o8 SI 97 Return this book on or before the Latest Date stamped below. University of Illinois Library ' PROPER LESSONS FOR THE an trap a ntt ISoliitrap THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. NEW YORK : STANFORD AND DELISSER, No. 508 BROADWAY. 1858. I - ' • ■ - . LESSONS OF THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH. ®!)c JTirst SuniJag in Aliment. FIRST LESSON FOR MORNING. ISAIAH I. The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Hear, O heavens : and give ear, O earth, for the Lord hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. The ox knoweth his owner, and the as? his master’s crib : but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil-doers, children that are corrupters : they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone 8 THE FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT. away backward. Why should ye be stricken any more ? ye will revolt more and more : the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it ; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores : they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment. Four country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire : your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city. Except the Lord of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah. Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom ; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah. To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me ? saith the Lord: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts ; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts ? Bring no more vain oblations ; incense is an abomination unto me ; the new moons ajid sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with ; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feas-ts my soul hateth • they are a trouble unto THE FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 9 me ; I am weary to bear them . And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you : yea, when ye make many prayers, 1 will not hear : your hands are full of blood. Wash you, make you clean ; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes ; cease to do evil ; learn to do well ; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord : though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow ; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land : but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword : for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. How is the faithful city become an harlot ! it w r as full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it ; but now murderers. Thy silver has become dross, thy wine mixed with water : thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves : every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards : they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them. Therefore saith the Lord,, the Lord of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me * of mine enemies : and I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin : and I will restore thy judges as at the 10 THE FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT. first, and thy counsellers as at the beginning ; afterward thou shaft be called, the °city of righteousness, the faithful city. Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness. And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the Lord shall be consumed. For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen. For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water. And the strong shall be as tow, and the maker of it as a spark, and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them . SECOND LESSON FOR MORNING. LUKE I. to v. 39. Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word ; it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophi- lus, that thou mightest know the certainty ox those things, wherein thou hast been instructed. THERE was in the days of Herod, the king THE FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 11 of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years. And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course, according to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense. And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias : for thy prayer is heard ; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness ; and many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink ; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just ; to 1 2 THE FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT. make ready a people prepared for the Lord, And Zacharias said unto the angel, ‘Whereby shall I know this ? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God ; and am sent to sp^ak unto thee, and to show thee these glad tidings. And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, untu the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. And the people waited for Zacharias, and mar- velled that he tarried so long in the temple. And when he came out, he could not speak unto them : and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple : for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless. And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he de- parted to his own house. And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying, Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me , to take away my reproach among men. And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David ; and the virgin’s name was Mary. x And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is 13 THE FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT. And \vh pn ' 1 WeSSed i- rt t ^ 10u amon o women. sayiW f W k ! m ’ Sh ? Was tr °uWed at his y g, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be And 1 •nil shall be called the Son of t !"> angel, How shall "his i? ^ ¥ 7 ' ^ her” Thf H ,‘ h p “ n S el answered and said unto .he\L\ e r^i G ^r,X;' TV be \ J behold, thy cousin Elisabeth she both 1 ’ conceived a son in her old ’ . t-. a so Mary said, - And >t onto me according “2 \£$ W f angel departed from her. 7 Am the 2 14 THE FIRS! SUNDAY IN ADVENT. FIRST LESSON FOR EVENING ISAIAH II. The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob ; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths : for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusa- lem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruninghooks : nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord. Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they be replenished from the East, and art soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers. Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures ; their land is also full of horses, neither i there any end of their chariots • THE FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 15 their land also is full of idols ; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made : and the mean man boweth down, and the great man humbleth himself: therefore forgive them not. Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be ex- alted in that day. For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up ; and he shall be brought low : and upon all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan, and upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up, and upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall, and upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant pictures. And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low : and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. And the idols he shall utterly abolish. And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats ; to go into the 1 clefts 16 THE FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT. of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. Cease ye from man, whose breath is m his nostrils : for wherein is he to be accounted of ! SECOND LESSON FOR EVENING. ROMANS X. Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the End of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth. For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the Law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven ? (that is, to bring Christ down from above :) or, Who shall descend into the deep ? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it ? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the woid of faith, which we preach ; that if thou shalt con- fess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shah THE FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT 17 believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness ; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek : for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall he saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed ? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard ? and how shall they hear without a preacher ? and how shall they preach except they be sent ? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things ! But they have ndt all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report ? So then, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But I say, Have they not heard ? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. But I say, Did not Israel know ? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you. But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not ; I was made mani- fest unto them that asked not after me. But to 2 * Ib THE SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT. Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched 101 th my hands unto a disobedient and gainsayino people. J ° Seconb 0ttni>ar> in FIRST LESSON FOR MORNING ISAIAH V Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My well- beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill : and he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also' made a winepress therein : and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. And now, O inhabitants °of Jeru- salem, and men of Judah, judge, I prav you, betwixt me and my vineyard. What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? Wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes ? And now go to ; I will tell you w’hat I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall he trodden down : and I will lay it waste : it shall not be pruned, nor uigged ; but there shall come THE SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT. I 9 up briers and thorns : I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant : and he looked for judgment, but behold oppres- sion, for righteousness; but behold a cry. Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there he no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth ! In mine ears said the Lord of hosts, Of a truth many houses shall be desolate, even great and fair, without inhabitant. Yea, ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and the seed of an homer shall yield an ephah. Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink ; that continue until night, till wine inflame them ! And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts : but they regard not the work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of his hands. Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge : and their honorable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst. Therefore Hell hath en- larged herself, and opened her mouth without measure : and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall de- scend into it. And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be hum- £0 THE SECOND SE NDAY IN ADVENT. bled : but the Lord of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified m righteousness. Then shall the lambs feed after their manner, and the waste places of the fat ones shall strangers eat. Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope : that say, Let him make speed, and hasten his woik, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it ! Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil ; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness ; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight ! Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink : which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him ! Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust : because they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. Therefore is the anger of the Lord kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them : and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger Ll TH , SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 21 is not turned awav but his hand is stretched out still. And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss unto them from the end of the earth : and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly. None shall be weary nor stumble among them ; none shall slumber nor sleep ; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken : whose arrows are sharp, and all their bows bent, their horses’ hoofs shall be counted like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind : their roaring shall be like a lion, they shall roar like young lions : yea, they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry it away safe, and none shall deliver it. And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring of the sea: and if one look unto the land, behold darkness and sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof. SECOND LESSON FOR MORNING. LUKE I. v. 39. And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda : and entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb ; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: and she spake out 22 THE SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT. with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb ! And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me ? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed : for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden : for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things ; and Holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. He hath showed strength with his arm ; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things ; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; as he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever. And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house. Now Elisabeth’s full time came that she should be delivered ; and she brought forth a son. And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the THE SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT* 23 Lord had showed great mercy upon her ; and they rejoiced with her. And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child ; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John. And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all. And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed , and he spake, and praised God. And fear came on all that dwelt round about them : and all these sayings were noised abroad through- out all the hill country of Judaea. And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be ! And the hand of the Lord was with him. And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, Blessed he the Lord God of Israel ; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, and hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David ; as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began : that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us ; to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant ; the oath 21 THE SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT. which he sware to our father Abraham, that he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest : for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways ; to give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God ; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his showing unto Israel. FIRST LESSON FOR EVENING. ISAIAH XXIV. Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest ; as with the servant, so with his master ; as with the maid, so with her mistress ; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower ; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him THE SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 25 The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the Lord hath spoken this word. The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world lammisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of 'the earth do languish. The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have trangressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate : there- fore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left. The new wine mourneth, me vine languished, all the merryhearted do sigh. The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth. They shall not drink wine with a song ; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it. The city of confusion is broken down : every house is shut up, that no man may come in. There is a crying for wine in the streets ; all joy is darkened, the rnirth of the land is gone. In the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten with destruc- tion. When thus it shall be in the midst ot the land among the people, there shall be as the shaking of an olive tree, and as the gleaning crapes" when the vintage is done. They shall Hft up their voice, they shall sing; for the majesty of the Lord, they shall cry aloud from the sea. Wherefore glorify ye the Lord in the fires, even the name of the Lord God of Israel in ihe isles of the sea. From the uttermost part 28 THE SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous. But I said, My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me ! the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously. Fear anu the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth. And it shall come to pass, that he who death from the noise of the tear shall fall into the pit ; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall he taken in the snare : for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do°shake 1 he earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly. Ine earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage ; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it ; and it shall fall, and not rise again. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall punish the host, of the high ones that are on mgh, and the kings ol the earth upon the earth And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited. Then the moon shall be confounded and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall reign in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and oefore his ancients gloriously. J T1IE SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 27 SECOND LESSON FOB EVENINO ROMANS XII. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service. And be not con- formed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. . For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think oj himself more highly than he ougnt to think b to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every men the measure of frith. For a, .. have many members in one body, and all me bers have not the same office: so we, bang many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith ; or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth on teaching : or he that exhorteth, on exhortation . he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity ; ie that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness. . . , , Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil ; cleave to that which is good- 28 THE THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love ; m honor preferring one anothpr not slothful in business; fervent inspirit; serving the Lord ; rejoicing in hope; patient in tribula- to°the COntlnUlng r Stant b Pmyer ’ distributing Ble SS them SSlt h‘ °U ’ gUen to hospitality. curse not perSec u Ute > r ° u : bless,- and curse not. Rejoice with them that do re- joice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not kigh chings, but condescend to men of low estate Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably ™ h !““■ Dearly beloved, ave„g/„ 0 , “^ L wS, V " glre P laoeunto wrath: for it !he Lori T? * ’ 1 wal «J>ay. saith f i i • * * -p i lere ^ 0re thme enemy huno-er feed him ; if he thirst, give him drink f for in so do ng thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be ot overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. % ®l)ir*r Sunirng in I' IRST LESSON FOR MORNING. ISAIAH XXV he? th ° U ^ my G ° d; 1 wil1 exal t .hee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done I THE THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT. ^9 wonderful things ; thy counsels of old are faith- fulness and truth. For thou hast made of a city an heap ; of a defenced city a ruin : a palace of strangers to be no city ; it shall never be built. Therefore shall the strong people glorify thee, the city of the terrible nations shall fear thee. For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall. Thou shalt bring down the noise of strangers, as the heat in a dry place ; even the heat with the shadow of a cloud : the branch of I the terrible ones shall be brought low. And in | this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death in victory ; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces ; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth : for the Lord hath spoken it. And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God ; we have waited for him, and he will save us : this is the Lord ; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. For in this mountain shall the hand of the Lord rest, and Moa'b shall be trodden down under him, even as straw is 3 * SO THE THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT. trodden down for the dunghill. And he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them, as he that swimmetl spreadeth forth his hands to swim : and He shall bring down their pride together with the spoils of their hands. And the fortress of the high fort of thy walls shall he bring down, lay low, and bring to the ground, even to the dust. SECOND LESSON FOR MORNING. LUKE III to v. 19. Now m the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetraeh of Itursea, and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetraeh of Abilene, Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance foi the remission of sins ; as it is written ir. the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low ; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth : and all flesh shall see the sal- THE THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 31 vation of God. Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O genera- tion of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come ? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for 1 say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the ax is laid unto the root of the trees : every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then ? He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none ; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise. Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do ? And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you. And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do ? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely ; and be content with your wages. And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not; John answered, say- ing unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water ; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to un- loose : he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire : whose fan is in his hand, and he THE THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT. will thoroughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner ; but the chaff He will bum with fire unquenchable. And many other tilings in his exhortation preached he unto the people. FIRST LESSON FOR EVENING. ISAIAH XXVIII. to v. 23. Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards ol Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys Oi them that are overcome with wine ! Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand. The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trod den under feet ; and the glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be a fadino- flower, and as the hasty fruit before the summer; which when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up. In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people, and for a spirit of judg- ment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate. But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way ; the THE THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 33 priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink ; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean . Whom shall he teach knowledge ? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine ? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must he upon precept, precept upon precept ; line upon line, line upon line ; here a little, and there a little : for with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people To whom he said, this is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest ; and this is the refreshing : yet they would not hear. But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept ; line upon line, line upon line ; here a little, and there a little ; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken. Wherefore hear the word of the Lord, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem. Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement ; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us : for we have made lies our refuge, and under false- hood have we hid ourselves. Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I 34 THE THIRD SUNDAY IN A1 VENT. lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tiied stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation : he that believeth shall not make haste. Judg- ment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet : and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. And your covenant with death shall be disan- nulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand ; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it. From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you : for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night : and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report. For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it : and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it. For the Lord shall rise up as in Mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work ; and bring to pass his act, his strange act. Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong : for I have heard from the Lord God of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth. SECOND LESSON FOR EVENING. ROMANS XIV. Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not THE THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 35 to doubtful disputations. For one belie veth that he may eat all things : another, who is weak, eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth : for God hath received him. Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant ? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. One man esteemeth one day above another : another esteemeth every day alike . Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord ; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks ; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord ; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord : whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. But why dost thou judge thy brother ? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother ? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Let us not 36 THE THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT. therefore judge one another any more : but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingbloek or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way. I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself : but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Des- troy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. Let not then your good be evil spoken of : for the kingdom of God is not meat and drink ; but right- eousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure ; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. Hast thou faith ? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that con- demned not himself in that thing which he allowed. And he that doubted is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith : for what- soever is not of faith is sin. THE FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT. 37 . FIRST LESSON FOR MORNING. ISAIAH IX. to v. 8. Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulon and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, CHRISTMAS DAT. 47 in Galilee of the nations. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to che joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian. For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood ; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given : and the government shall be upon his shoulder : and his name shall be called Wonder ful, Counseller, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall he no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. SECOND LESSON FOR MORNING. LUKE II. to V. 15 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Cesar Augustus, that all CHRISTMAS DAY. 48 the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem ; (because he was of the house and lineage of David :) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a man- ger ; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them : and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not : for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall he a sign unto you ; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. CHRISTMAS I AY. 49 FIRST LESSON FOR EVENING. ISAIAH VII. v. 10 to 17. Moreover the Lord spake again unto A laz, saying, Ask thee a sign of the Lord thy God ; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the Lord. And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David ; is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also ? therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign ; behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to Yefuse the evil, and choose the good. For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings. second lesson for evening TITUS III. V. 4 to 9. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost ; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour ; that being justified by nis 50 THE FIRST SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS. grace, should be made heirs according io the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men. ©Ijc IxvBi Sintbag aftcc (Eljristmas JDajj. FIRST LESSON FOR MORNING. ISAIAH XXXV. The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them ; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing : the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God. Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not : behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence ; he will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing : for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. THE FIRST SUNDAY AFTIR JJHRISTMAS. 51 And the parched ground shall become a pool, and thirsty land springs of water : in the habita- tion of dragons, where each lay, shall he grass with reeds and rushes. And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness ; the unclean shall not pass over it ; but it shall he for those : the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there ; but the redeemed shall walk there : and the ran- somed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads : they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. SECOND LESSON FOR MORNING. LUKE II. V. 25. And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon ; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple : and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now U. OF ILL LIB, D2 THE FIRST SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS. lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word : for mine eyes have seen thy sal- vation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people ; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. And Jo- seph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him. And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel ; and for a sign which shall be spoken against ; (yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daugh- ter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser : she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity ; and she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers, night and day. And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem. And when they had performed all things accord- ing to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth. And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom : and the grace of God was upon him. Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem THE FIRST SUNDAY At TER CHRISTMAS 53 af.er the custom of the feast. And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem ; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it. But they, sup- posing him to have been in the company, went a day’s journey ; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. And when they saw him, they were amazed : and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us ? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business ? And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them : but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. 54 THE FIRST SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS. FIRST LESSON FOR EVENING ISAIAH XL. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith youi God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned : for she hath re- ceived of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low : and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain : and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together : for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry ? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field : the grass withereth, the flower fadeth : because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it : surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth : but the word of our God shall stand for ever. O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain ; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength ; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God ! Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand , and his arm shall rule THE FIRST SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS. 55 for him : behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance ? Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counseller hath taught him ? With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding ? Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance : behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing. And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt-offer- ing. All nations before him are as nothing ; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity. To whom then will ye liken God ? or what likeness will ye compare unto him ? The work- man melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains. He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot ; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved. Have 66 THE FIRST SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS. ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning ? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth ? it is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers ; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in : that bringeth the princes to nothing ; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity. Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth : and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble. To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal ? saith the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things , that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power ; not one faileth. Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God ? Hast thou not known ? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fain tech not, neither is weary ? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint ; and to them that have no might lie increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall : but they that wait upon THE FIRST SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS 5 I the Lord shall renew their strength ; they shah mount up with wings as eagles ; they shall run, and not be weary ; and they shall walk, and not faint. SECOND LESSON FOR EVENING. 1 CORINTHIANS II. And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I deter- mined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power : that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect : yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought : but we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory : which none of the princes of this world knew : for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor eai heaid, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them, unto u» 58 THE CIRCUMCISION OF CHRIST. by bis Spirit : for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God ; that we might know the . things that are freely given to us° of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth ; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God : for they are foolishness unto him : neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him ? But we have the mind of Christ. (Tlje (Tircumciston oi (Jurist. FIRST LESSON FOR MORNING. GENESIS XVII. to V 15. And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him’ 1 am the Almighty God ; walk before me, and be t'lou perfect And I will make r y covenant THE CIRCUMCISION OF CHRIST. 59 between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. And Abram fell on his face : and God talked with him, saying, as for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shall he a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham ; for a father of many nations nave I made thee. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, an kino-s shall come out of thee. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee, ana thy seed after thee, in their generations tor an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land ot Canaan for an everlasting possession; and I will be then Crod °And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed alter thee in their generations. This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee ; every man child among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin ; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. And he that i s eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed. e that is born in thy house, and he that is bou Jit ou the CIRCUMCISION OF CHRIST. with thy money must needs be circumcised and ray covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not cir- cumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people ; he hath broken my covenant. SECOND LESSON FOR MORNING. ROMANS II. Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, who- soever thou art that judgest : for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. ’ But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things? And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shall escape the judgment of God ? Or j despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering ; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance ? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasures t up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God ; who will render to every man according to his deeds : to them who by patient continu- ance in well doing seek for glory and honor and mmortality, eternal life: but unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey THE CIRCUMCISION OF CHRIST. Ol unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribula- tion and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gen- tile ; but glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile : for there is no respect of persons with God. For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law ; (for not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which have i not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves : which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another ;) in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men .by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, and knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law ; and art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law. Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal ? thou that 62 THY CIRCUMCISION OF CHRIST. sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery ? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege ? thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God ? For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written. For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law : but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircum- cision. Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircum- cision be counted for circumcision ? And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and cir- cumcision dost transgress the law ? For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh : but he is a Jew, which is one inwardly ; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter ; whose praise is not of men, but of God. FIRST LESSON FOR EVENING. DEUTERONOMY X. v. 12. And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, to keep the commandments of THE CIRCUMCISION OF CHRIST. OO the Lord, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good ? Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the Lord’s thy God, the earth also , with all that therein is. Only the Lord had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed aftei them, even you above all people, as it is this da} . Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff-necked. For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terribfe, which re- garded not persons, nor taketh reward : he doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment. Love ye therefore the stranger . for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God ; him shaft thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name. He is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen. Thy fathers went down into Egypt wdth threescore and ten persons ; and now the Lord thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven fo * mul- titude. SECOND LESSON FOR EVENING. COLOSSIANS II. For i would that ye knew what great conflict I d4 THE CIRCUMCISION OF CHRIST. have for you, and/or them at Laodicea, and/r as many as have not seen my face in the flesh ; that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledge ment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ ; in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him : rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all princi- pality and power : in whom also ye are circum- cised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ : buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having THE CIRCUMCISION OF CHRIST. 