Imatges de pàgina
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29.

accomplished, that the (b) Scrip- || might believe. For these things 36.

ture might be fulfilled, saith, "I "thirst." Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon (i) hyssop, and put it 30. to his mouth. When Jesus there

fore had received the vinegar, he said, "It is finished:" and he bowed his head, and gave up the 31. ghost. The Jews therefore, be

cause it was the Preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath-day, (for that sabbath-day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that 32. they might be taken away. Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him.

33. But when they came to Jesus, and

saw that he was dead already, 34. they brake not his legs: but one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there35. out blood and water. And he that (k) saw it bare record, and his record is true; and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye

v. 28.

v. 29.

v. 35.

v.36.

(b)" The Scripture." Perhaps Psalm lxix. 22. "When I was thirsty, they gave me vinegar to drink.”

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(i) "Hyssop," i. e. a reed.

()He that saw it," i. e. St. John, the writer of this Gospel: so that this is the testimony of an eye-witness.

(1) "A bone," &c. In Ps. xxxiv. 19, 2c. is this passage: "Great are the "troubles of the righteous, but the Lord "delivereth him out of all. He keepeth "all his bones, so that not one of them is "broken." And to this passage St. John might allude. It was also a provision as to the paschal lamb, that not a bone of it should be broken. Exod. xii. 46. "Thou shalt not carry forth aught of "the flesh abroad out of the house, "neither shall ye break a bone thereof."

were done, that the Scripture
should be fulfilled, "A (1) bone
"of him shall not be broken."
And again (m) another Scripture 37.
saith, "They shall look on him
"whom they pierced."

EASTER EVEN.

The Collect.

GRANT, O Lord, that as we are
baptized into the death of thy

blessed Son our Saviour Jesus
Christ; so by continual mortify-
ing our corrupt affections, we
may be buried with him; and
that through the grave and gate
of death, we may pass to our
joyful resurrection, for his merits
who died and was buried, and rose
again for us, thy Son Jesus Christ

our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle. Pet. iii. 17. Ir is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing. For Christ 18.

So Numb. ix. 12. in directing how they
who could not eat it at the ordinary time
should eat it afterwards: "They shall
"leave none of it unto the morning, nor
"break any bone of it." And St. John
might mean to point out our Saviour as
the true Paschal Lamb. He is called
"our passover," 1 Cor. v. 7.

(m)" Another Scripture," viz. Zech. v. 37. xii. 10. "I will pour upon the house of

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David, and upon the inhabitants of "Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of "supplications: and they shall look upon

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me whom they have pierced; and they "shall mourn for him, as one that "mourneth for his only son; and shall "be in bitterness for him, as one that is "in bitterness for his first-born."

V.

also hath once suffered for sins, || souls, were saved by (r) water.

the just for the unjust, that he might (2) bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but 19. quickened by the (0) Spirit: by which also he went and preached unto the (p) spirits in prison; 20. which sometime were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God (9) waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight ||

18.

v. 18.

v. 19.

v. 20.

v. 20.

2. 21.

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says, that he came "to give his life a ran

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som for many." In Matt. xxvi. 28. he speaks of his blood as "shed for many

for the remission of sins." In Col. i. 14. we are said to have " redemption through "his blood, even the forgivenness of sins." And I John iv. 10. God is said to have "sent his Son, to be the propitiation for "6 our sins." In Heb. ix. 28. it is said, that "Christ was once offered to bear the "sins of many."

(0) The Spirit," i. e. probably, the divine Spirit.

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(p) The spirits in prison," i. e. the sinners of the old world, who were under bondage to sin.

(q) "Waited." God forebore 120 years before he sent the flood, to give time for repentance. See Gen. vi. 3. "The Lord said, My Spirit shall not "alway strive with man, for that he also "is flesh; yet his days shall be 120 years," i. e. I will spare him for that

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time.

(r) For "by water." The reading should perhaps be" from the water."

(s) "Baptism." Baptism into Christ, if we act up to our duty, saves us from eternal destruction, as effectually as the ark did Noah from destruction here: or St. Peter might mean, that baptism into Christ would save the converts from temporal destruction here, as certainly and effectually as the ark did Noah.

The like figure whereunto, even 2
baptism (s), doth also now save us
(not the (t) putting away of the
filth of the flesh, but the answer
of a good conscience towards
God,) by the resurrection of Je-
sus Christ: who is gone into hea- 2
ven, and is on the right hand of
God; angels and authorities and
powers being made subject unto
him.

