafter-Tuesday. At the review 1662, it was fixed for this Sunday. The introitus was pfalm cxii.

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be unto you: As my Father hath fent me, even fo fend I you. And when he had faid this, he breathed on them, and faith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghoft. Whofe foever fins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whofefoever fins ye retain, they are retained.

The Second Sunday after Eafter.

The Collect.

Almighty God, who haft given thine only Son to be

unto us both a facrifice for fin, and alfo an enfample

of godly life; Give us grace, that we may always most thankfully receive that his ineftimable benefit, and also daily endeavour ourselves to follow the bleffed steps of his moit holy life, through the fame Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen.

The Epifle. 1 Peter ii. 19.

IIIS is thank-worthy, if a man for confcience toward TGod God endure grief, fuffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye fhall take it patiently? But if, when ye do well, and fuffer for it, ye take it patiently; this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: becaufe Chrift alfo fuffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye fhould follow his fteps: Who did no fin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; When he fuffered, he threatened not; but committed himfelf to him that judgeth righteously: Who his owntelf bare our fins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to fins, fhould live unto righteoufnefs: by whofe ftripes ye were healed. For ye were as fheep going aftray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your fouls.

The Collect This prayer for ability to follow the example of Chrift was compofed A. D. 1549, and inferted in Edward VIth's first prayerbook. The introitus was the lxxth pfalm.

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The Gofpel. St. John x. 11.

ESUS faid, I am the good fhepherd: the good fhepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the fhepherd, whofe own the fheep are not, feeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the fheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the heep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the fheep. I am the good fhepherd, and know my fheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even fo know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the fheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them alfo I muft bring, and they fhall hear my voice; and there fhall be one fold, and one fhepherd.

The Third Sunday after Eafter.

The Collect.

Almighty God, who fhewest to them that be in error the light of thy truth, to the intent that they may return into the way of righteoufnefs; Grant unto all them that are admitted into the fellowship of Chrift's Religion, that they may efchew thofe things that are contrary to their profeffion, and follow fuch things as are agreeable to the fame, through our Lord Jefus Christ. Amen.

The Epiftle. 1. Peter ii. II.

DEARLY beloved, I befeech you as strangers and

pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lufts, which war against the foul; having your converfation honeft among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak againft you as evil. doers, they may by your good works, which they fhall behold, glorify God in the day of vifitation. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's fake: whether it be to the king, as fupreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are fent by him for the punishment of The Collect This prayer for grace to perform our Christian duty was tranflated, in 1549, from a form in the Sacramentarium of Gregory, and the Liturgy of St. Ambrofe. The introitus was the lxxvth pfalm.