as and Saul.

THE GOSPEL. St John xv. 12.

This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved
you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his
life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I
command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant
knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends;
for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known
unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and
ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that
your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the
Father in my name, he may give it you.

SAINT JOHN BAPTIST'S DAY _June_ 24.

THE COLLECT. Almighty God, by whose providence thy servant John
Baptist was wonderfully born, and sent to prepare the way of thy
Son our Saviour, by preaching of repentance: Make us so to follow
his doctrine and holy life, that we may truly repent according to
his preaching, and after his example constantly speak the truth,
boldly rebuke vice, and patiently suffer for the truth's sake;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. _Amen_.

FOR THE EPISTLE. Isaiah xl. 1.

Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye
comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare
is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath
received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins. The voice
of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the
Lord, make straight in the desert a high-way for our God. Every
valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be
made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough
places plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and
all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath
spoken it. The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry?
All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the
flower of the field. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth,
because the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people
is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth; but the word of
our God shall stand for ever. O Zion, that bringest good tidings,
get thee up into the high mountain: O Jerusalem, that bringest
good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not
afraid: say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God. Behold, the
Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for
him: behold, his reward is with