grant to all of us grace, that we may henceforth obediently walk in thy holy commandments, and leading a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty, may continually offer unto thee our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving for these thy mercies toward us, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

COLLECT FOR THE CLOSE

OF THE YEAR.

GOD of our lives, who art unchanged and unchangeable, without beginning and without end; we render thee our humble thanks that thou hast brought us through the year, which is now closing, by thy mighty and outstretched arm. Thy candle hath shone upon our tabernacle, and thy smiles have gladdened our hearts.

We thank thee for the care which thou hast extended to us, and the

blessings wh ch thou hast bestowed upon us. We have cause to be grateful, and we have cause also to be humble, in our review of the past. Much of our time has been wasted or misspent. reward us not after our iniquities, and let not thy compassions cease from us; but graciously prolong to us the day of grace and the means of salvation. Sanctify to us the afflictions which thou hast appointed us to bear, and grant that they may contribute to our eternal welfare and peace. We commend ourselves. to thy oiy keeping. Prepare us for life; prepare us for death, and for eternity. May we go on our way with new resolutions of obedience, new gratitude for thy mercies, and new vigor to perform thy will. And when our time shall be no more, receive us to thyself in glory; through

Christ our Lord.

Jesus

Amen.

The First Sunday in Advent.

THE COLLECT.

God,

ALMIGHTY give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armor 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 living and dead, we may rise to the life immortal. And this we beg in the name of our Mediator; through whom we ascribe unto thee all honor and glory, now and ever. Amen.

THE GOSPEL.

Matt. xxi. 1—13.

WHEN they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her; loose them, and bring them unto me. And if any man say aught unto you, ye shall say, the Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Sion, behold thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. And the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them, and brought the ass and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and

they set him thereon. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strewed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? And the multitude said, This is Jesus the Prophet, of Nazareth of Galilee. And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of them that sold doves, and said to them, It is written, my house shall be called the house of prayer, but ye have made it a den of thieves.

THE EPISTLE.

Rom. xiii. 8-12.

OWE no man anything but to love one another; for he that loveth another, hath fulfilled the law. For this,

thou shalt not commit adul

tery, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou

shalt not bear false witness, thou shalt not covet, and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep, for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand; let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

The Second Sunday in Advent.

THE COLLECT.

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

THE EPISTLE.

thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

THE GOSPEL.

Luke xxi. 25 33.

AND there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth; for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of Man coming in a cloud, with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh. And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; when they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves, that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled; heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away.

Rom. xv. 4- 13.

WHATSOEVER things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the scriptures, might have hope. Now the God of patience and consolation, grant you to be like minded one toward another, according to Christ Jesus, that ye may with one mind, and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us, to the glory of God. Now, I say, that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers, and that the Gentiles might magnify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. And again,

Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles, and laud him, all ye people. And again, Isaiah saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, in him shall the Gen

tiles trust. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through power of the holy Ghost.

the

THE GOSPEL.

Matt. xi. 2-10.

Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his

Advent.

THE COLLECT.

O GOD, the Father of Jesus Christ our Lord, who at his first coming didst send a messenger to prepare his way before him; grant that the ministers of thy word, may likewise so prepare and make ready his way, by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that at his second coming to judge the world, we may be found an acceptable people in thy sight.

And

this we beg in the name of Jesus Christ, through whom we ascribe unto thee all honor and glory, now and ever.

Amen.

Art thou he who should come, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and show John again those things which ye do hear and see; the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have them; and blessed is he the gospel preached unto whosoever shall not be offended in me. And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes, concerning John, What went ye out into the wilder

ness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? But what went ye out to see? A man clothed in soft raiment ? Behold they who wear soft clothing are in king's houses. But what went ye out to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a proph

et.

For this is he of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.