two sences First and that very frequently for the Kingdom of Grace Into which Kingdom there is no entrance but by the dore of Baptism And with submission to the Judgment of the Church I conceive that that passage of our Saviour to Nicodemus where he sayes Job 3.5 Except a man be born of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God ought primarily at least to be understood in this sence so as that the meaning of the place is this Except a man be baptized he cannot be a Christian or a Member of my Kingdom Secondly For the Kingdom of Glory If Baptism be the dore of admission into the Kingdom of Grace it must be consequently so into the Kingdom of Glory For none can be Members of the Kingdom of Glory hereafter that are not Members of the Kingdom of Grace here What then must we conclude will you say concerning them that die unbaptized Objection Do all such certainly and eternally perish for want of this Sacrament Many Christians in the primitive times that had embraced the faith of Christ died before they could have the opportunity of Baptism which as Ecclesiastical Writers tell us was in those Ages administred but at certain times in the year Many were martyred and so carried to the place of Execution before they could be brought to the Font or place of Baptism tasted of the Baptism of Fire before they could receive that of Water And last of all what must we think of those children that are born of Christian Parents and yet die unbaptized Answer To give a distinct Answer in all these Cases I say first as to them who died before they could have the opportunity of Baptism they were baptized in voto though not de facto They were baptized in vote and desire They were Candidates of Baptism and fit to wear the Livery of the Lamb but died before it was fit for them In this case we are to believe that the will is accepted for the deed and that where there is faith repentance and a desire of Baptism the all-merciful God who tyes no body to impossibilities punishes none for the want of that which they desired but could not have 2. As for those Martyrs that died before they were initiated by this Sacrament it cannot be absolutely said that they died unbaptiz'd for baptismus sanguinis is a real Baptism The want of water which is the ordinary and outward Element of Baptism being supplyed by their own blood and instead of giving up their Names which is the form in their Martyrdom they gave up their lives to Christ and so were safe in that promise of his that sayes Luke 9.24 Whosoever loses his life for my sake shall save it Lastly For Infants that die unbaptized supposing that nothing as is usually held of certainty can be affirmed in this point Yet this we are certain of That the denyal of salvation to such was the first foundation of the Invention of Limbus Puerorum and that St. Austin who sometime denyed salvation in this case was therefore stil'd Durus Pater Infantum And though nothing can be pronounc'd as de side herein yet charity binds us to believe that which in it self is very credible and has been held by the pious and learned of all sides that as in bringing of an Infant to Baptism the Faith of the whole Church and of them that present it is reputed as it 's own so in case it die before it be baptized the vote and desire of the whole Church in general which would have all her Children partakers of that Sacrament and that of the faithfull Parents in special who did desire and design it will be accepted and reputed for Baptism before God Moreover it is no less credibly then piously held in this case That what is wanting of the outward ministry of the Church without the fault of those that want it shall be supplyed out of the infinite Treasury of the merits of our faithful and merciful High-priest 1 Tim. 2.4 who would not that any should perish but that all should be saved The second Miracle here mentioned to have happenned at the Baptism of our Saviour is the Discent of the Holy Ghost In parallel to which I come now to shew That the Holy Ghost is conferr'd in the Sacrament of Baptism and that the Spirit of God moves upon these waters of Regeneration as really as he is said to have done upon those at the Creation Gen. 1.2 For the demonstration of which Truth I shall bring Three proofes beyond all exception 1. Our Saviour promis'd it should be so 2. The Church believes and has ever believ'd that it is so 3. The unquestionable History of the Apostolick times has left it upon record that then de facto it was so 1. Iohn did indeed baptize with water Acts 3.5 but I sayes our Saviour will baptize you with the Holy Ghost And herein consisted the difference betwixt the paptisme of our Saviour and the baptisme of Iohn by Iohns own confession Matth. 