And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
The night is far spent, the day is at hand; let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
Let us walk honestly as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the l.u.s.ts thereof.
THE GOSPEL. St Matth. xxi. 1.
When they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an a.s.s tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an a.s.s, and a colt the foal of an a.s.s. And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them; and brought the a.s.s, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. And a very great mult.i.tude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. And the mult.i.tudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord; Hosanna in the Highest. And when he was come into Jerusalem all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? And the mult.i.tude said, This is Jesus the Prophet of Nazareth of Galilee. And Jesus went into the temple of G.o.d, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple; and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of them that sold doves; and said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
THE SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT
THE COLLECT.
Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. _Amen_.
THE EPISTLE. Rom. xv. 4.
Whatsoever things were written afore time were written for our learning; that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Now the G.o.d of patience and consolation grant you to be like-minded one towards another, according to Christ Jesus: that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify G.o.d, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us, to the glory of G.o.d. Now I say, that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circ.u.mcision for the truth of G.o.d, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers; and that the Gentiles might glorify G.o.d for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy Name. And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles, and laud him, all ye people. And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, in him shall the Gentiles trust. Now the G.o.d of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
THE GOSPEL. St Luke xxi. 25.
And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men"s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pa.s.s, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig-tree, and all the trees; when they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pa.s.s, know ye that the kingdom of G.o.d is nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pa.s.s away, till all be fulfilled: heaven and earth shall pa.s.s away; but my words shall not pa.s.s away.
THE THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT
THE COLLECT.
O Lord Jesu Christ, who at thy first coming didst send thy messenger to prepare thy way before thee: Grant that the ministers and stewards of thy mysteries may likewise so prepare and make ready thy way, by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that at thy second coming to judge the world we may be found an acceptable people in thy sight, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit, ever one G.o.d, world without end. _Amen_.
THE EPISTLE. 1 Cor. iv. 1.
Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of G.o.d. Moreover, it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man"s judgement: yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing by myself, yet am I not hereby justified; but he that judgeth me is the Lord.
Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts; and then shall every man have praise of G.o.d.
THE GOSPEL. St Matth. xi. 2.
Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, and said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the Gospel preached to them. And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me. And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the mult.i.tudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? a reed shaken with the wind? But what went ye out for to see? a man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings" houses. But what went ye out for to see? a prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
| ADVENT EMBER DAYS | | _The second Ember Collect in the Book of Common Prayer may be_ | _used with the Collect of the day_.
THE FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT
THE COLLECT.
O Lord, raise up (we pray thee) thy power, and come among us, and with great might succour us; that whereas, through our sins and wickedness, we are sore let and hindered in running the race that is set before us, thy bountiful grace and mercy may speedily help and deliver us; through the satisfaction of thy Son our Lord, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be honour and glory, world without end. _Amen_.
THE EPISTLE. Philip, iv. 4.
Rejoice in the Lord alway, and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing: but in every thing, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto G.o.d. And the peace of G.o.d, which pa.s.seth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
THE GOSPEL. St John i. 19.
This is the record of John, when the Jews sent Priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that Prophet? And he answered, No. Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias. And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.
And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that Prophet? John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not: he it is who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe"s latchet I am not worthy to unloose. These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.
THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD, OR THE BIRTH-DAY OF CHRIST,
COMMONLY CALLED
CHRISTMAS DAY
_December_ 25.
THE COLLECT.
Almighty G.o.d, who hast given us thy only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and as at this time to be born of a pure Virgin: Grant that we being regenerate, and made thy children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by thy Holy Spirit; through the same our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the same Spirit, ever one G.o.d, world without end. _Amen_.
THE EPISTLE. Hebr. i. 1.
G.o.d, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? And again, when he bringeth in the first-begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of G.o.d worship him. And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O G.o.d, is for ever and ever; a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom: Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore G.o.d, even thy G.o.d, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: they shall perish, but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed; but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.
THE GOSPEL. St John i. 1.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with G.o.d, and the Word was G.o.d. The same was in the beginning with G.o.d. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not.
There was a man sent from G.o.d, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light. That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of G.o.d, even to them that believe on his Name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of G.o.d. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only-begottenof the Father) full of grace and truth.
| _If there be two or more celebrations of the Holy Communion in_ | _any church on Christmas-day, the following Epistle and Gospel_ | _may be used at one of them_.
| | THE EPISTLE. t.i.tus ii. 11.
| | The grace of G.o.d that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all | men, teaching us that, denying unG.o.dliness and worldly l.u.s.ts, | we should live soberly, righteously, and G.o.dly, in this present | world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing | of the great G.o.d and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself | for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify | unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
| | THE GOSPEL. St Luke ii. 1.
| | It came to pa.s.s in those days, that there went out a decree | from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And | this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) | And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And | Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, | into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, | (because he was of the house and lineage of David,) to be taxed | with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it | was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished | that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn | son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a | manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there | were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping | watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord | came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: | and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear | not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which | shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the | city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this | shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in | swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was | with the angel a mult.i.tude of the heavenly host praising G.o.d, | and saying, Glory to G.o.d in the highest, and on earth peace, | good will toward men.
| | _Or_ St Matth. i. 18.
| | The birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother | Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was | found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, | being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, | was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these | things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a | dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto | thee Mary thy wife; for that which is conceived in her is of the | Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call | his name JESUS; for he shall save his people from their sins.
| (Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was | spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a Virgin | shall be with child, and shall bring forth a Son, and they | shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, G.o.d | with us.) Then Joseph, being raised from sleep, did as the angel | of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife; and knew | her not till she had brought forth her first-born son: and he | called his name JESUS.
| | _An Additional Collect for Christmastide_.
| | O G.o.d, who makest us glad with the yearly remembrance of the | birth of thy only Son Jesus Christ; Grant that as we joyfully | receive him for our Redeemer, so we may with sure confidence | behold him when he shall come to be our Judge; who liveth and | reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one G.o.d, world without | end. _Amen_.
| | _The Collect, Epistle, and Gospel for Christmas-day may be used_ | _for six days after, unless another Collect, Epistle, and_ | _Gospel are provided_.
SAINT STEPHEN"S DAY
_December_ 26.
THE COLLECT.
Grant, O Lord, that in all our sufferings here upon earth, for the testimony of thy truth, we may stedfastly 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 prayed for his murderers to thee, O blessed Jesus, who standest at the right hand of G.o.d to succour all those that suffer for thee, our only Mediator and Advocate. _Amen_.
_Then shall follow the Collect of the Nativity, which shall be said continually unto New-year"s Eve_.
FOR THE EPISTLE. Acts vii. 55.
Stephen, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of G.o.d, and Jesus standing on the right hand of G.o.d, and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of G.o.d. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, and cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man"s feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon G.o.d, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.