Break forth into singing, ye far distant isles, Hell's fetters are broken, exposed are its wiles ; Joint heirs now with Christ, and the children of light, Our God has restored us, and banished our night. Bring offerings of righteousness, mercy, and truth, That one fold and one Shepherd, one kingdom of peace, May embrace every nation—each captive release; Clothe earth once again, as in Eden she bloomed, And blot out for ever what justice had doomed. D FIRST SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY. Morning Lesson, Isaiah xliv. Epistle, Romans xii. 1. COLLECT. O LORD, we beseech Thee mercifully to receive the prayers of Thy people which call upon Thee; and grant that they may both perceive and know what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to fulfil the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. The number of the Sundays after Epiphany are yearly more or fewer according as Easter is earlier or later. The twelfth chapter of Romans is divided into three parts, and read the three first Sundays. In this chapter, the Apostle, having formerly exhibited the appalling state of morals in the Gentile world before their conversion to Christianity, now proceeds to draw the practical inferences from the doctrine of their calling and election upon the rejection of the Jews for their disobedience. The Church has made choice of this chapter to shew that, having been called out of darkness, we must walk in light; good works, in fact, must follow faith, and be inseparably connected with it. The Collect, in accordance with the Apostle's reasoning, beseeches the Almighty to accept our prayers, to grant us the power to discern our duty, and grace to fulfil it, for His sake, who, by His manifestation to the Gentiles, made known that to them also, was given the blessed privilege of approaching God by Him in prayer. The chief Christian graces enforced by the Epistle are purity and humility, in which the Gentiles had been lamentably deficient; without these, however, we are neither capable of drawing near to God, nor of deriving benefit from any outward act of religion whatever. The Gospel presents to our meditation the first beautiful trait of our Lord's eagerness to perform the will of His heavenly Father. It was customary among the Jews to present their children in the temple at the age of twelve years, when it was considered that they were old enough to comprehend, and therefore to take upon themselves the duties of that covenant into which they were entered by circumcision. It was usual for the doctors to give their attendance in an apartment belonging to the temple, for the purpose of examining and instructing the young persons who were brought to them. The doctors sat on elevated seats round about, the children below them in the middle space; and hence it was that our blessed Lord is said to have been found "sitting in the midst of the doctors." By selecting this portion of Scripture for her first Sunday after the Epiphany, the Church, amidst other considerations, would intimate to us, that it is in her bosom, and from the appointed ministers of Christ, that her members should come for instruction, and make the service of Christ from early youth their delight and study. The Proper Lessons warn us most forcibly against idolatry; not indeed against the senseless worship of stocks and stones, but from a worship equally hateful to God and ensnaring to ourselves, that of the world and its allurements, covetousness, luxury and ambition. ST. LUKE ii. 51. And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them. AND did my gentle Saviour then To earthly parents willingly submit? He, fairer than the sons of men, In bonds of kindred was his bosom knit? Did he, who owns celestial state, Did he upon those parents wait, Who held their breath alone from him, their God? Lord, only thou perfection wert, Thy meek example for our pattern shines; The holy penmen but insert Such gracious acts as love with power combines. Not for thyself, O Lord, but us, Didst thou such meekness condescend to shew, We pay to others the respect we owe. Reader! if e'er thy stubborn will Against thy parents has been proudly set; If thou hast wrung their hearts until With scalding tears their pallid cheeks were wet; |