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"It is certain by God's Word, that Children which are hapti"zed, dying before they commit actual fin, are undoubtedly "faved.'

"To take away all fcruple concerning the ufe of the fign of the Crofs in Baptifm; the true Explication thereof, and the "juft reafons for the retaining of it, may be seen in the xxxth Canon, firft published in the Year MDCIV.",

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The MINISTRATION of

Private BAPTISM of Children in Houfes. THE Curates of every Parifh fhall often admonish the People, that they defer not the Baptifm of their Children longer than the first or fecond Sunday next after their Birth, or other Hely-day falling between, un'efs upon a great and reasonable caufe, to be approved of by the Curate.

And also they shall warn them, that without like great caufe and neceffity they procure not their children to be baptized at home in their beufes. But when need fhall compel them fo to do, then Baptifm ball be adminiftered on this fashion:

Firft let the Minifier of the Parish, (or in his abfence, any other lawful Minifter that can be procured) with them that are prefent, call upon God, and fay the Lord's Prayer, and fo many of the Collects appointed to be faid before in the Form of Publick Baptifm, as the time and prefent exigence will fuffer. And then the Child being named by some one that is prefent, the Minister shall pour Water upon it, saying these words, I baptize thee, In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft. Amen.

N.

Then all kneeling down, the Minifier fhall give thanks unto God, and Juy,

WE yield thee hearty thanks,

moft merciful Father, that it hath pleased thee to regene. rate this Infant with thy Holy Spirit: to receive bim for thine own Child by adoption, and to incorporate him into thy holy Church. And we humbly befeech thee to grant, that as be is now made partaker of the death of thy Son, fo be may be alfo of his refurrection: and that finally, with the refidue of thy Saints be, may inherit thine everlasting kingdom, through the fame thy Son Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen,

And let them not doubt, but that the Child fo baptized is lawfully and fufficiently baptized, and •ought not to be baptized again. Yet nevertheless, if the Child, which is after this fort baptized, do afterward live, it is expcdient, that it be brought into the Church, to the intent that if the Minifter of the fame Parish did bimfef baptize that Child, the Congregation may be certified of the true form of Baptifm, by bim privately before used. In which cafe be fhall fay thus,

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ybere the Child was born or chriftened, fall examine and try whether the Child be lawfully baptized, or no: In which cafe, if thofe that bring any Child to the Church, do answer that the fame Child is already baptized, then fhall the Minifter examine them further, saying,

By whom was this Child Bap

tized?

Who was prefent when this Child was baptized?

Because fome things effential to this Sacrament may happen 'to be omitted through fear or hatte, in fuch times of extre

mity; therefore I demand further of you,

With what matter was this Child baptized?

With what words was this Child baptized?

And if the Minifter fhall find by the anfiers of fuch as bring the Child, that all things were done as they ought to be; then fball not be Chriften the Child again, but shall receive bim as one of the flock of true Chriftian people, faying thus: I certify you, that in this cafe all is well done, and according unto due order, concerning the baptizing of this Child; who being born in original fin, and in the wrath of God, is now by the laver of regeneration in Baptifm, received into the number of the children of God, and heirs of everlafting life: for our Lord Jefus Chrift doth not deny his grace and mercy unto fuch Infants, but most lovingly doth call them unto him, as the holy Gospel doth witness to our comfort on this wife:

S. Mark 10 13.

They brought young children to Chrift, that he fhould touch them: and his difciples rebuked those that brought them,

But when Jefus aw it, he was much difpleafed, and faid unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of fuch is the kingdom of God. Verily I fay unto you, Whofoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he fhall 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 Minifter fhall make this brief Exbortation upon the words of the Gospel. Beloved, ye hear in this Gofthe words of our Saviour Chrift, 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 gefture and deed he declared his good-will toward them; for he embraced them in his arms, he laid his hands upon them, and bleffed them. Doubt ye not therefore, but earnestly believe,

that he hath likewife favoura bly received this prefent Infant; that he hath embraced him with the arms of his mercy; and (as he hath promifed in his holy Word) will give unto him the bleffing of eternal life, and make bim partaker of his everlasting kingdom. Wherefore we being thus perfuaded of the good will of our heavenly Father, declared by his Son Jefus Chrift towards this Infant, let us faithfully and devoutly give thanks unto him, and fay the Prayer which the Lord himself taught us :

