in this Faith Answer That is my desire Question WIlt thou then obediently keep Gods holy will and commandments and walk in the same all the days of thy life Answer I will endeavour so to do God being my helper ¶ Then shall the Priest say O Merciful God grant that the old Adam in these Persons may be so buried that the new man be raised up in them Amen Grant that all carnal affections may die in them and that all things belonging to the Spirit may live and grow in them Amen Grant that they may have power and strength to have victory and to triumph against the devil the world and the flesh Amen Grant that they being here dedicated to thee by our Office and Ministry may also be endued with heavenly virtues and everlastingly rewarded through thy mercy O blessed Lord God who dost live and govern all things world without end Amen ALmighty everliving God whose most dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins did shed out of his most precious side both water and bloud and give commandment to his disciples that they should go teach all Nations and baptize them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Regard we beseech thee the supplications of this Congregation sanctifie this Water to the mystical washing away of sin and grant that the persons now to be baptized therein may receive the fulness of thy grace and ever remain in the number of thy faithful and elect children through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen ¶ Then shall the Priest take each person to be Baptized by the right hand and placing him conveniently by the Font according to his discretion shall ask the Godfathers and Godmothers the Name and then shall dip him in the water or pour water upon him saying N. I Baptize thee In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Amen ¶ Then shall the Priest say WE receive this person into the congregation of Christs flock and * Here the Priest shall make a cross upon the persons forehead do sign 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 Christs faithful souldier and servant unto his lives end Amen ¶ Then shall the Priest say SEeing now dearly beloved brethren that these persons are regenerate and grafted into the body of Christs Church let us give thanks unto Almighty God for these benefits and with one accord make our prayers unto him that they may lead the rest of their life according to this beginning ¶ Then shall be said the Lords Prayer all kneeling OUr 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 temptation But deliver us from evil Amen WE yield thee humble thanks O heavenly Father 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 being now born again and made heirs of everlasting salvation though our Lord Jesus Christ they may continue thy servants and attain thy promises through the same Lord Jesus Christ thy Son who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the same holy Spirit everlastingly Amen ¶ Then all standing up the Priest shall use this Exhortation following speaking to the Godfathers and Godmothers first FOrasmuch as these persons have promised in your presence to renounce the devil and all his works to believe in God and to serve him ye must remember that it is your part and duty to put them in mind what a solemn vow promise and profession they have now made before this Congregation and especially before you their chosen Witnesses And ye are also to call upon them to use all diligence to be rightly instructed in Gods holy Word that so they may grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and live godly righteously and soberly in this present world ¶ And then speaking to the new Baptized Persons he shall proceed and say ANd as for you who have now by Baptism put on Christ it is your part and duty also being made the Children of God and of the light by faith in Jesus Christ to walk answerably to your Christian calling and as becometh the children of light remembring always that Baptism representeth 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 ¶ It is expedient that every Person thus Baptized should be confirmed by the Bishop so soon after his Baptism as conveniently may be that so he may be admitted to the holy Communion ¶ If any Persons not Baptized in their infancy shall be brought to be Baptized before they come to years of discretion to answer for themselves it may suffice to use the Office for Publick Baptism of Infants or in case of extream danger the Office for Private Baptism only changing the word Infant for Child or Person as occasion requireth A CATECHISM that is to say An Instruction to be learned of every Person before he be brought to be Confirmed by the Bishop Question WHat is your Name Answer N. or M. Question Who gave you this Name Answer My Godfathers and Godmothers in my Baptism wherein I was made a member of Christ the child of God and an inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven Question What did your Godfathers and Godmothers then for you Answer They did promise and vow three things in my Name First that I should renounce the devil and all his works the pomps and vanity of this wicked world and all the sinful lusts of the flesh Secondly that I should believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith And thirdly that I should keep Gods holy will and commandments and walk in the same all the days of my life Question Dost thou not think that thou art bound to believe and to do as they have promised for thee Answer Yes verily and by Gods help so I will And I heartily thank our heavenly Father that he hath called me to this state of salvation through Jesus Christ our Saviour And I pray unto God to give me his grace that I may continue in the same unto my lives end Catechist Rehearse the Articles of thy Belief Answer I Believe in God the Father Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth And in
the Holy Ghost to give him the Kingdom of heaven and everlasting life Ye have heard also that our Lord Jesus Christ hath promised in his Gospel to grant all these things that ye have prayed for which promise he for his part will most surely keep and perform Wherefore after this promise made by Christ this Infant must also faithfully for his part promise by you that are his Sureties until he come of age to take it upon himself that he will renounce the devil and all his works and constantly believe Gods holy word and obediently keep his commandments I demand therefore DOst 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 carnal desires of the flesh so that thou wilt not follow nor be led by them Answ I renounce them all 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 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 Answ All this I stedfastly believe Minister WIlt thou be baptized in this Faith Answ That is my desire Minister WIlt thou then obediently keep Gods holy will and commandments and walk in the same all the days of thy life Answ I will ¶ Then shall the Priest say O Merciful God grant that the old Adam in this Child may be so buried that the new man may be raised up in him Amen Grant that all carnal affections may die in him and that all things belonging to the Spirit may live and grow in him Amen Grant that he may have power and strength to have victory and to triumph against the devil the world and the flesh Amen Grant that whosoever is here dedicated to thee by our Office and Ministry may also be endued with heavenly virtues and everlastingly rewarded through thy mercy O blessed Lord God who dost live and govern all things world without end Amen ALmighty everliving God whose most dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins