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clouds, with power and great glory: And when these things ‡ begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. And he spake to them a parable, Behold the Fig-tree, and all the trees; When they now shoot forth, ye fee and know of your own selves that fummer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye fee these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, § This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled: heaven and earth shall pass away; but my words shall not pass away.

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Lord Jefu Christ, who at thy first coming didit fend thy messenger to prepare thy way before thee; Grant that the ministers and stewards of thy mysteries, may likewise so prepare and make ready thy way, by turning the hearts of the disobe

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Paraphrafe on the Collect for

O Saviour of the World, who, at thy first appearance, didit send John the Baptist to prepare the People for thy reception by the preaching of Repentance; give Grace to the Ministers of thy Word so to imitate the. Baptift's example, by labouring to convert Sinners

† And when these things begin to come to pass, &c. As our Saviour thus comforted his Disciples by affuring them that the destruction of Jerufalem, should be means of delivering them from the oppreffion of the Jews; fo may every meek and patient Follower of Chrift comfort himself under every calamity by the approaching of the Day of Judgment, when all his Sorrows shall be done away and every oppression shall

ceafe.

This generation shall not pass &c. This expression plainly shews that the foregoing prophecy relates to the deftruction of Jerufalem which happened about thirty-eight Years after our Lord's Crucifixion; when, it may be supposed that the greatest part of the People were living who were born at the Time of our Saviour's preaching. And tho' many of the circumstances of this Prophecy may feem to be strongly descriptive of the Day of Judgment: yet the signs in the Sun and in the Moon and in the Stars, or as St. Mat

the third Sunday in Advent.

from the paths of Error into the way of Righteousness, that when thou shalt come again at the last Day to judge the quick and the dead, we may obtain Mercy and Favour from thee, who reignest with the Father, and the Holy Spirit, one God, through all Eternity.

thew and Mark express it the Sun shall be darkened, and the Moon shall not give her Light, and the Stars shall fall from Heaven, these are figurative Expreffions which fignified that the Jewish Government should be utterly diffolved, as also the Son of Man coming in a Cloud with Power and great Glory, fignified the Roman Armies who by the authority of Christ should come to execute punishment on the Jewish Nation.

|| As John the Baptist was sent to prepare our Saviour's way before him, with a view to his first coming; so the Ministers of the Gospel are appointed for the fame purpose, with a regard to his second coming. It becomes them therefore to imitate his example, not only in calling Men to Repentance by their Doctrines; but also in giving weight to their Doctrines by a life of strict Virtue. And it no less becomes the People to pay due attention to their Instructions, and to pray that God will give success to their labours.

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dient to the wisdom of the just that at thy second coming to judge the world, we may be found an acceptable people in thy fight, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

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ET a man fo account of us, as of the minifters of Chrift, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing, that I should be judged of you, or of mans judgment: yea, I judge not my own self. For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me, is the Lord. * Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifeft the counsels of the hearts; and then shall every man have praise of God.

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OW when John had heard in the prison the works of Chrift, he sent two of his disciples, and said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and fee: The blind receive their fight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleanfed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. offended in me.

* Therefore judge nothing before the Time, &c. i. e. beware of indulging yourselves in evilspeaking, or uncharitable censures against your Teachers, or the reft of your Chriftian Brethren; because you can neither be proper judges of the principles or ends of their actions. But wait with Humility for that great Day, when the Lord Jesus fhall appear, and call every Man to an account. Then, even the most secret actions shall be laid open, and the inmost Thoughts and Intentions of the Heart shall be disclosed; and every Man shall be rewarded according to his Works.

† Now when John had heard, &c. This Message from John to enquire whether Jesus was the Meffias or not, does not seem to have proceeded from want of Faith, (because that seems to have been established by

the extraordinary Testimonies which were given to our Lord at his Baptifm) but from discontent that Jesus did not exert his power to deliver him from Prifon: probably fuppofing, like the Jews, that the Kingdom of the Meffias would be temporal, and that he would preserve his People from the malice of their Enemies.Thus even good Men are sometimes apt to be dissatiffied with the dealings of Providence, through not considering for what wife purposes God may suffer them to be tried and afflicted. For had our Saviour delivered John from Prison, it would have been so far from being a furtherance to the Gospel, that Men might have been apt to say, that they two were combined together to advance each others reputation.

And blessed is he whosoever shall not be

And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see ? A reed shaken with the wind ? But what went ye out for to fee? A man clothed in soft raiment ? Behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings houses. But what went ye out for to fee? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way be

fore thee.

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Lord, raise up (we pray thee) thy power, and come among us, and with great might fuccour us; that whereas, through our fins and wickedness, we are fore let and hindered in running the race that is set before us, thy bountiful grace and mercy may speedily help and deliver us, through the fatisfaction of thy Son our Lord; to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be honour and glory, world without end. Amen.

