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THEY

HEY brought young children to Christ, that he should touch them and his disciples rebuked those who 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. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

After the Gospel is read, the Minister shall make this brief
Exhortation upon the words of the Gospel.

BELOVED ye hear in this Gospel the words of our Saviour Christ, that he commanded the children to be brought unto him; how he blamed those that would have kept them from him; how he exhorteth all men to follow their innocency. Ye perceive how, by his outward gesture and deed, he declared his good will toward them: for he embraced them in his arms, he laid his hands upon them, and blessed them. Doubt ye not therefore, but earnestly believe, that he hath likewise favourably received this present Infant; that he hath embraced him with the arms of his mercy; and, as he hath promised in his holy word, will give unto him the blessing of eternal life, and make him partaker of his everlasting kingdom. Wherefore, we being thus persuaded of the good will of our heavenly Father, declared by his Son Jesus Christ, towards this Infant, let us faithfully and devoutly give thanks unto him, and say the Prayer which the Lord himself taught us.

UR Father who art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy Name; Thy

ven; Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation; But deliver us from evil. Amen.

¶ Then shall the Minister demand the name of the Child; which being by the Godfathers and Godmothers pronounced, the Minister shall say as follows:

DOST

OST thou, in the name of this Child, renounce the devil and all his works, the vain pomp and glory of the world, with all covetous desires of the same, and the sinful desires of the flesh; so that thou wilt not follow, nor be led by them.

Ans. I renounce them all; and, by God's help, will endeavour not to follow, nor be led by them.

Minister. Dost thou believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith, as contained in the Apostles' Creed?

Ans. I do.

Minister. Wilt thou then obediently keep God's holy will and commandments, and walk in the same all the days of thy life? Ans. I will, by God's help.

Then the Minister shall say,

WE receive this Child into the Congregation

of Christ's Flock, and do* sign him with Here the Minister the sign of the Cross; in token that hereafter he shall make a Cross shall not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ upon the Child's forecrucified, and manfully to fight under his banner, head.

against sin, the world, and the devil; and to con

tinue Christ's faithful soldier and servant unto his life's end. Amen.

The same rule is to be observed here, as to the Omission of the sign of the Cross, as in the Public Baptism of Infants.

SEE

Then shall the Minister say,

NEEING now, dearly beloved brethren, that this Child is regene. rate, and grafted into the body of Christ's Church; let us give thanks unto Almighty God for these benefits, and with one accord make our prayers unto him, that this Child may lead the rest of his life according to this beginning.

Then shall be said, all kneeling,

Wixin pleased thee to regenerate this Infant with thy Holy

E yield thee hearty thanks, most merciful Father, that it

Spirit, to receive him for thine own Child by adoption, and to incorporate him into thy holy Church. And humbly we beseech thee to grant, that he, being dead unto sin, and living unto righteousness, and being buried with Christ in his death, may crucify the old man, and utterly abolish the whole body of sin; and that as he is made Partaker of the death of thy Son, he may also be Partaker of his Resurrection; so that finally, with the residue of thy holy Church, he may be an Inheritor of thine everlasting Kingdom, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Then, all standing up, the Minister shall say to the Godfathers and Godmothers this Exhortation following:

FORASMUCH as this Child hath promised by you, his Sureties,

to renounce the devil and all his works, to believe in God, and to serve him; ye must remember, that it is your parts and duties to see that this Infant be taught, so soon as he shall be able to learn, what a solemn vow, promise, and profession he hath here made by you. And that he may know these things the better, ye shall call upon him to hear Sermons; and chiefly ye shall provide, that he may learn the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments, and all other things which a Christian ought to know and believe to his soul's health; and that this Child may be virtuously brought up to lead a godly and a Christian life; remembering always, that Baptism doth represent unto us our profession; which is, to follow the example of our Saviour Christ, and to be made like unto him; that as he died, and rose again for us, so should we, who are baptized, die from sin, and rise again unto righteousness; continually mortifying all our evil and corrupt affections, and daily proceeding in all virtue and godliness of living. Then shall he add and say,

E are to take care that this Child be brought to the Bishop to

Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments, and is sufficiently instructed in the other parts of the Church Catechism, set forth for that purpose.

But if they who bring the Infant to the Church, do make such uncertain Answers to the Minister's Questions, as that it can not appear that the Child was baptized with Water, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, (which are essential parts of Baptism) then let the Minister baptize it in the Form before appointed for public Baptism of Infants,

saving, that at the dipping of the Child in the Font, he shall use this form of Words:

IF

thou art not already baptized, N. I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. If Infant Baptism, and the receiving of Infants baptized in private, are to be at the same time, the Minister may make the Questions to the Sponsors and the succeeding Prayers serve for both. And again, after the Immersion, or the pouring of Water, and the receiving into the Church, the Minister may use the Remainder of the Service for both.

THE MINISTRATION OF

BAPTISM,

SUCH AS ARE OF RIPER YEARS, AND ABLE TO
ANSWER FOR THEMSELVES.

When any such Persons as are of riper Years are to be baptized, timely notice shall be given to the Minister; that so due care may be taken for their examination, whether they be sufficiently instructed in the principles of the Christian Religion; and that they may be exhorted to prepare themselves, with prayers and fasting, for the receiving of this Holy Sacrament."

