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another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it feeth him not, neither knoweth him; but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and fhall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you. Yet, a little while, and the world feeth me no more; but ye fee.me: becaufe: I live, ye fhall live alfo. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I you. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me, fhall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifeft myself to him. Judas faith unto him, (not Ifcariot) Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifeft thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jefus answered, and faid unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and makè our abode with him. He that loveth me not, keepeth not my my fayings; and the word which you hear, is not mine, but the Fathers which fent me. These things have I spoken unto you, being gyet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will fend in my name, he fhall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have faid anto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not demli to ni lilɔ si o nzig Eco fold brow als

And we will come unto him, &c. i. e. by that Spirit whofe Temple is the Body of the Saints, 1 Corse ii. 16-vi. 13. and by whofe union with them they are made an habitation of God, Ephef. ii. 22. How

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is in Company with the greatest of Beings. Even in the Hour of Death, he confiders the pains of his diffolution to be nothing else but the breaking down that partition, which fands betwixt his Soul, and the fight of that Being,, who is always prefent with him, and is about to manifest itself to him in fulnefs of joy. If we would be thus happy, and thus "fenfible of our Makers prefence, from the fecret effects of his mercy and goodnefs we muft keep fuch a watch over all our Thoughts, that in the language of the Scripture, his Soul may have pleasure in ust We must take care not to grieve his Holy Spirit, and endeavour to make the Meditations of our Heart always acceptable in his fight, that he may

happy therefore (fays an ingenious Writer) is an intellectual Being, who by Prayer and Meditation, by Virtue and good Works, opens this Communication "between God and his own Soul! tho' the whole Creation frowns upon him, and all Nature looks black about him, he has liis light and fupport within him, that are able to cheer his Mind, and bear him " up in the midft of all thofe horrors that encompas him. In the midst of Calumny and Contempt, he ats" "tends to that Being who whispers better Things with

"in his Soul, and whom he looks upon as his Defendelight thus to refide and dwell in us." See Specta

der, his Glory, and the lifter up of his Head. In tor, No. 57 his deepest folitude and retirement he knows that he

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as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Ye have heard how I faid unto you, I go away, and come again unto you.. loved me, ye would rejoice, because I faid, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it come to pass, that when it is come to pafs, ye might believe. Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. But that the World may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even fo I do. Monday in Whitfun-week.

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The Collect.

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OD, who as at this time didst teach the hearts of thy faithful people, by the fending to them the light of thy Holy Spirit; Grant us by the fame Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort, through the merits of Christ Jefu our Saviour, whọ liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the fame Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen,

TH

For the Epiftle. Acts 10. 34.

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HEN Peter opened his mouth, and faid, Of a truth I per-, ceive that God is no refpecter of perfons; but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. The word which God fent unto the children of Ifrael, preaching peace by Jefus Chrift (he is Lord of all) That word, I fay, you know, which was published throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee, after the baptifm which John preached: How God anointed Jefus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost, and with power, who

Paraphrafe on the Collect for O God who as at this Seafon didit inftruct the first Christians by the miraculous illumination of thy Holy Spirit. Give as we beseech thee by the fame Spirit, a right knowledge of all things pertaining to our Salva

↑ Of a truth I perceive that God, &c. St. Peter thus refutes that miftaken opinion of the Jews, that they were the only acceptable People to God; and that merely on account of the Nation and Ancestors to which they belonged; but he here fhews that Men not only of the Jewish, but of any other Nation may be ac

Monday in Whitsan-Week.

tion; and a holy joy and confolation under all our Trials and Afflictions, through the Merits of our Sa viour, Chrift Jefus, who reigneth with thee and the fame Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

ceptable to God, not on account of their defcent or Circumcifion, but because they fear God and work Righteousness. And from the calling of Cornelius it is evident that fome of other Nations owning the true God, not only might, but did fear God and work Righteoufnefs before their converfion to Chriftianity.

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went about doing good, and healing all that were oppreffed of the devil: for God was with him. And we are witneffes of all things which he did, both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerufalem; whom they flew and hanged on a tree: Him God raised up the third day, and fhewed him openly; not to all the people, but unto witneffes chofen before of God; even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rofe from the dead. And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to teftify that it is he which was ordamed of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. To him give all the prophets witnefs, that through his Name whofoever believeth in him, fhall receive remiffion of fins. While Peter yet spake thefe words, the Holy Ghoft fell on all them who heard the word. And they of the circumcifion who believed, were aftonished, as many as came with Peter, because, that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghoft. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then anfwered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that thefe should not be baptized, who have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.

