For the Epistle. Jer. xxiii. 5. LORD, that I will raise unto David a BEHOLD, the days come, saith the righteous branch; and a king" shall CHRIST; who also declared unto us ple; that they plenteously bringing your love in the spirit. For this forth the fruit of good works, may cause we also, since the day we heard by thee be plenteously rewarded, it, do not cease to pray for you, and through JESUS CHRIST our Lord. to desire that ye might be filled with Amen. the knowledge of his will in all wis dom and spiritual understanding: that ye might walk worthy of the LORD unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of GOD; strength-reign and prosper, and shall execute ened with all might, according to his judgment and justice in the earth. In his days, Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTE days come, saith the LORD, that they Therefore, behold, the shall no more say, The LORD liveth, who brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but, The LORD liveth, who brought up, and who led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land. glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering, with joyfulness; giving thanks unto the FATHER, who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. OUSNESS. The Gospel. St. Matt. ix. 18. WHILE JESUS spake these things unto John's disciples, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead; but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. And JESUS arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples. (And behold, a woman, which was diseased The Gospel. St. John vi. 5. with an issue of blood twelve years, WHEN JESUS then lift up his came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: for she said eyes, and saw a great company come within herself, If I may but touch his unto him, he saith unto Philip, garment, I shall be whole. But JE- these may cat? (and this he said to Whence shall we buy bread, that sus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of prove him; for he himself knew what he would do.) Philip answergood comfort, thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was of bread is not sufficient for them, ed him, Two hundred penny-worth made whole from that hour.) And that every one of them may take a when JESUS came into the ruler's little. One of his disciples, Andrew, house, and saw the minstrels and the Simon Peter's brother, saith unto people making a noise, he said unto him, There is a lad here, who hath them, Give place, for the maid is not five barley-loaves, and two small dead, but sleepeth. And they laugh- fishes; but what are they among so ed him to scorn. But when the people were put forth, he went in, and many? And JESUS said, Make the Now there was much took her by the hand, and the maid And the fame hereof went down, in number about five thousand. grass in the place. So the men sat arose. abroad into all that land. THE TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY The Collect. men sit down. And JESUS took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down, and likewise of the fishes, as much STIR up, we beseech thee, O as they would. When they were LORD, the wills of thy faithful peo-filled, he said unto his disciples, If there be any more Sundays before Advent Sunday, the Service of some of those Sundays that were omitted after the Epiphany, shall be taken in to supply so many as are here wanting. And if there be fewer, the overplus may be omitted: Provided that this last Collect, Epistle, and Gospel, shall always be used upon say, Yes Gather up the fragments that remain, how shall they hear without a preachthat nothing be lost. Therefore they er? And how shall they preach exgathered them together, and filled cept they be sent? As it is written, twelve baskets with the fragments of How beautiful are the feet of them the five barley-loaves, which remain- that preach the Gospel of peace, and ed over and above unto them that bring glad tidings of good things! had eaten. Then those men, when But they have not all obeyed the they had seen the miracle that JE Gospel. For Esaias saith, LORD, sus did, said, This is of a truth that who hath believed our report? So Prophet that should come into the then, faith cometh by hearing, and world. hearing by the Word of GOD. But I have they not heard? verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. But I say, Did not Israel know? First, Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you. But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked ALMIGHTY GOD, who didst not after me. But to Israel he saith, give such grace unto thy holy apostle All day long have I stretched forth Saint Andrew, that he readily obeyed my hands unto a disobedient and the calling of thy Son JESUS CHRIST, gainsaying people. and followed him without delay; grant unto us all, that we, being called by thy holy word, may forthwith give up ourselves obediently to fulfil thy holy commandments, through the same JESUS CHRIST our Lord. Amen. the Sunday next before Advent. SAINT ANDREW'S DAY. The Collect. The Epistle. Rom. x. 9. The Gospel. St. Matt. iv. 18. JESUS, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon, called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: (for they were fishers.) And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mend. ing their nets; and he called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him. IF thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord JESUS, and shalt believe in thine heart that GOD hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek for the same LORD over all, is rich unto all that call upon ALMIGHTY and everliving him. For whosoever shall call upon GOD, who, for the greater confirmathe name of the LORD, shall be tion of the faith, didst suffer thy holy saved. How then shall they call on apostle Thomas to be doubtful in thy him in whom they have not believed? Son's resurrection; grant us so perand how shall they believe in him fectly, and without all doubt, to beof whom they have not heard? And lieve in thy Son JESUS CHRIST, that SAINT THOMAS THE APOSTLE, The Collect. our faith in thy sight may never be reproved. Hear us, O LORD, through the same JESUS CHRIST; to whom, with thee and the HOLY GHOST, be all honor and glory, now and for ever more. Amen. The Epistle. Ephes. ii. 19. NOW therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow. citizens with the saints, and of the household of GOD; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, JESUS CHRIST himself being the chief corner-stone; in whom all the building, fitly framed together, groweth unto a holy temple in the LORD: in whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of GOD, through the SPIRIT. The Gospel. St. John xx. 24. THOMAS, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when JESUS came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the LORD. But he said unto SAINT STEPHEN'S DAY. GRANT, O LORD, that in all our testimony of thy truth, we may steadsufferings here upon earth, for the fastly look up to heaven, and by faith behold the glory that shall be revealed; and being filled with the HOLY GHOST, may learn to love and bless our persecutors, by the example of thy first martyr Saint Stephen, who blessed JESUS, who standest at the prayed for his murderers to thee, O right hand of GOD, to succor all those who suffer for thee, our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen. Then shall follow the Collect of the Nativity, which shall be said continually until New Year's Eve. For the Epistle. Acts vii. 55. STEPHEN, being full of the HoLY