Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful
people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good
works, may of thee be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ
our Lord. _Amen_.
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 judgement and justice in 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, which brought up the children of Israel out of
the land of Egypt; but, The Lord liveth, which brought up, and
which 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.
THE GOSPEL. St John vi. 5.
When Jesus then lift 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 penny-worth 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, which 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 that 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 that
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 that should come into
the world.
_If there be any more Sundays before Advent Sunday, the Service of
some of those Sundays that were omitted after the Epiphany shall
be taken in to supply so many as are here wanting. And if there
be fewer, the overplus may be omitted: Provided that this last
Collect, Epistle, and Gospel shall always be used upon the Sunday
next before Advent_.
| THE SEPTEMBER EMBER DAYS
|
| _The second Ember Collect in the Book of Common Prayer may be_
| _used with the Collect of the day_.
|
| FOR THE EPISTLE. Acts xx. 28.
|
| Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over
| the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the
| church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I
| know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in
| among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall
| men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after
| them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three
| years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. And
| now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace,
| which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance
| among all them which are sanctified. I have coveted no man's
| silver, or gold, or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know, that these
| hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were
| with me. I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye
| ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord
| Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
|
| THE GOSPEL. St John x. 1.
|
| Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the
| door into the sheep-fold, but climbeth up some other way, the
| same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door
| is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the
| sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and
| leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he
| goeth before them, and the sheep follow him; for they know his
| voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from
| him; for they know not the voice of strangers. This parable spake
| Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were
| which he spake unto them. Then said Jesus unto them again,
| Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
| All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the
| sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter
| in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
| The thief cometh not but for to steal, and to kill, and to
| destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they
| might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good
| shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an
| hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not,
| seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth; and
| the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling
| fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the
| sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known
| of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father:
| and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have,
| which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they
| shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one
| shepherd.
|
| _Or_ St John xxi. 15.
|
| Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou
| me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest
| that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith
| to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou
| me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love
| thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the
| third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was
| grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou
| me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou
| knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
| Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou
| girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when
| thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and
| another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest
| not. This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify
| God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.
| Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved
| following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said,
| Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? Peter seeing him saith
| to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him,
| If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?
| Follow thou me.