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19.

v. 19.

"vail against it. And I will give "unto thee the keys of the king"dom of heaven: and (a) what"soever thou shalt bind on earth "shall be bound in heaven; and "whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in "heaven."

Sixth Sunday after Trinity.

The Collect.

O GOD, who hast prepared for them that love thee such good things as pass man's understanding; Pour into our hearts such

cils and powers of darkness; it was usual to keep armouries and hold councils over the gates of cities.

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In Matt.

(a)" Whatsoever," &c. xviii. 18. our Saviour says to his disciples generally, not confining the power to any individual," Verily, I say unto shall bind on you, whatsoever ye "earth, shall be bound in heaven, and "whatsoever ye shall loose on earth, "shall be loosed in heaven ;" and John xx. 23. in one of his appearances to his disciples, after his resurrection, when he breathed on them the holy ghost, he said unto them. "Whose soever sins ye "remit, they are remitted unto them, "and whose soever sins ye retain, they "are retained." These passages do not imply that the apostles were to have either an arbitrary or a discretionary power to remit or retain sins, but that that gospel, according to which sins were or were not to be forgiven, was entrusted to their care. V.3.

(b)"Baptized into his death," i. e. engaging, as far as they could, to forward all the objects of his death, and so far identifying themselves with him, as to be dead to whatsoever he was dead. The object of Christ's death was to turn man from future sin, and to redeem him from the consequences of the past: by his death he gained the victory over sin, and freed man from the bondage of sin. To become the slaves again, therefore, of that sin over which Christ has gained the victory, and to submit to that bondage from

love toward thee, that we loving thee above all things, may obtain thy promises, which exceed all that we can desire, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle. Rom. vi. 3. KNOW ye not, that so many of us as were (b) baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are (c) buried with him by baptism into death; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead (d) by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For (e) if we have been planted together in

which he has freed us, is to make that victory of his, as far as regard us, of none effect, and to place us in the same situa tion as if he had not died for us-and then, however baptized, we are not bap tized into his death, we have not gained the same victory over our own sins, as he did over sin in general; we have not acquired, in the language of our cate chism, "death unto sin, and a new birth "unto righteousness."

(c) "Buried with him," &c. St. Paul v. elsewhere considers the converts as iden tified with our Saviour in his crucifixion, his death, his resurrection, &c. Thus Col. ii. 11, 12, &c. " Ye are circumcised "with the circumcision made without "hands, in putting off the body of the "sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of "Christ: buried with him in baptism, "wherein also you are risen with him "through the faith of the operation of "God, who hath raised him from the "dead." So Col. iii. 1. "If ye "be risen with Christ," &c. and St.Peter states it as the object of our Saviour's suffering, "that we being dead to sin, "should live unto righteousness." 1 Pet.

ii. 24:

then

(d) For "by the glory" read "into "the glory." The object is by shewing to what state our Saviour was raised to infer to what state we should our baptism.

pass

by

(e) lf," &c. i. e. if our figurative v death unto sin is like Christ's death, our

the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his re6. surrection: knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should 7. not serve sin. For he that is dead 8. is freed (f) from sin. Now if we be dead (g) with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with 9. him knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dieth (b) no more; death hath no more domi10. nion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto 11. God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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v.8.

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The Gospel. Matt. v. 20. (i) JESUS said unto his disciples,

resurrection, our future life, will be like his, to holiness and purity. If we have died so as to resemble his death, our newness of life will be like his, entirely free from sin.

(f) "Freed from sin." No longer under its power: exempt from its dominion he that is dead, can no longer commit sin.

(g) "Dead with Christ," i. e. if our death unto sin resembles his if we are really as dead unto sin as we ought to

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"Except your righteousness "shall exceed the righteousness "of the scribes and Pharisees,

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ye shall in no case enter into "the kingdom of heaven. Ye 21. "have heard that it was said by "them of old time, Thou shalt "not kill; and whosoever shall "kill shall be in danger of the "judgement: but I say unto you, 22. "That whosoever is (k) angry "with his brother without a cause "shall be in danger of the judge"ment (1): and whosever shall

say to his brother, Raca, shall "be in danger of the council: "but whosoever shall say, Thou "fool, shall be in danger of hell "fire. Therefore, if thou bring 23. "thy gift to the altar, and there "rememberest that thy brother "hath ought against thee, leave "there thy gift before the altar, 24.

from God. His chief grounds are these, that it contains a system entirely new, both with regard to the object and the doctrines, infinitely superior to any thing which had ever before entered into the mind of man; that it carries every moral precept founded on reason to a higher degree of purity and perfection than any system of the wisest philosophers of preceding ages; that it totally omits every moral precept founded on false principles; that it adds many new precepts, peculiarly corresponding with its object; and that it is such a system as could not possibly have been the work of any man, and therefore must have derived its origin from God.

