hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven. FRIDAY. Submission to temporal authority. St. Peter. EARLY beloved, submit your this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps: who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth: who, when He was reviled, reviled not again: when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously: who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. Sixth Week. WEDNESDAY. The privilege and blessing of obedience. From the Holy Gospels according to St. Matthew and St. John. W the people, behold, His mo HILE Jesus yet talked to man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; or ther and His brethren stood withunto governors, as unto them that out, desiring to speak with Him. are sent by him for the punishment Then one said unto Him, Behold, of evil doers, and for the praise of Thy mother and Thy brethren stand them that do well. For so is the without, desiring to speak with will of God, that with well-doing Thee. But He answered and said ye may put to silence the ignorance unto him that told Him, Who is of foolish men: as free, and not My mother? and who are My using your liberty for a cloke of brethren? And He stretched forth maliciousness, but as the servants His hand toward His disciples, of God. Honour all men. Love and said, Behold My mother and the brotherhood. Fear God. Ho- My brethren! For whosoever shall nour the king. Servants, be sub- do the will of My Father which is ject to your masters with all fear; in heaven, the same is My brother, not only to the good and gentle, and sister, and mother. but also to the froward. For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, 11 St. Pet. ii. 13. 3 Jesus said at another time, If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God. 4 Again Jesus said to His disciples, If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father's 2 St. Matt. xii. 46. commandments, and abide in His love. These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is My commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are My friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 'B' FRIDAY. Brotherly love. From St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans. RETHREN, let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things Seventh Week. WEDNESDAY. Constraining reasons for following a holy life. From St. Paul's Second Epistle to the Corinthians. RETHREN, be ye not un BR equally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. FRIDAY. Same subject continued. honest in the sight of all men. If From St. Paul's First Epistles to the Thessalonians and Corinthians. it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not your-hort you by the Lord Je3 E beseech you, brethren, and selves, but rather give place unto wrath for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. 1 Rom. xii. 9. sus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from forni cation: that every one of you should fied the flesh with the affections know how to possess his vessel in and lusts. sanctification and honour; not in the lust of concupiscence,...for God FRIDAY. hath not called us unto unclean-The history of our Lord's last suf ness, but unto holiness. He there fore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us His holy Spirit. 1 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. Eighth Week. WEDNESDAY. Same subject continued. From St. Paul's Epistle to the Galatians. ferings and crucifixion. From the Holy Gospels according St. Matthew, Luke, and John. PILATE therefore took Jesus, and scourged Him. And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe, and said, Hail, King of the Jews and they smote Him with their hands. : 4 And after that they had mocked Him they took the robe off from Him, and put His own raiment on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him. 5 And when they were come to the place which is called Calvary, there they crucified Him; and the malefactors, one on the right hand, "BRETHREN, walk in the Spirit, and the other on the left. Then and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. they that are Christ's have cruci 11 Cor. vi. 19. 4 St. Mat. xxvii. 31. And said Jesus, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. And they parted His raiment, and cast lots. And the people stood beholding; and the rulers also with them derided Him, saying, He saved others; let Him save Himself, if He be Christ, the chosen of God. And the soldiers also mocked Him, coming to Him, and offering Him vinegar, and saying, If Thou be the King of the Jews, save Thyself. And a superscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. And one of the malefactors, which were hanged, railed on Him, saying, If Thou be Christ, save Thyself, and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation ? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds, but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise. And it was about the sixth hour and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. 1 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me? 2 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit; And having said thus, He gave up the ghost. Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Truly this was the Son of God. The short chapters following may be read occasionally, instead of the foregoing, at the discretion of the reader. and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple standing by, whom Heloved, He saith unto His mother, Woman, behold thy son. Then saith He to the disciple, Behold thy mother. And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home. After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to His mouth. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed His head, and gave up the ghost. The awful dignity and majesty of UNTO From the Revelation of St. John. 4 NTO Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Behold, He cometh with clouds and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: and 3 THEN the soldiers, when they all kindreds of the earth shall wail Same subject continued. From the Holy Gospel according to St. John. garments, and made four parts, to I am Alpha and Omega, the beginevery soldier a part; and also His ning and the ending, saith the Lord, coat now the coat was without which is, and which was, and which seam, woven from the top through- is to come, the Almighty. . . out. They said therefore among I John was in the Spirit on the themselves, Let us not rend it, but Lord's day, and heard behind me cast lots for it, whose it shall be a great voice, as of a trumpet, saythat the Scripture might be ful- ing, I am Alpha and Omega, the filled, which saith, They parted My first and the last. And I turned raiment among them, and for My to see the voice that spake with me. vesture they did cast lots. These And being turned, I saw seven things therefore the soldiers did. golden candlesticks; and in the Now there stood by the cross of midst of the seven candlesticks Jesus, His mother, and His mother's one like unto the Son of man, 1 St. Matt. xxvii. 46. 3 St. John xix. 23. ... 2 St. Luke xxiii. 46, and St. Matt. xxvii. 54. clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and His hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and His eyes were as a flame of fire; and His feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and His voice as the sound of many waters. And He had in his right hand seven stars: and out of His mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and His countenance was as the sun shineth in His strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. And He laid His right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last. I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. Then he says, V. Let us bless the Lord. . Make us a clean heart, O God; . O give us the comfort of Thy help again, Ry. And stablish us with Thy free Spirit. Then all kneeling, say the following Litany and Confession : EMEMBER not, O Lord, our offences, nor those of our forefathers, and take not vengeance of our sins. Spare us, O Lord, we beseech Thee. Christ have mercy on us, and R graciously vouchsafe to receive our prayers. O God the Father, Creator of the world, O God the Son, Redeemer of mankind, Have mercy on us. O God the Holy Ghost, Dispenser of all grace and comfort, Have mercy on us. O Holy Trinity, three Persons and one God, Have mercy on us, and spare us. For we have sinned against Thee. We have sinned against Thee, in not doing to others as we would they should do unto us, and against our own souls in pursuing more eagerly the things of this life than those which belong to our eternal happiness; Have mercy on us. We have sinned against Thee in delaying our repentance, and breaking the solemn promise of amending our lives; in exposing ourselves to the danger of temptation, and often omitting the opportunities of serving Thee; while even our best endeavours are full of imperfections; |