UR Father which

heaven, Hallowed be thy Name; Thy kingdom comes Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven: Give us this day

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our

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Father Almighty; and from thence fhall come again at the end of the world to judge the quick and the dead?

our'daily bread; and forgive us
our trefpaffes, as we forgive
them that trefpafs against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil. Amen.. And doft thou believe in the

Almighty and everlasting
God, heavenly Father, we
give thee humble thanks, that
thou haft vouchfafed 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 Spi.it to this Infant, that
be being born again, and be-
ing made an beir of everlaft-
ing falvation, through our Lord
Jefus Chrift, may continue thy
fervant, and attain thy promife,
through the fame our Lord Jefus
Chrift thy Son, who liveth and
reigneth with thee and the Holy
Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.
Then ball the Prief demand
the Name of the Child, which
being by the Godfathers and
Godmothers pronounced, the Mi-
nifter fall fay,
Dit in the ame of
OST thou in the Name of

this

vil and all his works, the vain pomp and glory of the world, with all covetous defires of the fame, and the carnal defires of the flesh; fo that thou wilt not follow nor be led by them? Answer, I renounce them all. Minifter.

OST thou believe in God

Holy Ghost; the holy Catholick Church; the Communion of Saints; the Remiffion of fins; the Refurrection of the flesh; and everlafting Life after death Arfw. All this I ftedfa"ly believe.

Minifter.

WILT thou then obediently

keep God's holy will and commandments, and walk in the fame all the days of thy life? Anfw. I will.

Then fhall the Prieft fay, W to the congregation of Chrift's flock; and * Here the do *fign bim with Priest ball mate a Cross upon the the fign of the Child's forebead. Crofs; in token_that hereafter be fhall not be afhamed to confefs the faith of Chrift crucified, and manfully to fight under his and to continue banner against fin, the world,

E receive this Child in

Chrift's faithful foldier and fervant unto his life's end. Amen.

Then fhall the Prieft fay, Steing now, dearly beloved

brethren, that this Child is by Baptifm regenerate and grafted into the Body of Chrift's Church, let us give thanks unto God thefe be

D the Father Almighty, Mas te smighty with for the record

ker of heaven and earth?

And in Jefus Chrift his only begotten. Son our Lord? And that he was conceived by the Holy Ghoft; born of the Virgin Mary; that he suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; that he wen down into hell, and alfo did rife again the third day; that he afcended into heaven, and fitteth on the right hand of God the

make our prayers unto him, that be may lead the rest of his life according to this beginning.

Then fhall the Priest fag, WE yield thee hoft hearty

thanks, moft merciful Father, that it hath pleafed thee to regenerate this Infant with thy Holy Spirit, to receive bim for thine own Child by adoption, and to incorporate him into thy holy Church. And hum

bly

bly we beseech thee to grant, that be being dead unto fin, and living unto righteoufnefs, and being buried with Chrift in his death, may crucify the old man, and utterly abolish the whole body of fin; and that as be is made partaker of the death of thy Son, be may also be partaker of his refurrection; fo that finally with the refidue of thy holy Church, be may be an inberitor of thine everlasting kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Then all fanding up, the Mi nifter ball make this Exhortation to the Godfathers and God

moibers:

Orafmuch as this Child hath

ties, to renounce the devil and all his works, to believe in God, and to ferve him; ye must remember that it is your parts and duties to fee that this Infast be taught, fo foon as be fhall be able to learn, what a folemn vow, promife, and profeffion be hath here made by you. And that be may know thefe things the better, ye thall call upon bim to hear Sermons, and chiefly ye fhall provide

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which a Chriflian ought to know and believe to his foul's health; and that this Child may be virtuously brought up to lead a godly and a Chriftian life; remembering always that Baptifm doth reprefent unto us our profeffion, which is to follow the example of our Saviour Chrift, and be made like unto him; that as he died, and rose again for us; to thould we, who are baptized, die irom fin, and rife 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 fuch uncertain anfwers to the Prieff's queftions, as that it cannot appear that the Child was baptized with Water, In the Name of the Fatber, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft (which are effential parts of Baptifm ;) then let the Prieft baptize it in the Form before appointed for Publick Baptifm of Infants; faving that at the dipping of the Child in the Font, be shall use this Form of words:

thou art not already baptiz

that be may learn the Creed, led, N. I baptize thee, in the

the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments in the vulgar tongue, and all other things

Name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Ghoft.
Amen.

The MINISTRATION of

BAPTISM to fuch as are of riper years, and able to answer for themfelves.

When any fuch Perfons as are of Riper Years are to be baptized, timely notice fhall be given to the Bishop, or whom he fhall appoint for that purboje, a Week before at the least, by the Parents, or fome other difcreet Perfons; that fo due care may be taken for their Examination, whether they be fufficiently inftructed in the Principles of the Chriftian Religion; and that they may be exhorted to prepare themselves with Prayers and Fafting for the receiving of this holy Sacrament.

And if they shall be found fit, then the Godfathers and Godmothers, (the People being affembled upon the Sunday or Holy-day appointed,)fhall be ready to prefent them at the Font immediately after the Second Lefon, either at Morning or Evening Prayer, as the Curate in bis difcretion fball think fit.

And fanding there, the Priest, fhall ask whether any of the Perfons bere prefented be baptized or no If they fhall answer No; then fhall the Priest fay thus:

Early beloved, forafmuch

and born in fin, (and that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and they that are in the flesh cannot please God, but live in fin, committing many actual tranfgreffions;) and that our Saviour Chrift faith, None can enter into the kingdom of God, except he be regenerate and born anew of water and of the Holy Ghoft: I befeech you to call upon God the Father, through our Lord Jefus Chrift, that of his bounteous goodness he will grant to thefe perfons that which by nature they cannot have; that they may be baptized with water, and the Holy Ghoft, and received into Chrift's holy Church, and be made lively members of the fame.

Then fball the Prieft fay,

Let us pray. (And bere all the Congregation fhall kneel.)

Almighty and everlasting God, who of thy great mercy didit fave Noah and his family in the ark from perishing by water; and alfo didft fafely lead the children of Ifrael thy people through the Red fea, figuring thereby thy Holy Baptifm; and by the Baptifm of thy well beloved Son Jefus Chrift in the river Jordan, didit fanctify the element of water to the myftical washing away of fin; We befeech thee for thine infinite mercies, that thou wilt mercifully look upon these thy fervants; wash them, and fanctify them with the Holy

Ghoft; that they being delivered

ed into the ark of Chrift's Church; and being stedfaft in faith, joyful through hope, and rooted in charity, may fo pafs the waves of this troublesome world, that finally they may come to the land of everlafting life; there to reign with thee world without end, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen A the aid of all that need, the Lmighty and immortal God,

helper of all that flee to thee for fuccour, the life of them that believe, and the refurrection of the dead; We call upon thee for thefe perfons, that they coming to thy holy Baptifm, may receive remiffion of their fins by fpiritual regeneration. Receive them, O Lord, as thou haft promised by thy well-beloved Son, faying, Afk, and ye fhall receive; feek, and ye fhall find; knock, and it fhall be opened unto you:

fo

give now unto us that afk; let us that feek, find; open the gate unto us that knock; that these persons may enjoy the everlafting benediction of thy heavenly washing, and may come to the eternal kingdom which thou haft promised by Chrift our Lord. Amen.

Then shall the people ftand up,

and the Pricft fall fay, Hear the words of the Gofpel written by Saint John, in the third Chapter, beginning at the firft Verfe:

HERE was a man of the THE Pharifees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The fame

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