(1) "Not the putting away," &c. i. e. not the outward ceremony, but the thing signified; purity of life, and its necessary consequence, a conscience void of offence. The meaning of this (not very clear) portion of Scripture seems to be this: if we must suffer, it is better it should be for good deeds than bad, and from evil-doers rather than from God, as to which we have our Saviour for an example, who was persecuted even unto death, and yet was raised again to life by the Spirit of God; which Spirit, however, though it will ultimately reward to the utmost those who adhere to God, and will ultimately take vengeance upon those who revolt from him, yet is it a spirit of forbearance, which gives man opportunity to repent, and does not at once execute punishment; for it was this self-same Spirit which warned the sinners of the old world in Noah's time, and gave them 120 years in which to repent, and then at the end of that time brought such a destruction upon the world as left only eight persons alive. It is consistent, therefore, with God's ways, notwithstanding the warning he has given by Christ's coming, to forbear for a time, to execute his judgment, and to suffer his opposers to triumph; but their punishment, if they repent not, is not the less certain, and will not be the less heavy. And as the ark in Noah's time saved those who had deserved God's favour, so will baptism into Christ give the same salvation now. And this is the more certain, because God has given such an assurance as cannot fail, viz. the raising Jesus Christ from the dead, and putting him at his own right hand, above all angels, principalities, and powers.

V

The Gospel. Matt. xxvii. 57. WHEN the (u) even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathea, named Joseph, who also 58. himself was Jesus' disciple: he

went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. 59. And when Joseph had taken the

body, he wrapped it in a clean 60. linen cloth, and laid it in his own new (x) tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the 61. sepulchre, and departed. And there was Mary Magdalene, and

v. 57.

v.60.

.61.

(u)" The even." The latter part of the day of preparation, on which our Saviour was crucified; before the hour at which the Sabbath was considered to begin. St. Mark, in speaking of Joseph's application, says, "When the

even was come," (because it was the preparation, that is the day before the Sabbath), "Joseph," &c. "came," &c. And St. Luke, after mentioning his application, and the laying the body in the sepulchre, says, and that day was "the preparation; and the Sabbath drew

"on."

(x)" New tomb," &c. According to John xix. 39, 40. Nicodemus brought a hundred pound weight of myrrh and aloes; and they wound the body in linen clothes. St. Mark (Mark xv. 46.) says fine linen, with the spices. It is said in the prophetic chapter, Isaiah liii. 9. that "he made his grave with the wicked, "and with the rich in his death," (speaking with prophetic boldness, in the past tense, of what was yet to be, considering it as certain as if it had happened.) And our Saviour might be said to "make his "grave with the wicked," from his being crucified with the two thieves. And from the manner in which he was buried, he might be considered as being with the rich in his death. His body was not treated like that of an ordinary malefactor, but like that of a rich man.

(y)" The other Mary." The wife of Cleophas, (John xix. 25.), and mother

the (y) other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre. Now the 62. next day, that followed the day of the Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees (z) came together unto Pilate, saying, "Sir, 63. "we remember that that deceiver "said, while he was yet alive, " "After (a) three days I will rise "again." "Command there- 64. "fore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest "his disciples come by night and "steal him away, and say unto "the people, "He is risen from "the dead:" 99 66 so the last error "shall be worse than the first."

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of James the less, and of Joses, (Mark xv. 40.)

(x) "Came," &c. This is not men- v.62. tioned by any of the other Evangelists: but it may be observed, that this Gospel was written chiefly for the use of the Jews; that the Jews from all quarters would be at Jerusalem at this time, because of the feast of the passover. And St. Matthew could hardly have dared to have stated this fact, had it not been notoriously true. In the next chapter, Matt. xxviii. 15. he says, the chief priests and elders told the soldiers to say, "his "disciples came by night, and stole him

away whilst we slept." "And this "saying is commonly reported among "the Jews unto this day." He refers, therefore, to a report which he says was subsisting when he wrote his Gospel. How would his whole Gospel have been impeached had there been no such report ? And if there was then such a report, it proves a watch was set, and confirms this account?

(a)" After three days." That is, ac- v.63. cording to the Jewish mode of expression, on the third day. Rehoboam ordered the people to come after three days, when he meant them to come the third day. 2 Chron. X. 5. 12. And the disciples are said to have assembled " after eight days," when they really met the eighth day. John xx. 26. According to Matt. xx. 19. our Saviour told the twelve disciples he should rise again the third day.

