October 26, 2022 :: Morning Prayer
Wednesday after the Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity
Here beginneth the 6th chapter of Sirach.
Instead of a friend become not an enemy; for thereby thou shalt inherit an ill name, shame, and reproach: even so shall a sinner that hath a double tongue.
Extol not thyself in the counsel of thine own heart; that thy soul be not torn in pieces as a bull straying alone.
Thou shalt eat up thy leaves, and lose thy fruit, and leave thyself as a dry tree.
A wicked soul shall destroy him that hath it, and shall make him to be laughed to scorn of his enemies.
Sweet language will multiply friends: and a fair-speaking tongue will increase kind greetings.
Be in peace with many: nevertheless have but one counsellor of a thousand.
If thou wouldest get a friend, prove him first, and be not hasty to credit him.
For some man is a friend for his own occasion, and will not abide in the day of thy trouble.
And there is a friend, who being turned to enmity and strife will discover thy reproach.
Again, some friend is a companion at the table, and will not continue in the day of thy affliction.
But in thy prosperity he will be as thyself, and will be bold over thy servants.
If thou be brought low, he will be against thee, and will hide himself from thy face.
Separate thyself from thine enemies, and take heed of thy friends.
A faithful friend is a strong defence: and he that hath found such an one hath found a treasure.
Nothing doth countervail a faithful friend, and his excellency is invaluable.
A faithful friend is the medicine of life; and they that fear the Lord shall find him.
Whoso feareth the Lord shall direct his friendship aright: for as he is, so shall his neighbour be also.
My son, gather instruction from thy youth up: so shalt thou find wisdom till thine old age.
Come unto her as one that ploweth and soweth, and wait for her good fruits: for thou shalt not toil much in labouring about her, but thou shalt eat of her fruits right soon.
She is very unpleasant to the unlearned: he that is without understanding will not remain with her.
She will lie upon him as a mighty stone of trial; and he will cast her from him ere it be long.
For wisdom is according to her name, and she is not manifest unto many.
Give ear, my son, receive my advice, and refuse not my counsel,
And put thy feet into her fetters, and thy neck into her chain.
Bow down thy shoulder, and bear her, and be not grieved with her bonds.
Come unto her with thy whole heart, and keep her ways with all thy power.
Search, and seek, and she shall be made known unto thee: and when thou hast got hold of her, let her not go.
For at the last thou shalt find her rest, and that shall be turned to thy joy.
Then shall her fetters be a strong defence for thee, and her chains a robe of glory.
For there is a golden ornament upon her, and her bands are purple lace.
Thou shalt put her on as a robe of honour, and shalt put her about thee as a crown of joy.
My son, if thou wilt, thou shalt be taught: and if thou wilt apply thy mind, thou shalt be prudent.
If thou love to hear, thou shalt receive understanding: and if thou bow thine ear, thou shalt be wise.
Stand in the multitude of the elders; and cleave unto him that is wise.
Be willing to hear every godly discourse; and let not the parables of understanding escape thee.
And if thou seest a man of understanding, get thee betimes unto him, and let thy foot wear the steps of his door.
Let thy mind be upon the ordinances of the Lord, and meditate continually in his commandments: he shall establish thine heart, and give thee wisdom at thine own desire.
Here endeth the first lesson.
Here beginneth the 12th chapter of Luke.
In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.
Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.
And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.
Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?
But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:
But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.
And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.
And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say:
For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.
And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.
And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?
And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.
The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.
Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?
And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?
If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?
Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?
And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.
For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.
But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;
And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.
Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.
And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.
And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.
Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.
Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all?
And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?
Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.
But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;
The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.
And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?
But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!
Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:
For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.
The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is.
And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass.
Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?
Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?
When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison.
I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite.