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way of the plain, and of the hill country. They also that had camped in the mountains round about Bethulia fled away. Then the children of Israel, every one that was a warrior among them, rushed out upon them.

Ry. We know. p. cx.

Lesson II.

THEN sent Ozias to Betomasthem, and to Bebai, and Chobai, and Cola, and to all the coasts of Israel, such as-should tell the things that were done, and that all should rush forth upon their enemies to destroy them. Now when the children of Israel heard it, they all fell upon them with one consent, and slew them unto Chobai: likewise also they that came from Jerusalem, and from all the hill country, (for men had told them what things were done in the camp of their enemies) and they that were in Galaad, and in Galilee, chased them with a great slaughter, until they were past Damascus and the borders thereof. And the residue, that dwelt at Bethulia, fell upon the camp of Assur, and spoiled them, and were greatly enriched.

Ry. I pray Thee. p. cx.

Lesson III.

THEN Joacim the high priest, and

the ancients of the children of Israel that dwelt in Jerusalem, came to behold the good things that GOD had shewed to Israel, and to see Judith, and to salute her. And when they came unto her, they blessed her with one accord, and said unto her, Thou art the exaltation of Jerusalem, thou art the great glory of Israel, thou art the great rejoicing of our ntaion: thou hast done all these things by thine hand thou hast done much good to Israel, and GoD is pleased therewith: blessed be thou of the Almighty LORD for evermore. And all the people said, So be it. Ry. O LORD God. p. cx.

SATURDAY.

Of the Book of Judith. Lesson I. Chap. xvi. NOW as soon as they entered into

Jerusalem, they worshipped the LORD; and as soon as the people were purified, they offered their burnt offerings, and their free offerings, and their gifts. Judith also dedicated all the stuff of Holofernes, which the people had given her, and gave the canopy, which she had taken out of his bedchamber, for a gift unto the LORD.

Ry. Strengthen me. p. cx.

Lesson II.

the people continued feasting in Jerusalem before the sanctuary for the space of three months, and Judith remained with them. After this time every one returned to his own inheritance, and Judith went to Bethulia, and remained in her own possession, and was in her time honourable in all the country. And many desired her, but none knew her all the days of her life, after that Manasses her husband was dead, and was gathered to his people. But she increased more and more in honour.

Ry. We have heard. p. civ.

Lesson III.

AND she waxed old in her husband's

house, being an hundred and five years old, and made her maid free; so she died in Bethulia: and they buried her in the cave of her husband Manasses. And the house of Israel lamented her seven days: and before she died, she did distribute her goods to all them that were nearest of kindred to Manasses her husband, and to them that were the nearest of her kindred. And there were none that made the children of Israel any more afraid in the days of Judith, nor a long time after her death.

Ry. Blessed be Thou. p. cix.

FIFTH SUNDAY IN SEPTEMBER.

FIRST NOCTURN.

Here beginneth the Book of Esther.

Lesson I. Chap. i.

NOW it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces): that in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace, in the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto

to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure. Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.

Ry. No hope have I but in Thee, O LORD GOD of Abraham: * Who art angry, and wilt have mercy; and in time of tribulation forgivest sins. y. O LORD GOD of heaven, look upon our lowliness. Who. Glory. Who.

SECOND NOCTURN.

Ambrose the Bishop.

Lesson IV.

all his princes and his servants; the From the Book of the Offices of S. power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces being before him: when he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days.

R. O LORD, LORD, the King Almighty, the whole world is in Thy power, and there is no man that can resist Thee. Deliver us for Thy Name's sake. . Hear our prayer, and turn our sorrow into joy. Deliver.

Lesson II.

Book 3. Chap 15. WHAT did Queen Esther do? Did

she not expose herself to death, and fear not the anger of a ruthless king, to deliver her nation from peril, a fitting, and noble achievement? The Persian king himself, fierce and proud as he was, yet thought it fitting to shew open favour to him who disclosed the conspiracy formed against him, to snatch a free people from slavery, to rescue them from death,

AND when these days were expired, and not to spare the death of the man,

the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace; where were white, green, and blue, hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the beds were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black,

marble.

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who had given him such disgraceful advice. In fact, he gave over to the gallows, one who was next to himself, whom he counted chief of all his friends, because he perceived that he himself had been disgraced by the other's treacherous counsels.

Ry. Remember me, O my God, for good: * and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my GOD and for the offices thereof. y. Remember me, O my GoD. And.

Lesson V.

THAT kind of friendship which

keeps a guard over honour, deserves approval, and is to be preferred to wealth, rank, or power, but it is not wont to be set above honour, rather to come after it. Such was Jonathan's friendship, who, for his affection's sake, shrunk neither from offending

his father, nor from risking his own safety. Such was Ahimelech's, who thought it his duty to suffer death in behalf of the rights of hospitality, rather than betray his fugitive friend. Nothing, then, is to be preferred to honour, and the Scripture warns us of even this, that it ought not to be passed by through zeal for friendship.

