suffer for thee, our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen. God, to succour all those who hold, 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. Then shall follow the Collect of the Nativity, which shall be said continually until New-Year's Eve. Saint John the Evangelist's Day. MERC For the Epistle. Acts vii. 55. STH TEPHEN, being full of the The Collect. Holy Ghost, looked up steadERCIFUL Lord, we beseech fastly into heaven, and saw the thee to cast thy bright beams glory of God, and Jesus standing of light upon thy Church, that it on the right hand of God; and being instructed by the doctrine said, Behold, I see the heavens of thy blessed Apostle and Evanopened, and the Son of man gelist Saint John, may so walk standing on the right hand of in the light of thy truth, that it God. Then they cried out with may at length attain to everlasta loud voice, and stopped their ing life, through Jesus Christ ears, and ran upon him with our Lord. Amen. THA one accord, and cast him out of The Epistle. 1 John i. 1. the city, and stoned him: and the HAT which was from the witnesses laid down their clothes beginning, which we have at a young man's feet, whose heard, which we have seen with name was Saul. And they ston-our eyes, which we have looked ed Stephen, calling upon God, upon, and our hands have hanand saying, Lord Jesus, receive died of the Word of life; (for the my spirit. And he kneeled down, life was manifested, and we have and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. The Gospel. St. Matt. xxiii. 34. EHOLD, I send unto you Bprophets, and into seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) that which we have seen and heard, declare we unto you, that ye also meaya re ve vellovou, and scribes; and some of them and truly our fellowship is with ye shall kill and crucify; and the Father, and with his Son Jesome of them shall ye scourge in sus Christ. And these things your synagogues, and persecute write we unto you, that your joy them from city to city; that up- may be full. This then is the on you may come all the righte-message which we have heard ous blood shed upon the earth, of him, and declare unto you, from the blood of righteous Abel, that God is light, and in him is unto the blood of Zacharias, son no darkness at all. If we say that of Barachias, whom ye slew be- we have fellowship with him, tween the temple and the altar. and walk in darkness, we lie, and Verily I say unto you, All these do not the truth: but if we walk things shall come upon this ge- in the light, as he is in the light, neration. O Jerusalem, Jerusa- we have fellowship one with lem, thou that killest the pro-another, and the blood of Jesus phets, and stonest them which Christ his Son cleanseth us from are sent unto thee; how often all sin. If we say that we have would I have gathered thy chil-no sin, we deceive ourselves, dren together, even as a hen ga- and the truth is not in us. If we thereth her chickens under her confess our sins, he is faithful wings, and ye would not! Be-land just forgive us our sins JE and to cleanse us from all un-¡ heads. And I heard a voice from righteousness. If we say that we heaven, as the voice of many have not sinned, we make him a waters, and as the voice of a liar, and his Word is not in us. great thunder: and I heard the The Gospel. St. John xxi. 19. voice of harpers harping with ESUS said unto Peter, Follow their harps: and they sung as it me. Then Peter turning were a new song before the about, seeth the disciple whom throne, and before the four Jesus loved, following, (which beasts, and the elders: and no also leaned on his breast at sup-man could learn that song, but per, and said, Lord, which is he the hundred and forty and four that betrayeth thee?) Peter see-thousand, which were redeemed ing him, saith to Jesus, Lord, from the earth. These are they and what shall this man do? Je- which were not defiled with wosus saith unto him, If I will that men, for they are virgins: these he tarry till I come, what is that are they which follow the Lamb to thee? Follow thou me. Then whithersoever he goeth: these went this saying abroad among were redeemed from 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 testifieth of these things, and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true. And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. The Innocents Day. men, being the first-fruits unto God, and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile; for they are without fault before the throne of God. The Gospel. St. Matt. ii. 13. THE angel of the Lord appear eth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and fee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word; for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt; and was there until the The Collect. death of Herod: that it might be ALMIGHTY God, who out fulfilled which was spoken of the of the mouths of babes and Lord by the prophet, saying, Out sucklings hast ordained strength, of Egypt have I called my Son and madest infants to glorify thee Then Herod, when he saw that by their deaths: mortify and kill he was mocked of the wise men, all vices in us, and so strengthen was exceeding wroth, and sent us by thy grace, that by the inno- forth, and slew all the children cency of our lives, and constancy that were in Bethlehem, and in of our faith even unto death, we all the coasts thereof, from two may glorify thy holy name, years old and under, according through Jesus Christ our Lord. to the time which he had dili Amen. gently inquired of the wise men. For the Epistle. Rev. xiv. 1. Then was fulfilled that which was LOOKED, and lo, a Lamb spoken by Jeremy the prophet, stood on the mount Sion, and saying, In Rama was there a with him an hundred forty and voice heard, lamentation, and four thousand, having his Fa-weeping, and great mourning, ther's name written in their fore-Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, was a certain disciple at Damasbecause they are not. The Conversion of St. Paul. The Collect. cus, named Ananias, and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias: And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. And the Lord said GOD, who, through the unto him, Arise, and go into the preaching of the blessed street which is called Straight, Apostle Saint Paul, hast caused and inquire in the house of Judas the light of the Gospel to shine for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for throughout the world; grant, we behold, he prayeth, and hath seen beseech thee, that we, having his in a vision a man named Ananias, wonderful conversion in remem- coming in, and putting his hand brance, may show forth our on him, that he might receive his thankfulness unto thee for the sight. Then Ananias answered, same, by following the holy doc-Lord, I have heard by many of trine which he taught, through this man, how much evil he hath Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. done to thy saints at Jerusalem: For the Epistle. Acts ix. 1. and here he hath authority from AND Saul, yet breathing out the chief priests to bind all that threatenings and slaughter call on thy name, But the Lord against the disciples of the Lord, said unto him, Go thy way: for went unto the High