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

The Gospel.

ELizabeths time came y^t shee should be deliuered, * 1.1 and shee brought forth a sonne. And her neighbours and her cousins heard say howe the Lord had shewed great mercie vp∣on her, and reioyced with her. And it fortuned, that in the eight day they came to circumcise the childe, and called his name Zacharie, af∣ter the name of his father. And his mother answered and said. Not to, but his name shall be cal∣led Iohn. And they said vnto her, There is none of thy kin∣red that is named with this name. And they made signes to his father, how he would haue him called. And he asked for writing tables, and wrote, fying, His name is Iohn. And they marueiled all. And his mouth was opened immediatly and his tongue also, and he spake and praised God. And feare came on all them that dwelt nigh vnto him. And all these sayings were noysed abroad throughout all the hie countrey of Iurie, and they that heard them, laide them vp in their hearts, saying, what maner of childe shall this bee: And the hand of the Lord was with him. And his father Zacharias was filled with the holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, Pray∣sed be the Lord God of Israel, for hee hath visited and redee∣med his people, and hath raysed vp a horne of saluation vnto vs, in the house of his seruant Dauid, euen as he promised by the mouth of his holy Prophets, which were since the world began. That weshould be saued from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate vs. That hee would deale merci∣fully with our fathers, and remember his holy Couenaunt:

that he would performe the oath which hee sware to our fa∣ther Abraham, for to giue vs. That we, being deliuered out of the hands of our enemies, might serue him without freare all the dayes of our life, in such holinesse and righteousnesse, as are acceptable for him. And thou childe shall bee called the Prophet of the highest: for thou shalt goe before the face of the Lord to prepare his wayes. To giue knowledge of saluation vnto his people, for the remission of sinnes, through the ten∣der mercie of our God, whereby the day spring from an high hath visited vs. To giue light to them that sit in darknesse, and in the shadowe of death, and to guide our feete into the way of peace. And the childe grew, and waxed strong in spi∣rit, and was in wildernesse, till the day came when he should shew himselfe vnto the Israelites.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Luk. 1.57