ness wilt thou defend him as with a shield. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, &c. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever &c. The Collect. LORD, raise up (we pray thee) thy power, and come among us, and with great might succour us; that whereas, through our sins and wickedness, we be sore let and hindered, thy bountiful grace and mercy, through the satisfaction of thy Son our Lord, may speedily deliver us; to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be honour and glory, world without end. The Epistle. Philipp. iv. b REJOICE in the Lord alway, and again I say, Rejoice. Let your softness be known unto all men. The Lord is even at hand. Be careful for nothing: but in all prayer and supplication, let your petitions be manifest unto God, with giving of thanks. And the peace of God (which passeth all understanding) keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesu. The Gospel. John i. THIS is the record of John, when the Jews sent Priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, What art thou? And he confessed, and denied not; and said plainly, I am not Christ. And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that Prophet? And he answered, No. Then said they unto him, What art thou? that we may give an answer unto them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? He said, I am the voice of a crier in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esay. And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not Christ, nor Elias, neither that Prophet? John answered them, saying, I baptize with water but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not: He it is which though he came after me was before me, whose shoe-latchet I am not worthy to unloose. These things were done at Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John did baptize. Christmas Day. Proper Psalms and Lessons on Christmas Day. TAt Matins. Psalms xix. xlv. lxxxv. The First Lesson, Isa. ix. unto the end. Cantate Domino. Psalm xcviii. O SING unto the Lord a new song: for he hath done marvellous things. With his own right hand, and with his holy arm : hath he gotten himself the victory. : The Lord declared his salvation his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen. He hath remembered his mercy and truth toward the house of Israel and all the ends of the world have seen the salvation of our God. Shew yourselves joyful unto the Lord, all ye lands: sing, rejoice, and give thanks. Praise the Lord upon the harp sing to the harp with a psalm of thanksgiving. With trumpets also and shawms O shew yourselves joyful before the Lord the King. Let the sea make a noise, and all that therein is the round world, and they that dwell therein. : Let the floods clap their hands, and let the hills be joyful together before the Lord: for he is come to judge the earth. With righteousness shall he judge the world and the people with equity. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, &c. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever &c. The Collect. GOD, which makest us glad with the yearly remembrance of the birth of thy only Son Jesus Christ; grant that as we joyfully receive him for our Redeemer, so we may with sure confidence behold him, when he shall come to be our Judge, who liveth and reigneth &c. The Epistle. Tit. ii. THE grace of God that bringeth salvation unto all men hath appeared, and teacheth us that we should deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and that we should live soberly, and righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and appearing of the glory of the great God and of our Saviour Jesu Christ; which gave himself for us, to redeem us from all unrighteousness, and to purge us a peculiar people unto himself, fervently given unto good works. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all ferventness of commanding. See that no man despise thee. The Gospel. Luke ii. AND it chanced in those days, that there went out a commandment from Augustus the emperor, that all the world should be taxed. And this taxing was the first, and executed when Cyrenius was lieutenant in Syria. And every man went unto his own city to be taxed. And Joseph also ascended from Galilee, out of a city called Nazareth, into Jewry, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; because he was of the house and lineage of David; to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, which was with child. And it fortuned, that, while they were there, her time was come that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her first begotten son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same region shepherds watching and keeping their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord stood hard by them, and the brightness of the Lord shone round about them and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Be not afraid for, behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, that shall come to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the : Lord. And take this for a sign; Ye shall find the child wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger. And straightway there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly soldiers, praising God, and saying, Glory to God on high, and peace on the earth, and unto men a good will. At the second Communion. Domine, Dominus noster. Ps. viii. O LORD our Governor, how excellent is thy Name in all the world thou that hast set thy glory above the heavens. : Out of the mouth of very babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength, because of thine enemies: that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. For I will consider thy heavens, even the works of thy fingers the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained. What is man, that thou art so mindful of him : and the son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou madest him lower than the angels to crown him with glory and worship. Thou makest him to have dominion of the works of thy hands and thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet; : All sheep and oxen : yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowls of the air, and the |