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.

The Gospel. St. Matt. xxiii. 34.

walk in the light of thy truth, that it may at length attain to everlasting life, through JESUS CHRIST, our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle. 1 John i. 1.

THAT which was from the BEHOLD, I send unto you beginning, which we have prophets, and wise men, and heard, which we have seen with scribes; and some of them ye our eyes, which we have looked shall kill and crucify; and some upon, and our hands have of them shall ye scourge in handled of the word of life; your synagogues, and persecute (for the life was manifested, them from city to city; that and we have seen it, and bear upon you may come all the witness, and show unto you righteous blood shed upon that eternal life which was with the earth, from the blood of the Father, and was manifested righteous Abel, unto the blood unto us;) that which we have of Zacharias, son of Barachias, seen and heard, declare we unto whom ye slew between the you, that ye also may have temple and the altar. Verily I fellowship with us; and truly say unto you, All these things our fellowship is with the shall come upon this generation. Father, and with his Son JESUS O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou CHRIST. And these things that killest the prophets, and write we unto you, that your stonest them which are sent joy may be full. This then is unto thee; how often would the message which we have I have gathered thy children heard of him, and declare unto together, even as a hen gather-you, that GoD is light, and in eth her chickens under her him is no darkness at all. If wings, and ye would not! we say that we have fellowship Behold, your house is left unto with him, and walk in darkness, you desolate. For I say unto we lie, and do not the truth: you, Ye shall not see me but if we walk in the light, as henceforth, till ye shall say, he is in the light, we have Blessed is he that cometh in fellowship one with another, the name of the LORD. and the blood of JESUS CHRIST his Son cleanseth us from all

SAINT JOHN THE EVANGELIST's sin. If we say that we have

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 blessed apostle and evangelist St. John, may sol

no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive 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.

For the Epistle. Rev. xiv. 1.

The Gospel. St. John xxi. 19. JESUS said unto Peter, I LOOKED, and lo, a Lamb Follow me. Then Peter turn- stood on the mount Sion, and ing about, seeth the disciple with him an hundred forty whom JESUS loved, following, and four thousand, having his (which also leaned on his Father's name written in their breast at supper, and said, Lord, foreheads. And I heard a voice which is he that betrayeth from heaven, as the voice of thee?) Peter seeing him, saith many waters, and as the voice to JESUS, Lord, and what shall of a great thunder: and I heard this man do? JESUS saith unto the voice of harpers harping him, If I will that he tarry till with their harps: and they sung I come, what is that to thee? as it were a new song before Follow thou me. Then went the throne, and before the four this saying abroad among the beasts, and the elders: and no brethren, that that disciple man could learn that song, but should not die: yet JESUS said the hundred and forty and four not unto him, He shall not die: thousand, which were redeemed but, If I will that he tarry till from the earth. These are they I come, what is that to thee? which were not defiled with This is the disciple which tes- women, for they are virgins : tifieth of these things, and wrote these are they which follow these things, and we know that the Lamb whithersoever he his testimony is true. And goeth these were redeemed there are also many other things from among men, being the which JESUS did, the which, if first-fruits unto God, and to they should be written every the Lamb. And in their mouth one, I suppose that even the was found no guile; for they are without fault before the throne of GOD.

world itself could not contain the books that should be written,

THE INNOCENTS' DAY.

The Collect.

The Gospel. St. Matt. ii. 13.

THE angel of the LORD appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee

O ALMIGHTY GOD, who out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast ordained strength, and madest infants word; for Herod will seek the to glorify thee by their deaths: young child to destroy him. mortify and kill all vices in us, When he arose, he took the and so strengthen us by thy young child and his mother by grace, that by the innocency night, and departed into Egypt; of our lives, and constancy of and was there until the death our faith even unto death, we of Herod: that it might be may glorify thy holy name, fulfilled which was spoken of through JESUS CHRIST our the LORD by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called

Lord. Amen.

my Son. Then Herod, when | Damascus: and suddenly there he saw that he was mocked of shined round about him a light the wise men, was exceeding from heaven. And he fell to wroth, and sent forth, and slew the earth, and heard a voice all the children that were in saying unto him, Saul, Saul, Bethlehem, and in all the coasts why persecutest thou me? And thereof, from two years old and he said, Who art thou, Lord ? under, according to the time And the LORD said, I am JESUS which he had diligently inquired whom thou persecutest: it is of the wise men, Then was hard for thee to kick against fulfilled that which was spoken the pricks. And he, trembling by Jeremy the prophet, saying, and astonished, said, Lord, In Rama was there a voice what wilt thou have me to do? heard, lamentation, and weep- And the LORD said unto him, ing, and great mourning, Rachel Arise, and go into the city, and weeping for her children, and it shall be told thee what thou would not be comforted, because must do. And the men which they are not. journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but

