cxix 153-160.

153. O consider mine adversity, and deliver me: for I do not forget thy law.

154. Avenge thou my cause, and deliver me: quicken me, according to thy word.

155. Health is far from the ungodly for they regard not thy statutes.

156. Great is thy mercy, O Lord: quicken me, as thou art wont.

157. Many there are that trouble me, and persecute me: yet do I not swerve from thy testimonies. 158. It grieveth me, when I see the transgressors: because they keep not thy law.

159. Consider, O Lord, how I love thy commandments: O quicken me, according to thy lovingkindness.

160. Thy word is true from everlasting: all the judgments of thy righteousness endure for

evermore.

Or, Psalms cxxxiii; cxx.

LESSONS.

Epistle, St. Stephen's Day.

Acts vii. 55.

Stephen, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked

up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, and cast him out of the city, and stoned him and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Or St. Luke xxiii. 27-35, Gos. Thurs. bef. East. 1 St. Peter ii. 19, Epis. 2nd Sunday after Easter. 1 St. John iii. 13, Epis. 2nd Sunday after Trinity. St. Luke vi. 36, Gos. 4th Sunday after Trinity, 1 St. Peter iii. 8, Epis. 4th Sunday after Trinity. St. Matt. v. 20, Gos. 6th Sunday after Trinity. Eph. iv. 1, Epis. 17th Sunday after Trinity. Eph. iv. 17, Epis. 19th Sunday after Trinity. St. Matt. xxiii. 21, Gos. 22nd Sunday after Trin.

PRAYERS.

General Confession.

Almighty and most merciful Father; We have

erred, and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against thy holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; And we have done those things which we ought not to have done; And there is no health in us. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders. Spare thou them, O God, which confess their faults. Restore thou them that are penitent; According to thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesu our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake; That we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, To the glory of thy holy Name. Amen.

Prayer.

O God, whose nature and property is ever to have mercy and to forgive, receive our humble petitions; and though we be tied and bound with the chain of our sins, yet let the pitifulness of thy great mercy loose us; for the honour of Jesus Christ, our Mediator and Advocate. Amen.

The Second Collect at Evening Prayer.

O God, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed; Give

unto thy servants that peace which the world cannot give; that both our hearts may be set to obey thy commandments, and also that by thee we being defended from the fear of our enemies may pass our time in rest and quietness; through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

One or more of these Collects.

Saint Stephen's Day.

Grant, O Lord, that, in all our sufferings here upon earth for the testimony of thy truth, we may stedfastly look up to heaven, and by faith behold the glory that shall be revealed; and, being filled with the Holy Ghost, may learn to love and bless our persecutors by the example of thy first Martyr Saint Stephen, who prayed for his murderers to thee, O blessed Jesus, who standest at the right hand of God to succour all those that suffer for thee, our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen.

3rd Sunday in Lent.

We beseech thee, Almighty God, look upon the hearty desires of thy humble servants, and stretch forth the right hand of thy Majesty, to be our

defence against all our enemies; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

1st Collect at the end of the Communion Service.

Assist us mercifully, O Lord, in these our supplications and prayers, and dispose the way of thy servants towards the attainment of everlasting salvation; that, among all the changes and chances of this mortal life, they may ever be defended by thy most gracious and ready help; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

5th Collect at the end of the Communion Service.

Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, who knowest our necessities before we ask, and our ignorance in asking; We beseech thee to have compassion upon our infirmities; and those things, which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask, vouchsafe to give us, for the worthiness of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

St. Chrysostom.

Almighty God, who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications unto thee; and dost promise, that when