3.11 I indeed baptize you with water but he that comes after me shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with Fire I. According to a usual Hebraism with the Fire of the Holy Ghost or with the Gifts of the Holy Ghost that are quick and powerfull active and operative as Fire The baptisme of Iohn was no more but a Significative Ceremony serving to put them in mind that came to it of the necessity of Repenance and Purity of Life Vers 11. and this was it that Iohn told them where he sayes I indeed baptize you with water unto Repentance Our Saviours baptisme is another thing His baptisme is the Laver of Regeneration Tit. 3.5 as St. Paul calls it wherein they that are washt are Regenerate and born anew of Water and of the Holy Ghost which likewise St. Paul takes notice of in that place as the inseparable concomitant of that baptisme Not by Works of Righteousness which we have done but by his mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Secondly This Promise of our Saviours whose Promises are all of them Yea and Amen must needes be acknowledg'd a sufficient ground for the Church to build her Faith upon in this point and accordingly our Church does publickly profess her belief of the same in express words to that purpose in the Collect that immediately succeeds the Baptisme Seeing now dearly beloved that this Child is regenerate and grafted into the Body of Christs Church c. And the ancient Fathers speaking upon this point deliver their fence to this purpose We bring no Sanctity or holiness with us into the World nor are we sanctifyed in the Womb But as Christ was sanctifyed at his Conception so we at our Regeneration He was conceiv'd not by Man but by the Holy Ghost and we are not of Blood nor of the will of the Flesh John
then a pledg and earnest of what is done in the Sacrament of Baptism ever since though not miraculously and visibly yet really and effectually the Gifts of Illumination and Justification being therein conferred by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost The third and last miraculous effect accompanying our Saviours Baptism was a voice from Heaven proclaiming him in the Audience of the by-standers to be the Son of God And there came a voice from Heaven which said Thou art my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Here I doubt not to affirm That as Christ in his baptism was justified in or by the Spirit as the Apostle with reference 1 Tim. 3.16 as is thought to this testimony speaks that is As our Saviour at his baptism was mightily declared by the Holy Ghost to be the true and eternal Son of God by Generation so we at our baptism are admitted and received as the Sons of God by Adoption I suppose it altogether needless for me to bring arguments to prove this Every one that has but learn'd the entrance into his Catechism professes that in his Baptism he was made a member of Christ a Child of God and an Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven And upon this account it is that the Church upon the conferring of baptism gives publick and solemn thanks to God in those words mentioned before expressing not onely the gift of Regeneration but that also of Filiation or Adoption We yield thee hearty thanks most merciful Father that it hath pleased thee to regenerate this Infant by thy Holy Spirit to receive him for thy own Child by Adoption and to incorporate him into thy Holy Church And so having done with those miraculous events that attended our Saviours Baptism which were The opening of Heaven The descent of the Holy Ghost and a voice heard from Heaven proclaiming Christ to be the Son of God And having parallel'd these miraculous Events with those real effects that do still accompany that Sacracrament of Christs own Institution and according to his promise shall do so to the end of the world Mat. 28. ult And having shewed that therein Heaven is opened the Holy Ghost conferred and the party baptiz'd made the Child of God by Adoption I come now unto The third Particular remakable in this story Particular observable and that is the means or instrumental cause that procur'd the opening of the Heavens the descent of the Holy Ghost and the voice that proclaimed Christ to be the Son of God which was as is here observed the Prayers of our Saviour Jesus being baptized and praying it came to pass that the Heavens were opened c. That so great things as these were procur'd by so powerful a means as the Intercession of the Son of God we need not wonder So need we not doubt of the truth and reality of those graces conferr'd upon us at our baptism since they are procur'd and obtained by the very same means viz. by the mediation and intercession of our faithful and merciful High-priest Heb. 7.25 who ever lives to make intercession for us and who has promised to accompany the use even of this very Ordinance by his Holy Spirit unto the end of the world Go and teach all Nations baptizing them c. And loe I am with you even to the end of the world Mat. 28.19 20. Hence we learn moreover that solemn Prayers and supplications ought always to be joyned with the Administration of the Sacraments Jesus being baptized and praying the heavens were opened and the Holy Ghost descended c. So now in the use of this Sacrament the Prayers of the Church united to the Intercession of Christ are a powerful and effectual means of epening Heaven and of bringing down the Holy Ghost in the sence above mention'd upon the persons baptiz'd Again From hence it is obvious to observe how the Ritual part of Christianity 1. The Rites and external Ceremonies enjoyn'd on Gods part are always to be accompanied with something moral on ours The Rite of Baptism is then effectual when it is rightly performed that is when the Administration of it is accompanied with solemn Prayer and Supplication Though the grace conferr'd in Baptism be the free Gift of God yet something is requir'd on our parts for the procuring of it Not that we should glory or attribute any thing to the merit of our own works but that we may value and prize the Grace the more being that is not obtain'd Ex opere operato as some affirm by the mere doing of the thing how carelesly and supinely soever but by careful and conscientious using therewithal the means of Gods own