also by adoption into thy covenant of grace and favour; let him be consigned with thy sacrament, be admitted into Christ's kingdom, enter into his warfare, believe his doctrine, labour and hope for his promises, that this child, witnessing here a good confession, may have his understanding for ever brought unto the obedience, his affections to the love, and all his faculties to the service, of Christ; and after he hath served thee in his generation, he may receive his part and portion in thy glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Then arising from their knees, the Minister shall say unto the Godfathers and Godmothers, as followeth :

"Well-beloved friends, you have brought this child to be presented unto Christ as a servant of his laws, and a disciple of his doctrine; ye have prayed that God would receive him, and give him a portion in the gospel and kingdom of his Son; ye have heard what promises God hath made on his part, and ye believe and know all his words are yea and amen,' and not one tittle of them shall pass unaccomplished; now therefore because it is a covenant of grace and favour on God's part, and of faith and obedience on ours, though God prevents us with his grace, and begins to do for us before we can do any thing for him,-yet you, under whose power this child is, and by whose faith and charity this child comes to Christ in holy baptism, must also, on his behalf, promise that he will forsake the devil and all his wicked works, that he will faithfully believe Christ's holy Gospel, and dutifully keep all Christ's commandments."

Minister. Dost thou abjure, and renounce, and promise to forsake, the devil and all his wicked works, not to listen to his temptations, not to be led by the flesh, by the vain powers of the world, by carnal or covetous desires, but thou wilt be the servant of the Lord Jesus?

Answer. I forsake them all, and will be a servant of

Jesus.

Minister. Dost thou believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth? And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord? And that he was conceived by the Holy Ghost; born of the Virgin Mary; that he suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; that he went down into hell, and also did rise again the third day; that he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right

hand of God the Father Almighty; and from thence he shall come again, at the end of the world, to judge the quick and the dead? And dost thou believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the remission of sins; the resurrection of the flesh; and everlasting life after death?

Answer. All this I will profess and steadfastly believe.
Minister. Wilt thou be baptized into this faith?
Answer. That is my desire.

Let us pray.

O Almighty God, who hast given the promise of thy Spirit to us and to our children, even to as many as the Lord our God shall call; give thy Holy Spirit to this infant, that the evil spirits of darkness may not take thy portion from thee, nor hurt the body, nor deceive the understanding, nor corrupt the will, nor tempt the affections of this infant: but that thy Spirit, who bloweth where it listeth, and no man knows whence he cometh nor whither he goeth, may be in this child as the seed of God springing up to life eternal; that the kingdom of God which is within, and cometh not with observation, may early rule and conduct this infant, prevent the folly of his childhood from growing up to sins in his youth, and may work strongly in him when his weakness, his ignorances, and temptations, are most powerful to prevail upon him; that from his cradle to his grave he may be guided by the Spirit of God in the paths of the divine commandments. Admit him, O God, into the bosom of the church, into the arms of thy mercy, into a right of the promises, into the service of Christ, into the communion of saints; and. give him power to become the son of God, that being buried with Christ in baptism, he may also rise with him through the faith of the operation of God, through the same our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Then the Minister of the Sacrament shall take the Child in his arms, and ask the name.

Then naming the Child aloud, he shall dip the head, or face, or body of the Child in the water, saying,

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

Dipping the head, at the naming of the holy Trinity.

If the Child be weak, or any other great cause intervene, it may suffice, instead of dipping, to sprinkle water on the face, using the same form of words.

Then shall the Priest make the sign of the Cross upon the Child's forehead, saying,

"We sign this child with the sign of the cross, and enrol him a soldier under the banner of Christ, to signify, and, as a ceremony, to represent, that the duty of this and all baptized persons is manfully to fight under the banner of Christ against the flesh, the world and the devil, all the days of their life; and by the power which Christ our blessed Lord, who hath the key of David, hath given unto me, I admit this child into the communion of saints, into the bosom of the visible church, the kingdom of grace, and the title to the promises evangelical, and the hopes of glory."

Our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus, who, when he had overcome the sharpness of death, did open the kingdom of heaven to all believers, and gave unto his church the keys of the kingdom, that his ministers might let into it all that come to him; he, of his infinite goodness and truth, make good his gracious promises upon this infant, that what we do on earth according to his will, he may confirm in heaven by his Spirit and by his word, to the glory of the blessed and undivided Trinity, God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Then shall the Minister add this Invitation.

Seeing now, dearly beloved, that this infant hath received holy baptism, and is washed in the laver of regeneration, admitted into the bosom of the church, into the covenant of faith and repentance, pardon, and holiness; let us give thanks to God for these graces, and pray that this child may lead his life according to the present undertaking.

I.

We give thee thanks and praise, O heavenly and most gracious Father, that it hath pleased thee to call this child to thy holy baptism, to renew him with thy Holy Spirit, to admit him into the church, to adopt him for thy child, and to receive him unto the profession of thy faith; and we humbly

beseech thee to grant unto him thy grace, to accompany him all the days of his life, that he may hold fast the profession of his faith, making his calling and election sure; that his body being washed in pure water, and he tasting of the heavenly gift, being made partaker of the Holy Ghost, and sprinkled in his heart from an evil conscience, he may follow thee in the regeneration, and, after the end of this life, he may for ever be with them who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Grant this, O God our Father, through Jesus Christ our blessed Saviour and Redeemer.

II.

O most holy, most gracious Saviour Jesus, who lovest thy church, and hast given thyself for it, that thou mayest sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water in the word; do thou, with thy Holy Spirit, enlighten, and with thy word, instruct, the understanding of this child, that he may live by faith, and may receive the secrets of thy kingdom, and know thy will, and obey thy laws, and promote thy glory.

III.

O God, be thou his Father for ever, Christ his elder brother and his Lord; the church his mother; let the body of Christ be his food, the blood of Christ his drink, and the Spirit the earnest of his inheritance. Let faith be his learning, religion his employment, his whole life be spiritual, heaven the object of his hopes, and the end of his labours; let him be thy servant in the kingdom of grace, and thy son in the kingdom of glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Then shall the Priest add this Blessing.

Our blessed Lord God, the Father cf men and angels, who hath sent forth his angels ministers, appointing them to minister to the good of them who shall be heirs of salvation,— he of his mercy and goodness send his holy angel to be the guardian of this child, and keep him from the danger and violence of fire and water, of falls and sad accidents, from evil tongues and evil eyes, from witchcraft and all impres

sions of the spirits of darkness, from convulsions and rickets, from madness and stupidity, from folly and evil principles, from bad examples and from evil teachers, from crookedness and deformity, from the mutilation of a member or the loss of sense, from being useless and unprofitable, from being impious, harsh-natured, and unreasonable; and make him a wise, useful, and a holy person, beloved of men, and beloved of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen, Amen.

You the godfathers and godmothers of the child, as you have done this charity to the infant to bring him to holy baptism, so you must be sure to continue your care over him till he be instructed in his duty, taught what vow he hath made by you, and how he shall perform it. To this purpose you shall take care that he may learn the Lord's Prayer, the Apostles' Creed, and the Commandments of our Lord, that he may know how to pray, what to believe, and what to practise; and when he is in all these things competently instructed, neglect not any opportunity of bringing him to the bishop, that he, by imposition of hands and invocation of the Holy Spirit of God, may procure blessing and spiritual strength to this child. Which duty when you have done, you are discharged of this trust; and, from the mercies of God, may humbly hope for the reward of your charity.