things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? If I muft needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities. The God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.

W.

The Gofpel. S. Luke 8. 4.

Hen much people were gathered together, and were come

to him out of every city, he spake by a parable: A fower went out to fow his feed and as he fowed, fome fell by the way-side, and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. And fome fell upon a rock, and as foon as it was fprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. And fome fell among thorns, and the thorns fprang up with it, and, choked it. And other fell on good ground, and fprang up, and bare fruit an hundred-fold. And when he had faid these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear let him hear. And his difciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be? And he faid, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that feeing they might not fee, and hearing they might not understand. Now the parable is this; The feed is the word of God. Those by the way-fide are they that hear; § then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, left they should believe and be faved. They

But to others in parables, that seeing, &c. Or as it is otherwife exprefled by St. Matth. xiii. 13. Therefore fpeak I to them in parables: because they feeing, fee not: and bearing, they hear not, neither do they understand.That is, he fpoke to them in parables, because their ftupidity was fo grofs, and their prejudices fo numerous, that tho' they had capacities for receiving his Doctrine, yet they would not regard it, if he had fpoke in plain terms. This fhews that the blindness of the Jews was the reafon of Christ's teaching them by Parab es, and not his teaching them by Parables the reafon of their blindness.

Then cometh the Devil, &c. The perfons reprefent

on the rock are they, which when they hear, receive the word with joy; and thefe have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. + And that which fell among thorns, are they, which when when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares, and riches, and pleasures of this life, and bring no fuit to perfection. || But that on the good ground, are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

The Sunday called Quinquagefima, or the next Sunday before The Collect.

Lent.

इ

Lord, who haft taught us, that all our doings without cha

are pour OL rity are nothing worth; Send thy Holy Ghost, and

into our hearts that most excellent gift of charity, the very bond of peace, and of all virtues, without which whofoever liveth is counted dead before thee. Grant this for thine only Son Jefus Chrifts fake. Amen.

T

The Epiftle. 1 Cor. 13. I.

Hough I fpeak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as founding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and underftand all myfteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith,

Paraphrafe on the Colle & for Quinquagefima Sunday.

O Lord, who has taught us that all our beft Works are of no value, if they proceed not from a principle of Charity; bestow upon us, by thy Holy Spirit, this moft excellent difpofition, the means to make us per

↑ And that which fell among Thorns, &c. The Ground full of Thorns, which fprang up with the Seed, and choked it, reprefents thofe who receive the Word into Hearts full of worldly Cares, which fooner or later destroy whatever Convictions, or good Refolutions are raised by it. Worldly Cares are justly compared to Thorns, not only because of their pernicious effects, but because they are to be rooted out with great difficulty.

But that on the good Ground, &c. The good Ground, the boneft and good Hearts, fignify fuch as endeavour to understand the Word; and are difpofed to believe the Truth, tho' contrary to their prejudices, and to practife it tho' oppofite to their inclinations; and join

fectly peaceable and virtuous; and without which we may be justly accounted dead in Sin, even whilft we enjoy an animal Life. Grant this for the fake of thy Son Jefus Christ.

thereto firmness of Refolution, and a due government of their paffions. Such, by the Blefling of God, will be likely to bring forth the Fruits of Righteouf nefs abundantly.

Quinquagefima Sunday is fo called, because it is fifty Days before Eafter. And as the Church had appointed a Faft of forty Days before Eafter, which begins on the Wednesday before Quadragefima Sunday.So it was ordered by Telefphorus and Gregory Bishops of Rome, that all Priefts fhould begin their Fafts two Days fooner: that as they preceded the People in dignity, they might also precede them in fanctity: Wherefore to the Week of Quadragefima was this other added named Quinquagefima.

fo that I could remove mountains, and have no charity, I am nothing. And though I beftow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity fuffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unfeemly, * feeketh not her own, is not eafily provoked, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, + believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they fhall fail; whether there be tongues, they fhall ceafe; whether there be knowledge, it fhall vanifh away. For we know in part, and we prophefy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part fhall be done away. When I was child, I fpake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we fee through a glass darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then fhall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Τ'

The Gofpel. S. Luke 18. 31.

we go up

HEN Jefus took unto him the twelve, and faid unto them, Behold, took to Jerufalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man fhall be accomplished. For he fhall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and fhall be mocked, and fpitefully intreated, and spitted on. And

P 2

Seeketh not her own. Charity does not confine its endeavours to the private good of the Person who is poffeffed of it; but continually excites us to promote the welfare of all Men according to our ability and opportunity.

