The Book of Common Prayer Part 45

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 all is well done, and according unto due order, concerning the baptizing of this Child; who being born in original sin, and in the wrath of G.o.d, is now, by the laver of Regeneration in Baptism, received into the number of the children of G.o.d 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 G.o.d. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of G.o.d 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 Minister shall make this brief exhortation upon the words of the Gospel_.

Beloved, ye hear in this Gospel 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 promised in his holy Word) will give unto him the blessing of 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 devoutly give thanks unto him, and say the Prayer which the Lord himself taught us:

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.

Almighty and everlasting G.o.d, heavenly Father, we give thee humble thanks 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 this Infant, that _he_, being born again, and being made an heir of everlasting salvation, 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 by the G.o.dfathers and G.o.dmothers p.r.o.nounced, 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 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 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 the Priest shall say_,

We receive this Child into the Congregation of Christ's flock, and do * sign _him_ with the Sign Of 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:] * _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 by Baptism 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 _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 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 Jesus Christ our Lord. _Amen_.

_Then, all standing up, the Minister shall make this exhortation to the G.o.dfathers and G.o.dmothers_.

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 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 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 G.o.dliness of living.

_But if they which bring the Infant to the Church do make such uncertain answers to the Priest's 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 Public 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 baptized, 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 G.o.dfathers and G.o.dmothers_ (_the people being a.s.sembled 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 shall think fit_.

| _The public office for the ministration of Baptism of such as be of riper_ _years may be used as a separate service, and such service may be_ _concluded with the Blessing_.

_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 G.o.d, but live in sin, committing many actual transgressions; and that our Saviour Christ saith, none can enter into the kingdom of G.o.d, except he be regenerate and born anew of water and of the Holy Ghost; I beseech you to call upon G.o.d 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 Christ's 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 G.o.d, who of thy great mercy didst save Noah and his family in the ark from peris.h.i.+ng 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 was.h.i.+ng 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 pa.s.s 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 G.o.d, 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: and 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 was.h.i.+ng, and may come to the eternal kingdom which thou hast promised by Christ our Lord. _Amen_.

| _In the ministration of Baptism of such as be of riper years it may suffice to say one or other of the two opening prayers_, Almighty and everlasting G.o.d, _or_ Almighty and immortal G.o.d.

_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.