III. MASS.

A

On Christmas-Day.

INTROIT. Isaias ix.

Child is born for us, and a Son is given to us, whose empire is on his shoulders: and his name shall be called the Angel of the great Council. Ps. Sing to the Lord a new canticle, for he hath done wonderful things. V. Glory.

PUER natus est nobis

et Filius datus est nobis: cujus imperium super humerum ejus, et vocabitur nomen ejus, Magni Concilii Angelus. Ps. 97. Cantate Domino canticum novum: quia mirabilia fecit. V. Gloria.

COLLECT. Concede, quæsumus.-Grant, we beseech thee, O Almighty God, that we who groan under the old captivity of sin, may be freed therefrom by the new birth of thy only begotten Son. 'I hro' the same.

EPISTLE. Heb. i. 1. 12.-God, who diversely, and many ways, spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets: last of all, in those days, hath spoken to us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things; by whom also he made the world: who being the brightness of his glory, and the figure of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, making purgation of sins, sitteth on the right-hand of the majesty on high: being made so much better than the angels, as he hath inherited a more excellent name than they. For, to which of the angels hath he said at any time: "Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee?" And again: "I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a Son?" And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith: "And let all the angels of God adore him." And to the angels indeed he saith: "He that maketh his angels, spirits: and his ministers a flame of fire. But to the

Son: "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of justice is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved justice and hated iniquity: therefore, God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows." And:, "Thou, in the beginning, O Lord, hast founded the earth : and the heavens are the works of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt continue: and they shall all grow old as a garment. And as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: but thou are the self-same, and thy years shall not fail."

GRAD. Ps. xcvii. All the earth bath seen the salvation of our God: sing to the Lord, all the earth. V. The Lord hath made known his salvation: and hath displayed his justice before the Gentiles. Alleluia, Alleluia.

V. A sanctified day hath shone upon us: come, ye Gentiles, and adore the Lord, for this day a great light is come down upon the earth. Alleluia.

V. Dies sanctificatus illuxit nobis: veniteGentes, et adorate Dominum, quia hodie descendit lux magna super terram. Alleluia,

Gospel. John i. In the beginning, &c. as p. xlv. OFFERT. Ps. lxxxviii. Thine are the heavens, and thine is the earth, thou didst form the globe of the earth, and all therein: Justice and equity are the supporters of thy throne.

SECRET. Sanctify, O Lord, our offerings, by the new birth of thy only-begotten Son, and cleanse us from the stains of our sins. Thro' the same.

COMMUNICANTES till the Circumcision.

EING united in communion, and celebrating

night,) on which the spotless virginity of the blessed M..brought forth the Saviour of the world, moreover

honouring, in the first place, the memory of the same glorious V. M. &c. as in the Ordinary, p. xxxiv. COMM. Ps. xcvii. The whole earth hath seen the salvation of our God.

P. COMM. Præsta, quæsumus.-Grant, we be seech thee, O Almighty God, that as the Saviour of the world, who was born this day, procured for us a divine birth, he may also bestow on us immorta. lity. Who liveth.

At the end of this Mass is said the Gospel of the Epiphany, p. 89.

PRI

St. STEPHEN the first Martyr.

INTROIT. Ps. cxviii.

RINCES sat and spoke against me: and sinners persecuted me help me, O Lord my God, for thy servant hath practised thy commandments. Ps. Blessed are the undefiled in the way: who walk in the law of the Lord. V. Glory.

COLLECT. Da, nobis.-Grant, O Lord, we be seech thee, that we may imitate him whose memory we celebrate, so as to learn to love even our enemies, because we now solemnize his martyrdom, who knew how to pray, even for his persecutors, to our Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son. Who liveth. Commem. of Chrismas, by the Collect, Secret, and P. Comm. of the III. Mass, p. 75.

LESSON. Acts vi. 8. 10. vii. 54. 59-In those days: Stephen, full of grace and fortitude, did great wonders and miracles among the people. Now there arose some of that which is called the syna gogue of the Libertines, and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of them that were of Cilicia and Asia, disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit that spoke. Chap. vii. 54. Now hearing these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed with their teeth at him. But he being full of the Holy