The Gospel. S. John 3. 16.

YOD fo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,

that whofoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlafting life. For God fent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be faved. He that believeth on him, is not condemned: but he that believeth not, is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. *For every one

↑ Can any Man forbid Water, Sc. Thefe Words contain a plain and convincing demonstration of the necefity of Water Baptifm; fince the Apoftle here not

only declares that it ought to be administered to thefe Perfons who had received the Baptifm of the Spirit; but commanded them to be baptized on that account.

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that doeth evil, hateth the light neither cometh to the light, left his deeds fhould be reproved. But he that doeth truth, cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifeft, that they are wrought in God.

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NOD, who as at this time didst teach the hearts of thy faithful people, by the fending to them the light of thy holy Spi rit; Grant us by the fame Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort, through the merits of Chrift Jefu our Saviour, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the fame Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

WE

For the Epifle. Acts 8. 14.

HEN the Apostles who were at Jerufalem, heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they fent unto them Peter and John; who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghoft. (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghoft.

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The Gospel. S. John 10, 1.

Erily, verily I fay unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the fheep-fold, but climbeth up fome other way, the fame is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the

Paraphrafe on the Collect O God, who, as at this feafon, didft enlighten the Minds of the firft Chriftians by the wonderful defcent of the Holy Spirit upon them: Grant us, by the fame Spirit, a clear cifcernment of our duty, and a conti

For every one that doeth evil, c. Wicked Men who cleave to their Sins because of the prefent pleafure they find in them, cannot endure true Doctrine, because it fhews their actions in a proper light, condemns them and raises qualms of Conscience that are extremely painful and not eafily to be quieted. But every good Man defires, and rejoices in the Knowledge of his duty because it fhews him that his deeds are

for Tuesday in Whitsun-Week..

nual joy and confolation) under all our Afflictions, through, the Merits of thy Son our Saviour, who reigneth with thee and the fame Spirit,- one God, for ever and ever.

wrought in the fear, and according to the will of God. + And ibey received the Holy Ghost. That is, fuch as the Holy Ghoft had pointed out to be ordained Minifters, or to do facred Offices in the affemblies.-Upon theje, by the laying on of the Apofles Hands, were con ferred the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit, fuch as fpeaking in various Languages, and Prophecying See chap. xix. 7:

door, is the fhepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the fheep hear his voice and he calleth his own fheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own fheep, he goeth before them, and the fheep follow him; for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow; but will flee from him; for they know not the voice of ftrangers. This parable spake Jefus unto them but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. Then faid Jefus unto them again, Verily, verily I fay unto you, I am the door of the sheep. *All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he fhall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not but for to fteal, and to kill and to deftroy: I am come, that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

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Trinity Sunday.
The Collect.

Lmighty and everlasting God, who has given unto us thy fervants grace, by the confeffion of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, in the power of the divine Majefty to worship the unity; We befeech thee, that thou wouldest keep us ftedfaft in this faith, and evermore defend us from all adverfities, who liveft and reigneft one God, world without end. Amen.

Paraphrafe on the Collect for Trinity Sunday.

O moft mighty and eternal God, who hait taught us thy Servants, according to the profeffion of a right Faith to acknowledge the Divinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and in the power of thy Majefty to

↑ And be calleth his own Sheep by Name, &c. This is in allufion to the customs of Judea, where Shepherds had Names for their Sheep, who answered to them as Dogs and Horfes do with us, following to the Pastures, and wherever their Shepherds thought fit to lead them. The moral meaning of this circumftance is, that good Men are obedient to the inftructions of good and faithful Teachers, who shew them their Duty both by precept and example with great plainnefs; not conceal

worship one God; we beseech thee to keep vs firm in this belief and continually to preferve us from all evil, who liveft and reigneft one God for ever and ever.

ing it because it may be difagreeable to their inclina-tions.

All that ever came before me, &c. That is, a'l thofe who in former times affumed the character of Teachers of Religion, without commiffion from me are impoftors, whofe only defign is to fleece the People whom they pretend to inftruct, and to promote their own worldly intereft at the expence of Mens Souls.

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