THE COLLECTS, EPISTLES, AND GOSPELS, TO BE USED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THE FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT. The Collect. The Gospel. St. Matt. xxi. 1. WHEN they drew nigh unto Jeru salem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent JESUS two disciples, saying unto them, Go into the village over against ALMIGHTY GOD, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armor of light, now in the time of this mor tal life, in which thy Son JESUS you, and straightway ye shall find an CHRIST came to visit us in great ass tied, and a colt with her: loose humility; that in the last day, when them, and bring them unto me. And he shall come again in his glorious if any man say aught unto you, ye majesty to judge both the quick and shall say, The Lord hath need of dead, we may rise to the life immor- them; and straightway he will send tal, through him who liveth and them. All this was done, that it reigneth with thee and the HOLY might be fulfilled which was spoken GHOST, now and ever. Amen. by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the This Collect is to be repeated every day with the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King other Collects in Advent, until Christmas-day. cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting The Epistle. Rom. xiii. 8. upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an OWE no man any thing, but to ass. And the disciples went, and did love one another; for he that loveth as JESUs commanded them; and another hath fulfilled the law. For brought the ass and the colt, and put this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, on them their clothes, and they sat Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not him thereon. And a very great steal, Thou shalt not bear false wit- multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of Da ness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this say ing, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbor; therefore love vid: blessed is he that cometh in is the fulfilling of the law. And the name of the LORD; Hosanna in that, knowing the time, that now it the highest. And when he was come is high time to awake out of sleep; into Jerusalem, all the city was for now is our salvation nearer than moved, saying, Who is this? And when we believed. The night is far the multitude said, This is JESUS spent, the day is at hand; let us there- the Prophet of Nazareth of Galilee. fore cast off the works of darkness, And JESUS went into the temple and let us put on the armor of light. of God, and cast out all them that Let us walk honestly, as in the day; sold and bought in the temple, and not in rioting and drunkenness, not overthrew the tables of the moneyin chambering and wantonness, not changers, and the seats of them that in strife and envying. But put sold doves, and said unto them, It is ye on the Lord JESUS CHRIST, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. THE SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT. nations, with perplexity; the sea and The Collect. the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking BLESSED LORD, who hast after those things which are coming caused all holy Scriptures to be on the earth; for the powers of heaven written for our learning; grant that shall be shaken. And then shall we may in such wise hear them, they see the Son of man coming in a read, mark, learn, and inwardly di- cloud with power and great glory. gest them, that by patience, and And when these things begin to come comfort of thy holy Word, we may to pass, then look up, and lift up your embrace, and ever hold fast the bless- heads; for your redemption draweth ed hope of everlasting life, which nigh. And he spake to them a para thou hast given us in our Saviour JESUS CHRIST. Amen. ble, Behold the fig-tree, and all the trees; when they now shoot forth, The Epistle. Rom. xv. 4. ye see and know of your own selves, that summer is now nigh at hand. So WHATSOEVER things were written aforetime, were written for likewise ye, when yo see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingour learning; that we, through pa dom of GOD is nigli at hand. Verily tience, and comfort of the Scriptures, I say unto you, This generation shall might have hope. Now the GOD of not pass away till all be fulfilled. patience and consolation grant you Heaven and earth shall pass away; but my word shall not pass away. to be like-minded one toward another, according to CHRIST JESUS: that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify Gon, even the Fa- THE THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT. The Collect. O LORD JESUS CHRIST, who at her of our Lord JESUS CHRIST. Wherefore receive ye one another, as CHRIST also received us, to the glory of GOD. Now I say, that thy first coming didst send thy mesJESUS CHRIST was a minister of the senger to prepare thy way before circumcision, for the truth of God, thee; grant that the Ministers and to confirm the promises made unto Stewards of thy mysteries may likethe fathers: and that the Gentiles wise so prepare and make ready thy might glorify GOD for his mercy; as way, by turning the hearts of the it is written, For this cause I will disobedient to the wisdom of the just, confess to thee among the Gentiles, that, at thy second coming to judge and sing unto thy name: and again the world, we may be found an acne saith, Rejoice ye Gentiles, with ceptable people in thy sight, who his people: and again, Praise the livest and reignest with the FATHER LORD, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, and the HOLY SPIRIT, ever one all yé people. And again Esaias GOD, world without end. Amen.. saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, in him shall the Gen GHOST. The Epistle. 1 Cor. iv. 1. LET a man so account of us, as tiles trust. Now the Gon of hope of the Ministers of CHRIST, and fill you with all joy and peace in be- Stewards of the mysteries of God.. lieving, that ye may abound in hope, Moreover, it is required in stewards, through the power of the HOLY 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 judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing by myself, yet am I not hereby justi fied; but he that judgeth me is the 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 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 The Epistle. Phil. 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 hearts: and then shall every man for nothing; but in every thing by have praise of GOD. The Gospel. St. Matt. xi. 2. prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto GOD. