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PRIVATE BAPTISM OF CHILDREN

IN HOUSES.

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The Curutes of every Parish shall often admonish the people, that they defer not the Baptism of their Children longer than the first or second Sunday next after their birth, or other Holy-day falling between, unless upon a great and reasonable cause, to be approved by the Curate.

And also they shall warn them, that without like great cause and necessity they procure not their Children to be baptized at home in their houses. But when need shall compel them so to do, then Baptism shall be administered on this fashion:

First, let the Minister of the Parish (or, in his absence, any other lawful Minister that can be procured) with them that are present call upon God, and say the Lord's Prayer, and so many of the Collects appointed to be said before in the Form of Publick Baptism, as the time and present exigence will suffer. And then, the Child being named by some one that is present, the Minister shall pour Water upon it, saying these words;

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Then, all kneeling down, the Min-But if the Child were baptized by ister shall give thanks unto God, and say,

WE yield thee hearty thanks, most merciful Father, that it hath pleased thee to regenerate this Infant with thy holy Spirit, to receive him for thine own Child by adoption, and to incorporate him into thy holy Church. And we humbly beseech thee to grant, that as he is now made partaker of the death of thy Son, so he may be also of his resurrection; and that finally, with the residue of thy Saints, he may inherit thine everlasting kingdom; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

And let them not doubt, but that the Child so baptized is lawfully and suffwiently baptized, and ought

not to be baptized again. Yet nevertheless, if the Child, which is after this sort baptized, do afterward live, it is expedient that it be brought into the Church, to the intent that, if the Minister of the same Parish did himself baptize that Child, the Congregution may be certified of the true Form of Baptism, by him pri. vately before used: In which case he shail say thus,

any other lawful Minister, then the Minister of the Parish, where the Child was born or christened, shall examine and try whether the Child be lawfully baptized, or no. In which case, if those that bring amy Child to the Church do answer, that the same Child is already buptized, then shall the Minister er amine them further, saying,

Y whom was this Child bap

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Who was present when this Child was baptized?

Because some things essential to this Sacrament may happen to be omitted through fear vor haste, in such times of extre mity; therefore I demand fur ther of you,

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With what matter was this Child baptized?

With what words was this Child baptized?

And if the Minister shall find by

the answers of such as bring the Child, that all things were done as they ought to be; then shall not he christen the Child again, but shall receive him as one of the flock of true Christian people, saying thus

I. Certify you, that in this case well done, and accord T Certify you, that according ing unto due order, concerning to the due and prescribed the baptizing of this Child; who

being born in original sin, and | mised in his holy Word) will in the wrath of God, is now, by give unto him the blessing of

the laver of Regeneration in Baptism, received into the number of the children of God, and heirs of everlasting life: for our Lord Jesus Christ doth not deny his grace and mercy unto such Infants, but most lovingly doth call them unto him, as the holy Gospel doth witness to our comfort on this wise.

St. Mark x. 13.

THEY brought young children to Christ, that he should touch them; and his disciples rebuked those that 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 Mint ster shall make this brief Exhorta tion upon the words of the Gospel.

RELOVED, ye hear in this 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 exhorted 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 pro

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 do voutly give thanks unto him, and say the Prayer which the Lord himself taught us:

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UR Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into tempt. ation; But deliver us from evil. Amen. ALMIGHTY and everlasting heavenly Father, we give thee humble thanks, that thou hast youchsafed 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 this Infant, that

he being born again, and being made of everlasting vation, through our Lord Jesus Christ, may continue thy servant, and attain thy promise; through the same our Lord Jesus Christ thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.

Then shall the Priest demand the Name of the Child; which being by the Godfathers and Godmothers pronounced, the Minister shall say,

DOST thou, in the name of this Child, renounce the devil and all his works, the vain pomp and glory of this world, with all covetous desires of the same, and the carnal desires of the flesh, so that thou wilt not | Then shall the Priest say follow, nor be led by them?

Answer. I renounce them all.

Minister.

DOST thou believe

in God

the Father Almighty, Mak

er 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 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 Catholick Church; the Communion of Saints; the Remission of sins; the Resurrection of the flesh; and everlasting life after death?

Answer. All this I stedfastly believe.

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Minister.

WILT thou then obediently keep God's holy will and commandments, and walk in the same all the days of thy life? Answer. I will.

Then the Priest shall say,

forehead.

WE receive this Child into the congregation of • Here the Priest Christ's flock, shall make a Cross and do * sign upon the Child's him with the sign of the Cross, in token that hereafter he shall not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified, and manfully to fight under his banner, against sin, the world, and the devil; and to continue Christ's faithful soldier and ser

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SEEING now, dearly beloved brethren, that this Child by Baptism regenerate, 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 he may lead the rest of his life according to this beginning.

Then shall the Priest say, inq

WE yield thee most hearty

thanks, most merciful Father, that it hath pleased thee to regenerate this Infant with thy holy 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 finally, with the residue of thy y holy Church, he may be an inheritor

of thine everlasting kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Then, all standing up, the Mimster shall make this Exhortation to the Godfathers and Godmothers.s

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 made by you. And that he may know these things the better, ye shall call upon him to hear Sermons; and

unto his life's end. Amen. | chiefly ye shall provide, that

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he may learn the Creed, the four evil and corrupt affections, Lord's Prayer, and the Ten and daily proceeding in all vir Commandments, in the vulgar tongue, 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 alway, that Baptişm 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

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TF thou art not already baptiz-
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Name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
Amen. Inissiala sedan oil

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THE MINISTRATION OF

BAPTISM TO SUCH AS ARE OF RIPER YEARS, 906F SAND ABLE TO ANSWER FOR THEMSELVES. Stani white sab edt to

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DEARLY beloved, forasmuch as all men are conceived and born in sin, (and that which is born of the flesh is flesh,) and they that are in the flesh cannot please God, but live in sin, committing many actual transgressions; and that 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 can-
not 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.

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ALMIGHTY and everlasting

persons may enjoy the everlasting benediction of thy heavenly washing, and may come to the eternal kingdom which thoun

hast promised by Christ our

of Lord.

mercy didst save Noah and his family in the ark from perishing by water; and also didst safely lead the children of Israel thy people 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 stedfast 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.

ALMIGHTY 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

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 thy wellbeloved 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 that ask; let us that seek find; open the gate unto us that knock, that these

Then shall the people stand up, and the Priest shall say, 1002

Hear the words of the Gospel,

written by Saint John, in the third Chapter, beginning at the first Verse.

THERE

d

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; that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born

and

again. The wind bloweth where listeth, thou hearest the sound thereof; but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whi ther it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.st After which he shall say this. Evo hortation following.

BELOVED, ye hear in this Gospel the express words of our Saviour Christ, that ex cept a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot

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