did shed out of his most precious side both water and bloud and gave commandment to his disciples that they should go teach all Nations and baptize them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Regard we beseech thee the supplications of thy Congregation sanctifie this Water to the mystical wasting away of sin and grant that this Child now to be baptized therein may receive the fulness of thy grace and ever remain in the number of thy faithful and elect children through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen ¶ Then the Priest shall take the Child into his hands and shall say to the Godfathers and Godmothers Name this Child And then naming it after them if they shall certifie him that the Child may well endure it he shall dip it in the Water discreetly and warily saying N. I baptize thee In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Amen ¶ But if they certifie that the Child is weak it shall suffice to pour Water upon it saying the foresaid words N. I baptize thee In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Amen ¶ Then the Priest shall say WE receive this Child into the congregation of Christs flock * Here the Priest shall make a cross upon the childs forehead and do sign 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 Christs faithful souldier and servant unto his lives end Amen ¶ Then shall the Priest say SEeing now dearly beloved brethren that this Child is regenerate and grafted into the body of Christs 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 OUr Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come Thy will be done in earth As it is 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 temptation But deliver us from evil Amen ¶ Then shall the Priest 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 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 crucifie 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 inheritour of thine everlasting Kingdom through Christ our Lord. Amen ¶ Then all standing up the Priest 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 Lords Prayer and the ten Commandments in the vulgar tongue and all other things which a Christian ought to know and believe to his souls health and that this Child may be virtuously brought up to lead a godly and a Christian life remembring 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 YE are to
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 follow nor be led by them Answer I renounce them all 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 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 Minister WIlt thou then obediently keep Gods holy will and commandments and walk in the same all the days of they life Answer I will ¶ Then the Priest shall say WE receive this child into the congregation of Christs flock and do * The Priest shall make a cross upon the childs forehead sign 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 Christs faithful souldier and servant unto his lives end Amen ¶ Then shall the Priest say SEeing now dearly beloved brethren that this Child is by Baptism regenerate and grafted into the body of Christs Church let us give thanks to 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 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 crucifie 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 Inheritour of thine everlasting Kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen ¶ Then all standing up the Minister shall make this Exhortation to the Godfathers and Godmothers 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 chiefly ye shall provide that he may learn the Creed the Lords Prayer and the Ten Commandments in the vulgar tongue and all other things which a Christian ought to know and believe to his souls health and that this child may be virtuously brought up to lead a Godly and a Christian life remembring alway that Baptism doth represent unto us our profession which is to follow the example of our Saviour Christ and 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 ¶ But if they which bring the Infant to the Church do make such uncertain answers to the Priests questions as that it cannot 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 Priest Baptize it in the Form before appointed for Publick 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 The MINISTRATION of BAPTISM to such as are of riper years and able to answer for themselves ¶ WHen any such Persons as are of riper years are to be Baptiezd timely notice shall be given to the Bishop or whom he shall appoint for that purpose a Week before at the least by the Parents or some other discreet Persons 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 or Holy-day appointed shall be ready to present them at the Font immediately after the second Lesson either at Morning or Evening Prayer as the Curate in his discretion wall think fit ¶ And standing there the Priest shall ask whether any of the Persons here presented be Baptized or no If they shall answer No then shall the Priest 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 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 cannot have that they may be baptized with water and the holy Ghost and received into Christs holy Church and be made lively members of the same ¶ Then shall the Priest say Let us pray ¶ And here all the Congregation shall kneel ALmighty and everlasting God who of thy great 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 sanctifie 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 sanctifie them with the Holy Ghost that they being delivered from thy wrath may be received into the Ark of Christs Church and being stedfast in faith joyful through hope and rooted in charity may so pass the waves of this troublesom world that finally they may come to the land of everlasting life there to reign with thee world with 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 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 that ask let us that seek find open the gate unto us that 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 shall the People stand up and the Priest shall say Hear the words of the Gospel written by Saint John in the third Chapter beginning at the first Verse 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 mothers 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 Saviour 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 Marks 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 sheweth 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 your selves 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 favourable 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 perswaded 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 ALmighty 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 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 Priest shall speak to the Persons to be Baptized on this wise WEl-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 promise in the presence of these your Witnesses and this whole Congregation that ye will renounce the devil and all his works and constantly believe Gods holy Word and obediently keep his commandments ¶ Then shall the Priest demand of each of the Persons to be Baptized severally these Questions following Question DOst 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 carnal desires of the flesh so that thou wilt not follow nor be led by them Answer I renounce them all Question 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 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 Question WIlt thou be baptized