the various other notices she had received of the great design, which God intended to bring about through her son.

THE SECOND SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY.

The Collect.

This Collect, like the preceding one, supplicates God to accept our petitions, and bestow on us his peace, and was adopted from St. Ambrose's Liturgy.

Almighty and everlasting God, who dost govern all things in heaven and earth, mercifully hear the supplications of thy people, and grant us thy peace, all the days of our life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle.-Rom, xii. 6.

Preface.

The Epistle for this day, is a continuation of that portion of the Scripture appointed for the first Sunday after the Epiphany. The Apostle having compared the Church of Christ to the human body, which consists of various members, and each member having its particular use, goes on to observe that-

One interprets scripture; another bears some office in the church; a third is engaged in teaching; a fourth distributes the public charity; a fifth takes charge of the sick and stranger! Whatever the employment be, let undissembled love preside and shew the sincerity of that love, by your readiness, on all occasions, to prefer others to yourselves. Be active also, and vigilant; always remembering that heavenly master whom you serve. Let your future hopes overbalance your present distresses; and let trust in God, and constant prayer, be your support. When a charitable office of any kind is in your power, never fail to perform it. Prayers and good wishes at least are in your power; and at all times you ought to enter tenderly into the feelings of others;

:

and let the lowest of the people engage your attention as well as the highest.

The Gospel.-St. John, ii. 1.

The first occasion, on which Jesus shewed his divine power, was at a marriage in Cana, a town of Galilee, at which Jesus, his mother, and disciples were present. It was the third day of the marriage, and wine falling short, Mary mentioned it to Jesus. Jesus told her, that the time for his publicly shewing himself to the world was not yet come; of which he was the best judge. However he gave her such intimations of his intentions, that she bad the attendant to do whatever he should order. There stood in the adjoining room six large earthen vessels, each containing several gallons, for the purpose of those purifications which were common at a Jewish entertainment. These vessels were by Jesus's order, filled with water, which was drawn off and carried to the governor of the feast, who was so surprised at the excellence of the wine into which it had been immediately changed,* that ignorant whence it came, he mentioned it to the bridegroom, as the best they had yet had. The servants soon after explained the affair, and the greatness of the miracle displayed the glory of God, and confirmed the faith of his disciples.

* We are not to imagine that this was a supply of wine, in the manner in which wine is used at our entertainments, by way of regale. Wine was the common beverage of Judea; and as the Jewish wedding feast lasted seven days, it is probable that on the third day the wine might be nearly exhausted: especially as we are led to suppose that the bridegroom was a person in a low station of life. It has been imagined that Jesus and his disciples were unexpected guests, and therefore that the supply of wine was a compensation for expenses incurred,—or, our Saviour might have given it, under the same idea, that he fed a hungry multitude.-Gilpin. Taylor.

THE THIRD SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY.

The Collect.

This Collect, for assistance and protection under our infirmities, dangers and necessities, is adapted from St. Gregory.

Almighty and everlasting God, mercifully look upon our infirmities, and in all our dangers and necessities, stretch forth thy right hand to help and defend us, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle.Rom. xii. 16.

Beware of self-sufficiency; let all your dealings be honest, fair, and open, in the sight of all men. Of malice in every shape divest yourself; live peaceably and inoffensively with all men; and if any man injure you, by no means retaliate. Return good for evil; and leave your cause in the hands of God. Endeavour, if possible, by acts of kindness, to make your enemy your friend.

The Gospel.-Matt. viii. 1.

When Jesus descended the hill, where he had been instructing the people in his admirable sermon, he was met by a leper, who acknowledging his divine power, begged his assistance with passionate exclamations. Jesus immediately embraced the opportunity, both of confirming his doctrine by a miracle, and of relieving the man's distress. He laid his hand therefore on the leper, and healing him with a word, ordered him not to speak of the matter: but to shew himself to the priests, who were appointed by the law, as the proper judges of the reality of the cure.

As he entered Capernaum, a centurion belonging to a Roman garrison in the neighbourhood met him, and besought him to heal his servant, who was struck with a palsy. Jesus, desirous of giving the

Jews an instance of faith, in a person whom they despised as a heathen, told the officer he would go home with him, and perform the cure. The centu rion, struck with a sense of his own inferiority, declared his unworthiness of such an honour, and desired Jesus to speak a word only, at that distance, and he had no doubt of its effect. Even I, said he, who am only an inferior officer in an army, can by speaking to those under my command, execute what orders I please, at a distance. Jesus turning round, expressed his ad airation at this instance of faith, which he said was greater than he had found, even in Israel; intimating at the same time that this was an earnest of that great change, which should speedily take place; when the heathen should be received into the favour of God, and the Jews rejected for their infidelity.

Then addressing himself to the centurion, and commending his faith, he told him that his servant was already healed; which, on returning home, he found to be true.

THE FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY.

The Collect.

This prayer, for deliverance from, and support under temptations, was adopted from the Sacramentarium of Gregory.

O God, who knowest us to be set in the midst of so many and great dangers, that by reason of the frailty of our nature we cannot always stand upright, grant to us such strength and protection, as may support us in all dangers, and carry us through all temptations, through Jesus Christ our Lord,

Amen.

The Epistle.-Rom. xiii. v. 1.

As to the affairs of civil government, the Christian religion leaves them just as it found them. It claims

no authority in matters of this kind; only, in general, it inculcates the necessity of obedience. Civil government is of God's appointment: the constitution of this world requires it: it is necessary to awe the guilty, and to protect the innocent. He, therefore, who opposes civil government, opposes God. Let the Christian, then, only differ from other subjects, in shewing that obedience from conscience which they shew from fear. Taxes also are necessary for the support of government. Let those, together with a proper respect for all in authority, be duly paid.

The Gospel.-St. Matt. viii. 23.

Preface.

Jesus, after having healed the Centurion's servant, and cured the mother of Peter's wife, at Capernaum, ordered his disciples to provide a boat to carry him across the lake or sea of Tiberias.

But they had scarce gained the middle of the lake, when a violent gust of wind arose, and endangered the safety of the vessel. Jesus himself was asleep, taking that repose which he so greatly needed. The disciples, therefore, in great terror, awoke him, imploring his assistance. Jesus first rebuked their want of confidence in him, and then gave them a new instance of his miraculous power by instantly calming the sea.

As he landed on the other side of the lake, in the country of the Gergesenes, he was met by two demoniacs, who frequented the tombs near the

* See Note to the Gospel for the Third Sunday in Lent.

It is a very common thing for persons labouring under mental alienation, or extreme derangement of the nervous system, to fancy themselves something very different from what they truly are, and they will act and speak consistently with the false ideas they have conceived.

Such appears to have been the case with those unhappy men who now besought Our Saviour to suffer them to enter into the

swine.