October 29, 2022 :: Evening Prayer
Saturday after the Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity
Here beginneth the 11th chapter of Sirach.
Wisdom lifteth up the head of him that is of low degree, and maketh him to sit among great men.
Commend not a man for his beauty; neither abhor a man for his outward appearance.
The bee is little among such as fly; but her fruit is the chief of sweet things.
Boast not of thy clothing and raiment, and exalt not thyself in the day of honour: for the works of the Lord are wonderful, and his works among men are hidden.
Many kings have sat down upon the ground; and one that was never thought of hath worn the crown.
Many mighty men have been greatly disgraced; and the honourable delivered into other men's hands.
Blame not before thou hast examined the truth: understand first, and then rebuke.
Answer not before thou hast heard the cause: neither interrupt men in the midst of their talk.
Strive not in a matter that concerneth thee not; and sit not in judgment with sinners.
My son, meddle not with many matters: for if thou meddle much, thou shalt not be innocent; and if thou follow after, thou shalt not obtain, neither shalt thou escape by fleeing.
There is one that laboureth, and taketh pains, and maketh haste, and is so much the more behind.
Again, there is another that is slow, and hath need of help, wanting ability, and full of poverty; yet the eye of the Lord looked upon him for good, and set him up from his low estate,
And lifted up his head from misery; so that many that saw it marvelled at him.
Prosperity and adversity, life and death, poverty and riches, come of the Lord.
Wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of the law, are of the Lord: love, and the way of good works, are from him.
Error and darkness had their beginning together with sinners: and evil shall wax old with them that glory therein.
The gift of the Lord remaineth with the godly, and his favour bringeth prosperity for ever.
There is that waxeth rich by his wariness and pinching, and this is the portion of his reward:
Whereas he saith, I have found rest, and now will eat continually of my goods; and yet he knoweth not what time shall come upon him, and that he must leave those things to others, and die.
Be stedfast in thy covenant, and be conversant therein, and wax old in thy work.
Marvel not at the works of sinners; but trust in the Lord, and abide in thy labour: for it is an easy thing in the sight of the Lord on the sudden to make a poor man rich.
The blessing of the Lord is in the reward of the godly, and suddenly he maketh his blessing to flourish.
Say not, What profit is there of my service? and what good things shall I have hereafter?
Again, say not, I have enough, and possess many things, and what evil can come to me hereafter?
In the day of prosperity there is a forgetfulness of affliction: and in the day of affliction there is no more remembrance of prosperity.
For it is an easy thing unto the Lord in the day of death to reward a man according to his ways.
The affliction of an hour maketh a man forget pleasure: and in his end his deeds shall be discovered.
Judge none blessed before his death: for a man shall be known in his children.
Bring not every man into thine house: for the deceitful man hath many trains.
Like as a partridge taken and kept in a cage, so is the heart of the proud; and like as a spy, watcheth he for thy fall:
For he lieth in wait, and turneth good into evil, and in things worthy praise will lay blame upon thee.
Of a spark of fire a heap of coals is kindled: and a sinful man layeth wait for blood.
Take heed of a mischievous man, for he worketh wickedness; lest he bring upon thee a perpetual blot.
Receive a stranger into thine house, and he will disturb thee, and turn thee out of thine own.
Here endeth the first lesson.
Here beginneth the 3rd chapter of Philippians.
Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.
Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.
For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.
(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.