appointing and hallowing Jesus himself being baptized and praying the heavens were opened c. So the Sacraments of the Church through the Prayers of the faithful joyn'd with the Intercession of Christ become effectual to the very same purposes as has been shown in the preceeding discourse Lastly We may from hence rest satisfied that the Sacraments instituted by Christ under the New Testament are not Mera nuda symbola Naked symbols Signes onely and meer significations of something to be done without conferring any thing at all of help or assistance towards the doing of it Such indeed we acknowledg the Baptism of John to be A Rite or external Ceremony serving to put men in mind of the great purity that would be required of them who was to live under the Laws of the Messia whose forerunner he was and baptized as such saying unto the people that they should believe on him who should come after him Act. 19.4 that is on Christ Jesus Such we acknowledg Circumcision to have been viz. A sign or symbol of cutting off the superfluities and putting away filthiness of the flesh but that in it self it contributed nothing either of grace or strength towards the performance of such a work The Sacraments of the New Testament are of another Nature not bare and naked signes onely to signifie what is to be done and to mind us of our duty but according to the Doctrine not onely of the Schools but of the Fathers and Scripture it self they are the effectual means and instruments of conveying divine ayd ghostly strength and Grace to those Receivers of them that do not in themselves Obicem ponere as the Schools use to speak that is that do not put in something by way of barr or impediment to their intended and designed operation Particularly the Sacrament of Baptism supposing no such barre or impediment does in the right use of it carry along with it among others the Graces now mentioned of Justification Sanctification and Adoption so that therein in a spiritual but real sence as it was at the baptism of Christ in a literal The Heaven is opened the Holy Ghost bestowed and the baptiz'd person receiv'd for the Child of God by Adoption And herein as is said before consists the true difference betwixt the baptism of John and the baptism of our Saviour by the confession of John himself John did indeed baptize with water unto
1.13 nor of the will of Man but of God The same overshadowing power which formed his Humane nature reformeth ours and the same Spirit assureth us a remission of our sins which caused in him an exemption from all sin He that was born for us upon his Incarnation is born within us upon our Regeneration Lastly What Christ Promises and the Church Professes to believe we find was really and actually perform'd in the Apostles age in a visible and perceptible manner At the nineteenth Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles we are told that S. Paul coming upon a time to Ephesus Act. 19.1 2 c. he found there certain Disciples that having onely received the Baptisme of Iohn had not so much as heard whether there was such a thing as the Holy Ghost or no. Hereupon Paul takes them and baptizes them in the Name of the Lord Iesus Ver. 5. And immediately the Holy Ghost fell upon them Ver. 6. and they spake with Tongues and Prophecyed It is said indeed that upon the Imposition of St. Pauls hands they received the Holy Ghost Now whether this Imposition of hands was in or after Baptisme is not certain nor much materiall However it was 't is most certain that upon their being baptized in the Name of the Lord Iesus they received the Holy Ghost which before in the Baptisme of Iohn they had not received nor so much as heard of 'T is true those Gifts of the Holy Ghost there mentioned are miraculous and extraordinary which are not to be expected now because the reason why they were then given is now ceased Miracles are Signes and Signes are for unbelievers Those extraordinary dispensations of the Spirit were in order to the Conversion of Nations 1 Cor. 14.22 In converted and setled Churches there is no need of Miracles and therefore there the Gifts of the Holy Ghost and dispensations of the Spirit are not visible and extraordinary or by way of prodigy or ostent but the Spirit in a silent and invisible yet real and effectual manner bloweth where Joh. 3.8 and as it pleaseth As those Disciples at Ephesus did upon their being baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus receive the Holy Ghost in Gifts miraculous and extraordinary so doubtless they did receive those more ordinary but more necessary gifts and graces which by the Holy Ghost are poured forth upon all those that really and truly have given up their names to Christ which then as now and now as then are shed forth in Baptism according to what S. Peter undertakes to those new Converts of his Act. 2.38 Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost The Gifts of the Holy Ghost at that time poured forth together with the water of Baptism besides those extraordinary which onely fell upon some such as Tongues Miracles and Prophecy c. were ordinarily these three Illumination Justification and Sanctification 1. Illumination Heb. 10.32 Call to mind says the Author to the Hebrews the former dayes in which after ye were illuminated ye suffered a great fight of afflictions The Ancients understanding this place of Baptism do sometimes in their writings call Baptism it self by the names of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Illumination