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For the Epiftle. Acts xi. 22.

Idings of these things came unto the ears of the Church which was in Jerufalem and they fent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch. Who, when he came, and had feen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpofe of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. For he was a good man, and full of the holy Ghost, and of faith; and much people was added unto the Lord. Then departed Barnabas to Tarfus for to seek Saul. And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to país, that a whole year they affembled themselves with the Church, and taught much people; and the difciples were called Chriftians firft in Antioch. And in thefe 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 pafs 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.

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The Gospel. St John xv. 12.

HIS is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not fervants; for the fervant knoweth not what his Lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father, I have made known unto you. Ye have not chofen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye fhould go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit fhould remain; that whatfoever ye shall afk of the Father in my Name, he may give it you.

PARAPHRASE

beseech thee to impart to as a fhare of the diverfity of gifts of thy hely Spirit, as far as thou shalt judge them requifite and neceffary for our falvation, and give us grace likewife to make a proper ufe of thofe talents with which thou haft endowed us; all which we afk for the fake of Jefus Christ our Lord. Amen. PARA

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Saint John Baptift's Day.

The Collect.

Lmighty God, by whofe providence thy fervant John Baptift was wonderfully born, and fent to prepare the way of thy Son our Saviour, by preaching of repentance; Make us fo to follow his doctrine and holy life, that we may truly repent according to his preaching, and after his example, conftantly speak the truth, boldly rebuke vice, and patiently fuffer for the truths fake, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen.

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For the Epifle. Ifaiah xl. 1.

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Omfort ye, comfort ye my people, faith God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerufalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned; for fhe hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her fins. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the defart a high-way for our God. Every valley fhall be exalted, and every mountain and hill fhall be made low, and the crooked fhall be made ftraight, and the rough places plain. And the glory of the Lord fhall be revealed, and all flesh fhall fee it together; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. The voice faid, Cry. And he said, What fhall I cry?

PARAPHRASE.

On the COLLECT for Saint John Baptift.

O almighty God, whofe all-wife providence caufed John Baptift to be miraculously born of an aged father, his birth being accompanied by the miniftry of an angel, and other wonderful accidents, (Luke i. 13.) who didft likewife fend the fame John to prepare the way to the Gofpel of our bleffed Saviour, by preaching the doctrine of repentance, give us grace to copy after thofe excellent rules, which his holy doctrine and exemplary life have reached out to us, grant that we may fincerely repent of all our fins, as he conftantly exhorted us by his preaching, that like him we may not be afraid to declare the truth for the fake of any errors, but boldly reprove a finful conduct, even in perfons of the first rank; and if thou art pleafed to call us to it, we may with intrepidity lay down our lives for righteoufness fake; and this we pray for the fake of Jefus Chrift Our Lord. Amen.

All

All flesh is grafs, and all the goodlinefs thereof is as the flower of the field. The grafs withereth, the flower fadeth, because the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: furely the people is grafs. The grafs withereth, the flower fadeth, but the word of our God fhall ftand for ever. O Zion, that bringeft good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain : O Jerufalem, that bringeft good tidings, lift up thy voice with ftrength, lift it up, be not afraid: fay unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God. Behold, the Lord God will come with ftrong hand, and his arm fhall rule for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. He fhall feed his flock like a fhepherd, he fhall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bofom, and fhall gently lead thofe that are with young.

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The Gofpel. St Luke i. 57.

Lifabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and fhe brought forth a fon. And her neighbours and her coufins heard how the Lord had fhewed great mercy upon her, and they rejoiced with her. And it came to pals that on the eighth day they came to circumcife the child, and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. And his mother anfwered and faid, Not fo; but he shall be called John. And they faid unto her, There is none of thy kindied that is called by this name. And they made figns to his father, how he would have him called. And he afked for a writing-table, and wrote, faying, His name is John. And they marvelled all. And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loofed, and he spake and praised God. And fear came on all that dwelt round about them; and all thefe fayings were noifed abroad throughout all the hill-country of Judea. And all they that had heard them, laid them up in their hearts, faying, What manner of child fhall this be? And the hand of the Lord was with him. And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghoft, and prophefied, faying, Bleffed be the Lord God of Ifrael, for he hath vifited and redeemed his people, and hath raised up an horn of falvation for us in the houfe of his fervant David; as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets,

which have been fince the world began; that we should be faved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; to perform the mercy promifed to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; the oath which he fware to our father Abraham, that he would grant unto us, that we, being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, might ferve him without fear, in holinefs and righteoufnefs before him all the days of our life. And thou, Child, fhalt be called the Prophet of the Higheft; for thou fhalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; to give knowledge of falvation unto his people by the remiffion of their fins, through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the daySpring from on high hath vifited us; to give light to them that fit in darknels, and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. And the child grew, and waxed ftrong in fpirit; and was in the defarts till the day of his fhewing unto Ifrael.

Saint Peter's Day.

The Collect.

Almighty God, who by thy Son Jesus Christ didft

give to thy Apostle Saint Peter many excellent gifts, and commandeft him earneftly to feed thy flock; Make, we befeech 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 everlasting glory, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen.

PARAPHRASE.

On the COLLECT for St Peter's Day.

O Almighty God, who by thy Son Jefus Chrift, didft impart to thy Apofle St Peter, many excellent and miraculous gifts to enable him to propagate the gofpel, and didt give him a command, which, tho' directed to him in particular, is intended for the ufe of the minifters of the Gospel in general, to feed thy fheep, (John xxi. 10.) we beseech thee, that thy good providence would fo order it, that all bishops and all paftors of inferior dignity, may zealously preach thy holy word, and the people may with equal care practife what they fhall deliver, and that both, at the refurrection, may receive a crown of glory, (1 Peter iv.) which we pray for the fake of Jefus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For

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For the Epistle. Acts xii. 1.

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 becaufe he faw it pleafed 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 Eafter 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 brough him forth, the fame night Peter was fleeping between two foldiers, bound with two chains; and the keepers before the door kept the prison. And behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light fhined in the prifon; and he fmote 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 fo he did. And 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 vision. When they were past the first and the second 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 himself, 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 Gospel. St Matth. xvi. 13.

HEN Jefus came into the coafts of Cefarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, faying, Whom do men fay that I, the Son of man, am? And they faid, Some fay that thou art John the Baptift, fome Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He faith unto them, But whom fay ye that I am? And Simon Peter anfwered and faid, Thou

art

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