The Fourth Sunday in Lent.

THE COLLECT.

RANT, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that

GR

we, who for our evil deeds do worthily deserve to be punished, by the comfort of thy grace may mercifully be relieved, through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

J

THE GOSPEL.

St. John vi. I.

ESUS went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them who were diseased. And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. And the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh. When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? (And this he said to prove him; for he himself knew what he would do.) Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, who hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes; but what are they among so many? And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the

loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them who were set down, and likewise of the fishes, as much as they would. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments which remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that Prophet, who should come into the world.

THE EPISTLE.

St. James iv. 8.

DRAW nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to

you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double-minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep; let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law; but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who art thou that judgest another? Go to, now, ye that say, To-day or to-morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain; whereas ye know not what shall be

on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

The Fifth Sunday in Lent.

THE COLLECT.

WE beseech thee, O Father, who delightest in mercy, and art not willing that any should perish, to grant unto us the pardon of all our sins, and a joyful hope of thine approbation; and to assist us in forsaking all our evil ways, and returning to the path of thy commandments; that when our days on earth shall be finished, we may obtain everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

J

THE GOSPEL.

St. John viii. 46.

ESUS said, Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? He who is of God, heareth God's words; ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well, that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil? Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honor my Father, and ye do dishonor me. And I seek not mine own glory; but there is one that seeketh and judgeth. Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. Then said the Jews unto him,

Now we know that thou hast a devil.

Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. Art thou greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? and the prophets are dead; whom makest thou thyself? Jesus answered, If I honor myself, my honor is nothing; it is my Father who honoreth me, of whom ye say, that he is your God; yet ye have not known him; but I know him; and if I say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you; but I know him, and keep his saying. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it and was glad. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. Then took they up stones to cast at him; but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple.

THE EPISTLE.

Heb. ix. II.

CHRIST, being come, a high-priest of good

things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal

Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause he is the Mediator

of the new testament, that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they who are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

The Sunday next before Easter, called Palm Sunday.

THE COLLECT.

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who, of thy

tender love toward mankind, hast sent thy Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, to take upon him our flesh, and to suffer death upon the cross, that all mankind should follow the example of his great humility; mercifully grant, that we may both follow the example of his patience, and also be made partakers of his resurrection, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

WE

THE GOSPEL.

St. Matt. xxvii. I.

HEN the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus, to put him to death. And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. Then Judas, who had betrayed him, when he saw that