ever is right I will give you. And they went their way. Again The Epistle. 2 Cor. xi. 19. went out about the sixth and ninth ye yourselves are wise. For hour, and did likewise. And about ye suffer if a man bring you into the eleventh hour he went out, bondage, if a man devour you, if and found others standing idle, a man take of you, if a man exalt and saith unto them, Why stand himself, if a man smite you on the ye here all the day idle? They say face. I speak as concerning reunto him, Because no man hath proach, as though we had been hired us. He saith unto them, Go weak: howbeit, whereinsoever ye also into the vineyard, and any is bold, (I speak foolishly) I whatsoever is right, that shall ye am bold also. Are they Hebrews? receive. So when even was come, so am I: are they Israelites? so the lord of the vineyard saith un-am I: are they the seed of Abrato his steward, Call the labourers, ham? so am I: are they minisand give them their hire, begin- ters of Christ? (I speak as a fool) ning from the last unto the first. I am more: In labours more aAnd when they came, that were bundant; in stripes above meahired about the eleventh hour, sure; in prisons more frequent; they received every man a pen- in deaths oft. Of the Jews five ny. But when the first came,they times received I forty stripes save supposed that they should have one; thrice was I beaten with received more; and they likewise rods; once was I stoned; thrice received every man a penny. And I suffered shipwreck; a night and when they had received it, they a day have I been in the deep; in murmured against the good man journeyings often; in perils of of the house, saying, These last waters; in perils of robbers; in have wrought but one hour, and perils by mine own countrymen; thou hast made them equal unto in perils by the heathen; in perils us, which have borne the burden in the city; in perils in the wilder and heat of the day. But he an-ness; in perils in the sea; in perils swered one of them, and said, among false brethren; in weariFriend, I do thee no wrong; didst ness and painfulness; in watchnot thou agree with me for a pen-ings often; in hunger and thirst; ny? Take that thine is, and go thy in fastings often; in cold and na way; I will give unto this last even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last; for many be called, but few chosen. The Sunday called Sexagesima, or the second Sunday before Lent. The Collect. LORD God, who seest that we put not our trust in any thing that we do; mercifully grant that by thy power we may be defended against all adversity, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. kedness; besides those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the Churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. The Gospel. St. Luke viii. 4. WHEN much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable: A sower went out to sow his seed, and as he sowed, some fell by the way-side,and it was trodden down, The Epistle. 1 Cor. xiii. 1. THOUGH I speak with the and the fowls of the air devoured, only Son Jesus Christ's sake. it; and some fell upon a rock, and Amen. as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away because it lacked moisture; and some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up tongues of men and of an. with it, and choaked it; and other gels, and have not charity, I am fell on good ground, and sprang become as sounding brass or a up, and bare fruit an hundred tinkling cymbal: And though I fold. And when he had said these have the gift of prophecy, and things, he cried, He that hath ears understand all mysteries, and all to hear, let him hear. And his knowledge; and though I have disciples asked him, saying, What all faith, so that I could remove might this parable be? And he mountains, and have not charity, said, Unto you it is given to I am nothing. And though I beknow the mysteries of the king-stow all my goods to feed the dom of God; but to others in par-poor, and though I give my body ables: that seeing they might not to be burned, and have not chasee, and hearing they might not rity, it profiteth me nothing. understand. Now the parable is Charity suffereth long, and is this: the seed is the word of God. kind; charity envieth not; charThose by the way-side are they ity vaunteth not itself; is not that hear; then cometh the devil, puffed up; doth not behave itself and taketh away the word out of unseemly; seeketh not her own; their hearts, lest they should be- is not easily provoked; thinketh lieve and be saved. They on the no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquirock are they, which, when they ty, but rejoiceth in the truth; hear, receive the word with joy; beareth all things, believeth all and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. And that which fell among thorns are they which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choaked with cares, and riches, and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. But that on the good ground are they, which, in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. The Sunday called Quinquagesima, or the next Sunday before Lent. The Collect. things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. LORD, who hast taught us that all our doings without charity are nothing worth; send thy Holy Ghost, and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of charity, the very bond of peace, and of all virtues; without which, The Gospel. St. Luke xviii. 31. whosoever liveth is counted dead before thee: Grant this for thine THEN Jesus took unto him the twelve and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, of all mercy, perfect remission and all things that are written by and forgiveness, through Jesus the prophets concerning the Son Christ our Lord. Amen. This Collect is to be read every day in Lent, after the Collect appointed for the day. At Morning Prayer, the Litany being ended, shall be said the following Pray ers, immediately before the general Thanksgiving. of man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death; and the third day he shall rise again. And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken. And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the wayside begging; and, hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what merciful Father, who hast MOST mighty God, and LORD, we beseech thee, and spare all those who confess mercifully hear our prayers, their sins unto thee; that they, whose consciences by sin are accused, by thy merciful pardon may be absolved, through Christ our Lord. Amen. it meant. And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. And compassion upon all men, and he cried, saying, Jesus thou Son made; who wouldest not the hatest nothing that thou hast of David, have mercy on me. death of a sinner, but rather that And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold he should turn from his sin, and his peace; but he cried so much be saved; mercifully forgive us the more, Thou Son of David, fort us, who are grieved and our trespasses; receive and comhave mercy on me. And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be wearied with the burden of our brought unto him: and when he sins. Thy property