O Lord God, who seest that we put not our trust in any thing that
we do: Mercifully grant that by thy power we may be defended
against all adversity; through Jesus Christ our Lord. _Amen_.
THE EPISTLE. 2 Cor. xi. 19.
Ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise. For ye
suffer if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a
man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the
face. I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak:
howbeit, whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold
also. Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are
they the seed of Abraham? so am I. Are they ministers of Christ?
(I speak as a fool,) I am more: in labours more abundant; in
stripes above measure; in prisons more frequent; in deaths oft.
Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one; thrice
was I beaten with rods; once was I stoned; thrice I suffered ship
wreck; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeyings
often; in perils of waters; in perils of robbers; in perils by
mine own countrymen; in perils by the heathen; in perils in the
city; in perils in the wilderness; in perils in the sea; in perils
among false brethren; in weariness and painfulness; in watchings
often; in hunger and thirst; in fastings often; in cold and
nakedness; besides those things that are without, that which
cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. Who is weak,
and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? If I must
needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine
infirmities. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which
is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.
THE GOSPEL. St Luke viii. 4.
When much people were gathered together, and were come to him out
of every city, he spake by a parable: A sower went out to sow his
seed; and as he sowed, some fell by the way-side, and it was
trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. And some fell
upon a rock, and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away,
because it lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns, and the
thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. And other fell on good
ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundred-fold. And when
he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear,
let him hear. And his disciples asked him, saying, What might
this parable be? And he said, Unto you it is given to know the
mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that
seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.
Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by
the way-side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh
away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe, and
be saved. They on the rock are they which, when they hear, receive
the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while
believe, and in time of temptation fall away. And that which
fell among thorns are they which, when they have heard, go forth,
and are choked with cares, and riches, and pleasures of this life,
and bring no fruit to perfection. But that on the good ground are
they which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word,
keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.