ΤΟ

THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD,

RICHARD HURD, D. D.

LORD BISHOP OF WORCESTER;

THESE

DISCOURSES,

PUBLISH'D

AT THE REQUEST OF SEVERAL OF THEIR HEARERS ;

ARE

RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED,

BY

HIS LORDSHIP'S MOST DUTIFUL

SON AND SERVANT,

THE AUTHOR.

SERMON I.

PREACHED ON ADVENT SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1794.

EPHESIANS, C. 5. PART OF V. 27.

A GLORIOUS CHURCH, NOT HAVING SPOT, OR WRINKLE, OR ANY SUCH THING.

ON N this day, Advent Sunday, commences the Ecclefiaftical Year, according to the computation of the Church of England. By referring to your Prayer-books you will fee that the series of Collects, Epiftles, and Gofpels for each Sunday and Holyday through the year, as also that of Proper Leffons for the fame, each begin their courfe, and as it were ftart from this day. Herein it is obfervable that the Church differs from every other account of time whatsoever. And an ingenious reafon has been affign'd for this very particular deviation. As

in the Civil year the times are naturally measur'd by the course of the Sun in the firmament, whofe diurnal rotation, to speak popularly, metes out day and night to each quarter of the globe, while his annual course as regularly furnishes each with the grateful viciffitudes of feafons, Summer, and Winter, Spring and Autumn: fo the Church, in her diftribution of the Year, is guided by the Sun of Righteoufnefs, Chrift Jefus; previous to the celebration of whofe Nativity, which the commemorates at Christmas, fhe has affign'd four preparatory weeks to pave the way for the obfervation of that folemn Festival, and as harbingers to usher it in with becoming dignity.

Our Religion is the Religion of Chrift; our faith is in Chrift, our hope is in Chrift, our falvation is through Christ. But who is Chrift? and how hath He atchieved falvation for his faithful fervants? He is the fecond Perfon in the ever-bleffed and glorious Trinity; the only-begotten Son of God, and Himfelf God, eternal, and uncreate. And He purchased our falvation by dying for our fins, and by rifing again for our juftification. But He could not have died, unless He had been Man, and in order to become Man, that the Word might be made Flesh,

and