ds; for your redemption draweth nigh. And he spake to
them a parable; Behold the fig-tree, and all the trees; when they
now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is
now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to
pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I
say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be
fulfilled: heaven and earth shall pass away; but my words shall
not pass away.

THE THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT

THE COLLECT.

O Lord Jesu Christ, who at thy first coming didst send thy
messenger to prepare thy way before thee: Grant that the ministers
and stewards of thy mysteries may likewise so prepare and make
ready thy way, by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the
wisdom of the just, that at thy second coming to judge the world
we may be found an acceptable people in thy sight, who livest and
reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world
without end. _Amen_.

THE EPISTLE. 1 Cor. iv. 1.

Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and
stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required in
stewards, that a man be found faithful. But with me it is a very
small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgement:
yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing by myself, yet
am I not hereby justified; but he that judgeth me is the Lord.
Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come,
who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and
will make manifest the counsels of the hearts; and then shall
every man have praise of God.

THE GOSPEL. St Matth. xi. 2.

Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent
two of his disciples, and said unto him, Art thou he that should
come, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto
them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and
see: the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers
are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the
poor have the Gospel preached to them. And blessed is he whosoever
shall not be offended in me. And as they departed, Jesus began to
say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into
the wilderness to see? a reed shaken with the wind? But what went
ye out for to see? a man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they
that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. But what went ye
out for to see? a prophet? yea, I say