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by his Spirit in the inner man; 17. that Christ may dwell (q) in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18. may be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth (r), and length, and depth, and height; 19. and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge (s), that ye might be filled (with all the fulness of God. 20. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21. unto him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end.

Amen.

The Gospel. Luke vii. 11. AND it came to pass the day after, that Jesus went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. 12. Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold there was a dead man carried out (u), the only son (a) of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. 13. And

(q) v. 17. "May dwell, &c." i. e. " that 46 'you may make your hearts fit for his re"ception; that you may act in all instances "as if he dwelt within you; as if he ani"mated your thoughts and actions."

(r) v. 18." The breadth, &c." A figurative mode to express "perfect know"ledge;" to comprehend with the utmost accuracy, with as much certainty as a man has who has measured the breadth, length, &c. of any solid body or space.

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(s) v. 19. "Passeth knowledge," i. e. "better than all other knowledge," or, greater than any love ever known before," "so great that it can scarcely be "fully apprehended and known." See

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ante, 37. note on Philipp. iv. 7.

(t) Be filled, &c.' So as almost to be equal with God: as full of love towards others as God himself.

when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her," Weep not." 14. And he came and touched the bier and they that bare him stood still. And he said, " Young man, I (y) "say unto thee, Arise." 15. And he that was dead sat up (z), and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother. 16. And there came a fear on all and they glorified God, saying, "That a great prophet is risen up among "us;" and "That God hath visit"ed his people." 17. And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judea, and throughout all the region round about.

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Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity.

The Collect.

LORD, we pray thee, that thy grace may always prevent and follow us; and make us continually to be given to all good works, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle. Ephes. iv. 1.

I THEREFORE, the prisoner of the Lord (a), beseech you that ye

(u) v. 12. "Carried out." It not being lawful to bury within their cities.

(x)" Only Son," "and she was a wi"dow." Circumstances to shew how proper a case was selected.

(y) v. 14. "I say unto thee, &c." making no appeal to the Father; but appearing to act upon a power of his own. Graves's Trinity, 79, 80.

(z) v. 15. "Sat up." This miracle corresponds in character with the rest of our Saviour's miracles. It was public, see verses 11, 12. (much people were with our Saviour, much with the widow) a work of mercy. and typical, implying a power to raise the souls of men to life eternal.

(a) v. 1. "Of the Lord," èv Kupíw, i. e. "Christ," "for the cause of Christianity," on account of my exertions to establish Christ's religion. St. Paul was then in confinement at Rome.

walk (b) worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2. with all lowliness (c) and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love; 3. endeavouring (d) to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4. There is one body (e) and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5. one Lord (g) one faith, one baptism, 6. one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

The Gospel. Luke xiv. 1. Ir came to pass, as Jesus went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath-day, that they watched him. 2. And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy. 3. And Jesus answering, spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, "Is it lawful to "heal (h) on the sabbath-day ?" 4. And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go; 5. and answered them, saying, "Which of you shall have

(b) "Walk." It is observable how constantly St. Paul calls their attention to their conduct; to the necessity of shewing by their works that they were Christians.

(c) v. 2. "Lowliness, &c." The nature of the virtues St. Paul recommends also requires attention: such as our Saviour had prescribed: not those the world admires, active courage, a quick sense of honour, impatience of injuries, &c. but meekness and forbearance.

(d) v. 3. "Endeavouring, &c." to preserve the strictest unanimity to avoid all dissentions; and he presses it upon them, by the consideration that there is only one Spirit, not several; one Christian Church, not several; one hope, not several, &c. &c. See ante.

(e) v. 4. "One body," i. e. " of Christ. "and Christians, Christ being the head." Thus he says, 1 Cor. xii. 12. "As the body "is one, and hath many members, and all "the members of that one body, being

an ass or an ox fallen into a "pit, and will not straightway "pull him out on the sabbath

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day?" 6. And they could not answer him again to these things. 7. And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them, 8. "When (i) thou art bidden of "any man to a wedding, sit not "down in the highest room; lest "a more honourable man than "thou be bidden of him; 9. and "he that bade thee and him come "and say to thee, "Give this man

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place;" and thou begin with "shame to take the lowest room.

