taketh before other his own fupper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. What, have ye not houfes to eat and to drink in? or defpife ye the church of God, and fhame them that have not ?. What shall I fay to you? fhall I praise you in this? I praife you not. For I have received of the Lord that which alfo I delivered. unto you, that the Lord Jefus, the fame night in which he was betrayed, took bread; and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and faid, Take, eat; this is my body, which is broken for you : this do in remembrance of me. After the fame manner alfo he. took the cup when he had fupped, faying, This cup is the New Teftament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it in remem brance of me, For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this. cup, ye do fhew the Lords death till he come. Wherefore, whofoever fhall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord unwor→ thily, fhall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. † But let a man examine himself, and fo let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lords body. For this caufe many are weak, and fickly among you, and many fleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chaftened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.

rament; which was generally administered after the Love Feat. But this cuftom became at length abufed. For instead of eating in common (according to the first institution,) feveral took upon them to eat their portions feparately, whereby they that were poor, and could bring little, were hungry; and they that were rich, and had brought much ate and drank to a riotous excefs: making no diftinction between the Lord's Sup ~per, and a common diforderly feaft, and turning what was intended to promote religion, into an occafion of intemperance and profanenefs. Thereby forgetting the end of the institution of the Sacrament, which was, "the eating Bread, and drinking Wine in a thank"ful remembrance, of what Chrift Jefus has done and * fuffered for us.'

• Whosoever wall eat this Bread, &e. That is, who

foever by the irregular indecent practice, beforementioned, thall profane this Holy Sacrament, they treat Chrift with a contempt like his Murtherers.

+ But let a Man examine himself, Sr. That is, before every approach to this Sacrament, it is proper, that a man examine into the difpofition of his mind, that he come with due reverence to fo holy an Ordinance and with Charity to thofe for whom Christ died.

For be that eateth and drinketh unworthily, &c. That is, He that eateth and drinketh in the indecent and dif orderly manner in which the Corinthians did, (whom St. Paul reproves) provoke God to inflict his Judgments upon them; as he did upon the Corinthians. Concerning whom we are told, that for this cause fome were weak and fickly, and many died. J

And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the reft will I fet in order when I come.

T

The Gospel. S. Luke 23. 1.

HE whole multitude of them arofe, and led him unto Pilate And they began to accufe him, faying, || We found this fel low perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cefar, faying, That he himself is Chrift á king. And Pilate asked him, faying, Art thou the king of the Jews? And he anfwered him, and faid, Thou fayeft it. 1 hen faid Pilate to the chief priests, and to the people, I find no fault in this man. And they were the more fierce, faying, He ftirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place. When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilean. And as foon as he knew that he belonged unto Herods jurifdiction, he fent him to Herod, who himself was alfo at Jerufalem at that time. And when Herod faw Jefus, he was exceeding glad, for he was defirous to fee him of a long feafon, because he had heard many things of him, and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him. Then he queftioned with him in many words; but he anfwered him nothing. And the chief priests and feribes stood and vehemently accufed him. And Herod with his men of war fet him ,at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and fent him again to Pilate. §And the fame day Pilate and Herod were made friends together; for before they were at enmity between themfelves. And Pilate when he had called together the chief priests, and the rulers, and the people, faid unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people, and

| We found this fellow perverting c. Who fees not the notorious falfhood of this accufation? But what will not malice invent to effect its wicked purpofes? So far was Jefus from refuting to pay tribute, or from affecting temporal Royalty, that he payed the ones though it could not be rightfully demanded of him, and refused the other when it was offered him.

and the fame day Pilate and Herod were made friends. The Friend/hip which they now contracted seems only to have been in order to ferve their own felfish purpofes. And the obfervation is too generally true that jarring vices will eafily unite for the destruction of vintuc.

behold, I having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching thofe things whereof ye accufe him: No, nor yet Herod: for I fent you to him, and lo, *nothing worthy of death is done unto him. I will therefore chaftife him, and releafe him. For of neceffity he must release one unto them at the feaft. And they cried out all at once, faying, Away with this man, and releafe unto us Barabbas: (who for a certain fedition made in the city, and for murder was caft in prifon) Pilate there fore willing to release Jefus, fpake again to them. But they cried, faying, Crucify him, crucify him. And he faid unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done?. I have found no caufe of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go. And they were inftant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified: and the voices of them, and of the chief priests prevailed. And Pilate gave fentence, that it should be as they required. + And he releafed unto them, him that for fedition and murder was caft into prifon, whom they had defired; but he delivered Jefus to their will. And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they -laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jetus. And there fol lowed him a great company of people, and of women, who alfo bewailed and lamented him. But Jefus turning unto them, faid, me, but weep Daughters of Jerufalem, ‡ weep not for for yourselves, and for your children. For behold, the days are coming, in which they fhall fay, Bleffed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave fuck. Then fhall they begin to fay to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.

