Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that like as we do believe
thy only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ to have ascended into
the heavens; so we may also in heart and mind thither ascend, and
with him continually dwell, who liveth and reigneth with thee and
the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. _Amen_.
FOR THE EPISTLE. Acts i. 1.
The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus
began both to do and teach, until the day in which he was taken
up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments
unto the Apostles whom he had chosen: to whom also he shewed
himself alive after his passion, by many infallible proofs; being
seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to
the kingdom of God: and, being assembled together with them,
commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but
wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard
of me. For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be
baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. When they
therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord,
wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And
he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the
seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall
receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye
shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea,
and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. And when
he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up,
and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they
looked stedfastly toward heaven, as he went up, behold, two men
stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of
Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus,
which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come, in like
manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
THE GOSPEL. St Mark xvi. 14.
Jesus appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided
them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they
believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. And he
said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel
to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be
saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs
shall follow them that believe: In my name shall they cast out
devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up
serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt
them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up
into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went
forth and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and
confirming the word with signs following.
| _The Collect, Epistle, and Gospel for the Ascension-day may be_
| _used for seven days after, unless another Collect, Epistle, and_
| _Gospel are provided_.