65 forgiven you all trespasses ; blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross ; and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days : which are a shadow of things to come ; but the body is of Christ. Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God. Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (touch not ; taste not ; handle not ; which are all to perish with the using ;) after the commandments and doctrines of men ? Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body ; not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh. 6 * 66 TIIK SECOND SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS. ®l)c Scccmir Sunbap after (Cljristmas. FIRST LESSON FOR MORNING. ISAIAH XLI. Keep silence before me, O islands ; and let the people renew their strength : let them come near ; then let them speak : let us come near together to judgment. Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to his foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings ? he gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow. He pursued them, and passed safely ; even by the way that he had not gone with his feet. Who hath wrought and done it calling the generations from the beginning ? I the Lord, the first, and with the last ; I am he. The isles saw it , and feared ; the ends of the earth were afraid, drew near, and came. They helped every one his neighbour ; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage. So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and he that smootheth ivith the hammer him that smote the anvil, saying, It is ready for the sodering : and he fastened it with nails, that it should not be moved. But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of A braham my friend. Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto THE SECOND SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS. 67 thee, Thou art my servant ; I have chos en thee, and not cast thee away. Fear thou not ; for I am with thee : be not dismayed ; for I am thy God : I will strengthen thee ; yea, I will help thee ; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded : they shall be as nothing ; and they that strive with thee shall perish. Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee : they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought. For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not ; I will help thee. Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel ; I will help thee, saith the Lord, and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth : thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff. Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them : and thou shalt rejoice in the Lord, and shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel. When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys : I will make the wilderness d pool of water, and the dry land springs of 68 THE SECOND SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS. water. I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree ; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together : that they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the Lord hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it. Produce your cause, saith the Lord ; bring forth your strong reasons , saith the King of Jacob. Let them bring them forth, and shew us what shall happen : let them shew the former things, what they he , that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them ; or declare us things for to come. Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods : yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together. Behold, ye are . of nothing, and your work of nought : an abomina- tion is he that chooseth you. I have raised up one from the north, and he shall come : from the rising of the sun shall he call upon my name : and he shall come upon princes as upon morter, and as the potter treadeth clay. Who hath declared from the beginning, that we may know ? and beforetime, that we may say, He is righteous ? yea, there is none that sheweth, yea, there is none that declareth, yea, there is none that heareth your words. The first shall say to Zion, Behold, behold them : and I will give to Jeru- salem one that bringeth good tidings. For I beheld, and there was no man ; even among THE SECOND SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS, G9 them, and there was no counseller, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word. Behold, they are all vanity ; their works are nothing,: their molten images are wind and confusion. SECOND LESSON FOR MORNING. MARK I. to v. 1G. The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God ; as it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. And there went out unto him all the land of Judea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. And John was clothed with camel’s hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins ; and he did eat locusts and wild honey ; and preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. I indeed have baptized you with water : but he shall bap- tize you with the Holy Ghost. And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Naza- reth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway coming up out of the 70 THE SECOND SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS. water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him : and there came a voice from heaven, saying , Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness. And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan ; and was with the wild beasts ; and the angels ministered unto him. Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand : repent ye, and believe the gospel. FIRST LESSON FOR EVENING. ISAIAH XLII. Behold my servant, whom I uphold ; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth ; I have put my spirit upon him : he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench : he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth : and the isles shall wait for his law. Thus saith God the Lord, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out ; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it THE SECOND SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS. 71 he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein : I the Lore have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gen- tiles ; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. I am the Lord : that is my name : and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare : before they spring forth I tell you of them. Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein ; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof. Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice , the villages that Kedar doth inhabit : let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains. Let them give glory unto the Lord, and declare his praise in the islands. The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies. I have long time holden my peace ; I have been still, and re- frained myself : now will I cry like a travailin woman ; I will destroy and devour at once, will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs ; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools And I will bring HhGTC? 72 THE SECOND SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS. the blind by a way that they knew not ; I will lead them in paths that they have not known : I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them. They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say to the molten images, Ye are our gods. Hear, ye deaf ; and look, ye blind, that ye may see. Who is blind, but my servant ? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent ? ’who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the Lord’s servant ? Seeing many things, but thou observest not ; opening the ears, but he heareth not. The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake ; he will magnify the law, and make it honorable. But this is a people robbed and spoiled ; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth ; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore, Who among you will give ear to this ? who will hearken and hear for the time to come ? who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers t did not the Lord, he against whom we have sinned ? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law. There- fore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle : and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not ; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart. THE SECOND SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS. "73 SECOND LESSON FOR EVENING. HEBREWS II. Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward ; how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation ; which at the first be