The Book of Common Prayer Part 44

Dost thou believe in G.o.d 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 h.e.l.l, and also did rise again the third day; that he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of G.o.d 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 Catholic 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 be baptized in this faith?

_Answer_. That is my desire.

_Minister_.

Wilt thou then obediently keep G.o.d's holy will and commandments, and walk in the same all the days of thy life?

_Answer_. I will.

_Then shall the Priest say_,

O merciful G.o.d, 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 G.o.d, who dost live, and govern all things, world without end. _Amen_.

Almighty everliving G.o.d, whose most dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of our sins, did shed out of his most precious side both water and blood; 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; sanctify this Water to the mystical was.h.i.+ng 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 G.o.dfathers and G.o.dmothers_, Name this Child. _And then naming it after them_ (_if they shall certify 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 certify 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 Christ's flock, *

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 Christ's faithful soldier and servant unto his life's end. Amen.

[Margin Note:] * _Here the Priest shall make a Cross upon the Child's forehead_.

_Then shall the Priest say_,

Seeing now, dearly beloved brethren, that _this Child_ is regenerate and grafted into the body of Christ's Church, let us give thanks unto Almighty G.o.d 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 in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespa.s.ses, As we forgive them that trespa.s.s 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 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 that finally, with the residue of thy holy Church, _he_ may be _an inheritor_ of thine everlasting kingdom; through Christ our Lord. _Amen_.

_Then, all standing up, the Priest shall say to the G.o.dfathers and G.o.dmothers this exhortation following_.

Forasmuch as _this Child hath_ promised by you _his_ sureties to renounce the devil and all his works, to believe in G.o.d, 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 Lord's Prayer and the Ten 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 G.o.dly and a Christian life; remembering 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 G.o.dliness of living.

_Then shall he add and say_,

Ye are to take care that _this Child_ be brought to the Bishop to be confirmed by him, so soon as he can say the Creed, the Lord's Prayer and the Ten Commandments in the vulgar tongue, and be further instructed in the Church Catechism set forth for that purpose.

_It is certain by G.o.d's Word, that children which are baptized, dying before they commit actual sin, are undoubtedly saved_.

_To take away all scruple concerning the use of the sign of the Cross in Baptism; the true explication thereof, and the just reasons for the retaining of it, may be seen in the x.x.xth Canon, first published in the year MDCIV_.

THE MINISTRATION OF

PRIVATE BAPTISM OF CHILDREN

IN HOUSES

_The Curates 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 profuse 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 fas.h.i.+on_.

_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 G.o.d, and say the Lord's Prayer, and so many of the Collects appointed to be said before in the form of Public 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_;

_N_. I baptize thee in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

_Then, all kneeling down, the Minister shall give thanks unto G.o.d, 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 sufficiently 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 Congregation may be certified of the true form of Baptism, by him privately before used. In which case he shall say thus_,

I certify you, that according to the due and prescribed Order of the Church, at such a time, and at such a place, before divers witnesses, I baptized this Child.

_But if the Child were baptized by 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 any Child to the Church do answer that the same Child is already baptized, then shall the Minister examine them further, saying_,

By whom was this Child baptized? Who was present when this Child was baptized?

Because some things essential to this Sacrament may happen to be omitted through fear or haste, in such times of extremity; therefore I demand further of you,