O God, forasmuch as without thee we are not able to please thee;
Mercifully grant, that thy Holy Spirit may in all things direct
and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord. _Amen_.
THE EPISTLE. Ephes. iv. 17.
This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth
walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind;
having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life
of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the
blindness of their heart: who, being past feeling, have given
themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with
greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ; if so be that ye
have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in
Jesus: that ye put off, concerning the former conversation, the
old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be
renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man,
which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Wherefore, putting away lying, speak every man truth with his
neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry and
sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: neither give
place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more; but rather
let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good,
that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt
communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good
to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the
hearers. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are
sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath,
and anger, and clamour, and evil-speaking, be put away from you,
with all malice. And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted,
forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven
you.
THE GOSPEL. St Matth. ix. 1.
Jesus entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own
city. And behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy,
lying on a bed. And Jesus, seeing their faith, said unto the sick
of the palsy, Son, be of good cheer, thy sins be forgiven thee.
And behold, certain of the Scribes said within themselves, This
man blasphemeth. And Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, Wherefore
think ye evil in your hearts? For whether is easier, to say, Thy
sins be forgiven thee? or to say, Arise, and walk? But that ye
may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins,
(then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed,
and go unto thine house. And he arose, and departed to his house.
But when the multitude saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God,
who had given such power unto men.