PRAYER. (DR. SPARKE.) O Immortal Jesu,-who hast been pleased in Thy Gospel, to set us all to school to children, and having been one Thyself, hadst so great kindness for them, as to invite them to Thee,—make us such in all good acceptations, tho' it cannot be for innocence, yet at least for penitence and aptness unto mourning!—that so we may become Christ's little ones: children for humility in our conversation; for docibility to Thy instruction; children for cheerfulness. in their condition, towards one another for affection; children for obedience to Thine ordinances, for prayer in our wants, crying and calling after Thee in our afflictions; for reverence and good manners in Thy presence, for gratitude to Thy bounty and for all kind of dependence on Thee, upon thy Providence for Temporals, on thy grace for Spirituals, and upon Thy mercy for Eternals. That so at length finding us what Thou commandest us to be, as little children, Thou mayest embrace us likewise in Thy arms of mercy, and invite us likewise in Thy arms of mercy, and invite us home unto Thy Father's house, in everlasting habitations; come ye children, come ye blessed of My Father receive the kingdom prepared for you, and such as you, from the beginning of the world; that so with good children, having here sung Hosannahs to the Son of David, we may hereafter sing Hallelujahs to the God of Glory. Amen, amen. 66 They serve God day and night in his temple: they shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more. The Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall lead them unto living fountains of waters.-Rev. vii. As the wolf in fierceness sore Falls on lambs o'er fold and fence; Thus the tyrant lost to sense And the cradles flow with gore God of gods shall he withstand? Mourning mothers, weep no more! Weep no more your pledges torn, Virgin-born! whom we adore, Father, Spirit, One and Three, Sing we everlastingly. -Translation by the author of "The Cathedral." H. AND A. HILL, TYP., STANDARD OFFICE, BRISTOL. No. 8. SCRIPTURE TRACTS FOR THE FASTS AND FESTIVALS. CIRCUMCISION OF CHRIST. BY A LAYMAN. "Jesus, answering, said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the Scriptures?"-Mark xii. LONDON: J. G. F. AND J. RIVINGTON. STRONG, BRISTOL; COMBE, LEICESTER. PRINTED BY H. AND A. HILL, CASTLE GREEN, BRISTOL. MDCCCXL. Price Three Pence, or One Guinea per Hundred. THE CIRCUMCISION OF CHRIST. (Keble's Christian Year.) THE year begins with Thee, Thine infant cries, O Lord, Art thou a child of tears, Cradled in care and woe? And seems it hard thy vernal years And fall the sounds of mirth Sad on thy lonely heart, From all the hopes and chains of earth Look here and hold thy peace : The giver of all good E'en from the womb takes no release If thou wouldst reap in love, So life a winter's morn may prove THE CIRCUMCISION OF CHRIST. COLLECT FOR NEW YEAR'S DAY. Almighty God, who madest thy blessed Son to be circumcised, and obedient to the law of man; Grant me the true Circumcision of the Spirit; that my heart, and all my members, being mortified from all worldly and carnal lusts, I may in all things obey thy blessed will; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. LITANY. By thy Circumcision, by thy Baptism, DAILY SERVICE. O God, make clean my heart within me. PROPER LESSONS. This is my covenant which ye shall keep between me and you, and thy seed after thee: every man-child among you shall be circumcised. He that is born in thy house and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant, And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, |