10. But when thou art bidden, "go and sit down in the lowest "room; that when he that bade "thee cometh, he may say unto

thee," Friend, go up higher:"

then shalt thou have worship in "the presence of them that sit at "meat with thee. 11. For whoso"ever exalteth himself shall be “abased; and he that humbleth (k) "himself shall be exalted."

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Saint Matthew the Apostle.

The Collect.

O ALMIGHTY God, who by thy

blessed Son didst call Matthew from the receipt of custom, to be an Apostle and Evangelist; Grant us grace to forsake all covetous desires and inordinate love of riches, and to follow the same thy Son Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

The Epistle. 2 Cor. iv. 1. THEREFORE seeing we have this ministry (7), as we have received mercy (m), we faint not (n); 2. but have renounced (0) the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the

() v. 1. This ministry," i. e. "of the "gospel dispensation.'

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(m)" As we have received mercy," i. e. (perhaps) in return for the great mercy we have received, as a proper acknow"ledgment for it."

(n)" Faint not." St. Paul's exertions are a decisive proof of his conviction and sincerity. Let a man have full means of conviction, (as St. Paul must have had) let him go through what St. Paul describes himself to have suffered, (2 Cor. xi. 23. ante, 80.) and let him have no object but such as St. Paul had, not temporal power or honour, but the advancement of goodness and God's glory, and who can doubt his sincerity? Lord Lyttelton considers St. Paul's conduct alone sufficient to prove the truth of the Christian religion. See Lord Lyttelton on the conversion of St. Paul; a work well worth attention!

(0) v. 2. "Renounced, &c." i. e. perhaps, by "abstaining from all sin, using no deceit "to advance Christianity, and having no "object in view but man's happiness and "God's glory." It is a strong argument of the sincere conviction of the apostles, that they could have had no purpose of their own in preaching the gospel. It led to no temporal rewards, it exposed them to great dangers and persecutions.

(p) v. 3. "If, &c." Sin is elsewhere noticed as the great obstacle to belief. Not that the evidence is not abundantly suffi

word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth com

mending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 3. But if (p) our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4. in whom the (q) God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the (r) image of God, should shine unto them. 5. For we preach not ourselves (s), but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves, your servants for Jesus' sake. 6. For God, who commanded the light (†) to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face (u) of Jesus Christ.

cient, but that sin either obstructs examination, or perverts the judgment. St. John says, John iii. 19. " Light is come into the "world, and men loved darkness rather "than light, because their deeds were evil. "For every one that doeth evil, hateth the "light, neither cometh to the light, lest "his deeds should be reproved." Post, 230. John xv. 21.

(q) v. 4. "The God of this world," in opposition to the true God, the God of heaven. (r) "The image, &c." So Coloss. i. 15, and Heb.i.3. (ante, 43.)78 Χριςᾶ, ὅς ἐσιν ἐικὼν 7Θεᾷ.

(s) v. 5. "Not ourselves." Without any views of our own. Not seeking glory, or honour, or power, or profit, or any thing for ourselves.

(t) v. 6. "The light, &c." referring to his command at the creation, "Let there "be light. Gen. i. 3."

This is sup(u)" In the face, &c." posed to allude to what is mentioned of Moses, Exod. xxxiv. 29 to 35. When he came down from Mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in his hand, the skin of his face shone, so that Aaron and the children of Israel were afraid to come near him. St. Paul had referred to this in the preceding chapter, 2 Cor. iii. 7. ante, 204. The meaning (probably) is, that if the Mosaic dispensation were glorious, and entitled to such a mark of distinction, the gospel dispensation was much more glorious, and brought infinitely more light into the world.

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The Gospel. Matt. ix. 9. AND as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named

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Matthew (a), sitting at the receipt (y) of custom; and he saith unto him, "Follow me." And he arose, and followed him. 10. And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house (≈), behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. 11. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eat"eth your master with publicans "and sinners ?" 12. But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, " They that be whole (a) "need not a physician, but they "that are sick. 13. But go ye and "learn what that meaneth, "I "will have mercy, and not sacrifice (b)" for I am not come to "call the righteous, but sinners to "repentance."

(x) v. 9. "Matthew," i. e. " St. Matthew "the Evangelist."

(y)" The receipt of custom." He was what they called a publican, a collector of the Roman taxes: an office in great disrepute among the Jews, but very lucrative: he calls himself, Matth. x. 3. "Matthew "the publican."

