THE FIRST DAY OF LENT, COM-T Then shall the people say this that followeth MONLY CALLED ASH-WEDNES. DAY. after the Minister. TURN thou us, O good LORD, and so shall we be turned. Be faThe Collect. vorable, O LORD, be favorable to thy ALMIGHTY and everlasting people, who turn to thee in weeping, GOD, who hatest nothing that thou fasting and praying. For thou art a hast made, and dost forgive the sins merciful God, full of compassion, of all those who are penitent; create long-suffering, and of great pity. and make in us new and contrite Thou sparest when we deserve punhearts, that we, worthily larenting ishment, and in thy wrath thinkest our sins and acknowledging our upon mercy. Spare thy people, good wretchedness, may obtain of thee, LORD, spare thein; and let not thine the GOD of all mercy, perfect remis- heritage be brought to confusion. sion and forgiveness, through JESUS Hear us, O LORD, for thy mercy is CHRIST Our Lord. Amen. 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. 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 Prayers, "immedi ately before the General Thanksgiving. O LORD, we beseech thee, merTURN ye even to me, saith the cifully hear our prayers, and spare LORD, with all your heart, and with all those who confess their sins unto fasting, and with weeping, and with thee; that they, whose consciences mourning. And rend your heart, by sin are accused, by thy merciful and not your garments, and turn unto pardon may be absolved, through the LORD your GOD: for he is gra CHRIST Our Lord. Amen. cious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth O MOST mighty GOD, and mer him of the evil. Who knoweth if he ciful Father, who hast compassion will return, and repent, and leave a upon all men, and hatest nothing that blessing behind him, even a meatthou hast made; who wouldest not offering and a drink-offering unto the the death of a sinner, but rather that LORD your God? Blow the trumpet he should turn from his sin, and be in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn saved; mercifully forgive us our assembly, gather the people, sanctify trespasses; receive and comfort us, the congregation, assemble the elders, who are grieved and wearied with gather the children and those that the burden of our sins. Thy pro- suck the breasts; let the bridegroom perty is always to have mercy; to go forth of his chamber, and the bride thee only it appertaineth to forgive out of her closet; let the priests, the sins: spare us therefore, good LORD, ministers of the LORD, weep between spare thy people, whom thou hast the porch and the altar, and let them redeemed: enter not into judgment say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and with thy servants, who are vile earth, give not thine heritage to reproach, and miserable sinners; but so turn that the Heathen should rule over thine anger from us, who meekly them: wherefore should they say acknowledge our vileness, and truly among the people, Where is their repent us of our faults; and so make GOD? 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. The Gospel, St. Matt, vi. 16. WHEN ye fast, be not as the hy. pocrites, of a sad countenance: for . they disfigure their faces, that they GOD, by the armor of righteousness may appear unto men to fast. Verily on the right hand and on the left, by I say unto you, they have their re- honor and dishonor, by evil report ward. But thou, when thou fastest, and 'good report; as deceivers, and anoint thine head, and wash thy face, yet true; as unknown, and yet well that thou appear not unto men to fast, known; as dying, and behold we but unto thy Father which is in se-live; as chastened, and not killed; cret; and thy Father which seeth in as sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as secret, shall reward thee openly. poor, yet making many rich; as havLay not up for yourselves treasures ing nothing, and yet possessing all upon earth, where moth and rust doth things. 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 is, there will your heart be also. THE FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT. The Collect. O LORD, who for our sake didst fast forty days and forty nights; give us grace to use such abstinence, that our flesh being subdued to the Spirit, we may ever obey thy godly motions in righteousness and true holiness, to thy honor and glory, who livest and reignest with the FATHER and the HOLY GHOST, one GOD, world without end. Amen. The Gospel. St. Matt. iv. 1. THEN was JESUS led up of the Spirit into the wilderness, to be tempt And ed of the devil: and when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he when the tempter came to him, he was afterward a hungered. said, If thou be the Son of GOD, com. mand that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is writ ten, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of GOD. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, and saith unto him, If thou be the Son of GOD, cast thyself down ; for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee; and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone JESUS said unto The Epistle. 