Him from the dead thou brought'st again,
When, by his sacred blood,
Confirm'd and seal'd for evermore,
Th' eternal cov'nant stood.

O may thy Spirit seal our souls,
And mould them to thy will,

That our weak hearts no more may stray,
But keep thy precepts still;

That to perfection's sacred height
We nearer still may rise,

And all we think, and all we do,

Be pleasing in thine eyes.-PAR. lx.

THE BENEDICTION.

Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

Make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

The Administration of Baptism.

The Minister may begin by reciting one or more of the following introductory Sentences.

YO ye and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.-Matt. xxviii.

Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God.-Mark x.

The promise is unto you and to your children.-Acts iii.

As many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.-Gal. iii.

Know ye not that so many of us as have been baptized into Jesus Christ, have been baptized into his death; that like as Christ was raised up by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.Rom. vi.

Those instructions and exhortations having been addressed to the parents of the child, which to "the godly wisdom of the Minister may appear necessary," "as the ignorance or errors of the people shall require;"―The following Prayers, taken (in substance) from the Directory, may be said.

WD

Let us pray.

PRAYER BEFORE BAPTISM.

E beseech thee, O Lord, that as thou hast not left us strangers and aliens, but hast brought us into thy covenant, and given us the hope of thy promises in Christ Jesus, so thou wouldst graciously vouchsafe to sanctify and bless thine own ordinance at this time; joining the inward baptism of thy Spirit with the outward baptism of water; making it to this infant a seal of adoption, remission of sin, regeneration, and eternal life; that this

child, being planted in the likeness of Christ's death, may also be in the likeness of his resurrection; that the body of sin being destroyed, he may walk in newness of life.

Let us pray.

Amen.

A

PRAYER AFTER BAPTISM.

LMIGHTY GOD, our Heavenly Father, who rememberest mercy, and keepest covenant to a thousand generations, we thank thee, that of thy great goodness thou hast not only numbered us among thy saints, but hast been pleased to bestow upon our children this token and seal of thy love in Christ Jesus our Lord, that they should be brought into thy Church, made members of thy household, and heirs of thy promises in Christ Jesus; whereby thy Church upon earth is continued, and increaseth daily.

And we humbly beseech thee, O Lord, to receive this child, who has now been baptized, into thy fatherly guidance and defence, and regard him at all times with thy favour and love: that he may be protected from all evil and

mischief, both in soul and body: may overcome the flesh, the world, and the devil: may increase in wisdom and in all goodness from day to day, till in the end he obtain a full and final victory, and so be kept by thy mighty power unto salvation; through Jesus Christ our Redeemer. Amen.

O GOD, our Heavenly Father, without whose grace we can neither do nor think any thing that is truly good and acceptable in thy sight, grant, we pray thee, to thy servants, the parents of this child, that having now dedicated him unto thee, they may bring him up in the way that he should go; instructing him in the doctrine that is according to godliness, and guiding his steps in the paths of righteousness and peace.

[And bestow thy heavenly grace and benediction upon the other members of this family, that they all may be thy children, and heirs of that kingdom which thou hast promised to them that love thee.]

Which things we ask in the name of our great High Priest and Advocate, Jesus Christ. Amen.