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 Minister ;, 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, Holy Day, or Prayer Day appointed) shall be ready to present them at the Font, immediately after the second Lesson, either at Morning or Evening Prayer, as the Minister, in his discretion, shall think fit. And standing there, the Minister shall ask, whether any of the Persons here presented be baptized, or no: If they shall answer, No;

then shall the Minister say thus : DES

EARLY beloved, forasmuch of sin; We beseech thee, for thine

as all men are conceived and infinite mercies, that thou wilt born in sin, (and that which is mercifully look upon these thy Serborn of the flesh is flesh,) and vants; wash them and sanctify they who are in the flesh cannot them with the Holy Ghost; that please God, but live in sin, com- they, being delivered from thy mitting many actual transgres- wrath, may be received into the sions; and our Saviour Christ ark of Christ's Church ; and being saith, None can enter into the steadfast in faith, joyful through kingdom of God, except he be re- hope, and rooted in charity, may generate and born anew of Water so pass the waves of this troubleand of the Holy Ghost; I beseech some world, that finally they may you to call upon God the Father, come to the land of everlasting through our Lord Jesus Christ, life, there to reign with thee, world that of his bounteous goodness he without end; through Jesus Christ will grant to these Persons that our Lord.

Amen. which by nature they cannot have;

Or this. that they may be baptized with Water and the Holy Ghost, and ALMI. GIA TX and immortal into

diction of thy heavenly washing, that believeth not shall be damnand may come to the eternal king- ed. Which also showeth unto us dom which thou hast promised by the great benefit we reap thereby. Christ our Lord.

Amen. For which cause Saint Peter the Then the Minister shall say,

Apostle, when upon his first Hear the words of the Gospel,

preaching of the Gospel many written by St. John, in the third

were pricked at the heart, and

said to him and the rest of the Chapter, beginning at the first Verse.

A postles, Men and brethren, what

shall we do? replied and said Pharisees, named Nicodemus,

unto them, Repent, and be bapa ruler of the Jews. The same

tized every one of you for the

remission of sins, and ye shall recame to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that

ceive the gift of the Holy Ghost. thou art a teacher come from

For the promise is to you and God; for no man can do these

your children, and to all that are miracles that thou doest, except

afar off, even as many as the Lord God be with him. Jesus answer

our God shall call. And with many ed and said unto him, Verily,

other words exhorted he them, verily, I say unto thee, Except a

saying, Save yourselves from this man be born again, he cannot see

untoward generation. For (as the the Kingdom of God. Nicodemus

same Apostle testifieth in another saith unto him, How can a man

place) even Baptism doth also now be born when he is old ? can he

save us, (not the putting away of enter the second time into his

the filth of the flesh, but the anmother's womb, and be born ?

swer of a good conscience towards Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I

God,) by the resurrection of Jesay unto thee, Except a man be

sus Christ. Doubt ye not thereborn of water and of the Spirit,

fore, but earnestly believe, that he cannot enter into the Kingdom

he will favourably receive these of God. That which is born of the

present Persons, truly repenting, flesh is flesh; and that which is

and coming unto him by faith;

that he will grant them remission born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye

of their sins, and bestow upon must be born again. The wind

them the Holy Ghost; that he will bloweth where it listeth, and thou

give them the blessing of eternal hearest the sound thereof; but

life, and make them partakers of canst not tell whence it cometh,

his everlasting kingdom. and whither it goeth : so is every

Wherefore we being thus perone that is born of the Spirit.

suaded of the good will of our

heavenly Father toward these Per1 After which he shall say this

sons, declared by his Son Jesus Exhortation following: Christ; let us faithfully and deBELOYED, ye hear in this voutly give thanks to him, and say,

Gospel the express words of our Saviour Christ, that except LMIGHTY the Spirit, he cannot enter into give thee humble thanks, for that the Kingdom of God. Whereby ye thou hast vouchsafed to call us to may perceive the great necessity the knowledge of thy grace, and of this Sacrament, where it may faith in thee: Increase this knowbe had. Likewise, immediately ledge, and confirm this faith in before his ascension into heaven, us evermore. Give thy Holy Spi(as we read in the last Chapter rit to these Persons, that they may of Saint Mark's Gospel,) he gave be born again, and be made heirs command to his disciples, saying, of everlasting salvation; through Go ye into all the world, and our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth preach the Gospel to every crea- and reigneth with thee and the ture. He that believeth and is Holy Spirit, now and for ever. baptized shall be saved; but he Amen.

muestions

Then the Minister shall speak to man may be raised up in them. the Persons to be baptized on this

Amen. wise :

Grant that all sinful affections

may die in them, and that all come hither desiring to re- things belonging to the Spirit may ceive holy Baptism, ye have heard live and grow in them.

Amen. how the congregation hath pray- Grant that they may have power ed, that our Lord Jesus Christ and strength to have victory, and would vouchsafe to receive you to triumph, against the devil, the and bless you, to release you of world, and the flesh. Amen. your sins, to give you the king- Grant that they, being here dedom of heaven, and everlasting dicated to thee by our office and life. Ye have heard also, that our ministry, may also be endued Lord Jesus Christ hath promised with heavenly virtues, and everin his holy Word to grant all those lastingly rewarded, through thy things that we have prayed for; mercy, o blessed Lord God, who which promise he, for his part, will dost live, and govern all things, most surely keep and perform. world without end.

Amen. Wherefore, after this promise made by Christ, ye must also faith- ALMIGHTY: everliving God, fully, for your part, in the pre

whose most dearly sence of these your Witnesses, and

Son Jesus Christ, for the forgivethis whole congregation, promise

ness of our sins, did shed out of and answer to the following Ques

his most precious side both water tions.

and blood; and gave command

ment to his disciples, that they The Minister shall then demand

should go teach all nations, and the Persons to be baptized as

baptize them In the Name of the sidered as addressed to them seve

Father, and of the Son, and of the rally, and the answers to be inade Holy Ghost; Regard, we beseech accordingly.

thee, the supplications of thy conQuestion.

gregation; sanctify this Water to

the mystical washing away of sin; Do OST thou renounce the devil

and grant that the Persons now to and all his works, the vain

be baptized therein, may receive pomp and glory of the world, with

the fulness of thy grace, and ever all covetous desires of the same,

remain in the number of thy faithand the sinful desires of the flesh,

ful children; through Jesus Christ so that thou wilt not follow, nor

our Lord.

Amen. be led by them?

Answer. I renounce them all; Then shall the Minister take each and, by God's help, will endeavour Person to be baptized by the right not to follow, nor be led by them. hand ; and placing him conve

Question. Dost thou believe all niently by the Font, according the Articles of the Christian

to his discretion, shall ask the Faith, as contained in the Apo

Godfathers and Godmothers the stles' Creed ?

Name; and then shall dip him

in the water, or pour water upon Answer. I do.

him, saying, Question. Wilt thou be baptized in this Faith?

I baptize thee In the Name Answer. That is my desire. Question. Wilt thou then obe

N. ,

S!

and say,

God

for these benefits ; and with Aby Baptism put on Christ, it

he shall not be ashamed to con- and to serve him; ye must refess the faith of Christ crucified, member, that it is your part and and manfully to fight under his duty to put them in mind, what banner, against sin, the world, a solemn vow, promise, and proand the devil; and to continue fession, they have now made before Christ's faithful soldier and ser- this congregation, and especially vant unto his life's end. Amen. before you their chosen witnesses.

The same Rule, as to the Omis- And ye are also to call upon them sion of the sign of the Cross, is to to use all diligence to be rightly inbe observed here as in the Bap- structed in God's holy Word; that tism of Infants.

so they may grow in grace, and in Then shall the Minister say, the knowledge of our Lord Jesus EEING now, dearly beloved

Christ, and live godly, righteously, brethren, that these Persons and soberly, in this present world. are regenerate, and grafted into 1 And then, speaking to the bapthe body of Christ's Church, let tized Persons, he shall proceed us give thanks unto

ND for you, one accord make our prayers unto him, that they may lead the is your part and duty also, being rest of their life according to this

made the children of God and of beginning.

the light, by faith in Jesus Christ, Then shall be said the Lord's

to walk answerably to your ChrisPrayer, all kneeling.

tian calling, and as becometh the

children of light; remembering OUL UR Father, who art in hea

always that Baptism representeth ven, Hallowed be thy Name.

unto us our profession; which is, Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, As it is in heaven.

to follow the example of our Sa

viour Christ, and to be made like Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As

unto him; that as he died, and

rose again for us, so should we, we forgive those who trespass against us. And lea

who are baptized, die from sin, us not into

and rise again unto righteousness; temptation; But deliver us from evil. Amen.

continually mortifying all our evil

and corrupt affections, and daily heavenly Father

. thou hast vouchsafed to call us to

It is expedient that every person, the knowledge of thy grace, and

thus baptized, should be confirmfaith in thee: Increase this know

ed by the Bishop, 80 soon after ledge, and confirm this faith in

his Baptism as conveniently may us evermore. Give thy Holy Spirit be; that so he may be admitted to these Persons; that, being now to the Holy Communion. born again, and made heirs of Whereas necessity may require everlasting salvation, through our the baptizing of Adults in priLord Jesus Christ, they may con- vate houses, in consideration of tinue thy Servants, and attain thy entreme sickness; the same is promises; through the same Lord hereby allowed in that case. And Jesus Christ thy Son, who liveth

a convenient number of persons and reigneth with thee, in the

shall be assembled in the house unity of the same Holy Spirit,

where the Sacrament is to be pereverlastingly.

Amen.

formed. And in the exhortation,

Well-beloved, fc., instead of these ? Then, all standing up, the Minis- words, come hither desiring, shall

ter shall use this Exhortation fol- be inserted this word, desirous.
lowing; speaking to the Godfa-
thers and Godmothers first.

1 If there be occasion for the Office

of Infant Baptism and that of

Adults at the same time, the ,

Mlinister shall use the exhor. sence, to renounce the devil and tation and one of the prayers all his works, to believe in God, next following in the Office for

K

'WE yield

there humble thanks: proceeding in all virtue and godli

FORASMUCH as these Persons

A CATECHISM;

THAT IS TO SAY,

AN INSTRUCTION, TO BE LEARNED BY EVERY PERSON BEFORE

HE BE BROUGHT TO BE CONFIRMED BY THE BISHOP.