2 Cor. vi. 1. hiin, It is written again, Thou shalt WE then, as workers together the devil taketh him up into an exnot tempt the LORD thy GOD. Again with him, beseech you also, that ye receive not the grace of GOD in vain: ceeding high mountain, and showeth (For he saith, I have heard thee in a him all the kingdoms of the world, time accepted, and in the day of sal- and the glory of them; and saith unto vation have I succored thee: behold, him, All these things will I give thee, now is the accepted time; behold, if thou wilt fall down and worship now is the day of salvation) giving Get thee hence, Satan; for it is writ me. Then saith JESUS unto him, no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed; but in all ten, Thou shalt worship the LORD thy things approving ourselves as the GOD, and him only shalt thou serve. ministers of GOD, in much patience, Then the devil leaveth him, and bein afflictions, in necessities, in dis hold, angels came and ministered tresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, unto him. in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings; by pureness, by knowledge, by long-suffering, by kindness, by the HOLY GHOST, by love unfeigned, by THE SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT. the word of truth, by the power of we have no power of ourselves to help ourselves; keep us both outwardly in | Truth, Lord; yet the dogs eat of the our bodies, and inwardly in our souls; crumbs which fall from their master's that we may be defended from all table. Then JESUS answered and adversities which may happen to the said unto her, O woman, great is thy body, and from all evil thoughts faith: be it unto thee even as thou which may assault and hurt the soul, wilt. And her daughter was made through JESUS CHRIST our Lord. whole from that very hour. Amen. The Epistle. 1 Thess. iv. 1. THE THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT. WE beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord JESUS, that WE beseech thee, ALMIGHTY as ye have received of us how ye GOD, look upon the hearty desires of ought to walk, and to please GOD, so thy humble servants, and stretch ye would abound more and more. forth the right hand of thy majesty, For ye know what commandments to be our defence against all our we gave you by the Lord JESUS. enemies, through JESUS CHRIST Our For this is the will of GOD, even Lord. Amen. your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication; that every one of you should know how to pos The Epistle. Ephes. v. 1. BE ye therefore followers of GOD, Bess his vessel in sanctification and as dear children; and walk in love, honor; not in the lust of concupis- as CHRIST also hath loved us, and cence, even as the Gentiles which hath given himself for us, an offering know not GOD: that no man go be- and a sacrifice to GOD, for a sweetyond and defraud his brother in any smelling savor. But fornication and matter; because that the LORD is the all uncleanness, or covetousness, let avenger of all such, as we also have it not be once named amongst you, as forewarned you and testified. For becometh saints; neither filthiness, GOD hath not called us unto unclean-nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which ness, but unto holiness. He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but Gop, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit. are not convenient; but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, The Gospel. St. Matt. xv. 21. hath any inheritance in the kingdom of CHRIST, and of GOD. Let no JESUS went thence, and departed man deceive you with vain words: into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. for because of these things cometh And behold, a woman of Canaan the wrath of GOD upon the children came out of the same coasts, and of disobedience. Be not ye therefore cried unto him, saying, Have mercy partakers with them; for ye were on me, O Lord, thou Son of David: sometimes darkness, but now are ye my daughter is grievously vexed with light in the LORD: walk as children a devil. But he answered her not a of light; (for the fruit of the Spirit is word. And his disciples came and in all goodness, and righteousness, besought him, saying, Send her and truth) proving what is acceptable away; for she crieth after us. But unto the LORD. And have no fellowhe answered and said, I am not sent ship with the unfruitful works of but unto the lost sheep of the house darkness, but rather reprove them. of Israel. Then came she and wor-For it is a shame even to speak of shipped him, saying, Lord, help me. those things which are done of them But he answered, and said, It is not in secret. But all things that are meet to take the children's bread, and reproved, are made manifest by the to cast it to dogs. And she said, light; for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he blessed are they that hear the word saith, Awake, thou that sleepest, and of GOD, and keep it. arise from the dead, and CHRIST shall give thee light. The Gospel. St. Luke xi. 14. upon you. THE FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT. The Collect. GRANT, we beseech thee, ALMIGHTY GOD, that we, who for our evil deeds do worthily deserve to be punished, by the comfort of thy grace may mercifully be relieved, through our Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST. Amen. The Epistle. Gal. iv. 21. JESUS was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the duinb spake; and the people wondered. But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub, the chief of the