Ry. We have heard. p. civ.

Lesson VI.

THERE are very many questions proposed by philosophers. For example, whether one ought, or ought not, for a friend's sake, to take up an opinion against one's country, in order to comply with the friend? Or if one ought to break one's word, to suit and further a friend's advantage? And the Scripture saith, A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour, is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow. But ponder the meaning. He does not censure witness against a friend, but false witness. For what if one be obliged to bear witness in GoD's cause, or in that of one's country? Ought friendship to outweigh religion, or a fault to outweigh charity?

Ry. Blessed be Thou. p. cix.
Ry. vii. We know. p. cx.
Rz. viii. Two Seraphim. p. xxviii.
MONDAY.

Of the Book of Esther.

Lesson I. Chap ii.

NOW in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite; who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away. And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fairl

and beautiful; whom Mordecai when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.

Ry. O LORD, LORD. p. exv.

Lesson II.

So it came to pass, when the king's
commandment and his decree was
heard, and when many maidens were
gathered together unto Shushan the
palace, to the custody of Hegai, that
Esther was brought also unto the
king's house, to the custody of Hegai,
And the
keeper of the women.
maiden pleased him, and she obtained
kindness of him; and he speedily gave
her her things for purification, with
such things as belonged to her, and
seven maidens, which were meet to be
given her, out of the king's house:
and he preferred her and her maids
unto the best place of the house of
the women. Esther had not shewed
her people nor her kindred: for
Mordecai had charged her that she
should not show it. And Mordecai
walked every day before the court of
the women's house, to know how
Esther did, and what should become
of her.

Ry. Strengthen. p. cx.
Lesson III.

NOW when the turn of Esther, the

daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her. So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.

By. No hope. p. cxv.

TUESDAY.

Of the Book of Esther.

Lesson I. Chap. iii.

clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and bitter cry; and came even before the

king's gate: for none might enter into the king's gate clothed with whithersoever the king's commandsackcloth. And in every province,

great mourning among the Jews, and and many lay in sackcloth and ashes. fasting, and weeping, and wailing;

AFTER these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him.ment and his decree came, there was And all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence. Then the king's servants, which were in the king's gate, said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king's commandment?

Ry. Remember me. p. cxv.

Lesson II.

NOW it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai's matters would stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew. And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath. And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone.

Ry. We have heard. p. civ.

Lesson III.

FOR they had shewed him the
people of Mordecai: wherefore
Haman sought to destroy all the Jews
that were throughout the whole king-
dom of Ahasuerus, even the people of
Mordecai. In the first month, that is,
the month Nisan, in the twelfth year
of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that
is, the lot, before Haman from day to
day, and from month to month, to the
twelfth month, that is, the month
Adar.

Ry. Blessed he Thou. p. cix.
WEDNESDAY.

Of the Book of Esther.

Lesson I. Chap. iv.

lains came and told it her. Then was So Esther's maids and her chamberthe queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received it not. Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king's chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it was.

Ry. We know. p. cx.

Lesson II.

SO Hatach went forth to Mordecai

unto the street of the city, which was before the king's gate. And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king's treasuries

for the Jews, to destroy them. Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to shew it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him for her people. And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai. Again Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him commandment unto Mordecai; All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court,

WHEN Mordecai perceived all that who is not called, there is one law of was done, Mordecai rent his his to put him to death, except such

to whom the king shall hold out the
golden sceptre, that he may live: but
I have not been called to come in
unto the king these thirty days.
R. Strengthen. p. cx.

Lesson III.

to the half of the kingdom. And Esther answered, If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him. Then the king said, Cause Haman to make haste, that he may do as Esther hath

AND they told to Mordecai Esther's said.

words. Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews. For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer, Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law and if I perish, I perish. So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him. Ry. No hope. p. cxv.

THURSDAY.

Of the Book of Esther.

Lesson I. Chap. v.

NOW it came to pass on the third

day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, over against the king's house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house. And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre. Then said the king unto her, What wilt

R. O LORD, LORD. P. CXV.

Lesson II.

THEN went Haman forth that day

joyful and with a glad heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he stood not up, nor moved for him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai. Nevertheless Haman refrained himself: and when he came home, he sent and called for his friends, and Zeresh his wife. And Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king. Haman said moreover, Yea, Esther the queen did let no man come in with the king unto the banquet that she had prepared but myself: and tomorrow am I invited unto her also with the king: yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate. Ry. Strengthen. p. cx.

Lesson III.

THEN said Zeresh his wife and all

his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and to morrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made.

Ry. No hope. p. cxv.

FRIDAY.

Of the Book of Esther.
Lesson I. Chap. vi.

thou, queen Esther? and what is thy ON that night could not the king

request? it shall be even given thee

sleep, and he commanded to bring

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