Nothing worthy of Death is done unto him. Or as it. might be otherwife tranflated, It does not appear that any thing worthy of Death has been done by him.

And be releafed unto them him, &c. As a feditious Murderer was thus fet at liberty, and an innocent perfon given up to Death. Thus were the rebellious ace of Adam delivered from the bondage of Sin and

Corruption, and the Lamb of God, who was without fpot or blemish, given up as a Sacrifice in their ftead.

Wep not for me but weep for yourselves, &c. This, relates to the deftruction of Jerufalem, which our Lord, thus prophecied was approaching; when it, might juftly be faid concerning the people at that time that better had it been that they had never been born,

For if they do thefe things in a green tree, what fhall be done in the dry? And there were alfo two other malefactors led with him to be put to death. And when they were come to the place which is called Calvary, there they crucified him; and the malefactors one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Then faid Jefus, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and caft lots. And the people ftood beholding; and the rulers alfo with them derided him, faying, He faved others, let him fave himself, if he be Chrift the chofen of God. And the foldiers alfo mocked him, coming to him, and offer- . ing him vinegar, and faying, If thou be the King of the Jews, fave thyfelf. And a fuperfcription alfo was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew,, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. And one of the malefactors which were hanged, railed on him, faying, If thou be Chrift, fave thyfelf and us. But the other anfwering, rebuked him, faying, Doft not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the fame condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds, but this man hath done nothing amifs. And he faid unto Jefus, Lord, remember me when thou comeft into thy kingdom. And Jefus faid unto him, Verily I fay unto thee, *To day fhalt thou be with me in paradife. And it was about the fixth hour; and there was a dark

§ For if they do these things in a green Tree, &c. That is, if they fo cruelly treat a righteous perfon: Ezek. 47. what hall become of thofe wicked perfons, who like a dry tree are ready to be burned...

Father forgive them,, &c. Behold here an inftance of the molt perfect charity, which calls equally for our admiration and imitation. Jefus not only forgives his perfecutors himself, when, by their means he was expiring under the most unconceivable torture; but even implores his heavenly Father to forgive them. Nay more He even endeavours to extenuate their guilt, and excufe his Murderers by reprefenting their cruelty as the effect of ignorance; they know not what they do. Surely did we duly and frequently contemplate this glorious example, we fhould be afhamed of indulging violent wrath, and implacable refentment against our brethren for fuch petty injuries as 100 many do. Nay we should be strongly induced to

fhew all meeknefs to all men, to make all fair allow ances for human infirmity, and as God for Christ's Sake hath forgiven us, chearfully to forgive our Fellow Creatures, who have injured us alfo.

• To day shalt thou be with me in Paradife. Let no one who profeffes himself a Chriftian cite the example of this penitent Thief as a Plea for a late repentance. He fhewed fuch an Act of Faith on this occafion as no one ever did either before or fince. He acknowledged our Lord when mocked by men, hanged upon a Crofs, and treated as the worst of Malefactors, But for thofe who have enjoyed the light of the Gofpel from their infancy, and have daily enjoyed the means of reJigious inftruction: yet have hardened themfelves againft conviction, and rejected all helps for their fpiritual improvement. For fuch to hope that by a few: prayers and fighs and tears upon a death-bed they shall be able to make atonement for a whole life of

nefs over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the fun was darkened, and the vail of the temple was rent in the midft. And when Jefus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my fpirit: and having faid thus, he gave up the Ghoft. Now when the centurion faw what was done, he glorified God, faying, Certainly this was a righteous man. And all the people that came together to that fight, beholding the things that were done, fmote their breafts, and returned. And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, ftood afar off, beholding these things.

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Good Friday.

The Collects.

Lmighty God, we beseech thee graciously to behold this thy family, for which our Lord Jefus Chrift was contented to be betrayed, and given up into the hands of wicked men, and to fuffer death upon the crofs, who now liveth and reigneth with thee and the holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

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Lmighty and everlasting God, by whofe Spirit the whole body of the Church is governed and fanctified; Receive our fupplications and prayers which we offer before thee for all eftates of men in thy holy Church, that every member of the fame, in his vocation and miniftry, may truly and godly ferve thee, through our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift. Amen. A

Paraphrafe on the firft Colled for Good Friday. All powerful God, we humbly intreat thee to fhew mercy, favour, and protection, to thefe thy people here affembled; for whofe falvation thy bleffed Son patiently fubmitted himfef to the painful Death of Crucifixion; who now reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, through all Eternity.

Paraphrafe on the fecond Collect for Good Friday.

Iniquity, and obtain an equal share of future happiness with thof who by patient continuance in well doing have fought for glory and immortality-Is an abfurdity