his
speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him. And he took
him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and
he spit, and touched his tongue; and looking up to heaven, he
sighed, and saith unto him, _Ephphatha_, that is, Be opened. And
straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was
loosed, and he spake plain. And he charged them that they should
tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great
deal they published it; and were beyond measure astonished, saying,
He hath done all things well; he maketh both the deaf to hear, and
the dumb to speak.

THE THIRTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

THE COLLECT.

Almighty and merciful God, of whose only gift it cometh that thy
faithful people do unto thee true and laudable service: Grant, we
beseech thee, that we may so faithfully serve thee in this life,
that we fail not finally to attain thy heavenly promises; through
the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. _Amen_.

THE EPISTLE. Gal. iii. 16.

To Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And
to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is
Christ. And this I say, that the covenant that was confirmed
before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and
thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the
promise of none effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is
no more of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise. Wherefore
then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions,
till the seed should come, to whom the promise was made; and it
was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator
is not a mediator of one; but God is one. Is the law then against
the promises of God? God-forbid: for if there had been a law given
which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been
by the law. But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that
the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that
believe.

THE GOSPEL. St Luke x. 23.

Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see. For I tell
you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things
which ye see, and have not seen them: and to hear those things
which ye hear, and have not heard them. And behold, a certain
lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do
to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the
law? how readest thou? And he answering sa