Give us, Lord, the wisdom from above, which is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

O thou, who art light, and in whom is no darkness at all, may we walk in the light, and have fellowship with thee.

O thou, who art love; may we dwell in love, and so dwell in thee; may our love be made perfect, and be free from all fear; may we be born of God, and overcome the world; may we keep thy commandments, and love thy children.

O God, grant that we love thee, not in word and tongue, but in deed and truth, and hereby know that we are of the truth, and assure our hearts before thee.

May we not love the world, nor the things which are in the world; may we remember that the world passes away with all that is in it; and that if we love the world, the love of the Father is not in us.

Grant these our prayers, heavenly Father, we beseech thee, for thine infinite mercies' sake, in Jesus Christ. Amen.

EIGHTH LITANY.

From the Epistles of Peter.

BLESSED be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ;

To an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for us.

O God, our Father, who hast redeemed us by the precious blood of Christ, and taught us to be holy as thou art holy: and who, without respect of persons, judgeth every man's work;

Help us, we pray thee, to pass the time of our sojourning here in fear.

O God, the Father of Jesus Christ, whom, though not having seen, we love; in whom, though now we see him not, believing, we rejoice; who was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times; make us, like him, holy in all manner of conversation.

Purify our souls in obeying the truth, through the spirit, unto unfeigned love of the brethren; and may we love one another with pure hearts fervently.

O thou, whose eyes are over the righteous, and whose ears are open to their prayers, but whose face is against them that do evil, make us all of one mind, having compassion one of another, loving as brethren, not rendering evil for evil, nor railing for railing, but contrariwise, blessing.

Adorn us with the hidden man of the heart, with that which is not corruptible, with the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit.

Add to our faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity.

May we all become a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God, and to show forth the praises of him who hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light.

May we follow him who has suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow in his steps, and being dead to sin should live to righteousness; when reviled, may we not revile again, but by well-doing put to silence the ignorance of foolish men; may we refrain our tongue from evil, and our lips that they speak no guile; may we sanctify the Lord God in our hearts, so that all may be ashamed who falsely accuse our good conversation in Christ.

Grant, O Lord, that if it be thy will, we may suffer for well-doing, rather than for evil-doing.

May the time past of our lives suffice us to have disobeyed thee; for the time to come may we be sober and watch unto prayer; may we have fervent charity among ourselves; that God may in all things be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion forever and ever.

May the God of all grace, who hath called us to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that we have suffered for a while, make us perfect, establish, strengthen and settle us, and to him be glory and dominion forever. Amen.

The Baptism of Infants.

AND Jesus took a child, and set him in the midst; and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, Whosoever shall receive one of such children, in my name, receiveth me; and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.

And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them; and his disciples rebuked those that brought them; but when Jesus saw it he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as a little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of Heaven.

Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.

My friends:

You have brought this child here to be baptized.

I ask, therefore,

Do you give this child to God, to Christ, and to the Church, that he may be God's child forever; and by this baptismal water, the ancient symbol of purity, do you express your desire that he should grow up amid the purifying influences of the Gospel, and come to Jesus through the medium of all Christian institutions and influences?

Answer. We do.

Will you instruct him in the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, and exhort him to keep God's holy will and commandments, and to walk in the same all the days of his life?

The child shall then be baptized, the Minister saying I baptize thee into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

A prayer and hymn may follow, or precede this service.