Septuagesima, Sexagesima, and the fourth Sunday in Lent. LOVE. For the Love of God and his Laws--Collects for the fourth Sunday after Easter, and the sixth, seventh, and fourteenth after Trinity. For Love and Charity-Collect for Quinquagesima Sunday. MINISTERS. For the fitness of Ministers-Collect for St. Matthias. That they may be diligent-Collect for St. Peter's Day. That their labours may be successful-Collect for the third Sunday in Advent. MORTIFICATION. For Mortification-Collects for Circumcision and Easter-Eve. OBEDIENCE. That we may obey, and follow the doctrine of the Apostles-Collects for the Conversion of St. Paul, and St. John Baptist-See GooD WORKS. PRAYERS. For the Acceptance of our Prayers-Collect for the tenth Sunday after Trinity. PROVIDENCE. For Protection by God's Providence-Collects for the second, third, fourth, and twentieth Sundays after Trinity. PURITY. For Parity of Heart-Collect for Purification. RENOVATION. RENOVATION. For it-Collect for Christmas-Day. RELIGION. That we may be truly Religious-Collect for the seventh Sunday after Trinity. SAINTS. For the imitation of them-Collects for Innocents' Day, St. Stephen, St. Philip, St. James, St. John Baptist, and All Saints, SCRIPTURE. Before reading the Scripture-Collect for the second Sunday in Advent. SIN. For Conversion from Sin-Collects for the first Sunday in Advent, the first Sunday after Easter, St. Andrew, St. James, and St. Matthew. For Pardon of Sin-Collects for the twelfth, twenty-first, and twenty-fourth Sundays after Trinity. SINCERITY. For it-Collect for the third Sunday after Easter. HOLY SPIRIT. For the direction of the Holy Spirit-Collects for the nineteenth Sunday after Trinity, and fifth after Easter. TEMPTATIONS. For deliverance from, and support under Temptations-Collects for the fourth Sunday after Epiphany, and the second in Lent, THOUGHTS. THOUGHTS. Against evil Thoughts-Collect for the fifth Sun day after Easter. UNBELIEVERS. For Jews, Turks, Infidels, and Heretics-The third Collect for Good-Friday. GOOD WORKS. For fruitfulness in Good Works-Collects for the fifth Sunday after Easter, and the first, ninth, eleventh, thirteenth, seventeenth, and twenty-fifth Sundays after Trinity. OF THE EPISTLES AND GOSPELS. Long before the division of the sacred Books into chapters and verses, which is a modern invention, and unknown to antiquity, it was customary, both in the Greek and Latin Churches, to read, at the celebration of the Eucharist, some of the plainest and most instructive portions of the New Testament. With respect to the different portions which we read, they are so judiciously selected, that it would be difficult to find other passages more interesting, and more pertinent to the occasion and the season. The Epistles either enforce the practice of Christian virtue, or contain manifestations of divine mercy, or assurances of pardon and forgiveness. The Holy Gospel relates either some remarkable narrative of the life or death of Christ; some eminent miracle, important parable, or some striking part of his divine discourses. The Epistles convey instruction in the mysteries of our sal vation; vation; but the Gospel presents us with the example of Jesus, to the imitation of which all other know ledge is but subservient *. Of these portions of Scripture, which we read in our Communion Office, under the title of Epistles and Gospels, many were in the ancient Church selected for the Sundays and Holidays on which they are now used. In the works of the Fathers there are homilies upon them, which are said to have been preached on the very days, to the service of which they are now appropriated. According to Dr. Comber, the following are the principal variations made at and since the Reformation. Epistles and Gospels for St. John's Day. Sunday after Christmas. Circumcision. Epiphany. 4 Sunday after Epiphany. $ Sunday after Epiphany. Monday before Easter, Wednesday before Easter. Thursday before Easter. Good Friday. Easter Even 25 Sunday after Trinity. Variations made 1 John i. 1, by Edw. VI. instead of Ep. and Gosp. both changed by Epist. Eph. iii. 1, by Edw. VI. instead of a passage out of Isaiah. Ep. Rom. xiii. 1, by Edw. VI. before, the same with the first Sunday in Advent. Ep. and Gos, both new, 1662. stead of a Lesson out of Le- Gos. Luke xxiii. by Edw. VI. ininstead of John xix. Gos. John xix. Epist. Heb. ii. 1, by Edw. VI. instead of portions out of Hosea and Exodus. Ep. and Gosp. both new by Edw. VI. instead of two passages from the Old Testament. Ep. and Gos, both new, Ed. VI. * Ephes, iv. 13. Epistles Epistles and Gospels for St. Thomas's Day. St. Bartholomew. St. Matthew. St. Luke. All Saints' Day. Variations made. Ep. Eph. ii. 19, by Ed. VI. To which statement Dr. Comber subjoins the following remark. "There are some Epistles and Gospels which are not in the Lectionary, but were changed in the Roman Breviary for the better. The Reformers took these out of the Breviary, viz. the Gospels for St. Thomas, St. James, and All Saints' Days; the Epistle for Simon and Jude; both Epistles and Gospels for St. Paul, St. Matthias, and the Annunciation." The Doctor here, probably in the moment of inadvertency, mistakes the Breviary for the Missal. The Breviary contains no part of the office of the Holy Communion. See note on the Breviaries, page 22. The Epistles and Gospels, above alluded to, were taken from the Missals in use at the time of the Reformation: and they are retained without variation in more modern Missals, as well as in our Book of the Administration of the Sacraments OF |