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 ALMIGHTY GOD, give us grace salem, and were come to Bethphage, that we may cast away the works of unto the mount of Olives, then sent darkness, and put upon us the armor JESUS two disciples, saying unto of light, now in the time of this mor- them, Go into the village over against 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 ness, Thou shalt not covet; and if the way; others cut down branches there be any other commandment, it from the trees, and strawed them in is briefly comprehended in this say the way. And the multitudes that ing, namely, Thou shalt love thy went before, and that followed, cried, neighbor as thyself. Love worketh saying, Hosanna to the Son of Da 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 money. in 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 written, My house shall be called the make not provision for the flesh, to house of prayer; but ye have made fulfil the lusts thereof.

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-cload 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 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 likewise ye, when written aforetime, were written for ye see these things come to pass, know ye our learning; that we, through pa-dom of GOD is nigh at hand. Verily that the kingtience, and comfort of the Scriptures, I say unto you, This generation shall might have hope. Now the GOD of patience and consolation grant you Heaven and earth shall pass away; not pass away till all be fulfilled. but my word shall not pass away.

JESUS CHRIST. Amen.

to be like-minded one toward an-` other, according to CHRIST JESUS: that ye may with one mind and one

The Collect.

O LORD JESUS CHRIST, who at

mouth glorify Gon, even the Fa- THE THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT, 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 mes JESUS 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, and sing unto thy name: and again ne 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 Gon of hope you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the HOLY GHOST.

fill

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

that, at thy second coming to judge the world, we may be found an ac ceptable people in thy sight, who livest and reignest with the FATHER and the HOLY SPIRIT, ever one GOD, 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 God. 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 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 mc is the

LORD. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the LORD come, who both will bring to light the hid- and again I say, Rejoice. Let your

den things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

me.

The Gospel. St. Matt. xi. 2.

The Epistle. Phil. iv. 4. REJOICE in the LORD alway, 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 GOD. And the peace of GOD, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through CHRIST JESUS.

The Gospel. St John i. 19.

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, 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 thu 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 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 him, and said prophet? yea, I say unto you, and unto him, why baptizest thou then, more than a prophet. For this is he if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, of whom it is written, Behold, I send neither that prophet? John answered my messenger before thy face, which them, saying, I baptize with water; shall prepare thy way before thee. 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.

O LORD, raise up, we pray thee, thy power, and come among us, and with great might succor us; that

worthy to unloose. These things were done in Bethabara, beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

whereas, through our sins and wick- THE NATIVITY OF OUr lord, or

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 the HOLY GHOST, be honor and glory, world without end. Amen.

E

THE BIRTH DAY OF CHRIST.
COMMONLY CALLED CHRISTMAS-

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,

The Gospel. St. John i. 1. IN the beginning was the WORD, and the WORD was with GOD, and the WORD was GOD. The same was in the beginning with GOD. All things were made by him; and with

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 him was not any thing made, out end. Amen.

that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. And The Epistle. Heb. i. 1. the light shineth in darkness, and GOD, who, at sundry times, and the darkness comprehended it not in divers manners, spake in time There was a man sent from GOD, past unto the fathers by the prophets, whose name was John: the same bath in these last days spoken unto came for a witness, to bear witness of us by his Son, whom he hath ap- the light, that all men through him pointed heir of all things, by whorn 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. 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

But

He came unto

DAY.
The Collect.

him. And of the angels he saith, THE SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O ALMIGHTY GOD, who hast GOD, is for ever and ever; a sceptre given us thy only-begotten Son to of righteousness is the sceptre of thy take our nature upon him, and as at kingdom. Thou hast loved right this time to be born of a pure virgin; eousness, and hated iniquity; therefore GOD, even thy GOD, hath grant that we, being regenerate and made thy children by adoption and anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. And, Thou, LORD, race, may daily be renewed by thy in the beginning hast laid the foun: holy SPIRIT, through the same our Lord JESUS CHRIST, who liveth and dation of the earth; and the heavens reigneth with thee and the same are the works of thine hands: they SPIRIT, ever one GOD, world with. 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.

out end. Amen.

The Epistle. Gal. iv. 1.

NOW I say, that the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of

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 CHRIST our Lord. Amen. that were under the law, that we inight 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 servant, 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 uncircum Then 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 night be imputed unto them also< be 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 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, Behcld, a virgin shall The Gospel. St. Luke ii. 15. be with child, and shall bring forth ■son, and they shall call his name gels were gone away from them into AND it came to pass, as the an Emmanuel, which being interpreted, heaven, the shepherds said one to is, GOD with us. Then Joseph, being another, Let us now go even unto raised from sleep, did as the angel of the LORD had bidden him, and took Bethlehem, and see this thing which unto him his wife; and knew her not hath made known unto us. And they is come to pass, which the LORD till she had brought forth her first-born son; and he called his name JESUS. 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

THE CIRCUMCISION OF CHRIST.

The Collect.

ALMIGHTY GOD, who madest thy blessed Son to be circumcised,

of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect.