you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might according to his glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering, with joyfulness; giving thanks unto the Father, who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.

The Twenty-sixth Sunday after Whitsunday.

THE COLLECT.

LORD, we beseech thee to encourage the hearts of thy faithful people, that they, always relying on thy power, and trusting in thy grace, may bring forth plenteously the fruit of good works, and of thee be plenteously rewarded, both in the world which now is, and that which is to come, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

THE GOSPEL.

St. John x. 22.

AND it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedi

cation, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch. Then came the

Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not. The works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not; because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, who gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

FOR THE EPISTLE.

Jer. xxiii. 5.

BEHOLD, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous branch, and a king shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice on the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely; and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. Therefore behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that they shall no more say, The Lord liveth who brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but, The Lord liveth who brought up, and who led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.

If there be any more Sundays before Advent Sunday, the Service of some of those Sundays which were omitted after the Epiphany, shall be used. And if there be fewer, the overplus may be omitted; provided that this last Collect, Gospel, and Epistle, shall always be read upon the Sunday next before Advent.

GRANT, O Lord, that in all our sufferings here

upon earth, for the testimony of thy truth, we may steadfastly look up to heaven, and by faith behold the glory that shall be revealed; and being filled with the Holy Spirit, may learn to love and bless our persecutors, by the example of the first martyr, Saint Stephen, who cried for his murderers to thee, and commended his spirit into the hands of the blessed Jesus, who standeth at the right hand of God, to succor all those who suffer for him, our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen.

THE GOSPEL.

St. Matt. xxiii. 34.

BEHOLD I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes; and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge your synagogues, and persecute them from city

in

to city; that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them who are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

FOR THE EPISTLE.

Acts vii. 55.

STEPHEN, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked

up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, and cast him out of the city, and stoned him; and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling out, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.