N.

¶ He may then baptize it, saying,

I baptize thee In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. The Minister may then say,

YRANT, merciful Father, that this Child now

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.

DEARLY

Then may the Minister say, EARLY beloved brethren, let us now give thanks unto Almighty God; and with one accord make our prayers unto him, that this Child may lead the rest of his life according to this beginning.

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.

MOST merciful Father, we bless and praise thy holy Name for the Gospel of thy grace, and for the Kingdom of thy dear Son, through whose blood we have redemption, even the forgiveness of sins; and we yield thee hearty thanks that thou hast permitted us to dedicate unto thee this Child in thy holy Baptism. 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, being 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.

AN EXHORTATION.

EARLY beloved, as you have brought this Child to be baptized with earnest prayer to Almighty God that he may through Divine grace, and by the knowledge and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, be enabled to renounce the devil and all his works, to believe in God, and to serve him, you should remember that it is your duty to see that this Child may be carefully instructed in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament; and that he may learn the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments, 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 godly 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 unto sin, and rise again unto righteousness; continually mortifying all our evil and corrupt affections, and daily proceeding in all virtue and godliness of living.

The Ministration of

Baptism to such as are of Riper Pears.

¶ The Minister may ask whether any of those desiring to be baptized have already been baptized or no. If they answer No, he may then say,

Hear the words of the Gospel, written by the Apostle John, in the third Chapter, beginning at the first Verse.

THERE 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 mother's 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.

AN EXHORTATION.

BELOVED, ye hear in this Gospel the 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. Likewise, immediately before his ascension into heaven, (as we read in the last Chapter of the Gospel by Mark,) 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. Peter the Apostle also, 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 yourselves 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 favourably receive these present persons, truly repenting, and coming unto him by faith; that he will give them the blessing of eternal life, and make them partakers of his everlasting kingdom.

Wherefore we being thus persuaded 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,

A

LMIGHTY 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. Grant unto these persons, that being sanctified by thy Holy Spirit, they may serve thee in newness of life, and be heirs of everlasting salvation; through our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.

Or this.

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, now desiring to be baptized. Receive them, O Lord, as thou hast promised by thy well-beloved Son, saying, Ask, and it shall