devils. And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven. But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every king- TELL me, ye that desire to be dom divided against itself, is brought under the law, do ye not hear the to desolation; and a house divided law? For it is written, that Abraham against a house, falleth. If Satan had two sons, the one by a bond-maid, also be divided against himself, how the other by a free-woman. But he shall his kingdom stand? because ye who was of the bond-woman was say that I cast out devils through born after the flesh; but he of the Beelzebub. And if I by Beelzebub free-woman was by promise. Which cast out devils, by whom do your things are an allegory: for these are sons cast thein out? therefore shall the two covenants; the one from they be your judges. But if I with Mount Sinai, which gendereth to the finger of GoD cast out devils, no bondage, which is Agar. For this doubt the kingdom of GOD is come Agar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and When a strong man answereth to Jerusalem which now armed keepeth his palace, his goods is, and is in bondage with her childare in peace; but when a stronger ren. But Jerusalem which is above, than he shall come upon hin and is free; which is the mother of us all. overcome him, he taketh from him For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren all his armor wherein he trusted, and that bearest not; break forth and cry, divideth his spoils. He that is not with ine, is against me; and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in, and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. And it came to pass, as he spake these things. a certain woman of the coinThe Gospel. St. John vi. 1. pany lift up her voice, and said unto JESUS went over the sea of Gali him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thon hast lee, which is the sea of Tiberias. sucked. But he said, Yea, rather And a great multitude followed him, thou that travailest not; for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath a husband. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then, he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit; even so it is now. Nevertheless, what saith the Scripture? Cast out the bond-woman and her son; for the son of the bond-woman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bond-woman, but of the free. because they saw his miracles which and more perfect tabernacle, not made he did on them that were diseased. with hands; that is to say, not of this And JESUS went up into a mountain, building; neither by the blood of and there he sat with his disciples. goats and calves; but by his own And the passover, a feast of the Jews, blood he entered in once into the holy was nigh. When JESUS then lift place, having obtained eternal redemp up his eyes, and saw a great company tion for us. For if the blood of bulls come unto him, he saith unto Philip, and of goats, and the ashes of a heifer Whence shall we buy bread that these sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to may eat? (And this he said to prove the purifying of the flesh; how much him; for he himself knew what he more shall the blood of CHRIST, who, would do.) Philip answered him, through the eternal SPIRIT, offered Two hundred pennyworth of bread himself without spot to GOD, purge is not sufficient for them, that every your conscience from dead works to one of them may take a little. One serve the living GOD? And for this of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Pe- cause he is the Mediator of the new ter's brother, saith unto him, There Testament, that by means of death, is a lad here which hath five barley for the redemption of the transgresloaves, and two small fishes; but sions that were under the first Testawhat are they among so many? And ment, they which are called might JESUS said, Make the men sit down. receive the promise of eternal inhe Now there was much grass in the ritance. place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And JESUS took the loaves, and when he had JESUS said, Which of you con given thanks, he distributed to the vinceth me of sin? And if I say the disciples, and the disciples to them truth, why do ye not believe me? He that were set down, and likewise of that is of Gon, heareth God's words; the fishes as much as they would. ye therefore hear them not, because When they were filled, he said unto ye are not of GOD. Then answered his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that JESUS did, said, This is of a truth that prophct that should come into the world. The Gospel. St. John viii. 46. And the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well, that then art a Samaritan, and hast a devil? JESUS answered, I have not a devil: but I honor my Father, and ye do dishonor me. I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth. Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil: Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. Abraham, which is dead? and the Art thou greater than our father prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself? JESUS answered, If I honor myself, my honor is nothing; it is my Father that honoretli me, of whom ye say, that he is your GOD: yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say I know him not, I shall be a liar like |