And if they shall be found fit, then the Godfathers and Godmothers (the People being assembled upon the Sunday, Holy Day, or Prayer Day appointed) shall be ready to present them at the Font, immediately after the Second Lesson, either at Morning or Evening Prayer, as the Minister, in his discretion, shall think fit.

¶ And standing there, the Minister shall ask, Whether any of the Persons here presented be baptized or no? If they shall answer No; then shall the Minister say thus:

DEARLY beloved, forasmuch as all men are conceived and born

in sin, (and that which is born of the flesh is flesh,) and they who are in the flesh cannot please God, but live in sin, committing many actual transgressions; and our Saviour Christ saith, None can enter into the kingdom of God, except he be regenerate and born anew of Water and of the Holy Ghost; I beseech you to call upon God the Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ, that of his bounteous goodness he will grant to these Persons that which by nature they cannot have; that they may be baptized with Water and the Holy Ghost, and received into Christ's holy Church, and be made lively members of the same.

Then shall the Minister say, Let us pray.

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who, of thy great mercy, didst save Noah and his family in the ark from perishing by water; and also did safely lead the children of Israel thy people

10*

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through the Red Sea, figuring thereby thy holy Baptism; and by the Baptism of thy well-beloved Son Jesus Christ in the river Jordan, didst sanctify the element of Water, to the mystical washing away of sin; we beseech thee, for thine infinite mercies, that thou wilt mercifully look upon these thy Servants; wash them and sanctify them with the Holy Ghost; that they, being delivered from thy wrath, may be received into the Ark of Christ's Church; and being steadfast in faith, joyful through hope, and rooted in charity, may so pass the waves of this troublesome world, that finally they may come to the land of everlasting life; there to reign with thee, world without end, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Or this.

ALMIGHTY and immortal God, the aid of all who need, the

helper of all who flee to thee for succour, the life of those who believe, and the resurrection of the dead; we call upon thee for these Persons, that they, coming to thy holy Baptism, may receive remission of their sins, by spiritual regeneration. Receive them, O Lord, as thou hast promised by thy well-beloved Son, saying, Ask, and ye shall receive; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: So give now unto us who ask; let us who seek, find; open the gate unto us who knock; that these Persons may enjoy the everlasting benediction of thy heavenly washing, and may come to the eternal kingdom which thou hast promised by Christ our Lord. Amen.

Then the Minister shall say,

Hear the words of the Gospel, written by Saint John, in the third chapter, beginning at the first verse:

Τ

THERE was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a Teacher come from God; for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus, answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of Water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof; but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

¶ After which he shall say this Exhortation following: BELOVED, ye hear in this Gospel the express words of our Sa

viour Christ, that, except a man be born of Water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Whereby ye may perceive the great necessity of this Sacrament, where it may be had. Likewise, immediately before his ascension into heaven, (as we read in the last chapter of Saint Mark's Gospel,) he gave command to his disciples, saying, Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth, and is baptized,

shall be saved; but he that believeth not, shall be damned: Which also showeth unto us the great benefit we reap thereby. For which cause Saint Peter the Apostle, when upon his first preaching of the Gospel many were pricked at the heart, and said to him and the rest of the Apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? replied, and said unto them, Repent and be baptized every one of you, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost: For the promise is to you and your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words exhorted he them, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. For, as the same Apostle testifieth in another place, even Baptism doth also now save us, (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Doubt ye not therefore, but earnestly believe, that he will favourably receive these present Persons, truly repenting, and coming unto him by faith; that he will grant them remission of their sins, and bestow upon them the Holy Ghost; that he will give them the blessing of eternal life, and make them Partakers of his everlasting kingdom.

Wherefore, we being thus persuaded of the good will of our hea venly Father toward these Persons, declared by his Son Jesus Christ, let us faithfully and devoutly give thanks to him, and say,

Ambly and to, wall to the LMIGHTY and everlasting God, heavenly Father, we give thee

knowledge of thy grace, and faith in thee: Increase this knowledge, and confirm this faith in us evermore. Give thy holy Spirit to these Persons, that they may be born again, and be made Heirs of everlasting salvation, through our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen. ¶ Then the Minister shall speak to the Persons to be baptized on this wise:

WELL-BELOVED, who are come hither desiring to receive

holy Baptism, ye have heard how the Congregation hath prayed, that our Lord Jesus Christ would vouchsafe to receive you and bless you, to release you of your sins, to give you the kingdom of heaven, and everlasting life. Ye have heard also that our Lord Jesus Christ hath promised in his holy Word, to grant all those things that we have prayed for; which promise he, for his part, will most surely keep and perform. Wherefore, after this promise made by Christ, ye must also faithfully, for your part, in the presence of these your Witnesses, and this whole Congregation, promise and answer to the following Questions.

¶ The Minister shall then demand of the Persons to be baptized as follows; the Questions being considered as addressed to them severally, and the answers to be made accordingly.

DOST

Question.

OST thou, renounce the devil and all his works, the vain pomp and glory of the world, with all covetous desires of the same, and the sinful desires of the flesh; so that thou wilt not follow, nor be led by them?

Ans. I renounce them all; and, by God's help, will endeavour not to follow, nor be led by them.

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