THE CONVERSION OF ST. PAUL. seeing no man. And Saul arose

The Collect.

from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no O GOD, who, through the man: but they led him by the preaching of the blessed apostle hand, and brought him into Saint Paul, hast caused the Damascus. And he was three light of the Gospel to shine days without sight, and neither throughout the world; grant, we did eat nor drink. And there beseech thee, that we, having was a certain disciple at Dahis wonderful conversion in mascus, named Ananias, and to remembrance, may show forth him said the LORD in a vision, our thankfulness unto thee for Ananias: And he said, Behold, the same, by following the I am here, Lord. And the holy doctrine which he taught, through JESUS CHRIST our Lord. Amen.

LORD said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called

Saul, of Tarsus: for behold, he prayeth, and hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias, coming in, and putting his hand

For the Epistle. Acts ix. 1. AND Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the LORD, went unto the High on him, that he might receive Priest, and desired of him letters his sight. Then Ananias an to Damascus to the synagogues, swered, Lord, I have heard by that if he found any of this many of this man, how much way, whether they were men or evil he hath done to thy saints women, he might bring them at Jerusalem: and here he hath bound unto Jerusalem. And authority from the chief priests as he journeyed, he came near to bind all that call on thy

name. But the LORD said unto | regeneration, when the Son of him, Go thy way: for he is a man shall sit in the throne of chosen vessel unto me, to bear his glory, ye also shall sit upon my name before the Gentiles, twelve thrones, judging the and kings, and the children of twelve tribes of Israel. And Israel: for I will show him every one that hath forsaken now great things he must suffer houses, or brethren, or sisters, for my name's sake. And or father, or mother, or wife, Ananias went his way, and or children, or lands, for my entered into the house; and name's sake, shall receive an putting his hands on him, said, hundred fold, and shall inherit Brother Saul, the LORD (even everlasting life. But many that JESUS, that appeared unto thee are first shall be last, and the in the way as thou camest) hath last shall be first. sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled THE PRESENTATION OF CHRIST

with the HOLY GHOST. And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales; and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized. And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. And straightway he preached CHRIST in the synagogues, that he is the SON OF GOD. But all that heard him were amazed, and said, Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests? But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very CHRIST.

The Gospel. St. Matt. xix. 27. PETER answered, and said unto JESUS, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? And JESUS said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that ye which have followed me, in the

IN THE TEMPLE, COMMONLY
CALLED THE PURIFICATION
OF SAINT MARY THE VIRGIN.

The Collect.

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.

For the Epistle. Mal. iii. 1.

BEHOLD, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the LORD whom ye seek, shall suddenly 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 refiner and purifier of silver:

6*

a

and he shall purify the sons of in the child JESUS, to do for Levi, and purge them as gold him after the custom of the law, and silver, that they may offer then took he him up in his unto the LORD an offering in arms, and blessed GOD, and said, righteousness. Then shall the LORD, now lettest thou thy offerings of Judah and Jerusa-servant depart in peace, accordlem be pleasant unto the LORD, ing to thy word: for mine eyes as in the days of old, and as in have seen thy salvation; which former years. And I will come thou hast prepared before the near to you to judgment; and face of all people; a light to I will be a swift witness against lighten the Gentiles, and the the sorcerers, and against the glory of thy people Israel. adulterers, and against false And Joseph and his mother swearers, and against those that marvelled at those things which oppress the hireling in his were spoken of him. wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.

And

Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against, (yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Fhanuel, of the tribe of Aser; she was of a great age, and

The Gospel. St. Luke ii. 22. AND when the days of her purification, 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 had lived with an husband male that openeth the womb seven years from her virginity; shall be called holy to the and she was a widow of about LORD,) and to offer a sacrifice, fourscore and four years, which according to that which is said departed not from the temple, in the law of the LORD, A pair but served GoD with fastings of turtle-doves, or two young and prayers night and day. pigeons. And behold, there And she, coming in that instant, 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 seen the LORD'S CHRIST. And he came by the SPIRIT into the temple; and when the parents brought

gave thanks likewise unto the LORD, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem. And when they had performed all things according to the law of the LORD, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth. And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of GoD was upon him.