| THE SEPTEMBER EMBER DAYS | | _The second Ember Collect in the Book of Common Prayer may be_ | _used with the Collect of the day_. | | FOR THE EPISTLE. Acts xx. 28. | | Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over | the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the | church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I | know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in | among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall | men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after | them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three | years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. And | now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, | which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance | among all them which are sanctified. I have coveted no man's | silver, or gold, or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know, that these | hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were | with me. I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye | ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord | Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. | | THE GOSPEL. St John x. 1. | | Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the | door into the sheep-fold, but climbeth up some other way, the | same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door | is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the | sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and | leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he | goeth before them, and the sheep follow him; for they know his | voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from | him; for they know not the voice of strangers. This parable spake | Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were | which he spake unto them. Then said Jesus unto them again, | Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. | All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the | sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter | in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. | The thief cometh not but for to steal, and to kill, and to | destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they | might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good | shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an | hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, | seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth; and | the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling | fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the | sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known | of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: | and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, | which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they