able servant into outer darkness: hear shall more be given. For he there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ye 7 that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath. And He said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; and should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come. TUESDAY. Against ostentation in religion. From the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. T that time Jesus said, Take 'AT heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise Father which is in heaven. Therehave no reward of your ye 3 We beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more. And that study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; that ye may walk honestly toward them that are with-fore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, out, and that ye may have lack of as the hypocrites do in the synanothing. gogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father 4 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. 5 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak. 6 Fifth Week. MONDAY. which seeth in secret Himself shall reward thee openly. And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love and in the corners of the streets, to pray standing in the synagogues that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reT that time Jesus said, Take ward. But thou, when thou pray The Christian course progressive. From the Holy Gospel according to St. Mark. A heed what ye hear: with what est, enter into thy closet, and when measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you and unto you that : 1 Prov. xiii. 4. 4 Eph. iv. 28. 7 St. Matt. vi. 1. thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and 1 thy Father which seeth in secret world through the knowledge of the shall reward thee openly. THURSDAY. Against rash judgment. From the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. 1AT T that time Jesus said, Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. SATURDAY. Danger of relapsing in good works. From the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke; from the Second General Epistle of St. Peter; and from St. Paul's Epistle to the Philippians. AT T that time Jesus said, When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. 3 For if after they that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness have escaped the pollutions of the 1 St. Matt. vii. 1. 4 Philip. ii. 12, 13. Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 4 Wherefore, my beloved, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. Sixth Week. MONDAY. Some of the principal means of grace for performing and continuing in good works. 1st, Prayer; its obligation and condition of acceptance. From the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke; from the First General Epistle of St. Peter; and from St. Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews. AND when Jesus rose up from 5 prayer, and was come to His disciples, He found them sleeping for sorrow, and said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. 6 And at another time Jesus said to His disciples, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importu I say nity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him? 1 Brethren, the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 2 By Christ therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name. TUESDAY. Watchfulness. From the Book of the Prophet Habakkuk, and from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke. 3 'I and knocketh, they may open unto 5 THURSDAY. Be Same subject continued. From St. Paul's Epistles to the Romans and Ephesians. Bawake out of sleep: for now RETHREN, it is high time to is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand : let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in WILL stand upon my watch, the day; not in rioting and drunkand set me upon the tower, enness, not in chambering and and will watch to see what He will wantonness, not in strife and ensay unto me, and what I shall an- vying. But put ye on the Lord swer when I am reproved. Jesus Christ, and make not provithe Lord answered me, and said,..sion for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts The vision is yet for an appointed thereof. time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. And 6 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against 4 Jesus said to His disciples, Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; and ye your-flesh and blood, but against princiselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh ' 1 St. Pet. iv. 7. 4 St. Luke xii. 35. palities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you | henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them, and rose again. the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the 3 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich. Seventh Week. MONDAY. Same subject continued. Philippians. word of God: praying always with From St. Paul's Epistle to the all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. SATURDAY. Self-denial. From the Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, and from St. Paul's Second Epistle to the Corinthians. A ND when Jesus had called the 1 people unto Him with His disciples also, He said unto them, Whosoever will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for My sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when He cometh in the glory of His Father with the holy angels. 2 Brethren, Christ died for all, that they which live should not 1 St. Mark viii. 34. 4 Philip. ii. 1. 'IF 4TF there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfil ye my joy, that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of done through strife or vainglory; one mind. Let nothing be but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name : that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 1 TUESDAY. The Duty and Benefit of Almsgiving. From the Book of Tobit; from St. Paul's Epistle to the Galatians, and First Epistle to Timothy; and from the Acts of the Holy Apostles. IVE alms of thy substance, and 'G when thou givest alms let not thine eye be envious, neither turn thy face from any poor, and the face of God shall not be turned away from thee. : give me the portion of goods that And he divided falleth to me. unto them his living. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began there wasted his substance with to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and 2 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-no man gave unto him. And when minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. 3 If thou hast abundance, give alms accordingly; if thou hast but little, be not afraid to give according to that little; for thou layest up for thyself a good treasure against the day of necessity. 4 Brethren, as we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the houshold of faith. 5 And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. THURSDAY. Penitence; the sad consequences of sin, and the right method of repenting of it. he came to himself, he said, How From the Holy Gospel according to in the field: and as he came and A St. Luke. ND Jesus said, A certain man drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and of them said to his father, Father, asked what these things meant. 1 Tob. iv. 7. 4 Gal. vi. 10. 2 1 Tim. vi. 17, 19. 5 Acts xx. 35. 3 Tob. iv. 8. |