10 For in that he died, he died unto (f) sin once but in that he liveth, he liveth (g) unto God.

65. Pilate said unto them, "Ye have "a watch; go your way, make 66." it as sure as ye can." So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.

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v.7.

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EASTER DAY.

[At Morning Prayer, instead of the Psalm, O come let us sing, &c. the following Anthems shall be sung or said.]

I Cor. v. 7.

CHRIST Our (b) passover is sacrificed for us therefore let us keep the (c) feast,

8 Not with the (d) old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness: but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Rom. vi. 9. (e)

CHRIST, being raised from the dead, dieth no more: death hath no more dominion over him.

(b) "Our passover," the true Paschal Lamb. As the blood of the paschal lamb saved the Israelites when the angel of the Lord destroyed all the first-born in the land of Egypt, and the houses of the Israelites, being sprinkled with that

11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto (b) sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be "accepted for you." So is Christ the

blood, were "passed over" by the destroy-first-fruits of the dead, the first that has

ing angel, so will Christ work a more important deliverance for his followers. See ante 99. note on Mark xiv. 1.

(c) "The feast," i. e. of the passover

and unleavened bread.

(d) "Old leaven," i. e. figuratively; not with impure tempers, habits, &c. (e) See post, note on Rom. vi. 3. (f) "Unto sin," i. e. on account of n; to overcome it, to shew how offensive it is to God.

sin

"Unto God," i. e. to promote (g) godliness.

(b)"Dead indeed unto sin," i. e. as free from its controul and dominion as if really dead.

been raised from the dead: and as the first-fruits of the harvest procured acceptance with God, so will be procure acceptance for his followers: and his being raised, is a proof that all his followers shall be raised also.

(k) “By man,” i. e. Adam; by man, v.21 i. e. Jesus Christ.

(1) "As," &c. The meaning is, the v.21 influence of our Saviour's righteousness shall be as extensive as that of Adam's transgression: the one subjected all to death; the other shall give to all the opportunity of rising to eternal

life.

Christ hast overcome death, and opened unto us the gate of everlasting life; We humbly beseech thee, that as by thy special grace preventing us, thou dost put into our minds good desires; so by thy continual help we may bring the same to good effect, through Jesus Christ our Lord; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

The Epistle. Col. iii. 1.

IF (m) ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth 2. on the right hand of God.

Set your affection on things above, 3. not on things on the earth. For ye are (n) dead, and your (0) life 4. is hid with Christ in God. When

V. I.

v.3.

9.3.

Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear

(m) "If," &c. St. Paul had been considering them as identified with our Saviour; circumcised with him; dead with him; buried with him; and risen again with him. Col. ii. 11, 12, 13. 20. And this means, if you are really to be considered as having risen with him, then seek, &c.

(0)

(n) "Are dead." Are to consider yourselves, till our Saviour's appearance, as in a state of death; to indulge no sinful desires, &c. He uses the same argument, Rom. vi. 2,&c. "How shall we, that "are dead to sin, live any longer there. "in? He that is dead, is freed from sin." "Your life is hid," &c. Your time for enjoyment is suspended till Christ's appearance: it is to that you are to look forward; that is to be your time of happiness. This implies that he had in view some appearance or coming of Christ, which was to happen in their times no doubt that period so often referred to," the day of the Lord,” “the "coming of the Lord." See ante 25. note on Rom. xiii, 11. and ante 29. note on Luke xxi. 25.

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ye

(p) "When lived in them,” i. e. v. 7. "when your life was in them," in opposition to their present state, when they were to be considered as dead to fleshly lusts: and their life, according to verse 3. was to be considered as hid in Christ.

(q) "The first day of the week," i. e. v. 1. the day after the Jewish Sabbath; the day which answers to our Sunday.

(r) "Mary Magdalen." According v. 1. to St. Matthew and St. Mark, Mary the mother of James the less went with her : and according to St. Mark and St. Luke, they went with spices to anoint the body. Matt. xxviii. 1.-Mark xvi. i.-Luke xxiv. i. They did not, therefore, expect that he was about to rise again. Mary Magdalen's attention to our Saviour, even after his crucifixion, was most natural: he had cast out from her seven devils, Luke viii. 2.—Matt. xvi. 9. and had raised her brother Lazarus from the dead, John xi. I to 44.

(s) The other disciple," &c. i. e. v. 2. St. John the Evangelist: so that St John is here relating what he himself personally knew.

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