is always to was come near, he asked him, say- have mercy; to thee only it ap ing, What wilt thou that I should pertaineth to forgive sins: spare do unto thee? And he said, Lord, us therefore, good Lord, spare that I may receive my sight. And thy people, whom thou hast reJesus said unto him, Receive thy deemed: enter not into judgment sight; thy faith hath saved thee. with thy servants, who are vile And immediately he received his earth, and miserable sinners; but sight, and followed him, glorify-so turn thine anger from us, who ing God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God. The first day of Lent, commonly called Ash-Wednesday. ALMIGHTY and everlasting meekly acknowledge our vileness, and truly repent us of our faults; and so make haste to help us in this world, that we may ever live with thee in the world to come, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Then shall the temple say this that followeth, after Minister. and so shall we be turned. URN thou us, O good Lord, itent; create and make in us Be favourable, O Lord, be fanew and contrite hearts, that we, vourable to thy people, who turn worthily lamenting our sins and to thee in weeping, fasting and acknowledging our wretched- praying. For thou art a merci ness, may obtain of thee, the Godful God, full of compassion long suffering, and of great pity. anoint thine head, and wash thy Thou sparest when we deserve face, that thou appear not unto punishment, and in thy wrath men to fast, but unto thy Father thinkest upon mercy. Spare thy people, good Lord, spare them; and let not thine heritage be brought to confusion. Hear us, O Lord, for thy mercy is great; and after the multitude of thy mercies look upon us, through the merits and mediation of thy blessed Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. For the Epistle. Joel ii 12. URN ye even to me, saith the which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure will The first Sunday in Lent. The Collect. LORD, who for our sake didst fast forty days and forty and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning. And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth nights; give us grace to use such him of the evil. Who knoweth abstinence, that our flesh being if he will return, and repent, and subdued to the Spirit, we may leave a blessing behind him, ever obey thy godly motions in even a meat-offering and a drink-righteousness and true holiness, offering unto the Lord your to thy honour and glory, who God? Blow the trumpet in Zion, livest and reignest with the Fasanctify a fast, call a solemn ther and the Holy Ghost, one assembly, gather the people, God, world without end. Amen. sanctify the congregation, as- The Epistle. 2 Cor. vi. 1. semble the elders, gather the WE then, as workers together with him, beseech you also, children and those that suck the breasts; let the bridegroom that ye receive not the grace of go forth of his chamber, and God in vain: (For he saith, I the bride out of her closet; let have heard thee in a time acthe priests, the ministers of the cepted, and in the day of salvaLord, weep between the porch tion have I succoured thee: beand the altar, and let them say, hold, now is the accepted time; Spare thy people, O Lord, and behold, now is the day of salvagive not thine heritage to re- tion) giving no offence in any proach, that the heathen should thing, that the ministry be not rule over them: wherefore should blamed; but in all things apthey say among the people, proving ourselves as the miWhere is their God? nisters of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in The Gospel. St. Matt. vi. 16. WHEN ve fast, be not as the distresses, in stripes, in imprisonhypocrites, of a sad coun-ments, in tumults, in labours, in tenance: for they disfigure their watchings, in fastings; by purefaces, that they may appear unto ness, by knowledge, by longmen to fast. Verily I say unto suffering, by kindness, by the you, they have their reward. Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by But thou, when thou fastest, the word of truth, by the power o A The second Sunday in Lent. The Collect. God, by the armour of righteousess on the right hand and on the left, by honour and dishonour, LMIGHTY God, who seest by evil report and good report; that we have no power of as deceivers, and yet true; as ourselves to help ourselves; keep unknown, and yet well-known; us both outwardly in our bodies, as dying, and behold we live; as and inwardly in our souls; that chastened, and not killed; as we may be defended from all adsorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. versities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. WE The Gospel. St. Matt. iv. 1. The Epistle. 1 Thess. iv. 1. THE HEN was Jesus led up of the VE beseech you, brethren, spirit into the wilderness, to and exhort you by the Lord be tempted of the devil: And Jesus, that as ye have received when he had fasted forty days of us how ye ought to walk, and and forty nights, he was after-to please God, so ye would ward an hungered. And when abound more and more. For ye the tempter came to him, he said, know what commandments we If thou be the Son of God, com- gave you by the Lord Jesus. mand that these stones be made For this is the will of God, even bread. But he answered and your sanctification, that ye should said, It is written, Man shall not abstain from fornication; that live by bread alone, but by every every one of you should know word that proceedeth out of the how to possess his vessel in sancmouth of God. Then the devil tification and honour; not in the taketh him up into the holy city, lust of concupiscence, even as and setteth him on a pinnacle of the Gentiles which know not the temple, and saith unto him, If God: that no man go beyond and thou be the Son of God, cast thy-defraud his brother in any matself down; for it is written, He ter; because that the Lord is the shall give his angels charge con-avenger of all such, as we also cerning thee; and in their hands have forewarned you and testithey shall bear thee up, lest at fied. For God hath not called any time thou dash thy foot us unto uncleanness, but unto against a stone. Jesus said unto holiness. He therefore that dehim, It is written again, Thou spiseth, despiseth not man, but shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. God, who hath also given unto Again the devil taketh him up us his Holy Spirit. into an exceeding high mountain, The Gospel. St. Matt. xv. 21. and showeth him all the king- JESUS went thence, and dedoms of the world, and the glory parted into the coasts of Tyre of them; and saith unto him, and Sidon. And behold, a woman All these things will I give thee, of Canaan came out of the same if thou wilt fall down and wor-coasts, and cried unto him, sayship me. Then saith Jesus unto ing, Have mercy on me, O Lord, him, Get thee hence, Satan; for thou Son of David: my daughter it is written, Thou shalt worship is grievously vexed with a devil. the Lord thy God, and him only But he answered her not a word. shalt thou serve. Then the devil And his disciples came and beleaveth him, and, behold, angels sought him, saying, Send her acame and ministered unto him. way for she crieth after us. But |