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through CHRIST JESUS. NOW when John had heard in the prison the works of CHRIST, he sent two of his disciples, and said ento him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? The Gospel. St John i. 19. JESUS answered and said unto them, THIS is the record of John when Go, and show John again those the Jews sent Priests and Levites things which ye do hear and see: from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art the blind receive their sight, and the thou? And he confessed, and denied lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, not; but confessed, I am not the and the deaf hear, the dead are raised Christ. And they asked him, What up, and the poor have the Gospel then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, preached to them: and blessed is he I am not. Art thou that prophet? whosoever shall not be offended in And he answered, No. Then said me. And as they departed, JESUS they unto him, Who art thou ? that began to say unto the multitudes con- we may give an answer to them that cerning John, What went ye out into sent us: What sayest thou of thythe wilderness to see? A reed sha- self? He said, I am the voice of ken with the wind? But what went one crying in the wilderness, Make ye out for to see? A man clothed in straight the way of the LORD, as soft raiment? Behold, they that wear said the prophet Esaias. And they soft clothing are in kings' houses. which were sent were of the PhariBut what went ye out for to see? A sees. And they asked hiın, and said prophet? yea, I say unto you, and unto him, why baptizest thou then, 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. 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 THE FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT. me, whose shoe's latchet I am not The Collect. worthy to unloose. These things were done in Bethabara, beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing. O LORD, raise up, we pray thee, thy power, and come among us, and with great might succor us; that whereas, through our sins and wick. THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD, OR THE BIRTH DAY OF CHRIST. The Collect. edness, 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 given us thy only-begotten Son to the HOLY GHOST, be honor and take our nature upon him, and as at glory, world without end. Amen. I this time to be born of a pure virgin, ALMIGHTY GOD, who hast The Gospel. St. John' i. 1. grant that we, being regenerate and made thy children by adoption and IN the beginning was the WORD, grace, may daily be renewed by thy and the WORD was with God, and holy SPIRIT, through the same our Lord JESUS CHRIST, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the same SPIRIT, ever one GOD, world with out end. Amen. The Epistle. Heb. i. 1. the WORD was God. The same was in the beginning with God. 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 GOD, whose name was John: the same came for a witness, to bear witness of the light, that all men through him GOD, 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 might believe. He was not that light, also he made the worlds; who, being but was sent to bear witness of that the brightness of his glory, and the light. That was the true light, which express image of his person, and lighteth every man that cometh into upholding all things by the word of the world. He was in the world, and his power, when he had by himself the world was made by him, and the purged our sins, sat down on the world knew him not. He came unto right hand of the Majesty on high; his own, and his own received him not being made so much better than the But as many as received him, to them angels, as he hath by inheritance ob- gave he power to become the sons of tained a more excellent name than Gon, even to them that believe on his they. For unto which of the angels name: which were born, not of blood, said he at any time, Thou art my nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the Son, this day have I begotten thee? will of man, but of GOD. And the And again, I will be to him a Father, WORD was made fresh, and dwelt and he shall be to me a Son? And among us, (and we beheld his glory, again, when he bringeth in the first the glory as of the only-begotten of begotten into the world, he saith, the Father,) full of grace and truth. And let all the angels of GOD worship him. And of the angels he saith, THE SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O GOD, is for ever and ever; a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved right eousness, and hated iniquity; there. fore GOD, even thy Gop, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. And, Thou, LORD, in the beginning hast laid the foun dation of the earth; and the heavens DAY. The Collect. ALMIGHTY GOD, 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 GOD, world with. out end. Amen. 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 as he is a child, differeth nothing thy years shall not fail. a servant, though he be lord of The Epistle. Gal. iv. 1. NOW I say, that the heir, as long CHRIST Our Lord. Amen. from all; but is under tutors and govern-and obedient to the law for man; ors, until the time appointed of the grant us the true circumcision of the father. Even so we, when we were SPIRIT, that, our hearts and all our children, were in bondage under the members being mortified from all elements of the world; but when the worldly and carnal lusts, we may fulness of the time was come, GOD in all things obey thy blessed will, sent forth his Son, made of a woman, through the same thy Son JESUS made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And, because ye are sons, GOD hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a ser vant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of GOD, through CHRIST. The Epistle. Rom. iv. 8. BLESSED is the man to whom the LORD will not impute sin. Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? For we say, that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. How was it then reckon The Gospel. St. Matt. i. 18. ed? when he was in circumcision or *THE birth of JESUS CHRIST was in uncircumcision? Not in circumon this wise: When as his mother cision, but in uncircumcision. And Mary was espoused to Joseph, before he received the sign of circumcision, they came together, she was found a seal of the righteousness of the faith with child of the HOLY GHOST. which he had, yet being uncircumThen Joseph her husband, being a cised; that he might be the father of just man, and not willing to make all them that believe, though they be her a public example, was minded not circumcised; that righteousness to put her away privily. But while unight be imputed unto them alsoc he thought on these things, behold, and the father of circumcision to them the angel of the LORD appeared unto who are not of the circumcision only, him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou but also walk in the steps of that faith son of David, fear not to take unto of our father Abraham, which he had, thee Mary thy wife; for that which being yet uncircumcised. For the is conceived in her is of the HOLY promise, that he should be the heir GHOST: and she shall bring forth a of the world, was not to Abraham, or son, and thou shalt call his name to his seed, through the law, but JESUS; for he shall save his people through the righteousness of faith. from their sins. Now all this was For if they which are of the law be done, that it might be fulfilled which heirs, faith is made void, and the was spoken of the LORD by the pro phet, saying, Behcld, a virgin shall Emmanuel, which being interpreted, the angel of unto him his wife; and knew her not till she had brought forth her first-born son; and he called his name JESUS. THE CIRCUMCISION OF CHRIST. ALMIGHTY GOD, who madest thy blessed Son to be circumcised, promise made of none effect. The Gospel. St. Luke ii. 15. AND it came to pass, as the an were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the LORD hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the say ing which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were |