(k)" Angry." Our Saviour meant v.22. that anger should be restrained, though it proceeded not beyond thoughts or words: if it proceeded to acts of violence, it was punishable before.

(1) The judgment," "the council," .22. and "hell fire," were well known Jewish punishments: the first, the being put to death by the sword; the second, being stoned to death, which was worse; and the last, the being burnt alive in the valley of Hinnom. Our Saviour represents the

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"and go thy way; first be recon"ciled (m) to thy brother, and "then come and offer thy gift. Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time "the adversary deliver thee to "the judge, and the judge deliver "thee to the officer, and thou be 26 cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no " means come out thence (n), till "thou hast paid the uttermost farthing."

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ย.26.

v. 19.

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Seventh Sunday after Trinity.
The Collect.

LORD of all power and might, who art the author and giver of all good things; Graft in our hearts the love of thy Name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and of thy great mercy keep us in the same, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

degrees of punishment in the next world according to the extent of the guilt, by referring to well known degrees of punishment in this world.

(m) "Be reconciled," rather "obtain "reconciliation from." The case supposed is, that thy brother hath something against thee.

(n) "Come out thence." The meaning probably is, if you make no concession, do nothing to bring your adversary to reconciliation, but stand upon the strid right of your case, you must look for nothing beyond the strict right: as law is invariable, admitting no relaxation in any case, you must expect no relaxation; you can receive nothing but what the strictness of law says is due to you; and you must pay whatever the strictness of law says is due from you.

(2) "I speak," &c. i.e. I adopt a similitude from common life, the obedience of servants, because your under

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The Epistle. Rom. vi. 19. SPEAK (0) after the manner of men, because of the infirmity of your flesh for as ye have yielded (p) your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity, unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness, unto holiness. For when were the servants of ye sin, ye were free from righteousness (q). What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from (r) sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness; and the end, everlasting life. For the wages (s) of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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unto him, and saith unto them, 2. "I have compassion on the mul❝titude, because they have now "been with me three days, and "have nothing to eat and if I "send them away fasting to their "own houses, they will faint by "the way:" for divers of them 4. came from far. And his disciples answered him, "From whence "can a man satisfy these men. "with bread here in the wilder5. "ness(u)?" And he asked them,

"How many loaves have ye?" 6. And they said, "Seven." And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the 7. people. And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before 8. them. So they did eat, and were filled and they took up of the

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are detailed, Matt xiv. 15. and Matt. xv. 32. And they are referred to, Matt. xvi. 9. 10. "Do ye not remember the "five loaves of the five thousand, and "how many baskets took up? neither ye "the seven loaves of the four thousand, "and how many baskets ye took up?" St. Matthew was probably present at both miracles, and St. John at that which he records. If so, we have the testimony of two witnesses.

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(u) The wilderness." According to Matt. xv. 29. it was near the sea of Galilee and it was in Galilee that most of our Saviour's miracles were performed. See ante 175. Luke v. 1. This miracle, like that of the five loaves among the five thousand, was peculiarly well timed: the people had been with our Saviour three days, and had nothing to eat; and they were in the wilderness, where nothing was likely to be procured. It was also a miracle of compassion and mercy, and was capable of a typical application, implying a like power in our Saviour to

broken meat that was left seven baskets. And they that had eaten 9. were about four thousand: and he sent them away.

Eighth Sunday after Trinity.

The Collect.

O GOD, whose never-failing providence ordereth all things both in heaven and earth; We humbly beseech thee to put away from us all hurtful things, and to give us those things which be profitable for us, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle. Rom. viii. 12. BRETHREN, we are debtors (x), not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the 13. flesh (y), ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit (z) do mortify (a) the deeds of the body (b), ye shall live. For as many as are 14.

