|
Commentary from THE ANNOTATED
BOOK OF COMMON
PRAYEREdited by JOHN HENRY BLUNT
Rivingtons, London, 1884
EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
Two comprehensive Christian fomulae are given in the Gospel and the
Collect for this Sunday. That in the former sets forth the whole
duty of the servant of Christ, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all
thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind," and "thou shalt
love thy neighbour as thyself." The formula of the English Collect
is that familiar one of "the world, the flesh, and the devil," which represents
all the temptations to which a Christian is liable. To these may
also be added the words of the Epistle, "waiting for the coming of our
Lord Jesus Christ," as an expression which comprehensively states the whole
object of the Christian life. The duties, the difficulties, and the
purpose of the Christian life are thus made the subjects of commemoration
and prayer; and the connection of each with the grace of God and the Person
of Christ is illustrated by the words of St. Paul in the Epistle, and of
our Lord in His confutation of the unbelievers as narrated in the Gospel.
|
|