earnestly believe, that he will likewise favourably receive this present Infant; that he will embrace him with the arms of his mercy; that he 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 towards this Infant, declared by his Son Jesus Christ; and nothing doubting but that he favourably alloweth this grateful work of ours, in recognizing, by baptism, this Infant, as born in a Christian land, or of Christian parents; let us faithfully and devoutly give thanks unto him, and let

us pray.

A

LMIGHTY and everlasting God, heavenly Father, we give thee humble thanks, for that thou hast vouchsafed to call us to the knowledge of thy grace, and faith in thee: Increase this knowledge, and confirm this faith in us evermore. Give thy blessing to this ordinance in which we dedicate this Child to thee, and may he live such a life of faith and obedience to thy will that he may obtain everlasting salvation, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

¶ Then shall the Minister speak unto the Child's Parents or friends, on this wise:

DE

EARLY beloved, ye have brought this Child here to be baptized, ye have prayed that our heavenly Father would vouchsafe to receive him, to preserve him from sin, to sanctify him, to give him the kingdom of of heaven, and everlasting life. Ye know that our Lord Jesus Christ hath declared that whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in his name he will give it you; on which declaration you may fully rely. Ye know also that our Lord has declared by his holy Apostles that the promise is unto you and your children, and to as many as the Lord our God shall call wherefore encouraged by this gracious promise, you ought, in this act, to feel solemnly bound to do your duty to this Child; not only to provide for his bodily health and comfort, but also to instruct him in the knowledge and love of God and of Christ Jesus our Saviour, to teach him to pray and to live a godly life. Will you, therefore, in the face of this

congregation promise that you will try to do these things?

Answer. I will; or, We will.

Then the Minister shall take the Child into his hands, and shall say to the Parents or Guardians,

What is this child's name?

And then naming it after them, he shall, as the Parents or friends may wish, dip the Child warily in the water, or pour, or sprinkle water upon it, saying,

N.

I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghost.

Amen.

¶ Or, as was the recorded practice of our Lord's Apostles. I baptize thee in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

N.

FOR

Then shall the Minister say,

NORASMUCH as this Child has now been devoted by you to the service of God in a Christian life, it becomes your sacred duty to implore the divine blessing that you may be able to accomplish in him all that this sign outwardly and emblematically represents. You have solemnly bound yourselves to set him an example of a life formed by faith and obedience to the will of God. You must instruct him in all useful knowledge. He should be trained up by you to know what is right and what is wrong; to shun the evil, and to choose the good; that as our Saviour Christ 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. And now may the blessing of God Almighty be with you, and with this dear Child; and insure to you all at length the possession of everlasting life. Amen.

THE MINISTRATION OF

BAPTISM TO SUCH AS ARE OF RIPER YEARS.

When any persons in heathen lands become Christians, and wish to be baptized according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ; or when any persons who have grown up without having been baptized, desire to submit themselves to this Christian ceremony; they shall present themselves to the Minister at some time previously appointed, and in the face of the congregation he shall say,

DEARLY beloved, forasmuch as all men are born

with a nature which makes them liable to fall into sin; and are exposed in the world to temptations from which they cannot altogether escape; so that they do fall into some sins, and often into many actual transgressions; yet are mercifully encouraged to hope for forgiveness, if they are brought to repentance and to the knowledge of the truth in Christ Jesus: and forasmuch as our Saviour Christ saith, None can enter into the kingdom of God, except he be born anew of Water and of the Spirit; I beseech you to call upon God the Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ, that of his bounteous mercy he will grant to these persons that which by nature they cannot have; that they may be baptized with Water and with the Spirit, and be received into Christ's holy Church, and be made lively members of the same.

A

¶ Then shall the Minister say,

Let us pray.

(¶ And here all the Congregation shall kneel.)

LMIGHTY and everlasting God, who of thy great mercy and condescension dost permit the minds and affections of men to be usefully impressed by outward significant rites; and by the Baptism of thy wellbeloved Son Jesus Christ, in the river Jordan, didst sanctify the element of water to be used as an emblem of purity of spirit, and of the removal of sin; we beseech thee that thou wilt mercifully look upon these thy servants; wash them and sanctify them with thy holy Spirit, that

BAPTISM OF THOSE OF RIPER YEARS. 107 they, being delivered from sin, may be received into the ark of Christ's Church; and being stedfast in faith, joyful through hope, and rooted in charity, may so pass through 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. Amen.

A

LMIGHTY and immortal God, the aid of all that need, the helper of all that flee to thee for succour, the life of them that believe, and the resurrection of the dead; We call upon thee for these persons, that having by repentance, and faith in thy dear Son, received the forgiveness of their sins, they may have confirmation and comfort from this outward ordinance of baptism, assuring them openly of their union to thy church, and of their spiritual regeneration. Receive them, O Lord, as thou hast promised by thy Son, who in thy name hast said, Ask, and ye shall receive: so that they may enjoy the everlasting benediction of thy heavenly grace, and may come to the eternal kingdom which thou hast promised by Christ our Lord. Amen.

Then shall the Minister and people stand up, and he shall say, Hear the words of the Gospel by St. John, iii. 1 to 9, which he shall read.

THE

HERE 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.

B

After which he shall say this Exhortation following. ELOVED, ye hear in this Gospel the express words of our Saviour Christ, that except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Likewise, immediately before his ascension into heaven, (as we read in Saint Mark's Gospel,) he gave commandment 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 condemned. Also 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; 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 heavenly Father towards these persons, declared by his Son Jesus Christ; let us faithfully and devoutly give thanks to him, and say,

A

LMIGHTY and everlasting God, heavenly Father, we give thee humble thanks, for that thou hast vouchsafed to call us to the 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 being born again, may be made heirs of everlasting salvation; through our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee in glory, now and for ever. Amen.