_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 Godfathers and
Godmothers_ (_the people being assembled 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 God, but live in sin, committing
many actual transgressions; and that our Saviour Christ saith, none
can enter into the kingdom of God, except he be regenerate and born
anew of water and of the Holy Ghost; I beseech you to call upon God
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 God, who of thy great mercy didst save
Noah and his family in the ark from perishing 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 washing 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 pass 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 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_, 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 washing, 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 God, _or_ Almighty and immortal God.
_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.
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.
_After which he shall say this exhortation following_.
Beloved, ye hear in this Gospel the express 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. Whereby ye may perceive the
great necessity of this Sacrament, where it may be had. Likewise,
immediately before his ascension into heaven, (as we read in the
last chapter of Saint Mark's Gospel,) 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. Which also
sheweth unto us the great benefit we reap thereby. For which cause
Saint Peter the Apostle, 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 grant _them_ remission
of _their_ sins, and bestow upon _them_ the Holy Ghost; 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,
Almighty 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. Give thy Holy Spirit to these
persons, that they may be born again, and be made heirs of
everlasting salvation, through our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth
and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever.
_Amen_.
_Then the Priest shall speak to the persons to be baptized on this
wise_.
Well-beloved, who are come hither desiring to receive holy Baptism,
_ye_ have heard how the Congregation hath prayed that our Lord
Jesus Christ would vouchsafe to receive you and bless you, to
release you of your sins, to give you the kingdom of heaven and
everlasting life. _Ye_ have heard also that our Lord Jesus Christ
hath promised in his holy Word, to grant all those things that we
have prayed for; which promise he, for his part, will most surely
keep and perform. Wherefore, after this promise made by Christ,
_ye_ must also faithfully, for your part, promise in the presence
of these your witnesses, and this whole Congregation, that _ye_
will renounce the devil and all his works, and constantly believe
God's holy Word, and obediently keep his commandments.
_Then shall the Priest demand of each of the persons to be baptized,
severally, these Questions following_.
_Question_.
Dost thou renounce the devil and all his works, the vain pomp and
glory of the 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.
_Question_.
Dost thou believe in God 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 hell, and also did rise again the third day;
that he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God
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.
_Question_.
Wilt thou be baptized in this faith?
_Answer_. That is my desire.
_Question_.
Wilt thou then obediently keep God's holy will and commandments,
and walk in the same all the days of thy life?
_Answer_. I will endeavour so to do, God being my helper.
_Then shall the Priest say_,
O merciful God, grant that the old Adam in _these persons_ may be
so buried, that the new man may be raised up in _them_. _Amen_.
Grant that all carnal affections may die in _them_, and that all
things belonging to the Spirit may live and grow in _them_. _Amen_.
Grant that _they_ may have power and strength, to have victory, and
to triumph against the devil, the world, and the flesh. _Amen_.
Grant that _they_, being 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 God,
who dost live, and govern all things, world without end. _Amen_.
Almighty everliving God, 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, the Son, and the Holy Ghost:
Regard, we beseech thee, the supplications of this Congregation;
sanctify this Water to the mystical washing away of sin; and grant
that the persons 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 shall the Priest take each person to be baptized by the
right hand, and placing him conveniently by the Font, according
to his discretion, shall ask the Godfathers and Godmothers the
Name; and then shall dip him in the water, or pour water upon him,
saying_,
_N_. I baptize thee, In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and
of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
_Then shall the Priest say_,
We receive this person 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.
* _Here the Priest shall make a Cross upon the person's forehead_.
_Then shall the Priest say_,
Seeing now, dearly beloved brethren, that _these persons_ are
regenerate and grafted into the body of Christ's Church, let us
give thanks unto Almighty God for these benefits, and with one
accord make our prayers unto him, that _they_ may lead the rest
of _their_ life according to this beginning.
_Then shall be said the Lord's Prayer, 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 trespasses, As we forgive
them that trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil. Amen.
We yield thee humble thanks, O heavenly Father, 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 _these persons_, that, being now
born again, and made heirs of everlasting salvation, through our
Lord Jesus Christ, _they_ may continue thy servants, and attain thy
promises; through the same Lord Jesus Christ thy Son, who liveth
and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the same Holy Spirit,
everlastingly. _Amen_.
_Then, all standing up, the Priest shall use this exhortation
following; speaking to the Godfathers and Godmothers first_.
Forasmuch as _these persons_ have promised in your presence to
renounce the devil and all his works, to believe in God, and to
serve him: Ye must remember that it is your part and duty to put
_them_ in mind, what a solemn vow, promise, and profession _they_
have now made before this Congregation, and especially before you
their chosen witnesses. And ye are also to call upon _them_ to use
all diligence to be rightly instructed in God's holy Word; that so
_they_ may grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus
Christ, and live godly, righteously, and soberly in this present
world.
(_And then, speaking to the new baptized persons, he shall proceed,
and say_,)
And as for you, who have now by Baptism put on Christ, it is your
part and duty also, being made the _children_ of God and of the
light by faith in Jesus Christ, to walk answerably to your Christian
calling, and as becometh the children of light; remembering always,
that Baptism representeth 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 godliness of living.
_It is expedient that every person, thus baptized, should be
confirmed by the Bishop so soon after his Baptism as conveniently
may be; that so he may be admitted to the holy Communion_.
_If any persons not baptized in their infancy shall be brought to
be baptized before they come to years of discretion to answer for
themselves; it may suffice to use the Office for Public Baptism of
Infants, or_ (_in case of extreme danger_) _the Office for Private
Baptism; only changing the word_ [Infant] _for_ [Child _or_ Person]
_as occasion requireth_.