In John

supply their spiritual wants.
vi. 35. our Saviour suggests this applica-
tion: "I am the bread of life; he that
"cometh to me shall never hunger; and
"he that believeth on me shall never
"thirst." Our Saviour had been healing
their lame, their blind, dumb, maimed,
&c. during the three days the multitude
had been with him, so that even without
this miracle they would have had the
fullest assurance of his power.

(x)" Are debtors," i. e. have a duty v. 12.

upon us.

(y)" After the flesh," i. e. in sin, in v. 13. the unrestrained indulgence of carnal propensities.

(2) Through the Spirit," i. e. for v.13. conscience sake, for the sake of Christianity; from a sense that it is your duty.

(a)" Mortify," i. e. overcome, resist v. 13. the gratification of.

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(b) The deeds of the body," i. e. v.13. carnal propensities.

led by the Spirit of God (c), they 15. are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage (d) again (e), to fear (f); but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby (g) we cry, 16, "Abba, Father." The Spirit

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0.15.

v. 15.

9.15.

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0.16.

2. 17.

itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of

(c) "Led by the Spirit of God," i. e. are influenced in all their actions by a sense of their duty to God; make that duty the rule of their conduct. See post 197. Gal, v. 24.

(d) "Spirit of bondage," &c. i. e, not put in the situation of bondmen, to act from fear only, but of sons, who ought to act from other and higher motives.

(e)" Again," i, e. as was the case under the Mosaic law, which was a law of bondage.

"To fear." So 2 Tim. i. 7. "God (f) "hath not given us the spirit of fear, but "of power, and of love, and of a sound "mind." And St. John says, 1 John iv. 18. " Perfect love casteth out fear." See ante 164.

(g) "Whereby," &c. i. e. whereby we are entitled to call God our Father, and are in the character of sons to him. "Abba, Father." St. Paul uses the same form of expression, Gal. iv. 6. "Because sc ye are sons, God hath sent forth the "Spirit of his Son into your hearts, "crying, Abba, Father."

"Children of God." True Christ(b) ians are repeatedly called " the children 66 or sons of God." Thus 1 John xi, 12. "He" (i. e. "the Word," our Saviour) " came unto his own, but his own re❝ceived him not; but as many as re"ceived him, to them gave he power to "become the sons of God, even to them "that believe on his name." So I John iii, 1, Behold, what manner of love the "Father hath bestowed on us, that we "should be called the sons of God." And again, 1 John v, i. "Whosoever believeth

that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God," And our Saviour, in his sermon on the Mount, Matt. v. 44. presses his hearers to "love their enemies," &c, &c, with this view, "that ye may be the children "of your Father which is in heaven,"

(i) "If so be that we suffer." Suffer

God (b) and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and jointheirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer (i) with him, that we may be also glorified together (k).

The Gospel. Matt. vii. 15. (I) "BEWARE of false prophets, "which come to you in sheep's

ing is a test of sincerity: St. Paul, there fore, after noticing the high character to which Christianity would exalt them, that of being "heirs of God, and joint heirs "with Christ," reminds them, that to give them a full title to that character, they must not only "mortify the deeds "of the body," by abstaining from actual sin, but must prove themselves sincere proselytes, by bearing manfully and without wavering whatever distresses the profession of Christianity should bring upon them. This was a common topic with him, and the other apostles; and their frequent recurrence to it implies strongly that the then professors of Christianity were exposed, on account of their profession, to many hardships. Our Saviour holds out a powerful motive to a courageous avowal of his religion, Matt. x. 32. "Whosoever shall confess

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me before men, him will I confess also "before my Father which is in heaven." "If we In 2 Tim. ii. 12. St. Paul "suffer, we shall also reign with him." And St. Peter, 1 Pet. iv. 12, 13. says, "Beloved, think it not strange concern. ing the fiery trial, which is to try you, as though some strange thing hap "pened unto you, but rejoice, inasmuch

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as ye are partakers of Christ's suffer. "ings, that when his glory shall be re"vealed, ye may be glad also with ex

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ceeding joy." Should not the courage and constancy with which the apostles and first converts adhered to the profession of Christianity, animate us also to submit to privations for the sake of our religion, and shew boldly by our lives and conduct that we also profess Christianity, and are desirous by our actions and our example to increase its influence and promote its

success?

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(k) “Glorified together." See 1 Pet. i. 11. 13. and 1 Pet. iv. 5, 13: (1) This is part of that discourse of

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