May we not have the faith of Jesus Christ with. respect of persons; may we not despise the poor; may we not have faith without works, but show our faith by our works; and, laying aside all that is impure, receive with meekness the ingrafted word, which is able to save our souls.

Help us to look into the perfect law of liberty, and continue therein, and so to receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to them that love him. Give us, Lord, the wisdom from above, which is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

O Thou, who art light, and in whom is no darkness at all, may we walk in the light, and have fellowship with thee.

O Thou, who art love; may we dwell in love, and so dwell in thee; may our love be made perfect, and be free from all fear; may we be born of God, and overcome the world; may we keep thy commandments, and love thy children.

O God, grant that we love thee, not in word and tongue, but in deed and truth, and hereby know that we are of the truth, and assure our hearts before thee.

May we not love the world, nor the things which are in the world; may we remember that the world passes away, with all that is in it; and that, if we love the world, the love of the Father is not in us.

Grant these our prayers, Heavenly Father, we beseech thee, for thine infinite mercy's sake, in Jesus Christ. Amen.

4*

VI.

[FROM THE EPISTLES OF PETER.]

BLESSED be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ;

To an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for us.

O God, our Father, who hast redeemed us by the precious blood of Christ, and taught us to be holy as thou art holy; and who, without respect of persons, judgest every man's work;

Help us, we pray thee, to pass the time of our sojourning here in fear.

O God, the Father of Jesus Christ, whom, though not having seen, we love; in whom, though now we see him not, believing, we rejoice; who was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times; make us, like him, holy in all manner of conversation.

Purify our souls in obeying the truth, through the spirit, unto unfeigned love of the brethren; and may we love one another with pure hearts fervently.

O Thou, whose eyes are over the righteous, and whose ears are open to their prayers, but whose face is against them that do evil, make us all of one mind, having compassion one of another, loving as brethren, not rendering evil for evil, nor railing for railing, but contrariwise, blessing.

Adorn us with the hidden man of the heart, with

that which is not corruptible, with the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit.

Add to our faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity.

May we all become a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God, and to show forth the praises of him who hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light.

May we follow him who has suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow in his steps, and, being dead to sin, should live to righteousness; when reviled, may we not revile again, but by welldoing put to silence the ignorance of foolish men; may we refrain our tongue from evil, and our lips that they speak no guile; may we sanctify the Lord God in our hearts, so that all may be ashamed who falsely accuse our good conversation in Christ.

Grant, O Lord, that, if it be thy will, we may suffer for well-doing, rather than for evil-doing.

May the time past of our lives suffice us to have disobeyed thee; for the time to come may we be sober and watch unto prayer; may we have fervent charity among ourselves; that God may in all things be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever.

May the God of all grace, who hath called us to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that we have suffered for a while, make us perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle us, and to him be glory and dominion for ever. Amen.

PRAYERS FOR THE CHRISTIAN YEAR.

A

FIRST SEASON.-WINTER.

The First Sunday in Advent.

THE COMING OF OUR LORD.

LMIGHTY God, 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.

Gospel, St. Matt. xxi. 1.—Epistle, Rom. xiii. 8.

The Second Sunday in Advent.

BLESSED

LESSED 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.

Gospel, St. Luke xxi. 25.-Epistle, Rom. xv. 4.

The Third Sunday in Advent.

GOD, the Father of Jesus Christ our Lord, O 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.

Gospel, St. Matt. xi. 2.-Epistle, 1 Cor. iv. 1.

The Fourth Sunday in Advent.

LORD, raise up, we pray thee, thy power, and come among us, and with great might succor us; that whereas, through our sins and wickedness, we are hindered in running the race which is set before us, thy bountiful grace and mercy may speedily help and deliver us, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Gospel, St. John i. 19.-Epistle, Phil. iv. 4.

Christmas Day.

THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD.

LMIGHTY God, who hast given us thine only begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and as at this time to be born of a virgin; grant that we being regenerate, and made thy children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by