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SERM. and in the second or third collects; in

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other respects they are the same. The hymn appointed to follow the first lesson in the evening is that which the blessed Virgin, the mother of Jesus Christ, repeated, when in visiting her cousin Elizabeth (the mother of John Baptist) she received from her a confirmation of the tidings, which she had before heard from the angel, that she should be the parent of the expected redeemer of mankind:

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My soul doth magnify (doth adore and reverence) the Lord, and my spirit hath * rejoiced in God my Saviour; for he hath regarded the lowliness (the humble "condition) of his handmaiden, for lo!

from henceforth all generations shall "call me Blessed," shall speak of my happiness, in being advanced to this high dignity of being mother of the promised Saviour of the world.

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For he that is

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XI.

powerful God hath thus advanced me) SERM. "and holy is his name;" praised be his name for it. "And his mercy is on them "that fear him throughout all generations. "He hath shewed strength with his arm, " he hath scattered the proud in the ima

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This

gination of their hearts;" he hath confounded and overthrown the presumptuous and haughty opposers of his designs, even by means of the imaginations, the thoughts of their own hearts." He hath put down "the mighty from their seats, and hath "exalted the humble and meek." may relate either to the general dealings of God with mankind, or to his present intention in that son, to whom the virgin was about to give birth; he will depose the proud Jew from that lofty place which he hath hitherto held, and will exalt the meek Christian in his stead. "He hath filled

the hungry with good things, and the "rich he hath sent empty away;" he hath advanced

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SER M. advanced the poor good man to unexpected opulence, and hath brought down the arrogant wealthy man to beggary.

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He, remembering his mercy, hath holpen

his servant Israel, as he promised to our "forefathers Abraham and his seed for "ever;" he is now about to perform his engagement to Abraham and his true descendants in the birth of the Messiah :"In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed."

Of the cause of the joy of the blessed Virgin we all partake, and therefore may very properly (with some little allowance) repeat this hymn; for by the birth of Jesus Christ we are all redeemed from a state of sin and death, and put into a condition, if we are willing to comply with the easy terms, of obtaining everlasting salvation.

The hymn, which we repeat after the second lesson, is likewise taken from St. Luke; it is the thanksgiving of Simon, a

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pious and good old man, who was expecting SERM. the coming of the promised saviour, and to whom it had been revealed that he should not die till he had seen the Lord Christ. He came by the guidance of the spirit into the temple, at the time when Jesus was introduced by his parents, and immediately being filled with the Holy Ghost, he took him in his arms, and said, "Lord, now lettest "thou thy servant depart in peace accord

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ing to thy word, for mine eyes have seen

thy salvation;"-I am content now, O Lord, to lay down my life, now that I have lived to behold, according to thy promise, the redeemer of mankind, "whom thou "hast prepared before the face of all

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people, to be a light to lighten the Gen"tiles (to guide all the nations of the "earth to true religion) and to be the

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glory of thy people Israel," to those of them, at least, who own Jesus to be the Christ. I omit to mention those other

VOL. II,

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two

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SER M. advanced the poor good man to unexpected opulence, and hath brought down the arrogant wealthy man to beggary.

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He, remembering his mercy, hath holpen "his servant Israel, as he promised to our "forefathers Abraham and his seed for "ever;" he is now about to perform his engagement to Abraham and his true descendants in the birth of the Messiah:"In thy seed shall all the nations of the "earth be blessed."

Of the cause of the joy of the blessed Virgin we all partake, and therefore may very properly (with some little allowance) repeat this hymn; for by the birth of Jesus Christ we are all redeemed from a state of sin and death, and put into a condition, if we are willing to comply with the easy terms, of obtaining everlasting salvation.

The hymn, which we repeat after the second lesson, is likewise taken from St. Luke; it is the thanksgiving of Simon, a

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