↑ Believeth all Things, bopeth all Things, endureth all Things Where there is any just reafon to fuppofe the Perfon accufed is not guilty of the charge laid a gainst him, Charity will incline us to believe him innocent. And even where the circumstances alledged against him cannot be entirely refuted; yet even here

Charity will difpofe us to hope Things are not fo bad as they are represented; or to hope at leaft for the Offenders reformation. Nay even when the charitable Perfon is in fome degree a fufferer by an inconfiderate Brother; (where his Crimes are not of fuch a nature as to require his punishment, for the fake of the public)

the charitable Perfon will endure his Wrongs with patience will conceal his Faults from the World; and endeavour to win him over to a better Mind, by gen tlenefs, meeknefs, and good offices.

And

they fhall fcourge him, and put him to death; and the third day he fhall rife again. * And they understood none of these things: and this faying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken. And it came to pafs, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man fat by the way-fide begging: and hearing the multitude pafs by, he asked what it meant. And they told him that Jefus of Nazareth paffeth by. And he cried, faying, Jefus thou fon of David, have mercy on me. they which went before rebuked him, that he fhould hold his peace: but he cried fo much the more, Thou fon of David, have mercy on me. And Jefus ftood and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him, faying, What wilt thou that I fhould do unto thee? And he said, 'Lord, that I may receive my fight. And Jefus faid unto him, Receive thy fight; thy faith hath faved thee. § And immediately he received his fight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they faw it, gave praise unto God. The first day of Lent, commonly called Afb-wednesday: || *

The Collect.

Almighty and everlafting God, who hateft nothing that thou

haft made, and doft forgive the fins of all them that are penitent; Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we

** And they underflood none of thefe Things. Our Lord's Difciples, through their ignorance of the Scriptures, could not imagine how the Things which Jefus had told them fhould happen to him. Becaufe as they had all along looked upon him as the Meffiah, and, as fuch, expected him to take upon himself the dignity and power of a temporal Prince; they could not fee how his having dominion over the World could be confiftent with the fufferings he had told them he must undergo. This blindness, which was the confequence of national prejudice, continued upon them till the Holy Spirit defcended upon them at the Feast of Pentecolt. + A certain blind Man, &c. St. Matthew mentions two who received their Sight at that Time. But the reason why only one of them is taken notice of by St. Mark and Luke is, probably, because one of the Beggars was more remarkable than the other, being the

Son of Timeus, who feems to have been a Perfon of fome diftinction; and that having fallen into poverty and blindnefs, he was forced to beg for his Bread.

Thy Faith bath faved thee. That is, thy Faith hath made thee a proper Object of this Mercy.

And immediately be received his Sight, &c. Thus, fays "Eramus, Jefus, by his Touch, cures the Mind "that is blinded with worldly Lufts; and gives light "for this end, that we may follow his steps.

"

Lent. Is fo called from the antient Name of March, which by the Saxons was named Lenet, Monat, or Length Month because the Days then begin to exceed the Nights in length. For this reafon, as the forty Days Abftinence are generally a part of this Month, they were therefore called Lent.

*Afb-wednesday is fo called from the antient custom of Fafting that Day in Sackcloth and Ashes.

worthily lamenting our fins, and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remiffion and forgiveness, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen.

This Collect is to be read every day in Lent, after the Collect appointed for the day!

Nye

For the Epiftle..

Epifle. Joel. 2. 12.

+T URN ye even to me, faith the Lord, with all your heart,

and with fafting, and with weeping, and with mourning. And rent your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, flow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he will return, and repent, and leave a' blessing behind him, even a meat-offering, and a drink-offering unto the Lord your God? ‡ Blow the trumpet in Zion, fanctify a fast, call a folemn affembly, gather the people, fanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and thofe that fuck the breafts ; let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet; let the priests, the minifters of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them fay, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore fhould they fay among the people, Where is their God Pel wen Blored : sorb bos

WH

The Gospel S. Matth. 6. 16.

HEN ye faft, be not as the hypocrites, of a fad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men

Paraphrafe on the Collect for Afb-wednesday.

Moft might and eternal God, who loveft thy Creatures, and haft promised to pardon the Sins of fuch as are truly penitent: Infpire us with hearty Repentance for our Tranfgrefons, and new Refolutions of better Obedience for the future; that we thus fhewing a be

↑ Turn ze even to him, &c. Obferve here that Fafting and all other outward figns of penitence will nothing avail without a real contrition and change of Heart, and turning to the Lord by a new Obedience. Blow the Trumpet in Zion, &c.. This hews that it is not only requifite that every particular Perfon hould fhew acts of Contrition for his Sins in private;

coming forrow for our Offences, and a fenfe of our mifery without thy Mercy, may obtain full Reconciliation with thee the God of all goodness, through Jefus Christ our Lord.

but that Times alfo fhould be fet apart for publick Humiliation for our national Offences; and that People may then offer up their united Supplications in the Affemblies, to avert God's difpleafure.

When ye faft, be not as the Hypocrites, &c. Our Lord herein teacheth us that on any occafion of abftinence we ought not to be formal and vain glorious, like those