(z) v. 10. "The house," i. e. “Matthew's." Mark ii. 15. Luke v. 29. he made a great "feast in his own house, and there "was a great company of publicans and "of others that sat down with him."

(a) v. 12. "They that be whole, &c." Probably a proverb. "My object is to "assist where assistance is most wanted: "to relieve those who most require relief. "I associate with them, not because their "practices and principles are acceptable "to me, but that I may correct those prac"tices and principles."

(b) v. 13. Mercy and not sacrifice," from Hos. vi. 6. "Mercy rather than sacrifice," that love of God which is shewn "in "acts of benevolence to man, rather than "that which is shewn in ceremonial acts "of worship to God: that mercy which "will reform sinners, rather than that out"ward ceremonial attention to God's com

Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity.

The Collect.

LORD, we beseech thee, grant

thy people grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil; and with pure hearts and minds to follow thee the only God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle. 1 Cor. i. 4.

I THANK my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God (c) which is given you by Jesus Christ; 5. that in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; 6. even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: 7. so that ye come behind in no gift (d); waiting for the coming (e) of our

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"mands, which would keep us from their company. The substance, rather than "the appearance. The important part of "converting a sinner, rather than the ex"ternal shew of respect to God, by avoid"ing him." Stanh. i. 7.

(c) v. 4. "Grace of God." "The gifts of "the Spirit, with which they were endowed" (as explained in v. 5.) " in all utterance "and knowledge."

(d) v. 7. "In no gift." How continually do we meet with passages which have a tendency to shew that Christianity had the testimony of God? In this epistle, 1 Cor. xii. 9, 10. (ante, 201.) St. Paul enumerates amongst the gifts of the Spirit, that of healing, of working miracles, of divers kind of tongues, of interpreting tongues, &c. Here he tells them that

they come behind in no gift." Could he have said this had they not possessed these gifts? How would they have treated him and his epistle had the assertion been false? But if they had these gifts, they were the attestation of God to the Christian cause, that it had his sanction, and that its pretensions were just.

(e) v. 7." The coming," i. e. the period so often referred to under the expression

(g) Lord Jesus Christ; 8. who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our (g) Lord Jesus Christ.

The Gospel. Matt. xxii. 34. WHEN the Pharisees had heard that Jesus had put the Sadducees to silence (h), they were gathered together. 35. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 36. "Master, which is the great "commandment in the law ?" 37. Jesus said unto him, "Thou "shalt love (i) the Lord thy God "with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. "38. This is the first and great com"mandment. 39. And the second

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" is like unto it, Thou shalt love (i) thy neighbour as thyself. 40. On "these two commandments hang "(k) all the law and the prophets." 41. While the Pharisees were gath

of the "coming," or "day of the Lord." "The time when signal vengeance was to "be taken upon the great opposers of "Christianity, the unbelieving Jews." See

ante, 28. note on Rom. xiii. 11.

(g) v. 7, 8. "Our Lord," 75 Kupie quav. (h) v. 34. "To silence," by establishing that important truth, "the resurrection of "the dead."

(i) v. 37. 39. "Thou shalt love, &c." The first passage is a quotation from Deut. vi. 5. the second from Levit. xix. 18. (See ante, 207.) The lawyer who put the question to our Saviour, "What he should "do to inherit eternal life ?" (Luke x. 27. ante, 207.) treated this as the substance of the law our Saviour said unto him, "What is written in the law? how readest "thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt "love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, "and with all thy soul, and with all thy "strength, and with all thy mind; and "thy neighbour as thyself."

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(k) v. 40. "Hang, &c."

"It is to one or the other of these two great points, "the love of God or the love of man, that "whatever is contained in the writings

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(m) v. 43. " In spirit," i. e. "when "under the influence of inspiration."

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(n) v. 43. 44. 45. "Lord," and "unto my Lord." Kúpiov, and 7 Kupię μe. See ante, 29. note (m)

(o) v. 44. "The Lord, &c." the first verse of Psalm cx.

(p) v. 45. "How, &c." not that our Saviour meant to insinuate that he was not David's Son as well as David's Lord: but to point to the singularity of his nature: David's Son, after the flesh, as being born of the body of one of David's lineal descendants; and yet David's Lord, as being the Son of God; one whose existence did not then begin when he was introduced bodily into the world, but who had been in the beginning with God, by whom also God made the world, and without whom was not any thing made that was made. St. Augustine on Psalm ix. ad finem.

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