esson_:
|
| St Matth. xviii. 1.
|
| At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is
| the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little
| child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, and said,
| Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as
| little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
| Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child,
| the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall
| receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso
| shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it
| were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck,
| and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe unto the
| world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences
| come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! Wherefore
| if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast
| them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt
| or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast
| into everlasting fire. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it
| out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into
| life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into
| hell fire. 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.
|
| _To use the prayers that follow_:
|
| O heavenly Father, whose face the angels of the little ones do
| always behold in heaven: Grant us stedfastly to believe that
| this little child hath been taken into the safe keeping of thine
| eternal love; through Jesus Christ our Lord. _Amen_.
|
| O Lord Jesu Christ, who didst take little children into thine
| arms and bless them: Open thou our eyes, we beseech thee, that
| we may perceive that thou hast now taken this child into the
| arms of thy love, and hast bestowed upon _him_ the blessings of
| thy gracious favour; who livest and reignest with the Father and
| the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. _Amen_.
|
| We yield thee hearty thanks, most merciful Father, that it hath
| pleased thee to regenerate this child with thy Holy Spirit, to
| receive _him_ for thine own by adoption, and to incorporate _him_
| into thy holy Church. And humbly we beseech thee to grant that,
| as _he_ is made partaker of the death of thy Son, _he_ may also
| b