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infomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to fay, The field of blood. For it is written in the book of Pfalms, Let his habitation be defolate, and let no man dwell therein; and his Bishoprick let another take. Wherefore of thefe men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jefus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptifm of John, unto that fame day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witnefs with us of his refurrection.. And they appointed two, Jofeph called Barfabas, who was furnamed Juftus, and Matthias. And they prayed, and faid, Thou, Lord, which knoweft the hearts of all men, fhew whether of these two thou haft chofen; that he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by tranfgreffion fell, that he might go to his own place. And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven Apoftles. The Gospel. S. Matth. 11. 25.

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T that time Jesus answered and faid, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, becaufe thou haft hid these tling from the wife and prudent, and haft revealed them unto babes. Even fo, Father, for so it seemed good in thy fight. All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, fave the Son, and he to whom foever the Son will reveal him. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you reft. Take Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your fouls, For my yoke is eafy, and my burden is light.

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The Annunciation of the Virgin Mary.

The Collect.

E befeech thee, O Lord, pour thy grace into our hearts, that as we have known the incarnation of thy Son Jefus

Babes. Here fignify Perfons who to common Docility, and all the other engaging qualities that are understandings, join the beft di pofitions of Heart, fuch to be found in Children.

as Meekness, Modefty, Innocence, Honetty, Humility,

Chrift by the meffage of an angel; so by his cross and paffion we may be brought unto the glory of his refurrection, through the fanie Jefus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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For the Epiftle. Ifai. 7. 10.

Oreover the Lord spake again unto Ahaz, saying, Ask thee

a fign of the Lord thy God; afk it either in the depth, or in the height above. But Ahaz faid, I will not afk, neither will I tempt the Lord. And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David, Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God alfo? Therefore the Lord himself fhall give you a fign, +Behold, a virgin fhall conceive and bear a Son, and fhall call his name Immanuel. Butter and hony fhall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.

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The Gofpel. S. Luke 1. 26.

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ND in the fixth month the angel Gabriel was fent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin efpoused to a man whofe name was Jofeph, of the house of David; and the virgins name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and faid, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee; bleffed art thou among women. And when the faw him, she was troubled at his faying, and caft in her mind what manner of falutation this should be. And the angel faid unto her, Fear not, Mary; for thou haft found favour with God. And behold, thou fhalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a Son, and shalt call his Name Jefus. He fhall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God fhall give unto him the throne of his father David. And he fhall reign over the house of Jacob

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Paraphrafe on the Collet for the O Lord, we intreat thee, fo to influence our Minds by thy Grace, that as the Incarnation of thy Son was made known by the Miniftry of an Angel; fo for the

↑ Behold a Virgin shall conceive, &c. This prophecy evidently relates to the Birth of our Saviour, and was delivered above 700 Years before the event.

It was

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Annunciation of the Virgin Mary.

fake of his meritorious Death and Sufferings we may
be raised from the Grave to everlafting Happiness;
through the fame Jefus Christ our Lord.

given to affure the Ifraelites that tho' they were then powerfully befet with Enemies, yet that the House of David fhould not be utterly destroyed.

for ever, and of his kingdom there fhall be no end. Then faid Mary unto the angel, §How fhall this be, feeing I know not a man? And the angel anfwered and faid unto her, The Holy Ghoft fhall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overfhadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which fhall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God. And behold, thy coufin Elifabeth, fhe hath alfo conceived a fon in her old age; and this is the fixth month with her who was called barren. For with God nothing fhall be impoffible. And Mary faid, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

Saint Mark's Day.

The Collect.

Almighty God, who haft inftructed thy holy Church with the heavenly doctrine of thy Evangelift Saint Mark; Give us grace, that being not like children carried away away with every blaft of vain doctrine, we may be established in the truth of thy holy Gofpel, through Jefus Chriftour Lord. Amen.

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The Epiftle. Ephef. 4. 7. !

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TO every one of us is given grace, according to the measure of the gift of Chrift. Wherefore he faith, When he afcended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he afcended, what is it but that he alfo defcended firft into the lower parts of the earth? He that defcended is the fame alfo that afcended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things) And he gave fome apoftles, and fome prophets, and fome evangelifts, and fome paftors and teachers; for the perfecting of the faints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying.

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of the body of Chrift; till we all come in the unity of the faith; and of the knowledge of the Son of God, *unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the ftature of the fulness of Chrift: that we henceforth be no more children toffed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the fleight of men, and cunning craftinefs, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but fpeaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Chrift: From whom the whole body fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body, unto the edifying of itself in love.

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The Gospel. S. John 15. 1.

Am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh away; and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the fame bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is caft forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and caft them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask -what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; fo fhall ye be my difciples. As the Father hath loved me, fo have I loved you; continue ye in

Unto a perfect Man. By this is meant fuch a competent Knowledge of Chrift and his Gofpel, and fuch degrees of Piety and Holinefs; as may be efteemed the maturity and full growth of Chriftians, according to thofe measures of each, whereof our nature and ftate are capable. But abfolute freedom from Sin and Error, and perfection in Holiness, feem, not to be attainable on this fide the Grave. See 1 John i. 8.

I am the true Vine, &c. By this parabolical re

prefentation, our Saviour defcribes the intimate union which is betwixt him and his Difciples-the beneficial. effects of it,-the duty, manner, and neceffity of preferving it, and the irreparable miferies of a feparaci on. God grant that we may fo improve and become fruitful under this union, that we may not be of the number of thofe Branches which are caft out and ¡ burned.

my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye fhall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Fathers commandments, and abide in his love. Thefe things have I fpoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

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Saint Philip and Saint James's Day.

The Collect.

Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlasting life; Grant

us perfectly to know thy Son Jefus Chrift to be the way, the truth, and the life; that following the fteps of thy holy Apostles, Saint Philip and Saint James, we may ftedfaftly walk in the way that leadeth to eternal life, through the fame thy Son Jefus Chrift our Lord.

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Amen.

The Epiftle. S. James 1. I.

Ames a fervant of God, and of the Lord Jefus Chrift, to the twelve tribes which are fcattered abroad, greeting. + My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wifdom, let him afk of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it fhall be given him. But let him afk in faith, nothing wavering; for he that wavereth is like a wave of the fea, driven with the wind, and toffed. For let not that man think that he fhall receive any thing of the Lord. A double-minded man is unftable in all his ways. Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted; but the rich in that he is made low; becaufe as the flower of the grafs he fhall pass away. For the fun is no fooner rifen

Paraphrafe on the Collect for Saint Philip and Saint James's Day.
O moft mighty God, whom rightly to acknowledge
is the means of obtaining eternal Happ nefs. Give us
Grace firmly to acknowledge thy Son Jefus Chrift to
be the true Way that leadeth to everlafting Life; that

by following the examples of Saint Philip and James
we may fteadily purfue the Road to endless Blifs,
through the fame Jefus Chrift our Saviour.

My Brethren count it all Joy, Sc. That is, be not difcouraged, but rejoice at Afflictions: efpecially thefe which God fends for the fake of Religion, and to prove your Virtue and Conflancy. Becaufe fuch Trials exercife your Patience, a Virtue, which, if

improved to its jutt height, will contribute greatly to your Chriftian perfection. For where this perfect Work of Patience is, there must be a ftrong Faith, firm Fortitude, an exact knowledge of our Duty, a meek and quiet Spirit, a true christian Charity for our Perfecu

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