The Epistle. Phil. 4. 4.

Rejoice in the Lord alway, and again, I fay, Rejoice. Let

your moderation be known unto all. men.

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Lord is

Paraphrafe on the Collect for

O Lord we beseech thee to grant us thy help and protection that by thy merciful afsistance we may be releafed from the dominion of Sin which is a woeful im

Juftly is the Chriftian Life compared to a Race, because we diligently pursue a certain regular course, in order to reach the Goal of Happiness. And we are let and hindered in running this Race by the weight of worldly cares and affections, and the Sin which doth most easily befet us. By this Collect therefore we are taught where to apply for help and deliverance under these difficulties.

Let your Moderation be known, &c. The Moderation hereby recommended, is such a Meekness and

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pediment to us in the course of our duty. Grant this
for the merits of Jesus Christ, to whom with thee and
the Holy Spirit be ascribed all Honour and Glory forever.

calm Compofure of Mind, fuch a Candour and Lenity
of Temper, as will dispose us not too rigoroufly to ex-
act even our just Right, nor to be impatient in fuffer-
ing wrong: but to treat even our Enemies with for-
bearance, where the injuries they do us are of a pri-
vate nature and never to let difference of perfuafion
destroy our Christian Charity; because the Day is
coming, when, our Judge Chrift Jesus shall make full
amends for all our condefcenfions, and reward all our
patience.

at hand. + Be careful for nothing: but in every thing by prayer and fupplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which paffeth all un derstanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Chrift Jefus.

HIS

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The Gospel. S. John 1. 19.

T is the record of John, when the Jews sent Priests and

Levites from Jerufalem, to ask him, Who art thou? And he confeffed and denied not; but confeffed, I am not the Chrift. And they asked him what then? Art thou Elias? and he faith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an anfwer to them that sent us. What sayeft thou of thyself? f He faid, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as faid the prophet Efaias: and they which were fent, were of the Pharifees. And they asked him, and faid unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that Prophet? John answered them, faying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not. He it is who coming after me, is preferred before me, whose shoes latchet I am not worthy to unloofe. These things were done in Bethabara, beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

The Nativity of our Lord, or the + Birth-day of CHRIST, commonly called Christmas-day.

† Becareful for nothing, Sc. It is not from hence to be supposed that we are to lay afide all care and concern about worldly Things; but only that we must not indulge such an immoderate anxiety as will make us fretful and restless, so as to be distrustful of Providence, and negligent of the one Thing needful.

This is the Record of John, &c. It is plain from this Meffage of the Jews that at that Time they expected the coming of the Messiah; and that they were to be Baptized, either by him or some of his Retinue, according to that Prophecy of Zacharias, chap, xiii. 1.

I He Said I am the Voice, &c. This answer of the

Baptift according to the prophecy of Ifaiah is in al lufion to a practice amongst the Eastern Kings; who in case of any public entry or proceffion were used to send an Herald or Harbinger to give notice of their coming, and clear the Road before them.

† As Chrift Jesus was born for us of a pure Virgin, so must we alfo be born again from a state of Sin and Corruption to a Life of Righteousness and true Holiness. And this we are taught is to be effected through the Adoption and Grace, and daily renewing of God's Holy Spirit which he has promised to all that fincerely ask it.

The Collect.

God who

given us thy only begotten Son to

take our nature upon him, and as at this time to be born of a pure Virgin; Grant that we being regenerate, and made thy children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by thy Holy Spirit, through the fame our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee, and the fame Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

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The Epistle. Hebr. 1

YOD, who at sundry times, and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, § hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds. Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our fins, fat down on the right hand of the majefty on high: Being made fo much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? And again, * when he bringeth in the first-begotten into the world, he faith, And let all the angels of God worship him. And of the angels he faith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame

Paraphrase on the Collect for Christmas-Day.

Most mighty God, who didst cause thy beloved Son Jesus Christ to take human Nature upon him, and as at this Seafon to be born of the Virgin Mary; grant that we being born again from Sin to a Life of Righreousness, and through thy favour admitted to, partake

Hath in these last Days, &c. How much reason have we to praise God, that we have thus the advantage of living under a so much more perfect Difpenfation than our Forefathers, and enjoy the Bletlings of the Gofpel!

* When be bringeth in the first begotten, &c. This

in the privileges of thy Children, may by the help of thy Spirit, be daily reformed in our dispositions, through the fame Jesus Chrift, who reigneth with thee and the fame Holy Spirit, one God now and for ever.

passage in particular, as well as this whole Epiftle in general, tends to prove the Divinity and Majefty of our Redeemer; and shews at once the unspeakable Love of God in our Redemption, and our indispensible obligation to serve and obey so powerful, so kind a Benefactor.

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