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No. LXXXIII.

St. Luke the Evangelist.

A PRAYER FOR THE HEALING OF THE DISEASES OF OUR SOUL.

The Invocation is:

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Almighty," we state fur

"O Almighty God, who calledst Luke the Physician, whose praise is in the Gospel, to be an Evangelist, and Physician of the soul;"Here after addressing God as ther,1. That there is, in the Gospel, praise of one Luke a physician; i.e. that there is in the word of God, and so in connexion with the Gospel, though not in the Gospel narrative exactly, praise or commendation given to a person named Luke, who was a physician. Col. iv. 14; 2 Tim. iv. 11; 2 Cor. viii. 18; xii. 18.* 2. That this Luke the physician, who is thus praised, was called of God to be

(a) An Evangelist. Luke, i. 1-4;+ Acts, i. 1, 2; Heb. v. 4.

(b) A physician of souls. Matt. ix. 12; Luke, iv. 23.

* It is generally considered that St. Luke is the brother referred to in these last-mentioned texts. Hence the application of the words to him in this Collect.

+ Luke was the companion of St. Paul in several of his journeys, and wrote the Gospel which bears his name, and the Acts of the Apostles.

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The Petition is:

"May it please thee, that by the wholesome medicines of the doctrine delivered by him, all the diseases of our souls may be healed ;”

In this Petition it is implied:

1. That our souls are diseased with various diseases. Isa. i. 4-6; Ezek. xxxiv. 4; Mark, ii. 17; 1 Cor. xi. 30; Ps. li. 8; xxxviii. 1-8.

2. That from all these diseases those souls require healing, and are capable of being healed. Jer. viii. 21, 22; Ps. ciii. 1-4; Hos. v. 13; vi. 1; xiii. 9–14; xiv. 1-4; 1 John, i. 7.

3. That for these diseases, there are certain wholesome medicines prescribed by this physician of the soul, St. Luke. Acts, ii. 37, 40; iii. 19; iv. 10–12; xiii. 38, 39; xvi. 25-33; xxvi. 17, 18.

4. That these medicines consist of the doctrines which he delivered; which, if applied to our souls, will, with God's favour accompanying, restore them to health. Jer. viii. 21, 22; Isa. liii. 4-6; 1 John, i. 8, 9; John, iii. 14-18, 36.

And that this may be the case is the purport of our Prayer. Jer. xvii. 14.

The Conclusion is :

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through the merits of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

As before.

Supplementary Questions.

Of whom do we state here that there is praise in the Gospel?

How must that expression "in the Gospel" be understood?

In what part of the New Testament are the passages found on which this assertion seems to be built?

What was Luke's occupation before he was called?

How do we know this?

What was he called to be?

What do we here speak of as being diseased?

What is the great disease of the soul?

Are these souls capable of healing?

Have

any medicines been prescribed for them?

By whom, and of what kind?

Wherein do these wholesome medicines consist?
And where are they contained?

No. LXXXIV.

Saint Simon and Saint Jude.

A PRAYER FOR UNITY OF SPIRIT IN THE CHURCH; THAT IT MAY BECOME AN HOLY TEMPLE OF

GOD.

The Invocation is:

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"O Almighty God, who hast built thy Church upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the head corner-stone;'

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Here, in addition to what is implied in the title ascribed to God, we state,

1. That the Church of God is built upon a foundation consisting of the Apostles and Prophets of God. 1 Cor. iii. 10, 11; Eph. ii. 20; Rev. xxi. 14; Matt. xxviii. 18-20; Mark, xvi. 19, 20; Rom. x. 18.

2. That of this building, the Church, Jesus Christ is, however, the head corner-stone. Eph. ii. 20; Ps. cxviii. 22; Matt. xxi. 42; Acts, iv. 11; Rom. ix. 33 ; 1 Pet. ii. 4-8.

3. That this building is of God's erection, who has Himself built it on this foundation. 1 Cor. iii. 9; Ps. cxxvii. 1; cxviii. 23.

The Petition is (reaching to the end):

"Grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their doctrine, that we may be made an holy Temple, acceptable unto thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

Herein it is declared or implied:

1. That Christians should be collectively, as well as individually, an holy temple, acceptable unto God, through Christ. 1 Cor. iii. 16, 17; vi. 15–20; 2 Cor. vi. 14-18; vii. 1; 1 Pet. i. 16, 17; ii. 9; Eph. i. 6; Ps. xciii. 5.

2. That to be so they must be joined together in unity of spirit. Phil. iii. 16; Eph. iv. 1–3; 1 Cor. i. 10; Jam. iii. 13-18; Rom. xvi. 17; John, xv. 17; xvii. 20, 21.

3. That this union must come through, or by, the doctrine or teaching of those Apostles and Prophets, on whom, as a foundation, the Church is built. 1 Tim. vi. 3-5; 2 Thess. iii. 6, 14; Rom. xiv. 19; xv. 4; Phil. i. 27; Col. ii. 6-8; iii. 16.

For which union, therefore, we here offer a prayer.

Supplementary Questions.

On what foundation do we here state that the Church of

God is built?

In what sense is this expression to be understood?
But who is the head corner-stone of this building?
Of what does the building itself consist?

Who is the Builder of this Church?

What should the collected body of Christians be made? If made so, what will they then be ?

What is necessary in order to this?

How "joined together in unity of spirit?"

In what way must this desirable state of things be brought about?

What other arguments for unity besides the one introduced here do we find in the Scriptures? (See John, xvii. 11, 21; Rom. xvi. 17, 18.)

No. LXXXV.

All Saints' Day.

A PRAYER FOR GRACE TO LEAD VIRTUOUS AND GODLY LIVES, AFTER THE EXAMPLE OF THE SAINTS.

The Invocation is:

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O Almighty God, who hast knit together thine elect in one communion and fellowship, in the mystical body of thy Son, Christ, our Lord;"

Here, in addition to the title "Almighty," it is stated of God,

1. That He has His elect people in the world. Luke, xviii. 7; Matt. xxiv. 31; Īsa. lxv. 9; Rom. viii. 33; 2 Tim. ii. 10; 1 Pet. i. 2; Rom. xi. 5–7; 1 Thess. i. 4. 2. That these His elect He has knit together in one communion and fellowship; i.e. united them into one band or company. Rom. xii. 4, 5; 1 Cor. i. 9; x. 16, 17; xii. 13; Eph. ii. 16; 1 John, i. 3, 7.

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