and the Font 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Illuminatory This no doubt with regard of the Baptized's being then admitted into the knowledg and participation of those mysteries of God in Christ which as the Apostle speaks had been hid from Ages and Generations but now made manifest unto the Saints Col 1.26 The faith and belief of which mysteries was the gift of God by the operation of the Holy Ghost without which we can neither rightly love God or know Christ No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost So the Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 12.3 And in another place Rom. 5.5 The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us 2. Justification by which I understand Remission of sins and Reconciliation with God Being justified by faith we have peace with God Now that Baptism is an instrument of conferring Remission of sins is an Article of our Creed Rom. 5.1 I believe one Baptism for the Remission of sins Nicene Creed which as all other Articles ought to be is founded upon Divine Revelation or express authority of Holy Scripture Be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for Remission of sins so S. Peter Act. 2.38 And the Counsel that the devout Ananias gave S. Paul as he relates the story himself Act. 22.16 was That he would make haste to be baptized and wash away his sins calling upon the name of the Lord. Upon which grounds we may safely conclude that all those first converts to Christianity who upon the preaching of the Apostles renounc'd their Idolatry and sinful life and embrac'd the faith of Christ did upon their Baptism receive a full free and instantaneous pardon of all their sins and were saved by Baptism as S. Peter speaks 1 Pet. 3.21 or by the washing of Regeneration as S. Paul Tit. 3.5 3. Sanctification For which the place now mentioned in Titus is most express He saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewng of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us most abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour And in 1 Cor. 6.11 speaking what kind of persons some of the Corinthians had been before their Baptism he tells them there How by it they were washed and sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of God And the Chuch in her preface to the office of Baptism does not onely exhort the Congregation to pray that the Child may be baptiz'd with water and the Holy Ghost but prayes her self in these words We beseech thee for thine infinite mercies that thou wilt mercifully look upon this Child wash him and sanctifie him with the Holy Ghost c. And that when she prayes thus she prayes in faith you may be satisfied from her profession afterward Seeing now dearly beloved that this Child is regenerate and grafted into the body of Christs Church c. Which profession she makes not to men onely but to God and that in a most solemn and publick manner as appears from those words in the Thanksgiving immediately following We yield thee hearty thanks most heavenly Father that it hath pleased thee to regenerate this Infant by thy Holy Spirit c. They then that do not believe that the Holy Ghost does accompany this Ordinance of Christ do not believe as the Church believes nor as the Scripture teaches The descent of the Holy Ghost upon our Saviour in a visible shape was one of those miraculous effects that hapned at his baptism which miraculous discent at that time was no less
repentance Mat. 3.11 but our Saviour did baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire i.e. did together with his Baptism confer the quick active and operative Gifts of the Holy Ghost resembled for that reason to Fire In short thus Johns baptism did signifie unto men that Repentance and purity of Life was their duty Christs baptism did really regenerate and purifie them Thus much of the View and Review of these words I should here have put an end to this Discourse were it not for a certain Scruple that calls and an Exception that clamours for satisfaction The Scruple Scruple in short is this That since it is now the custome of the Church to baptize Children in their Infancy how they can be capable of those Benefits of Baptism above mentioned or indeed of any other Do they then receive Remission of their Sins Divine Illumination c Answ To this I answer They do not indeed receive a Remission of their actual sins for they need it not nor any actual Illumination for they are not capable of it But they really receive at that time both Sanctification and Remission 1. Sanctification in that their persons are then consecrated and dedicated to God Their Natures regenerate they being born anew of water and the Holy Ghost And secondly Remission of Sins by spiritual Regeneration the guilt of Original sin being so wholly taken away by Baptism that if they die before they commit any actual crime they are undoubtedly saved This is the avowed Doctrine of our Church who therein grounds her self upon the Word of God as appears from those words by way of Rubrick subjoyn'd to the office of Baptism It is certain by Gods Word that Children which are baptiz'd Rub. in fin◠Baptismi dying before they commit actual sin are undoubtedly saved Further they then receive the Gifts of Adoption as has been said being received into the bosome of the Church as the Children of God and enrolled into the number of the faithful Then do they receive the seeds of those graces which in a visible manner spring up afterwards provided that they themselves do not obicem ponere or put in something in Bar. The baptism of the Spirit will in due time become as visible as that of water if they do not do those things in the mean time that infallibly grieve and quench the Spirit To prevent which the Church takes all possible care enjoying the use of Confirmation which is intended for the corroboration of baptismal Grace being as one calls it the suppletory of early Baptism and a Rite certainly of Apostolical both Institution and Practice wherein we give our selves up unto Christ by our own free and voluntary choice no less then if we had been actually baptized at that instant ratifying in our own persons that vow and making good that promise which in the person of others we engag'd to perform at our Baptism Thus much in answer to that Scruple The Exception which some put in against Infant-baptism Exception it self not onely as impenitent and frivolous but as unlawful and abominable is not so easily at least not so soon answer'd We are fallen into times wherein contentious spirits have assum'd the liberty not onely to oppose the Doctrine but to disturb the peace of the Church as about others so particularly about this point of baptizing Infants from the rebaptizing of which they themseves I mean the sect have received their name and are baptiz'd Anabaptists Being then that we are met upon such an occasion as this viz. to dedicate an Infant to God by Baptism it may seem not onely seasonable but in some sort necessary to say something in justification of the Churches Practice in this Particular and to do what we can as every true Son of the Church and every good Christian is bound to do to put a stop to the careir of that opinion which in a short time if it should prevail would put an end to Christianity in Christendom by making it consist of no other but unbaptized persons or if I may so speak of Unchristen'd Christians This I shall endeavour to do in as short and as satisfying a way as I am able First by answering some of the chief of their Arguments Secondly by a positive Assertion of the point it self Both these as briefly so as fully as the latter end of a Sermon will permit referring them that have the mind and the leisure to engage in such a task to the no few nor small volumes that have troubled the world upon this occasion The Arguments they bring against paedobaptism Arg. 1 are either drawn from Scripture or Reason Of the first sort that drawn from the words of the Institution of baptism they look upon as unanswerable Go and teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father of the Son Mat. 28.19 and of the Holy Ghost From whence they argue that none are to be baptized but such as are first taught or as they are pleased to criticize upon the Greek first made Disciples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When men throughly understand Christianity or the way of Christ and are willing to own and profess it then they may be baptized not before So they To this I Answer That if this Proposition had been found in Scripture either in express words or by undeniable consequence they had said something But to lay so great a weight upon so sandy Foundation as that of the casual placing of these words shewes no more but that as sinking men are willing to lay hold upon any thing so they were glad to make use of this Argument for want of a better That the placing of these words is without any such design as that any such inference ought or might be drawn from them is evident from this That in the same period Teaching is put after Baptizing as well as before it Go and teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Ghost Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you V. 20. c. So that an Argument drawn from these words for Baptizing before Teaching is as good as for one drawn for Teaching before Baptizing and nothing more sure then that these words were not marshall'd and plac'd thus as an intended foundation of this Doctrine for doubtless if so it would have been built upon long before these destructive Builders thought of Building their Hay and Straw and Stubble upon it Erroneous and groundless Deductions from Scripture being at the best no better A second Argument is drawn from Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized Arg. 2 shall be saved Whence they conclude that Baptism is for Believers only Before that none can be capable of it nor can it benefit any Answer To
and contempts as these are cannot be offered to such an Ordinance as this is by any Ver. 19. without treading under foot the son of God who ordain'd it nor without counting the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctifyed the Benefit of which is consign'd to him in this Sacrament an unholy thing and without doing despite to the spirit of Grace Not only the Jew but the Gentile not the old Synagogue alone but the old Pagan world shall rise up in Judgment against this generation of prophane Saints and condemn them for they were true to the Religion they profest and held all that related to it sacred and worthy of their highest veneration 'T is true the Pagan Religion and Rights thereof were impious and idolatrous but they looking upon it as divine and knowing no better if they should have trampled upon the Temples Sacrifices and Rights of those that they held for true Deities they ought to have been look'd upon in all reason not so much for Idolaters as Atheists To despise the sacred Rites of Christianity which are the known and confest Institutions of Christ can proceed from nothing else then a Tincture at least of the spirit of Atheism which is notoriously known to have been very predominant in some of the Apostles of that Sect. Secondly Vse 2 since this Ordinance of Christ has so high holy and beneficial an influence upon all that are ingrafted into him thereby Since therein Heaven is opened the Holy Ghost is given and the grace of Adoption conferred It highly concerns all those who know themselves to have been incorporated into the Church Col. 2.24 which is the Body of Christ by this means to consider the obligagation that lyes upon them to labour to walk worthy of this vocation wherewithall they are called Think what a horrible Apostacy it is after we have sworn Allegiance to God to revolt to the Devil 2 Cor. 7.21 Consider what zeal what care what vehement desire to use the Apostles words we ought alwayes to have to correspond with this Vow and Obligation of ours yea what Indignation and Revenge we ought to entertain against our Sins which are the deleteryes and defacers of our Baptismal Innocence Every single Act of Sin is a Receding from this Vowe But a confirm'd Habit therein unsettles our calling disascertains our condition as being a Relapse and Apostacy from our Allegiance a treacherous Revolt from our Leige Lord and Soveraign and a running over to his open and profest Enemies a divorcing the Dove to espouse the Serpent which must needs throw us into great and horrible if not sometimes into irrecoverable dangers 'T is better in the judgment of St. Peter not to have been washed then after they have been so to return with the Sow 2 Pet. 2.22 to her wallowing in the mire Let all of us then that have been made partakers of this Grace see that we walk circumspectly 2 Pet. 1.10 redeeming the time and giving diligence to make this our high calling and holy election sure by adding to Faith Vertue to Vertue Knowledge to Knowledge Temperance to Temperance Patience Vers 5 c. to Patience Godliness c. that we may not be barren and unfruitful members but may go on from strength to strength and from virtue to virtue that so our Adoption through Grace may have its consummation in glory and that in the day of the Restitution of all things we may be own'd by the character imprinted upon us in the day of our entrance into the body of Christs Church and communion of the Faithful Lastly with respect unto the occasion of our present meeting I shall onely add That since it is the acknowledg'd duty of all Christians as being all baptized into the same hope and thereby made fellow Members of the same mystical Body to have a fellow-feeling and Christian sympathy in each others concerns whether of weal or wo to rejoyce with them that rejoyce and to weep with them that weep Ro. 12.15 I conceive it no less then the duty of all that fear God here present to joyne in their Gratulations and to offer up their thanksgivings unto God for this his great mercy and signal favour at this time bestowed upon this noble Family in that he has been pleased to give them beauty for ashes Isa 61.3 and the oyl of gladness for mourning and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness so that now they may invert those sorrowful words of Job Deus dedit Deus abstulit which was all that lately they had to comfort themselves withal The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken Job 1.21 blessed be the name of the Lord. And now Blessed be the name of the Lord Deus abstulit Deus dedit The Lord has taken and the Lord has given For one and that then an onely Son lately taken into the Kingdom of Glory he has given them another this day to be admitted into the Kingdom of Grace Which we being now solemnly going to do give me leave solemnly to move and beseech you all That since the Prayers of the faithful are the means of Gods own appointing and hallowing for effectuating through the merits and Intercession of Christ Jesus of this his own Ordinance and for procuring the sacred energy and influence of the Holy Spirit to the pouring forth of those various graces convey'd in the Administration of this Holy Sacrament you would joyn in the contribution of your unanimous and hearty prayers that God would be pleased to open at this time the Heavens so as that the Holy Ghost may descend to sanctifie these waters to hallow this Infant to wash away his original guilt and stains to enrol him for a Souldier of Christ and a Son of God And further that if God in his infinite mercy shall please to prolong his life and give him length of dayes and we pray that his dayes may be many and happy that he would throughout his whole life prevent him with his goodness pouring out upon him those Graces that may be needful for the holy and happy conduct of it through the waves of this troublesome world till such time as he arrive at the land of everlasting life through Jesus Christ our Lord. That He may never break or recede from this his Baptismal Vow but that being stedfast in faith joyful through hope and rooted in Charity He may grow from Grace to Grace and strength to strength till he become as eminent in his moral and religious as he will be if God bless him with life in his civil and politick capacities And may these our Prayers upon Earth be ratified in Heaven by God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ To whom with the holy Ghost in the unity of the same Godhead be all Honour Praise and Thanksgiving world without end Amen The End