The booke of common prayer, and administration of the sacraments and other rites and ceremonies of the Church of England.

The xiij. Sunday after Trinitie.

The Collect.

ALmighty and merciful God, of whose onely gift it commeth that thy faithfull people doe vnto thee true and laudable seruice: Grant we beseech thee, that we may so runne to thy heauenly pro∣mises, that wee faile not finally to attaine the same, through Iesus Christ our Lord.

The Epistle.

TO Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He faith not, In his seedes, as many: but in thy seede, as of one, which is Christ. This I say, that the law which began after∣ward beyond foure hundred & thirty yeeres, doeth not disanull the Testament that was confirmed afore of God vnto Christward, to make the pro∣mise of none effect. For if the inheritance come of the lawe, it commeth not now of promise: But God gaue it to Abraham by promise. Wherefore then serueth the law? The lawe was added because of transgression (till the seed came to whom the promise was made) and it was ordained by Angels in y^e hand of a Mediatour. A mediatour is not a mediatour of one: but God is one. Is the Law then against the promise of God? God forbid. For if there had been a Law giuen which could haue giuen life, then no doubt righteousnes should haue come by the law. But the Scripture concludeth all things vnder sinne, that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should bee giuen to them that beleeue.

The Gospel.

HAppie are the eyes which see the things that yee see. For I tell you that many Prophets and Kings haue desired to see those things which yee see, and haue not seene them, and to heare those things which yee heare, & haue not heard them. And behold, a certaine law∣yer stood vp, and tempted him, say∣ing, Master, what shall I do to in∣herite eternall life? Hee sayd vnto him, What is written in the lawe? How readest thou? And he answered, and said, Loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soule, and with all thy strength, & with all thy minde, and thy neighbour as thy selfe. And he said vn∣to him, Thou hast answered right: this doe, and thou shall liue. But he willing to iustifie himselfe, sayd vnto Iesus, And who is my neighbour? Iesus answered and sayd, A certaine man descended from Hierusalem to Iericho, and fell among theeues, which robbed him of his raiment, & wounded him, and departed; leauing him halfe dead. And it chanced that there came down a certaine Priest that same way, and when he saw him, he passed by. And likewise a Leuite (when hee went nigh to the place) came and looked on him, and passed by. But a certaine Samaritane, as he iourneyed, came vnto him, and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound vp his wounds, and powred in oyle and wine, and set him on his owne beast, and brought him to a common Inne, & made prouision for him. And on the mor∣row when hee departed, hee tooke out two pence, and gaue them to the hoste, and said vnto him, Take cure of him, and whatsoeuer thou spendest more, when I come againe, I will recompense thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour vnto him that fell among the theeues? And he said vnto him, He that shewed mercie on him. Then said Iesus to him, Goe, and doe thou likewise.

Notes

• Gal. 3.16.
• Luke 10.23.