Priest, and he is a chosen vessel unto me, to desired of him letters to Damas-bear my name before the Gencus to the synagogues, that if he tiles, and kings, and the children found any of this way, whether of Israel: For I will show hita they were men or women, he how great things he must suffer might bring them bound unto for my name's sake. And Ananias Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, went his way, and entered into he came near Damascus: and the house; and putting his hands suddenly there shined round on him, said, Brother Saul, the about him a light from heaven. Lord (even Jesus, that appeared And he fell to the earth, and unto thee in the way as thou heard a voice saying unto him, camest) hath sent me, that thou Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou mightest receive thy sight, and be me? And he said, Who art thou, filled with the Holy Ghost. And Lord? And the Lord said, I am immediately there fell from his Jesus whom thou persecutest: eyes as it had been scales; and he It is hard for thee to kick against received sight forthwith, and the pricks. And he, trembling arose, and was baptized. And and astonished, said, Lord, what when he had received meat, he wilt thou have me to do? And was strengthened. Then was the Lord said unto him, Arise, Saul certain days with the disciand go into the city, and it ples which were at Damascus. shall be told thee what thou And straightway he preached must do. And the men which Christ in the synagogues, that he journeyed with him stood speech- is the Son of God. But all that less, hearing a voice, but seeing heard him were amazed, and no man. And Saul arose from the said, Is not this he that destroyed earth; and when his eyes were them which called on this name opened, he saw no man: but they in Jerusalem, and came hither led him by the hand, and brought for that intent, that he might him into Damascus. And he was bring them bound unto the chief three days without sight, and nei-priests? But Saul increased the ther did eat nor drink. And there 'more in strength, and confounds K ed the Jews which dwelt at Da-silver, that they may offer un The Gospel. St. Matt. xix. 27. PETER ans, erhold, we have old, and asin former years. And I forsaken all, and followed thee; will come near to you to judgwhat shall we have therefore? ment; and I will be a swift witAnd Jesus said unto them, Verily ness against the sorcerers, and I say unto you, that ye which against the adulterers, and against have followed me, in the regene-false swearers, and against those ration, when the Son of man shall that oppress the hireling in his sit in the throne of his glory, ye wages, the widow, and the faalso shall sit upon twelve throues, therless, and that turn aside the judging the twelve tribes of Israel. stranger from his right, and fear And every one that hath forsaken not me, saith the Lord of hosts. houses, or brethren, or sisters, or The Gospel. St. Luke ii. 22. father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundred fold, and shall inherit everlasting life. But many that are first shall be last, and the last shall be first. ND when the days of her pu rification, according to the law of Moses, were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, (as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the The Presentation of Christ in the womb shall be called holy to the Temple, commonly called The Puri-Lord,) and to offer a sacrifice, acfication of Saint Mary the Virgin. cording to that which is said in The Collect. the law of the Lord, A pair of ALMIGHTY and everliving God, we humbly beseech thy Majesty, that as thy only begotten Son was this day presented in the Temple in substance of our flesh; so we may be presented unto thee with pure and clean hearts, by the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. BE For the Epistle. Mal. iii. 1. EHOLD, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddeuly come to his temple; even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts. But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap. And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and turtle-doves, or ap geons. And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seev the Lord's Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation; which thou bast prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him. And Simeon spake before concerning Judas, blessed them, and said unto Mary who was guide to them that took his mother, Behold, this child is Jesus. For he was numbered set for the fall and rising again with us, and had obtained part of of many in Israel; and for a sign this ministry. Now this man purwhich shall be spoken against, chased a field with the reward of (rea, a sword shall pierce through iniquity; and falling headlong, he thy own soul also,) that the burst asunder in the midst, and thoughts of many hearts may be all his bowels gushed out. And revealed. And there was one it was known to all the dwellers Anna, a prophetess, the daughter at Jerusalem; insomuch as that of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser; field is called in their proper she was of a great age, and had tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, lived with an husband seven The field of blood. For it is years from her virginity; and written in the book of Psalms, Let she was a widow of about four- his habitation be desolate, and score and four years, which de- let no man dwell therein: and parted not from the temple, but his Bishoprick let another take. served God with fastings and Wherefore of these men, which prayers night and day. And she, have companied with us all the coming in that instant, gave time that the Lord Jesus went in thanks likewise unto the Lord, and out among us, beginning and spake of him to all them that from the baptism of John, unto looked for redemption in Jerusa- that same day that he was taken lem. And when they had per-up from us, must one be ordained formed all things according to to be a witness with us of his rehe law of the Lord, they return-surrection. And they appointed ed into Galilee, to their own city two, Joseph called Barsabas, who Nazareth. And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon him. Saint Matthias's Day. The Collect. ALMIGHTY God, who into the place of the traitor Judas, didst choose thy faithful servant Matthias, to be of the number of the twelve Apostles; grant that thy Church, being always preserved from false Apostles, may be ordered and guided by was surnamed Justus, and Mat- The Gospel. St. Matt. xi. 25. faithful and true Pastors, through A and said, I thank thee, O Fa IN Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ther, Lord of heaven and earth, For the Epistle. Acts i. 15. because thou hast hid these those days Peter stood up in things from the wise and pruthe midst of the disciples, and dent, and hast revealed them unsaid, (the number of the names to- to babes. Even so, Father, for so gether were about an hundred it seemed good in thy sight. All and twenty;) Men and brethren, things are delivered unto me of this Scripture must needs have my Father; and no man knowbeen fulfilled, which the Holy eth the Son but the Father; neiGhost by the mouth of Davidjther knoweth any man the Fa |