GHOST, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of GOD, of GOD; and said, Behold, I see the and JESUS standing on the right hand heavens opened, and the Son of man them, Except I shall see in his hands standing on the right hand of God. the print of the nails, and put my and stopped their ears, and ran upon Then they cried out with a loud voice, finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will him with one accord, and cast him not believe. And after eight days, out of the city, and stoned him: and again his disciples were within, and the witnesses laid down their clothes Thomas with them: then came JE. at a young man's feet, whose name Sus, the doors being shut, and stood was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, in the midst, and said, Peace be unto calling upon GOD, and saying, Lord you. Then said he to Thomas, Reach JESUS, receive my spirit. And he hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, voice, LORD, lay not this sin to their and thrust it into my side; and be not charge. And when he had said this, faithless, but believing. And Tho- he fell asleep. kneeled down and cried with a loud mas answered and said unto him, The Gospel. St. Matt. xxiii. 34. My Lord, and my GOD. JESUS saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed; blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. And many other signs truly did JESUS in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written, that ye might believe that JESUS is the CHRIST, the SON OF GOD; and that believing, ye might have life through his name. ye BEHOLD, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes; and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city; that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel, unto the blood of Zacharias, son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this | JESUS CHRIST his Son cleanseth us generation. O Jerusalem, Jerusa- from all sin. If we say that we have Lem, thou that killest the prophets, no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the and stonest them which are sent unto truth is not in us. If we confess our thee; how often would I have gather-sins, he is faithful and just to forgive ed thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the LORD. us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. The Gospel. St. John xxi. 19. JESUS said unto Peter, Follow me. Then Peter turning about, seeth the disciple whom JESUS loved, following, (which also leaned on SAINT JOHN THE EVANGELIST'S his breast at supper, and said, Lord, DAY. The Collect. MERCIFUL LORD, we beseech thee to cast thy bright beams of light upon thy Church, that it being instructed by the doctrine of thy bless ed apostle and evangelist Saint John, may so walk in the light of thy truth, that it may at length attain to everlasting life, through JESUS CHRIST, our Lord. Amen. which is he that betrayeth thee?) Peter seeing him, saith to JESUS, Lord, and what shall this man do? JESUS saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me. Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet JESUS said not unto him, He shall not die: but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? This is the disciple which The Epistle. 1 John i. 1. testifieth of these things, and wrote THAT which was from the begin- these things, and we know that his ning, which we have heard, which testimony is true. And there are also we have seen with our eyes, which many other things which JESUS did, we have looked upon, and our hands the which, if they should be written have handled of the word of life; (for every one, I suppose that even the the life was manifested, and we have world itself could not contain the seen it, and bear witness, and show books that should be written. unto you that eternal life which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) that which we have scen and heard, declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son JESUS CHRIST. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lic, and do not the truth: but if we walk in the light, as For the Epistle. Rev. xiv. 1. he is in the light, we have fellowship I LOOKED, and lo, a Lamb stood one with another, and the blood of on the mount Sion, and with him THE INNOCENTS' DAY. O ALMIGHTY GOD, who out of Amen. unto hundred forty and four thousand, THE CONVERSION OF ST. Paul. having his Father's name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice The Collect. O GOD, who, through the preach from heaven, as the voice of many ing of the blessed apostle Saint Paul, waters, and as the voice of a great hast caused the light of the Gospel to shine throughout the world; grant, wonderful conversion in rememwe beseech thee, that we, having his fulness unto thee for the same, by brance, may show forth our thankfollowing the holy doctrine which he taught, through JESUS CHRIST our Lord. Amen. thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: and they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song, but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women, for they are virFor the Epistle. Acts ix. 1. gins: these are they which follow AND Saul, yet breathing out the Lamb whithersoever he goeth: threatenings and slaughter against these were redeemed from among the disciples of the LORD, went unto men, being the first-fruits unto GOD, the high priest, and desired of him and to the Lamb. And in their mouth letters to Damascus to the synawas found no guile; for they are without fault before the throne of God. The Gospel. St. Matt. ii. 13. gogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and THE angel of the LORD appeareth suddenly there shined round about to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, him a light from heaven. And he and take the young child and his mo- fell to the earth, and heard a voice ther, and flee into Egypt, and be thou saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why there until I bring thee word; for persecutest thou me? And he said, Herod will seek the young child to Who art thou, Lord? And the LORD destroy him. When he arose, he said, I am JESUS whom thou perse. took the young child and his mother cutest: it is hard for thee to kick by night, and departed into Egypt; against the pricks. And he, trem. and was there until the death of He- bling and astonished, said, Lord, rod that it might be fulfilled which what wilt thou have me to do? And was spoken of the LORD by the pro- the LORD said unto him, Arise, and phet, saying, Out of Egypt have I go into the city, and it shall be told called my Son. Then Herod, when thee what thou must do. And the he saw that he was mocked of the men which journeyed with him stood wise men, was exceeding wroth, and speechless, hearing a voice, but seesent forth, and slew all the children ing no man. And Saul arose from that were in Bethlehem, and in all the earth; and when his eyes were the coasts thereof, from two years old opened, he saw no man: but they and under, according to the time led him by the hand, and brougat which he had diligently inquired of him into Damascus. And he was the wise men. Then was fulfilled three days without sight, and neither that which was spoken by Jeremy did eat nor drink. And there was a the prophet, saying, In Rama was certain disciple at Damascus, nained there a voice heard, lamentation, and Ananias, and to him said the LORD weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not, in a vision, Ananias: And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. And the LORD said unto him, Arise, and ge into the street which is called Straight |