taketh before other his own fupper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. What, have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not ? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you. not. For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered. unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the fame night in which he was betrayed, took bread; and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and faid, Take, eat; this is my body, which is broken for you = this do in remembrance of me. After the fame manner also he took the cup when he had fupped, saying, This cup is the New Teftament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me, For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lords death till he come. Wherefore, * whofoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. + But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. I For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not difcerning the Lords body. For this cause many are weak, and fickly among you, and many fleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chaftened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another. rament; which was generally administered after the Love Feast. But this custom became at length abused. For instead of eating in common (according to the first institution,) several took upon them to eat their portions feparately, whereby they that were poor, and could bring little, were hungry; and they that were rich, and had brought much ate and drank to a riotous excess: making no diftinction between the Lord's Supper, and a common disorderly feaft, and turning what was intended to promote religion, into an occafion of intemperance and profaneness. Thereby forgetting the end of the institution of the Sacrament, which was, "the eating Bread, and drinking Wine in a thank"ful remembrance, of what Chrift Jesus has done and fuffered for us." • Whosoever ball eat this Bread, Se. That is, who foever by the irregular indecent practice, beforementioned, shall profane this Holy Sacrament, they treat Christ with a contempt like his Murtherers. + But let a Man examine bimself, &r. That is, before every approach to this Sacrament, it is proper, that a man examine into the disposition of his mind, that he come with due reverence to so holy an Ordinance and with Charity to those for whom Christ died. ↑ For be that eareth and drinketh unworthily, &c. That is, He that eateth and drinketh in the indecent and diforderly manner in which the Corinthians did, (whom St. Paul reproves) provoke God to inflict his Judgments upon them; as he did upon the Corinthians. Concerning whom we are told, that for this cause fome were weak and fickly, and many died. J And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come LILLA T ۱۰ The Gospel. S. Luke 23. r. HE whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate. And they began to accufe him, faying, || We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cefar, faying, That he himself is Christ a king. And Pilate asked him, faying, Art thou the king of the Jews? And he answered him, and faid, Thou sayest it. 1 hen faid Pilate to the chief priests, and to the people, I find no fault in this man. And they were the more fierce, faying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place. When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilean. And as foon as he knew that he belonged unto Herods jurisdiction, he fent him to Herod, who himself was alfo at Jerufalem at that time. And when Herod saw Jefus, he was exceeding glad, for he was defirous to see him of a long feason, because he had heard many things of him, and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him. Then he questioned with him in many words; but he anfwered him nothing. And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accufed him.And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and fent him again to Pilate. §And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together; for before they were at enmity between themfelves. And Pilate when he had called together the chief priests, and the rulers, and the people, faid unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people, and H We found this fellow perverting &c. Who fees not the notorious falshood of this accusation? But what will not malice invent to effect its wicked purpofes? So far was Jesus from refusing to pay tribute, or from affecting temporal Royalty, that he payed the one, though it could not be rightfully demanded of him, and refused the other when it was offered him. And the fame day Pilate and Herod were made friends. The Friend hip which they now contracted seems only to have been in order to serve their own selfish purposes. And the obfervation is too generally true that jarring vices will eafily unite for the destruction of virtuc. behold, I having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accufe him: No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him, and lo, * nothing worthy of death is done unto him. Iwill therefore chastise him, and release him. For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feaft. And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas: (who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder was cast in prifon) Pilate therefore willing to release Jesus, spake again to them. But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go. And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified: and the voices of them, and of the chief priests prevailed. And Pilate gave sentence, that it should be as they required. + And he released unto them, him that for sedition and murder was caft into prifon, whom they had defired; but he delivered Jesus to their will. And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jetus. And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, who alfo bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus turning unto them, faid, Daughters of Jerufalem, ‡ weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For behold, the days are coming, in which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave fuck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. 1 For if they de these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry? And there were alfo two other malefactors led with him to be put to death. And when they were come to the place which is caled Calvary, there they crucified him; and the malefactors one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Then said Jefus, • || Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and caft lots. And the people stood beholding; and the rulers alfo with them derided him, saying, He faved others, let him fave himself, if he be Chrift the chosen of God. And the foldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, and faying, If thou be the King of the Jews, save thyfelf. And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. And one of the malefactors which were hanged, railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering, rebuked him, saying, Doft not thou fear God, feeing thou art in the fame condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds, but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jefus faid unto him, Verily I say unto thee, *To day shalt thou be with me in paradife. And it was about the fixth hour; and there was a dark i For if they do these things in a green Tree, &c. That is, if they fo cruelly treat a righteous person: Ezek. xx. 47. what shall become of those wicked perfons, who like a dry tree are ready to be burned... || Father forgive them, &c. Behold here an instance of the most perfect charity, which calls equally for our admiration and imitation. Jefus not only forgives his perfecutors himself, when, by their means he was expiring under the most unconceivable torture; but even implores his heavenly Father to forgive them. Nay more-He even endeavours to extenuate their gunt, and excuse his Murderers: by representing their cruelty as the effect of ignorance; they know not what they do. Surely did we duly and frequently contemplate this glorious example, we should be ashamed of indulging violent wrath, and implacable resentment against our brethren for such petty injuries as too many do. Nay we should be strongly induced to shew all meekness to all men, to make all fair allow ances for human infirmity, and as God for Christ's Sake hath forgiven us, chearfully to forgive our Fellow Creatures, who have injured us also. 1 * Io day shalt thou be with me in Paradise. Let no one who profeties himself a Chriftian cite, the example He shewed such an Act of Faith on this occafion as of this penitent Thief as a Plea for a late repentance. no one ever did either before or fince. He acknowledged our Lord when mocked by men, hanged upon a Cross, and treated as the worst of Malefactors. But for those who have enjoyed the light of the Gospel from their infancy, and have daily enjoyed the means of religious inftruction: yet have hardened themselves aritual improvement. For such to hope that by a few gainst conviction, and rejected all helps for their spiprayers and fighs and tears upon a death-bed they shall be able to make atonement for a whole life of ness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the fun was darkened, and the vail of the temple was rent in the midst. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having faid thus, he gave up the Ghost. Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man. And all the people that came together to that fight, beholding the things that were done, smote their breasts, and returned. And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things. Almighty Good Friday.. The Collects. 4. Lmighty God, we beseech thee graciously to behold this thy family, for which our Lord Jesus Christ was contented to be betrayed, and given up into the hands of wicked men, and to fuffer, death upon the cross, who now liveth and reigneth with thee and the holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. : 1 A Lmighty and everlasting God, by : whose Spirit the whole bo dy of the Church is governed and sanctified; Receive our fupplications and prayers which we offer before thee for all estates of men in thy holy Church, that every member of the fame, in his vocation and ministry, may truly and godly serve thee, through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Chrift. Amen. |