in thy holy house. Six days of labour have again passed away, and our lives, like the week, are hastening to their close! Our years decline apace, and we know not which of this family the righteous Lord may first take away. Again, therefore, we commend ourselves to thy fatherly protection, humbly beseeching thee to continue thy loving kindness towards us, and to give us grace to walk worthy of our calling as Christians, that when we die we may enter into thy presence with the spirits of the just men made perfect, through the merits and mediation of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

COLLECTS.

First Sunday in Advent.

ALMIGHTY GOD, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious Majesty to judge both the quick and dead, we may rise to the life immortal, through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, now and ever. Amen.

Second Sunday.

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.

Third Sunday.

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 God, world without end. Amen.

Fourth Sunday in Advent.

O LORD, raise up (we pray thee) thy power and come among us, and with great might succour us; that whereas, through our sin 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.

Christmas Day.

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 without end. Amen.

Saint Stephen's Day.

GRANT, O Lord, that, in all our sufferings here upon earth for the testimony of thy truth, we may steadfastly 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 God to succour all those that suffer for thee, our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen.

Saint John the Evangelist's Day.

MERCIFUL LORD, we beseech thee to cast thy bright beams of light upon thy Church, that it being enlightened by the doctrine of thy blessed Apostle and Evangelist Saint John, may so walk in the light of thy truth, that it may at length attain to the light of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

The Innocents' Day.

O ALMIGHTY GOD, who out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast ordained strength, and madest infants to glorify thee by their deaths; mortify and kill all vices in us, and so strengthen us by thy grace, that by the innocency of our lives, and constancy of our faith even unto death, we may glorify thy holy Name; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Sunday after Christmas.

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 without end. Amen.

Circumcision of Christ.

ALMIGHTY GOD, who madest thy blessed Son to be circumcised, and obedient to the law for man; grant us the true Circumcision of the Spirit; that, our hearts, and all our members, being mortified from all worldly and carnal lusts, we may in all things obey thy blessed will; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.